Locke Lord has hired David Gair, the leader of Gray Reed & McGraw’s tax controversy practice, as a partner in Dallas who will serve as chair of its tax controversy practice group, as Texas firms gear up for higher demand due to increased funding to the Internal Revenue Service.

Gair, who joined Locke Lord on Monday, said tax controversy is “getting very busy,” because of the $80 billion going to the IRS over 10 years as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. It will fund hiring, and provide for investments such as modernizing the computer system.