Robert J. Kovacev
Partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Washington, District Of Columbia
Robert is a Partner in the Washington, DC office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP where his practice emphasizes complex federal tax matters for corporate and high net worth taxpayers, including federal tax credits, as well as tax controversies before the IRS and in litigation. Robert is a former senior litigation counsel in the United States Department of Justice, Tax Division, responsible for litigating some of the largest and most complex civil tax cases in the nation.
In addition to his active tax controversy and litigation practice, Mr. Kovacev also advises taxpayers how to anticipate, address, and overcome potential IRS challenges to transactions before controversies begin. In particular, Mr. Kovacev provides advice regarding the research tax credit, the Section 199 domestic production activities deduction, and intellectual property-related tax issues.
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In addition to his active tax controversy and litigation practice, Mr. Kovacev also advises taxpayers how to anticipate, address, and overcome potential IRS challenges to transactions before controversies begin. In particular, Mr. Kovacev provides advice regarding the research tax credit, the Section 199 domestic production activities deduction, and intellectual property-related tax issues.
Read more
Robert is a Partner in the Washington, DC office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP where his practice emphasizes complex federal tax matters for corporate and high net worth taxpayers, including federal tax credits, as well as tax controversies before the IRS and in litigation. Robert is a former senior litigation counsel in the United States Department of Justice, Tax Division, responsible for litigating some of the largest and most complex civil tax cases in the nation.
In addition to his active tax controversy and litigation practice, Mr. Kovacev also advises taxpayers how to anticipate, address, and overcome potential IRS challenges to transactions before controversies begin. In particular, Mr. Kovacev provides advice regarding the research tax credit, the Section 199 domestic production activities deduction, and intellectual property-related tax issues.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kovacev was a senior litigation counsel in the United States Department of Justice, Tax Division, responsible for litigating some of the largest and most complex civil tax cases in the nation. In that position, Mr. Kovacev worked closely with the IRS’s Large Business & International (LB&I) Division and top management of the Tax Division to shape litigation strategy on high-priority tax enforcement issues.
At the Department of Justice, Mr. Kovacev was lead trial counsel in several complex tax cases in the pharmaceutical, financial services, energy, and government contracts industries. These cases involved cross-border transactions, Section 482 disputes, Section 199 deductions, research credits and foreign tax credits, corporate reorganizations and acquisitions, and valuation of pharmaceutical patents and other intellectual property. The amounts at issue in each of these cases ranged from $10 million to more than $1 billion in claimed tax benefits. Mr. Kovacev was also lead counsel in several important summons enforcement matters, including the Wells Fargo tax accrual work papers case.
In addition to his active tax controversy and litigation practice, Mr. Kovacev also advises taxpayers how to anticipate, address, and overcome potential IRS challenges to transactions before controversies begin. In particular, Mr. Kovacev provides advice regarding the research tax credit, the Section 199 domestic production activities deduction, and intellectual property-related tax issues.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kovacev was a senior litigation counsel in the United States Department of Justice, Tax Division, responsible for litigating some of the largest and most complex civil tax cases in the nation. In that position, Mr. Kovacev worked closely with the IRS’s Large Business & International (LB&I) Division and top management of the Tax Division to shape litigation strategy on high-priority tax enforcement issues.
At the Department of Justice, Mr. Kovacev was lead trial counsel in several complex tax cases in the pharmaceutical, financial services, energy, and government contracts industries. These cases involved cross-border transactions, Section 482 disputes, Section 199 deductions, research credits and foreign tax credits, corporate reorganizations and acquisitions, and valuation of pharmaceutical patents and other intellectual property. The amounts at issue in each of these cases ranged from $10 million to more than $1 billion in claimed tax benefits. Mr. Kovacev was also lead counsel in several important summons enforcement matters, including the Wells Fargo tax accrual work papers case.
