Scott Dondershine – Partner

Mr. Dondershine has close to thirty years of legal experience in private practice representing businesses and individuals on business, tax and estate planning matters.

Scott A. Dondershine is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. He began his career as a Certified Public Accountant working in public accounting for a big eight CPA firm. Scott’s client base includes start-up and emerging technology companies, government contractors, non-profit companies and individuals. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business, tax and estate planning law.

Scott’s accounting and tax background enables him to advise clients in navigating through complex transactions ensuring that business as well as legal goals are met and that tax-reduction strategies are maximized and not overlooked. He is able to utilize his tax and business law knowledge in guiding clients through the entire life cycle of a business including:

• Considering the best choice and place of entity formation, whether as a limited liability company, partnership, S corporation, C corporation or otherwise
• Liquidating and transferring business interests including the use of ESOPs, mergers, stock sales and asset purchases
• Drafting agreements between founders addressing issues concerning management of the entity, transferability of equity upon termination of employment, bankruptcy, divorce and death, outside interests, fiduciary duties and dispute resolution
• Structuring equity and current/deferred compensation incentive plans for employees, consultants and advisors using option, restricted stock, phantom stock, SAR, ESOP, bonus, change of control and other plans
• Raising capital through angel investors, venture funds and banks
• Preparing and negotiating agreements with contractors, vendors, lenders/banks, suppliers and other third parties
• Managing employees through the use of employment and restrictive covenant agreements
• Protecting intellectual property rights and confidential or proprietary information
• Planning for the succession of a business through the use of redemption or cross-purchase arrangements, trusts and estate planning vehicles
• Representing taxpayers in resolving tax matters before IRS and state agencies resolving income and sales tax audit disputes and negotiating payment arrangements for large delinquencies using Offers in Compromise, installment agreements, penalty abatements, lien subordinations and other techniques
• Forming and guiding non-profit entities through state and IRS processes including advice as to private foundation and public charity classifications and tax and other consequences
• Advising and drafting appropriate estate planning documents for business owners and other individuals using such techniques as revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, wills, life insurance trusts, charitable trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts and private foundations

Scott has published several articles covering numerous business, tax and estate planning issues including Coping with Strict New Rules on Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation, A Cautionary Note in the Use of Finders to Raise Capital, Income Tax and Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits, Understanding the FLSA and its Overtime Pay Requirements, Avoid the Employment Tax Delinquency Trap, The Importance of an Estate Plan and Buy-Sell Agreements. He has also spoken to a variety of different audiences and has been a guest speaker on the radio. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors and officer for the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Business & Commercial Law
• Business Organizations
• Taxation Law
• Contracts
• Estate Planning
• Trusts
• Wills
• Intellectual Property Law
• Internet – Cyberspace
• Labor Law

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers Top Rating for Business Attorney in Virginia for Six Years in a Row, 2019 through 2024
• Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers Top Rating for Business Attorney in Washington, D.C. for Five Years in a Row, 2019 through 2023
• Legal Elite – Taxes/Trusts/Estates, Virginia Business Magazine, 2020-2023
• Named a Top Attorney in Northern Virginia by Northern Virginia Magazine, 2023
• Named a Top Attorney in Virginia by Richmond Magazine, 2019-2023
• Named a Top Attorney in Arlington by Arlington Magazine, 2019-2023
• AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell, 2017-2024
• Power Players Finalist, Smart CEO Magazine, 2014