Scott J. Bakal

Practice Areas

Tax

Private Wealth Services

Cross-Border Tax Planning

International Estate Planning

Opportunity Zone Funds

Latin America Practice

Real Estate Funds

Career

Scott J. Bakal develops tax-planning strategies for closely held family businesses, partnerships, and publicly held corporations with significant domestic and international operations. Scott works closely with high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurial companies to develop elegant, tax-sensitive approaches to their complex business transactions, financial situations, estate planning matters, and real estate investments, as well as to pursue tax efficiency throughout their operations.

Scott advises foreign individuals and families seeking to benefit from advantageous tax structures by migrating their investments and assets to the United States. He designs integrated strategies to encompass the complex components of both international and domestic tax planning. Scott continuously monitors the tax planning landscape for new, compliant approaches that can be implemented with the goal of minimizing his clients’ liabilities to the full extent allowable under the law.

Many of Scott’s clients are individuals and families in Latin America and Israel seeking counsel on the U.S. estate and income tax consequences of their investments and activities in the United States, including Florida.

Scott’s practice includes advising closely held businesses on the tax consequences of critical transactions, including structuring joint ventures and asset and stock purchase agreements. In addition, Scott advises executives in tax-sensitive compensation matters and the owners of controlling stakes in publicly held corporations.

As tax counsel, Scott also assists white collar criminal attorneys with the defense of clients charged with alleged offenses arising out of aggressive tax planning and is often hired by other law firms seeking smart tax structuring advice.

Concentrations:

Domestic tax planning

International tax planning

Deal structuring

Compensation

Professional Memberships

Member, Florida Bar Association; Member, Tax Section; Member, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section

Member, Estate Planning Council of Broward County

Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

Member, Palm Beach Tax Institute

Member, Professional Advisors Committee, Jewish Federation of Broward County

Professional Advisors Committee Member, Partnership2Gether (partnership between Chicago and Kiryat Gat/Lachish/Shafir) of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, 2012-Present

Treasurer, Glencoe Junior High Project, 2011-2016

Publications

Listed, Chambers USA Guide, Taxation, 2017-2022

Personal

J.D., magna cum laude, Harvard Law School, 1985; Concentration in Federal Taxation.

B.S., magna cum laude, Yale University, 1982.