Elaine M. Bucher

• Florida Trend, "Legal Elite Notable - Women Leaders in Law," 2023
• Chambers High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Law: Florida, 2016-24
• Chambers & Partners, “Leaders in Their Field,” Tax: Estate Planning, 2010-16
• The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Trusts & Estates Law "Lawyer of the Year" in West Palm Beach, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
  • Trusts & Estates, 2011-25
• AV Rated as independently determined by Martindale-Hubbell
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-24
  • Top 10 Florida, 2017-18, 2024
  • Top 50 Women Florida, 2014-24
  • Top 100 Florida, 2015-24
  • Top 100 South Florida, 2015-18
  • Top 100 Miami, 2019-24
• Palm Beach Illustrated, "Top Lawyers," Trusts and Estates, 2021-24
• Boca Raton Observer, "Top Lawyers," 2022
• Jupiter Magazine, "Top Lawyers," Trusts and Estates, 2021
• South Florida Business Journal, “Influential Businesswomen,” 2014
• Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, “Pro Bono Award,” Recipient
• Who’s Who Legal
  • Private Client, 2014-2023
  • Thought Leaders - USA, Private Client, 2023
• Florida Trend, “Legal Elite,” 2010-11, 2016-20, 2022
• Business Leader Magazine, “Woman Extraordinaire,” 2010

