Nolan Fellowship

Introducing the 2024-2025 Nolan Fellows

Named for the late Jack Nolan, a dedicated and respected Tax Section chair, the distinction is awarded to lawyers who are actively involved in the Section and have shown leadership qualities.

• Jonathan T. Amitrano has extensive background in federal and state tax controversy and is a Certified Specialist in taxation law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Jonathan also has significant experience representing both individuals and businesses before various taxing agencies including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Franchise Tax Board (FTB), the Employment Development Department (EDD), and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). He has successfully handled tax audits, collection matters, trust fund cases, successor in interest assessments, offshore disclosure cases, domestic disclosure cases, and civil appeals hearings for all types of taxpayers. He regularly represents clients before the Office of Tax Appeals, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals.
• Garrett L. Brodeur is an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where his practice focuses on a variety of complex civil tax controversy and litigation issues, including transfer pricing. Before joining Skadden, Mr. Brodeur served for two years as a law clerk to the Honorable Emin Toro of the United States Tax Court and spent two years at a tax controversy and white-collar defense firm in Washington, D.C. and New York, N.Y. Mr. Brodeur has also clerked for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Mexico (Hon. David T. Thuma) and worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions Tax practice of a big four accounting firm.

• M. Blair Hlinka is an Associate in Caplin & Drysdale’s Tax Disputes & Tax Litigation practice group. Ms. Hlinka assists individuals and corporations in all types of tax controversies and litigation with the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities. She also advises individuals and businesses on a broad range of tax issues with a particular focus on assisting individuals, trusts, partnerships, and corporate entities with responding to and defending against civil IRS audits and examinations and with representing them in court proceedings.
• Byung Hyuk (Billy) Min is a tax controversy associate at Agostino & Associates, P.C. in Hackensack, New Jersey, where he represents clients, many pro bono, before the IRS and U.S. Tax Court. Since joining the ABA Tax Section in 2022, Billy has been an active member. He currently serves as a Vice Chair and Young Lawyer Liaison for the Tax Collections, Bankruptcy & Workouts Committee, a Young Lawyer Liaison for the Tax Practice & Technology Committee, and a member of the Loretta Collins Argrett Committee. Billy also devotes significant time to assisting pro se and low-income taxpayers through the New York County Lawyers' Association United States Tax Court Calendar Call Program.

• Daniel Strickland is a tax attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office.  Mr. Strickland focuses his practice in the area of federal tax controversy, representing taxpayers in all types of tax controversy matters. He also focuses his practice in the renewable energy sector, advising clients on energy tax credits and incentives from conception to litigation.
• Patrick Thomas represents clients in civil tax collection and examination matters, both in administrative proceedings and in litigation before the United States Tax Court, as well as other federal and state courts. He also advises clients on federal, state, and local tax matters, such that his clients might mitigate and avoid costly downstream civil tax disputes.

John S. Nolan Fellowship Program Guidelines

I.   Considerations

1. The nominee must be a current member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation (“Tax Section”), and shall, at the time of nomination, have made some significant contribution to a Tax Section Committee or Task Force, or to the Tax Section in general.
2. It is generally recommended that the nominee shall be a member of the bar of any state or the District of Columbia for ten (10) years or less and be under forty (40) years of age. One or both of the years of bar membership limitation or the age limitation may be waived by the selection committee in appropriate circumstances. If a waiver is desired for a particular candidate, please include the request and an explanation in the nomination letter.
3. The nominee should intend to be a continuing, contributing and active member of the Tax Section.

II.   Nomination Process

1. Nominations may be submitted by Officers, Council Directors, Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Tax Section, on a nomination form to be provided by the Tax Section and must include adequate supporting information.
2. Nominations should be made by a person who is not affiliated with the same professional organization with which the nominee is affiliated.
3. Announcement of up to six (6) Nolan Fellows each year will be made at a regularly scheduled plenary session of the Tax Section.

