Be well advised.^®
Fall 2020

Scott Handwerker Joins the Firm

Mr. Handwerker concentrates his practice in corporate law, emerging growth companies, mergers and acquisitions ("M&A") and private equity. In his new position, he will be a member of the Firm's Business and Corporate Law group and help the Firm continue to expand with its newly formed venture capital practice.

"I am absolutely delighted to join Twomey Latham and I look forward to helping the Firm grow its well-established corporate practice," Mr. Handwerker said. "I am especially excited to assist the Firm in expanding its work with startup companies and venture capital funds."

Martha Reichert Joins the Firm

Ms. Reichert concentrates her practice in real estate and land use. She has extensive experience appearing before municipal and regulatory boards throughout eastern Long Island. Prior to joining the Firm, she had her own practice, the Law Office of Martha F. Reichert, in Hampton Bays. She appeared and represented clients before the Town of East Hampton, the Villages of East Hampton, Sagaponack and North Haven, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

New York Paid Sick Leave Law
By Jeffrey W. Pagano

Effective September 30, 2020, all New York State employers will have to comply with the requirements of the New York Sick Leave Law introduced as part of the New York 2021 budget. New York employers will be required to provide at least one hour of paid or unpaid sick leave for every 30 hours worked by the employee. Whether an employee is entitled to paid or unpaid leave, and the amount of leave an employee is entitled to, depends on the employer's size.

Remote Execution of Estate Planning Documents During the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic
By Daniel R. Bernard

As you read this article, I hope you and your family are well. The coronavirus pandemic has given some individuals a renewed interest in estate planning, both for themselves and their loved ones. The primary issue that faced many individuals interested in implementing or updating their estate plans, is how to execute those documents while maintaining social distancing.

Probate: What is it? Why to Avoid it and How
By Daniel R. Bernard

Oftentimes, when I meet with clients one of their primary goals of implementing an estate plan is to avoid the "death tax." I will share with you the same two pieces of good news I share with those clients. First, we do not have a "death tax" in the United States. It is true that the federal government and New York State both impose estate taxes, but those taxes are imposed on the value of your estate and are not taxes you have to pay for dying. The second piece of good news is that the estate tax only affects a very small number of estates.

Kathryn Dalli Asked by Best Company Whether People Should Borrow Money to Pay Taxes

Kathryn Dalli, a partner with the Firm, was interviewed by Best Company for an article on whether people should take out a loan to pay off their taxes. Ms. Dalli said, if someone owes less than $50,000, they may work out an agreement with the IRS to come up with an installment payment plan. That, she said, would be more advantageous than applying for a loan. "An installment agreement with the IRS would not appear on your credit report and would not affect your credit," she said.

Peter M. Mott Explains Whether Couples Should Get a Prenup

Peter M. Mott, a partner with the Firm, was interviewed by U.S. News & World Report for a story on whether couples who are thinking of getting married should sign a prenuptial agreement. Mr. Mott said a prenuptial agreement helps protect the spouses' assets, especially if one spouse has more assets than the other, or this is not the spouse's first marriage.

Daniel R. Bernard Speaks to Newsday on Facing an IRS Audit

Firm Associate Daniel R. Bernard was interviewed by Newsday for an article on what to do in the event of a tax audit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Mr. Bernard emphasized that less than 1% of all personal tax returns are audited, but 8% of estate tax returns also face an audit. "The chance of [an] audit has actually been going down over the last 10 years," he said. "The IRS is very secretive about their audit selection process."

Jeffrey Pagano Speaks on NYS Sick Leave Law on BronxNet's "OPEN"
By Jeffrey W. Pagano

Partner Jeffery Pagano appeared on the BronxNet TV show "OPEN" on November 4 to discuss the New York State Sick Leave Law, which went into effect on September 30, 2020. Mr. Pagano explained how much sick time companies should offer their employees, and if it should be paid or unpaid. He also explained the reasons workers can take personal time off.

Bernadette E. Tuthill Receives LIBN's Leadership Excellence Award

Bernadette E. Tuthill, a partner with the Firm, received the Leadership Excellence Award from Long Island Business News during its Corporate Citizenship Awards, which took place in a virtual ceremony on September 15. The award is presented to someone who makes outstanding contributions in both their company and in their community.

Christina Noon Serves as Mission Chair of Yaphank's Walk to End Alzheimer's

Twomey Latham was a Silver Sponsor for this year's Alzheimer's Association's Yaphank Walk to End Alzheimer's, which took place on September 26. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. This year's Walk is "everywhere" — every sidewalk, track and trail.

Twomey Latham Proudly Partners with The Express News Group's "27Speaks" Weekly Podcast

The Firm is proud to support The Express News Group's "27Speaks" podcast. Each week, editors Kathryn Menu, Annette Hinkle, Joseph P. Shaw, Brendan O'Reilly, and Bill Sutton discuss the week's news on the South Fork of Long Island.