Firm Info

Attorney Leslie Shields handles legal matters primarily in the following practice areas: Abatement of Tax Penalties, Audits, Criminal Tax Investigations, Return Preparer Investigations, Delinquent Tax Returns, Estate Administration, Estate and Gift Taxation, Estate Planning, Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples, Innocent Spouse Claims, IRS Audits, IRS Collection, IRS Criminal Investigations, IRS Offers in Compromise, Waiver of Penalties, IRS Payment Plans, Late Filed and Amended Returns, Tax Audits, Tax Controversies, Tax Court Litigation, Tennessee Sales Tax Audits, Trusts, Wills and Probate.

Achievements

Attorney Leslie Shields is the recent past Chair of the Tax Section of the Tennessee Bar Association and former Tennessee Bar Association Liaison to the IRS, Member of the TBA Tax Section Executive Council and is a frequent speaker at educational programs on many tax topics, including but not limited to the following: Speaker: Internal Revenue Service and Tax Practice Collections Panel, Singleton Wolfe Tax Conference, 2008; “How to Handle IRS Matters from Examination to Litigation,” Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, 2005; “Tax Aspects of Settlements and Judgments,” Knoxville Bar Mediators, 2005; “Developments in Circular 230 and Disclosure Regulations,” Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, 2005; “How to Handle an IRS Audit,” Singleton Wolfe Tax Conference, 2004; “I Owe the IRS, What Do I do?” Knoxville, Bar Association, 2004; “Filing Innocent Spouse Claims,” Singleton Wolfe Tax Conference, 1999; “After the Audit Assessment or Criminal Referral, What Can the Taxpayer and Accountant Expect and What Options are Available?” American Society of Women Accountants, 1997.

Clients

Attorney Leslie Shields has practiced law for 34 years. Her practice has been devoted primarily to representing taxpayers and return preparers in civil and criminal tax controversies throughout the southeastern United States, including, but not limited to, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Virginia and California. She has defended taxpayers, return preparers, and Certified Public Accountants during Internal Revenue Service and Tennessee Department of Revenue audits, investigations, the administrative appeal process, with the Federal Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, and before the United States Tax Court, the United States District Court, the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. She also devotes a significant portion of her practice to estate planning, estate planning for same sex couples, estate administration and probate.

Certification of Specialization in the area of tax practice is not currently available to Tennessee lawyers.  Thus, Ms. Shields is not certified as a specialist in Tax law because the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education does not offer such certification.  Listing of the practice areas noted above does not constitute or imply a representation of Certification of Specialization.

This content and information contained on this website is not intended as legal advice. Tennessee law requires that we advise you that this website constitutes an advertisement.