ADAM J. GRAIS advises businesses and their owners on structuring transactions and in addressing complex federal income tax issues. He represents individuals, closely held businesses, start up companies and family offices. Other law firms frequently turn to Adam as co-counsel for their clients’ tax matters and as a consulting expert witness. Adam is the firm’s Managing Partner and a member of the firm's Executive Committee.
Honors
Selected by peers as a Leading Lawyer in: Closely & Privately Held Business Law; Business and Individual Tax Law; and Corporate Finance Law (2012-2017)
Martindale-Hubbel AV Preeminent Rated, 5.0/5.0 Overall Peer Rating in the areas of Taxation, Business Law and Corporate Law
Publications
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02/10/2016
Aaron Hammer and Adam Grais featured in recently released second edition of ABA best seller "A Lawyer's Guide to Networking"
Leading ABA publication quotes two of the firm's leaders.
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04/30/2015
Ron and Adam Grais profiled in Leading Lawyers feature on father and son legal teams
Leading Lawyers magazine profiled Adam and Ron Grais in a feature on fathers working with their children in law firm.
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10/29/2014
Adam Grais appointed to Grant Park Orchestral Association Board of Directors
On October 29, 2014, the Grant Park Orchestral Association named Adam Grais to the Association's Board of Directors.
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07/07/2014
SFGH attorneys assist XS Tennis and Education Foundation with the development of the XS Tennis Village on the South Side of Chicago.
Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer LLP partners Adam Grais, Mark Lenz and Michelle Huhnke have been working with the XS Tennis and Education Foundation on the development of the XS Tennis Village in the Washington Park neighborhood of Chicago. At a press conference on May 21, 2014, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the XS Tennis Village, a new $9.8 million, 112,000-square-foot world-class tennis facility in the Washington Park neighborhood of Chicago. This project allow the Foundation to expand its innovative Tennis XSpress programming for the Chicago Public School, increasing the number of participating schools from 10 to 20 and exposing more than 4,000 CPS students to the sport of tennis and the habits of an active and healthy lifestyle. Groundbreaking is expected in fall, 2014.
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11/20/2013
Adam J. Grais recognized in Law 360 Article for tax knowledge, management and entrepreneurial skills
On November 20, 2013, Law 360 published a question and answer session with Diana S. Doyle, an attorney with Latham & Watkins, where Ms. Doyle notes, "Adam impresses me not only with his tax knowledge and business savvy, but with the management and entrepreneurial skills he brings to his firm. I often recommend him when asked for a tax lawyer to handle a 'smaller' deal, which in my experience are no less complicated than the 'big' ones I usually see at Latham."
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06/24/2013
Ten Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer Attorneys Honored as Leading Lawyers
Ten attorneys at Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer LLP have been recognized by Leading Lawyers Magazine for their selection by their peers as top lawyers in Illinois.
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01/16/2013
Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer LLP Named Among 2013's Top Ranked Law Firms by LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell®
Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer LLP has been named one of 2013's Top Ranked Law Firms across the United States by LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell®.
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01/08/2013
Favorable Expensing and Depreciation Rules for Businesses Extended
Adam J. Grais discusses the extension of beneficial expensing and depreciation rules through the end of 2013 under the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.
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12/13/2012
Adam Grais keeps the beat for the Barristers Big Band at their annual holiday concert at the Daley Center in Chicago
Adam Grais discusses his participation in the Barristers Big Band in this article from the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
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02/28/2012
Obama Administration Budget Proposals Include Income and Estate Tax Increases
A discussion of the income and estate tax proposals in the Obama administration's fiscal year 2013 budget.
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01/01/2012
Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer LLP Announces New Name Partners, Growth in Lawyer Ranks
We are proud to announce the change in the name of our firm to Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer LLP and the additional of five excellent attorneys to our team, expanding our current tax and real estate practices and adding bankruptcy and creditors' rights to our scope of services for our clients. -
12/01/2011
Limited Time Tax Planning Opportunities for Small Businesses in 2011 and 2012
Adam J. Grais suggests ways for businesses to take advantage of beneficial expensing and depreciation rules and health care tax credits for a limited time.
