JOSHUA ABERN
Partner

Joshua Abern is a Partner at CROKE FAIRCHILD DUARTE & BERES and Chair of the Private Client Services and Family Enterprise Practices.

Josh concentrates his practice in the areas of trust and estate planning and administration, business succession planning, trust and estate litigation, income taxation and philanthropic matters. His practice also involves matters pertaining to the creation and operation of family offices. He combines deep technical expertise in tax, trust, and estate law with hands-on operational leadership, offering a rare blend of strategic judgment and executional precision for his clients.

Josh most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of a family office providing comprehensive legal, financial, and administrative services to multiple generations of an ultra-high-net-worth family and their business and philanthropic interests. He oversaw tax strategy and compliance, accounting, entity structuring, and treasury management, while coordinating with external advisors across investment, legal, and valuation functions. He worked closely with family clients to evaluate direct, private equity, and real estate investments – bringing a disciplined approach to deal structuring, governance, and risk management.

Prior to that position, Josh spent nearly a decade as General Counsel at another family office serving two ultra-high-net-worth, multigenerational families. He led a cross-functional team spanning accounting, trust administration, and treasury operations while managing all legal functions. He designed governance frameworks and ownership structures to preserve wealth across generations, improve tax efficiency, and streamline complex investment vehicles. His leadership extended to philanthropic entities and regulated private trust companies, reinforcing his depth across compliance and enterprise oversight.

Earlier in his career, Josh practiced law with several respected firms in Chicago, specializing in trust and estate planning, tax strategy, corporate transactions and litigation. His LL.M. in Taxation from Northwestern University and J.D. from Loyola University Chicago provide the technical foundation for his structured and pragmatic approach to providing legal services. He offers the judgment, discretion, and technical fluency to advise with respect to complex investment structures, along with the collaborative temperament to serve as a trusted, steady partner to principals, investment leaders, and next-generation stakeholders.

Outside of practicing law, Josh enjoys spending his free time with his wife, two kids and four dogs and tries to fit a round of golf in when he can.