Annual Reports
MSBA Tax Law Section
Annual Report
2010-11
Section Membership
As of June 24, 2011, the Tax Law Section has 565 members. This accounts for a 2% increase in Section membership since July 1, 2010.
Financial Status
The Tax Law Section had an account balance inclusive of investments of $34,226.42 as of April 30, 2011.
While the Section’s reserves where smaller at the end of the year than at the beginning (largely due to the donation to the MSBA), the Section continues to have a strong balance sheet, and did not require any changes to the annual dues of $25.
Continuing Legal Education Programs and Social Events
The Section conducted eleven CLE events, totaling 14.5 credits (this includes 1.0 Ethics and 1.0 Elimination of Bias Credits). All of the programs were very successful and well attended.
Seven of these were monthly one-hour CLEs that were free to Tax Section members. The other four included: the MNDOR and MSBA Tax Law Section Liaison Group Meeting; an annual 2.5 hour reception and meeting at the Department of Revenue; the Section’s Annual Judge's Conference; and a co-sponsored CLE with the Criminal Law Section related to Al Capone and tax fraud.
In addition, the Section co-sponsored the 70th Annual Tax Institute with Minnesota CLE. This event featured 9.5 Standard CLE credits, 1.0 Ethics credits and 1.0 Elimination of Bias credits. The Institute was very well attended with 133 participants.
The Tax Law Section also hosted a social networking event at a Minnesota Twins game in April 2011 in conjunction with the Section’s April CLE.
Program Date |
Program Topic |
CLE Event Code and Credit |
# of Attendees |
8/24/10 |
MN DOR & MSBA Tax Law Section Liaison Group Meeting |
147522;
1.5 Standard |
47 |
9/16/10 |
Recent Corporate Tax Developments: A View From Treasury |
147943;
1.0 Standard |
31 |
10/21/10 |
2009 National Healthcare Law: Individual Health Insurance Mandate, Subsidy, Penalty |
149739;
1.0 Standard |
20 |
11/18/10 |
4th Annual CLE & Reception at the MNDOR "A Recap of Minnesota’s Tax Climate in 2010" |
150225;
1.0 Standard |
47 |
12/2/10 |
70th Annual Tax Institute
(co-sponsored with MNCLE) |
150003;
9.5 Standard, 1.0 Ethics, 1.0 EOB |
133 |
1/20/11 |
Corporate Tax Practice Panel |
152158;
1.0 Standard |
31 |
2/17/11 |
Tax Planning for Same-Sex Couples (co-sponsored with the MN Lavender Bar Assoc.) |
152920;
1.0 Elimination of Bias |
53 |
2/23/11 |
Uncle Al Capone: The Untold Story of Chicago's #1 Gangster from his Niece's Perspective - Legal and Ethical Lessons from the 1931 and 1991 Capone Trials" (co-sponsored with the Criminal Law Section) |
153214;
1.0 Standard and
1.0 Ethics |
81 |
3/17/11 |
Minnesota Sales/Use Tax: Focus on Transactions |
154066;
1.0 Standard |
26 |
4/28/11 |
Compromising Tax Obligations |
154778;
1.0 Standard |
62 |
4/28/11 |
Twins Game |
N/A |
70 |
5/26/11 |
2011 Minnesota Tax Court Update |
156143;
1.0 Standard |
25 |
6/15/11 |
Annual Judges Conference |
156241;
3.0 Standard |
87 |
Legislation and Amicus Briefs
This was an extremely busy year for the Tax Law Section’s legislative committee, and the Section was able to keep its members appraised of several important tax bills. Two of the legislative initiatives (one at the section level and one at the MSBA level) were passed into law.
| Bill |
Status (as of June 2011) |
Section Involvement |
| HF353/SF173 Revenue commissioner official orders appeal filing method and deadlines clarification. |
Referred to House Judiciary Committee and Senate Tax Committee. |
Drafted and supported by the Tax Section. |
| HF904/SF740 Commissioner of revenue contract authority provided, and abusive transfer pricing schemes regulated. |
Referred to House State Government Finance Committee and Senate State Government Committee. |
Opposed by the Tax Section |
| HF1436/SF1156 Clarifying amendments to Minn. Stat. §278.05 subd. 6 (“The 60-Day Rule”) |
Included in HF1219, the omnibus technical tax bill, which was signed by Gov. Dayton. |
Drafted and supported by the Tax Section. |
The Tax Law Section did not submit any amicus briefs in the 2010-11 term.
Annual Meeting and Election Results
The Section’s annual meeting and elections were held on June 15, 2011, in conjunction with the annual Judges Conference. The event was held in the afternoon at the University Club in St. Paul and was very well attended with 87 participants.
The following individuals were elected to serve as Section Officers in 2011-12:
Chair: Allison Leppert
Vice Chair: Nick Furia
Treasurer: John Stenzel
Secretary: Ann Westerlund Petersen
The following individuals were elected to serve as Council Members from July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2013:
Mike Obrien
Caroline Balfour
The following individuals will serve as the Section’s MSBA Assembly representative and alternate in 2011-12:
Representative: Ann Westerlund Petersen
Alternate: John Stenzel
Other Section Accomplishments
The Tax Law Section’s pro bono committee continued to work with the Tax Court (in conjunction with LegalCORPs and VLN) to provide pro bono representation to pro se Tax Court appeals.
The Section donated a new $800 podium to the tax court (theirs was stolen).
The Tax Law Section also voluntarily contributed $5,000 to the MSBA to assist with a deficit in their general fund.
Submitted By:
Gina DeConcini, Section Chair
- Last
Updated
06/28/2011
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