McDermott Will & Emery LLP

State & Local Tax

Jane Wells May focuses her practice on state and local tax matters. She represents businesses in connection with tax controversies at the audit, administrative and judicial levels around the United States. Her clients include companies in manufacturing, retailing, pharmaceuticals, financial services, agribusiness, food and beverage, health care, energy, technology and insurance industries. Jane has served on the Firm’s Management and Compensation Committees, on the Executive Committee and as the global head of the Firm’s Tax Practice.

Jane has successfully litigated state and local tax matters raising a variety of statutory and constitutional issues. She has defended numerous internet sellers in several states against cases brought under state whistleblower statutes, including the Illinois False Claims Act, alleging fraudulent failures to collect and remit use tax. Jane also advises business clients on tax planning matters and represents athletes and entertainers in connection with employment contract issues.

Jane is a co-founder of Tax in the City: A Woman’s Tax Roundtable®, which consists of women tax professionals with an interest in discussing substantive tax issues in a collegial and confidential setting, and which meets regularly in Chicago and New York.

While in law school, Jane was senior articles editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Board.