Pamela F. Olson Joins PwC US as Washington National Tax Services Practice Leader

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pamela F. Olson is joining PwC US as a deputy tax leader and leader of the firm's Washington National Tax Services (WNTS) practice, the firm announced today.  Ms. Olson will start with PwC on January 1st, when she retires as head of the Washington office tax group of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

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"Pam brings a stellar reputation, deep experience, and outstanding credentials to her new role, enabling PwC clients to benefit from her consummate knowledge of their issues," notes Mark J. Mendola, PwC's U.S. Tax leader and a vice chairman of the firm. "Everyone in the tax community knows Pam.  Now our clients will be able to gain from her wisdom.  In the current uncertain economic environment, the counsel she will provide to PwC clients is certain to be more invaluable than ever before."

J. Richard ("Rick") Stamm, global vice chairman, Tax, for the PwC network, adds, "It is with pleasure that we welcome Pam to PwC. Her well-earned reputation for client service is a win-win for PwC and our clients."

In her new role as WNTS leader, Ms. Olson will lead a team that includes many former senior government officials and policy advisers.  She will work closely with George Forster, deputy tax leader, Specialist Networks, who has served as WNTS leader for the past three years, in addition to his role as a member of PwC's Tax leadership team.

Ms. Olson has represented clients in a broad range of tax policy and administration matters, including tax controversy, administrative and regulatory guidance, and congressional investigations.  She has advised clients on tax and social security reform, legislative matters, and the structuring of transactions.  She is a frequent speaker on tax, economic and federal budget matters and has testified before several Congressional committees.

From 2002 to 2004, Ms. Olson served as assistant secretary for tax policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury where she had supervisory responsibility for providing the Secretary of the Treasury with policy analysis and recommendations for all federal tax matters, including legislative proposals, regulatory guidance and tax treaties, and the official estimates of government receipts for the President's budget and Treasury cash management decisions.  Prior to joining Skadden in 1986, Ms. Olson held positions with the chief counsel's office of the Internal Revenue Service.

In 2000 and 2001, Ms. Olson was the first woman to serve as chair of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation.  She served as a senior economic adviser to the Bush-Cheney campaign and as federal tax adviser to the National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform.  She has been included repeatedly in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and The Best Lawyers in America for tax law.  Ms. Olson serves as vice chair of the American College of Tax Counsel and on the board of several tax exempt organizations.  She received distinguished service awards from the Federal Bar Association and from Tax Executives Institute.

About PwC's U.S. Tax Practice

PwC's U.S. tax practice provides business advice on tax strategy, global structuring, controversy, compliance and legislative and regulatory analysis to clients ranging from multinational corporations to prominent individuals.  Our industry-based teams work with many of the world's largest organizations, serving public and private companies in all industry sectors, including financial services, technology, industrial products, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, and entertainment, media and communications.  Our national practices help clients across a broad spectrum of complex tax and business matters, including human resources, international assignments, international and national tax, mergers and acquisitions, state and local tax and transfer pricing. More than 7,000 professionals serve clients through PwC's U.S. tax practice, while more than 30,000 tax professionals provide tax services through PwC member firms in 153 countries around the world.

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