Jo Vanbelle

Education:

·    University : Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Louvain), Law School, Master of Laws cum laude

·    High school: Classical division Latin-Greek (final degree: 85%)

Professional qualifications:

·    Lawyer, Member of the Bar Association of Brussels (since 1995)

·    Deputy Judge (Juge de Paix & Juge de Police) in Brussels (since 2006)

·    Visiting Professor in  Law (since 1990)

·    Editor-in-Chief of “Jura Falconis”, law review of Louvain Law School (1992-1995) and of “Tijdschrift huurrecht”, law review on property and renting law (1995-1998)

·    Author of several (ca. 35) legal publications (books, essays, etc.), court case reviews on specific legal topics related to real estate, company law, and contracts, financial and banking law – some of which are still used as references within the industry.

Tax Law Practice:

·    (Inter)national tax planning and recommendations (direct taxes, VAT, local and regional taxes, European tax law, inheritance tax) for companies and high-net-worth individuals

·    Tax litigation (administration and courts)

·    Tax and financial criminal law

Vanbelle Law:

Vanbelle Law offers highly specialised advices, assistance and solutions for the professional market covering both (inter)national companies and enterprises wishing to establish, merge, acquire or improve their business in Belgium or elsewhere in Europe, or wanting to obtain tax and company advices, audit or assistance during court proceedings, rulings or international (tax or corporate) planning operations.

The firm also offers similar services to high-net-worth individuals or families in their quest for solutions or improvements regarding their assets and wealth, both privately held as through their companies or other legal structures.

Given its “boutique” size and solid partnerships, Vanbelle Law excels in offering fast, efficient, meticulous and personalised services covering Belgium and EU member states, within the legal field as well as in accounting, audit, financial analysis, real estate, notary, banking and insurance.

Vanbelle Law is located on the prestigious Avenue Louise in Brussels, from where all core services of the firm and its partners operate. The firm also keeps offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella.

 

Michael W. Hardgrove

Michael Hardgrove has provided international tax consulting, legal entity structuring and intangible property transaction services to numerous public and private companies with operations throughout the world.

Michael’s practice focuses on optimizing the potential benefits of international structures and business operations, including assessing international tax exposures, recommending efficient strategies, and executing the legal steps required to meet the primary objectives of minimizing costs, lowering tax rates and improving cash flows.

His team of lawyers, economists and tax professionals consistently deliver on achieving international tax and structuring objectives.  Whether driven by events such as equity transactions, business growth, new technology or product development.

This proactive and unique legal practice has often been recognized for its consistent capabilities in identifying opportunities, advocating defensible positions and advising on strategic approaches to manage international tax matters:

  • International Structuring: developed efficient global legal entity structures that created efficiencies, limited financial exposures, positioned intangible property rights and designed intercompany arrangements
  • Global Alignment: achieved M&A transaction value and synergies following deal closings by utilizing structural simplification, appropriate transfers of intangible property and streamlining of intercompany transactions
  • Regional Supply Chain: created efficiencies with centralization of procurement, manufacturing oversight and distribution, resulting in increased controls, improved standardization and enhanced profitability.
  • Controversy services: privileged and confidential advice, file memoranda, legal opinions, advanced tax agreement negotiations, tax audit defence, financial audit positions and tax appeals procedures

DLA Piper (Boston):

DLA Piper’s Boston office serves a variety of global, national and local clients, from leading multinational and national companies to emerging companies with cutting-edge technologies and investments. The office’s principal areas of practice are Real Estate, Litigation, Government Affairs, US and International Tax and Corporate and Finance.

As an integral part of the firm’s global presence, the Boston office offers experience in all practice areas that local, national and multinational clients seek when choosing a law firm. DLA Piper is located in all the most important and emerging markets domestically and internationally, positioning us as one of a few Boston firms able to serve our clients worldwide.

 

Juan Ignacio Fraschini

Juan Ignacio Fraschini is a founding partner at Innovation Tax & Trust since 2012. His area of expertise is International Tax Law.

From 1997 to 1999, Juan Ignacio worked at Uruguay XXI, the Institute for the Promotion of Investments and Exports, where he advised foreign investors and Uruguayan companies in commercial and tax matters.

Then, in 2002 Juan Ignacio has been working as Tax Advisor for the law firm Fraschini & Asociados, advising Uruguayan and foreign clients on national and international tax planning deals and structures; and in 2007, he began to represent EnterPricing Consulting in Uruguay, focusing on Transfer Pricing and other related services.

In 2009 he founded Diferencial Consulting, a boutique consulting firm, specialized in International Tax Planning;  He also did a joint venture with Tax and Finance Group for Latinamerica (2010).

Juan Ignacio is a Professor of National and International Tax Law at the University of Montevideo, for both graduate and under-graduate courses. He is also in charge of certain classes of the Latin-American International Tax Law course at the University of Complutense, Madrid.

Juan Ignacio studied Law at Uruguay’s Universidad de la República del Uruguay and graduated in 2002. He then studied Tax Law, Tax Planning and Transfer Pricing at the Universität Münster. He has also graduated from the Universität Konstanz in 2006 and is LLM in International Tax Law.

He speaks English, Spanish and German fluently.

At Innovation Tax & Trust, client´s are assess in their international expansions, cross-border investments and international operations. Such clients include multinational companies, SME companies, private equity groups, venture capital firms and private individuals, as well as professional firms and international associations.

With partners and affiliates in over 25 jurisdictions around the globe, Innovation provides access to a range of services that go from traditional tax and legal structures to local and abroad implementation services.

Confidentiality and transparency, as well as integrity, honesty and loyalty are some of Innovation Tax & Trust’s core values.

Innovation Tax & Trust provides expert knowledge and thoughtful planning in the legal and accountancy fields to enhance tax efficiency.