William B. "Bill" Acker

William B. "Bill" Acker

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012
Awarded Practice Areas
Litigation and Controversy - Tax Real Estate Law Tax Law Trusts and Estates
Awarded Practice Areas
Litigation and Controversy - Tax Real Estate Law Tax Law Trusts and Estates
William B. "Bill" Acker
William B. "Bill" Acker
Troy, MI
Works at
Kemp Klein

21 Best Lawyers awards

Kemp Klein logo

Biography

William B. “Bill” Acker is a shareholder, director, and corporate vice president at Kemp Klein in Troy, Michigan. His practice focuses on Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, and Real Estate Law. Bill represents businesses, property owners, and individuals in complex tax disputes, estate planning matters, and real estate transactions and controversies.

Bill holds an “AV” peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest rating awarded through that organization’s peer review process. He has been selected for inclusion in Michigan Super Lawyers magazine from 2010 through 2019 in the practice area of Estate Planning & Probate. He has also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 for Litigation & Controversy – Tax, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, and Real Estate Law (Copyright 2019 by Woodward/White, Inc., of SC), and was named the Best Lawyers® 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” for Tax Law in Troy, Michigan. In addition, he has been included in DBusiness magazine’s list of Top Lawyers in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2018 for Tax Law and was selected as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Taxation Law by American Lawyer Media.

Bill writes and speaks frequently on business, tax, and estate planning issues affecting real estate owners, investors, and closely held businesses. He has authored numerous articles addressing tax and estate planning strategies for real property ownership, debt restructuring and workouts, tax-deferred like-kind exchanges, partnership taxation, and state property tax matters. His work has appeared in the Journal of Taxation, the State Bar of Michigan Real Property Section’s journal The Real Property Review, the Wayne Law Review, and the State Bar of Michigan Taxation Section’s journal, the Michigan Tax Lawyer.

He is a frequent lecturer on the tax impact of federal legislation on real estate development, financing, investment, and ownership, as well as the structuring of real estate and other business and joint commercial ventures. Bill has presented seminars for organizations including the American Bar Association, the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Michigan, the Real Property Section of the State Bar of Michigan, the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, and other professional groups of real estate attorneys, tax attorneys, and certified public accountants.

Works at
Kemp Klein

21 Best Lawyers awards

Kemp Klein logo

Locations

Education

  • Central Michigan University, B.S.
  • University of Michigan, B.B.A., graduated 1972
  • The University of Michigan Law School, J.D., graduated 1975

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan, State Bar of Michigan, 1975

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Tax Court, 1976
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Affiliations

  • Leadership Oakland’s Justice System Subcommittee - Co-Chair
  • American Bar Association: Steering Committee for Leadership Oakland - Member
  • State Bar of Michigan Real Property Section’s Tax Aspects of Real Estate Transactions Committee - Chair Member
  • State Bar of Michigan: Probate and trust law Section - Member
  • State Bar of Michigan: Real Property Section - Member/ Former Council
  • State Bar of Michigan: Banking and Business law Section - Member
  • State Bar of Michigan: Corporation Section - Member
  • State Bar of Michigan: Taxation Section - Member

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Tax Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2014 - Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Tax Law, Troy (2019)
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Detroit (2014)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
  • Real Estate Law
  • Tax Law
  • Trusts and Estates
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Special Focus:
  • Estate Planning
Awards:
  • “AV” Peer Review Rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law

  • DBusiness magazine’s list of Top Lawyer: Tax Law

  • Michigan Super Lawyers- Estate Planning and Probate, Business and Corporate Law, and Tax Law

Additional Information

  • Bar and Court Admissions:
State Bar of Michigan, 1975
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Tax Court, 1976
Mr. Acker has extensive experience before the Internal Revenue Service.
  • Education:
J.D., University of Michigan, 1975
B.B.A., with high distinction (first in class), University of Michigan, 1972
  • Memberships:

State Bar of Michigan
He is a member of the sections on Taxation; Corporation, Banking and Business Law; Real Property; as well as Probate and Trust Law. He is a former multiple term member of the Council of the State of Michigan Real Property Section and continuing Chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan Real Property Section’s Tax Aspects of Real Estate Transactions Committee.

American Bar Association
Mr. Acker has served as a member of the Steering Committee for Leadership Oakland and co-chair of Leadership Oakland’s Justice System Subcommittee, which provides leadership education for Oakland County business.

Oakland County Bar Association
Mr. Acker has served as a member of the Steering Committee for Leadership Oakland and Co-Chair of Leadership Oakland’s Justice System Subcommittee, which provides leadership education for Oakland County business.

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