Profilo
Shail Shah has been helping clients address California tax problems for more than 15 years. His clients range from Fortune 25 companies to high-net-worth individuals. He focuses his practice on complex California tax planning and representation in front of the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), California Department of Taxation and Fee Administration (CDTFA), Office of Tax Appeals (OTA), Board of Equalization (BOE), and various administrative and judicial adjudicating forums at both the state and local levels. He provides advice on both proactive residency planning and residency audit defense.
Shail’s experience includes working as an attorney at the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB). He utilizes his experience to attempt to turn audits into potential refund opportunities, using tax assessments as openings to persuade state agencies that his clients may be due refunds.
Shail is an Executive Committee member of the Tax Section for the California Lawyers Association (CLA).
Competenze
Esperienze Professionali - Attività Accademiche
- Secured over $50 million from the California FTB for a Fortune 25 client by resolving over almost 10 years of audits by identifying refund opportunities through settlement and maximizing overpayment interest for the client.°
- Settled a complex tax shelter case with the California FTB despite strong precedent against the client’s case.°
- Assisted a large energy client with quickly filing a complaint in California Superior Court to secure a full refund for overpaid sales and use taxes.°
- Navigated numerous clients through California’s complex voluntary disclosure program both at the FTB and CDTFA.°
- Assisted M&A clients on California tax issues both on buy-side and sell-side transactions.°
- Represented numerous clients in front of the FTB’s protest and settlement units, the CDTFA’s appeals board, and the OTA.°
- Fully abated discretionary penalties imposed by the FTB by arguing the FTB failed to follow specific procedural steps required by law.°
- Formulated taxpayer-friendly methodologies for foreign investment interest offset (FIIO), business income determinations from treasury investments, and unique receipts for sales factor purposes.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Shah prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
- Tax Counsel III, California Franchise Tax Board, 2010-2012
- Tax Manager, EY, 2007-2010
- Associate and Managing Director, Andersen Tax, 2006-2007; 2012-2018
Riconoscimenti e Premi
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2025
- Tax Law
- Litigation and Controversy - Tax
- Executive Committee Member, California Lawyers Association (CLA), Taxation Section
- Board Member, Advisory Board, California Office of Tax Appeals
- Board Member and Executive Committee Member, Justice and Diversity Center, Bar Association of San Francisco
- Member, State Bar of California
Formazione
- LL.M., Taxation, University of San Diego School of Law
- Laurea magistrale in Giurisprudenza, University of San Diego School of Law
- Diploma di maturità, University of California, Los Angeles
- California
- Gujarati, Colloquiale