Overview
Parisa M. Griess focuses her practice on representing taxpayers in complex tax disputes against US and foreign tax authorities. Her diverse experience includes audit defense, administrative appeals, tax litigation, competent authority matters, and criminal tax investigations primarily for technology, media, and manufacturing companies, as well as high-net-worth individuals. She also frequently advises clients on audit risk and audit readiness. Parisa’s technical expertise includes transfer pricing, Subpart F, section 956, permanent establishments and other treaty matters, business deductions, executive compensation and employee benefits, withholding taxes, information reporting, summons enforcement, and penalties.
Beyond her tax practice, Parisa also has an active pro bono practice that has included representing individuals who have been unlawfully detained. She has also worked with the nonprofit Public International Law & Policy Group to provide pro bono legal and policy advice on drafting a post-conflict constitution for the Republic of Yemen and the creation and operation of a tribunal in Africa to prosecute piracy.
Parisa served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina of the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Prior to law school, she worked at the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Tax Policy, where she served as a financial economist and a Stanley S. Surrey Fellow.
Results
- Settled a multibillion-dollar platform contribution transaction audit with the IRS examination team for a multinational technology company*
- Achieved a full concession at the IRS administrative level on a trust fund recovery penalty assessed on an individual *
- Successfully defended a transfer pricing audit involving a China Business Trust structure at the IRS examination level with no proposed adjustment*
- Settled a multimillion-dollar tax refund case in the US Court of Federal Claims for an individual taxpayer that involved complex international tax issues and offshore foreign accounts*
- Settled a multimillion-dollar transfer pricing dispute in the US Tax Court on behalf of a multinational technology and media company*
- Successfully defended a defense contractor in a dispute with the US Department of State involving the tax implications of services performed by contractors for the US Embassy in Afghanistan*
- Represented multiple Swiss banks before the US Department of Justice in connection with criminal tax investigations and securing non-prosecution agreements*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott.
Recognitions
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2022 and 2023
Community
- American Bar Association, Tax Section, member
- George Washington Law Alumni Association, Board of Directors (former)
Credentials
Education
George Washington University Law School, JD, with honors, 2012
George Washington University, MPP, 2009
University of California, Davis, BA, with highest honors, Phi Beta Kappa, 2007
Courts/Agencies
US Tax Court
US District Court for the District of Columbia
US Court of Federal Claims
US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Admissions
California
District of Columbia
Languages
English
Persian
French
