State & Local

The Tax Angle: TCJA Lobbying, IRS Staff Cuts

Stephen K. Cooper
Editor-at-Large

From a look at a report on corporate tax lobbyists working to renew the 2017 tax law to another assessing the impact of IRS budget cuts and staff reductions on audit activity, here's a peek into a reporter's notebook on a few of the week's developing tax stories.

New Calif. Tax Appeals Head Affirms Focus On Transparency

Maria Koklanaris
Senior Tax Correspondent

The new executive director of the California Office of Tax Appeals says she is focused on transparency for all parties and vows to make the office's guidance and proceedings as accessible as possible. Here, Law360 speaks with Myriam Bouaziz about her latest role and the inner workings of the OTA.

Ky. Law Could Be Model For Eliminating State-Level Deference

Paul Williams
Tax Correspondent

A new law that bars Kentucky's courts from deferring to state agencies' interpretations of statutes and regulations could serve as a model for other states that are considering following the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the Chevron doctrine.

E-Discovery Quarterly: The Perils Of Digital Data Protocols

Though stipulated protocols governing the treatment of electronically stored information in litigation are meant to streamline discovery, recent disputes demonstrate that certain missteps in the process can lead to significant inefficiencies, say attorneys at Sidley.

Cookies, Cribs, Curiousness: SALT In Review

From Massachusetts' cookie-based take on a federal law to Pennsylvania's proposed tax exemption for cribs, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

A Cold War-Era History Lesson On Due Process

The landmark Harry Bridges case from the mid-20th century Red Scare offers important insights on why lawyers must be free of government reprisal, no matter who their client is, says Peter Afrasiabi at One LLP.

How BigLaw Executive Orders May Affect Smaller Firms

Because of the types of cases they take on, solo practitioners, small law firms and public interest attorneys may find themselves more dramatically affected by the collective impact of recent government action involving the legal industry than even the BigLaw firms named in the executive orders, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

Lawsuits Shouldn't Be Shadow Assets For Foreign Capital

Third-party litigation financing amplifies inefficiencies from litigation and facilitates national exposure to foreign influence in the U.S. justice system, so full disclosure of financing arrangements should be required as a matter of institutional integrity, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

How To Accelerate Your Post-Attorney Career Transition

Professionals seeking to transition to nonattorney careers may encounter skepticism as nontraditional candidates, but there are opportunities for thought leadership and to leverage speaking and writing to accelerate a post-attorney career transition, say Janet Falk at Falk Communications and Evgeny Efremkin at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Measuring And Mitigating Harm From Discriminatory Taxes

In response to new tariffs and other recent "America First Trade Policy" pronouncements, corporations should assess and take steps to minimize their potential exposure to discriminatory and reciprocal tax measures that are likely to come, say economists at Charles River Associates.

Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw

The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.

Law Firm Executive Orders Create A Legal Ethics Minefield

Recent executive orders targeting BigLaw firms create ethical dilemmas — and raise the specter of civil or criminal liability — for the government attorneys tasked with implementing them and for the law firms that choose to make agreements with the administration, say attorneys at Buchalter.

Firms Must Embrace Alternative Billing Models Or Fall Behind

As artificial intelligence tools eliminate inefficiencies and the Big Four accounting firms enter the legal market, law firms that pivot from the entrenched billable hour model to outcomes-based pricing will see a distinct competitive advantage, says attorney William Brewer.

What Is Right And What Is Not: SALT In Review

From an important ruling by a judge in Arkansas to a disclosure proposal in Minnesota, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

How Attorneys Can Master The Art Of On-Camera Presence

As attorneys are increasingly presented with on-camera opportunities, they can adapt their traditional legal skills for video contexts — such as virtual client meetings, marketing content or media interviews — by understanding the medium and making intentional adjustments, says Kerry Barrett.

Adapting To Private Practice: From Fed. Prosecutor To BigLaw

Making the jump from government to private practice is no small feat, but, based on my experience transitioning to a business-driven environment after 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, it can be incredibly rewarding and help you become a more versatile lawyer, says Michael Beckwith at Dickinson Wright.