Attorneys
Chamberlain Hrdlicka invites you to attend our 48th Annual Houston Tax & Business Planning Seminar
Join Chamberlain Hrdlicka for an essential event dedicated to tax professionals, accountants, business advisors, and in-house counsel looking to stay ahead in an ever-evolving tax landscape. This full-day seminar will cover the latest developments in federal, state and international tax law and business transactions. With insightful presentations, practical strategies, and valuable networking opportunities, this seminar is designed to provide attendees with actionable takeaways to better serve their clients and businesses. We look forward to welcoming you for another year of engaging discussion and professional growth.
Seminar Details:
- Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025
- Time: 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. with a networking reception to follow
- Location: Houston Hilton Post Oak, 2001 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, TX 77056
- Cost (includes lunch, snacks, and lite bites at the networking reception):
- $150.00 - Digital Materials Only
- $225.00 - Digital + Print Materials
- CLE Credits:
- Texas CLE: 5.0 Credit Hours
- Texas CPE: 6.0 Credit Hours
Keynote Speaker:
Sharyn M. Fisk, JD, LL.M
Professor, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
Former Director, IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (2020-2025)
Presentation Title: Surviving the New IRS: Strategies for Tax Professionals in an Era of Reduced IRS Resources
Description:
The IRS has undergone a dramatic transformation since early 2025, necessitating new ways of practicing. This presentation explores available self-help resources that can replace traditional IRS in-person contact methods and proactive strategies that tax professionals can implement to avoid common issues. These strategies will help you serve clients effectively in an environment where self-help isn't just a convenience—it's a necessity! Come learn how to thrive, not just survive, in the post-reduction IRS landscape.
About Sharyn:
Sharyn Fisk brings a wealth of experience from her recent role as Director of the Internal Revenue Service's Office of Professional Responsibility (2020-2025). In this capacity, she set and maintained professional standards for over 400,000 tax practitioners across the nation. Her leadership was also instrumental as the Director of the IRA Tax Provision Implementation Office, where she led the implementation of 34 tax provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act.
With over two decades of experience in tax law, Sharyn's career exemplifies the intersection of ethical practice and technical excellence. She began her journey as an attorney-advisor for Judge Maurice Foley at the United States Tax Court and later became a partner at the prestigious firm of Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez (Beverly Hills), where she represented hundreds of clients before the IRS, Department of Justice Tax Division, and state taxing authorities.
Currently, Sharyn is sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience as a Professor of Taxation at the College of Business Administration at Cal Poly Pomona. Sharyn holds an LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law, a J.D. from Rutgers University, and a B.A. in Journalism from San Diego State University.
Event Agenda:
| Time | Event |
| 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. | Registration |
| 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Luncheon Keynote Presentation Surviving the New IRS: Strategies for Tax Professionals in an Era of Reduced IRS Resources, Sharyn M. Fisk |
| 1:05 p.m. - 2:05 p.m. |
Presentation 1A Tax Strategies in Middle-Market M&A and Succession Planning, Ryan Carlock and Umair Karowadia Presentation 1B From Fine Print to Fire Drill: Navigating AI Contracts and Cyber Crises for Traditional Businesses, Aly Dossa and Marcus Burnside |
| 2:10 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. |
Presentation 2A Tax Controversy from Soup to Nuts—What Every Practitioner Needs to Know About Dealing With the IRS, George W. Connelly and Alissa Gipson Presentation 2B Tax Wars, OB3 – Revenge of the 45th: International Tax Provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill, Sebastien N. Chain and J. Otto Timm |
| 3:10 p.m. - 3:25 p.m. | BREAK |
| 3:25 p.m. - 4:25 p.m. |
Presentation 3A When Special Agents Come Calling, Larry A. Campagna Presentation 3B Texas Sales and Use and Franchise Tax Updates, Bryan J. Dotson |
| 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. |
Presentation 4A One Big Beautiful…Trusts and Estates Speech: The Impact of OBBBA on Estates, Trusts, and Charitable Planning, Brett T. Berly and Kathryn Hansen Torres Presentation 4B Tax Savings with C Corporations, Joshua C. Sutin |
| 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | Networking Reception |
Presentation Details:
1A – Tax Strategies in Middle-Market M&A and Succession Planning
Presenters: Ryan Carlock and Umair Karowadia
Description: Middle-market business owners face complex tax implications when executing mergers, acquisitions, or succession plans that can significantly impact transaction value and family wealth transfer objectives. This presentation examines critical tax structuring decisions including asset versus equity sales, purchase price allocations, rollover equity arrangements, and Section 1202 qualified small business stock benefits. We'll explore succession planning tools like IDGTs, GRATs, ESOPs, and charitable strategies, while analyzing how recent OBBBA provisions—including increased estate tax exemptions and modified business deductions—create new opportunities and considerations for deal structuring and long-term wealth planning in today's evolving tax landscape.
