October 21, 2005
js2986

Treasury Names Three To Tax Policy Office

WASHINGTON, DC – The Treasury Department today announced three new appointments in the Office of Tax Policy.  Michael J. Desmond was named Tax Legislative Counsel, Harry J. "Hal" Hicks III was named International Tax Counsel and Robert H. Dilworth was named Senior Advisor.

As Tax Legislative Counsel in the Treasury Department's Office of Tax Policy, Michael Desmond will be responsible for a broad range of issues relating to the domestic federal tax law.  Desmond assumed this role in an acting capacity June 20.

Prior to joining the Office of Tax Policy, Desmond was a partner at McKee Nelson LLP in Washington, D.C., where his practice focused on large case tax litigation and tax controversy matters.  Before joining McKee Nelson, Desmond was a trial attorney with the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ronald S.W. Lew in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. 
 
Desmond is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center.  He received a B.A. degree in Political Science and History from the University of California at Santa Barbara and his J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America.

As International Tax Counsel, Hal Hicks will be responsible for all matters relating to international taxation issues and will coordinate Treasury's role in the negotiation of international tax treaties. 

Hicks currently serves as the Associate Chief Counsel (International) in the Office of Chief Counsel at the IRS.  Prior to joining the IRS, Hicks was a partner in the international law firm of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw.  Prior to that he was a partner and Deputy National Director of International Tax Services at Ernst & Young. 

Hicks received an LL.M. in taxation from New York University, a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a B.A. from the College of William & Mary.  Hicks is a member of the Advisory Board at the GW/IRS institute on International Tax.  He has been an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center since 1992 (teaching corporate and international tax classes). 

As Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, Robert Dilworth will advise on a broad range of tax policy issues.  Previously, Dilworth served in the PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Washington National Tax Services office.  During his tenure at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Dilworth served as leader or co-leader of the firm's national Global Structuring group (International Tax Services, Mergers and Acquisitions and Transfer Pricing), the Finance and Treasury group, and the firm's International Tax Services group in the national office.

Prior to joining PricewaterhouseCoopers in July 1999, Dilworth was a partner in Baker & McKenzie, in its Chicago, Taipei, San Francisco and, most recently, its Washington, D.C. offices.

Dilworth received his A.B. degree from Harvard College and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.