Practice Strengths

We advise the owners and operators of market leading businesses on the federal, international, state and local tax implications of their mergers, acquisitions, asset sales and other transactions. Our tax lawyers have developed creative and sophisticated tax-planning ideas and solutions relating to the purchase, sale and financing of publicly traded and privately held companies and the maintenance of management and ownership continuity for closely held business enterprises. We remain at the forefront of the use of limited liability companies, partnerships, joint ventures and subchapter S corporations to own and operate business activities.

Our tax lawyers have substantial experience in planning and implementing tax-oriented investment opportunities that involve Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), sale-leasebacks, leveraged leasing and other ventures. We not only advise on the tax consequences of the transactions themselves, but also help clients assess the tax impact of funding and development alternatives.

Our tax lawyers have developed creative and sophisticated solutions to minimize the tax impact on profitable transactions.

Transactional Experience

• Designed integrated global structures that included the creation of tax-advantaged holding companies and intellectual property holding companies. Our legal services included determining the most tax-efficient capitalization plan for each business and engaging in substantial Subpart F planning for expansions into Europe by one of the largest U.S. privately held companies and a significant Internet-based company.
• Represented the family owners of a market leading hair care products corporation in the sale of their company to a public company. We structured the the sale in a way that gave the family cash along with stock, diversifying their wealth by adding a significant holding of public company stock.
• Performed a full range of services for Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) clients, including formation of public and private REITs; tax compliance; private letter ruling requests; formal and informal guidance from the IRS, mergers with public and private REITs; UPREIT structures; and DOWNREIT transactions.
• Structured joint ventures and limited liability company agreements with developers, pension funds and venture capital funds.

About Our Tax Team

With a team of more than 80 lawyers—many of whom have served as senior government tax advisors and have received substantial leadership recognition within the legal profession—Baker Hostetler's national tax practice offers unsurpassed resources to our clients. We can handle any tax planning matter or tax controversy at the state, federal or international level, and have the insight and experience to make the Tax Code work to our clients' advantage.