J. David Hawkins

David Hawkins practices primarily in the areas of corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, finance, and taxation, including tax controversies.  He assists clients in structuring joint ventures and advises major developers on real estate tax issues.  He has acted as lead counsel to offshore companies locating operations in South Carolina and acted as special tax counsel in other economic development projects.

Mr. Hawkins has significant experience in off-shore transactions, including taxation and finance. He has assisted U.S. clients in the structuring and oversight of foreign investments.  Since 2009, he has been actively involved in loan restructuring, work-outs and assisting clients with capitalization problems.  Mr. Hawkins' special interest is succession planning for family businesses. 

His career includes both the private practice of law and nine years in private investments. Mr. Hawkins previously served as the firm’s Chief Executive Officer and leader of the corporate practice group. 

Mr. Hawkins received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of South Carolina and received an L.L.M. degree in taxation from New York University. He also served in the Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps.

• Best Lawyers in America - Corporate, M&A, and Securities Law since 2005
• CEO, Nexsen Pruet (2006-2007)
• Charleston Symphony Orchestra - Former President
• Spoleto Festival USA - Board of Directors, Former Member

• Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Named to the 2013 Edition of Best Lawyers in America®
  Nexsen Pruet attorneys have been named to the Best Lawyers in America® list for 2013.
• 62 Attorneys Named to the 2012 Edition of Best Lawyers®
  Nexsen Pruet is proud to announce that 62 of its attorneys have been named to the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers®.
• Fifty-nine Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®; Five Practice Areas Listed Among Top in the Carolinas
  Nexsen Pruet is proud to announce that 59 of its attorneys have been named to the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers®.
• Fifty-eight Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®
  Fifty-eight Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
• Nexsen Pruet Creates Distressed Property and Workout Practice Group
  The new group will provide clients with resources, skills and experience to help navigate issues that emerge during periods of economic and financial uncertainty.
• 45 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers
  Columbia, SC – Forty-five Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The publication also ranks Nexsen Pruet #1 in eleven practice areas in South Carolina and three in North Carolina.
• 38 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Names To "The Best Lawyers in America 2008"
  Thirty-eight attorneys from Nexsen Pruet, LLC were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2008 – including six who have now earned the honor for 10 years or more.
• 32 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Named to 2007 Edition of "Best Lawyers in America"
  Thirty-two attorneys from Nexsen Pruet, LLC have been named to the 2007 edition of Best Lawyers in America – including six who have now earned the honor for 10 years or more.
• Nexsen Pruet Relocates Charleston Office To Victoria Center
  Nexsen Pruet, LLC has relocated its Charleston office to Victoria Center, a 72,000-square-foot Class-A building located in the heart of downtown.
• 7 Nexsen Pruet Lawyers Honored for Decades of Service
  Nexsen Pruet honors 7 firm Members for practicing 30-Plus Years.
  

• Client Alert: 2010 Tax Act Provides Portability to Reduce the Estate Taxes Paid by Couples
  The IRS is offering a new way for surviving spouses to reduce their estate tax bill if their spouse passed away after December 31, 2010.
• Client Alert: The Taxation Treatment of Employer-Provided Cell Phones
  The Internal Revenue Service has issued long-awaited guidance that clarifies the taxation treatment of employer-provided cell phones or other similar telecommunications equipment.
• Client Alert: A Low Cost Option to Voluntarily Reclassify Workers
  In September, The IRS announced the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP), a voluntary initiative allowing taxpayers the opportunity to change the prospective classification of their workers at a low cost. Taxpayers seeking to apply to the VCSP for the fourth quarter of 2011 must act quickly to meet the initial deadlines set by the IRS.
• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains articles related to:
  
  1. Trademark Protection in NC Under State Statutes
  2. Using a Trademark in Commerce
  3. Damages in Patent Cases, Part 2 of 3
  
• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains articles related to:
  
  1) The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act (a.k.a. PRO-IP Act)
  2) Damages in Patent Cases, Part 1 of 3
  3) Non-traditional Trademarks and Servicemarks
• Predictable Problems in Selling Your Company
  What follows is a concise set of problems and issues that arise in nearly every sale of a business.