David Connell's practice focuses on tax, business and nonprofit law. David works closely with clients to provide practical solutions to complex issues, with a focus on achieving the client’s business and tax objectives.
David regularly advises public and private companies on a variety of tax and transactional matters, including tax-free and taxable mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, recapitalizations, incentive compensation arrangements, and public and private offerings. Because of Ater Wynne’s strong emerging business practice, David has significant experience advising early-stage companies on a variety of tax matters that often affect such companies and their shareholders and employees.
A significant part of David’s practice involves advising clients on tax and business issues associated with the formation and life cycle of limited liability companies, partnerships, and other pass-through entities, including the use of such organizations in joint ventures, investment funds, business acquisitions, real estate development, and estate planning. This work includes negotiating and drafting LLC operating agreements, partnership agreements, buy-ins and buy-outs, and compensation arrangements.
David also regularly advises a variety of nonprofit and other tax-exempt organizations, including healthcare, charitable and educational organizations, industry consortiums and trade groups, governmental bodies, Indian tribes, and tribal enterprises. David has assisted a number of nonprofit corporations holding and/or promoting open source software. David assists tax-exempt organizations in all tax matters, including qualifying for and maintaining tax-exempt status, minimizing unrelated trade or business income, public charity/private foundation status, compensation issues, financing issues, limitations on lobbying, and transactions with other entities. He also regularly advises these organizations on governance and other day-to-day matters.
Professional Experience
- Ater Wynne LLP, Portland, Oregon, Partner, 2004 to present; Associate, 1997 to 2003
- Arthur Andersen LLP, Portland, Oregon, 1995 to 1997
Education
- J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, J.D., magna cum laude, 1995
- Brigham Young University, B.S., 1992
Admitted to Practice
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association, Taxation and Business Law Sections
- Oregon State Bar, Taxation Section
Representative Matters
- Cascade Microtech, Inc. – Acquisition of Gryphics, Inc.
- Dinè Power Authority, a Navajo Nation Enterprise – Development Agreement for 1500 MW Clean Coal Plant; Development Agreement for Navajo Transmission Project; and 200 MW Wind Project Agreement
- FLIR Systems, Inc. – Acquisition of Scientific Materials Corporation
- FLIR Systems, Inc. - Acquisition of Assets of Brysen Optical Corporation
- Four Dam Pool Power Agency, Anchorage, Alaska – Issuance of Electric Revenue Refunding Bonds
- OHSU Medical Group – Equipment Financing; Issuance of Revenue Bonds for the South Waterfront Project
- Open Source Development Labs - Merger of Open Source Development Labs and Free Standards Group to form The Linux Foundation.
- Oregon Health and Science University – Acquisition of Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology
- Planar Systems, Inc. – Acquisition of Clarity Visual Systems, Inc.
- Renewable Power and Light – Acquisitions of 85 MW and 65 MW Cogeneration Power Plants; and Listing on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM)
- TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. – Acquisition of Peak Devices, Inc.
|
|
 |