Deal‑Making Blueprint: Jordan Bleznick — The Creative Tax Strategies Behind Carl Icahn’s Empire

Corporate Law Lab host Neil Taylor sits down with Jordan Bleznick, the outstanding tax lawyer whose almost forty-year professional relationship with renowned activist investor Carl Icahn included serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Tax Counsel for various Icahn entities from 2002 to 2023. Jordan shares stories from his Cincinnati upbringing, explains how he became Carl Icahn’s trusted advisor, and offers insights into structuring complex transactions.This conversation explores why Icahn—founder and controlling shareholder of Icahn Enterprises—is regarded as one of Wall Street’s most successful investors and a pioneer of activist investing. In the 1980s Icahn was often called a “corporate raider,” but Jordan explains Carl's unique and relentless approach to activist investing, which often resulted in his acquisition of controlling interests in companies. Carl viewed tax planning as an indispensable component of maximizing his after-tax investment return.  He gave Jordan unusual latitude to structure transactions to be more tax efficient (sometimes to the dismay of the CEO and other senior officers of the company).There’s so much to unpack that this episode has been split into multiple parts—this is Part 1. Tune in now and enjoy!