Wendy Abkin

Partner

Experience

Wendy Abkin specializes in tax controversies, representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state and local taxing agencies. Ms. Abkin represents clients in civil and criminal tax matters at all levels of the IRS, including exams, appeals, collection, and, where necessary, litigation. She also assists clients with state and local tax matters, with representation before the California Franchise Tax Board, the State Board of Equalization and various county Assessment Appeals Boards.

Ms. Abkin’s practice has focused on tax controversy throughout her career. She served as a clerk for the United States Tax Court in Washington, D.C., and subsequently as an attorney with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in San Francisco, where she represented the IRS before the U.S. Tax Court and provided advice to the Examination and Appeals divisions on a wide variety of issues. She also worked for a “Big 4” accounting firm, assisting large and middle market clients with a vast array of issues involving state and federal exams, tax provisions, and unique procedural matters.

Professional Involvement

Throughout her career, Ms. Abkin has been active in numerous professional organizations. She was the 2002-2003 Chair of the California State Bar Taxation Section. From 1994-1998, Ms. Abkin chaired the Pro Se Pro Bono program of the California State Bar Taxation Section, which provides free advice and assistance to otherwise unrepresented taxpayers appearing in the U.S. Tax Court in San Francisco. She also has served as the Secretary, Vice-President and President of the San Francisco Tax Litigation Club and is a member of the San Francisco Tax Club and the ABA Section of Taxation.

Ms. Abkin has served as an adjunct professor in both the School of Law and the Master's in Taxation Program at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Listed in Northern California Super Lawyers® 2006, 2007

Recipient: V. Judson Klein Award, Taxation Section, State Bar of California (2007)

Education

B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1980, Magna Cum Laude
M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1982
J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 1985
LL.M., Taxation, University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law,    1986