The 2016 Joanne M. Garvey Award Acceptance Speech
| Publication year | 2017 |
| Author | By Hon. Marshall Whitley (Ret.) |
By Hon. Marshall Whitley (Ret.)
Thank you all and good afternoon.
It goes without saying that my selection as this year's recipient of the Joanne M. Garvey Award is quite gratifying and ego boosting. It is the ultimate "ATTABOY"! When I look over the list of past recipients I am deeply honored and humbled to be included among them. I have great admiration and respect for each of them personally and for their accomplishments.
I am particularly happy to follow last year's recipient Martin Schainbaum - because in many ways Marty helped me get started here in California. I first met him briefly when I was a trial attorney at the Department of Justice in D.C. around 1981 or '82. It was at a very provocative panel presentation of called "Tax Litigation in the 80's" that he had organized in conjunction with Golden Gate University's LL.M. Tax Program. A couple of years later I relocated to San Francisco and in my networking efforts soon contacted Marty to take him to lunch.
At the end of our lunch he leaned over to me and said, "Marshall my practice is so busy that I don't have time to continue teaching my federal tax procedure class. How would you like to take it over?" I immediately said yes, and I am here today to tell you that 32 years later I am still there toiling away and he is independently wealthy. Go figure.
As you know, this award is given to a senior member of the CA tax bar to recognize lifetime achievement and outstanding contribution in the field of tax law whether in private practice, teaching, or government service. My professional biography is a matter of public record on the websites of Golden Gate University ("GGU"), ADR Services Inc., American Arbitration Association, Facebook, LinkedIn, and who knows maybe even Wikileaks, so I will not bore you with the details.
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Like many of you here today and the past recipients of this award my tax career path pretty much fits the mold: obtaining an LL.M. in Tax, government tax work in D.C., private practice, teaching in an LL.M. Tax program, committee work with the ABA Tax Section, service on the Executive Committee of this Tax Section, and doing presentations for bar related educational programs. But my story departs from the typical tax attorney track beginning about 23 years ago. The year was 1993 and that was the last time I was at this podium speaking to this group. You see that was quite a pivotal year for me. In a word, it was HUGE!
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