Merger expands Lazar Levine's valuation practice

by Seth Fineberg

New York — CPA firm Lazar Levine & Felix has expanded its business valuation services through the formation of Lazar Lipton Valuation Services, a new affiliate headed by Dr. Joan Lipton, CPA/ABV.

The affiliate was created through the merger of Lipton’s valuation practice with Lazar Levine’s. Lipton has over 20 years of valuation experience, most recently serving as a partner at the Woodbury, N.Y.-based forensic accounting and business valuation firm Klein Lipton Liebman & Gresen. That firm is now known as Klein Liebman & Gresen.

“Several of our partners have worked with Joan and as an opposing expert in the past. She came in with a book of business and enhanced our already existing valuation services,” said Anca Munteanu, director of marketing at Lazar Levine. “Our firm has a good-sized matrimonial practice, and through that we do a lot of valuation business. It has been growing and she is just a natural fit.”

Munteanu also said that she has already noticed an increase in the firm’s valuation services business.

Lazar Lipton Valuation Services is currently an eight-person team that performs valuations of business interests and assets. It also provides valuation consulting services; forensic accounting and litigation support in connection with matrimonial matters, arbitration and mediation, shareholder and partnership disputes, and other commercial litigation; gift tax planning; ESOP valuations; asset allocations; and other valuation projects.

Lipton explains that her decision to merge with Lazar came about as she had known “several of the firm’s partners” over the years, knew they were looking to expand, and thought “it would be a wonderful fit.”

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