Faculty Bios
Please click on the links below to view each faculty bio*.
SALLY AMIRGHAHARI
Sally Amirghahari has worked in the legal areas of Tax, Estate Planning, General Business, Contract, Corporate Law and Tax Dispute Resolutions since 1985 in California’s Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Her experience in Tax and Estate Planning includes preparation of wills, revocable living trusts, irrevocable insurance trusts, power of attorney for health care, power of attorney for assets, family limited partnerships, family gifting strategies and other estate planning strategies. She is also Senior Editor and Director of Online Education for International Business Law Services (IBLS) in California.
She is a California Notary Public and member of the National Notary Association. Amirghahari is also a member of Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, International and an alumnus of GGU and CSUF. She has a Master of Law in taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law, a Juris Doctor from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law, and a Bachelor’s Degree with Honors from California State University, Fulerton. Professor Amirghahari is fluent in Farsi.
WILLIAM ANDREWS
Dr. William Lee Andrews III is an international tax attorney, educator, scholar, and entrepreneur. As a recognized authority on global fiscal planning, Dr. Andrews works closely with the top legal and financial companies in the world. He operates his own law practice, is a lead online Professor at an M.B.A. program, and an adjunct LL.M. International Tax Professor and J.S.D Supervisor. As an attorney, he is licensed both in the Commonwealth of Virginia and in the Commonwealth of Dominica, serving inter alia as outside general counsel to various global entities and as Board Chairman for EPI-USE America, Inc. An honors student who majored in economics, Dr. Andrews received his B.A. from Washington & Lee University as well as an M.B.A. from the College of William & Mary.
His legal training consists of an LL.M. in Tax, with a concentration in international tax, from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he achieved the high award of "Distinction," and a J.D. and LL.M. in International Tax from Regent University School of Law where he also was an International Tax Fellow. Dr. Andrews also is an ordained minister, holding degrees of Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry. To the benefit of his employees and associates, he has always applied his theological training to sound business and legal practices and has written extensively in this regard. He has previously worked closely with La Salle Street legend, R. Marshall Barnes, as a licensed securities principal and investment banker.
Dr. Andrews is adept at founding companies and pioneering new concepts. He has "birthed" or played a major role in spawning some 23 companies. Andrews Hunter Company has supplied a range of stores, from Brookstone and Hammacher Schlemmer to K-Mart, with proprietary products. Dr. Andrews is a prolific writer, having authored a number of articles on subjects such as space tax law, E-commerce, and international tax. He recently completed a book on the Taxation of Space Commerce for Kluwer Law International.
Dr. Andrews has been a member of the ABA, American Society of International Law, International Bar Association, International Fiscal Association, International Tax Planning Association, and Virginia State Bar Section on Taxation. His language capabilities encompass Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Spanish. Outside the international tax arena Dr. Andrews devotes time to his family, weight lifting, and ministerial pursuits.
ROBERT ANTHONY
Professor Robert Anthony is the Principal Partner of Anthony & Cie, an International Tax Planning Professional practice headquartered in France.
He is a British Chartered Certified Accountant and a Professor at Saint Thomas University School of Law in Miami (USA), and Valenciennes University Schools of Law (France), International Business Law Services Faculty in Los Angeles (USA). In this capacity, Professor Anthony has enlightened his students on the practical business practices with the fiscal legal consequences springing forth from the Internet.
Professor Anthony is a member of the International Fiscal Association and the International Tax Planners Association. He has submitted large number of publications to various professional journals such as Tax Analysts, Accounting & Business, French Property News, FT Expat, International Tax Report, La Tribune, Riviera Times, Shore to Shore, Sunday Business Post, Taxation Practitioner, Tax Planning International, l'agefi Switzerland, and many others over the years. He also authored the book "International Fiscal Strategy," published by Monitor Press in London in March 1998.
GORDON T. BUTLER
Gordon T. Butler has published more than five law reviews on taxation issues in the last years. From 1987 to 1990, he was Partner at the AV-rated law firm of Seeley & Butler in Ohio. His practice was focused on general corporate law, business law, and litigation. During 10 years, he was Senior Attorney at Anchor Hocking Corporation in Ohio. He also has five years experience in private law practice in Atlanta, Georgia, concentrating in the acquisition and disposition of small businesses, corporate and business law, tax, security law, contracts, bankruptcy and civil litigation.
