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Our Commitment to Diversity
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In a rapidly evolving global environment, tax compliance has become increasingly complex and challenging. The need for skillful and comprehensive tax advice has become paramount for businesses. Our seasoned tax lawyers work with our clients to find practical and effective ways to minimize the impact of international, federal, state, and local taxes.

With a global network of lawyers devoting their practices solely to tax issues, we are able to provide integrated commercial and tax advice on planning, investment, cross-border transactions, litigation and tax controversies, and legislative and regulatory lobby projects.

Our clients include businesses of all sizes from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, as well as individuals and tax-exempt entities, across a wide range of industries.

International Tax

We have worked on international tax-planning strategies and cross-border transactions across several jurisdictions, including the United States, Australia, Asia, the United Kingdom, and Europe. We regularly advise on issues such as:

  • Structuring
  • Dual consolidated losses/tax losses
  • Maximum utilization of foreign tax credits
  • Subpart F taxation 
  • Transfer pricing
  • Value-Added Tax (VAT) and Goods & Services Tax (GST)
  • Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) rules 
  • Sourcing of income
Corporate and Transactional

Having been recognized as “Law Firm of the Year” in the area of corporate law in the 2022 edition of U.S. New-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” report, our team of corporate and tax lawyers has earned a well-deserved reputation for handling a variety of tax and business-related matters associated with transactions. These include planning, negotiation, and implementation of:

  • Mergers and acquisitions 
  • Public and private offerings 
  • Leveraged buyouts 
  • Joint ventures
  • Reconstructions and demergers 
  • Recapitalizations and restructurings 

In addition, we have substantial experience in obtaining private letter rulings from tax authorities around the world, including the IRS National Office, the U.S. state tax authorities, HM Revenue & Customs in the United Kingdom and the Australian Taxation Office.    

Real Estate/Commercial Lending

Financial institutions and other lenders turn to our tax lawyers for counsel in connection with such matters as: 

  • Loan and credit agreements 
  • Imputed interest
  • Original value discount
  • Tax liens and levies
  • Tax withholding obligations
  • Cancellations of indebtedness
  • Tax liabilities of borrowers
  • Tax issues associated with established and emerging financial products and instruments

We also counsel our clients on tax matters relating to the establishment and operation of real estate ventures and related real estate transaction planning, including the use of limited liability companies, limited and general partnerships and REITs, the availability and utilization of losses, tax allocations, shared appreciation mortgages, and like-kind exchanges. Some of the largest funds in the United States can be counted among our clients.

Fund Formation and Operation

As part of our Corporate practice, we have advised and provided sophisticated tax work to many investment fund formations including private equity, hedge funds and foreign investment entities, and venture capital. We partner closely with the firm’s lawyers in our Financial Services and Real Estate groups to assist on the tax aspects of designing and implementing specialized financial structures.

United States and Australia State and Local Tax

Our team includes several lawyers who regularly advise clients on state and local tax matters across the United States and Australia. These projects most often involve:

  • Tax controversies, including administrative disputes and litigation, against state and local governments across the United States and Australia
  • Counseling clients on compliance obligations with respect to United States and Australia state and local tax requirements
  • United States and Australia state and local tax structuring and planning in connection with M&A and commercial transactions
  • Negotiating for tax economic incentives from United States and Australia state and local governments
  • Lobby projects in the legislatures and administrative agencies of state and local governments across the United States and Australia
Alternative Energy/Tax-Enhanced Investing

Together with the firm's Energy, Securities and Transactional Litigation, Finance, and Tax Policy lawyers, we are able to handle all aspects of any alternative energy or other tax-enhanced project. We work with developers, investors, and energy funds on the related tax issues from structuring, financing, and permitting to project development, supply, and distribution agreements. Our team assists clients by creating and negotiating innovative agreements to maximize congressionally sanctioned tax benefits and to qualify for federal, state, and local credits as well as other tax credits and incentives.

Tax Controversies and Litigation

We have extensive experience and success representing clients at the administrative level and in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court where our lawyers have appeared on tax matters more than eight times. Our team is also proficient in obtaining private letter rulings or taking other proactive measures in order to minimize tax controversies.            

Tax-Exempt Organizations

Our Tax lawyers often work together with lawyers of the firm’s Tax: Nonprofit Organizations practice to advise nonprofit and tax-exempt entities on matters, including formation, maintaining tax-exempt status, unrelated business taxable income, foundation excise taxes, and mergers and joint ventures with other tax-exempt and taxable organizations.

  • Recognized by the China Business Law Journal as an international law firm winner at the 2023 China Business Law Awards in the Taxation category
  • Named a Tier 1 national firm for Tax Law in the 2023 edition of U.S. News - Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”
  • Named a Tier 1 firm in Charlotte, Fort Worth/Dallas, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. for Tax Law in the 2023 edition of U.S. News - Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”
  • The 2023 Chambers USA guide recognized the firm with a Band 1 ranking in Washington in the area of Tax 
  • The 2023 Chambers Asia-Pacific guide recognized the firm among leaders in Australia in the area of Tax
  • The Legal 500 United States 2023 edition recognized the firm as a leader in the US taxes: non-contentious category
  • The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023 edition recognized the firm as a leader in Australia in the Tax category
  • The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023 edition recognized the firm as a leader in China in the Tax: Foreign Firms category
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 edition recognized the firm as a leader in Italy in the Tax category
Additional Thought Leadership Pages
14 March 2024
K&L Gates Ranked in 2024 Chambers Europe Guide
Rankings & Recognitions
18 January 2024
Chambers Greater China Region 2024 Guide Recognizes K&L Gates
Rankings & Recognitions
17 January 2024
The Legal 500 Recognises K&L Gates in 2024 Asia Pacific Edition
Rankings & Recognitions
12 April 2023
K&L Gates Recognised in The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 Edition
Rankings & Recognitions
16 March 2023
K&L Gates Recognized in 2023 Chambers Europe Guide
Rankings & Recognitions
19 December 2022
K&L Gates Adds 40 Lawyers to Firm's Partnership
Press Release, Practice & Regional News
12 April 2022
K&L Gates Recognised in The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 Edition
Rankings & Recognitions, Practice & Regional News
17 March 2022
K&L Gates Recognized in 2022 Chambers Europe Guide
Rankings & Recognitions
13 January 2022
Chambers Greater China Region 2022 Guide Recognises K&L Gates
Rankings & Recognitions
13 January 2022
Legal 500 Recognizes K&L Gates in 2022 Asia Pacific Guide
Rankings & Recognitions
30 April 2021
K&L Gates Adds Tax Partner in Shanghai
Press Release, Practice & Regional News
18 March 2021
K&L Gates Adds Pair of International Tax Partners in Chicago Office
Press Release, Practice & Regional News
23 January 2020
Legal 500 Recognizes K&L Gates in 2020 Asia Pacific Guide
Rankings & Recognitions
17 February 2016
K&L Gates Names 50 New Partners
Press Release

National Tier 1 Ranking in Tax Law

U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" 2020

Band 4 Ranking for Tax

Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2020
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