When You’re A Thievin’ Texas Lawyer, You Can Steal $3.4 Million Dollars and Just Resign. No Criminal Charges Recommended.

LIT’s Question for the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Bar

Has Thief and Texas Lawyer William “Bill” Davis Been Indicted?

 LIT: OCT 11, 2021

On June 15, 2021, the Supreme Court of Texas accepted the resignation, in lieu of discipline, of WILLIAM P. “BILL” DAVIS [#05564000], of Dallas.

At the time of Davis’ resignation, there were two pending matters against him alleging professional misconduct.

COMPLAINT 1 – PATTY WEDDING

Davis created a life insurance trust agreement for the complainant’s husband, with Davis listed as trustee.

In October 2018, the complainant’s husband died, and Davis collected the life insurance benefits.

From November 2019 to March 2020, Davis made several distributions to himself and depleted the account.

Davis did not disclose to the complainant that the funds had been spent.

The complainant demanded an accounting, but Davis did not provide one.

After the complainant filed the grievance, Davis wired $200,000 to the complainant on July 27, 2020.

COMPLAINT 2 – STEPHANIE ALBA

In the second pending matter, the complainant hired Davis in 2000 for advice on tax, real estate, investment, and asset protection.

Davis misappropriated $2.116 million in investment principal and withheld $1,281,162.50 in interest payments.

Davis falsified or attempted to falsify government documents to justify his inability to return funds to the complainant or explain the status of her investments.

Davis purported to obtain a mortgage loan for her from a bank, but Davis made that loan from his IOLTA at a higher than market rate.

Davis was actively suspended from law practice and required to notify clients of his suspension by March 15, 2018.

Davis did not notify the complainant of that suspension.

Davis’ statements regarding his compliance with the agreed judgment of partially probated suspension as set forth in his letter to the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel’s compliance monitor and its attached affidavit were false.

Davis violated Rules 1.04(a), 1.06(b)(2), 1.08(a), 1.14(a), 1.14(b), 1.14(c), 8.04(a)(3), 8.04(a)(7), and 8.04(a)(11).

THIEVIN’ DALLAS LAWYER BILL DAVIS (83) STEALS $3.4 MILLION AND GETS TO RESIGN WHEN HE SHOULD BE IN JAIL AND DISBARRED.

Sentencing Guidelines

See; Smith v. State, No. 01-12-00661-CR, at *18 (Tex. App. Dec. 19, 2013)

Appellant committed three first-degree-felony offenses. The statutory range of punishment for a first-degree-felony offense is confinement for 5 to 99 years, or life, and a fine not to exceed $10,000. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. 12.32 (Vernon 2011). Appellant received the maximum fine; however, the evidence at trial showed that appellant’s offenses involved stealing over $1.3 million from her employer for whom she had worked for many years in a position of trust.

The jury assessed confinement in each of the three offenses at 25 years, 20 years, and 20 years, respectively, to be served concurrently.

The punishments assessed are within the statutory range for each offense and are nearer to the minimum period of confinement available under the statute.

William P. Davis
T: (469) 375-4553
F: (469) 533-1945
wdavis@davislegal.com

EDUCATION

J.D., SMU Dedman School of Law
B.A., Vanderbilt University

BAR ADMISSIONS

Texas

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Member, State Bar of Texas, Taxation and Criminal Justice Sections
Member, American Bar Association, Tax Section (Committee on Civil and Criminal Penalties, Chairman of the Attorney-Client and Constitutional Privileges Sub-Committee) and International Law Section
Member, Federal Bar Association, Taxation Section
Member, The College of the State Bar of Texas
Member, Dallas Bar Association
Member, Dallas Bar Foundation
Member, Planned Giving Advisory Council, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Member, Planning Committee, UCLA Extension Annual Tax Controversy Institute
Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member, International Tax Planning Association

HONORS AND AWARDS

Martnindale-Hubbell AV Rating

Mr. Davis’s practice focuses on sophisticated income tax and estate tax planning, trust planning, asset protection, charitable planning, and probate. He also has extensive experience in tax controversy matters, handling federal and state taxpayer examinations, appeals, civil and criminal tax litigation, and other contested tax matters in state and federal courts.

He is a frequent speaker at various national and international institutes, seminars and meetings on estate and trust planning, domestic and international tax controversy, and tax compliance matters, including multinational filing requirements (FBAR filing requirements), international audit representation, and administrative law matters.

Mr. Davis graduated from Culver Military Academy, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University, attended Vanderbilt University Law School during his senior year at Vanderbilt University, and received his Juris Doctor degree from SMU Dedman School of Law in Dallas.

Prior to entering the practice of law, Mr. Davis served as a trust officer and later as chairman of the trust departments and tax counsel for two Dallas national banks.

Mr. Davis is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas, the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, the U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

He is an active member of the State Bar of Texas – Taxations and Criminal Justice Sections, American Bar Association – Tax Section (Committee on Civil and Criminal Penalties, Chairman of the Attorney-Client and Constitutional Privileges Sub-Committee) and International Law Section, and Federal Bar Association – Taxation Section. He is also a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bar Association, the Dallas Bar Foundation, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the International Tax Planners Association.

Mr. Davis is a member of the Planned Giving Advisory Council of The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia founded by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife,, Rosalyn. He is also a member of the Planning Committee for the UCLA Extension Annual Tax Controversy Institute.

The Martindale-Hubbell peer review ratings system recognizes Mr. Davis as an attorney with an AV preeminent rating, which means that his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence.

Hinton represented Davis in his first Disciplinary Matter.

Charged with professional misconduct, state, or federal criminal conduct?
Trust the value of Robert Hinton’s legal counsel, mastery of the courtroom and passion for criminal and professional defense.

State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, Member/Chair, 1979-1988
Former Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel

BILL AND SHEILA DAVIS ACT QUICKLY

REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS

NO SOONER THAN DAVIS RESIGNED IN APRIL 2021, HE IMMEDIATELY LISTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD HIS RESIDENCE IN JULY 2021 FOR AROUND $925K.

WAS THIS RESIDENTIAL HOME ACQUIRED BY FRAUDULENT FUNDS?

REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LIQUIDATED : DID THE SURPLUS CASH GO TOWARDS STEPHANIE ALBA’S RESTITUTION?

AS YOU CAN SEE, HE USES ALL HIS TAX PLANNING TRICKS TO ENSURE ALL HIS ILL-GOTTEN GAINS ARE HARDER TO ENSNARE – IF HE’S EVER GOING TO FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES. SHEILA D DAVIS (70) IS HIS SPOUSE.