Craig R. Cockrell

Craig Cockrell’s practice focuses on providing tax and transactional advice to a variety of businesses, individuals, municipalities, and state agencies, including business start-ups, stock and asset acquisitions, real estate transactions, and public financing transactions. He also assists individuals and families with preparing and implementing estate and business succession plans and other wealth transfer strategies. In addition, Craig has extensive experience representing businesses and individuals in administrative tax proceedings before the IRS and Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration.

Experience

• Advises buyers and sellers during negotiation, structuring and closing of private business stock and asset acquisitions and real estate transactions.
• Counsels clients regarding the legal, tax and practical aspects of small business start-up and operations, including the formation of partnerships, LLCs, and corporations; preparation of partnership and LLC operating agreements; and the preparation of contracts such as leases, employment agreements, and non-competition agreements.
• Provides tax analysis to municipalities, universities, state agencies and underwriters regarding the tax-exempt aspects of municipal bond financing.
• Assists families with the preparation of simple and complex estate plans, including the preparation of wills and revocable trusts, and implementing tax-advantaged wealth transfer strategies employing irrevocable trusts, private foundations and family holding companies.
• Advises established and start-up non-profit organizations in matters related to incorporation and tax-exemption status.
• Extensive experience representing taxpayers through all levels of state and federal tax examinations and appeals, from individuals and small businesses to large private corporations, focused on a range of issues including individual and corporate income tax, employment tax, and sales and use tax.

Education

• University of Florida School of Law LL.M., Taxation (2011)
• University of Arkansas School of Law J.D. (2010)
• University of Arkansas B.A. in English (2007)

Professional Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America©: Tax Law (2019-2020)
• The Best Lawyers in America©: Trusts and Estates (2020)
• Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Star:  (2013, 2017-2018)
• Northwest Arkansas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree (2017)

Involvement

• Member, Arkansas Bar Association, Section of Taxation
• Board Member, Junior Achievement of Northwest Arkansas
• Committee Member, Mercy Health Foundation Planned Giving Committee

News & Articles

Firm News

• Forty Mitchell Williams Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 - Six Named as Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year"
• Mitchell Williams Attorney Craig Cockrell Presented "Buying or Selling A Business? Ask the Experts First" in Fort Smith - Event Hosted by Arkansas District Office of the Small Business Administration and the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center
• 29 Mitchell Williams Attorneys Named as 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• Forty Mitchell Williams Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019 - Six Attorneys Named as Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year"
• Mitchell Williams Attorney Craig Cockrell accepted into the Heart of America Fellows Institute - A Program of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• Mitchell Williams Attorney Craig Cockrell Speaks at Association of Fundraising Professional Meeting
• Attorneys Melissa Bandy and Craig Cockrell Elected As Members
• Thirty-one Mitchell Williams Attorneys Named as 2017 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• Attorney Craig Cockrell Named to Northwest Arkansas Business Journal's Forty Under 40 List

Articles

• Second Set of Qualified Opportunity Zone Proposed Regulations Provide Clarity to Potential Investors
• Why 2019 Will Be the Year of Opportunity (Zones)
• Impact to Charitable Organizations under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
• What Practitioners Need to Know about the New Partnership Audit Rules
• IRS Identifies Proposed Tax-Exempt Political Subdivision Regulations as Overly Burdensome
• Act 465 of 2017: Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Repair and Replacement of Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment