Legislative Counsel Estate Attorney in Washington DC Resume Patricia Weth

							PATRICIA ANN WETH
__________________________________________________________                                 _________________
          Falls Church, Virginia 22041    (703) 812-8145                              pweth@yahoo.com

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Law Office of Patricia A. Weth, P.L.L.C., Falls Church, VA –Estate Attorney                        April 2009-Present
    Advise clients on estate planning and probate matters. Draft, negotiate, and review contracts, lease agreements,
    settlement agreements, and loan modifications. Advise clients on legal requirements of new business entities and
    draft required documents. Counsel clients and draft pleadings on legal issues of federal personnel laws as a
    consultant for Federal Employee Legal Services Center.

Export-Import Bank of the United States, Washington, DC FOIA Attorney                  July 2012 –December 2012
    Worked as a temporary FOIA attorney reviewing documents for a Congressional request. Redacted responsive
    documents for FOIA exemptions and other privileges. Used Sherpa software and Adobe Acrobat for the document
    review. Worked closely with Office of General Counsel and Congressional Affairs Staff.

Arlington County Treasurer, Arlington, VA Legislative Attorney/ Legal Counsel                   January 2004-July 2010
    Legislation
        Drafted federal legislation to permit the Offset of Federal Tax Refunds for Local Government Tax Debt, known
        as HR 3060. Lobbied with Capitol Hill staffers, Government Finance Officers, National Association of
        Counties, the Federation of Tax Administrators, National Association of County Collectors, Treasurers, and
        Finance Officers, National League of Cities, and other associations for passage of the bill. Drafted
        Congressional testimony and testified before Congress on HR 3060. Coordinated grass roots lobbying in
        support of the bill. Responded to Congressional inquiries and provided proper documentation.
        Drafted changes to the Code of Virginia. Present reports to Arlington County Department Directors. Request a
        Delegate or State Senator to introduce the bill in the Virginia General Assembly. Testified before the Virginia
        General Assembly. Worked closely with the Arlington County Liaison to the Virginia General Assembly.
        Drafted changes to the Arlington County Code and presented code changes in written reports to Arlington
        County Department Directors in accordance with county procedures. Testified before Arlington County Board
        at public hearings for approval regarding code changes.
     Litigation and Collection of Debt
        Sole attorney responsible for litigating collection cases for Arlington County.  Developed payment plans with
        taxpayers. Sole attorney responsible for all Arlington County court cases requiring the tax sale of real estate.
        Issued Treasurer’s summons and conducted hearings regarding collection of taxes.
        Sole attorney representing Arlington County in courts throughout the Commonwealth and the United States in
        bankruptcy cases.
     Counsel
        Reviewed, negotiated, and revised all office contracts. Advised on all legal matters such as personnel, privacy,
        disclosure, Virginia FOIA, litigation, legislation, and tax. Responded to legal questions from debtors, county
        residents, and county employees.
        Counseled the Treasurer’s collection agents and the Commissioner of Revenue’s agents on all tax, assessment,
        bankruptcy, and collection issues.
        Counseled the staff of the vendors, Treasurer, Commissioner of Revenue, Department of Technology Services,
        and Department of Management and Finance on the development and implementation of the new tax system for
        Arlington County to ensure all legal requirements were incorporated in the system and to ensure the system
        properly handled bankruptcy and litigation matters. Legal Counsel to the Treasurers’ Association of Virginia.
    Development of Office Programs
        Researched, developed, and drafted the first COOP (Continuity of Operations Plan) for the Treasurer’s Office.
        Consulted with Department of Homeland Security, Virginia Department of the Treasury, Virginia Department
        of Emergency Management, and Arlington County Office of Emergency Management for information.
        Organized the Pay in the Neighborhood Program, which allowed citizens to pay at 7-11, Safeway stores, and
PATRICIA ANN WETH                                                                                                Page 2
        check cashing establishments. Drafted and negotiated the vendors’ contracts. Oversaw the implementation of
        the program. Organized the press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony.
        Organized community seminar called Real Solutions, which is designed to educate senior citizens on the
        benefits of reverse mortgage and the county real estate tax relief program.
        Coordinated the Taxpayer Assistance Program, which allows taxpayers to borrow from a bank to pay their
        taxes. Negotiated contracts with banks and revised the loan documents.
Virginia Department of Taxation, Arlington, VA Regulatory Attorney/ Trial Attorney October 1997-January 2004
    Served as a Staff Attorney for the two-attorney Legal Division representing the Department’s interests.
       Drafted legislation and commented on legislation on the behalf of the Department during the General Assembly
       sessions for changes to the Code of Virginia.
       Reviewed and responded to all Virginia FOIA request.
       Instituted procedures for pursuing estate tax collections on a state-wide basis, resulting in recovery of millions
       of dollars. Personally filed numerous liens in a very successful and on-going recovery effort.
       Counseled the vendor on the development and implementation of the new tax system for the Commonwealth of
       Virginia to ensure all legal requirements were incorporated in the system and to ensure the system handled
       bankruptcy and litigation cases properly.
       Counseled the Department’s state collection and auditing agents on legal questions. Conducted training
       programs for the agents on bankruptcy and debt collection at each Department field office.
       Represented the Department in bankruptcy courts throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United
       States. Ensured that all bankruptcy cases included the Department as a creditor before plan confirmation. Held
       total decision making authority.
       Trained the Department’s administrative legal unit to analyze and evaluate complex legal documents in support
       of the Department’s bankruptcy and collection efforts. Increased overall professionalism.
       Established close and trusted working relationships with IRS attorneys, U.S. Trustees Offices, and agencies that
       have enabled the Department to increase its awareness and ensure its timely response to bankruptcy cases
       throughout the Commonwealth.

