UCLA Extension Tax Controversy Institute Honors Attorney’s Lifetime Achievements
Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger llp today announced that retired partner Sidney J. Machtinger is the recipient of the 2008 Bruce I. Hochman Award for his long-standing professionalism, leadership and commitment to the practice of tax law. Machtinger, who retired after more than 40 years as a partner and remains Of Counsel to the Firm, became known as one of Los Angeles’ preeminent tax litigators.
“This is a wholly deserved recognition of Sid’s contributions to the practice of tax law,” said Greenberg Glusker’s Managing Partner Norman H. Levine. “He is an icon in business and social circles throughout Los Angeles, and his leadership in the community reflects his spirit, integrity and dedication to excellence.”
The prestigious Hochman award, named for the late, practice-defining tax attorney, was presented at the annual UCLA Extension Annual Tax Controversy Institute luncheon last month. The honor recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions to the field of tax law by members of the judiciary, government and private tax community.
Throughout his distinguished career, Machtinger resolved a plethora of challenging tax conflicts and steadily guided clients through a variety of trust and estate matters. Before joining private practice, Machtinger served as a trial lawyer for the Internal Revenue Service. He handled tax cases for the office of Chief Counsel in Washington D.C. and for the Regional Counsel’s office in Los Angeles. Machtinger tried cases before the United States Tax Court, California Board of Equalization and California Franchise Tax Board.
A highly decorated B-24 navigator in World War II and graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned his undergraduate and law degrees, Machtinger has been an active and widely appreciated leader in Southern California’s civic organizations.
Machtinger is chairman of the board of directors of The Center for the Partially Sighted, a group whose board he has served for 15 years. The Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Taxation Section honored his career accomplishments with the 2004 Dana Latham Award. In 1996, the Foundation of the ACLU of Southern California presented Machtinger with its lifetime achievement award for his decades of service to its board. He is also a member of the Legal Advisory Committee of the Constitutional Rights Foundation and a member of the Board of Visitors to the School of Medicine at UCLA.