Find Lawyers in Birmingham, Alabama for Tax Law
Practice Area Overview
The structure of a transaction can significantly affect its tax consequences, and very small changes in structure or in the underlying facts can have enormous tax significance. Tax lawyers design structures with those consequences in mind, while also taking into account the parties’ commercial goals, timing issues, and any other legal or accounting considerations. The tax treatment of some transactions — such as a “spin-off,” where a company distributes subsidiary stock to its shareholders — is highly complex, and tax lawyers may assist clients in obtaining confirmation of their transactions’ tax consequences from the IRS in the form of a private letter ruling.
Tax lawyers also review and negotiate the terms of the transaction, ensuring that the legal agreements implement the deal in a manner consistent with its intended structure. The agreements also govern the relationship between the parties. They may help the parties understand the intended tax treatment, identify certain tax exposures, and allocate responsibility between the parties for any taxes that may apply.
Tax lawyers also work with clients to determine the most tax efficient manner of carrying on ongoing business operations, taking into account federal, state, local, and international tax considerations.
On occasion, tax-related disputes arise between the parties to a transaction or with the IRS or another taxing authority. Tax lawyers may represent clients in administrative proceedings, private settlement negotiations, or litigation related to these controversies.
Tax lawyers are responsible for providing technical advice and analysis, but must fully understand the overall business transaction in order to do so. The best lawyers give advice in a way that is clear, thoughtful, and business-minded. Tax lawyers need to be closely involved in a transaction from the very beginning and throughout the transaction, in order to be able to give the best advice on an ongoing basis and to be able to modify the structure, if necessary, in response to any changes to the business terms of the transaction.
Stephen L. Gordon, Partner
Andrew W. Needham, Partner
Lauren Angelilli, Partner
Cravath, Swaine & Moore
Bill's law practice focuses on a wide variety of tax, corporate and business matters, including deferred compensation, equity based incentive plans and the purchase and sale of owner-managed businesses - with an emphasis on developing exit strategies for the family or closely-held business owner. He also counsels clients on various federal, state and local tax issues. Thriving on creative solutions to complex issues, and believing that “if you are through changing, you are through&rdquo...
Gerald Burnett practices on a multi-regional basis in all areas of commercial real estate, tax-free exchanges, tax law and disputes, commercial transactions, timber law and wealth transfer planning. He has had substantial experience in the litigation of tax controversies, having tried jury and non-jury tax cases in eight states. He has served as lead counsel in, negotiated and closed commercial real estate transactions in eighteen states. Some of his out-of-state work includes commercial proj...
J. Winston Busby is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice. Winston provides counsel to individuals, families, and business owners on estate planning, trust planning, wealth preservation, probate, and tax planning, emphasizing strategies to minimize both estate and income taxes. He also works with closely held business owners on a variety of issues, including generational transfers and su...
John H. Cooper is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Corporate practice group. As the previous managing partner of Dentons Sirote (formerly Sirote & Permutt, PC) (1999–2005; 2006–2015), John’s practice spans corporate, securities and tax law, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, securities, business and succession planning, corporate finance, corporate tax, directors...
Mr. Crawford is the leader of the Firm’s corporate practice and emphasizes mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, federal and state tax planning and litigation, and representation of health-care providers. He has been trial and appellate counsel in numerous federal and state tax cases, including O’Neal v. United States, 258 F.3d 1265 (11 Cir. 2001), Alabama Department of Revenue v. Sonat, Inc., 752 So.2d 1211 (Ala. 1999), and Lloyd Noland Foundation, Inc. v. City of Fairf...
C. Fred Daniels is a partner in the firm’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where his practice emphasizes estate and gift planning, administration of estates, taxation, closely-held businesses, and litigation involving the rights and duties of personal representatives and beneficiaries. Mr. Daniels has been the lead trial and appellate counsel in numerous estate, gift and income tax cases including O’Neal v. United States, 258 F.3d 1265 (11th Cir. 2001) (establishing that, in the Eleve...
Bruce Ely’s more than 40 years of experience have allowed him to handle projects as diverse as serving on the recruiting teams that successfully induced both Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai to locate their first U.S. manufacturing plants in Alabama to representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service, the Alabama Department of Revenue and local taxing authorities. His practice focuses on three concentric areas: representing taxpayers in federal, state and local administrative and jud...
John Gant is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate, and tax law. John represents acquiring and target companies and their owners in planning, structuring, and executing business transactions. This includes asset and stock acquisitions, mergers, venture capital investments, and joint ventures. He advises clients with initial legal planning and analysis, developing appropriate structures, negotiating letters of intent, conducting due dilige...
Chris Grissom practices primarily in the areas of state and local tax planning, LLCs, federal and state tax disputes, and state and local tax and non-tax incentives. Through his tax controversy, planning and incentives work, he deals with a wide variety of industries, including pulp and paper, software technology, automotive, finance, telecommunications, and textile manufacturers. In his tax practice, Chris regularly counsels many of the Fortune 500 on Alabama tax matters. He also conducts mu...
