Attorney, Business and Tax

R. Brooks Whitehead received his Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and is admitted to practice in the State of California and before the United States Tax Court.  Brooks received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento, and completed his undergraduate work at the University of California at Davis, double-majoring in Economics and Political Science. Brooks joined the Burton Law Firm in 2009, where he focuses his practice on transactional business, tax, and estate planning matters. Brooks serves on the Board of the Tax Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association and is a member of the Sacramento Estate Planning Council and the Philanthropic Advisors’ Forum of Greater Sacramento. While in law school, Brooks worked as a staff writer and editor for the McGeorge Law Review, as an extern for the California State Board of Equalization’s Tax Appeals Assistance Program, and as a research assistant for McGeorge Tax Professor Christine Manolakas.  Upon graduation he became a member of the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society, which is awarded to law students who achieved consecutive years of Dean’s Honor List. Brooks currently resides in the North Natomas area of Sacramento with his wife, Melissa.  Brooks loves European travel, and has visited Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.  While at home, he is an avid sports fan and season ticketholder of the Sacramento Kings and the Sacramento Mountain Lions.

Representative Matters:

• Negotiated settlement with lending institutions of multi-million dollar debt of insolvent restaurant chain and secured releases of personal guarantees for the corporation’s shareholders.
• Obtained a Private Letter Ruling from the Internal Revenue Service granting retail store a 7-year retroactive S-corporation election, resulting in a substantial tax refund to the client.
• Assisted in drafting and negotiating multi-million dollar asset purchase agreement on behalf of manufacturing firm.
• Assisted in foreign and domestic asset protection planning for high net worth clients, including integration of estate planning documents and creation of limited liability entities.
• Represented businesses and individuals in appeals before the Internal Revenue Service, the Franchise Tax Board, and the Board of Equalization regarding income tax, payroll tax, and sales and use tax matters.
• Spearheaded business formations in a wide variety of industries, including: technology, construction, wine and spirits, collections and billing, racing, health and beauty, restaurant and food service, marketing, and manufacturing.