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December 05, 2022

Former IRS Commissioner Rettig to address ABA tax meeting in Las Vegas, Dec. 12-14

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2022 – Former Internal Revenue Commissioner Charles P. Rettig will speak at the American Bar Association 39th Annual National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud and the 12th Annual National Institute on Tax Controversy, which will be held Dec. 12-14 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Rettig, whose term expired in November, will be the luncheon keynote speaker on Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. PST. As commissioner of the IRS, he presided over the nation’s tax system and managed a budget of more than $12 billion.

What:  
39th Annual National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud and the 12th Annual National Institute on Tax Controversy Sponsored by the ABA Section of Taxation and ABACLE

When: 
Monday-Wednesday, Dec. 12-14

Where:
Caesars Palace
3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, Nevada

The gathering of the criminal tax controversy and criminal tax defense bar brings together high-level government representatives, judges, corporate counsel and private practitioners engaged in all aspects of tax controversy, tax litigation and criminal tax prosecutions and defense for round-table discussions and breakout sessions.

The sessions include (all times are PST):

“Civil Workshop — It’s a World of Depositions: Discovery in the Tax Court and the Federal District Courts” — Depositions are becoming more common in the Tax Court. An expert panel will talk about the evolution of discovery in the tax court, including the history of the Branerton regime and use and techniques of depositions in the tax court and federal district court.
Monday, 2:30-5 p.m.

“What IRS Enforcement Will Look Like in the Future” — Following the COVID pandemic, we are about to enter a new era of tax enforcement. In this plenary session, panelists will discuss the changing tax enforcement landscape as it relates to examinations, collection and criminal investigations.
Tuesday, 10-11 a.m.

“Civil Enforcement Priorities” — From IRS examinations through litigation, the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Justice continue to pursue tax enforcement. Hear from IRS and DOJ leadership and seasoned practitioners as they discuss the hottest issues.
Tuesday, 10:15-11:15 a.m.

“Ethical Issues in Zealously Protecting Constitutional and Other Privileges” — Constitutional and common law privileges present fundamental ethical issues in representing individuals who could be investigated and prosecuted for criminal tax violations. Panelists will discuss how and when these privileges should be used to the fullest extent allowed in representing taxpayers, when to request a special master in search warrant matters and the consequences of asserting the privileges.
Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

“Conservation Easements — How a Good Idea Became a Problem for Tax Enforcement” — Conservation easements are a congressionally encouraged form of charitable giving to protect and preserve our environment. But alleged abuses in the valuation of the easements have spawned thousands of IRS examinations, hundreds of tax court cases, numerous appellate decisions and the consumption of enormous civil and criminal enforcement resources. In this plenary, a panel will help explain how we got here and where they think it will end.
Wednesday, 8:45-9:45 a.m.

The complete conference agenda is here. For media registration, please contact Barbranda Walls at [email protected].

The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.