Harry L. Gutman

Ivins, Phillips & Barker, founded by two of the original judges on the United States Tax Court in 1935, is the leading law firm in the United States exclusively engaged in the practice of federal tax, employee benefits and estate and gift tax law.  The firm’s lawyers are nationally recognized to be among the best and brightest in the country.  Our decades of focus on the intricacies of the Internal Revenue Code and Department of Labor regulations have led numerous Fortune 500 companies, as well as smaller companies, tax exempt organizations, and high net worth individuals to rely on the firm for answers to the most complicated and sophisticated tax planning problems as well as for complex tax litigation.

We provide expert counsel in all major areas of tax law, and we offer prompt and efficient attention, whether with respect to the most detailed and intricate of issues or for rapid responses to emergency situations. Unlike other firms that use large teams to solve simple problems, Ivins keeps clients costs to a minimum with extreme efficiency and outstanding intellect and practicality. Totally absent is the costly over staffing and layer upon layer of review that turns seemingly lower hourly rates into significantly larger final bills.

Our clients are not subjected to sales pitches and untoward tax shelter offerings. We view our exclusive responsibility as providing the highest quality, timely responses to clients’ needs. We also recognize an obligation to be proactive and bring potentially beneficial tax planning ideas to the attention of clients. This type of service is provided to all clients without the expectation of commissions or percentage fees. When clients determine to pursue such advice further, we charge fees on an hourly basis for any additional services requested unless the client initiates a request for some alternative billing arrangement.

Ivins, Phillips & Barker assures its loyal national and international clients that they can rely on the firm for the finest, most economical and timely tax advice and litigation services available anywhere in the United States.

Harry L. (Hank) Gutman brings to IPB 50 years of tax experience and leadership that includes federal government Treasury and Congressional positions, full time teaching at major law schools, and law practice.

As Joint Committee Chief of Staff from 1991 through 1993, Hank was the primary nonpartisan adviser to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees concerning the technical, economic and revenue aspects of tax legislation. Hank also served as deputy tax legislative counsel in the Treasury Department Office of Tax Policy. Throughout his career, Hank has counseled major multinational corporations on various implications of tax legislative change. He has represented clients in legislative matters. Of particular current relevance, he has represented clients — individually and in coalitions — before both the Treasury and the IRS in the tax guidance process.

Hank also has extensive experience in estate, gift and generation-skipping taxes.  While at the Treasury he was responsible for overseeing guidance and policy issues involving those taxes. He was the co-author of a wealth transfer tax casebook extensively used in law schools and was the reporter for an American Law Institute project on the generation-skipping tax.  He has taught and written extensively in the area and has testified before Congress on estate tax issues.