David Slenn

Executive summary

David is a Managing Director in Tax Practice Policy and Quality (TPQ) at Grant Thornton. TPQ manages policy, procedure and risk in connection with the Firm’s Tax Services. Drawing upon nearly two decades of experience as an attorney focusing on tax, business and estate planning with an emphasis on risk management, David also works closely with Grant Thornton’s Washington National Tax Office, Wealth and Human Capital Solutions and Insurance Industry.

Prior to joining Grant Thornton, David was a tax partner at an AmLaw 100 firm. David has experience in representing businesses and high-net-worth individuals, in both planning as well as tax controversy matters, captive insurance, administrative and regulatory matters, and creditors’ rights law.  He is an author of numerous articles, as well as two books published by the American Bar Association, Captive Insurance Deskbook for the Business Lawyer (2018) and The Fraudulent Transfer of Wealth: Unwound and Explained (2022). 

David is a sought-after speaker, having presented for a variety of audiences over the years such as the American Bar Association, Florida Bar, Ohio Bar, World Captive Forum, Casualty Actuarial Society, Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, and the American Law Institute.  He has also been quoted in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, TaxNotes, Bloomberg, Captive International, the International Risk Management Institute, and Law360.

Professional qualifications and memberships

• Florida Bar (Admitted in 2007)
  • Business Law Section, 2019-2025
    • Bankruptcy/UCC Committee
    • Uniform Voidable Transfers Act Task Force, Vice-Chair
  • Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section
  • Tax Law Section
• United States Tax Court (Admitted in 2022)
• American Bar Association
  • Section of Taxation, 2019-2025
  • Business Law Section, 2011-2025
    • Publications Board, 2024-2025
    • Committee on Captive Insurance,
      • Chair: 2014-2017
      • Vice-Chair: 2011-2013
  • Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, 2009-2025
    • Non-Tax Estate Planning Considerations Group
      • Chair: 2014-2018
      • Vice-Chair: 2013-2014
    • Continuing Legal Education Committee, Member 2011-2025
    • Asset Protection Planning Committee
      • Chair: 2010-2013
      • Vice-Chair: 2009-2010
  • ABA Advisor to the Uniform Law Commission Drafting Committee for the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act (formerly known as the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act)
  • ABA Reporter for the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning

Community involvement

• Leadership Tampa Bay, 2018
• Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Annual Estate Planning Seminar, Planning Committee

Presentations and publications

• Author, “Florida Commences Self-Procurement Tax Audits for Businesses with Captives,” International Risk Management Institute, March 27, 2024
• Author, “CCA 201939002 & Baty v. Commissioner: Proper Valuation Approach for an Insider’s Gift of Publicly Held Stock to a GRAT,” LISI, April 8, 2022
• Author, “The IRS’s Procedural Battles in Micro-Captive Litigation,” ABA Tax Times, Vol. 41 No. 1, January 2022
• Author, “Implications of the Micro-Captive Soft Letter," Business Law Today, May 1, 2020
• Speaker, “Wealth Transfer and Creditors’ Rights,” ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting, Seattle WA, April 27, 2023
• Speaker, “Federal Tax Controversy and Captive Insurance Companies," World Captive Forum, February 24, 2021
• Speaker, "The Nuts & Bolts of Captive Insurance Companies," 2015 Joint Fall CLE Meeting of the ABA's Tax and Real Property, Trust & Estate Law Sections, Chicago, Illinois, September 18, 2015
• Speaker, “Asset Protection and Bankruptcy: What Estate Planners Need to Know,” American Law Institute CLE Program, December 4, 2014
• Speaker, “Ethical Issues in Asset Protection Planning: Beware the Tax Traps, Pitfalls, and Liability,” and “Asset Protection Update and the New Uniform Voidable Transactions Act,” 34th Annual Southern California Tax & Estate Planning Forum, San Diego, California, October 17, 2014
• Speaker, "Residence and Domicile for State Income and Transfer Tax Purposes: A Closer Look," 48th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Orlando, Florida, January 16, 2014

Education

• LL.M. in Taxation, University of Washington School of Law 
• J.D., Capital University Law School
• B.S.in Business Administration (Finance), The Ohio State University