Ralph Romano Death on 9/6/15 (9/10/15)

Ralph Romano died on 9/6/15.  Here is an article:  Ralph Romano, 73, retired administrative-law judge (Philly.com 9/9/15), here.

According to my database, Ralph was in Civil - Western and General Litigation.  I don't have the years.

Clare E. Connors Nominated for Federal District Court Slot (9/9/15)

From the White House Release, here:

Clare E. Connors:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii 

Clare E. Connors has been an attorney at the law firm of Davis Levin Livingston in Honolulu, Hawaii since 2011, where her practice focuses on civil litigation.  From 2004 to 2011, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii.  From 2003 to 2004, she served as a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice and also served on detail as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.  Connors began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable David Alan Ezra of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii from 2002 to 2003.  She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2002 and her B.A. cum laude from Yale College in 1996. 

Fran Allegra Death on August 27 (8/30/11)

Fran Allegra died on August 27.  Links for information are:

Washington Post Notice - here.
Obituary Notice - here.
Guest Book - here.

Tribute Booklet for Myron C. ("Mike") Baum (6/1/15)

In going through some old files, I found the tribute booklet for Mike Baum and share it in pdf format with the alumni.  The booklet is here.

The contributors are (in order presented):

Robert M. Baum
John F. Murray
Edie & David Tael
Sheldon S. Cohen
Fred B. Ugast
Herbert N. Beller
Claire Fallon
Griffin B. Bell (letter of 8/7/79)
Nancy Stanley
Cathy Livingston
Tom Troyer
Stan Krysa
Mortimer Caplin
Carleton Powell
Leonard Van Slyke
Beth Kaufman
Thad Williams
Cecilia Sqarlata
Shirley Peterson

Robert Handros Death on February 17 (5/22/15)

Robert Handros died on February 17.  He was a trial attorney in General Litigation and thereafter in Civil Northern.  His obituary is here.

Paul Barker Death on April 15 (5/22/15)

Paul Barker died on April 15.  He was a trial attorney in General Litigation and Civil Trial Northern, having previously worked with the IRS.  His obituary is here.

Tax Division Event Contemporaneous with ABA Tax Section Meeting on May 8 (4/28/15)

To the DOJ Tax Division Alumni:

I received the following email from Bob Bruffy, the Executive Officer of the Tax Division regarding an opportunity for DOJ Tax Alumni to attend a Tax Division outing at a Washington Nationals baseball game on Friday, May 8, which is contemporaneous with the ABA Tax Section May Meeting in DC.  The game will start at 7:05pm.  The opposing team is the Atlanta Braves.  Here is the text of the Bob's email:

We bought 76 tickets to the game, and have sold 53 so far to employees and family.  Any alumni who are interested in attending can send an email to Mike Martineau at Tax.Mail@usdoj.gov with the words “Baseball” in the subject line.   Tickets are $33 each, and will be available a few days before the game, and we’ll have to make arrangements to distribute them – perhaps we can hand them out at the ABA meeting, or folks can stop by the office to pick them up before 5 on the 8th. 

It would be great to have some tax Division alums join us! 

Bob

Gene Sayre Death (3/20/15)

I have been advised that Gene Sayre died on 3/18/15.  I do not now have more details, but I understand that an obituary and guestbook will be posted on the following website:

http://www.littlerockfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Eugene-Sayre/#!/Obituary

I will post more information as I get it.

I knew Gene, although not all that well.  He was a wonderful, smart and funny guy.  Other alumni who knew Gene and have comments (including anecdotes) are encouraged to post them here.

Memoriam for William H. Bill Bowen (3/16/15)

William H. ("Bill") Bowen, deceased, was honored with an In Memoriam gathering including Lynn Foster, Joel E. Anderson, Byron M. Eiseman, John Gill, Chuck Goldner, Kenneth S. Gould, Charles E. Hathaway, James L. "Skip" Rutherford, III and President Bill Clinton.  The comments are published in 37 U.Ar., Little Rock Law Review 1 (Fall 2014).  The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is also called the William H. Bowen School of Law.  See here.  I cannot provide a link to the publication because it has not yet appeared on the law review's web page, here [but at some point it will appear].

The following excerpts are from the publication (bold-face supplied by JAT):

From Byron M. Eiseman, Partner, Friday, Eldredge & Clark

1. Bill Bowen, the lawyer. Following his graduation from the University of Arkansas School of Law, Bill continued his academic career by attending NYU. Afterwards he became a clerk to Judge Bolon B. Turner of the U.S. Tax Court, a native Arkansan. His next job was employment with the Tax Division of the Department of Justice traveling around the country winning tax cases for the government many of which appeared to be losers. His successes distinguished him in the eyes of his immediate superior, Charles Mehaffy, who happened to be the brother of Pat Mehaffy, the original managing partner of our firm then known as Mehaffy, Smith & Williams. Charles Mehaffy contacted his brother, Pat, and told him the firm needed to hire a boy named Bowen from Altheimer who was the brightest star in tax litigation matters for the government. Bill reported to work in 1954 and soon began his legendary career in Arkansas. He became a name partner in 1962 and was one of the most successful lawyers in the state. On separate occasions he successfully represented two Hot Springs lawyers accused of criminal tax evasion and several well-known Arkansas families in civil tax disputes. In each instance, criminal and civil, the jury was out only a few minutes and Bill was established as one of Arkansas's foremost tax practitioners and litigators. One of my most memorable experiences with Bill was my first trip to St. Louis to present oral arguments on a tax case that we had won in Federal District Court and the government had appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Bill could do things off the seat of his pants better than anyone I have ever known, and he had focused very little on our presentation. On the way to the courthouse he advised me that I was to make the leadoff argument and then he would summarize our position. When asked by the presiding judge of a three-judge panel who would be making the taxpayer's argument he proceeded to say I would go first and that he would follow. Chief Judge Martin Van Oosterhout, the presider, pointed out that normally only one attorney would make the argument, but acceded to Bill's request. I took the first twenty minutes of the allotted thirty and then Bill took over. The bell rang at the twenty-nine minute mark indicating our time was almost up. Bill, with no hesitation, quickly advised the Court that he had some very important points yet to share with the Court and that he would likely need a few extra minutes. After the Chief Judge glanced at his fellow panelists, he shrugged his shoulders and said "Very well, Mr. Bowen." Bill was never inhibited in making a request or taking an action that he believed would benefit his client. 

* * * * 

3. Bill Bowen, the justice. In early 2010 at the age of eighty-six years, Bill was named by Governor Mike Beebe to serve as a justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court to complete the unexpired term of Justice Annabelle Imber Tuck who had earlier resigned. Justice Bowen was soon assigned his first case by Chief Justice Jim Hannah and given a stack of briefs and supporting documents that in his eyes appeared to be at least two feet tall. Justice  [*9]  Bowen did not sleep well for a few nights as he fretted over "What have I gotten myself into?" A health issue arose and Bill decided that he needed to let someone younger, but likely less wise, assume his position on the Court.

From President Bill Clinton:

But I want to say that by the time Bill Bowen agreed basically to make it possible for me to run for president--and I say that in all sincerity--I was profoundly concerned about what would happen if I were to undertake a campaign in 1991, and I wanted to know that the office would continue to operate and that things would go well, and that if I needed to make a decision or come home, somebody with enough sense to know would tell me and get me on a plane forthwith. 

Update on Larry Meuwissen (3/7/15)

ALJ Larry Meuwissen retired on February 28, 2015 after more than 22 cumulative years of federal service in DOJ Tax, Department of Interior, and the last 13 years with the  Social security Administration.  Larry and his wife, Joyce, just returned from 5 weeks in Africa and are planning to open their bed and breakfast, Sans Adieu,  in St. Paul MN sometime this summer.  Look for them on airbnb in June.