Skip to main content

About Kariss Wakefield LLP

About Us
Our lawyers have exclusively handled state and city tax matters for more than three decades, including as counsel to a state tax appeals tribunal, as a consultant with a Big Four accounting firm, as in-house state tax counsel at a Fortune 20 company and as associates and a partner with three major international law firms.

In those capacities, we have handled many of the most pressing and complex state and city tax matters facing businesses throughout the country, from developing and supporting tax return filing positions to complex litigation matters.

We have represented many of the largest and most respected companies with U.S. business operations in major state and city tax issues in many jurisdictions throughout the country including at the U.S. Supreme Court and several of the highest state courts. Our experience extends to many and varied industries and tax types. Therefore, we can speak about many issues based on our experience and bring that experience to bear in obtaining the resolution of issues for our clients.

watermark3 4
Biographies

Rich and Charles have extensive experience handling state and city tax matters that are considered by their clients to be their most pressing and complex matters. They provide a full range of legal services for their clients including: advising on the most tax efficient strategies for reorganizations and transactions; defending client positions on audit; effectively representing clients in tax appeals, including before administrative boards, tax tribunals and courts throughout the country; preparing formal and informal tax opinions and assessing risk on major company tax positions; and providing advice regarding the subjectivity of companies to taxing jurisdiction based on the U.S. Constitution, federal and state laws and regulations, and relevant case law.

We have extensive experience handling state and city tax matters having served as counsel to a state tax appeals tribunal, as a consultant with a Big Four accounting firm, as in-house state tax counsel for a Fortune 20 company and as associates and a partner for three international law firms.

We have also spoken at many conferences on state and city tax issues and have written extensively on related topics.

  • a83i9086.jpeg
    Richard C. Kariss

    • University of Pittsburgh (B.A. Accounting)
    • Dickinson School of Law (J.D.)


      Admitted in Pennsylvania, New York, and the U.S. Supreme Court
  • f2de4edc-2bbf-11ee-b223-0242ac110002-a83i9060.jpg
    Charles D. Wakefield

    • University of California, Berkeley (B.A. English)
    • University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D.)
    • Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M.)

      Admitted in New York