Austin, TX: 2018 SW Regional Education Conference

Jan 19, 2018 03:30pm -
Jan 21, 2018 12:00pm
(GMT-8)

Event Type: Regional Meeting
Category: SW Regional Meeting

Speaker Information

SCHEDULE:

Friday, January 19, 2018

Time

Session

2:30pm

Registration

3:00pm-3:50pm (1hour)

Ethical Rules Every Lawyer Should Know: Advertising and Barratry

John W. Ellis, Scott Douglas McConnico
Business development and marketing strategies are important aspects of any practice.  However, attorneys must ensure their marketing strategies comply with the governing ethical and legal rules.  This course will highlight ethical rules governing attorney advertising and barratry.  The discussion will provide an overview of the State Bar’s advertising rules and approval process for attorney advertisements.  The discussion also highlights recent developments related to the use of social media and related ethics opinions, along with tips to avoid the grievance process.

 

3:50pm -4:40pm (1 hour)

When the Past is Not the Past: Resolving Our Client’s Past Misdeeds  
Joel Crouch Meadows Collier

In this session options for resolving non-compliance where the taxpayer has already been and not been contacted by the IRS, resolving issues pertaining to unreported income, employees paid in cash, misclassified expenses and overstated inventory, and past wrongdoing that may need to be addressed when a business is being sold and different options for non-compliant taxpayers depending on their unique procedural and substantive facts will be discussed.

 

4:40pm – 4:50pm

Break

4:50pm -5:40pm (1 hour)

Choosing Structures for Acquiring Entities

William Hornberger and Steve Moore

An analysis of federal and Texas tax law on basic choice of entity and structure for buyers to acquire an existing business (e.g., when a buyer will want to utilize an asset purchase vs. a purchase of interests); due diligence issues buyers should work through prior to being obligated to close on an acquisition including successor liability and pre-closing tax representations; and analysis and planning of tax impacts of the chosen structure including, apportionment of gain to asset classes and the application of the Texas “location of payor rule” for Texas franchise tax purpose.

 

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Welcome Reception

   

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Time

Session

8:00am – 8:30am

Breakfast

8:30am-12:00pm

Education Sessions

9:00am-10:15am (1.5 hour)

Negotiating the Business Acquisition
Robert Mendell, Robert M. Mendell, Attorney at Law, P.C.

Centered on legal and tax considerations involving merger and acquisition transactions, discussion will focus on the critical purchase price claw back potential of modern acquisition agreements, including seller warranties and representations, seller exhibits and disclosure schedules, seller indemnification provisions, purchase price escrows, warranty survival periods and warranty ceilings and baskets.

10:15am- 11:05am (1 hour)

An Introduction to the New Partnership Audit Rules
Jason Freeman, Freeman Law

This presentation will review the new partnership audit rules under the Bipartisan Budget Act (“BBA”) and the repeal of TEFRA.  Attendees will learn about key issues with the new framework and will receive tips on how to advise clients that may be subject to the BBA.  The session will cover why the new BBA rules may be one of the most important developments in tax law in more than 30 years.

 

11:05am-11:10am

Break

11:10am-12:00 pm (1 hour)

Strategies in Handling and Challenging Texas Audits
Danielle Ahlrich – Martens, Todd, Leonard & Ahlrich

Texas tax assessments can financially destroy viable businesses. Skillful representation and advice is crucial to minimizing audit assessments. This course discusses strategies for successfully representing clients facing Texas tax audits. Mrs. Ahlrich will discuss pre-audit planning and performing the initial reconciliations and controls auditors will perform and techniques to apply during the audit itself, including tips on how to manage the on-site visit and to communicate with auditors.  She’ll conclude by presenting an analytical framework for professionals to use in advising clients of the various choices they have in order to challenge adverse assessments and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

12:00 pm- 2:00pm (1.5 hours)

Capital Markets – 2017 in Review and Bernstein’s Outlook for 2018 and Beyond

Cory Dowell, Bernstein Global Wealth Management

We will discuss the current environment, our outlook for the near-term as well as how we’re navigating the environment for stocks and bonds.

