Steven Mark Etkind

I have worked with Steven on difficult negotiations with other shareholders in the sale of stock to an ESOP. He helped us design an ESOP transaction and bring in a financial advisor to assist us in determining the value of our company and to prepare for the sale, and meet and discuss with our co-shar...eholders and their counsel and explained the risks and benefits of the transaction. He was able to accurately estimate the total cost of the project, and to recommend various trustees for the company to consider in the ESOP transaction. He was well prepared and aggressively negotiated term sheets and contracts. He explained to us in plain English the different ways that the transaction could be structured and the relative risks of each approach. He was always available for phone calls and emails and responded promptly and was patient with our requests. I thought he was very creative on the ESOP redemption structure and in the negotiations with the ESOP trustee lawyers on the other side of the transaction. With his help we were able to sell all the stock of our company deferring all income taxes and for the company to make a S corporation election after the transaction.

Steven Etkind has represented me and my firm on several ESOP transactions as Trustee counsel. Steven provided due diligence, transaction structure, and document review; as well as negotiation of deal terms and financing to the Trustee. He is very thorough, efficient and effective. I would highly re...commend him to other Fiduciaries seeking representation.

I have had a number of attorneys in my business career. Steve, Who handled several things for me including establishing an ESOP for my company. After a number of years Steve also handled the sale of the company. He has been a friend and got to person for many other things. He is readily available... on the phone and in person.