Bernard “Buz” Eizen concentrates his practice in the representation of business owners, professionals, entrepreneurs, individuals and families to help them achieve their business, personal, and estate planning goals and objectives. He assists his clients in structuring business ventures, transactions, and gift planning so as to preserve wealth and minimize tax exposure. He is known as one of Philadelphia’s leading counsel in estate planning, taxation, and business law and has a national representation for his outstanding legal work.
A three-time graduate of Temple University, he has served as a Director of the Temple Law Foundation for over a decade. A CPA and lawyer, he has served as President of the American Academy of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants (AAA-CPA) and as a member of its Executive Committee from 1999 through 2006. He has held all governing offices in the AAA-CPA, a professional organization that limits membership to individuals who are qualified as both attorneys and certified public accountants. He is a lifetime member of its Board of Directors and has been elected a Regent of the American Academy.
Buz holds the designation of Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) by the National Council of Estate Planning Councils. He has been named by Worth Magazine as one of the Top 100 estate planning lawyers in America. He regularly addresses professionals at meetings and seminars and has written several articles in the field of taxation and estate planning. He has served as chair of the Editorial Board of the Pennsylvania CPA Journal, director of the Greater Philadelphia chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs, and director of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council.
In addition to his legal work, Buz also serves as a director of several private charitable foundations established by clients and served as a Trustee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. He is a former Chair and Treasurer of JEVS Human Services, a charitable organization serving approximately 35,000 people in the Philadelphia area each year that helps people achieve their employment potential. He has also served as a Trustee and pro bono general counsel of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, a national charity devoted to finding a cure for inflammatory bowel diseases. He has been a volunteer and member of the Board of Directors of the Abramson Center for Jewish Life and its Polisher Research Institute focused on gerontology.
Representative Matters
- Served as general counsel and director for over 25 year of a family-owned manufacturing company with annual sales over $500 million and served as counsel in succession plan involving a sale to a private equity group.
- Represented a private, multi-national consulting firm in the sale of the firm. The sale was structured to allow units of a pass-through entity which provided favorable tax treatment to non-U.S. members. It also provided favorable state tax outcomes for U.S. members in several states. In addition, the early termination of deferred compensation plan was structured and implemented. Transaction value: $40 million.
- Represented controlling shareholder in going private transaction involving an integrated construction business. The shareholder’s family retained interest in the restructured business. Transaction value: $50 million.
- Represented several significant minority shareholders in structuring state tax consequences of the sale of shares of a large publicly traded banking company, with transaction value of approximately $35 million for each of the clients.
- Represents international gaming consulting firm in connection with business and tax planning.
- Restructured tax planning developed by another law firm for gaming company, with respect to taxation of option to acquire shares of a non-U.S. publicly traded company. Transaction value: $100 million.
- Represented multi-national consulting firm in sale to a competitor. Transaction value: $50 million.
- Represented a distributor of specialized home products in the acquisition of a family-owned competitor, and in a later year developed a strategy to add to the scope of its product line through the acquisition of a specialized supplier.
Honors & Awards
- Accredited Estate Planner, National Council of Estate Planning Councils
- Top 100 Estate Planning Attorney in America, Worth Magazine
Professional Affiliations
- Past President, American Academy of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants
- Past Chair of Editorial Board, Pennsylvania CPA Journal
- Director, Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs
- Director, Philadelphia Estate Planning Council
- Past Chair and Director, JEVS Human Services
- Trustee, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
- Trustee and pro bono general counsel, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation
- Trustee and Treasurer. Gratz College
- Director, Abramson Center for Jewish Life