Zachary J. Stackhouse

Zach works with families and individuals to integrate their legacy and estate planning goals with their business and investment activity, with an eye to the ever-shifting income and estate tax environment in which all business and estate planning occurs. He works with clients to understand what is most important to them and to create proactive, flexible estate plans – communicating and creating peace of mind for sudden events, business and investment opportunities and liquidations, and changes in the law. He also advises families on integrating charitable giving into their estate plan and on the administration of private foundations.

Both in the context of estate planning and estate and trust administration, Zach advises closely held businesses and their owners on matters of valuation, titling, business succession, and complex gifting strategies involving business interests.  Zach counsels clients looking to meet their legacy goals while optimizing estate, gift, and income tax outcomes through the use of Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs), and both Charitable Lead Trusts (CLTs) and Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs).

Zach is experienced in estate and trust administration, including counseling trustees and executors on compliance with their fiduciary duties. He is knowledgeable in the preparation of gift and estate tax returns as well as in estate and trust income tax matters.

Zach is also a member of Calfee’s Probate Litigation team. He is experienced in advising fiduciaries and beneficiaries in the administration of contested trusts and estates, crafting solutions and private settlement agreements to avoid litigation while protecting the rights and interests of his clients. Where disputes proceed towards litigation, Zach takes a results-oriented, practical approach to identify opportunity and risk, focused on his client’s best interest whether through trial or alternate resolution.

Zach regularly advises nonprofit clients on a range of corporate and compliance matters. He assists public charities and private foundations with formation, general compliance and joint ventures with other nonprofits and for-profit entities. Nonprofit clients include health systems, service and care providers, universities and educational institutions, public charities and grant-making organizations. Zach assists many of these entities with new projects, navigating conflicts of interest and private inurement issues, and reporting matters.

Zach has been recognized as an "Associate to Watch" in the Chambers High Net Worth 2025 Guide for Ohio: Private Wealth Law. Chambers HNW is the only independent directory specifically aimed at the private wealth market that ranks law firms according to their private client disciplines. Chambers HNW reports the following feedback: "Zach is enthusiastic in providing high-level legal advice. He pays attention to details quite well; his written explanations are thorough and well thought out. Zach is extremely responsive. I love Zach and his enthusiasm and attention to important matters."

Prior to joining Calfee in January 2021, Zach was an Associate with a Columbus-based law firm, where he practiced in the Tax and Probate group. Zach also has worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General of Ohio, where he conducted all facets of litigation before the Board of Tax Appeals, Ohio appellate courts, and the Ohio Supreme Court.

Zach earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he served as the managing editor of the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy Vol 32. He also served as a research assistant in Jurisprudence and a teaching assistant in Property Law. Zach represented indigent and incarcerated defendants as a public defender extern. He served as a summer clerk/intern to Judge Barbara Scheper at the Los Angeles Superior Court.

During law school, Zach served as the freshman coach for the men’s rowing team.

Prior to law school, Zach worked as an educator in mathematics and as a mental health counselor for teenagers.

Zach earned his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American and Academic All-American member of the men’s rowing team.

Prior to law school, Zach worked as an educator in mathematics and as a mental health counselor for teenagers.

Zach earned his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American and Academic All-American member of the men’s rowing team.

Honors & Recognitions

• Chambers High Net Worth, Private Wealth Law, "Associate to Watch," Ohio (2025)
• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Litigation – Trusts and Estates (2023-2026); Tax Law (2023-2026); Trusts and Estates (2023-2026)
• Ohio Super Lawyers, Ohio Rising Stars, Estate & Probate (2024-2025)
• Dean’s Award in Property Law and International Dispute Resolution, University of Notre Dame Law School
• Best Speaker in Legal Writing Award, University of Notre Dame Law School

Education

J.D., magna cum laude, University of Notre Dame Law School, 2018

B.A., Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, 2012

Professional & Community

• Ohio State Bar Association, Council of Delegates, Member (Appointed 2025)
• Ohio State Bar Association, Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Section Council, Member
• Ohio State Bar Association, Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Section Committee Memberships:

• Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar Planning Committee, 2020, 2022, 2023, Vice-Chair 2024, Chair 2025
• Committee Work: Notary Law, Health Care Powers for Minors, Purpose Trusts, Probate Real Estate Transfers, Release from Administration

• Ohio Association of Probate Judges, Best Practices Working Group Participant
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member
• Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, Member
• Talespinner Children’s Theatre, Board Member (January 2021-January 2023)
• Red Herring Theater Company in Columbus, Ohio, Chairman of the Board (October 2018-2021)

Presentations & Publications

• “Powers of Attorney for Minors, Part Deux: The OSBA Proposal,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio (July/August 2025, Volume 35, Issue 6)
• "Every Estate Plan Needs a Pilot: Choosing an Executor or Trustee," Crain's Cleveland Business Wealth Management Section (July 21, 2025)
• “Powers of Attorney for Minors: From Residential Grandparent to Residential Caretaker?” Probate Law Journal of Ohio (May/June 2025, Volume 35, Issue 5)
• "Estate Planning in Different Interest Rates Environments," Park National Bank's 2024 Estate Planning and Professional Conduct Seminar (October 30, 2024)
• 2023 Federal Law Update, CMBA’s 50th Annual Estate Planning Institute (October 18, 2023)
• "View From the Bench: Ohio Probate Court Judge Panel Discussion," Moderator, The Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar (September 22, 2023)
• Tax and Legal Update, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland (2021-present)
• “Considerations for Drafting Non-Grantor Trusts in a Decreasing Rate Environment,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio (November/December 2022, Volume 33, Issue 2)
• "Reconsidering the Non-Grantor Trust in a Decreasing Exemption Environment," Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Webinar (September 20, 2022)