Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin, APLC is proud to announce that Michele Weiss has joined the firm as Senior Counsel. Michele brings to Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin over 13 years of experience in tax controversy matters.
Michele brings invaluable experience as a former Senior Attorney in the Large and Mid-Size Business (LMSB) Division of IRS Counsel in Los Angeles, where she handled complex tax litigation matters. Michele worked closely with IRS exam teams, giving guidance and litigating complex areas of tax law including partnership and international taxation, tax shelters, leasing and depreciation issues and civil tax penalties. During her tenure at the IRS, Michele was also the employment tax coordinator for the Los Angeles area.
Most recently, Michele was a Director in KPMG’s Tax Controversy Services group where she represented foreign and domestic clients before the Internal Revenue Service and the California Franchise Tax Board. Her practice encompassed numerous complex substantive tax issues and procedural matters including Research and Development credits, excise taxes, civil tax penalties, collection due process, employment taxes, the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) and international tax matters involving the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP), withholding obligations and sourcing of income.
For over 8 years Michele has been on the adjunct faculty of Golden Gate University School of Taxation where she teaches federal tax procedure, research and writing.
Michele received her B.A. in economics cum laude, from Barnard College of Columbia University. She received her J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from New York University where she was Article and Note Editor for the Journal of International Law and Politics. Michele is a member of the California and New York state bars. She is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court.