Stephen T. Byrd
Position: Shareholder
Direct: (919) 510-9260
Phone: (919) 787-8880
Fax: (919) 325-4600
Email: byrd@manningfulton.com
Vcard: Download
3605 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 500
Raleigh, NC 27612
Stephen T. Byrd is a member of Manning Fulton's corporate practice section. He counsels a number of private, closely held companies, and represents them in various business transactions to include mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, corporate reorganizations, recapitalizations, redemptions, product distribution arrangements and licensing. He also structures complex joint ventures, partnerships and strategic alliances. Clients benefit from Steve's experience advising clients on the tax and business implications of deal structure and "choice of entity" features related to the formation, operation and termination of C Corps, S Corps, limited liability companies and partnerships.
Steve's wide range of experience includes counseling clients on corporate governance issues including the duties and responsibilities of boards of directors and corporate executives. He also structures buy-sell agreements for business entities. Steve has developed equity compensation and deferred compensation plans for key employees, including incentive stock option plans, non-qualified stock options, split dollar life insurance and related employment agreements. He has handled a number of private placement Regulation D securities offerings, including the preparation of confidential disclosure memoranda and other documents for compliance with federal and state securities laws.
A Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Steve works with clients on tax-saving wealth transfer strategies such as business succession planning, family limited partnerships and limited liability companies, generation skipping trusts, charitable lead and remainder trusts, sales to defective grantor trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, various other estate freezing and discount valuation strategies, irrevocable life insurance trusts and related life insurance strategies, asset protection strategies and probate minimization strategies, including the use of funded revocable living trusts.
Steve is listed in North Carolina Super Lawyers (2006-2012) and in Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite (2006, 2010-2012) in the area of Tax and Estate Planning.
Please see the following for the qualifications and methodology used in the selection processes: North Carolina Super Lawyers and Business North Carolina.
Education
- University of North Carolina, J.D., 1984
- University of North Carolina, B.S., Phi Beta Kappa, 1979
Admitted to Practice
- State of North Carolina, 1984
Specific Matters
- Represented clients in major corporate finance transactions, including commercial borrowing and private placement Regulation D securities offerings with related securities law compliance
- Represented clients in business acquisitions and sales including various types of mergers, spin-offs and other reorganizations and restructurings
- Represented and counseled clients on ESOP transactions involved with business acquisitions
- Counseled clients on complex tax savings strategies for real estate, including like-kind exchanges and condemnation rollover transactions
- Formed and organized corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships, including preparation of joint-venture agreements, operating agreements, and shareholders agreements
- Represented clients in drafting and implementing equity compensation and deferred compensation plans, including incentive stock option agreements and other employment agreements
- Represented clients in negotiating and drafting international product distribution and licensing transactions
- Involved with all business organization and transactional aspects of closely-held business representation
- Represented business owners in business succession planning
- Represented individual clients in estate and tax planning matters
- Represented individuals in implementing complex wealth transfer planning and preservation strategies, including sales to defective grantor trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts and various other estate freezing transactions, family partnerships and LLC’s, generation skipping trusts, charitable lead and remainder trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts and related life insurance strategies, asset protection strategies, and probate minimization strategies using revocable living trusts
Professional Activities
- Licensed Certified Public Accountant
- Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Tax Section
- Chair (1999-2000)
- Legislative Chair (1996-1998)
- Tax Continuing Education Chair (1995-1996)
- Tax Newsletter Editor (1989-1991)
- Nominations Committee (2000 to 2005)
- Estate Planning Section
- Business Law Section
- Tax Section
- North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants
- Wake County Estate Planning Council
- Speaker on Estate Planning topics for trade and professional groups
- Manning Fulton Practice Group Leader, Corporate/Tax/Estates Sections
Community Activities
- Alexander Family YMCA, Board of Advisors
- We Build People Fundraiser, Chair (2012), Vice Chair (2010-2011)
- Alexander Family YMCA, Youth Basketball Coach
- Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, Stewardship Council
- Lacy Elementary School, Tutor
- Urban Ministries of Wake County, Volunteer
