Experienced International Tax Planning Attorney Rafic H. Barrage Joins Baker & McKenzie
Firm News
24 September 2012
Washington, DC, USA, September 24, 2012 – Rafic H. Barrage, an experienced international tax planning attorney, has joined Baker & McKenzie's Washington, DC office as a partner, strengthening the Firm's highly regarded Tax Practice. Mr. Barrage brings a wealth of experience advising multinational companies and individuals operating and investing in the United States on a wide range of international tax issues.
"Rafic has extensive experience working with multinationals and individual investors on the development and implementation of business-driven tax planning strategies," said Len Terr, Chair of Baker & McKenzie's North America Tax Practice. "His solid reputation and knowledge of international tax planning issues makes him a great addition to our team."
Mr. Barrage has broad international tax experience and advises clients on a variety of issues, including restructuring, IP migration, supply chain planning, e-commerce/cloud computing, repatriation planning, and pre- and post-acquisition planning. He has advised clients in a variety of industries and has developed extensive experience representing companies in the software/high-tech, cruise line, and global container shipping industry.
"Rafic's significant experience in international tax planning matters complements our already strong tax team, and we're delighted that he has joined the Firm," said Elizabeth Espin Stern, Managing Partner of the Firm's Washington, DC office.
"The broad scope, depth and geographic reach of Baker & McKenzie's tax practice is unique among law firms, and I'm excited to offer clients the Firm's impressive capabilities," said Mr. Barrage. "I'm very happy to join Baker & McKenzie."
Mr. Barrage is the latest in a series of prominent hires for the Tax Practice in North America during the last year. Partners Josh Odintz, a former Senior Advisor for Tax Reform to the Assistant Secretary at the US Department of the Treasury, and Mary Bennett, the former head of the Tax Treaty, Transfer Pricing & Financial Transactions Division of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Centre for Tax Policy & Administration (CTPA), recently joined the Firm’s DC office. The practice also recently welcomed Partner Anne Batter to the DC office, Patricia Rexford to the Firm’s Chicago office, and Partner Jacques Bernier to the Toronto office.
The Firm's Washington, DC office in recent months has also added former DOJ attorney Jonathan Poling and IP partners Julie Petruzelli and Robert Parker.
About Rafic Barrage
Mr. Barrage received his JD from Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law in 1998. He received his LLM in Taxation, with distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2000 and his LLM in International and Comparative Law, with distinction, also from Georgetown University Law Center in 1999. He received his LLB with honours from London Guildhall University in 1995.
Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, Mr. Barrage was a partner at Mayer Brown LLP. Earlier in his career, he worked at a large international law firm in Washington, DC, and as a senior associate in the New York office of a Big Four accounting firm. He is a frequent speaker and writer on a wide variety of US and international tax issues, including for the Organization for International Investment, the Tax Executives Institute, the OECD International Tax Conference, the Pacific Rim Tax Institute, and Bloomberg BNA/CITE.
About Baker & McKenzie’s Tax Practice
Baker & McKenzie's global tax group is one of the most highly rated and recommended amongst law firms worldwide. With a worldwide team of more than 750 tax practitioners, economists and financial analysts in 41 countries, Baker & McKenzie’s Global Tax Practice provides a strong network of tax professionals offering innovative tax planning advice to multinational corporations, helping businesses design, implement and defend tax strategies for international operations and transactions. International Tax Review’s (ITR) World Tax 2012 directory ranked the Firm’s tax practice in 34 jurisdictions, a significantly higher number of locations than other law firms, and in 2011, ITR’s Leading Tax Planning Practice survey ranked the Firm as “Top Tier” in 13 countries, including the US. ITR's 2012 Leading Tax Transactional Practice Survey ranked the Firm's tax practice in 22 jurisdictions, including “Top Tier” recognition in 10 countries, including the US. Chambers Global 2012 ranked our tax practice in 18 jurisdictions and recognized 48 individual lawyers.