USC Law 2004 Tax Institute to tackle ethics standards, legislative and policy developments

Speakers from Federal Policy Group, U.S. Treasury and Wall Street Journal scheduled

An election-year snapshot of key developments and trends in tax and budget policy and practice, legislative responses to tax shelters and Enron, and an insider's view of the U.S. Treasury and the IRS are among the highlights of the USC Law School 2004 Tax Institute.

Taking place over three days, Jan. 26-28, the newly expanded institute also features keynote addresses by Kenneth J. Kies, managing director, Washington-D.C.-based Federal Policy Group; Emily A. Parker, acting chief counsel, Internal Revenue Service; and Tom Herman, tax columnist for The Wall Street Journal .

Other hot-button topics include new developments in estate planning and charitable giving, updates on California business taxes, and current IRS enforcement issues. Top speakers include Mark Silverman, Steptoe & Johnson, on corporate tax; Blake Rubin, Arnold & Porter, on partnership tax; and ProfessorJeff Pennell, Emory University School of Law, on estate planning. USC Law Professor Edward J. McCaffery, a widely published expert on the U.S. tax system, is serving as the institute's chair.

"During the upcoming election year, we expect tax and economic issues to take center stage," says USC Law Assistant Dean Richard S. Shaffran. "So we are proud to present the most valuable and important conference of the year for anyone interested in critical developments in tax law and policy. And, in 2004, we've also expanded the institute to address key issues in compliance and enforcement."

The Institute is one of the six major conferences and institutes produced by the Continuing Legal Education Program at USC Law. The others focus on probate and trust; real estate law and business; intellectual property; representation of business organizations; and entertainment law and business. The CLE Program is crucial to USC Law's commitment to providing the finest continuing legal education available to the profession and the business community.

Members of the press are invited and encouraged to attend this event and the luncheons free of charge. The institute will take place Monday, Jan. 26, through Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the Wilshire Grand Hotel, 930 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. For more information and parking instructions, please contact Phat Chiem at (213) 740-9690 or at pchiem@law.usc.edu . For a complete schedule of institute programs, please visit: http://weblaw.usc.edu/academics/cle/tax.cfm