Press Room

New York, NY — Tannenbaum Helpern is pleased to announce Michele Itri has been named Co-Chair of its Tax Law practice and David D. Holahan has been made a Partner in the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice.

Michele Itri has over 19 years of experience advising clients on U.S. and cross-border tax issues relating to private investment funds including private equity, real estate, credit, impact, cryptocurrency and hedge funds; joint ventures; seeding agreements; and partnership and limited liability company structures. Her clients include investment funds, pensions, endowments, family offices and private investors. Michele is a frequent speaker on tax issues facing the investment management industry. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Michele joined Tannenbaum Helpern in 2002, having previously worked at global law firms Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Dewey Ballantine LLP.

Examples of Michele’s tax experience include advising:

• A family-owned staffing firm in its sale to a private equity investor.
• A sponsor of various investment fund platforms to streamline its multi-faceted investment platform’s ownership structure.
• A sponsor in connection with the structuring and formation of a private equity fund focusing on U.S. real estate investment opportunities.
• A UK investment adviser in structuring a U.S. broker-dealer on a tax efficient basis.
• A significant private equity fund manager in granting equity interests in its management company to employees on a tax-free basis.

David Holahan is a skilled litigator with extensive trial experience at the state and federal levels. He represents clients in federal and state court actions and arbitrations in complex commercial litigation matters such as securities disputes, class action defense, anti-trust disputes, regulatory investigations, partnership disputes, breaches of contract and fiduciary duty, fraud, libel, business torts, product liability, RICO and employment disputes. David regularly represents entities and principals of hedge, private equity and venture capital funds. He is particularly adept at quickly assessing potential liability and risk exposures, developing overall litigation strategies and, where appropriate, advising clients on litigation avoidance through negotiation and mediation. David is a graduate of Pace University School of Law and joined Tannenbaum Helpern in 2015 from Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman LLP.

Examples of David’s litigation experience include representing:

• A joint venture partner in a dispute concerning its investment in real estate located in Manhattan and serving as co-lead counsel in a 23-day bench trial before the New York Commercial Division, County of New York. The Court’s decision awarded the client a complete victory.
• Four portfolio managers in an arbitration proceeding against their former employer, an international investment bank, regarding set-offs taken by the bank against contractual payments owed to clients. Prevailed on motion for summary judgment.
• A hedge fund by serving as co-counsel and examining expert witness in week-long trial before then-Chancellor Strine in the Delaware Chancery Court in a breach of fiduciary duty and contract case concerning a dispute with a former partner of the fund.
• A large Central American financial group in a dispute arising from a $1.5 billion sale to a large international bank.
• A major Canadian toy manufacturer in a four-week trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Achieved a full release of $60 million in earnout claims allegedly arising from client's acquisition of major U.S. toy manufacturer, and secured a $15 million settlement payment.