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Estate Planning Our Estate Planning Group counsels clients on estate and tax planning, wealth preservation, multigenerational tax and estate planning, asset protection planning, business succession planning, and related legal matters. We encourage the active participation of clients in the estate planning process and work closely with outside accounting, investment, insurance and banking professionals, as client interests dictate. We use sophisticated estate planning and wealth preservation techniques to assist individuals and families, executives and closely held business owners to preserve and protect their assets and tailor plans to meet each client’s objectives. We
create tax-qualified charitable trusts and private foundations and
assist clients in advancing their philanthropic interests. We assist families in dealing with family legal issues affecting seniors and children with special needs. We implement living trusts, wills, insurance trusts, dynasty trusts, family partnerships, personal residence trusts, charitable trusts and other estate planning documents to effectuate our client’s goals. Our lawyers lecture nationally on estate and tax planning topics and have co-authored treatises for lawyers and the public on estate planning subjects. Our Estate Planning Group handles all phases of estate administration, including probate of estates, collection of estate assets, funding of living trusts, assistance in executor and trustee accountings, distribution of estate assets to beneficiaries, preparation of estate tax returns, and representation of estates in tax audits. We use appropriate tax planning options to further our clients’ interests. Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Our Litigation Group handles all aspects of civil litigation, including trial and appellate practice in state and federal courts nationwide and in N.A.S.D. and New York Stock Exchange arbitral forums, for both plaintiffs and defendants. We also represent our clients before various commissions, administrative agencies, and legislative committees. Our Litigation Group litigates Disputes for closely held and family owned businesses, shareholders, buyers and sellers, and investors in post acquisition-merger Disputes, unfair and deceptive business practice claims, business fraud, derivative suits asserting violations of duties of care and/or loyalty, Disputes arising out of commercial financing transactions, and lawsuits/arbitrations arising out of investments and complex partnership/joint venture real estate and business relationships. We have unique experience in representing businesses in Disputes involving claims of sovereign immunity by Native American Tribes and the Palestine Liberation Organization. In a case arising out of the PLO's high seas attack on the cruise ship Achille Lauro, we obtained rulings allowing a lawsuit for damages against the PLO. More recently, in another case of first impression we secured a ruling enabling a private litigant to seek an injunction for copyright infringement against a Native American Tribe operating one of the world's largest gambling casinos. Our litigation experience includes securities law, anti-trust and trade regulation, infringement and other intellectual property Disputes, insurance coverage and bad faith claims, real estate disputes, federal arbitration law, employment law, products liability law, personal injury law and contract law. Our Litigation Group handles all aspects of probate and trust litigation, including will contests, breach of fiduciary duty, Disputes concerning the distribution of assets and trust reformations. Our Litigation Group works together with the Estate Planning Group to provide specialized and effective representation for our probate clients. Our Travel Law Group represents tour operators, travel agents, cruise lines, study-abroad programs, the travel offices of college alumni associations, and other members of the travel industry in a wide variety of matters. Through local counsel throughout the country, we defend tort, contract, employment, and other claims in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. The cases originate in this country and across the globe--anywhere our clients do business, such as safaris in Africa, motorcoach tours in Europe, bicycling trips in Italy, student travel programs in South America, and cruises in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. Our experience in travel law allows us to offer counseling to our travel industry clients tailored to their specific needs, including advice on such matters as insurance issues, contracts with suppliers, descriptions and terms and conditions in brochures and fliers, disclaimers of liability, release and assumption of risk documents, employee contracts, employee relations, and dealings with government regulators. Our Business Group represents diverse corporate and other business clients ranging from closely held businesses to those with national recognition. We assist them in structuring their business organizations and transactions in today’s complex business, tax and legal environment. Our business clients include corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and sole proprietorships. The Business Group counsels business clients on legal issues arising in the formation, acquisition, operation, merger and sale of businesses. We advise business clients in the protection of trade secrets and proprietary business information and in negotiation, use, and enforcement of noncompetition clauses. Our Real Estate Group provides representation to purchasers, sellers, developers, businesses and lenders in residential and commercial real estate matters, including conveyancing, leasing, zoning, land use, title problems and environmental issues. Our Real Estate Group counsels developers and owners in the acquisition, financing, development and leasing of commercial and industrial properties and assists clients in organizing real estate ownership entities.
Our Antitrust Group provides antitrust counseling, especially in the arbitrage area, on mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. We advise in franchising, dealership, and distribution matters, from compliance counseling to termination proceedings. We counsel clients regarding federal and state trade practices, laws and regulations.
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