Practice Focus
James (Jake) Wheeler provides versatile skill and experience for clients in Vermont, New Hampshire and northern New England. He has extensive experience in commercial real estate development acquisitions, financings and divestitures, including ski area acquisition and development. He advises several clients in connection with their substantial tracts of timberland holdings in northern New England and the state of New York. He has negotiated the grant of conservation easements on timberlands, open lands and farmland to various organizations, including the state of New York, the Nature Conservancy, the Vermont Land Trust and the state of Vermont.
In the course of his practice, Jake has developed relationships with commercial bankers and lenders throughout the northeast. His corporate finance practice involves advice to a wide variety of private companies in connection with financing acquisitions, raising capital for general corporate purposes and executive compensation. Jake represents clients in commercial transactions throughout North America and has assisted clients in developing operations in Mexico and South America.
Jake's estate and trust practice includes estate and gift tax planning, in particular estate and financial planning for the closely-held corporation and its owners, principals and executives. He assists clients with estate administration and post-mortem tax planning, and advises fiduciaries and trust companies in connection with estate planning and administration.
Professional Activities
Jake has lectured and participated in panel discussions for the Vermont Bar Association, Vermont Bankers Association and private groups on a wide range of topics, including estate planning, estate tax law, real estate and corporate financing transactions as well as zoning and land use issues.
Jake was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2008. He received Martindale-Hubbell’s AV® peer rating, the highest rating attainable.
Community Involvement
Jake is a member of the Burke Mountain Academy Board of Trustees and served as chair of the board from 2003-2006. He is a member of the board of managers of Community Financial Services Group LLC and is a corporator of the St Johnsbury Development Fund. Jake is also a member of the board of trustees of the Michael Anagnos School. He is a Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium Fellow and chairs the museum's nominating committee for the Franklin Fairbanks Award.
Jake is a past trustee and chair of the board of trustees of the Riverside Day School and of the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium. He also is a past trustee of the Vermont Land Trust and the St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce. Jake was a founding director of Kingdom Trail Association Inc. and has served as a member of the Town of Burke Zoning Board of Adjustment. He is a past director of the Northeast Kingdom region of the Bill Koch Youth Ski League.
Reported Cases
Budde v. Pierce (1977) 135 Vt. 152, 375 A.2d 984
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