Practice Expertise

  • Trusts and Estates
  • Family-Owned and Closely-Held Business ...
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Areas of Practice

  • Family-Owned and Closely-Held Business ...
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Family Offices
  • Founders & Entrepreneurs

Profile

Brian M. Sweet is Counsel in the Firm's Trusts & Estates group. Brian engages in sophisticated estate planning for individuals and families, often designed to accomplish transfers to family members and charitable organizations in a tax-efficient manner. Brian has served clients in a variety of situations, including entrepreneurs, investment fund principals, corporate executives, artists and collectors, and high net-worth families.

In recent years, Brian has helped many founders and investors with estate and tax planning involving their interests in high-growth companies.  This advice often arises in the context of business transitions and funding rounds, and includes a deep understanding of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) incentives and other unique opportunities available to founders and investors residing in the U.S. and abroad.

Brian's practice encompasses a broad range of issues relating to charitable giving. He has significant experience counseling individuals and families regarding their charitable planning, and he represents fiduciaries in the administration of estates with substantial charitable interests (including interests of private foundations).  Brian also regularly counsels charitable organizations with respect to planned giving matters, including their interests in estates and trusts.

Bar Admissions

  • New York

Education

  • Harvard Law School (J.D., 2008)
    • Articles Editor, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review
  • Vanderbilt University (B.E., summa cum laude, 2005)

Areas of Practice

  • Family-Owned and Closely-Held Business Services
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Family Offices
  • Founders & Entrepreneurs

Professional Career


Professional Activities and Experience

Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York - Trusts, Estates, and Surrogates Court Committee




Articles

Blogs

Antitrust Update

Antitrust Update Blog is a source of insights, information and analysis on criminal and civil antitrust and competition-related issues. Patterson Belknap’s antitrust lawyers represent clients in antitrust litigation and counseling matters, including those related to pricing, marketing, distribution, franchising, and joint ventures and other strategic alliances. We have significant experience with government civil and criminal/cartel investigations, providing the unique perspectives of former...

Data Security Law Blog

DataSecurityLaw.com is the firm’s resource for the latest news, analysis, and thought leadership in the critical area of privacy and cybersecurity law. Patterson Belknap’s Privacy and Data Security practice provides public and private enterprises, their leadership teams and boards with comprehensive services in this critical area. Our team of experienced litigators, corporate advisors and former federal and state prosecutors advises on a broad range of privacy and data protection matters...

Misbranded

Misbranded is Patterson Belknap’s blog covering false advertising litigation—both consumer class actions and competitor suits—with a particular focus on FDA-regulated products (foods/beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and dietary supplements).

New York Commercial Division Decisions

The blog is a source for insights and developments related to practice in the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. This blog reviews key developments in the Commercial Division, including important decisions handed down by the Commercial Division and appellate court decisions reviewing Commercial Division decisions. The blog also covers changes and proposed changes to Commercial Division rules and practice, including revisions to the rules since January 2015. The...

Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog

The Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog is your place to follow the criminal law decisions rendered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. With a rich 225-year history of legendary judges like Learned Hand and Henry Friendly, the Second Circuit has long been known for writing important and thoughtful opinions on many subjects, including the criminal law. We review every published criminal law opinion handed down by the Second Circuit in order to provide you with a summary of the...

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