Greenberg Traurig, LLP_4PP_Tax

GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP
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REITS
REITs
Leading Firms
Band 3
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Leading Individuals
Band 3
Fryer Judith Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Band 4
Burton Richard Greenberg Traurig, LLP
FLORIDA
TAX
Tax
Leading Firms
Band 1
Greenberg Traurig, LLP Miami
Leading Individuals
Band 1
Maser Joel Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Band 4
Hintze Russell Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Schindler Ozzie Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Stiver Charles Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Up-and-coming individuals
Entin Seth Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Tax: Employee Benefits
Leading Individuals
Band 1
Lapidus Steve Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Tax: Estate Planning
Leading Individuals
Band 3
Zeydel Diana Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
The Firm: Onlookers agree: “This firm’s REIT
department has grown by leaps and bounds over the
last few years and has expanded in a number of areas.”
Clients endorse the resources, international reach
and depth of corporate and real estate talent on offer
at this firm and point to its ability to handle formation,
investment and operational issues. The firm has
experience advising public and private REITs,
including advice on IPOs and M&A, although its
niche in representing publicly traded nonlisted
REITs is what sets it apart. A firm of this size also
offers REIT clients the benefits of its experience in
related areas such as securities and insurance, with
clients wholeheartedly endorsing its full-service
capabilities. Headline deals this year include acting
for CNL Retirement Properties in its sale for $5.2
billion, and advising CNL Hotels & Resorts in its $2
billion acquisition of KSL Recreation, one of the
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
The Firm: The tax group of this colossal law firm is
“continuously at the forefront of taxation developments
in Florida,” and has well-documented international,
federal, state and local credentials. Over
100 attorneys are on offer throughout its numerous
offices in Florida, but it is not just the size and
resources of the group that clients admire. Many
place a huge value on the attorneys’ “creative, userfriendly
and responsive advice” and “the business
acumen that seems to run through the firm.” International
taxation is one of the group’s recognized areas
of excellence, with its advice on the acquisition of
foreign entities and the structuring of foreign enterprises
and international joint ventures coming in for
specific client praise. Other highly recommended
areas include executive compensation, employee
benefits and estate planning. The cross-fertilization
of practice groups and general “pulling together of
resources” are additional reasons why clients enjoy
the success they do with this firm.
The Lawyers: Steve Lapidus is the chair of the Miami
tax and executive compensation and employee benefits
groups. He is “a reserved and highly effective tax
attorney, especially with respect to executive compensation
strategies and Section 409A compliance.” Joel Maser
is a totemic figure in the tax group and a “highly
respected and personable” transactional tax lawyer. His
practice encompasses federal, state and local taxation
and domestic and foreign tax planning, and he is
largest resort owner-operators in the country. As well
as the deal values, both of these transactions involved
novel concepts and complex issues and illustrate
what clients have called “a unique understanding of
the industry and the ability to handle document-intensive
projects.”
The Lawyers: Judith Fryer is cochair of the REIT
practice with Jennifer Weiss. “Extremely active and
visible in the industry,” she is commended for her
involvement in some significant REIT mergers and
her knowledge of the “inner workings” of publicly
traded nonlisted REITs. As ex-general tax counsel at
Host Marriott, Richard Burton brings to the table
“a valuable insight into the objectives of his clients.”
Clients/Work Highlights: CNL Retirement Properties;
CNL Hotels & Resorts; SL Green Realty;
Kimco Realty; Archstone-Smith and Vornado Realty
Trust.
recognized for his work negotiating and structuring
real estate joint ventures and for his niche experience
representing automotive dealerships. An example of
the younger talent in the group, respected transactional
tax lawyer Russell Hintze is fully conversant in general
business tax planning, including corporate tax and tax
planning for mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.
Ozzie Schindler is a key contact for international tax
in the Miami office and is considered by clients to be a
corporate and private tax planning expert, especially
noted for his experience in terms of M&A and the
structuring of US investments. Charles Stiver is a longstanding
member of this tax group and a regular
feature on heavy-duty M&A transactions and general
corporate income tax. Both foreign and domestic
clients view Seth Entin as a talented younger attorney
in the tax group and point to his proficiency in federal
income tax and international experience as his practice
strengths. As well as private practice, he is also an
adjunct professor of tax at the University of Miami and
“one of those attorneys who will be the future of tax in the
south of Florida.” Diana Zeydel is a younger attorney
with a national estate planning profile and is thoroughly
endorsed by high net worth clients for the
“individual attention she gives to each situation.”
Clients/Work Highlights: Related Group of
Florida; Swire Properties; INVESCO and CNL
Retirement Properties.
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All quotes in the text are from interviews with clients and competitors