As a key leader in our nationally prominent Tax Department, Derek Rawls provides our clients with forward-looking strategic direction, while ensuring compliance with applicable tax laws across multiple jurisdictions. 

Perhaps Derek’s greatest strength is his experience with SALT – state and local taxation. He provides guidance for clients who deal with complex state and local tax issues in addition to federal taxes. His experience is particularly helpful for clients conducting business in multiple states. 

Derek works with companies across a wide range of industries, including software, distribution, life sciences, real estate, and professional services. He identifies planning opportunities and ensures compliance with state income and franchise taxes, sales and use tax, property tax, employment taxes, and excise taxes across multiple states. 

Derek joined Gray, Gray & Gray as a Director in 2014 after nearly 20 years with “Big Four” national accounting firms, including serving as a Partner leading Ernst & Young’s Georgia SALT practice. He became a Partner at Gray, Gray & Gray in 2016. 

Derek is a graduate of Babson College and the University of South Carolina, where he earned his Masters in Taxation. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has been a featured speaker at a number of tax conferences.