Steve is the Senior Partner and CFO of the Phillips Golden LLP law firm and heads its Tax & Business practice.  Over his 35 year career, Steve has spent time as a tax, business, and corporate partner in prominent large and boutique Texas law firms and as in-house tax counsel to a Fortune 50 publicly held company. His calling card touts him as an “income” tax lawyer, but he has counseled and advised business and individual clients with respect to estate, gift, state and local, and employment taxes and related planning — not only from a domestic perspective, but also in regard to international transactions. A recognized expert in the tax consequences of pass-through entities, his passion is helping active and retired entrepreneurs, investors, and their families, acquire, deploy, monetize and protect their wealth for the long haul.  His keen eye for ever-present tax issues, developed in the context of numerous complex transactions, allows him to anticipate over-the-horizon issues and opportunities. While not a licensed accountant, his extensive scholastic and practical background with the tax, financial, and legal aspects of many transaction types positions him as a valuable advisor, go-between, and interpreter, able to cut-to-the-chase to identify and resolve tax and legal issues.  Although not his primary practice, Steve has successfully conducted many audit and court controversies on behalf of his clients with federal and state tax authorities.  In any event, his counsel is always delivered with the prospect of successfully meeting and heading off scrutiny by tax authorities.

During his career, Steve has provided written submissions and oral testimony on tax legislation and administrative rules to lawmakers and administrators at the federal and state level, including the Department of Treasury, the State Comptroller, the Texas legislature, and the U.S. Congress and its tax-law-writing committees, including the Joint Committee on Taxation. He actively participates in national and state tax policy organizations devoted to molding legislative and administrative laws and rules pertaining to tax issues.

Steve frequently writes and speaks on tax issues and related planning for the benefit of local and national tax professional audiences.

Education:
J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, Honors
B.B.A., The University of Texas, Highest Honors (Accounting)