Biography:
Stanton G. Levin is an experienced practitioner, having practiced as a Certified Public Accountant in New York City at a large public accounting firm and serving as an auditor for the Internal Revenue Service early in his professional career. After returning to law school to obtain his J.D., Mr. Levin entered the practice of law, where he has remained for more than forty-five years. Throughout this time period, his practice has been focused in the areas of tax, corporate/business and estate planning. Prior to joining Vasallo Sloane, P.L., Mr. Levin was for many years the managing partner of a boutique tax, corporate and estate planning firm. Prior to embarking on his own, Mr. Levin was the chair of the Tax and Estates Department of a large, well-established Miami law firm.
Mr. Levin obtained his undergraduate degree in accounting from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, his law degree from St. John's University School of Law in New York City and his Master’s Degree in Taxation from New York University. He is a member of the Tax Section of the Florida Bar and a charter member and past director of the American Association of Attorney Certified Public Accountants. He has attained an AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubble, the maximum rating for legal ability and ethics that a lawyer can receive.
Mr. Levin’s legal practice concentrates mainly on family businesses. He particularly enjoys representing newly formed and early-stage family businesses that he can help grow to become profitable and recognized nationally. While he no longer practices accounting or conducts audits as he did early in his professional career, Mr. Levin’s unique skill set and experience enables him to recognize accounting issues, adding overall value and efficiency to his clients. Having worked for the IRS as an auditor, Mr. Levin fully understands its inner workings, its internal practices and procedures, its selections of returns for audit and its policies and goals. This experience adds significant value for clients involved in controversies over tax issues.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Levin has represented and continues to represent family businesses in the following industries, among others: (i) heavy industry, (ii) manufacturing, (iii) retail, (iv) hospitality and leisure, (v) government, (vi) professional services (e.g. CPA firms, law firms, medical, optical and dental practices), and (vii) real estate.
Many families look forward to their children's interest in and eventual takeover and growth of the family businesses. Mr. Levin particularly enjoys the challenges associated with the transition of control from parents to children and the successful takeover and future growth of the family business by the children and eventually their grandchildren. This area of legal work involves the need for a clear understanding of the family business, its operations and the quality of its management in addition to a clear understanding of the parents’ needs and concerns for their children’s future whether within or outside of the family business. Sibling rivalry must be addressed. The people component, that is, the interaction between and among the family members is a challenge that equals the technical challenges of both the legal and accounting aspects of intergenerational family business planning.
Mr. Levin’s focus on the family business naturally leads to personal estate and tax planning for the family. Mr. Levin also advises family members with regard not only to estate planning for the family business, but also personal estate planning for family members and intergenerational estate and tax planning. When a client that is operating a family business needs to address his or her estate plan, Mr. Levin suggests a comprehensive review not only of the client’s estate plan but also an estate tax plan, an asset protection plan, a liquidity analysis and a gifting program. He partners with his clients to create an individualized program for his clients, utilizing charts and diagrams that ensures clear communications, client understanding of the technical and legal aspects of the recommended plan including take-home material for client’s personal and thoughtful private review and comments.
Mr. Levin and his family have been deeply interested in music and the music business. All family members have either graduated from or given long-term support to the University of Miami's School of Music. The support includes activities as a charter member and director of the Friends of Music of the Frost School of Music of the University of Miami. The Friends of Music have become the largest supporting institution of the School of Music. Mr. Levin has been general counsel to the Friends of Music for over 25 years, creating and maintaining a 501(c)(3) organization, which, with the representation of the other charitable organizations, has allowed him to achieve a working understanding of Florida charitable organizations.
State Bar Admissions:
Court Admissions:
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
Community Involvement:
- Charter Member and Director, Friends of Music of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami
- General Counsel for the Friends of Music for more than 25 years
- Representation of an involvement in various other charitable organizations
Education:
- LL.M. in Taxation, New York University
- J.D., St. Johns University School of Law
- B.S. in Accounting, Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania