(Archived Content)
FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
JS-1117Today the Treasury Department announced that Gary B. Wilcox, Deputy Chief Counsel (Technical) for the Internal Revenue Service, will leave the Office of Chief Counsel in mid-February and return to private practice.
Mr. Wilcox joined the IRS in February 2002 as principal deputy to B. John Williams, the former Chief Counsel. Having primary responsibility within the IRS for the development of the Service's positions on technical tax issues and the issuance of regulations and rulings, Mr. Wilcox was instrumental in carrying out Chief Counsel Williams' and Treasury's priority of issuing more published guidance for the benefit of taxpayers, tax professionals and IRS agents. During Mr. Wilcox's tenure, the rate of published regulations and rulings increased significantly in comparison to prior years.
The tax system has been incredibly fortunate to have Gary's service during challenging times. Gary brought to the Office of Chief Counsel his outstanding ability as a lawyer, a common sense appreciation of the circumstances in which taxpayers and IRS agents must operate, management skills, and above all good judgment, said Treasury Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy Pam Olson. We could not have accomplished what we have the last two years without Gary's contributions to the guidance process and to addressing the compliance problems facing the tax system. He will be sorely missed.
Gary's contributions to improving IRS public guidance have been extraordinary. Taxpayers, practitioners and tax administrators all owe Gary their gratitude for his willingness to use his exceptional legal talent in public service the past two years, stated B. John Williams, former Chief Counsel for the IRS and currently a tax partner with Shearman & Sterling.
Mr. Wilcox will be rejoining his former law firm, Morgan Lewis, where he will maintain offices in both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
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