Friday, January 19

2:30PM - 5:30PM

Court Procedure and Practice

Chair:  Mary McNulty, Thompson & Knight LLP, Dallas, TX

2:30pm                  Opening Remarks by the Chair.

2:35pm                  Remarks on Behalf of the Tax Court. 

2:50pm                  5th Amendment Claims in Civil Litigation.  This panel will consider the use and impact of a witness invoking the 5th Amendment in a civil tax proceeding and the ramifications of the invocation of the 5th Amendment in parallel proceedings.  Moderator:  Jonathan Strouse, Holland & Knight LLP, Chicago, IL.  Panelists:  Professor Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA; Thomas J. Kane, Special Counsel (Procedure and Administration), Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, Washington, DC.

3:25pm                  Remarks on Behalf of the Office of Chief Counsel, IRS.  Speaker: Deborah A. Butler, Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration), IRS, Washington, DC. 

3:40pm                  Current Summons Enforcement Issues.  This panel will focus on recent trends in summons enforcement including the procedural requirements and statute of limitations for third-party summons, trends in seeking third-party taxpayer information, summonses for tax accrual work papers and associated privilege issues.  Moderator: Nicole M. Bielawski, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP, Washington, DC.  Panelists:  Kathryn A. Zuba, Special Counsel (Procedure and Administration), Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, Washington, DC; Anita C. Soucy, Attorney-Advisor, Department of Treasury, Washington, DC; Alan J.J. Swirski, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, Washington, DC; Ann Reid, Assistant Chief, Central Region, Tax Division, Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

4:20pm                  Current Developments.  Speaker: Juan F. Vasquez Jr, Chamberlain  Hdrlicka White Williams & Martin, Houston, TX.

4:35pm                  FOIA Litigation Issues and Strategies.  The panel will focus on practitioner strategies for use of FOIA requests to prepare for litigation and considerations on whether to appeal a denial of a request.  The panel will also discuss the recent Chief Counsel Notice regarding coordination between disclosure and chief counsel regarding litigation matters and how the IRS responds to FOIA requests and defends litigation of denials.  Moderator:  Amber S. Hoffman, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Chicago, IL.  Panelists:  Henry S. Schneiderman, Special Counsel, Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration), IRS, Washington, DC; David M. Katinsky, Trial Attorney, Tax Division, Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

5:15pm                  Spotlight on Procedure: Privilege Issues in Email “Chains”.  Speaker:  Charles M. Ruchelman, Caplin & Drysdale Chartered, Washington, DC.