About Klug Law Office PLLC · Washington
Klug Law Office PLLC is a Washington, DC-based boutique tax and business law firm founded by Christopher M. Klug in July 2016. The firm specializes in domestic and international taxation, corporate and business planning, cross-border transactions, and domestic and international estate planning. It serves companies, individuals, families, and entrepreneurs with US or foreign income — including dual citizens, expatriates, and executives working for international organizations and foreign governments. The firm is now led through its successor entity, Basswood Counsel, but the Klug Law Office PLLC name and website (klugtaxlaw.com) remain active at 1200 G Street NW in downtown Washington.
Established in 2016 by Christopher M. Klug, Klug Law Office PLLC operates from Suite 800 at 1200 G Street NW in downtown Washington, DC. The firm focuses on three intersecting practice areas — tax law, business law, and estate planning — with a heavy emphasis on international and cross-border matters. Christopher Klug holds an LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center and a JD from Michigan State University College of Law, and he is admitted to the bars of the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, New York, Illinois, and Michigan. Before founding the firm he worked at boutique international tax firms and later served as Managing Partner of the DC office of BurgherGray LLP and as a partner at CKR Law LLP; he subsequently co-founded Basswood Counsel and serves as Managing Director of Praestans Global Advisors. The firm's client base includes US persons living abroad, dual nationals, nonresident aliens, entrepreneurs structuring inbound or outbound investment, private equity and hedge funds, joint ventures, family offices, and individuals working for International Organizations and Foreign Governments in Washington. Practice areas run from routine tax planning and compliance (FATCA, FBAR, Controlled Foreign Corporations, Subpart F, Foreign Tax Credits, PFIC, Check-the-Box elections) through M&A and cross-border transactions, to private wealth and international estate planning (offshore and domestic trusts, asset protection, pre-immigration planning, business succession, and estate/trust administration). Klug has co-authored articles in Global Tax Weekly (Wolters Kluwer / CCH) on US tax compliance and planning for executives, entrepreneurs, and investors living outside the US, and has spoken on corporate, partnership, international tax, and estate planning topics. The firm's stated approach is to provide highly customized advice with prompt attention and timely service rather than the high-volume model of larger firms.
- In business
- Founded July 2016
- Owner
- Christopher M. Klug, Esq. (founder; practice now continued via Basswood Counsel)
- Serves
- Washington, DC and nationwide; cross-border matters with international clients in multiple jurisdictions; matters admitted in DC, MD, VA, NY, IL, and MI
About Klug Law Office PLLC
Klug Law Office PLLC is a Washington, DC boutique law firm founded by Christopher M. Klug in July 2016. The firm concentrates on three interrelated practice areas — tax law, business law, and estate planning — with a particular focus on international and cross-border matters. Its stated mission is to provide highly customized advice, prompt attention, and timely service to businesses, individuals, and families navigating complex domestic and international tax, compliance, and controversy issues. The firm operates out of Suite 800 at 1200 G Street NW in downtown Washington and its work is currently carried on through successor entity Basswood Counsel.
- Founded July 2016
- Office: 1200 G Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005
- Founder and principal: Christopher M. Klug
- Successor/co-founder of Basswood Counsel
Practice Areas
The firm's work is organized into three core practice areas — Tax Law, Business Law, and Estate Planning & Probate — with significant overlap between them. Tax matters range from individual income tax planning to complex international structuring, while business law matters cover the full life cycle of a company from formation through dissolution and shareholder disputes. Estate planning matters often dovetail with tax planning, especially for clients with cross-border assets or family members in multiple countries.
- Tax Law — business taxes, income taxes, international taxes, payroll/sales/property taxes, criminal tax litigation, tax appeals, tax audits, tax planning
- Business Law — contracts, formation, finance, dissolution, franchising, M&A, litigation, partnership and shareholder disputes
- Estate Planning — wills, living trusts, health care directives, powers of attorney, guardianship/conservatorship, estate administration
- Probate — administration and litigation, will contests
International and Cross-Border Tax Expertise
International taxation is the firm's signature practice area. Christopher Klug advises US citizens, dual citizens, and nonresident aliens on US tax compliance and planning, and represents foreign companies and individuals on structuring US operations and acquisitions. His work includes FATCA and FBAR compliance, Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) and Subpart F planning, Foreign Tax Credit optimization, Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) planning and avoidance, Check-the-Box entity classification, hybrid entity planning, and earnings-and-profits adjustments for tax-advantaged deferral structures.
