John C. Sawyer

Partner

Atlanta, Georgia

John “Jack” Sawyer is a corporate attorney in Taylor English’s Tax Department. Mr. Sawyer’s practice is focused on wealth planning, asset protection planning, fiduciary and tax litigation, conservation easements and exempt organizations. Mr. Sawyer regularly advises and advocates for clients on tax matters.

Representation includes tax-exempt organizations, for-profit and non- profit organizations. Listed as a Dispute Resolver by the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), Mr. Sawyer is adept in arbitration and mediation. His persistence in arbitration and mediation has led him to successfully defend clients before the IRS and obtain favorable determination letters. He has formed joint ventures, designed offshore structures, and assisted clients in obtaining New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) financing.

Mr. Sawyer is the author of “IRA Benefits Trusts Line By Line: A Detailed Look at IRA Benefits Trusts and How to Craft Them to Meet Your Needs,” as well as articles for The Exempt Organization Tax Review, the Journal of Taxation of Exempt Organizations, and Estate Planning. Mr. Sawyer has been quoted in Forbes, Fortune, Georgia Trend, and Modern Healthcare, and has spoken at conferences from coast to coast. Mr. Sawyer is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, Georgia Super Lawyers, and Worth Magazine’s Top 100 Attorneys.

Prior to joining Taylor English, Mr. Sawyer received his B.B.A. degree, cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Accounting and his law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. Following law school, Mr. Sawyer served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Affiliations

  • Georgia Planned Giving Council, General Counsel, pro bono
  • Land Trust Alliance
  • Notre Dame Tax Institute, Advisory Board
  • Partnership for Philanthropic Planning
  • State Bar of Georgia, Fiduciary Law Section, Former Chair
  • The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow

Recognitions

  • Georgia’s Top Rated Lawyers, 2016-2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, 2005-2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Atlanta, Nonprofit / Charities Law “Lawyer of the Year,” 2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Atlanta, Lawyer of the Year 2020, Litigation – Trusts & Estates
  • Worth Magazine’s Top 100 Attorneys
  • Georgia Super Lawyers, 2019-2022
  • Georgia Planned Giving Council’s The Greater Good Award, 2016

Practice Areas

  • Corporate & Business
  • Non-Profit
  • Tax
  • Wealth Planning

Education

  • University of Notre Dame, JD, magna cum laude, 1981
  • University of Georgia, BBA, cum laude, 1978

Bar Admissions

  • Georgia

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