McGuireWoods Continues to Expand Tax Practice in Washington

March 24, 2014

Rosemary Becchi has joined McGuireWoods LLP’s tax and employee benefits practice as a partner in the firm’s Washington office. This is the group’s third partner hire in recent months, including the addition of Giles Sutton, who joined the Washington office in January, and the hire of Barbara Spudis de Marigny, who joined the firm’s Houston office in November.

Becchi brings diverse experience handling regulatory and legislative issues, particularly relating to tax and financial services policy matters. She joins the firm from Patton Boggs’ Washington office, where she was a partner and deputy chair of the tax and financial services policy practice.

She began her career at the Office of the Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service, where she developed and drafted rulings and regulations on national tax policy. She then served as tax counsel on the Republican staff of the Senate Finance Committee. There she worked with former staff director Russ Sullivan, who joined the firm’s Washington office in 2013.

“Rosemary brings a combination of intellectual gravitas, effective advocacy, and keen foresight as to where policy is headed,” said Sullivan.

Becchi later worked in various accounting and financial institutions, including Citigroup’s Federal Government Relations Division and Fidelity Investments, and founded Becchi Consulting, where she advised businesses on operational, legal, legislative and regulatory matters.

“Rosemary is going to significantly strengthen our bench on providing strategic counsel to our clients from a tax policy, administrative, regulatory and legislative perspective,” said Craig Bell, chairman of McGuireWoods’ tax and employee benefits practice.

“Rosemary’s experience on Capitol Hill and in the private sector will enhance the service we provide to clients in Washington and nationwide,” added Steven Kittrell, managing partner of the firm’s Washington office and former chair of its tax and employee benefits practice. “We are delighted to welcome her to the team.”

Becchi earned her J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1991 and her LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1994. Rosemary was recently elected to the board of Running Start, an organization dedicated to getting more women elected to public office. She has served as a member and past chair of the Tax Coalition, is a former board member of the Investment Committee for the Virginia College Savings Plan, and has served as the executive director of the Capital Area Reach Program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people in the Washington metropolitan area become successful in school, work, and the community.

McGuireWoods’ tax and employee benefits practice includes lawyers from many of the firm’s U.S. and international offices who cover the full spectrum of federal, state and local taxes for clients ranging from closely held entities to Fortune 500 companies.