Tom Lenfestey concentrates his practice in business law, estate planning & administration of wills, employment law and real estate. He represents and advises businesses and individuals with various transactional and administrative needs. As well as being a licensed North Carolina attorney, Tom also has a background in accounting and is a licensed, North Carolina Certified Public Accountant.
Tom represents entrepreneurs and businesses on a wide variety of transactions and strategic planning matters including business formation, structuring and negotiating business sales and purchases, contract needs and numerous other tax and legal matters. He also counsels, advises and develops strategies for business and executive clients in employment situations such as employment agreements, compensation and bonus planning and auditing business clients' other employment practices such as handbooks, hiring, employee benefits and disciplinary actions.
Tom assists individual clients with the development and implementation of comprehensive estate plans that achieve the personal, financial and charitable goals of those individuals and families. His estate planning practice includes preparing wills, trusts, advanced directives and creating and implementing other tax-saving and asset protection strategies such as family limited partnerships, life insurance trusts, and charitable trusts. Tom further counsels clients responsible for a deceased individual's estate through the estate administration process using tax minimization strategies and competent and timely handling of the sometimes-complex estate administration procedures.
Tom also assists owners, builders, developers, lenders and homeowners associations with all aspects of acquiring, selling, financing and utilization of real estate, as well as the development of new residential subdivisions. He further assists in negotiating and contracting of such transactions as well as providing representation in zoning and land use matters.
Tom has been with the firm's business law group since September of 2004. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a summer associate clerk with Smith Debnam in 2003.
