William M. Howieson

Will is a practical tax and business attorney who is dedicated to helping clients solve complex legal problems and achieve their tax and business goals.

Will provides strategic tax advice to companies throughout the entire business lifecycle: he advises clients on entity formation and corporate structure, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, exchanges, restructurings, reorganizations, financings and liquidations.

Will is dedicated to solving complex federal, state and local tax issues involving private equity funds, public companies and closely held businesses in mergers and acquisitions and other transactions. He also works with family-owned and closely held enterprises to resolve myriad tax issues. Will advises clients across a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, services, food products, consumer goods, technology, life sciences and healthcare.

Will’s practice includes counseling companies in the renewable energy field. He assists clients with renewable energy transactions, project development and financing, and various tax credits, including the renewable electricity production tax credit (PTC), the energy investment tax credit (ITC), the carbon oxide sequestration credit (45Q), the clean electricity production credit (CEPTC) and the clean electricity investment credit (CEITC). He has extensive knowledge on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes the largest energy incentive effort in U.S. history. Will advises insurance underwriters in evaluating and placing insurance policies relating to renewable energy tax credits.

Will relishes not only solving complex legal problems but also educating clients on tax and business decisions by building close and durable working relationships based on thorough understanding of his clients’ day-to-day business and strategic goals.

Prior to joining Fredrikson, Will served as judicial intern to the Honorable David J. Novak in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Education

• William & Mary Law School, J.D., 2020, magna cum laude
• University of Minnesota - Duluth, B.S., 2014, magna cum laude

Admissions

• Minnesota, 2020

Clerkships

• Judicial Intern,  Honorable David J. Novak, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

• North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2021-2023
• John Donaldson Tax Award, 2020
• Gambrell Professionalism Award, 2020
• Legal Practice Fellow
• CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Criminal Law, Private Equity and State & Local Tax
• Order of the Coif

Professional Activities

• Voyageurs Conservancy, Finance Committee
• American Bar Association—Section of Taxation, Member
• Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
• William & Mary Law Review, Member