Obituary: William M. Goldstein, Philadelphia Tax Attorney

William Goldstein, a popular Philadelphia tax attorney, passed away today. Here, reprinted with permission from Drinker Biddle, is his obituary:

William M. Goldstein, 72, a partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in Philadelphia and one of the nation’s preeminent tax and business lawyers, died today. A resident of Wayne, Pa., he had battled cancer for the past year while remaining active personally and professionally until a few days before his death.

Mr. Goldstein, whose legal career spanned 48 years, was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy under President Gerald Ford in the mid-1970s and worked directly with then Secretary William E. Simon in determining the Treasury’s position on various tax and economic issues. He played an active role in the formulation of the Tax Reform Act of 1976 and served as head of the U.S. delegation that negotiated tax treaties with the Philippines and Brazil.

In 1990, Mr. Goldstein’s successful argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in the case Zarin v. Commissioner led to a landmark court decision on the definition of income. The case is still widely featured in tax casebooks. Over the past several decades, Mr. Goldstein also chaired several committees of the American Bar Association’s Section on Taxation, was elected a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel and served on the board of directors of several local and national companies.

A Philadelphia native, Mr. Goldstein spent 26 years as a partner at Drinker Biddle, where he chaired the tax practice for many years and served as one of the firm’s managing partners. His interest in the tax aspects of sophisticated corporate transactions led to a practice that encompassed a wide variety of business situations with many long-term clients. Mr. Goldstein came to Drinker Biddle from Philadelphia law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius, which he joined after a clerkship for Judge William H. Hastie of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Goldstein earned his J.D. magna cum laude in 1960 from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

“Bill was always focused on his clients. They reciprocated his dedication by showing uncommon loyalty to him and to the firm,” said Alfred W. Putnam, Jr., chairman of Drinker Biddle. “He wasn’t the stereotypical tax lawyer, either. He was outgoing, brilliant, iconoclastic and collegial, a potent combination of qualities that earned him the respect of all of his colleagues. We are going to miss him terribly.”

Mr. Goldstein, born on Aug. 28, 1935, grew up in Melrose Park, Pa., and graduated from Cheltenham High School in 1953. He attended Princeton University, where he studied in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs, rowed on the heavyweight crew and was university bridge champion. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and selected as class salutatorian when he graduated magna cum laude in 1957. Mr. Goldstein was a particularly loyal alumnus, interviewing hundreds of Princeton applicants over the years as a member of the local Schools Committee.

Always a fierce competitor, Mr. Goldstein was a skilled tennis and squash player throughout his life, adding a passion for golf along the way. He continued to excel at bridge, often playing with his colleagues during lunchtime at Drinker Biddle. He was a passionate, lifelong Philadelphia sports fan, who missed attending fewer than 10 Eagles home games in 46 years as a season ticket holder. Mr. Goldstein enjoyed coaching his championship little league basketball teams, known as Goldstein’s Gorillas. He also maintained a mentoring relationship as a Big Brother to the same young man for nearly 50 years.

Mr. Goldstein loved to travel and repeatedly visited Cape Cod and Hawaii in addition to many international trips. Earlier in his life, Bill spent eight wonderful summers at Camp Kennebec in North Belgrade, Maine as a camper and later a counselor. He was a veteran of three whitewater canoeing trips in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northern Maine.
Mr. Goldstein is survived by Lilia, his wife of 30 years, and their daughter Laura; three sons and daughters-in-law from his first marriage, Adam and wife Cheryl, Ben and wife Jackie, and Dan and wife Yukari; and four grandchildren.

Mr. Goldstein will be buried on Friday, Aug 8. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to one of the following charities: the Camp Kennebec Campership Fund (which provides scholarships for children to attend summer camp), c/o American Camp Association 5000 State Road 67 N., Martinsville, IN 46151, or the Big Brother-Big Sister Association of Philadelphia, 4601 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19139.