Donald Korb leaves IRS to lead Tax Controversy at Sullivan & Cromwell
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP announced today that Donald L. Korb, Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service, will join the firm to lead its tax controversy practice.
A practicing attorney for nearly 35 years, both in the public and private sectors, Mr. Korb is widely recognized as one of the country’s foremost tax lawyers, and he has played a prominent role in increasing the effectiveness of the IRS Chief Counsel’s office during his four-and-a-half year tenure there.
Mr. Korb will join the partnership on January 1, 2009, based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
“We are delighted to add an attorney of Don’s caliber to our pre-eminent tax practice,”
said Rodgin Cohen, Chairman of Sullivan & Cromwell. “While leading a team of more
than 1,500 attorneys at the IRS, Don deepened his already stellar reputation as one of the
country’s leading tax controversy practitioners.”
“Don’s expertise and experience will enhance Sullivan & Cromwell’s nearly 50-attorney
tax practice and position us as best-in-class in the tax controversy area. His practice will
expand our existing tax and litigation capabilities to the benefit of our corporate and
personal clients,” said Joseph Shenker, Sullivan & Cromwell’s Vice Chairman.
“I am extremely pleased to be joining one of the nation’s most prominent law firms,” Mr.
Korb said. “After more than four years serving the American public, I was seeking the
opportunity to join a law firm with world class lawyers and clients, as well as a strong
international practice, and at Sullivan & Cromwell I found the perfect combination. I
look forward to joining their great team and expanding the firm’s already deep
relationships with its clients.”
Prior to joining the IRS as Chief Counsel in 2004, Mr. Korb was a partner at Thompson
Hine where he had once served as chairman of the tax group. Mr. Korb was primarily
responsible for developing Thompson Hine’s tax controversy practice and also advised
clients on major transactions and obtained rulings and other technical guidance from the
IRS National Office.
Mr. Korb also previously worked twice in the public sector, having spent more than two
years as an Assistant to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in the mid-
1980s and, earlier in his career, four years as an Attorney Advisor in the IRS Chief
Counsel’s office. Mr. Korb is a graduate of John Carroll University (B.A. 1970), Case
Western Reserve University (J.D. 1973) and Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M.
in Taxation 1977).