Sarah Priestley has resigned as Head of Corporate Tax at Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ London office, to join Shearman & Sterling’s PE team.
Sarah’s work focuses on complex UK, multijurisdictional and pan-European M&A and private equity transactions. Ms. Priestley has been involved in many high-profile deals for private equity and hedge funds in Europe and the US. She has a wide range of experience in the corporate tax, VAT, and stamp duty aspects of commercial transactions, including take privates, private equity investments, private and public company takeovers, and corporate restructurings and spin-offs. She also advises on management packages and employment taxation. Ms. Priestley has been recognized as a leading corporate tax lawyer by Chambers UK, Chambers Europe, Chambers Global, Legal 500 UK andEuromoney.
She, Mark Soundy and Simon Burrows are all moving to Shearman from Weil Gotsal, following Jeremy Dickens move in April to the New York office.
After 23 years with KPMG, 11 as a partner, Jackie Hendley is joining Smith Cooper as their Head of Tax.
Smith Cooper is one of the Midlands’ most progressive firms of accountants and business advisors and the appointment of Jackie enhances the already comprehensive tax offering.
Having previously been responsible for managing various teams and delivering tax services to KPMG’s clients across Nottingham, Leicester and Birmingham Jackie and her broad range of skills are well known across the Midlands region.
As well as her role at KPMG, Jackie has been an active member of the Birmingham business community where she was a finalist of Business Women of the Year and has undertaken the role of Chair of Birmingham Forward, an organization she is still actively involved with.
Jackie is very passionate about business and the Midlands region, and wants to use the skills and experience she has built up over her career to work with local SME’s, helping them to grow and prosper whilst managing and mitigating their tax risks and liabilities.
The appointment of Jackie enhances the Birmingham team and demonstrates Smith Cooper’s commitment to the City and to recruiting the best people in the market.
Jackie commented “Smith Cooper is well known for its commitment to local businesses. In addition to driving the tax practice forward, I am very excited about the opportunity to work with Jeremy Cope and the growing Birmingham team to further expand the service offering available to their clients”.
Welcoming Jackie to the firm, Jeremy Cope said: “to use a football analogy, Jackie is a massive signing for us: we have recruited a striker with a proven record. We are truly excited about Jackie becoming part of our team”.
Leading international tax lawyer Don J. Lonczak, who has substantial experience counseling clients on tax matters associated with cross border transactions, joined Baker Botts L.L.P. today as a partner in the firm’s Tax department. He will reside in the firm’s Washington and New York offices.
Lonczak has a broad-based, transaction-oriented practice that includes structuring and negotiating the tax aspects of domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate spin-offs, as well as of public and private financings and derivatives financial products. He regularly advises major corporate clients with respect to their internal tax planning strategies — both domestic and cross-border, transfer pricing policies and tax controversy matters.
Representative Engagements
- Marriott International in connection with the spin-off to shareholders of its worldwide timeshare business and related internal restructurings
- Liberty Global in connection with its pending merger with Virgin Media
- General Electric in connection with its acquisition of the aviation business of Avio S.p.A.
- Helm Corporation in its pending sale of Helm Bank SA to CorpBanca Columbia
- Dycom Industries in connection with its acquisition of the domestic telecommunications infrastructure services business of Quanta Services
- EQT Infrastructure Fund and Foristar in connection with the acquisition of Midland Cogeneration Venture Limited Partnership
- Borealis Infrastructure in connection with its minority investment in a portfolio of wind farm assets from EDP Renováveis S.A.
- LMA International N.V. in connection with its initial public offering on the Singapore Stock Exchange, its acquisition of Wolfe Tory Medical, Inc. and its sale to Teleflex, Inc.
- GrupoSura in connection with its acquisition of the Latin American pensions, life insurance and investment management operations of the ING Group
- Sungard Data Systems Inc. in connection with its acquisition by a consortium of private equity investment firms
- Cinram, Inc. in connection with a comprehensive refinancing and recapitalization transaction
- JBS S.A. in connection with its joint venture with Link Snacks, Inc. and its acquisition of a majority stake in Pilgrim’s Pride through a bankruptcy proceeding
- Diamond Castle Holding, LLC in connection with its leveraged acquisition of Blue Stone TV
- Bunge Limited in connection with its acquisition of Cereol S.A.
