Michael Silva focuses his practice on international tax law, with an emphasis on US investment structures, cross-border transactions, tax treaty planning and US activities of foreign banks. He has significant experience forming investment funds and advising family offices. Michael currently serves as head of the Miami Tax practice and co-head of the Latin America practice.

Michael also advises Brazilian and Asian investors on investments in US real estate projects, and assists multinational corporations on establishing a business presence in the United States.

Maintaining an active private client practice, Michael regularly advises families on trusts and private trusts companies and other techniques to transfer wealth and business assets. Michael advises foreign clients on the US income, estate and gift tax consequences of alternative inbound investment structures while utilizing income, estate and gift tax treaties to minimize tax and regulatory burdens. He coordinates the formation of foreign trusts, corporations and advises clients the US reporting requirements imposed on foreign trusts with US beneficiaries. Michael also assists international banks and trustees on dealing with US clients.

Michael represents financial institutions, insurers, broker-dealers, custodians, funds, fund advisers and managers, trust companies and other financial intermediaries in connection with the requisite protocols and procedures to validate compliance with FATCA requirements.

Michael is board-certified by the Florida Bar in Tax Law and in International Law, and is a Certified Public Accountant. Michael previously served as adjunct professor of Law in the University of Miami Law School Graduate Tax Program.

Elise J. McGee advises high-net-worth individuals and business owners on all aspects of wealth-transfer planning, including estate and trust administration, leveraged wealth-transfer techniques, tax matters, cryptocurrency and QSBS planning, real estate transactions and closely held business matters. Elise has extensive experience working with owners of closely held businesses to develop governance and succession plans, and on corporate, tax and compliance matters relating to those businesses.

Elise specializes in the formation and operation of private trust companies, and has advised clients on these structures in multiple jurisdictions. Elise has worked with state regulators to develop customized private trust company structures for clients, including for international families. Most recently, she co-drafted Wyoming’s 2019 trust company legislation including 2021 legislative updates. Elise has analyzed SEC and regulatory compliance issues facing private trust companies, and has helped clients develop policies and procedures for their private trust companies. She also advises clients on the litigation and regulatory risks facing private trust companies and their decision-makers.

Elise works with clients, including registered investment advisers and multi-family offices, to establish and transition trusteeship to retail trust companies. She also advises retail trust companies on cryptocurrency custody matters. She helps clients structure the multi-jurisdictional relationships between trust companies, family offices and closely held businesses.

Elise speaks frequently on the subject of estate planning, state income tax strategies, digital assets and trust companies. She has lectured at the University of Wyoming College of Law and serves on the Executive Committee of the Chicago Bar Association Trust Law Committee.

While in law school, Elise was an executive editor for The Michigan Journal of Race & Law. Prior to law school, she worked as a senior research analyst for Lexecon, where she performed research and statistical analyses focusing on the application of economics to litigation.

Advises companies on cybersecurity incident response, including ransomware attacks, data breaches, fund transfer fraud, and business email compromise

Represents clients in data security and privacy litigation and regulatory investigations

Counsels publicly traded companies on SEC cybersecurity disclosure requirements, including Form 10-K and Form 8-K filings

Leverages a background in computer programming and IT analysis to advise on data security, privacy, AI, and computer forensic investigations

Arianne R. Plasencia focuses her practice on US & international tax and estate planning matters. She provides international and US income, gift, and estate tax planning for entities and high-net-worth individuals.

Arianne works closely with multijurisdictional families and advises on inbound investment planning. As part of this work, she counsels individuals investing in the United States, trustees of trusts with US beneficiaries, individuals moving to and from the United States, and families with members residing in multiple jurisdictions. Arianne also establishes family offices, private trust companies and charitable giving vehicles. To help clients achieve their charitable goals, she creates split-interest trusts and nonprofit entities.

Arianne regularly advises clients and speaks on US tax and US information reporting issues, including the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and the Corporate Transparency Act.

While in law school, Arianne served as the managing editor for the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law.

Edward (Ed) Zaelke is the global co-head of the Firm’s Energy & Project Finance Group. He focuses his practice on project finance and private equity in renewable energy transactional matters. With more than 35 years of experience, he advises clients on all elements of alternative energy development and finance, including equity and debt financing, merger and acquisition transactions, equipment purchase and sale agreements, and power purchase agreements.

A prominent leader in his practice, Ed has served as lead counsel on many of the largest and most significant transactions in the renewable industry.

He also authors and speaks prolifically about various topics in the renewable energy industry. Ed is the former president of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and was a board member of AWEA for 12 consecutive years. He is also a founding board member of the Wind Solar Alliance (now a part of the American Council on Renewable Energy) and an adjunct professor at UCLA law, teaching “Renewable Energy Development and Project Finance”.