Alumni Newsletter, Spring 2022

Former Buchanan colleague, Rhea Law, has been selected to serve as President of the University of South Florida. In a unanimous vote that took place in late March, the USF Board of Trustees named Rhea Law as the university’s eighth president and the first USF alum to fill the role. Rhea has been serving as interim president for the past seven months. Learn more about Rhea’s now role here.

Congratulations, Rhea!

I’d love to share with my former Buchanan colleagues that my first-ever book was published earlier this year, and it’s available coast-to-coast at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and wherever anyone likes to get their books. Written for parents and teachers, When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids reveals why Fred did what he did, how Fred did it, and why Fred’s tools for learning are more important than ever to help today’s kids thrive.

For more information: www.whenyouwonder.org or click here.

– Gregg Behr | The Grable Foundation; Co-Author of When You Wonder, You’re Learning

For those who may not be familiar with my post-law firm role, I am Managing Director and Head of Tax at Euclid Transactional, where I am responsible for leading Euclid’s tax insurance practice and developing bespoke, commercial solutions to diverse tax matters. Euclid Transactional is a leading underwriter of transactional insurance products used by strategic and financial investors to insure against breaches of representations and warranties in an acquisition agreement, uncertain tax positions, and contingent liabilities.

In November, several industry colleagues and I presented for PLI on understanding and deploying tax insurance, where we discussed the tactical uses of tax insurance to mitigate tax risk. For anyone who missed the live program, it is available on-demand – click here.

In mid-January, I presented at the 40th Annual FICPA - Florida Bar Tax Section International Tax Conference on Mitigating International Tax Risk. It was a very well-attended event and my first large, live conference since the pandemic began. I had a wonderful time discussing how to mitigate international tax risks with attorneys and CPAs from across the country.

I am a co-chair of the upcoming, Inaugural Tax Liability Insurance ExecuSummit on March 1-2 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. It should be an outstanding conference exploring all aspects of tax insurance and how it is a must-have mitigation tool for all tax practitioners. Additional information can be found here.

On a more personal note, our family recently grew with the addition of Bo Yellow Digger (“Diggy”), a very energetic bernedoodle puppy. At five months and 50 pounds, he’s already bigger than our boys. As many already know, two toddlers and a puppy certainly keep mom and dad on their toes.

I look forward to keeping in touch with everyone and hope to see some of you at the ExecuSummit in March. Please also feel free to use me as a resource should anyone need more information on any aspect of transactional liability insurance (representations and warranties, tax, or contingent).

– Justin Pierce Berutich | Managing Director – Head of Tax, Euclid Transactional, LLC

On December 30, 2021, I joined the Financial Restructuring and Bankruptcy Group at Offit Kurman in its office in Wilmington, Delaware. I became the President of the Board of Directors of the Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project effective January 1, 2022.

– Jeffrey Carbino | Principal, Offit Kurman, P.A.

I was elected as Vice-Chair of the Township of Pine Board of Supervisors.

– Ryan Colombo | Lead Counsel, FedEx Corporation

In January of 2022, I was elevated to Co-Leader of the Government Contacts & Disputes Practice Group at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

– David Dixon | Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

I was recently re-appointed Vice Chairperson of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Cybersecurity and Privacy Committee.

– Jeffrey Franklin | Attorney, Prince Law Offices, P.C.

In retirement I’ve been spending more time reading, golfing, watching grandchildren (2) and other such cliché type activities. I’m mostly reading history or biography and enjoyed “The Splendid and the Vile”, E. Larson; “Caste”, I Wilkerson, “Grant”, R. Chernow, “Churchill” A. Roberts, and “Say Nothing” P. Keefe. I’m about to read “Unconscious Putting”, D. Stockton for a second time, since my first reading lacks the desired result. If social client events become more normal for Buchanan during 2022, you will again be able to put your strong golf outing organizational skills back into play!

– Thomas Galey | Retired

Since leaving Buchanan to become a Deputy City Attorney for the City of Tampa, I’m busier than I could possibly have imagined. While the pandemic certainly presented challenges for everyone, local governments had some particularly unique issues to address. In addition to continuing to provide municipal services without interruption, we had to figure out how to conduct public hearings “virtually”, and how to navigate stay-at-home orders, facemask requirements and vaccine mandates in the politically charged atmosphere in which we dwell! I myself had a unique pandemic experience, as I was one of those city employees who never stopped working in the office, even during a period when many were teleworking. And in the midst of all this, Tampa continued to enjoy its building boom and its championships in sports - including the celebratory boat parades for which we’re becoming famous (photos attached)!

I really appreciate the Buchanan Bond program. It’s great to stay in touch with everyone, and now that people are getting out and about again, I look forward to seeing more of you in person!

– Andrea Zelman | Deputy City Attorney, City of Tampa