Vinson & Elkins LLP

At Vinson & Elkins LLP, ‘the team’s professionalism, knowledge in the subject matter, and experience in litigation is what sets them apart’. Adept in trials and appeals, the firm is frequently involved in high-value matters both domestically and internationally. George Gerachis  in Houston and Kathy Pakenham in Dallas co-lead the tax controversy practice, which sits within the broader tax practice group led by Houston-based Ryan Carney. Pakenham and New York-based standout partner Adriana Wirtz are ’the most capable, most ethical tax controversy lawyers in the country’, and one client believes that Wirtz is ‘the gold standard for resolving high-stakes tax controversies quickly and effectively’. Gerachis and Pakenham recently assisted Halliburton with a $32m federal income tax refund case against the IRS involving the deductibility of a payment made to a foreign government. As as its core focus on energy, the practice also handles matters in the financial services, technology, health care, and real estate industries.