Fred Folsom Death (1/5/12)

The Washington Post reports that Fred Folsom died 1/2/12.  See the Obituary here.  As reported, Fred was Chief of the Criminal Section of the Tax Division from 1961 until his retirement in 1972.

The Washington Post has a link where readers can leave comments.  Of course, comments more targeted to DOJ Tax Alumni can be made to this blog entry.  I am sure that readers would appreciate  good stories about Fred's tenure at DOJ Tax.

Chad Muller is a Nominee for Tax Analysts Person of the Year (1/4/12)

The Tax Prof Blog reports today that Chad Muller, DOJ Tax Alum, was one of the final nominees for Tax Analysts Person of the Year.  The Tax Prof Blog article is here.  The person receiving the prize was Grover Nordquist.  Personally, I think Chad would have been a better choice.

Congratulations, Chad.

Chris Pietruszkiewica Named Dean at Stetson Law (1/4/11)

The Tax Prof Blog advises that Christopher Pietruszkiewicz, DOJ Tax Alum, has been appointed dean of the Stetson Law School.  The Stetson Law School press release is here.  The Tax Prof Blog article is here.  His currently LSU Law Center Brief Biography is here which has his current contact information for those wishing to contact him.  I will post his new contact information at Stetson when I obtain it (any reader who obtains it may want to post it as a comment or email me with the information so that I can post it in the blog and update the alumni database.

Congratulations to Chris!

Grover Hart III Awarded Presidential Rank Award

The Texas Bar Journal (November 2011) reports (p. 891) that Grover Hart III, an attorney in the DOJ Tax Dallas office, has been awarded the Presidential Rank Award for his achievements in the legal field in the United States and Canada.

Tax Division Attorneys Receive Awards at the Attorney General's Awards Ceremony (10/24/11)

At the Attorney General's Awards Ceremony on 10/19/11, the following awards were made to DOJ Tax attorneys:

Tax Division Office of Civil Litigation Chief Senior Litigation Counsel Dennis M. Donohue is awarded the John Marshall Award for Participation in Litigation for his exceptional service in successfully litigating three recent tax shelter cases, and contributing to the department’s objective of vigorously enforcing the interests of the United States in tax litigation. With meticulous preparation, creative courtroom techniques and powerful advocacy, Mr. Donohue examined complex financial transactions to convince three separate courts to hold the taxpayers liable for substantial penalties including tax and interest.

Another John Marshall Award for Support of Litigation is awarded to Tax Division Eastern Region Civil Trial Section Trial Attorney Charles M. Flesch. Mr. Flesch is awarded for his outstanding contributions and dedication in supporting the civil litigating components of the department in activities above and beyond his own demanding caseload. He has also provided department attorneys with a body of well-focused and meticulously researched monographs, and has personally fostered the continuing legal education of numerous attorneys through his regular participation as an instructor at the National Advocacy Center.

Another Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is presented to the team responsible for the investigation and prosecution Jack Abramoff and his associates, resulting in the conviction of 20 individuals for public corruption-related charges since 2005, including a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior, other high-ranking public officials and various lobbyists, including Abramoff. Recipients include, from the Tax Division Criminal Enforcement Section – Northern Region Assistant Chief Karen E. Kelly;  [the names of other attorneys from other components are omitted].

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The Main Justice blog on the awards (essentially cloning the DOJ press release) is here.

Stuart Abrams Death

I have received word that Stuart Abrams, former AUSA in SDNY, who worked on tax cases both with as an AUSA and private practitioner died on 10/12/11.  I will post more information here as I receive it.

Any reader who would like to share memories of Stu are welcome to do so in the comments.

