CHARLES A. FIEDLER, CPA, JD
3948 Hunter’s Ridge Dr. #4
Lansing, MI 48911
Tel: 517.488.8281
E-mail: cfieder@sentinellawgroup.net
Charles A. Fiedler concentrates his practice in the areas of business and tax law. Mr. Fiedler has extensive experience structuring private/public partnerships for economic development purposes and has formed and represented Community Development Entities (CDE) under the Federal New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program. Mr. Fiedler’s most notable accomplishment is his contribution to the formation of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in 1999. Mr. Fiedler participated in drafting the 1999 Governor’s Executive Order and the interlocal agreement that formed the MEDC and obtaining favorable Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rulings. Mr. Fiedler served as MEDC General Counsel and Secretary from 2002 to 2004. In addition, Mr. Fiedler’s career accomplishments include the following highlights:
- Formed, obtained tax-exempt status and General Counsel to the Michigan Magnet Fund, a Community Development Corporation (CDE) that received $145 million in NMTC allocation awards.
- Participated in the closings or unwind of numerous NMTC projects for the MMF and other CDE’s, including drafting of legal opinions involving real estate development or operating businesses in low-income communities. Many of these projects also involved government grants, historic tax credits, Brownfield tax credits and/or other economic development incentives.
- Worked on all aspects of the organization and establishment of a political action committee structure for a major non-profit hospital system, including obtaining ground-breaking favorable IRS and Federal Election Commission rulings.
- General Counsel to a TV station and a FM radio station since their inception and represented the TV station in connection with an asset sale and digital conversion.
- Co-founded and General Counsel to a premier DVD and internet-based movie company with a global market. Prepared trademark and copyright filings and negotiated license agreements for the company. Represented various film companies in matters regarding illegal sales of copyrighted movies.
- Co-founded and General Counsel to an internet-based educational website for technical training in the fields of automotive repair, cosmetology and health care.
- Counsel to the Michigan Biotechnology Institute and obtained favorable IRS rulings for the formation of a business incubator.
- Represented individual taxpayers in obtaining substantial reductions in tax debt owed to the IRS.
- Obtained a favorable IRS rulings on a variety of issues involving tax-exempt organizations.
Mr. Fiedler has been in private practice since 1986 and was a field auditor with the IRS prior to that. Mr. Fiedler earned a Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law (1984), a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Minnesota State University Moorhead (1976) and is also a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Fiedler’s accounting experience includes work for the U.S. government where he was a Captain in the U.S. Army Audit Agency and as a field auditor with the IRS. Mr,. Fiedler also worked in as senior tax specialist at the major public accounting firm.