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Alison J. Midden
- E amidden@taftlaw.com
- T (612) 977-8218
- F (612) 977-8650
Summary
Alison co-chairs the firm’s Private Client and Estate Planning practice groups. She focuses her practice in the areas of:
- Estate planning
- Estate and trust administration
- Guardianships and conservatorships
- Nonprofits
Alison advises clients on estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, charitable planning, asset-protection planning, and disability planning. She is a trusted adviser to clients in estate and trust court proceedings as well, including will contest litigation and tax controversies.
Alison also works with a variety of tax-exempt corporations and charitable trusts, helping organizations obtain and keep tax-exempt status, and advising on governance, structure, and compliance with federal and state tax law.
Awards
Best Lawyers in America, Trust and Estates (2018-present)
Honoree, Minnesota Super Lawyers
Honoree, Super Lawyers, Estate Planning & Probate
Task Force
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law (2000)
magna cum laude
- University of Wisconsin
B.A., Dean's List
Admissions
- State - Minnesota
- State - Wisconsin
- Federal - District of Minnesota
Notable Matters
- Represents clients in formulating estate plans by drafting Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and antenuptial agreements.
- Represents Wisconsin residents in creating Marital Property Agreements to best take advantage of Wisconsin’s Marital Property law.
- Assists families with wealth-transfer strategies, including sales to grantor trusts, creating grantor-retained annuity trusts, generation-skipping transfer tax trusts, charitable trusts, and other estate-planning techniques.
- Aids families in estate and trust administration, representing clients in probate court and fiduciary litigation.
- Represents corporate and individual trustees of variety of irrevocable trusts, assisting trustees in Minnesota and federal tax strategy and compliance.
- Forms new private family foundations and public charities and counsels tax-exempt organizations on governance and administration.
- Courtroom experience includes representing:
- personal representatives fending off Will challenges;
- corporate trustees asking for court instruction and construction of trust terms;
- trustees of court-supervised charitable trusts and non-charitable trusts; and
- guardians and conservators.
Speeches and Publications
Publications
- “A Word of Reassurance from Taft’s Estate Planners and Information on Health Care Advance Directives,” Taft Law Bulletin, March 23, 2020
- “Taking of Access: Minnesota Supreme Court Declines to Allow Admission of Evidence of Access Due to Installation of a Median in a Takings Case−County of Anoka v. Blaine Building Corporation, 556 N.W.2d 331 (Minn. 1997)," Author, William Mitchell Law Review, April 2014.
- "Closing and Administration," Chapter 7, Minnesota CLE’s Minnesota Estate Administration Deskbook, Author, Several Years.
News
Two Hundred and Thirty-One Taft Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers® 2021 News
Twelve Taft Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Minnesota Super Lawyers 2020 Law Bulletins
A Word of Reassurance from Taft's Estate Planners and Information on Health Care Advance Directives News
Thirty-Five Attorneys Listed in 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©