J.H. Cohn Expands NY Tax Practice through Combination with Becker & Co.

Regional powerhouse J.H. Cohn has expanded its New York tax practice with the addition of tax consulting firm Becker & Co. LLC.

Founded in 1977, Becker & Co. provides tax services to family-owned businesses and owners, public companies and senior executives, and high-net-worth entrepreneurs in New York and Florida.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Stuart Becker, managing partner of Becker & Co., joins J.H. Cohn as a partner and will be responsible for the Becker & Co division of J.H. Cohn. Also joining the firm are principal Scott Ehrenpreis and six staff members. J.H. Cohn is finalizing plans to expand its Manhattan office.

Roseland, N.J.-based J.H. Cohn, which ranks among the top five regional firms in the Metro New York area, reported revenue of $103.14 million, nine offices and a staff of 629, including 90 partners, for fiscal 2004.

J.H. Cohn chief executive Thomas J. Marino says that the deal will enable the firm to serve traditional middle-market clients as well as corporate executives who will have to seek tax services from independent firms as a result of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other corporate governance changes.

"The addition of Stuart Becker and his staff will help J.H. Cohn provide a menu of tax services to those public companies that are now required to 'unbundle' many of their internal accounting projects, working with various firms to ensure independence and objectivity at every level," says Marino. The combination with Becker & Co. marks J.H. Cohn's fourth merger in New York since 1999. Last year, it added Great Neck-based Levine, Levine & Meyrowitz. In 2003, New York-based Mason & Co. joined the firm, and in 1999, Arthur D. Levy & Co. LLP and Jacobs, Evall & Blumenfeld LLP combined with J.H. Cohn. The firm combined with The Videre Group of Parsippany, N.J. in 2003.

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