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Mr. Franco represents business and corporate clients in diverse industries in the full range of complex business transactions including the purchase and sale of business entities, securities matters, and transactions involving major financial and commercial institutions. Mr. Franco is active in the representation of long-term business clients and frequently is engaged by clients to develop and implement succession plans for their businesses. Mr. Franco also has extensive experience in estate planning, trust and estate financial administration matters.

He has spoken on business topics, including business and estate planning, qualified retirement plans, and employee fringe benefits before such groups as Financial Planning Counselors of Western New York, Annual Tax Institute of the Bar Association and the Western New York Chapter of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Franco served as an instructor for the American College of Certified Life Underwriters teaching its Pension Planning Course, and was the recipient of the 1990 Distinguished Service Award of the Buffalo Chapter of Certified Life Underwriters and Chartered Financial Consultants. In addition, he has lectured to different groups, including state and local bar associations, accounting and other professional organizations on corporate, estate planning, pension planning, and tax law subjects.

Mr. Franco is a Director of the Erie County Bar Association and a member of its Taxation Committee, Corporation Law Committee, and the Cooperation with the Accounting Profession Committee which he previously chaired. He is also a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Banking, Corporation and Business Law Committees. Mr. Franco served as Chair of the Judging Panel of the Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Award from 2009-2011. He is also a member and past president of the Financial Planning Counselors of Western New York, and is a member of the Estate Analysts of Western New York.

An active member of the legal community and well regarded by his peers, Mr. Franco was named one of the Top 50 lawyers in all of New York State (outside of New York City) by New York Super Lawyer’s Magazine and has also been named to the list of the Best Lawyers in America and the Business First list of Who’s Who in Law.

Also active in a variety of community organizations, he is a Past President of the Board of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo and serves on the Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Buffalo, Inc. Mr. Franco also served on the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies and continues to be active in the annual United Jewish Fund campaign in a variety of leadership roles.

Prior to joining the firm in 1981, Mr. Franco served as law clerk for the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Third Judicial Department, in Albany, New York, and as Assistant Counsel in the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations.