Robert Wayne Olson Jr

Robert Wayne Olson Jr

also known as Robert W. Olson, Jr.

5.0
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 41 years

Mergers and acquisitions Lawyer at Santa Barbara, CA
Practice Areas: Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate & Incorporation, Real Estate, Mediation

California, 21 East Carrillo Street #210, Santa Barbara, CA

About Robert

Biography

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Mergers and Acquisitions 65%

Professional practice & business transitions: includes sales & purchases, partnerships and associations, commercial property sales & purchases, commercial leases, and related tax matters.

36 years | 1,400 cases

65%
Corporate and Incorporation 17%

Corporate and LLC consultation, formation and dissolution; corporate maintenance; and related tax consultation. Primary work is with dental, medical, construction, and small business corporations.

40 years | 800 cases

17%
Real Estate 17%

Drafting and/or review of dental office leases (with or without buildout) and dental real estate sale contracts (% excludes lease work in mergers & acquisitions). I also work with other medical and business real estate sales and leases.

40 years | 1,500 cases

17%
Mediation 1%

I help disputing parties listen to each other, gain perspective and understanding, appreciate the benefits of settling vs. litigating, negotiate in good faith, and collaborate with each other, to reach a mutually satisfying solution.

4 years

1%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Sometimes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Tennessee for 19 years

State: Tennessee

Acquired: 2007

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Texas for 25 years

State: Texas

Acquired: 2000

Eligible to Practice in Texas

No misconduct found

Licensed in California for 41 years

State: California

Acquired: 1984

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of Robert Wayne Olson Jr

California, 21 East Carrillo Street #210, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101

Texas (out of state)

3610 Josey Lane, Carrollton, TX, 75007

Tennessee (out of state)

10 Cadillac Drive, Brentwood, TN, 37027

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Robert Wayne Olson Jr's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

213 Client Reviews

5 star (210) 4 star (3)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by anonymous | December 7, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Practice purchase

Bob helped me when others couldn’t. I hired him at the last minute to represent me through a dental practice purchase and lease negotiation while we were in the middle of due diligence and lease contingencies. Despite the short notice, Bob was always available, responsive, and extremely knowledgeable.... He negotiated the lease terms strongly in my favor and coordinated efficiently with my team — all in a short amount of time. What impressed me most was his old-fashioned accessibility — he actually answers the phone, listens carefully, and takes the time to address every concern personally. Bob streamlined the entire process in such a smooth way that even a control-oriented person like me could feel completely comfortable and confident. I highly recommend him to anyone needing a skilled, reliable, and genuinely caring attorney.

Posted by anonymous | November 3, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Detail Oriented and Responsive

I recently worked with Bob for the sale of my dental practice, which I’ve owned for over 25 years, as well as the sale of my dental commercial building. He was extremely professional, detail-oriented, and responsive throughout the entire process. He provided excellent advice and handled communicat...ions seamlessly with the buyer’s attorney and CPA, helping everything move forward smoothly. He was always punctual, courteous, and friendly, making a complex transaction much less stressful. I truly appreciate his expertise and dedication — I highly recommend Bob to any dentist or professional looking for a knowledgeable and reliable attorney for practice or real estate transactions.

Posted by anonymous | October 24, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Dental Practice and Real Estate Purchase

We’ve worked with Bob Olson twice over the past five years for two separate dental practice acquisitions, and both experiences were outstanding. Bob guided us through every step of the process — from navigating complex bank transactions to reviewing and explaining detailed real estate documents. H...e even went beyond expectations by researching lease rate comparisons for our building and negotiating independent contractor terms for us. His professionalism, responsiveness, and deep understanding of dental practice transitions made everything seamless. We truly couldn’t have done it without him. Highly recommended!

Posted by Narges | October 9, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

I had an absolutely awesome experience!

A true gentleman, professional, smart, caring, fast, with reasonable fee for services.

