Seth E. Ellis

Ellis Law Group, P.L. is a South Florida-based private wealth law firm comprised of seven estate planning and trust attorneys, supported by fiduciary administrators and trust operations personnel. The firm operates under a collaborative structure in which complex matters are reviewed by senior attorneys to ensure technical precision and consistency of fiduciary judgment. Its practice concentrates on advanced estate and gift tax planning, trust and estate administration, and long-term fiduciary governance for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families, family offices, and private foundations.

Seth E. Ellis is the founding and managing partner of Ellis Law Group, P.L. in Boca Raton, Florida. He has practiced exclusively in estate planning, trust administration, probate, and fiduciary matters for more than thirty years. He holds an LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami School of Law, a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, and a B.S. from Union College. He is admitted to practice in Florida and Massachusetts and is an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP). He has been ranked in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide for Private Wealth Law, reflecting independent peer and client evaluation within the private wealth advisory community.

A key focus of his practice is asset protection strategies, particularly through the use of Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs). These irrevocable, self-settled trusts, established under the laws of jurisdictions that permit them, such as Nevada, Delaware, South Dakota, or Alaska, allow the settlor to retain discretionary beneficial interests while providing protection for transferred assets from certain future creditor claims, lawsuits, and other financial risks, subject to applicable laws and limitations.

Mr. Ellis structures DAPTs to seek maximum creditor protection consistent with statutory requirements, incorporating independent trustees, spendthrift provisions, and compliance measures such as waiting periods for fraudulent transfer challenges. This approach supports long-term wealth preservation by removing assets from the settlor’s personal estate, thereby reducing exposure to judgments, divorce settlements, or business liabilities, while preserving potential access for qualified needs. Drawing on his extensive fiduciary background, including oversight of hundreds of irrevocable trusts and service as trustee for complex portfolios, he tailors these structures to each client’s objectives for risk management, generational transfer, and wealth continuity in a litigious environment.

Mr. Ellis advises individuals, families, and business owners on complex estate and wealth transfer planning, with particular emphasis on fiduciary compliance, governance structures, and risk management. He serves as managing member of Insurance Trust Administration, LLC, an affiliated fiduciary platform dedicated exclusively to irrevocable life insurance trust compliance and administration, where he oversees administration for more than 600 insurance trusts. He also serves as trustee or co-trustee for numerous clients holding significant investment, real estate, and closely held business assets.

Mr. Ellis has substantial experience in family office environments, including the oversight and consolidation of multi-state real estate portfolios and diversified investment accounts across institutions. He regularly collaborates with domestic and international financial institutions on lending structures, portfolio management coordination, and fiduciary administration. He serves on multiple trust investment committees, providing oversight on asset allocation, liquidity planning, risk management, and long-term capital preservation.

Throughout his career, Mr. Ellis has acted as an independent fiduciary subject to formal reporting obligations and audit review. His experience includes transition and remediation of institutional trust portfolios, implementation of compliant administrative procedures, and coordination with institutional advisors. This background informs his approach to fiduciary documentation, discretionary decision-making, and governance oversight in regulated and compliance-driven environments.

Mr. Ellis previously served as an adjunct professor of estate planning at the University of Miami School of Law. He has been active in professional and civic organizations, including service on private foundation boards for client families and participation in regional governance and advisory committees.