Renn Neilson is the firmwide Chair of the State and Local Tax Section and a member of the Targeted Disputes and Oil and Gas M&A Teams at Baker Botts; his practice focuses on state and local taxation, incentives and unclaimed property. He helps clients restructure their holdings, acquire and dispose of assets and structure financing transactions to minimize tax exposure. Mr. Neilson regularly defends taxpayers in property, franchise/income, and sales tax controversies. Chambers recognized him as a "Band 1" State and Local Tax Lawyer. The Survey reports clients as saying: "he [Renn Neilson] is a strong leader who gives effective guidance to the team; he is thorough in his thought process, and helps counsel me through difficult decisions." - Chambers USA, 2021; and that: "As far as state tax lawyers, he is as good as it gets." - Chambers USA, 2020.
His recent experience includes representing large corporations in negotiating and documenting state and local incentives for various industrial projects with a total projected value of $300 billion; he also represents clients in major statewide property tax litigation and sales and franchise tax controversy matters spanning multiple states; he currently advises clients on unclaimed property issues; drafts Texas tax legislation; helps structure capital intensive development projects; handles multi-state nexus and liability planning; bundled sales and service transactions; intercorporate service transactions; managed audits; numerous state-level taxability inquiries (rulings) and related negotiations with state and local tax authorities.
Related Experience
- Sales and use tax litigation in many states which resulted in favorable outcomes
- State and local tax incentive work, particularly involving large industrial projects and renewable energy development
- Property tax controversies involving many valuation and exemption issues, including property tax litigation for various power generation companies
- Representation of major corporate entities in state sales tax controversies involving use of manufacturing exemptions, resales, most other exemptions, and purchasing offices
- Supervising major unclaimed property audits, controversies and related legislation
- Representation of major corporate entities in state income and franchise tax controversies
- Handling state and local tax incentive work; minimizing state and local exposure arising from acquisitions, dispositions, development agreements, construction agreements and equipment acquisitions; state and local tax controversy work for major fossil fuels and alternative energy developers
- Pursuing state sales and use tax refunds; handling state and local tax structuring issues arising from asset dispositions and acquisitions
- Managing legislative matters regarding Texas and Louisiana taxation; and state tax controversy matters for a major energy distribution company
- Handling state tax issues arising in connection with the sale of significant business segments and tax-driven restructurings for major oil field service companies
- Planning for multistate asset acquisition transactions; planning for asset dispositions and internal restructuring transactions; obtaining federal and state tax rulings in connection with complicated exchange transactions; handling legislative matters regarding Texas taxation for major independent oil and gas producers
- Handling state and local tax matters arising in connection with asset acquisitions; negotiating and documenting tax increment financing transactions and similar tax incentive work for retail and residential property developers
- State and local tax issues and incentive work arising from acquisitions, dispositions and structural planning for a multinational manufacturing corporation; dealing with tax issues arising from financing transactions and the construction of manufacturing facilities; negotiating and drafting tax abatement agreements; and handling legislative matters regarding Texas taxation
- Structuring and documenting exchange transactions to take advantage of the parking arrangements allowed under Rev. Proc. 2000-37 and the built-to-suit rules for major real estate owners and developers
Awards & Community
Recognized in Chambers USA, 2016-2023
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward & White, Inc.), 2010-2022
Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer (Thomson Reuters), 2006-2010, 2013-2022
News
Baker Botts’ Band 1 Practice Rankings Increase by 27% in Chambers USA 2023
Baker Botts Represents Sempra Infrastructure on Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 Project
Baker Botts Advises CIM Group on the Acquisition of MAS CanAm's RNG Development Platform
Round Rock wins round in sales tax fight with state, but legal battle isn't over
Austin American-StatesmanAustin American-Statesman
Samsung Planning 11 New Semiconductor Plants In Texas
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Baker Botts Represents Sunnova Energy International Inc. in Securitization of Residential Solar Systems
Baker Botts Earns 45 Practice Rankings in Chambers USA 2022
Week in Insights: Don't Get Left Out in the Cold
Bloomberg LawBloomberg Law
Time is Running Out: The Sunset of Texas' Chapter 313
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Texas Tax Talk: Comptroller Push Could Expand Liability
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Week in Insights: The Big Game is Here
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SALT Cap Workaround: Pass-Through Entity Tax Update, Part II
Bloomberg TaxBloomberg Tax