Posted by anonymous | September 19, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Fantastic Incorporation Experience

Mr. Olson made incorporating my dental practice as seamless and easy as possible. He was very helpful and answered any question I had!

See All Client Reviews

Robert Wayne Olson Jr's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Robert
Matthew Odgers headshot
Matthew Odgers

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer | Feb 14

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I have worked with Bob Olson on a few different occasions and consider him to be an expert on dental transactions and dental related matters. He is very responsive and his attention to detail is second to none."

Levi Barlavi headshot
Levi Barlavi

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer | Dec 29

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I've had the pleasure of working on the opposite side of Bob on numerous dental practice sale transactions. As a competitor, he sets the bar high. Bob takes professional pride in his work product (such cannot be said of most transactional attorneys), is a tough but fair negotiator, and continues to improve his craft. I place a high value on these traits and have sharpened my skills as a result of working opposite him. If I cannot represent a client due to a conflict, I won't hesitate to refer them to Bob as I know the client will be well represented with his counsel."

Timothy A. Follett headshot
Timothy Follett

Estate planning lawyer | Dec 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Robert Olson's reputation as the top attorney in California for transferring dental practices is well deserved. I have relied on him to review estate planning documents that I have drafted, and I have been very satisfied with his insightful feedback."

Eric William Burkhardt headshot
Eric Burkhardt

Business lawyer | Jun 17

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have known Robert Olson as an attorney for over 25 years. I completely endorse Mr. Olson and have successfully referred many matters to him. He is smart, creative and ethical and he charges reasonable fees."

Robert Jay Gall headshot
Robert Gall

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer | Jan 02

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I worked opposite Mr. Olson on a dental practice stock/goodwill buyout. He presented ideas that I hadn't considered and was very professional, eminently competent, and collegial in his approach to the transaction."

Abraham P Mathew headshot
Abraham Mathew

Corporate and incorporation lawyer | Aug 10

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"My dentist client was involved in a dispute with an extremely uncooperative partner and required specific information regarding his continuing obligations to patients, potential dental board claims and related matters. The goal was to avoid litigation as litigation costs would easily eclipse the value of the amount at issue. I called Robert and from the inception found him to be extremely personable and knowledgable. He provided concise advice as well as general guidelines on how best to address the current conflict. Glad to find another attorney that gets it!! It is all about client service. I highly recommend him."

Michael Dimmitt Magidson headshot
Michael Magidson

Contracts and agreements lawyer | Jul 30

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I worked opposite Bob on a dental practice transition partnership transaction and found him to be very professional and detail-oriented. He is very knowledgeable in his representation of dentists and was a strong advocate for his client. He certainly knows how to get a deal done, and done right."

Brian Mitchell Rowland headshot
Brian Rowland

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer | Feb 02

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Robert contacted me to serve as local counsel on the purchase of a dental practice in Florida. He is thorough, thoughtful and experienced. He definitely understands the nuances in the purchase and sale of dental practices and I have learned a lot from him in the process that I would not naturally learn in the conduct of the purchase or sale of an ordinary business (as I am accustomed). He also is an excellent communicator, keeping the client fully informed of the process and the reasoning behind his and my advice to the client."

Bradford Dozier Brown headshot
Bradford Brown

Contracts and agreements lawyer | Feb 17

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I have known Bob for a number of years as a transactional and corporate law attorney. I would unequivocally recommend Bob for all business matters, including formation, sales, incorporations, and other contracts."

J. David Huhs headshot
J. David Huhs

Contracts and agreements lawyer | Jan 28

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I worked with Mr. Olson on the sale of a dental practice. I found him to be very knowledgeable and experienced in handling these types of transactions. He works very efficiently, yet still pays attention to details and renders a quality work product. I highly recommend him to medical professionals and others in need of a contract attorney"

Ryan Andrew Brown headshot
Ryan Brown

Business lawyer | Jan 10

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Bob invited me to work with him as his Virginia local counsel on a medical practice sale transaction. His experience and efficiency in medical and dental practice sales are unparalleled. It was a pleasure working with him as a fellow attorney, and I will recommend his services to any of my clients who are selling their practices in the future."

