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Douglas W. Charnas
Partner 
2001 K Street N.W.
dcharnas@mcguirewoods.comSuite 400 Washington, D.C. 20006-1040 F: 202.828.2980    |
Mr. Charnas advises businesses on a broad range of individual, corporate and partnership matters, including business formations, operations, acquisitions, reorganizations, taxes and controversies with the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department. He represents clients in a wide range of industries, including healthcare, retail, motor fuels and professional services. He has extensive experience advising business owners on succession and complex estate planning issues and representing nonprofit organizations on an array of legal issues, including tax, governance, compensation and business transactions.
In addition to training associate lawyers through the firm's mentoring relationships program, Mr. Charnas is an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law Center, where he teaches a course on S corporations and limited liability companies in the LLM program in tax. He also teaches a course on S corporations and limited liability companies to IRS lawyers nationwide through the Georgetown University Law Center/IRS Office of Chief Counsel Continuing Legal Education Program. He is a frequent contributor to legal updates and client briefings distributed by McGuireWoods. He co-authored and edited a comprehensive handbook for tax-exempt organizations regarding public disclosure requirements, as well as a handbook for independent insurance agents regarding business structures and taxation.
Mr. Charnas is a member of the ABA Section of Taxation and Section of Business Law; the D.C. Bar Section of Taxation and the Estates, Trusts, and Probate Law Section; the J. Edgar Murdock Inn of Court, where he currently serves as secretary and treasurer; and The Center for Association Leadership (ASAE). He is general counsel to, and a director, and secretary and treasurer of the S&R Foundation; general counsel to and secretary of the James J. Norris Foundation for Migrants and Refugees and the Divino Amore Foundation; and general counsel to the National Catholic Community Foundation and the Bill Raskob Foundation. He is a former member of the Board of Visitors of the Ohio University Honors Tutorial College and a former regional vice president of alumni affairs of Case Western Reserve Law School.
Before entering private practice, Mr. Charnas was acting assistant to the chief counsel for the IRS, the lead IRS lawyer for the Windfall Profit Tax, and a senior attorney/advisor in the Legislation and Regulations Division.
- Business Tax
- Executive Compensation
- Healthcare
- Private Wealth Services
- Nonprofit & Tax-Exempt Organizations
- New Markets Tax Credits
- Recipient, Georgetown University Vicennial Medal, 2012
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Pi Gamma Mu (National Honorary Society for the Social Sciences)
- Phi Beta Kappa Award for Studies in Classical Greek, 1973-1974
- Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, Incentive Award for High Quality Performance, 1982
- Senior Attorney/Advisor, Legislation and Regulations Division, Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, 1978-1984
- Acting Assistant to Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, 1984
- Co-author, "IRS Announces New Voluntary Program for Resolving Worker Classification Issues," Practical U.S./Domestic Tax Strategies, August 2011
- Co-author, "IRS Rules that 'F' Reorganization Can Be Used to Strip Retained Assets Before Sale," Practical U.S./Domestic Tax Strategies, February 2011
- Co-author, "White House Backs Worker Classification Bill," McGuireWoods News, September 2010
- Co-author, "HIRE Forms Issued by IRS," Federal Employment Law Insider, May 2010
- Co-author, "Stimulus Act Provides Extensive Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy," Practical U.S./Domestic Tax Strategies, February 2009
- Co-author, "IRS Identifies New 'Transaction of Interest' Requiring Disclosure by Taxpayers and Material Advisors: Subpart F Income Partnership Blocker," Practical U.S./International Tax Strategies, December 2008
- Co-author, "IRS Identifies Tier III Issues for Industry Issue Focus Program," Practical U.S./Domestic Tax Strategies, September 2008
- Co-author, "IRS Issues S Corporation Guidance on Formation of Holding Company Structure," Practical U.S./Domestic Tax Strategies, March 2008
- Co-author, "Pension Protection Act of 2006 Benefits S Corporations Making Charitable Contributions," Practical U.S./Domestic Tax Strategies, September 2006
- Co-author, The Practical Agency Planner, A Guide to Agency Perpetuation, Estate Planning, Employee Benefits and Tax Opportunities, Independent Insurance Agents of America, Inc., 2000
- Co-author, Exempt Organization Public Disclosure Handbook, Jackson & Campbell, P.C., 1999
- Presenter, "Legal Compliance and Governance Issues for Public Charities," McGuireWoods, Raffa & HSBC Seminar, September 2011
- Presenter, "What Your Website Says About You Can and Will be Used Against You in a Court of Law," WMACCA Nonprofit Forum, October 2010
- Speaker, "S Corporation Distributions," Virginia Society of CPAs, September 2010
- Presenter, "D.C. State and Local Tax Update," Virginia Society of CPAs, September 2010
- Presenter, "Hire Incentives To Restore Employment Act," McGuireWoods Audio Seminar, April 2010
- Presenter, "Protecting Communications in Today's Financial and Tax Enforcement Environment," McGuireWoods Audio Seminar, July 2008
- Speaker, "IRS Industry Specialization Program," Yangzhou Tax Institute (PRC), Georgetown Law Center, 2006
- Member, American Bar Association
- Section of Taxation
- Section of Business Law
- Member, District of Columbia Bar Association
- Section of Taxation
- Section of Estates, Trusts and Probate Law
- Member, American Health Lawyers Association
- Member, The Center for Association Leadership (ASAE)
- Secretary and Treasurer, J. Edgar Murdock Inn of Court (U.S. Tax Court)
- Founder, Washington, D.C. Subchapter S Study Group
- Director, Secretary, and General Counsel, S&R Foundation, 2001-Present
- Former Member and Secretary, Ohio University Honors Tutorial College Board of Visitors, 2005-2012
- Secretary and General Counsel, Divino Amore Foundation, 2004-Present
- Regional Vice President, Alumni Affairs, Case Western Reserve University Law School, 1989-2005
- Secretary and General Counsel, James J. Norris Foundation for Migrants and Refugees, 1995-Present
- President, Young Adult League, St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 1985-1987
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EDUCATION Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C., MLT (Master of Laws in Taxation), 1983 Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland, Ohio, J.D., 1978 Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, A.B., summa cum laude, Honors Tutorial College, 1975 ADMITTED Ohio 1978 District of Columbia 1985 U.S. Supreme Court 1988 U.S. Tax Court 1993 PLACE OF BIRTH Cleveland, Ohio |