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Attorney
By
Attorney
Career Profiles of the Profession
Who?
What?
Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields:
Taxation - civil and criminal; Estate Planning; Business Law.
When?
In Practice Area:
ABA since 1969
W & S since 1999
In the Legal Profession:
Since 1969
Where?
Employer:
Braunstein & Todisco, LLC
http://www.btlawfirm.com
City/State:
Fairfield, CT 06824-5154
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Law School:
St. Mary's University - JD; Boston University - LLM (Taxation)
Other Post-Graduate Education:
Century University - MBA
Undergraduate School/Degree:
University of Tennessee -BSBA
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Why?
Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area:
Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area: The fields of law involved in my practice are constantly changing and evolving, which naturally results in maintaining a high level of interest in the subject matter. Due to the dynamics involved in this type of practice, as well as the personal contact with clients that are a natural result from ongoing planning and related engagements, it is virtually impossible to envision someone becoming "bored" with an intellectually challenging career such as mine.
Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area:
Technical -in depth knowledge of federal, state and international taxation; estate and financial planning techniques; knowledge of how businesses "work" -law/entities/transactions/accounting. Subjective-"people skills" are a paramount asset.
Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice Area:
If you like "business subjects" (accounting, economics, finance, etc.) as well as "tax subjects", take as many courses as are available to you in such areas. With a broader base of understanding of the vast cross section of commercial transactions and their impact on individuals (direct and indirect), you will be more prepared to pick/choose the type of "tax lawyer" into which you want to evolve - planner, transactional, litigator, etc.
How?
Career Path to Current Position:
I have practiced "tax" in both the accounting and legal professions as well as having been an attorney with the IRS (Chief Counsel's Office).
Bar Affiliations and Activities:
Council Director - 2004 - Tax Section Co-ordinator to IRS SB/SE Division Recent Professional Publications
Fellow: American College of Tax Counsel.
Member: Greater Bridgeport (Member, Business Law Committee; Chair, Law Day Committee),
Connecticut (Member, Executive Committee, Sections on: Tax; Business Law;
Member, Estates and Probate Section;
Chair, Liaison with Accountants Committee, 1992-1993) and American (Chair, 2000-2001, Closely Held Businesses Committee;
Chair, 2001--, Professional Services Committee;
Member, Nominating Committee, 2000 ;
Member, ABA SOC-CLE Task Force, 2001 ;
Member, Banking and Savings Institutions Committee, Individual Investments and Workouts Committee, Standards of Tax Practice Committee and Tax Practice Management Committee, Tax Section) Bar Associations;
State Bar of Texas;
Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants;
Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants;
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
American Association of Attorney - Certified Public Accountants;
The Offshore Institute.
Recent Professional Publications and Presentations: Co-Author: with Carol F. Burger: "Current Developments in Tax Law," American Bar Association Journal, November 2005.
"Current Developments in Tax Law-Older Clients," ABA Journal, November 2004;
"Tax Issues From A Tough Year," ABA Journal, November 2002, p.44;
"Good News in Tax Law," ABA Journal, November 2001;
"Good News in Tax Law," ABA Connection Teleconference, November 14, 2001;
"Tough Issues From A Tough Year," ABA Connection Teleconference, November 20, 2002;
"Current Developments In Tax Law," ABA Connection Teleconference, November 19, 2003;
"Current Developments in Tax Law--Older Clients," ABA Connection Teleconference, November 17, 2004;
"Current Developments in Tax Law," ABA Connection Teleconference, November 2005
Memorable Career Moment:
When I opened my first "solo" office in San Antonio, Texas in 1970 -total fear.
Intriguing Interests:
Sailing (offshore); SCUBA diving; photography; golf; gardening; astronomy; computers; soccer.
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