The IRS does not negotiate with anxiety. It negotiates with paperwork.
When the IRS sends a notice, the worst thing you can do is panic and call the number on the letter. The right move is to put a tax attorney between you and the agent before you say anything on the record. These 10 Memphis tax lawyers handle IRS audits, collections, Offer in Compromise filings, installment agreements, Tax Court litigation, Tennessee Department of Revenue disputes, and criminal tax investigations.
These 10 Memphis firms cover tax and IRS for everything from one-off projects to ongoing outside-counsel relationships. Most offer flat-fee work for routine matters and hourly billing or retainers for complex engagements. Use this guide as a starting shortlist, then call at least two firms before you sign anything.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Chambers USA, Avvo, and Maryland or Tennessee bar association recognition; published court records and decisions; firm websites; and client review patterns across Google, Avvo, and Justia. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: IRS controversy, tax audits, collections, tax litigation
Christina Burdette is both a tax attorney and CPA, which is useful when the tax issue requires re-doing the underlying numbers, not just defending the existing return.
Practice focus: Tax resolution, IRS appeals, Offer in Compromise, installment agreements
Tax-only practice focused on individual and small-business IRS resolution. Strong choice when the goal is to settle collections, not litigate the merits.
Practice focus: Federal and Tennessee tax controversy, criminal tax defense, IRS collections, U.S. Tax Court
Tyler DeWitt focuses on tax controversy, litigation, and criminal tax matters. Useful when the case involves potential criminal exposure - not all tax lawyers handle that side.
Practice focus: Tax planning, audit defense, federal and state controversy, Tax Court
Multi-practice Memphis firm with tax attorneys who represent individuals and businesses in audits and proceedings before state and local administrative tribunals, district courts, and the U.S. Tax Court.
Practice focus: Federal tax, state tax, transactional tax, healthcare tax
Sophisticated tax practice handling complex transactional and controversy matters. Better fit for high-dollar matters than routine personal IRS issues.
Practice focus: Federal and state tax, controversy, tax litigation, estate and gift tax
Deep tax bench across federal income, state tax, and transactional tax. Strong when tax overlaps with M&A, estate planning, or healthcare regulation.
Practice focus: Federal tax, state tax, controversy, tax-exempt organizations
Multi-state tax practice. Useful for Memphis businesses operating across the Mid-South where state tax issues span multiple jurisdictions.
Practice focus: Tax planning, controversy, estate and gift, tax-exempt
Strong tax planning practice with controversy capability. Good fit when planning and controversy work need to coordinate.
Practice focus: Federal and state tax, tax controversy, transactional tax
Regional firm with Memphis tax presence. Strong on multistate tax issues for businesses with operations across the Southeast.
Practice focus: Tax planning, audit defense, estate and gift tax
Mid-market Memphis firm with tax practice integrated with corporate and estate work. Good for owner-operators whose tax issues span business and personal.
Tell us about your tax and IRS situation and we will match you with vetted tax and IRS attorneys in Memphis. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Memphis tax attorneys typically bill at $300-$650/hour. An Offer in Compromise filing runs $3,500-$7,500 flat. Audit representation for an individual: $2,500-$10,000 depending on years and complexity. Tax Court petitions: $5,000-$25,000+. Criminal tax defense retainers start at $15,000 and can exceed $100,000 for cases involving indictment. Installment agreement negotiation: $1,500-$5,000.
Routine IRS examinations close in 6-18 months. Offer in Compromise review typically takes 6-12 months. U.S. Tax Court cases run 12-30 months from petition to trial. Collection due process hearings happen within 60-120 days of request. Criminal tax investigations can stretch 18-48 months from opening to charging decision.
Tennessee has no general state income tax for wages, but the franchise and excise tax applies to most LLCs and corporations. Sales-and-use tax audits by the Tennessee Department of Revenue are common in Memphis hospitality, retail, and contractor industries. Tax Court cases involving Memphis taxpayers can be tried in the Memphis trial session or remotely. The IRS Memphis Service Center processes a substantial share of national tax returns, so Memphis tax attorneys often have direct working relationships with local agents.
The Shelby County court system, the local administrative culture, and the unwritten rules of practice all matter. A firm that knows the local courthouse, the local clerks, and the local opposing counsel has an advantage on every motion, every deposition, and every settlement conversation. That is most of why this guide focuses on Memphis-based or Memphis-experienced firms rather than national chains with thin local presence.
The legal directory you find on Google has hundreds of Memphis firms claiming tax and IRS experience. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, settlement number, or trial verdict, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The matter is handled by an unsupervised junior or a paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the engagement letter in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume shop, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, bar association recognition, or representative matters. Vague claims like "we have helped thousands of clients" are marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. Every legitimate Memphis lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them. If you cannot get the fee in writing, that is your answer.
Most Memphis firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Routine notices (CP2000 underreporter, automated math corrections) can often be handled by you or a CPA. Anything that mentions audit, examination, levy, lien, summons, or criminal investigation should go to a tax attorney before you respond. Attorney-client privilege protects what you say to a lawyer; it does not protect what you say to a CPA in most situations.
An Offer in Compromise (OIC) lets you settle your IRS debt for less than the full amount when paying in full would create economic hardship. The IRS accepts roughly one-third of OIC applications. Memphis tax attorneys typically charge $3,500-$7,500 flat to prepare and submit an OIC.
Yes, the IRS can place a lien on real property and can in some cases force a sale. In practice, the IRS rarely seizes personal residences because of the administrative cost and political optics. Wage levies and bank levies are far more common collection tools.
Generally 3 years from filing (the assessment statute of limitations). 6 years if you under-reported income by 25%+. Unlimited if you filed a fraudulent return or did not file at all. State of Tennessee assessment periods differ, typically 3 years but longer for fraud or non-filing.
A CPA can prepare returns, advise on planning, and represent you in routine audits. A tax attorney can do everything a CPA does in front of the IRS plus litigate in U.S. Tax Court, handle criminal investigations, and protect communications under attorney-client privilege. For controversy work, the attorney's privilege protection is often the deciding factor.
Yes. Tax Court allows pro se representation, and there's a simplified small-case procedure for disputes under $50,000. But Tax Court rules of evidence apply, the IRS will be represented by experienced counsel, and most pro se litigants do worse than represented ones. For anything substantial, hire counsel.
Get a tax attorney before you contact the IRS. Voluntary disclosure programs and streamlined filing procedures exist that can drastically reduce penalties, but they're only available if you come forward first. If the IRS finds you first, the deal gets much worse.
IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) handles fraud, evasion, and willful failure-to-file cases. You typically learn about an investigation when a CI agent shows up unannounced or your accountant gets a summons. The right response is silence and immediate counsel, preferably a tax attorney with criminal experience.
More from LawFirmSquare on this topic: the full Tax / IRS guide, all Memphis law firms by need, request a free consultation, what lawyers actually cost, and how to compare firms.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you everything. — The LawFirmSquare team