Ben is a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates and Business practice groups. Whether Ben is formulating an estate plan, structuring a business deal or negotiating a real estate transaction, his style is client-centric and results-driven.
In his trusts and estates practice, Ben assists clients with crafting comprehensive estate plans that meet their needs and wishes, including the preparation of wills, financial and healthcare powers of attorney and trusts. He also assists clients with more complex estate planning matters such as special needs trusts, supplemental needs trusts and asset protection planning. Additionally, Ben has experience assisting families with succession plans and administering both trusts and estates.
In his business practice, Ben handles a broad range of corporate and transactional matters. He assists clients with entity selection and business formations, serves as general counsel to business clients, drafts and negotiates a wide array of commercial contracts, and handles a variety of commercial transactions including asset purchase agreements as well as stock (and membership interest) purchase agreements. Additionally, Ben guides clients through real estate matters including agreements of sale as well as leases for both commercial and residential real estate clients. This work dovetails with his contract review and negotiation experience. He also helps clients navigate title issues.
Ben received his juris doctor degree from Widener University Delaware Law School where he ranked 4th in his class of 195 students, graduated magna cum laude and served as managing editor on the nationally ranked Delaware Journal of Corporate Law. During law school, Ben served as a judicial clerk for Berks County’s then-president judge, now U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Honorable Jeffrey L. Schmehl. Additionally, Ben worked as a summer law clerk for a large law firm headquartered in Reading.
A Berks County native, Ben is a 1998 alumnus of Reading Senior High School where he was selected to the first team All Lancaster-Lebanon League in football and was the co-captain and most valuable player of the baseball team. Ben went on to be a four-year varsity letter winner at Muhlenberg College and the 2002 recipient of the “Player’s Player Award” – the team’s most valuable player – on the most successful baseball team in school history. After graduating from Muhlenberg College with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration/entrepreneurial studies, Ben gained seven years of business experience, having worked for both a large corporation and a small, family-held business. His vast job responsibilities included sales, marketing, purchasing and management. While working, Ben earned his master’s degree in business from Alvernia University.
Ben is proud to assist individuals, families and businesses in the community in which he was raised. He volunteers in many roles including serving as the assistant coach for the Wyomissing Area Youth Baseball and Basketball teams. Ben resides in Wyomissing with his wife, Michele, their children, Leah and Adam, and their dogs, Siman and Tov.
RECOGNITION
- Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, former managing editor
MEMBERSHIPS
- Berks County Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
PUBLICATION
- “Matrixx Initiatives, Inc. v. Siracusano: Rejection of the Statistically Significant Standard Reopened the Door to Securities Fraud Strike Suits”, Delaware Journal of Corporate Law (2011)
PRESENTATIONS
- Estate Planning 101, AFSCME, The Retired Public Employees of Pennsylvania (RPEP) Chapter 13 (September 2022)
- “Negotiating Physician Employment Contracts”, Tower Health
- “Estate Planning”, Jewish Federation of Reading, Reform Congregation Oheb Shalom
- “Business Law for Entrepreneurs”, Penn State University-Berks