Buchanan's Washington, D.C., office provides a broad range of legal and business services with  particular strength in the areas of tax, federal government relations and the food and drug/biotechnology industry. The Washington office also focuses in the areas of government contracts, financial services, real estate, corporate finance and technology and litigation. Our comprehensive services include:

Tax

With more than 50 tax professionals, our Tax Section is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Our tax attorneys focus primarily on tax planning, employee benefits, estate planning, and general domestic and international business tax issues. Key groups within our Tax Section include:

• Tax Management
  Our attorneys edit the internationally renowned Tax Management publications. Tax Management is part of The Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) in Washington, D.C., and is one of the nation’s leading publishers of legal and governmental news and analysis. In the past 40 years, Tax Management, in association with our D.C. predecessor Silverstein and Mullens, has produced more than 300 portfolios, monthly journals and periodicals, found in nearly every law and accounting firm in the nation.
• Business and International Tax
  We have extensive experience in federal tax planning, controversy, legislative and regulatory development work. Our tax planning knowledge encompasses counseling clients on business entity formation and appropriate capitalization of corporations and partnerships, the use of intercompany transactions and relationships to minimize tax, and the structure of business acquisitions and dispositions. We regularly advise clients on methods of preserving and maximizing the tax benefits of distressed businesses, restructuring corporate and partnership groups and structuring the liquidation and dissolution of business enterprises to minimize federal tax consequences. One of our strengths is in the area of international taxation. We have experience in structuring U.S. operations of foreign businesses and individuals to minimize worldwide tax consequences, including planning to minimize the effects of the FIRPTA, branch profits tax, and earnings stripping provisions of U.S. law.
• Estates and Trusts/Exempt Organizations
  Our attorneys bring decades of experience with federal and state tax regimes and the laws that affect ownership and transfer of property. We advise clients in the areas of business succession planning, transmission of wealth and management of family assets. Our estate planning attorneys also advise clients in sophisticated tax planning strategies, tax controversies, and in the administration of trusts and decedents' estates. In addition to gift and estate tax planning, we focus on related areas including strategic planning for qualified retirement benefits and IRAs. 
• Employee Benefits
  We represent private and public-sector employers, tax-exempt organizations, trade associations, individuals and financial institutions in connection with a broad range of employee benefit and executive compensation matters. Our lawyers advise on federal income and employment tax matters and the broad spectrum of fiduciary and plan administration issues arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). We also draft and counsel with respect to innovative compensation planning techniques, such as contributions of stock options to 401(k) plans, deferral of stock option gain, cash balance plans and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).

Government Relations

Ranked by Influence Magazine in March 2008 as the 13th largest law firm in terms of lobbying revenue and 20th among all law firms and lobbying firms, Buchanan's Federal Government Relations Practice is a powerful presence in the nation’s capital. Our seasoned bi-partisan team of governmental affairs professionals provides clients with key connections at the federal level.

Previously serving in high level government positions, our professionals include a former chair and a former chief tax counsel of the Committee on Ways and Means of the United States House of Representatives; a former staff director of the United States House Committee on the Budget; a former chief of staff and general counsel to the House Committee on Financial Services; former chiefs of staff to both Republican and Democratic members of the House and Senate; and former high-ranking military officials.

These individuals are experienced lobbyists, who have served in senior staff positions in the House or Senate (or both) and in various presidential administrations. Our team provides assistance to clients in many aspects of lobbying, including strategic development and counseling; monitoring of legislative and executive affairs; providing critical access to key decision makers; advocacy lobbying; drafting legislation; testifying before legislative committees and regulatory hearings; and all public relations activities necessary for promoting our clients' initiatives.

Food and Drug/Biotechnology

Buchanan's Food and Drug Section is one of the first and largest practices dedicated to helping clients with issues related to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We provide counsel on issues pertaining to the manufacture, marketing and distribution of products regulated by the FDA. The practice maintains a broad focus and assists clients with legal, administrative and policy issues at the domestic and international levels. We guide clients through regulatory approval processes needed for product marketing clearance and assist in structuring business relationships. We have developed a substantial high-technology practice in the United States, representing clients from around the world in biotechnologies from conventional recombinant DNA-produced products and DNA probes to controlled release technologies. We integrate the sophisticated scientific, legal and technical issues associated with biotechnology-derived products. We help biotechnology companies in their long product development cycles requiring large amounts of cash, extensive government regulation and protection of core technology.
 
Government Contracts

The Government Contracts Section assists clients with obtaining and performing federal government contracts with both the Department of Defense and civilian agencies. We have also assisted clients with such procurement matters as small-business issues, protests, contract negotiations, contract performance, technical data issues, intellectual property rights, large claims and litigation before the Government Accountability Office, the Boards of Contract Appeals and the Court of Federal Claims.
 
Financial Services

The Financial Services Section handles corporate lending, commercial lending, commercial finance, construction lending, asset-based lending, equipment leasing, tax-exempt transactions, project financing, letter-of-credit transactions and oil and gas transactions. Our services also include secured syndicated transactions, securitizations, asset-based and business credit loans, cross-border matters and portfolio sales. Our clients include federal- and state-chartered bank and thrift institutions, commercial finance companies, municipal authorities, equipment lessors and lessees and borrowers.
 
Real Estate

The Real Estate Section provides counsel and service in real estate development, investment, finance and operations. With respect to commercial real estate development, the group's capabilities cover land acquisition, zoning, subdivision and governmental approval. They also include the negotiation and drafting of design contracts and construction contracts. The group also provides counsel in developing the financing structure of real estate developments, as well as the negotiations and drafting of construction and long term financing transactions.
 
Corporate Finance & Technology

Our Corporate Finance & Technology attorneys structure and negotiate sophisticated transactions involving equity and debt offerings, public and private capital formation, private placements, mergers and acquisitions, venture finance transactions, and corporate governance and regulatory compliance. Our clients include public and private companies, ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 organizations. We also represent venture capital funds, regulated investment companies, banks, financial advisors and insurance companies.
 
Litigation

Our broad litigation practice covers trials, appeals and the use of alternative dispute resolution services in civil, criminal and federal administrative matters. We focus on avoiding, managing and resolving conflicts. We offer litigation services in all of the firm's diverse practice areas, including complex commercial, financial, tax, bankruptcy, fraud, FDA, false advertising, contracts and government contracts, real estate and corporate investigations and a variety of areas involving white-collar defense.