Michele M. Mulrooney
Partner, Private Wealth
Michele Mulrooney is a partner and Chair of Willkie’s Private Wealth Group in Los Angeles. She focuses her practice on estate planning for high-net-worth individuals, families and family offices. Michele has extensive experience advising entertainment industry professionals, including actors, directors, writers, producers, artists and sports figures, and business owners, executives and real estate investors. She has substantial experience in all aspects of sophisticated estate planning, including the preservation and protection of wealth for generations of families, establishing and advising private foundations, post-death administration of estates and trusts, establishing and advising conservatorships and guardianships, cross-border planning for multinational clients, and insurance issues.
Michele is also experienced in estate planning for majority owners of both private and public companies, including, but not limited to, recapitalizations, buy-sell agreements between shareholders and partners, sales to third parties, and intra-family transfers.
Michele’s experience and insight into the unique legal needs facing individuals in the entertainment industry have led her to develop a broader service offering for her clients. This includes counseling on general business and personal matters, including serving as an advisor to family law counsel in complex divorce situations. She also serves as trustee and executor of many of her clients' trusts and estates. Michele's clients not only appreciate her legal guidance; they also value the meaningful relationships that she develops with them.
Michele's dedication to her clients has garnered many accolades. She is ranked as a leading practitioner by Chambers High Net Worth 2023, where a client notes she “executes with compassion, passion, precision and professionalism,” and “never disappoints."
Experience
- LA Times B2B Publishing, Inspirational Women, Company Executive – Enterprise Company, 2023
- Chambers High Net Worth, Private Wealth Law (Band 2), Southern California, 2017 - 2024
- Variety
- Legal Impact Report, 2014 - 2023
- Women's Impact Report, 2016
- The Hollywood Reporter's Power Lawyers: Troubleshooters, 2017, 2022-2023
- Los Angeles Business Journal, Women of Influence: Attorneys, 2017-2020, 2023
- Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates, 2016-2025
- Best Lawyers Business Edition, Women in the Law, Trusts and Estates, 2017- 2019
- Super Lawyers, Southern California Super Lawyer, 2007, 2012-2024
- California Community Foundation, Partners of Distinction Award, 2016
- National Law Journal, Trailblazer, Divorce, Trusts & Estates, 2016-2017
- Daily Journal, Top Women Lawyers, 2015
- Chambers USA, Tax: Estate Planning, California, 2014- 2016
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent Rated
- Board Member, USC Gould School of Law
- Co-chair, Building Committee, USC Gould School of Law
- Member, UCLA Health System Board
Credentials
Education
University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1985 University of Southern California, B.S. (magna cum laude) , 1982