Michael Stiff has joined Holland & Knight’s Private Wealth Services Group, the largest practice of its kind in the country, as a partner in its Denver office.
“His strong relationships in the Colorado private wealth community will be key in supporting the buildout of our trust and estate practice in the state, and we welcome him to the firm,” said Christopher Boyett, deputy leader of Holland & Knight’s Wealth & Tax Section.
Stiff’s practice focuses on estate planning, probate, trust administration and business planning, with a particular emphasis on complex wealth structuring. He regularly advises principals of oil and gas companies, private equity firms and hedge funds on planning strategies for carried interests, including the transfer of those interests to multigenerational trusts designed to preserve and protect family wealth. His practice also extends to international clients, where he counsels non-U.S. citizens on estate planning for both domestic and foreign-situs assets. In addition, Stiff frequently represents Canadian citizens in the United States, developing cross-border estate plans aimed at minimizing tax exposure while ensuring the efficient distribution of assets.
Stiff has been recognized in the Chambers High Net Worth guide for Private Wealth Law in Colorado since 2017. He is co-author of Chapter 42 of the Colorado Estate Planning Handbook on the Special Valuation Rules of Section 2701-2704 of the Internal Revenue Code. He also is a frequent speaker on estate planning topics at continuing legal and professional education programs for attorneys and CPAs. Stiff is the past president of the Colorado Bar Association Trust & Estate Section and past chair of the Colorado Bar Association Statutory Revisions Committee and Rules and Forms Committee.
Stiff was previously a partner with BakerHostetler. He received his J.D. from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and his B.S. from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Founded in 1889, Holland & Knight is a global law firm with approximately 2,200 lawyers and other professionals in 35 offices worldwide.