Kirkland & Ellis is adding a tax arm to its rapidly expanding Boston outpost with the addition of Proskauer Rose partner Scott Jones.

Jones, a partner in Proskauer's tax and private investment funds group, will be Kirkland's first tax partner in Boston since the Chicago-based firm opened shop in Beantown's Back Bay neighborhood in May 2017.

“I'm very grateful for my time at Proskauer, but Kirkland offered me a unique opportunity to join its premier tax practice and investment funds group, as well as a new and rapidly growing Boston office,” Jones said.

In his move to Kirkland, Jones will reunite with Sean Hill, Proskauer's former private investment funds group co-head, and corporate partner Stephanie Berdik. Hill and Berdik joined the firm in June as its first investment funds lawyers in Boston.

“Boston is a key market for private equity, life sciences and technology, among others,” Jones said. “All of those industries require sophisticated tax planning, and with the recent tax legislation, the demand for tax advice is extremely strong right now.”

Jones began his legal career at Ropes & Gray two decades ago. In 2001, he joined Boston-based Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault where he remained until its dissolution in 2005, when he moved to Proskauer's Boston office.

Jones' practice focuses on tax planning and counseling for private equity fund managers in connection with their fundraising, internal organizational matters, and investment activities. He also works with U.S. and international investors in venture capital funds, buyout funds, hedge funds and other vehicles.

In his new role at Kirkland, Jones said he is looking forward to helping build out the firm's tax practice in Boston, and to working with his new colleagues across the firm.

“[Jones] has extensive experience advising private equity and investment funds clients on complex tax issues,” said Jeffrey Hammes, chairman of Kirkland's 15-person global management executive committee, in a statement. “He is a key addition to our growing Boston office, boosting our ability to fully support our private equity and investment funds client base from Boston and complementing our existing top-tier national tax practice.”

Kirkland has been busy expanding its Boston office since last May, when it launched in the city with three private equity partners from the firm's New York and Chicago offices. In less than a year, the Boston office has grown to about 40 attorneys focused on M&A and private equity, debt finance, investment funds—and now tax.

Kirkland picked up Ropes & Gray private equity partner Jason Serlenga before adding on Hill and Berdik from Proskauer last summer. In December, the firm added on McDermott Will & Emery private equity partner Michael Sartor, and just last month it brought on the co-chair of Choate Hall & Stewart's private equity practice, Christian Atwood.