During the months of April through June 2019, our attorneys were interviewed by local news outlets regarding a variety of topics, including opportunity zones, raising money for a San Antonio nonprofit, and recent career moves.
April 2019
John Ransom Explains Qualified Opportunity Zones
Across all 50 states and more than 600 low-income communities in Texas, real property investors are flooding these areas to reap the significant tax benefits of investing in a Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ). This new economic price support, which was added to the tax code by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017, is a bipartisan effort designed to enhance property value and stimulate job creation in distressed communities through tax deferral and gain exclusion.
One year after the Treasury Department designated the first set of opportunity zones, Houston Corporate & Securities Chair John M. Ransom was featured in the Houston Chronicle podcast “Looped In,” hosted by Nancy Sarnoff and including Rebecca Schuetz, discussing the increasingly popular and complex topic of opportunity zones.
“There’s been a tremendous amount of interest – primarily from the real estate community,” John said. For the first time in his 40 years practicing tax law, John has received cold calls about technical tax questions. “Those folks are saying, ‘Is my property going to become more valuable because people who are deferring gain or potentially excluding gain will want to invest here as opposed to three blocks away?”
“There’s been a tremendous amount of interest – primarily from the real estate community.”
For the full article, read “‘Houston Chronicle’ Features John Ransom Explaining Qualified Opportunity Zones in “Looped In” Podcast.” To listen to the full podcast, check out the Houston Chronicle article “Listen: Demystifying Opportunity Zones, Part I.”
John is an accomplished transaction and tax lawyer who draws on his experience as a legal advisor and CPA to counsel clients and assist them in growing their businesses. In his practice, he advises clients on various legal matters, including tax, mergers and acquisitions, financings, and management equity incentives. Since 2005, he has been recognized among The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Tax Law. He is a frequent author and speaker on business, tax affairs, and qualified opportunity fund investments.
James McFall Rallies Support for Golf Classic and Scholarship Contest
Four years ago, a group of former student‑athletes from Roosevelt High School in San Antonio, including Jackson Walker associate James Carlos McFall, came together to create a nonprofit aimed at bringing the community together and helping students strive for and achieve academic, social, and professional success. Since its foundation, Windcrest/Northeast Bridge Builders has hosted a variety of events geared toward promoting community engagement and mentoring, and raises funds that are donated directly to Roosevelt Cluster schools and students, including the Golf Classic and Annual Scholarship Contest.
Leading up to the third annual Golf Classic on May 24, 2019, James and fellow Bridge Builders Co-Founder Darnell Barnes, a lifelong friend and former teammate of James who is currently a coach at Roosevelt, sat down with San Antonio Living TV host Denise Cabello to discuss how the event directly benefits students in the Roosevelt Cluster.
“The Golf Classic is committed to generating revenue for students in the community. We reach out to local business owners, ask them to fill a team, sponsor a hole, and we make it a fun event,” James said. In conjunction with the tournament, the group also holds an annual scholarship essay competition in which the winning student receives a $2,000 scholarship. As James said, the goal is to “help move the needle a little bit.”
Courtesy of San Antonio Express-News; Photo: Jose Arredondo/Contributor
Northeast Bridge Builders board members Jazz Holland, Alan Sanchez, Darnell Barnes, James Carlos and Johnathan Smith pose at the second hole during the organizations third annual Golf Classic Tournament at Windcrest Golf Club.
This year, Bridge Builders raised nearly $8,000 and awarded two Roosevelt seniors each a $2,000 scholarship.
In a San Antonio Express-News article following the event, James was quoted regarding Bridge Builders’ future efforts, saying: “Our goal next year is to have five scholarship recipients. We’ve all gone on to do some great things in lives so let’s use what we’ve learned over these last few years and put the kids in our community in better position to thrive.”
For more information regarding James’ relationship with Bridge Builders, read “James McFall Rallies Support for Upcoming Golf Classic and Scholarship Contest in ‘San Antonio Living’ Interview.” To view the San Antonio Living interview, visit News4SA’s “Support local students with a round of golf.” Also, the full article about the Third Annual Golf Classic and Scholarship Essay Competition can be found on San Antonio Express-News’ “Former Roosevelt student-athletes raise $8,000 with their annual golf tournament.”
In his practice, James focuses on entertainment, media, First Amendment, sports, and complex commercial litigation. He has represented clients in federal and state courts Texas and California. Since 2015, James has co-chaired the ABA’s First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition, an annual competition which is designed to introduce minority law students to the practice of media law and to prominent members of the media bar.
May 2019
‘San Antonio Woman’ Spotlights Julia Mann
In an article featuring women attorneys who believe that advocating for their clients and supporting other women in the legal field go hand in hand, San Antonio Woman spotlighted Julia W. Mann as she celebrates the 25th anniversary of her legal practice and her marriage, as well as her recent position as managing partner of Jackson Walker’s San Antonio office.
“Challenges are opportunity, an opportunity to learn, to grow and to succeed,” she said. “If there were not challenges out there, then my clients would not need me. My best days are when I have faced a difficult issue and come up with a solution.”
As an experienced litigator, Julia Mann helps clients solve their problems in crisis situations. Whether it is a dispute with a customer, a supplier, an employee or even their own business partner, Julia utilizes her knowledge of the client’s industry combined with the avenues for dispute resolution to reach an outcome consistent with the client’s business goals. Representing clients on both sides of the docket, she has appeared in matters in 40 counties across Texas and Oklahoma.
For insights about Julia’s milestone year, read Jackson Walker’s “‘San Antonio Woman’ Spotlights Julia Mann in “Women in Law: Raising the Bar” Profile As She Celebrates a Milestone Year.” To view her profile in San Antonio Woman, read “Women in Law: Raising the Bar,” which was showcased in the magazine’s May/June 2019 edition.
