HFM Partner Mitch Dubick concentrates his practice in tax controversy matters, representing individuals and business entities before the IRS and all state taxing authorities, and his work also includes business, real estate, and tax planning.

Mr. Dubick’s years of experience and cost-effective solutions have made him the choice of clients, accountants, and other lawyers to handle their tax disputes, including audits, overdue returns, offshore accounts, appeals, employee/independent Contractor status, collection matters (including liens and levies), installment agreements and Offers in Compromise.

In several noteworthy matters, Mr. Dubick has:

  • Persuaded the IRS in a Tax Court case to concede more than $10,000,000 in proposed taxes and refunds.
  • Permitted struggling businesses to avoid threatened closure by both federal and state tax agencies, including a recently negotiated installment agreement with the IRS allowing the business to escape from over $11,000,000 in back taxes.
  • Secured an installment agreement allowing an elderly taxpayer to pay only $1,000 per month for the rest of his life even though his tax debt was almost $2,000,000 and he had assets worth more than $1,000,000.
  • Obtained tax and penalty relief for taxpayers with undisclosed foreign bank accounts.
  • Negotiated Offers in Compromise with the IRS, FTB, EDD, and SBE (now CDTFA).
  • Successfully concluded civil audits and appeals and criminal fraud investigations.
  • Tried one of the first cases before the new California Office of Tax Appeals, relieving a chief financial officer of $1,000,000 of his company’s unpaid sales taxes.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Dubick began his legal career with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., handling civil and criminal cases throughout the United States. Since coming to San Diego in 1981, he has handled a wide variety of corporate, partnership, and individual business and tax litigation matters, as well as serving as an expert witness.

Mr. Dubick is a past Chair of the Taxation Section of the San Diego County Bar Association and served for several years as the attorney representative on the IRS District Director’s Tax Practitioner Panel. He is a frequent speaker before tax professionals in the areas of tax disputes and litigation and received the highest rating (AV) from Martindale-Hubbell for ethics and legal ability. He has also been named to the list of Southern California Super Lawyers® several times.

In addition to professional commitments, Mr. Dubick has served on many charitable boards and organizations. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Seacrest Village, San Diego Senior Community Centers (serving seniors), Second Chance, the San Diego Museum of Us, Interfaith Community Services, Hillel, and as a National Commissioner and National Executive Committee Member of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Recognized for his commitment, he received the ADL’s first National Young Leadership Award and its Torch of Liberty Award in 2013.

Awards & Honors

  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in America© (2021-2024)
  • Southern California SuperLawyer® (2011-2019)
  • San Diego Magazine "Top Lawyers," recognized by Martindale-Hubbell® as an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated Lawyer (2020)
  • ADL Torch of Liberty Award (2013)

Affiliations

  • State Bar of California
  • San Diego County Bar Association, Chairman, Tax Section (1987)
  • Interfaith Community Services, Board of Directors
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