Raymond Brooks Whitehead

I am a partner at Murphy Austin, practicing in the firm’s Real Estate, Corporate and Business, and Tax and Estate Planning Teams. As evidenced by my work with each of these practice groups, I have substantial breadth and depth of experience in transactional matters, which allows me to bring a holistic approach to representing my clients.

I frequently assist clients with complex real estate transactions relating to the purchase and sale of real property (including real estate financing) and the formation of entities used to acquire real property (such as partnerships and LLCs). I also represent landlords and tenants seeking to lease or ground lease commercial, industrial, and retail space (with a particular focus on office and medical office leasing).

My business/corporate practice includes assisting clients in matters related to choice of entity, formation, and governance; mergers and acquisitions; and contract negotiation and drafting. I have advised and represented entities of all forms and types, including for-profit and nonprofit.

My tax background further bolsters my real estate and business/corporate practice, as I am fluent in matters of partnership, corporate, income, property, and sales and use tax. I also have experience with estate/gift tax and complex estate planning.

I am a former Chair and Board member of the Tax Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association (SCBA), and participate in the Tax, Business, and Real Property Sections of the SCBA.

I serve on the Board of Directors for PBS KVIE Public Television in Sacramento, and currently hold the position of Secretary on the Board’s executive committee. I am also co-commissioner/founder of “The League of Extraordinary Professionals” – a fantasy football league whose participants commit to making a charitable donation to the cause selected by each year’s league champion.

I received my law degree (J.D.) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where I was named a member of the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society. I also hold a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Transnational Business Practice from McGeorge, where my coursework emphasized taxation (including production of a master’s thesis regarding tax planning with IC-DISCs). I received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from California State University, Sacramento, and double-majored in Economics and Political Science while at the University of California, Davis.

I have been named a Rising Star by Northern California Super Lawyers for five consecutive years (2015-2019).