III.   Selection of Nolan Fellows

1. The Chair-Elect shall be charged with responsibility for administration of the John S. Nolan Fellowship Program.
2. The selection of Nolan Fellows will be made by a committee consisting of the Tax Section Chair, the Chair-Elect, and the Vice Chair forCommittee Operations.
3. Selection shall be completed at least a month before the meeting where the announcement of new Nolan Fellows is made (generally May Meeting).

IV.   Recognition and Commitments

1. Nolan Fellows will serve for a term of one year commencing at the beginning of the American Bar Association’s fiscal year (currently September 1).
2. Nolan Fellows will be recognized during a regularly scheduled plenary session of the Tax Section and in a formal publication of the Tax Section. Nolan Fellows will also be listed in the Tax Section Bluebook.
3. Each Nolan Fellow will attend at least one and may attend up to three Tax Section general meetings during the recognition year (current general meetings include the Fall, Midyear and May meetings). Meeting registration fees and ticketed events will be complimentary for such meetings. Travel expenses to such meetings will be reimbursed based on a zone schedule established by the Tax Section.
4. Each Nolan Fellow will actively participate in and contribute to at least one substantive committee or task force of the Tax Section during the recognition year.
5. Each Nolan Fellow will participate in activities to attract young professionals, including diverse professionals, to the Tax Section and assist them in integrating into the Tax Section. Some examples include, but are not limited to, mentoring members of other Section fellowship programs, attending orientation sessions for young professionals at Tax Section meetings, collaborating with the Young Lawyers Forum in efforts to connect young professionals with Tax Section members, helping Tax Section staff prepare materials and communications for young professionals, and contributing ideas about how the Tax Section can attract more young professionals to the Tax Section and Tax Section meetings.
6. Each Nolan Fellow should participate in one tax-related pro bono activity and/or Tax Section publication during the recognition year.
7. Each Nolan Fellow will submit to [email protected] a report about their experience and activity as a Fellow within 90 days after the May Meeting (or the final meeting attended through the fellowship if not the May Meeting).

2023 - 2024 John S. Nolan Fellows

Congratulations to our 2023 - 2024 John S. Nolan Fellows!

Nolan Fellows are tax lawyers who are actively involved in the Section and have demonstrated leadership qualities and a commitment to the Section’s mission.    

The 2023-2024 Nolan Fellows are:

• Bibiana A. Cruz, Holland & Knight LLP, Pinecrest, FL
• Omeed Firouzi, Philadelphia Legal Assistance, Philadelphia, PA
• Brian Gardner, Asbury Law Firm, Atlanta, GA
• Samuel Lapin, Miller & Chevalier, Chtd., Washington, DC
• Joshua Savey, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Washington, DC
• Caitlin R. Tharp, Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, DC

