Wes Taylor is an associate and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, and is a member of the firm’s Estates & Trusts Practice.
Prior to law school, Mr. Taylor worked as a programmer and analyst for the University of Wisconsin Survey Center, where he independently designed and programmed complex research instruments for telephone, mail, and in-person surveys. He also worked as a software producer for Boston Animation, where he gained experience in directing, producing and managing commercial software titles, including web projects.
In 2012, Mr. Taylor received the Dane County Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Individual Award. He received the Chief’s Award from the University of Wisconsin Police Department in 2011.
Mr. Taylor has worked as a pro bono attorney for the AARP Tax-Aide and for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) since 2013. He has been heavily involved in the Wills for Heroes since 2010 coordinating and attending clinics for the Madison Police Department, UW Police Department, and several other first responders in Dane, Rock and Sauk Counties.
Mr. Taylor has written different articles for the St. Mary’s Foundation newsletter and flier, helping to drive charitable donations. Mr. Taylor coordinated and led 15 Wills for Heroes clinics in 2016.
Mr. Taylor is a member of the Madison Estate Council, the Wisconsin Planned Giving Council and of the board of trustees for the Madison Waldorf School.
- “Recent Developments,” Wisconsin State Bar, November 2016
- “Qualified Personal Residence Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, October 2016
- “Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, October 2016
- “Grantor Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, October 2016
- “Annual Exclusion Gifting,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, October 2016
- “Grantor Trusts,” Estate Planning from A to Z, May 2016
- “Trusts Used for Tax Reduction,” Estate Planning from A to Z, May 2016
- “Documenting Long-Term Care, Incapacity and End-of-Life Decisions,” Estate Planning from A to Z, May 2016
- “Key Elements of Effective Wills,” Estate Planning from A to Z, May 2016
- “ILITs” March 2016
- “Trust Decanting Principles” February 2016
- “Annual Exclusion Gifting,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, December 2015
- “Revocable Living Trust Planning vs. Will-Based Estate Planning,” December 2015
- “Raising the Bar on Alzheimer’s: Shades of Gray for the Legal Profession,” October 2015
- “Trust Management and Investment Provisions,” Grantor Trusts from A to Z, September 2015
- “Drafting Trust Distribution Provisions,” Grantor Trusts from A to Z, September 2015
- “Grantor Trusts, Recent Developments,” Grantor Trusts from A to Z, September 2015
- “Select Philanthropic Tools and Strategies,” Driftless Area Land Conservancy, July 2015
- “Will Drafting, Drafting Effective Wills and Trusts,” June 2015
- “Wisconsin’s Trust Code, Drafting Effective Wills and Trusts,” June 2015
- “Drafting Trusts for Tax Reduction,” Estate Planning from A to Z, June 2015
- "Grantor Trusts,” Estate Planning from A to Z, June 2015
- “Qualified Personal Residence Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, March 2015
- “Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, March 2015
- “Grantor Trusts, Top Estate Planning Techniques,” March 2015
- “Annual Exclusion Gifting, Top Estate Planning Techniques,” March 2015
- “Grantor Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, December 2015
- “Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, December 2015
- “Qualified Personal Residence Trusts,” Top Estate Planning Techniques, December 2015
- “Summary of Wisconsin Trust Code,” Capital Wealth Advisory Group, October 2014
- State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Estate Planning Seminar: Recent Developments, 2010 – 2014
- "Grantor Trusts," Estate Planning from A to Z, November 2014
- "Drafting Trusts for Tax Reduction," Estate Planning from A to Z, November 2014
- "Trust Decanting," Forum for Women Estate Counselors, September 2014
- "Decanting and other Methods of Trust Administration," Rules of Trust Administration in Wisconsin, September 2014
- "Conservation Easement Planning," Driftless Area Land Conservancy, September 2013
- "Putting Your Affairs In Order – Disability and Estate Planning," UW Hospital and Clinics, October 2012
- "Charitable Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets," Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, October 2012
- "Pro Bono Opportunities," Foley & Lardner, LLP, June 2012
- "Putting Your Affairs In Order – Disability and Estate Planning," UW Hospital and Clinics, January 2012
Mr. Taylor earned his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School (2009), graduating with a concentration in estate planning with honors. He received the State Bar/Law School Academic Achievement Award for highest grade in Jurisprudence (2007) and in Professional Responsibilities (2008). While attending law school, he worked with Howie Erlanger to develop an estate planning concentration for the law school and also served as a judicial intern to Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David T. Prosser.
Mr. Taylor received his M.S. in environmental studies from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (1991) and his B.S. in environmental studies from The College of William and Mary (with honors, 1989), where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
He is admitted to practice in Wisconsin and before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.