Martin Talks About International Tax Planning
The Washburn Business Law Society and the Tax and Estate Planning Association hosted Jonathan J. Martin, Class of 1999, on Thursday, February 9, 2006. Mr. Martin, from the Houston office of Baker & McKenzie LLP spoke about international taxation and planning opportunities associated therewith.
At Baker & McKenzie, about eighty percent of Mr. Martin's work involves international tax planning (global tax minimization) in which the goal is to reduce a client's tax liability through pro-active planning. Mr. Martin works within the law to find opportunities to maximize the tax efficiency of his client's operations and organizational structures. During his presentation, Mr. Martin discussed substantive areas of international taxation law, including: U.S. taxation of U.S. citizens and residents, U.S. taxation of foreign tax payers, U.S. entity classifications, anti-deferral rules (including sub-part F), and foreign tax credits.
Mr. Martin shared a number of reasons why international taxation is a good area of law practice: international law is exciting, it is very strategic and planning oriented, and attorneys must know both domestic and international rules and anticipate what the business circumstances may be in the future.
Mr. Martin also participated in two of the law school's tax courses: Taxation of Partnerships and Partners and Taxation of Individual Income. His extensive tax knowledge and practitioner's view greatly enhanced the discussions in both classes. He also graciously spent time talking to individual students, answering their questions and sharing his experiences as a very successful tax attorney. His visit to Washburn Law provided a unique opportunity for students and faculty to draw from his knowledge, experience, and insight during the events of the day. Mr. Martin's visit had a significant impact on students and proved to be an excellent opportunity for faculty to learn how to better provide legal education.
