Professor William H. Byrnes, IV, (Texas A&M Law) is a highly influential law author: his Lexis, Kluwer, and Tax Facts books have sold more than 180,000 print subscriptions and are accessed online more than 40,000 times annually by government attorneys, corporation tax and risk counsel, attorneys, and big 4 advisors.   William Byrnes has been called “one of the leading authors and best-selling authors in the professional markets” (Richard Kravitz, Editor-in-Chief, CPA Journal, New York State Society of CPAs).

His 1,500+ American Legal Media, Lexis, and Kluwer published articles are cited by the mainstream financial press (e.g. Wall Street Journal), mainstream press (USA Today), trade sites, and referred to in Congressional hearings.  In 2016, he was the 9th most downloaded tax professor on SSRN.   A LexisNexis Director of Product Strategy & Development, Ray Camiscioli, stated, “In the field of international tax, Prof. William Byrnes is among LexisNexis’s best-selling authors and a leading authority in the fields of anti-money laundering and FATCA compliance.”  In 2015, the FATCA Compliance Guide reached #2 for Lexis’ print/digital revenue.

“One of America’s leading experts on the global battle against money laundering, Professor William Byrnes is the lead author of Money Laundering, Asset Forfeiture & Recovery, and Compliance – A Global Guide.”  Ray Camiscioli, Esq., Director, Product Strategy & Development for Tax, Accounting and Estates/Elder Law, LexisNexis, Inc.  Various presentations are available on slideshare.

Big Law, the Big 4, U.S. government agencies, Tier 1 banks, life insurers, and foreign revenue departments use his books, treatises, and compendium.  “The authors’ knowledge and experience in tax law and practice provides the expert guidance for National Underwriter to once again deliver a valuable resource for the financial advising community,” Richard Kravitz (Reuters, January 21, 2014).

After peer review, the National Press Club (Washington, D.C.) voted to admit him as a journalist.  In July 2014, he was further recognized when he was appointed the primary editor of the International Financial Professor Law Blog for the Law Professor Blogs Network. “In the field of international tax, Prof. William Byrnes is among LexisNexis’s best-selling authors and a leading authority in the fields of anti-money laundering and FATCA compliance.” Ray Camiscioli, Esq., Director, Product Strategy & Development for Tax, Accounting and Estates/Elder Law, LexisNexis, Inc.  He was selected by Wolters Kluwer at its U.S. contributor for the Kluwer International Tax Blog.

Professor William Byrnes pioneered online education as an educational innovator in the early nineties.  His programs have received outstanding praise for pedagogy while adding millions in revenue to the activities of academic institutions.  After peer review, the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) selected him for the 2013-2018 Fulbright Specialist Roster for technology-enhanced pedagogy and comparative taxation. India’s National Board of Accreditation bestowed at its first global education congress (WOSA 2012) the Education Leadership Award, whereby the chairperson noted on behalf of the award committee, “Professor William Byrnes’ leadership and contribution to the field of education is well known. … The position that you occupy in the fraternity is strategic and iconic.” (Dr. Edward Smith, 2012). He was appointed as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the American Association of Law Schools.

“… William Byrnes, who’s a leader in the online field…” (National Jurist, March 2013). Professor William Byrnes pioneered online legal education thirty years ago and created the first online LL.M. offered by an ABA-accredited law school. He is a key founder of the Work Group for Distance Education in Legal Education that published “Distance Learning in Legal Education: A Summary of Delivery Models, Regulatory Issues and Recommended Practices”.  “Perhaps no one in legal academia has more experience with online master’s degrees than William Byrnes.” (The National Law Journal, May 20, 2013). As a Texas A&M University School of Law professor, he developed and leads the online graduate program for international tax, transfer pricing, risk management, and wealth.

“My mission is to provide high-quality, accessible, and innovative learning opportunities for attorneys, accountants, and economists who want to advance their careers and expand their knowledge in the global tax and financial arena. I use Zoom, team-based case studies, faculty-authored materials, and a robust virtual university library to deliver engaging and interactive courses that cater to the needs and preferences of today’s learners,” explained William Byrnes. “I pioneered online education as an educational innovator in the early nineties against the tide of Luddite academics who considered anathema technology and its potential impacts on inclusion and equity.”

