ATWOOD & M C CALL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the United States Tax
Davis is known as an aggressive, hard-hitting advocate. In representing clients, Davis uses the full breadth of the law, including the use of Temporary Restraining Orders and the subsequent conversion of the order into a Temporary Injunction - considered extrajudicial relief and very difficult to obtain. This benefits the client in maintaining the status quo as underlying issues are addressed - i.e., in protecting company assets and opportunities from a non-performing or breaching partner. Davis is well-versed in both federal and state courts and is bilingual with Spanish as a second language.
He is passionate about protecting the civil rights of others. In one case, the representation of a family of a young man who died while in police custody resulted in a substantial six-figure settlement for the family.
Davis is a decorated officer and veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He served in the intelligence field as an analyst and AWACS airborne support crew member, and as a tactical analyst at a joint command and field advisor in support of real-time operations. Following his career in the USAF, Davis received a law degree from Southern Methodist University and currently focuses on business litigation.
When away from the office, Davis serves as a referee for local and high school soccer and enjoys camping and scuba diving with his family.
Experience - Representative Matters
The representation of a member of a closely-held LLC in a claim of breach of fiduciary duties and theft of company assets and opportunities. Through the use of a Temporary Restraining Order and the subsequent conversion of the order into a Temporary Injunction, Davis assisted his client in achieving the surrender of interests by the breaching member and the consolidation of company ownership.
James takes a creative approach to the estate planning process, helping his clients design a plan that meets their individual goals and needs. These plans include forming trusts that will allow assets to benefit multiple generations, structuring the sale of ownership interests in family owned businesses, creating Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts for families with ultra high networth estates, and developing limited partnerships for estate planning and asset protection for real property interests.
While making the best decisions for the future can be challenging, James takes the time to educate his clients so that they understand the options available and make the choice that is right for them. With this approach, he works collaboratively with clients to develop custom plans to meet their goals and needs. James takes pride in helping his clients work through the planning process so that they protect themselves and their loved ones.
James has a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's degree in accounting and taxation from Arizona State University, a doctorate in law from the George Washington University Law School, and a master of laws in taxation from the Georgetown University Law School.
When time permits, James enjoys biking and fly fishing in Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico. He is especially proud of his son, Bryce, and enjoys fishing and traveling with him as much as possible. James has a rambunctious, standard poodle named Riley who likes to travel with the family.
Experience - Representative Matters
Job Titles:
- Community Leader
- Partner & Mediator
Kimmy is an experienced litigator and advocate, giving legal guidance and peace of mind to individuals involved in divorce, child custody, child support, modification of existing orders, division of marital assets (including business interests), spousal support, and probate cases. She is known for her direct approach and prompt communication, which have earned her the trust of her clients and the respect of her peers. Trained as a trial attorney and a mediator, Kimmy attempts to keep her clients out of the courtroom, if possible, for their emotional and financial benefit, through creative, strategic, and amicable resolutions.
As a goal-oriented attorney, she firmly believes in listening to her client's goals, maintaining client involvement, and keeping her clients informed. One of the first requests Kimmy makes of her clients is to set specific goals for their case. This way, she can collaborate with her clients to achieve their specific objectives. Her passion is providing help, direction, and hope to her clients when they need it most.
Kimmy is also a respected community leader and enjoys serving on committees and boards in her neighborhood and church. As a parent, she actively leads and instructs local Boy Scouts of America troops, and chairs fundraising activities for neighborhood schools.
Experience - Representative Matters
Krista has been an estate planning attorney for over fifteen years, specializing in trusts, estates, trust and estate administration, and probate. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law.
In addition to collaborating with clients to prepare and update their personal estate planning, Krista has worked extensively with the administration of trust and estates assisting Trustees with carrying out their fiduciary duties and navigating the sometimes-complex reporting and noticing and other requirements. Her passion is to help clients establish, maintain, and administer comprehensive estate plans that provide stability and peace of mind for families over multiple generations.
