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Education

  • J.D., Harvard Law School, 1998, cum laude
  • M.P.P., Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, 1994
  • B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1992

Bar and Court Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • California (inactive)
  • New York (inactive)
  • District of Columbia Court of Appeals

Other Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association
D.C. Bar Association (Tax Section)
Women's Bar Association

Government Experience

International Economist, Office of International Trade and Mexico Task Force, U.S. Department of Treasury, 1994-1995

Diara M. Holmes

Member, Washington D.C.
(202) 862-7829
dholmes@capdale.com | v-card | PDF
Diara M. Holmes joined Caplin & Drysdale's Exempt Organizations practice in 2003, and she became a member in 2007.

Services

Ms. Holmes advises a broad range of nonprofit organizations – including colleges and universities, U.S. affiliates of foreign charities, churches, trade associations and large public charities – on both tax planning and tax controversy matters. She has represented prominent organizations before the IRS in private letter ruling requests and complex audits involving a range of issues -- including lobbying, alleged campaign intervention, executive compensation, UBIT, private foundation excise taxes, and structuring transactions.

Professional Activities

  • Ms. Holmes is an active member of the ABA Tax Section's Committee on Exempt Organizations, and has served as Co-Chair of the Subcommittee on Audits and Appeals since 2008.
  • Ms. Holmes is a frequent speaker at national professional conferences on exempt organizations. For example:

    • Panelist, ABA Tax Section's Forum on College and University Compliance Audits (2010)
    • Panelist, National Association of College and University Attorneys (June 2010 and June 2011)
    • Panelist, National Association of College and University Business Officers Tax Forum (2009, 2010, 2011)
    • Georgetown University Law School's CLE Program, Representing and Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations (2008)
    • American Law Institute-American Bar Association Course on Tax-Exempt Charitable Organizations (2003, 2005, 2007)
  • She is also actively involved with the Washington Metropolitan Area Corporate Counsel Association's Nonprofits & Associations Forum, which Caplin & Drysdale sponsors.
  • She is a member of the California, New York and District of Columbia Bars.