Back to Search Results

Palmer, Meadows & Howell, LLC

2170 Highland Avenue South
Suite 115
Birmingham, AL 35205
Map

Phone: (205) 352-9764 | Fax: (888) 329-1286
http://www.birmingham-attorney-al.com

Alabama Tax and Business Law Attorneys

Types of Cases
Firm Focus & History
Practice & Philosophy
Office Information
Fees

Legal Topic

Business Law

Sub-Topics

Bankruptcy - Commercial

Reorganizations & Restructuring
Workouts

Business Entity Formation

Business Successions
Buying & Selling
Closely Held Businesses
Corporations
Directors' & Officers' Liability
Franchising
Joint Ventures
Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures
Nonprofits & Tax-Exempt Corporations
Partnerships
Professional Corporations
Public Offerings
Shareholders' Rights
Trade Associations

Business Tax

Audit Defense
Corporate Income Taxes
Excise Taxes
International Taxes
IRS Disputes
Negotiating Payments & Settlements
Property Taxes (Ad Valorem Taxes)
Sales Taxes
Tax Evasion Defense
Tax Filing & Compliance

Collections

Garnishees
Judgments

Commercial Law

Breach of Contract
Contract Disputes
Contract Drafting & Review
Employment Contracts
Franchises
International Transactions
Non-Compete Contracts
Secured Transactions
Uniform Commercial Code
Warranties

Consumer Law

Lemon Law

International Law

International Taxation

Number of Attorneys

State Licensed In

Alabama

Firm Focus

Our firm's primary focus is on the practice of tax law. Our Alabama tax attorneys assist individuals with resolving their federal or state tax debts. The available options for debt resolution depend largely upon whether we are dealing with the Internal Revenue Service or the Alabama Department of Revenue. Regardless of which entity has assessed the debt, our I.R.S. tax attorneys work with our clients to develop an individualized approach so that we can work toward a customized solution that is tailored to your specific needs.
Our practice also extends to several areas of law which are related to tax law, including asset protection, business law, and estate planning. We also work with clients in the areas of criminal defense and bankruptcy. Although our primary focus is tax law, our goal is to provide a comprehensive set of legal services so as to satisfy all of our clients' legal needs.

Firm History

Palmer, Meadows & Howell, LLC, was established in 2009 by Ian Palmer, Taylor Meadows, and Brad Howell. The firm was created in order to fill the noticeably underserved area of tax law. Within Birmingham, and in Alabama in general, we noticed that there were very few I.R.S. tax attorneys who assisted individuals with their federal and state tax debts. As a result, the three of us decided to create a law firm which would service the needs of those individuals who have found themselves in the unfortunate situation of owing taxes from previous years.

Example Cases

We have previously worked with several serving members of the military who, unfortunately, had been assessed with past due taxes while they were away on active duty status. We were able to work with the Department of Revenue in order to review and reduce the assessed amounts. In one particular case, we were able to obtain the necessary documentation that allowed us to completely remove the debt of a military member.

Many of our clients are individuals who start up small businesses. Due to the complexity of local, state, and federal tax codes, many business owners are unaware of specific tax liabilities, or are otherwise unsure of how to calculate and report their tax liabilities. This often leads to mistakes on submitted tax returns, which in many cases we have been able to rectify with the Department of Revenue or IRS. We pride ourselves in being able to resolve these tax debts so that the business can move forward with its operations and become financially successful.

Other clients have come to us because their employer indicated that they were an independent contractor by submitting Form 1099 to report their wages to the Alabama Department of Revenue. These individuals were not aware that, as an independent contractor, they were responsible for withholding and paying taxes to the state and federal governments. As a result, they were hit with unexpected tax debts. We have been able to set up reasonable installment agreements for our clients so that they can begin to pay off any tax debts that they legitimately owe without putting an unnecessary strain on their finances.

Many individuals contact us via our website just to submit questions, which we are more than happy to answer. We've assisted individuals with a variety of legal topics, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, divorce decrees, alcohol related offenses, federal evidentiary hearings, and the First Time Home Buyer Credit, amongst others. Regardless of the nature of the issue, we feel that it is important for our clients to be fully informed.

What is your firm's point of view regarding clients educating themselves on legal issues?

We think that it is very important for clients to know the legal ramifications of their actions, and to be aware of various laws that may affect their day to day lives. When it comes to educating yourself, however, you may be creating a lot of room for error. Unfortunately, the practice of law contains a lot of legal jargon that is often undecipherable to the general public. Attorneys spend years in school to translate legal terms, and even after the schooling is completed, we are still required to stay up to date on changes in the law by means of continuing legal education seminars. We highly suggest to anyone with a legal question to contact us so that we can assist you. We will answer many basic questions via e-mail or over the telephone, but if your particular legal situation requires in-depth analysis, then you are more than welcome to schedule a free one hour consultation with us.

Are your attorneys willing to review documents prepared by clients?

We are more than happy to review previously created legal documents for our clients. We can review various contracts, agreements, forms, etc., that have been created by attorneys, employers, government agencies, or other entities. We would advise, however, that a person who is attempting to create a document on his or her own should seek the advice of an attorney before creating the document. Your specific situation will determine what type of document is needed, how it should be drafted, when it should be drafted, etc., so you should consult with an attorney to prevent yourself from wasting your time by creating an incorrect or legally insufficient document. Furthermore, some documents are far too complex for a non-attorney to create. If you would like an attorney to review an existing document, or if you would like legal advice regarding the creation of a new document, then please feel free to contact us.