Professor William Byrnes is a member of the law faculty of Texas A&M University School of Law, as well as a Faculty Affiliate of the Texas A&M Energy Institute and Research Affiliate of the Texas A&M Institute of Data Sciences. In 2024, the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M, over 600,000 strong, peer-reviewed selected me for its Achievement Award that included a substantial honorarium and engraved Texas A&M gold watch. He was elected Chair of three AALS sections: Post Graduate Legal Education and Graduate Programs for Non-US Lawyers, and just completed his term as Chair of the Section on International Legal Exchange, and the Executive Committee of Graduate Programs for Non-US Lawyers.

As a professor and associate dean, he is well known for having developed innovative academic programs that have generated millions of dollars annually for over two decades. India’s Board of National Accreditation bestowed its 2012 Education Leadership Award for his pioneering efforts with distance education pedagogy.  William Byrnes pioneered online legal education in 1994, thereafter creating the first online LL.M. offered by an ABA accredited law school.   He is a key founding member of the Work Group for Distance Education in Legal Education that in 2013 published “Distance Learning in Legal Education: A Summary of Delivery Models, Regulatory Issues and Recommended Practices”.  He has made hundreds of presentations and led dozens of training workshops in over 30 countries.

As the principal author of the 900-page 2003 study commissioned by the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office,  ”Economic and Socio-Economic Impact of the European Union Code of Conduct on Business Taxation and Tax Savings Directive Report”, he established a methodology for measuring socio-economic impact of financial services on SDICs.  In 2013 he was government commissioned for a 200 page study on the economic and regulatory impact of the GATCA and FATCA.  “Another area where Professor Byrnes is making a name for himself as a top authority is the federal tax law known as “FATCA”. The lead author of a 1-volume work released in May, 2013 – Lexis Guide to FATCA Compliance – the book is now in its second edition. One of the hottest topics in all of federal tax, “FATCA” took effect on July 1^st …” Ray Camiscioli, Esq., Director, Product Strategy & Development for Tax, Accounting and Estates/Elder Law, LexisNexis, Inc.

As a tax attorney, William Byrnes served as Senior Positions of international tax with Coopers & Lybrand, and consulted in Southern Africa, Western Europe, South East Asia, the Indian sub-continent, and the Caribbean.  He has been consulted by several governments on tax policy and distance education and is each year invited around the world to speak and teach at professional/trade associations, government departments, large financial institutions, and universities. He is Vice Chair of the ABA’s Tax Section Transfer Pricing subsection, one of the largest sub-sections of the ABA Tax Section. He was appointed a member of the academic committee of the International Fiscal Association’s U.S. Branch, a reviewer for the $5,0000 prize each year for the best student’s international tax article and all expenses for receiving the award at the annual IFA conference.

William Byrnes was appointed in 2010 as Head of Financial Advisory publications of National Underwriter and in 2012 (reappointed 2019) to the Editorial Board of the Law Review of the Attorney General of the State of Minas Gerais (Brazil) [Revista Jurídica da Advocacia-Geral do Estado de Minas Gerais].  He created the approach of “Concept Mind-Maps” for Lexis-Nexis, employed on the Tax Law Center.

Courses include Federal Tax, International Tax, International Business Transactions, Business Associations, Trusts & Estates, Financial Crimes. and Civil Law.

Contact: profbyrnes@gmail.com

1st vimeo video: Associate Dean William Byrnes’ 15 minute presentation about distance learning to the 500 policy makers of India’s National Board of Accreditation http://vimeo.com/39260008#t=3549  (starts from 1:00:00 until 1:15.00)

2nd vimeo video: William Byrnes’ second 6 minute response presentation delivered in the afternoon to India’s National Board of Accreditation policy congress in response of questions of the plenary about his approach to distance learning http://vimeo.com/39264336#t=4959  (starts from 1:22.30 until 1.28.30)