R. Brooks Whitehead

Brooks Whitehead is a partner at Murphy Austin, practicing in the firm’s Real Estate, Corporate and Business, and Tax and Estate Planning Teams.  As evidenced by his work with each of these practice groups, Brooks’s substantial breadth and depth of experience in transactional matters allows Brooks to bring a holistic approach to the representation of his clients.Brooks frequently assists clients with complex real estate transactions relating to the purchase and sale of real property, including real estate financing, and the formation of entities used to acquire real property, such as partnerships and LLCs.  Brooks also represents landlords and tenants seeking to lease or ground lease commercial, industrial, and retail space, with a particular focus on office and medical office leasing.His business/corporate practice includes assisting clients in matters related to choice of entity, formation, and governance; mergers and acquisitions; and contract negotiation and drafting.  He has advised and represented entities of all forms and types, including for-profit and nonprofit.Brooks’s tax background further bolsters his real estate and business/corporate practice, as Brooks is fluent in matters of partnership, corporate, income, property, and sales and use tax.  Brooks also has experience with estate/gift tax and complex estate planning.Brooks is a former Chair and Board member of the Tax Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association (SCBA), and participates in the Tax, Business, and Real Property Sections of the SCBA.Brooks serves on the Board of Directors for PBS KVIE Public Television in Sacramento, and currently holds the position of Secretary on the Board’s executive committee.  Brooks is also co-commissioner/founder of “The League of Extraordinary Professionals,” a fantasy football league whose participants commit to making a charitable donation to the cause selected by each year’s league champion.Brooks received his law degree (J.D.) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he was named a member of the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society.  He also holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Transnational Business Practice from McGeorge, where his coursework emphasized taxation (including production of a master’s thesis regarding tax planning with IC-DISCs).  Brooks received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from California State University, Sacramento, and double-majored in Economics and Political Science while at the University of California, Davis.Brooks was named a Rising Star byNorthern California Super Lawyersfor seven consecutive years (2015-2021).  He also maintains an AVVO attorney rating of 10.0 Superb.