Philip Olsen has more than 25 years of experience in major tax cases before administrative boards, superior courts, state appeals courts, bankruptcy courts, and state supreme courts.

Mr. Olsen’s practice is focused on state and local tax litigation and counseling. He has worked extensively on matters involving Massachusetts taxes, including corporate excise (both the income and non-income measures), sales and use, and personal income. He has represented municipalities and property owners in property tax appeals and is experienced in unclaimed property counseling and audit defense.

Mr. Olsen previously served as a senior trial attorney and litigation supervisor for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. During his tenure at the Department of Revenue, Mr. Olsen handled hundreds of appeals, including landmark state tax cases on related party transactions (Syms Corp. v. Commissioner of Revenue), corporate nexus (Kennametal, Inc. v. Commissioner of Revenue), sales tax exemptions (IBM v. Commissioner of Revenue), and manufacturing (The First Years, Inc. v. Commissioner of Revenue).

As a sought-after speaker on Massachusetts state and local tax issues, Mr. Olsen has addressed a variety of organizations throughout his career including the Council on State Taxation, Tax Executive Institute, the Massachusetts Bar Association, and the Massachusetts Society of Public Accountants. He is also a recognized leader in Massachusetts state and local tax law, having previously served as co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s State and Local Tax Committee, the Boston Bar Association’s Tax Controversies Committee, and the Massachusetts Bar Association’s State and Local Tax Committee.

Mr. Olsen is listed as a Recognized Practitioner in Tax Law in Chambers USA 2017, and is recognized for Tax Law in the 2017 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and The Best Lawyers in New England.