G. Michelle Ferreira

G. Michelle Ferreira

San Francisco, CA recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2011
Greenberg Traurig

629 Best Lawyers awards

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Awarded Practice Areas

Tax Law Litigation and Controversy - Tax
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in San Francisco.

Biography

G. Michelle Ferreira counsels individuals, partnerships, estates and corporations in tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and state and local tax agencies, including the California Franchise Tax Board, the State Board of Equalization, the Employment Development Department and county assessment appeals boards. As a former tax litigator for the Internal Revenue Service, Michelle brings unique experience to clients who have complex and sensitive tax and penalty disputes. Michelle represents clients before the IRS, and state and local tax agencies at the audit, collection, appeals and litigation stages.

Michelle was the former Chair of the Executive Committee of the Taxation Section of the California State Bar in 2009-2010. She frequently speaks on topics of tax controversy and tax procedure before professional associations for both lawyers and accountants, and she was an Adjunct Professor for the Master’s in Taxation Program at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.


Outside of the office, Michelle is involved in a wide array of tax professional organizations and has established key relationships with IRS and state taxing agency executives. She is nationally recognized for her audit and litigation experience in estate and gift tax disputes with the IRS, especially cases involving challenges to family limited partnerships and valuation disputes.

Greenberg Traurig

629 Best Lawyers awards

Greenberg Traurig logo

Overview

  • Spanish

  • Santa Clara University, J.D., graduated 1995

  • California, The State Bar of California

  • American Bar Association, Taxation Section - Member
  • Golden Gate University School of Tax - Adjunct Professor
  • National Association of State Bar, Tax Section, Executive Committee - Member
  • San Francisco Estate Planning Council - Member
  • San Francisco Tax Club - Member
  • Spanish
  • California, The State Bar of California
  • American Bar Association, Taxation Section - Member
  • Golden Gate University School of Tax - Adjunct Professor
  • National Association of State Bar, Tax Section, Executive Committee - Member
  • San Francisco Estate Planning Council - Member
  • San Francisco Tax Club - Member
  • Santa Clara University, J.D., graduated 1995

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2026 - Tax Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Litigation and Controversy - Tax Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Tax Law, San Francisco (2026)
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax, San Francisco (2023)
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax, San Francisco (2017)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
  • Tax Law
Awards:
  • "Special Act Award," for litigation of Estate of Schauerhamer v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1997-242, December 1997
  • Performance Award, IRS Small Business/Self-Employed Division, Fall 2001
  • "Certificate of Appreciation," IRS Small Business/Self-Employed Division, May 2002
  • "2010 Tax Person of the Year," Tax Analysts, January 2011
  • V. Judsen Klein Award, State Bar of California, Taxation Section, 2012
  • Super Lawyers magazine, Northern California Super Lawyers, 2008-2015
  • The Legal 500 United States, 2012-2015
  • Daily Journal, one of the "10 Emerging Law Firm Leaders in California," 2013

Case History

Cases
  • Areas of Concentration
  • Tax compliance advice
  • Civil tax disputes, including audits, appeals and collection matters
  • Offshore income tax disputes, foreign income, bank and asset reporting and related penalty assessments
  • Complex tax litigation
  • Criminal tax investigations and litigation
  • Tax penalties
  • Tax shelter investigations, audit and litigation
  • Taxing agencies’ information document requests
  • Tax procedure
  • Tax shelter promoter audits and investigations
  • Estate and gift tax disputes
  • Other Court Admissions
  • Supreme Court of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • Significant Representations

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