CHAIR, WHITE COLLAR DEFENSE AND INVESTIGATIONS PRACTICE GROUP Ian Comisky has more than 30 years of experience concentrating his practice in the areas of civil and criminal tax litigation, white collar criminal defense, and complex corporate and commercial litigation. Mr. Comisky represents both corporations and individuals in areas such as:
- tax controversy work, including IRS administrative and grand jury investigations, Tax Court, Claims Court and District Court trials and appeals, jeopardy and termination assessments, responsible officer penalty and collection matters;
- corporate compliance matters focusing on Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act and FACTA issues for financial institutions including banks, broker-dealers and mutual funds;
- commercial litigation focusing on accounting and legal malpractice cases involving tax and related accounting issues, as well as securities and class action matters involving tax and related accounting issues; and
- corporate internal investigations for financial institutions and other entities including allegations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
- Mr. Comisky frequently advises individuals on their U.S. tax and foreign asset reporting (FBAR and FATCA) obligations, and has represented hundreds of individuals with undisclosed foreign bank accounts through the IRS voluntary disclosure programs. Prior to joining Blank Rome, Mr. Comisky was an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia County, a special assistant U.S. attorney, and an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Florida. He is the co-author of the two-volume treatise Tax Fraud and Evasion, has appeared on CNBC's Money Talk and CNN, and is called upon frequently to comment on tax issues. He was elected in 1995 to the American College of Tax Counsel and is an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. REPRESENTATIVE MATTERSRepresentation of former CEO of public company charged with securities/insider trading/tax fraud in nine-month federal court jury trial
- Individuals and corporations in civil audits and criminal investigations arising out of tax-sheltered investments
- Broker in a suit based on tax sheltered investment
- Outside member of Board of Directors in trans-border litigation arising out of bankruptcy proceeding
- Accounting firm in trans-border securities litigation
- Accounting firm in malpractice litigation involving tax and related accounting issues
COMMUNITY SERVICE & AFFILIATIONS Mr. Comisky serves as special projects chair of the American Bar Association, Tax Section. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar where he serves as chair of the Investment Committee. Mr. Comisky is on the boards of directors of the Citizens Crime Commission of the Delaware Valley, Historic Philadelphia, Inc., and the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life. He serves as the secretary and member of the board of directors of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Comisky is a member of the Brandeis Society, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Franklin Institute, among other local organizations. SERVICES
ADMISSIONS
- Pennsylvania
- Florida
- District of Columbia
- Supreme Court of the United States
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- United States Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court - Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court - Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court - Middle District of Florida
- U.S. Tax Court
MEMBERSHIPS
- American Bar Association
- American College of Tax Counsel
- American Law Institute
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Brandeis Society
- Citizens Crime Commission of Delaware Valley
- Federal Bar Association
- Florida Bar Association
- Mann Center for the Performing Arts
- National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Philadelphia Bar Association
- Public Liability Underwriters Society
EDUCATION
- University of Miami School of Law, LLM
- University of Pennsylvania Law School, JD
- University of Pennsylvania, BS, magna cum laude