• “Estate Planning for Blended Families,” Jewish Federation Broward County Professional Advisory Council, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, February 28, 2024
• “Estate Planning for Blended Families,” Palm Beach County Estate Planning Council, North Palm Beach, FL, October 17, 2023
• “Take a Dive into the Sunshine State (Law): The Essential Update on Florida Law,” 57th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Orlando, Florida, January 12, 2023
• “I Do, Act II: Estate Planning for Second Marriages,” Heart of America Fellows Institute, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 21, 2021
• “Estate Planning for Blended Families,” The East Coast Estate Planning Council, West Palm Beach, Florida, April 23, 2019
• “I Do, Act II: Estate Planning for Second Marriages,” Heart of America Fellows Institute, St. Louis, Missouri, February 29, 2019
• "What’s Hot in Florida: Recent Developments in Florida Law,” 53rd Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Orlando, Florida, January 17, 2019
• "Estate Planning for Blended Families," Greater Miami Tax Institute, Miami, Florida, September 12, 2018
• “Trust Protectors: Who Watches the Watchmen?,” Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami, Miami, Florida, February 15, 2018
• “Estate Planning for Blended Families,” Missouri Bar Annual Estate, Trust and Elder Law Institute, St. Louis, Missouri, September 29, 2017
• "Who Watches the Watchmen: Exploring the Role of Trust Protectors in Domestic Trusts," South Palm Beach County Estate and Tax Roundtable Series, Boca Raton, Florida, November 17, 2016
• "What's Hot in Florida - Florida Law Update," 32nd Annual Estate and Probate Seminar - Part II, Palm Beach County Bar Association, West Palm Beach, Florida, May 15, 2015
• “Fiduciary Litigation Issues,” Florida Bar, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, February 20, 2015
• “What’s Hot in Florida: Recent Developments in Florida Law,” 49th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Orlando, Florida, January 15, 2015
• “What Estate Planners Need to Know About Premarital Agreements, Divorce and Planning for Second Marriages,” American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law, Webinar, October 21, 2014
• “Trust Protectors,” Palm Beach County Probate and Guardianship Presentation, West Palm Beach, Florida, May 7, 2014
• “I Do, Act II: Estate Planning for Second Marriages,” ALI-CLE Webinar, March 27, 2014
• “Family Trust Company Legislation,” Professional Advisors Network of the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Boca Raton, Florida, January 9, 2014
• “Family Trust Company Legislation,” Professional Advisors Network of the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, West Palm Beach, Florida, October 17, 2013
• “I Do, Act II: Planning it Right the Second Time Around,” ALI-CLE Program, Estate Planning in Depth, University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, Wisconsin, June 25, 2013
• “I Do, Act II: Planning it Right the Second Time Around,” The Florida Bar Attorney/Trust Officer Liaison Conference, Palm Beach, Florida, June 14, 2013
• “Trust Funding,” American Bar Association Real Property, Trust & Estate Section, Paralegal e-Training, February 13, 2013
• “Estate Planning Under the New Estate Tax Regime: What Clients Should Do Before 2013,” Greater Miami Jewish Foundation, Miami, Florida, December 5, 2012
• “Estate Planning Under the New Estate Tax Regime: What Clients Should Do Before 2013,” Greater Fort Lauderdale Tax Council, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 21, 2012
• “Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements,” Joint Committee of the Probate and Family Law Sections of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association, Delray Beach, Florida, September 6, 2012
• “Estate Planning Under the New Estate Tax Regime: What Clients Should Do Before 2013,” CBIZ Annual Tax Conference, Miami, Florida, July 12, 2012
• “Traps and Pitfalls of Estate Administration,” CBIZ Annual Tax Conference, Miami, Florida, July 11, 2012
• “I Do, Act II: Planning It Right the Second Time Around,” JP Morgan Wealth Advisors, National Telephone Conference, Boca Raton, Florida, July 10, 2012
• “Domicile Planning: Should I Stay or Should I Go (To Florida)?” Estate Planning Council of New York City, New York, New York, May 9, 2012
• “I Do, Act II: Planning It Right the Second Time Around,” American (Transfer Tax) Idols, Florida Bar Tax Section, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, May 4, 2012
• “I Do, Act II: Planning It Right the Second Time Around,” Central Florida Estate Planning Council, Orlando, Florida, March 22, 2012
• “I Do, Act II: Planning It Right the Second Time Around,” Miami-Dade Certified Financial Planners Association, Miami, Florida, January 24, 2012
• “That’s A Wrap: Summary of the Heckerling 2012 Presentations,” 46th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Orlando, Florida, January 13, 2012
• “I Do, Act II: Planning it Right the Second Time Around,” South Florida Financial Planners Association Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, April 29, 2011
• “I Do, Act II: Planning it Right the Second Time Around,” Miami-Dade Estate Planning Council, Miami, Florida, April 21, 2011
• “ILITs: It’s Crummey Being a Trustee,” ALI-ABA Webinar, March 3, 2011
• “Estate Planning for Women: Protecting Your Wealth, Health and Family,” Jewish Community Foundation of Broward County, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, March 2, 2011
• “Should I Stay or Should I Go (to Florida)?: Considerations in Changing Domicile from New York to Florida,” New York City Estate Planning Council, New York, New York, February 17, 2011
• “Portability: Benefit or Trap for the Unwary?” Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar Webinar, January 20, 2011
• “I Do, Act II: Planning it Right the Second Time Around,” ACTEC Annual Meeting – Symposium, Bonita Springs, Florida, March 11, 2010
