Debevoise & Plimpton Tax Partner, David Schnabel, is new Chair of New York State Bar Association’s Tax Section

David H. Schnabel, a tax partner at Debevoise & Plimpton, will assume the chairmanship of the New York State Bar Association’s Tax Section. He will succeed Diana L. Wollman, a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, who is leaving for a senior role at the Internal Revenue Service.

Mr. Schnabel, a member of the Management Committee at Debevoise, focuses on M&A transactions for corporate clients and private equity, as well as acquisition financing and private fund formation. He is recognized as a leading corporate tax lawyer by Chambers USA (2010-2012), where clients say he is “able to add value to our deals by identifying problems before they arise and providing solutions that do not jeopardize or conflict with the commercial drivers our group is trying to achieve.” He is also recommended by The Legal 500 US (2011-2012), where he is noted for his ability to “integrate technical tax answers with actionable and commercial solutions.”

Mr. Schnabel is the current first vice-chair of the NYSBA’s Tax Section, and is a former co-chair of the Investment Funds Committee, the Consolidated Returns Committee and the Partnership Committee. He is also a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel and a frequent speaker on the tax aspects of M&A and private equity, including at the NYSBA Annual Meeting.

The NYSBA’s 2,576-member Tax Section engages in many activities, but its primary function is to comment on existing and proposed regulatory guidance and proposed legislation at the federal and New York level, usually in the form of written reports. The reports cover a wide range of areas, including the tax rules applicable to corporations, partnerships, other business entities, and individuals; mergers & acquisitions, spin-offs and restructurings; inbound and outbound investments; debt and equity securities and other financial instruments; tax treaties, FATCA and employee benefits.