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Bracewell Recruits Tax Atty From Baker Botts In Dallas
By Jaqueline McCool
Law360 ( April 19 , 2023 , 4:29 PM EDT ) -- Bracewell LLP announced that a former Baker Botts LLP counsel who is experienced in advising businesses on state and local tax issues has joined the firm ' s tax practice as a partner in its Dallas office .
Bucky Brannen , whose hiring Bracewell announced Monday , helps his clients navigate emerging state and local tax issues , including negotiating pre-investment economic incentives , structuring operations to minimize tax and assisting with property tax disputes , the firm said . He also advises on multistate operations and has worked on cases involving state and local sales , property , income and gross receipts taxes , the firm said .
" The tax practice at Bracewell is nationally recognized for its experience involving tax matters related to energy , infrastructure and public finance ," Brannen told Law360 . " These companies frequently face important state and local tax issues , making it a natural fit ."
Brannen said he was excited to join Bracewell as a partner and that the firm was the " ideal platform to launch the next stage " of his practice .
Because the importance of state and local tax continues to rise as states and localities move to increase their tax bases , the importance of expertise in the field has grown as well , Brannen said . He said he believed he could bring valuable experience to the firm ' s state and local tax practice .
Brannen told Law360 that he ' s worked on many of Texas ' largest economic development and tax incentive packages , adding that his clients have included semiconductor facilities , wind and solar development businesses , and manufacturing facilities of all types .
Brannen said he was excited for his clients to be able to leverage Bracewell ' s strong existing relationships and the expertise of the practice , especially when it comes to energy transitions . " Any client considering that kind of project is going to be able to immediately benefit from Bracewell ' s expertise ," he said .
Bucky Brannen
The chair of Bracewell ' s tax department , Elizabeth L . McGinley , said in a statement that the firm ' s addition of Brannen would provide clients with better state and local tax advice . " Bucky will also work closely with project development lawyers in helping clients with proactive state and local tax planning , including the negotiation of state tax incentives ," McGinley said .