Tax Lawyer Neil Barr elected Managing Partner at Davis Polk

Davis Polk today announced that Neil Barr has been elected as the firm’s managing partner. He succeeds Thomas J. Reid.

Mr. Barr, 44, has led Davis Polk’s Tax Department for the past five years. His practice focuses on advising companies and their Boards on complex transactions with emphasis on federal income tax matters, including domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, spinoffs and splitoffs, as well as group structuring.

“It is a true privilege to serve this great firm as Managing Partner and to carry on Davis Polk’s tradition of excellence and utmost focus on client service,” said Neil Barr. “I am grateful to Tom for his eight years of brilliant leadership; his focus on intense teamwork across all the firm’s lawyers has driven superlative financial performance. I am excited to work with my partners to drive the firm’s continued success.”

Mr. Barr joined Davis Polk as an associate in 2000 and was elected to Davis Polk’s partnership in 2008. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown Law and his B.S. from the University of Virginia.

Twice named a “Tax MVP of the Year” by Law360, Mr. Barr is recognized as a leading tax lawyer in numerous industry publications. He is an officer of the American Bar Association’s Corporate Tax Committee and a member of the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Taxation Section.