SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER
Ian C. White, Esq., Editor
| | |
|
TAX SECTION 2024 FALL MEETING
Registration for the Tax Section’s Fall Meeting opens soon. Please plan to join us from October 24–26 at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in Hollywood Beach.
Section Chair Mark Scott has planned a full itinerary of meetings, networking events, the Tax Attorney of the Year Dinner honoring Jim Barrett, a full-day CLE on AI, and more. Book rooms here.
| | | |
|
NEW TAX SECTION PROGRAMS AND CLE
September 18—Exploring the Tax Law Certification Exam (not eligible for CLE credit) by Mitchell Goldberg, Vice Chair of The Florida Bar Tax Law Certification Committee. This half-hour session* is designed to introduce tax attorneys to the scope and structure of the Tax Law certification exam. Participants will receive a detailed overview of the application process and requirements and the exam’s content areas, question formats, and historical performance (no test topics will be covered). Registration opens soon.
*Per BLSE Policy 2.12(a)(2), program materials and course development are conducted without the endorsement of the BLSE or certification committees.
| | |
|
September 25—FREE CLE for Tax Section Members: AI, Ethics, and the Practice of Law by Camila Tobón, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. The course introduces important concepts of Artificial Intelligence and examines its ethical implications within legal practices. Participants will explore how AI is reshaping legal strategies, the regulatory landscape, and lawyer-client dynamics. Registration opens soon.
October 25—Ethically Using Artificial Intelligence in Tax Law. Hear some of the latest and greatest A.I. breakthroughs and software opportunities for tax attorneys and CPAs. Full-day CLE, live at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in Hollywood Beach (during the Tax Section Fall Meeting), and live webcast. Registration opens soon.
October 29—Tax Section Luncheon featuring Special Trial Judge Jennifer E. Siegel of the United States Tax Court. Gain insight into the latest developments in federal tax law, and important tax case developments, and hear about Judge Siegel’s experiences from the bench. This CLE-accredited event is on October 29, 2024, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at The University Club at Tampa City Center. Open to all tax section members. To RSVP or for sponsorship information, email Joshua Sanchez at assistant@schmidtlawoffice.com. We would like to thank Tax Section annual sponsor Management Planning Inc. for their generous financial support of this lunch program.
January 29, 2025—Tax Section Luncheon featuring Paul S. Lee, Chief Tax Strategist at The Northern Trust Company. Gain insights into the latest developments in federal tax law regarding private investment and wealth management. This CLE-accredited event is on January 29, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at The University Club at Tampa City Center. Open to all tax section members. To RSVP or for sponsorship information, email Joshua Sanchez at assistant@schmidtlawoffice.com.
| | |
|
FLORIDA SUPREME COURT TIGHTENS BAR RULES: NO FICTITIOUS NAMES FOR ATTORNEYS
If you're using a fictitious name as your official Bar name, it's time to change it. For example, if your legal name is Robert Smith-Barnes, you can’t practice as Bob Barnes unless the Supreme Court has approved it as an official Bar name change. Read the Florida Bar News article here.
| | |
|
Rule 1-3.3 requires each Florida Bar member to designate an official Bar name, mailing address, business telephone number, and business email address.
Earlier this year, the Florida Supreme Court amended the rule to include, “The official bar name may not be a fictitious name,” and added a new subsection (c) that makes clear the rule does not prohibit a lawyer from using a law firm name that does not include the lawyer’s official Bar name in compliance with other Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.
| | |
|
2025 NATIONAL TAX MOOT COURT COMPETITION
Next year's moot court competition is from March 6–8 at Stetson University College of Law. Previously participating schools have been invited and registration opens soon for all interested teams. Shout-out to Stetson's Moot Court Board Director, Professor Brooke Bowman, Moot Court Committee Co-chairs Erik Kauk and Alex Prati, and all who are working to make this the best moot court event ever. Watch a video recap of the 2024 competition.
| | | |
|
2025 INTERNATIONAL TAX CONFERENCE AND BOOT CAMP
Registration opens soon for the 43rd Annual International Tax Conference (January 9–10, 2025) and the 10th Annual ITC Boot Camp (January 8, 2025). The programs are designed specifically to assist international tax professionals in the challenges they face in this dynamic field. In-person at the JW Marriott Miami and live webcast with 90-day, on-demand access. Hosted by The Florida Bar Tax Section and the Florida Institute of CPAs.
| | | |
|
|
TAX SECTION 2025 WASHINGTON DC TRIP AND ANNUAL MEETING
To continue providing members opportunities to broaden their scope of knowledge and impact Federal legislation and regulations, Section Chair Mark Scott is taking the Tax Section back to Washington, DC. The April 22–27, 2025, trip is timely since many Tax Cuts and Jobs Act tax provisions will sunset, resulting in significant financial ramifications to taxpayers. Details coming soon.
| | |
|
|
FLORIDA BAR JOURNAL AUTHORS NEEDED
If you’re interested in writing an article for The Florida Bar Journal, please email Charlotte Erdmann at charlotte@erdmannlaw.com to discuss your proposed topic. The July/August 2025 spot is available (article due by April 15)—and many after that. We need you!
