Overview
Penn’s practice focuses on federal, state, local and international taxation matters, with emphasis on business transactions and planning, tax controversy work and tax-exempt organizations. He has extensive experience in acquisitions and divestitures, corporate restructurings, joint ventures, financings and international investments, including transactions in the financial services, energy, publishing, aggregates, healthcare, real estate, life sciences, media, telecommunications, specialty food and specialty chemicals industries. He also handles transactions involving historic, alternative energy and low-income housing tax credits, state & local economic development incentives and compliance issues. His corporate counsel experience includes projects in governance, compensation & benefits, risk management and government relations.
Penn routinely handles tax controversy matters before administrative agencies and judicial tribunals, including favorable resolution of numerous tax audits of income, estate, personal property, real property, business license and sales and use tax disputes. He also provides legislative representation before the Virginia General Assembly, the United States Congress and local governing bodies, including successful advocacy of tax incentives for companies expanding their operations in Virginia and numerous sales and property tax exemption matters.
In his representation of tax-exempt organizations, Penn counsels numerous entities on organizational and operational issues. His non-profit clients have included a statewide historic preservation organization, a preschool, a private secondary school, an educational foundation, a nonpartisan political advocacy group and a web-based campaign finance information provider.
Recognition
Fellow, Virginia Law Foundation
Best Lawyers in America® for Tax Law and Litigation & Controversy - Tax Law, 2006 - 2025
Selected as "Lawyer of the Year" for Tax Law, Richmond, Best Lawyers in America, 2022
Virginia Super Lawyers, Tax, 2006 - 2024
Virginia Super Lawyers, Top 50 Virginia Super Lawyers, 2010 - 2011; Top 100 "Virginia Super Lawyers," 2012
Selected as "Lawyer of the Year," for Litigation & Controversy - Tax Law, Best Lawyers in America, 2013, 2016 and 2019
Recognized as a "Top Rated Lawyer in Mergers and Acquisitions" by Corporate Counsel and The American Lawyer magazines, 2013
Listed by Virginia Business magazine as one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite” in Taxes/Estates/Trusts, 2020 - 2022
Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® - This is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers.
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Education
New York University School of Law, LL.M., Taxation
St. John's University School of Law, J.D.
The University of the South, B.A., English, cum laude
Admissions
- Virginia
- Maryland
- District of Columbia
- New York