William A. Clarke

Mr. Clarke is a veteran practitioner who has provided counsel to international, national, and local businesses and individual clients for more than 40 years.

He has worked with numerous Arizona family-owned business in estate planning, probate administration, general business matters, corporate transactions, and real estate transactions. Mr. Clarke’s corporate and business experience includes assisting clients with business succession planning and the sale and purchases of businesses.

Mr. Clarke has represented numerous clients in contested probate matters, including surviving spouses and heirs in estate disputes with family members over the allocation and distribution of assets. He also provides counsel to clients seeking guardianships and conservatorships.

Admitted to Practice

• Arizona
• Kansas

Court Admission

• U.S. Tax Court

• Represents clients in contested probate matters, including surviving spouses and heirs in disputes with family members over the allocation and distribution of assets
• Provides legal counsel and tax advice to clients, with assets in varying amounts, in creating individual estate plans/business succession plans that optimize financial and personal situations
• Represents corporate fiduciaries in probate administration matters involving conflicts between beneficiaries
• On several occasions, has represented investors (including an international golf course management company) in the acquisition of interests in elite golf courses
• Represented an Arizona family business in a transaction with an international Fortune 50 company for business succession planning, with an ultimate sale for $200 Million
• Represented an Arizona family business (with operations in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and Idaho) in a transaction with an international Fortune 50 company in the acquisition of distribution assets and facilities for the entire State of California, including obtaining a $100 Million loan from a syndicate of two major banks
• Represented an Arizona family oil distribution business (with operations in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Texas) in a transaction with a national oil distributor and real estate investment fund for the sale of the business and associated real estate, with a total purchase price of $50 Million
• For more than ten years, served as Arizona counsel for an international bank, headquartered in London, working through a retained loan/investment pool in excess of $450 Million (1988 – 2000)
• Provides legal counsel and tax advice to a variety of clients, with businesses of varying sizes, concerning business succession planning

Articles

• “The College Athletes of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon: Playing the Game of Law,” Featured, Attorney At Law Magazine (June 26, 2020)
• “Summary of American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 8),” Author (January 2, 2013)

Presentations

• “The Proposed Ultra-Millionaire Tax,” Presenter, November Decisions: Revisiting Post-Election, Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (March 10, 2021)
• “Potential Tax Consequences of the 2020 Presidential Election,” Presenter, November Decisions – Risks and Consequences, Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (September 23, 2020)

State Bar of Arizona

Kansas Bar Association

Central Arizona Estate Planning Council (2003 – present)

Phoenix Swim Club, Inc.

• Legal Counsel

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul

• Legal Counsel

Madison School District

• Co-Chair/Chair, Three successful bond and override election campaigns (1992 – 2003)
• Financial Oversight Committee (1992 – 2002)