BakerHostetler Adds Team to M&A and Tax Practices

COSTA MESA, Calif., March 23, 2017 — BakerHostetler today announced that it has added Partners Goodarz “Goody” Agahi and Ryan Gaglio and Associates Pace McCaskill and Ron Birnkrant to the firm’s Costa Mesa office. Agahi, McCaskill and Birnkrant join the firm’s Business and Corporate Group and Gaglio joins the Tax practice. The team comes to BakerHostetler from Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth.

Agahi focuses his practice on complex business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, recapitalizations and financings. He has represented clients in matters in various industries, including, among others, apparel, technology, consumer products, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Agahi also acts as general outside counsel for clients, assisting in their day-to-day legal needs. In addition, he has significant experience advising corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies on a broad range of tax issues.

“The combination of BakerHostetler’s national, full-service platform and flexible, collaborative approach to servicing its clients makes BakerHostetler a great platform from which to service the Southern California business community’s legal needs,” Agahi said.

“Goody brings an uncommon perspective to transactional work, having spent the early part of his law career as a transactional tax lawyer,” said John Gherlein, chair of the firm’s Business and Corporate Group. “His deep understanding of tax law as it relates to business matters will be especially beneficial to our M&A and emerging company clients.”

Agahi received his law degree in 2001 and his LL.M. (Tax) in 2004 from Georgetown University Law Center. He earned his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1998.

Gaglio, who is joining a Chambers-ranked tax group, has built his practice advising middle-market clients, private equity funds and high-net-worth individuals on complex matters related to domestic and international tax planning, tax controversy and transactional matters. He advises on federal, state and local tax issues pertaining to mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies and workouts, domestic and international restructurings, fund formations and sales, use, and property tax matters. With an emphasis in tax controversies, Gaglio has represented clients through all stages of proceedings before the Internal Revenue Service, the California Franchises Tax Board and the California State Board of Equalization, as well as before the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Tax Court.

“More and more I find that my clients are looking to tap into services beyond traditional tax planning. BakerHostetler will give them access to attorneys across the country in the firm’s nationally recognized litigation practice, and specialized areas like real estate and international tax,” Gaglio said.

“Ryan is recognized for his ability to develop sophisticated solutions to some of the most challenging tax issues a company may ever have to address,” commented Paul Schmidt, chair of the firm’s national Tax Group and member of the firmwide Policy Committee. “Ryan will be a tremendous asset by providing our Business and Corporate Group with comprehensive tax strategies for their clients.”

Gaglio received his law degree from Yale Law School in 2008, where he counseled nonprofit clients as a member of the Yale Law School Nonprofit Organizations Clinic. He earned his B.A. in political science, with honors, from Columbia College in 2005. He is ranked a “Rising Star” for Southern California by Super Lawyers.

“We’re excited to welcome Goody, Ryan, Pace and Ron to the growing roster of attorneys in our office,” said George T. Mooradian, partner-in-charge of the Costa Mesa office. “All are highly respected for their ability to navigate intricate business transactions affecting clients in a variety of industries. The team’s combination of skills will mesh well with the overall services the Costa Mesa office has to offer.”