Thomas May

Thomas R. May

Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Thomas May has been advising multinationals on complex US and foreign tax issues for almost 30 years. He has a broad range of experience but has focused his practice primarily on the tax-efficient structuring of international operations and transactions including reorganizations, IP migration, FDII, GILTI, subpart F, foreign tax credit, BEAT and other post-TCJA planning as well as spin-offs and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. May is recommended in international tax by The Legal 500 and World Tax and is also consistently named by Legal Media Group's Expert Guides as a leading transfer pricing expert in the United States. His clients have described Mr. May as "extremely talented" and "extremely responsive, insightful." Mr. May has taught international tax law at Georgetown and Fordham Universities. Mr. May is the current and past chair of the New York and Miami tax practices.

Practice Focus

Mr. May focuses on US federal income taxation with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and international tax planning.

Representative Legal Matters

Mr. May's representative clients, planning and matters include:

  • FedEx Corporation's USD 4.8 billion acquisition and integration of TNT Express NV.
  • Pursuit of multi-lateral advance pricing agreement involving global profit split in three jurisdictions.
  • Endo International plc's USD 1.6 billion separation and disposition of its men's health business.
  • Acted as lead outside tax counsel to publicly-traded US medical device company in development and implementation of domestic reinvestment plan and repatriation strategy involving prepayments.
  • Danaher Corporation's USD 1.1 billion acquisition and organization of the global assets of the AB Sciex and Molecular Devices businesses.
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb's separation of its baby formula business and spin-off to the public as Mead Johnson Nutrition Company.
  • Development and implementation of IP migration strategies involving cost-sharing, partnerships and section 367 transactions.
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb's USD 4.1 separation and disposition of its global wound-care division.
  • Sony Corporation's USD 2.3 billion acquisition and post-acquisition integration of EMI music publishing business.

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • New York State Bar Association
  • District of Columbia Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • International Fiscal Association

Admissions

  • New York~United States (2002)
  • District of Columbia~United States (1990)
  • U.S. Tax Court~United States (1990)
  • Florida~United States (1987)

Education

  • University of Florida (LL.M. Taxation) (1988)
  • Stetson University (J.D.) (1986)
  • University of Florida (B.A. English) (1984)

Languages

  • English
  • French

Previous Offices

  • Paris
  • Washington, DC
  • Author, OECD Pillar Two: Model Global Minimum Tax Regime Revealed, Baker McKenzie Legal Alert, 23 December 2021

  • Author, Proposed Section 163(n) Interest Limitation May Pose Challenges for Multinationals, Baker McKenzie Legal Alert, 22 November 2021

  • Author, United States: By the Book ― Bringing Back a Corporate AMT, Baker McKenzie Legal Alert, 19 November, 2021

  • Author, Treasury and IRS Release Voluminous Section 163(j) Regulations, Tax News & Developments (Baker & McKenzie NATPG), Client Alert, 14 February 2019

  • Author, Proposed Regulations Under Section 965, Tax News & Developments (Baker & McKenzie NATPG), Client Alert, 24 August 2018

  • Author, TCJA Raises New Opportunities and Traps for M&A Deals, Tax News & Developments (Baker & McKenzie NATPG), Volume XVIII, Issue 1, February 2018