PRACTICE AREAS

TAX PLANNING & BUSINESS PLANNING:

The firm handles a variety of tax problems associated with the organization, development and growth of business enterprises. The ability of an enterprise to raise and build capital and maximize cash flow is closely tied to its ability to minimize taxes. The firm works closely with all types of business enterprises to plan and structure capital transactions in the most tax-efficient manner possible and provides tax-planning services to the shareholders of such enterprises to minimize corporate and individual income taxes. The firm’s attorneys have experience in advising business clients of all sizes, from small entrepreneurial enterprises to multi-national corporations with billions in sales.

The firm is constantly involved in advising and representing clients involved in the organization, expansion, reorganization or liquidation of their businesses. The firm often represents business owners or key employees in the planning and drafting of shareholder agreements, employment agreements, asset acquisitions and dispositions, compensation plans, partnerships, joint ventures, and other business arrangements.

ESTATE PLANNING:
 
Clients who have accumulated or are accumulating substantial wealth, particularly owners of closely held businesses and family businesses, are especially concerned about the potential erosion of assets from estate and gift taxes. The firm addresses these problems through estate planning and asset protection planning, which includes the preparation of wills and trusts, formation of family partnerships, preparation of shareholder agreements, corporate recapitalizations and gift planning. In addition, the firm prepares estate and gift tax returns and assists with the administration of estates.
 
TAX COMPLIANCE:
 
The firm provides a full range of tax compliance services for selected clients, including the preparation of corporate income tax returns, partnership returns and individual income tax returns for closely held business owners and executives. Tax returns are prepared by the firm’s attorneys and C.P.A.’s with the assistance of in-house computerized equipment in order to provide accurate, efficient service. In addition, members of the firm frequently represent clients before the Internal Revenue Service by handling tax audits and by appearing at conferences before the Administrative Appeals Division of the Internal Revenue Service.
 
AUTOMOTIVE / DEALERSHIP LAW:
 
The Firm represents a large contingent of the most successful and dynamic retail automotive dealers in the country. We counsel these businesses with regard to all aspects of their business, including commercial and consumer transactions, regulatory compliance, factory relations, tax and business planning, employment responsibilities and debt and equity finance opportunities. Both Robert and Jeff are frequent speakers to dealers and dealer support organizations.
 
BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS:
 
The Firm actively represents individuals and privately held businesses in all types of business transactions. From buying or selling an active business or part thereof to structuring complex corporate and/or partnership transactions, to designing unique and creative operating agreements, partnership agreements, and/or shareholders agreements, our Firm is actively involved on behalf of our clientele. The size and scope of these transactions range into the hundreds of millions of dollars.Business negotiations permeate practically every business transaction. The firm’s belief in the importance of the art and science of negotiation has resulted in its emphasis of business Negotiations as a separate area of practice. In any business transaction, the firm attempts to identify and discuss with the client his needs and desires as well as attempting to define the needs and desires of the other parties to the negotiation. As a result of the firm’s emphasis and success in negotiating, clients frequently ask firm members to assist in planning the strategy in negotiations in such diverse areas of the sale or purchase of real estate or other business assets, business financing arrangements and new personnel, as well as more common legal negotiating matters such as contract terms.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE:

The firm counsels real estate developers, borrowers, landlords, tenants and investors with an interest in real estate on numerous aspects of real estate development and finance, including commercial property development of all kinds; development, construction and permanent financing; real estate acquisition and disposition; retail, office and industrial leasing; joint venture and partnership agreements; easements, restrictions and other development agreements; real estate due diligence investigations; and tax deferred exchanges.