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Lawyer Profile

Image of Kendall L. Houghton

Kendall L. Houghton

Alston & Bird LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2012
  • Recognized in:
    Tax Law
  • Law School:
    New York University
  • Website:
    http://www.alston.com
  • Location:
    The Atlantic Building
    950 F Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20004-1404
Ms. Houghton is a nationally recognized expert whose practice focuses on state and local tax planning, tax controversies and unclaimed property/escheat matters. She leads the Alston & Bird SALT practice. She previously served as general counsel to the Council On State Taxation (COST), where she filed U.S. Supreme Court briefs in cases impacting state taxation of multistate commerce and led a tax policy initiative addressing taxation of Internet transactions. Ms. Houghton has represented clients on a multi-jurisdictional basis with respect to significant tax disputes; negotiated favorable settlements with state and local jurisdictions; developed and advocated state tax policy and legislative positions that benefited client interests; and collaborated with clients to design transactional and organizational structures that have optimized direct and indirect tax burdens. Ms. Houghton also advises clients with respect to unclaimed property/escheat compliance, voluntary disclosure initiatives, planning opportunities, single- and multi-state audit defense, and litigation of state unclaimed property assessments. 

Ms. Houghton is co-author of Bloomberg BNA’s Multistate Tax Management portfolio entitled “Unclaimed Property.” She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University School of Law and a featured speaker at national state tax conferences and schools hosted by COST, TEI, IPT, and the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization, Georgetown University School of Law and the New York University School of Law. 
  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details
  • Case History

Lawyer Bio

Ms. Houghton is a nationally recognized expert whose practice focuses on state and local tax planning, tax controversies and unclaimed property/escheat matters. She leads the Alston & Bird SALT practice. She previously served as general counsel to the Council On State Taxation (COST), where she filed U.S. Supreme Court briefs in cases impacting state taxation of multistate commerce and led a tax policy initiative addressing taxation of Internet transactions. Ms. Houghton has represented clients on a multi-jurisdictional basis with respect to significant tax disputes; negotiated favorable settlements with state and local jurisdictions; developed and advocated state tax policy and legislative positions that benefited client interests; and collaborated with clients to design transactional and organizational structures that have optimized direct and indirect tax burdens. Ms. Houghton also advises clients with respect to unclaimed property/escheat compliance, voluntary disclosure initiatives, planning opportunities, single- and multi-state audit defense, and litigation of state unclaimed property assessments. 

Ms. Houghton is co-author of Bloomberg BNA’s Multistate Tax Management portfolio entitled “Unclaimed Property.” She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University School of Law and a featured speaker at national state tax conferences and schools hosted by COST, TEI, IPT, and the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization, Georgetown University School of Law and the New York University School of Law. 
Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List

Education:

  • Emory University, LL.M, graduated 1994
  • New York University, J.D., graduated 1989

Bar Admissions:

  • District of Columbia, The District of Columbia Bar
  • California, The State Bar of California

Affiliations:

  • American Bar Association - Member
  • BNA Multistate Tax Management - Advisory Board
  • California Bar Association - Member
  • D.C. Bar Association - Member
  • Paul J. Hartman State Tax Forum - Advisory Board

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Tax Law
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

Image for Alston & Bird LLP View Firm Profile
Alston & Bird LLP
http://www.alston.com
 
Headquarters
One Atlantic Center, Suite 4900
1201 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309-3424
(404) 881.7000
13 Office Locations
in 3 Countries

Belgium

Belgium

Brussels, Belgium

Level 20 Bastion Tower

Five Place du Champ De Mars

Brussels B-1050

Belgium

32 2 550 3700

Get Directions

China

China

Beijing, China

Hanwei Plaza

West Wing, Suite 21B2

No. 7 Guanghua Road

Chaoyang District

Beijing 100004

China

86 10 8592 7500

Get Directions

Shanghai, China

36/F Bund Center

222 Yan An Dong Road

Shanghai 200002, P.R.C.

China

86 21 2312 1288

Get Directions

United States

United States

California

California

East Palo Alto, CA

1950 University Avenue, Fifth Floor

East Palo Alto, CA 94303-2282

United States

(650) 838.2000

Get Directions

Los Angeles, CA

333 South Hope Street, 16th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90071-3004

United States

(213) 576.1000

Get Directions

Sacramento, CA

1121 L Street, Suite 700

Sacramento, CA 95814

United States

(916) 498.3305

Get Directions

San Francisco, CA

560 Mission Street, Suite 2100

San Francisco, CA 94105-0912

United States

(415) 243.1000

Get Directions

District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Washington, DC

The Atlantic Building

950 F Street, NW

Washington, DC 20004-1404

United States

(202) 239.3300

Get Directions

New York

New York

New York, NY

90 Park Avenue, 15th Floor

New York, NY 10016-1387

United States

(212) 210.9400

Get Directions

North Carolina

North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Bank of America Plaza, Suite 4000

101 South Tryon Street

Charlotte, NC 28280-4000

United States

(704) 444.1000

Get Directions

Raleigh, NC

555 Fayetteville Street, Suite 600

Raleigh, NC 27601-3034

United States

(919) 862.2200

Get Directions

Texas

Texas

Dallas, TX

Chase Tower, Suite 2300

2200 Ross Avenue

Dallas, TX 75201

United States

(214) 922.3400

Get Directions

Lawyer Case History

Experience

  • Obtained very favorable settlements with the California Franchise Tax Board, Settlement Bureau, with respect to the inclusion of treasury function gross receipts in the taxpayers’ California sales factor.
  • Represents many of the largest financial sector companies (introducing and clearing broker-dealers, mutual fund complexes, banks, etc.) as well as insurance companies in defense of industry-focused multistate unclaimed property examinations conducted by contract audit firms Verus, Kelmar and the Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse (UPCH).
  • Co-authored an amicus brief filed with U.S. Supreme Court that suggested grounds upon which the Court eventually disposed of state tax discrimination challenge.
  • Assisted numerous clients with the successful defense of multistate unclaimed property audits conducted by third-party audit firms, and negotiated settlements with audit participating states.
  • Obtained a very favorable settlement for a client in litigation with the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue over the proper apportionment methodology for a media/broadcasting company.
  • Represented a client in transfer pricing audit by the New Jersey Division of Taxation that resulted in a highly favorable settlement.
 
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