About Us - Tax Section

Mission Statement
The purpose of the Section shall be to promote the objectives of the State Bar of Texas within the field of taxation, provide leadership in the practice of tax law, create a better understanding and cooperation between attorneys engaged in the practice of tax law, improve the education of attorneys and related professionals in the laws of taxation, promote the economic and professional interests of the members of the Section, serve the public good and participate actively in the drafting, review and promotion of legislation and administrative rules affecting state and federal tax law.

2007-2008 Officer Council Members
2007-2008 Non-Officer Council Members
Ex Officio Members
Past Chairs of the Texas Tax Section

Tax Committees
Compensation & Employee Benefits Committee
Chair: David C. D'Alessandro
Vice Chair: Open
The Compensation and Employee Benefits Committee:

is a forum for discussion of compensation and employee benefits issues
sponsors seminars which allow members to both teach and learn compensation and employee benefits practice
publishes articles in the Tax Section Newsletter
prepares comments on legislation and regulations
drafts model forms and makes these available to members
sponsors legislative initiatives
writes amicus briefs in important cases

Members are encouraged to initiate or participate in projects in any of the above areas. Qualified plans, executive compensation, and medical and other welfare benefit plans are subjects for the Committee, which are impacted by such laws as ERISA, federal and state tax laws, labor and discrimination laws, insurance laws, corporate and securities laws, marital property laws, trust laws, and the federal Social Security Act.
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Continuing Legal Education Committee
Chair: Tina R. Green
Vice Chair: Open
The Continuing Legal Education Committee's primary goal is to facilitate quality CLE for members of the Taxation Section. A secondary goal is to provide quality tax related CLE for members of the general bar. The Committee coordinates the scheduling of the various Section-sponsored programs and encourages diversity in program location. The Committee also acts as the planning committee for the State Bar of Texas' Advanced Tax Law Course, now in its 15th year. As a service to the general bar, the Committee works with the State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program to plan tax related courses of interest to non-tax lawyers. In 1995, the Committee's efforts resulted in "Tax Law for the Rest of Us", a general program for non-tax lawyers produced live in Houston and Dallas and by video tour to 37 cities statewide. This year's effort is the tax portion of "entering the Cross Border Market" a program directed at lawyers interested in the U.S.-Mexico market.

