Tax Attorney | Orange County - Newport Beach
Tax attorney, Orange County (Newport Beach) • The 2025, 2022, 2020, and 2016 Chair of the Orange County Bar Association's Tax Section, a former IRS trial attorney, an ex-federal prosecutor, and counsel to a Vault 100 nationally-ranked law firm with over 15 years of dedicated experience as a tax and FBAR lawyer, Daniel W. Layton founded DWL Tax Law to provide the highest level of tax defense to his clients. Whether it is an IRS audit, delinquent FBAR submission procedures, FTB, EDD, or sales/use tax matters, liens or levies, or a criminal tax investigation, hiring the right law firm is a critical step in protecting your rights and your business. In the words of some of our clients:*
Ex-Prosecutor, Ex-IRS Tax Attorney, Orange County Tax and FBAR Lawyer
Starting his tax controversy career in 2005, tax attorney Daniel W. Layton worked for the IRS as a tax trial attorney and for the D.O.J. as a criminal tax prosecutor for the better part of a decade. Mr. Layton defends his Orange County clients using his unique insights to keep the IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board in check. Mr. Layton has exceptional knowledge of the tools used by the IRS and FTB in audits, collections, and criminal tax investigations, and of their legal limits, having trained the IRS’s agents and officers in how to do their jobs. Our firm anticipates the IRS's next steps and responds with the most effective strategy.
Many tax attorneys' experience stops short of trial. They settle virtually every case, which may embolden the government to force an unfavorable settlement. Mr. Layton's experience as a tax and FBAR lawyer focuses on complex and contentious litigation at administrative and courtroom stages, with trial experience in criminal and civil fraud cases, innocent spouse cases, imputed income cases, business deduction cases, and real estate income and expense cases. His work in U.S. Tax Court and U.S. District Court has resulted in over 30 reported opinions and more than 100 cases resolved by motion, trial, or stipulated decision ranging from full grants of innocent spouse relief to a money judgment of over 250 million dollars.
Mr. Layton earned his law degree at the University of Chicago and his graduate tax law degree in San Francisco.What Is an FBAR Lawyer?
Mr. Layton's experience as an FBAR lawyer includes delinquent FBAR submission procedures, administrative review (see related post on IRS penalty discretion here), and litigation in both Federal District Court and the Federal Court of Claims. He has provided continuing education to other tax attorneys FBAR law topics, recently presenting The 2020 FBAR Litigation Update (PowerPoint available here) to Orange County lawyers.