Georgetown University, Washington, DC Adjunct Professor                                  May1996-December 1996
    Instructed classes on Trusts and Estates for Georgetown's A.B.A. approved Legal Assistant Program; developed
    curriculum and testing materials; counseled students, tested and graded performance.
Law Office of Michael T. Collins, Vienna, VA Estate Attorney                                  June 1995-May 1996
    Explained and developed trust documents for this firm's clients. Counseled clients regarding estate planning in
    general; researched all involved issues, and prepared final trust and will documents.
Flinn & Beagan, Vienna, VA Trial Attorney                                                    January 1991-February 1995
     Served as an Associate in this four-attorney commercial real estate and construction boutique firm.
         Incorporated businesses and prepared necessary documents. Led annual corporate board meetings.
         Drafted complex real estate documents based on engineering plans and in compliance with all relevant statutes.
         Drafted and reviewed lease agreements.
         Managed foreclosures for RTC and various banks.
         Determined client cost/benefit vis à vis going to trial or out of court settlement. Performed all aspects of trial
         preparation and conducted extensive discovery activities. Litigated construction cases. Represented general
         contractors and subcontractors in mechanics lien, breach of contract, and payment bond suits in Virginia, the
         District of Columbia, and Maryland. Enforced judgments with debtors' interrogatories, garnishments, and
         docketing of judgments. Represented contractors in bankruptcy court.
         Litigated numerous landlord tenant court cases. Negotiated settlements for landlord tenant disputes. Enforced
         judgments with debtors' interrogatories, garnishments, and docketing of judgments. Represented landlords in
         bankruptcy court.
PATRICIA ANN WETH                                                                                           Page 3
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regulatory Attorney September 1989-December 1990
     Served as legal counsel in the Office of General Counsel, Program Compliance Division; conducted regulatory
     oversight of corporate activities regarding manufactured housing.
         Drafted manufactured housing program regulations. Interpreted, evaluated, and enforced manufactured
         housing industry compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. Issued orders and subpoenas.
         Represented HUD in more than 200 tax and salary offset cases; held total decision authority.
         Performed extensive litigation for the Program Enforcement Division regarding debarment of mortgage
         companies found in noncompliance with HUD regulations.
         Reviewed and responded to FOIA requests from citizens and Congressional Committees. Released proper
         documents in a timely manner and redacted exempt information.

EDUCATION
           The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Washington, DC
           Juris Doctor, May 1989
           Loyola College, Baltimore, MD
           Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, May 1986
           Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC
           Completed 30 hours of advanced studies in tax law towards LLM Degree
BAR ADMISSIONS
              Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar in 1997
              Admitted to Virginia Bar in 1989
              Admitted to District of Columbia Bar in 1997
              Admitted to New York State Bar in 1998 (inactive)
              Admitted to practice in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Eastern and
               Western District of Virginia in 1991

PUBLICATION
           Co-author of Brass Tax: The Compendium of Local Government Collection Practices in the United States
           and Canada. The Compendium contains an analysis and discussion of the collection tools available to local
           government treasurers and tax collectors throughout the United States and Canada.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
               Federation of Tax Administrators, National Association of Attorney Generals, and the Treasurers’
               Association of Virginia on various bankruptcy issues.
               Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, National Association of Counties, the Federation of Tax
               Administrators, Treasurers’ Association of Virginia, National Association of County Collectors,
               Treasurers, and Finance Officers, the Utah Association of Treasurers on HR 3060, Virginia legislation,
               and collection techniques for local government.
               Teach a bankruptcy class for Virginia local government attorneys and Virginia treasurers in
               association with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.

ADDENDA
               Received Certification as a Master Government Deputy Treasurer from the Weldon Cooper Center for
               Public Service, University of Virginia.
               Pursued interest in photography, receiving Associate Degree from Northern Virginia Community
               College, Alexandria, Virginia. Honors Magna cum Laude.
               Proficient in Westlaw, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and Sherpa.