Lawyer Profile

John A. Townsend

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Townsend & Jones, L.L.P.

Website for John A. Townsend

5615 Kirby Drive, Suite 830
Houston, TX 77005
Phone: 713-337-4346
Firm Website: http://www.tjtaxlaw.com
Firm Phone: 713-521-9977

Listed in Best Lawyers since 1995.

Attorney Bio

From 1969 through 1977, Jack was a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. While with the Tax Division, Jack handled cases in the United States Courts of Appeals, with incidental work on briefs in opposition in the Supreme Court, from 1969 through 1974, and handled trials in the United States District Courts from 1974 through March 1977. Jack has been in the private practice of law in Houston, Texas since leaving the Tax Division and currently focuses his practice principally upon tax controversy and tax litigation matters, including both civil and criminal.

Jack is an adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center where he teaches Tax Procedure and Tax Fraud and Money Laundering to undergraduate and graduate law students. Jack has prepared two self-published texts -- Federal Tax Procedure and Federal Tax Crimes.  The Federal Tax Procedure Book is available for purchase here.  The Federal Tax Crimes Book will be available for purchase in the near future.  Jack and colleagues have published a Tax Crimes book in the LEXIS-NEXIS graduate tax series, here.  Jack also has two related blogs -- a Federal Tax Crimes Blog, here, and a Federal Tax Procedure Blog, here.  Jack regularly participates in tax seminars and tax professional groups. Jack has also authored several tax articles in leading tax publications on tax litigation and other tax subjects.

Practice Areas

  • Litigation & Controversy - Tax

Case History

  • United States v. Stein, 541 F.3d 130 (2d Cir. 2008) — The largest criminal tax case ever; involved KPMG tax shelters; 19 original defendants; after years of trial level skirmishing, my client and 12 others were dismissed for prejudicial prosecutorial abuse (forcing KPMG to withdraw attorney fee support); landmark decisions at trial and appellate levels
  • Keystone International, Inc. v. Commissioner (T.C. Dkts 4606-93, 7286-94, 22903-94, 25588-95 & 23745-97) — Large case, involving principally transfer pricing issue; segments of the case involved coordinating with and among IRS Appeals, IRS trial attorneys and Competent Authority as to many of the foreign countries involved.  Considered early entry into advance priving program to attempt to resolve all back years and 5 forward years (total of 12 years).

Education

  • University of South Carolina (AB) (1964)
  • University of Virginia School of Law (LL.B) (1967)
  • New York University School of Law (LL.M) (1969)

Bar Admissions

  • Texas, United States

Awards

  • New Award
  • Special Commendation Award at Attorney General's Awards Ceremony
  • Tax Division Meritorious Service Award.

Other Info

Languages Spoken
  • English