Wood Herren concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate transactions, federal, state and local taxation, exempt organizations, emerging businesses, health care organizations and industrial development. He is also regularly involved in transactions for the purchase, sale, lease and exchange of private aircraft. Wood advises clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including structuring, financing, and negotiation of business acquisitions and dispositions, entity conversions, join...
Trey Hill concentrates his practice primarily in the area of economic development where he assists business clients in negotiating incentive packages. Trey regularly deals with a wide variety of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, metal, energy, and finance, among others. While Trey’s practice is focused primarily in Alabama, he routinely represents clients all over the Southeast and other regions of the United States. Trey also actively represents cities, counties, and ind...
Donald Johnson is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Tax practice group. Don counsels business owners and businesses in areas of mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, and tax and business planning. He counsels developers and investors with regard to real estate income tax planning, including capital gain planning, like-kind exchanges, opportunity zone planning, tax incentives, and debt restructurings and workouts. Don represen...
Harold Kushner practices with the firm's Corporate and Securities Practice Group focusing his practice in the areas of tax and corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, securities, estate and trust planning and employer resources. He represents clients in diverse industries such as steel, manufacturing, retail, technology and software, distribution, franchising, publications, construction, real estate development and health care, with an emphasis on representation of closely held cor...
Brad is a member of the Firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. Brad’s practice primarily involves estate and trust planning and administration, with an emphasis on the related income, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax issues. In addition, Brad is actively engaged in representing individual and corporate fiduciaries (executors and trustees) in administrating and litigating estate and trust matters. Brad has more than 15 years experience in advising clients in an ...
Alex B. Leath is a partner in the firm’s Economic Development Practice Group and the Tax Practice Group. Since 1990, Alex has been involved in a significant number of the major economic development projects in the Southeast. As a result, he is one of the most trusted economic development attorneys in the region. Leading companies regularly seek him out for counsel on their relocation and site-selection matters, knowing his broad experience will serve them well. Alex has extensive experi...
Ronald Levitt is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Tax practice group and leads the Dentons Sirote Conservation Easement team. His practice focuses on federal and state controversy matters, including planning and defending conservation easements. Additionally, his practice focuses on business and tax planning, particularly for closely-held and family-owned businesses. Specifically, he counsels clients in business, succession, estat...
Jimmy concentrates his practice primarily in the area of state and local tax matters, including income, franchise and transactional taxes and various tax incentives. Jimmy also assists clients with federal tax issues, including those related to forming, acquiring, reorganizing and operating their businesses as corporations or various limited liability entities. Jimmy has represented clients in state and local tax controversies during each stage of the proceeding, including the Alabama Departm...
Matthew Mantle is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. He concentrates primarily on state and local tax matters in Louisiana, Alabama, and on a multistate basis. Matt represents firm clients nationwide, including various Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies, in all areas of state and local tax throughout the Gulf South. He advises on matters related to tax and business planning, audits, administrative appeals, judicial appeals, identification and utilization of tax incentives, governmental r...
Preston Neel is a shareholder of Dentons Sirote in Alabama. He is a member of the Corporate practice group and advises clients across multiple industries in the areas of business and tax law, including mergers and acquisitions, tax planning, and general corporate representation. He also has extensive experience providing financial services litigation and regulatory compliance assistance to banks and nonbanks offering mortgage, unsecured small dollar, and business purpose loan products and bro...
Howard Neiswender is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice group and leads the Dentons Sirote Family Business team. Howard provides comprehensive wealth planning for individuals and business owners. His representative work includes the use of innovative tax-planning strategies and working with business owners to coordinate their business and personal planning. Howard also works with Unit...
Gregory Rhodes is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Tax practice group and leads the Dentons Sirote Tax Controversy team. In his practice, Greg focuses on complex tax controversy and tax litigation work. He has successfully represented professional athletes, partnerships, corporations, and individuals as a first-chair trial attorney in high-stakes federal and local tax litigation throughout the country. Greg has also successfully h...
Joseph T. Ritchey is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office. He serves as the chair of the Dentons Sirote Corporate practice group. In his practice, Joey represents various individuals and businesses, including physicians, physician networks, multi-specialty physician practices, healthcare organizations, healthcare ventures, food businesses, retail and wholesale businesses, and other concerns. He advises clients on issues regarding health law, tax planning, qualifi...
Atkins Roberts practices primarily in the areas of commercial finance, real estate and bank regulation. Atkins regularly assists banks, financial institutions, investors, real estate developers and individuals in a broad range of commercial lending activities. He has represented developers (including non-profit corporations), syndicators, equity investors and lenders throughout the Southeast in numerous transactions involving low-income housing tax credits (federal and state). Atkins is fluen...
