Joseph A. Rillotta assists clients at all stages of various government investigations, with a particular emphasis on tax controversies. He has significant experience in both prosecution and defense, having served as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, and as counsel to professionals and corporate officers on IRS and grand jury investigations.
Joe joined the firm from the Internal Revenue Service where he was Counselor to the Commissioner. In this capacity, he advised the IRS Commissioner and Chief Counsel on allegations of misconduct by IRS personnel and oversaw agency responses to Congressional and Inspector General inquiries.
Prior to his time at the IRS, Joe was counsel at a leading Washington, D.C., litigation firm, where he advised clients facing government investigations, conducted internal investigations, and represented clients in criminal and civil litigation.
Prior to that, he spent six years in the Tax Division at the U.S. Department of Justice where he investigated and prosecuted tax and financial crimes in matters ranging from large-scale grand jury investigations to jury trials, bench trials and appellate proceedings.
Experience :
- Counseling professionals, small business owners, and corporate officers with respect to IRS, grand jury and state revenue authority investigations.
- Advocating for non-prosecution and for the favorable resolution of criminal tax matters.
- Advocating for the abatement or reduction of civil tax and Title 31 penalties.
- Preparing and delivering presentations to IRS-Criminal Investigation agents and federal prosecutors.
- Representing individuals and businesses in public corruption and procurement fraud investigations.
- Counseling individual clients and organizations concerning alleged FCPA and securities laws violations.
- Representing professional services firms in connection with grand jury investigations into tax shelters and other allegedly abusive transactions.
- Conducting due diligence investigations concerning potential FCPA and UK Bribery Act implications of proposed acquisitions by U.S. investors of foreign companies, and recommending remediation and risk mitigation measures regarding such transactions.
- Counseling businesses and nonprofit organizations that are the victims of embezzlement and intellectual property theft. This has entailed working with law enforcement and insurance carriers to mitigate losses, as well advising clients on preventative measures going forward.
- Defending nonprofit organizations against allegations bearing on their tax-exempt status.
- Defending auditors, accountants, attorneys and other professionals against allegations of malpractice and misconduct, including in licensure revocation proceedings.
Education :
- Harvard Law School, J.D., 2003, cum laude
- Harvard College, A.B., 1999, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions : District of Columbia, Maryland
Court Admissions :
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, Fifth Circuit, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
- U.S. Tax Court
Cost
Rate : $$$