"Karl is invaluable to me. His guidance was integral and indispensable in starting my business. I recommend him without hesitation. His legal knowledge is matched only by his positive can-do outlook. AA rating in my book!"

Karl A. Weiss  Principal

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Practice Emphasis

Recognized by Seattle magazine as a Top Lawyer, Seattle Business Monthly magazine as a Best Business Lawyer, Washington Law & Politics magazine as a Rising Star, as well as Washington Super Lawyers magazine and Seattle Met magazine as a Top Lawyer, Karl focuses on general business and corporation law with a heavy emphasis on federal and state taxes.  Working with business clients of all sizes and at different stages of their development, he cultivates a team approach with the client’s financial and other professional advisors to strategize for growth and identify solutions that address the client’s legal, tax, and operational issues.

Representative transactions include the statutory merger of closely-held commercial mortgage broker business, an IRC section 368(a)(1)(D) divisive reorganization of a manufacturer’s representative business, and the stock acquisition of a specialized construction firm with an accompanying Internal Revenue Code section 338(h)(10) election.  In addition, he has significant experience with Washington excise taxes and related audit appeals, as well as Internal Revenue Service collection and appeals issues.

Prior to joining Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson, Karl was a manager with a big-four accounting firm in its state and local tax consulting practice, where he assisted Fortune 500 clients, middle market businesses, and emerging growth companies in tax and strategic planning.

During law school, Karl served on the Willamette Law Review, was a member of Inns of Court (mentored by Oregon Supreme Court Justice Wallace P. Carson), and clerked for the five Magistrates of the Oregon Tax Court.

As a competitive swimmer, Karl was nationally ranked in the 100-meter butterfly, competed in two United States Olympic Swimming Trials, and was part of a medley relay that set a YMCA National Age Group Record. As a member of the Pacific Northwest Association Masters swimming team (Mercer Island Redwoods), he recently placed first and third in separate events at the U.S. Masters Swimming National Short Course Championships.

Practice Areas

Education

  • LL.M. (Taxation), New York University 
  • Juris Doctor, Willamette University  
  • Accounting Technician, Northern Arizona Institute of Technology 
  • Bachelor of Arts (Behavioral Science & Law), University of Wisconsin-Madison 
  • The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ

Representative Cases

  • Examples of transactions include a statutory merger of a closely-held commercial mortgage broker business, an IRC § 368(a)(1)(D) divisive reorganization of a manufacturer’s representative business, and a stock acquisition of a specialized Subchapter S construction firm with an accompanying Internal Revenue Code § 338(h)(10) election.
  • In addition, he has significant experience with Washington excise taxes and related audit appeals, as well as Internal Revenue Service collection and appeal issues.

Bar Admissions

  • Admitted to U.S. Tax Court 
  • State of Washington

Publications

  • Contributing Author, Washington Bar Association “Washington Partnership and Limited Liability Company Deskbook” (2010)

Professional & Civic

  • Seattle Met magazine Top Lawyer (business/corporate law) 2011, 2012 
  • Washington Super Lawyers magazine (business/corporate law) 2010, 2011, 2012
  • Washington Law & Politics magazine, Rising Star, 2008 and 2009 
  • Cambridge Who's Who ( business attorney)
  • Seattle Business Monthly magazine (tax Law) 2007
  • Seattle magazine, Top Lawyer (tax law) 2007
  • Admitted to U.S. Tax Court
  • Washington State Bar Association, Taxation Section
  • Northwest Entrepreneur Network, Seminar Committee 

Presentations

  • "LLC Workshop: Choose, Draft and Maintain," National Business Institute (2012)
  • "Advising Small Businesses (Tax Primer)," King County Bar Association (2012)
  • "Drafting LLC Agreements: Essential Skills and Hands-On Training," National Business Institute (2011)
  • Advising Small and Mid-Sized Businesses, King County Bar Association (2011)
  • "Executing out of the Rebound," Vistage International All-City Event (2011)
  • "Forming and Converting to LLCs," National Business Institute (2010)
  • Contributing Author, Washington Bar Association, Washington Partnership and Limited Liability Company Deskbook (2010)
  • "To LLC or Not to LLC," Northwest Entrepreneur Network (2004 and 2006)