John Busby is a transaction, tax and estate planning attorney with over 30 years experience. His legal practice is focused on business and real estate transactions, taxation, estate planning and wealth management. He has extensive experience in business entity formation and governance, including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, joint ventures and off-shore entities.
Mr. Busby has extensive experience in capital transactions involving private equity and venture capital investments, private placement securities offerings, acquisitions and dispositions of private companies, corporate restructurings, and joint ventures. He has acted as lead counsel in public and private acquisitions, sales, mergers, recapitalizations and venture capital financing transactions ranging in size of up to $100 Million. He is skilled in structuring, tax analysis and implementing of executive compensation arrangements including equity-based incentive compensation plans.
Mr. Busby has substantial expertise in federal and state income tax aspects of corporate and partnership business transactions, taxation of real estate transactions and non-profits. His experience includes international business transactions and investments including onshore and offshore tax planning for U.S., European and Pacific Rim investors. His tax expertise also includes real property taxation, audit and tax dispute resolution with the Internal Revenue Service and the California Franchise Tax Board.
Mr. Busby’s transactional expertise includes structuring and negotiating technology transactions, including intellectual property licensing, and strategies for protecting and exploiting intellectual property and technology, and distribution. He has in depth experience in all aspects of real property transactions; including purchases, sales, financing, leasing, construction and architectural contracts syndications and workouts.
Mr. Busby’s practice includes sophisticated estate planning, counseling clients regarding wealth management and preservation, and estate and gift taxation minimization strategies.
Mr. Busby has served on various non-profit organizations focused on health care and education, including the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Cold Spring School.

EDUCATION:
- J.D. 1978 University of Virginia, B.A. Cum Laude
- 1975 Claremont McKenna College.
Membership-Law:
- Texas Bar Association (Admitted 1978)
- U. S. Tax Court (Admitted 1978)
- California Bar Association (Admitted 1981)
- Santa Barbara County Bar Association
AREAS OF PRACTICE:
- Business Entity Formations, Acquisitions
- Mergers and Governance
- Business Transactions – Purchase, Sales, Financing, Intellectual Property
- Real Estate Transactions – Purchase, Sales, Leasing, Construction,
- Financing and Work Outs
- Estate Planning, Probate and Trust
- Administration
- Income, Estate and Gift Taxation
- Real Property Taxation

