State Tax Interest Group Meeting and Technical Session (E1905478)

Juliya L. Ismailov is an associate in the Tax, Trusts & Estates Department. Juliya focuses her practice in the following areas of tax planning. Roughly half of her practice involves federal and state income tax strategy, including preparing nexus studies, substantial authority letters and ruling requests to obtain tax-efficient outcomes for her clients. She works closely with accountants and financial advisors to implement clients’ transactions with maximum tax-efficiency.

In addition, Juliya helps corporate and individual clients resolve audits with taxing authorities involving income, sales and employment taxes, including trust fund taxes, by determining legal positions to minimize the total assessment and/or obtaining favorable installment agreements and offers in compromise to pay the assessment.

The other half of her practice involves complex estate planning and administration for individuals and their families over multiple generations: (a) from the early phases of defining strategy and executing estate planning documents; setting up gifting, insurance and residence trusts; and forming family businesses and charitable foundations; (b) to the mid-stages of updating estate plans as family circumstances evolve, businesses grow, trustees wish to merge trusts, change their situs or terms, or tax laws change; and, finally, (c) to the end-stages of probating the wills; funding testamentary trusts; preparing and filing federal and state estate tax returns; counseling executors regarding their duties; and representing the interests of estates, executors, trustees and beneficiaries in estate and trust disputes.

Juliya earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Russian from Yale University in 2007. After college, she relocated to Louisville, Kentucky to work as an analyst at a venture capital firm.

Juliya earned her Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School- Newark in 2011, where she was a full-tuition scholarship recipient of the Elizabeth and Barets O. Benjamin Scholarship, and served as the Managing Editor of the Rutgers Computer & Technology Law Journal. Prior to private practice, Juliya served as law clerk to the Honorable Judge Edith K. Payne on the New Jersey Appellate Division.

Juliya earned her Tax LL.M. from New York University in 2017. Juliya is fully fluent in written and spoken Russian.

Gary A. Phillips is a member in the Tax, Trusts and Estates Department. Gary counsels individuals, entrepreneurs, families and business owners in all aspects of estate planning, tax planning, corporate planning and business succession planning. Licensed to practice law in New Jersey, New York and Florida, Gary frequently counsels clients on domicile and residency issues in these states. He edited the firm’s guidebook on relocating to Florida titled “On the Road to Florida: Cole Schotz’s Practical Guide to Changing Your Residence from New Jersey or New York." Gary has lectured in the area of trusts and estates and business planning on topics such as general estate planning, estate administration, use of family business entities together with estate planning and buy-sell agreements. He has been with the firm his entire career and has been awarded an AV rating for his professionalism and the quality of his legal work from Martindale-Hubbell, the publisher of the premiere directory of legal professionals. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. See Award Methodology. A frequent author of articles and blog postings on various areas of estate planning, Gary has been quoted in CCH periodicals as an expert in estate planning law. Gary earned his B.S.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, his J.D. from Rutgers Law School-Newark and his L.L.M in Taxation from New York University School of Law.

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.