Bradley J. Sklar is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he serves as Co-Leader of the Dentons Tax National Practice Group. Brad focuses on complex tax, entity, and business planning transactions, including mergers and acquisitions; sales of businesses; sale and purchase structuring and funding of large real estate transactions; raising capital; and navigation of state and local tax incentives. He counsels clients in tax and business planning and entity st...
Counselor. Teacher. Lawyer. Dale Stone wears many hats when he assists clients in developing and implementing plans for the effective and efficient disposition of their assets. Dale has over thirty-four years of experience guiding clients through the personal and practical aspects of estate planning and estate administration as well as the legal, economic and tax issues involved. For owners of family businesses, Dale coordinates planning for the preservation and continuation of the business i...
Will Thistle practices primarily in the areas of federal and state and local taxation. He regularly counsels public and private businesses on Alabama tax matters, with particular emphasis in the areas of sales, use, and property taxes. A significant portion of Will's practice is dedicated to the representation of taxpayers in all phases of federal, state, and local tax controversy, including audit assistance, administrative hearings, and litigation. Other areas of his practice include advisin...
Robert Walthall is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. He counsels clients on a broad range of federal tax and related matters. Robert provides tax-planning advice to individuals and businesses, represents clients in administrative and judicial tax controversies at the state and federal levels, including the US Tax Court and other federal and Alabama courts, and represents clients in civil and criminal tax defense. He also counsels clients with respect to organizing and tax planning fo...
Kay is a member of the firm's Corporate Practice and Estate Planning/Probate Practice groups. She is listed in Alabama Super Lawyers in the Estate Planning and Probate, Closely Held Business, and Tax Law categories of law, and she has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America(r) in the fields of Litigation - Trusts & Estates, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/Wright, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.). The author of numerous articles regarding tax, corporate ...
Brian Williams’ practice includes estate planning, estate and trust litigation, estate and trust administration, federal and state tax, and corporate and business transactions and issues. He practiced for 6 years as an in house counsel for a publicly traded corporation before entering private practice with his present firm in 1986. Brian graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama in 1976, B.S. degree/accounting major. He obtained his J.D. degree in 1979 from Cumberland School of...
Keith Windle is chairman of the firm's Real Estate Practice Group and a member of the firm's Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. His primary areas of practice include real estate finance and development, commercial lending, foreclosure law, retail property leasing, and low-income housing investment and development. While maintaining a general real estate practice, Keith has devoted a substantial portion of his practice to representing banks and financial institutions in connection ...
Cobb Bostick is a member of the Firm's Trusts and Estates and Tax Practice Groups. Cobb focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, and taxation. His experience includes analyzing estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer (GST) taxation issues, preparing primary estate plans (including wills, revocable and irrevocable trust agreements, general powers of attorney, and advanced healthcare directives), and trust and est...
Kristin Martin Centeno is a managing associate in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office. She is a member of the Tax practice group and focuses on tax controversy and tax litigation. Kristin joins the firm after earning her JD from the University of Alabama School of Law. While attending law school, Kristin served as a junior editor for the Alabama Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Review; competed in the Campbell Moot Court Competition, advancing to the semi-finals and later served...
Emily Ellis is an associate in Dentons Sirote's Tax practice in Birmingham, Alabama, where she is a member of the Tax Litigation and Dispute Resolution team focusing on tax controversy and litigation. Emily joined the firm after earning her JD from The University of Alabama School of Law, where she was a junior editor of the Alabama Law Review; a member of the Moot Court Board; the president of the Alabama Alumni Society's Student Division; the treasurer of the Business Law Society; a member ...
Sidney W. Jackson, IV, is a senior managing associate in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office. He is a member of the Tax Controversy practice group, where his practice focuses on all phases of federal and state tax controversies, including IRS audit, administrative appeals, and court proceedings in the U.S. Tax Court, federal district court, and state tax tribunals. Sidney received an LLM in Taxation from NYU School of Law. He earned his JD cum laude from Samford University&rsquo...
Jackson M. Reagan is an associate in Dentons Sirote's Corporate and Tax practices in the Birmingham office, where he primarily focuses on helping clients navigate complex corporate tax issues. Jackson regularly counsels business owners and corporations regarding a variety of matters, including entity formation, mergers and acquisitions, tax and business planning, and regulatory compliance. Jackson's extensive educational background in accounting and tax, including a BSBA in accountancy, cum l...
Alex Sidwell is a senior managing associate in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office. He is a member of the Corporate practice group, focusing his practice in mergers, acquisitions, general corporate law and broker-dealer and investment advisor regulation, including work with financial services firms and multi-state insurance distribution companies. Alex joined the firm after graduating from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, where he was a research editor and bo...
Walt Terry is special counsel in the Tax Practice Group. Prior to joining Jones Walker, Walt drafted wills, trusts, and estate planning documents, and helped clients with probate and estate administration. He also assisted a range of business clients with formation, dissolution, mergers and acquisitions, and many other corporate transactions. While in law school, Walt served as a site coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) and as a legal intern for the Mississippi ...
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