William Campbell Ries

William Campbell Ries is a shareholder in the Business and Finance Department, heads the Investment Management and Fiduciary Services Practice Group and is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group. He provides a broad range of legal services to financial institutions including banks, investment advisers, brokers, mutual funds and insurance companies. He provides counsel on new products, collective funds, securities matters, employee benefits and regulatory and compliance issues. He also advises clients on establishing trust companies and thrifts. He has served as an expert witness on fiduciary matters.

Mr. Ries was actively involved in the merger of numerous trust and investment management firms. He coordinated due diligence and obtained the required arrival from regulators. He has also negotiated buy outs of firms and established competitive arrangements for senior management.

Mr. Ries also advises clients on creating and maintaining employee benefit plans. He also works with business owners, executives and other high net worth individuals to develop comprehensive estate plans to ensure protection of their assets and tax savings in the transfer of wealth to future generations.

Mr. Ries actively participates in numerous professional organizations and is a frequent speaker and lecturer. He served as Chairman of the American Bankers Association Trust Counsel Committee and Co-Chairman of the National Conference of Lawyers and Corporate Fiduciaries. He served as Chairman of the Fiduciary Services Sub-Committee of the Banking Law Committee of the American Bar Association and is a member of the Real Property & Probate Section. Bill is a member of the Advisory Committee on Decedents' Estate and Trust Law of the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission which advises the Pennsylvania Legislature on trust and estate matters. He serves on the Financial Institutions Advisory Committee to the Congresswoman Hart of the Fourth District in Pennsylvania and was appointed to the Risk Management Advisory Committee of the Bank Administration Institute.

Mr. Ries prepared a commentary for the financial services portion of the publication on the Trade and Commerce Laws of the Russian Federation. He is also the author of the Regulation of Investment Management and Fiduciaries published by West Group. He is included in Who's Who in American Law, Strathmore's Who's Who Registry of Business Leaders and Who's Who in America. He is admitted to the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Ries, a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, graduated Cum Laude from The Catholic University of America and earned his law degree from Duquesne University School of Law where he is an Adjunct Professor of Law.

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