• “Estate Planning: Protecting Your Wealth, Health and Family,” Proskauer Rose’s Women’s Law Forum, New York, New York, November 17, 2009
• “Annual Tax Review & Update for 2010: Wealth Transfer Tax Review + Wealth Transfer Tax Update,” Florida Bar Tax Section, Tampa, Florida, November 4, 2009
• “Estate Planning Prior to Divorce,” ACTEC Southeastern Regional Meeting, Charlotte, North Carolina, September 11, 2009
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” South Florida Financial Planners Association Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, May 1, 2009
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Joint Meeting of the Sarasota County Bar Estate Planning and Family Law Sections, Sarasota, Florida, March 25, 2009
• “Lawsuits Against Lawyers: ACTEC Annual Meeting,” Palm Springs, California, March 5-6, 2009
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, the Florida Bar, Tampa, Florida, November 12, 2008
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” the Notre Dame Tax Institute, Notre Dame, Indiana, September 25, 2008
• “Estate Tax Update – Hot Topics,” Tax Section, the Florida Bar, Miami, Florida, February 22, 2008
• “Protecting Your Wealth, Health and Family,” Proskauer Rose LLP’s Women’s Law Forum, New York, New York, October 26, 2007
• “The Ins and Outs of Estate Planning,” Boca Raton Chapter of the Paralegal Association, Boca Raton, Florida, October 11, 2007
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Estate Planning in the Real World, Florida Legal Education Association, Orlando, Florida, October 5, 2007
• “The Treatment of Post-Death Events Under Section 2053 of the Code,” American College of Trust and Estate Council Florida Fellows Meeting, Palm Beach, Florida, August 1, 2007
• “Untying the Knot for the Not So Happy Couple – How to Plan for the Unstable Marriage,” American College of Trust and Estate Council 2007 Summer Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, June 29, 2007
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” 27th Annual South Florida Financial Planning Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, April 21, 2007
• “Estate Planning: Protecting Your Wealth, Health and Family,” Financial Seminar – Putting It All Together, Florida Atlantic University, January 26, 2007
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” American Bar Association – Section of Taxation, Estate and Gift Tax Committee, Hallendale, Florida, January 19, 2007
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Boca Raton Tax Institute, Boca Raton, Florida, November 29, 2006
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Greater Delray Roundtable, Delray Beach, Florida, November 14, 2006
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” B’nai B’rith Foundation of the United States, Boca Raton, Florida, November 9, 2006
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Broward Tax Institute, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, October 20, 2006
• “Estate Planning for Assets Owned in Various States and the Impact of Decoupling,” Tax Section, the Florida Bar, Tampa, Florida, October 13, 2006
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” South County Florida Association of Women Lawyers, Boca Raton, Florida, September 14, 2006
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, the Florida Bar, Tampa, Florida, April 28, 2006
• “The Best Defense is a Good Offense: Action Items for Estate Planners When a Will or Trust Contest is Anticipated,” Trusts & Estates Journal, March, 2013
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Asset Protection in Florida, Second Edition, the Florida Bar, 2011
• “I Do, Act II,” Trusts & Estates Journal, June, 2010
• “Recession-Proof Charitable Giving,” Private Asset Management Magazine, June 2010
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning,” Asset Protection in Florida, First Edition, the Florida Bar, 2008
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning Part II,” 80 Florida Bar Journal, No. 11, 46 (2006)
• “Relationship Dissolution Planning Part I,” 80 Florida Bar Journal, No. 10, 43 (2006)
• “Updated Practical Planning with Crummey Powers,” 29 Estate Planning, No. 2 (2002)
• “The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001: Estate, Gift and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Law,” 76 Florida Bar Journal, No. 1, 41 (2002)
• “Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax: Its Bite is Worse Than its Bark,” 74 Florida Bar Journal, No. 9, 67 (2000)
• “Estate of Simplot: The Tax Court Applies a Significant Premium to Voting Privileges,” 74 Florida Bar Journal, No. 4, 86 (2000)

Professional Associations & Memberships

• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
  • Secretary
  • Board of Regents, former Member
  • Former Florida State Chair
  • Long Range Planning Committee, former Chair
  • Membership Selection Committee, former Member
  • Estate and Gift Tax Committee
  • Asset Protection Committee
  • Florida Fellows Institute, Founding Chancellor
• American Bar Association, Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section
• Florida Bar Association, Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section
  • Estate and Trust Tax Planning Committee, former Chair
  • Asset Protection Committee
  • Executive Council
  • Wills, Trusts and Estates Certification Committee, former Member
• Boca Raton Estate Planning Council

Civic & Community Service

• The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, 2013-15
  • Foundation Board Member
  • Corporate Board of Directors
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Business Professional Advisory Committee, 2013-present
• Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach, Board of Directors, 2010-12
• Simon Wiesenthal Center, Southeast Florida Division, Professional Advisory Committee, former Chair