Stephanie Robbins
Senior Associate
Stephanie Robbins draws on her decade-long experience with the Internal Revenue Service to advise the firm’s clients on the complex tax laws and processes that regulate their day-to-day activities and other laws affecting their operations, including their lobbying and political activities.
Prior to joining Harmon Curran, Stephanie Robbins spent ten years with the Internal Revenue Service. Stephanie began at the IRS in in 2011 as a Presidential Management Fellow with an appointment as a tax law specialist in the Exempt Organization’s Ruling and Agreements division of the Tax Exempt and Government Entities business unit. As a tax law specialist, Stephanie reviewed applications for recognition of tax-exempt status for a broad range of organizations, including public charities, private foundations, and title-holding companies. She also authored private letter rulings and worked with broader issues, including the unrelated business income tax, supporting organizations, and group rulings.
In 2014, Stephanie moved to the IRS Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Employee Benefits, Exempt Organizations, and Employment Taxes (EEE)) as an Honors Attorney. While at Counsel, Stephanie was the author of significant guidance affecting supporting organizations, charitable hospitals, organizations with unrelated business taxable income, and group exemption letters. Prior to the enactment of legislation prohibiting the IRS from issuing guidance on the political activities of exempt organizations, Stephanie was drafting guidance that would have provided greater certainty regarding the amount and types of political activities in which exempt organizations are permitted to engage. As a technical expert, Stephanie regularly supported IRS field attorneys and the Department of Justice with litigation involving complex legal questions involving the meaning of the term “primary,” excess benefit transactions, and exceptions to the unrelated business income tax for social clubs and educational organizations. Stephanie processed numerous private letter rulings while at Counsel and has extensive experience navigating the complex structure of the IRS.
Stephanie left government practice to focus on issues facing progressive organizations and to support those organizations in the accomplishment of their missions. When not working, Stephanie enjoys playing with her two young sons, listening to music, working with wood, and running and biking.