Scott A. Harty

• Advising clients on federal tax issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic, including the tax impact of new federal legislation designed to mitigate the economic effects, business disruption issues, and tax considerations for insolvent and troubled businesses.
• Represented Total System Services (TSYS) in its $1.05 billion acquisition of Cayan, a payment technology company with operations in the U.S. and Northern Ireland.
• Advised Synovus Financial Corp in its $2.9 billion acquisition of FCB Financial Holdings.
• Represented FleetCor in its acquisition of Cambridge Mercantile Corp., a Canadian business-to-business payments company, for approximately $650 million.
• Advised a Swedish conglomerate on the spinoff of its extended-care business for more than $600 million.
• Advised Synovus Financial Corp. on a $350 million preferred stock offering.
• Advised a privately held company on a $300 million tax-free splitoff in connection with a shareholder dispute.
• Represented LinQuest Corporation, a federal government contractor and leading provider of space systems technology solutions to the U.S. defense and intelligence communities, in the sale of a controlling interest to Madison Dearborn Partners and CoVant Management.
• Advised Sterling Payment Technologies LLC, an integrated payments provider, on its sale to EVO Payments International.
• Represented payment software and security provider TrustCommerce in its sale to private equity firm Waud Capital.

Scott Harty focuses his practice on complex domestic and cross-border commercial transactions, including taxable and tax-free mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings. He has broad industry experience and works with publicly traded companies, private equity funds, closely held businesses, and large tax-exempt entities in structuring and negotiating M&A and other strategic transactions. Scott also represents clients in domestic and international tax controversy matters, including administrative audits and appeals before the Internal Revenue Service, as well as negotiation and settlement of taxes and civil penalties.

Scott’s practice also involves serving as underwriter’s counsel to insurers and advising insureds in the evolving area of tax insurance. He has advised on numerous policies covering some of the most complex domestic and international tax matters as well as recent innovative uses of transactional insurance in the markets. Scott is a thought leader in the industry and regularly speaks on the expanding use of tax insurance in M&A and as a means of risk management.

Scott is chair of Alston & Bird's Federal & International Tax Group and has been recognized by Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America^® as one of the leading tax lawyers in Georgia.

Bar Admissions

• Florida
• Georgia
• New York

Education

• New York University (LL.M.)
• Vanderbilt University (J.D.)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute (B.S.)

Memberships