Careers in Tax Law
At Seton Hall Law
The Careers in Tax Law event held here at Seton Hall Law, was co-hosted by the Tax Section of the American Bar Association and Rutgers-Newark Law School. Panelists from large and small law firms, an accounting firm, the Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel, and a NJ Tax Court judge spoke on how their careers had evolved and offered advice for law students interested in pursuing a career in tax law.
Seton Hall Law Professors Tracy Kaye and John Coverdale, advisors to the Tax Law Society, hosted the event along with Professor Joshua Blank of Rutgers-Newark Law School. Professor Kaye is the Chair of the ABA Tax Section’s Teaching Taxation Committee, Co-Director of the IRS Chief Counsel's Externship Program and the Dean Acheson Legal Stage Program. She remarked, “Seton Hall Law has always emphasized the importance of Tax Law in our curriculum. We do so by offering a wide array of tax courses including corporate, partnership, and international taxation as well as estate and business planning courses. By organizing panels such as this, we demonstrate to the students the range of rewarding career opportunities available to students interested in tax law.”
Professor Coverdale, a former clerk to now Justice Antonin Scalia, who specializes in Tax Law, remarked: “The study of tax is an essential component in the education of any attorney, but for those who specialize it’s important to learn from those in the field just how to make the most of the opportunities before them; how to launch an effective career. This panel did just that.”
Panelists spoke about a number of different tax law career possibilities including tax controversy, state and local tax, and executive compensation practices. The panel featured three prominent Seton Hall Law alumni.
Julia Cannarozzi, who received a J.D. from Seton Hall Law in 1987, and holds an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University, described her experiences as a government tax law attorney. From 1987 until 2001, she worked in Newark, NJ as an attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel, which provides the IRS with legal advice and representation. Julia’s work included tax litigation, bankruptcy, and collection matters. She also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for bankruptcy cases. Since 2001, Julia has served as Associate Area Counsel in the LMSB (Large & Mid-Size Business) Division in the Newark office. She currently supervises attorneys who focus primarily on LMSB cases in the New Jersey area.
Pasquale J. Rufolo spoke about his experiences in private practice. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Rufolo worked as an accountant. He received his J.D. from Seton Hall Law in 1995 and received his LL.M. in Taxation in 1997 from the New York University. He has taught Tax Law courses as an Adjunct Professor here at Seton Hall Law for many years, including Federal Income Tax, Taxation of Partnerships & LLCs, Business Planning, and Wealth Transfer Tax. He has established his own law firm, The Law Office of Pat Rufolo, LLC. and practices in all areas of taxation, including controversy matters, partnership taxation, corporate taxation, and estate planning. Mr. Rufolo’s estate planning experience includes drafting complex estate planning documents, developing business succession plans for owners of closely-held businesses, and representing executors, trustees and beneficiaries in estate and trust administration matters. He also works with clients on the formation of private foundations, as well as public charities. He is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, Tax Section, Probate and Property Section and General Practice Section, the American Bar Association, Tax Section, Probate and Property Section and General Practice Section, and the Essex County Bar, Tax Section.
Jim Venere graduated from Seton Hall Law in 1986 and is a managing director in KPMG’s State and Local Tax (SALT) practice in the Short Hills New Jersey office. He consults with clients regarding various tax matters serving as the firm’s New Jersey state tax resource. Since joining the firm in 1998, Mr. Venere has worked with many clients in the high-technology, manufacturing, retailing and distribution industries. While focusing primarily on multi-state income and franchise, sales and transaction, transfer tax matters and tax credits, he has also worked extensively in the corporate transaction arena performing due diligence analyses and providing restructuring consultation services. Having over sixteen years experience in the state tax field and previously serving as a litigator in private practice, Jim Venere has a strong background in audit defense and tax appeals, representing clients before administrative tribunals and conciliation conferees. He has frequently presented to a number of organizations, covering various state and local tax topics.
In addition to these Seton Hall Law Alums, panelists included The Honorable Raymond A. Hayser, J.T.C., Tax Court of New Jersey, and David Kahan, Partner, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Department, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, & Katz.
The Honorable Raymond A. Hayser was appointed to the Tax Court of New Jersey in 1993. In his present appointment, he handles real property and state tax appeals of residential, commercial and/or industrial properties and individual partnership, association and corporation state tax appeals. Judge Hayser previously served in the Superior Court, Law Division (including Special Civil Part) and as a Mt. Laurel judge of the vicinage, Monmouth County. The Honorable Raymond A. Hayser has authored over 15 reported court opinions, many cited in appellate decisions in this and other jurisdictions, as well as in treatises, legal periodicals and law review articles, as to such issues as taxation, land use, zoning, public employment, civil rights and related constitutional issues, family law, termination of parental rights, and international and domestic child custody.
David E. Kahan joined Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in 2000 and became a partner in 2009. Mr. Kahan is a member of the firm’s executive compensation and benefits group, and is active in the firm’s merger and acquisition practice, focusing on the executive compensation and employee benefits aspects of transactions. He also advises companies on executive compensation and related corporate governance matters. Mr. Kahan received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1995, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2000, where he served on the Columbia Law Review. He served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert A. Katzmann of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit during the 2001-2002 term. Mr. Kahan frequently writes and speaks on executive compensation and corporate governance issues, and has authored or co-authored articles in several publications, including M&A Lawyer, Wall Street Lawyer, Tax Notes, and the Bank and Corporate Governance Law Reporter. He is also a co-author of the firm’s Compensation Committee Guide.
To learn more about the Tax Law Society and upcoming initiatives and events contact Dan Smith at Daniel.Smith@shu.edu