2021 TAXES/ ESTATES/ TRUSTS LAW Q&A

Farhad Aghdami

Williams Mullen, Richmond

Title: Managing partner, Richmond office

Birthplace: Tehran, Iran. Our family moved to the United States in 1971 when my father joined the faculty of the Medical College of Virginia as an anesthesiologist.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Virginia; law degree, Wake Forest University School of Law; master’s degree, Georgetown Law

Spouse: Amanda Aghdami

Children: Olivia, a first-year student at the University of Virginia; and Alex and Charlie, twin boys in 11th grade

Fan of: U.Va. men’s basketball

Recently read book: “Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc.” by Jeff Tweedy

Favorite vacation spots: Skiing in Utah, hiking in Yosemite and strolling through Paris

You helped implement numerous changes to state laws around trusts about a decade ago. What state laws should be revisited these days? The shutdown associated with the pandemic revealed the need to be able to work remotely and execute documents electronically. Unfortunately, the laws for the electronic execution of wills have lagged. … Unfortunately, proposed legislation that was considered by the General Assembly did not pass this year, but I think the law will evolve in time.

What have you learned from representing
high net-worth clients? First, they are high
net-worth for a reason. They are really smart, seek out good advice, and make careful, strategic decisions with a long-term outlook, and without undue risk. Second, they are incredibly generous and have committed a great deal of their net worth to charitable causes.