Overview

Jeffrey Sheffield concentrated his practice in the areas of tax planning, mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs, with a particular focus on complex tax planning for publicly traded companies and consolidated groups. Jeff is past Chairman of the Planning Committee for the University of Chicago Federal Tax Institute, and has been listed as a Tier One attorney by Chambers USA.

In the 2006–2017 editions of Chambers Global, The World's Leading Lawyers for Business, Jeff is recognized as a leading tax practitioner in the United States. The 2006 guide stated that he is "'without question a leading light,' in the eyes of market experts, who view him as a 'tremendous' tax attorney with a 'first-rate' practice." Jeff has also been listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business every year from 2003–2018 describing him as being "highly skilled" and a "top attorney." The 2012 edition lauded him as being "impressive and incredibly responsive" and "a tremendous lawyer and an absolute star," while the 2011 edition noted that he is "truly outstanding." Jeff also appeared in The Legal 500 U.S. every year since 2008, earning the distinction of "leading lawyer" in from 2008–2009 and 2011–2015 for Domestic Tax: Central. In 2012, he was named "Lawyer of the Year - Tax Law, Chicago" by The Best Lawyers in America.

He authored or co-authored many articles on tax matters, and speaks regularly at tax conferences throughout the United States. Jeff was a partner in Kirkland & Ellis' tax group, and held various leadership positions in Firm management.

More

Thought Leadership

Publications 

Spin-offs, Corporate Capital Structure and Disguised Sales, 91 Taxes 119 (2013)

Corporate Transactions and the Economic Substance Doctrine, 89 Taxes 163 (2011)

Monetization Strategies in Corporate Spin-Offs, 81 Taxes 287 (2003)

Selected Developments in Corporate Taxation, 50 Major Tax Planning § 2 (1998)

Reconciling Spin-Offs with General Utilities Repeal, 74 Taxes 941 (1996)

Organizing The Corporate Venture (Little Brown & Co.) (1995)

The Many Guises of Preferred Stock, 70 Taxes 793 (1992)

Selected Tax Issues in Partnership Debt Restructurings, 68 Taxes 861 (1990)

An Abecedarium on Alphabet Stock, 66 Taxes 954 (1988)

The Dealer-Investor Problem, in Federal Tax Aspects of Real Estate Transactions (R. Lang, ed.) (1987 + Supps.)

Holding Company Formations, 64 Taxes 846 (1986)

Federal Income Tax Considerations Affecting Start-Up Businesses, in Start-Up Companies (R. Harroch, ed.) (1986 + Supps.)

Debt Issued for Traded and Nontraded Property, 62 Taxes 1022 (1984)

Tax Aspects of Financing New Business Start-Ups and Second Round Financings Through R&D Partnerships, 42 N.Y.U. Fed. Tax Inst. ¶9 (1984)

Section 269 Revisited, 61 Taxes 881 (1983)

Bailouts and Bootstraps After TEFRA: Section 304, Section 306 and The Consolidated Return Rules, 61 Taxes 555 (1983)

Beyond Orrisch: An Alternative View of Substantial Economic Effect Under Section 704(b)(2) Where Nonrecourse Debt is Involved, 60 Taxes 937 (1982)

Seminars

Speaker at numerous conferences and seminars, including University of Chicago Tax Conference, PLI, IIT-Kent Federal Tax Institute, USC Tax Institute, Tax Executives Institute, Law & Business Seminars, Chicago Federal Tax Forum, Chicago Tax Club, and IICLE.

Recognition

Senior Lecturer, Northwestern University School of Law

Former Lecturer at Law, University of Chicago Law School (teaching Business Planning)

Former Adjunct Professor, IIT-Kent Graduate Tax Program (teaching Tax-Free Reorganizations, Corporate Income Tax, Advanced Income Tax)

Listed in:

Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Chambers & Partners); Chambers Global, The World's Leading Lawyers for Business (Chambers & Partners); Guide to the World's Leading Tax Advisers (International Tax Review); The Best Lawyers in America (S. Naifeh & G. Smith, ed.); North America's Top Tax Advisers (International Tax Review); The International Who's Who of Corporate Tax Lawyers (Who's Who Legal)

Memberships & Affiliations

University of Chicago Tax Conference Planning Committee (Past Chair); American Law Institute Tax Advisory Group on Corporate Taxation and Consultant on Pass-Through Entities; University of Chicago Medical Center Board of Trustees

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 1980Illinois

Education

  • Harvard Law SchoolJ.D.1979
    Articles Editor, Harvard Law Review
  • University of ChicagoB.A.1976
    Phi Beta Kappa