Lead Counsel, Insurance and Corporate Tax
As a member of MassMutual's Law Department, the Lead Counsel Insurance and Corporate Tax is responsible for providing legal advice and counsel to help minimize the domestic and global tax burden of the parent organization and its subsidiaries.? This attorney will be an integral part of MassMutual's corporate law team, which is responsible for supporting the legal needs of MassMutual's corporate units, including the investment management, venture capital and corporate finance areas.
The successful candidate is expected to be proficient in, and to engage in the practice of, all areas of federal income tax law. In this individual contributor role, the successful candidate will join an engaged team of tax professionals who work to reduce the Company's exposure to tax risk, ensure ongoing Company compliance with applicable state and federal tax laws, consult regularly with the Company's business teams and other members of the Law Department to maintain a cohesive Company tax strategy, and ensure adequate programs are developed and implemented with MassMutual to mitigate potential tax issues that may negatively impact the Company.? At MassMutual we promote an environment that fosters and supports diversity, equity and inclusion and reflects MassMutual's mission and goals.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support MassMutual's business strategy, goals and objectives by providing high quality legal advice with particular focus on the Company's federal (corporate) tax matters
- Provide MassMutual's Corporate Tax Department with research, planning and legal advice to develop a comprehensive company tax strategy and to minimize MassMutual's tax exposure, and help develop sound tax return positions
- Advise on federal tax controversies, including IDR responses, appeals process, tax litigation and audit procedures
- Provide legal support for all aspects of the Company's federal tax compliance
- Consult on The MassMutual Foundation's tax matters
- Manage various operational tax inquiries and issues as they develop within MassMutual's business operations
- Provide legal support for all tax matters relating to MassMutual's employment arrangements and compensation of independent contractors and statutory employees (including matters relating to worker classification and payroll reporting/withholding compliance, employment tax, FICA, various benefits, and tax issues related to agency compensation)
- Provide legal support relating to domestic and international tax withholding and reporting matters
- Provide legal support with subchapter L issues, including reserves, deferred acquisition costs (DAC) and reinsurance
- Provide technical support to the MassMutual Federal Government Relations team to evaluate the potential impact of proposed federal tax legislation and Treasury regulations on MassMutual and its subsidiaries' business interests
- Actively participate in life insurance industry forums and committees, such as the American Council of Life Insurers; present and advocate MassMutual's views on pending legislation and regulatory activity
- Collaborate effectively and build trust with legal and business professionals across all divisions of the company
- Develop a network of national tax advisors, including representatives of tax law firms and accounting firms, who will assist in providing excellent and efficient tax advice and who will support MassMutual's inclusion and diversity goals
- Other areas of practice include taxation of partnerships and joint ventures; domestic and international business and fund structuring; M&A support; FIN 48 and schedule UTP issues; and executive compensation matters
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:
- Must have significant tax law experience relating to the tax matters described in ?Primary Responsibilities? above; prior experience with subchapter L a plus, but not required
- JD degree from an accredited U.S. law school required
- Admitted to a state bar; must be admitted to Massachusetts bar or registered as in-house counsel within 6 months of start date
- Minimum 7 years legal experience in a respected law firm(s), government and/or corporate tax law department OR minimum 5 years of such legal experience and a minimum of 4 years of relevant tax, audit, compliance or finance work with an insurance company, consulting or accounting firm
- Experience advising high level corporate executives or clients
- Excellent judgment and legal and business acumen; ability to think like a business person, to integrate legal and business issues and to partner with business leaders
- Strong ability to develop professional relationships with clients, legal colleagues and business leaders across the organization
- Commercially minded, but with a keen attention to risk and ethics
- Demonstrated leadership, integrity, professionalism and collegiality
- Strategic, creative and innovative
- Capable of inspiring confidence in others
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Team orientation; works well with others and is someone who fosters and encourages teamwork across organizations and functions
- Responsive to client and team member needs
- Ability to travel (less than 15%)
- Authorized to work in the US without sponsorship now or in the future
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