Jennifer J. Thurswell

Jennifer Thurswell focuses her practice on advising business owners, professionals, and families in connection with estate and gift tax planning, asset protection matters, and tax controversies. Jeni counsels clients on how to best achieve their future goals and helps them navigate the estate planning process. She is skilled in developing specialized plans that make the best use of revocable, irrevocable, charitable, insurance, and dynasty (generation skipping) trusts to optimize her clients’ personal and tax goals while simultaneously safeguarding their financial resources. Jeni is also experienced with numerous tools, such as Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs), Powers of Attorney for Property and for Health Care, and Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs).

Jeni also counsels individual and corporate fiduciaries regarding complex estate and trust administration and related tax issues. She administers estates and trusts and represents trustees, personal representatives, and other fiduciaries and beneficiaries of estates and trusts in various complex transactional affairs, being particularly sensitive to the needs of family members after the passing of a loved one. Jeni also regularly prepares and files federal and state estate tax returns, gift tax returns, and accountings.

Additionally, Jeni frequently counsels her clients regarding lifetime and testamentary charitable giving strategies, including establishing and operating charitable lead trusts, charitable remainder trusts, donor-advised funds, private foundations and more.

Jeni often gives lectures and presentations to other attorneys, accountants, financial planners, etc., and writes articles and reference publications regarding various trust and estate planning and administration matters.

Before joining Harrison LLP, Jeni was an associate with Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP and Reed Smith LLP. She is a Board Member of Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and a pro bono tax volunteer with LadderUp Chicago and Wills for Heroes.