Jasper Howard assists clients in structuring and executing transactions in a tax-efficient manner. Clients often turn to Jasper for their largest, most important transactions that present difficult tax issues. He has broad experience in analyzing complex transactions and providing creative, workable solutions that meet the client's tax and business objectives, making him a go-to source for tax advice on major business transactions.
For more than 25 years, Jasper has advised on the tax aspects of a broad range of transactions, including tax-free spin-offs (and associated internal restructurings) of multi-billion dollar companies. He frequently advises on acquisitions and dispositions in taxable and tax-free transactions, including multi-step tax-free reorganizations. He advises on both domestic and international joint ventures, and structuring inbound and outbound investments and other cross-border transactions. He also works extensively with clients in structuring and implementing internal reorganizations, especially in the international context, to integrate acquired businesses and re-align multi-jurisdictional organizational structures.
Jasper is often called upon to help clients obtain private letter rulings from the IRS and achieve favorable results in IRS audits. He has obtained numerous private letter rulings on an array of issues, including tax-free spin-offs, tax-free reorganizations, section 382 issues, and consolidated federal income tax return matters, a topic he has worked on extensively and written about professionally.
From 1995 to 1998, Jasper served as special counsel to the IRS chief counsel, where he participated in the development and formulation of regulations and other administrative guidance involving corporate, partnership, and international tax matters.
He is an adjunct professor in the LL.M. (taxation) program of Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches Corporate Income Tax Law II, which focuses on tax-free reorganizations and spin-offs. He is also a frequent speaker at tax conferences.
