Benita Loughlin, CA, Partner, KPMG LLP, Vancouver, BC. Ms. Loughlin is the leader of the International Executive Services tax group in the Vancouver office. She practises in the area of tax planning and compliance for individuals, estates and trusts in a US and cross-border context. She advises individuals on tax matters related to their compensation, investments, retirement plans, estates, trusts, gifts and expatriation. Ms. Loughlin is a frequent speaker on cross-border tax planning topics and has authored and co-authored numerous articles for various publications.

Elaine E. Reynolds, B.A., LL.B., LL.M., (U.S. Tax), Partner, Legacy Trust + Tax Lawyers, Vancouver, BC. Ms. Reynolds practises in the area of domestic and international tax and estate planning for private clients with a particular emphasis on US/Canada cross border planning. She is a frequent lecturer and a prolific author. She has been published extensively in numerous publications, including the Advocate, the Canadian Tax Journal and the Canadian Creditor/Debtor Review. Ms. Reynolds is a member of both the British Columbia and California Bars.

Fiona Hunter, Partner, Horne Coupar, Victoria, BC. Ms. Hunter practises in the areas of estate planning and estate litigation. She has co-authored with James Kessler, Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts in Canada, now in its second edition, and is a co-editor of and contributor to Financial and Estate Planning for the Mature Client in BC reference book. She has also co-authored a study for the Law Commission of Canada entitled Using “Age” as a Fitness to Drive Criterion for Older Adults. She is past president of the Victoria Estate Planning Council and the Victoria Section of the CBA Wills and Trusts section. Ms. Hunter is currently the chair of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.

Marilyn Kerfoot, Consultant and Lawyer, Vancouver, BC. Ms. Kerfoot is an independent consultant and lawyer specializing in gift planning. She has had extensive experience as a wills and estates lawyer and worked for over ten years as a fund development specialist for two major Vancouver charities. Her work with clients, most of whom are registered charities, now covers a wide area, including all aspects of planned giving, endowments, general fund development planning and organizational governance.

Nicholas P. Smith, Principal, Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers, Vancouver, BC. Mr. Smith’s practice involves advising individuals, corporations and trusts on taxation matters, often in the context of a corporate reorganization, acquisition or sale. He has extensive experience in the preparation and implementation of tax and estate plans for individuals, families and businesses, often involving the use of trusts. Mr. Smith also advises registered charities and donors with respect to complex tax planned giving strategies and tax compliance matters. He has extensive experience in speaking and presenting papers on tax and estate matters.

David G. Thompson, B.Comm., LL.B, Partner, Thorsteinssons LLP - Tax Lawyers, Vancouver, BC. Mr. Thompson has practised exclusively in taxation matters since 1985. He is a registered trust and estate practitioner certified by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Mr. Thompson was also the Governor of the Canadian Tax Foundation. He is a member of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Vice President of the Deep Cove Action Committee and a director of the Canadian Avalanche Foundation. Mr. Thompson is a regular author and lecturer on taxation issues.

Peter A. Wong, Shareholder, Borden Ladner Gervais, Vancouver, BC. Mr. Wong is the leader of his firm’s Taxation practice group. His practice focuses on taxation and international business transactions. He provides tax advice for both domestic (corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, estate freezes) and international transactions (foreign investments in Canada, Canadian investments abroad, offshore trusts). Mr. Wong is a member of the Meritas Canada Tax Group. He is a frequent speaker and author on a variety of taxation topics.