Federal

  • January 02, 2025

    Retirement Trustee Liable For Fraud Penalty, Tax Court Finds

    A trustee and fiduciary of two retirement plans who diverted $5.3 million from the plans for his personal benefit willfully and fraudulently intended to evade tax on his unreported income and is liable for a fraud penalty, the U.S. Tax Court held Thursday.

  • January 02, 2025

    Crypto Groups Challenge Decentralized Finance Broker Rule

    Three cryptocurrency industry groups have teamed up to challenge a final U.S. Treasury Department rule implementing additional reporting requirements for decentralized finance brokers, telling a Texas federal court that the rule is unconstitutional and could destroy the industry.

  • January 02, 2025

    Republicans Want Yellen To Answer For Chinese Cyber Attack

    Congressional Republicans want U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to explain how a Chinese state-sponsored entity hacked into Treasury's computer systems and accessed potentially sensitive information.

  • January 02, 2025

    Feds Ask High Court To Unpause Corporate Transparency Law

    The federal government is asking the Supreme Court to lift a Texas judge's injunction against the Corporate Transparency Act, telling the justices in a new application that the 2021 anti-money-laundering law's compliance deadlines should take effect while the Fifth Circuit hears the full case.

  • January 02, 2025

    Thomson Reuters Bolsters Tax Ops With $600M SafeSend Buy

    Thomson Reuters Corp. has acquired SafeSend, a cloud-based provider of technology for tax and accounting professionals, for $600 million in cash, the Toronto-based data and content conglomerate said in a statement Thursday.

  • January 02, 2025

    IRS, Treasury Float Regs On Excise Taxes For Drugmakers

    The IRS and Treasury proposed rules for charging excise taxes to drugmakers that refuse to negotiate drug prices with Medicare under requirements of the 2022 tax and climate law, saying the tax only would apply to manufacturers and importers that initially sell the drugs.

  • January 02, 2025

    Consolidated Return Regs Revised With Gender-Neutral Terms

    The IRS and Treasury finalized rules for companies that file consolidated federal income tax returns, saying the new regulations provide needed modernizations to terminology, including removing gender-specific pronouns.

  • January 02, 2025

    Feds Want 6 Years For Ex-FBI Informant Who Smeared Bidens

    Prosecutors told a California federal judge that a former FBI informant who falsely told agents that a Ukrainian energy company had paid off President Joe Biden and his son Hunter should be sentenced to six years in prison, saying he betrayed the United States by trying to influence the 2020 election even after being granted citizenship.

  • January 01, 2025

    US International Tax Issues to Watch In 2025

    As President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans take control of the U.S. government in 2025, policymakers are expected to address changing international provisions in the Internal Revenue Code and reevaluate the country's role in global tax talks. Here, Law360 examines key U.S. international tax policy issues to watch in the new year.

  • January 01, 2025

    The Top 5 High Court Cases To Watch This Spring

    The U.S. Supreme Court justices will return from the winter holidays to tackle major First Amendment questions and several administrative law disputes — all arising from the Fifth Circuit — that could further change how federal agencies promulgate rules and defend them.

  • January 01, 2025

    Top International Tax Cases To Watch In 2025

    Major multinational corporations such as 3M and Coca-Cola will continue to litigate high-stakes international tax cases during 2025, including transfer pricing disputes with billions of dollars on the line and fights against regulations that allegedly exceed the government's authority. Here, Law360 looks at six key international tax cases to follow in the new year.

  • January 01, 2025

    Top Federal Tax Cases To Watch In 2025

    Over the next year, tax practitioners will be closely monitoring suits that challenge the IRS' use of the economic substance doctrine, take advantage of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision curbing federal agencies' regulatory authority and dispute the government's handling of worker retention credits. Here, Law360 looks at key federal tax cases to follow in 2025.

  • December 23, 2024

    Anti-Laundering Law Is Likely Constitutional, 5th Circ. Rules

    The Fifth Circuit on Monday lifted a lower court's nationwide block of a federal corporate transparency law, ruling in an unpublished order that the federal government made a "strong showing" that it could successfully defend the law's constitutionality.

