Description of field of expertise

Eleanor Palmer Bailey is the leader of the Corporate Tax and Philanthropy Legal Practice Group in the Office of the Chief Legal Officer at Nationwide Insurance. She leads a team of attorneys in identifying and managing Nationwide’s federal, state and local tax exposure and providing counsel on tax matters related to business and non-profit initiatives. In addition, the team is responsible for managing legal and governance issues for the Nationwide Foundation and other non-profit endeavors initiated through Nationwide’s Corporate Citizenship Office. In coordination with the Government Relations Team, Eleanor’s team keeps abreast of tax legislation at all levels affecting the enterprise, its insurance agents and policyholders and advises the business units on the appropriate course of action. 

Prior to joining Nationwide, Eleanor was a Manager in Ernst & Young’s State and Local Tax Group. 

Eleanor is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she received a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration. She received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Oakwood University.

Eleanor is admitted to the Ohio Bar and is active with several bar associations. She is currently the Chair of the Tax & Expenditures Committee of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. She has been a speaker on tax matters at the Ohio Tax Conference, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

I would encourage new attorneys to master the fundamentals, whatever those are in your field of choice. Be really good at that and then you can build upon it. Be curious and stay agile. The world is constantly changing, your interests are maturing, and business needs adjust. Be good at communicating complex concepts in plain language. Practice writing and speaking with clarity. You never know who is watching you, so build your brand and stay true to it.