USD RJS LAW Tax Institute
The 10th Annual USD School of Law – RJS LAW Tax Institute will be held on July, 18, 2025. It is one of the best tax events in the nation held in sunny San Diego. The region’s top tax attorneys, enrolled agents (EAs), certified public accountants (CPAs), law and business school professors will discuss topics including international tax, trust and estate litigation, tax planning, crypto currency, and tax controversy. Learn more about the USD RJS LAW Tax Institute.
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Join Us for Our 10th Annual USD School of Law – RJS LAW Tax Institute, July 18, 2025
“We Bring the Whole Tax Community Together”
A Leading Educational Event for Tax and Business Professionals

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10th Annual | USD RJS LAW Tax Institute
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Presented By Title Sponsor
Whittier Trust

The 2025 Tax Institute Agenda
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. – 10:00 a.m. – International – Get Your Piece of the PIE: Portfolio Interest Exemption
- A. Lavar Taylor, Managing Partner, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP
- Rene M. Fimbres, Senior Manager, International Tax and Transaction Services, EY
- Jeffrey Rubinger, Partner, Winston & Strawn, LLP
- Moderator: Andrea Cisneros Valdez, Esq., LL.M., Of Counsel, RJS LAW
10:00am – 10:10am – Break
10:10 a.m. – 11:09 a.m. – Trust & Estate Litigation – “I’LL SUE YOUR ASSets!”
- Scott Rahn, Esq., Founding Partner, RMO LLP
- Matthew Stidham, Esq., Partner, The Legacy Lawyers PC
- R.C. Harlan, Esq., Partner, Larson LLP
- Carl L. Jones, Senior Litigation Associate, The Estate Lawyers
- Moderator: Benazeer “Benny” Roshan, Esq., Founder of Roshan Law Group
11:09 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. – Refreshment Break
11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. – 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
- Moderator: Sam Imandoust, Esq., Of Counsel, RJS LAW
- Moderator: Kaveh Imandoust, JD., MBT, CPA, RJS LAW
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Luncheon
12:30 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. – Presentation of Richard Carpenter Excellence in Tax Award – A. Lavar Taylor, Managing Partner, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP
1:20 p.m. – 1:30 p.m – Remarks by Jordan Z. Marks, Chief Deputy Assessor/ Taxpayer Advocate for the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/ County Clerk
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Crypto Currency “A Whole New Digital World”
- Philipp Behrendt, Hochman Salkin Toscher Perez, P.C.
- Darren John Guillot, alliantgroup National Director; Former IRS Commissioner of the Small Business/Self Employed Division
- Rob Massey, Partner| Global Tax Leader – Blockchain & Digital Assets, Deloitte Tax LLP
- Moderator: Jonathan Cutler, Senior Manager, Washington National Tax, Deloitte Tax LLP
2:45pm – 2:50pm – Break
2:50 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. – Tax Controversy – The Aftermath of the IRS Cuts
- 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, Esq., Richard Carpenter Tax Law Office, Adjunct Professor of Law, USD School of Law
3:50 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Break
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Criminal Tax: Criminal Enforcement Under the New Administration. What to Expect
- Victor Song, Partner, Integritas3
- Frank Agostino, Founder and President, Agostino & Associates, P.C.
- Joseph Orabona, Assistant U.S. Attorney, 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. – 7:30 p.m. – Whittier Trust Networking Reception – Hosted Bar and Hors d’Oeuvres at the beautiful Garden of the Sea

Continuing Education | USD RJS LAW Tax Institute
The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider.RJS LAW is a registered Continuing Education provider with the IRS.
2025 Recipient of the Richard Carpenter Excellence in Tax Award
A. Lavar Taylor, Esq.
Managing Partner, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP

A. Lavar Taylor, the founder of Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP, has over 43 years of experience in handling civil and criminal tax controversies involving the IRS and state tax agencies. Mr. Taylor handles tax-related litigation in all trial and appellate courts. He also handles administrative disputes with the IRS and state tax agencies, including audits, collection matters, criminal investigations, Collection Due Process Appeals, other types of administrative appeals before the IRS Office of Appeals, and disputes before the California Office of Tax Appeals and the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. He is widely recognized for his expertise in bankruptcy-related tax matters. Since 2004, Mr. Taylor has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Chapman University School of Law in Orange, California, where he currently teaches Federal Tax Procedure. He has also taught as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of California at Irvine Law School. Mr. Taylor has authored numerous briefs as amicus curiae in tax-related cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal Courts of Appeal. He is a regular speaker at continuing legal education events, including programs sponsored by the Tax Section of the ABA and the Tax Section of the California Lawyer’s Association.

2025 Sponsorship Levels | USD RJS LAW Tax Institute | 10th Annual
We invite you to partner and grow with USD School of Law – RJS LAW Tax Institute by becoming a sponsor. Your sponsorship is the most effective way to demonstrate your support of the Institute while ensuring maximum exposure for your organization. In addition to being a great marketing opportunity, all money raised will go to support USD’s philanthropy, community outreach, and low-income legal clinics that benefit the San Diego community. It is a wonderful chance to support the leaders of tomorrow as well as those in need of legal assistance who cannot afford it.
