Biography

When closely-held companies, high net worth individuals, and family offices seek help in structuring transactions around tax, liability, business succession, and other corporate issues, they call on Vince Thomas to combine sophisticated counsel with sound and practical business judgment. His transactional skills, often in collaboration with the firm's other sections, are a unique and valuable complement to his long established practice representing institutional trustees and individuals in issues of Delaware trust and alternative entity law.

Adept at explaining intricate legal concepts in laymen's terms, Vince involves clients fully in the transaction process. In matters where a single word can have enormous future consequences, he meticulously presents his clients with every viable option, arming them with the substantive knowledge they need to make solid business decisions.

From the precise drafting of transaction documents to the complex tax planning and re-domestication of out-of-state trusts into Delaware, Vince immerses himself in the details and nuances, protecting his clients from unwarranted exposures as he guides their matters to successful resolution.

FOCUS:

  • Representing institutional trustees in all aspects of the administration of Delaware statutory and common law trusts, including, transfer of trust situs, trust reviews, tax planning, decanting, merger, and petitions in the Delaware Court of Chancery. This includes extensive experience with DING Trusts, Delaware asset protection trusts, Delaware dynasty trusts, Delaware statutory trusts, liquidating trusts, settlement trusts and other sophisticated tax planning structures.
  • Representation of family offices and high net worth individuals with complex tax planning strategies (including, IDGTs, BDOTs, BDITs, DINGs, family limited liability companies, GRATs, and DINGs), and various business matters.
  • Counseling closely held companies and their owners  in complex business transactions, including, mergers, acquisitions, corporate restructurings, and financing transactions
  • Representing large businesses with general tax and transactional advice, including stock and asset purchase agreements, LLC agreements, partnership agreements, corporate charter documents and shareholders agreements.
  • In conjunction with the firm's bankruptcy group, counseling distressed companies on tax issues, Delaware corporate governance, and transactional matters.
  • Combining tax, trust and transactional experience to advise distressed companies with trust liquidation structures.

Education

  • Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law  (LL.M.)
    • Tax
  • Widener University Delaware Law School  (J.D., magna cum laude)
    • (2nd in Class)
  • University of Delaware  (B.S.)

Bar Admissions

  • Delaware

Distinctions

  • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Member
  • Named leading Delaware practitioner by Chambers High Net Worth, 2016 - Present
  • Voted a top Delaware attorney in the Delaware Today Magazine, 2015 - Present
  • Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubble
  • Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America®, Trusts and Estates, 2019 - Present

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Served as the prestigious Wolcott Fellow for the Delaware Court of Chancery
  • Served as a full time law clerk to Myron T. Steele, Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.

Clerkships

  • Honorable Myron T. Steele, Supreme Court of the State of Delaware
  • Honorable Stephen P. Lamb, Vice-Chancellor, Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, Josiah Oliver Wolcott Fellowship Law Clerk