Mayer Brown fields a team with significant experience in complex national and multinational tax disputes, in addition to displaying strengths in SALT matters across all 50 states. With expertise across the media, hospitality, and technology sectors, the department is in particular noted for its successes in the energy sector, where it works on behalf of numerous prominent multinational groups. The group is jointly led by Brian Kittle, who is based in New York, Gary Wilcox in Washington DC, and Thomas Kittle-Kamp and Joel Williamson, both of whom work from Chicago. Other key names include Larry Langdon in Palo Alto, who is well-known for his acumen in alternate dispute resolution techniques, Leah Robinson, a New York-based SALT expert, and John Hildy of Chicago, whose practice covers transfer pricing in addition to a range of other contentious multinational tax matters. Also in Chicago are Jenny Austin, who has broad disputes expertise and acts in IRS audits, appeals, and litigation, and Anthony Pastore, who has represented clients at all stages of tax controversy.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Mayer Brown is a great tax litigation firm. I have enjoyed working with them. They are technical and strategic.’
‘We mainly work with Brian Kittle and Gary Wilcox. Brian is well-rounded in transfer pricing litigations. He is smart, creative, and driven. Gary is very technical, and has a lot of experience dealing with the IRS. ’
‘The firm has a very strong and well established tax controversy practice. The attorneys in the group have significant experience addressing and resolving issues with the IRS Appeals division. They also have significant experience with litigating tax issues. The attorneys are very thorough in their review of issues.’
‘Joel Williamson is our main partner. Joel's litigating experience puts him at the top of his profession. He is a very smart, experienced tax professional who can quickly get up to speed on an issue. Joel brings the best attorneys to the team, who each have a specific role to play in the case. He does a tremendous job explaining complex tax issues to non-tax executives.'
‘Brian Kittle is the most responsive and consistent attorney I've worked with. He always brings the right team to the table and helps us build a successful strategy.’
‘The team takes on the highest stakes matters and instills confidence throughout the clients they serve.’
‘Joel Williamson has seen and done it all. He is the best in the business.’
Key clients
- American Express
- Abbott Laboratories
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
- Dentsply Sirona
- Eaton Corporation
- FMR LLC
- General Mills
- GSS Holdings Inc.
- Hyatt Hotels Corporation
- Landis+Gyr, Inc
- Macquarie Group
- Occidental Petroleum Corporation
- Prudential Financial
- R.O.P. Aviation, Inc.
- Scotia Bank
- Stanley, Black & Decker
- Sun Pharmaceuticals
- Tribune Nexstar
- Yum! Brands
Work highlights
- Represented Hyatt Hotels Corporation in a case which addressed novel issues related to the tax treatment of customer loyalty programs and so-called changes in accounting methods under I.R.C. § 481. Loyalty programs.
- Represented Liberty Street LLC, its partners, including GSS Holdings Inc., and its sponsor, Scotia Bank, in a case in which the Federal Circuit vacated a decision that had upheld the IRS's disallowance of GSS’s loss deduction.
- Assisted Landis+Gyr with overturning a lower court's ruling, securing a retail sales tax exemption and tax refund.
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Brian Kittle, Thomas Kittle-Kamp, Joel Williamson, Gary Wilcox