Severson and Werson

Donald Read has been Severson & Werson’s Tax Counsel since 1995. Mr. Read specializes in all aspects of Federal, State, and local tax law, business law, and estate planning.

Mr. Read is experienced in the organization, structuring, operation and taxation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and nonprofit entities. He also has experience with wills, trusts, gifts, and other aspects of family wealth transfers. He counsels individuals regarding tax planning, and also is experienced in tax planning for judgments and settlements, especially involving marital dissolutions and trust and estate litigation, tax liability and tax collection disputes.

Mr. Read is active in a number of professional organizations, including the American Bar Association (Chair, Taxation Committee, Family Law Section) State Bar of California, Hawaii Bar Association, Washington State Bar Association, and the East Bay Tax Club.
 

Mr. Read maintains a practice that focuses on Federal, State and Local Tax Law and Tax Planning, as well as Business Law and Estate Planning.

Mr. Read's specific experience includes:

Business Organizations: Organization, structuring, operation and taxation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies.

Exempt Organizations: Organization, operation and taxation of nonprofit entities.

Real Estate: Tax deferred exchanges and tax aspects of other real estate transactions.

Sales and Use Tax; Property Tax; Documentary Transfer Tax

Estate and Family Tax Planning: Wills, trusts gifts and other aspects of family wealth transfers. Individual tax planning.

Litigation: Tax planning for judgments and settlements, especially involving marital dissolutions and trust and estate litigation; tax liability and tax collection disputes.
 
Biographical Information:

Employment History:
Tax Counsel, Severson & Werson since 1995
Tax Counsel, Lakin-Spears (Palo Alto) and Donahue, Gallagher (Oakland) since 1987
Principal tax partner in law firms in San Francisco, San Diego and Honolulu (1976-1986)
Attorney-Advisor, Office of Tax Legislative Counsel, U.S. Treasury (1974-1976)
Associate, Graham & James, San Francisco (1968-1974)

Education: B.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1964. J.D., cum laude, Columbia University, 1968. L.L.M. Tax, New York University, 1972.

Admitted to Practice: California (1969); New York (1972); Hawaii (1976); Washington (1988); U.S. Tax Court (1972), U.S. Supreme Court (1979).

Professional Affiliations: Member, American Bar Association Taxation Section; (Chairman, Property Transfers Subcommittee, Domestic Relations Tax Committee); Member, State Bar of California, Hawaii Bar Association, Washington State Bar Association, East Bay Tax Club.

Professional Activities: Lecturer for California Continuing Education of the Bar; Lecturer for New York University Tax Institute; Adjunct Tax Professor, University of San Francisco Law School (1987-89).

Civic & Community Involvement: Trustee, Deep Springs College 1989-93; Coro Foundation Intern 1964-65; Director, Berkeley Public Education Foundation since 1994.