Mission
The Taxation Section, as a representative of the legal profession, shall serve its members and the public through education and leadership in efforts to achieve an equitable, efficient, and workable tax system.
Welcome From the Taxation Section Chair
Dear Members of the Taxation Section:
I am honored to serve as the Chairperson of the Tax Section of the State Bar of Michigan for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. I will strive to continue the Section’s strong tradition of providing excellent educational programing and networking opportunities to its membership. While we anticipate a continued return to in-person programing, the Section is regularly evaluating how to best leverage the virtual options developed during the COVID era to best serve our membership, particularly those Section members who may live or practice in outside of major metropolitan areas.
The Section will also remain committed to public service through facilitation of pro bono opportunities and grant-making to other partner organizations which provide tax services to underserved communities.
I would like to thank Brian Gallagher, our immediate past Chair, for his service and leadership of the Tax Section, as well as his advice and mentorship as I transitioned into this role. Brian has been a longtime contributor to the Tax Section and I look forward to leveraging his knowledge and experience while he’s serving as ex-officio.
I would also like to acknowledge my Vice Chair, Ryan Peruski. I look forward to working closely with him over the next year as we continue to navigate how to best provide content and experiences for our membership. Ryan always has great perspective and ideas, and I’m sure it will lead to continued innovation and improvements over the next few years.
Each Council member is assigned certain responsibilities for the year. A full roster of the Council members and their roles can be found under the “Council” tab above. However, I wanted to particularly recognize our Committee Chairs, who organize the bulk of the Section’s programing for our membership:
- Employee Benefits – Samantha Kopacz
- Estate and Trusts – Kate Ringler
- Federal Income Tax – Christopher Attar
- State and Local Tax – Seth O’Loughlin
- Young Tax Lawyers – Bella Jordan
Please feel free to reach out to these Committee Chairs if you would like information on upcoming committee events, have an idea for an event, or simply would like to join a Committee or get more involved. There are no pre-requisites for Committee involvement, no minimum time commitment, and the Committee Chairs welcome the participation of all members of the Tax Section.
The Tax Section also publishes the Michigan Tax Lawyer, and we are always seeking tax-related articles and content for publication. I would encourage you to consider writing an article for the Michigan Tax Lawyer, which provides invaluable experience and significant exposure both within Michigan and nationally. Jennifer Watkins currently serves as the editor of the Michigan Tax Lawyer and would be happy to discuss the opportunity to write an article with you.
It is a privilege to serve the Tax Section and I look forward to a great year. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, for the Tax Section, please feel free to get in touch with me.
Rebecca Pugliesi, Taxation Section Chair