Biography

Bill Friedler provides clients with sound planning and peace of mind.

Since his admission to the Massachusetts Bar, Bill has concentrated his practice in the areas of high-net-worth estate planning, probate administration, planning for adults or children with special needs and disabilities, elder law, and Medicaid planning. Within the context of estate planning, Bill represents his clients for their corporate and real estate needs and is knowledgeable about business succession planning.

Though Bill's client base may be quite diverse, their experiences are all the same when he represents them - sincerity, his personable nature, and a keen understanding of their unique situations.

Bill often serves as a Trustee or Personal Representative of clients trusts and estates.

Bill has been selected by his peers from 2009 to 2019 to be designated as a Super Lawyer in the field of Estate Planning. He has also been named by Best Lawyers each and every year since 2015 in the field of Elder Law by US News and World Report. He has been rated by Martindale Hubbell as AV Preeminent, the highest rating in his field.

Bill has served as Chairperson of the Massachusetts Bar Association Taxation Section Council (1995 to 1996 and 1997 to 1998 and as President and Member of the Executive Committee of Temple Beth Avodah located in Newton, Massachusetts (2009 to 2011).

He is currently serving as a member of the Brookline Community Foundation Professional Advisors Committee.

Bill has appeared on radio and television to discuss matters pertaining to estate planning. He is a contributing author to “Practical Estate Planning in Massachusetts” an MCLE publication (2022). He has authored numerous articles and is a frequent lecturer on topics pertaining to estate planning and trust administration both for the Bar and for private industry.

Prior to joining Verrill Bill founded and managed the Friedler Law Group for 25 years, a boutique trust and estates law firm with offices in Boston and Newton, MA.

Bill is an avid keyboard player, and enjoys golf, tennis, and photography. He is married and the father of three adult children.

Services/Industries

Education

  • Suffolk University Law School  (J.D.)
    • Lead Article Editor of the Suffolk Transnational Law Journal
  • Wesleyan University  (B.A., cum laude)
    • Member of College Body Committee
  • Boston University School of Law  (LL.M. in Taxation)
    • Adjunct Faculty Advisor
    • Editor of the Boston University Journal of Tax Law

Public Service

  • Volunteer/Instructor for the Monk Youth Jazz and STEAM Collective, Inc., New Haven, CT (2021-Date).
  • President and Member of the Executive Committee of Temple Beth Avodah located in Newton, Massachusetts (2009 to 2011)
  • Former Vice President, Endowment Trustee and Member of the Board of Trustees of Temple Beth Avodah
  • Former Executive Director and Vice President of the Men's Associates of the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged located in Boston, Massachusetts (now known as Hebrew Senior Life). In 1997, Bill was installed as a "Director for Life".

Bar Admissions

  • Massachusetts

Memberships

  • Member of the Brookline Community Foundation Professional Advisors Committee (2019-Date).
  • Member of the Executive Management Board and the Budget and Finance Committee of the Massachusetts Bar Association (1999 to 2002)
  • Chairperson of the Investment Sub-Committee of the Budget and Finance Committee for the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Massachusetts Bar Foundation (2001 to 2002).
  • Chairperson of the Massachusetts Bar Association Taxation Section Council (1995 to 1996 and 1997 to 1998).
  • Delegate to the Massachusetts Bar Association House of Delegates, the legislative and policy making body of the Massachusetts Bar Association (1997 to 2004)
  • Co-chairperson of the Massachusetts Bar Association Estate Planning Subcommittee (1989 to 1995)
  • Adjunct Faculty Advisor and Editor of the Boston University Journal of Tax Law at Boston University School of Law (1986 to 1989)
  • Editor-in-Chief of the Boston University Journal of Tax Law (1986 to 1989).

Honors

  • Selected by peers for inclusion in New England Super Lawyers© under Estate Planning (2009-2019)
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© under Elder Law in Boston, Massachusetts (2024)

To learn more about third-party ratings and rankings, and the selection processes used for inclusion, click here.

Court and Other Admissions

  • U.S. Tax Court

Publications

  • Contributing author of "Practical Estate Planning in Massachusetts", a book published by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (2022)
  • "Medicaid Planning Update", published by the Massachusetts Bar Association (1998)