People in Tax Podcast
- Episodes
- 100
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 13, 2026
About the podcast
The People in Tax Podcast features interviews exploring the stories and careers of ABA Tax Section members, government officials, and others who influence, work in, or study tax law and policy. Our goal is to build community and encourage the participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives in the tax law profession.
Episodes 100
Interview with Sarah Green
In this episode of the People in Tax Podcast, Sarah Green, a senior managing associate at Dentons, discusses her journey into tax controversy, her passion for tax litigation, and the importance of mentorship …
Show notes
In this episode of the People in Tax Podcast, Sarah Green, a senior managing associate at Dentons, discusses her journey into tax controversy, her passion for tax litigation, and the importance of mentorship and hands-on experience in developing as a tax attorney. She shares insights on representing clients in emotionally challenging tax fraud cases, building professional relationships through the ABA Tax Section, and encourages young attorneys to take tax courses, seek mentors, and actively participate in the tax community.
Interview with Ken Kies
Ken Kies reflects on his nearly 50-year career in tax law, including his work on major tax legislation, leadership roles in private practice, and service as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy …
Show notes
Ken Kies reflects on his nearly 50-year career in tax law, including his work on major tax legislation, leadership roles in private practice, and service as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy and Acting IRS Chief Counsel.
Interview with Will Dixon
In this episode of the People in Tax Podcast, Will Dixon, a managing director at Citigroup Global Markets, discusses his unconventional career path from Wall Street trader to tax attorney and ultimately …
Show notes
In this episode of the People in Tax Podcast, Will Dixon, a managing director at Citigroup Global Markets, discusses his unconventional career path from Wall Street trader to tax attorney and ultimately investment banker. He explains how his role combines tax knowledge, financial expertise, and collaboration across disciplines to help clients evaluate complex transactions, while highlighting the importance of professional organizations, mentorship, and strong relationships. He also reflects on integrating professional and personal commitments, lifelong learning, and the evolving landscape of international taxation, particularly global tax cooperation under Pillar Two.
Interview with Nathan Richman
Nathan Richman, a senior legal reporter at Tax Notes Today Federal and a trained tax lawyer, discusses his unconventional path into journalism and his approach to covering tax administration, enforcement …
Show notes
Nathan Richman, a senior legal reporter at Tax Notes Today Federal and a trained tax lawyer, discusses his unconventional path into journalism and his approach to covering tax administration, enforcement, litigation, and emerging legal developments. He emphasizes translating complex tax issues into clear, accessible language, building trust with sources while maintaining journalistic independence, and using creative storytelling to make technical topics relevant to a broad audience. Looking ahead, he highlights the impact of Loper Bright and pandemic-related tax deadline extensions, advising aspiring tax journalists to write frequently to develop their skills.
Interview with Tony Tuths
Tony Tuths, a KPMG tax expert, discusses the evolution of cryptocurrency taxation, explaining how blockchain, tokenization, and smart contracts are transforming financial markets while creating complex tax …
Show notes
Tony Tuths, a KPMG tax expert, discusses the evolution of cryptocurrency taxation, explaining how blockchain, tokenization, and smart contracts are transforming financial markets while creating complex tax challenges. He highlights key IRS guidance on digital assets, the new broker reporting requirements, and unresolved issues involving tokenized securities, AI-driven trading, and tracking cost basis across platforms. Tuths emphasizes that the most urgent priority is closing the digital asset tax information gap through clearer regulations and more reliable transaction reporting, with the long-term potential for real-time tax reporting using blockchain technology.
Interview with Shail Shah
In this episode of the ABA Tax Section's People in Tax podcast, Shail Shah discusses his career path from federal transactional tax at EY to California state and local tax controversy, working in government at …
Show notes
In this episode of the ABA Tax Section's People in Tax podcast, Shail Shah discusses his career path from federal transactional tax at EY to California state and local tax controversy, working in government at the Franchise Tax Board and in private practice at accounting and law firms. He emphasizes the importance of staying flexible, developing technical expertise, building professional relationships, and participating in tax organizations to support career growth. Looking ahead, he is particularly interested in how artificial intelligence will transform tax practice and government agencies' handling of tax controversies.
Interview with Kathryn Meyer
Kathryn Meyer discusses her career in tax, beginning with her discovery of an interest in tax law in law school and her nearly two-decade career with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel. She describes gaining …
Show notes
Kathryn Meyer discusses her career in tax, beginning with her discovery of an interest in tax law in law school and her nearly two-decade career with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel. She describes gaining extensive courtroom experience, moving into management and executive roles, overseeing litigation and national tax issues such as the research credit, and later serving as counsel to the National Taxpayer Advocate. After leaving government, Meyer discusses the challenges and rewards of running her own tax practice, including navigating IRS service issues from the taxpayer side. She closes by emphasizing that tax is constantly evolving and expressing particular interest in improving IRS support for caregivers who handle tax matters for aging parents.
