Michael D. Carrico
Principal
Mike advises clients throughout the Pacific Northwest on estate planning and related tax planning. His tax planning practice covers estate and gift tax and generation-skipping transfer tax, charitable planned giving and private foundation planning, and business and personal income tax planning.
Mike works with owners of closely-held businesses and serves as outside general counsel for private companies. He advises business owners on general business planning and family wealth succession strategies, including buy-sell agreements, family limited partnerships, limited liability companies and subchapter S corporation planning. Mike also advises executors of probate estates and trustees of living trusts and testamentary trusts. He has substantial experience in resolving fiduciary administration disputes.
Prior to joining Riddell Williams in 1984, Mike was an Assistant Professor of Law at the Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana, teaching tax, estate planning and related courses. Mike began his legal career as an associate at Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro in San Francisco.
Education and Admissions
Mike received his B.A. from Tulane University, summa cum laude, in 1973, and his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1976. He is admitted to practice in California and Washington.
Memberships
American Bar Association, King County Bar Association, Washington State Bar Association (Tax Section, Estate and Gift Tax Committee; Real Property, Probate & Trust Section, Legislative Committee), State Bar of California
Professional and Community Activities
Mike is a past President of the Estate Planning Council of Seattle. He is a past Chair of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the Washington State Bar Association, and currently serves on the Section's Legislative Committee. Mike also serves on the Estate and Gift Tax Committee of the Tax Section of the Washington State Bar Association, and has been active in drafting and commenting on legislation and regulations relating to Washington’s estate tax. He has been active in the charitable planned giving community and is currently serving on The Seattle Foundation's professional advisors committee and the Endowment Committee of the Garfield Jazz Foundation.
Awards and Recognition
Mike has been named one of Seattle's "Top Lawyers" by Seattle Magazine, named one of Seattle's "Top Business Lawyers" by Seattle Business Monthly, named a Washington Super Lawyer®, and as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers. He has been a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel since 1990.