  • December 23, 2024

    IRS Finalizes Regs Clarifying Supervisor Penalty Approval

    An IRS supervisor can approve penalties anytime before the agency assesses them, as well as before it issues a preassessment notice subject to a U.S. Tax Court review, such as a deficiency notice, under final regulations that aim to clarify conflicting court interpretations on the civil fines.

  • December 23, 2024

    Treasury Proposes Contingent Fee Regs For Tax Pros

    Tax professionals who practice before the IRS and charge clients contingent fees in connection with preparing returns will be subject to sanctions for disreputable conduct under rules proposed by the U.S. Treasury Department that also require practitioners to be competent in new technology.

  • December 20, 2024

    SEC Fines Entergy $12M Over Alleged Accounting Errors

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday announced a $12 million settlement with Entergy Corp. over claims that the company failed to properly account for what may have been hundreds of millions of dollars in unusable or surplus equipment.

  • December 20, 2024

    Utah Judge Pauses Challenge To Corporate Transparency Act

    A Utah federal judge has stayed a case seeking to block the Corporate Transparency Act to see how the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump handles the law after a kindred case in Texas won a preliminary injunction on it.

  • December 20, 2024

    Baker McKenzie Names 18 New Partners In North America

    Baker McKenzie announced the promotion of 18 North American-based attorneys to partner, a slight increase from last year but still significantly lower than in previous years.

  • December 20, 2024

    IRS Sets 2025 Wage Base For Covered Compensation

    The taxable wage base used to calculate covered compensation for employee retirement plans will be $176,100 for 2025 tax year, the Internal Revenue Service announced in a revenue ruling Friday. 

  • December 20, 2024

    Rules On Earnings, Profits Still Being Vetted, IRS Official Says

    Recently proposed rules for previously taxed earnings and profits aren't able to be relied on by taxpayers until they are finalized because they contain new approaches that have to be properly vetted through a notice and comment period, an IRS official said Friday.

  • December 20, 2024

    IRS Seeks Input On Research Tax Credit Form Instructions

    The Internal Revenue Service is seeking comments on draft instructions for an updated research tax credit form, specifically on proposed changes to the reporting of controlled groups, research development costs and business component detail, the agency announced Friday. 

  • December 20, 2024

    Coffee Stands Owner Gets 10 Months For Tax Fraud

    An owner of bikini coffee stands in Seattle was sentenced to 10 months in prison for tax fraud that the U.S. government claimed involved his failure to report more than $6 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service, according to Washington federal court filings.

  • December 20, 2024

    Top North Carolina Cases Of 2024: Bias, Fraud And False Ads

    North Carolina saw a host of heavy-hitting civil trials in 2024, from back-to-back multimillion-dollar jury verdicts in suits over false advertising and employment discrimination, to a substantial bench ruling in a much-watched bias suit against the federal judiciary.

  • December 19, 2024

    Tax Court Cuts Easement Deductions, OKs Penalties

    The U.S. Tax Court on Thursday reduced tax deductions claimed by two partnerships for donating adjoining conservation easements in Georgia and sustained 40% penalties against them for misstating the value of the donations.

  • December 19, 2024

    Biz Owners Ask 11th Circ. To Revive Tax Penalty Challenge

    Owners of an electronic parts company whose reprieve from a $345,000 tax penalty was revoked by the U.S. Tax Court in light of an Eleventh Circuit ruling have asked the appeals court to reconsider its stance and to determine that Tax Court judges have unconstitutional job protections.

Featured Stories

  • US International Tax Issues to Watch In 2025

    No Photo Available

    As President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans take control of the U.S. government in 2025, policymakers are expected to address changing international provisions in the Internal Revenue Code and reevaluate the country's role in global tax talks. Here, Law360 examines key U.S. international tax policy issues to watch in the new year.