Butler obtained his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University, and his J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas. He also holds a M.B.A. from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and a B.A. from Georgia Institute of Technology. He is member of the Georgia, Ohio and Texas Bar. He has been Associate professor at St. Thomas University School of Law for 12 years, teaching courses such as Federal Income Tax, Corporations, Corporate Finance and Wills and Trusts.
CHARLES ARTHUR CAIN
Charles Arthur Cain, MA FCIB TEP, is an economist and a banker. Mr. Cain worked for various companies such as Barclays Bank DCO, an international bank in Africa, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. He has also worked for Alex Lawrie Factor limited and Slater Walter (Isle of Man) Ltd., where he was the Chief Executive. In 1975 he founded his own trust company, Charles Cain & Co. Ltd. In 1995, Cain became Editor of Offshore Investment, a widely-read magazine catering for the practitioners in the offshore financial and fiduciary industry. Cain has been active in Isle of Man politics, serving in the House of Keys, and playing an active part in Government, He is a well-known figure in politics, with forthright opinions, especially in economic matters and on the accountability of the need for training of Government officials with responsibility in economic and regulatory matters.
Cain was appointed adjunct professor for St. Thomas University School of Law in 2000, teaching a course on International Taxation. In 2001, he was a Visiting Professor at the Isle of Man International Business School. Cain is a frequent writer and speaker. His most recent publication was published in 2003 by Jordan's and is titled 'Guarantee and Hybrid Companies in the Isle of Man', which examines the usage of mutual companies in an International context.
BECKETT GORDON CANTLEY
Beckett Gordon Cantley is an Assistant Professor of Law (tenure track) at St. Thomas University School of Law. He has taught four J.D. level courses, including Estate Planning, Property I, Property II and Agency & Partnership. Cantley has taught several courses in the Graduate Tax Program (LL.M.), including: Thesis Seminar I, Offshore Financial Centers, International Tax Planning, Tax I, Civil Tax Procedure, Tax II, and Partnership Tax. He also serves on the Faculty Technology Committee at St. Thomas.
Cantley is widely-published on various tax law subjects, including the following law review articles: "The Tax Shelter Disclosure Act: The Next Battle in the Tax Shelter War" (University of Virginia Tax Review), "United States v. KPMG: Does Section 6103 Allow the IRS to Put Taxpayer Names on the Front Page of the Wall Street Journal?" (Cleveland State Law Review), "Corporate Inversions: Will the REPO Act Keep Corporations from Moving to Bermuda?" (University of Houston Business and Tax Law Journal), "Taxation Expatriation: Will the Fast Act Stop Wealthy Americans from Leaving the United States?" (Akron Law Review), "How Long Must One Stay in the USVI to be Considered a ‘Resident' to Qualify for the 90% Residency Tax Credit?" (Florida State University Journal of Transnational Law & Policy),"The New Congressional Attack on Offshore Rabbi Trusts" (Oregon Review of International Tax),"The New Tax Shelter Opinion Letter Regulations: Cutting Back a Client's Ability to Rely on the Advice of His Counsel" (Akron Tax Review), "The New Tax Information Exchange Agreement: What Effect Will the New Agreement Have" (University of Houston Business and Tax Law Journal) and "The New Dividend Tax Cut: Bush's Prescription for Rescuing the Economy" (Akron Tax Review).
Cantley received his B.A. degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Cantley received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, California. Graduating in the Top 10% of his class, he received the American Jurisprudence Award for Corporations and the book award for White Collar Crime. Cantley received his LL.M. degree in Taxation from the University of Florida, College of Law, graduating near the top of his class. He formerly served as a shareholder in the Miami office of a national boutique tax law firm. His practice focused on the fields of income tax planning, international taxation, estate planning, corporations, gift tax, partnerships, wills and trusts, probate and general federal and state taxation. Cantley is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Estate and Gift Tax Committee of the American Bar Association, the Committee on Financial Transactions of the American Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and has been admitted to the Supreme Court of Georgia and the U.S. Tax Court. He is a supporter of the arts and serves on the Board of Directors of the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach, Florida.
