"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." - Jimmy Johnson
Artificial Intelligence
As the business landscape evolves with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), we recognize the necessity for companies to effectively integrate and utilize this technology while navigating its unique challenges and complexities.
The urgency to adopt fast, efficient technological solutions can sometimes overshadow critical factors such as regulatory compliance and data governance, potentially impacting business integrity and client experience. Our role is to guide clients through understanding AI, its use, and to prepare them for upcoming legislation and regulations that are likely to increase.
Our AI practice is distinctively positioned at the intersection of deep legal knowledge and practical, business-oriented problem-solving and is bolstered by a convergence of diverse subject matters, including intellectual property, data privacy, technology transactions, and regulatory compliance.
We also handle trademarks, new business development, mergers and acquisitions, and aid in the creation, negotiation and development of new technology partnerships. As we believe in the broad application potential of AI, we utilize our strategic knowledge to empower our clients with practical, pragmatic and innovative solutions while mitigating risk. This approach helps our clients navigate the complex landscape of AI integration with confidence, ensuring they stay ahead in a rapidly evolving technological world.
Banking
Our firm has a robust track record in representing commercial banks as both general and special counsel, offering a comprehensive suite of banking law services. We specialize in corporate and real estate lending transactions, regulatory compliance, and litigation, including intricate matters like work-outs and foreclosures. Our expertise extends to guiding clients through the complexities of anti-money laundering and terrorist financing laws and regulations, alongside adeptly handling regulatory enforcement actions.
We take pride in our notable success in representing organizers of new community banks. These banks play a pivotal role in serving their communities within the metropolitan area, a testament to our firm's commitment to fostering small business growth within burgeoning communities. Additionally, our services encompass the formation of bank holding companies and the acquisition and sale of banks and related entities. Our vast experience also includes the structuring of international banking transactions, demonstrating our capability to navigate the global banking landscape with innovation and precision.
Corporate, Mergers and Acquisition
Our law firm offers a diverse array of legal services tailored to businesses operating in both international and domestic markets. We specialize in forming and servicing various business entities, including corporations, general and limited partnerships, and limited liability companies. Our attorneys are adept in negotiating a wide range of corporate and commercial agreements and transactions, including acquisitions, mergers, dissolution, shareholder partnership and limited liability company operating agreements, and employment contracts. We also have significant experience in managing the dissolution of law firms and other professional corporations.
Securities
In the Securities domain, our firm provides comprehensive legal representation to private companies in equity and debt securities offerings. We support our public company clients in adhering to reporting requirements, proxy rules, and other mandates of federal securities law.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Regarding Mergers and Acquisitions, our firm possesses extensive experience in representing private companies either acquiring other entities or being acquired themselves. Our expertise covers all facets of such transactions, including antitrust laws, taxation, securities law, bulk sales, bank financing issues, employee matters, and considerations of foreign law.
Education
School Districts, Private and Charter Schools
Our firm offers extensive legal consulting and training in special education. Our services include assistance with Committee on Special Education (CSE) operations, Individualized Education Program (IEPs) strategies, interpreting Child Find Laws, adhering to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and PINS proceedings. Additionally, we provide district-parent mediation and IEP facilitation. Our team is adept at managing challenging situations and organizing collaborative discussions between school districts and parents.
Parents
We are dedicated to offering personalized assistance to parents throughout the special education process. Our range of services includes consultation and representation during the eligibility process, CSE meetings, development and monitoring of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Manifestation Determination Meetings, and ensuring Section 504 compliance. In challenging communication scenarios between school districts and parents, our experienced team can help organize and facilitate mediations or collaborative meetings, which when needed may include medical professionals and both long-term and short-term hospital care teams. This inclusive approach ensures a synergy between medical insights and educational strategies, vital for advancing students' educational progress and minimizing regression. Our team's goal is to mitigate educational conflicts and empower parents to advocate confidently and effectively for their children in all settings, fostering an environment conducive to their children’s growth and success.
