Stan Lazar is a consulting partner with Shepard Schwartz & Harris LLP, specializing in business planning with an emphasis on tax efficiency. He has extensive experience working with large real estate, manufacturing, distribution, construction and professional services organizations. He also has extensive knowledge and experience negotiating with institutional investors and lenders for private equity funds. An attorney and CPA, Mr. Lazar works exclusively with privately owned businesses, advising both owners and executives on a variety of issues, including: Analyzing the structure and tax consequences in all phases of client business transactions. Structuring large and complex real estate transactions and assessing tax efficiency, including 1031 exchanges and capital restructurings. Formulating and reviewing business plans to obtain financing for new business start-ups, acquisitions and joint ventures. Leading due diligence for investment, acquisition or sale of businesses and real estate operations. Providing consulting to family-owned businesses and transitional control to younger generations. Establishing retirement, savings plans and compensation programs. Assessing business valuation for acquisition and divestitures for real estate, manufacturing, distribution and construction organizations. Providing personal financial consulting and estate planning for business owners and high net worth individuals, including exit strategies. Additionally, Mr. Lazar is a recognized expert witness for civil and criminal litigation involving accounting, real estate and income tax claims. He has provided consulting pertaining to the calculation of damages for lawsuits and has testified in cases before the United States Court for the Seventh Circuit as well as most Chicagoland district courts. He has specific skills negotiating and structuring financial ventures for his clients with public institutional investors, pension funds and mezzanine debt providers. Mr. Lazar has served on the board of directors of a major Chicago real estate developer, a Chicago-area bank, and has held director and advisory board positions for several other privately held companies. He has authored articles for many tax and real estate publications and lectures at continuing professional education seminars covering current issues in real estate, partnership and corporate taxation. Mr. Lazar began his career at Shepard Schwartz & Harris as a college intern in 1977. Events 1031s and TICs: New Asset Management Strategies