Posts by Edelen McWilliams
(Re-)Building Bridges: Reflections on All Hallows’ Eve 2012: Lessons learned from our response to crisis
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Trusts & Estates, November 2012 I’m writing this “Building Bridges” column on Oct. 31, 2012, “All Hallows’ Eve,” an appropriate holiday for this week of devastation and destruction on the East Coast. Hurricane/Superstorm…
Read MoreWhat is a family council and when should a family consider establishing one?
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published by National Center for Family Philanthropy, October 15, 2012 Many families with multiple branches may elect to set up a Family Council. While the particular roles and responsibilities of Family Councils vary across…
Read MoreClient Engagement: How to improve participation to achieve better results
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Trusts & Estates, September 2012 For more than a decade, lawyers in New York State have been required to have an “engagement” letter signed by each client to whom they provide legal services.…
Read MoreA View of the Bridge: An enduring Italian landmark offers up lessons for private wealth advisors
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Trusts & Estates, August 2012 While on vacation recently in Florence, Italy, I took a stroll across the Ponte Vecchio–the aptly named oldest bridge in that city and perhaps one of the most…
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Being “Good With Clients”
Four common assumptions to avoid
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Trusts & Estates, July 2012 As an aspiring lawyer interviewing for an associate position at one of the top law firms in 1991, I received some interesting feedback. Rather than being told that…
Read MoreKnow Your Client?
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Private Wealth Management in 2011 It is hard to discuss private wealth management, especially in the international context, without using the term “KYC’; the acronym for Know Your Client. Since 9/11, and for…
Read MoreFamily Governance Meets Family Dynamics: a Survey and Strategies for Successful Joint Philanthropy
By Patricia M. Angus and Fredda Herz Brown, Ph.D. – Originally published on NCFP Passages in 2007. The Smith family* had been running their foundation for about four years when it hit a roadblock. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, in their…
Read MoreA Road Map: Choosing Advisors To Help Your Family With Governance and Family Dynamics
By Jane N. Abitanta, Patricia M. Angus, and Fredda Herz Brown – December 7, 2006 General Tips for Your Selection Process 1. Consider this a learning experience having a number of firms and/or individuals to choose from will help your…
Read MoreThe Family Governance Pyramid: From Principles to Practice
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Journal of Wealth Management in 2005 Virtually every family of significant wealth lives within a family governance system, yet few know that this is the case and even fewer know how to…
Read MoreHow to Start on the Path to Long-term Wealth Preservation and Growth
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Private Wealth Management, 2005 Although each family is unique, all wealthy families face the challenges of how to preserve and build wealth over the long-term. Families struggle with managing property that is jointly…
Read MoreSharing the Family Vacation Home
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in WealthManagement.com July 2015 Five tips for making frolicking more likely than fighting. Ahh, summer. A time to get away to the family vacation home, kick back, bask in the sun and gather…
Read MoreFamily Governance: A Primer for Philanthropic Families
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published on NCFP Passages in 2004. Families who engage in philanthropy together have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the world and to share an experience that can enrich their lives…
Read MoreMaximizing Profits While Minimizing Costs: The Key Legal Issues
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Families in Business, 2003 A family business that is mindful of the need for proper planning, monitoring and maintenance of legal issues will ultimately be more profitable and successful over the long-term.…
Read MoreTen Facts Every Trust Beneficiary Should Know
By Patricia M. Angus – Originally published in Private Wealth Management in 2003. After years of working with families to establish trusts, and with individual trust beneficiaries, it has become clear to me that there is a need for better…
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