Business and Corporate
Our professionals excel at enriching employee benefits through guided special education workshops and personalized consulting. We have partnered with numerous Fortune 500 companies and affinity groups to deliver valuable on-site and virtual trainings for employees with children who have special needs. Our training delves into the intricate aspects of special education law, equipping parents to better advocate for their children’s educational success. This type of corporate support is crucial in allowing employees to focus on their professional responsibilities, reducing the stress associated with navigating the special education system. Our corporate-focused training sessions enable businesses to support their workforce effectively, ensuring parents are well-informed and confident in addressing the complexities of special education.
Family Office &
High-Net-Worth Individuals
At LZ, our Family Office and High Net Worth practice leverages our deep and extensive experience that spans decades. Our work is characterized by innovative, personalized legal counsel and astute strategic advice, meticulously tailored to meet the unique requirements of our high and ultra-high-net-worth clients, including those managing closely held family enterprises.
Understanding the complexities involved in managing significant wealth, our approach is thorough and multifaceted. We address a wide array of legal needs, ranging from estate planning and wealth transfer to sophisticated tax strategies and robust asset protection. Our attorneys excel in deciphering the nuances of family governance, philanthropic initiatives, and seamless business succession planning.
At LZ, our philosophy is centered on cultivating lasting relationships with our clients. This allows us to craft solutions that are not only legally robust but also resonate with your long-term ambitions and core values. Whether it involves intricate financial structuring, navigating intergenerational wealth management challenges, or providing advice on legal issues facing family-owned businesses, our clients can rely on our discretion, efficacy, and tailored legal services.
Choosing LZ as your partner guarantees a dedicated team committed to protecting your legacy and ensuring your wealth furthers the objectives and dreams of your family for generations to come.
Healthcare
Our attorneys have been trusted legal advisors to a wide array of healthcare providers, medical practices, and health facilities, offering guidance in both transactional and regulatory matters. Our skilled attorneys adeptly manage medical practice mergers and acquisitions and are proficient in preparing provider employment agreements. We provide insightful counsel to medical professionals on a range of issues pertinent to the evolving healthcare delivery system, such as managed care contracting, practice integration models, and various patient/provider issues.
LZ extends its legal services to cover essential areas for healthcare providers, which includes business structuring, where we assist in the formation of limited liability companies, partnerships, and corporations. Our strategic planning services are tailored to meet the unique needs of the healthcare sector.
Intellectual Property
Our firm provides comprehensive intellectual property (IP) services to a diverse clientele, ranging from industry leaders to innovative startups across various sectors. Our knowledge spans the full spectrum of IP law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, service marks, and trade names. We offer strategic advice on protecting these assets and skillfully prepare and negotiate related legal documents, such as licenses, non-compete, secrecy, and consultant agreements.
In addition to our advisory services, we litigate infringements, unauthorized use of trade secrets, copyrights, and cases of unfair competition. Our commitment to delivering top-tier IP services is evident in our representation of established companies aiming to maintain market dominance, as well as emerging startups introducing disruptive technologies.
As a fully integrated practice, we provide both litigation and counseling services, enabling our clients to maximize the value of their IP assets and ensuring their interests are fully protected and optimized.
Land Use, Planning and Zoning
At LZ, our Land Use, Planning, and Zoning practice is tailored to meet the needs of owners, developers, and investors in the realm of real estate development and operation. Our team works with large-scale corporate facilities, including office spaces, restaurants, shopping centers, and hotels. We are committed to providing efficient, effective, and timely services, catering uniquely to each project's requirements.
More than just legal advisors, we deftly guide our clients through the multifaceted aspects of real estate development, environmental law and related litigation. At LZ, we ensure that each project not only adheres to legal standards but is also sustainable and set up for lasting success. Our goal is to transform your vision into a thriving reality, making each venture an exemplary model of development and environmental stewardship.
