Danielle Smith

Danielle leads PwC’s Tax Risk Management & Controversy Solutions team as a Principal in PwC’s Insourced Solutions for Tax.

Danielle is an attorney and has been practicing tax controversy and litigation for over 25 years. Her practice focuses on partnering with corporate and business tax planning and operations teams throughout the entire life cycle of tax matters. Danielle advises large corporate taxpayers on innovative, proactive, strategic approaches to controversy matters, starting with a deep understanding of business platforms, continuing with involvement in the planning of transactions and significant matters (including partnership with tax operations), and concluding with defense of positions on audit, appeals and support of litigation. Danielle’s work provides an integrated approach to legal and efficient tax planning without undue reputational risk and by leveraging experience and technology.

Prior to PwC, Danielle was senior tax counsel in the Tax Examinations, Appeals & Litigation group at General Electric Company for almost a decade.  Before GE, she practiced tax controversy and litigation at White & Case LLP in New York City, representing major investment banks, corporations, accounting firms, law firms and individuals in federal and state tax disputes. While in private practice, Danielle managed high-profile summons enforcement actions and tax shelter audits, defended discovery requests by the IRS and U.S. Congress, litigated privilege claims, and negotiated settlements with the IRS, the Department of Justice, and state revenue authorities.

Danielle clerked for the Honorable L. Paige Marvel at the United States Tax Court in Washington, DC. She received her J.D. from the University at Buffalo Law School, with a concentration in finance transactions and tax. Danielle received a LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.