ANITA L. BARBER, J.D., LL.M., C.P.A.
Ms. Barber has over thirty (30) years’ experience in the areas of estate and wealth preservation planning, trust administration, wealth management and auditing. Her law firm, Anita L. Barber, P.A., focuses on foundational to complex estate planning, wealth preservation planning, tax planning, probate and trust administration and corporate law. Her clients include traditional families, high net worth individuals and successful entrepreneurs across a spectrum of business sectors whose accumulated wealth typically ranges from $3 million to $250 million. She counsels clients in the formation of complex estate and wealth preservation plans, which often include sophisticated tax planning and the use of domestic asset protection vehicles, discounted sale transactions and private foundations. Ms. Barber also represents clients in specialized tax court litigation and before the Internal Revenue Service.
Prior to establishing her boutique law firm in 2001, Ms. Barber was a Senior Vice President with Bank of America in Orlando, Florida, where she was a member of a four-person senior management team with overall operations responsibility for the Central Florida market of The Private Bank. She also functioned as the Chairperson of the Administrative and Investment Review Committee for Central Florida and was responsible for a portfolio of 45 clients with assets under management of over $125 million. Ms. Barber also interfaced with external bank counsel to oversee the negotiation, litigation and resolution of complex trust matters.
Prior to becoming a private banker, Ms. Barber was a practicing attorney with two national law firms. As a Senior Associate with Foley & Lardner LLP in Orlando, Florida, she reported to the firm’s national Managing Tax Partner and gained broad experience in all aspects of taxation; business, estate and wealth transfer planning; and probate and trust administration. In addition, Ms. Barber gained invaluable experience in the areas of corporate and partnership law as an associate with McGuireWoods, LLP in Richmond, Virginia.
Immediately after college, Ms. Barber became a Certified Public Accountant and worked for the Office of the Auditor General, State of Florida in Tallahassee, Florida, where she managed an audit staff of twenty-one (21) auditors and was responsible for the audit of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Ms. Barber holds an LL.M. in Taxation from the New York University, School of Law, a J.D. from the University of Georgia, and a B.S. in Accounting from Florida State University. She is an active member of the Florida Bar, Georgia Bar, Central Florida Estate Planning Council and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida.