Joseph A. Rillotta

Joseph Rillotta assists clients at all stages of government investigations, with a particular emphasis on tax controversies. He has significant experience in both prosecution and defense, having worked as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Tax Division and as counsel to individuals and entities in financial crimes and investigations and related litigation. He joins the firm from the Department of the Treasury, where he has served as counselor to two IRS Commissioners.

Mr. Rillotta represents clients in white collar criminal defense matters. He counsels corporate officers, executives, professionals, and small business owners in Internal Revenue Service, grand jury, and state revenue authority investigations. He defends clients facing allegations of public corruption and procurement fraud, monetary crimes and regulatory violations, and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Mr. Rillotta also counsels corporate clients with respect to internal investigations, proactive compliance assessments, and remediation.

Mr. Rillotta represents clients in civil litigation in the U.S. Tax Court and other federal and state courts across the country. He contests IRS assessments of tax and imposition of penalties, defends nonprofit organizations when their tax-exempt status is jeopardized, and defends clients in Fasle Claims Act litigation and investigations.

Prior to joining the firm, in his capacity as counselor to the IRS Commissioner, Mr. Rillotta advised the Commissioner and IRS Chief Counsel on allegations of misconduct by IRS personnel and oversaw agency responses to congressional and Inspector General inquiries. Mr. Rillotta also spent six years in the Tax Division of the DOJ, where he prosecuted tax and financial crimes in large-scale grand jury investigations, jury trials, bench trials, and appellate proceedings.

Mr. Rillotta was admitted to practice in Maryland in 2003 and Washington, D.C. in 2005.

• Bar of the District of Columbia
• State Bar of Maryland
• American Bar Association
  • Member, Litigation Section
  • Member, Tax Section, Civil and Criminal Penalties Committee
  • Chair, Tax Section, Subcommittee on Monetary Violations and Forfeitures (2019-2023)