Leila E. Vaughan
Partner
Overview
Leila Vaughan delivers forward-thinking guidance to investment management clients navigating complex tax matters. She offers advice on investment tax matters, especially relating to private equity, regulated investment companies, hedge funds, lending funds and real estate investment funds. Leila assists investment management clients with the tax aspects of fund structure, fund formation, portfolio investments, regulated investment company compliance, mergers and liquidations.
Leila also has experience with mergers and acquisitions, tax-free reorganizations and spinoffs, nonprofits and qualified opportunity funds.
Prior Experience
Leila is a returning attorney to Faegre Drinker. She previously served as a tax associate where she assisted clients relating to the taxation of mutual funds and hedge funds. Leila provided tax advice to investment company clients in connection with reorganizations, liquidations and disclosures. Leila also offered guidance in the negotiation of tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions and credit agreements.
Personal Interests
Leila enjoys international travel, reading and spending time in her garden.
Credentials
Bar Admissions
District of Columbia
Pennsylvania
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Education
New York University
LL.M. in Taxation (2010)
University of Pennsylvania Law School
J.D. University of Pennsylvania Law Review (senior editor) (2006)
Duke University
B.A. in Political Science, Pi Sigma Alpha (2003)
Insights & Events
Latest
Insights
Other Perspectives
Publications
- BNA Tax Management Portfolio 711-3rd: Partnerships — Formation and Contributions of Property or Services, 2022
- BNA Tax Management Portfolio 700 T.M., Choice of Entity: Business and Tax Considerations, 2022
- Tax Comments on Proposed Regulations Regarding Investments in Qualified Opportunity Funds Under Section 1400Z-2, American Bar Association, July 2019
- Proposed Regulations Regarding Investments in Qualified Opportunity Funds Under Section 1400Z-2, American Bar Association, January 2019
- Tax Comments on Proposed Fractions Rule Regulations, American Bar Association, March 2018. Section 336(e) Regulations, PLI Corporate Tax Outlines, 2014
- A Whole New Carve-Out World: Section 336(e) Regulations, Tax Management Memorandum (BNA), April 2014
- Someone Made Off With My Money, Now What? Tax Issues Affecting Ponzi Scheme Victims, Journal of Taxation of Investments, Summer 2009
Presentations
- Course Planner, Moderator, "IRS Tax Update on 2020 Changes," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, January 2021
- Panelist, "Opportunity Zone Latest Developments," Federal Bar Association Tax Law Conference, March 2020
- Panelist, "Qualified Opportunity Zones: What You Need to Know About Investing in the Zone," February 2020
- Panelist, "Nuts and Bolts of Opportunity Zones and Qualified Opportunity Funds," ABA 2020 Midyear Meeting, January 2020
- Panelist, "Common and Complex Case Studies and Real-World Issues With Opportunity Zones as Qualified Opportunity Funds," ABA 2020 Midyear Meeting, January 2020
- Panelist, "Where Do we Stand on Qualified Opportunity Funds," ABA Tax Section Fall Meeting, October 2019
- Panelist, "Qualified Opportunity Zone Investments After the April 2019 Proposed Regulations," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, June 2019
- Panelist, "Montgomery County Development Corp. Seminar Series: Qualified Opportunity Zone," March 2019
- Panelist, "Qualified Opportunity Zones – Reboot," ABA Tax Section Mid-Year Meeting, January 2019
- Panelist, "Qualified Opportunity Zones - What Are the Rules?," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, January 2019
- Panelist, "Opportunity Zones – What’s All the Buzz About?," 10th Annual High Net Worth and Family Wealth Conference, December 2018
- Co-Presenter, "What the New Tax Law Means for Lawyers and Law Firms," Philadelphia Bar Association, March 2018
- Panelist, "Tax and Accounting Update," Private Equity CFO Association, January 2018
- Presenter, "Primer on Tax Reform," December 2017
- Co-Presenter, "Proposed Section 385 Regulations," August 2016
- Panelist, "Volunteering on Nonprofit Board - 'Need to Know' Before Saying Yes!," Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, January 2016
- Presenter, "Section 336(e) Regulations," June 2013
Leadership & Community
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association Tax Section, Vice Chair, Investment Management Committee, 2024-present
Honors
- Best Lawyers® — “Ones to Watch,” Tax Law, 2024-25
- Faegre Drinker — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2024-25
No aspect of these recognitions has been approved by the highest court of any state.