A Foundation in Advocacy and Analysis
Elizabeth Gonsalves attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned dual degrees in Mass Communications and Rhetoric. Her training in persuasive communication and critical analysis laid the groundwork for a career built on presenting complex arguments with clarity and precision.
She earned her Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco and was admitted to the California State Bar in June 2007. She is also an IRS Circular 230 authorized representative, enabling her to practice before the Internal Revenue Service with the full authority of a licensed attorney.
Before focusing exclusively on tax controversy, Ms. Gonsalves practiced real property law, contract law, and tort litigation. She interned at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office and worked with Land Developers & Associates, a multi-million dollar real estate development corporation — experience that gives her a rare understanding of the business structures and asset portfolios her clients bring to the table.
Trusted Counsel for Ultra-High-Net-Worth Clients and Businesses
Elizabeth Gonsalves has spent nearly two decades representing taxpayers before both federal and state agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, the California Franchise Tax Board, and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Her experience spans every stage of the tax controversy lifecycle — from initial audit response through Appeals hearings, settlement negotiations, and Tax Court litigation.
Her client base includes ultra-high-net-worth individuals, business owners, corporations, and entrepreneurs facing tax liabilities in excess of $3 million — including matters involving tens and hundreds of millions of dollars in contested assessments. These cases demand a level of legal sophistication, strategic thinking, and personal attention that volume-driven firms cannot provide.
UHNW clients face heightened IRS scrutiny, complex asset structures, and tax issues that intersect with estate planning, business succession, and international compliance. Elizabeth brings the depth of experience necessary to navigate these intersections, protect her clients’ interests, and resolve disputes at the highest levels of the IRS and state agencies.
Every client who contacts my office will speak directly with me and my team. There are no sales consultants, no call centers, and no anonymous handoffs. I am personally involved in every case, supported by experienced attorneys and staff who meet my standards. Our reputation is built on results, ethical standards, and a deep commitment to each client’s outcome — which is exactly how tax representation should work.
Elizabeth Gonsalves, Esq.
The Cases She Handles
Elizabeth Gonsalves focuses on matters where the financial stakes and legal complexity justify the involvement of a seasoned tax attorney. The cases she accepts typically share one or more of the following characteristics:
- ▪Tax liabilities exceeding $100,000At this threshold, the IRS assigns dedicated revenue officers with expanded enforcement authority. Qualified legal representation is not optional — it is essential.
- ▪Multi-million dollar controversiesCases involving $3 million or more in assessed liability, including matters in the tens and hundreds of millions. These disputes require sophisticated strategy and deep institutional knowledge.
- ▪Multi-year audit defenseWhen the IRS examines multiple tax years simultaneously, the legal complexity multiplies. Each year carries its own statute of limitations, evidentiary requirements, and potential penalties.
- ▪Business and corporate disputesPayroll tax, trust fund recovery penalties, employment classification, and corporate tax controversies where personal liability threatens business owners and officers.
- ▪Criminal tax investigationsWhen the IRS Criminal Investigation Division is involved, attorney-client privilege is the first and most critical line of defense.
- ▪State tax authority disputesCalifornia Franchise Tax Board assessments, sales and use tax controversies, and multi-state compliance issues requiring specialized knowledge of state tax law.
Why She Built Her Own Firm
After years providing tax resolution services as an employee, Elizabeth repeatedly discovered that her employers’ priorities were sales-driven rather than service-centric. Commission-based sales consultants made promises to clients before a licensed professional had reviewed a single document. Fees were inflated to cover sales commissions. Case quality suffered because volume was the business model.
In May 2011, she founded The Law Office of Elizabeth Gonsalves — committed to controlling the quality of service at every level. She previously co-trained and supervised a staff of twenty case workers handling high-end clients with severe tax liabilities, and she carried that institutional knowledge into a firm built on her own terms.
Every client who contacts her office will speak directly with Elizabeth and her team. There are no sales consultants, no call centers, and no anonymous handoffs. Elizabeth is personally involved in every case, supported by experienced attorneys and staff, including of-counsel David L. Rice. Her reputation is built on results, ethical standards, and a deep commitment to each client’s outcome — which is exactly how tax representation should work.
Why Ultra-High-Net-Worth Clients Choose Elizabeth Gonsalves
Ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families require a tax attorney who understands not only the tax code but the broader financial landscape in which they operate. Elizabeth provides the caliber of representation that UHNW clients demand, including:
- ▪Direct attorney accessNo sales consultants or call centers. Every client works directly with Elizabeth and her team of experienced attorneys and staff throughout the entire engagement.
- ▪Attorney-client privilegeComplete confidentiality protection that accountants and enrolled agents cannot provide.
- ▪Multi-million dollar experienceProven track record in cases involving tens and hundreds of millions of dollars in tax controversy.
- ▪Strategic sophisticationThe ability to see tax issues in the context of estate planning, business succession, and asset protection.
- ▪Nationwide representationLicensed to practice before the IRS and authorized to represent clients in federal tax matters across all fifty states.
Areas of Expertise
Speak With Elizabeth
When complex tax matters demand experienced counsel, Elizabeth Gonsalves provides the depth of expertise, personal attention, and strategic sophistication that ultra-high-net-worth clients require.