SALT Cap Workaround: Pass-Through Entity Tax Update, Part I
Bloomberg TaxBloomberg Tax
Texas Tax Talk: Alarming Redefinition Of Nontaxable Services
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Baker Botts Advises Angel Brothers Holdings Corp. in Sale of Construction and Asphalt Businesses
Texas Tax Talk: Planning For Property Tax Break's Sunset
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CDT Roundup: 28 Deals, 8 Firms, 215 Lawyers, $16.8B
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Baker Botts Represents Sunnova Energy International Inc. in Securitization of Residential Solar Systems
CDT Roundup: 21 Deals, 16 Firms, 125 Lawyers, $7.2B
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Summit Utilities Acquires Arkansas, Oklahoma Assets from CenterPoint Energy
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Morgan Lewis, Baker Botts Drive $2.15B Gas Systems Deal
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Texas Tax Talk: Sales Tax Sourcing And Court Access Issues
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Baker Botts Advises CenterPoint Energy in $2.15 Billion Sale of Arkansas and Oklahoma Natural Gas LDC Businesses to Summit Utilities
Texas Tax Talk: Development Bill Needs Bilateral Buy-In
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Baker Botts Represents Sunnova Energy International Inc. in Acquisition of SunStreet - Lennar's Solar Platform for Homebuilders
CDT Roundup: 15 Deals, 9 Firms, 113 Lawyers, $4.3B
Texas Lawbook, TheTexas Lawbook, The
Baker Botts Represents Sunnova Energy International Inc. in Securitization of Residential Solar Systems
Baker Botts’ Tax Department Maintains Winning Streak in Chambers
CDT Roundup: 10 Deals, 8 Firms, 87 Lawyers, $8.9B
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Baker Botts Represents BP to Complete the Sale of its Upstream Alaska Business to Hilcorp
CDT Roundup: 8 Deals, 10 Firms, 50 Lawyers, $6.9B
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Sunnova Energy International Inc.'s Securitization of Residential Solar Loan Agreements
Global Legal ChronicleGlobal Legal Chronicle
Baker Botts Represents Sunnova Energy International Inc. in Securitization of Residential Solar Loan Agreements
CDT Roundup: 18 Deals, 16 Firms, 124 Lawyers, $5.63B
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Baker Botts Represents CenterPoint Energy in 1.4 Billion Equity Investment
4 Firms Steer $1.4B Equity Injection For CenterPoint Energy
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CenterPoint Infused With Capital From Elliott, Investors
Activist Daily - The DealActivist Daily - The Deal
Baker Botts Represents BP in its Commitment to Complete the Sale of its Alaska Business
Thought Leadership
Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit - IRS Releases Proposed Regulations
Client UpdatesMaryland Digital Ad Tax Struck Down
Client UpdatesTax Update
Texas Sales Tax Sourcing Rule Changes and other Current Developments
Speeches & PresentationsTax Executives Institute
Time is Running Out: The Sunset of Texas' Chapter 313
Client UpdatesState and Local Tax Update
Texas Tax Talk: The Comptroller’s Full Court Press in the Texas Supreme Court
Client UpdatesState and Local Tax Update
Rescinded Proposals for Major California Tax Increases
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Proposed Major California Tax Increases
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Texas Tax Talk Exemption Win Signals Taxpayer Opportunity
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Texas Tax Talk: Planning For Property Tax Break's Sunset
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Texas Tax Talk: Sales Tax Sourcing and Court Access Issues
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Maryland Legislature Considers Updates to Controversial State Tax on Digital Advertising Receipts
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Texas Tax Talk: Development Bill Needs Bilateral Buy-In
Client UpdatesTax Update
Maryland Enacts Nation's First Digital Advertising Tax with Strict Penalties for Noncompliance, Subject to Immediate Challenges
Client UpdatesState and Local Tax Update
California Offers Business Tax Deferral Program and Expands Penalty and Interest Relief
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Post-Election SALT Update - California Legislative Outcomes and Other Highlights
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Baker Botts Quarterly Tax Controversy Update
Client UpdatesTax Update
Sales and Use Tax for Remote Sellers Texas
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Golden State Considers Increased Taxes: California Legislative Update
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Baker Botts Quarterly Tax Controversy Update
Client UpdatesTax Update
Baker Botts Quarterly Tax Controversy Update
Client UpdatesNoteworthy Sales and Use Tax Cases
Speeches & PresentationsHouston Tax Executives Institute, Inc.
Events
Recent
TTARA Annual Meeting
TTARA Golf Tournament
COST Southwest/West Regional State Tax Seminar
2022 Texas Taxpayers and Research Association Annual Meeting
TTARA Spring Luncheon
2021 Texas Taxpayers and Research Association Annual Meeting
Baker Botts is a sponsor of the 2021 Texas Taxpayers and Research Association Annual Meeting taking place November 18 and 19, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT at the JW Marriott Austin.
TEI Houston Chapter Tax School
Baker Botts is a sponsor of the 2020 TEI Houston Chapter Tax School taking place February 24, 2020 - February 28, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Houston.