USD School of Law - RJS LAW Tax Institute

The 10th Annual USD School of Law – RJS LAW Tax Institute will be held on Friday, July 18, 2025.

The Institute is the premier tax event in San Diego. The region's top tax attorneys, CPAs, and law/business school professors will discuss topics including government loan relief and abuses, challenges in cross-border transactions, and practical and realistic solutions in Trust, Estate Planning, and Tax matters. 

The Richard Carpenter Excellence in Tax Award is given to an individual who exemplifies honesty, integrity, ethics, and compassion throughout his/her careers in the field of tax controversy and has demonstrated outstanding dedication and expertise while representing taxpayers before the federal and state governments.

The 2025 Richard Carpenter Excellence in Tax Award recipient is A. Lavar Taylor, Managing Partner, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP.

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Working Agenda (as of 05-27-25)

7:30 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. Introductory Speaker & Opening Remarks

• Tyler R. Hatcher, Executive Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation 

9:00 a.m. Panel I: International - Get Your Piece of the PIE: Portfolio Interest Exemption

• A. Lavar Taylor, Managing Partner, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP
• Jeffrey Rubinger, Partner, Winston & Strawn, LLP
• Rene M. Fimbres, Senior Manager, International Tax and Transaction Services PWM
• Moderator: Andrea Cisneros Valdez, Of Counsel, RJS LAW

10:00 a.m. Break

10:10 a.m. Panel II: Trust & Estate Litigation - "I'LL SUE YOUR ASSets!

• Scott Rahn, Esq., Founding Partner, RMO LLP
• Matthew Stidham, Partner, The Legacy Lawyers, PC
• R.C. Harlan, Partner, Larson LLP
• Carl L. Jones, Senior Litigation Associate, The Estate Lawyers
• Moderator: Benazeer “Benny” Roshan, Founder, Roshan Law Group

11:09 a.m. Break

11:20 a.m. Panel III: Tax Planning - Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2.0: What You Need to Know

• Bruce C. Wood, CPA/ABV, CVA, MTx, Applied Economics LLC
• Michael Friedman, CPA, Partner, LevitZacks
• Mark Milton, Managing Attorney, Milton Law Group
• Sam Imandoust, Esq., Of Counsel, RJS LAW
• Kaveh Imandoust, JD, MBT, CPA; RJS LAW

12:30 p.m. Luncheon

• Presentation of Richard Carpenter Excellence in Tax Award to  A. Lavar Taylor, Managing Partner, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP
• Remarks by Jordan Z. Marks, Chief Deputy Assessor/ Taxpayer Advocate for the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/ County Clerk

1:45 p.m. Panel IV: Crypto Currency - "A Whole New Digital World"

• Philipp Behrendt, Hochman Salkin Toscher Perez, P.C.
• Darren John Guillot, Director, Zerbe, Miller, Fingeret, Frank & Jadav, LLP; Former Deputy Commissioner, SB/SE Collection & Operations Support, IRS
• Rob Massey, Partner| Global Tax Leader – Blockchain & Digital Assets, Deloitte Tax LLP
• Moderator: Jonathan Cutler, Senior Manager, Washington National Tax, Deloitte Tax LLP

2:45 p.m. Break

2:50 p.m. Panel V: Tax Controversy

• Kevan P. McLaughlin, JD, LL.M; Managing Partner, McLaughlin Legal, APC
• Lisa Nelson, Partner, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP
• Charles Rettig, Esq., Former IRS Commissioner (2018-2022); Chamberlain Hrdlicka
• Moderator: Richard Carpenter, Tax Attorney, Richard Carpenter Tax Law Office, Adjunct Professor of Law, USD School of Law 

3:50 p.m. Break

4:00 p.m. Panel VI: Criminal Tax

• Victor Song, Partner, Integritas3
• Frank Agostino, Founder and President, Agostino & Associates, P.C.
• Joseph Orabona, Senior Litigation Counsel, United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California
• Moderator: Sandra Brown, Esq., Principal, Hochman Salkin Toscher Perez P.C"

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Networking Reception, Garden of the Sea

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