- FATCA and FBAR advisory and filings
- CFC / Subpart F income planning
- Foreign Tax Credit planning
- PFIC status avoidance and planning
- Check-the-Box elections for foreign entities
- Inbound and outbound M&A tax planning
- Repatriation planning and §1248 minimization
- US tax classification of foreign entities in multiple jurisdictions
International Estate and Wealth Planning
The firm designs comprehensive estate plans for individuals, couples, and family businesses with cross-border ties. Planning addresses US estate and gift tax, dual-nationality challenges, business succession, deferred compensation, pre-immigration planning, and the use of offshore and domestic trusts for asset protection and privacy. Klug has particular experience advising clients with dual or multiple nationalities — including US persons living abroad and families immigrating to the US — on the unique tax considerations and planning opportunities they face.
- International estate and gift tax planning
- Business succession planning
- Pre-immigration planning
- Offshore and domestic trusts
- Asset protection planning
- Privacy considerations under FATCA and proposed Common Reporting Standards (CRS)
Corporate, Partnership and M&A Tax
Klug advises on the taxation of formation, operations, nonliquidating distributions, and liquidating distributions of corporations and partnerships. As a former tax professor with strong Subchapter C, Subchapter S, and partnership-tax background, he develops tax strategies for companies, private equity funds, hedge funds, joint ventures, real estate funds, and family offices. His M&A work covers both inbound and outbound transactions, including multiple-tiered holding-company structures and single-purpose entities.
- Subchapter C and S corporate taxation
- Partnership taxation
- Tax-free reorganizations and consolidated returns
- Mergers and acquisitions tax planning
- Structuring for foreign ship management companies with US private equity investors
Compliance for US Persons Abroad
A significant portion of the firm's work involves helping US citizens and dual citizens living abroad — as well as US individuals working for International Organizations and Foreign Governments — come into compliance with longstanding US filing obligations. The firm assists with long-term non-filer catch-up, voluntary disclosure strategies, and ongoing information returns such as FBAR and FATCA forms.
- Catch-up filings for long-term non-filers
- Foreign Earned Income Exclusion planning
- US tax compliance for International Organization and Foreign Government employees
- US tax information statements for US owners of foreign holding companies
Attorney — Christopher M. Klug
Christopher M. Klug is the founder and principal of Klug Law Office PLLC and co-founder of Basswood Counsel. He is admitted to the bars of the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, New York, Illinois, and Michigan. He holds an LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center (Pro Bono Pledge Certificate) and a J.D. in Corporate and Tax law from Michigan State University College of Law. He previously served as Adjunct Professor in the Masters of Accounting Program at Siena College, teaching corporate and partnership tax, and has published in Global Tax Weekly (Wolters Kluwer / CCH) on US tax compliance and planning for executives, entrepreneurs, and investors living outside the US.
- Education: LL.M. Taxation, Georgetown University Law Center; J.D., Michigan State University College of Law; B.A., Michigan State University
- Bar admissions: DC, MD, VA, NY, IL, MI
- Former Adjunct Professor, Siena College (corporate and partnership tax)
- Managing Director, Praestans Global Advisors — leads Tax Group; co-leads Business Consulting, M&A Due Diligence, and Fund Administration teams
- Former Managing Partner DC, BurgherGray LLP
- Former Partner, CKR Law LLP
- Co-founder, Basswood Counsel
Speaking, Writing and Thought Leadership
Christopher Klug is a frequent speaker and published author on US tax and estate planning topics, especially those affecting internationally mobile clients. His Global Tax Weekly article series covers US tax compliance and planning for US executives, entrepreneurs, and investors living outside the US, and he has presented to accountants and other professionals on US inbound/outbound taxation, US informational filings, taxation of US persons, and estate planning.
- Co-author, Global Tax Weekly (Wolters Kluwer / CCH) series on US tax compliance and planning for executives, entrepreneurs, and investors living abroad
- Speaker on corporate and partnership tax, M&A, international tax, and estate planning
- Adjunct lecturer at Siena College on Subchapter C and S corporate taxation, partnership taxation, tax-free reorganizations, consolidated returns, tax-exempt entities, and tax practice and procedure
Contact and Location
Klug Law Office PLLC is located in downtown Washington, DC, one block from the White House and Metro Center, with easy access to federal courts and regulators. The firm accepts consultation and representation matters and can be reached by phone, fax, or email.
- Address: 1200 G Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005
- Phone: (202) 661-2179
- Fax: (202) 661-6119
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://klugtaxlaw.com/
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9 AM – 6 PM (closed weekends and US/major holidays)