Adam M. Ansari advises clients on tax, estate planning, and business structuring matters, concentrating on the representation of clients in IRS disputes and other tax related litigation.
Often advising on federal income, estate, and gift tax planning issues, Adam also develops and implements strategies, structures, and plans for businesses and families to maximize tax savings while avoiding or resolving tax related disagreements and questions.
Clients seek Adam’s experience in the following areas:
Tax Controversy
An experienced tax court advocate, Adam assists companies and individuals on a wide range of tax and compliance-related issues to favorably resolve tax controversies and audits at both the state and federal levels. Adam has handled every stage of a tax controversy from examination through court proceedings and the alternative dispute resolution options.
Adept at advising and working with accountants, personal injury and family law attorneys, Adam provides litigation support and guidance for the protection and separation of assets, and the associated tax related consequences.
Tax Planning
Adam provides guidance to business clients on federal, international, and state tax questions related to transactions, structuring, and compliance. A significant part of his practice involves advising clients on tax-related questions concerning the formation of business entities, the negotiation and drafting of operating agreements, compensation agreements, separation agreements, lending agreements, and purchase and sale agreements.
He also advises U.S. taxpayers in becoming compliant with U.S. and state tax laws through voluntary disclosure initiatives relating to previously undisclosed foreign financial accounts, gifts, and transactions.
Estate Planning, Trust Administration, and Probate
In his estate planning practice, Adam assists families on the design and implementation of comprehensive estate plans, including the preparation of wills, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, and special needs trusts, as well as gift agreements, charitable trusts, private foundations, and family limited partnerships. Experienced with advising international families and international assets, Adam is experienced with advising and drafting on the unique and complicated issues affecting international families and the protection of U.S. and non-U.S. held assets.
Adam also helps fiduciaries and beneficiaries navigate through the often-complicated trust and estate administration processes, and regularly assists clients with probate court proceedings.
Emerging Areas
Clients involved with cannabis and virtual currency activities seek Adam’s counsel on planning, compliance, and controversy representation related to federal taxes and information reporting obligations.
Adam also serves as the Deputy Member-in-Charge of the firm’s Chicago office.
Education
Recognitions
Named among The Best Lawyers in America® “Ones to Watch” for Tax Law (2022 – 2025) and Trusts and Estates (2021-2025) by Best Lawyers
Illinois Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Tax law (2016 – 2023)
Recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as an Estate Planning & Probate Law Rising Star by Thomson Reuters (2016 – 2023)
Memberships
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellow
Chicago Estate Planning Counsel
Illinois State Bar Association
South Asian Bar Association
The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Young Leader
American Bar Association, Real Property Trust & Estate Section, Current Leadership Member, Past Fellow
Tax Clinic, Center for Economic Progress, Volunteer
American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Solo and Small Firm Practice Group, Past Chair
AmeriCorps VISTA, American Red Cross, Alumni
State Bar Licenses
Court Admissions
Part IV, 2021
- Chapter 12: Roth Individual Retirement Arrangements, Co-Author, IICLE Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits (2025)
- Chapter 7: Income Tax Elections and Considerations, Co-Author, IICLE Postmortem Estate Planning (2023 & 2020)
- Who’s the Boss? Fiduciary Liability and Directed Trusts, Co-Author, ABA RPTE Law Journal (Fall/Winter 2022)
- CARES Act Provides Relief to Real Estate Professionals, Co-Author, Clark Hill News Report (2020)
- The Pandemic Is Bad Enough: How to Avoid Creating Post-Death Controversies During the Current Crisis, Co-Author, ISBA Trusts & Estates Newsletter (2020)
- Lending as a Creative Planning Solution: Understanding the Bad and Avoiding the Ugly, so All is Good, Co-Author of materials, ACTEC Fall Meeting (2019)
- Taxation Concerns for Individuals Splitting Time Between the United States and India, Author, ABA RPTE E-Report (2017)
- Section 529A ABLE accounts opening throughout the United States, Author, ISBA Trusts & Estates Newsletter (2017)
- Purchasers of Properties that Have Gone through Judicial Sale Should be Cautious, Author, ISBA Real Estate Law & Commercial Banking Newsletters (2015)
Presentations
- “May I AI?” A Primer on Recent and Notable Developments in the Incorporation of Artificial Intelligence into the Legal Practice, Co-Presenter, ABA RPTE National CLE Conference (2025)
- Tax Considerations in Settlements of Trust & Estate Litigation, Co-Presenter, CBA Trust Law Committee (2024)
- Divorce & Estate Planning, Co-Presenter, IICLE Estate Planning Short Course (2024)
- A Deeper Dive into 280E, Co-Speaker, Cannabis Law Podcast (2024)
- Who is the Fiduciary? Traditional and Non-Traditional Roles in the Administration of Directed Trusts, Co-Presenter, ABA RPTE National CLE Conference (2022)
- Formula Clauses: Gifting Real Estate, Closely Held Business Interests and Hard to Value Assets in 2021, Co-Presenter, Private Speaker Series (2021)
- Biden Administration: Potential Changes to Tax Code, Co-Presenter, Clark Hill Annual Tax Symposium (2021)
- Illinois Trust Code: Key Changes, Co-Presenter, Private Speaker Series (2019)
- The Fundamentals of Fiduciary Litigation, Co-Presenter, ABA RPTE e-CLE (2018)
- Protecting Assets, Supporting our Elders, and More on Fiduciary Litigation, Co-Presenter, ABA RPTE eTraining (2017)