Ameek is director of Sullivan's Tax Department and a former member of the firm's Management Committee. His practice includes domestic and international taxation, with an emphasis on mergers & acquisitions and REIT transactions.
Ameek is nationally recognized for his work in REIT conversions and REIT cross-border matters. He has represented public and private REITs in an array of real property sectors, both domestically and abroad, including: business storage facilities; cold storage facilities; communications towers; data centers; dark and lit fiber; digital billboards; distributed antenna systems; hotels and travel centers; industrial properties; mortgage loans; single-family and multi-family residential; office buildings; parking facilities; retail properties; senior living facilities; solar, wind, and other power infrastructure; timberlands; transmission and distribution lines; as well as vineyards, greenhouses, and other agricultural properties.
Ameek Ponda Tax Forum Presentation on REITs (PDF)
Representative Client Work
- Designed tax structure for well over 1,000 M&A deals
- Converted C corporations to public REITs in the travel centers, communication towers, business storage and data center industries
- Designed tax structure for first REIT-to-REIT spin-off
- Introduced Irish, Canadian and Singapore investors into U.S. real estate deals on a tax-efficient basis
- Negotiated novel M&A structures including leveraged partnerships and master prepaid leases
- Implemented efficient tax structures for REITs investing in 50 countries throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America
- Defended the portfolio interest exemption from IRS challenge to an Islamic law-compliant transaction denominated as a lease rather than a loan
Bar & Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
Education
- LL.M., Taxation, valedictorian, Boston University School of Law
- J.D., magna cum laude, Harvard Law School
- B.A., summa cum laude, Harvard College
Community Engagement
- Board of Regents, American College of Tax Counsel
- Chairman of the Board, Tax Analysts
- American Law Institute
- National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts
- International Fiscal Association
- National Tax Association
- Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC)
- Charter Member and former Secretary, The Indus Entrepreneurs-Boston
- American, Massachusetts and Boston Bar Associations
- South Asian Bar Association
- Chair, Board of Advisors, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
- Adjunct Professor, Boston University School of Law
- Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School
Languages
- Hindi
- Urdu
Awards & Honors
- Chambers USA, Recognized Practitioner in Tax (2006-2022), REITs (2013-2022)
- Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Go To Lawyer, Taxation (2022)
- Best Lawyers' 2012 & 2017 Boston Tax Law Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers in America® (2008-2023)
- The Legal 500 U.S. (2007-2022)
- 'Leading Lawyer' in REITs, The Legal 500 U.S. (2017-2022)
- The Tax Lawyers, Massachusetts Recommended Attorney (2021-2022)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2004-2022)
- Boston Business Journal's 40-under-40 (2007)
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New England Super Lawyers MagazineOctober 11, 2022
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Press ReleaseAugust 8, 2022
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Massachusetts Lawyers WeeklyJuly 26, 2022
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Press ReleaseJune 8, 2022
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Press ReleaseJune 2, 2022
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Tax Notes, QuotedMay 10, 2022
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Boston Real Estate TimesMarch 13, 2022
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Lexology Getting The Deal ThroughDecember 2021
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December 6, 2021
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Press ReleaseNovember 24, 2021
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New England Super Lawyers MagazineOctober 12, 2021
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Press ReleaseJune 9, 2021
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Press ReleaseMay 20, 2021
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Global Legal ChronicleApril 30, 2021
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Press ReleaseApril 28, 2021
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February 8, 2021
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Press ReleaseDecember 17, 2020
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2020 Massachusetts Super Lawyers Magazine, QuotedOctober 6, 2020
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Press ReleaseJune 10, 2020
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Press ReleaseApril 23, 2020
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Tax Notes, QuotedMarch 25, 2020
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Journal of Taxation of Passthrough EntitiesNovember-December 2019
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New England Super Lawyers MagazineOctober 17, 2019
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Journal of Taxation of Passthrough EntitiesJuly-August 2019
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Sullivan Press ReleaseMay 30, 2019
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New England Super Lawyers MagazineOctober 18, 2018
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Press ReleaseSeptember 24, 2018
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Tax Notes Today, QuotedSeptember 14, 2018
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WGBH NewsNovember 2, 2017
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Law 360, QuotedSeptember 27, 2017
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July 27, 2017
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Tax Notes Today, QuotedJuly 18, 2017
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Tax Notes Today, QuotedJuly 10, 2017
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Press ReleaseJune 28, 2017
