Firm Newsletter – August 2026

Dear Clients and Friends:

We hope you are enjoying the end of your summer and write to update you on recent activities at FRB.

We invite you to join FRB Partners Jeffrey Berkman and Kyle Lawrence with Corporate Associate Alexander Migliorini for “Defusing Contract Landmines Before They Blow Up Your Deal,” the next Deep Bench Briefings webinar today, August 20, from 12:00–1:00 PM ET, covering key contract provisions, common pitfalls, and practical strategies for avoiding costly mistakes. This timely program follows Kyle’s recent elevation to Co-Chair of FRB’s Corporate & Securities Practice Group, where his 15 years of experience spans complex corporate transactions across a range of industries. Congratulations, Kyle! 

Next, we are thrilled to welcome Stephen Medow as Partner in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, expanding the firm's offerings in financial services, commercial litigation, business breakups, real estate, and family and partnership disputes. Learn more about Stephen and his areas of focus below.

Also, We’re proud to share that Kenneth Falcon and Susan Falcon will be honored as Gala Honorees at SIBSPlace’s Arts After Dark Gala, recognizing their longstanding commitment to SIBSPlace and the children and families it serves. SIBSPlace provides free therapeutic support to children coping with a sibling or parent facing serious illness, as well as those grieving the loss of a loved one. We hope you’ll join us on September 19, 2026, at The Seawane Club in Hewlett Harbor for a meaningful evening in support of this important mission. Learn more and support the event here.

Lastly, we are excited to share that FRB's New Jersey Managing Partner Christopher Warren has been named to the 2026 NJBIZ Law Power List, an annual recognition of influential attorneys and legal leaders shaping New Jersey's legal profession. Chris' inclusion reflects his outstanding work advising clients on complex commercial litigation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and emerging technology matters. Congratulations, Chris, on this well-deserved recognition! Learn more and read the full list here.

 

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Register for Our Upcoming Deep Bench Briefing

 

 

 

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Register for Beyond the Paycheck: Tax-Smart Compensation Planning for Closely Held and Family Businesses

 

 

Owners of closely held and family businesses face a unique challenge: structuring compensation that delivers meaningful tax advantages while balancing the competing interests of the business and its key people. Join FRB Taxation Partner Angela Stockbridge as she walks advisors through the full menu of planning tools. Key takeaways attendees will gain:

• Why cash balance plans can unlock unusually large deductible contributions for the right owner
• How to match a planning strategy to a client’s situation — tax deferral, exit, succession, and entity type
• How the major qualified and nonqualified compensation tools work and the specific tax advantages of each
• Where the referral and value-add opportunities lie for advisors

Learn more and register here.

 

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Register for The Advanced Tax Strategy Series

 

 

Join FRB's Matthew Foreman, Co-Chair of the Taxation Practice Group, for The Advanced Tax Strategy Series, his returning six-part webinar program designed for professionals seeking deeper insights into sophisticated tax planning.

Eligible for 1.0 New York CLE and CPE credit per session (CFP CE and IRS CE credits pending). Learn more about each session and register below.
 

 

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Register for Our Upcoming Webinars & Events

 

Webinar: When § 1031 Exchanges Fail: Rev. Rul. 80-58 Rescission, Tax Consequences, and Professional Liability Exposure Across the Advisor Stack (2.0 CLE Credits)

• Join FRB's Vice Managing Partner Matthew Rappaport on Thursday, August 20, at 1:00 PM ET and explore practical guidance on navigating failed exchanges, calculating boot, applying Rev. Rul. 80-58 rescission, evaluating alternative tax strategies, and minimizing professional liability risk through effective engagement letters and advisor best practices.
• Learn more and register here.

 

Webinar: Beyond the Paycheck: Tax-Smart Compensation Planning for Closely Held and Family Businesses (1.0 CPE and IRS CE Credits)

• Join FRB Partner Angela Stockbridge on Wednesday, August 26, from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET and explore practical strategies to help business owners maximize tax benefits while supporting long-term business goals.
• Learn more and register here.

