DEVELOPMENTS IN INDIRECT TAX
Monday, October 27, 2025 – All Times Listed are Central Time Zone | ||||
| Start | End | Minutes | Topic | Speaker(s) |
| 11:00 | NEW! Luncheon & Presentation of the Inaugural Tax Analysts Award of Distinction for Contributions in State and Local Taxation Presented by Tax Analysts – Symphony III Ballroom | |||
| 12:55 | Welcome and Introductory Remarks | |||
| 1:00 | 2:00 | 60 | Taxing the Digital Economy Do you remember when most things you bought actually existed in the real world? Those days are looking further and further in the past as more things that were once bought as tangible personal property are now being delivered digitally. This panel will discuss the current land- scape of the taxation of digital products, the inherent difficulties taxing digital products, and the efforts of the Multistate Tax Commission and the Streamlined Sales Tax organization to standardize the taxation of digital products. (60 Min.) | Ray Langenberg Special Counsel, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Fred Nicely Senior Tax Counsel, Council On State Taxation Samantha Trencs Of Counsel, Greenberg Traurig, LLP |
| 2:00 | 3:00 | 60 | Indirect Tax Audits and Controversies: Strategies & Shields This session will provide practical guid- ance on navigating issues specific to indirect tax audits and controversies. Panelists will discuss best prac- tices for audit preparedness, managing auditor inquiries, and resolving disputes at the administrative and judicial levels. The discussion will also address evolving audit trends, document and data management strategies, and effective advocacy during audit, protest, settlement negotiations, and litigation. Attend- ees will gain valuable insights, with a focus on minimizing risk and achieving favorable outcomes. (60 Min.) | Aruna Chittiappa Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Marc Grossman Managing Director – Tax, Crowe Jennifer Jensen Partner, PwC |
| 3:00 | 3:15 | Break | ||
| 3:15 | 4:15 | 60 | O Customer, Where Art Thou? Complications in Sourcing to the Customer In this session, panelists will explore the often complicated statutory, regulatory, and administrative guidance for sourcing sales of services, software, or other products where the location of the customer is not always apparent. The speakers will also address a taxpayer’s burden to determine the specific locations where a service or soft- ware is received and discuss their experiences regarding how those items are sourced on audit. (60 Min.) | Clark Calhoun Partner, Alston & Bird LLP Nicole Johnson Partner, Blank Rome LLP Grace Kyne Principal, EY LLP |
| 4:15 | 5:15 | 60 | What is the Box and What’s in it? Sales tax isn’t always straightforward – especially when transactions get bundled, blurred, or multi-faceted. This session will dive into the nuanced world of mixed transac-tions, bundling, and the True Object Test – critical concepts for understanding taxability in modern commerce. Whether you’re advising clients, preparing tax matrices, or designing product offerings, knowing what’s “inside the box” is key to getting the tax treatment right. (60 Min.) | Kyle Brehm Partner, Jones Walker LLP Jeff Cook Senior Manager, Washington National Tax, KPMG LLP Chris Wilson Partner, Holland & Knight LLP Diane Yetter President, Yetter Tax & Sales Tax Institute |
| 5:15 | Adjourn | |||
| 5:15 | 7:00 | Cocktail Reception – Sponsored by Tax Notes | ||
| TOTAL | DAY | 240 | CLE: 4 hours – CPE: 4.8 hours (4.5 NASBA) |