Sullivan's Tax Group provides time-is-of-the-essence, state-of-the-art, partner-level advice on a wide range of complex tax issues. Averaging over 20 years’ experience each, our tax partners creatively address the entire spectrum of tax-related legal matters, from tax planning for sophisticated corporate reorganizations to the representation of clients in adversarial proceedings with the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities.

Regardless of the context or forum, our Tax Group identifies each client’s objectives and then designs efficient and cost-effective strategies for achieving them. We solve complex problems across a wide range of tax regimes for a wide range of clients, including:

• International, federal and state tax planning
• Tax planning for business owners, investors and high net worth individuals
• Tax planning for mutual funds, REITs and other pooled investment vehicles
• Tax planning for public charities and private foundations
• Tax planning related to employee benefits and executive compensation plans
• Public company tax compliance and representation
• Representation in federal and state tax controversies, including administrative appeals and all phases of litigation

Clients

We serve corporate taxpayers across a wide variety of industries throughout the U.S. Our international work is often a result of our connections with other professionals around the world. 

Many of our clients reflect our depth in the real estate, private equity, and financial services sectors. Our size and national reputation demonstrate our commitment to quality, an ability to design creative solutions to complex problems and the insight to understand and achieve our clients' goals.

Delivery on Your Next: Case Studies

Delivering a global restructuring with a REIT conversion built on alternative, data assets

Challenge

A multinational, California-based data center company wanted to convert its assets into a public REIT to realize on tax efficiencies.

Getting to Next

Our team handled the REIT conversion, including obtaining an IRS Private Letter Ruling and rationalizing worldwide operations to maintain REIT compliance.

Results

The client successfully shifted assets to a REIT. Ameek Ashok Ponda, David Kaplan, Brian Hammell and Paul Decker supported this client in its REIT conversion and subsequent global restructuring, with a market capitalization of $25 billion.

Accolades

• Legal 500 United States 2019 ranked Sullivan in U.S. Taxes (contentious and non-contentious) and International Tax and praised the following individual tax attorneys: Ameek Ashok Ponda, David Guadagnoli, Joseph Donovan, Judith Edington, Caroline Kupiec, Joseph Darby III, Brian Hammell, Richard Jones, Daniel Ryan, David Nagle, Christopher Curtis, Amy Sheridan and Douglas Stransky.
• Chambers USA 2019 ranked Sullivan in the Tax category in Massachusetts and awarded individual rankings for the following Sullivan tax attorneys: Ameek Ashok Ponda – Tax (Massachusetts) and REITs (Nationwide), Douglas Stransky – Tax (Massachusetts), David Guadagnoli and Amy Sheridan – Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Massachusetts).
• International Tax Review’s Tax Controversy Leaders Guide 2020 recognized Richard Jones, David Nagle and Douglas Stransky as leaders in the area of tax.
• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2019 recognized Sullivan's team as being well-regarded for its adept representation of a range of clients on national and international tax matters spanning both litigious and non-contentious areas of tax law.  The firm is respected for its broad coverage, including REIT conversions, estate planning and tax controversies, among other areas. Chambers reported that clients noted “all of the partners are very efficient and experts in their field who offer accurate and practical advice.”
• Chambers highlighted several individuals as Leading Lawyers in the tax area. Clients noted Ameek Ashok Ponda “a superior lawyer from a technical perspective.” Clients noted David Guadagnoli as “extremely knowledgeable and very pragmatic” and that Amy Sheridan has “deep technical knowledge. Efficiency, engagement and humor are all strengths of hers.” Clients described Doug Stransky as “an attorney of the highest caliber."

Rankings (PDF)

Representative Client Work

• Provide strategic guidance on corporate tax issues, including reorganizations, tax treatment of net operating losses, real estate transactions, cross-border transactions and the tax problems of closely-held businesses and their owners
• Develop estate planning strategies for the tax-efficient transfer of wealth to the next generation
• Conform the structure of employee benefits, equity incentives, executive compensation and retirement planning to all applicable tax requirements
• Resolve controversies with federal and state tax authorities
• Structure charitable giving and charitable foundations and trusts for maximum tax advantage, and offer guidance to tax-exempt entities
• Ensure maximum tax advantage in the structure and operation of hedge funds, private securities partnerships, LBO and venture capital funds, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts and foreign corporations

Subchapter K: Origin & Development (Ameek Ashok Ponda)

Tax Policy & Reform: Rejecting "Tax Utopianism" in Favor of "Tax Diversification" (Ameek Ashok Ponda)