William W. Nelson

Bill Nelson’s principal practice areas are federal and state taxation, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity transactions.

Bill's experience includes tax planning for corporate acquisitions, tax-free reorganizations and divestitures, forming and advising joint ventures and private equity funds, providing tax and business law advice to limited partnerships and limited liability companies, and representing domestic and foreign taxpayers on international tax matters. He also represents taxpayers before federal, state and local tax authorities in tax controversies. He has written and spoken on a variety of federal and state tax topics and has been active in a number of state tax and business law legislative reform efforts.

In addition to tax matters, Bill regularly represents private companies in acquisitions and divestitures and other corporate and commercial matters.  He also advises tax-exempt entities, including both public charities and private foundations on corporate law and tax matters.

Before joining Smith Anderson, Bill practiced with a prominent international law firm in Los Angeles.

• Fellow, American College of Tax Counsel
• North Carolina Bar Association
• Wake County Bar Association
• Past Chair, North Carolina Bar Association Tax Section
• Past Member, North Carolina Bar Foundation Endowment Committee
• Chairman, North Carolina Chamber Tax Committee
• Member, UNC Tax Institute Board of Advisors

• The Best Lawyers in America©, Tax Law (2006-2020)
• "Lawyer of the Year," The Best Lawyers in America©, Raleigh Tax Law (2020)
• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Tax (2020)
• Business North Carolina Legal Elite
• North Carolina Super Lawyers (2007-2019)

Adjunct Professor of Law, UNC School of Law, Spring Semester 2009

• Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading provider of staffing resources to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies for clinical trial needs
• Advised a global CRO business in the staged acquisition of the leading interactive response technology provider for $75 million in value
• Represented a global financial services technology company in its acquisition of a leading provider of deal analytics and valuation technology
• Represented a major regional distributor of industrial gases in a strategic merger of equals of two similarly situated businesses
• Advised a pharmaceutical and biotech construction company and its shareholders in a stock sale transaction for $25.5 million
• Represented a specialty pharmaceutical company in a $120 million merger with a subsidiary of a publicly-traded international pharmaceutical company
• Represented a leading provider of pharmacy-based patient care solutions and medication synchronization services to independent and chain pharmacies in its approximately $41 million sale of the company to a publicly traded buyer
• Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of a specialty pharmaceutical company