Sophie Staples > Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP advises banks, multinational corporations, investment funds, and other sophisticated businesses active in various industry sectors, including energy, video gaming, telecommunications, and transportation, on the tax aspects of complex transactions including M&A, banking, capital markets, private funds, and real estate. The New York-based team is co-headed by Nancy Mehlman, who has considerable expertise advising on high-profile M&A including tax-free spin-offs, partnerships, and fund formations, and Marcy Geller, whose broad practice covers tax advice for REIT, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings. Jonathan Goldstein advises clients on tax matters regarding financial institutions, renewable energy transactions, and private investment fund formation, among other transactions. Russell Light advises on the tax aspects of M&A, private equity investments and fund formation matters, debt restructurings, and credit investments. Drew Purcell advises on the full spectrum of tax matters including financing, credit, and spin-offs. Sophie Staples advises clients on tax matters in a variety of transactions, including M&A, dispositions, joint ventures, financing transactions, and securities offerings. Benjamin Rippeon supports corporations, investment funds, sovereign wealth funds, joint ventures, partnerships, limited liability companies and special purpose acquisition companies with tax issues relating to complex, cross-border transactions.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP’s transactional tax team regularly assists clients in the corporate, banking, private equity and real estate spaces on the tax aspects of major transactions. Marcy Geller, advising on private investment fund formation, M&A, REIT and real estate transactions, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings, leads the team alongside Nancy Mehlman, who offers broad expertise covering tax-free spin-offs, real estate transactions, fund formations, partnerships, and joint ventures, among other matters. Jonathan Goldstein advises major clients, including global investment firm Blackstone, on private investment fund formation, renewable energy transactions, and corporate restructurings. Russell Light has notable experience advising major private investment fund sponsors, including Apollo Global Management, Blackrock and The Carlyle Group. Benjamin Rippeon in Washington DC counts corporations, investment funds, sovereign wealth funds, partnerships, and SPACs among his client base. Andrew Purcell and Sophie Staples also stand out for their work, particularly in relation to M&A and private equity matters, respectively. Caroline Phillips and Jacqueline Clinton became partners in January 2024. Unless otherwise noted, all lawyers mentioned are based in New York.