Fowler White Burnett, P.A. announced today that Ms. Kristen M. Lynch and Ms. Leticia Vega have joined the firm as its newest shareholders. Working out of Fowler White Burnett’s downtown Ft. Lauderdale office and their downtown Miami office, respectively, Lynch and Vega’s practice will focus on estate planning, planned giving, probate, guardianship administration, retirement planning, and IRA matters.
With over twenty-four years experience, Ms. Lynch brings a broad range of experience to the firm. Before becoming a practicing attorney, Ms. Lynch worked as Vice President and Divisional IRA Manager for the Private Client Services Group at SunTrust Bank, and for Merrill Lynch Trust Company as Vice President and Senior Trust Officer responsible for New Business Acceptance. Ms. Lynch is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor as well as a Certified IRA Services Professional and has had a keen focus on high net worth IRA clients over the last twenty years.
Ms. Lynch was previously a shareholder with Ruden McClosky and Greenspoon Marder. She obtained her Accredited Estate Planner designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Council. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center and her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Central Florida. Ms. Lynch is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is a Legal-Post-mortem IRAs Expert Witness with Westlaw’s Round Table Group’s expert network.
In addition, Ms. Lynch is a member of the Planned Giving Advisory Board for the American Lung Association of Florida and was recognized with the Outstanding Board Member of the Year Award. She also serves on the Planned Giving Council and Endowment Board for Nova Southeastern University. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the University of Miami, Broward County; of the Board of Directors of the Alvin Sherman Library Circle of Friends, and of the Community Foundation of Broward’s Professional Advisor Council. Ms. Lynch is also very involved with the Florida Bar's Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, serving as a member of its Executive Council. She is the immediate past chair of the IRA and Employee Benefits Committee, and continues to serve as Chair of its Sponsorship Committee and Co-Editor of the Section column in the Florida Bar Journal. In 2011, Ms. Lynch received the Section's Annual Service Award for her contributions to the Section.
Ms. Leticia Vega’s practice focuses on the representation of individuals and families in all aspects of estate, tax and wealth transfer planning. She also represents fiduciaries, beneficiaries and other interested parties in estate, trust and guardianship matters. Her probate practice includes representation of fiduciaries and individuals in both taxable and non-taxable estates, including preparation of federal estate tax returns and fiduciary accountings, trust administration matters and counsels clients in post-mortem planning techniques including trust reformations and modifications.
Ms. Vega represents clients in income tax matters, including domestic and foreign tax matters and planning, and corporate transactions. She also represents individual, estate, and corporate clients in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service, The Florida Department of Revenue, and local government entities regarding audits, collections, and other disputes. In addition, Ms. Vega represents tax-exempt organizations, including private foundations, in their organization and operation.
Ms. Vega comes to Fowler White Burnett from Ruden McClosky and Greenspoon Marder where she was an associate in their Trust & Estates and Tax Practice Groups. She earned her Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Miami School of Law. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from St. Thomas University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida International University. She is an active member of The American Bar Association; the Cuban American Bar Association; the Miami-Dade County Bar Association – Young Lawyers Section; the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law and the Young Tax Lawyers Sections of The Florida Bar.
The team is further enhanced by paralegal – Teresa L. Norvell, who has also joined Fowler White Burnett. The nineteen year legal veteran has worked with Ms. Lynch and Ms. Vega over the last six years. She has experience in trust administration, 706 preparation, estate planning preparation, probate/guardianship administration and litigation. Ms. Norvell holds a Juris Doctor degree from St. Thomas University. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Palm Beach Atlantic University and an Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies from South University. She is currently a candidate for a Master of Business Administration degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University.