Louis Barr

Louis Barnett Barr Counsel

Louis Barr

Louis is counsel in the Tax practice at SWA, with a strong focus on executive compensation and business formation and structuring as well as comprehensive experience in advising on mergers and acquisitions, especially involving start-ups.

Louis has over 25 years of experience in advising public, private and tax-exempt entities in relation to the complete range of issues in setting up and operating employee benefit programs. These programs include equity compensation incentive plans, qualified and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, welfare benefit arrangements and severance agreements. Widely considered an expert in global compensation plans, Louis is frequently contacted by Israeli companies setting up operations in the U.S. on all matters relating to recruitment and compensation plans.

Tax-exempt organizations, such as charities, foundations, educational and health organizations as well as trade associations, regularly tap into his depth of experience relating to tax-exempt status, private foundation rules, intermediate sanctions and unrelated business income tax.

Louis’s work advising on cross-border M&A transactions is highlighted in the firm’s ranking in Corporate and M&A by IFLR1000.

Prior to joining SWA, Louis was a partner at Venable LLP in Baltimore.