Annual Tax Seminar (E1612699)

Patrick J. Deo, CPA, Cr.Fa, is president of Deo, LaManna, Deo & Co., P.C. A noted national speaker, he was recognized by Surgent CPE as a 2016 Outstanding Discussion Leader. He also authored and co-authored various technical books and articles. He is experienced in business valuations, litigation support, forensic accounting, tax planning, resolving tax disputes and more.

Mr. Deo has been a member of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) for more than 30 years. A frequent speaker and lecturer for the NJCPA and its chapters, he was honored with the NJCPA Outstanding Discussion Leader Award. Additionally, he has served the NJCPA and its chapters in many leadership roles and has been involved in various NJCPA initiatives, including establishing the Morris/Sussex Chapter County College Scholarship Program, spearheading the New Jersey Taxpayer Bill of Rights, developing the cornerstone for the Internal Revenue Service and State of New Jersey “Practitioner Hotline”, instituting the NJCPA lesion meetings with the State of New Jersey Department of Labor, heading up the task force on “piggy-back” of the New Jersey Gross Income Tax on the Internal Revenue Service Tax System, and serving as a “key person” to legislators.

Mr. Deo is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the AICPA Tax Division, AICPA Forensic Valuation Division, and the Institute of Business Appraisers. He is also a certified forensic accountant and diplomat of the American College of Forensic Examiners.

Prior to becoming a certified public accountant, Mr. Deo worked for the Internal Revenue Service for almost 20 years in various high level positions and received numerous recognitions for outstanding service.

Alan F. Kornstein, Esq. is a Partner in the law firm of McCarter & English, LLP in Newark, New Jersey, where he concentrates his practice in tax planning and tax disputes involving complex commercial and personal transactions. He regularly advises clients on the tax-efficient organization, financing, operation and sale of business and investment entities, M&A transactions, business restructurings, acquisitions and dispositions of capital assets, tax-free reorganizations, real estate transactions and insolvency situations. He also represents individuals, partnerships and corporations involved in tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Mr. Kornstein has extensive experience in tax planning for a wide range of business and investment transactions involving partnerships, LLCs and closely-held corporations, including the structuring, negotiation and implementation of partnership agreements, LLC operating agreements, equity-raising transactions, buy/sell agreements and other exit strategies. He advises clients on capital transactions involving real estate and other business assets, including joint ventures, like-kind exchanges, roll-up transactions, partnership restructurings, entity liquidations and optimal utilization of tax losses. He also advises clients on tax-efficient settlement alternatives for commercial and personal disputes, including business divorces and matrimonial situations. Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the United States Tax Court, he is a past Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Taxation Law Section. He is a member of the Section’s Executive Committee and a past Chair of the Section’s Partnership Tax Committee. He is also a past Chair of the Tax, Trust & Estates Committee of the Essex County Bar Association. Mr. Kornstein is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences on tax-related topics. He is listed in New Jersey Super Lawyers for tax law and is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell. He has been listed by The Best Lawyers in America since 2004 and was honored as Best Lawyers' 2012 Newark, New Jersey area “Lawyer of the Year” for tax law. In addition, he has been recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the category of Corporate/M&A: Tax. Mr. Kornstein received his B.A., cum laude, from Yale University, his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. He also has an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Jeffrey Schechter, chair of the firm's Tax Controversy Department, has a varied practice in the areas of tax, tax controversies, trusts and estates and corporate law. He represents clients at all stages of disputes with the Internal Revenue Service, the New Jersey Division of Taxation and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance including audits, administrative appeals and tax litigation. Most recently Jeff has assisted many clients with domestic and offshore Voluntary Disclosures and examinations concerning income and assets not reported to the IRS. On the corporate side, he concentrates on commercial transactions, including the purchase, sale or restructuring of businesses, stock transactions, mergers and corporate agreements as well as advising clients on the tax aspects of such transactions. He also regularly represents clients concerning estate planning, estate administration and estate tax controversies. Jeff is a frequent lecturer at Rutgers Law School, ABA Tax Section Meetings as well as the New Jersey Society of CPAs on a variety of tax and corporate matters. Prior to joining Cole Schotz, he was a manager in the National Tax Department of the international accounting firm of Ernst & Young in Washington, D.C., where he specialized in advising clients on the tax aspects of complex corporate transactions including tax-free reorganizations, tax-exempt organizations and federal tax procedure and controversies, as well as newly enacted or proposed tax legislation. For twenty years, Jeff served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Community Development Corporation, a tax-exempt organization in Paterson which specializes in various programs throughout the State of New Jersey including seven as Chairman. These programs include participation in the Americorp National Service Program, operating housing projects for developmentally disabled persons and increasing employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged youths. Jeff received his B.B.A. from The George Washington University, his J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University School of Law, and his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.

Shaune is a partner at CohnReznick with 13 years of diverse experience in public accounting. He is a member of CohnReznick's Technology and Life Sciences Industry Practice and National Tax Practice and has a background in corporate, partnership and individual tax planning and compliance, including multi-state and international companies. In addition to general accounting, Shaune’s experience in working with small start-up entrepreneurs includes setting up accounting methods, standards and procedures, state registration and employment issues. Shaune has also worked closely with public entities and large public affiliated corporate groups, providing services that include corporate tax compliance, partnership tax compliance, sell-side due diligence for companies and shareholders, and ASC 740 work. Shaune has knowledge and experience in both inbound and outbound international tax issues. Prior to joining CohnReznick, Shaune worked for a local private accounting firm in Ocean County as well as for a West Coast-based accounting firm.

Geoffrey Weinstein, special counsel in the Tax, Trusts & Estates Department, counsels those with business and personal interests in the greater New York City metropolitan area and South Florida. He is known as a creative advisor and problem-solver who assists in developing tax planning strategies that preserve wealth and a dedicated advocate who resolves tax controversies. Geoff advises on estate planning that involves wills, trusts, powers of attorney and healthcare directives. Following a death, he advises on estate administration and probate litigation. For businesses and individuals, he advises on taxation of executive compensation, including stock option incentives and nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements. He also reviews executive employment and severance agreements for Section 409A compliance. When tax controversies arise, Geoff represents taxpayers before federal, state and local tax authorities at all stages of the administrative process, from audit through administrative appeal. He has discretely handled numerous high-net worth residency cases in New Jersey and New York, consistently netting favorable results through confidential closing agreements that avoid the publicity of litigation. In addition, Geoff works closely with other members of the Cole Schotz team to resolve sales and use and corporate business tax audits with state tax authorities. In cases where taxpayers neglected to file tax or information returns, or have compliance issues involving offshore bank accounts and other assets, Geoff has achieved positive results through participation in federal and state voluntary disclosure programs and procedures. Geoff also represents taxpayers in sensitive “egg shell” tax audits that include exposure to possible criminal charges and/or civil fraud penalties. He has represented U.S. and non-U.S. resident taxpayers from around the world, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and India. For those matters that require litigation, Geoff has prosecuted many cases to successful conclusion. Geoff is a frequent lecturer on handling tax controversies at the federal and state level and advising on state tax updates. He is licensed to practice law in New Jersey, New York, and Florida, and has specific admittance to the United States Tax Court and the Southern District Court of New York.