 

Webinar: Advanced Estate Administration: A New York Guide (Up to 7.2 CLE/CPE Credits)

• Join FRB's Vice Managing Partner Matthew Rappaport, Trusts & Estates Litigation Partner Karen Davakis, and Taxation Associate Sam Brady on Wednesday, August 26, from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM ET to gain practical insights into handling complex assets, trust administration, advanced tax issues, probate litigation, and other critical aspects of estate administration to help you navigate even the most challenging matters with confidence.
• Learn more and register here.

 

Webinar: Retirement Plan Compliance Red Flags for CPAs: Operational Failures, SECURE 2.0, and Correction Strategies (2.0 CPE/IRS CE Credits)

• Join FRB Partner Angela Stockbridge on Friday, August 28, from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET as she helps CPAs identify compliance red flags, navigate SECURE 2.0 operational traps, and understand correction strategies before issues become audit or fiduciary problems.
• Learn more and register here.

 

Webinar: Deep Bench Briefings: Mine, Yours, or the Machine's? The New Rules of IP Ownership in the Age of AI

• Join FRB Intellectual Property Partners Moish Peltz and Steven Cooper on Wednesday, September 9, from 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM ET for a practical webinar on the new rules of IP ownership, exploring what businesses need to do to actually own the work created by employees, contractors, and AI tools, and how to protect it across the full lifecycle: creation, registration, licensing, and enforcement.
• Learn more and register here.

 

Webinar: Hall CPA's 2026 Virtual Summit

• Join FRB's Vice Managing Partner Matthew Rappaport on Thursday, September 15 for "The Tax Architecture of Wealth," exploring advanced planning strategies for investors, business owners, and families.
• Learn more and register here.

 

Webinar: New York Trusts Guide (Up to 7.2 CLE/CPE Credits)

• Join FRB's Vice Managing Partner Matthew Rappaport on Wednesday, September 30, from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM ET and explore how different trust structures can be used to address unique estate planning, asset protection, tax, and family planning goals.
• Learn more and register here.

 

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FRB Attorneys in the News

 

Douglas Singer Co-Authors Article for Impact Entrepreneur

• FRB Partner Douglas Singer recently co-authored the Impact Entrepreneur article “The Boardroom Lessons of Employee Ownership,” exploring how Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) can offer private company boards valuable lessons on transparency, trust, employee engagement, and long-term value creation.
• Learn more and read the full article here.

 

Matthew Rappaport Featured in Tax Notes

• FRB's Vice Managing Partner Matthew Rappaport recently co-authored the Tax Notes article "Qualified Appraisals May Save QOF Investors Millions From Deemed Realization" discussing how qualified appraisals and the Opportunity Zone "lower-of" rule may help investors significantly reduce their taxable gain.
• Learn more and read the full article here.

 

Andrew Cooper Featured on Rule of Law Podcast

• FRB's Andrew Cooper, Chair of the Cannabis & Psychedelics Practice Group, joined the Rule of Law podcast by AllRize to discuss his path into cannabis and psychedelics law, the evolving regulatory landscape, and where cannabis policy may be headed next.
• Listen to the full episode here.

 

Matthew Rappaport Joins the People in Tax Podcast

• FRB Vice Managing Partner Matthew Rappaport was a recent guest on the People in Tax podcast, sharing lessons from building his own law firm, stressing that successful tax lawyers should think like entrepreneurs, communicating complex issues in plain language, and helping clients understand and weigh risk rather than simply avoid it.
• Listen to the full episode here.

 

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Register for Upcoming Events

 

In-Person: FEA Annual Conference 2026

• FRB is proud to sponsor the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA) Annual Conference, taking place Tuesday, September 15 - Thursday, September 17 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Join FRB's Vice Managing Partner Matthew Rappaport and several other members of our Taxation and Real Estate Practice Groups, who will be in attendance connecting with clients and colleagues in the 1031 exchange and tax planning community.
• Interested in connecting at the conference? Contact us here.

 

In-Person: WealthCounsel Symposium 2026

• Join FRB's Vice Managing Partner and speaker Matthew Rappaport in Las Vegas, Nevada for the session "Real Property Transfers in Estate Planning" on Thursday, September 24, from 3:15 – 4:15 PM PT. The session will explore the legal and tax considerations involved in transferring real property through estate plans, including title issues, fiduciary responsibilities, transfer taxes, and common pitfalls to avoid.
• Learn more and view the full agenda here.

