Our Firm Melissa Briggs

briggs@taxlitigator.com Phone: (310) 281-3262
Fax: (310) 859-5122 Download Vcard

Melissa Briggs is a Principal of the law firm Hochman Salkin Toscher Perez P.C., where she specializes in tax investigations, litigation and civil tax matters.  Ms. Briggs has over 20 years of litigation experience in private, nonprofit, and government practice.  Ms. Briggs served a combined 16 years as an appellate attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division Appellate Section and, most recently, as an Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California’s Tax Division.

During her tenure with the U.S Attorney’s Office, Ms. Briggs handled all aspects of litigation of affirmative and defensive civil tax cases in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, and California state courts.  She served as a Federal Women’s Special Emphasis Programs Manager coordinating office-wide events including panel discussions and networking events.

Ms. Briggs has briefed and argued both civil and criminal tax appeals.  As a Tax Division appellate attorney, she served as lead appellate counsel in over 100 civil cases appealed from the United States District Courts, Tax Court and Court of Federal Claims in all 13 United States Courts of Appeals.  Ms. Briggs served as a law clerk to the Honorable Phyllis A. Kravitch on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Ms. Briggs is the recipient of the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, Outstanding Attorney Award and the Alabama State Bar Pro Bono Award.

Ms. Briggs received her Juris Doctor degree Summa Cum Laude from University of Alabama School of Law, where she was first in her class.  She received a Master of Science degree from Auburn University and her undergraduate degree from Samford University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.

MEMBERSHIPS

  •  California State Bar Association District of Columbia Bar Association.

BAR ADMITTANCE

  • State Bar of California

EDUCATION

  • University of Alabama School of Law (J.D.), Summa Cum Laude, Order of Coif
    • Alabama Law Review
  • Auburn University, Master of Science in Rural Sociology
  • Samford University, Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude

COURT ADMISSIONS

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Courts of Appeals for the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and District of Columbia Circuits
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District of Columbia
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California