Christopher "Chris" J.C. Jones

A Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and a Board Certified Specialist in estate planning and probate law, Chris often acts as the trusted advisor to multiple generations of families assisting and advising on the preservation, protection, and transfer of their wealth. As personal general counsel to his clients, he monitors legal issues, marshals resources, and crafts solutions that protect what matters most to each client.

Chris' representation frequently involves the following:

• Preparation of estate planning documents;
• Structuring and implementing sophisticated lifetime and testamentary wealth transfer techniques including gifts and sales to grantor trusts, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), and Testamentary Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts (CLATs);
• Trust Modifications and Trust Decanting;

Notable

• Best Lawyers in America, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law "Lawyer of the Year," 2023; 2025
• Best Lawyers in America, Trust and Estates "Lawyer of the Year," 2023-2025
• Chambers High Net Worth, Private Wealth Law, 2019-2024
• North Carolina Super Lawyers, “Top 100” list of North Carolina Super Lawyers, 2024
• Best Lawyers in America, Tax Law, 2013-2024; Trust and Estates, 2021-2024; Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, 2022-2024
• North Carolina Super Lawyers, Estate & Probate, 2020-2024
• Business North Carolina Legal Elite, Tax and Estate Planning, 2021, 2023
• North Carolina Bar Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law
• Charlotte Magazine, Five Star Award for Best in Client Satisfaction for Estate Planning Professionals

News

Affiliations

• Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Business Planning and Fiduciary Income Tax Committee Member
• Past Chairman, Mecklenburg County Bar Association: Estate Planning and Probate Section
• American Bar Association: Tax Section, Real Property, Probate and Trusts Section
• North Carolina Bar Association: Tax Section, Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section
• Trustee and former President and Chairman of the Board, Southern Federal Tax Institute
• Former Member, Foundation for the Carolinas Cabinet of Professional Advisors
• Former Captain, The University of Virginia baseball team
• LL.M. degree in taxation, The Georgetown University Law Center
• Active in numerous community organizations, including serving on the boards of non-profit organizations 

Publications

• Co-author, "Grantor Trust Income Tax Reporting Requirements - A Primer," Probate & Property, January/February 2016
• Author, "The Basics of U.S. Taxation of Nonresident Aliens – The Transfer Tax Aspects,"  The Will & The Way, September 2010
• Co-author, "Income Tax Considerations in Structuring the Sale of S Corporation Stock to a Trust," Probate & Property, July/August 2010
• Author, "The Basics of U.S. Taxation of Nonresident Aliens – The Income Tax Aspects – Part One,” The Will & The Way, May 2010
• Author, “Planning Can Limit Reach of Creditors,” Charlotte Business Journal,  October 27, 2006
• Author, “Using LLCs as Trust Substitutes,” Probate and Property, published in two parts, December 2003 and January 2004

Speaking Engagements

• "Succession Planning for the Closely-Held Business," November 2024, Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council, Denver, Colorado

• “Tax and Non-Tax Considerations in Passing on the Closely Held Business,” September 2023, 49^th Annual Notre Dame Tax & Estate Planning Institute, South Bend, IN

• "Succession Planning for the Family Business," April 2022, The Conner-Zaritsky 43rd Annual Advanced Estate Planning Seminar 2022, Hot Springs, VA
• "Estate Planning with Disregarded Entities," November 2018, 55th Annual Hawaii Tax Institute, Honolulu, HI
• "Recent Developments in Estate Planning," July 2018, 39th Annual North Carolina Bar Association Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section Program, Kiawah Island, SC
• "Show Me the Money! Monetizing the Value of the Family Business," November 2017, Hawaii Tax Institute, Honolulu, HI
• "Business Succession Planning for the Family Business," July 2017, 38th Annual North Carolina Bar Association Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section Program, Kiawah Island, SC
• "Tax and Non-Tax Considerations in Succession Planning for the Family Business," February 2017, North Carolina Bar Association Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Pinehurst, NC
• "Nothing Succeeds Like Successful Succession - Business Sucession Planning for Family Businesses," January 2017, Heckerling Institue on Estate Planning, Orlando, FL
• "Income Tax and Basis Management Planning in Today's Estate Planning Practice," November 2015, EY Family Office Conference, Charlotte, NC
• "The Ascendency of Income Tax Planning In Estate Planning," July 2015, 42nd Annual Midwest/Midsouth Estate Planning Institute, University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, KY
• "Estate Planning Hot Topics Panel," July 2015, 42nd Annual Midwest/Midsouth Estate Planning Institute, University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, KY
• "Running The Basis, Basis Management Planning", March 2015, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Annual Meeting, Marco Island, FL
• "The Ascendancy of Income Tax Planning in Estate Planning," November 2014, Notre Dame Tax & Estate Planning Institute, South Bend, IN
• "Estate and Tax Planning for Liquidity Events," October 2012, Southern Federal Tax Institute, Atlanta, GA
• "The Appraisal Process and Ten Valuation Opportunities Beyond the Traditional FLP Approach," September 2011, Southern Federal Tax Institute, Atlanta, GA
• "Eye of the Storm? A Review of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010," February 2011, NC Bar Association, Webinar
• "Recent Developments in Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law," October 2010, NC Bar Association, Greensboro, NC
• "Insurance Planning Post-Meltdown: What's In, What's Out, What's Uncertain," October 2010, Southern Federal Tax Institute, Atlanta, GA
• "Recent Developments in Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law," July 2010, NC Bar Association, Kiawah Island, SC
• "Recent Developments in Federal Tax Law," July 2009, NC Bar Association, Kiawah Island, SC
• "Estate and Tax Planning for Liquidity Events," January 2009, NC Bar Association, Greensboro, NC
• "The Life Cycle of Family Limited Partnerships," December 2008, Tennessee Federal Tax Institute, Nashville, TN
• "Advanced Topics in Estate Planning," January 2007, Mecklenburg County Bar Association, Charlotte, NC
• "Estate Planning for the Closely-Held Business Owner," November 2005, Lorman Education, Charlotte, NC
• "Asset Protection Planning," December 2004, North Carolina Bar Association, Greensboro, NC
• "Choice of Entity," November 2004, Lorman Education, Charlotte, NC
• "Recent Developments in Valuation," November 2004, Lorman Education, Charlotte, NC
• "Asset Protection Planning," September 2004, Mecklenburg County Bar Association, Charlotte, NC
• "Asset Protection Planning with Trusts," January 2004, Queens College Estate Planner's Day, Charlotte, NC
• "Estate Planning for the Family Business," November 2003, Lorman Education, Charlotte, NC