Gail Potysman Bley, a partner in Gould & Ratner’s Tax Practice, is celebrating her retirement from the firm at the end of October 2025, after more than 44 years.
A seasoned and gifted tax advisor as well as a Certified Financial Planner, Gail developed a reputation for her passionate and unwavering dedication to her clients. A versatile lawyer whose work bridged multiple practice areas, Gail handled transactional tax matters, general tax planning for family offices and privately held companies alike, and estate planning and trust work for high-net-worth individuals and families.
“Gail has been a brilliant lawyer and a fierce advocate for her clients, adept at structuring very complex transactions,” long-time colleague and Gould & Ratner partner Stephen Sandler said.
Gail graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Accounting. She earned her law degree from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. Following law school graduation, she clerked for the Hon. Prentice H. Marshall of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
“In addition to her huge impact on the firm’s clients over these many years, Gail leaves an outsize legacy at Gould & Ratner in terms of the professional development of all of those who have been fortunate enough to have worked with her,” partner Steven Gustafson said. “Her knowledge, work ethic, dedication to the firm and its clients is unparalleled. We will miss her steady hand, but she leaves us with a clear example of the model for the next generation of young professionals at Gould & Ratner.”
During her career, Gail was named an Illinois Leading Lawyer in multiple tax categories and recognized as a “Notable Woman in Law” by Crain’s Chicago Business in 2020.
We congratulate Gail on her retirement and wish her the best!
