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Attorney By Attorney Career Profiles of the Profession Who? Victor D. Trevino, Esq. Director of Strategy Implementation victor.trevino@strategictaxconsulting.com What? Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields: Consulting and expertise in the areas of entity structuring; asset protection; succession planning; income tax planning; fringe benefit planning; tax defense; advanced insurance strategies (Captive Insurance Companies, VEBAS, Pensions); and advanced deferral strategies. When? In the Practice Area: Since 1992 In the Legal Profession: Since 1998 Where? Employer: International Tax Advisors, Inc. www.ipa-iba.com City/State: Buffalo Grove, IL Size/Sector: 1800 employees/Private Law School: DePaul College of Law Other Post-Graduate Education: Loyola School of Business Undergraduate School/Degree: Baylor University/ BA Why? Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area: A positive aspect of taxation, especially on the consulting side, is the multi-disciplinary environment. Tax professionals, beyond their own advanced training, are constantly working with CPAs, MBAs, etc. in order to stay on the cutting edge of taxation, insurance, fringe benefits, etc. This interplay creates a series of challenges, because it is the tax specialist that must synergize the benefits available in these tax, insurance, and fringe vehicles, into one comprehensive and complementary tax plan. Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area: Creativity and a sense of urgency are the single greatest skills needed to work in the area of advanced taxation. These skills are supplemented with functional knowledge of corporate/individual taxation, corporate/business law, accounting, and business/estate planning. Advanced degrees/certifications such as L.L.M.s in taxation, MBAs with specializations in accountancy and CPAs, are always a plus, especially if one chooses to specialize in a subset of taxation. Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice Area: Do not confuse taxation with tax preparation or compliance, they are not synonymous. Generally speaking, taxation from an attorney/consultant's point of view, usually involves planning and the implementation of tax strategies. Due to the constantly changing landscape of taxation, ingenuity and creativity will always be an attorney/consultant's most useful tool. How? Career Path to Current Position: Started career in international trade. I started out as a customs broker along the Texas/Mexican border, I assisted in helping clients reduce their overall cross-border tax exposure. While in law school I worked at Bank One as a trust administrator. Bank One's auditor, Arthur Andersen, recruited me to work in its tax division. I helped build Arthur Andersen's International Trade practice in Los Angeles. I was then recruited by a leading tax consulting/law firm to provide tax consulting services to small-to-medium size closely held companies located throughout the U.S. It was an easy decision for me to join the tax practice at International Profit Associates, because of their reputation in the industry as the largest consulting firm that services small-to-medium size closely-held companies. Influences and Mentors: My Father, the late Hon. Lincoln Marovitz. Suggested Reading About Your Practice Area: Tax L.L.M. course books, CCH on Tax. Job Search Techniques Used in Finding Your Position(s): Law School Career Centers, CBA Career Center, ABA Career Center. Bar Affiliations and Activities: American Bar Association-Taxation; Chicago Bar Association-International Trade Group Section; Illinois State Bar Association-Section on Federal Taxation and State & Local Taxation; Illinois Bar; Minnesota & District of Colombia Bar (pending); United States Tax Court; Court of International Trade; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; U.S. Court of Federal Claims (pending). Recent Professional Publications: Lane Litigation Manual; Lane Medical Malpractice Manual; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Adding a Pension Specialists to the Team; Inside Mortgage Finance Publications. Recent Professional Presentations: 2001 Meeting of Importers & Exporters on Cross-Border Issues; Midwest Home Builders Convention; New York Association of CPAs; Professional Aviation Maintenance Association. Memorable Career Moment: Meeting President Vicente Fox at the opening of a new rail line in southern Mexico. Intriguing Interests: Aviation as a Pilot and Sailing.