Focus Areas
Who we serve
Private Clients (HNWIs)
Your financial world is complex and multifaceted, and you face a gamut of legal issues. We provide sophisticated, trusted counsel to help you grow wealth, preserve it for the next generation, and further your philanthropic pursuits.
Wealth Planning and Risk Mitigation
● Resolving legal issues related to private equity, hedge fund, and other private and public securities
● Ensuring smart tax and succession planning for closely-held and family businesses
● Formation of real estate investment companies and monitoring for tax planning opportunities
● Mitigation of tax and liability risk associated with aircraft or watercraft
Tax Planning
Whenever you move money, there’s a tax consequence to consider.
We offer effective transfer and income tax planning to ensure you aren’t paying more to the government than you need to.
Philanthropic Goals
Your wealth management objectives may include supporting worthy causes. We help you achieve your vision through the formation of private foundations, public charities, and other giving vehicles.
Family-owned businesses
Family businesses face unique challenges, which often include managing complex familial dynamics. You need experienced business counsel with a keen sensitivity to delicate issues in order to lead your business harmoniously forward.
Succession Planning
When the older generation is ready to retire and the younger generation is eager to take the reins, exiting is a critical moment for both the family and the business. At Lucidate, we’ll cut through the emotion, focus on the big picture, and guide you throughout your succession planning to ensure all objectives are achieved.
Corporate Matters
First-generation businesses are often so focused on survival that they can forget to get their legal houses in order. The result: compliance gaps and liability risks. We help you address corporate, tax, and other issues so they don’t threaten the assets you’ve worked so hard to build.
Restructuring
Perhaps you’ve started as a sole proprietorship or single member LLC and now need to restructure the organization to maximize its value. Whatever your current legal entity or business goals, we’ll help you determine the best-suited corporate structure to support your future growth.
Compensation
When you employ family members, designing a balanced compensation system can seem daunting. You want to be generous, but the needs of your business and non-family employees must be carefully weighed.
Whatever incentives you’re considering—like restricted stock, profits interests, phantom equity, or others—we offer counsel that factors in both your legal options and your family dynamics when crafting a compensation plan, so that you’ll find a solution that works best for your business, your family, and your other employees.
Nonprofit Organizations
If you’re organized as a nonprofit, not only do you often face intense scrutiny from donors, members, and boards—you need to be compliant with state and federal agencies that govern your every move. Tax laws contain many traps for the unwary, and the consequences can be severe, including crippling penalties and the loss of tax-exempt status. With governance and controls so critical, experienced counsel for your organization is indispensable.
Choosing and forming the appropriate legal entity
A nonprofit corporation is not always the correct choice for your NPO. We deeply examine the goals and planned operations of your organization and guide you to choose the most suitable legal entity, whether that’s a corporation, trust, or other option.
Guidance on tax exemption
Everyone has heard of 501(c)(3) organizations, but there are many other types of tax exemptions, as well as public charities and private foundations. Whether you filed for tax exemption status incorrectly, or are still figuring out the best option, we have the knowledge and experience to get it done quickly and correctly — the first time.
Operations
Once compliance and governance is dealt with, it’s time to carry out your mission. NPOs face the same considerations as for-profit ventures: contracts with third parties, confidentiality and employment agreements, attention to bylaws and governance, and consideration of mergers. We have the knowledge and experience to handle these and the many other operational challenges of nonprofits.
State registration of charities and solicitation of charitable contributions
Many organizations wonder whether a state in which they operate requires registration as a charity. Since state laws differ, each must be examined. Some states require registration as a charitable organization, in addition to registrations for solicitation of donations. We guide organizations in determining whether to register and assist with registration.
Start-up, emerging, & growth companies
As a start-up founder, your to-do list can be long and overwhelming. You want cost-effective counsel who’ll address the paramount legal considerations for your new business. And once you survive the first couple of years, you face the challenge of managing growth. We’ll be your trusted partner throughout these critical phases, ensuring you’re making thoroughly informed decisions that get results.
Formation
With so many factors to consider, choice of legal entity can be confusing. Tax considerations are front and center, but so are governance, funding, and exit. While the form of business can be changed after an entity is formed, it’s usually not an easy undertaking. We cut through the confusion and present you with your best options.
Equity Compensation
There are many ways to provide equity to founders and key employees, including profits-only interests, restricted stock, phantom equity, ESOP, incentive stock options, and nonqualified options. Making promises on a handshake without the guidance of business counsel could spell ruin. We help you navigate your options to ensure the best equity compensation plan is in place for you and your people.
Exit
Every business must “begin with the end in mind,” and every step in its journey must be considered within the context of a pragmatic exit plan. When the time comes, we’ll help you implement that exit and the sale of your assets or equity interests.
