ACPEN Signature 2025- Small Business: Hot Tax Issues Today

C. Clinton Davis, CPA, JD Related Seminars and Products

Krage & Janvey, L.L.P.

C. Clinton Davis JR, is with the law firm of Krage & Janvey, LLP in downtown Dallas.  He graduated cum laude from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 1980 and first in his graduating class from Northwestern State University of Louisiana in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.  He was first licensed in Florida as an attorney in 1980 and then in Texas in 1982.  He has been a licensed CPA in Texas since 1980.  He has been Board Certified in Tax Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988.  He has been named as a Super Lawyer, a Top Attorney in Texas by Texas Monthly, one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine and a Top Rated Lawyer by the Dallas Morning News, all in the tax area. 

Clint has in the past been an author and discussion leader for numerous CPE courses for the Texas Society of CPAs. Clint also speaks before various bar associations and accounting conferences. and is a frequent presenter and moderator on the Accountants’ Continuing Professional Education Network.

Clint primarily represents high net worth individuals and closely held businesses with much of his time devoted to real estate tax planning, implementation of S corporation ESOPs, mergers and acquisitions and private foundations.

James A. Smith, CPA, CGMA Related Seminars and Products

Managing Director

Smith, Jackson, Boyer & Bovard, PLLC

James A. (Jim) Smith, CPA, CGMA, serves as Managing Director of Smith, Jackson, Boyer & Bovard, PLLC, a Dallas Certified Public Accounting firm.  He practices extensively in tax compliance, planning and controversy representation for individuals and entrepreneurial businesses. He also is engaged in the preparation, compilation and review of financial statements; exit strategy planning for entrepreneurs; merger and acquisition planning and transactions; and forensic accounting and litigation services. 

Mr. Smith served as Chair of the Texas Society of CPAs (TSCPA) for the 2007-2008 year, and as a member of its Professional Standards and Federal Tax Policy Committees since their inception.  He served as a member of the AICPA Council 2007 through 2011 and from 2012 through 2015.  He also served as an appointed member of two of the AICPA’s key standard setting committees:  the Accounting and Review Services Committee from 2008 through 2011 and the Tax Practice Responsibilities Committee, 2014 to 2017.

Abbey B. Garber, JD Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Holland & Knight LLP

Abbey Garber, JD, is a partner at the firm of Holland & Knight, LLP, in Dallas, Texas. He focuses his practice on tax litigation and providing advice in connection with applying tax laws to individuals, estates, corporations, and partnerships. Serving more than 30 years in the Office of Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service, he tried cases of all sizes in Tax Court, earning significant favorable opinions in fraud, tax shelter, and many other cases; received a full Tax Court opinion in an attorneys’ fees case; and prosecuted criminal tax cases in United States District Court as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.  Abbey served as the Southwest Area Team Leader in Chief Counsel, charged with ensuring collaboration and cooperation across operating divisions in a nine-state area. Abbey received a J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law in 1985 and a B.B.A. in Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin in 1982. He is a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, Texas Bar Foundation, and Dallas Bar Foundation.  He is a member of the Dallas Bar Association Tax Section and Mock Trial Committee; American Bar Association Tax Section and Administrative Practice Committee; and the State Bar of Texas Tax Section Council and co-chairs the CLE Committee. His accolades include being named to The Best Lawyers in America© by Woodward/White Inc., Best Lawyers in Dallas (Tax: Litigation) by D Magazine; and a Recommended Attorney in The Legal 500 US by Legalease. 

Lee Meyercord, JD Related Seminars and Products

Holland & Knight LLP

Lee Meyercord, J.D. is a Tax partner in Holland & Knight’s Dallas office who represents taxpayers in all stages of a federal tax dispute, including audits, administrative appeals and federal income tax litigation. She has represented a broad range of clients, including Fortune 100 companies, large partnerships, closely held businesses, exempt organizations and high-net-worth individuals. She has significant experience in partnership tax issues relating to energy, real estate and private equity.  

Lee is Board Certified in Tax Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  She is a frequent speaker and writer on partnership audit rules and has testified before the IRS on these rules several times.  She is currently the Secretary of the Texas State Bar Tax Section and the Vice Chair of the Dallas Bar Association Tax Section.  She is a former Nolan Fellow of the ABA Section of Taxation and current Chair of the Administrative Practice Committee of the American Bar Association Tax Section.  
Lee obtained her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Tulane University.  She can be found most weekends playing (or watching) baseball and football with her husband and sons. 
 

Jon P Karp, CPA Related Seminars and Products

Whitley-Penn, LLP

Jon P. Karp, CPA, has more than 30 years of tax, advisory, financial services and public accounting experience focused on C-corporations, S-corporations, partnerships, and high net-worth individuals. Jon serves as the Firm’s Healthcare Industry Leader for tax and primarily works with clients in the healthcare, energy, manufacturing and distribution, retail, professional services, nonprofit, real estate and construction industries.

Jon serves on the Executive Committee and a Past Chairman for the Texas Business Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Texas Business Leadership Council, the Forefront Living Foundation Board of Trustees, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TXCPA), the Dallas Chapter of TXCPA, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Additionally, Jon is a member of the Plano THR Community Leadership Partners and serves on the Board of Directors for Pavilion Bank. He is also a Continuing Professional Education Instructor at Surgent, and past Board of Trustees Member of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas. He was previously named to DCEO’s Dallas 500 List, featuring profiles of influential leaders in DFW.

Jon received his BA in Anthropology and Religious Studies from Southern Methodist University and completed post graduate studies in Accounting at The University of Texas at Arlington and The University of Texas at Dallas.