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09/14/2010
Update on Tax Rules for Series LLC's
Adam J. Grais discusses the proposed regulations regarding the income tax law classification of series limited liability companies.
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05/03/2010
New Rules and a Glimpse of the Future (The Health Care Act and the HIRE Act)
In this article, the authors provide a summary of some of the key provisions of recently enacted legislation and other changes taking effect after the end of 2010.
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08/20/2009
New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives – Part IV (2009 - 2010)
In Part IV of "New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives," our tax attorneys discuss recent changes in tax laws that provide certain benefits to businesses which can help contribute to the bottom line.
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08/12/2009
New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives – Part III (2009 - 2010)
In Part III of "New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives," our tax attorneys discuss recent changes in tax laws that impact the way investors view certain investments.
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08/05/2009
New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives – Part II (2009 - 2010)
In Part II of "New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives," our tax attorneys discuss recent changes in the law that have increased protection that the federal government offers to savings, checking, and other deposit accounts.
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07/29/2009
New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives – Part I (2009 - 2010)
In Part I of "New Rules for Purchases, Savings, Investments, and Business Incentives," our tax attorneys discuss recent changes in the law that afford special benefits that should be considered when purchasing or improving a home or when purchasing a car.
Speaking Engagements
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05/24/2017
Michael Brandess moderates and Adam Grais sits as panelist for the fifth episode in a series of webinars entitled One Hour Law School 1.0 – Tell Me What I Need to Know: Business Tax Law 101 for West LegalEd Center.
On May 24, 2017 at 2:00 p.m., Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer LLP partner Michael Brandess will moderate and partner Adam Grais will sit as a panelist for the fifth episode in a series of webinars for West LegalEd Center titled One Hour Law School 1.0 – Tell Me What I Need to Know. The overall series explores the essential building blocks of important legal concepts facing business people. Episode #5 will provide you with a tour of the tax landscape, including the basic tax differences between S-corps, C-corps, and LLCs; basic tax issues when buying or selling a business; sales and use taxes; employment taxes and tax incentives.
Civic & Professional
- Grant Park Orchestral Association, board member (2014-present), vice chair of the board (2016-present), chair of Education and Community Engagement Committee (2015-2017), chair of Governance Committee (2017-present), member of Executive Committee (2015-present), member of Finance Committee (2016-present)
- ProVisors (2016-present)
- Small Business Advocacy Council (2011-2014)
- Near North Montessori School, Audit Committee of Board of Directors (2010-2016)
- Chicago Bar Association, Barristers Big Band, drummer (2008-2014)
- Suzuki-Orff School for Young Musicians, board member (2001-2005)
- Friends of Erhler Park, founder, director, president and secretary (2001-2005)
Adam J. Grais's recent or notable engagements and experience includes:
- Serve as outside counsel to a number of family offices. Assist with lending transactions, employment and compensation agreements, non-disclosure issues, negotiation and preparation of LLC agreements, and general entity administration.
- Partnered with outside litigation firm to address corporate and tax issues related to the settlement of a lawsuit involving the break-up of a business. After successful settlement, retained by the client to assist him in setting up a new company and leasing space for the new company. Developed and implemented successful strategy to sell real estate that continued to be held jointly with former business partner.
- Advised client in structuring and closing on substantial turnaround investment in distressed manufacturing business in transaction involving restructuring of company equity, redemption of most existing owners and workout with existing lenders.
- Negotiated sale of client's interests in a manufacturing business to her siblings when dispute about management and direction of the business arose after the death of their father/founder of the business.
- Advised food industry start up business in formation of the company and expansion to multiple locations in Chicago.
- Coordinated and implemented restructuring of family businesses involving multiple trusts and entities.