KITHSIRI L. DE SILVA
Kithsiri L. De Silva is revenue official that specializes on the taxation of multinational enterprises. He commenced his tax career as an assessor in the Sri Lankan Department of Inland Revenue where he worked for 11 years specializing in tax intelligence. The Commonwealth Fund subsequently assigned him to the Technical Cooperation (CFTC) as a tax expert to the Department of Taxes, Kenya. After his stint in Kenya, he joined the Department of Taxes, Kenya. Then, he joined the Department of Taxes in Botswana where he worked for 16 years and served as assistant commissioner in charge of the investigation and intelligence division. During this period, he conducted and concluded several highly-successful investigations of large multinational companies operating in South Africa. De Silva immigrated with his family to New Zealand and is presently employed as an investigator at the Corporate Segment of the Department of Inland Revenue, New Zealand.
De Silva has devoted much of his time to teaching taxation. He has lectured at the Academy of Administrative studies in Sri Lanka, the Department of Taxes and Institute of Bankers in Botswana, and the Institute of International Taxation in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the invitation of the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators in 1996, he presented a paper on the taxation of multinational enterprises at the 17th CATA technical conference held in Harare, Zimbabwe. He has trained Revenue officials in Botswana, Zambia and Swaziland on Tax intelligence and the investigation of multinational enterprises.
De Silva's research papers on taxation have focused on developing countries and covered administrative and organizational aspects of tax intelligence and investigation work. His paper on Botswana's Corporate Tax Intelligence System was published by the IBFD. He has presented papers on Sub Saharan Taxation, transfer pricing and the investigation of multinational companies in Africa at international seminars and conferences.
Between government contracts, De Silva has worked as a tax consultant to several companies in Sri Lanka. This has tempered his view of Taxation, giving him an insight and an appreciation of the view of tax as seen from the taxpayer's perspective. De Silva is an honors graduate of the University of Ceylon.
RICHARD DUKE
J. Richard Duke is a Vestavia Hills (suburb of Birmingham) lawyer whose practice is unique to Alabama. Born and raised in Lineville, Alabama, he is the Principal of Duke Law Firm, P.C., a small niche law firm that has developed an international practice, working with clients and other professionals around the world since 1992. Duke Law Firm represents private banking departments of foreign banks and foreign financial institutions in providing guidance for U.S. persons who want their money managed either directly or through established foreign structures (such as foreign trusts, foreign corporations, foreign limited liability companies or foreign insurance products). The firm ensures that clients and prospective clients, including foreign banks and foreign financial institutions, are compliant with the newly adopted USA Patriot Act, the withholding and qualified intermediary rules under U.S. regulations and "Know Your Customer" rules of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Duke Law Firm also represents clients on investments into the U.S. (inbound planning), in addition to representing U.S. private clients in international estate planning, foreign business tax planning, international asset protection planning, investing through foreign banks or foreign investment management institutions, and accessing the worldwide market and international insurance products. Duke Law Firm has also been engaged by professionals to represent clients who are being audited by the IRS with respect to international transactions.
He is member of the Committee of Academic Advisors and Visiting Professor of Law Graduate International Taxation (LL.M.) Program, Miami, Florida; Adjunct Professor of Law at the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University (International Tax and Asset Protection Planning). He was also member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the ASSET PROTECTION JOURNAL, A Panel Publication, Aspen Publishers, Inc., (New York, New York, 1999-2002); member of the Editorial Advisory Board of VAULT, O.F.C. Publications Inc., (Quebec, Canada); co-author of Offshore Tax Strategies newsletter; editorial advisor to Global Asset Protection, Global E-Commerce Monitor and Asset Protection Forum.
Professor Duke is a member of the American Bar Association; the Alabama State Bar; the Florida Bar; Auburn University Bar Association (member, Board of Directors); and Birmingham Bar Association; International Tax Planning Association; Member and Distinguished Fellow of The Royal Society Of Fellows (RSOF) (2002-); Member of the Faculty Advisory Board, Royal Society Of Fellows Law Review; Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners; International Tax Planning Association; The Offshore Institute, 1994-1999; International Bar Association (Section on Business Law; Committee on Taxes); Inter-American Bar Association; Tax Section of the American Bar Association (Committee on Corporate Stockholders' Relationships, 1975-1977; Committee on Closely Held Corporations, 1977-1990; Committee on Individual Investments and Workouts, 1995-); Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association (Committee on Asset Protection Planning, 1997-; International Estate Planning Committee, 1999-); International Law and Practice Section of the American Bar Association (Committees on International Taxation, 1995-; and Committee of International Private Client Planning, 1995-); Tax Section of the Alabama State Bar and The Florida Bar; Samford University Professional Advisors Council (1996-).
He has a Master of Law in Taxation from the University of Miami, School of Law, a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Cumberland School of Law of Samford University, and a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, from Auburn University.
Professor Duke has published numerous law reviews and articles on Taxation, Compliance, Trusts and Estates, including: Chapters, Tax Compliance and Reporting For Offshore Trusts and Uses of Foreign Life Insurance in International Estate Planning, Asset Protection Strategies: Planning with Domestic and Offshore Entities (The American Bar Association, 2002); U.S. Tax Treatment of Low-Tax Jurisdictions, International Taxation of Low-Tax Transactions, Bureau of National Affairs International Inc. (London, England, 1996); chapter entitled Use of Trusts by U.S. Citizens in International Tax Planning, Trust in Prime Jurisdictions, Kluwer Law International (The Hague/London/Boston, 2000).
MICHAEL EULA
Michael Eula is a cum laude graduate with a degree in history from Rutgers University. He holds two masters' degrees and a Ph.D. in history from the University of California, specializing in economic history. Professor Eula earned his J.D. from Newport University School of Law in California, and completed the LL.M. in international taxation at Regent University School of Law in May of 2003. He has served as an Administrative Law Judge in Riverside County, California, since 1999. He is currently a full-time professor of history and American Studies in the College Honors Program at El Camino College in Torrance, California, and has been on the faculty since 1989. He has been a Visiting Assistant Professor of History at the University of California. In addition, he has been a Visiting Associate Professor of History at Chapman University in California.
He has published 27 scholarly books, articles, and book reviews in a variety of areas, including political theory, military strategy, and economic history. Eula has been named a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow three times, and has received numerous grants for his research, including grants from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the University of California. He has served in three branches of the United States military: active duty in the Coast Guard (stationed as a search and rescue boat coxswain in southern Florida in the 1970s), and then went on to service as a reservist in first Naval, and then Army, intelligence.
He is currently practicing international tax law, and combining his practice with scholarly activities on the fields of law and economics.
JOHN HODGSON
John Hodgson is an adjunct professor for the St. Thomas University LL.M. Tax Program and a member of the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), International Bar Association, International Tax Planning Association, Gibraltar Bar Association and a member of Hong Kong Society of Notaries.
Hodgson is a Solicitor and for Livasire & Co. doing commercial legal practice whose clients were predominantly mainland Chinese conglomerates, and many of them PRC state-owned or red-chip corporations, involved in a wide-range of domestic and international business. Mr. Hodgson now practices in Gilbraltar where he is registered as a sole practitioner. He is also a group legal director of the Sovereign Group and a director of a number of its subsidiary companies.
ALWYN DE KOKER
Alwyn de Koker is Professor of Taxation in the School of Accountancy in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He is a member of the Committee of Academic Advisors and Adjunct Professor at the St Thomas University School of Law and was formerly an Honorary Professor in the School of Law at Regent University, Virginia Beach, USA.
He is an Executive Board member of the Royal Society of Fellows and an Advisory Board member of the Foundation for Fiscal Studies. He is also an Advisory board member of the Royal Society of Fellows Law Review.
He obtained his Bachelors degree in accounting from the University of Cape Town and holds a Master of Commerce in Taxation and a Higher Diploma in Taxation from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Professor de Koker is a member of the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board in South Africa and a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accounts. He is also a Vice-President of the Offshore Institute in Geneva, Switzerland.
Professor de Koker has received significant awards such as Distinguished Lecturer. He has delivered papers on his area of expertise, international tax, at various conferences worldwide. He has published extensively and is the author, amongst others, of the definitive tax work entitled Silke on South African Income Tax and the Silke Tax Yearbook as well as co-author of Value-Added Tax in South Africa published by Lexis-Nexis.