- Boston Scientific Corporation in connection with its acquisition of Guidant Corporation and the sale of its neurovascular business to Stryker Corporation
- DLJ Merchant Banking in connection with the sale of Peachtree Financial to J.G. Wentworth
- Abengoa Solar LLC in connection with its joint venture with BrightSource Energy to develop a solar electric generating system in California
- HLTH Corporation in connection with the downstream merger into its principal subsidiary, WebMD Health Corporation
- ContourGlobal in connection with the sale to International Finance Corporation of an interest in a thermal power plant in Togo, West Africa
- GE Energy Financial Services in connection with financing for its Caledonia combined cycle power plant
- BE Aerospace in connection with its acquisition of Interturbine Projekt Management GmbH, TSI Group Inc. and UFC Aerospace Corp.
- Avenue Capital in connection with the bankruptcy reorganization of Milacron Inc.
- Société Générale in connection with the joint venture of worldwide brokerage businesses between its Fimat affiliate and Calyon Financial
- Mittal Steel N.V. in connection with its acquisition of International Steel Group in a partially tax-free reorganization
- Novartis AG in connection with the divestiture of its medical nutrition business to Nestlé, the acquisition of the adult nutritional supplement business of the Mead Johnson division of Bristol Myers Squibb and the spin-off of its worldwide agricultural business as Syngenta AG
- Deutsche Bank AG in connection with the sale of its worldwide custody business to State Street, and the sale of its U.S.-based consumer finance business to E*Trade
Prior to joining Baker Botts, Lonczak was a partner in Shearman & Sterling LLP’s tax group. He earned his law degree from Georgetown University and his LL.M. in Tax from New York University.
The global law firm Jones Day has announced that Lodewijk (Lou) Berger will join the Firm’s Amsterdam Office as a partner in the Tax Practice. He arrives from Loyens & Loeff.
Mr. Berger focuses on international taxation, particularly for multinational corporations, banks, and private equity funds. Since 1997 he has worked in New York, London, and Luxembourg. Mr. Berger is a member of the Netherlands Bar Association and the International Bar Association and a foreign member of the American Bar Association.
“Lodewijk’s arrival marks another important step forward in our growth in Amsterdam since officially opening our doors in February of this year,” said Luc Houben, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s Amsterdam Office. “The Netherlands’ modern and competitive tax system is attractive to foreign investors, and therefore high quality tax advisors are important to providing our clients with full service capabilities. Lodewijk’s international tax experience is precisely what we need for our new Amsterdam Office.”
“I am delighted to be joining Jones Day’s Tax Practice and to being part of what will become one of the leading practices in Amsterdam. The international tax landscape is facing major changes and increased complexity and I am looking forward to being able to assist clients in mastering these changes with a truly integrated global team of leading tax lawyers,” said Mr. Berger.
Mr. Berger’s arrival comes on the heels of Jones Day Amsterdam’s move into its new office space in the Museumplein, in April.
Diogo Duarte de Oliveira has joined Stibbe in Luxembourg as a tax partner this month.
Diogo is a Portuguese trained lawyer but has worked in Luxembourg since 2006, initially with KPMG and latterly with CMS Debacker.
Rödl & Partner continues to promote growth of the tax law practice. On May 1, 2013, the well-known tax law practitioner Dr. Florian Haase (38) will return from DLA Piper back to the Hamburg office of Rödl & Partner, where he previously worked from 2008 to 2011. As a partner, Haase will be responsible for the area of international tax law for Hamburg and northern Germany and expand the department.
“The return of Dr. Florian Haase will make a big difference to our tax law practice. This is an area where we can fully exploit our international strength as a corporate law firm with own offices in many countries. Our future growth will depend on experienced and highly competent advisors such as him”, explains managing partner Prof. Dr. Christian Rödl.
The activities of Dr. Florian Haase will focus on tax structure consulting for (international) M&A transactions, restructuring, group reorganisation and company reorganisation activities, private equity and real estate transactions and complex financing measures with regard to group tax planning and international tax law. In recent years as head of the tax law practice of DLA Piper in Germany he especially provided tax law advice to international groups in relation to complex tax law arrangements and transactions and tax law advice for companies entering the German market.
“Rödl & Partner has established a leading position in the area of providing tax law advice to family-owned companies with international operations. Our practice provides cross-border advice for complex restructuring activities, transactions, group financing and the company succession. In this respect the location of Hamburg is very important for us. Dr. Haase will help us to further enjoy dynamic growth in our consulting business”, emphasises Dr. Hans Weggenmann, head of the Rödl & Partner tax law practice.
