James Mastracchio resigns from Baker & Hostetler to join Dentons as Chair of US Tax Controversy & Criminal Tax practices

Dentons has recruited James Mastracchio as partner in the Firm’s Global Tax practice. Based in Washington, DC, Mastracchio will also serve as chair of Dentons’ US Tax Controversy and Criminal Tax practices.

Mastracchio’s work focuses on advising clients facing civil and criminal tax investigations. His work in civil tax disputes includes a wide range of civil tax reporting issues and defense of structured products and tax driven structures and their promotion. In the criminal tax arena, Mastracchio represents clients facing tax fraud and evasion, conspiracy, obstruction, mail/wire fraud and monetary structuring charges.

“Tax controversy work is now being viewed as a multi-jurisdictional service, with major multi-nationals turning to one firm to handle their audit and controversy matters in the major economic jurisdictions,” said Mike McNamara, US Managing Partner at Dentons. “Jim’s wealth of experience in the civil tax arena, as well as his significant representations involving the US government’s pursuit of criminal tax investigations of foreign banking institutions, their clients and advisors, allows us to provide our clients an even broader range of services in this growing area.”

Mastracchio previously served as an Independent Examiner for a major Swiss banking institution, advised foreign financial institutions on the implementation of FATCA and OECD reporting standards, represented hundreds of US persons in the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Programs, and currently represents foreign financial institutions facing criminal tax investigations and prosecutions.

He received his JD, summa cum laude, and an LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law. He holds a BS in Accounting, summa cum laude, and an MS in Taxation, from the State University of New York at Albany.