JOHN SCHAFF is a partner in Sidley’s Chicago office who focuses on federal income tax matters. Mr. Schaff represents domestic and foreign entities involved in a variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, partnerships and joint ventures, spin-offs and other divisive transactions.
Mr. Schaff represented First Data Corporation, in connection with its $17 billion spin-off of The Western Union Company, its earlier acquisition of Concord EFS, Inc. and its acquisition by a private equity fund. Mr. Schaff recently served as lead outside U.S. tax counsel to Corn Products International, Inc. in connection with its $1.3 billion acquisition of Akzo Nobel N.V.’s specialty starch business and to Sara Lee Corporation in connection with the sale of its North American bakery business to Grupo Bimbo SAB. Mr. Schaff also represented Exelon Corporation in connection with its acquisition of PSEG (terminated) and Discover Financial Services in connection with its spin-off from Morgan Stanley. Mr. Schaff also has advised a number of private equity fund clients in connection with acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings of their portfolio companies using a variety of transaction structures.
Mr. Schaff also regularly advises clients on a variety of matters relating to federal tax credits and similar tax incentives available to developers of, and investors in, wind, solar and other alternative energy projects and has significant experience advising clients in matters relating to the organization and operation of hedge funds and related deferred compensation arrangements.
Mr. Schaff was named annually in the Tax section of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business published by Chambers USA in 2008, 2009 and 2010.