Overview
Ziemowit T. Smulkowski is a partner in the Tax practice at Paul Hastings in the Chicago office. Mr. Smulkowski concentrates his practice in federal income tax issues related to all aspects of private equity backed investments, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital funds, real estate investments, and management compensation. He works extensively with the firm’s Corporate, Commercial Finance, and Real Estate practices.
Mr. Smulkowski representative transactions include acquisitions and dispositions of businesses for both financial and strategic investors, cross-border investments, and debt and equity investments in real estate joint ventures. He has successfully represented senior and mezzanine lenders, sellers of closely held businesses, and management teams in connection with the acquisition or disposition of their employers. Mr. Smulkowski also works with the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice on various tax controversy matters.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Smulkowski worked in the Chicago offices of a multinational law firm for over twelve years and before that Coopers and Lybrand LLP (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers).
Education
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1996
- Loyola University Chicago, B.A., 1993
Representations
- Represented a Fortune 100 Company on various transactions, including:
- Divestiture of a healthcare technology business to a SIX Swiss Exchange-listed company;
- Acquisition of a supplier of innovative manufacturing technologies in the biopharmaceutical industry;
- Divestiture of a medical records related software developer; and
- Divestiture of a Class II medical device designer, developer and manufacturer.
- Represented a private equity fund in acquisition of a medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative hemostatic agents.
- Represented a private equity fund in acquisition of a leading emergency care and response training organization.
- Represented a private equity fund in acquisition of producer of upscale chocolate confectionery products.
- Represented a private equity fund in acquisition of provider of rehabilitative therapy services to patients residing in long-term care and similar facilities.
- Represented a private equity fund in an investment in a Shanghai-based postpartum recovery and wellness centers.
- Represented a clinical and specialty pharmacy in sale to private equity fund.
- Represented a mental health and drug/alcohol outpatient counseling and therapy business in a divestiture to private equity fund.
- Represented Pfingsten Partners in connection with:
- Bailey International's acquisition of Sure Grip Controls;
- Its acquisition of Burton Saw and Supply;
- Its sale of Hy-Bon Engineering Company;
- Its acquisition of Des-Case Corporation;
- Its acquisition of Bailey International;
- Its sale of Garretson Resolution Group;
- Its acquisition of Midwest Products & Engineering;
- Its acquisition of SII Recreational Products;
- Its acquisition of TPC Wire & Cable;
- Its acquisition of FireKing Security Group;
- Its sale of AllPoints;
- Its sale of Hy-Bon Engineering Company, Inc.;
- Its sale of Powervar, Inc.;
- Its sale of Curt Manufacturing;
- Its sale of Marlen International;
- Its sale of Tropitone Furniture;
- Its sale of Garretson Resolution Group;
- Its acquisition of Dynapower Company LLC;
- Its acquisition of Industrial Lighting Products, Inc.;
- Its acquisition of Des-Case; and
- Its acquisition of ZSI-Foster.
- Represented Madison Capital Partners in connection with:
- Its acquisition of Money Mailer;
- Its sale of Krauss Maffei; and
- Its sale of CoAdvantage.
- Represented Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Company in connection with:
- Its sale of Reichert Technologies;
- Its acquisition of Preferred Homecare;
- Its purchase of himagine solutions from Kforce Inc.;
- The sale of ISG Holdings, Inc.;
- Its sale of Med Group;
- Its purchase of Maxor National Pharmacy Services Corp.;
- Its purchase of Paragon Medical, Inc.; and
- The purchase and sale of Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. by BPOC and KKR.
- Represented Cortec Group in connection with:
- Its acquisition of Urnex Brands;
- Barcodes LLC's acquisition of OCR Canada, Ltd;
- Canadian Hospital Specialties' acquisition of Inter V Medical;
- Its acquisition of Canadian Hospital Specialties;
- Its sale of Performance Health & Wellness Holdings;
- Its acquisition of Cranial Technologies;
- Its sale of Performance Health & Wellness Holdings; and
- Its acquisition of Canadian Hospital Systems, Inc.
- Represented Baird Capital in connection with its acquisition of Kason Corporation.
- Represented May River Partners in connection with:
- Its acquisition of Hi-Tech Manufacturing, LLC;
- Its acquisition of GCM Medical & OEM Inc.; and
- Its acquisition of Pride Engineering LLC.
- Represented Victory Park Capital in connection with the restructuring of, and investment in, Mi Pueblo Foods.
- Represented Filtration Group, a Madison Capital Partners portfolio company, in connection with:
- Its acquisition of Clear Edge Filtration;
- Its acquisition of Porex;
- Its acquisition of Buffalo Filter;
- Its acquisition of AG Industries;
- Its acquisition of Air Flow Technology, Inc.; and
- Its acquisition of Jonell Filtration Products, Inc.
- Represented Madison Industries in the acquisition of Ferry Industries.
- Represented Japan-based Misumi Group Inc. in the acquisition of Dayton Progress Corporation.
- Represented OAD Orthopaedics, Ltd. in its sale to Cadence Health.
- Represented ATI Physical Therapy, a KRG portfolio company, in connection with:
- Its acquisition of Apple Physical Therapy; and
- Its acquisition of Spinal & Orthopedic Rehabilitation.
- Represented D4C Dental Brands, a dental practice management company, in connection with over 10 acquisitions.
