Brian Dethrow
Practice Areas
Experience
- Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)
- Family Office
- Family-Owned Business
- International Taxation
- Qualified Opportunity Zone Representation
- Renewable Energy
- Tax Controversy & Litigation
- Transactional Tax Planning
Biography
Brian Dethrow focuses his practice on tax and business planning for the Family Office and complex corporate, partnership, family, and inter-generational transactions.
Brian has broad experience with innovative tax and business planning with a particular focus on closely held business and Family Offices. His clients have ranged from Fortune 500 to very large family-controlled businesses, as well as the families who own them. His clients include some of the largest and most sophisticated Family Offices in the country, as well as funds for real estate, qualified opportunity zones, private equity and hedge funds. He counsels on international tax, especially for very wealthy cross-border families, and estate, charitable and business succession for all the above.
Education
B.A., with high honors, University of Texas at Austin
- Plan II Honors Program
- Phi Beta Kappa
J.D., Harvard Law School
Bar Admissions
Texas
- Develop U.S. tax credit investment program for private multi-billion dollar international bank client and Fortune 500 company
- Extensive tax credit work, both in the renewables and the oil and gas space (e.g., carbon sequestration)
- Income and estate/gift tax planning for multi-billion dollar private companies and their owners
- Income tax planning for Family Office tax reduction, qualified opportunity zone gain rollover
- Create and structure funds used in real estate and private equity space
- Business and succession planning, transfer of wealth and control
- Tax controversy work for large privately held business and their families
- Charitable giving, through the use of private foundations and public charities
- Complete restructuring of multi-billion dollar family holdings in line with succession, asset and matrimonial protection and wealth generation for G4
- Develop Multi-Family Office investment structure used in deals involving billions of value, in many industries, onshore and offshore
- Facilitate the tax-free transfer of billions of value in private companies among generations of family owners
- Create tax-advantaged generational transfer of intellectual property for $500 million family
- Develop Mexican / US cross-border entry point for billionaire foreign nationals in their estate planning
- Complete restructuring of large multi-generation Family Office and its oil, real estate, and equities holdings
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Tax Law, 2011-2025
- “Best Lawyers in Dallas” List, D Magazine, 2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2016, 2018-2025
- Texas Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2011-2012, 2020-2024
- Rated AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
Publications
- Co-Author, “Tax Benefits of Investing in QOFs: A New Tax Shelter Approved by Congress!” (February 2019)
- Co-Author, “Treasury Releases Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) Guidance” (October 25, 2018)
- Author, “Qualified Opportunity Zones” (July 2018)
Speaking Engagements
- “ACPEN Signature: 2020 Real Estate Taxation after Tax Reform,” The Accounting Continuing Professional Education Network (ACPEN) (June 2020)
- “QOZ Update—COVID Disaster Declarations Make QOZ Even More Taxpayer Friendly,” American Academy of Attorney-CPAs (May 5, 2020)
- “Qualified Opportunity Zones: The “Dirt” on Tax-Driven Real Estate Development,” UT Law’s 23rd Annual Land Use Conference (April 2019)
In the News
- “Multifamily project with QOZ bend headed to The Cedars,” Dallas Business Journal (February 16, 2022)
- “Remember the Trump tax cut? Here’s how it might benefit low-income areas in Dallas,” Dallas News (September 20, 2018)
- “Q&A With Jackson Walker’s Brian Dethrow,” Law360 (December 10, 2013)
Professional
- American Bar Association
- Texas Bar Association
- Dallas Bar Association
Civic and Philanthropic
- Texas Federal Tax Institute, Board
- Harvard Club of Dallas – VP Schools, Co-Chair, Schools Committee
- UT Southwestern, Presidents Research Council
- Dallas Foundation, Advisory Council
- Southwestern Medical Foundation, Advisory Board
April 25, 2025
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates 21 Attorneys Named Among 2025 “Best Lawyers in Dallas” List
Jackson Walker congratulates the 21 attorneys recognized among D Magazine’s list of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” for 2025. For recognition in the list, Dallas attorneys must be nominated by their peers on the basis that they offer unmatched counsel in one of 40 categories.
