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William E. Shanks Jr.
Partner
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T: (205) 226-3444
F: (205) 488-5853

WILLIAM E. SHANKS, JR. is a Partner of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice group.  He is also Co-Chairman of the Wealth Management and Business Planning practice group.  Mr. Shanks has extensive experience in employee benefit and executive compensation matters. He has assisted in the preparation of employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements for a wide variety of companies from emerging growth companies to Fortune 500 companies. He has provided counsel with regard to numerous administrative and compliance issues and has worked on mergers and acquisitions, work reduction in force programs and change of control transactions. He has prepared incentive arrangements for executives and directors and assisted with the preparation of funding mechanisms. His experience also includes work with welfare benefit programs including health plans, disability plans and flexible compensation programs. He has been a frequent speaker at tax seminars on employee benefit topics.  Mr. Shanks also has extensive experience in estate planning and estate administration and in representing fiduciaries.  Mr. Shanks is Chairman of the firm's Pension Investment Committee.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

    • American Bar Association, Tax Section; Real Property and Probate Section
    • Alabama State Bar, Tax Section
    • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 1995 Edition - Present
    • Listed in Alabama Super Lawyers, 2008
    • Estate Planning Council of Birmingham
    • Employee Benefit Forum
    • Profit Sharing Council
    • Southern Employee Benefit Conference


COMMUNITY RELATIONS

    • Board Member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
    • Trustee of the Creative Montessori School

Education

  • The University of Alabama School of Law, LL.M., Taxation, 1979, with Highest Honors.
  • Emory Law School, J.D., 1976, cum laude; Member, Order of the Coif; Research Editor of Emory Law Journal.
  • Harvard University, B.A., 1972, cum laude.

Other Distinctions

  • President, Harvard Alumni Association of Birmingham
  • President, The Terriffic New Theatre
  • Executive Board Member of the Red Mountain Theatre Company
  • President's Council for the Emory University School of Law



Bar Admissions

  • Alabama, 1976
  • Georgia, 1976