David Berk counsels families and their businesses, entrepreneurs and start-up companies in taxation, structuring transactions, contract negotiations and governance issues. David also advises clients on corporate succession planning, trust and estate planning, insurance and retirement planning and asset protection planning. In providing legal advice and counsel, David also draws on his practical experience as a CPA.

A large part of his practice involves helping families to transition their business operations to younger generation family members, management and/or strategic or financial investors. In addition, he creates a variety of ordinary and sophisticated trusts, partnerships and other entities to hold life insurance, real estate, residences, equity interests in family enterprises and other investment assets.

His clients, which include start-ups and privately owned middle market companies, come from a range of industries including real estate development, construction, technology, automotive, sports, entertainment, manufacturing, transportation, real estate, nonprofits, physicians, attorneys, corporate executives and families with children who have special needs. David frequently serves as trustee for many family, multi-generational and charitable trusts.

Tax and Business Planning

David advises clients concerning the structure of their business enterprises, to help them achieve their goals in this fast-changing global economy. In some instances, reorganizing a client's group of companies may facilitate a more streamlined approach to managing transactions, liability, tax and potential succession planning complications.

Tax and Wealth Management

Using straightforward and strategic estate planning ideas, David advises companies, executives and entrepreneurs on methods to help reduce their estate and gift taxes.

Trusts and Estates Planning

David has extensive experience in drafting wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Descendant Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, Medicaid Qualifying Trusts, Grantor Trusts, BCBD Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts, Charitable Lead Trusts, Charitable Remainder Trusts, trusts for charitable foundations, marital agreements and family settlement agreements. He counsels clients with regard to finances and family concerns, and helps them assess future uses and sources of funds.

Asset Protection Planning

When appropriate, David assists clients in establishing asset protection plans that may include the simple re-titling of family assets, the creation of limited partnerships, family trusts and limited liability companies, and/or the creation of domestic or off-shore asset protection trusts or companies.

Mergers and Acquisitions

David has represented privately held companies in structuring, negotiating and drafting significant transactions involving mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and dispositions of assets and equity interests in various types of entities.