John McGown is an experienced tax attorney, with depth in a broad range of tax-related areas achieved through over 40 years of practicing law with Idaho’s oldest and largest law firm. He has taught graduate courses in estate planning, partnership tax, state taxation, tax-exempt organizations, and personal financial planning.
Also a certified public accountant, he has been a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel since 1997 and previously served as the Idaho State Chair.
A frequent lecturer, John McGown has conducted over 100 continuing education presentations to various professional groups.
John has served as Chair of the Section of Taxation of the Idaho State Bar and of the Idaho Tax Practitioner Liaison Committee (to the IRS). He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America by having been selected in (1) Tax Law and (2) Trusts and Estates annually since 2007. For 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021, he was selected as Boise Tax Law Lawyer of the Year. For 2018 & 2022, he was selected as Boise Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the year. John has been recognized by Super Lawyers, where he was selected in Tax (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022).
John was selected to receive the Distinguished Lawyer Award in 2014. It is the highest singular recognition bestowed upon any individual member of the Idaho State Bar. This award is given to an attorney (or attorneys) each year who has distinguished the profession through exemplary conduct and many years of dedicated service to the profession and to Idaho citizens.
For almost 20 years, John served as the column editor for “Tax Thoughts” in The Advocate, a monthly publication of the Idaho State Bar Association. He is the author of numerous articles in TAXES – The Tax Magazine, Taxation for Lawyers, State Tax Notes, the ACTEC Law Journal, The State and Local Tax Lawyer, The Journal of Taxation, The Advocate, The Journal of State Taxation, and the Idaho Law Review.
In his spare time, John enjoys being active outdoors and has completed 17 Races to Robie Creek (toughest half marathon in the West) and reached the Summits of McGown Peak and Mt. Borah, Idaho’s highest point.
Specialties: John McGown practices general tax law, estate planning, tax disputes, tax-exempt organizations, and probate law. John does not handle tax collection work.
Practice Areas
Education
Law School: University of Denver, LL.M., in Taxation, 1981, top five percent of class
University of Colorado, J.D., 1974
Undergraduate: University of Kentucky, B.S., Accounting, 1971
Community Activities
Law Day Volunteer, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
Pioneer Toastmasters 1990-2011, President 1991
Sunday School Teacher, 1998-1999, 2003-2004
Volunteer Mediator for Idaho State Bar Fee Dispute Program, 2003-present
Boise Senior Center Volunteer (Legal Advice, 2008, 2012, 2016-2020)
Professional Activities
Planning Committee for St. Luke’s Charitable Estate Tax Seminar, since 2001
Visiting Professor, University of Idaho College of Law, 2010
Adjunctive Faculty, University of Idaho College of Law, 2006, 2015
Adjunctive Faculty, Boise State University teaching Research in Federal Taxation, 1983
Associate Professor, Boise State University, 2000-2002 (graduate faculty)
Deputy District Attorney, Weld County, Colorado, 1975-1978
Certified Public Accountant: Colorado, 1975 (inactive); Idaho, since 1982
Bar Admissions
Idaho State Bar
Professional Memberships
Idaho State Bar Association, founding member and Chair 2008-2009 of Taxation, Probate, and Trust Law Section
Idaho Society of CPAs, Chair of the Personal Financial Planning Committee, 2007-2009
Idaho Tax Practitioner Liaison Committee (to the Internal Revenue Service) 2003-present, Chair 2007-2010, 2017 and Acting Chair 2014
Associated Taxpayers of Idaho, Executive Committee 1995-2002
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow, since 1997, State Chair 2017-2021
United Way of Ada County, Audit Review Panel 1986-1991
American Bar Association, Taxation Section
Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry
Idaho Community Foundation, Inc., member and outside counsel since 1990
Accomplishments
Recognized as Senior Statesman, Private Wealth Law in Idaho, Chambers and Partners, 2020. The Statesperson rating is given to attorneys who no longer work hands-on with the same intensity but who, by virtue of close links with major clients, remain pivotal to the firm’s success.
Distinguished Lawyer, Idaho State Bar, 2014; The highest singular recognition bestowed upon any individual member of the Idaho State Bar. This award is given to an attorney (or attorneys) each year who has distinguished the profession through exemplary conduct and many years of dedicated service to the profession and to Idaho citizens.
Super Lawyers-Tax Law, 2013-2022
Best Lawyers in America – Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year,” 2018 & 2022, Boise Tax Law and Trusts, and Estates, since 2007, “Boise Tax Lawyer of the Year”, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021.
Certified as an Estate Planning Specialist since 2010 by the Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc., an organization accredited by the American Bar Association.
Helped clients in having their individual income tax returns be accepted as originally filed (with no tax payable) after the IRS issued a “30-day letter” alleging back taxes, interest, and penalties in excess of $3.7 million
Visiting Professor, University of Idaho College of Law, 2010
Adjunctive Faculty, University of Idaho College of Law, 2006 and 2015
Associate Professor, Boise State University, 2000-2002 (graduate faculty)
Adjunctive Faculty, Boise State University teaching Research in Federal Taxation, 1983
Certified Public Accountant: Colorado, 1975 (inactive); Idaho, since 1982
Deputy District Attorney, Weld County, Colorado, 1975-1978
Articles & Publications
A frequent lecturer, John McGown has conducted over 100 continuing education presentations to various professional groups.
For almost 20 years, Mr. McGown served as the column editor for “Tax Thoughts” in The Advocate, a monthly publication of the Idaho State Bar Association. He is the author of numerous articles published in TAXES – The Tax Magazine, Taxation for Lawyers, The State and Local Tax Lawyer, The Journal of Taxation, The Journal of State Taxation, and the Idaho Law Review.
He was the Idaho correspondent for State Tax Notes, a national publication by Tax Analysts, 1993-2009 and 2017-2018. He served as editor of Idaho Tax Alert for over five years.
Idaho Author, The State and Local Tax Lawyer, 1996-2005.
Co-author: “State Taxation of Trusts and Their Beneficiaries When There Are Multiple State Contacts,” Journal of State Taxation, 2001.
“Major Charitable Gifts – How Much Control Can Donors Keep and Charities Give Up?” Journal of Taxation, 1999.
“Individuals Escape Penalties for Failure to Amend Incorrect Federal Tax Returns,” 24 Idaho Law Review 234, 1988.
Column Editor, Tax Thoughts, The Advocate, 1984-2003. Co-author: “The Evolution of Powers of Attorney in Idaho: What a Practitioner Needs to Know About Their Advantages, Limitations and How to Use Them.” The Advocate (Journal of the Idaho State Bar Association), Vol. 55, No. 8, pp. 26-32 (2012).
J.McGown, Jr., How Idaho Reduced Tension Between Auditors and Tax Officials, State Tax Notes, October 8, 2018, pp. 129-135 (2018)
