Summary

Mike is devoted to helping businesses build and preserve value, and helping individuals preserve and protect their family wealth.    In representing businesses, this includes counseling clients in connection with business formation, financing, reorganization, and acquisition transactions, as well as business succession planning.  With individual clients, this includes assistance with core estate planning documents (such as Wills, Revocable Trusts, Powers of Attorney and Living Wills), special needs planning, charitable giving, and the use of sophisticated trust strategies (e.g. QPRTs, GRATs, IDGTs, CRTs, CLTs, etc.). Foundational to this mission is his concentration in the area of taxation, which impacts so much of business and personal financial planning.

Mike has a broad range of experience in addition to private law practice, which allows him to bring a unique perspective to our clients.  He holds a CPA certification, and began his career in public accounting, with Deloitte, and later with BDO. Mike's CPA background along with his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation give him great depth, not only in negotiating and navigating complex business transations, but also in creating tax savings opportunities and in developing solutions to tax problems.  His understanding of and respect for the accounting profession allow him to team up very effectively with our clients’ CPAs.

Mike also holds a Certified Financial Planner™ designation, and has held an executive position in the financial services industry.  His familiarity with the wealth management industry gives him special insight when collaborating with our clients’ financial planners as part of their estate and tax planning.  Mike spends a significant amount of his time involved in estate planning and administration matters.  Not surprisingly, much of that time is spent working with family businesses, helping to preserve and protect their value. This very often includes a focus on management and ownership succession issues, and associated personal estate planning for family business owners. 

Mike has been active in the local community and professional organizations.  He has served on a number of nonprofit boards in the Central Bucks community, and served as President of the Bucks County Estate Planning Council in 2008-2009.

 

Professional Memberships:

American, Pennsylvania and Bucks County Bar Associations
American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants
Bucks County Estate Planning Council (President 2008-2009)
Financial Planning Association of the Philadelphia Tri-State Area (Board Member, 2012- 2013)

Civic Associations:

 

Member of Board of Directors, YMCA of Bucks & Hunterdon Counties, Audit Committee (2022 - Present)
Member of Board of Directors, Foundations Community Partnership (2022 - Present)
Member of Board of Directors, Chairperson, Bucks County Symphony Orchestra Foundation (2023 - Present)
Member of Board of Directors and Chairperson, Bucks County Opportunity Council, (2016 - 2022)
Member of Board of Directors and Treasurer, BARC  Developmental Services (2000-Present)
Member of Board of Directors and Treasurer, Central Bucks Family  YMCA (2006-2010)
Member Audit Committee, Central Bucks Family YMCA (2012 - Present)

Awards, Honors:

Pennsylvania Super Lawyer 2020 - 2023
“AV” Peer Review Rating, Martindale Hubbell

 

Presentations:

"Death & Taxes", and "Use of Trusts" for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute
“Advanced Estate Planning Techniques” for the National Business Institute

Articles:

“No Better Time for GRATs and IDGTs,” Pennsylvania CPA Journal
“Beware of Administration Issues and Plan Your Estate Accordingly,” Family Business Magazine