Past Recipients

• 2023
  
  Bibiana A. Cruz
  Holland & Knight LLP, Pinecrest, FL
  Omeed Firouzi
  Philadelphia Legal Assistance, Philadelphia, PA
  Brian Gardner
  Asbury Law Firm, Atlanta, GA
  Samuel Lapin
  Miller & Chevalier, Chtd., Washington, DC
  Joshua Savey
  Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Washington, DC
  Caitlin R. Tharp
  Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, DC
• 2022
  Eman Cuyler
  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Washington, DC
  Janelle Darnell
  McGuireWoods LLP, Washington, DC
  Brianne DeSellier
  Crowe LLP, Fort Lauderdale, FL
  Aaron Esman
  Moore Tax Law Group, LLC, New York, NY
  Jeffrey M. Glassman
  Meadows Collier, Dallas, TX
  Bela Unell
  KPMG LLP, Washington, DC
• 2021  
  Heather Fincher
  Kostelanetz LLP, Washington, DC
  Brandon King
  Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Seattle, WA
  Kandyce Korotky
  Covington & Burling LLP, Washington, DC
  Adam Landy
  Special Trial Judge, U.S. Tax Court
  Michael Resnick
  Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP
  Amy Spivey
  UC Hastings Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, San Francisco, CA
• 2020         
  Carina Federico
  Crowell & Moring LLP, Washington, DC
  Morgan Klinzing
  Pepper Hamilton, Philadelphia, PA
  Galina "Allie" Petrova
  Petrova Law, Greensboro, NC
  Nancy Rossner
  The Community Tax Law Project, Richmond, VA
  Monisha Santamaria
  Joint Committee on Taxation, Washington, DC
  Timothy Todd
  Liberty University School of Law, Richmond, VA
• 2019
  Arielle Borsos
  Caplin & Drysdale, Washington, DC
  Phillip Colasanto
  Agostino & Associates, Hackensack, NJ
  Sarah Haradon
  Holland & Hart, Denver, CO
  Travis Thompson
  Sideman & Bancroft, San Francisco, CA
  Shamik Trivedi
  Grant Thornton, Washington, DC
  Lany Villalobos
  Dechert, Philadelphia, PA
• 2018          
  Giselle Alexander
  Dickinson Wright, Phoenix, AZ
  James Creech
  Law Offices of James Creech, San Francisco, CA
  Yongo Ding
  Miller & Chevalier, Washinton, DC
  Frank DiPietro
  Indiana Legal Services, Bloomington, IN
  Jeffrey Dirmann
  Agostino & Associates, Hackensack, NJ
  Anne Gordon
  PWC, McLean, VA
• 2017          
  Elizabeth K. Blickley
  Washington, DC
  Matthew Cooper
  Ernst & Young LLP, Washington, DC
  Nikki J. Hasselbarth
  Venable LLP, Baltimore, MD
  Vanessa C. LaFleur
  Louisiana Department of Revenue, Baton Rouge, LA
  Rafi W. Mottahedeh
  Jenner & Block LLP, Chicago, IL
  Susanna W. Ratner
  SeniorLAW Center, Philadelphia, PA
• 2016          
  Jeff Chadwick
  Winstead, P.C., Woodlands, TX
  Clay Collins
  PwC, Washington, DC
  Vincent Kan
  IL Attorney General, Chicago, IL
  Lee Meyercord
  Thompson & Knight, Dallas, TX
  Larry Sannicandro
  Agostino & Associated, P.C., Hackensack, NJ
  Anna Tavis
  Brooklyn Legal Service, Brooklyn, NY
• 2015          
  Jairo G. Cano
  Agostino & Associates, Hackensack, NJ
  Philip Hirschfeld
  Ruchelman, New York, NY
  Timothy J. Leska
  Pepper Hamilton, Philadelphia, PA
  Shawn McIntire
  Donelson Barry, Broomfield, CO
  Diane Mehany
  Caplin & Drysdale, Washington, DC
  Laura R. Westfall
  King & Spalding, New York, NY
• 2014
  Sean M. Akins
  Latham & Watkins, Washington, DC
  Puneet Arora
  Towers Watson, Arlington, VA
  Janine Burman
  KPMG, New York, NY
  Guinevere Moore
  Holland & Knight, Chicago, IL
  Anne-Marie Diggle Rábago
  Rábago Business & Tax Law, San Diego, CA
  Michelle Feit Schwerin
  Capes Sokol Goodman & Sarachan, St. Louis, MO
• 2013          
  Christina Crockett
  Hunton & Williams LLP, McLean, VA
  Cynthia Kahl
  Internal Revenue Service, San Francisco, CA
  Sean J. Norton
  Pinetree Legal Assistance, Portland, ME
  Matthew R. Sontag
  KPMG LLP, Washington, DC
  Samuel P. Weiler
  Ernst & Young LLP, Columbus, OH
  Zhanna A. Ziering
  Caplin & Drysdale Chartered, New York, NY
• 2012
  Erica L. Brady
  The Ferraro Law Firm, Washington, D.C.
  Matthew J. Eickman
  Utz, Miller & Eickman LLC, Overland Park, KS
  Jon Finkelstein
  McDermott, Will & Emery, Washington, D.C.
  Cathy Fung
  Internal Revenue Service, Washington, D.C.
