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Aliza F. Burns
Paul, Weiss Associate, Personal Representation
Columbia Law School, 2005
“What makes practicing in the Personal Representation Department so rewarding and special, for me, is the ability to help clients with the legal issues they care most about — those that most directly affect them and their family members: 'In writing my will, how do I account for all the possible contingencies that might play out, both in the area of tax law and in the context of family relationships and future family members?' 'How should I structure a trust for my child with special needs?' 'How do I pass on the family business?' These kinds of issues have a real impact on my clients’ lives. It’s satisfying to hear a client breathe a sigh of relief after signing his or her documents and to know that I had a hand in that.
The practice itself is very challenging but that has always been tempered by my ability to engage directly with the partners about the legal issues involved in my assignments. I’ve been paired directly with a partner on every assignment and I've really enjoyed and taken advantage of the opportunity to learn from the partners. And there’s a real give-and-take as well. When partners mark up documents or meet with me to speak about cases, they’ll say, ‘What do you think?’ or ‘Let’s discuss’ or ‘Maybe we should approach it this way...’ and then we’ll sit down and talk it out. From the outset I was included as a member of the team.
During my time here, I’ve really come to appreciate our clients and the good things they do. Not long after I arrived, I had an assignment to write grants from a charitable foundation set up by two of our clients. The grants were gifts of hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars, to some wonderful charitable institutions — hospitals, medical research centers, etc. On numerous occasions since then I've had the opportunity to help clients make a positive impact on the lives of others. However hard the work involved, those surely are the best assignments. ”
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Personal Representation
WHY PAUL, WEISS PERSONAL REPRESENTATION?
Helping clients resolve their personal legal challenges is one of the most directly rewarding forms of client service. In the Paul, Weiss Personal Representation Department , the matters we handle are unique, challenging and engaging. You’ll help the firm build and maintain long-lasting client relationships, and you’ll have the satisfaction of serving high-net-worth clients whose needs will challenge you and help develop your legal skills.
As a Paul, Weiss personal representation lawyer, you’ll work with domestic and international clients in planning their estates, preparing wills and trusts, formulating ways to make tax-efficient lifetime transfers of wealth and in administering their estates and trusts. We counsel clients with closely held businesses on succession and control issues, and advise on insurance and pension matters. We also advise senior executives of publicly held corporations on issues relating to their stock options and other equity compensation as well as other estate planning matters. These are just some of the areas where Paul Weiss's personal representation lawyers meet the needs of individuals, family offices and multiple generations of families.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Sophisticated Clients: You’ll work with high-net-worth individuals who are involved in many industries. A typical client may be a Fortune 500 CEO, a real estate family, an entrepreneur, a venture capitalist, a famous author or a renowned composer. In addition you will work with family offices, corporate fiduciaries and charitable organizations, such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Small Size: The Paul, Weiss Personal Representation Department is a small, collegial practice group that is integrated into one of the country’s premier law firms. Our client teams generally consist of one partner and one associate, giving associates many opportunities to work with – and learn from – senior lawyers.
Multidisciplinary, Challenging Work: Where the circumstances require, you’ll work closely with lawyers across the firm to help solve our personal representation clients’ most intricate tax and legal challenges. For example we work with members of our Corporate Department, assisting clients with their estate planning in response to imminent or recent corporate transactions. We also work often with our Litigation Department to resolve disputes involving estates or trusts. We work with members of our Entertainment Department, administering trusts and the estates, for example, of Cole Porter, Samuel Barber and Michael Bennett, and on estate planning matters for many well-known individuals in the performing arts.
Industry Recognition
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