Linda M. Kaplan | Attorney Profile

Overview of Experience and Education

Linda graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Florida and then entered the Management Training program at the First National Bank of Miami (Southeast Bank). She was elected an officer of the bank after three years. During her time at the bank, she took graduate courses in Finance from Florida International University. She returned to the University of Florida to earn a J.D. degree. After the J.D. program, she attended the postdoctoral LL.M. program at New York University where she earned an LL.M. in Taxation. This degree program is considered the top tax law program in the country.

When she first started practicing law in 1977, Linda was handling taxation and international business matters as well as immigration and nationality matters. After a number of years, she decided to accept only immigration and nationality law cases. Her work in immigration involves both family immigration and business immigration for which she is especially well qualified because of her extensive business, tax, finance, and accounting background. She has the ability to read and understand business plans, financial statements, tax returns and other business and financial documents which are an important part of business petitions. This tax and business background is also useful in complicated affidavit of support issues for family-based immigration petitions.

Education

New York University School of Law

  • LL.M. in Taxation, 1977

University of Florida School of Law

  • J.D., 1976

Florida International University

  • Graduate courses in Finance, 1972-1972

University of Florida

  • B.A. in Economics, 1970
Employment History

Corporate Officer, Southeast First National Bank of Miami: 1970 – 1973

    • Began in 1970 on Management Training Program. Experience concentrated in Corporate Financial Planning and Management Accounting. First major project was to serve on project team that computerized accounting for the bank which was, at that time, the largest bank in Florida. Elected Officer of Corporation in 1973.

Adjunct Instructor, University of Miami School of Business: 1982 – 1983

  • Taught introductory level course in business law to students in the undergraduate business program.
Publications
  • Columnist on Immigration Law issues for the Florida News, a Japanese language publication of the Japan Society of Florida – from November, 1997 until 2000.
  • “United States Income Taxation of Foreign Persons” Tax Law Notes Section of Florida Bar Journal, June, 1979.
  • Contributing Author to “A Guide to Florida International Business and Investment Opportunities” Florida Dept. of Commerce, Division of Economic Development, 1978. This was published in English, Spanish, German and Japanese.
  • “Deductions for “Vacation Homes” under the Tax Reform Act of 1976″, Tax Notes Section of A.B.A. Journal, September, 1977.
Professional Attorney Educator

Immigration laws, regulations and procedures are constantly evolving so Continuing Education is vitally important for all practicing attorneys. Linda is among the elite group of practitioners who have been asked to teach Florida Bar approved seminars on Immigration law to other attorneys.

For Linda, It’s Personal

Like most of us, Linda is a descendant of immigrants. Her great grandparents on her mother’s side emigrated from Germany in the late 1800’s. She has traced her father’ family back to the birth of ancestors in South Carolina in 1761 and is still working on tracing her family further.

Linda believes that her experience of being raised as an “Army brat” may have led to her passion for representing the immigration needs of international clients. Her father was career military which took the family around the world. At the age of three she and her mother moved to Japan to join her father. When she was starting elementary school she, her brother and mother joined her father in Germany for three years. Because she was born in Miami Beach and her grandparents lived in Miami, Miami has always been “home base” to her.

Linda is proud of her family which includes three children, Jesse, Sara and Joshua and two daughters-in- law, Caroline (who was born in Taiwan) and Irlanda (who was born in Nicaragua). While her children were growing up, Linda traveled extensively with them and believes that travel and interaction with people around the US and worldwide has been an important part of their education.