ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Spring CLE Symposia

Private Wealth Services Partners Jenny Johnson and Leigh-Alexandra Basha, and Real Estate Partners Dennis Horn, Bob MacKichan, Mark Stone and Chris Hanback will participate in the ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Spring CLE Symposia. 

Ms. Johnson will chair a panel titled "Our Clients in the Spotlight: The New IRS High Wealth Industry Group."

Learn why the IRS Commissioner considers the Global High Wealth Industry Group to be a “game-changing” move for the IRS. This program will cover:

• The risks facing taxpayers who are selected for audit by this group
• The different procedures followed in these types of audits
• Proactive steps clients and their advisors can take now to minimize the damage caused by a future audit

Ms. Johnson will also speak on a panel titled "Hot Topics and New Developments." Ms. Basha will chair the panel.

This program will discuss significant recent legislative and case law developments affecting income and transfer tax planning including:

• New developments from the U.S. Treasury Department
• Anticipated guidance on Section 2801 gifts or bequests from a covered expatriate
• New Schedule PC to Form 706
• Supreme Court granting certiorari in the DOMA cases
• The Tax Court and Courts of Appeals limiting the use of the substance over form doctrine in the Midco transferee liability cases and the potential impact of those holdings in other contexts
• ATRA 2012 making qualified severances permanent 
• Application of the 3.8% Medicare Tax to fiduciary entities

Ms. Basha will also chair a panel titled "It Is What It Is, But What Is It? Insights on Tax Laws in 2013."

2012 was a banner year for estate planning transactions, but uncertainty surrounding future tax law has created significant challenges for advising clients for 2013 and beyond. This panel will discuss:

• The hanging issues from 2012
• The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 and developments in 2013 
• Planning opportunities and pitfalls that remain as we set our sights on the future

Mr. Horn and Mr. MacKichan will speak on a panel titled "Government Leasing, Here and Abroad."

Panelists will present a dynamic discussion about government leasing in the United States and abroad, and get a peek behind the curtain with respect to government leasing. The program will focus on issues involving:

• The federal government’s real estate portfolio
• The acquisition and development of U.S. embassy sites in other countries, as well as related housing for State Department employees
• Negotiation of General Services Administration (GSA) leases on behalf of private landlords 
• Policy issues underlying government leases and implications on sales of and leasing upon property with governmental tenants

Mr. Stone will speak on a panel titled "Pension Plans, Limited Partnerships and REITS: Is One of These Things Not Like the Others?"

Mr. Hanback will speak on a panel titled "Accessible Design Requirements under the ADA and FHA for Hospitality, Timesharing and Common Interest Developments."

The ADA and the FHA impact numerous forms of real property ownership, including hotels, condominiums and fractionals/timeshares. Our panelists will discuss:

• The impact of the ADA and FHA accessibility design requirements
• The key accessible design differences under FHA guidelines and ADA standards
• The recent settlement in United States of America v. Hilton Worldwide, Inc. involving ADA compliance
• The intersection of FHA and ADA accessible design requirements and enforcement of the requirements by the Department of Justice