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Best Lawyers Recognizes 69 Cole Schotz Attorneys on 2025 Lists
| Cole Schotz Press Release
Michael Forman is a member of the firm’s Tax, Trusts & Estates and Corporate Transactions Departments.
His practice encompasses complex business transactions and all phases of tax, estate and succession planning. He joined the firm in 1975 and became a partner in 1977.
Michael lectures regularly for certified public accounting, bar associations, investment advisors and insurance professionals on tax matters, including tax, estate and succession and corporate issues. He was an adjunct professor at the American College teaching business and estate tax planning. He has been certified as an Accredited Estate Planner by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils.
Michael is a member of the Tax Society of New York University and was appointed as a member of the Governor of New Jersey’s Tax Advisory Council. He is a member of the Bergen County Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees), the Passaic County Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees), the New Jersey State Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees), and the American Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees). Michael is a Trustee of the Endowment Foundation of Montclair State University and was appointed to the Governor of New Jersey’s Tax Advisory Council. In addition, he was Chairman of Lawyer’s Division of State of Israel Bonds, Metrowest and sat on the Board of Governors of the Daughters of Israel. He is past president of the Estate Planning Council of Bergen County and the Passaic County Bar Association and a former trustee of the Endowment Foundation of the North Jersey and Greater Clifton-Passaic Federations.
He has been awarded an AV rating for his professionalism and the quality of his legal work from Martindale-Hubbell, the premier directory of legal professionals and was selected “Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year in Hackensack” by The Best Lawyers in America in 2012 and 2024. Since 1997, he has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in the prestigious Best Lawyers in America in two areas – taxation and trusts and estates. Since 2005, he has been selected for inclusion in New Jersey Super Lawyers. Michael was named to Who’s Who in American Law. He was also selected for inclusion in the New Jersey 2011 Five Star Wealth Managers list, published by New Jersey Monthly, in the areas of business planning, charitable giving and taxation.
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