Trained by the IRS and built in some of the largest companies on earth, I now Zealously Represent Taxpayers in Federal, State, and Local Tax Controversies.

Utilizing over a decade of experience from his time working in public accounting firms, two fortune 500 companies, the IRS, and a top 50 national law firm, the firm’s attorney delivers comprehensive and thorough tax controversy services for individuals and businesses.

Justin L. Yarnell, JD, CPA

  • Education

    • Christopher Newport University, B.S.B.A., Accounting, 2011

      • Summa Cum Laude

    • Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 2014

  • Professional Licenses

    • Certified Public Accountant, Ohio

    • Admitted to Practice Law, Ohio, 2015

    • Admitted to Practice Law, Indiana, 2014

    • Public Notary, Ohio

  • Courts

    • Admitted to the U.S. Tax Court

  • Awards

    • Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America - Litigation and Controversy - Tax, 2026

    • Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America - Tax, 2025-2026

    • 3x IRS Performance Award Recipient

    • Earned Special Detail in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel

    • Christopher Newport University, VSCPA Accounting Student of the Year Award, 2011

    • Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Sigmund J. Beck Award, 2014 (best performance in bankruptcy or commercial law topic)

  • Presentations

    • IRS Update, KYCPA, December 10, 2025

    • IRS Audits, OSCPA, December 10, 2025

    • IRS Update, OSCPA, December 9, 2025

    • Pig Butchering Scams, OSCPA, December 4, 2025

    • Ins and Outs of an IRS Audit, OSCPA’s Accounting Show, October 23, 2025

    • IRS Update, OSCPA’s Accounting Show, October 22, 2025

    • OSCPA’s 2025 Fraud and Forensic Conference, August 21, 2025

    • Ins and Outs of an IRS Audit, OSCPA CoreCon-CPE Day, May 22, 2025

    • Lorman National Webinar, Ins and Outs of IRS Audits, March 13, 2025

Prior Career Successes

  • Represented publicly traded company in IRS Collections Matter; Filed Collections Appeal Program Request in response to Terminated Installment Agreement; Successfully had Company’s $13,000,000 Installment Plan re-instated.

  • Represented individual taxpayer in amending federal income tax return to claim refund from incorrect Schedule K-1; Obtained $86,000 refund for client.

  • Represented individual taxpayer in U.S. Tax Court regarding Foreign Earned Income Exclusion; Obtained IRS Settlement and Decision resulting in taxpayer owing $0 tax deficiency.

  • Represented individual taxpayer in IRS Collections Matter; Successfully set up Installment Payment Plan with Minimum Payment amount at $1,500 less than the amount originally approved by IRS.

  • Represented Estate in U.S.  Tax Court regarding Substitute Return; Obtained Settlement with Chief Counsel reducing taxable income by $70,000.

  • Represented Taxpayer in Pro-bono matter in City of Trenton, Ohio Municipal Income Tax Assessment Dispute; Obtained settlement increasing Taxpayer’s refund by over 4X.

  • Represented S-Corporation and Individual Taxpayer in Indiana Tax Appeal

  • Settled a Taxpayer’s $130,000 Ohio Unemployment Tax Liability for $20,000 with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office . Obtained a release of lien.

  • Served as Special Tax Counsel regarding $1.6M of IRS Claims in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Litigation.

  • Represented an aggregate group of companies in an IRS audit of $2.5M of Employee Retention Credit claims involving a PEO. Analyzed IRS’ ERC Guidance and Responded to IRS’ Draft Form 886-A, which had disallowed all $2.5M of the Taxpayer’s ERC claims. Response to Draft Form 886-A resulted in allowance of over $2.3M of the ERC claims.

  • Analyzed Individual Taxpayers’ Transcripts over an 8-year period, reconciled payments, transfers, and credits. After recommending a solution, recovered a $1.6M refund for Individual taxpayers that CPA had not been able to obtain.

  • Obtained a full abatement of a $280,000 civil penalty assessed for a publicly traded company’s failure to file Forms 5471.

  • Represented two Partnerships in two Collection Appeal Program requests; Obtained full abatement of $31,000 failure to file penalty for each Partnership.

  • Represented the Target of a Grand Jury’s Investigation of the commission of IRC Section 7201 tax evasion and the filing of an IRC Section 7296 false tax return; Successfully obtained District Court’s Denial of Federal Government’s Motion for Disclosure of Privileged Documents based the Crime-fraud Exception.

  • Represented Individual Taxpayer in Mail Audit regarding $855,000 disallowed Cryptocurrency Theft Loss deduction; Obtained a complete no change for the client.

  • Key team member in a multi-million IRS Wrongful Levy Action filed in US. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in which we obtained a favorable settlement for our client with the Department of Justice.

  • Represented individual taxpayer in an IRS Appeal of a disallowed alimony deduction, resulting in a complete no-change for our client, wiping out close to $70,000 of tax, interest, and penalties.

  • Represented individual taxpayer in an IRS Request for Innocent Spouse Relief, resulting in the IRS’ grant of complete relief for two tax years, wiping out over $105,000 of federal tax debt for our client.

  • Represented individual taxpayer in Taxpayer Advocate Request, reducing $175,000 tax liability to a $9,000 refund.

  • Represented business in Taxpayer Advocate Request, recovering a refund in excess of $140,000.

About Me

I am the father of four beautiful children, a bean counter, and professional dragon slayer. Born and raised in Southeastern Virginia, I have called Ohio my home for over a decade. In my free time, I am my kids’ biggest fan—in all that they do—and I enjoy personal finance, public policy, economics, fitness, and nature.

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