Utah

HOLME ROBERTS & OWEN LLC
299 South Main Street Suite 1800
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111-2263

801/521-5800 (phone)
801/521-9639 (fax)

thorupg@hro.com

Firm Profile

The Holme Roberts & Owen LLP Salt Lake City office was established in 1980 in order to better serve clients in Utah and the surrounding region. The Salt Lake office has 20 lawyers representing clients locally, nationally and internationally in a wide range of business, commercial, financial, employment, tax, legislative and litigation matters. It is closely linked to each of the firm's other offices. The computer and telephone networks allow them to draw upon the resources of one of the oldest and largest law firms in the Rocky Mountain Region, and to provide clients with immediate access to the experience and knowledge of the firm's nearly 200 lawyers.

Firm Specialty

Holme Roberts & Owen maintains an extensive practice representing local and national clients in legislative, regulatory, and administrative matters before state administrative agencies, executive officials at the state, county, and municipal levels, and before the Utah Legislature. Its representation includes monitoring the activities and policies of the executive and legislative branches and advocating clients' positions before them; drafting legislation and regulations; introductions to elected and appointed officials; political advice and compliance with the various state laws regarding elections, campaign finances, lobbyist registration and disclosure; government contracts; and ethics.

TAG Contact

GARY T. THORUP has associated with the Salt Lake office of Holme Roberts & Owen LLC since 1990 and concentrates his practice on federal, state, and local taxation, administrative law, and government affairs. He previously served as chief of the Tax Section in the office of the Utah Attorney General from 1982 to 1986 and as chief general counsel to the Utah State Tax Commission from 1983 to 1986. After entering private practice, he was appointed Special Assistant Attorney General for tax matters from 1986 to 1988. Mr. Thorup is a requested speaker at tax-related state and national conferences and has authored various articles relating to tax, administrative law, and government affairs. He served as CO-chair of the Tax Review Commission's Property Tax Task Force from 1992-1993 and as a member since 1986. He also served as chair of the Sugarhouse Community Council from 1991 to 1993. Mr. Thorup served in the Utah Senate as a legislative intern during the 1977 general session and is a registered Utah lobbyist. He earned his undergraduate degree in political science, magna cum laude, and his juris doctor degree from the University of Utah and earned a LL.M. (Tax) from the New York University School of Law.

Holme Roberts & Owen LLC's government affairs practice group includes MARK K. BUCHI and W. ROBERT WRIGHT. Mr. Buchi is the managing member of the firm's Salt Lake Office and is a former Chief of the Utah State Tax Commission, having served in the administration of both Republican and Democrat Governors. He is also a former Chief of the Tax and Business Regulation Division of the Utah Attorney General. He currently is a member of the Utah Tax Review Commission which reviews and makes recommendations to the Governor and Legislature regarding Utah's tax laws. Mr. Wright has extensive lobbying and political experience having served as Chair of the Utah Republican Party and as the Republican Candidate for Governor in 1980.

Five other lawyers in the firm's Salt Lake Office are registered as lobbyists on issues relating to their specific areas of legal practice such as tax, environment, natural resources, corporate, securities, administrative matters, probate, and estate planning.