Cindy Ohlenforst

Cindy Ohlenforst advises businesses on tax issues at every stage, from deal work to litigation to legislative initiatives. As part of her national state and local tax (SALT) practice, she helps businesses manage state and local tax exposure as she guides clients through day-to-day decisions, administrative and judicial controversies, and influencing and implementing legislative and policy changes. Based in Dallas, she advises clients nationwide, including in the energy, e-commerce, technology, broadcasting, transportation and airline industries.

Cindy's tax controversy work includes administrative proceedings and litigation and involves multistate and local tax issues on a national basis, including income, sales, franchise, property, hotel and other taxes. She has successfully defended clients in class actions brought by taxing authorities and worked with taxpayers on bet-the-company tax controversies.

Her transactional work includes planning transactions, working on economic incentives and negotiating contracts, allowing her to address tax issues as transactions take shape and help taxpayers focus on how to save money through careful planning and drafting.

Cindy also brings a policymaking perspective to her practice. She handles tax-related legislation and policy initiatives in various states, drafting legislation and testifying before legislative committees. She has worked alongside legislators to draft laws in jurisdictions around the U.S., including drafting multiple provisions of the Texas Tax Code.

A frequent speaker, she has presented at the Council on State Taxation (COST) annual meeting and to the American Bar Association (ABA), State Bar of Texas advanced tax programs, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and numerous continuing legal education (CLE) and industry events.

Before joining Holland & Knight, Cindy was an attorney at a global law firm. She graduated first in her law school class and served as a leading articles editor for the Southwestern Law Journal (now SMU Law Review). Her combination of controversy, transactional and legislative experience enables her to help clients understand how tax rules are written and applied – and how to challenge overreaching statutes and rules.