Justin K. Abodalo

Profile

Justin K. Abodalo is a member of the McNees Corporate & Tax Law and State & Local Tax Groups, where he counsels clients on corporate tax planning and other transactional issues, including structuring mergers, acquisitions, tax-free or deferred exchanges, financing, entity formation and liquidations.

In addition, Justin assists clients who either want to expand their global footprint — by advising them on tax regimes and treaties of new countries in which they want to begin business — or in-bound clients who want to start operating domestically in the U.S.

What is Justin’s approach to the practice of law?
Justin analyzes circumstances wholistically, transforming tax issues into potential opportunities to use as negotiation leverage to drive deals forward.

Over the course of his career he has collaborated with and worked alongside some of the tax industry’s leading experts and scholars, learning from their expertise in order to forge his own.

What does Justin do for Clients?
Justin leverages over five years of taxation experience to:

• Conduct accurate risk assessment and counseling on various tax matters;
• Analyze tax assets, tax risks and contingencies to drive successful outcomes across mergers and acquisitions;
• Develop strategies that increase the value and facilitate timely execution of deals;
• Work with clients on tax structuring, restructuring and due diligence matters; and
• Clearly explain the consequences of new and updated federal and state laws.

He is also proficient in creating financial modeling to determine optimal tax treatment for client profiles and proposed transactions — including, but is not limited to, the unified loss rules, qualified insurance companies, partnership versus corporation formation, and whether to purchase the assets or stock of a target entity — and conducting extensive basis and E&P studies of clients and targets that span years.

Before joining McNees, Justin worked for two Big Four CPA firms where, among other projects, he engaged in complex legal tax research to advise clients on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, CARES Act, American Rescue Plan, Build Back Better Act and other statutes. Additionally, he orchestrated engagements by coordinating with foreign tax teams, financial due diligence and teams of other tax disciplines to meet client deadlines and expectations.

Justin also worked for a Pennsylvania law firm based in the Lehigh Valley region and was a judicial intern for U.S. Tax Court Judge Elizabeth Crewson Paris. He earned his LL.M. in Taxation from the New York University School of Law and his J.D. from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

How does Justin spend his free time?
In his spare time, Justin enjoys exercising, traveling, and going for hikes with his fiancée Tonia and their dog Desi. He’s also an avid movie buff and stand-up comedy fan.