 

2:00pm

Explore Austin 

6:30pm

Dine Around

 

 

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Time

Session

9:00am – 10:40am (2 hours)

Optional Session: Roundtable discussion on hot topics

A lively conversation about the latest issues that concern you in your practice. Learn from your peers to solve/resolve a concern and swap best practices. Topics will be determined on site by participants.

 

10:45am

Depart or Brunch on own

 

Danielle Ahlrich is a tax litigation attorney with Martens, Todd, Leonard & Ahlrich. She and other members of her firm limit their law practices to Texas and federal tax controversies and litigation. Mrs. Ahlrich represents tax clients during audits and in litigation before the State Office of Administrative Hearings, state district court, and the court of appeals. She is licensed by the State Bar of Texas and is admitted to practice before all of the Texas courts and the U.S. Tax Court.  

Notable trial and court of appeal cases include: Hegar v. CGG Veritas Services (U.S.), Inc., 2016 Tex. App. LEXIS 2439 (Tex. App.—Austin Mar. 9, 2016, no pet.); Titan Transportation, LP v. Combs, 433 S.W.3d 625 (Tex. App.—Austin 2014, pet. denied); Combs v. Newpark Resources, Inc., 422 S.W.3d 46 (Tex. App.—Austin 2013, no pet.); Hegar v. Gulf Copper & Mfg. Corp., No. 03-16-00250-CV (Tex. App.—Austin 2017, no pet. h.); and Garriott v. Combs, No. D-1-GN-12-003034 (201st Dist. Ct., Travis County, Tex. Oct. 1, 2013).

She frequently writes and speaks on a variety of tax subjects, including the Texas sales & use and franchise taxes. Mrs. Ahlrich holds dual bachelor degrees with honors from the University of Texas and a J.D. from Baylor Law School. 

Mrs. Ahlrich may be reached by email at dahlrich@textaxlaw.com and by phone at (512) 542-9898. Visit www.texastaxlaw.com for blog post updates regarding trending issues in Texas tax law.


Joel Crouch  is Managing Partner of Meadows, Collier, Reed, Cousins, Crouch & Ungerman, L.L.P.  He represents a broad range of clients, including individual taxpayers, closely-held business enterprises, estates, corporations and tax advisors in all stages of federal civil and criminal tax proceedings.  In almost 30 years of practice, he has helped his clients resolve hundreds of civil and criminal tax matters, many of which involved sophisticated and complex legal and tax issues, both domestic and international. 

Mr. Crouch is board certified in tax law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been recognized as one of the best in his field by Texas Monthly and Law and Politics Magazines by being named a Texas Super Lawyer from 2003 through 2016.  He has also been named one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine for the year 2012-2016 and he has also been named to Best Lawyers in America for Tax Law in 2015.

Mr. Crouch has been interviewed by KXAS NBC 5 regarding various tax topics including, "Crooks Mail Phony IRS Letters Hoping to Score Cash" and "Consumer Waited on Refund After Routing It to Prepaid Card."  In October 2013, he was recognized as a Top Rated Lawyer in White Collar Criminal Defense Law by ALM as published in The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel and The National Law Journal.  

He is a frequent speaker on both substantive and procedural tax issues for both legal and accounting professionals.  Topics include Tax Shelter Defense, IRS Examinations, Appeals, Litigation and Collection Strategies, IRS Criminal Investigations, IRS Offshore Activities, IRS Focus on Tax Professionals, Employment Classification, IRS penalties, and Litigating Partnership Tax Cases. Mr. Crouch has published various articles regarding the IRS & tax procedures.  

