Date: 05/06/06
Start Time: 2:00PM
End Time: 5:00PM
Chair: Kathryn Keneally, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, New York, NY
2:00pm Opening Remarks by the Chair.
2:10pm The Office of Professional Responsibility: A Retrospective. Panelists: Karen L. Hawkins, Taggart & Hawkins PC, Oakland, CA; Cono Namorato, Former Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, Washington, DC.
2:25pm Report on Important Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Moderator: Katarina O. Savino, Miller & Chevalier Chartered, Washington, DC.
2:40pm Honoring Obligations to Taxpayers, the Government and the Courts During Tax Shelter Litigation. This panel will address issues raised by the presentation of pattern evidence related to other taxpayers; the simultaneous conduct of criminal judicial proceedings and civil judicial proceedings; suspension of trial proceedings while awaiting appellate resolution of similar cases; and conflict issues arising from appearance of counsel with some connection to the underlying transaction. Moderator: Jasper G. Taylor III, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, Houston, TX. Panelists: David Gustafson, Acting Chief of the Court of Federal Claims Trial Section, Tax Division, Department of Justice, Washington, DC; Robert E. McKenzie, Arnstein & Lehr LLP, Chicago, IL.
3:40pm Conflicts of Interest Under the Model Rules and Circular 230: Potential, Actual, Imaginary. This panel will discuss ABA Model Rule 1.7, Tax Court Rule 24(g) and Circular 230 section 10.29 in the context of hypotheticals which help clarify when a potential conflict of interest exists and when that conflict becomes an actual conflict. The panel will also focus on when and why the failure to properly address a conflict may warrant the attention of OPR. Moderator: Karen L. Hawkins, Taggart & Hawkins PC, Oakland, CA. Panelists: Stephen A. Whitlock, Deputy Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, Washington, DC; Harvey Silets, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Chicago, IL; Rita Cavanuagh, Latham & Watkins LLP, Washington DC.
LUNCHEON
Date: 5/6/06
Start Time: 12:00PM
End Time: 12:30PM
JOINT SESSION
Date: 5/6/06
Start Time: 12:30PM
End Time: 1:30PM
Topic: Practitioner Ethics -- The New Horizon: Proposed Amendments to Circular 230. Contingent fee limitations, open disciplinary proceedings, conflict of interest disclosures, new practitioner standards, procedures, sanctions and more. A panel discussion of issues raised by the latest proposed changes to the ethics rules governing tax practitioners. Moderator: Frederic L. Ballard, Jr., Ballard Spahr, Washington, DC. Panelists: Deborah Butler, Associate Chief Counsel, IRS (Procedure & Administration), Washington, DC; Steven Whitlock, Acting Director, IRS Office of Professional Responsibility, Washington, DC.