 

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Check Out Our Latest Podcasts

 

 

How Tax Works - Ep. 58: 

Penalties for Late Filed Forms 3520, 3520-A, 5471, and 5472

• In episode 58 of How Tax Works, Matthew Foreman discusses Zhang v. IRS, No. 4:24-cv-08210 (N.D. Cal. 2026), which held that the IRS does not need to file a civil lawsuit to impose penalties for a late-filed Form 3520. Zhang is a related case to Farhy, and applies the same principles to penalties for late- or non-filed Forms 3520-A, 5471, and 5472.
• Listen to the episode here.

 

 

Block & Order #58:
The Killer Whale Approach: Zach Abramowitz on AI in Law

• Kyle Lawrence and Moish Peltz interview Killer Whale Strategies Founder Zach Abramowitz about real-world AI adoption in law firms, the risks of “tool obsession,” and why collaborative, innovative strategies are winning in legal tech. Learn how business models, attorney roles, and legal outcomes are changing because of AI.
• Watch the episode here.

 

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FRB Welcomes New Attorneys

 

Stephen Medow

Stephen Medow is a Partner in FRB’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, where he focuses on financial services and commercial litigation, including business breakups, real estate, and family and partnership disputes. He also advises clients on regulatory matters, internal investigations, employment and compliance issues. Before joining FRB, Stephen served as Assistant General Counsel to an SEC-registered investment adviser, overseeing litigation, arbitrations, and regulatory enforcement matters nationwide.

 

Joelle M. Vilinsky

Joelle M. Vilinsky has been elevated to an Associate in the firm's Taxation Practice Group. Joelle focuses her practice on Section 1031 and 1033 exchanges, corporate and partnership reorganizations, and assists clients with Voluntary Disclosure programs, Offers in Compromise, and Innocent Spouse Relief with the IRS and state tax agencies.

 

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Check Out Our Past Webinars

 

NIIT for Trusts and Estates: Net Investment Income Tax Planning Strategies to Minimize Surtax (2.0 CPE Credits)

• Matthew Rappaport explores practical strategies for minimizing the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) on trusts and estates, including guidance on Form 1041 reporting, DNI deductions, material participation rules, and key tax planning considerations.
• Watch here.

 

When AI Notetakers Break Privilege in Internal Investigations (Up to 2.4 CLE Credits)

• Elizabeth Schlissel and Daryl Caffarone examine the legal risks that can arise when AI tools are integrated into internal investigations, hiring, and employee management workflows, and offer practical guidance for attorneys navigating privilege, discovery, compliance, and risk management in an evolving landscape.
• Watch here.

 

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Check Out Our Latest Insights & News

 

New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act Takes Effect: What Clients and Providers Need to Know

Dana Walsh Sivak provides an update about the Medical Aid in Dying Act, how individuals who wish to access medical aid in dying can exercise their rights under the new law, and what medical providers should know about this significant change in guidance about end-of-life treatment. Read more.

 

Executive Compensation Planning: A Practical Guide to Designing and Protecting Executive Pay, Part 5: Employment Agreements, Severance, and Clawback Provisions

Angela Stockbridge examines the key contractual provisions that shape executive pay from hiring through departure. Read more.

 

“Ending Tomorrow: A Big Deal Made Just for You!!” Is Your Email Subject Line a Lawsuit Waiting to Happen?

Elizabeth Schlissel and Katarina Neumann examine the growing wave of lawsuits under Washington’s Commercial Electronic Mail Act and outline practical steps businesses can take to reduce risk. Read more.

 

Tokenization Needs a Better Business Case

Moish Peltz and Kyle Lawrence explore the business case for tokenization, the challenges of bringing real-world assets on-chain, and what makes these projects viable. Read more. 

 

IRS Announces Automatic Exemption from Penalty Program: Penalty Relief Goes from Opt-In to Automatic

Matthew Foreman and Joelle Vilinsky explain who qualifies, what penalties are covered, and what this change means for taxpayers and businesses. Read more.

 

Executive Compensation Planning: A Practical Guide to Designing and Protecting Executive Pay, Part 4: Section 280G – The Change-in-Control Tax Trap

Angela Stockbridge explains how Sections 280G and 4999 apply to golden parachute payments, common planning strategies, and why addressing these issues before a transaction can make all the difference. Read more.