  • Federal Tax Policy To Watch In 2025

    Stephen K. Cooper

    While Republicans will hold majorities in both chambers of Congress in 2025, internal party divisions and procedural hurdles could complicate the GOP's effort to renew its 2017 tax overhaul law. Here, Law360 details federal tax policy to watch this year.

  • Top International Tax Cases To Watch In 2025

    Natalie Olivo

    Major multinational corporations such as 3M and Coca-Cola will continue to litigate high-stakes international tax cases during 2025, including transfer pricing disputes with billions of dollars on the line and fights against regulations that allegedly exceed the government's authority. Here, Law360 looks at six key international tax cases to follow in the new year.

Expert Analysis

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • A New Tax On Employers Could Help Curb Illegal Immigration

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    To better enforce the law against hiring immigrants unauthorized to work in the U.S., Congress should enact a punitive excise tax on compensation paid to such immigrants and amend the False Claims Act to allow qui tam actions against employers for failure to pay such tax, says Ajay Gupta at Moore Tax Law Group.

  • Making The Pitch To Grow Your Company's Legal Team

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    In a compressed economy, convincing the C-suite to invest in additional legal talent can be a herculean task, but a convincing pitch — supported by metrics and cost analyses — may help in-house counsel justify the growth of their team, say Elizabeth Smith and Roger Garceau at Major Lindsey.

  • Justices May Find Gov't Can Keep Fraudulent Transfer Benefit

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    Based on the justices' questions at the recently argued U.S. v. Miller, the Supreme Court appears prepared to hold that the U.S. — unlike any other creditor — is permitted to retain the benefits of a fraudulent transfer to the detriment of other bankruptcy creditors, says Kevin Morse at Clark Hill.

  • Tax Court Should Update Framework For Defining Insurance

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    ​​​​​​​The U.S. Tax Court's unnecessary determination in Royalty Management Insurance v. Commissioner that a fraudulent transaction did not contain the hallmarks of a legitimate insurance transaction applies an outdated analysis that threatens the captive insurance sector and illustrates the need for a more modern framework to define true insurance, says Matthew Queen at the Queen Firm.

  • When US Privilege Law Applies To Docs Made Outside The US

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    As globalization manifests itself in disputes over foreign-created documents, a California federal court’s recent trademark decision illustrates nuances of both U.S. privilege frameworks and foreign evidentiary protections that attorneys must increasingly bear in mind, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • Impact Of Corporate Transparency Act Ambiguity On Banks

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    Even though banks generally needn't file beneficial ownership information reports, financial institutions must continue to monitor the status of the Corporate Transparency Act and understand its requirements in case the nationwide injunction that was issued against the CTA earlier this month is overturned, say attorneys at Armstrong Teasdale.

  • 6 Changes I Would Make If I Ran A Law School

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    Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner identifies several key issues plaguing law schools and discusses potential solutions, such as opting out of the rankings game and mandating courses in basic writing skills.

  • Firms Still Have The Edge In Lateral Hiring, But Buyer Beware

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    Partner mobility data suggests that the third quarter of this year continued to be a buyer’s market, with the average candidate demanding less compensation for a larger book of business — but moving into the fourth quarter, firms should slow down their hiring process to minimize risks, say officers at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Congress Should Expand Investment Options For 403(b)s

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    Lawmakers should pass pending legislation to give 403(b) plan participants access to collective investment trusts, leveling the playing field for public sector retirement investors by giving them an investment option their private sector counterparts have had for decades, says Jason Levy at Great Gray Trust Company.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: 1 Type Of Case Complexity Stands Out

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    In contrast to some cases that appear complex due to voluminous evidence or esoteric subject matter, a different kind of complexity involves tangled legal and factual questions, each with a range of possible outcomes, which require a “sliding scale” approach instead of syllogistic reasoning, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Note 3 Simple Types Of Legal Complexity

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    Cases can appear complex for several reasons — due to the number of issues, the volume of factual and evidentiary sources, and the sophistication of those sources — but the same basic technique can help lawyers tame their arguments into a simple and persuasive message, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.