A trust is a common tool for advancing business objectives, investment planning and organising financial affairs. For a trust to effectively serve its purpose, lawyers must consider a plethora of factors impacting trustee resolutions and beneficiary decisions. Do not miss this gathering of legal experts and the opportunity to enhance your expertise. Join them as they unpack potential risks, discuss legislative treatments of financial agreements, and explore tax implications of trust entities. 

Presenters

Mr. Michael Bersten, Barrister, Michael Bersten Barrister
Michael Bersten has been in legal practice for 37 years and since 2018 as a Barrister. Michael specialises in tax and related corporate, commercial, trusts and financial crime matters. Michael’s current clients comprise mainly business and private wealth clients. Michael is also a sessional Lecturer in the UNSW Business School ATAX Masters Program. Michael is the NSW Deputy Chairman of the Law Council Tax Committee and a member of the Australian Bar Association tax committee. Michael has been regularly voted by clients as a Tax Controversy and Disputes leader in the International Tax Review Survey. Michael was a tax and legal partner from 2004 -2018 at PwC and before that a partner at Deloitte from 2001-2004. Michael founded their tax controversy and dispute resolution practices. Before that Michael Bersten was head of the ATO Tax Counsel Network and chaired the GAAR Panel amongst other senior roles. Michael was a Deputy Australian Government Solicitor (1996-1999) and national head of the tax and customs practices. Michael is ranked as a leading Tax Law Barrister with Doyle’s Guide, New South Wales, 2022 Connect with Michael via LinkedIn.

Micaela Bernfield, Senior Associate, Arnold Bloch Leibler
Micaela Bernfield is a Senior Associate in Arnold Bloch Leibler’s taxation practice. Micaela advises across a wide range of taxation matters with a particular focus on tax residency, corporate and international tax, taxation of trusts, GST and tax controversy matters. Micaela has managed all stages of the ATO tax dispute lifecycle, from audits and reviews to objections and appeals.

Amrit MacIntyre, Senior Adviser, Baker & McKenzie
Amrit was a tax partner at Sydney office of Baker McKenzie for 24 years and is now a Senior Adviser at the firm. He is an author of the CCH duties and GST loose leaf services and numerous other publications. He has been a member of the ATO public rulings panel and has taught occasionally at UTS. He practices in indirect taxes including duties and GST and has done so for nearly 30 years.

Julie Van der Velde, Principal, VdV Legal
SME Chartered Tax Advisor of the year for 2017, Julie Van der Velde TEP is the founder of VdV Legal, a specialist commercial law practice in the Adelaide CBD. VdV Legal specialises in taxation law and wealth management structures. Julie provides tax and equity opinions and advices for a variety of business structures and transactions and has significant experience advising on business succession, estate planning and restructuring. Specialising in small and medium business Julie has a particular interest in matters involving intergenerational transfer and business succession. She has over 25 years’ experience and is regularly recommended by Doyles Guide most recently in 2023.

Brett Young, National Tax Director, Nexia Australia
With over 30 years of experience as a Chartered Accountant and a tax lawyer, Brett brings thorough tax expertise and commercial insight to the Nexia Australia team. He delivers practical, result-driven solutions, whether it’s addressing technical tax matters or a broader business or legal challenge. As National Tax Director, Brett leverages his extensive expertise to provide tax technical, strategic, and training support to the Nexia team nationwide. He is committed to keeping everyone informed of the latest developments by delivering clear, commercially focused tax insights through regular sessions and articles for both the team and their clients. Brett provides expert advice in numerous areas of taxation. He can provide advice on business taxation, business and investment structuring, capital gains tax, international tax planning, transfer pricing, GST, state taxes and salary packaging, including fringe benefits tax. Brett is passionate about advising clients on their business decisions and takes great satisfaction in helping his clients succeed and generate wealth

Elizabeth Burnheim, Consulting Principal, Keypoint Law
Elizabeth is a specialised superannuation and taxation lawyer. She is experienced in handling complex taxation issues, often involving assisting high-net worth clients, business owners, trustees and beneficiaries of trusts, advising on business and investment structures for payroll tax purposes such as de-grouping applications and payroll tax audits. Elizabeth works across a wide range of matters, from assisting SMSFs acquire property using limited recourse borrowing strategies, to large payroll tax audits, to amending trust deeds for NSW Surcharge Purchaser Duty, to complex estate planning matters involving inter vivos and testamentary trusts. Elizabeth often presents at internal and external seminars and various tax discussion groups around Sydney and for The Tax Institute and Legalwise. She has also written multiple articles for the Australian Shareholder’s Association monthly publication. Elizabeth is regarded by her clients as knowledgeable, helpful and precise. She places significance on ensuring a comprehensive understanding of her clients’ circumstances to enable the best possible outcome. Elizabeth was formerly a Team Leader at Coleman Greig Lawyers’, in their Taxation and Superannuation team.

Jonathan Ortner, Partner, Arnold Bloch Leibler
Jonathan Ortner is a partner in Arnold Bloch Leibler’s taxation group and practices in all areas of direct and indirect tax with a particular focus on the taxation of trusts and corporate income tax and mergers and acquisitions. Using his technical tax knowledge, Jonathan works with clients to obtain commercial and practical outcomes. He has particular experience in dealing with the Australian Taxation Office on complex tax issues in a dispute resolution and transactional context. Jonathan is a keen and active member of the tax community. As well as presenting on tax topics at various sessions and authoring a number of published articles, papers and bulletins, Jonathan is the Chair of the Tax Institute’s SME committee, a former member of the GST committee and the co-chair of the ATO’s Private Group Stewardship Group. In 2017, Jonathan won 'Emerging Tax Star' in the Tax Institute's "Tax Adviser of the Year" Awards. Jonathan is also recognised as a key tax lawyer in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific and is recommended by Who’s Who Legal: Australia and New Zealand 2023 report, in the area of corporate tax.

King Tan, Consulting Principal, Keypoint Law
King Tan is a senior lawyer with extensive experience in providing strategic legal advice across a broad range of complex matters. For more than a decade, he has advised private family groups and high-net-worth individuals on transactions and structures aimed at protecting, growing, and transitioning wealth. His practice spans corporate and commercial transactions, including acquisitions and divestments of shares, businesses, and assets, as well as domestic and cross-border restructures, and debt and equity raisings. King also has significant expertise in tax strategy and disputes, covering both federal taxes (such as income tax and capital gains tax) and state taxes (including stamp duty, land tax, and payroll tax). He provides structuring advice to optimise tax outcomes and manage risk, and represents clients in reviews, audits, objections, and litigation before revenue authorities. In addition, King’s private wealth and succession practice involves the design and establishment of family offices in Australia and offshore, developing asset protection and wealth preservation strategies, and implementing comprehensive succession plans to ensure intergenerational wealth transfer and business continuity.

John Walker, Partner, Baker & McKenzie
John is a tax partner in the Sydney office of Baker McKenzie (since 2003). He is also a lecturer in the Law School at The University of Sydney, and currently runs the Taxation of Partnership and Trusts course in the LLM Program.