Galveston Tax Lawyers

Represent commercial property owners in property tax valuation disputes from administrative (ARB) appeals thru litigation. PGH is the largest firm in the country that devotes it practice to representing property owners in property tax appeals. PGH is the Texas affiliate of the American Property Tax Counsel (APTC), an affiliation of the premier property tax practitioners in North America.

Bill Bronson is a former judge. He enjoys going to battle for each client, making the most of the relief available under the IRS Code, IRS Manual, and other laws. He puts his 39 years of experience to work for each client, to present a case to the clients’ best advantage and achieve the best deal possible with the IRS. Mr. Bronson uses the Taxpayer Bill of Rights and 15 other programs to put the IRS on the defensive, with you in control and the IRS responding to your proposals, instead of the other-way-around.
The Bronson Law Firm isn’t...

My practice is focused on representing clients in a wide variety of matters pertaining to tax planning, tax controversy, and estate planning. I regularly assist clients with resolving federal and state tax controversies, and have represented individuals, closely held businesses, and large corporations in IRS audits, appeals and litigation in the United States Tax Court and the United States District Court. I have also represented taxpayers in disputes with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. I handle the formation of business entities and non-profit organizations, mergers and acquisitions, tax-free reorganizations, and state and local taxes. Additionally, I have assisted with...

With more than 30 years of experience, Mr. Finley has worked with hundreds of clients to develop estate plans, wills, trusts, family limited partnerships, limited liability companies, powers of attorney, and other ancillary documents. He advises clients on critical structural and business formation issues, and provides counsel to clients involved in federal tax controversies and disputes with the IRS.

Amanda Traphagan is a Texas tax attorney who has spent her entire legal career assisting taxpayers with contested tax matters. She has assisted taxpayers against the Texas Comptroller, the Internal Revenue Service, and tax authorities of other states in administrative proceedings as well as state and federal trial and appellate courts. Amanda Traphagan is admitted to practice law in the State of Texas, the United States Tax Court, and before the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and District of Columbia Circuits. Amanda Traphagan's published state tax cases include the Texas Supreme Court cases Combs v. Roark Amusement &...

Mr. Freeman, a dual-credentialed attorney-CPA, author, law professor, and trial attorney, is the founding and managing member of Freeman Law, PLLC. 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...

Duncan is the sole shareholder of the firm whose practice primarily focuses on estate planning, trusts, business matters, and construction law. He graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1977 with a business administration degree in accounting and finance and earned his law degree from SMU in 1980.

Duncan has more than thirty-five years of legal experience and has been admitted to practice in the United States Tax Court, United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and Fifth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals.

During the three years Inside Collin County Business conducted its annual awards,...

Coleman Jackson is managing shareholder of the law firm Coleman Jackson, P.C., a regional law firm in Dallas, Texas representing clients from around the world. Attorney Jackson provides caring, thorough and professional representation for people who need help with federal & state tax matters, contracts litigation issues, and immigration concerns.

AV Rated
40 plus years of experience
Less than 14% of attorneys throughout the entire United States are “AV” Rated
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We have limited our practice to Estate Planning and Taxation. And we are dedicated to giving you the legal solutions and tools you will need to plan and build for your future with confidence.


Member of The College of the State Bar of Texas
The College of the State Bar of Texas is an honorary society of lawyers who are among the best trained attorneys in Texas. Members are qualified attorneys who are interested in both high ethical standards and improved training for...

Clark S. Willingham is engaged in estate planning and taxation, handling the formation and governance of business entities, real estate transactions and governmental relations in Washington, D.C and Austin.

Mr. Willingham was born in Houston, Texas in 1944. He received an Accounting degree from Texas Tech University in 1967. He received his Juris Doctor Degree from the Dedman School of Law at SMU in 1971 and his LLM in Taxation in 1984. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1971. Mr. Willingham is a member of the American Law Institute, the American Bar Association, the State Bar of...

Josh is the Managing Partner and CEO of Phillips Golden LLP and head of its Real Estate Section. Josh’s practice centers on advising and counseling real estate entrepreneurs, investors and businesses through all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions & dispositions, development, leasing (retail, office, industrial, and ground leases, build to suit and telecommunications), purchase and sale agreements, private development agreements, construction contracts, management agreements, and related due diligence matters. A significant portion of his time is devoted to representation of developer equity investors in the formation of pass-through entities (e.g., LLCs, limited partnerships and joint...

Isreal focuses his practice on tax and estate planning. He advises clients on how to minimize estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes, as well as the implementation and administration of complex estate planning structures. Isreal is Board Certified in Tax Law and Estate Planning & Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner, and a Personal Financial Specialist. Before going into private practice, Isreal served for five years as a trial attorney for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, where he personally handled over 1,700 cases, including over 850 cases...

John Brusniak is a nationally recognized property tax attorney. His ground-breaking appellate successes and his involvement with the legislature over the past 30 years have significantly influenced Texas property tax law. He is a frequently sought speaker and publisher of property tax articles and texts. John has been recognized by his peers with election to the positions of chair of the American Bar Association's Property Tax Committee, chair of the State Bar of Texas' Property Tax Committee, and chair of the entire State Bar of Texas Section of Taxation. He has repeatedly been selected as one of...

