Richard J. Sapinski is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Tax Fraud and Controversy Practice Group.  His practice involves white collar criminal defense on both federal and state levels and civil and criminal tax litigation, as well as international tax reporting and compliance issues.  Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Sapinski was employed by the Office of the District Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, Newark, New Jersey as a trial attorney from 1977 to 1984 and later with the Office of the Regional Counsel Internal Revenue Service, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a Special Trial Attorney from 1985 to 1987.  In the latter position, Mr. Sapinski was assigned responsibility for litigating in the United States Tax Court on behalf of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in large and sensitive cases and for assisting IRS international examiners in developing international tax issues for litigation.  He litigates matters in the United States District Court, U.S. Tax Court and the Superior Court and Tax Court of New Jersey and the Federal and State Appellate Courts.  He also represents professionals before disciplinary and licensing boards and handles administrative matters involving the Examination, Collection and Criminal Investigation divisions of the Internal Revenue Service and their state counterparts.

Practices

  • Tax Fraud and Controversy
  • White Collar Criminal Defense
  • Corporate Investigations and Integrity
  • Litigation

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Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. Tax Court

Newsroom

In the News

Presentations

Publications

Rankings and Recognition

  • Selected for inclusion in:
  • The Best Lawyers in America®* 2011-2024, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • New Jersey Super Lawyers®* 2021-2023, Criminal Defense: White Collar; Tax: Business
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business®* 2016-2023, New Jersey Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations

Received Hon. Francis Allegra Unsung Hero Award, presented by the American Bar Association in recognition of service to the National Criminal Tax Fraud Institute, in 2019.

* See Award Methodology. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Affiliations

  • Member, Tax and Criminal Law Sections, American Bar Association

  • Member, Tax and International Law Sections, New Jersey State Bar Association

  • Member, Essex County Bar Association

  • Member, Supreme Court of New Jersey District VC Ethics Committee

  • Former Trustee, Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey

  • Fellow, American College of Tax Counsel

  • Lecturer (Federal and State Tax Issues), New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education

  • Lecturer (IRS and State Tax Practice), New Jersey State Society of Certified Public Accountants and New Jersey State Public Accountants Association

  • Former Adjunct Professor (Federal Tax Procedure), Rutgers University Graduate School of Business

Education

  • LL.M. (Taxation), New York University School of Law
  • J.D., Fordham University School of Law, cum laude
  • B.A., Seton Hall University, magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • New Jersey