Michel R. Stein is a principal at Hochman, Salkin, Toscher & Perez, specializing in tax controversies and tax planning for individuals, businesses, and corporations. For almost 20 years, he has represented individuals with sensitive issue civil tax examinations where substantial penalty issues may arise and extensively advised individuals on foreign and domestic voluntary disclosures regarding foreign account and asset compliance matters.

Mr. Stein is well respected for his expertise and judgment in handling matters arising from the U.S. Government’s ongoing enforcement efforts regarding undeclared interests in foreign financial accounts and assets, including various methods of participating in a timely voluntary disclosure to minimize potential exposure to civil tax penalties and avoiding a criminal tax prosecution referral. He has assisted hundreds of individuals who have complied with their foreign reporting requirements through the OVDP, Streamline, or otherwise.

Throughout his career, Mr. Stein has represented thousands of individual, business, and corporate taxpayers involved in civil examinations and administrative appeals, tax collection matters, as well as with possible assertions of fraudulent conduct and in defending criminal tax investigations and prosecutions at every administrative level within the IRS. He has litigated tax cases in the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. District Court, and various U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal. He continues to provide tax advice to taxpayers and their advisors around the world.

Mr. Stein is a frequent lecturer at national and regional conferences on topics including tax compliance sensitive issues, IRS examinations, State and Federal worker classification issues, etc. Mr. Stein received his LL.M. in Taxation from the NYU School of Law and graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He gained further expertise as Attorney-Adviser to the Honorable Judge Larry L. Nameroff of the U.S. Tax Court. He is a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization.

Caroline D. Ciraolo, former Acting Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division, is a partner with Kostelanetz & Fink and a founder of its Washington, D.C. office.  Her practice focuses on complex and sophisticated civil tax controversies, including representation in sensitive audits, administrative appeals, and litigation in federal and state courts and tax tribunals, providing related tax advice, including advice on uncertain tax positions, financial reporting, claims for refund, amended returns, voluntary disclosures, and internal investigations, and representing individuals and institutions in criminal tax investigations and prosecutions.

Phil is a senior associate at Withers Bergmen LLP (Withers Worldwide). Phil’s practice is focused on domestic and international tax controversy. He has represented clients before the U.S. Tax Court, U.S. district court, U.S. Court of Appeals, and various state courts. He has represented clients from audit through trial and, if necessary, at the appellate level.
 
Phil has spoken on various tax topics and at various forums, including the American Bar Association, New York County Lawyers' Association, IRS Nationwide Virtual Tax Forum, CPA Academy, and NYU Tax Controversy Forum. He has also published several tax-related articles, which have been published by Tax Notes, Bloomberg BNA, Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure, EA Journal, and The Practical Lawyer. In addition to his publication and speaking engagement, he is heavily involved with the American Bar Association, where he is the incoming Chair of the Tax Collections Bankruptcy and Workouts Committee.

Dan's legal practice focuses on federal tax and Title 31 matters including civil and criminal defense of IRS audits and investigations and civil tax litigation. Dan also assists taxpayers in navigating the process of coming into compliance, especially international taxpayers who have for one reason or another failed to comply fully with U.S. tax and Title 31 laws. Dan’s deep expertise concerning the IRS’ voluntary disclosure practice, the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures, and international penalty regimes allows him craft strategies to mitigate civil penalties and criminal exposure.

For over 19 years Dan served as an attorney for the Office of Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service. Dan’s prior government service included extensive work in the arena of international enforcement and included assisting the IRS in completely revising the Voluntary Disclosure Practice. Dan also worked with the various Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Programs, the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures, foreign bank account reporting, Bank Secrecy Act investigations, various LB&I compliance campaigns, expatriation issues, international collection of taxes, and much more.

Dan received an undergraduate degree in accounting, summa cum laude, from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a master’s degree in accounting from Trinity University. Dan received his J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law. While attending law school, he passed the Uniform CPA exam (not licensed as a CPA) and was a staff member on two law journals.