Interview with Adam Abrahams
Adam Abrahams discusses his unconventional transition into tax law, including earning a tax LL.M. at Georgetown, building a solo practice, and eventually joining his current firm. He emphasizes the importance …
Show notes
Adam Abrahams discusses his unconventional transition into tax law, including earning a tax LL.M. at Georgetown, building a solo practice, and eventually joining his current firm. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship, professional relationships, writing, and involvement in the ABA Tax Section, while also sharing his view that attorneys should embrace AI as a tool but carefully verify its output. Looking ahead, he expects technology to transform tax practice while human judgment, relationships, and adapting to constantly changing tax law will remain essential.
Interview with Bob Probasco
Host Alexander Powell interviews Bob Probasco, senior lecturer at Texas A&M and director of its Tax Dispute Resolution Clinic, about his path from accounting and business into tax law. Bob discusses how his …
Show notes
Host Alexander Powell interviews Bob Probasco, senior lecturer at Texas A&M and director of its Tax Dispute Resolution Clinic, about his path from accounting and business into tax law. Bob discusses how his earlier career shaped his teaching, the balance he strikes between giving clinic students autonomy and reining in overconfidence, and how working with low-income taxpayers builds empathy by showing students that small disputes matter as much to clients as large ones. He also touches on his unconventional path to law school at 45, what drew him to tax specifically, and closes with advice on volunteering for bar association work and building networks not for career gain, but to help others.
Interview with Ken Wang
Host Crist Malekyan and Ken Wang discuss Ken's career path in tax, including his moves between private practice and in-house roles in the energy and technology sectors. He emphasizes the value of mentorship …
Show notes
Host Crist Malekyan and Ken Wang discuss Ken's career path in tax, including his moves between private practice and in-house roles in the energy and technology sectors. He emphasizes the value of mentorship, maintaining work-life balance, and gaining an in-house perspective, while also discussing how AI may make tax work more efficient but could change how junior attorneys develop expertise.
Interview with Larry Campagna
Larry Campagna reflects on his early career path, starting with a summer job in a small law firm's mailroom that taught him the ins and outs of Houston's legal community. He shares his views on the current …
Show notes
Larry Campagna reflects on his early career path, starting with a summer job in a small law firm's mailroom that taught him the ins and outs of Houston's legal community. He shares his views on the current state of criminal tax enforcement, and touches on emerging trends in tax controversy and sentencing guidelines. He closes with the case he's proudest of, Johnson v. Sawyer, a fifteen-year fight over an unlawful IRS press release that changed how the agency handles disclosures in criminal cases.
Interview with Lisa Sperow
Lisa Sperow discusses her path from a reluctant tax lawyer to president of a college of law, tracing her journey through a clerkship, DOJ Civil Division litigation, and fourteen years directing a low-income …
Show notes
Lisa Sperow discusses her path from a reluctant tax lawyer to president of a college of law, tracing her journey through a clerkship, DOJ Civil Division litigation, and fourteen years directing a low-income taxpayer clinic. She reflects on the human stories behind tax cases, mentoring students through their first client interactions, expanding access to legal education for working adults, and her leadership within the ABA Tax Section's Pro Bono and Tax Clinics Committee.
Interview with Brandon King
Brandon King discusses his path from a reluctant 1L to a nationally recognized renewable energy tax attorney, tracing his journey through a US Tax Court clerkship, cross-border controversy work, and a pivot to …
Show notes
Brandon King discusses his path from a reluctant 1L to a nationally recognized renewable energy tax attorney, tracing his journey through a US Tax Court clerkship, cross-border controversy work, and a pivot to transactional practice during the Inflation Reduction Act. He reflects on the mission-driven nature of renewable energy tax work, the industry's resilience amid policy shifts, AI as a complement rather than a replacement for junior talent, and his decade of leadership within the ABA Tax Section, including founding the LGBTQ+ Lawyers in Tax Forum.
Interview with Chuck Levun
Chuck Levin discusses his journey from aspiring lawyer and CPA to a nationally recognized tax attorney, educator, and co-creator of the Tax Planning Forum. He emphasizes making complex tax concepts practical …
Show notes
Chuck Levin discusses his journey from aspiring lawyer and CPA to a nationally recognized tax attorney, educator, and co-creator of the Tax Planning Forum. He emphasizes making complex tax concepts practical and engaging, mentoring younger professionals, building strong relationships, and using AI as a helpful starting point rather than a replacement for professional judgment.
Interview with Matthew Rappaport
Matthew Rappaport discusses his career as a tax attorney focused on real estate, emphasizing the value of being a versatile practitioner who combines deep technical tax knowledge with practical business …
Show notes
Matthew Rappaport discusses his career as a tax attorney focused on real estate, emphasizing the value of being a versatile practitioner who combines deep technical tax knowledge with practical business judgment. He also shares lessons from building his own law firm, stressing that successful tax lawyers should think like entrepreneurs, communicate complex issues in plain language, and help clients understand and weigh risk rather than simply avoid it.
