Akin Gump strengthens private client tax practice with hiring of Lucy Lee

 In akin gump, Ernst Young, EY

Akin Gump has announced that Lucy Lee has joined the firm’s tax practice, where she will be a partner in its private client services group.

She will reside in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Ms. Lee joins from Ernst & Young LLP, where she led that firm’s cross-border private client services group in its National Tax Department.

Ms. Lee brings to Akin Gump substantial experience in international tax matters, with a particular concentration on the Asia-Pacific region. Her practice focuses on advising high-net-worth global individuals, families, trusts and multinational companies in an array of tax-related matters, including cross-border income, estate and gift tax planning and controversy.

“Our clients’ interests are expanding around the globe, and we understand the importance of offering truly cross-border services in areas such as tax and estate planning,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Lucy will fill an important role at Akin Gump and will prove an invaluable asset to our clients with interests both within the United States and abroad.”

Stuart Leblang, co-head of Akin Gump’s tax practice, added “Tax is an increasingly global practice, reflecting the environment in which our clients live and conduct business. Lucy brings significant experience providing sophisticated tax planning advice and services to companies and high-net-worth individuals—particularly in Korea and throughout Asia. These skills make her an outstanding addition to our private clients team and will allow us to enhance and expand the services we are able to offer our international and multinational individual clients and their families.”

Ms. Lee’s practice includes advising clients on U.S. tax law pertaining to entering and exiting platforms in bilateral or multilateral jurisdictions, and in planning and managing the U.S. tax and reporting implications of living and working on a global platform. She also provides counsel on improving the financial efficiency of closely held businesses and investments through proactive and effective planning and the management of tax attributes; preserving and managing wealth by providing U.S. tax advice to administrators and beneficiaries of trusts and estates; and preventing unrecoverable costs by managing tax risks and supporting business negotiations.

Ms. Lee also represents individuals (including athletes and entertainers), trusts and companies in a wide range of tax controversies.

“I’m excited to join Akin Gump, which has such a respected and established tax practice,” said Ms. Lee. “The firm’s strong international footprint and diverse base of clients, many of whom have a need for comprehensive, cross-border tax and estate planning counsel, make it an ideal platform for me and my practice.”

Prior to her tenure at Ernst & Young, Ms. Lee served as corporate tax counsel, international, for General Electric Corporation, where she supported the company’s capital and industrial businesses and investments in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Before that, she was a partner in a boutique law firm focused on providing tax and tax controversy advice. She has also served as U.S. attorney for a Korea-based law firm.

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