Office of Chief Counsel

Mission

Serve America's taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the Internal Revenue Service.

Overview

The Chief Counsel is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. As the chief legal advisor to the IRS Commissioner on all matters pertaining to the interpretation, administration and enforcement of the Internal Revenue Laws (as well as all other legal matters) the Chief Counsel provides legal guidance and interpretive advice to the IRS, Treasury and to taxpayers.

• With the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) as its client and 1,500 attorneys on staff, the Office of Chief Counsel is the preeminent employer of tax attorneys in the country. In addition, our General Legal Services Division hires attorneys for non-tax positions as well. Our attorneys are valued assets and the legal experience provided in Chief Counsel is unlike any other.

• Chief Counsel attorneys provide top-quality legal advice and representation to the IRS in the administration of the nation's tax laws. Chief Counsel field attorneys litigate interesting and challenging issues that range from taxation of individuals to complex international entities. Attorneys in the field find themselves working on exciting and challenging issues involving litigation, corporate law, criminal tax law, disclosure law and international taxation.

• Chief Counsel attorneys in the National Office draft regulations and rulings, and provide legal guidance to taxpayers, the IRS and the Treasury and Justice Departments. Attorneys have an extraordinary opportunity to develop expertise and sharpen technical skills. Furthermore, both field and National Office attorneys have the opportunity to work with a variety of tax practitioners and distinguish themselves within the greater tax and legal communities.

• Working as an attorney for the Office of Chief Counsel offers a unique opportunity to serve the public interest by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the Federal tax laws without bias in favor of either the taxpayer or the government.

• In addition, one of our business units, General Legal Services, focuses on personnel and labor law. This business unit is the part of Chief Counsel responsible for providing legal advice on, and litigating, non-tax administrative law issues such as EEO matters, labor and employee relations, personnel matters, ethics, procurement, fiscal and appropriations law and laws relating to information technology management.

Executives

• Donald L. Korb, Chief Counsel
  
• H. Stephen Kesselman, Deputy Chief Counsel (Operations)
• Clarissa C. Potter, Deputy Chief Counsel (Technical)

Location

National Office in Washington, DC and 52 field offices throughout the United States.

1111 Constitution Avenue

Washington, DC 20224

Phone: (202) 622-3300

Fax: (202) 622-4277

Articles and Resources

External links

• Office of Chief Counsel-At a Glance
• Careers at the Office of Chief Counsel
• The Wall Street Journal's article on Chief Counsel
• University of Florida Law Newsletter on Chief Counsel
• Legal IRS Career's video clip on the Office of Chief Counsel