Best Lawyers in Massachusetts, United States for Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Massachusetts is a rich state with a wide range of legal issues spanning industries, personal matters and public interests. From complex corporate litigation in Boston to family law cases in Worcester, choosing the right attorney in Massachusetts is essential.
This directory exists to help you make that choice with confidence. Whether you're navigating a business dispute or seeking guidance on estate planning, this is your starting point to connect with peer-recognized professionals across the state.
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This page is a curated directory of attorneys in Massachusetts who have earned recognition through Best Lawyers' rigorous peer-review process. You can browse by legal specialty, location or an individual lawyer’s name. Every profile includes verified, current credentials to help you compare qualifications and make informed contact decisions.
You’ll find professionals who represent a wide range of practices and regions, all committed to delivering results aligned with ethical and professional standards. Whether you’re a business executive, in-house counsel or an individual facing a personal legal challenge, this tool helps you find a lawyer in Massachusetts with the right experience and focus.
Legal Services Across Every Corner of the Commonwealth
The needs of Massachusetts residents are varied. This directory helps you refine your search geographically and by practice area.
- Boston remains a national legal hub, with top-tier attorneys in corporate law, white-collar defense, healthcare regulation and intellectual property.
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- Worcester and Springfield provide broad representation in family law, personal injury and workers' compensation—all essential for clients seeking local support.
- Lowell and Lawrence are home to attorneys focused on immigration law and employment matters, including wage disputes, visa services and workplace discrimination claims.
Wherever your legal issue arises, you’ll find attorneys across Massachusetts who understand the unique legal landscape of their region. Whether you're looking to resolve a dispute, defend your rights or plan for the future, you’ll find guidance here.
Why Trust This Directory to Find Your Legal Advocate
Each attorney in Massachusetts listed here has earned their place through Best Lawyers’ time-tested selection process. Every year, attorneys are nominated and reviewed by their peers, with a focus on professional excellence, legal ethics and meaningful client outcomes.
Inclusion is not purchased. While attorneys can manage their profile information, only those selected for the most recent edition are featured. This gives clients confidence that they’re viewing a current and credible list of attorneys in Massachusetts.
The peer-review methodology reflects what fellow professionals value most—trust, competence and consistency. It’s a high bar and every lawyer listed has met it.
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This is where your legal search begins—with a trusted, structured list of attorneys in Massachusetts who have been recognized by their peers for professional excellence. Use the filters to narrow down by location, practice area or name. Whether you're looking for help with a business transaction or need a skilled advocate for a personal legal issue, this directory helps you find a lawyer in Massachusetts who fits your specific needs.
Practice Area Overview
Tax litigation and controversy broadly describes the practice of resolving tax disputes with federal, state, local, and foreign tax authorities. A tax controversy may involve a business (whether for-profit or not-for-profit), trust, estate, or individual, and can result from any form of taxation, including income tax, estate and gift tax, state sales and use tax, or local property tax. In general, tax disputes are separated into civil and criminal matters.
Civil Tax Controversies
Attorneys specializing in tax controversies may assist a taxpayer in a civil matter by providing expertise regarding substantive tax laws, dealing with revenue agents, formulating audit strategies, and pursuing administrative or judicial appeals. Although litigation is usually the option of last resort for most taxpayers, an experienced attorney can provide skillful representation in court proceedings. A tax attorney can play a leading role in resolving a tax controversy or simply serve as an advisor to the taxpayer or his or her accountant. In addition, an attorney may assist the taxpayer in planning transactions to avoid future disputes.
Civil tax matters usually begin with audit, assessment, and collection activities by a taxing authority. Alternatively, a controversy may be initiated by a taxpayer claiming a refund. At the federal level, resolving a civil tax controversy may require discussions with the IRS, a written appeal to and discussions with the Appeals Office, or, potentially, litigation in the United States Tax Court, District Courts, or Court of Federal Claims. After litigation of a case in a lower court, the taxpayer may have appeal rights in the federal appellate courts. A similar process is available in resolving civil tax controversies at the state and local levels.
An international tax attorney may assist a taxpayer in resolving issues with taxing authorities in foreign jurisdictions or involving issues arising in international transactions, including advanced ruling requests to achieve tax certainty and penalty protection, competent authority requests to resolve treaty issues, advanced pricing agreements to resolve transfer pricing issues, and using voluntary disclosure programs to prevent or reduce tax penalties.
Criminal Tax Controversies
Criminal tax matters involve taxpayers alleged to have evaded taxes or otherwise willfully violated the tax laws. Tax litigators can assist such taxpayers by representing them during criminal investigations by the IRS, the Justice Department, or state taxing authorities, and in criminal trials, sentencing proceedings, and appeals.
Corporate Law & Commercial Litigation Legal Guide 2025
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Rich is the leader of Sullivan’s Tax Group. He concentrates on state tax and local tax (SALT) litigation and transactional planning involving corporate, personal income and sales/use tax matters. He has more than two decades of experience before the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board, the Supreme Judicial Court, various state Departments of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service on a range of issues, including corporate nexus, domicile, apportionment, step transaction, and unitary repo...
David serves as Managing Partner and is a Tax Partner in Sullivan’s Boston office, bringing over 25 years of experience to his dual roles. Leadership Role As Managing Partner, David collaborates closely with the firm’s Management Committee, partners, and business professionals to advance Sullivan’s vision of becoming a leading global, commercially focused mid-size law firm. He is dedicated to: Cultivating a culture of deep loyalty and high performance Implementing innovative...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.