 

Cory Dowell is a Financial Advisor in Bernstein Private Wealth Management’s Dallas office. He advises clients and their professional advisors regarding asset allocation, investment strategy, taxation, estate planning, business transactions and charitable giving plans. Cory joined the firm in 2004 and prior to becoming a Financial Advisor in 2011, he was a director in Bernstein’s Wealth Planning and Analysis Group, with responsibility for the Southwest region. He was appointed Principal in 2016. Previously, he was a senior investment consultant at Fidelity Investments for eight years. Cory has advised some of the largest corporations in the world on their equity compensation, retirement plans and investment strategy, including Microsoft, Ford Motor, Hewlett-Packard, Amgen and Verizon Communications. He earned a BBA in finance from the University of Texas, Arlington, and an MBA with a dual concentration in finance and investment consulting from Southern Methodist University. Cory is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional.

John Ellis with Scott Douglas McConnico, regularly represents plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of complex commercial cases.  He has broad experience representing a diverse group of clients ranging from multinational companies to regional businesses and individuals who need a dedicated trial lawyer.  John has extensive experience in the energy, medical device/pharmaceutical, and financial-services sectors, but his practice covers many other areas as well.  He regularly represents clients in putative class actions, mass torts, and individual actions in state and federal courts.  His practice routinely involves disputes concerning products liability, breach of contract, fraud, real property, securities, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, deceptive trade practices claims, and various other consumer-protection statutes.  

John has assisted his clients in all phases of the dispute-resolution process, including pretrial and trial, post-judgment remedies, and appeals.  He also has experience advising clients in pre-litigation matters and assisting with government investigations, enforcement matters, and regulatory compliance issues.  John regularly takes and defends fact and expert witness depositions throughout the country.  He also has extensive experience drafting and arguing pretrial case-dispositive motions.  John has been recognized as a Texas “Rising Star” for Business Litigation as published in the Super Lawyers and Texas Monthly magazines.  

Prior to joining Scott Douglass & McConnico, John practiced in the Austin office of Locke Lord LLP.  Before that, he was a briefing attorney for the Honorable Paul W. Green of the Supreme Court of Texas.  John earned both his J.D. and M.B.A. with high honors from the Texas Tech University School of Law.  While in law school, he served as the Editor in Chief of the Texas Tech Law Review and competed on various trial advocacy teams.  Prior to obtaining his graduate degrees, John served as a manager leading various business units through AT&T, Inc.’s Leadership Development Program.  His background and experience allow him to bring a practical approach to each case.

John is actively involved in various state bar and other civic organizations.  Since 2014, he has served on the board of directors to the Texas Young Lawyers Association where he has helped lead and create various public service projects.

 

Jason Freeman a dual-credentialed attorney-CPA, author, law professor, and trial attorney, is the firm’s founding and managing member. He represents clients in litigation and disputes, with a particular focus on federal and state tax controversies, as well as white-collar and financial disputes, both civil and criminal. He also advises and assists clients with tax and regulatory compliance, including domestic and international tax and regulatory reporting requirements.

Recent litigation experience includes serving as trial counsel in a criminal tax evasion and conspiracy jury trial in the Federal District Court for the United States Virgin Islands. In addition, Mr. Freeman represents clients in appellate matters, recently serving as lead appellate counsel, presenting oral argument in a case before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Mr. Freeman has been recognized multiple times by D Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas for tax law, and by Super Lawyers and Texas Monthly magazine as a Rising Star in tax law.  In recognition of his professional accomplishments, he was named the 2015 Young CPA of the Year in the State of Texas by the Texas Society of CPAs (TSCPA) (an award given to only one CPA in the state of Texas under 40) during the TSCPA’s centennial year.

Mr. Freeman serves on the law faculty at Southern Methodist University’s School of Law, where he teaches a course in the law of federal income taxation. He is a frequent public speaker across the country, presenting and educating on various legal topics. He is the President of the North Texas chapter of the American Academy of Attorney-CPAs, serves as a board member of the TSCPA’s Executive Board, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Dallas Society of CPAs. He is an editor on the TSCPA Editorial Board and serves as the Tax Topic Columnist for Today’s CPA Magazine. He is also very involved with the tax sections of the Texas State Bar and the American Bar Association.

