Tax Symposium Celebrates Memory of Internationally-Renowned Expert and 'Gentleman Teacher from Bygone Era'

Photo By Randy deKleine-Stimpson

Associate Dean Arthur Cockfield and Dean Bill Flanagan (second and third from left) with partners of the "Globalization and the Impact of Tax on International Investments" symposium's sponsoring firm, KPMG: Brian Mustard, an executive director at the Deparmtent of Finance Canada; Mark Meredith, a partner at Moskowitz & Meredith; and Gabe Hayos, KPMG's partner in charge of tax in Toronto.

The day David Kerzner, Law '90, sat down with Professor Alex Easson to discuss tax is the day Kerzner's interest began. Easson put him on a road that led Kerzner to discover international tax law, and later build a successful practice around it. But Kerzner is not alone. Countless former students attribute Easson's enthusiasm for his job and devotion to his students as playing a vital role in directing them to their eventual careers.

On February 29, 2008, former students like Kerzner were among the international tax experts and academics who came together in the Queen's Policy Studies building to discuss current tax issues. The symposium, "Globalization and the Impact of Tax on International Investments," was a day-long conference commemorating the late professor. Attendees agreed that the grand tax symposium was the best way to celebrate the life and career of Easson, who was internationally-renowned for his work on international taxation and foreign investment.

"He was very well respected in the area," said Lori McMillan, Law '95, now a professor of tax law at Washburn University in the U.S. and a former student of Easson's. "Every summer he'd be jetting off to some country to give them tax advice."

David Kerzner, Law '90.

"The legacy of Professor Easson set the atmosphere for the conference," added Kerzner, also a panelist at the symposium. "It was an atmosphere of great passion and interest along the themes of Professor Easson's lifetime works."

Easson, who passed away on January 25, 2007, was a professor at Queen's Law from 1976 until his retirement in 2000.

"He always had such good cheer in the classroom. He really sparked my interest in tax law scholarship," said Associate Dean Art Cockfield, co-chair of the conference and one of Easson's students.

"I'd like to think Professor Easson would have been happy with the discussion on tax and the issues, and also the collegiality of the participants."

The Symposium

The symposium focused on how tax, in light of recent globalization, impacts international investments.

"There was a lot of discussion about recent federal government proposals to aggressively attack international tax planning," said Cockfield, adding that the discussions were contentious at times but necessary to determine the best course of action.

The conference began with a reception on the evening of February 28, and was divided into four sessions and a dinner on February 29. Each session included speakers delivering papers and commentary. Cockfield will be editing the symposium papers into a book as a further honour to Easson's memory.

Cockfield said the papers were submitted by some of the world's top experts on tax law. "It was wonderful to see so many esteemed international tax scholars, lawyers and accountants in the same room." He attributed the impressive caliber of international talent attracted to the conference mostly to Easson's international reputation.

Lori MacMillan, Law'95.

 

"He was such a gentle person who was still excited about what he did and to have that excitement after doing it for decades was something that I think I wanted to pursue myself," said McMillan. "He was a gentleman teacher from a bygone era."

 

 

The Queen's Law symposium ‘Globalization and the Impact of Tax on International Investments: A Symposium in Honour of the Late Alex Easson' was presented with support from KPMG.

For more pictures and draft papers from the symposium, see http://law.queensu.ca/events/recentConferences.html.