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Michael H.
Forman

Member |He/Him/His

Office 201.525.6333
Email mforman@coleschotz.com
Carolyn A. Amores |Legal Practice Assistant
201.489.3000 ext. x5077
camores@coleschotz.com
Carolyn A. Amores |Legal Practice Assistant
201.489.3000 ext. x5077
camores@coleschotz.com
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Michael Forman is a member of the firm’s Tax, Trusts & Estates and Corporate Transactions Departments.

 

Experience

His practice encompasses complex business transactions and all phases of tax, estate and succession planning. He joined the firm in 1975 and became a partner in 1977.

Michael lectures regularly for certified public accounting, bar associations, investment advisors and insurance professionals on tax matters, including tax, estate and succession and corporate issues. He was an adjunct professor at the American College teaching business and estate tax planning. He has been certified as an Accredited Estate Planner by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils.

 

Networks & Affiliations

Michael is a member of the Tax Society of New York University and was appointed as a member of the Governor of New Jersey’s Tax Advisory Council. He is a member of the Bergen County Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees), the Passaic County Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees), the New Jersey State Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees), and the American Bar Association (Taxation and Probate Committees). Michael is a Trustee of the Endowment Foundation of Montclair State University and was appointed to the Governor of New Jersey’s Tax Advisory Council. In addition, he was Chairman of Lawyer’s Division of State of Israel Bonds, Metrowest and sat on the Board of Governors of the Daughters of Israel. He is past president of the Estate Planning Council of Bergen County and the Passaic County Bar Association and a former trustee of the Endowment Foundation of the North Jersey and Greater Clifton-Passaic Federations.

Honors & Awards

He has been awarded an AV rating for his professionalism and the quality of his legal work from Martindale-Hubbell, the premier directory of legal professionals and was selected “Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year in Hackensack” by The Best Lawyers in America in 2012 and 2024. Since 1997, he has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in the prestigious Best Lawyers in America in two areas – taxation and trusts and estates.  Since 2005, he has been selected for inclusion in the New Jersey Super Lawyers list. Michael was named to Who’s Who in American Law. He was also selected for inclusion in the New Jersey 2011 Five Star Wealth Managers list, published by New Jersey Monthly, in the areas of business planning, charitable giving and taxation.

No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court in any state. 

See Award Methodology.

Areas of Practice

Corporate Transactions

Tax, Trusts & Estates 

Business Succession Planning  Corporate Tax & Reorganization

Education

New York University School of Law, LL.M., Taxation
Rutgers Law School – Newark, J.D.
Rutgers University, B.A.

Bar & Court Admissions

New Jersey
U.S. Tax Court
U.S. Claims Court
U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
Supreme Court of New Jersey

Honors & Awards

2024 Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers
New Jersey Super Lawyers

  • Awards + Recognitions

Awards + Recognitions

  1. 01

    18 Cole Schotz Attorneys Recognized in 2025 New Jersey Super Lawyers List

    March 25, 2025 | Cole Schotz Press Release
  2. 02

    Best Lawyers Recognizes 69 Cole Schotz Attorneys on 2025 Lists

    August 15, 2024 | Cole Schotz Press Release
  3. 03

    19 Cole Schotz Attorneys Recognized in 2024 New Jersey Super Lawyers List

    March 25, 2024 | Super Lawyers
  4. 04

    Best Lawyers Recognizes 73 Cole Schotz Attorneys Across Award Categories on 2024 Lists

    August 17, 2023 | Cole Schotz Press Release
  5. 05

    25 Cole Schotz Attorneys Named 2023 New Jersey Super Lawyers

    May 11, 2023 | Cole Schotz Press Release
  6. 06

    Bergen Magazine Recognizes 13 Attorneys on 2022 Bergen County Top Lawyers List

    November 1, 2022
  7. 07

    Best Lawyers Recognizes 41 Cole Schotz Attorneys on 2023 List

    August 18, 2022
  8. 08

    Best Lawyers Recognizes 33 Cole Schotz Attorneys on 2022 List

    August 16, 2021
  9. 09

    20 Cole Schotz Attorneys Named 2021 New Jersey Super Lawyers

    March 23, 2021
  10. 10

    Best Lawyers Recognizes 36 Cole Schotz Attorneys on 2021 List

    August 20, 2020
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