About the Forum

Blank Rome State + Local Tax partners Craig B. Fields and Nicole L. Johnson will serve as panelists at the 32nd Annual Paul J. Hartman State and Local Tax Forum, presented in conjunction with the Vanderbilt University Law School and being held October 27 to 29, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee (with a virtual option available for all program sessions).

The Professor Paul J. Hartman Memorial State and Local Tax (“SALT”) Forum, sponsored in conjunction with the Vanderbilt University Law School, provides industry, practitioners, and state revenue employees the opportunity to participate in a quality forum exploring significant national developments and trends in state and local taxation. The Forum features speakers with the knowledge, expertise, and communication skills to impart current developments as well as practical solutions and planning opportunities in structuring and reporting state and local tax transactions.

About Craig's Session

Craig’s session, “Controversy Management in SALT: Tools, Tactics, and Trends,” will take place on Monday, October 27, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Description:

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of leading practices for managing state and local tax audits and effectively handling tax controversies. Attendees will gain insights into proactive audit preparation, documentation strategies, and risk mitigation techniques to streamline the audit process. The presentation will also cover practical approaches to resolving disputes with taxing authorities, including negotiation tactics, alternative dispute resolution options, and recent trends in SALT controversy.

Panelists:

  • Craig Fields, Partner, Blank Rome LLP
  • Jason Giompoletti, Partner, EY LLP
  • Amber Rutherford, Tax Managing Director, Deloitte Tax LLP
  • Frances Sewell, Director, State Tax Reporting & Controversy, Pfizer Inc.

About Nicole's Session

Nicole, a Forum Advisory Board member, will speak on the “O Customer, Where Art Thou? Complications in Sourcing to the Customer” panel, also on Monday, October 27, from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

Description:

Panelists will explore the often complicated statutory, regulatory, and administrative guidance for sourcing sales of services, software, or other products where the location of the customer is not always apparent. The speakers will also address a taxpayer’s burden to determine the specific locations where a service or software is received and discuss their experiences regarding how those items are sourced on audit.

Panelists:

  • Clark Calhoun, Partner, Alston & Bird LLP
  • Nicole Johnson, Partner, Blank Rome LLP
  • Grace Kyne, Principal, EY LLP

Blank Rome is pleased to be a Gold Level sponsor of the Forum.

CLE/CPE credit is available.

For more information and to register, please visit the event website.