The New York Times Obituary is here, but here is the text portion in full:

ABRAMS--Stuart Edward. Of New York City and Ancramdale, NY. Extraordinary spouse, father, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, friend, lawyer, historian, writer, pianist, cross-country skier, gardener, Red Sox fan. Born April 30, 1953 in Englewood, NJ, son of the late Dilys (Jones) and Selden Abrams, he died October 13, 2011 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital. Stuart was loved and admired by his spouse of 31 years, Caroline J. Downey, his children Alexandra and Stephen Abrams-Downey, his sister Nancy Abrams Gaess, his siblings-in-law Peter, Jim, Sally, Bob, Nancy, Steve, KT, Paul, Hallie, Eleanor and Jay, his 19 nieces and nephews, his cousins and his many friends. A 1974 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia Law School, 1977, he had been a partner at Frankel & Abrams since 1994 and was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. From 1982-1989, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York, where he served as Chief Appellate Counsel and Chief of the Major Crimes Unit. He also served as an Associate Independent Counsel for Iran-Contra Matters from 1989-1990. Those wishing to honor Stuart's memory may consider donations to Obama for America 2012 and Partners in Health. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 29, at 1:00pm at the Ethical Culture Society, 64th St and Central Park West.

Obama Nominates Kathy Keneally as DOJ Tax AAG (9/10/11)

Obama has nominated Kathy Kenalley as DOJ Tax AAG.  See the Main Justice article here.  Kathy is well qualified, as most of her colleaques know.  I think that most of the readers of this blog will recognize her name and a substantial subset of those readers will know her.  Finally, DOJ Tax is blessed with someone who can take the reins and do great service to the country.  Congratulations, Kathy.

Glenn Archer, Former AAG Tax, Dies

The Court of Federal Appeals web site has announced that Judge Glenn Archer, former AAG Tax Division, has died.  The web site link is here but I cut and paste it because I am not sure that is a permanent URL for the announcement.

Circuit Judge Glenn L. Archer, Jr. Dies at the Age of 82

The Honorable Glenn L. Archer, Jr., died at Friendship Village’s Hospice of the Valley in Tempe, Arizona on July 27, 2011. Chief Judge Rader, in a message to the court announcing Judge Archer’s death said: “ Glenn was our third Chief Judge and the first Chief Judge of our court to start his judicial career with the Federal Circuit. He led our court through some of our most challenging transitional years. When we recall Glenn, we will speak of his magnificent service including his tenure as our Chief Judge, but we will mostly remember that his heart was grand enough to comprehend the hardships and challenges of every person he encountered. His great compassion made him a great judge and a great leader.”

Judge Archer was appointed to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by President Ronald Reagan and assumed duties as Circuit Judge on December 23, 1985. He became Chief Judge on March 18, 1994, and served in that capacity until December 24, 1997, when he assumed senior status. While in senior status, Judge Archer continued to serve on the Federal Circuit and often sat by designation with the Ninth Circuit in both Pasadena and San Francisco, California.

Prior to his twenty-five years on the court, Judge Archer served as Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division, United States Department of Justice from 1982 to 1984. During his time in private practice, Judge Archer was an associate in the Washington, DC law firm of Hamel, Park, McCabe and Saunders from 1956 to1960 and a partner from 1960 to 1981. Judge Archer served as First Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General's Office, United States Air Force from 1954 to 1956. He received a B.A. from Yale University in 1951 and a J.D., with honors, from George Washington University Law School in 1954.

I will add more information as I learn of it.

Tamara Ashford Named Tax Division DAAG for Appellate and Review (7/19/11)

DOJ Tax Alum has been named the Tax Division Deputy Attorney General for Appellate and Review.  The DOJ Tax Memo announcing the appointment.is here.

Thanks to the TaxProf Blog for news of the appointment.

President Nominates Alum Thomas Owen Rice to U.S. District Court

From the White House Press Release of June 29, 2011 here:

WASHINGTON- Today, President Obama nominated Thomas Owen Rice and Judge David Ogden Nuffer to United States District Court judgeships.


“I am honored to nominate these distinguished individuals to serve on the United States District Court bench,” said President Obama. “They have both demonstrated an unwavering commitment to justice throughout their careers, and I am confident they will continue to serve the American people with integrity.”

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Thomas Owen Rice: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

Thomas Owen Rice serves as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, a position he has held since 1987. Rice has served as the First Assistant United States Attorney since 2006 and previously was Chief of the Criminal Division from 2003 to 2006 and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division from 2000 to 2003. From 1986 to 1987, Rice worked as a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice. In 1986, he was a law clerk at the law firm of Delay, Curran, Thompson & Pontarolo. Rice received his J.D. magna cum laude in 1986 from Gonzaga University School of Law and his B.B.A. in 1983 from Gonzaga University.