The Committee's newest project (still in the very early developmental stages) is developing a forum for practitioners to communicate with the Internal Revenue Service. We are hopeful that this activity can be made available to all Taxation Section members and accredited for CLE purposes.
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Corporate Tax Committee
Chair: Robert W. Phillpott, Jr.
Vice Chair: Open
The Mission of the Corporate Tax Committee is to increase the knowledge of tax lawyers in this area of the law and to foster cooperation and communication among corporate tax practitioners.
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International Tax Committee
Chair: Mark Martin
Vice Chair: Katrina H. Welch
The primary goal of the International Tax Committee is to promote networking with other professionals interested in the area of International Tax. This goal is met through two major activities of the Committee. First, the Committee meets nine months of the year at the Belo Mansion on the fourth Thursday of the month to discuss recent developments of interest. One member volunteers to lead the discussion and the other attendees provide their insights and perspectives on the topics as well as issues they are currently working on. Second, the Committee co-sponsors (with the Dallas Bar International Law Section) a one-day seminar in the late fall on International Tax. The first symposium was held in 1998 and is attended by around 100 tax professionals each year. This symposium has been able to attract top speakers from around the country. Other activities of the Committee include providing the article on Current Developments in International Tax to the Texas Tax Lawyer and providing at least one article on International Tax for publication each year.
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Partnership Through Entities & Real Estate Tax Committee
Chair: James Michael Threet
Vice Chair: Jeffrey D. Wallace
The purpose of the Partnership and Real Estate Tax Committee shall be to promote the objectives of the Section of Taxation within the field of partnership and real estate tax law, provide leadership in the practice of partnership and real estate tax law, create a better understanding and cooperation between attorneys engaged in the practice of partnership and real estate tax law, improve the education of attorneys and related professionals in the law of partnership and real estate taxation, and participate actively in the drafting, review and promotion of legislation and administrative rules affecting partnership and real estate tax law.
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Property Tax Committee
Chair: Amy Reilly Sallusti
Vice Chair: Matthew Tepper
The Property Tax Committee serves as a forum for discussion and education regarding property tax issues. Committee membership is generally comprised of roughly equal numbers of attorneys practicing on behalf of both property owners and taxing jurisdictions. The Committee sponsors an annual legal seminar in Austin in late February. In addition, we co-sponsor an annual conference held by the Texas A&M Real Estate Center. This conference is typically held in late August. Members are encouraged to participate in publishing the Committee newsletter, or by serving on the planning or speaker committees for the annual seminars sponsored by the Committee.
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State & Local Tax Committee
Chair: David E. Colmenero
Vice Chair: David D. White
Vice Chair: Matthew L. Larsen
Vice Chair: Alyson Outenreath
The principal activity of the State Tax Committee is meeting annually with officials of the Comptroller of Public Accounts who brief the committee on pending Texas tax cases, including both administrative hearings and court cases, administrative rule changes, legislative changes and other agency matters. Efforts are being made to reinstitute the practice of the Comptroller delivering to the Committee in draft form proposed administrative rules and the Committee compiling and delivering to the Comptroller comments to such drafts.
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Tax Controversy Committee
Chair: M. Todd Welty
Vice Chair: G. Thomas Rhodus
The Tax Controversy Committee focuses on all aspects of tax controversy and tax litigation, including civil and criminal, federal and state. The Committee sponsors a seminar each year on current topics of interest to tax controversy practitioners with speakers from the private bar, the Internal Revenue Service, State tax authorities and the Judiciary. The Committee is also responsible for submitting articles to the Tax Section newsletter. In this regard, the Committee plans to publish an annual update of important developments and a report on the annual Midstates Region IRS/Bar Liaison meeting.
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Tax Exempt Organizations Committee
Chair: Bruce E. Bernstien
Vice Chair: Laura Ann Gabrysch
This Committee focuses on issues related to tax-exempt organizations. The committee is responsible for submitting articles to the Tax Section Newsletter. As a special project, the Committee is currently engaged in a joint project with the Business Law Section's Nonprofit Corporation Committee to create a guidebook containing basic information designed to aid persons interested in starting a charitable organization (e.g., forming a Texas nonprofit corporation, applying for tax exemption, annual reporting requirements, sample policy statements, charitable deduction rules, fundraising issues).
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Tax Exempt Finance Committee
Chair: Wendy Trahan Salinas
Vice Chair: Faust N. Bowerman
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Estate & Inheritance Committee
Chair: William D. Elliott
Vice Chair: Jim Roberts
The Estate & Inheritance Tax Committee focuses on tax issues related solely to the Federal estate tax and the Texas inheritance tax. The primary goals of the Estate & Inheritance Tax Committee are to provide members of the Taxation Section with timely updates on the status of the law in the area of Estate & Inheritance Tax, to promote opportunities for networking among Tax Section members practicing or interested in the area, and to generally act as a resource for all Tax Section members in relation to this area of the law. Members of the Taxation Section interested in Estate & Inheritance Tax are encouraged to contact the Committee leadership.
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General Income Tax
Chair: Brandon Jones
Vice Chair: Open
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Energy and Natural Resources Tax Committee
Chair: Roger D. Aksamit
Vice Chair: Brian Dethrow
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Small Firm & Solo Committee
Chair: Christina A. Mondrik
Vice Chair: Open
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Pro Bono Committee
Chair: Elizabeth A. Copeland
Vice Chair: Katherine E. David
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Publication Editor

Chair
Alyson Outenreath
Publication Editor
Thompson & Knight LLP
1700 Pacific Ave., Suite 3300
Dallas, Texas 75201
214-969-1741
214-880-3276 (fax)
email: alyson.outenreath@tklaw.com

Vice Chair
James V. "Jim" Roberts
Glast, Phillips & Murray
(214) 528-2822
email: jim@jamesvroberts.com
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Website/E-Communications

Chair: Tyree Collier
Thompson & Knight
1700 Pacific Avenue
Suite 3300
Dallas, TX 75201
214-969-1409
214-969-1751 (fax)
tyree.collier@tklaw.com
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Governmental Submissions

Chair: Patrick O'Daniel
Jenkens & Gilchrist
401 Congress Ave., Suite 2500
Austin, Texas 78701
512-499-3800
512-499-3810 (fax)
podaniel@jenkens.com
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