Are your attorneys willing to coach clients who want to represent themselves?

There are a variety of judicial and administrative proceedings at which individuals could represent themselves. Municipal court and tax audits are two specific situations which usually do not require any sort of legal knowledge that would make self-representation impossible. However, this largely depends upon the complexity of the case and the steps that are necessary to resolve the legal issue. On several occasions, we have advised potential clients that their tax debt was small enough and that the issue was simple enough for them to resolve the issue on their own. Our firm offers a free one hour consultation so that you can discuss your legal issue with an attorney at no cost in order to determine the best way to solve your legal problem.

Are your attorneys willing to help a client with one discrete part of a case, without taking on the whole case?

This would largely depend upon the nature of the case. For any sort of in-court representation, it is practically impossible to allow the client to handle one aspect of the case while the attorney handles another. Due to the very nature of the legal profession, most instances in which a client is being represented before a court or administrative agency require specific legal knowledge that is presented by an experienced attorney.

With tax debt resolution, however, there is a chance that the client may be able to essentially handle parts of their own case. The client is in a unique position in that they have access to financial records and documents concerning their own personal or business affairs. As such, the collection and submission of these documents can often be handled by the client themselves. Even with this approach, we still strongly suggest that the client submit the documentation to us for two main reasons. First, we can review the documentation to ensure that it is something that would be acceptable for submission. Second, the documentation that is submitted often requires an accompanying form, with which our attorneys are much more familiar than the client would be. Nonetheless, we are very willing to work with our clients so that they can take an active role in the resolution of any legal issue they may have.

What are your policies about dividing work among the firm's partners, associates, and paralegals to make the process most cost-effective for the client?

Our firm utilizes a detailed record keeping system which keeps every attorney, clerk, paralegal, and secretary in our office up to date on the current status of our clients' cases. Although our clients typically deal with only one attorney throughout the course of their case, all of our attorneys have the ability to pick up a case file, review our detailed notes, and pick up where the last attorney left off. It is in this manner that we can ensure that, no matter what time you call or visit, we can guarantee that there will be an individual able to assist you with your individual case.

We also allocate the workload in such a manner that the cost for our clients is reduced. Many times, simple forms or memos need to be completed. Instead of having an attorney bill at their higher rate for a task that a less experienced individual could do, we often give these tasks to our secretaries, paralegals, and clerks. This allows our attorneys to focus on more legally intense issues, while saving our clients money at the same time.

How frequently does your firm use mediation, arbitration, or collaborative law to resolve cases?

Due to the nature of the majority of cases we handle, our firm does not typically use mediation, arbitration, or any other form of collaborative law to resolve a case. However, our goal is to provide the most cost-efficient legal solutions to our clients as possible. If we are able to negotiate a settlement instead of pursuing a costly litigation, then we certainly will speak with the client regarding the possibility of negotiating.

Does your firm provide pro bono legal services or otherwise participate in your community?

Our attorneys are registered as available appointed counsel for various courts, including municipal courts, family courts, and probate courts. This allows us to serve those indigent individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford an attorney. Our attorneys are also certified as guardian ad litems for Alabama Circuit Courts, and thus are able to protect the interests of minors and mentally incompetent individuals who are involved with various legal court proceedings.

What distinguishes your law firm from others?

Our firm focuses on tax debt resolution, which places us in a very select group of Alabama law firms; very few attorneys focus on this particular practice. This type of legal practice exemplifies our concern for our clients, as we actively sought to fill this underserved niche market. We pride ourselves in making information readily available to our clients so that they thoroughly understand the administrative and judicial processes that they are experiencing. It is this concern and care for our clients that places our firm in a class of its own. We take our fiduciary capacity as attorneys very seriously, and we understand that individuals are placing their trust in our abilities when they retain our services.

Fax

(888) 329-1286

Office Hours

By appointment only.

Emergency After Hours

Yes

Foreign Languages

German and French.

Fixed-Price Services and Fees

Our firm offers several legal services for a onetime payment that is referred to as a "flat fee." This gives our clients peace of mind that their legal issues will be handled for a fixed amount, despite the amount of time that it takes to complete the task. There are a variety of legal services which we offer for a flat fee, including representation for criminal charges, creation of a business entity, creation of an estate plan, and drafting of contracts.

Hourly Rates

For those legal issues which require a retainer and are billed at an hourly rate, our attorneys are billed at $175 an hour.

Free Initial Consultation?

Our firm offers a free one hour consultation for all legal issues.

Typical Retainer

For those legal services which require a retainer, such as tax debt resolution or litigated legal matters, our standard retainer is $2,000. We will typically adjust this retainer amount accordingly if your specific legal issue appears to be either very complex or very simple.

Understanding Fees

Nolo's Licensing Check

Attorneys have passed a licensing check. Nolo has confirmed that every member attorney has a valid license and is in good standing with the state agency that licenses lawyers upon joining the directory.

Directory lawyers are required to notify Nolo immediately if they become the subject of any disciplinary action by any state licensing agency.