Leveraging his CPA background, Mr. Freeman often represents clients in complex financial and regulatory matters that involve sophisticated forensic accounting analyses. He has handled more than a hundred IRS audits and other investigations, and has represented clients facing a broad array of tax and white-collar or financial-related charges, including tax evasion, bank fraud, money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act violations, securities fraud, computer intrusion and Medicare fraud, as well as clients in disputes with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). He also represents clients in asset forfeiture cases.

William Hornberger is a transactional tax lawyer at Jackson Walker L.L.P.  His practice emphasizes transactional and international legal matters.  Willie received his undergraduate degree (in Accounting), with High Honors, and his J.D. degree, with Honors, from The University of Texas.  He also has an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University.  He is a Certified Public Accountant.  

 

He served as the 2013-14 Chair of the 27,000-member Texas Society of CPAs.  He is a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (Executive Board, 2009 to 2015), Dallas CPA Society (Chair, 2008-2009), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (Council Member, 2014-2017; Nominating Committee 2016-2018), the Dallas Bar Association (Chair, Tax Section, 2005), the State Bar of Texas (Chair, Section of Taxation, 2001-02), the American Bar Association and the Dallas Assembly.  He has served on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of The Real Estate Council of Dallas and the Holocaust Museum of Dallas.  He also currently serves on the board of directors of the Texas Society of CPAs and AVANCE-Dallas, Inc. (2014-2017 Board Chair).

 

He serves as National General Counsel for the National Society of Hispanic MBAs.  He served as General Counsel to the Klyde Warren Park Foundation during the critical development phase of the Park.  He has served on the Board of Directors of The Real Estate Council Foundation of Dallas and The Covenant School.  He has served as an Adjunct Professor in International Taxation at the SMU Law School.  Willie is a frequent speaker and author on both domestic and international tax topics and he has been listed in “Best Lawyers in America” under Tax Law since 2003.  He has been selected by his peers as the Best Lawyers’ 2013 Dallas Tax Law “Lawyer of the Year.”  He has also been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine.  Willie has been married to Gigi for 26 years.  They have three children, Jake (23), Allie (22) and Claire (18).

 

 

 

Robert Mendell, Robert M. Mendell, Attorney at Law, P.C., engages in a sophisticated mergers and acquisitions, tax, business, and estate planning practice. Significant areas of practice include business acquisitions and divestitures, tax structured business organizations, tax planning, estate planning, probate and estate administration, family limited partnerships, complex contract negotiations, and tax controversies. With respect to mergers and acquisitions, Mr. Mendell has substantial expertise in negotiating and drafting asset purchase agreements, stock purchase agreements, merger agreements, seller warranties and representations, seller indemnification provisions, purchase price earnout provisions, purchase price holdbacks and escrow reserve provisions, personal goodwill structuring, confidentiality/nondisclosure agreements, letters of intent, and noncompetition and nonsolicitation provisions. Mr. Mendell is Board Certified in Tax Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Texas. In the course of his legal representation of his various clients, he has been involved in the organization, structuring and ongoing operations of several hundred Texas business entities. A frequent lecturer for various CPA professional organizations, Mr. Mendell has made over 200 presentations on various tax and other business related topics of interest since 1984.

Steven Moore, Jackson Walker L.L.P., practice includes planning and controversy work emphasizing sales tax, Texas franchise (aka "margin") tax, and insurance premium tax. Steven has extensive experience in state tax planning for multi-state business models, and regularly provides tax strategy advice relating to business acquisitions and divestitures. He is one of the state's leading attorneys for guidance on the Texas margin tax.  Steve has made numerous speaking presentations to major CLE programs across Texas.