Michael D. Umphrey
Shareholder
Phone: 248 528 1111
Practice Areas - Business and Corporate Planning, Estate and Business Planning, Estate and Trust Litigation, Estate Planning, Exit Planning, Family Business Planning, Post-Death Administration, Probate Law and Trust Administration, Tax Planning
Michael Umphrey is a shareholder, as well as an officer and a director, of the firm. He concentrates his practice in the areas of legacy (formerly estate) planning, business/tax planning and the administration of estates and trusts. He has written, and also frequently lectures, on these subjects.
Mr. Umphrey’s practice involves a wide variety of legacy and business planning/structuring situations. In over 40 years of practice, he has developed a high degree of expertise in the design and drafting of a broad range of legacy planning, business and financial planning documents for a wide variety of clients with differing needs and requirements, ranging from the straightforward and uncomplicated to the most complex situations.
Many legacy planning considerations dovetail closely with business planning matters. Since Mr. Umphrey represents a significant number of family-owned businesses, he has developed a particular expertise in the special needs of the entrepreneurial family.
Given the nature of his practice, Mr. Umphrey also has considerable experience dealing with incapacity situations and with the post-death administration of trusts and estates. His expertise in these areas aids clients in minimizing taxation, expenses, delays and post-death disputes and in providing for the proper management and prompt distribution of deceased clients’ businesses and other assets.
He maintains an “AV” peer review rating with Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest peer review rating for attorneys. Mr. Umphrey has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022 in the fields of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) and Trusts and Estates (Copyright 2021 by Woodward/White, Inc., of SC). He has also been designated an Accredited Estate Planner by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils. In addition, Mr. Umphrey has been named a “Five Star Wealth Manager” by Five Star Professional. The Five Star Award is presented to only 7% of wealth managers with at least five years of experience in the financial services industry, and who are evaluated in the local market to score highest in client satisfaction.
Education
J.D., cum laude, University of Michigan, 1967
B.A., Albion College, 1964
B.A., Albion College, 1964
Bar and Court Admissions
State Bar of Michigan, 1968
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Tax Court
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Tax Court
Memberships
State Bar of Michigan (Member of sections on Corporation, Finance and Business Law; Probate and Trust Law; and Taxation)
Oakland County Bar Association
Wayne County Probate Bar Association
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Estate Planning Council of Detroit
Oakland County Estate Planning Council
Oakland County Bar Association
Wayne County Probate Bar Association
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Estate Planning Council of Detroit
Oakland County Estate Planning Council
Articles
American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012; PDF icon (2) Commentator ALERT, January 2013
Impact of the 2010 Tax Act on your estate, gift and GST tax issues; PDF icon (2) Commentator ALERT, January 2011
Impact of the 2010 Tax Act on your estate, gift and GST tax issues; PDF icon (2) Commentator ALERT, January 2011