Leadership

Jim Penn is one of the founders of Whitley Penn who was instrumental in launching the Forensic, Litigation & Valuation Services practice group. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) and accredited in business valuations (ABV).

To request more information regarding industry expertise, please click here.

For a copy of Jim’s CV, click here.

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Accredited in Business Valuations (ABV)

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants -AICPA (including Forensic & Valuation Services Division)
• Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants- TXCPA (including Litigation Services Section)
• Fort Worth Chapter of TXCPA
• Dallas & Tarrant Bar Association Family Law Sections – Associate Member (non-lawyer)
• Financial Consulting Group, L.C.

• Hurst-Euless-Bedford Chamber of Commerce – Former Chairman of Board (1989-1990)
• HCA HEB/N. Hills Hospital – Board Member (1991-2018) – Former Chairman of Board (1995/1996 and 2000/2001)
• Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children – Board of Trustees (2016-Present)
• Chase Bank – Board Member (1989-1993, 1998-2000)

• B.B.A. in Accounting, University of Houston

• Arthur Andersen & Co., Houston and Fort Worth Offices, (1978-1981)
  • Tax Department; Oil and Gas/Real Estate Divisions
• Rylander, Clay & Opitz (1981–1983)
  • General Services & Tax Services
• Whitley Penn, Fort Worth Office, (1983–Present)
  • Of Counsel (2021-Present)
  • Partner – Forensic, Litigation & Valuation Services (1990-2021)
  • Co-Founded 1983; Managing Partner (1983-1990)
  • Primary Areas of Focus:
    • Valuation of business entities and intangible assets
    • Economic damages and lost profit calculations
    • Family law matters including tracing and characterization of marital assets, forensic analysis, and quantification of equitable reimbursement claims
    • Forensic accounting
    • Assistance at depositions, mediations, and trials providing case strategies, courtroom exhibits and financial solutions
    • Financial statement modeling and forecasting
    • Buyer/Seller representation in mergers and acquisitions

• Advanced Family Law
  • 2000 Speaker/Author “Commercial vs. Personal Goodwill”
  • 2002 Speaker “Helping Judge and Juries Understand Valuation Testimony”
  • 2002 Speaker “Maintenance is Alive and Well in Texas”
  • 2003 Speaker “Valuations”
  • 2007 Moderator “Long-term Financial Planning in Connection with Divorce”
  • 2008 Panelist “How to Calculate, Prove & Present Financial Issues”
  • 2009 Panelist “Employment Plans and Benefits”
  • 2012 Speaker/Author “Presenting Your Property Case Using Technology”
  • 2017 Speaker “Employee Benefits, How The World Is Changing”
  • 2018 Speaker “The Tax Cuts & Job Act – What Family Law Attorneys Need to Know”

• New Frontiers in Marital Property Law
  • 2006 Panelist “Reimbursement & Economic Contribution”
  • 2007 Panelist “Fundamental Issues Ripe for Challenge”
  • 2008 Panelist “Exploring Employment Plans and Benefits”
  • 2009 Panelist “Property Issues Amid Fairness Concerns”
  • 2010 Panelist “Tax Planning for Divorces”
  • 2011 Panelist “Deferred Compensation”
  • 2018 Speaker/Author “Tax Issues of Unwinding an FLP”

• Other
  • 1997 Speaker Texas Society CPA’s Tax Institute – “Valuation of FLP’s”
  • 1998 Speaker Fort Worth Small Business Council – “Business Valuations”
  • 1999 Speaker/Author Dallas Family Law Section – “The New Equitable Interest Rules”
  • 2002 Speaker/Author American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers – “Valuation Update: Discount2018 Speaker TAFLS – “The Tax Cuts & Job Act – What Family Law Attorneys Need to Know”
  • 2002 Speaker TSCPA – “SFAS 141 & 142 – Business Combinations and Intangible Assets”
  • 2003 Speaker UH Family Law Practice Seminar – “Economic Contribution Claims”
  • 2004 Speaker TAFLS – “Trial Strategies for Addressing Tax Considerations in Dividing Assets and Debts”
  • 2004 Speaker Advanced Expert Witness – “Business Valuation of a Partner’s interest in a Law Firm”
  • 2006 Speaker Collin County Bench Bar Conference – “Litigating the Property Case”
  • 2007 Webcast CLE Family Law – Business Valuations
  • 2008 Mock Trial TAFLS – Business Valuation Expert
  • 2012 Speaker Marriage Dissolution Institute – “Valuation Post Von Hohn”
  • 2016 SMU Law School Guest Speaker – “Marital Property/Tracing and Characterization”
  • 2018 Speaker – TAFLS – “The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act – What Family Law Attorneys Need to Know
  • 2019 Speaker – Marriage Dissolution Institute – Characterization and Tracing