Dentons Bolsters Trusts, Estates, and Wealth Preservation Practice in Florida with the arrival of Juan D. Bendeck

Dentons Bolsters Trusts, Estates, and Wealth Preservation Practice in Florida with the arrival of Juan D. Bendeck

Dentons, the largest global law firm, has announced the addition of Juan D. Bendeck as a Shareholder in the Trusts, Estates, and Wealth Preservation practice.

With a distinguished career spanning more than 20 years, Bendeck is highly regarded as a trusted advisor in estate planning, estate and trust administration, asset protection planning, fiduciary litigation, and Florida domicile planning matters. He serves clients in Naples (Collier County) and Fort Myers (Lee County), Florida.

Jason Hunter Korn, the Managing Shareholder of Dentons Cohen & Grigsby's Naples office, expressed the significance of adding Bendeck to their Naples estate planning team. He highlighted that Bendeck’s inclusion enables them to cater to client requirements in Southwest Florida while providing the advantages of Dentons' extensive resources in other markets across their global footprint.

“His client-centric approach to estate planning and ability to customize and respond to the spectrum of circumstances our clients experience throughout their lifetimes fits perfectly into our client-first approach,” Jason Hunter Korn said about Bendeck.

Bendeck holds the prestigious distinction of being Florida Bar Certified in Wills, Trusts & Estates, the highest level of evaluation by The Florida Bar. This certification acknowledges his exceptional knowledge, skills, and proficiency in various areas of law, as well as his commitment to professionalism and ethical standards in practice. With fewer than 300 Board Certified Specialists in Wills, Trusts, and Estates in the state, Bendeck's expertise is highly well-regarded.

In his estate planning practice, Bendeck employs innovative tools to achieve clients' goals, focusing on wealth transfer planning and protection with a strong emphasis on tax efficiency. His extensive experience encompasses wills, living trusts, complex transactions involving grantor trusts, planning with entities such as LLCs and partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, private foundations, irrevocable trusts, gifting matters, and multi-generational planning.

Bendeck's estate and trust administration practice involves representing trustees and personal representatives throughout the entire administration process. He adeptly handles all aspects, including preparing federal estate tax returns, gift tax returns, and providing counsel on generation-skipping tax issues. He is also skilled in representing professional and individual fiduciaries in contested estate and trust administration matters. He has achieved successful outcomes in will and trust contests, breach of fiduciary duty claims, defence against claims brought against fiduciaries, and pursuing claims on behalf of beneficiaries.

Additionally, Bendeck offers comprehensive assistance to clients relocating to and establishing permanent residences in Florida. He navigates various complexities such as potential state tax consequences, homestead laws, closing and settlement procedures for property purchases, as well as preparing and filing the necessary documents, including the Florida Declaration of Domicile.

“Juan’s experience handling complex matters and his commitment to high-quality service and building lifelong relationships with clients represent the core traits Dentons looks for in its estate planning lawyers,” said Christie Tillapaugh, President-Elect of Dentons Cohen & Grigsby.

Born and raised in Southwest Florida, Bendeck is deeply committed to giving back to his community through active involvement with various regional organisations. He serves as a Trustee of the Collaboratory of Southwest Florida and holds positions on the board of directors of the Naples Zoo and Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. Furthermore, Bendeck chairs the Planned Giving Committees at Florida Gulf Coast University and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, showcasing his dedication to philanthropy. He also contributes his expertise as a member of the Guadalupe Foundation Planned Giving Committee.

In addition to his charitable endeavours, Bendeck plays an active role in promoting equity and diversity within the community. He is a member of the Lee County School Board's Equity Diversity Action Committee and the Site Selection Committee. Previously, he served on the board of directors of the Florida Humanities Council and chaired its finance committee, demonstrating his commitment to fostering cultural and educational initiatives.