- Serve as personal general counsel to chief executive officer of public company addressing income tax issues, estate planning, and securities issues related to compensation as well as structuring holdings of personal real estate, yachts and aircraft.
- Assisted owner of manufacturing business in breaking deadlock with other owner to move forward with sale of the company.
- Advised family office on structuring of captive investment company and deferred compensation plan for employees.
- Represented real estate development company with multiple funds that invest in multi-family housing, including structuring of acquisition in which seller continued to retain equity participation in the deals.
- Assisted seed investors in technology incubator in negotiating and structuring agreements with founders.
- Negotiated joint venture between private real estate developer and institutional partner to develop public-private residential and commercial project in Massachusetts.
- Advised partners in winery on restructuring joint venture agreement to address succession issues and management participation in growth.
- Counseled spouse in a divorce involving complicated tax, ownership and management issues related to other spouse's family real estate and construction business holdings.
Federal Income Tax Planning & Litigation
- Counseled family owned retail business on structuring transfer of ownership of business to one child while providing for equitable allocation of estate assets to other children.
- Advised partners in real estate partnership on capitalization of existing mortgage debt, structuring transaction so as to reduce taxable income from cancelation of indebtedness.
- Brought in by regional accounting firm to assist client in addressing prior accountants' errors by revising LLC agreement and developing plan to align allocations and capital accounts with intended economic sharing arrangement of partners.
- Counseled CEO of logistics business on tax implications of proposed acquisition of his debt and equity interests in company and concurrent transfer of certain assets to former spouse in connection with divorce settlement.
- Advised estate on treatment of investment in Madoff ponzi scheme for federal income and estate tax purposes.
- Counseled senior management principals and owners of marketing business structured as LLC in connection with strategic acquisition by publicly traded company on issues related to employment agreements and LLC interests acquisition.
- Advised private equity firms on tax issues related to sales of portfolio company and investments in closely-held businesses.
- Counseled family members on tax issues in stock sale of pharmaceutical business held by family through multiple S corporations.
- Outside tax counsel to a boutique corporate law firm, providing tax advice on mergers and acquisitions transactions.
- Advised closely-held food business on tax issues related to acquisition by foreign strategic buyer.
- Advised commodities trader living abroad on tax issues related to structuring of new fund, estate planning issues and evaluation of tax issues related to expatriation.
- Advised newly hired CEO on tax issues related to employment agreement and equity participation compensation in LLC.
- Restructured compensation of key employee of private company in connection with public company acquisition to address IRC 409A excise tax issues.
- Advised proprietary trading firm since formation in developing and implementing employee equity incentive plan.
- Counseled founder of consulting business in developing tax-efficient programs to provide educational reimbursement program and equity participation compensation for key employees.
- Advised employee on concerns related to grant of profits interest to him by LLC employer, including issues of voting, repurchase on termination of employment and proper allocations of income and losses to employee.
- Counseled former employee of trading firm on issues related to buy out of his equity participation interest in LLC.
- Regularly advise clients on structuring employee incentive plans involving options, restricted interests and phantom equity plans for both LLC’s and corporations.
- Advised law firms as consulting expert in multiple law suits involving Son of BOSS and other tax shelter transactions.
- Defended real estate developer in IRS audit that resulted in U.S. Tax Court litigation in which his status as a qualified real estate professional for purposes of the passive activity loss rules was challenged. Developed a strategy at the audit stage that resulted in settlement of a $6 million adjustment for $6,000 without trial.
- Successfully resolved audit for client in connection with adjustments related to gain on restructuring of business resulting from changes in the allocation of liabilities among partners that former accountants had not recognized.
- Coordinated tax and corporate counsel in Canada and Denmark in connection with unwinding of tax-efficient structure for investment in Canadian real estate following sale of the property.
- Advised agricultural company on implementation of domestic international sale corporation (DISC) structure to reduce taxes on exported products.
- Advised client on U.S. tax issues related to Belgian tax claims raised in divorce from foreign spouse.