Diane Currier is a partner in the firm’s Trusts & Estate Planning Practice and is co-chair of the Nonprofit and Charitable Organizations Group. From 1979 to 1996 she was a member of the firm’s Tax Practice and served as chair of that practice from 1990 to 1994. Ms. Currier currently serves on Goodwin Procter’s Pro Bono Committee.

Ms. Currier has substantial experience in all aspects of estate planning, including the formation of family limited partnerships. She works frequently with other estate planning vehicles such as grantor retained annuity trusts (“GRATs”) and qualified personal residence trusts.

Ms. Currier works extensively with tax issues related to the formation and operation of tax exempt entities. She has obtained tax-exempt status for dozens of organizations with a wide range of activities. She has substantial experience with the various ways to structure charitable gifts, including charitable lead and charitable remainder trusts, private foundations, gift annuities and conservation restrictions.

Work for Clients

Ms. Currier’s practice in the Trusts & Estate Planning Practice encompasses all aspects of estate, gift, generation-skipping, charitable and income tax planning. She advises clients of high net worth, including venture capitalists and other entrepreneurs, in structuring lifetime gift programs. She also has extensive experience in all aspects of estate administration, including post-mortem tax planning.

She also represents a large number of charitable organizations and foundations, providing tax advice to universities, research organizations and other charities regarding their activities and investments. She also works with charitable organizations in developing and implementing planned giving programs.

In the Tax Practice, Ms. Currier had a general tax practice, representing a variety of large and small businesses in such matters as business restructurings, creation of investment partnerships and executive compensation. She worked closely with members of the Trusts & Estate Planning Practice on various tax planning matters.

Professional Activities

Ms. Currier is a member of the Executive Committee of the Federal Tax Institute of New England. She is also a member of the American Bar Association Tax Section and the Boston and Massachusetts Bar Associations.

Ms. Currier was on the Board of Editors of the Cornell Law Review at Cornell Law School.

Publications/Presentations

Ms. Currier is a frequent speaker on tax and estate planning issues. She has made recent presentations on family limited partnerships and on minority discounts.

Bar and Court Admissions

Ms. Currier is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and before the U.S. Tax Court.

Education

J.D., Cornell Law School, 1979 (magna cum laude)
A.B., Brown University, 1976