Overview
Troy Van Dongen focuses his practice on the resolution of state and local tax (SALT) controversies through negotiation and litigation. He advises clients across the country in a variety of state and local tax matters, including income, franchise, sales, and use taxes, and he has a particularly strong background in property taxation.
Troy’s experience includes a wide range of industries, including: manufacturing and software; banking and finance; biotechnology; hospital management; non-profit organizations; commercial office leasing; solar and geothermal power production; lodging; education; security services; oil and gas; telecommunications; paper manufacturing; and sports and entertainment. He also counsels clients on the tax consequences of new forms of communications technology and the unique tax challenges in the telecommunications industry.
He is also a member of our legal cannabis industry group. Our Cannabis Industry group is a multidisciplinary team of lawyers providing clients with regulatory, litigation, intellectual property, trade and tax services with respect to their investments and participation in the cannabis industry, all subject to the Firm’s obligations under federal and state laws and bar licensure rules.
Results
- Secured appellate court victory upholding costs and attorney fee award following a trial court victory involving a property tax assessment*
- Secured a substantial property tax refund in case involving legal and valuation issues related to the client’s biotech property*
- Secured significant reduction in the assessed value of a major league ballpark before the local assessment appeals board*
- Secured significant reduction in the assessed value of a national hockey league arena before the local assessment appeals board*
- Successfully resolved hundreds of property tax disputes throughout California involving both real and personal property*
- Resolved, on favorable terms, disputes with California and local officials involving corporate and individual income tax disputes with the Franchise Tax Board; sales and other miscellaneous tax disputes with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration; gross receipts and other miscellaneous locally imposed taxes and fees in various jurisdictions throughout the state*
- Active participant in the rulemaking process at the California Board of Equalization and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott
Recognitions
- Chambers USA, Band 2 in Tax: State & Local, 2012 – 2024
- Best Lawyers in America, Tax Law, San Francisco, 2025
- Legal 500 US, Recommended 2019 and 2023
- California Lawyers Association, 2021, Benjamin F. Miller Award
Community
- American Bar Association’s Tax Section, member
- Bar Association of San Francisco’s Tax Section, member
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration Director’s Advisory Council, member
- California Lawyers Association—Section on Taxation, Executive Committee, Past Chair
- California State Bar Association, member
- Institute for Professionals in Taxation’s Property Tax Section, member
- Marin County Assessment Appeals Board, Past Chair
- Taxation Committee of the United States Council for International Business, member
- Washington State Bar – Section on Taxation Member
Credentials
Education
Golden Gate University School of Law, JD, 1998
San Francisco State University, BS, 1991, cum laude
Admissions
California
Washington
Courts / Agencies
US Supreme Court
US District Court for the Central District of California