1B - From Fine Print to Fire Drill: Navigating AI Contracts and Cyber Crises for Traditional Businesses
Presenters: Aly Dossa and Marcus Burnside
Description: In today's interconnected business environment, even traditional industries like accounting can't afford to ignore cybersecurity and data governance. This presentation will explore why robust data protection matters for every business regardless of how "low-tech" your operations may seem, then dive into real-world AI vendor agreements to identify key protection mechanisms you should implement. We'll conclude with three short case studies of cybersecurity incidents that targeted professional services firms. Attendees will walk away with clear, actionable strategies for safeguarding their practices, assessing technology vendors, and positioning themselves as trusted advisors to clients navigating similar digital risks.
2A - Tax Controversy from Soup to Nuts—What Every Practitioner Needs to Know About Dealing With the IRS
Presenters: George W. Connelly and Alissa Gipson
Description: If your client becomes ensnared in an IRS dispute, it’s not enough to know the facts and the law. Whether you are a return preparer, Enrolled Agent, CPA, or lawyer, securing the best result for your client requires that you know your adversary and the important procedural rules. Our goal is to cover these rules and adversary insights for you during this presentation.
2B - Tax Wars, OB3 – Revenge of the 45th: International Tax Provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill
Presenters: Sebastien N. Chain and J. Otto Timm
Description: This presentation provides an overview of the changes to the Internal Revenue Code under the One Big Beautiful Bill (“OB3”), with a focus on changes made to various aspects of the U.S. international tax rules. This presentation will cover the following aspects of OB3: (a) changes to the Foreign-Derived Intangible Income (FDII) rules and the deduction available under IRC §250; (b) changes to the taxation of U.S. shareholders with subpart F income from a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) owned for part of the tax year; (c) changes to the global intangible low taxed income (GILTI) regime under IRC §951A; and (d) the expansion of the subpart F and GILTI rules to ownership structures involving “foreign controlled U.S. shareholders” and “foreign controlled foreign corporations” under new IRC §951B.
3A - When Special Agents Come Calling
Presenter: Larry A. Campagna
Description: A primer on criminal tax with special emphasis on the roles of counsel and accountants.
3B - Texas Sales and Use and Franchise Tax Updates
Presenter: Bryan J. Dotson
Description: This session discusses recent developments in the Texas sales and use and franchise taxes. The discussion will cover key legislative changes, recent court decisions, and amendments to Texas Comptroller regulations.
4A - One Big Beautiful…Trusts and Estates Speech: The Impact of OBBBA on Estates, Trusts, and Charitable Planning
Presenters: Brett T. Berly and Kathryn Hansen Torres
Description: This comprehensive presentation explores the transformative impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) on modern estate planning practice, examining how dramatically increased federal transfer tax exemptions are reshaping wealth transfer strategies while creating new income tax complexities for trusts and estates. Attendees will gain critical insights into navigating the evolving landscape of federal gift tax compliance, including recent Form 709 modifications and updated split-gift regulations that directly affect day-to-day practice. The session concludes with an essential analysis of current trust modification and termination strategies, featuring recent Tax Court developments affecting QTIP trusts under IRC Section 2519 and practical considerations for non-QTIP trust restructuring.
4B - Tax Savings with C Corporations
Presenter: Joshua A. Sutin
Description: This seminar will provide a review of the taxation of C corporations after the recent changes in tax law and how C corporations may be a better choice of entity for some businesses. An in-depth review of Qualified Small Business Stock (IRC 1202) will provide the history of this tax exclusion provision and the recent changes that make it this tax provision very powerful to minimize taxes on exiting a business. Further, time will be spent reviewing Qualified Opportunity Zones are now permanent, and a good tax planning tool to defer capital gains and minimize taxes.
Additional Details:
Registration is open to everyone and there are no prerequisites to the courses presented.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Meg Grossman at meg.grossman@chamberlainlaw.com.