Russell A. Willis III, J.D., LL.M.
Until recently based in Portland, Oregon, now transplanted to the desert southwest, Russ works as a freelance paralegal consultant to lawyers working with exempt organizations, contributors, and their advisors in structuring contributions of closely held business and real property interests, so as to serve the mutual advantage of all parties.
He also provides in-depth legal research, critical analysis, and advice on fiduciary income tax and transfer tax planning and trust administration more generally.
For ten years, Russ was a writer and editor for a subscription website that provided daily coverage and in-depth analysis of developments in tax law affecting charitable gift planning. More recently he has launched his own newsletter, the Jack Straw Fortnightly, analyzing current developments in the law -- both tax and nontax -- concerning the transfer of private wealth in this country. The newsletter is distributed by e-mail through MailChimp, and back issues are hosted on this site.
Russ has spoken at any number of national and regional conferences, and to local planned giving roundtables, community foundations, and bar associations. Some of his recent papers are posted to this site, under the Greystocke Project tab. He is listed with the speakers bureau at the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners.
Russ has an undergraduate degree in English literature from Indiana University in Bloomington and a master's in English from the University of Chicago. He earned his juris doctorate at St. Louis University and his master's in taxation law at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
A transportational bicyclist and sometime bike mechanic, Russ was a founding board member of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation and chaired its policy and advocacy committee before moving to Portland in 2008 to live car-free.
Until recently based in Portland, Oregon, now transplanted to the desert southwest, Russ works as a freelance paralegal consultant to lawyers working with exempt organizations, contributors, and their advisors in structuring contributions of closely held business and real property interests, so as to serve the mutual advantage of all parties.
He also provides in-depth legal research, critical analysis, and advice on fiduciary income tax and transfer tax planning and trust administration more generally.
For ten years, Russ was a writer and editor for a subscription website that provided daily coverage and in-depth analysis of developments in tax law affecting charitable gift planning. More recently he has launched his own newsletter, the Jack Straw Fortnightly, analyzing current developments in the law -- both tax and nontax -- concerning the transfer of private wealth in this country. The newsletter is distributed by e-mail through MailChimp, and back issues are hosted on this site.
Russ has spoken at any number of national and regional conferences, and to local planned giving roundtables, community foundations, and bar associations. Some of his recent papers are posted to this site, under the Greystocke Project tab. He is listed with the speakers bureau at the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners.
Russ has an undergraduate degree in English literature from Indiana University in Bloomington and a master's in English from the University of Chicago. He earned his juris doctorate at St. Louis University and his master's in taxation law at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
A transportational bicyclist and sometime bike mechanic, Russ was a founding board member of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation and chaired its policy and advocacy committee before moving to Portland in 2008 to live car-free.
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