Labor and Employment
At LZ, our diverse client base spans both businesses and not-for-profit organizations, showcasing our ability to tailor our work to a variety of needs and scales.
Our commitment lies in providing our clients with continuous counsel on labor relations and proactive strategies aimed at litigation avoidance. We offer both counseling and representation in litigation across a broad spectrum of labor relations and workplace matters.
The foundation of our approach to labor relations is practical, real-world solutions. We prioritize offering advice that not only resolves current labor issues but also proactively manages risks and circumvents potential litigation. This is further bolstered by our extensive training programs, designed to arm our clients and their employees with essential tools and knowledge. These programs enable our clients to effectively navigate the intricate landscape of labor law, ensuring compliance and fostering a harmonious workplace environment.
At LZ, we don’t just provide legal solutions; we partner with our clients to create a resilient and informed workforce, ready to face the evolving challenges of labor law with confidence and expertise.
Litigation
Our litigating attorneys, each highly skilled, are experienced in all facets of state and federal litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
We are proficient in assisting our clients in a wide range of matters including:
• Breach of Contract disputes
• Business & Corporate disputes
• Business Dissolutions and Divorces
• Real estate disputes, including title issues
• Disputes involving non-competition agreements
• Trust & Estate matters
• Landlord/Tenant Disputes
• Partnership and Shareholder disputes
• Judgment Enforcement and Collection matters
• Personal Injury Defense matters
• Appellate Matters
We recognize that not every disagreement requires a courtroom. Mediation and arbitration, also known as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), are often effective methods of resolving a dispute outside of the courthouse.
No matter the legal issue at hand, the attorneys of LZ are committed to working collaboratively with our clients to provide support, guidance and counsel with the goal of facilitating positive outcomes consistent with our clients’ stated goals. Our clients can depend on us to be their “sword and shield” in all forums, with unparalleled personal attention to detail.
Mediation and Arbitration (ADR)
Our team of mediators and arbitrators excel in guiding parties to amicable resolutions through alternative dispute resolution (ADR). ADR, encompassing both mediation and arbitration, offers a streamlined, less adversarial approach to resolving disputes outside of traditional court litigation.
During mediation, our experienced attorneys serve as neutral facilitators, guiding parties through structured negotiations. This process is inherently flexible and non-binding, empowering parties to collaboratively craft a settlement that aligns with their interests, without the obligation of a formal agreement. In contrast, arbitration involves our neutral arbitrators decisively resolving disputes based on the cases presented by the parties. This process can be binding or non-binding as per the parties' agreement, offering a definitive resolution akin to a court decision but with more flexibility and typically faster resolution.
Our ADR services are particularly effective for resolving disputes before they escalate to litigation or trial, providing a more innovative, efficient and cost-effective path to resolution. Whether through mediation's collaborative negotiations or arbitration's decisive rulings, LZ is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients.
Not-For-Profit
At LZ, our Not-for-Profit practice transcends the traditional scope of legal services, forming a partnership aimed at empowering charitable organizations. We cater to a diverse array of clients, including private foundations and public charities, guiding them through legal compliance intricacies with exceptional care. From the foundational stages of setting up your charity to ensuring the continuity of its non-profit status, our team of professionals is equipped to handle every complexity with precision and insight.
Recognizing that the true essence of not-for-profit organizations lies in their mission and operational efficiency, we offer strategic advice in key areas such as entity formation, tax-exempt status maintenance, crafting effective investment strategies, and managing donor-advised funds. Additionally, our professionals cover the crucial aspects of intellectual property protection, the execution of real estate transactions, and the strategic planning of entity dissolutions.
Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of robust corporate governance, by providing strategic guidance focused on developing governance structures that are transparent, accountable, and resonant with the ethos of your not-for-profit mission. In grantmaking, our professionals are vastly experienced in drafting detailed grant agreements, conducting in-depth reviews, and performing rigorous due diligence on potential grantees, ensuring every grant is aligned with your organizational goals and adheres to the highest legal standards.
