William R. Burford is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and is based in the Firm's Los Angeles office. He is a member of the Private Client practice, focusing on tax and estate planning, probate and trust administration, and estate and trust controversies.

Bill was previously a wealth advisor for the J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Southern California, where he worked with clients to identify estate and tax planning opportunities and implement comprehensive strategies to meet their personal, financial and charitable objectives.

Bill's articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including Trusts & Estates, Estate Planning, the Tax Management Estates, Gifts and Trusts Journal, the California Trusts & Estates Quarterly, the Los Angeles Lawyer, the Los Angeles Business Journal and the California Family Law News. He has been an instructor in State Bar of California CEB programs and speaks regularly to both legal and non-legal audiences on estate planning, trust administration and related topics.

Bill received his LL.M. in taxation from the New York University School of Law. While at the New York University School of Law, Bill served as a graduate editor of the Tax Law Review. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School, and his B.A. in economics with high distinction from the University of Michigan. Following law school, Bill clerked for the Honorable James L. Ryan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Bill is admitted to practice in California.