Loader

Tax Law

At Taylor & Knight, our taxation practice has been an integral part of the firm’s history from its inception. Taylor & Knight attorney Dudley W. Taylor began his career as a Trial Attorney with the Internal Revenue Service District Counsel’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia in 1971, a role that served as a catalyst for his legal career.

Not only did Mr. Taylor’s experience working for the IRS lead him to a highly successful private practice in taxation, but it also helped him garner the attention of Governor Ned Ray McWherter when the Governor needed to appoint a new Commissioner of Revenue for the State of Tennessee in 1987. This opportunity allowed Mr. Taylor to serve his fellow Tennesseans through public service. Since turning his focus back to private practice, Dudley W. Taylor and the tax attorneys of Taylor & Knight have routinely assisted clients with tax problems in many contexts including tax planning, tax litigation and tax-exempt organization.

Our attorneys provide support to all types of tax-exempt organizations including assisting these organizations in becoming recognized as tax-exempt. Other assistance provided includes tax planning, audits and litigation with respect to unrelated business taxable income issues, intermediate sanctions, state franchise and excise taxes, sales and use taxes and property taxes, along with general day-to-day operation/organizational matters.

The attorneys of Taylor & Knight represent individuals and entities in all types of federal and state tax litigation. At the federal level, the attorneys of Taylor & Knight represent clients before and against the Internal Revenue Service with respect to personal income taxes, corporate taxes, estate and gift taxes, employment taxes and excise taxes and have litigated cases in the U.S. Tax Court and other federal courts.

At the state level, the attorneys of Taylor & Knight represent clients before and against the Tennessee Department of Revenue with respect to franchise and excise taxes, sales and use taxes, Hall income taxes and inheritance taxes and against the Tennessee Board of Equalization regarding property tax disputes.

Taylor & Knight’s tax planning practice encompasses tax planning at both the state and federal level. At the state level, this includes planning to minimize franchise and excise taxes, sales and use taxes, Hall income taxes, property taxes and inheritance taxes. At the federal level, this includes personal and corporate income tax planning, partnership and limited liability company tax planning, business succession and estate and gift tax planning, and employment tax planning.

What our clients are saying.

  • The law firm of Taylor & Knight helped me get the justice that I deserved from Knox County, Tennessee. After suffering a serious neck injury while incarcerated in the Detention Facility, Knox County and its staff completely ignored me as my symptoms got worse and worse. I was consciously ignored for over two months and was eventually diagnosed with broken vertebrae in my neck. I hired Jonathan Taylor to help me hold Knox County liable and accountable for my injuries. Even before the case started, Jonathan helped me with tasks that he didn’t have to spend time on. After a long legal battle, Jonathan won my case at trial and helped negotiate a favorable settlement with one of the individuals who consciously disregarded my obvious neck injury. When all was said and done, Jonathan and Taylor & Knight helped me recover close to three quarters of a million dollars. If you have been seriously injured by someone and need legal assistance, you should call Jonathan Taylor and the law firm of Taylor & Knight.

    Client

  • The law firm of Taylor & Knight has been an indispensable asset that I have had in my corner while serving as an East Tennessee Sheriff for the last five years. Taylor & Knight has represented me and my County on a number of cases with a great percentage of success. Early in my first term, Jonathan Taylor advised me on the pros and cons of taking a set of employment cases to trial that arose under the County’s former Sheriff. After taking hours to carefully detail what would come of each particular case, the County Commission decided to settle all of the cases in separate commission meetings. I am convinced that this decision ultimately saved my County tens of thousands of dollars that going to trial and risking an adverse judgment would have cost the taxpayers and citizens of my County. Although Taylor & Knight prides itself on being excellent trial attorneys, they also know when alternative dispute resolutions are in the best interest of their clients. I can say that I honestly look forward to having Taylor & Knight on my legal team while moving forward in my law enforcement career and would highly recommend them to any other county, individual, or business that is in need of any legal representation.

    Sheriff for East TN County

  • I have known the attorneys at Taylor & Knight for the better part of twenty years and I never hesitate to call on them for legal assistance and representation when my County or its employees or elected officials have been sued in various matters. All of the attorneys at Taylor & Knight are proven trial attorneys and true legal professionals that sincerely care about their clients.

    County Law Director

  • Jonathan Swann Taylor and the law firm of Taylor & Knight saved my business and my livelihood. After being sued as a subcontractor on one of my jobs, the future of my business was up in the air. As a small business owner, any extra money that must be spent to defend a lawsuit can be detrimental, let alone the three quarters of a million dollars that the business that sued me was trying to get. Jonathan traveled over five hours across the state of Tennessee to come defend my interests. After a masterful performance by Jonathan at trial, the case against me and my business was dismissed. Taylor & Knight literally saved my business. I have since used the services of Jonathan and Taylor & Knight on other legal issues and wouldn’t think twice about referring them to a family member or friend in need of legal assistance on any type of case in any courtroom across the State of Tennessee.

    Billy Davis

  • I have been fortunate to work with many fine attorneys over the past 50+ years of my career, and I can say with confidence that the firm of Taylor & Knight works to the absolute highest standards of competence and technical expertise. An invaluable resource to my own business, I've never hesitated to refer clients to this firm when they've needed legal advice or representation.

    Knoxville CPA

  • Not only have the attorneys of Taylor & Knight exceeded my expectations, but so have their staff. The Taylor & Knight staff is exceptional in providing quick, knowledgeable, and efficient responses to any question or concern that I have. Taylor & Knight’s staff doesn’t merely respond just to acknowledge that I had a question or concern; they always provide me with well-thought-out, knowledgeable information and they always do it in manner that is very kind and courteous.

    Client

  • I have personally worked with Jonathan Taylor and Arthur Knight of Taylor & Knight, GP for over ten years and can say unequivocally that they are two of the very best trial lawyers in East Tennessee. They are comfortable in all phases of litigation, but they particularly excel in front of a jury. My County has had numerous cases go to trial over the last ten years and they have won every single case that has been tried. They’ve achieved a successful outcome regardless of whether it was a civil rights or torts case, as well as whether it was in federal court or state court.

    Chief Jailer for East TN County

  • Taylor & Knight clearly understands the purposes, needs, and desired outcome of their clients and efficiently use their know-how and expertise from the beginning to the end of the legal process. The experience and results they provide are unmatched to any other lawyers in East Tennessee.

    Client

  • Arthur Knight and the attorneys at Taylor & Knight were invaluable in helping me through one of the most trying and difficult times of my life. After being illegally terminated because of my personal religious beliefs, I was devastated. Not only was I distraught over losing the job that I had worked so hard to obtain, but I was extremely anxious about whether I would be able to get my life back on track. Arthur and the law firm of Taylor & Knight took me through my case step-by-step and made the legal process very comfortable for me. After initially winning my case, but not satisfied with the lack of justice I had received, the attorneys at Taylor & Knight successfully appealed my case which resulted in me obtaining a new verdict that was six figures larger. Their hard fighting in the courtroom not only helped me recover for the harm done to me, but they also successfully made my former employer pay for all of my legal fees. Taylor & Knight’s representation was literally life changing. Having been thrilled with Taylor & Knight’s handling of several legal issues I’ve had over the years; I would not hesitate one second to refer any of my friends or family to them.

    De’Ossie Dingus

  • Dudley W. Taylor has served my business and my clients for more than 40 years. It's rare to find someone who balances his level of technical tax expertise with such an ease of communication. It's obvious that Dudley loves the work he does, and that has made working with him one of the great pleasures of my career.

    Harold E. Elkins, CPA

Ready to discuss your case?

Let us help you get the results you deserve.

Free Consultation