Tax policy lecture series established at UF law school

December 15, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Examining modern tax policy and how its implementation affects the economy and people’s lives is the purpose of the newly endowed Ellen Bellet Gelberg Tax Policy Lecture Series established at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Gelberg, a 1977 graduate of the college’s Graduate Tax Program, has pledged $500,000 from the Stein Gelberg Foundation to the college’s LL.M. Tax Programs Endowment Fund.

“Practicing tax attorneys spend little to no time thinking about the policy behind the tax code. In fact, most of the time the tax code dictates how you structure a transaction, that is, the tax tail wags the dog,” said Gelberg, a practicing tax attorney and partner in the Miami law firm Lamont Neiman Interian & Bellet, P. A. “It is hoped this lecture series will motivate tax students to consider tax policy as a career option — working to influence and change tax policy in the public sector, because the government’s tax policy affects us all.”

Her desire to give back to the college led Gelberg to establish the Ellen Bellet Gelberg Tax Policy Lecture Series, which will bring a prestigious lecturer to the college every year to speak on tax policy topics to students and faculty. Her pledge of $500,000 will become eligible for 50 percent state matching dollars through the state’s Major Gifts Trust Fund Program, which would increase the endowment to $750,000.

“Ellen’s exemplary gift will benefit our graduate tax students in perpetuity,” said Dennis A. Calfee, UF professor of law and alumni research scholar.