Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that Xenia J.L. Garofalo has joined the firm as a partner, enhancing the Federal Tax Practice’s depth with a focus on corporate, fund and partnership taxation. Prior to joining Eversheds Sutherland, Ms. Garofalo was with Fried Frank’s corporate transactional tax practice.

Resident in the Washington DC office, Ms. Garofalo guides clients through the complex matters of federal income taxation, providing tax and structuring advice for institutional and global investors, fund sponsors and multinational companies with respect to the preparation and negotiation of fund disclosure, organizational documents and side letter agreements. She regularly advises clients on US tax matters related to structuring, operation, investment activities and transactions.

“I am thrilled to welcome Xenia to Eversheds Sutherland’s Tax Practice Group,” said Mark D. Wasserman, Co-CEO of Eversheds Sutherland. “Her arrival will provide our clients with expanded fund taxation capabilities, deepen our ability to support the financial services industry on complex transactional tax matters, and continue the expansion of our tier-one tax practice.”

“Xenia is an extremely talented tax professional who has significant knowledge essential for a transactional tax practice,” said Robert S. Chase, Partner and Head of Eversheds Sutherland’s Tax Practice Group. “While she brings extensive experience and understanding of the complex tax matters faced by global investors, fund sponsors and international businesses, her skill set extends to non-fund transactional work such as LLCs, partnerships and joint ventures. She will be a fantastic addition, strengthening our elite tax team and providing valuable service for our global clients.”

Ms. Garofalo’s experience also includes providing tax advice to issuers, underwriters, financial institutions and other clients on a wide range of domestic and cross-border transactions, particularly in connection with mortgage-backed securitization, real estate finance and structured finance. In addition, she has counseled clients on the tax-efficient use of special purpose vehicles and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

She started her career at Clifford Chance, where her experience included advising sovereign wealth funds and US and non-US investment funds and investors on US federal income tax considerations in respect of worldwide investment transactions.

Ms. Garofalo routinely serves as a guest speaker at Howard University School of Law, where she was also an adjunct professor on the topic of corporate tax law. Additionally, she has been recognized for her outstanding work in the field by the National Black Lawyers as a “Top 40 Under 40,” and as “Philanthropist of the Year” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Washington DC chapter for her longstanding work with human services organizations that address the causes of social and systemic inequities.

Ms. Garofalo’s arrival follows the addition of international tax Partner Jonathan A. Sambur and continues the expansion of the Tax Practice Group’s global financial client base. This continued growth underscores Eversheds Sutherland’s goal to provide clients with the most skilled and talented practitioners across the tax field.