Mike Wynne is known for delivering results-oriented strategies and solutions for clients in high-stakes tax and unclaimed property litigation and for transactional and policy issues. Mike draws on litigation experience in government and private practice, his planning and transactional experience in the Big 4, and his policy experience as a state tax agency general counsel.
Mike permanently enjoined a Cook County non-titled property use tax ordinance, overturned a 30-year state policy taxing compressed natural gas as motor fuel, obtained a dismissal of a Delaware unclaimed property qui tam case, tried qui tam tax cases in Illinois, and litigated the leading nonresident precedent against Illinois personal income taxes. Among Mike's other matters are unitary combined reporting cases, tax residency planning, telecommunications and cloud computing tax cases, and charitable property tax exemptions for health care, education, and government contracting. Mike also represents holders in unclaimed property multistate audits, voluntary disclosures, and in litigation.
Chambers recognized Mike as "renowned for his expertise in False Claims Act work" in Illinois, curtailing dozens of Illinois qui tam cases against wine shippers, and testifying against further such actions before an Illinois legislative committee.
Mike has been partner-in-charge of a Big 4 regional state tax practice group, general counsel of the Illinois Department of Revenue, and head of the Revenue Litigation Division of the Illinois Attorney General. He serves on the board of trustees of the Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois, is a former chair of The Chicago Bar Association's SALT (state and local tax) Committee, and is a frequent speaker before national groups, like COST, IPT, TEI, UPPO, and similar local groups.
Experience
Speaking Engagements
- November 12, 2018
Tax Gambling -- Not Planning for Litigation - June 28, 2018
Illinois - State of the State Chicago Tax Club Summer Session - June 25, 2018
Federal Tax Reform and State Tax Implications IPT 2018 Annual Conference - May 23, 2018
Sales Taxation of Services 2018 COST Intermediate / Advanced Sales Tax School - April 17, 2018
Illinois Unclaimed Property Law Update - February 22. 2018
SALT and Multinational Businesses: Analyzing State and Local Taxation of Foreign Transactions
- The John Marshall Law School, Chicago (J.D. 1984); Southern Illinois University (B.S. in Finance 1981)
- Illinois, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- General Counsel, Illinois Department of Revenue (1991-1994); served with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General (1984-1989), including as Acting Chief and Deputy Chief, Revenue Litigation Division (1988-1989)
Recognized in Chambers USA as one of America's leading tax lawyers
Bloomberg Tax & Accounting: State Tax Author of the Year, Indirect Taxes, for BNA Tax Management Portfolios: State Tax — Limitations on States' Jurisdiction to Impose Sales and Use Taxes (2018)
- Spanish