Theodore (Ted) R. Bots

Theodore (Ted) R. Bots

Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Ted Bots is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Chicago office and is the Chair of the Chicago Tax Practice Group and serves on the Chicago Office Management Committee.

Practice Focus

Ted Bots has over 30 years of experience advising multinational companies on a full range of state and local tax issues including income, franchise, sales/use, gross receipts and unclaimed property tax issues. Ted routinely advises clients on the state and local tax aspects of business transactions, restructurings and reorganizations and represents clients in state and local tax audit, litigation and controversy matters. Ted has represented clients in tax controversies before courts and/or administrative tax tribunals in numerous states, state supreme courts in IL, OH, MO and IN as well as the U.S. Supreme Court (Director of Revenue v. CoBank, ACB, 531 U.S. 316 (2001) (second chair oral argument and on brief).

In addition to advising client on tax matters, Ted also serves as the global relationship partner for several multinational companies. In this capacity, he works closely with senior management teams to ensure seamless service across the Firm and serves a lead role on major multijurisdictional projects. As the lead relationship partner, Ted has directed significant federal and international tax planning and controversy matters for Firm clients around the world.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advises diverse US- and foreign-based multinationals on all aspects of state income/franchise, sales/use tax and unclaimed property issues, including nexus, business/non-business income, unitary business principles and US Constitutional concepts.
  • Represents clients in tax controversies before courts and/or administrative tax tribunals throughout the US including: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
  • Represents clients on state tax appeals before the US Supreme Court and various state high courts and courts of appeal, including second chair in oral argument before the US Supreme Court [Director of Revenue v. CoBank, ACB, 531 US 316 (2001)].

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Bar Association - Section on Taxation, Committee on State and Local Taxes; Former Chair, Internatonal Tax Issues Subcommittee
  • Chicago Bar Association - Former Chair, State and Local Tax Committee; Former Member CBA Leadership Nominating Committee
  • Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois - Member of Board of Trustees, Advisory Board Member

Admissions

  • Illinois~United States (1994)

Education

  • Drake University (M.B.A.) (1994)
  • Drake University Law School (J.D., Honors) (1994)
  • Northern Illinois University (B.S. Finance) (1991)

Languages

  • English

Ted is well recognized for his speeches throughout the country on a variety of state and local tax issues at national, regional and local tax conferences including those hosted by Council On State Taxation (COST), Tax Executives Institute, Inc. (TEI), Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois, Chicago Tax Club, Chicago Kent College of Law, California Tax Bar & California Tax Policy Conference, among others.