Kostelanetz partner Karen Kelly was recently elected a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel (ACTC), which describes itself as “a nonprofit association of tax attorneys in private practice, law, business, graduate school teaching positions, and government, who are recognized for their excellence in tax practice and their substantial contributions and commitment to the legal profession.”
Kelly was elected a Fellow at the ACTC’s October 30, 2026 meeting in Washington, D.C., where the Regents elected a total of eighteen new Fellows.
ACTC President Ameek Ashok Ponda said of the new Fellows, “We are proud to welcome our newest Fellows, whose accomplishments have earned the respect of their peers and whose voices will help shape the most critical dialogues for the future of tax law.”
More than half of Kostelanetz’s partners are Fellows of the ACTC, including former ACTC President Caroline D. Ciraolo, as well as Fellows Megan L. Brackney, Jay R. Nanavati, Bryan C. Skarlatos, Michael Sardar, and Melissa Wiley.
The ACTC notes that to become a Fellow, individuals must be nominated by a current Fellow and then evaluated by a committee of the Board of Regents. Fellows must be members of the bar of one or more U.S. states for at least 15 years, be working full-time as a lawyer or academic, and have a private, academic, or government practice primarily centered on tax-related matters. “For all prospective Fellows, demonstration of a high standard of excellence and ethical conduct in the practice of tax law, e.g., through substantial bar association involvement and significant writing or speaking activity, is required,” the ACTC states.
“One of the chief purposes of the College is to provide a mechanism for input by tax attorneys into the development of U.S. tax laws and policy.” The ACTC can be found online at https://www.actconline.org/.
About Karen
The former head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Karen Kelly joined Kostelanetz after more than 30 years of trial practice, including prosecuting tax and white-collar crime. Her practice focuses on defending clients in government investigations, including criminal tax and white-collar matters.
