Learn more about what our experienced professionals can do in the most complex of cases.
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Entity Structuring for Real Estate Holdings to Support Estate Planning
The Clients were consulting with the attorneys of FRB about planning their estate. During the discussion, it became apparent that the Clients’ real estate investment holdings were held personally and not in a corporate entity. Our Corporate and Real Estate attorneys assisted the Clients in creating corporate entities and transferring the real estate properties into said entities. Thereafter, the estate planning department began working with the Clients to effectuate their wishes.
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Retirement Estate Planning and Trust Funding for Long-Term Care Protection
As the Clients were approaching retirement, they sought our Estate Planning Department to assist in preparing their estate. Concerns arose about long-term care and leaving assets for their beneficiaries. Our Estate Planning Department formulated a plan that suited the needs of the Clients, prepared the appropriate planning tools, and worked with the Real Estate department to transfer certain real properties from the individual client to their respective trusts. By collaborating across departments, the Clients had a better understanding of their estate plan and were able to leave with their wishes actually in place.
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Successful Probate of a Lost Will to Carry Out Decedent’s Wishes
A client who was nominated as Executor for a friend came to FRB’s Probate & Administration of Trusts & Estates attorneys first seeking advice regarding becoming the Guardian over her friend and soon thereafter the Executor. It was soon discovered that the Decedent did not have close family or friends and that their original Will could not be located. However, through the creative and stubborn work of the attorneys at FRB, we were able to find all assets and interested parties and ultimately have the Court admit a copy of the Lost Will and still have all the Decedent’s wishes fulfilled.
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Summary Judgment Victory Enforcing NDA Protections
Falcon Rappaport & Berkman’s Intellectual Property and Litigation Practice Groups secured a summary judgment victory for a brand investment client in a dispute arising from a potential partner’s misuse of confidential information while the client was preparing to pursue a bid for a target company in a bankruptcy auction. FRB enforced the client’s contractual rights under a Non-Disclosure Agreement drafted by the firm and asserted claims for breach of contract and trade secret misappropriation under New York law and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act. The court granted summary judgment on the breach of contract claim, finding that the defendant violated the NDA by disclosing and misusing the client’s confidential information, while permitting the trade secret claims and damages to proceed to trial. This outcome underscores the value of clear, enforceable confidentiality protections when sharing sensitive business information in high-stakes transactions.
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Julie and Mark: Unforeseen Danger – Surprise Litigation
Julie and Mark had worked hard for many years, accumulating over $12M through the sale of Mark’s company. They wisely invested their money and implemented advanced estate planning techniques. This allowed them to enjoy their lives by traveling, spending time with family, supporting charitable organizations, and pursuing leisure activities they had long desired. However, a sudden letter from the buyer of Mark’s business revealed accounting irregularities, and the buyer demanded a refund along with damages and fees. Fortunately, Mark had followed the advice given to him by the Asset Protection attorneys at Falcon Rappaport & Berkman and was able to successfully protect his funds in an offshore Asset Protection Trust. When the buyer’s lawyer was informed about the challenges in accessing Mark’s assets, the buyer settled for a small amount and agreed not to pursue further legal action. Without the asset protection trust, Mark would have faced a fraud lawsuit and the risk of losing his money. Mark’s advanced planning was a smart decision. This matter was handled by the attorneys in our Asset Protection Practice Group prior to joining FRB earlier this year.