Haase sees excellent prospects for Rödl & Partner. “Rödl & Partner is a law firm with an entrepreneurial approach. Our 89 offices around the world enable us to give cross-border advice to family-owned companies with international operations. I am looking forward at Rödl & Partner to once again using the experience I have gained in recent years in international tax law”, explains Haase.
Haase is lecturer for tax law at the Hamburg School of Business Administration and is author of over 200 specialised publications and contributions to tax law. He has also published a number of comments (on the German foreign tax act and double tax treaty, investment tax act, and German tax conversion law), is the author of manuals on CFC rules, investment tax law and taxation of intangible property law, and a textbook on international and European tax law.
Ernst & Young LLP has announced that Douglas Sirotta has been named a senior tax partner in the firm’s Seattle practice. In his 25-year career, he has served as a strategic advisor to multinational corporations and entrepreneurial businesses on domestic and international tax issues, including corporate structuring, tax reporting, compliance, strategic tax planning, ASC 740 (FAS 109), and mergers and acquisitions.
Sirotta started his career in Ernst & Young LLP’s Los Angeles office, later moving to a regional accounting firm to serve as a partner, where he managed its San Jose, San Francisco and Los Angeles offices and was the National Business Line Leader for Tax. He has worked with companies in a variety of industries, including software, computer hardware, communications, entertainment, retail and wholesale, clean tech, professional services and manufacturing.
“Douglas brings more than 25 years of complex, strategic tax planning to our clients. He is a sought-after speaker and highly regarded for his advisory skills among C-suite executives,” said Dan Smith, Seattle Office Managing Partner. “It’s especially rewarding to welcome a returning alumnus of the firm.”
Sirotta earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in economics from California State University, Northridge, and his master’s degree in taxation from Golden Gate University. He is a certified public accountant licensed to practice in Washington and California and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Herrick, Feinstein LLP announced today that Louis Tuchman has joined the firm’s New York office as a Partner and the newly appointed co- Chair of the firm’s Tax and Personal Planning Group.
“Herrick’s tax and personal planning group provides tax code expertise and exceptional service tailored to each client’s needs,” said Irwin A. Kishner, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Herrick, Feinstein. “Louis’s breadth of experience and broad client base will complement and enrich our existing practice.”
“From federal, state and cross-border taxation issues to joint ventures, bankruptcy, real estate, partnerships and LLCs, Louis brings invaluable experience in a range of areas,” noted Partner. “We are delighted to welcome him to the team.”
Herrick’s Tax and Personal Planning Group provides a broad spectrum of services for individuals, family businesses and corporations across an array of industries. The group advises on a range of matters including international income and estate planning, mergers and acquisitions, philanthropic planning and tax-exempt organizations, real estate incentive programs, transfer tax planning, state and local tax, tax controversy, and tax forbearance for non-U.S. citizens as well as trusts and estates planning.
“Herrick’s culture – partners who are leaders in their fields providing hands-on service to their clients – has enabled it to build strong client relationships and makes it an attractive home,” said Mr. Tuchman. “I am looking forward to continuing that commitment to service and to working with this talented group of attorneys.”
Mr. Tuchman joins Herrick from Kaye Scholer LLP where he was a Partner in the firm’s Tax Department. His diverse practice includes a focus on matters of corporate taxation including mergers and acquisitions (involving both U.S. and international parties), net operating loss carryovers and consolidated returns. He has worked with major foreign corporations in connection with their U.S. corporate acquisitions and joint venture transactions with European partners. He has also advised entities on the tax consequences and considerations of loan workouts, both in and out of bankruptcy. Mr. Tuchman also has considerable experience in the development and analysis of complex financial instruments and their tax consequences and has worked extensively in structuring real estate investments, focusing on partnerships and limited liability companies, and, in particular, their use in structuring cross-border investments. Mr. Tuchman is admitted to practice in New York and before the U.S. Tax Court, and he is a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Mr. Tuchman received his J.D. from Yale Law School and his B.A. from Yeshiva University.
Founded in 1928, Herrick, Feinstein LLP is a prominent 170-lawyer firm headquartered in New York City providing a full range of legal services, including art law, real estate, tax and personal planning, government relations, bankruptcy and business reorganization, commercial litigation, corporate law, employment law, insurance, intellectual property and sports law.