Krista lives in the DFW area with her husband and their two daughters. When not assisting clients with their estate planning related needs, she spends time with her family exploring North Texas, and enjoys reading, mostly science fiction and classic literature.
Matt is a trusted advisor and deal lawyer: He focuses his practice on corporate and transactional matters, including M&A, corporate finance, joint ventures, and commercial transactions. He acts as external general counsel for day-to-day legal and operational matters.
Matt advises founders, companies, investors, and their boards on key transactions, and he provides related strategic, governance, and tax advice. That includes advising on succession planning, asset protection, trusts & estates, and related transactions for family-run businesses and family offices.
Before joining Atwood & McCall, Matt spent more than a decade as in-house counsel for Solera Holdings, the D. E. Shaw Group, and Goldman Sachs. He is also a veteran of the Corporate Departments of the leading law firms Latham & Watkins and Paul Hastings.
An outdoor enthusiast and avid skier, Matt has a particular interest in America's national parks and promoting outdoor activities for Texas's next generation. He is passionate about supporting youth camps, performing arts, and sports programs. In addition, Matt has held executive and director positions for various private funds, charitable, church, and non-profit organizations.
Experience - Representative Matters
Michael's practice focuses on employee benefits, tax controversy, and structuring and drafting cash and equity-based executive compensation arrangements. His personalized approach ensures the particular needs of his publicly-traded or closely-held clients are met, including but not limited to: employment agreements, change of control agreements, stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, and phantom stock.
Michael has extensive experience assisting clients with the complexities of deferred compensation, including the intricacies of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. He tailors arrangements to meet the specialized needs of employers with respect to their highly-paid and key employees. Michael has a wide range of experience with respect to benefit plans, ensuring compliance with federal tax laws, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA and PPACA. He regularly represents clients before the IRS and the U.S. Tax Court to dispute and reduce proposed and assessed tax increases determined by the IRS. In addition, he negotiates offers of compromise with the IRS in order to reduce assessed tax liabilities.
Outside of the office, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife and five children. As a family, they like outdoor activities, such as riding bikes and going to theme parks.
Experience - Representative Matters
Russ is an appellate and complex commercial case litigator, business attorney, and the former general counsel of his family's…
Victor has over twenty-eight years of experience as an attorney with a focus on business law, including but not limited to entity formation, business sales and purchases, joint business enterprises, business structuring, and business contracts. His background in litigation gives him the ability to understand the difference between a good and bad agreement and spot holes in contracts. Many lawyers practice business law without experience in litigation, but Victor is unique. Because of his dual background, Victor knows when a contract will not stand up in court, and he can offer all of the protections that a client needs when negotiating and drafting. Licensed in Texas, Victor represents both privately held and publicly traded companies across the globe, championing their business goals.
From tech, construction, manufacturing, and oil companies to medical practices, Victor assists clients from a broad spectrum of industries. Well versed in mergers and acquisitions, Victor takes buyers and sellers from start to finish. From filing the correct paperwork and predicting future problems, to finding the best resolutions, Victor works with his clients every step of the way. He knows how to navigate the varying and complex processes of buying and selling a business. In one such case, Victor worked with an investment banker to finance a multi-million dollar oil sands mining operation in Canada.
Trained in Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Victor has a strong record of settling cases for his clients, in one instance forcing a multi-million dollar purchase of a client's interest in a company. And when focused on personal injury litigation, he achieved a $3.75 million settlement for a family who suffered the loss of their child due to the gross negligence of a company.
Victor attributes his unique and powerful approach to law to his parents who profoundly impacted his life, from his father's emphasis on education - ongoing and throughout his life - to his mother's lessons on the importance of empathy. Because of their guidance and influence, Victor is able to relate, communicate and listen to his clients, setting him apart in the field of law.
Wilson "Bill" Wray earned his sterling reputation as a litigator by focusing on understanding his clients' goals, providing them with insightful analysis, and aggressively representing their interests. A seasoned litigator with over 25 years of experience representing clients in state and federal courts and arbitrations throughout Texas and the United States, Bill has earned recognition from both clients and peers as one of the region's top attorneys.