Canella Woyar has extensive experience creating and implementing complex estate plans designed to minimize taxes and address asset protection concerns for clients with substantial wealth. Canella has analyzed, developed and drafted plans using generation-skipping trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, grantor-retained annuity trusts, family limited partnerships, trusts for minors, premarital agreements, qualified domestic trusts, charitable lead and charitable remainder trusts, private foundations (including private operating foundations), buy-sell agreements and other strategies for owners of closely-held businesses.

Canella also has broad experience in the administration of trusts and estates, fiduciary and post-mortem tax planning, and the preparation of estate and gift tax returns and income tax returns for trusts and estates.

Prior to joining Harrison & Held, Canella was a partner at Lord, Bissell & Brook, LLP where she practiced for nine years.

In addition to practicing law, Canella previously managed the Estate Administration Department of the Harris Bank, supervising the administration of all estates in which the bank acted as executor and trusts where the bank became trustee upon the grantor’s death.

Education:

• Northwestern University, J.D., 1982
          Editorial Board, Northwestern University Law Review
          Dean’s List; Teaching Assistant in Legal Writing
• Loyola University, A.B. Classics, 1979, summa cum laude
          Majors: Latin and Political Science

Bar Admissions: Illinois, 1982

Professional and Community Organizations:

• American Bar Association
• Illinois State Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association