Allison J. Cornwell 15YEARSAWARDED

Allison J. Cornwell

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010
Awarded Practice Areas
Litigation - Trusts and Estates Trusts and Estates
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2027 edition in Little Rock.
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2027 - Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Works at
Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP

60 Best Lawyers awards

Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP logo

Biography

Allison J. Cornwell focuses her practice on estate tax planning for high-net worth individuals, succession planning for closely held family businesses, and handling complex and contested probate and trust administration cases. Allison also has extensive experience in preparing estate and gift tax returns and overseeing estate and income tax audits. Further, because many of Allison’s clients own businesses, she handles most internal business documents, including buy-sell agreements, partnership/operating/stockholder agreements, real estate purchase agreements, and settlement agreements. She also counsels clients on choice of entity selections and regularly files QSST and ESBT elections for non-qualifying trusts.

Allison’s broad base of experience includes the utilization of sophisticated wealth transfer and tax planning strategies, such as the use of grantor retained annuity trusts and charitable remainder unitrusts, valuation discount planning, sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts, and life insurance planning. Allison’s day-to-day practice includes advising fiduciaries in all aspects of trust and estate administration, assisting families with the transfer of assets, settling intricate estate and trust matters, obtaining court- approved trust modifications, and otherwise advising clients with all facets of estate planning. Allison routinely works with each client’s accountants, financial advisors, insurance agents, appraisers, and lenders to ensure that the client’s estate plan is coordinated in all aspects.

Allison is a former lecturer on estate and gift taxation at the University of Little Rock Bowman School of Law and is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). This appointment demonstrates her high level of experience in estate and trust law and the degree to which her peers view her work in the profession.

https://fridayfirm.com/attorneys/cornwell/

Works at
Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP

60 Best Lawyers awards

Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP logo

Locations

Education

  • New York University, LL.M. in Taxation , graduated 1996
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock, J.D., graduated 1995
  • Hendrix College, B. A., graduated 1992

Bar Admissions

  • Arkansas, 1995

Court Admissions

  • Arkansas
  • United States Tax Court

Affiliations

  • Arkansas Bar Association - Member
  • Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Little Rock - Board of Directors
  • Florence Crittenden Services, Inc. - Board of Directors
  • Professional Advisory Council of Arkansas Children's Hospital - Member

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2027 - Litigation - Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Litigation - Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Little Rock (2027)
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Little Rock (2022)
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Little Rock (2017)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 for work in:
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Trusts and Estates
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Tax Law
Special Focus:
  • Estate Planning
Awards:
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates, since 2010
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Trusts and Estates, since 2011
  • Named by The Best Lawyers in America as Lawyer of the Year 2017, Little Rock, Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Selected by attorney peers for inclusion in Mid-South Super Lawyers, 2014

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