Stuart R. Morris

Co-Chair, Family Office

Stu is a prominent Florida-based trusts and estates attorney, a senior member of Cozen O’Connor’s Private Client, Trusts and Estates Practice, and co-chair of the firm’s Family Office Practice.

With more than 30 years of experience, Stu represents business owners, entrepreneurs, and high net worth individuals and families. He focuses primarily on estate and gift tax planning; wills and trusts; business structuring and succession planning; asset protection and wealth preservation; domestic and international tax planning; and probate and trust administration. He advises business owners both in advance of and throughout all planned exits, sales, or transfers of leadership.

In his role as co-chair of the Family Office Practice, Stu leads a national team of top trusts and estates, corporate, tax, securities, and other legal professionals, who represent high net worth clients in the establishment, development, and operation of dedicated family offices.

Stu is among an elite cohort of attorneys who have met the requirements to be board certified by the Florida Bar in wills, trusts, and estates, and he is also a certified public accountant. These accreditations speak to Stu’s technical knowledge of estate, trust, tax, and corporate structuring and administration.

Outside of his private practice, Stu is a sought after featured speaker and trusted source for major media outlets on topics such as wealth preservation and succession planning.

He currently serves on the board of directors and Executive Committee of Junior Achievement of South Florida and as chair of the Junior Achievement of South Florida Charitable Foundation. He is on the Executive Committee for AIPAC of South Palm Beach County and serves on the boards of directors of numerous privately held businesses and charitable foundations, such as Locality Bank in South Florida.

Stuart earned his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree in accounting, and law degree from the University of Florida.

 

News

Stu Morris on Locality Bank's Podcast: From Paper Routes to Prosperity

September 09, 2024

Stu Morris was featured on Locality Bank’s podcast featuring South Florida visionaries where he discusses the various experiences and life lessons that shaped his career.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Super Lawyers Names 15 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to its 2024 Florida List

July 03, 2024

Eight Cozen O’Connor attorneys have been recognized as Super Lawyers, including Susan N. Eisenberg, James A. Gale, Howard S. Krooks, Samuel A. Lewis, Ellen S. Morris, Stuart R. Morris, Ralf R. Rodriguez, and Martin T. Schrier. The seven Cozen O’Connor attorneys recognized as Rising Stars are Heather Beale, Tiffany Bustamante, J. Kent Crocker, Arielle Eisenberg, Alexandra J. Schultz, Natasha Shaikh, and Paul Souferis.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Super Lawyers Names 12 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to its 2023 Florida List

June 30, 2023

Selection to Super Lawyers is based on peer nominations and evaluations, combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5% of attorneys are named Super Lawyers; only 2.5% of attorneys are listed as Rising Stars.

Super Lawyers Names 10 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to its 2022 Florida List

July 11, 2022

Super Lawyers has named 10 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its 2022 Florida Super Lawyers list.

The Estate Tax Increase Looms Amid Shortage of Qualified Lawyers

September 23, 2021

Stuart Morris discusses the need to recruit and retain trusts and estates attorneys in Florida with the influx of Americans relocating to the state and the Biden administration’s anticipated tax exemption looming in a Daily Business Review article.

Cozen O’Connor Expands Private Client, Trusts and Estates Group with Six New Attorneys; Opens New South Florida Office in Boca Raton

September 02, 2021

The attorneys, from the boutique firms Morris Law Group and Elder Law Associates PA, are Stuart R. Morris, Ellen S. Morris, Howard S. Krooks, Gregory S. Bloshinsky, Michael S. Gross, and Cassandra Jelincic.

Publications

New Planning Opportunity for Florida SLATs [Alert]

June 14, 2022

A new Florida law will allow a Grantor Spouse of a SLAT to be a beneficiary of the SLAT following the death of the Beneficiary Spouse.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Business Owners Summit 2024

January 01, 1900 - Boca Raton, FL

Education

  • University of Florida School of Law, J.D., 1989
  • University of Florida, M.S., 1989
  • University of Florida, B.S., 1986

Awards & Honors

2022 Top Rated Lawyer, The Daily Business Review 

Nation’s Top 100 Attorneys, Worth Magazine

Best Lawyers in America

Florida Super Lawyer

Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend

Top Attorney in Palm Beach & Martin Counties, Palm Beach Illustrated

AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell

  • Florida
  • Colorado
  • District of Columbia

The American Bar Association

The Florida Bar

The D.C. Bar

The Colorado Bar

Board Member and Executive Committee Member, Junior Achievement (JA) of South Florida 

Chair, Junior Achievement (JA) of South Florida Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Former Member, Board of Directors of SOS Children’s Village of Florida, Inc.

Former Member, The Professional Advisory Committee for American Friends of Hebrew University

Former Member, Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Broward County

Former Member, Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Foundation of Broward County

Former Member, Board of Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Florida Chapter, Past Board Member