Private Clients & Fiduciary Services

On a pro bono basis, we represent a nationally known U.S. charity in connection with its dissolution upon retirement of the charity's founder. The advice related to compliance with both federal and state regulatory requirements and issues relating to protection and disposition of valuable intellectual property owned by the charity.

We provided estate and tax planning, in conjunction with advice from other advisors, to the majority owner of a major family controlled network of businesses to ensure transfer of ownership and control to younger generation family members active in the business; plans to raise cash to pay substantial estate taxes without crippling the financial integrity of the business; and plans to treat equitably other younger generation family members not active in the business.

We have assisted a client and his other advisors in creating and implementing a plan, involving gifts and sales of interests to trusts for the benefit of younger generation family members, involving hundreds of millions of dollars of commercial real estate, in a fashion minimizing income tax liabilities and facilitating elimination of estate taxes on future increases in the value of those assets.

We represent charitable beneficiaries of a trust seeking early termination of that trust, in cooperation with the efforts of the New York Attorney General, to ensure that the early termination is consistent with the best interests of the charities and with the intention of the late grantor of the trust.