(June 14, 2005, Philadelphia, PA) – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Reed Smith, a top-25 international law firm, today announces that Phillip A. Pillar has joined the firm as counsel in the Regulatory Litigation Group in Philadelphia, effective immediately. Mr. Pillar was formerly Director of the Tax Controversy and Risk Management Services practice of Ernst & Young LLP in the Mid-Atlantic Area located in Philadelphia.
Mr. Pillar’s arrival at Reed Smith comes on the heels of the recent addition of Jim Kleier, John Messenger and Brian Toman in the firm’s San Francisco office; all three attorneys were formerly partners in the Tax Controversy Group at Preston Gates in San Francisco, where they counseled and litigated on behalf of businesses, individuals, and governments regarding franchise, income, sales, use, property, business, occupation, and other tax matters. Reed Smith’s tax controversy practice is able to provide clients with a wide range of services including state tax issues associated with e‑commerce, telecommunications and other high technology issues, as well as regularly advising clients on strategies to minimize the impact of diverse and complex state taxes on business transactions in various industries.
“Phil adds additional capability representing and advising clients in federal tax issues before the IRS and federal courts,” said Bob Nicholas, Reed Smith’s Philadelphia Managing partner. “His relationships with a wide variety of major companies will be of tremendous value as we continue our firm wide expansion in the tax controversy area. Having him on the ground here will be great for the Philadelphia office and for Reed Smith.”
Mr. Pillar has been the lead in a number of precedent-setting decisions involving the taxation of insurance companies, financial institutions and transportation and manufacturing companies. He tried a large number of state tax valuation cases and was involved in a range other high-profile litigation matters. At Ernst & Young, he provided federal tax services to entities across diverse industries, including financial services, manufacturing, real estate, pharmaceuticals and biosciences, and retail, as well as non-profit organizations institutions of higher learning.
“I am confident that Reed Smith will afford me the platform I need to expand my outreach nationally,” Mr. Pillar said. “With the recent addition of a significant tax controversy group on the west coast, the firm now has capabilities across the country and I look forward to building this practice on the east coast.”
Mr. Pillar’s experience extends to representation of clients at all levels of the IRS, including federal tax alternative dispute resolution, mediation and arbitration. He has counseled many Fortune 1000 companies on management of federal tax risks in the Sarbanes Oxley environment, and has acquired expertise in the fields of reportable transactions compliance, tax transparency, and how tax-issues in transactions and structures may be scrutinized.
A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Mr. Pillar also earned a Masters in Taxation from Washington University. He frequently speaks and writes on federal tax issues for national audiences. He is currently the Vice Chair of the Administrative Practice Committee of the ABA’s section of Taxation