Henry Joseph Bongiovi headshot
Henry Bongiovi

Business lawyer | Dec 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer's work. I have known Bob since appoximatley 1997. During that time I have worked with Bob on various mattes for common clients. Bob is very detalied oriented, conscientious, and thorough. He is also extremely knowledgable. Nothing is left to chance, and nothing slips through the cracks when Bob is putting together a tranaction. Consequently, he is the perfect transactional and business attorney. I have exclusively referred all transactional and business matters, including, but not limited to, incorporations, creation and dissolution of partnerships, and LLC work, among other things, to Bob. I have never received any negative feedback about Bob from any of my clients. Most tellingly, I would (and do) trust Bob with my own business transactions and often rely on his sound advice in business matters. Again, I would wholeheartedly recommend Bob for any of my clients' transactional or business needs."

Victoria Lindenauer headshot
Victoria Lindenauer

Business lawyer | May 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Bob for many years and have had the pleasure to refer clients to him, as well as to consult him myself. Bob is sharp, thorough and a clever strategist! He leaves no stone unturned in developing customized recommedations for any individuals and businesses in need of advice and action. Bob has a naturally curious and competitive spirit, and this causes him to go above and beyond to help those he serves. He is also very tech-savvy, which gives him access to resources other more old-school attorneys might not be taking advantage of. I recommend him with no reservations."

View All Endorsements
Nicholas Anthony Behrman headshot
Nicholas Behrman

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer

Levi Barlavi headshot
Levi Barlavi

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer

Mark Tristram Coffin headshot
Mark Coffin

Construction and development lawyer

Barry H. Josselson headshot
Barry Josselson

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer

Eric William Burkhardt headshot
Eric Burkhardt

Chapter 11 bankruptcy lawyer

Warren Edward Worth headshot
Warren Worth

Real estate lawyer

Danielle Louise Schlaufman McBride headshot
Danielle McBride

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer

Robert Jay Gall headshot
Robert Gall

Mergers and acquisitions lawyer

Michael Dimmitt Magidson headshot
Michael Magidson

Contracts and agreements lawyer

Juan Alejandro Reyes headshot
Juan Reyes

Criminal defense lawyer

Brian Mitchell Rowland headshot
Brian Rowland

Business lawyer

Bradford Dozier Brown headshot
Bradford Brown

Personal injury lawyer

Ryan Andrew Brown headshot
Ryan Brown

Contracts and agreements lawyer

J. David Huhs headshot
J. David Huhs

Contracts and agreements lawyer

Henry Joseph Bongiovi headshot
Henry Bongiovi

Employment and labor lawyer

Victoria Lindenauer headshot
Victoria Lindenauer

Personal injury lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2025

Practice Transition Document Copyrights (2013-present), United States Copyright Office

2025

AV® Preeminent™ Rating (since 2009), Martindale-Hubbell®

2025

Clients' Choice Award (since 2012), Avvo®

2025

#1 Client Reviewed Attorney: Mergers & Acquisitions (since 2011), Avvo®

2025

#1 Client Reviewed Attorney (Comm) Real Estate (since 2010), Avvo®

2025

#1 Client Reviewed Attorney: Corporate & Incorp. (since 2011), Avvo®

2022

Legal Award Winner - Business Law - USA (since 2021), Financial Monthly

2021

Southern California’s Top Rated Lawyers (since 2012), Corporate Counsel® & the Los Angeles Times

2020

San Francisco Area’s Top Rated Lawyers (since 2012), Corporate Counsel® & the San Francisco Chronicle

