Overview
Jared Cloud counsels clients on estate, trust and family business disputes. He represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in litigation before courts in numerous jurisdictions, as well as in connection with out-of-court negotiations and alternative dispute resolution such as arbitration and mediation. Jared also has experience in commercial, product liability, media defense, professional malpractice, and copyright and trademark litigation.
Jared has represented clients in the following areas, among others:
- Trust litigation, including trust construction, contested accountings, trust reformation and actions for breach of fiduciary duty
- Estate litigation, including will contests, probate claims and will construction
- Family business disputes, including succession disputes, separation of interests and buyout of minority stakeholders outside of litigation, as well as litigation of derivative actions, oppression claims by minority shareholders and partnership accountings
- Contested guardianship matters, including disputes over competence and the appointment of an appropriate guardian
Results
- Argued successful motion for summary judgment on behalf of the trustee of a Delaware spendthrift trust against plaintiffs seeking to recover from the spendthrift trust assets on their damages claim against one of the beneficiaries. The Delaware Supreme Court recently affirmed summary judgment
- Served as trial counsel and secured a favorable verdict on behalf of co-trustees of a family trust seeking court approval for a restructuring of the business owned by the trust over the objections of some of the beneficiaries
- Argued and won dismissal of a class action complaint asserting a multimillion-dollar claim of breach of fiduciary duty against the client, the corporate trustee of a cemetery care fund trust
- Served as lead counsel for the adopted daughter of deceased trust beneficiary and negotiated a favorable pre-trial settlement of litigation for construction of the trust, in which other family members claimed that she was not an eligible beneficiary upon her father’s death
- Served as trial counsel and obtained a favorable judgment on behalf of trust beneficiaries, including surcharge and removal of the trustee, on claims of breach of fiduciary duty and breach of trust involving the individual trustee’s operation of the businesses owned by the trust
Recognitions
- The Best Lawyers in America 2020 and 2021, Trusts and Estates
- Illinois Super Lawyers, Estate and Trust Litigation 2012 to 2018, Rising Star 2008 to 2009
- Northern District of Illinois and Federal Bar Association, 2013 Award for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service
Community
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow
- American Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association, chair of the Trust Law Committee 2015 to 2016, member of the Judicial Evaluation Committee 2009 to 2015
- Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, member of Advisory Board
- Gilda’s Club Chicago, past member of Associate Board
- Circuit Court of Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program, former arbitrator
Credentials
Education
University of Chicago Law School, JD, with honors, 1995
University of North Carolina School of Law, 1992 to 1993
University of Chicago, BA, 1991
Admissions
Illinois
Courts/ Agencies
US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
US District Court for the Central District of Illinois
US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
