Skadden is pleased to announce that Loren Ponds has joined the firm as a partner in the Tax Group. Based in the Washington, D.C. office, Ms. Ponds provides strategic counsel to clients across industries on legislative, regulatory and other tax policy issues, as well as on technical matters related to international tax, including controversy and transfer pricing issues.
Ms. Ponds joins Skadden from another law firm, where she co-led its tax policy practice and served on the executive committee. Ms. Ponds previously served as majority tax counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, where she developed, analyzed and refined the international tax provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). Earlier in her career, she worked at a global accounting firm in its Washington, D.C. and Düsseldorf offices, focusing on transfer pricing planning and controversy.
Fluent in English, French and German, Ms. Ponds worked as a trainee at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris and served as a German chancellor fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation at the University of Hamburg’s International Tax Institute. Ms. Ponds has also clerked on the D.C. Superior Court.
“Loren brings a unique combination of deep legislative, lobbying and technical experience in the international tax and transfer pricing space,” said Skadden Executive Partner Jeremy London. “She will be an excellent resource for our clients, and she joins us at an exciting time as we continue to expand our capabilities and offerings in strategic areas, including tax controversy.”
“Loren’s Capitol Hill experience, along with her international tax advisory work, will be of tremendous value to our practice and firm,” said Paul Oosterhuis, of counsel in Skadden’s Tax Group. “With significant tax legislative developments anticipated in the near term, her wealth of insight on congressional matters and rulemaking will be an asset to our platform and our clients.”
“Skadden’s tax practice is second to none. I am delighted to work alongside the renowned team and look forward to utilizing the firm’s premier global platform to assist clients in navigating their most challenging tax policy issues,” said Ms. Ponds.
Ms. Ponds has been ranked in Chambers USA and The Legal 500 for her government relations and tax work, and she is a frequent speaker on key international tax issues, including transfer pricing and the Pillars One and Two international tax reforms spearheaded by the OECD. Ms. Ponds received her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, her LL.M. in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center and her A.B. from Davidson College.