A firm leader since its inception, Rob was a strategic counselor to families and entrepreneurs in diverse industries, assisting with all of their critical business and personal affairs, investments, charitable endeavors, and hobbies. Rob represented high net worth individuals and closely held businesses with regard to transactional and investment matters, with an emphasis on business structuring, taxation, and estate planning. He counseled closely held businesses and family members, and he was actively engaged in the structuring of business control and succession planning, multigenerational wealth transfer planning, and estate plan design and implementation. He was proud that he had represented four generations of some of the families who were his clients.
Rob's practice often focused on representing clients in their pursuit and management of the vital matters that held special meaning outside of their businesses, including community and charity involvement, investments, and high-value art, wine, antiques, and stamp collections. Recently, he had developed a reputation for assisting high net worth individuals and businesses with the acquisition, sale, leasing, and financing of full ownership and fractional interests in business jets.
Clients trusted Rob with their most sensitive confidential matters, and he provided the sound business judgment that aided them in making extremely well-informed decisions in essential aspects of their business and personal lives. Rob was known for adding value to his clients' affairs by using finely honed problem-solving skills and transactional experience to consistently deliver the results that clients wanted, in an efficient and effective manner.
- The Best Lawyers in America, “Lawyer of the Year” in “Corporate Law,” 2020
- The Best Lawyers in America, recommended in “Corporate Law,” 2014-2023
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. Tax Court
It is with profound sadness that I inform you that Robert D. Zimelis, a founding partner of Neal Gerber Eisenberg passed away on Monday, September 25, 2023, at the age of 73.
Rob was a dear friend, colleague and an amazing mentor. Known for his easy-going demeanor and unique ability to make each and every person feel special, his impact on our firm cannot be overstated, and he will be missed dearly.
Rob provided thoughtful counsel across a wide range of corporate and estate planning work, representing high net worth individuals and closely held businesses and counseling those businesses and family members on succession planning, multigenerational wealth transfer planning and estate plan design and implementation. Before beginning his distinguished career practicing law, Rob graduated cum laude from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 1975. Prior to law school, Rob completed his undergraduate studies at Northwestern University in 1972.
We ask you to join us in expressing our deepest and most sincere condolences to Rob’s family, particularly his wife Jan, and his children Jonathan and Joanna and their families. We were all fortunate to have been guided by Rob and inspired by his example.
Robert G. Gerber
Managing Partner
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP