Statewide law firm Broad and Cassel LLP recently announced Partner Mauricio Rivero and Associate Belkenia Candelario have joined the firm’s Estate Planning and Trusts Practice Group and Taxation department in the Miami office. They will also be joined by their assistant Pilar Salgado.

Prior to joining the firm, Rivero was a partner in the tax and estate planning practice of Avila Rodriguez Hernandez Mena &Ferri LLP in Coral Gables. While there, he focused on international tax planning, business succession planning, probate and trust litigation, U.S. tax compliance, and tax controversy work.

“Mauricio and his team will play an integral role in bolstering the firm’s already strong estate planning and tax expertise in Miami and across the state,” said Miami Managing Partner Mark Raymond. “This is an area of law that we are seeing substantial growth in, and as a firm, we have placed a heavy emphasis on expanding in recent years. Rivero’s experience allows us to better serve our clients and help them navigate through the increasingly complex world of estate planning and taxation. The timing could not be more fitting given the recent tax law changes.”

Rivero has extensive experience servicing high-net-worth international families and businesses in the areas of inbound and outbound U.S. tax business planning, income tax treaty planning, expatriation, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate and partnership tax matters, succession planning, individualized pre-immigration plans for high-net-worth foreign individuals seeking to relocate to the U.S., and U.S. income and transfer tax aspects of foreign trusts and estates.

“I was drawn to Broad and Cassel because of the quality of people in the organization and the firm’s stellar reputation and tradition in Florida,” said Rivero. “My international tax and trust expertise will help the firm expand its corporate and estate planning practice, particularly in South Florida, while my clients will benefit from access to a full spectrum of services available across the law firm.”

Prior to working in private practice, Rivero spent 10 years working as a revenue agent for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He holds a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in history from Florida International University (FIU), and earned his juris doctor from FIU College of Law.

Active in various professional and community organizations, Rivero is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, American Bar Association Tax Section, Cuban American Bar Association, Greater Miami Tax Institute and the University of Miami Citizens Board. He is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge of Portuguese.

Rivero is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida.

Joining Rivero at Broad and Cassel is Associate BelkeniaCandelario. Prior to practicing with Rivero at Avila Rodriguez Hernandez Mena &Ferri LLP, Candelario worked as a tax associate at Ernst & Young. Candelario is also fluent in Spanish. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and earned her juris doctor and a master of laws in taxation from the University of Miami School of Law. Candelario is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida.

The addition of Rivero, Candelario and Salgado is the latest in a series of new hires for Broad and Cassel throughout the state. Recent hires include Of Counsel Donald Cunningham in Orlando; Associate Michael Lorigas in Fort Lauderdale; and Associate Trenton Parks in Boca Raton.

Broad and Cassel LLP established its founding office in Miami in 1946. The firm’s Miami attorneys focus their practices primarily in the following areas of law: Complex Commercial Litigation, including Real Estate and Securities Litigation, White Collar Defense and Compliance, Corporate and Finance both domestic and international, Real Estate and Eminent Domain, Bankruptcy, Health Law, Intellectual Property Litigation and Labor and Employment Law. Broad and Cassel has more than 170 lawyers and 200 support personnel located in 10 offices throughout the state of Florida. The firm has extensive experience in a wide variety of corporate practice areas and industries. For more information, please visit us online at www.BroadandCassel.com or on Twitter and Facebook.