Michael Presbitero joined Starr Law Firm, P.C in November 2017. His practice focuses primarily on business/commercial and real estate transactional matters for small to mid-size private businesses. Prior to joining Starr Law Firm, P.C., Michael was an attorney with two Dallas law firms and represented clients in a variety of litigation (in state and federal courts) and non-litigation matters across the state of Texas, with a focus in business, creditor rights and commercial matters. He has experience representing clients in matters involving a variety of legal areas: mergers and acquisitions, real estate, contracts, insurance, bankruptcy, nonprofit, business/commercial (such as choice...

In addition to holding a law degree, Mr. Scammahorn also holds an LLM in Taxation Law, an advanced law degree with a focus on IRS issues and tax litigation. Mr. Scammahorn understands the IRS procedures and substantive tax law and has years of experience defending tax clients and negotiating with the IRS. Mr. Scammahorn stays up to date on legal rulings, issues, and the changing tax code so that you get effective, knowledgeable representation. He is considered the "go to" attorney for IRS issues and his long list of clients includes politicians, small business owners, medical doctors, lottery winners, lawyers,...

Recipient: Awarded Best Article, 1986-1987 Edition of Texas Tech Law Review. Publications: A Detailed Analysis of United States v. O'Hagan: Onward Through the Evolution of the Federal Securities Laws, 59 La. L. Rev. 1 (1998); State Takeover Laws, Insider Trading, and the Interplay Between the Two: A New Perspective, 91 W.VA. L. Rev. 1001 (1989) (co-authored); Why The Approach of Heckman v. Ahmanson Will Not Become the Prevailing Greenmail Viewpoint: Race to the Bottom Continues, 18 TX. Tech L. Rev. 1083 (1987); Effective Supervision, Investor Confidence and Capital Formation, Practicing Law Institute, Corporate Law and Practice, Securities Arbitration 2006, Vol....

Matthew G. Messerli is the founding attorney of The Messerli Law Firm, PLLC. Prior to pursuing his legal career, Attorney Messerli earned his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management and his Master’s in Finance (MSF) from the Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He has accumulated more than a decade of experience as a business consultant and operator. Attorney Messerli later spent several years serving as a financial advisor to high-net-worth individuals and businesses before earning his Juris Doctorate (JD) from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman Law School in Dallas, Texas. His unique blend of...

Rain Minns' litigation experience ranges from international arbitration in Hong Kong to Native American courts to jury trials in the United States. After law school, Rain clerked for Chief Judge George P. Kazen in the Southern District of Texas. She then became an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas, where she was recognized for her outstanding work. Rain first-chaired and obtained favorable trial and appellate verdicts in all of her cases, including the highest arbitration award in the history of her division. Rain then spent a few years at a large law firm working on bet-the-company litigation, where...

I have had two careers: one in law and one in academia. I am now practicing law part-time in Dallas, Texas. My legal background is varied, covering most aspects of the general law practice: business transactions and related work, including banking, taxation, contracts, corporate planning and finance; joint ventures and partnerships; mergers and acquisitions; oil and gas; litigation; financial services; debt collection; mortgages; secured transactions; bankruptcy; debt collection; law related to churches and nonprofit organizations; social security disability; and real estate. Over time, I have represented more than 100 nonprofit organizations. I also have extensive estate planning and probate experience and was previously certified by the State...

Paul specializes in tax controversy and disputes between tax collection entities, like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or State and Local Tax (SALT) agencies, and individuals, corporations, and businesses.

Other areas of practice include criminal law, family law, immigration law, transactional law, and wills and probate. Paul also does appellate work.

Paul is admitted to practice in all state courts of Texas, including the Supreme Court of Texas, as well as the Federal Northern District of Texas Court, the Federal Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, the United States Tax Court, the United States Immigration Court, and the United States Immigration...

Lacy Leonard represents state and federal taxpayers through all stages of a tax controversy, including audit assistance, challenging assessments and seeking refunds of overpaid taxes. Ms. Leonard has over 13 years of substantial trial experience, which allows her to effectively represent clients before the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the State Office of Administrative Hearings, and in the state and federal district courts. Ms. Leonard also frequently writes and speaks on state tax topics, including the Texas sales tax and Texas franchise tax.

Ms. Leonard tried to verdict and won the first lawsuit challenging a franchise tax assessment under the current...

Rand is the principal attorney at Zumwalt Law Group. After heading the bankruptcy and general counsel departments of two medium-sized Texas law firms, Rand decided to open his own law firm, merging the best aspects of both firms with his own strong personal ethics and creative legal mindset. Through Zumwalt Law Group, Rand strives to elevate personal service while taking care of foundational legal issues in a client-focused professional manner. Rand's areas of practice include business litigation, contract law, mergers & acquisitions, copyright and tax law, and legal issues relating to startups and nonprofit formation. Helping Austin startups...