PROFESSOR GEORGE S. MENTZ
Professor George S. Mentz, JD, MBA, CWMTM, CAMTM, CTEPTM, CPMTM, MFPTM, is the first person in the United States to achieve "Quad Designation Status" as a JD, MBA, licensed Master Financial Planner Professional, and Certified Financial Consultant. Professor Mentz is presently serving as President and Professor for The American Academy of Financial Management WorldwideTM. He and his companies have consulted with Wall Street firms, trained thousands of financial professionals, and instructed and presented strategies to several hundred thousand people internationally on wealth management, financial planning, E-commerce, and estate planning. Professor Mentz is a Licensed Attorney and Counselor of Law (LA), and has researched, published, and presented worldwide in multiple venues such as television, radio, journals, magazines, websites, national conferences and more. He also holds faculty appointments in California, Colorado, Chicago, Florida, Dubai, Singapore, UAE, and several others. In years past, he was Editor and Faculty Advisor for the Original Tax and Estate Planning Law Review.
Professor Mentz has recently received a national faculty award for online teaching, a distinguished faculty award for online teaching excellence, and a meritorious service medal from a charitable organization. He is certified in online course instruction and in online course development. Professor Mentz is the author or editor for over 22 published books and training manuals and has held board positions to the International Advisory Board of the Global Finance Forum in Switzerland, the World E-Commerce Forum in London, The ERISA Fiduciary Guild, and the AML Committee for ICA USA. Professor Mentz has also been accepted as an Expert in NASD Arbitration. He is a member of the KGLG Class Action and Securities Law Firm where over 18,000 people have sought his legal counsel in the last few years.
He has been quoted and featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Hindu National, El Norte Latin America, the Financial Times, The China Daily, & The Arab Times. His research, publications, and speeches have been syndicated into over 100 countries.
DR. ROBERT MUNRO
Dr. Robert Munro is the Co-Director of the Center for International Financial Crimes Studies at the College of Law, University of Florida, and a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Research for North America of CIDOEC at Jesus College, Cambridge University.
He holds a Masters degree from the University of Iowa and LSU, a Juris Doctor from the College of Law of the University of Iowa, a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, and has done further graduate studies at Jesus College, Cambridge University, Oxford University and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies of the University of London. He is the author of 23 published books including the five-volume MONEY LAUNDERING, ASSET FORFEITURE AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRIMES and the three-volume CYBERCRIME AND SECURITY.
His expertise is concentrated on International Financial Crimes, Organized Crime and Intelligence Analysis and he has addressed audiences at Cambridge University, the University of Florida, the University of London, the CIA and the U.S. State Department. He has also created, organized and chaired over 20 conferences on these topics in Miami, Aruba, Curacao, the Bahamas, Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. He is a Barrister and an Attorney at Law.
BASIL NEVIL NEWTON
Basil Newton obtained his B. Procurationis (equivalent to the Juris Doctor degree in the United States) from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and his LL.M. in South African Taxation from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation in Amsterdam conferred him a Research Fellowship in International Taxation. He is an adjunct professor to the Master of Laws Program in International Taxation at two United States Universities. He has previously lectured on the OECD and United Nations Model Double Taxation Conventions and Transfer Pricing at Stellenbosch University. Newton has submitted papers on International and South African aspects of transfer pricing, thin capitalization and double taxation. He has been to conventions at the University of Cape Town and International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation, Amsterdam. Newton has also prepared diploma courses in international tax issues, which are to be published by Kluwer law publishers.
He currently lectures in the field of double taxation conventions, international tax planning, and trust law and taxation aspects thereto as well as consulting in international tax structuring.
ANA PENN
Ana Penn is the CEO and Executive Director of International Business Law Services (IBLS), headquartered in Irvine, California. The service is designed to help business and legal professionals understand Internet laws and regulations. IBLS provides worldwide interactive source of information and counsel for legal issues relating to the Internet. Penn coordinates and directs IBLS' legal and management teams, consisting of law professors, attorneys, finance, marketing and IT professionals. She also teaches law courses at St. Thomas University, School of Law, Miami, Florida, and Nova Southeastern University, Wayne Huizenga Graduate School of Business and entrepreneurship in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Professor Penn has a Master of Law in International Banking and Financial law from Boston University, School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts; a Master of Law in Taxation from Golden Gate University, School of Law in California and a Juris Doctor degree from Western State University, College of Law in California. She also studied European Community law at Cambridge University, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, England. She frequently lectures at European Schools and conferences throughout the United States.
ROY ROHATGI
Roy Rohatgi is a recognized attorney from Calcuta University in India. He holds a B.S.C with a major in Economics from London University, England. Professor Rohatgi is a Fellow of both the Institute of Charter Accountant of England and Wales, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India. He worked for Arthur Andersen & Co. in London, and founded and directed its Indian branch. Rohatgi has built a solid reputation for his regular writings on international Taxation issues, published in professional journals and conferences in India and abroad. He is currently writing a book on International Taxation to be published by Kluwer Law.
DANIEL SCHWARTZ RIBBENS
Daniel Ribbens obtained his B.A. and LL.B from the Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, and his LL.M. and D.C.L (Doctor in Civil Law) from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. He holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University. He has a thesis titled "In Quest of the Appropriate Code for the Ideal Form for the Proprietary Business." Professor Ribbens has been a Public Prosecutor for the Department of Justice in Hohannesburg; Commercial Law attorney for top law firms in Johannesburg for more than 20 years, and Legal Advisor for the Merchant Bank and Stockbrokers in Johannesburg. As legal advisor for the Merchant Bank, he acted as liaison between the Merchant Bank's attorneys and the Listings Committee of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. From 1986 to 1994, he worked as Intellectual Property Attorney for a law firm in Pretoria. His expertise is concentrated in the areas of commercial law, corporate finance, company law, stock exchange listings, debentures, schemes of arrangements, takeover bids and share incentive schemes.
His successful law practice has been combined with a prominent teaching experience. From 1975 to 1985 he was Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor of Company, Partnership and Insolvency Law at the University of South Africa. From 1987 to 1992, he was part-time lecturer of Company and Partnership Law at the University of Cape Town. He was also part-time lecturer in Trust and Legal Entities, Derivatives Actions, Class and Public Interest Actions at the International Law and Tax Institute in Johannesburg.
Professor Ribbens has conducted numerous conferences in his expertise areas worldwide. He has published law reviews and a great number of other legal writings.
GORDON ROBERT RUSSELL
Gordon Russell obtained his J.D. from the University of New Mexico, his LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario (graduated in top 20 of his class), and his M.L.S. from Brigham Young University. He graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University where he obtained his B.A. in History and Political Science.
Professor Russell was Associate Professor and Director of Library & Information Technology at Southern New England School of Law. He was also Associate Professor and Associate Law Library Director of University of New Mexico Law Library. Professor Russell was Head of Public Services of the University of New Mexico Law Library for three years, and Head of Reference Department at the University of Miami Law Library for two years.
Professor Russell has extensive experience teaching advanced legal research; advance electronic research; interviewing, negotiation and Counseling; and legal research and writing.
ALAN STORY
Alan Story obtained his law degree from York University, Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Canada, and his LL.M. degree from Cornell University Law School in New York. He worked as Chief of the Ontario Government Legislative Bureau from 1988 to 1989. He was Chief of the Atlantic Provinces Bureau for four years in Halifax. Professor Story has extensive teaching experience in Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Computer Law, Property, Trusts, and Equity Law. He has taught at Kent Law School, University of Kent, Canterbury; St. Thomas University School of Law, Miami; University of Hull Law School, Hull; and Cornel University Law School.
Professor Story has received significant awards such us, Lord Wedderburn Prize, best article by a younger legal scholar in the Modern law Review, for Compensation for Banned Handguns: Indemnifying ‘Old Property', Modern Law Review; Cornell Law School Cornel University Graduate Tuition-Waiver Fellowship, Andrew J. Shroder II and Charlotte Shroder Teaching Assistantship; Osgoode Hall Law School, Ivan Cleveland Rand Scholarship, Part-time LL.M. program Award. Cassels, Brock, and Blackwell Centennial Prize (highest standing in Constitutional Law, Bassel, Sullivan, and Leake Prize in Civil Procedure 1 (highest standing in civil procedure 1; Journalism, Atlantic Canada Journalism Awards: Honorable mention for enterprise Reporting (Criminal Law Reporting of Donald Marshall case), Concerned Friends of Ontario, Media Award; and the Toronto Star investigative series on nursing home regulation in Ontario.
He has written recognized law review articles and papers on Intellectual Property, Trademarks, Security and Privacy Issues, and Property Law.
