Douglas E. Singer
Partner
Douglas E. Singer
Partner
Doug Singer focuses his practice in the areas of corporate law, estate planning and social enterprise law. On the corporate side, he works with privately held businesses and their owners, and has worked extensively with women and minority business owners. His work includes matters ranging from setting up entities to negotiating and drafting contracts to the purchase and sale of companies. Clients particularly value Mr. Singer’s ongoing legal advice in the context of business and strategic considerations. His relationship-based approach enables him to understand the history, direction and goals of his clients.
In estate planning, the hallmark of Mr. Singer’s approach is effective communication – active and careful listening, and explaining complex concepts in plain English, not legalese.
In his social enterprise practice, Mr. Singer works with companies that are as much about making a difference in the world as making money – in other words, companies pursuing significant initiatives designed to have social or environmental impact. He creates and works with benefit corporations and benefit limited liability companies, works with clients seeking to become Certified B Corporations, and advises clients in their development of programs designed to further their mission and impact. Mr. Singer is a frequent author and speaker on the topic of social enterprise, impact investing, social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility.
Prior to joining Hollis Laidlaw & Simon, Mr. Singer worked with Webster & Sheffield and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in New York City. Thereafter, he was a co-founder and principal of Falcon & Singer P.C. and later the founder and Managing Member of Singer Law PLLC.
Mr. Singer has an AVⓇ Peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Doug Singer focuses his practice in the areas of corporate law, estate planning and social enterprise law. On the corporate side, he works with privately held businesses and their owners, and has worked extensively with women and minority business owners. His work includes matters ranging from setting up entities to negotiating and drafting contracts to the purchase and sale of companies. Clients particularly value Mr. Singer’s ongoing legal advice in the context of business and strategic considerations. His relationship-based approach enables him to understand the history, direction and goals of his clients.
In estate planning, the hallmark of Mr. Singer’s approach is effective communication – active and careful listening, and explaining complex concepts in plain English, not legalese.
In his social enterprise practice, Mr. Singer works with companies that are as much about making a difference in the world as making money – in other words, companies pursuing significant initiatives designed to have social or environmental impact. He creates and works with benefit corporations and benefit limited liability companies, works with clients seeking to become Certified B Corporations, and advises clients in their development of programs designed to further their mission and impact. Mr. Singer is a frequent author and speaker on the topic of social enterprise, impact investing, social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility.
Prior to joining Hollis Laidlaw & Simon, Mr. Singer worked with Webster & Sheffield and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in New York City. Thereafter, he was a co-founder and principal of Falcon & Singer P.C. and later the founder and Managing Member of Singer Law PLLC.
Mr. Singer has an AVⓇ Peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
- New York
- Member, American, New York State, New York City and Westchester County Bar Associations
-
Author, "Five Steps to Building a Corporate Social Responsibility Program,"
CauseArtist.com, October 2017 -
Author, "More Investors Seek Social Benefits with Returns,"
Westchester County Business Journal, August 3, 2015 (with Geri Pell) -
Quoted, "How Young New York City Businesses Mix Philanthropy and Profit,"
Blog post on @serenaspeaks, September 4, 2014 -
Author, "New York’s Benefit Corporation Law, One Year Later: Bringing Social Responsibility to Business,"
The CPA Journal, March 2014 (with James Day, Esq.) -
Quoted, "Business & Law: B Corp Law Firms Combine Doing Well with Doing Good,"
New Jersey Law Journal, July 1, 2013 -
Author, "What NY’s New Benefit Corporation Law Means for Businesses and CPAs,"
The Trusted Professional, April 2012 -
Quoted, "Benefit Corporation Law Takes Effect,"
The Westchester County Business Journal, February 10, 2012
- Discussion Group Co-Leader, “The Choice of Legal Entity Debate Continues: What Form Best Fits Your Social Enterprise/Impact Investment Fund/Law Firm?”, New York University School of Law “Legal Issues in Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing – in the US and Beyond” Conference, May 24, 2017
- Panel Presenter, “Focus 2017: Seeing Things Differently – a panel focused on social entrepreneurship and social impact investing,” panel discussion sponsored by Wells Fargo Private Bank, March 23, 2017
- Panel Presenter, “Corporate Social Responsibility Done Right,” panel discussion sponsored by Business Council of Westchester, February 15, 2017
- Panel Presenter, “Benefit Corporations: A Panel Discussion of Social Enterprises and Funding Models for Not-For-Profits,” panel discussion sponsored by United Way Not-For-Profit Leadership Summit, May 2, 2016
- Business Council of Westchester — General Counsel, Member of the Board of Directors, Member of the Executive Committee (2014-present)
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Westchester Hudson Valley Lower Connecticut Area — Board Chair (2021-present) and member of the Board of Trustees (2005-2011, 2017- present); Certified Marathon Run Coach
- J.D., Columbia Law School, Stone Scholar, 1977
- B.A., Hamilton College, Phi Beta Kappa, 1974
- Graduate, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program
- New York
- Member, American, New York State, New York City and Westchester County Bar Associations
-
Author, "Five Steps to Building a Corporate Social Responsibility Program,"
CauseArtist.com, October 2017 -
Author, "More Investors Seek Social Benefits with Returns,"
Westchester County Business Journal, August 3, 2015 (with Geri Pell) -
Quoted, "How Young New York City Businesses Mix Philanthropy and Profit,"
Blog post on @serenaspeaks, September 4, 2014 -
Author, "New York’s Benefit Corporation Law, One Year Later: Bringing Social Responsibility to Business,"
The CPA Journal, March 2014 (with James Day, Esq.) -
Quoted, "Business & Law: B Corp Law Firms Combine Doing Well with Doing Good,"
New Jersey Law Journal, July 1, 2013 -
Author, "What NY’s New Benefit Corporation Law Means for Businesses and CPAs,"
The Trusted Professional, April 2012 -
Quoted, "Benefit Corporation Law Takes Effect,"
The Westchester County Business Journal, February 10, 2012
- Discussion Group Co-Leader, “The Choice of Legal Entity Debate Continues: What Form Best Fits Your Social Enterprise/Impact Investment Fund/Law Firm?”, New York University School of Law “Legal Issues in Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing – in the US and Beyond” Conference, May 24, 2017
- Panel Presenter, “Focus 2017: Seeing Things Differently – a panel focused on social entrepreneurship and social impact investing,” panel discussion sponsored by Wells Fargo Private Bank, March 23, 2017
- Panel Presenter, “Corporate Social Responsibility Done Right,” panel discussion sponsored by Business Council of Westchester, February 15, 2017
- Panel Presenter, “Benefit Corporations: A Panel Discussion of Social Enterprises and Funding Models for Not-For-Profits,” panel discussion sponsored by United Way Not-For-Profit Leadership Summit, May 2, 2016
- Business Council of Westchester — General Counsel, Member of the Board of Directors, Member of the Executive Committee (2014-present)
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Westchester Hudson Valley Lower Connecticut Area — Board Chair (2021-present) and member of the Board of Trustees (2005-2011, 2017- present); Certified Marathon Run Coach
- J.D., Columbia Law School, Stone Scholar, 1977
- B.A., Hamilton College, Phi Beta Kappa, 1974
- Graduate, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program