Duane Sitar has represented a wide array of clients including public companies, closely held businesses, individual executives, record and music publishing companies, and physician practices regarding acquisitions, dispositions, strategic alliances, capital finance, dynastic planning, entertainment and transactional activities, aircraft, and capital equipment acquisitions, leasing and finance, and general estate planning. He frequently assists clients in all facets of their business lives from formation through and including final disposition and dissolution and has filled the functional role of in-house counsel. Duane has experience in representing medical and dental practitioners, real estate developers, record company and entertainment executives as well as business entrepreneurs.
Areas of Concentration
· Transitional entertainment
· General corporate, commercial and finance
· Estate planning
· Taxation (individual, corporate, partnership, wealth transfer)
· Mergers, acquisitions and divestitures
· Probate
· Health care
Significant Representations
· Represented regional airline in acquisition/leasing of more than $1 billion of capital equipment.
· Represented large and small physician groups in establishing internal and external contractual and employment relationships, implementing management, provider and governmental compliance programs, and disposing and acquiring practices.
· Represented executives in establishing employment and benefit relationships.
· Represented owners in structuring and coordinating business and dynastic family succession and estate planning.
Professional & Community Involvement
· Member, American Bar Association, Corporate and Taxation Sections
· Member, Atlanta Bar Association
Awards & Recognition
· Named, U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Law Firm of the Year" in Entertainment Law - Music (2011-2012)
· Listed, "Georgia's Legal Elite," Georgia Trend (2011)
· Rated, AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5
Articles, Publications, & Lectures
Duane has presented several discussions to and conducted seminars for diverse audiences, including programs sponsored by the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, the National Business Institute and the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. The focus of all such presentations was weighted towards taxation aspects including those surrounding divorce, trust and estate planning, and probate.