Jeff Wolman

By Lucianna Ciccocioppo

Jeff Wolman, LLB 1990, may be a left-brained, numbers and finance type of person, but he’s surrounded every day by many right-brained types: actors, writers, directors, singers and others in the creative arts. That’s because as an accountant and lawyer, he’s grown his career to be a business manager to a variety of celebrities, such as Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, James Wan, Taraji Henson, Canadian Will Arnett, and others including Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award nominees and winners. 

“To me it’s fascinating,” says the CEO of Wolman Wealth Management. “I really enjoy what I do and working with my clients. It’s been a good marriage of skill and filling a need.” He creates and tracks budgets, does tax planning and compliance, recommends insurance, monitors investments and helps negotiate contracts, especially those with international tax ramifications and profit-participation clauses. In short, he has their backs. 

You could say Wolman was a natural to fall into this role. He put his accounting skills to use during his law school days, making money to pay tuition and finance his law degree by doing tax returns for Canadian actor friends of his wife, Lesley Corne Wolman, a U of T nursing alumna and a professional singer and recording artist. After graduation and his call to the bar, he joined his wife in New York City, where she had moved after receiving her green card. Her talent manager set Wolman up with his first client, a then-unknown actress whom Wolman thought – in the understatement of the year – would make it big one day.  

“It was Halle Berry, who hired me on the spot, 25 years ago. That’s how it all started.  And then it got to the point all my clients and potential clients were in Los Angeles … so I broke the news to my wife that we had to move, and we did.” 

Wolman grew his wealth management business among Hollywood producers, writers and performers but he never forgot his Canadian roots (the snowy, freezing weather? Yes). “I like to wear my Montreal Expo baseball cap. Not because I’m such a huge baseball fan, but I do have an affinity for Canada’s first major league baseball team. I’m proud of it and proud of being Canadian.” 

He also made time to volunteer in his community. He’s a member of the Leventhal School of Accounting advisory board at the University of Southern California, and sits on the board and executive committee of the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Ever the proud U of T alumnus, he also sits on the International Leadership Council, US West Coast, for U of T. 

“I really believe that my law school education made me a better writer and a better reader; it certainly helped me in my business immeasurably.” Still, it’s not just about what an institution can do for you, says Wolman, who donated $25,000 to the Campaign for Excellence without Barriers. 

“There should be some giving too. Paying it forward and back is important. It makes the world a better place; I have an affinity for U of T Law for what it taught me, and for the gifts in me that it nurtured, so I think it’s worthwhile to give back.”