Lauren Detzel and David Akins Receive Top Rankings in Chambers HNW Guide 2018

Orlando, Fla. – Dean Mead announced today that Lauren Y. Detzel and David J. Akins have been ranked among the leading attorneys in Private Wealth Law by Chambers in its Chambers High Net Worth 2018 guide, which was recently released. Detzel ranks in the top tier Band 1 in Florida in the Chambers HNW Private Wealth Law category, distinguished among only 10 attorneys at this level for the entire state. Additionally, Detzel advanced to Band 2 for the Eastern Region of the United States for the category, positioning her among the top 25 lawyers in the region. Akins was selected among his peers to Band 3 for Private Wealth Law in Florida. Dean Mead also received high rankings for its overall Private Wealth legal capabilities throughout Florida.

From the HNW guide
Dean Mead’s estate and succession planning department provides a wide range of estate planning and wealth structuring advice. The team assists with business succession planning, wealth preservation strategies and charitable planning. “They have some of the most well-known tax lawyers in Florida. They are a terrific firm,” says a source.

Notable practitioners
Lauren Detzel chairs the firm’s estate and succession planning group. She is regarded as “an extremely capable lawyer with a lot of experience,” who is “very involved in the Florida Bar and ACTEC.” Detzel focuses on estate and succession planning using tax minimisation strategies for high net worth clients and family businesses. “She is definitely a smart lawyer and works very hard,” comments an interviewee.

David Akins advises individuals and non-profits on estate planning and fiduciary matters, trust and probate administration, tax planning and charitable gift planning. He has a “very good demeanour and is very good with clients,” asserts a source. Another interviewee says: “He has a great reputation, and he is a sharp estate planning lawyer.“

Detzel is the Chair of Dean Mead’s Estate and Succession Planning department. She specializes in techniques to reduce or avoid paying estate tax such as family limited partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), sales to intentionally defective trusts, charitable trusts, lifetime gifts and generation-skipping trusts. Particular emphasis includes planning for the succession of closely held or family business. She also handles many contested tax matters in the transfer tax area, ranging from audits of returns and administrative appeals within the IRS to Tax Court and Federal District Court litigation. Ms. Detzel handles the entire gamut of administration of estates and trusts, including contested matters of will and trust interpretation and reformation. To contact Lauren Detzel, please click here.

Akins practices in Dean Mead’s Estate and Succession Planning department in the Orlando office. He provides representation in the area of personal wealth planning, with an emphasis on gift planning, charitable planning, estate planning, probate, and the administration of estates and trusts. A significant portion of his practice is related to planning for family-owned and closely held businesses. He represents taxpayers in gift, estate and GST tax controversies with the IRS. Akins also represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in disputes involving estates and trusts. To contact David Akins, please click here.

About Chambers and Partners:
Chambers and Partners has dedicated the last 25 years to researching and ranking the world’s best lawyers. Chambers produces expert guides for the USA, UK, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Canada and Global market and are now featuring the Chambers High Net Worth guide – the first publication specifically aimed at the international private wealth market. The guide covers private wealth management work and related specialisms in key jurisdictions around the world, featuring in-depth editorial about the leading lawyers and law firms for wealthy individuals and families. To learn more, please visit: https://www.chambersandpartners.com/.