Mark E. Matthews is a Member in Caplin & Drysdale's Tax Controversies, Tax Litigation, and Exempt Organizations practice groups.  Prior to joining Caplin & Drysdale, Mr. Matthews practiced tax controversy and litigation at an international law firm. He also served as IRS Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement from October 2003 through December 2006, overseeing a period of unprecedented growth in enforcement activity.  He was responsible for the IRS's four civil operating divisions, the Criminal Investigation Division, and the Office of Professional Responsibility, which regulates tax practitioner ethics.

Services

Mr. Matthews focuses his practice on criminal tax enforcement, broad-based civil tax compliance, white collar matters, and anti-money laundering matters. He also advises clients on the IRS voluntary disclosure program, with particular focus on disclosure related to offshore banking accounts.

Highlights

Mr. Matthews was Chief of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the agency's investigative and law enforcement arm, renowned for its expertise in investigating financial crime, including tax, money laundering, narcotics, and terrorism-related matters.  Other government positions Mr. Matthews has held include Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division (1994-1998), where he led the Department's criminal tax enforcement program.  Mr. Matthews was also an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and then a Deputy Chief of that office's Criminal Division, as well as special assistant to Director William H. Webster, first at the FBI and then at the CIA.,

With respect to anti-money laundering experience, he was previously Global Co-Head of Anti-Money Laundering at Deutsche Bank, where he oversaw implementation of the Patriot Act. Prior to that, he was Senior Advisor to the Treasury Department's Assistant Secretary for Enforcement (1993-1994), where he was Director of the Treasury Department's Anti-Money Laundering Task Force.

Admissions & Education

Bar & Court Admissions
  • District of Columbia
  • District of Columbia Court of Appeals
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
Education

M.P.A., Princeton University, 1985

J.D., New York University School of Law, 1985

A.B., Harvard College, 1981, magna cum laude

Recognitions & Noteworthy

Honors & Recognitions
  • Chambers USA, 2010-Present
  • Chambers High Net Worth Guide, USA, Tax: Private Client, 2022
  • The Legal 500, Recommended, 2013-2020, 2023
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2016-Present
  • Internal Revenue Service, Commissioner's Award
  • American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), International Justice-Sector Education and Training (IJET) Program International Pro Bono Award, 2018
  • The American Lawyer's Global Legal Award, Global Dispute of the Year: Investigations, Swiss Tax Settlements, 2015
  • Super Lawyers, Washington, D.C., 2016-Present
  • The Washingtonian, Top Lawyer, 2017-Present

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Other Professional Affiliations

Fellow, American College of Tax Counsel

Member, American Bar Association, Criminal Justice and Tax Sections

Member, American Citizens Abroad, Professional Tax Advisory Council

Member, International Bar Association

Newsroom & Publications

News
Speaking Engagements
Publications & Alerts
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