Sands L. Stiefer, Of Counsel

Prior to joining Olson & Olson, LLP, Sands dedicated 25 years of service to the Harris County Appraisal District, one of the largest assessment entities in the United States, providing values for more than 400 taxing jurisdictions. Before he retired as the District’s Chief Appraiser, Sands served as Chief of Staff, Chief Deputy, and Chief Legal Officer. Early in his career, he served as General Counsel for the Texas State Property Tax Board in Austin. A frequent speaker and prolific writer, Sands has authored many of the course materials used to train property tax assessors, collectors, and appraisers on Property Tax Law, Appraisal, Collections, and Ethics. Sands has served as president of the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts and chair for the Metropolitan Jurisdiction Council of the International Association of Assessing Officers. He concentrates his practice in the areas of Ad Valorem Taxation and Government Law.

Doctor of Jurisprudence
University of Texas School of Law, Austin, with honors, 1978

Master of Arts (English)
University of Rhode Island, 1975

Bachelor of Arts
University of Rhode Island, with honors, 1972

Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2016 – Present | Of Counsel
Harris County Appraisal District | Houston, Texas | 1991 – 2016 | Chief Appraiser
Texas State Property Tax Board | Austin, Texas | 1982 – 1991 | General Counsel