Professional photo of Laura Parish.

When I studied abroad in Augsburg, Germany, I lived with a German host family and that’s when I fell in love with German beer and pretzels!
Laura Parish
Partner, CPA

Experience

I manage and advise on my clients’ tax compliance and planning at the federal and state levels. Much of my time is spent working with private equity groups on both the fund and portfolio company side, so I understand how to navigate a successful relationship for all parties. My expertise includes working with clients on major business transactions, both on the buy and sell side.

I primarily work in the service industry with companies in business and professional services, commercial healthcare, and technology. My clients appreciate that I aim to ease the burdens of tax compliance for them, while proactively finding tax efficient strategies for their business operations.

Colleagues appreciate my approachability, that I’m always up for a chat on life or tax issues, and that I strive to keep things calm and light. If you visit me in my office, you'll be greeted with a picture of a monkey riding a bike reminding you that, “Attitude is Everything.”

I was attracted to this profession because of the constant opportunities to learn something new and the variety of clients I work with throughout the day. I like the challenge of staying up on current laws and understanding why we have the laws that we do. After 15 years of doing this, I can say there’s never a dull moment!

I belong to the Illinois CPA Society and the AICPA. I attended the University of Dayton where I earned a B.S. in accountancy and M.B.A, later, DePaul University where I earned my M.S. in taxation.

Outside of work, I spend my time with my son, Theo, and my husband, Jason (who is also a partner at Plante Moran). We love living in the city of Chicago and taking advantage of all it has to offer — great restaurants and breweries, a beautiful lakefront and riverwalk, and lots of parks. When I need to relax, you’ll find me catching up on all my favorite reality shows!