Bradley A. Ridlehoover Partner

Save current page as PDF

Brad serves as a trusted advisor focused on practical problem solving and risk mitigation. Over the past fourteen years, Brad has advised numerous nonprofits and other tax-exempt organizations on tax and governance issues and routinely serves as outside general counsel. Brad has significant experience advising colleges, universities, private foundations, educational foundations, large and small public charities, and fiduciaries for charitable trusts. In addition, Brad has spent significant time negotiating with government agencies through his tax controversy practice.

Brad assists tax-exempt organizations in all aspects of compliance with tax laws, as well as with best practices for governance, fundraising, gift acceptance, contract negotiations, endowment and investment matters. His practice includes advice on compliance with the excess benefit transaction rules and the private foundation rules, including self-dealing, excess business holding, and taxable expenditure issues, participation in joint ventures, and consequences of unrelated trade or business activities.

As part of his litigation practice, Brad served as lead counsel representing a publicly-traded corporation in settling an 18-month Tax Court dispute resulting in savings of $130 million of proposed interest assessments in a change-of-accounting method dispute. Brad sat second chair in a four-day Tax Court trial involving a multimillion-dollar transferee liability dispute. Brad also has served as second chair litigation counsel for a publicly traded company in a federal district court trial involving excise taxes with over $10 million in dispute. To avoid the time and expense of trial, Brad has also assisted numerous clients reach positive settlements of income, estate and gift, and international tax disputes during administrative proceedings and before the IRS Office of Appeals.

In addition to his litigation practice, Brad has consulted on multiple M&A and joint venture transactions, including addressing the impact of federal and state taxes and compliance with tax laws applicable to nonprofits.

Brad has an active pro bono practice including representing low-income taxpayers facing a Tax Court trial through his involvement with the Community Taw Law Project, a local nonprofit. He has helped more than 50 pro bono clients resolve their tax disputes. Brad also volunteers through the Richmond Bar Pro Bono Clearinghouse to provide pro bono representation to nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status.  Brad is a past president of the Board of Directors of the Community Tax Law Project. He also is the pro bono outside general counsel to: Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) – a nonprofit that offers supportive, expressive arts programs at no cost to service members, veterans and military families, Bridging Virginia – a nonprofit community development fund, and Worthdays – a nonprofit focused on improving the lives of children in foster care.

 

Brad is a certified public accountant licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.