Special Guest Speaker:
Judge Juan F. Vasquez earned his accounting degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972 and joined the audit staff of Lybrand, Ross Bros. & Montgomery (later Coopers & Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in Los Angeles. Judge Vasquez is a licensed CPA in Texas. He earned his JD from the University of Houston Law Center and his LLM in Taxation from New York University's School of Law. He worked four years for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in Houston before spending 13 years in private practice representing clients before the IRS and the U.S. Tax Court. Judge Vasquez was appointed to the U.S. Tax Court by President Clinton in 1995, and confirmed by the Senate. His initial term expires in 2010.
Speakers:
John Bovard, CPA, has practiced public accounting since 1985, where he served with both the tax and audit departments of three local CPA firms in Dallas. In 1994, he was a founding partner in the firm of Bovard & MacQuilkan, in Richardson, Texas. His expertise includes tax planning and tax return preparation for individuals and businesses, IRS audits and appeals, small business consulting, and estate tax planning. He is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of CPA’s. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a BBA in accounting. He is a certified public accountant in the state of Texas and is a member of the AICPA, the Texas Society of CPAs and the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs.
L.G. Brooks is an Enrolled Agent and is the Senior Consultant of The Tax Practice, Inc., located in Dallas, Texas. L.G. has been in the field of taxation for more than 25 years and has been in practice full time since 1990. His areas of practice include Tax Representation, Tax Consulting, and Pre-Tax Court Litigation Support Services. LG continues to provide tax presentations for numerous tax & accounting societies and has made presentations at several Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Annual Tax Forums. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bishop College at Dallas, Texas in 1977 and is a Fellow of the National Tax Practice Institute (NTPI) and is currently a faculty member of the National Tax Practice Institute (NTPI). L.G. is extremely proud and honored to be an Enrolled Agent. He may be reached at 972.223.4000.
Richard Christian is a Supervisory Revenue Officer for the Internal Revenue Service in Dallas. A graduate of Texas Tech University, he has been with the Internal Revenue Service since 1972. As a compliance manager his specialty is in directing revenue officers in resolving compliance problems with businesses and individuals. His employees handle the most complex collection issues in the northern half of Texas and all of Oklahoma. He has also served on the National Advisory Board for Compliance Policy. Outside the IRS, Richard serves on the board of Amberton University.
Ellen Dolby is the Director, Gulf States Field Collection for Small Business/Self Employed. Her area of responsibility includes the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Ellen joined the Internal Revenue Service in 1979 in Los Angeles as a GS-04 Tax Auditor Co-op. She became a Revenue Agent in Laguna Niguel District. Ellen’s management career started in 1987 in Denver, Colorado and continued through progressive management positions in Dallas, TX, Milwaukee, WI, and Chicago, IL. In October 2004, she accepted the challenge of leading Collection for the eight states included in the Gulf States Area. Ellen has enjoyed learning about the Collection organization after “growing up” in Examination. The past five years have increased her knowledge and appreciation for Revenue Officers while gaining a broader perspective on how IRS impacts our taxpaying public.
Laura Gavioli is a member of the Sonnenschein’s Taxation Practice. She defends individuals and corporations in white collar prosecutions, civil taxes, IRS controversies and complex financial litigation. From 2005 to 2006, Laura clerked for the honorable Eldon E. Fallon, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. During her clerkship, she assisted the judge through class certification hearings for the Murphy Oil Spill in Meraux, LA, following Hurricane Katrina and in settlement of the Propulsid multi-district product liability litigation. She may be reached at 214.259.0961.
Richard Gibson is the principal of Trusted Tax in Richardson Texas. Richard has been helping business with the taxation since 1995. He is a Fellow of the National Tax Practice Institute (NTPI) and a member of National Association of Enrolled Agents. Richard hosted a call in radio show on Biz Radio about business and taxation in 2005 – 2006. He has been a guest on several radio shows to answer question about taxation for real estate investors and stock and option traders. His current business is tax preparation individuals and business, IRS representation and controversy, bookkeeping, tax planning, entity planning.
Karen L. Hawkins is the Director of the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility. Prior to taking this position in April, 2009, Ms. Hawkins was in private practice at the Oakland, California law firm of Taggart & Hawkins where she specialized in civil and criminal tax controversy cases for nearly 30 years. She has been a frequent speaker and writer on a variety of diverse tax law topics including: Innocent Spouse Relief, Attorney's Fees Awards; Collection Due Process; Civil and Criminal Tax Penalties; Tax Court Litigation; International Tax issues and Ethics in Tax Practice. Ms. Hawkins has a number of reported precedent-setting tax cases to her credit in the US Tax Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ms. Hawkins holds several degrees including: MBA in Taxation, J. D and M.Ed. Among her many honors and awards are: V. Judson Kelin Award from the California Bar's Taxation Section and the National Pro Bono Award from the ABA's Taxation Section.
William Hornberger practices in the Tax and International sections of Jackson Walker, LLP. William’s tax practice emphasizes transactional and international tax matters and tax controversy issues. He may be reached at 214.953.5857.
Frank S. Houle is the special agent in charge of the Dallas Field division with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Larry Jones advises and represents clients in IRS tax controversies which include audits, appeals, collections, criminal tax investigations, and civil and criminal tax litigation. He is committed to excellence in the practice of law and offers his clients timely, effective and efficient personalized service. Prior to entering private practice, Larry was a Trial Attorney with the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. During his time there, he received substantial trial experience in tax cases. Larry represents taxpayers before all levels of the IRS, and in litigation against the IRS. He is a partner in the law firm of Townsend & Jones, LLP, which has offices in Dallas and Houston. Larry is Director of the Federal Taxpayers Clinic and Small Business Clinic at the SMU Dedman School of Law and teaches Federal Tax Procedures at the Law School. Larry and his partner, Jack Townsend, are in Chambers USA: American’s Leading Lawyers for business and were selected for inclusion in 2009 Texas Super Lawyers. Larry is a member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure published by CCH and he writes a column on examination issues for this publication. Larry has published various articles in dealing with the IRS. He is a co-author of Guide to Dealing With The IRS published by Practitioners Publishing Co. Larry may be reached at 214.696.2661.
Patti Logan became an enrolled agent after working for the IRS as an insolvency technician, revenue officer, and offer specialist. After eight years with the IRS, she formed The Tax Group, which specializes in representation. Patti is a speaker for various tax-related organizations throughout the nation. In addition to her speaking engagements, she is a columnist for CCH’s Journal of Tax Practice and Procedures and a contributing author for Dealing With The IRS. She is a Fellow of the National Tax Practice Institute and former dean of the NTPI faculty. Patti is a co-author of Guide to Dealing With The IRS published by Practitioners Publishing Co. Patti may be reached at 719.783.3312.
Louise Hytken is the Section Chief, Southwestern Civil Trial Section, U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division. She is board certified in Tax law, a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, past president of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association and a member of the American Bar Association and the Dallas Bar Association.
Bridgett Marchetta is an Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, in the Dallas Field Office located in Dallas, Texas. Mrs. Marchetta was named to this position in August 2006 and reports to the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. Mrs. Marchetta is responsible for planning, directing and evaluating activities of criminal investigation employees in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Northeastern and Northwestern Texas and Oklahoma. The mission of IRS Criminal Investigation is to serve the American Public by investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law.
Jimmy Martens, Attorney, is the founder of Martens, Seay & Todd. He is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Tax Law. Mr. Martens is also a CPA. Martens, Seay & Todd limits its practice solely to matters involving Texas tax controversy and litigation and federal tax controversy and litigation. Mr. Martens has successfully resolved numerous Texas tax cases and federal tax cases by either negotiation or through litigation in the administrative courts, state district courts, federal district court, or U.S. Tax Court. He has also handled appeals of federal tax cases to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has taught Texas State Taxation and Tax Controversies and Litigation at the University of Texas School of Law. He may be reached at 512.542.9898.
Audrey M. Morris, Associate Area Counsel, I.R.S. Office of Chief Counsel (SB/SE Dallas). Ms. Morris graduated from the University of West Florida in 1984 with a B.A. in Accounting and she received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1990. She has been with the Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel in Dallas, Texas since 1991. Prior to that time she spent five years as a Revenue Agent. Ms. Morris currently supervises a group of 6 attorneys and 2 paralegals working in the Small Business/Self-Employed Division of the Office of Chief Counsel. Ms. Morris’ areas of expertise include civil tax litigation, primarily focusing on the areas of Civil Fraud, Abusive Trusts, Offshore Credit Cards, FBARs, Innocent Spouse, Summonses, Third Party Contacts, and Offers In Compromise. Ms. Morris is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
Nina Olson is the National Taxpayer Advocate and service as an advocate for taxpayers in the IRS and Congress. She leads the Taxpayer Advocate Service, a nationwide organization of approximately 2,000 taxpayer advocates who help U.S. taxpayers resolve problems and work with the IRS to correct systemic and procedural problems. Nina’s work as the “voice of the taxpayers” at the IRS has won national acclaim: The non-profit Tax Foundation selected her to receive its Public Sector Distinguished Service Award in 2007. Accounting Today magazine named her one of its Top 100 Most Influential People in the accounting profession each year since 2007. In January 2005, Money magazine named her one of the 12 “Class Acts of 2004.”
Valorie Paugh has been an enrolled agent since 1983. She started her career in bookkeeping specializing in the construction industry. She served as Inventory Control Manager and Cost Control for an MRE manufacturer during desert storm. In 1991 she started her own practice and became an ERO in 1996. Valorie has served in various offices of the Texas Society of Enrolled Agents. She is the 2006 recipient of the Charles Goodnight Memorial Enrolled Agent of the Year and the 2007 recipient of the IRS Small Business/Self-Employed Excellence in Partnering Award for Volunteer Education. Her current business is tax preparation, IRS representation and controversy; write up, entity choice, QuickBooks network construction, installation and training.
William Roberts heads The Roberts Law Firm, the second largest tax boutique in Dallas, Texas, specializing in federal tax litigation and asset protection. A former Editor-in-Chief of his law review, Bill has been practicing law for over 27 years. As a trial attorney for the Justice Department, Bill handled some of the most complex and important tax cases heard in the courts of the period. His work included a year and a half in the Solicitor Generals Office trying the Supreme Court case, South Carolina v. Baker (Original Jurisdiction.) He has also tried a multitude of complex matters including the only governmental win against the banking industry on core deposit issue. Bill currently heads The Roberts Law Firm where he practices tax planning and controversy. As a litigator, Bill tries cases suing the Internal Revenue Service for unlawful practices as well as representing Circular 230 practitioners before the Office of Professional Responsibility and their administrative courts. Bill’s specialty includes criminal tax cases. He may be reached at 972.661.1040.
Ira Shepard has been a professor at the University of Houston Law Center since 1975. Before his tenure at the Law Center, he taught at the University of Georgia School of Law and was a visiting professor at the University of North Carolina Law School. He received his baccalaureate degree from Harvard College in 1958 and his law degree from Harvard University in 1965, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Following graduation, he practiced in New York City with the firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrsion. He has been the special Advisor to the Southern Federal Tax Institute since 1974. He has chaired the Continuing Legal Education and Research Committee of the American Bar Association Tax Section and the planning committee for the University of Texas Tax Conference.
Pat Sykes is in her 27th year with H&R Block. She is a Master Tax Advisor and Co-director of the H&R Block Premium office at Preston & Forest. Pat is a frequent instructor for Block and speaks at various conferences and conventions. She is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University and a member of the Tax Alliance Conference Committee. Pat became an Enrolled Agent in 1993 and is a member of the National Association of Enrolled Agents, Texas Society of Enrolled Agents, and Plano Area Enrolled Agents. In 2005, she was the honored recipient of the Charles R. Goodnight Memorial Award given by the Texas Society of Enrolled Agents.
David Stanush’s area of expertise includes personal estate planning, preparation of wills, trusts and foundations, tax planning for U.S. and foreign citizens, probate, trust and tax litigation and supervision of estate administration as well as guardianship law. David holds a J. D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law as well as a BBA with highest honors in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin. David was named for the fifth consecutive year as one of The Best Lawyers in America as published by Woodward/White, Inc. (2004 – 2009.) As well as being an attorney, David is a CPA, member of the San Antonio Bar Association and a shareholder at Oppenheimer Blend, Harrison + Tate, Inc. He may be reached at 210.224.2000.
Susan Wetzel is a partner with Haynes and Boone, LLP, one of the largest and fastest-growing law firms in the United States. Ms. Wetzel currently serves as the Chair of Haynes and Boone, LLP’s Employee Benefit/Executive Compensation practice group, and counsels employers, executives and members of corporate boards regarding design, implementation, and compliance issues relating to retirement plans, welfare plans, employee benefits, executive compensation, and mergers and acquisitions. She is a frequent speaker on employee benefits issues at seminars for human resources groups, bar associations, individual companies, and continuing education seminars. Ms. Wetzel was named one of the Best Lawyers under 40 in 2006 by D Magazine and a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 by Texas Monthly Magazine. She also is listed as one of The Best Lawyers in America 2009 in Employee Benefits Law. Since 2005, she has served as the Co-Chair of the Mergers and Acquisitions Subcommittee of the American Bar Association Section of the Taxation Employee Benefits Committee. Susan may be reached at 214.651.5389
