Erika W. Nijenhuis is a partner of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, based in the New York office. She practices in the area of U.S. income tax, with an emphasis on financial products and international tax planning matters. She regularly advises financial institutions and other domestic and foreign clients on issues relating to capital markets transactions, the development of new financial products, and inbound and outbound business operations. She is one of the country's leading experts on tax issues arising from the new U.S. rules governing the derivatives market. Ms. Nijenhuis began work at the firm in 1990 and became a partner in 1997.
Ms. Nijenhuis is distinguished internationally and nationally as one of the best U.S. tax lawyers by Chambers Global Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers, Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America, the Legal 500 United States edition. The Legal Media Guide to the World's Leading Tax Advisors, and Who's Who Legal. Tax Notes selected Ms. Nijenhuis as one of the finalists for its inaugural "Person of the Year" award for 2009 in recognition of her expertise in the taxation of financial products and in advising financial institutions on credit crisis-related issues. She served as chair of the New York State Bar Association Tax Section 2009 - 2010 and was formerly co-chair of the Financial Instruments Committee of the Tax Section.
Ms. Nijenhuis regularly speaks at conferences, including at American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, International Bar Association, University of Chicago, New York University, Wall Street Tax Association, Institute of International Bankers, International Tax Institute, Committee of Banking Institutions on Taxation, and Practising Law Institute meetings and seminars. She has guest-lectured at law schools including the University of Michigan, New York University and Georgetown, and taught a course on the taxation of financial instruments at the University of Washington Law School.
Ms. Nijenhuis received a L.L.M. in Taxation from New York University in 1996, a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987, a Diploma from the University of Oxford in 1983 and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982. She is a member of the Bar in New York and Washington states.