Yan Siprin is one of numerous UM Law alumni who came to Miami Law with aspirations of an international legal career.  Yan was a Dean's Scholar at UM Law School. 

"The UM Law School, with the help of the Admissions Committee and the Office of Student Recruiting, does an outstanding job of assembling a diverse student body and an excellent group of professors (e.g., David Abraham).  I found this student-professor combination to be a crucial factor in our profession and my personal success."   While at the Law School, Yan concentrated in Trusts and Tax.  After graduating from the UM School of Law in 1997, Yan joined Baker & McKenzie (CIS).  Yan structured transactions, wrote agreements and advised on various business and tax issues.  After returning home to Seattle and completing an LL.M. in Taxation at the University of Washington, Yan was with Deloitte and KPMG, the world's largest consulting firms. 

Later, Yan was a Vice President (Tax Research and Planning) at TD Securities (U.S.A.) LLC, an investment bank in New York. Because Yan grew up in Seattle and always wanted to return to his family and home town, he left Manhattan and joined the Tax Department of Seattle-based powerhouse Washington Mutual Bank (“WaMu”), which was at the time the 8th-largest retail bank in the US (according to WaMu's 2007 SEC filing, the holding company held assets valued at $327.9 billion).  Our graduate, Yan Siprin, was one of WaMu’s key tax lawyers responsible for tax audit controversy matters (i.e., resolving issues/disputes with the IRS).  All of us know what happened to WaMu not long ago - most of its assets were bought by JPMorgan Chase.   

After spending eleven years with some of the best firms in the U.S. and having established a name in the legal community in NYC and Seattle, Yan left corporate America to establish Siprin Law Offices, PLLC  where he is continuing his practice in tax controversy, estate planning and business law. “I love working with real people, small, and medium size businesses and offering them practical and problem-solving first class solutions,” says Yan.  For example, in 2008 alone, Yan abated over $250,000 in penalties, about $1 million in liens and obtained (in some cases, together with one of the Big 4), over $4.7 million in tax refunds!   

 During his free time, Yan loves to volunteer and help his community.  “I grew up in the Seattle area and I love the people here – this is my home” says Yan.   

"UM Law offers an excellent legal education that prepares young lawyers for corporate America or a small practice.  I am deeply indebted to Professors Abraham, Stein (now at Yale University and Yeshiva University), Robinson (my first tax professor) and, of course, former-Dean Sam Thompson (one of the best tax M&A lawyers in our country and simply a great human being).  On the administrative side, fourteen years down the road, I continue to have great appreciation for numerous individuals who guided me along the way, including Jeannette Hausler, Dean of Students Emerita.  People like Professor Abraham and Dean Hausler are joined by many other members of the law school community who make UM Law a great school.”

posted 25-November-2008