Howard's strategic tax planning creates value for clients in their most complex, transformative transactions. From structuring to closing the deal, his comprehensive guidance empowers clients to make informed business decisions.

Overview
Representative Matters
Insights
Awards

Howard works with businesses and their principal stakeholders, both domestic and foreign, to optimize their tax results in connection with life-cycle transactions. He is experienced across a broad range of industries, with particular depth and focus in assisting private equity funds and their portfolio companies achieve their tax objectives.

As a high-level strategist with decades of experience and a background in investment banking, clients turn to Howard for practical solutions to their planning challenges. His practice includes domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, private equity transactions, dispositions, capital markets transactions, and restructurings ─ both in and out of bankruptcy. Howard’s hands-on approach and ability to translate the most sophisticated tax concepts facilitates the achievement of his clients’ businesses goals.

Howard co-authored Bloomberg BNA Tax Management Portfolio, No. 764 T.M., Dividends — Cash and Property and previously taught tax law as an adjunct professor. He served several terms as an elected official on his local school board and began his career as an investment banker in the mergers and acquisitions group of Salomon Brothers.

  • Advised private equity firm in acquisition of facilities services company involving multitier structure, blocker acquisition, and rollover components.
  • Represented private equity firm’s sale of biologics portfolio company to foreign purchaser; transaction involved pre-acquisition divestiture and voluntary disclosure state tax matters.
  • Advised partnership investor in Up-C de-SPAC transaction regarding tax-efficient formation, distribution, investment security, and tax receivables matters.
  • Represented public company division’s acquisition of brokerage firm employing tax insurance policy to preserve attribute value.
  • Advised U.S. multinational on sale of foreign group, including resolution of pre-closing intercompany transactions.
  • Structured private equity firm acquisition of franchise sales organization involving pre-closing restructuring and partnership formation to provide basis step-up.
  • Represented holding company in tax-free reorganization acquisition of target bank.
  • Advised private equity firm on acquisition of veterinary practice involving corporate practice of medicine structuring.
  • Represented buyer in acquisition of e-commerce retailer involving debt restructuring and use of net operating losses.
  • Chambers USA: Tax: Pennsylvania (2017-2025)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Tax Law (2026)
  • Legal 500 United States: Tax: International Tax (2024)

Howard works with businesses and their principal stakeholders, both domestic and foreign, to optimize their tax results in connection with life-cycle transactions. He is experienced across a broad range of industries, with particular depth and focus in assisting private equity funds and their portfolio companies achieve their tax objectives.

As a high-level strategist with decades of experience and a background in investment banking, clients turn to Howard for practical solutions to their planning challenges. His practice includes domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, private equity transactions, dispositions, capital markets transactions, and restructurings ─ both in and out of bankruptcy. Howard’s hands-on approach and ability to translate the most sophisticated tax concepts facilitates the achievement of his clients’ businesses goals.

Howard co-authored Bloomberg BNA Tax Management Portfolio, No. 764 T.M., Dividends — Cash and Property and previously taught tax law as an adjunct professor. He served several terms as an elected official on his local school board and began his career as an investment banker in the mergers and acquisitions group of Salomon Brothers.

  • Advised private equity firm in acquisition of facilities services company involving multitier structure, blocker acquisition, and rollover components.
  • Represented private equity firm’s sale of biologics portfolio company to foreign purchaser; transaction involved pre-acquisition divestiture and voluntary disclosure state tax matters.
  • Advised partnership investor in Up-C de-SPAC transaction regarding tax-efficient formation, distribution, investment security, and tax receivables matters.
  • Represented public company division’s acquisition of brokerage firm employing tax insurance policy to preserve attribute value.
  • Advised U.S. multinational on sale of foreign group, including resolution of pre-closing intercompany transactions.
  • Structured private equity firm acquisition of franchise sales organization involving pre-closing restructuring and partnership formation to provide basis step-up.
  • Represented holding company in tax-free reorganization acquisition of target bank.
  • Advised private equity firm on acquisition of veterinary practice involving corporate practice of medicine structuring.
  • Represented buyer in acquisition of e-commerce retailer involving debt restructuring and use of net operating losses.
  • Chambers USA: Tax: Pennsylvania (2017-2025)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Tax Law (2026)
  • Legal 500 United States: Tax: International Tax (2024)
  • Member, Tax Section, Philadelphia Bar Association (Chair, 2014)
  • Former adjunct professor, Graduate Tax Program, Villanova University School of Law

Education

  • New York University School of Law, LL.M., 1995, taxation, editor, Tax Law Review
  • New York University School of Law, J.D., 1994
  • Haverford College, B.A., 1988, economics, member, Phi Beta Kappa

Bar Admissions

  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania