George C. Howell, III

George is nationally recognized for his in-depth experience in the formation, structuring and financing of REITs and with respect to REMICs and other securitization transactions.

George is chair emeritus of the firm’s executive committee, and former head of its Tax and ERISA practice. He assists clients with the tax aspects of REITs, REMICs, securitizations, master limited partnerships, private investment funds, and complex financial products. George also deals extensively with the tax aspects of private investment funds, derivatives and other complex financial products.

He is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences on REITs, securitization and other financial products.

Relevant Experience

• Serves as tax counsel to a large number of REITs, with particular concentration on mortgage, hotel, health care, and other specialty REITs.
• Structured and provided tax opinions on a large number of REIT capital markets and merger and acquisition transactions.
• Represents a number of publicly traded specialty finance companies and private investment funds that invest―directly and through derivatives―in real estate, mortgage loans, mortgage-backed securities, corporate loans and other fixed-income investments.
• Structured and provided tax opinions on over $100 billion of REMIC and other securitization transactions.
• Particular experience in representing buyers and sellers of REMIC residual interests and other complex mortgage-backed securities and derivatives.
• Represents REITs, REMIC sponsors, and private investment funds in IRS audits.