Editorial: Corporate Tax in Georgia
01 April 2007
Thirteen corporate tax leaders from six firms appear in this chapter. Experts have a wide range of specialisations: international tax specialists are included alongside domestic experts, direct taxation practitioners, indirect tax lawyers and specialists on transfer pricing and tax issues deriving from M&A and dispositions, are all recognised for their outstanding ability in the legal aspects of corporate taxation.
Alston & Bird LLP has the most individuals listed in this chapter, with four nominees. Leading this elite group of “real corporate guys” is Philip Cook. As a member of the federal income tax group, Cook concentrates his practice on federal tax matters and was hailed in the research as “right at the top” for tax litigation. Cook led the firm’s team that, as part of the examiner’s investigation, inspected Enron’s tax transactions and testified before the Senate finance committee regarding this investigation. Sam Kaywood is the chair of the federal income tax group and member of the international tax group and chair of the ABA tax section committee on US Affairs of Foreigners and Tax Treaties. John Coalson is a partner in the firm’s state and local tax group. As well as dispute and litigation work, his practice focuses on tax planning and counselling. Pinney Allen is co-chair of the tax section and a member of the federal income tax group. With a practice that focuses on the structuring and effecting of complex business transactions, corporate tax planning and litigation Allen has a “real presence” in the market.
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP was founded in 1924 and developed a name for itself in tax law. Now a national corporate firm with over 400 lawyers it remains true to its roots, with three partners listed in this chapter. Jerold Cohen was tipped as “dean of the corporate tax bar in Georgia” and “the most prominent in the state”. Known for his work on both international and domestic tax planning matters, Cohen is a former chair of the tax section of the ABA and the American College of Tax Counsel. Reginald Clark is a “very prominent figure” in the market and heads up the firm’s tax practice group. Adept at handling the tax issues related to corporate acquisitions and restructurings Clark also advises university endowment funds on taxrelated matters regarding their investment activities. “Federal tax expert and born litigator” Matthew Gries has represented clients before the IRS Office of Appeals, the IRS National Office, Tax Court, the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States Courts of Appeals.
King & Spalding LLP was founded in Atlanta in 1885 and retains a considerable presence in the city’s tax arena. Robert Woodward has extensive governmental experience, serving as an attorney-adviser, associate tax legislative counsel, and tax legislative counsel in the office of Tax Legislative Counsel of the United States Treasury Department. In private practice Woodward is “a luminary” and “one of the best in the state for everything tax related”. He recently assisted in the representation of Sprint on its $1.3 billion acquisition of US Unwired. Herschel Bloom was described to researchers as “a knowledge goldmine”, specialising in state and federal tax controversies and is “exceptional for REIT tax issues”.
Kilpatrick Stockton LLP has Scott Dayan and Harold Abrams – a duo that one source said were “at the top of [his] list”. Dayan does a great deal of international tax planning, both inbound and outbound, and represents clients as diverse as chemical corporations, flower importers and felt manufacturers. Abrams has a reputation among his peers as a “truly great lawyer” who practises with the firm’s tax, trust and estates practice group. Abrams’ broad practice encompasses corporate tax planning and structuring, corporate acquisitions, reorganisations and liquidations, tax audits, protests and controversies, estate planning and estate administration.
Cleburne Gregory III brings the Atlanta firm of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP into the spotlight. He is chairman of the tax team and “very highly thought of ” among his peers.
David Aughtry from Chamberlain Hrdlicka White Williams & Martin is “nationally prominent for tax controversy and has won in the Supreme Court”. His time as trial attorney and tax shelter coordinator for the Internal Revenue Service no doubt contributes to his thriving practice..
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