Chris has a wide-ranging practice, which has included everything from sophisticated estate planning to multi billion dollar mergers and acquisitions. His primary experience has been in representing family or employee owned businesses and their shareholders in all aspects of federal income, gift and estate taxation. Chris also has substantial experience in the taxation of mutual funds and private investment vehicles.
Representative Client Work
- Estate planning assistance for two families each with more than one billion dollars of net worth
- Tax planning for more than one hundred mutual fund combinations
- Represented issuer in the creation of the first partnership swap funds for persons holding highly appreciated securities
- Designed spin off and merger structure for multi-billion-dollar cable television acquisition
- Represented United States shareholders of large foreign investment management firm to protect deferral of United States income tax on firm’s income
- Represented purchasers in transactions which have transferred more than $100 million in tax credits for production of non-traditional fuels to taxable users of credits
- Assisted in tax planning for bankruptcy reorganization of Pennsylvania Railroad
Bar & Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
- U.S. Tax Court
Education
- LL.M., Taxation, Boston University School of Law
- J.D., Yale Law School
- B.A., cum laude, Harvard College
Community Engagement
- American Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Boston Bar Association
Awards & Honors
- Best Lawyers in America® (2010-2023)
- The Legal 500 U.S. (2013-2016, 2018-2019, 2022)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2006-2012)
- Worth Magazine, Top 100 Attorneys (2007)
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Press ReleaseJune 8, 2022
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Sullivan Press ReleaseMay 30, 2019
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Press ReleaseFebruary 21, 2019
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Press ReleaseApril 11, 2018
Seminars & Presentations
- Program Chair, "Critical Provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 Affecting Business," Federal Tax Institute of New England (April 2005)
- Panelist, "Estate and Gift Tax Changes – Rethinking the Landscape," in "Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001," Federal Tax Institute of New England (December 2001)
Practices
- Family Businesses
- International Tax
- Investment Advisers, Commodity Trading Advisors and Institutional Investors
- Investment Management
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Private Investment Funds & Institutional Investors
- Public Charities & Private Foundations
- Real Estate, Alternative & Offshore Investment Funds
- Tax
- Tax Planning for Business Owners & Investors
- Tax Planning for High-Net-Worth Individuals
- Trusts & Estates