Michael K. Britten

Michael Britten is a corporate attorney who advises clients on the tax and structural aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and other business transactions. With more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and senior roles within publicly traded companies, Michael focuses on delivering efficient, tax‑aligned deal execution for private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, closely held businesses, and strategic acquirers.

Michael’s practice centers on buy‑side and sell‑side transactions, including tax‑efficient structuring, federal and state tax analysis, §1202 qualified small business stock planning, and negotiation of key deal documents such as letters of intent, purchase agreements, rollover equity arrangements, and post‑closing tax covenants. His work includes structuring and diligence for MSO, DSO, and other regulated professional‑services platforms, where ownership restrictions, compliance requirements, and entity design drive deal architecture. He advises clients throughout the deal lifecycle on tax due diligence, multistate tax exposure, nexus and apportionment issues, step‑up planning, and post‑closing integration.

Before joining Messerli Kramer, Michael was the National Tax Leader for the Private Equity and Portfolio Companies Industry at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP). He also led CLA’s Transaction Tax Services Group and was a M&A Tax Director at Grant Thornton LLP. Earlier in his career, he held senior tax roles within large corporate environments and served as legal counsel for the North American division of a multinational manufacturer.