Eduardo R. Arista, P.A., Managing Member: Ed Arista heads the firm and its Corporate and Business practice and regularly assists clients in a broad range of business matters, including stock and asset acquisitions, mergers, investing and capital raising, corporate restructuring, breakup and dissolution, real property transactions, LLC, joint venture and partnership transactions, drafting, reviewing and negotiating all forms of contracts and agreements, as well as representation against the IRS. For over thirteen years, Mr. Arista has been a trusted advisor for local and foreign individuals and businesses from a variety of industries, regularly serving as the primary point of contact for all their legal business needs. Drawing from his former executive experience and financial background as a CPA, Mr. Arista understands business strategy and operations and delivers practical, results-driven and goal-oriented legal advice. Mr. Arista applies the same creativity and acumen in planning to protect personal assets and family business interests, minimize taxes and avoid personal liability for his individual clients.
Mr. Arista received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and his Bachelor of Accounting at Florida International University. During law school, he worked for a law firm in Washington, D.C., clerked for the Honorable Juan F. Vasquez, U.S. Tax Court Judge in Washington, D.C. and interned with the Honorable Barry S. Seltzer, U.S. Magistrate Judge in Ft. Lauderdale. Prior to founding the firm, he worked at large and small firms and participated as an executive-shareholder in a successful start-up venture. While completing law school, Mr. Arista joined Ernst & Young's (E&Y) International Tax Services department in Miami and worked closely with E&Y's Latin American Business Center in Chicago and New York. Mr. Arista advised multinational corporations and high net worth individuals regarding international transactions and coordinated foreign tax and legal services for U.S. clients with E&Y professionals in affiliated offices throughout Latin America. Mr. Arista specialized in outbound foreign expansion by U.S. corporations and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and co-authored an internal "Tax Alert" regarding the 1999 Ecuadorian Tax Reform that was distributed to E&Y international tax attorneys and accountants worldwide.
Mr. Arista lectures frequently at professional seminars for attorneys, accountants and business people, and he is an adjunct professor at the Florida International University College of Business. Mr. Arista is admitted to The Florida Bar; District of Columbia Bar; United States Tax Court; United States Bankruptcy Court; United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Florida. He is a fully bilingual and bicultural Spanish speaker.
Professional Involvement:
Chair (2004-2005), Vice Chair (2003-2004), Member (2001-2003), The Florida Bar Committee on Relations with CPAs; Adjunct Professor, College of Business Administration, 2003 - 2005 and Executive Masters in Business Administration Program, Alvah Chapman Graduate School of Business, 2005-2006, Florida International University ; Member, Attorney's Title Insurance Fund, Inc.; Member, U.S. Activities of Foreigners and Tax Treaties Committee, American Bar Association Section of Taxation, 1998-1999; Member, American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants; Member, Cuban American Bar Association
Community Involvement:
Campaign Treasurer, Victoria Del Pino for Judge Campaign, 2006; Military Academy Nominations Selection Committee, U.S. Senator Mel Martinez, 2005, Board of Directors & Fundraising Committee, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., 2003 - 2007; Torch Award, Florida International University Alumni Association, 2003; Pro Bono Award, Dade County Bar Association and Eleventh Judicial Circuit Put Something Back Bankruptcy Program, 2003 & 2004; Board of Directors & Treasurer, Florida International University Alumni Association, College of Business Chapter, 2001 - 2003; Judge, Florida International University, CBA Net-Biz Challenge Business Plan Competition, 2002, New Venture Challenge, 2004 & 2006; Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Recognition, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, 1996; Académico Asociado, Academia de Ciéncias Económicas y Sociales Conde de Pozos Dulces, Antiguo Alumnos del Colegio de La Salle de Vedado, Habana, Cuba
Articles, Publications and Lectures:
Demystifying Asset Protection Vehicles, National Business Institute, November 2007; LLC Trends and Developments, National Business Institute, September 2007; Advanced Asset Protection Strategies, National Business Institute, July 2007; Asset Protection and Liability Minimization for Business Owners, South Miami / Kendall Bar Association Meeting, February 2007; Choice of Business Entity, Florida Bar Midyear Meeting, January 2007; Choice of Business Entity, Florida Institute of CPAs, Miami-Dade Chapter, January 2007; From a Caterpillar to a Butterfly - Converting Corporations to LLCs, Cuban American Bar Association Newsletter - Winter 2006-2007; Essential Skills for Drafting LLC Agreements, National Business Institute, September 2006; Panelist, Wells Fargo Wealth Building Workshop, May 2006; Advanced Issues in LLC Formation and Operation in Florida, National Business Institute, June & September 2005; Legal Issues for Accountants, Florida Institute of CPAs, Broward Chapter, May 2005; Analysis and Application of Advanced Principles in Florida Section 1031 Transactions, National Business Institute, May 2005; LLC and LLP Issues in Florida, National Business Institute, November 2004 (available online at West LegalEdCenter); Panelist, Corporate Governance: An Executive Update, National Association of Corporate Directors, May 27, 2004; Advanced LLC Issues in Florida, National Business Institute, May 2004 (available online at West LegalEdCenter); Lecturer, Florida International University School of Accounting Continuing Professional Education Program, 2002 - 2007; Lecturer, Alpha Kappa Psi Annual Accounting & Auditing Continuing Professional Education Seminar, 2002 - 2007; Panelist, Venture Capital in Latin America, U.S. ? Argentina Strategic Partners Conference, U.S. Department of Commerce & The Republic of Argentina, March 2001; Program Chair, Counseling Business Clients Regarding Privacy: A Guide for Attorneys and Accountants, The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education, May 28, 2003; Quoted, "For Your Eyes Only", Florida Bar News, April 30, 2003; Quoted, "Kimball [Real Estate] Forecast", Daily Business Review, February 21, 2003; Interviewed, Hoy en el Mundo, Telemundo, May 27, 2004
Education:
Juris Doctor, University of Miami School of Law: Managing Editor, University of Miami Tax Law Chronicle; Certified Legal Intern, U.S. Customs Service, Office of the Associate Chief Counsel, Miami, Florida. International and Comparative Corporate Law Program, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, San Lorenzo del Escorial, Spain, St. Thomas University School of Law. Bachelor of Accounting, Florida International University: Beta Alpha Psi, National Financial Honor Society; Co-Chair, Community Service Committee |
