A View from Meadows Collier

Join Joel Crouch for his conversation with Annie McGinnis. Ms. McGinnis grew up in Frisco, TX, graduating from Centennial High School. When she graduated there were four (4) high schools in Frisco, TX now there are twelve (12) high schools in Frisco, TX. Ms. McGinnis joined the firm as a lawyer in 2019 after being admitted to practice law in Texas in 2018. She attended Texas A&M University receiving her B.S. in Political Science, magna cum laude, in 2015. After graduating, she continued her education at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law receiving her J.D., magna cum laude, and Order of the Coif, in 2018. She then moved to New York to attend New York University School of Law receiving her LL.M. in Taxation in 2019. Upon graduating from NYU, she joined the firm. Find out what transpired during her college years that led her down the career path to become a lawyer as well as why she chose the colleges she attended. While in New York, she lived in a 424 sq. ft. apartment (aka a shoebox). Hear what her favorite things to do were while living in New York when she had time. After receiving her LL.M. in Taxation, she knew she wanted to come back to Texas to start her legal career. She knew of Meadows Collier and the firm's reputation from the law schools that she attended and the professors that she had while attending several law schools. She determined in her second year of law school that she had an interest in partnership tax, corporate work, reorganizations and mergers and acquisitions. Learn what her favorite and least favorite activities are about practicing law, what she attributes her success to and her advice to new, young lawyers.

Joel Crouch sits down and talks with firm lawyer, Cari B. LaSala, whose practice areas include Commercial Litigation, White Collar and Government Regulatory Litigation, and Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets. Cari spent a portion of her childhood outside of New Orleans, LA before moving first to Austin and then to the Houston area, graduating from Austin High School in Sugar Land, TX. After high school, she attended the University of Texas McCombs School of Business earning her B.B.A., with honors, in Management and Consulting. In her junior year of college, she found herself at a crossroads, considering whether she wanted to pursue a career in teaching or to continue her career path to become a lawyer. Ultimately, she and her fiancé (now husband) were both accepted to the College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law. She talks about her clerkships, both in the U.S. and abroad, and the judges she has had the pleasure to work for. After clerking, she began her career with a small litigation boutique in Dallas where her practice included commercial litigation and pharmaceutical product liability. She was with this firm for six years before joining Meadows Collier. She reflects on changes she has seen since COVID and discusses her favorite and least favorite things about the practice of law. Learn her best advice to a new lawyer, as well as what she attributes her success to: skill and hard work or luck.

Join Joel Crouch for his conversation with Jana Simons, attorney in the firm's Estate Planning group. Jana was born and raised in Aubrey, TX. Hear her stories about growing up on a horse ranch with parents who were horse trainers. She talks about the types of horses that were bred, raised, and trained at the ranch as well as the defined roles of the family members to maintain and run the family business. Jana began her college journey at TCU and then transferred to UNT where she received her undergraduate degree in Finance. Hear about several other career choices she considered along the way. After graduating from college, she spent nine years helping run the family horse business and then decided it was time to try something different. She moved to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech where she received her master’s degree in financial planning and her Law degree. From there she continued her education in DC attending Georgetown receiving her LL.M. in Tax. Hear about her mentors that helped guide her legal education and her employment choice to join the firm. After five years of practicing law find out what her favorite and least favorite things are and how much of her success she attributes to hard work, luck, or both. When she is not practicing law, you can find Jana enjoying her passion for horses. She is still involved in the family horse business focusing on buying, developing, and selling horses with her sister and mother.

Anthony Daddino talks with Joel Crouch about Meadows Collier being the only firm where he has practiced law his entire career. Joel has been with the firm for almost 35 years building his legal practice in the areas of IRS controversies, tax planning and estate planning. Discover a little bit about his childhood, his college years including how he chose to become a lawyer, and what he enjoys about practicing law. Joel talks about some of the cases he has tried, including a few criminal cases early in his career with Mr. Meadows, a 5th Circuit argument, being admitted to the Supreme Court and watching a firm case tried in front of the Supreme Court. Last but not least, listen to Joel talk about some office pranks over the years and his exceptional taste in special occasion suits.

Joel Crouch and Firm Partner, Brian Spiegel have an interesting conversation about how he went from working towards a career in sports journalism to practicing tax law. He talks about his favorite sports teams that he began following when he was a young boy. Brian's college education started in Arizona and after his first year, he returned to Texas going to school at UT in Austin. He spent time in college writing about various sports events and he became the News and Sports Director at an Austin Radio Station while in college. After receiving his Bachelor of Journalism degree, he decided to apply his math and analytics expertise to becoming a lawyer. He moved to Dallas to attend law school at SMU Dedman School of Law and then furthered his education at NYU School of Law receiving his LL.M. in Tax. He clerked for a Tax Court judge for almost two years in Washington, DC and then joined the firm. Find out about his law practice, how and what has created change in his practice and his advice to young lawyers just starting to practice law.

