For almost four decades, Cheryl has focused her practice on estate planning and business and transactional tax law. She advises a wide variety of corporate and high-net-worth individuals on the tax and legal aspects of their business activities. Cheryl's business clients benefit from her background as a certified public accountant and her many years of experience in corporate planning and transactions. She has represented and advised individuals and companies in the formation, acquisition, and sale of business ventures; the planning and implementation of qualified plans; and all aspects of the day-to-day operations of their businesses.
In addition, Cheryl also provides:
- Guidance for high-net-worth individuals and business owners to maximize wealth preservation and minimize taxes on transfers of assets to family members and other recipients
- Advice and assistance in organizing clients' income taxes, business succession, charitable giving, and estate plans
- Appropriate estate planning strategies, including sophisticated wills and trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, family limited partnerships, family charitable foundations, and other similar techniques
Cheryl is an enthusiastic doll collector, an avid Florida Gator fan, and the longest standing member of the Sarasota office.
Education
LL.M., with honors, Taxation, University of Florida, 1979
J.D., with honors, University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1978
B.S.B.A., with high honors, University of Florida, 1975
Professional Associations
- Sarasota County Bar Association
- Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- The Perlman Music Program, Board Member
- University of Florida Levin College of Law Board of Trustees for the Law Center Association
- Florida Alumni Tax Advisory Committee for the University of Florida Levin College of Law Graduate Tax Program
- Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Inc. former Board Member
- Lou Gehrig’s Disease Association of Southwest Florida, Inc., former Board Member
- Neuro Challenge Foundation, Inc., former Board Member
- Small Business Council for the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, former Board Member
- Downtown Partnership, former President
- Sarasota Opera Association, former Board Member and Vice President
- Temple Beth Sholom, former Board Member, Vice President and Treasurer
- Women’s American ORT, former President
- Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Foundation, former Trustee
- Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation, former Board Member
Honors
- AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Best Lawyers in America, 2013 – 2021, 2024
- Best Lawyers “Sarasota Tax Law Lawyer of the Year,” 2023
- SRQ Magazine: Elite Top Attorneys, Wills, 2020 – 2021
- Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite 2015
- Leadership Sarasota, Graduate
Representative Matters
- Successfully planned for estate to avoid Madoff clawback claim
- Planned and brought to completion a sale of client's business to defective grantor trust, minimizing taxes for the family and obtaining a no change IRS audit result
- Updating of medical practice buy-sell agreements and shareholder employment agreements to bring in line with current trends in medical practices