Allen M. Silk

Of Counsel

Allen M. Silk is a Of Counsel and a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates and the Business & Corporate Groups, where he focuses on helping high net worth individuals and business owners plan for the transition and succession of their businesses.

His experience includes a broad range of tax, trusts and estates and general corporate matters including sophisticated estate planning, the administration of estates and trusts, closely-held business counseling and business succession planning, the structuring of business entities and joint ventures, the acquisition and sale of business interests, and various corporate, partnership and individual income tax matters.

Though based in the firm’s Princeton office, Mr. Silk serves clients from any of our New Jersey or Pennsylvania locations, counseling individuals and families regarding federal, state, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax issues, and the development of complex estate plans. He is experienced in drafting estate planning instruments including: wills, insurance trusts, dynasty trusts, charitable trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, family limited partnership agreements, limited liability company operating agreements, durable powers of attorney and advance directives for health care.

Mr. Silk is a frequent lecturer to state and national entities in the legal, accounting, insurance and financial planning professions. Mr. Silk is actively involved in several community organizations and serves on various not-for-profit boards. He is currently the Treasurer of The College of New Jersey Foundation and is also President of The Millhill Foundation.

Bar/Court Admissions

New Jersey
Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Tax Court
Supreme Court of the U.S.

Education

L.L.M. in Taxation, New York University School of Law, 1974
J.D., Villanova University School of Law, 1973, cum laude
B.S., Accounting, Pennsylvania State University, 1969

Thought Leadership

Publications

Succession Planning: A Business Necessity. Mercer Business. June 2011.

Presentations

Business Succession Planning: Professional Education Seminar for CPAs. June 14, 2011.
Buy-Sell Agreements: Structuring Agreements for Optimal Income and Estate Tax Results for Partners and Shareholders. August 11, 2010.
Issues Affecting Not-for-profit Organizations. Agudath Israel of New Jersey’s Legal Workshop. November 12, 2009.
Securing Your Future Income: What You Need to do Today in Order to Insure a Healthy Revenue Stream from Your Practice. A Presentation by Stark & Stark and Cowan Gunteski. January 30, 2007.
Protecting Your Family: Estate Planning Basics. A Presentation by Stark & Stark and Oring and Company. September 27, 2005.

Press Placements

The Exit Strategy: Succession Planning. New Jersey Business August 2015.
Ready or Not, Here Comes … Obamacare. Mid Jersey Business. July 2013.
Prepared for the Inevitable. NJ Biz. January 3, 2011.

Honors & Awards

New Jersey Super Lawyers List issued by Thomson Reuters (Methodology)
- 2005 – 2006, 2009 – 2013, 2017; Business/Corporate, Estate Planning & Probate, Tax
Best Lawyers List issued by Woodward/White, Inc. (Methodology)
- 2008 – Present; Corporate Law
- 2018 – “Lawyer of the Year – Princeton” – Corporate Law

* No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Professional Organizations

American Bar Association
Mercer County Bar Association
Princeton Bar Association
Mercer County Estate Planning Council – Past President
National Association of Estate Planning Council – Accredited estate planner
Society of Financial Service Professionals

Community Organizations

Millhill Child & Family Development Corporation and Foundation, Founding Board Chair for both organizations and Member of the Board of Trustees
The College of New Jersey Foundation, Board Chair and Member of the Board of Trustees
The College of New Jersey, Member of the Board of Trustees
The College of New Jersey Capital Campaign, Co-Chair
Mercer County Community College, Board Chair and Member of the Board of Trustees
Mercer County Community College Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer, Board Chair and Member of the Board of Trustees
HomeFront, Inc., Board Chair and Member of the Board of Trustees
Mercer County and Monmouth / Ocean Counties Advisory Boards of the Community Foundation of New Jersey, Member
Greenwood House Senior Care, Board Chair and Member of the Board of
Trustees
Metedeconk National Golf Club, Executive Committee Member and Member of the Board of Directors

Services

Firm Highlights