TAX PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

			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	Reinventing the In-House Function: Elevating SALT in a Changing Landscape Join us for a dynamic panel discussion of the evolving role of in-house tax functions and SALT’s critical importance navigating today’s rapidly changing business landscape. As companies face increased complexity in outsourcing, talent retention, collaboration with service providers, and integration of AI, SALT can play a vital role to identify risks, uncover opportunities, and drive strategic outcomes. Panelists will share their perspectives on how an in-house SALT team can best achieve these results and provide practical insights on position- ing SALT as a strategic partner with a meaningful voice in key business decisions. (60 Min.)	Rick Bishop Vice President – State Tax, UPS Barbara Coulter (Moderator) Tax Partner, PwC US Tax LLP Nikki Howard Assistant General Tax Counsel, CSX Transportation, Inc. Mark McCormick Director, Newell Brands
2:00	3:00	60	Controversy Management in SALT: Tools, Tactics, and Trends This session will provide a comprehensive overview of leading practices for managing state and local tax audits and effectively handling tax controversies. Attendees will gain insights into proactive audit preparation, documentation strategies, and risk mitigation techniques to streamline the audit process. The presentation will also cover practical approaches to resolving disputes with taxing authorities, including negotiation tactics, alternative dis- pute resolution options, and recent trends in SALT controversy. (60 Min.)	Craig Fields Partner, Blank Rome LLP Jason Giompoletti Partner, EY LLP Amber Rutherford Tax Managing Director, Deloitte Frances Sewell Director, State Tax Reporting & Controversy, Pfizer Inc.
3:00	3:15		Break
3:15	4:15	60	Transparency in State Tax Policy – Lessons from Tennessee For most companies, clarity regarding their state tax obligations is just as important as the actual tax liability. Yet, for some reason, many states keep their policies regarding the application of their own tax laws hidden behind closed doors – only to jump out and surprise taxpayers when they least expect it. This panel will compare and contrast the two vastly different approaches to transparency in state tax policy that have been adopted by Tennessee and California and will consider how Tennessee’s open book policy can be a template for other states. (60 Min.)	Stephen Jasper Member, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC Brent Mayo Director – Tax Policy Office, Tennessee Department of Revenue Andrea Muse (Moderator) Editor in Chief, Tax Notes State, Tax Analysts Carley Roberts Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
4:15	5:15	60	High Jumps and Hurdles – How to Overcome Common Issues in State Tax Litigation Litigating a tax dispute is never the first choice, but sometimes it is the only option. When that happens, it is important for tax departments to know what issues, obstacles and solutions they can expect to encounter as they litigate a tax matter. The panelists in this session will identify those issues and provide common sense approaches to help a tax group prepare itself and corporate stakeholders when it’s time to consider or proceed with litigation. (60 Min.)	Lorie Fale Partner, Akerman LLP Kathryn Friel Assistant General Tax Counsel, Entergy Services, LLC Lindsay LaCava Partner, Baker McKenzie Mark Sommer Partner & Chair, Tax, EB and Wealth Planning Group, Frost Brown Todd, LLP
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)