Karl A. Weiss

Principal

Practice Areas

Corporate & Business Law • Estate Planning, Probate, and Private Wealth Services • Tax Law

Contact

(206) 654-2425

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Attorney bio

Practice Emphasis

With over 20 years of experience and 250+ merger/acquisition transactions (ranging up to $120M), Karl provides comprehensive legal and tax counsel, personalized to all types of closely held and family businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest. Drawing upon a significant federal and state tax background, he enjoys assisting clients with choice of entity and formation, governance and operating agreements, employment and compensation plans, service agreements, as well as business dissolutions, succession planning, mergers/acquisitions, and advanced estate/tax planning. Utilizing a team approach, he works closely with the clients’ other professional advisors.

Prior to joining Lasher Holzapfel Sperry and 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 Chief Justice Wallace P. Carson) and clerked for the five Magistrates of the Oregon Tax Court.

Education

New York University

LL.M. (Taxation)

Willamette University

Juris Doctor

Northern Arizona Institute of Technology, Flagstaff, AZ

Accounting Technician

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Bachelor of Arts (Behavioral Science & Law)

The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ

Recognition & Activities

Recognized with “Lawyer of the Year” award in Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law in the United States by The Best Lawyers in America^®
Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America^® in the practice areas of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Tax Law
Super Lawyers magazine Washington (business/corporate law)
Managing Principal, Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson PLLC, 2019, 2020
Seattle Met magazine Top Lawyer (business/corporate law)
Washington Law & Politics magazine, Rising Star
Seattle Business Monthly magazine (tax law) 2007
Seattle magazine, Top Lawyer (tax law) 2007
Admitted to U.S. Tax Court 2008
Washington State Bar Association, Taxation Section
Past Director, Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club
Past Director, Bellevue International School PTA
Past Committee Member, Northwest Entrepreneur Network
Division I NCAA swimming – Big-Ten finalist and school record holder at University of Wisconsin- Madison
Division I NCAA swimming – team captain, school record holder, New England Intercollegiate champion, Boston University
U.S. Swimming – Nationally ranked 100m Butterfly / competed in two U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials
U.S. Masters Swimming National Short Course Champion (free relay)
YMCA National Age Group record holder (relay)

Representative Work and Cases

IRC 368(a)(1)(F) Reorganization and conversion of existing corporation to limited liability company for tax-deferred rollover treatment in sale transaction
Represented separate gaming and/or software companies in sale transactions to private company/public company.
Assisted professional engineering firm from formation to $20M in revenue and ultimate sale to public company.
Stock acquisition of a specialized construction firm with an accompanying IRC Section 338(h)(10) election (stock sale treated as asset sale).
Reorganization of a manufacturer’s representative business pursuant to IRC Section 368(a)(1)(D) (split off), when owners failed to agree on future course of business.
Equity participation plans and other non-qualified employee incentive plans in light of IRC Section 409A (deferred compensation).

Publications & Presentations

Contributing Author – Washington Partnership and Limited Liability Company Deskbook” (3^rd Ed. 2020 and 2^nd Ed. 2010), Washington State Bar Association
Co-Author – “Estate Planning for Timber Families,” Northwest Woodlands Magazine
“Favorably Negotiate Complicated Business Contracts with Strategic Tools,” National Business Institute
“Splitting up Businesses (in a divorce),” The Seminar Group
“Limited Liability Companies,” National Business Institute
“Tax Opportunities and Issues for the LLC,” National Business Institute
“LLC Workshop: Choose, Draft and Maintain,” National Business Institute
“Drafting LLC Operating Agreements,” National Business Institute
“Tax Primer for Business Attorneys,” King County Bar Association
“To LLC or not to LLC,” Northwest Entrepreneur Network

I have worked with Karl on a variety of business matters since 2007. He has provided consistently good service, in a timely manner, since our first conversation. He has helped with a variety of complex contracts, business formation and other matters. Going beyond just providing expert legal support, his advice has been invaluable in the growth of our business. I highly recommend Karl.

—Sean - via AVVO

[Karl] provided legal support to my firm from Start-up (2008) through Sale/Acquisition (2022). We started with one employee and grew to 100 employee firm. Karl did an exceptional job throughout our tenure. He was always available and became a trusted advisor to the President.

—Dennis O. - via Best Lawyers

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