Faculty

 

Managing Partner, the Balian Law Group

Professor Balian is an alumnus of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics at California State University, Northridge. Prior to becoming an attorney, he was a revenue agent with the Los Angeles District of the IRS, where he conducted tax audits of corporations, trusts and individuals, generally focusing on understated income or overstated deductions. He has practiced law since 1993 and is currently the managing partner of the Balian Law Group, a tax and estate planning law firm in Encino, California. Professor Balian is a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law, certified by the Board of Legal Specialization of the California State Bar. His law firm represents clients in IRS audits/appeals and before the U.S. Tax Court, and advises clients on income, estate & gift tax issues. He received both his B.S. in Accounting and M.S. in Taxation degrees from CSUN and his J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. He is the past chair of the California Society of CPAs Los Angeles Chapter's West Valley CPAs. Professor Balian teaches the Culminating Experience.

 

 

Partner, Karlin & Peebles, LLP

Professor Brittain is a partner in the boutique private client law firm Karlin & Peebles, LLP, in Beverly Hills. She has over 25 years of experience representing domestic and international clients seeking to transition wealth in a tax-efficient and practical manner while incorporating each respective family's personal goals and values. Her estate and tax planning practice has been dedicated to complex issues relevant to international corporate tax, international and domestic wealth transfer strategies, and pre-immigration planning. Professor Brittain has extensive experience with regulatory laws that affect U.S. domestic planning and tax compliance under several voluntary disclosure regimes. In addition, she worked within the international mergers and acquisitions group at a Big Four accounting firm and has continued advising clients on effectively integrating their global business operations into the U.S. tax regime. Professor Brittain obtained her bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina, her J.D. from California Western School of Law and her Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of San Diego.

 

 

Tax Partner (retired), Deloitte Tax LLP

Professor Brittain is a partner in the boutique private client law firm Karlin & Peebles, LLP, in Beverly Hills. She has over 25 years of experience representing domestic and international clients seeking to transition wealth in a tax-efficient and practical manner while incorporating each respective family's personal goals and values. Her estate and tax planning practice has been dedicated to complex issues relevant to international corporate tax, international and domestic wealth transfer strategies, and pre-immigration planning. Professor Brittain has extensive experience with regulatory laws that affect U.S. domestic planning and tax compliance under several voluntary disclosure regimes. In addition, she worked within the international mergers and acquisitions group at a Big Four accounting firm and has continued advising clients on effectively integrating their global business operations into the U.S. tax regime. Professor Brittain obtained her bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina, her J.D. from California Western School of Law and her Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of San Diego.

 

 

Information coming soon.

 

Associate Professor, Department of Accounting

Professor Gianni has over 35 years of professional experience in taxation in public accounting firms, law firms, government, and private practice. She advises clients on tax matters related to the formation, operation and reorganization of business entities; represents tax-exempt organizations such as public charities, private foundations, health care organizations, and social welfare organizations; and addresses legal and tax issues with U.S. clients doing business in foreign countries and foreign investors entering the U.S. market. She is a frequent speaker on subjects related to international tax, tax-exempt organizations, limited liability companies, and corporate taxation. Professor Gianni earned her JD from the University of Notre Dame and her LLM in Taxation from the University of Florida in 1995. She is a licensed CPA and licensed attorney. Previously she has taught at the University of Washington and at the University of Florida. She teaches the International Taxation, Corporate Taxation and Partnership Taxation courses.

Managing Director, Crowe Horwath LLP

Professor Johnson is a Managing Director with Crowe Horwath State and Local Tax (SALT) practice. He has more than 25 years of experience serving the state and local tax needs of a wide variety of clients, ranging from publicly held Fortune 500 companies to privately held emerging growth firms. He holds a master of science degree in taxation from Golden Gate University and a bachelor of science in accounting from California State University, San Bernardino. He teaches State and Local Taxes.

Subject Matter Expert – Corporate Distributions & Adjustments, Internal Revenue Service

Professor Razani has worked for the Internal Revenue Service as a Revenue Agent for over 25 years. He currently works as a subject matter expert in the Corporate Distributions and Adjustments Issue Practice Group, where he provides guidance to IRS internal stakeholders on corporate and M&A transactions. His experience with the IRS includes over 14 years as a Senior Team Coordinator in the Large Business and International (LB&I) Division of the IRS, coordinating the tax examination of some of the nation's largest multinational public corporations. Professor Razani has extensive experience conducting training within the IRS, as well as teaching CPA review courses. Professor Razani earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from San Diego State University and his Master of Science in Taxation from California State, Northridge. He teaches the Income Tax Concepts and Their Business Application course as well as the Tax Research and Communication course.

Professor Trofino is a Managing Director in the Los Angeles office of Deloitte Tax LLP within the firm's national Strategic Tax Review practice. Melissa has assisted hundreds of companies with various federal tax accounting method changes, including a heavy focus in fixed asset saving opportunities and revenue recognition. Melissa works with a variety of companies across industries such as retail, auto, travel and hospitality, manufacturing, and aerospace and defense. Before joining the national practice, Melissa worked in the firm’s Business Tax Services group where she concentrated primarily on accounting for income taxes, as well as assisting companies with federal and state tax compliance. Prior to joining the firm, Melissa worked for a large regional grocery chain where she was responsible for federal, state, local, and indirect tax compliance, as well as audit support.

Melissa is a Certified Public Accountant and received her BSBA in Accounting and Finance from Robert Morris University and her Masters in Taxation from Duquesne University.