American College of Tax Counsel Elects New Fellows

ROCHESTER, NY, UNITED STATES, November 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — At a meeting held on October 30, 2026, the Board of Regents of the American College of Tax Counsel (the “College”) elected the following eighteen new Fellows into its ranks:

Lindsay L. Clayton, of Baker McKenzie, Washington, DC
Phillip James Colasanto, of Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, New York, NY
Mardiros “Marty” Dakessian, of Dakessian Law, LTD, Los Angeles, CA
Charlotte A. Erdmann, of Erdman Law, dba Orlando Tax Law, Orlando, FL
Garett M. Fischer, of Thompson Coburn LLP, St. Louis, MO
Professor William E. Foster, of the University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville, AR
Anne Gordon, of the National Foreign Trade Council, Washington, DC
Karen Kelly, of Kostelanetz LLP, Washington, DC
Professor Kathryn J. Kennedy, of the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL
Kelvin M. Lawrence, of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, Columbus, OH
Rafi William Mottahedeh, of Winthrop & Weinstine, PA, Minneapolis, MN
Professor Mary Leto Pareja, of the University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, NM
Matthew L. Roberts, of Meadows Collier, Dallas, TX
Paul Sczudlo, of Withers, Los Angeles, CA
Elizabeth Julia Smith, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Boston, MA
Elizabeth “Lisa” Sperow, of the Monterey College of Law, Seaside, CA
Scott W. Vance, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Washington, DC
Michael J. Wilson, of Williams, Parker, Sarasota, FL

To become a Fellow of the College, individuals must be nominated by a current Fellow and then evaluated by a committee of the College’s Board of Regents. Criteria for membership in the College include having been a member of the bar of one or more states of the United States (or the District of Columbia, possessions, or territories of the United States) for at least 15 years prior to the date of their election to membership as a Fellow in the College, with a career that is principally devoted to tax law and tax-related matters. Prospective Fellows must be currently engaged in (or retired or semi-retired from) full-time legal work, either in a private law practice, a corporate legal or tax department, a governmental legal position, a trade association, a law or business school or other graduate-level teaching position, or a combination thereof. For all prospective Fellows, demonstration of a high standard of excellence and ethical conduct in the practice of tax law, e.g., through substantial bar association involvement and through significant writing or speaking activity, is required.

Ameek Ashok Ponda, President of the College, extended a warm welcome to the eighteen newly elected Fellows: “The strength of the College lies in bringing together extraordinary tax professionals who pair excellence in their craft with a commitment to the profession and the public good. We are proud to welcome our newest Fellows, whose accomplishments have earned the respect of their peers and whose voices will help shape the most critical dialogues for the future of tax law.”

About the American College of Tax Counsel

The American College of Tax Counsel, founded in 1981, is a nonprofit association of tax attorneys in private practice, law, business, graduate school teaching positions, and government, who are recognized for their excellence in tax practice and their substantial contributions and commitment to the legal profession. One of the chief purposes of the College is to provide a mechanism for input by tax attorneys into the development of U.S. tax laws and policy. A nineteen-member Board of Regents serves as the governing body of the College, with one Regent drawn from each of the thirteen federal judicial circuits, plus two at-large positions. The Board is rounded out by the four members of its Executive Committee: President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Immediate Past President. The College can be found online at https://www.actconline.org/.

Pamela Lyons
American College of Tax Counsel
+1 888-549-4177

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