Dennis M. Mitzel

Ann Arbor Office

Tel: (734) 668-4100

Fax: (734) 668-4101

Email:

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Practice Areas

Charitable Planning

Estate and Trust Administration

Estate Planning

Probate and Asset Protection

Tax

Education

B.A., The University of Michigan, 1972

J.D., cum laude, Detroit College of Law, 1975

Admitted

State of Michigan Bar, 1975

Biography

From 1977 to 1981, Mr. Mitzel was an estate and gift tax attorney for the Internal Revenue Service in Detroit, Michigan. From 1981 to 1985, he was an Assistant Vice President with Comerica Bank in Detroit, where he headed the Estate Tax Division of the Trust Tax Department. Mr. Mitzel joined Berry Moorman in 1985.

Mr. Mitzel's professional memberships include: Detroit Bar Association, where he was Co-Chairman of the Tax Committee from 1986 to 1988; the Taxation Section of the State Bar of Michigan, where he was Chairman of the Estates and Trusts Sub-Committee from 1986 to 1988, a Council Member from 1988 to 1995, and Chairman from 1993 to 1994; and the Christian Legal Society, where he served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Metropolitan Detroit Chapter from 1981 to 1982. He is also a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).

Mr. Mitzel was a member of the ad hoc committee of the Taxation Section and Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan, which successfully introduced legislation repealing the Michigan inheritance tax in 1993. He testified before the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Treasury in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the Taxation Section of the State Bar of Michigan regarding the proposed Internal Revenue Service Regulations on the Generation Skipping Tax issued in December, 1992.

Mr. Mitzel has been a member of the Board of Directors of Huron Valley Grade School in Washtenaw County, Michigan from 1991 to 1996, where he served as Chairman during the 1992-93 and 1995-96 school years. He is currently a member of the Development Committee of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the T.H.A.W. Fund from 1988 to 1992. Mr. Mitzel is the President of the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeastern Michigan, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Washtenaw Estate Planning Council. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Herbert and Elsa Ponting Foundation and the Clarence and Grace Chamberlin Foundation.

Mr. Mitzel is a church youth group leader and for many years coached youth hockey. He was named the Ann Arbor Hockey Association Coach of the Year for the 1990-1991 and the 1992-1993 seasons.

Mr. Mitzel was the recipient of the Sharon V. Abbott Scholarship Award at The Detroit College of Law in 1974.

Mr. Mitzel is a frequent lecturer on estate tax, the generation skipping tax, charitable giving and asset protection topics.