Interview with Andrew Rubin
In this episode, host Crist and Andrew discuss staying curious, SALT, and getting involved in the Tax Section. From renewable energy to tribal clinics, to affordable housing, examine Andrew's extensive …
Show notes
In this episode, host Crist and Andrew discuss staying curious, SALT, and getting involved in the Tax Section. From renewable energy to tribal clinics, to affordable housing, examine Andrew's extensive background and passion for tax.
Bonus Episode: Professor Jeremy Bearer-Friend
In this episode, host Dan Keller and Professor Jeremy Bearer-Friend discuss the role of AI in tax and IP, tax rates, becoming a tax professor, wealth inequity, and living on a cattle ranch and alfalfa farm.
Interview with Melissa Wiley
In Season 7, Episode 3, hear from the Tax Section's Membership, Diversity, & Inclusion Chair extraordinaire, Melissa Wiley. From her roots in actuarial science to 'growing up' in the Section, experience …
Show notes
In Season 7, Episode 3, hear from the Tax Section's Membership, Diversity, & Inclusion Chair extraordinaire, Melissa Wiley. From her roots in actuarial science to 'growing up' in the Section, experience Melissa's journey through tax and the ABA.
Get To Know The Hosts: Part II
We're back for a new season of People in Tax! Get to know three of our new interview hosts, Bela Unell, Priscilla Parrett, and Dan Keller. Meet the second half of our hosts, hear about their tax journeys, what …
Show notes
We're back for a new season of People in Tax! Get to know three of our new interview hosts, Bela Unell, Priscilla Parrett, and Dan Keller. Meet the second half of our hosts, hear about their tax journeys, what they love about tax, and their thoughts on AI.
Relaunch: Get To Know The Hosts, Part I
We're back for a new season of People in Tax! Get to know three of our new interview hosts, Alexander Powell, Crist Malekyan, and Michael Romero in the first episode. Hear their career journeys, what the ABA …
Show notes
We're back for a new season of People in Tax! Get to know three of our new interview hosts, Alexander Powell, Crist Malekyan, and Michael Romero in the first episode.
Hear their career journeys, what the ABA Tax Section has meant to them, and some of their hopes for the upcoming season.
S06E013: Scott Levine - Part 2
In S06E13, Bela Unell and Scott Levine continue their discussion of his time at the IRS, the relationship between the government and the Tax Section, and the role of diversity in tax practice. (Part 2 of 2).
S06E012: Scott Levine - Part 1
In S06E12, Bela Unell and Scott Levine discuss his varied career, including his teaching career and work at the Treasury Department. (Part 1 of 2).
S06E011: Devon Bodoh
In S06E11, Bela Unell and Devon Bodoh discuss his road to tax, and his experience in the occasionally chaotic world of international tax practice.
S06E010: Roberta Mann - Part 2
In S06E10, Bela Unell and Professor Roberta Mann discuss getting jobs in tax, her work with the ABA Tax Section Publications, and how she got started with the Tax Section.
S06E09: Roberta Mann - Part 1
In S06E09, Bela Unell and Professor Roberta Mann discuss her early career at IRS Chief Counsel, how her experience on Capitol Hill shaped how she views law today, and her approach to teaching tax.
S06E08: Mohit Mookim
In S06E08, Bela Unell and Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellow Mohit Mookim discuss working with non-traditional organizations, the origin and work of the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC), and …
Show notes
In S06E08, Bela Unell and Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellow Mohit Mookim discuss working with non-traditional organizations, the origin and work of the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC), and changing what movement organizations look like.
S06E07: Fatima Garcia - Part 3
In S06E07, Bela Unell and Loretta Collins Argrett Fellow Fatima Garcia discuss constructive criticism, advocating for each other at the office, and making tax less scary for the average person. (Part 3 of 3).
S06E06: Fatima Garcia - Part 2
In S06E06, Bela Unell and Loretta Collins Argrett Fellow Fatima Garcia discuss the role mentorship has played in her career, finding her voice as a practicing attorney, and the responsibility she feels as a …
Show notes
In S06E06, Bela Unell and Loretta Collins Argrett Fellow Fatima Garcia discuss the role mentorship has played in her career, finding her voice as a practicing attorney, and the responsibility she feels as a Latina in the legal field. (Part 2 of 3).
S06E05: Fatima Garcia - Part 1
In S06E05, Bela Unell and Loretta Collins Argrett Fellow Fatima Garcia discuss her unexpected road to tax practice, the importance of representation in the legal field, and the scholarship she founded for her …
Show notes
In S06E05, Bela Unell and Loretta Collins Argrett Fellow Fatima Garcia discuss her unexpected road to tax practice, the importance of representation in the legal field, and the scholarship she founded for her alma mater. (Part 1 of 2).
S06E04: Hannah Stephan
In S06E04, Bela Unell and Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellow Hannah Stephan discuss her background in Finance, her work with Minnesota Legal Aid, and her close ties to her home state.
These are the latest 40 of 100 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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