Jessica J. Edwards
Jessica J. Edwards
Jessica J. Edwards
Biography
Jessica Edwards is a member of the Tax Advice and Controversy Group. Ms. Edwards’ practice focuses primarily on transactional tax advice, including the representation of public and private businesses in taxable and tax-free acquisitions, mergers, dispositions and spin-offs and advising clients with respect to associated tax issues. Ms. Edwards also assists clients with domestic and international tax planning and restructurings, including providing written advice with respect thereto. Ms. Edwards represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service in federal controversy matters and in connection with ruling requests.
Ms. Edwards is the President of the St. Louis International Tax Group, an organization comprised of international tax professionals in the St. Louis area. She also served as an adjunct professor at Washington University School of Law from 2015-2020, where she taught Advanced Corporation Taxation as part of the Masters in Taxation program. She is listed in “Best Lawyers in America” for Tax Law in 2023.
Civic Involvement & Honors
- Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts
- Washington University Law Review, Staff Editor
- United States Peace Corps, Malawi, Africa, Education Volunteer, 2003 - 2005
- Best Lawyers' (Tax Law, 2023)
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association, Section of Taxation
- Missouri Bar Association
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Admissions
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Missouri, 2009
Education
Northwestern University, LL.M., 2010
Washington University, J.D., magna cum laude, 2009
University of Missouri-Columbia, B.S., cum laude, 2002
Related Capabilities
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Corporate tax
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ERISA & ESOP
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Real Estate
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Tax & Private Client
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Non Profit Organizations
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Strategic Alternatives & Corporate Reorganization
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Tax Risk Management and Disputes
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Taxation of Corporate and Financial Transactions and Institutions
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Real Estate Tax
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Corporate
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ESOP
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Tax
Experience
- Represented Stifel Financial Corp. in various acquisitions and divestitures, including its tax-free acquisition of Sterne Agee for $150 million
- Represented Emerson Electric Co. in connection with numerous acquisitions and divestitures
- Represented Windstream in the disposition of its data center business for $575 million
- Represented Ralcorp in connection with the spin off of Post Holdings (NYSE listed, $1 billion market capitalization)
- Represented Caleres (formerly Brown Shoe) in various acquisitions and divestitures, including its acquisition of American Sporting Goods for $145 million
- Represented Energizer in connection with its acquisition of American Safety Razor assets from bankruptcy for $301 million
- Gesher I Acquisition Corp, a Cayman Islands special purpose acquisition company, in its business combination with Freightos Limited.
- Neenah, Inc. in its merger of equals with Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. resulting in a combined entity with revenues of approximately $3 billion.
- Terex Corporation in various transactions, including the disposition of its Demag® Mobile Cranes business to Todano Ltd., Japan.
- Luxco in its acquisition by MGP Ingredients, in a transaction comprising an enterprise value of $475 million.
- AstenJohnson in various transactions, including its acquisition of Eagle Nonwovens, Inc., its acquisition of Foss Performance Materials, and the divestiture of its Paperchine business unit.
- Mallinckrodt plc in various acquisitions and divestitures, including the $425 million acquisition of InfaCare Pharmaceutical Corporation.
- Caleres (formerly Brown Shoe) in various acquisitions and divestitures, including its $360 million acquisition of Vionic.
Resources
Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, “Section 956: Where are we now?” St. Louis International Tax Group Meeting, February 2023
- Co-speaker, “Recent Case Law Developments in the U.S. and U.K.” St. Louis International Tax Group Seminar, October 2022
- Co-speaker, “Challenging Treasury Regulations & Retroactive Tax Laws” St. Louis International Tax Group Seminar, October 2021
- Speaker, “Made in America: Biden’s International Tax Proposals” St. Louis International Tax Group Seminar, April 2021
- Co-speaker, “Where Credit is Due: Foreign Tax Credits after Tax Reform” St. Louis International Tax Group Seminar, November 2019
- Co-Speaker, “Foreign Loss Transactions Post 2017 Tax Reform: A Path Through the Serbonian Bog” St. Louis International Tax Group Meeting, March 2019
- Co-speaker, “Taxation of Foreign Intangible Income after Tax Reform: GILTI or Not?” St. Louis International Tax Group Meeting, March 2018
- Panelist, “Revenue Rulings Practitioners Would Like to See,” American Bar Association Joint Fall Meeting, Austin, Texas, September 2017
- Co-speaker, “Structuring Issues in Cross-Border Transactions: Trends and Traps,” Joint Tax Executives Institute and St. Louis International Tax Group Seminar, April 2017
- Panelist, "Advanced Withholding Taxation – A Guide for the Perplexed," American Bar Association Section of Taxation Midyear Meeting, Los Angeles, California, January 2016
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