Akerman Continues Chicago Office Growth with Tax Partner David Blum

CHICAGO — March 24, 2016 — Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced the continuing growth of the Chicago office with tax lawyer David Blum. He joins as a partner in Akerman's Tax Practice Group and enhances the firm's strengths in local, multistate and international tax planning and structuring, and tax litigation. Blum is the fourth lawyer to join the Chicago team since Akerman announced in January a plan to more than double the size of its office space to accommodate the firm's rapid growth in the region. He previously served as co-chair of the Tax Planning & Litigation Group at Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC.

"David has structured and litigated some of the most complex tax issues," said Peter Larsen, chair of Akerman's Tax Practice Group. "He adds another dimension to our growing Tax Practice Group and strengthens our ability to assist clients with state and local, federal, and multinational tax planning, structuring and controversy issues. David will provide immediate and valuable counsel to our clients as they confront the multitude of tax issues that arise on a daily basis."

Blum's practice focuses on a broad range of transactional, tax planning, and tax litigation matters involving federal, state and local, and international taxation. He routinely advises clients on all aspects of multistate taxation including nexus issues, income apportionment, sales and use tax, franchise tax, False Claims Act (qui tam), transfer taxes, and state registration and reporting requirements. He has significant experience in creating and implementing tax-efficient corporate and partnership structures for all types of domestic and cross-border transactions, including private equity, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, dispositions and restructurings. In addition, he frequently represents domestic and multinational companies before the Internal Revenue Service and state and local taxing agencies throughout the country.

Blum is a former state tax auditor. He has served in multiple leadership capacities at the Chicago Bar Association (CBA), including past chair of the CBA's Corporate Tax Subcommittee, the Federal Taxation Full Committee and the Partnership and Flow-through Entity Subcommittee. He currently serves on the Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois State and Local Tax Committee and is the chair of the Illinois CPA Society Annual State and Local Tax Conference. Blum is consecutively ranked by Chambers USA in Illinois for taxation and tax controversy. He is listed as a Leading Lawyer in Illinois by Leading Lawyer and was ranked among Illinois' Super Lawyers for his tax work.

Blum joins one of the leading tax teams in the country, according to Law360, which recently named the Akerman team "Tax Practice Group of the Year" for achieving some of the greatest client successes in the industry in 2015. The Tax Practice Group was also noted by Law360 and The American Lawyer for its creative client solutions and a technology-driven innovation called the Akerman TaxAbility Matrix, a web-based product that enables clients to quickly and cost-effectively understand vast and complex tax laws and regulations that impact their businesses.

About Akerman LLP
Akerman LLP is a leading transactions and trial law firm known for its core strengths in middle market M&A, within the financial services and real estate industries, and for a diverse Latin America practice. With more than 600 lawyers and government affairs professionals and a network of 20 offices, it is ranked among the top 100 law firms in the United States by The American Lawyer (2015). Akerman also is ranked among the top 50 law firms for diversity in The American Lawyer's Diversity Scorecard (2015).

Akerman's Tax Practice Group advises domestic and foreign corporations, partnerships, individuals and nonprofit institutions on a wide range of international, federal and state and local tax issues, tax audits and tax litigation. The group represents clients in complex transactions and creates tax efficient structures and innovative solutions. Akerman also provides tax planning services associated with in-bound and out-bound investments in Latin America and the Caribbean, and serves as counsel to foreign companies and individual investors looking to do business in the United States.

More information can be found at akerman.com or twitter.com/akerman_law.