Kevin M. Downing
Kevin M. Downing is an attorney for Miller & Chevalier (Washington, D.C.) specializing in tax law, white collar crime and advising global businesses on government enforcement and compliance.[1] Prior to joining the firm, Downing served for 15 years with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Tax Division, handling cases involving tax evasion via offshore financial vehicles and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations. Downing was the federal prosecutor who handled the KPMG tax shelter fraud and the UBS tax evasion scandal of 2008-09. Notably, Bradley Birkenfeld, the whistleblower who started the UBS investigation, has stated that Downing committed perjury during the trials related to the case. [2] Downing told Reuters that his practice would involve advising financial institutions on how to comply with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2010.[3]
Miller and Chevalier is a law firm with a global perspective and leading practices in Tax, Employee Benefits (including ERISA), International Law and Business, White Collar and Internal Investigations, Complex Litigation and Government Affairs. Over the past three years, the firm's lawyers have represented more than 40 percent of the Fortune 100, one-quarter of the Fortune 500 and approximately 30 percent of the Global 100.[4]
Biography
Downing graduated from St. Joseph's University in 1988 with a bachelor of science degree in accounting. He is a certified public accountant, although his certification is inactive. He took his law degree at St. John's University Law School, graduating cum laude in 1994, and completed his graduate studies in tax law at NYU Law School, receiving a master of laws degree in 1996.
Joining the DOJ's Tax Division in 1997, Downing served as a trial attorney for the Western Criminal Enforcement Section before being promoted to Senior Litigation Counsel in 2003. He left the DOJ in 2012.
For his work on KPMG, he received the DOJ Tax Division's Special Commendation Award in 2009. The following year, he was honored the John Marshall Award, the highest award for a DOJ trial attorney, for his work on the UBS scandal. He was also honored by the Internal Revenue Service with its Chief Counsel's Award in 2009 and its Commissioner's Award in 2010.
References
- ↑ "Our People: Kevin M. Downing". Miller & Chevalier. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ↑ Schneider, Joe & David Voreacos. "Ex-UBS Prosecutor to Join Miller & Chevalier". Bloomberg. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ↑ Browning, Lynnley. "U.S. tax prosecutor Downing resigns, joins Miller & Chevalier". Reuters. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ↑ "Miller & Chevalier Chartered". Chambers & Partners. Retrieved 29 August 2013.