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William L. Guy III
Counsel
Office: 701.237.8200
Email: jraymond@fredlaw.com
Assistant: Jordan Raymond, 701.237.8231

Overview
Estate planning and business succession are Bill’s primary practice areas. He focuses on estate tax minimization, wealth transfer and asset protection for clients and their descendants, many of whom are involved in farming or ranching, oil and gas, closely held businesses or licensed professions such as medicine or engineering.
Bill is the senior member of the Fargo Trusts & Estates Team which consists of five lawyers, five paralegals, and four secretaries. We emphasize a systematic team approach to the needs of our clients. By so doing the work for our clients is done promptly, efficiently and in the most cost effective manner.
The team approach enables each aspect of a client’s work to be performed by the individual who is best qualified and least expensive to the client. The systematic approach developed over the past 44 years is one that is flexible enough to be adapted to each client’s specific needs and yet enables us to incorporate our latest thinking into each project and to complete our work in an efficient and timely manner.
Bill and his colleague, John Williams, both of whom grew up in farm families, regularly meet with clients from western North Dakota. Many of these clients own oil, gas and other mineral interests and are actively involved in family farms and ranches, oil field service businesses and other types of closely-held businesses.
Although none of them practice accounting, Bill is one of three lawyers on the Fargo Trusts & Estates Team who is also a certified public accountant.
Experience
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Business Succession, Estate Tax Minimization, Wealth Transfer and Asset Protection
Bill has represented numerous clients in both North Dakota and Minnesota with these objectives who are the owners of:
- Oil and Gas Interests in Western North Dakota
- Oil Field Service Companies
- Family Farming Operations
- Certified Seed Companies
- Agricultural Real Estate (that is rented to third parties)
- Manufacturing Companies:
- Agricultural Equipment
- Specialty Equipment for the Construction Industry
- Industrial Lamps
- Truck Bed Liners
- Body Shops
- Machine Tool Companies
- Computer-Assisted Metal Building Design Company
- Rental Real Estate Management Companies
- Real Estate Development Companies
- General Contractor Construction Companies
- Roofing Companies
- Excavation Companies
- Heavy Equipment Sales Companies
- Commercial Cleaning Service
- Pizza Parlors, Restaurants and Nightclubs
- Nursery/Garden Centers
- Lakeside Resorts
- Fairground Food Truck Company
- Franchise Auto Parts Stores
- Franchise Fast Food Enterprises
- Family Asset Holding Companies
- Dental Practices
- Pharmacies
- Professional Engineering Firms
- Insurance Agencies
Honors & Education
EDUCATION
- University of North Dakota, J.D., 1976
- University of North Dakota, B.S. of B.A. in Accounting, 1968
BAR ADMISSIONS
- North Dakota, 1976
- Minnesota, 1976
- U.S. Tax Court, 1976
HONORS
- Chambers High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Law, North Dakota, 2017-present
- Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, 1987-present
- AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 1987-present
- The Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates, 2010-present
- Best Lawyers’ Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year,” in Fargo, 2012, 2017, 2021
- Super Lawyer, Great Plains Super Lawyers magazine
- Minnesota State Bar Association, North Star Lawyer, 2013-2014
- Named “Best of the Bar” in the area of Trusts and Estates by attorneys in Cass and Clay Counties, 2002
- Outstanding Chair Award, State Bar Association of North Dakota for chairing the N.D. Uniform Trust Code Legislative Drafting Task Force and for 25 years of chairing the N.D. Business Entity Legislative Drafting Task Force, 2007
Professional Activities
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Advisor, UND School of Law Building Planning Committee, 2013-2015
- Pro Bono Attorney, Minnesota Assistance Council – Veterans, 2013-present
- State Bar Association of North Dakota, 1976-present
- North Dakota Society of Certified Public Accountants, 1973-present
- Minnesota State Bar Association, 1976-present
- Clay County Bar Association, 1976-present
- Cass County Bar Association, 1976-present
- Red River Valley Estate Planning Council, 1976-present
- Certified Public Accountant, North Dakota (Inactive), 1973-present
- Estate Planning Law Specialist and Accredited Estate Planner certifications by the National Association of Estate Planning Councils, 2000-present
- Naval Supply Corps Officer, U.S. Navy, 1968-1973
COMMUNITY
- Mentor, UND Pancratz Career Development Center, 2012-present
- President, University of North Dakota Alumni Association, 2007-2009
- Director, University of North Dakota Foundation and University of North Dakota Alumni Association, 2001-2012
- Director, Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation, 2000-2009
- National Co-Chair, C-400 Project 16, Concordia College, 2000-2003
- Director, Fargo North Baseball Club, 1999-2001
- Director, Fargo North Raiders Youth Hockey Club, 1990-1996
- Director, Hope Lutheran Foundation, 1989-1995
- Director, American Lutheran Church Board of Pensions, 1979-1987