Leaving no stone unturned for your organization's success, our team's commitment extends to a meticulous review of annual tax filings, including Forms 990, 990-PF, and 990-T.
At LZ, we are more than legal advisors – we are your partners in social impact. Our team's rigorous approach to not-for-profit law ensures total compliance and fiscal health, allowing your organization to focus on its mission with confidence.
Real Estate
Our real estate practice is distinguished by its wide-ranging experience across various property sectors. We have represented clients in the development, purchase, sale and leasing of commercial and residential properties.
In the commercial realm, our services span from small businesses to complex transactions for large-scale corporate facilities, including office space, restaurants, shopping centers and hotels. Our team is highly skilled in preparing and negotiating sophisticated leases including ground leases and triple net leases, as well as hotel management agreements. We are also well versed in real estate financing, both institutional and private equity offerings, as well as 1031 transactions.
Our residential real estate services cater to both individual homeowners, prospective homeowners and corporate clients, providing personalized solutions to the unique issues that arise in residential development, sales, purchase and leasing.
Our proficiency in succession planning and taxation adds another important dimension to commercial and individual property owners.
With our extensive knowledge in real estate law and related practice fields, we are uniquely positioned to offer comprehensive and tailored legal solutions and support to both individuals and businesses. It's our dedication that ensures that every transaction, regardless of its nature or complexity, is handled with the utmost professionalism and care.
Taxation
Our firm stands at the forefront of tax law, offering comprehensive counseling and representation to a diverse array of clients. We have vast experience in navigating the complexities of tax issues that affect business transactions for various entities such as corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint ventures, sole proprietorships, and individuals. Beyond business transactions; our accomplished team also provides insightful advice on personal wealth matters. This includes managing federal and state income taxation of trusts and estates, and addressing intricacies in estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
We are adept at representing clients in high-stakes scenarios before major tax authorities, including the U.S. Tax Court, the Internal Revenue Service, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Our firm handles a wide spectrum of tax-related matters, ranging from income to gift and estate tax issues. Our approach combines deep legal knowledge with a practical understanding of our clients' needs, ensuring bespoke solutions that are both efficient and effective.
Our commitment to delivering top-tier tax law services is unwavering. We strive to provide our clients with clarity and confidence as they navigate the ever-evolving tax landscape, ensuring they are well-positioned to make informed decisions about their business and personal wealth.
Wills, Trusts and Estates
Our firm delivers a full spectrum of services in estate planning, administration, and litigation, meticulously tailored to cater to the diverse needs of our clients.
In estate planning, we offer a range of services from creating basic wills and trusts to formulating and implementing elaborate estate plans. Our aim is to preserve and enhance family wealth, focusing on minimizing liabilities associated with gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. We are adept at crafting sophisticated plans for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, including the establishment of grantor-retained annuity trusts, dynasty trusts, charitable trusts, and family foundations. Our approach is especially beneficial for clients with interests in businesses or real estate, offering comprehensive solutions. We possess extensive experience in succession planning for family-owned businesses, ensuring a smooth and strategic transition across generations.
In the realm of estate administration, we serve a diverse clientele, including individuals, financial institutions, and not-for-profit entities. Our vast knowledge encompasses all aspects of the process, from thorough audits of estate and gift tax returns to the efficient resolution of tax disputes.
Regarding estate litigation, we prioritize resolving family disputes amicably. In cases where litigation is inevitable, our accomplished attorneys are well-experienced in Surrogate’s Court practices. This includes handling will contests, contested accountings, kinship disputes, guardianship issues, and more, ensuring thorough and sensitive handling of all probate and estate administration challenges.
LZ remains dedicated to delivering innovative, empathetic, and comprehensive legal guidance, equipping our clients to navigate these complex areas with confidence and ease.