- In the area of unclaimed and abandoned property, has represented more than 50 national companies in connection with multistate audits and/or voluntary disclosures.
- Has advised more than 75 companies in connection with structuring of their gift certificate, gift card and merchandise credit operations.
- Has represented clients in negotiations and provided legal opinions in connection with purchases and sales of businesses, reorganizations and evaluation of potential exposures and establishment of appropriate reserves and compliance projects.
- Led the successful defense of Simon Property Group’s gift cards’ dormancy charges and expiration dates in Benson v. Simon Property Group, 281 Ga. 744 (March 2007).
- Has represented more than 100 clients in state tax matters before the Georgia Department of Revenue and state tax administrators in other states involving state income, sales/use and property taxes.
- Representative state tax litigation: Equifax Check Services v. Tenn. Dep’t of Revenue, 2000 Tenn. App. Lexis 412 (6/27/2000).
Retired Partner,
- Phone: +1 404 881 7482
- Email: john.coalson@alston.com
For more than 30 years, John counseled clients through unclaimed property audits; he was one of the very few attorneys whose practice focused exclusively on escheat law nationally. John counseled nearly half of the Fortune 100 on tax and unclaimed property issues. Companies also looked to John for regulatory advice on gift cards, incentive programs and prepaid access products.