Jay M. Pabian
Jay is a trusted advisor to owners of privately held businesses, guiding them through business succession and exit planning strategies that are legally sound, tax-efficient, and tailored to their long-term goals.
Drawing on a deep background in both law and finance—including his early career as a CPA at a global accounting firm—Jay helps clients develop and implement comprehensive transition plans that preserve wealth, protect assets, and honor family or organizational legacy.
Jay’s practice spans a broad range of issues central to privately held enterprises, including business law, commercial real estate matters, and employment and tax law. He works closely with multi-generational family businesses, medical and dental practices, law and accounting firms, financial service providers, supply-chain and distribution entities, and nonprofit organizations. In addition to planning for the future transfer of ownership, Jay advises on estate and gift tax strategies, wealth preservation techniques, and the administration of estates and trusts, often serving as a bridge between generations.
Certified by the Exit Planning Institute as a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), Jay is a member of the Institute’s New England Chapter Leadership Committee. With more than four decades of experience, he is known for crafting integrated legal solutions that reflect the full complexity of his clients’ businesses and personal priorities.
Education
- LLM, Taxation, Boston University School of Law
- MBA, Northeastern University, Accounting
- JD, New England Law
- BS, Brandeis University
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- US Tax Court
- US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Experience recognized
- Best Lawyers in America, Closely Held Companies & Family Business Law, Trusts & Estates, 2023-2026
- Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year – Closely Held Companies & Family Businesses Law, 2025
- Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers, Trusts & Estates, 2022-2025
- The National Association of Estate Planners and Councils, Accredited Estate Planner (AEP)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers, 2004, 2008-2025
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers, Top 100: New England, 2009, 2011, 2013-2014, 2016
- Boston Five Star Financial Service Provider, Five Star Professionals, 2016-2017
- Lawyer of Distinction, 2015-2016
Experience in practice
- Checklist for Family Business Succession Planning, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (February 2022, Featured Speaker)
Wealth Planning for Business Owners, Exit Planning Institute CEP Webinar Series (January 2021, Speaker)
Guiding Your Baby Boomer Clients Through the Challenges of Long-Term Care, WebCPA / New England Law Journal (March 2011, Co-Author)
- American Bar Association
Boston Bar Association
National Association of Estate Planners and Councils
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Boston Estate Planning Council
Exit Planning Institute, New England Chapter — Leadership Committee
Sharon Rotary Club — Former President
American Association of Attorneys and CPAs, New England Region — Former President
Jewish National Fund, New England Region — Former President
American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge — Former Corporate Council
Boston Tax Institute — Former Lecturer
New England School of Law — Former Adjunct Professor
Northeastern School of Law — Former Instructor, Advanced Estate Planning and Estate and Gift Taxation