About Us

David A. Lappin

Attorney

David A. Lappin is a dedicated trusts & estates attorney with a deep understanding of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and tax matters. David received an LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center, a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, and a B.A. in Political Science from the College of Charleston, and he brings a comprehensive and compassionate approach to estate planning.

David is licensed to practice in Florida and New York and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court. David offers clients expert guidance on a wide range of issues, including:

• Estate Planning
• Estate & Trust Administration
• Asset Protection Planning
• Estate & Gift Tax Planning
• IRS Tax Disputes
• Retirement Account Planning
• Charitable Planning
• Estate & Trust Litigation

David helps clients plan for the transition of wealth to future generations, protect their assets and minimize tax burdens. David takes immense pride in counseling clients through some of their most challenging personal decisions.

Before starting Lappin Estate Planning, David was an associate at two global law firms and clerked for the Honorable Robert P. Ruwe on the U.S. Tax Court.

David lives in Boca Raton, Florida with his wife and son. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, fishing and cooking.

Education:

• Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M. in Taxation with Distinction and Dean’s List Honors
• The George Washington University, J.D. with Honors
• College of Charleston, B.A., Political Science

Bar & Court Admissions:

• U.S. Tax Court
• Florida
• New York

Herb Given

Associate

Herb Given is an Associate Attorney at Lappin Estate Planning where he focuses his practice on estate planning, taxation issues, and trust and estate administration.

A native Floridian, Herb grew up in central Florida and is a proud “triple Gator,” earning his B.S. in Finance, J.D., and LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida.

Before joining the firm, Herb worked as a senior tax associate at a national public accounting firm and later as an attorney with a boutique estate planning firm in Boca Raton. In these roles, he advised high-net-worth individuals and closely held businesses on a broad range of tax, estate, and business planning matters.

Herb is an active member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar and the Greater Boca Raton Estate Planning Council.

Debbie L. Venezia

Of Counsel

Debbie L. Venezia has been practicing law in South Florida since 1995. Debbie grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Detroit receiving her bachelor’s degree before attending The University of Detroit School of Law. As a second-year law student, she earned a prestigious position as a law clerk in the Detroit Circuit Court. She later completed her legal studies at Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad College of Law, receiving her Juris Doctorate.

Following law school, Debbie handled a wide range of legal matters, including family law, Baker Act/Marchment Act law, criminal law, personal injury, and litigation. She ultimately chose to focus her practice exclusively on estate planning and probate, where she helps clients navigate some of life’s most important and personal decisions with clarity and care.

Debbie’s passions extend beyond her legal practice to numerous volunteer commitments. Her involvement includes the Wounded Warrior Project, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Martinis for Melanoma/Run from the Rays, Angel’s Among Us for Duke Brain Cancer research, and other community-based and charitable initiatives supporting cancer and neurological research.

Debbie is admitted to practice in Florida and is an active member of the Florida Bar. She resides in Boca Raton with her husband and two children.

Seth Kaplan

Of Counsel

Seth R. Kaplan began his career at major national and international law firms. He has over 25 years of experience and is admitted to the New York Bar, North Carolina Bar and Florida Bar. Seth has been recognized by his peers in the South Florida Legal Guide, Super Lawyers, and Florida Trend’s Legal Elite. He also holds the Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designation. He concentrates his practice in the areas of tax and estate planning for high net worth individuals both domestic and international, wealth protection, planning for startups and tech businesses, and planned giving. His clients range from Gen X and Millennial entrepreneurs to private equity fund managers and public company executives to high net worth investors and retirees.

In addition to assisting individuals and families reduce their tax exposure and organize their affairs, Seth has been involved in planning and coordinating major gifts to national universities and other charitable organizations. Some of the organizations include the University of Miami, Cornell University, Drexel University, the University of Florida and Dartmouth College, as well as the United Way of Miami-Dade and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Seth works with a number of families, some for over 20 years, assisting them as a trusted advisor and dealing with issues including business succession planning and post-mortem tax planning, as well as real estate and corporate issues as they relate to tax planning. He also has been involved in the development of sophisticated business succession plans utilizing techniques such as intra-family carried interests and series LLCs, as well as the “Hub and Spoke approach” to combine estate planning and planned giving goals, based on the original Delta Airlines and FedEx models.

Seth has lectured extensively on topics that focus on personal tax planning, taxation of trusts, international planning, and high-impact charitable giving. He has spoken at the NYU Institute on Federal Taxation, the American Bar Association, Section of Taxation and for several professional advisor groups. He received his B.A. from Northwestern University, and LL.M. in Estate Planning and J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law.

Heather Gunsten

Associate

Heather Gunsten is an Associate Attorney at Lappin Estate Planning, where she helps individuals and families plan for the future with clarity and confidence. Her practice focuses on estate planning, including the preparation of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives tailored to each client’s goals and circumstances.

Heather earned her Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law, where she served as Notes and Comments Editor on the Law Review and worked as a Teaching Assistant to a Legal Research and Writing professor. Before law school, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Florida State University.

During law school, Heather interned for the Honorable William P. Dimitrouleas of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Following graduation, she began her legal career at an AM LAW 200 FIRM.  Heather is admitted to practice law in the State of Florida and is a member of the Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar.