McDermott Will & Emery has added a pair of tax attorneys to its Washington office.
Stephen Kranz and Diann Smith join McDermott as partner and counsel, respectively. The two were previously with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan where they retained the same title.
Kranz focuses his practice on state tax controversy and tax policy. He is involved in matters like audit defense, litigation and legislative monitoring. He has previously served as the general counsel to the D.C.-based trade association Council On State Taxation. Kranz also spent six years in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice where he litigated cases before the U.S. District Court.
Smith's practice revolves around state and local tax challenging related to compliance, controversy, planning and legislative activity. She was previously a tax partner at McDermott from 1995 to 1998.
"My practice today picks up pieces of all aspects of my previous career and tries to merge them together to try and deliver client services," Kranz said.
He said that he and Smith were attracted to the firm's history in the tax controversy practice and its platform.
"I like to work with clients from an A to Z perspective to understand their issue and find the best way to solve their problem," Kranz said. "Any given tax issues has a life cycle that could raise concerns for a client."
Kranz made the news last year when when his sister, David Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell, stayed at his house in D.C. soon after the Petraeus storm broke.
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