Practice Areas & Industries: Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A.

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Gunster Yoakley attorneys understand the importance of comprehensive planning and are dedicated to providing creative solutions to complex and sophisticated tax planning and tax controversy matters. Our attorneys concentrate on Florida tax work, assisting clients in developing strategies to deal with such issues as the intangible tax, documentary taxes, sales tax and related matters, but are equally skilled in handling federal tax issues. Because South Florida is an international business center, they also are equipped to meet the specialized needs of international clients, including foreign jurisdictional counsel, corporate structuring, portfolio debt transactions and investment structuring. We handle complex, multi-dimensional taxation matters and provide sound business strategies that positively impact our clients bottom line.

Services Available

• Tax-Exempt Financing
• Tax-Exempt Organizations
• Foreign Taxation
• Foreign Investment In Real Property Tax Act ("FIRPTA")
• Controlled Foreign Corporations, Subpart F Income and
• Passive Foreign
• Investment Company Issues
• Tax Controversies
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Offshore Holding Companies and Treaty Company Planning Structures
• Partnerships
• International and Domestic Securities Offerings
• Privatizations
• International and Domestic Estate Planning and Administration
• State Taxation

Representative Matters

• The Firm has represented numerous clients which have been involved in joint ventures and cross-border investments, including representation of a major Venezuelan conglomerate in connection with a reorganization and recapitalization through investment by a global financial services company, and representation of a leading Venezuelan construction firm in the negotiation of joint ventures with a leading Asian-multinational corporation for the development of a $200 million office, retail and condominium project in Latin America.
• Representation of a Canadian estate in United States Tax Court litigation resulting in savings of $500,000 in U.S. estate taxes.
• Representation of a U.S. based multinational food service conglomerate in structuring joint venture operations throughout Latin America involving entity selection and coordination of local tax counsel so as to maximize flow through of losses during the initial startup period and preserving favorable structures to minimize local country withholding taxes upon repatriation of profits to the United States.
• Planning and implementation of like-kind exchange of real property resulting in the deferral of $2.5 million in taxes. Structuring of numerous partnership agreements, allowing equity compensation for partner services and contributions of intangible assets, without creating current taxation.

Clients:
Arvida/JMB Partners, AutoNation, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Bankrate, Inc., Boca Raton Resort and Club, Capital City Bank Group, Inc., Chiquita International, Inc., Citrix Systems, Inc., Flagler Development Corporation, Florida East Coast Industries, Inc., FTD, Inc., GE Capital, Gill Hotels Company, Inc., Innkeepers Hospitality, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Jupiter Island Club, Lee Munder Capital Group, Levenger Company, Lykes Bros., Inc., Murray Goodman Company, Park Avenue BBQ Restaurants, Pegasus Corporation of America, Pioneer Corporation, Pratt & Whitney, Ranger Construction Industries, Inc., Republic Services, Inc., Rybovich Spencer, SBA Communications Corporation, Seven Springs Golf Club, Smiths Industries PLC, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts, The St. Joe Company, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Teva Pharmaceutical, Trump International Golf Club, Trump National Golf Club, U.S. Sugar Corporation, U.S. Trust Company, United Technologies Corporation, WCI Communities, Inc.