  Ivan H. Golden
  Schiff Hardin LLP, Chicago, IL
  Rachel L. Partain
  Caplin & Drysdale Chartered, New York, NY
• 2011
  Chad R. DeGroot
  Bryan Cave LLP, St. Louis, MO
  Stacey Delich-Gould
  Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, New York, NY
  Melissa L. Wiley
  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Vanessa A. Scott
  Southerland Asbill & Brennan LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Lisa M. Stern
  Proskauer Rose LLP, New York, NY
  Mark E. Wilensky
  Roberts & Holland LLP, New York, NY
• 2010          
  Kelley Cooper-Miller
  Reed Smith LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Katherine David
  Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison & Tate, Inc., San Antonio, TX
  Eric Green
  Convicer & Percy LLP, Glastonbury, CT
  Kevin Jacobs
  Ropes & Gray LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Summer LePree
  Holland & Knight LLP, Miami
  Carlene Miller
  Snell & Wilmer LLP, Phoenix
• 2009          
  Niles A. Elber
  Caplin & Drysdale, Washington, D.C.
  Michelle A. Garcia
  Davis & Harman, Washington, D.C.
  Todd D. Keator
  Thompson & Knight, Dallas, TX
  Alexey Manasuev
  KPMG, Washington, D.C.
  Anne M. Meyer
  Snell & Wilmer, Phoenix
  Kathryn Morrison Sneade
  Miller & Chevalier, Washington, D.C.
• 2008          
  Megan Brackney
  Kostelanetz & Fink, New York, NY
  William Hansen
  McDermott Will & Emery, Washington, D.C.
  Sarah Johnson
  Venable LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Robb Longman
  Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, Greenbelt, MD
  Colleen O'Connor
  Ernst & Young, LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Juan Vasquez, Jr.
  Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Martin, Houston, TX
• 2007
  Jennifer Alexander
  Deloitte Tax LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Adam Cohen
  Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Christopher D'Amico
  Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth, P.A., Orlando, FL
  Thomas Greenaway
  Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, Boston, MA
  Pete Lowy
  Shell Oil, Houston, Tx
  Brandee Tilman
  Disney Corporation, Glendale, CA
• 2006       
  Christopher Condeluci
  Groom Law Group, Washington, D.C.
  Jessica Hough
  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, Washington, DC
  Gregory Lynam
  Baker & McKenzie LLP, San Diego, CA
  Veronica Rouse
  Internal Revenue Service, Washington, DC
  Bahar Schippel
  Snell & Wilmer LLP, Phoenix, AZ
  David B. Strong
  Holme Roberts & Owen, LLP Denver, CO
• 2005       
  Arlene Suzanne Fitzpatrick
  Ernst & Young LLP, Washington D.C .
  Peter A. Furchi
  Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, New York, NY
  Gregory J. Gawlik
  Thompson Hine LLP, Cleveland, OH
  Brant Hellwig
  University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
  Michael M. Lloyd
  Miller & Chevalier Chartered, Washington, D.C.
  Jeanne Newlon
  Venable LLP, Washington, D.C.
• 2004       
  Flora Town Hezel
  Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, Richmond, VA
  Mark C. Jones
  Pillsbury Winthrop LLP, New York, NY
  Joseph B Schimmel
  Cohen Chase Hoffman & Schimmel, Miami, FL
  Virginia Stevenson
  Arlington, VA
  Brian Trauman
  Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Lisa Zarlenga
  Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, D.C.
• 2003  
  Adam M. Cohen
  Holland & Hart Denver, CO
  Charlene Luke
  The Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, FL
  Allen D. Madison
  Fenwick & West LLP, Mountain View, CA
  Christopher S. McLoon
  Verrill & Dana, LLP, Portland, ME
  Bonnie O'Brien Cecil
  Deloitte & Touche LLP, Washington, D.C.
  Norma M. Sharara
  Buchanan Ingersoll PC, Washington, D.C.
• 2002
  David A. Berek
  Bradley T. Borden
  Jennifer L. Franklin
  Armando Gomez
  Andrew C. Liazos
  Caroline G. Root
• 2001   
  Christine Agnew
  William S. Dixon
  Wayne A. Hamilton
  Melinda Merk
  Cary D. Pugh
  David G. Shapiro
• 2000          
  Donna Lady Alpi
  Barry Kozak
  Todd E. Molz
  Shannon Nash
  Jeffrey H. Paravano
  Anita C. Soucy