Fredrick B. Weber

Counsel

Fred brings depth and experience to ArentFox Schiff’s Private Clients, Trusts & Estates practice.

Fredrick B. Weber, Counsel

Fred’s practice primarily focuses on representing individual and professional fiduciaries on post-death administration matters along with helping individuals and families to better prepare for post-death administration well before a death occurs.

Prior to returning to private law practice, Fred spent 18 years working as a professional fiduciary, first at the JPMorgan Private Bank and most recently with Northern Trust Wealth Management. As a professional fiduciary, Fred focused on guiding families, beneficiaries, and co-fiduciaries through the process of post-death administration of estates and trusts.

In addition to his work as a professional fiduciary, Fred has worked in planned giving and charitable bequest administration for a large public charity. He also served for several years as an adjunct professor at John Marshall (now UIC) Law School, where he taught a full semester course on post-mortem administration of estates and trusts.

Fred has also worked for the Jewish Federation/Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, and prior to law school, he worked on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Aide to the late U.S. Senator Paul D. Wellstone.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

  • “Tangible or Intangible?” Heritage Auctions Journal for Trusts and Estates Advisors (Winter 2023)
  • “Estate Planning: Keeping Up-to-Date With Digital Responsibilities,” Trusts & Estates (Apr. 2021)
  • “A Win-Win Situation: Charitable Beneficiaries Partnering with Corporate Fiduciaries,” Northern Trust (Oct. 2020)
  • “Heirlooms & Feuds,” Heritage Auctions Journal for Trusts and Estates Advisors (Fall 2020)

Presentations

  • “Post-Death Estate Litigation: Navigating Legal and Other Challenges for Charities,” 2024 CGP Conference, National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (Oct. 30, 2024)
  • “Finding the True Meaning of ‘Digital Assets’ in Estates and Trusts,” Elder Law Short Course 2024, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Oct. 28, 2024)
  • “Fiduciary Options for Administration of Charitable Estates and Trusts,” Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Emerging Philanthropy Conference (Sep. 27, 2024)
  • “Choosing the Right Fiduciary for Post-Death Administration,” Chicago Council on Planned Giving, Bi-Monthly Meeting (Sep. 10, 2024)
  • “CPGR Summer Symposium 2024,” Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable (Aug. 21, 2024)
  • “Choosing the Right Fiduciary for Administration of Charitable Trusts and Estates,” National Capital Gift Planning Council’s Annual Planned Giving Day Conference (Jun. 6, 2024)
  • “AI in Estate Planning: Ethical and Practical Considerations,” Washington, DC Estate Planning Council, Webinar (Mar. 27, 2024)
  • “Digital Assets – Risks and Challenges in Modern Estate Planning,” STEP Bermuda Conference 2023 (Nov. 30, 2023)
  • “These are a Few of My Favorite Things: Managing and Planning for Collections During Life and at Death,” Chicago Estate Planning Council, Conference (Oct. 18, 2023)
  • “Who You Gonna Call? Communication with Beneficiaries and other Interested Parties in Post-Death Administration,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Education (IICLE), Post-Death Administration of Trusts & Estates, Conference (Sep. 11, 2023)
  • “Navigating Estate and Trust Liquidity Issues Post-Death,” North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists Planned Giving & Trust Services Biennial Conference (Aug. 9, 2023)
  • “Serving as the Fiduciary Responsible for Post-Death Administration,” North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists Planned Giving & Trust Services Biennial Conference (Aug. 9, 2023)
  • “Demystifying Post-Death Administration,” Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan – Development Day Conference (Jun. 7, 2023)
  • “RUFADAA, Bitcoin & Fiduciaries: Finding the True Meaning of ‘Digital Assets’ in Estates & Trusts,” 66th Annual Estate Planning Short Course, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (May 2023)
  • “Case Studies and a Candid Conversation Between a Fiduciary and a Charitable Bequest Administrator,” Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners – Western Regional Planned Giving Conference (May 17, 2023)
  • “Choosing the Right Fiduciary for Post-Death Administration, ” Waukesha County Community Foundation, Webinar (May 4, 2023)
  • “Form 706: Federal Estate Tax Return,”  IICLE Gift & Estate Tax Workshop: Forms 709, 706 & 8971 (Dec. 2022)
  • “RUFADAA; Bitcoin and Fiduciaries: Finding the True Meaning of “Digital Assets” in Trusts and Estates,” 48th Annual Notre Dame Tax & Estate Planning Institute (Nov. 2022)
  • “Trustee Duties When Investing in Digital Assets,” STEP Bermuda Conference (Nov. 2022)
  •  “Post-Death Administration and Charities: Why the Donor’s Choice of Fiduciary Matters,” National Conference of Charitable Gift Planners 2022 Annual Conference (Oct. 2022)
  • “A Win-Win Situation: Charitable Beneficiaries Partnering With Fiduciaries” LACGP Western Regional Planned Giving Conference (May 2022)
  • “Proper Care and Feeding of an Estate Plan: How to Prepare Better For Post-Death Administration of Estates and Trusts Long Before The Client Actually Dies,” 64th Annual IICLE Estate Planning Short Course (May 2021)

Boards, Memberships & Certifications

Boards

  • Professional Advisory Committee of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago, IL, Member
  • SHALVA - Response to Domestic Abuse in Jewish Homes, Chicago, IL, Past President and former Board Member

Memberships

  • Chicago Estate Planning Council
  • Chicago Council on Planned Giving
  • National Association of Charitable Gift Planners

Life Beyond the Law

Outside of work, Fred can often be found riding his bicycle, hiking, traveling, taking in live music, attending live theatre, watching movies, reading, and enjoying great meals and great conversation, preferably in the company of family and close friends. Fred is also a happy husband, a proud dad to three remarkable young men, and the grateful owner of a pair of Orpington laying hens who reside in his family’s backyard chicken coop in Chicago.  

Perspectives