Kathleen Faulknham Centolella

Member

kcentolella@bhlawpllc.com

Direct Dial: 315.701.6468
Direct Fax: 315.423.2830
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Practice

Katie is a member of the firm practicing in the areas of business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, New York and federal income taxation planning, and employee benefits.

Katie's experience includes representing clients in asset and stock transactions, providing tax advice in corporate acquisitions, mergers and separations, tax planning and advocacy for partnerships, LLCs, S corporations and C corporations. In tax planning and advocacy, she has drafted and negotiated transaction documents and applied to the Internal Revenue Service and State of New York Department of Taxation and Finance for rulings on specific transactions. Additionally, Katie represents businesses of all sizes in their general corporate affairs.

Katie also advises clients with regard to the establishment, administration, and termination of qualified retirement plans and represents clients in connection with Internal Revenue Service, Pension Benefit and Guaranty Corporation, and Department of Labor matters. Her experience includes drafting qualified domestic relations orders for the division of assets from both private sector and government retirement plans.

Recent Experience

Coordinating all aspects of the sale of a first tier manufacturer/supplier to the automotive industry and implementing the strategy for all aspects of the transaction including negotiations with County and State, creditors, ERISA compliance issues, ESOP participant issues, environmental issues, and all aspects of purchase agreement;
Assisting a professional practice client in the purchase of a medical practice completely through the use of small business, low-interest loans;
Overseeing compliance and termination of an ESOP with more than 200 participants in the manufacturing industry;
Coordinating an RFP from retirement plan providers for a client-specific defined contribution plan, assisting the client in selecting the best trustee and third party administrator to operate its plan to limit its fiduciary responsibilities, drafting an individualized plan document to address the unique needs of such a client, and implementing all aspects of the plan set up;
Drafting an order for the division of federal pension benefits acceptable to the Office of Personnel Management, and obtaining retroactive benefits on behalf of the client as a result of improper processing by OPM;
Closing the sale of a regional real estate brokerage firm including negotiations with franchisor, former owner, and buyer, sale of ancillary real estate and mortgage banking enterprises.

Professional and Community Involvement

Onondaga County Bar Association
Central New York Women's Bar Association, Board of Directors
Boys & Girls Club of Syracuse, Board of Directors
Chi Omega House Corporation, Epsilon Kappa Chapter, Director/President
Leadership Greater Syracuse, Class of 2007

Recent Publications and Presentations