1998

Trademark Registration (TransDental®), US Patent & Trademark Office

1984

Highest Honors: First Amendment, USC Law School

1983

Highest Honors: Sex Discrimination, USC Law School

1977

Honors Program in Mathematics, Dartmouth College

Work Experience

1990 - Present

Attorney, Robert W. Olson, Jr., APC

1987 - 1990

Attorney, Seed Mackall & Cole

1984 - 1986

Attorney, Byrum Kimball Carrick Koontz & Crear

Associations

2014 - Present

Practice Valuation Study Group

Member

2009 - Present

United States Supreme Court

Admitted

2007 - Present

State Bar of Tennessee

Member

2000 - Present

State Bar of Texas

Member

1989 - Present

US Tax Court

Admitted

1985 - Present

US District Court (CA Southern)

Admitted

1984 - Present

State Bar of California

Member

1984 - Present

US District Court (CA Central)

Admitted

1984 - Present

US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

Admitted

1998 - 2014

California Dept. of Real Estate (Real Estate & Business Broker)

Licensed

1993 - 1997

Santa Barbara County Medical Legal Society

Chairman

Sample of Legal Cases

Non-Deductible Stock Purchase 80% Converted to Deductible Goodwill Purchase

Buyer saves an estimated $120,000 in taxes over 15 years.

Hidden IRS Lien Discovered before Purchase Closed

Seller's undisclosed and undiscovered $264,000 IRS lien against his dental practice was then discovered by my unusual request for a 2nd lien search. Seller refused to pay the IRS despite contract requirements, so my client didn't buy the practice.

Dental Practice Purchase - Seller Died Prior to Signing Contract

Closed the sale in 40 days (not 6 months).

Successful Lease Negotiation

Successfully proposed a creative solution to a sublease problem.

Obtained Retroactive $1M Generation Skipping Tax Exemption

The IRS accepted the retroactive claim, saving the heirs $550,000 in estate taxes.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1984

University of Southern California Law School

JD - Juris Doctor

1981

Dartmouth College

AB - Bachelor of Arts

N/A

USC Tax Institute

Annual Meeting: Continuing Legal Education

Speaking Engagements

2019

The Road to Practice Ownership

The Complete Roadmap to Practice Acquisition

2016

PVSG Annual Meeting (San Francisco)

Negotiation Theory

2016

Bench & Bar Conference, SB County Bar Association

When the Referee Dies: Psychology Considerations in Estate Planning & Administration

2014

San Fernando Valley Dental Society - Job Fair

Associateships & Partnerships

2014

San Fernando Valley Dental Society - Job Fair

Associateships - a Legal and Pragmatic Perspective

2013

CDA & Bank of America: Practice Support - Buying and Selling

Tax Comparison: C vs. S corporations

2013

CDA & Bank of America: Practice Support - Buying and Selling

Enforceability of Post-Sale Anti-Competitive Covenants

2004

CHW Education Series

Worker's Compensation Reimbursements

1999

SBCH Quarterly Education Meeting

Medical Collections: Assignment Criteria

1999

CHW Education Series

Medical Collections: Personal Injury Liens

1998

CHW Education Series

Medical Collections: Private Pay, 3rd Party Liens, Estate Claims

1997

CHW Education Series

Worker's Compensation Reimbursements

1995

CHW Education Series

Internal Revenue Code Section 1014: Step Up in Basis

1995

CHW Education Series

Worker's Compensation Reimbursements

1993

Radiological Business Managers Association

Medical Collections: Private Pay, Workers Comp, 3rd Party Liens

1992

SB County Medical Legal Society Meeting

Medical Collections: The Seven Categories

Publications

2022

2022

Santa Barbara Lawyer Successful Business Partnerships

2018

2013

1996

Santa Barbara County Bar Ass'n Journal Compensation to Physicians Providing Medical Testimony or Records

1995

Santa Barbara County Bar Ass'n Journal Post Medi-Cal Liens: Physician and Attorney Rights and Responsibilities

Languages

English

Activity

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