September 17, 2024
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates Its “Texas Super Lawyers” of 2024
Jackson Walker proudly announces the selection of 71 attorneys to Thomson Reuters’ 2024 “Texas Super Lawyers” list.
Each year, less than 5% of attorneys in Texas are named to the list. Selection is based off of peer nominations that are then reviewed by a research team. Each nominee is evaluated on his or her professional accomplishments, peer recognition, and community involvement.
August 15, 2024
Attorney News
‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Features 306 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2025 Edition, Including 9 “Lawyers of the Year” and 75 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 306 Jackson Walker attorneys across 81 specialty practice areas in its 2025 edition, including 9 Lawyers of the Year and 75 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (75 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (55 attorneys) and the addition of 27 attorneys as Best Lawyers.
April 19, 2024
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates 23 Attorneys Named Among 2024 “Best Lawyers in Dallas” List
Jackson Walker congratulates the 23 attorneys recognized among D Magazine’s list of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” for 2024. For recognition in the list, Dallas attorneys must be nominated by their peers on the basis that they offer unmatched counsel in one of 40 categories.
September 19, 2023
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates Its “Texas Super Lawyers” of 2023
Each year, less than 5% of attorneys in Texas are named to the list. Selection is based off of peer nominations that are then reviewed by a research team. Each nominee is evaluated on his or her professional accomplishments, peer recognition, and community involvement.
August 17, 2023
Attorney News
‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 287 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2024 Edition, Including 12 “Lawyers of the Year” and 80 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 287 Jackson Walker attorneys across 5 offices and 82 specialty practice areas in its 2024 edition, including 12 Lawyers of the Year and 80 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (66 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (60 attorneys) and the addition of 35 attorneys as Best Lawyers.
April 25, 2023
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates 24 Attorneys Named Among 2023 “Best Lawyers in Dallas” List
Jackson Walker congratulates the 24 attorneys recognized among D Magazine’s list of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” for 2023. For recognition in the list, Dallas attorneys must be nominated by their peers on the basis that they offer unmatched counsel in one of 40 categories.
April 19, 2023
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Expands Tax Group With Addition of Aaron Pinegar
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the addition of Aaron Pinegar as a partner in the Dallas Tax practice. Joining from a Baltimore-based law firm, Aaron concentrates his practice on U.S. federal income tax matters for a wide range of business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, tax-free reorganizations, spin-offs, financings, restructurings, and tax incentive transactions.
Clients who count on Brian for their transactional and tax planning include some of the largest private enterprises in the country. Brian also represents many of the wealthiest individuals in the country – and their Family Offices — on tax planning; succession planning; charitable giving, through the use of private foundations and public charities. Clients regularly seek Brian’s advice and help to:
- Create innovative Family Office structures for maximizing investment expense deductibility and generational transfer of wealth and control
- Develop an innovative qualified opportunity zone (QOZ) practice as a first adopter counsel
- Extensive work in renewable energy / tax credit space (wind, solar, carbon sequestration (43, 45Q))
- Frontier development of double- and triple-qualifying tax-motivated funds—QOZ, carbon sequestration/45Q, and 1202/Qualified Small Business Stock
- Multi-billion dollar combinations/dispositions of family-owned businesses
- Offshore tax restructuring of billion-dollar medical technology company, patent box, licensing arrangements
- Create numerous private equity fund structures, tax planning for their founders, tax planning for acquisitions/dispositions of their portfolio companies
- Develop complex offshore structure for largest equipment distributor in the U.S.
