Profile

Dennis concentrates on trust and estate planning for high net worth individuals and families. He utilizes a wide range of sophisticated techniques to protect assets, minimize taxes and provide practical approaches to accomplish his clients’ long term financial security and wealth transfer goals.

In his trust and estate law practice, Dennis draws from his diversified background in business management and business law, which includes experience designing compensation plans; and handling mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, and international transactions.

For clients with closely held business interests, Dennis utilizes his broad business background to develop creative, tax efficient estate plans that may include family compensation planning, ownership transition planning, management succession planning and sometimes liquidation planning.

Recent representative engagements include:

  • Developing an estate plan, ownership transition plan and management succession plan for a privately held family business with over $750 million in revenue.
  • Designing a series of business entities and trusts with different tax attributes that have allowed family members to pass several hundred million dollars in assets to future generations without paying gift, estate or generation skipping taxes.

  • Listed in:
    • The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation and Controversy - Tax; Tax Law, 2013-2025 (listed for more than 10 years)
      • Lawyer of the Year (Fort Myers), Tax Law, 2013, 2016, 2023
  • American Bar Association
  • New York State Bar Association
  • Florida Bar
  • Collier County Bar Association
  • Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants

  • Highlighted in "Finding lasting happiness in selfless service," Naples Florida Weekly, July 7, 2016

  • Naples Daily News, 2016 25 Over 50
  • Former Adjunct Professor of Law (Taxation), Syracuse University College of Law
  • Former Adjunct Professor of Accounting and Finance, Le Moyne College
  • Treasurer, Executive Committee and Board Member, Community Foundation of Collier County, Inc.
  • Treasurer, Executive Committee and Board Member, Collier Health Services, Inc.
  • Treasurer and Board Member, Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida Foundation
  • Finance Committee and Board Member, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Inc.
  • Treasurer and Board Member, Florida Community of Mindfulness, Inc.
  • Executive Committee and Board Member, Park Shore Association, Inc.