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The Legal 500 United StatesMay 31, 2017
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REITWise 2017: NAREIT’s Law, Accounting & Finance Conference - Video InterviewApril 19, 2017
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Law360, QuotedFebruary 23, 2017
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Tax NotesJuly 27, 2015
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Tax NotesDecember 5, 2011
- "IRS Enhances Opportunity for U.S. Multinationals to Access Cash from Controlled Foreign Corporations," reprinted in Bailout Tax Briefing: A White Paper, at p.5 (WorldTrade Executive, eds., 2008)
- "Important Energy-Related Tax Measures Included in Bailout Legislation," reprinted in Bailout Tax Briefing: A White Paper, at p.14 (WorldTrade Executive, eds., 2008)
- "Is a ‘GmbH & Co KG’ a Corporation or Partnership for US Tax Purposes?," AFIRE News (January/February 2007)
- "REITs Abroad," Practicing Law Institute’s Tax Strategies for Corporate Acquisitions, Dispositions, Spin-Offs, Joint Ventures, Financings, Reorganizations & Restructurings 2006 (September 2006)
- "Top 10 Mistakes in Negotiating US Acquisition Agreements," Businessworld Online (November 2005)
- "Foreign Pension Plan Investments in U.S. REITs," 74 Tax Notes 1593 (March 24, 1997)
- "Using Qualified Personal Residence Trusts," 67 Tax Notes 947 (May 15, 1995)
- "Family Partnerships: Classification Problems and Other Selected Income Tax Issues," ALI-ABA Sophisticated Estate Planning Techniques (September 9-10, 1994)
- "Choice of Entity for Family Ventures," ALI-ABA Sophisticated Estate Planning Techniques (September 9-10, 1993)
- "Economic Inconsistencies in the Taxation of Currency Swaps," 57 Tax Notes 1795 (December 28, 1992)
- "An Empirical Analysis of Taxes, Government Spending, and Private Consumer Behavior in the United Kingdom" (1989) (manuscript on file in Pusey Library, Harvard College)
Seminars & Presentations
- REIT Tax Conundrums
Nareit REITwise 2021 Law, Accounting & Finance Virtual Conference (March 25, 2021) - 48th Annual Conference of the USA Branch of the International Fiscal Association
(February 27, 2020) - 15th Annual Gala & Awards Dinner
Mandarin Oriental Boston (November 7, 2019) - Commercial Riches in the Niches
2019 AREAA National Convention, Boston Marriott Copley Place (October 17, 2019) - 14th Annual Gala & Awards Dinner
Taj Hotel, Boston, MA (November 15, 2018) - Tax Law Overview
Harvard Law School Tax Law Podcast Series (June 21, 2018) - Taxation of Financial Products: Theory & Policy
Boston University School of Law Tax Workshop for the Thai Judiciary (April 27, 2018) - Tax Cut and Jobs Act
Government Accountability Office, Boston, MA (April 1, 2018) - Tax Policy & Reform — Rejecting "Tax Utopianism" in favor of "Tax Diversification"
Stetson Law School (March 26, 2018) - REIT Taxation – Basics, Developments, Structures & Predictions
Legal Development Council (March 1, 2018) - Tax Reform Roundtable – Pass-through Entities
Boston University School of Law (March 1, 2018) - South Asians in Law
Harvard College South Asian Association Dinner Series (February 1, 2018) - A Diversification Approach to Tax Policy & Reform
Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA (January 31, 2018) - Tax Policy & Reform: Rejecting 'Tax Utopianism' in Favor of 'Tax Diversification'
Boston Bar Association, Boston, MA (November 7, 2017) - Tax Reform: Perspectives From Across the Nation
Boston University School of Law, Boston, MA (October 11, 2017) - Subchapter K - Origin and Latest Developments
Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA (September 27, 2017) - Tax Reform Under the Trump Administration: What Practitioners Should Expect
Boston Bar Association (May 23, 2017) - REITWise 2017
La Quinta Resort & Club, La Quinta, CA (March 22, 2017) - Final Regulations Under Section 385 and Other International Tax Developments
Boston Bar Association - 16 Beacon Street, Boston, MA (February 16, 2017) - American Bar Association Section of Taxation 2017 Midyear Meeting
Hilton Bonnet Creek, Orlando, FL (January 20, 2017)
- "Tax Planning for U.S. Inbound Investment – Defining the Boundaries," 13th Annual NYU/KPMG Tax Lecture Series (April 2013)
- "U.S. REITs Investing Globally," International Tax Institute, Inc., New York, NY (January 2013)
- "Deal With It: Managing Dealer v. Investor Status," American Bar Association, Section of Taxation 2012 Fall Meeting, Boston, MA (September 2012)
- Ameek Ashok Ponda Interviewed on WGBH's "Greater Boston" (December 2008)
- "Legal Issues for Entrepreneurs," TIE Young Entrepreneurs, Waltham, MA (February 2008)
- "REITs Abroad," Boston Tax Forum, Boston, MA (October 2007)
- "Financial, Tax and Legal Issues in Off Shore Timberland Investment," World Forest Institute, Portland, OR (September 2007)
- "Get Into Global Markets: Bringing Indian Business to Massachusetts," South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (July 2007)
- "Attracting Foreign Capital to Invest in U.S. Real Estate," NAREIM, Chicago, IL (June 2007)
- "Legal, Tax and Financial Strategies for Doing Business in India," Moderator, ATLAS Legal, New York, NY (April 2007)
- "Timber Sector Issues," Moderator, NAREIT 2007 Law & Accounting Conference, Miami, FL (March 2007)
- "Cross Bordering Lawyering," National Business Institute’s International Taxation Seminar, Newton, MA (September 2006)
- "State of the Economy," Moderator, ACG Growth Conference, Boston, MA (June 2006)
- "Globalization Business Roundtable," CNBC Telecast, India (May 2006)
- "Tax Issues for Overseas Investors in U.S. REITs," Moderator, NAREIT 2006 Law & Accounting Conference, La Quinta, California (March 2006)
- "Globalization Strategies for Emerging Corporates: Operationalizing Winning Strategies," Citigroup Commercial Banking Group, Thought Leadership Roundtables, Mumbai and New Delhi, India (February and May 2006, October 2005)
- "Expanding in India," IndUS Business Journal Seminar, Boston, MA (February 2006)
- Adjunct Professor, Boston University Graduate Tax Program seminars in Business Tax Planning, Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions, and International Transactions