Alex B. Leath is head of the Economic Development/Taxation Practice Group of Balch & Bingham LLP. Beginning with his involvement, on behalf of the State of Alabama, in the site selection and incentive negotiation processes for the Mercedes-Benz facility in Vance, Alabama, Alex has focused his practice on economic development. Since 1990, Alex has been involved in a significant capacity in approximately one-half of the major economic development projects locating in the Southeastern United States during that period. As a result, his experience in economic development over the past 20 years has been broader and more consistent than any other lawyer in the region.
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Experience
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Examples of Alex’s company representation include:
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Volkswagen Group of America - Automotive Assembly Facility
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Isuzu Motors America – Truck Assembly Facility
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Toyota Motor Manufacturing - Engine Manufacturing Plant
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The Boeing Company – Delta IV rocket booster assembly plant
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Kimberly-Clark Corporation – various pulp and paper projects
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Amoco Fabrics Company – textile manufacturing plant
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Amoco Chemicals Company – chemical manufacturing plant
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General Motors Corporation – electronic parts assembly plant
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Louisiana Pacific Corporation – building products plant
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Teksid Aluminum Components, Inc. (a subsidiary of Fiat S.p.A.) - automobile engine blocks
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AP Technoglass (a subsidiary of Asahi Glass Company, Limited) - automotive glass products
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Oris Automotive Parts AL, Ltd. - automobile parts manufacturing and assembly plant
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Marubeni Metal Blanking, Inc. - automotive stamping facility
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PSL North America – pipe manufacturing and coating facility
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Most recently, Alex was selected by Volkswagen Group of America to represent that company in its site selection process for its U.S. manufacturing headquarters. Alex assisted Volkswagen in evaluating sites in Alabama, Michigan and Tennessee. Alex represented the company in its incentive negotiations with the State of Tennessee, leading to the selection of Chattanooga, Tennessee as the site for the proposed facility. Alex is now engaged in assisting Volkswagen in implementing the negotiated incentive package in Tennessee. In the course of this representation, Alex has overseen the provision of a full range of legal services, including implementation of the project incentives as well as work related to all tax, corporate, real estate and environmental permitting issues.
Alex is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the Tax Category and is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Alex received his B.A. degree from Wake Forest University, his J.D. degree from The University of Alabama School of Law, and his L.L.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law. He and his wife, Dimity, have three children and live in Birmingham, Alabama.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
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Birmingham Metropolitan Development Board, Board of Directors
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Economic Development Association of Alabama, Board of Directors
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Mississippi Economic Development Council, Member
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Management Committee of Emerging Technology Partners, L.L.C., Chair
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Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2007-Present
