Sharon B. Soloff

Partner | Corporate
Chair, Private Client Services
Chair, Pro Bono Services

About

Ms. Soloff is a partner in the Private Client Services, Trust & Estates and Tax groups. Ms. Soloff’s practice focuses on domestic and international gift, estate and tax planning for high net worth individuals and their families, including planning for owners of closely held businesses from inception through succession to future generations. Ms. Soloff also concentrates in the areas of art law and the law of charitable organizations. Her practice includes the representation of artists, art collectors, gallery owners and their estates.

  • Ms. Soloff approaches each estate planning engagement with the primary goal of addressing the needs of the client through individualized creative solutions that are tax efficient and also meet the client’s personal, family, financial and charitable goals. Ms. Soloff has extensive experience in implementing sophisticated estate planning techniques and advises clients about new or changed options in light of ever changing tax laws.

    Ms. Soloff has particular expertise in the administration of large and complex estates. Ms. Soloff counsels Executors and Trustees in all aspects of estate administration including probate, preparation of estate tax returns, income tax planning and representation of fiduciaries in estate tax audits. Ms. Soloff has worked on many estates involving non-US decedents and beneficiaries, and estates of US and non-US persons with assets located outside the US. She has advised on estates with varied assets including closely held businesses, real estate, art and interests in sports teams.

    Ms. Soloff’s estate administration practice also involves representation of fiduciaries and beneficiaries to achieve the decedent’s personal and financial wishes in as collaborative and efficient a manner as possible.

    Ms. Soloff counsels clients on charitable planning, including the use of charitable lead and charitable remainder trusts in their estate plans. Ms. Soloff also advises clients on the formation, structuring and operation of charitable foundations, both private grant-making foundations and private operating foundations. She regularly negotiates and implements gift, loan and pledge agreements between her clients or their foundations and public charities.


Practices

  • Private Client Services

  • Tax/ERISA

  • Trusts & Estates

Admissions

  • New York

  • Connecticut

  • U.S. Tax Court


Education

  • New York University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, Root Tilden Scholar

  • Harvard College, B.A., cum laude

  • New York University School of Social Work, MSW


Distinctions

  • New York Metro Super Lawyers since 2008

  • New York Metro Top Women Super Lawyers since 2013

  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation

  • Citywealth (International Awards):

    • Top 100 Private Client Lawyers 2021

    • Powerwomen Awards: Silver Award in Law for US, New York 2020

    • International Powerwomen Top 100 2019


Memberships

  • New York State Bar Association

    • Vice-Chair, Trusts and Estates Section Taxation Committee (2018 – 2019)

  • The Association of the Bar of the City of New York

    • Member, Trusts, Estates, and Surrogate’s Courts Committee (2019 – 2022)

    • Member, Non Profit Organizations Committee (2014 – 2018)

  • American Bar Association

  • International Bar Association

    • Women Lawyers’ Interest Group

  • Founding Member, Professional Advisors for the International Art Market (“PAIAM”)

  • Society of Trust and Estate Professionals (“STEP”)

Experience

  • FisherBroyles, LLP

  • Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP

  • Withers Bergman LLP

  • Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP