Our Los Angeles Tax Attorneys

Gary M. Slavett

Gary Slavett, Los Angeles Tax AttorneyGary M. Slavett is a principal and founder of Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin, A Professional Law Corporation. Gary has been a California licensed attorney since 1996 and has over 25 years of experience in the practice of tax law. Gary’s practice focuses on all tax controversy matters including issues related to Foreign Bank Accounts & FBAR penalties, tax litigation, tax audit representation, tax administrative appeals, and criminal tax matters.  Gary also handles matters related to the Bank Secrecy Act and Administrative and Civil Forfeitures.


  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney
  • Former Senior Manager, Tax Controversy, Deloitte
  • LL.M. in Taxation, NYU School of Law
  • Former Adjunct Tax Law Professor
  • Judicial Extern, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • Extensive Tax Court Trial Experience
  • Named Southern California Super Lawyer in Taxation –  2011-2019

David C. Holtz

David C. Holtz, Attorney, PartnerDavid C. Holtz is a principal of Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin, A Professional Law Corporation.  David practices all aspects of tax litigation including tax assessment defense, collection defense and criminal defense.  While David is an Attorney, David began his tax career as a Certified Public Accountant.  He has over 30 years of experience handling tax matters.  He appears frequently before the United States Tax Court, Internal Revenue Service, the California Franchise Tax Board, the California Department of Fees and Tax Administration and the Employment Development Department.  David’s tax practice includes a wide array of substantive areas including income tax, estate tax, employment tax, excise tax, sales tax and property tax.

  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney (Los Angeles)
  • Former Special Assistant United States Attorney (Los Angeles)
  • LL.M. in Taxation, Univ. of Florida
  • Former Certified Public Accountant
  • Former Adjunct Tax Law Professor
  • Named Southern California Super Lawyer 2011-2019
  • Email: David Holtz
  • Tel: (310) 550-6200 Ext 13
  • Fax: (310) 774-3904
Read Full Profile

Igor S. Drabkin

Igor S. Drabkin, AttorneyIgor S. Drabkin is a principal of Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin, A Professional Law Corporation. Igor is a Certified Tax Law Specialist by the State Bar of California. He devotes his skills and experience to representation of clients who are in disputes, or have compliance issues, with the Internal Revenue Service and State taxing authorities, both administratively and in court. He litigates cases in all federal and state courts, including U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, Court of Federal Claims and U.S. Bankruptcy Court. In addition, Igor represents clients in tax audits, fraud and criminal investigations, administrative appeals, tax collection and bankruptcy matters. Igor also has extensive experience representing clients with offshore tax compliance issues, including Offshore Voluntary Disclosure, FBAR audits and Grand Jury investigations related to foreign bank accounts.


  • Certified Tax Law Specialist, State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization
  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney
  • Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney
  • Adjunct Tax Law Professor, Golden Gate University
  • Extensive Trial Experience
  • Named a Southern California Super Lawyer in Tax Law by Super Lawyers, 2012-2019
  • Rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell and Lexis-Nexis Peer Review
  • Email: Igor Drabkin
  • Tel: (310) 550-6200 Ext 11
  • Fax: (310) 774-3904
Read Full Profile

David J. Warner

David J. Warner, AttorneyDavid J. Warner is a Tax Attorney and Shareholder with Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin and the Managing Principal of the firm’s Orange County office.  David has over 13 years of experience practicing in all aspects of tax controversy including tax audits, collection defense, and litigation in the U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, and the Court of Federal Claims. He represents taxpayers in cases involving income tax, estate tax, gift tax, employment tax, collection issues, innocent spouse, penalties, and bankruptcy tax issues. David also represents taxpayers before the California Franchise Tax Board, Department of Fee and Tax Administration (formerly State Board of Equalization), and Employment Development Department. He has particular expertise in tax matters involving individuals and small businesses, the examination of partnerships and S corporations, and offshore tax compliance issues, including the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR), civil fraud, and offshore information return penalties.

  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney
  • Former Department of Justice Special Assistant United States Attorney
  • Former Manager of IRS Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) Cadre for Southern California
  • LL.M. in Taxation, NYU
  • Former Adjunct Law Professor at Loyola Law School, UCI School of Law, and Chapman University
  • Elected Member of the Loyola Law School (Los Angeles) Alumni Association Board of Governors
  • Extensive Tax Court Trial Experience
  • Awarded IRS Counsel Litigation Bronze Medallion
Read Full Profile

Michele F.L. Weiss

Michele F.L. Weiss, AttorneyMichele Leichtman Weiss is a Principal at Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin. She has over 20 years of experience in tax controversy and litigation matters. Michele helps her clients resolve their civil and criminal tax matters. She represents her clients in all aspects of tax controversy, in examinations, appeals and collection matters, at the administrative level and in litigation with federal, state and local tax authorities including the IRS, FTB, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA), EDD, Board of Equalization, Office of Tax Appeals (OTA), the County Assessor and LA City Finance Office. Michele has expertise in many substantive and procedural tax issues including tax penalty abatement, conservation easement deductions, offshore disclosure matters, employment tax matters, sales tax audits, research and development credits, collection due process and non-profit matters. Michele handles property tax matters in all California counties including special assessments, escape assessments, change in ownership issues and property tax appeal representation.

  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney
  • Former Director Tax Controversy Services, KPMG
  • Fellow, American College of Tax Counsel
  • Adjunct Tax Law Professor
  • Extensive Tax Court Trial Experience
Read Full Profile

Scott Burkholder

scott-burkholderScott Burkholder is a Tax Attorney at Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin, A Professional Law Corporation.  Scott practices all aspects of civil tax litigation including tax audit defense, collection defense and the judicial representation of taxpayers suing the IRS.  He appears frequently before the United States Tax Court and Internal Revenue Service, and represents California taxpayers before the Franchise Tax Board, the State Board of Equalization and the Employment Development Department.  Scott has represented taxpayers in cases involving income tax, estate tax, employment tax, excise tax, sales tax, as well as defense against state and federal tax penalties, including failure to file, failure to pay, negligence and fraud.

  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney
Read Full Profile

Emma Warner

Emma Warner, Tax AttorneyEmma Warner is a Tax Attorney with Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin and is based in the firm’s Orange County office. Emma has over 13 years of experience practicing in all aspects of tax controversy. Emma’s experience includes tax audits, collection defense, and other matters before the Internal Revenue Service and litigation in the U.S. Tax Court and U.S. District Court. She represents taxpayers in cases involving income tax, estate tax, gift tax, employment tax, collection issues, innocent spouse, penalties, and bankruptcy tax issues. Emma also represents taxpayers before the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), Department of Fee and Tax Administration (CDTFA, formerly State Board of Equalization (BOE)), and Employment Development Department (EDD).

  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney
  • Former Department of Justice Special Assistant United States Attorney
  • Extensive Tax Court Trial Experience
  • Awarded IRS Counsel Litigation Bronze Medallion
  • Awarded prestigious IRS Counsel Lucite Award
  • Email Emma Warner
  • Tel: (949) 999-6606
  • Fax: (949) 544-0440
Read Full Profile

Kevin Oveisi

Kevin Oveisi, Tax AttorneyKevin Oveisi is a tax attorney with Holtz, Slavett, & Drabkin. Kevin has experience practicing in all aspects of tax controversy including income tax, estate tax, gift tax, employment tax, collection issues, penalties, and litigation in the U.S. Tax. Court. He represents clients in tax audits, collection defense, and litigation before the Internal Revenue Service, California Franchise Tax Board, Department of Fee and Tax Administration (formerly State Board of Equalization), Employment Development Department, and in the U.S. Tax Court and U.S. District Court. He has particular experience in tax matters involving Micro-Captive Insurance, Non-Cash Charitable Contributions, collection due process, and civil fraud.

  • Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney
  • Awarded IRS Counsel New Attorney of the Year
  • Former IRS Core Team Counsel of the Micro-Captive Insurance Cadre
  • Former IRS Counsel of the Non-Cash Charitable Contribution Cadre
  • Extensive Tax Court Trial Experience
  • Email Kevin Oveisi
  • Tel: (310) 550-6200
  • Fax: (310) 774-3904
Read Full Profile

Richard Gano

Richard Gano, Former IRS tax attorneyRichard Gano is a tax attorney with Holtz, Slavett, & Drabkin. Richard practices in all types of tax controversy matters including income tax, estate tax, gift tax, employment tax, collection issues, and penalties. He represents clients in tax audits, collection defense, and litigation before the Internal Revenue Service, California Franchise Tax Board, Department of Fee and Tax Administration (formerly State Board of Equalization), Employment Development Department, and in the U.S. Tax Court and federal district court.

  • Former IRS tax attorney, IRS Office of Chief Counsel, in Washington, DC
  • LL.M. in Taxation, Loyola Law School
  • Email Richard Gano
  • Tel: (310) 550-6200, ext. 15
  • Fax: (310) 774-3904
Read Full Profile