- Represented Bankrate, Inc. (NYSE: RATE) in connection with:
- Its acquisition of Wallaby Financial Inc.; and
- Its acquisition of Caring, Inc.
- Represented HIG Capital in connection with:
- Its acquisition of Onyx Financial;
- Its acquisition of Brainworks Software;
- Its acquisition of Tax Defense Network;
- Its sale of Vaupell Industries; and
- Its sale of American Hardwoods.
- Represented Endeavour Capital in connection with its acquisitions of Neverblue Media.
- Represented TriplePoint Capital in connection with its investment from Wafra Capital.
- Represented General Catalyst Partners in connection with its related acquisitions by, and sale of, CLEAResult Consulting.
- Advised Wolters Kluwer Health in its $150 million acquisition of Learner’s Digest International, LLC.
news
- Paul Hastings Advised The Riverside Company in its Investment in Seatex - October 28th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised The Riverside Company in Sale of PFB Holdco, Inc. Plasti-Fab Segment to Carlisle Companies Incorporated - October 21st, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised Carlyle on a Strategic Partnership with North Bridge to Provide Up to $1 Billion in C-PACE Financing - September 16th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised H.I.G. Capital in its Investment in Ascension Property Services - August 8th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised Industrial Growth Partners in its Acquisition of Alpha Metalcraft Group - August 8th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised Carlyle in Strategic Partnership with KKR to Purchase an Approximately $10.1 Billion Portfolio of Prime Student Loans from Discover Financial Services - July 17th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised H.I.G. Growth Partners in Acquisition of Mobile Health Consumer - June 18th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised H.I.G. Growth Partners in Sale of CarltonOne - June 6th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised Wynnchurch Capital in the Acquisition of Hydraulic Technologies - June 4th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised Wynnchurch Capital in the Acquisition of Reagent Chemical & Research - May 3rd, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised H.I.G. Capital in its Acquisition of Segers - April 11th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised The Riverside Company in its Investment in U.S. Cabinet Depot - March 13th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised Flexpoint Ford on Strategic Investment in Public Trust Advisors - January 16th, 2024
- Paul Hastings Advised H.I.G. Capital in Acquisition of Penhall Company - December 22nd, 2023
- Paul Hastings Advised OpenGate Capital in Acquisition of Player One Amusement Group - November 28th, 2023
- Paul Hastings Advises Madison Industries in $226 Million Purchase of CAE Healthcare - October 25th, 2023
- Paul Hastings Advised Industrial Growth Partners in the Sale of Des-Case - September 7th, 2023
- Paul Hastings Advised Wynnchurch Capital in the Sale of Midland Industries - September 5th, 2023
- Five Paul Hastings Lawyers Named Among 2023 Bankruptcy Tax Specialists by Turnarounds & Workouts - August 7th, 2023
- Paul Hastings Advises Francisco Partners and TPG in $6.5 Billion Take-Private of New Relic - July 31st, 2023
Recognitions
- Five Paul Hastings Lawyers Named Among 2023 Bankruptcy Tax Specialists by Turnarounds & Workouts - August 7th, 2023
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2021 - May 21st, 2021
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2020 - May 1st, 2020
- Ranked by Chambers USA 2019 - April 26th, 2019
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2018 - May 15th, 2018
insights
- U.S. Senate Passes Inflation Reduction Act - August 10th, 2022
- Key Business Tax Provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 - January 11th, 2021
- PH COVID-19 Client Alert Series: Debt Buy-Backs in Covid-19 times - March 26th, 2020
- Proposed IRS Regulations Significantly Curtail Impact of Section 956 for U.S. Corporate Borrowers - November 5th, 2018
- European Tax Update - March 15th, 2018
- Tax Reform Impacts Lenders and Borrowers - March 14th, 2018
- Some Family Offices May Avoid the Disallowance of Investment Expense Deductions Under Tax Reform - January 17th, 2018
- Tax Reform Provides New Tax Benefits to Unincorporated Businesses - January 12th, 2018
- Real Estate Related Provisions of the Tax Reform Act - January 9th, 2018
- The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Makes Significant Changes to Taxation of Business Operations - January 8th, 2018
- The International Provisions of the GOP Tax Reform Act - December 28th, 2017
- Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Significantly Impacts Individual Taxation Provisions - December 26th, 2017
- European Tax Update 2017 - April 27th, 2017
- Section 355 Spin-Off Developments: Clarification of “Predecessors” and “Successors” - January 12th, 2017
- IRS Finalizes Regulations Eliminating Requirement to File §83(b) Election with Tax Return - August 15th, 2016
- New IRS Audit Rules for Partnerships - March 7th, 2016
- Treasury Issues Proposed Regulations Addressing Management Fee Waivers and Other Disguised Payments from Partnerships for Services - August 12th, 2015
- New Regulations Provide Flexibility in Structuring Acquisitions - May 22nd, 2013
- The IRS Creates a 70% Safe-Harbor for Deductibility of Investment Banking and Other Success-Based Fees Contingent on the Closing of a Transaction - April 13th, 2011
Involvement
- Mr. Smulkowski has co-chaired, and spoken at, the Practicing Law Institute's Pocket MBA: Finance for Lawyers and Other Professionals seminar since 2010.
- Mr. Smulkowski is a frequent speaker on tax related matters.
- Mr. Smulkowski serves on the Board of Trustees of Holy Trinity High School.