Withers Bergman LLP

International Wealth Planning

Of Counsel

Paul has over 35 years' experience focused on global planning matters. Paul is widely recognized for his practice in cross-border and entertainment tax planning. His clients have ranged broadly from high-net-worth individuals; foreign investors in U.S. real estate and other U.S.-situated assets; Americans with offshore investments, acquisitions and business activities; and actors, musicians, writers, producers, directors and agents; to film production and distribution companies; public and closely-held businesses; and financial institutions.

Paul's practice emphasizes entertainment taxation; international income taxation; international estate and gift tax planning; international estate administration; international wealth transfer planning; other international planning for high-net-worth individuals; inbound planning for businesses seeking to set up, acquire or dispose of, manufacturing, distribution, licensing or other operations in the United States; outbound planning for U.S. businesses establishing or acquiring foreign operations; international tax withholding; and cross-border tax reporting, compliance and controversy issues.

His practice includes U.S. real estate transactions involving foreign parties; international film production and distribution; United States and California withholding tax issues with respect to non-U.S. individuals, corporations and other foreign entities; planning for executives and other foreign individuals moving to or from the United States; income and estate tax planning for U.S. citizens moving abroad, with or without terminating their U.S. citizenship; and structuring for, and assisting with, the organization of, foreign corporations, foreign limited liability companies, foreign trusts and other foreign entities.

Paul writes and lectures regularly on international and other tax topics of interest to businesses and high net worth individuals. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer since 2004 and as a Best Lawyer since 2006. Paul is ranked as a Leading Individual in Tax in Chambers USA 2020, and was first ranked in 2004.

Paul is secretary of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP USA) and chair of the Los Angeles Branch (STEP Los Angeles). He is a past chair of the American Bar Association's International Private Client Committee, the California State Bar Association's International Tax Committee and the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Taxation Section.

STEP USA, Secretary

USC Tax Institute Planning Committee, Member

STEP Los Angeles, Founding Member, Immediate Past Chair

Los Angeles Chapter of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, Chair and Co-Founding Member

Los Angeles International Tax Club, Chair

USA Chapter of the International Fiscal Association, Member

State Bar of California, Member, Tax Section, Past Chair - International Tax Committee

Los Angeles International Tax Forum, Member

Jonathan Club of Los Angeles, Member

ABA, Past Chair - International Private Client Committee

ABA Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section, International Law Section Liaison

ABA, Member - International Law, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law and Taxation Sections

Past Chair and current Member, Taxation Section, Past Chair, LACBA's Foreign Tax Committee

Yale Club of Southern California, Past Director

Yale University, B.A.

Harvard Law School - 3L Exchange Program

University of California, Berkeley - School of Law, J.D.