- Multi-jurisdiction Family Office work for international tax driven changes to tax jurisdictions
- Develop U.S. tax credit investment program for private multi-billion dollar international bank client and Fortune 500 company
Practice Experience
- Develop U.S. tax credit investment program for private multi-billion dollar international bank client and Fortune 500 company
- Extensive tax credit work, both in the renewables and the oil and gas space (e.g., carbon sequestration)
- Income and estate/gift tax planning for multi-billion dollar private companies and their owners
- Income tax planning for Family Office tax reduction, qualified opportunity zone gain rollover
- Create and structure funds used in real estate and private equity space
- Business and succession planning, transfer of wealth and control
- Tax controversy work for large privately held business and their families
- Charitable giving, through the use of private foundations and public charities
- Complete restructuring of multi-billion dollar family holdings in line with succession, asset and matrimonial protection and wealth generation for G4
- Develop Multi-Family Office investment structure used in deals involving billions of value, in many industries, onshore and offshore
- Facilitate the tax-free transfer of billions of value in private companies among generations of family owners
- Create tax-advantaged generational transfer of intellectual property for $500 million family
- Develop Mexican / US cross-border entry point for billionaire foreign nationals in their estate planning
- Complete restructuring of large multi-generation Family Office and its oil, real estate, and equities holdings
Recognition & Accolades
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Tax Law, 2011-2025
- “Best Lawyers in Dallas” List, D Magazine, 2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2016, 2018-2025
- Texas Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2011-2012, 2020-2024
- Rated AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
Publications & Speeches
Publications
- Co-Author, “Tax Benefits of Investing in QOFs: A New Tax Shelter Approved by Congress!” (February 2019)
- Co-Author, “Treasury Releases Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) Guidance” (October 25, 2018)
- Author, “Qualified Opportunity Zones” (July 2018)
Speaking Engagements
- “ACPEN Signature: 2020 Real Estate Taxation after Tax Reform,” The Accounting Continuing Professional Education Network (ACPEN) (June 2020)
- “QOZ Update—COVID Disaster Declarations Make QOZ Even More Taxpayer Friendly,” American Academy of Attorney-CPAs (May 5, 2020)
- “Qualified Opportunity Zones: The “Dirt” on Tax-Driven Real Estate Development,” UT Law’s 23rd Annual Land Use Conference (April 2019)
In the News
- “Multifamily project with QOZ bend headed to The Cedars,” Dallas Business Journal (February 16, 2022)
- “Remember the Trump tax cut? Here’s how it might benefit low-income areas in Dallas,” Dallas News (September 20, 2018)
- “Q&A With Jackson Walker’s Brian Dethrow,” Law360 (December 10, 2013)
Community Involvement
Professional
- American Bar Association
- Texas Bar Association
- Dallas Bar Association
Civic and Philanthropic
- Texas Federal Tax Institute, Board
- Harvard Club of Dallas – VP Schools, Co-Chair, Schools Committee
- UT Southwestern, Presidents Research Council
- Dallas Foundation, Advisory Council
- Southwestern Medical Foundation, Advisory Board
Areas of Focus
Clients who count on Brian for their transactional and tax planning include some of the largest private enterprises in the country. Brian also represents many of the wealthiest individuals in the country – and their Family Offices — on tax planning; succession planning; charitable giving, through the use of private foundations and public charities. Clients regularly seek Brian’s advice and help to:
- Create innovative Family Office structures for maximizing investment expense deductibility and generational transfer of wealth and control
- Develop an innovative qualified opportunity zone (QOZ) practice as a first adopter counsel
- Extensive work in renewable energy / tax credit space (wind, solar, carbon sequestration (43, 45Q))
- Frontier development of double- and triple-qualifying tax-motivated funds—QOZ, carbon sequestration/45Q, and 1202/Qualified Small Business Stock
- Multi-billion dollar combinations/dispositions of family-owned businesses
- Offshore tax restructuring of billion-dollar medical technology company, patent box, licensing arrangements
- Create numerous private equity fund structures, tax planning for their founders, tax planning for acquisitions/dispositions of their portfolio companies
- Develop complex offshore structure for largest equipment distributor in the U.S.
- Multi-jurisdiction Family Office work for international tax driven changes to tax jurisdictions
- Develop U.S. tax credit investment program for private multi-billion dollar international bank client and Fortune 500 company