State & Local

Alston & Bird's exceptional state and local tax (SALT) attorneys have experience representing clients in almost every state and focus exclusively on SALT matters.  We have counseled clients on matters pertaining to income taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes and other levies such as franchise, excise, recording, premium and self-procurement, license, payroll/withholding, real estate transfer and recording taxes. In addition, we handle major unclaimed property, or escheat, matters across the country.

EXPERIENCE

• Business planning/transactions and multistate tax services
• Litigation and appeals
• Property tax appeals
• Economic incentives
• Unclaimed property

DISTINCTION IN EXPERIENCE

One of our Fortune 100 clients faced the prospect of realizing a gain in excess of $1 billion and conflicting claims to the right to tax that income in its home state and other states in which it conducted business. We helped this client structure a unique agreement with the home state that insured against multiple taxation of the gain. We also have represented six separate coalitions of taxpayers, many of whom sold their products via the Internet, in the negotiation of prospective-only collection agreements for state sales and use taxes. We obtained these agreements in 43 different states with an average of 35 states per coalition. Additionally, we have represented clients in litigation matters in more than 20 different states involving income and franchise taxes, sales and use taxes, and property taxes.

RECOGNITION

A member of the American College of Tax Counsel, a recipient of the National State and Local Tax Professional of the Year (Journal of State Taxation), and a past chair of the executive committee of the National Association of State Bar Tax Sections are representative of leadership positions held by our SALT attorneys.  Attorneys are also among those listed in The Best Lawyers in America. 

WHY ALSTON & BIRD’S SALT GROUP?

Our SALT group’s depth and breadth of experience distinguishes Alston & Bird from other firms. While accounting firms may offer similar breadth in the number of professionals, accounting firms are unable to handle disputes if they end up in court. Other law firms may offer similar depth in one or two areas in a single jurisdiction, but generally they have only a few attorneys who focus exclusively on state and local tax and they lack the multistate breadth of Alston & Bird’s experience. The composition of our group ensures that experienced lawyers will be assisting clients with their tax matters.