GEORGE SUMERFIELD
George Sumerfield has been a practicing attorney at STADHEIM & GREAR, Chicago, Illinois since 2000. He is responsible for all phases of intellectual property licensing, litigation and appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He has worked as Intellectual Property attorney at HILL & SIMPSON PC, Chicago. He also worked as Intellectual Property attorney for RADER, FISHMAN & GRAUER in Chicago. Professor Sumerfield worked for the Intellectual Property Department of PENNIE & EDMONDS in Washington, D.C. He completed a full-bright fellowship at the OFFICE FOR INVENTIONS AND TRADEMARKS, Bucharest, Rumania. He was also an investigative attorney at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Professor Sumerfield worked as Intellectual Property attorney for Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett.
He obtained his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School and is member of the Bar Associations, U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Federal and Seventh Circuits; U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of California, the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the District of Connecticut, the District of Arizona, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Northern District of Texas; the United States Court of Federal Claims; and the State of Michigan; American Bar Association; American Intellectual Property Law Association; International Federation of Intellectual Property Law Counselors (FICPI).
THOMAS GIONIS
Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, a United States Fulbright Scholar in Law, United States Fulbright Senior Specialist Program, serves as Chairman of the American Board of Healthcare Law and Medicine, and is an Adjunct Professor of Law, St. Thomas University School of Law ( Miami, Fl) in the Walter H. and Dorothy B. Diamond International Tax LL.M. Program where he obtained his LL.M. degree. Dr. Gionis previously taught International Health Law and Human Rights as an Adjunct Professor of Law at STU. While obtaining his LL.M. at STU, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Royal Society of Fellows Law Review, the official publication and law review of the International Tax LL.M. Program at STU and the Royal Society of Fellows. Additionally, Dr. Gionis is a Fellow of the American College of Legal Medicine; Fellow, International College of Surgeons; and Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons.
After completing high school at 16 years of age, Dr. Gionis completed approximately three and one half years of college in one year, and started medical school at 17 years of age. He received his M.D. degree at 21, in 1975, from the Medical University of South Carolina, whereupon Dr. Gionis was reported as the youngest person in the United States to complete this accomplishment. Dr. Gionis trained in general, thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Tulane Medical Center - Charity Hospital, New Orleans, La., and completed his Emergency Medicine Research Fellowship at Harvard University - Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dr. Gionis received his J.D. from the John Marshall Law School, Chicago, cum laude. He was a member of his law school's Dean's List for every semester, was in the upper five in class standing, was a member of the Honors Program and was selected as the Editor-in-Chief of the John Marshall Law Review. Dr. Gionis is a member of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Honors Society. Within one year of graduation from law school, Dr. Gionis published three law reviews articles (John Marshall Law Review; Southern Illinois University Law Journal; American University Law Review). Concurrent with his first year of law school studies in Chicago, Dr. Gionis completed the Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) program, at Seton Hall University, Center for Public Service. He delivered the Commencement address at the Seton Hall graduation. He also holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Business, where his thesis was selected for inclusion in the Graduate School of Business Library.
As a United States Fulbright Scholar in Law, Dr. Gionis lectures worldwide on the law of corporate director fiduciary duties; professional attorney ethics; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; international law; the international protection of human subjects of clinical research and experimentation; global commerce law and E-commerce, and the law of scientific evidence law. Dr. Gionis has lectured regularly at Harvard University for the past 14 years.
KNUT OLSEN
Knut Olsen has 25 years experience within taxation. He started his carrier as a tax and VAT inspector in Norway, a position he held for seven years, before he established his own account and tax-advising bureau. For four years he was a lecturer at Directorate of Taxes' education for County Tax Inspectors where he had the sole responsibility for the whole tax syllabus for second-year students. He was also lecturing at The Norwegian School of Management, Ostfold Regional College and Oslo Advanced College. Since 2005 PricewaterhouseCoopers has engaged him as a developer and lecturer of international tax courses for their employees.
Olsen is a Ph.D. student at Dundee University in Scotland, where his topic is within international petroleum taxation. He fulfilled a LL.M. in international taxation at St. Thomas University, Miami in 2003. He is also authorized as a legal service provider, (equal to a chartered tax advisor) and as an authorized account. Furthermore he has Special Subject Examination in Tax Law and three years of examination of law.
* Faculty are all Independent Contractors of the LL.M. Program who teach in specialized areas.