Kelly Phillips Erb, J.D., LL.M

Kelly Phillips Erb, J.D., LL.M, is Tax Counsel for White & Williams, LLP where her primary practice area is tax law including trusts and estates; domestic and international tax planning; and tax controversy matters including delinquencies. She likes to say that she helps taxpayers get and stay out of trouble.

She earned her J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia, PA. While at law school, Kelly interned in the federal estate and gift tax attorney division of the IRS, where she participated in the review and audit of federal estate tax returns.

This year, Kelly returned to writing tax news and analysis as a senior writer for Forbes. She was previously a staffer at Bloomberg Tax where she wrote and helped other tax professionals share tax stories. Kelly’s articles and interviews have appeared in a wide range of media outlets including CNN Money, National Public Radio’s Marketplace, BBC, Time, Forbes Magazine, Esquire, Martha Stewart’s Living, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the ABA Journal.

Kelly is a member of the bar of Pennsylvania and is licensed to practice in front of the U.S. Tax Court. She is an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) and served for many years on the PBA Solo and Small Firm Practice Section Council.  She is a regular speaker at tax events and has appeared on a number of podcasts. Kelly’s own podcast lives on the popular Taxgirl blog, which has been recognized by the ABA Journal as one of the top blogs written by lawyers.

Kelly received the “40 under 40” award in 2012, which recognizes young professionals in the Delaware Valley as determined by the Philadelphia Business Journal. In 2013, she was named as one of 23 Main Line Today’s “Power Women” which celebrates women making an impact in the region, and a year later, she received the inaugural Pennsylvania Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Practice Section Award.

Committed to promoting the tax profession, Kelly was named Outstanding Supporter of EAs by the National Association of Enrolled Agents in 2020. And in 2022, Kelly was named as one of the Global Tax 50 by the International Tax Review for her “tireless and passionate tax reporting.” The list included former IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, President Joe Biden, former OECD director Pascal Saint-Amans and current Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen.

Kelly loves to travel with her family and spends much of her time explaining to her children why they can’t move to Europe—this week.