Joel Crouch talks with Firm Partner, Alex Pilawski about his journey into practicing law. Alex started practicing in 2010, joined Meadows Collier in 2013, and focuses on state tax controversy and litigation, state tax planning, and commercial litigation. Hear about where Alex grew up, his background, and education. Learn what his favorite and least favorite things are about practicing tax law, how he sees things have changed in the 13 years of his practice, what he attributes his success to, and his advice to young lawyers.

Firm Partner, Joel Crouch sits down with one of the newest firm partners, Damon Rowe, who joined the firm in March of 2022.  Mr. Rowe's areas of practice with the firm include White Collar Crime, Tax Controversy, Government Regulatory Litigation, and Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets.  Joel talks to Damon about his education and what led him to become a tax lawyer. Mr. Rowe spent 24 years of his legal career with the IRS.  His first position with the IRS was as a Special Agent and he finished his IRS career as Executive Director of the Office of Fraud Enforcement.  Hear him talk about the types of crimes and investigations he was involved in at the IRS.  He attributes some of his business success to, "being in the right place at the right time" and to having great mentors.  Hear what he likes best and what he likes least about practicing law as well as his best advice to someone wanting to be a lawyer.

Joel Crouch sits down for a conversation with Stephen Beck. Mr. Beck has been with the firm for 17 years. He joined the firm in 2005 and became a partner in 2011. He attended the University of Texas and earned his BBA, with high honors, in 1995. He also attended the University of Texas School of Law earning his J.D., with honors, in 1998. After law school, he moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked at one of the nation's premier litigation firms and attended Georgetown University School of Law earning his LL.M. in Taxation, with distinction, in 2000. He remained in Washington, DC for five years practicing tax law and then returned to Texas with his family and joined Meadows Collier. From an early age, Steve knew he wanted to be a lawyer. His first year of law school was tough and he wasn't sure what type of law he wanted to practice but after taking several tax courses, he discovered taxes impact all business decisions. As a tax planning lawyer, Steve works with entrepreneurs, privately-held companies, individuals buying and selling businesses and is involved with cross-border transactions involving taxpayers owning businesses outside the U.S. Mr. Beck enjoys problem-solving, especially difficult tax problems that clients are uncertain how to treat. His favorite thing about practicing law is the relationships he develops and his least favorite thing about practicing law is billable hours and the housekeeping items associated with a law practice. He attributes the success of his practice to caring about his clients and colleagues. Hear Steve's best advice to new lawyers and whether he thinks his law practice is successful due to his hard work, luck or both.

Joel Crouch talks with firm partner, Kristen Cox about how she earned a spot on a famous game show during High School when she was 17-18 years old and what she did with her winnings.  Kristen determined she wanted to be a lawyer at a very young age and she thought she wanted to be a litigator.  Find out how a two-year clerkship turned her interest from Litigation to a Corporate and Real Estate practice.  She feels luck played a role in her joining the firm 15 years ago.  With great mentors and excellent teachers at the firm who allowed her to participate in all stages of various transactions, she has developed a very rewarding practice.  Find out what her favorite and least favorite things are about practicing law as well as one thing  she believes has changed the most in the last 15 years of her law practice.

Join Joel Crouch as he sits down and has a conversation with Michael (Mike) A. Villa, Jr. about growing up in Louisiana, his heritage, including living through Hurricane Katrina, his education, and practicing law. Mike is a 7th generation New Orleans native. Both his father and uncle were lawyers and this was something he always wanted to do. He was very interested in politics and initially thought he would have a career that focused on law and politics. Ultimately, he decided to stay on the lawyer path. Mike joined a New Orleans law firm in August of 2005 and then Hurricane Katrina hit later that same month. His entire family lost their homes as much of New Orleans was totally destroyed. He began working out of the Lafayette office of his firm and worked many hurricane-related matters. Mike decided to go to NYU to obtain his LL.M. in Tax in 2007. New York was a cultural shock for him. Mike had already taken the LA and TX bar examines back-to-back. For personal reasons and the business climate, he came to Texas. He joined Meadows Collier in 2007 and quickly began working on tax shelter cases. Currently, his practice is 60-75% criminal tax, and he sees civil inquiries too on his cases from the government. Listen to Mike and Joel discuss how the practice of law has changed since 2007, and finally Mike's advice to anyone who is thinking about becoming a lawyer.