Alan M. Schwartz Q.C.

Alan M. Schwartz is a tax lawyer whose practice involves advising on corporate transactions such as acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, prospectus disclosure and the establishment of investment vehicles. A significant part of his practice includes pleading cases in tax courts at all levels from the Tax Court to the Supreme Court of Canada. Alan has been involved in leading tax cases on the general anti-avoidance rule, the existences of a separate business, partnership reorganizations, asset classification, residence of trusts and employment benefits, including the case of Savage v. the Queen which was decided in favour of the taxpayer by the Supreme Court of Canada. He is also involved in advising on estate planning and trusts.  Alan is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Carswell Tax Service, "GAAR Interpreted" which is a leading publication on the general anti-avoidance rule.

Alan joined the firm as an associate in 1970 and became a partner in 1976. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1985. He was elected Managing Partner of Fasken Campbell Godfrey in February 1994 and was the Toronto office's Managing Partner and national chair of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin until June 30, 2001. Alan was the firm's national chair of the Taxation group until August 2005.

Alan is rated by the International Tax Review, Best Lawyers, Chambers, Lexpert and PLC as one of the leading tax lawyers in Canada.

Selected Experience

• Catalyst Fund III closes with capital commitments in excess of US$1 billion
• Pelangio completes plan of arrangement; renamed PDX Resources

News

• Best Lawyers in Canada: Over 100 Fasken Martineau lawyers again listed among the best
• 79 Fasken Martineau lawyers listed in Lexpert's 2011 Canadian Legal Directory

Publications

• Tax Measures in Budget 2010
• Lipson v. The Queen: Lipson Decision Creates Uncertainty

Presentations

• Toronto Fasken Martineau Symposium (1st Edition)
• This Year in GAAR

Membership/Affiliations

• Ontario Bar Association
• Canadian Bar Association
• International Fiscal Association
• Toronto Senior Tax Practitioners Study Group

Community Involvement

• Chairman of the Canadian Counsel of Christians and Jews (2002 - 2007)
• Former President of the Princeton University Alumni Association of Canada
• Member of the Planned Giving Committee of Princeton University
  

Honours and Awards

• Listed in Chamber 2011 Global Guide - Tax
• Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada 2011 as a leading practitioner in Tax Law
• Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2010, 2011: consistently recommended - Corporate Tax ; repeatedly recommended - Litigation - Corporate Tax