Greenberg Taurig adds John Ormonde bolstering SALT practice

John Ormonde has joined Greenberg Traurig's state and local tax practice in the Washington, D.C., office as an attorney with a particular focus on California taxation.

Ormonde, who joins from Eversheds Sutherland, has advised clients on some of the thornier policy matters stemming from state and local taxes.

"John adds significant depth to our SALT Practice, including in California, where he has handled a broad range of high-stakes matters," Bradley R. Marsh, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig's U.S. SALT Practice, said in a statement.

Ormonde works with Fortune 500 corporate taxpayers, partnerships, and high-net-worth individuals in the technology, financial, asset management, manufacturing, and retail sectors.

He has advised on California cases about complex income tax apportionment disputes, constitutional challenges to local business taxes, and more specifically on the controversy involving the San Francisco gross receipts tax and other municipal tax systems.

His California work has involved representing clients on cases involving the California Office of Tax Appeals and before local tax authorities across the state, including Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Belmont, and other municipalities.

He guides clients through every stage of a tax dispute, from audit to administrative appeals and litigation in trial and appellate courts, and regularly identifies and pursues refund opportunities. Before entering private practice, he worked as a tax consultant in Deloitte Tax LLP's California national practice group.

He is licensed to practice law in both California and the District of Columbia.

The addition of Ormonde in Washington brings number of shareholders, of counsel and senior policy professionals to more than 20 in that office, "reflecting one of the most sustained periods of strategic growth in the office's history," according to the firm.

"His addition further strengthens our cohesive national team, which operates seamlessly across the United States, and expands our capabilities in one of the country's most consequential tax environments," Marsh said.

Ormonde said the move to Greenberg positions his practice on an upward trajectory at a firm "defined by its entrepreneurial spirit, strong presence in California, and coordinated national SALT team."

"That combination allows me to stay closely aligned with my clients' needs while collaborating across the firm's key markets," he said.

The new shareholder said he has known Brad Marsh for years and has long admired the SALT team he has built, "particularly the California group where I focus much of my work."

Ormonde, who relocated to Washington from California a few years ago, said a significant portion of his practice will remain focused on California tax matters even as he works with colleagues across the firm's SALT team.

"I am excited to continue expanding my practice and deepening client relationships while contributing to the firm's continued growth in this area," he said.

"Adding John to our Washington, D.C., office is a direct reflection of the momentum we have built here over the last year," said Tonya M. Esposito, administrative shareholder of Greenberg Traurig's Washington, D.C., office.

"We have been deliberate and strategic in growing this office across key practice areas, and John represents exactly the kind of talented, experienced lawyer we continue to attract. His presence here further elevates what we offer clients globally," Esposito said.

Ormonde frequently speaks on SALT developments at programs hosted by the Tax Executives Institute, California Tax Foundation, California Lawyers Association, and American Bar Association, among others.

He has served as adjunct professor of State & Local Taxation at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School since 2023.

The state and local tax deduction for federal income tax has been a political football in recent years.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which capped the SALT deduction at $10,000 per household.

In response to these federal limitations, several states modified their own municipal and state tax systems to mitigate the increased burden on their residents.

More recently, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act restructured the landscape by temporarily raising the federal SALT deduction ceiling from $10,000 to $40,000 for the majority of filers.