Here are the Bar Journal submission guidelines.
| | | |
|
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 18—FREE program (no CLE credit) for Tax Section members: Exploring the Tax Law Certification Exam by Mitchell Goldberg. Registration opens soon.
September 25—FREE CLE for Tax Section members: AI, Ethics, and the Practice of Law by Camila Tobón, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. Registration opens soon.
| | | |
|
October 25—Ethically Using Artificial Intelligence in Tax Law. Full-day CLE, live at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in Hollywood Beach, and live webcast. Registration opens soon.
October 24–26—Tax Section Fall Meeting, Tax Attorney of the Year Dinner honoring James Barrett, CLE, and more, at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in Hollywood Beach. Book rooms here. Registration opens soon.
October 29—Tax Section Luncheon (Tampa area; free and open to all) featuring Special Trial Judge Jennifer E. Siegel of the United States Tax Court. To RSVP or for sponsorship information, contact Joshua Sanchez at assistant@schmidtlawoffice.com.
January 8–10, 2025—10th Annual ITC Boot Camp and 43rd Annual International Tax Conference. Registration opens soon.
January 29, 2025—Tax Section Luncheon (Tampa area; free and open to all) featuring Paul S. Lee, Chief Tax Strategist at The Northern Trust Company. To RSVP or for sponsorship information, contact Joshua Sanchez at assistant@schmidtlawoffice.com.
March 6–8, 2025—National Tax Moot Court Competition at Stetson University College of Law. Details coming soon.
April 22–27, 2025—Tax Section Annual Meeting and trip to Washington, D.C. Details coming soon.
| |
|
|
ONLINE SEMINARS AND DOWNLOADABLE AUDIO, 24/7 THROUGH FLORIDA BAR INREACH
Looking for great Tax Law CLE? Check out the InReach catalog of courses. We’ve even created an easy-to-remember link—bit.ly/Tax_CLE—that takes you straight to Tax programs.
Here are some links to a few of our recent presentations:
| | | |
- (7899) Estate and Tax Planning with Closely Held Businesses
- (7162) Carried Interest Estate Planning for Fund Principals and Private Equity
- (6849) Taxation of Business Deals and M&A Transactions
| |
|
|
FREE ZOOM CLE ON YOUTUBE
The Tax Section's monthly free CLE series is a benefit of your section membership. The programs are recorded on Zoom so you can watch them at any time.
Here are the latest additions to the section's YouTube Channel:
| | | |
- (8599) Litigation of Federal Tax Disputes in Bankruptcy Court
- (8549) Circular 230 and Ethics in Tax Practice
- (8575) Recent Mexican Elections: A New Landscape for the Wealth Industry?
- (8355) Navigating Tax Issues in Formation of Partnerships and Joint Ventures
- (8205) The SECURE Act Retirement Plan Payouts, IRA Beneficiary Designations & Proposed Regulations
-
(8207) Corporate Taxation - A Primer on Subchapter C
| |
TAX SECTION HALL OF CHAMPIONS PODCAST SERIES
The Tax Section's Hall of Champions podcast series is free on Stitcher, Libsyn, and Google and Apple podcasts.
The purpose of the interview series is to "record and preserve the wisdom of those lawyers who have meant so much to the development of tax law and policy in Florida." Each of the episodes features a tax attorney who has served in a leadership role in the section or who has won the Gerald T. Hart Outstanding Tax Attorney of the Year.
| |
|
|
TAX PRO BONO OPPORTUNITIES
Florida's Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) assist low-income taxpayers with IRS controversies, including, collections, liability disputes and Tax Court petitions. Studies show that representation significantly increases positive outcomes for low-income taxpayers. If you are interested in representing a low-income taxpayer, please contact the LITC nearest you.
| |
|
Volunteers needed for the U.S. Tax Court Pro Bono Calendar Call Program. The program is designed to have local tax practitioners volunteer their time to pro se taxpayers during calendar call sessions without entering their names as the attorneys of record. If you are interested in participating in the Calendar Call Program, please contact a Tax Section member listed below. | |
There are also opportunities to volunteer during "Settlement Days," held a few weeks prior to calendar call. During a "Settlement Day," pro bono practitioners work with a petitioner to try and resolve a case with representatives from the IRS Office of Appeals and IRS Chief Counsel. Neither opportunity requires you to file an appearance in Tax Court if you do not wish to represent the petitioner before the Court. | |
You received this email because you are a member of the Tax Section of The Florida Bar or you have an affiliation with our section. You may click below at any time to unsubscribe. | | |
FLORIDA BAR TAX SECTION | FLORIDATAXLAWYERS.ORG | |
| | | |
