Matthew J. Wildes, JD, CPA — Tax Attorney • Partner, CLAW Tax Group • Founder, Wildes At Law
Matthew J. Wildes is a tax attorney and certified public accountant — one of a small number of practitioners who hold both credentials. As a partner at CLAW Tax Group and founder of Wildes At Law, Matt handles the legal side of tax resolution cases: audit defense, tax court representation, collection appeals, and the more complex enforcement matters where having a licensed attorney matters.
Credentials
Juris Doctor — Tax Law
Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Cum Laude. Matt specialized in tax law during his JD program, giving him a depth of legal foundation in federal tax that most general practice attorneys do not have.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Licensed CPA in addition to his law license. The dual credential means Matt can analyze the financial picture of a case — income, assets, equity positions — with the same depth he brings to the legal strategy. Most practitioners are one or the other. Matt is both.
Admitted to Practice:
- United States Tax Court
- United States Federal District Courts of Minnesota
- Minnesota State Courts
Professional Memberships:
- Minnesota State Bar Association — Tax Law Section
- American Academy of Attorney-CPAs
Background
Matt earned his JD at Mitchell Hamline School of Law while clerking at Minneapolis-area law and accounting firms. During his final semester, he worked for the Internal Revenue Service at the IRS office in downtown Saint Paul — experience that gave him direct insight into how the agency operates from the inside.
After law school, he joined a nationally recognized tax resolution firm as a tax attorney and case manager, representing individuals and businesses with IRS problems. He founded Wildes At Law in 2021, where he continues to represent clients on federal and state tax matters as a partner at CLAW Tax Group.
Why the Dual Credential Matters
An enrolled agent has unlimited IRS representation rights. A tax attorney brings attorney-client privilege, the ability to represent in Tax Court, and the legal standing to handle matters where enforcement has escalated beyond administrative resolution.
A CPA brings financial analysis depth — the ability to reconstruct financials, assess reasonable compensation, and work through the numbers that drive resolution strategy.
Matt holds all three in two licenses. For clients facing audits, Tax Court petitions, trust fund recovery penalty assertions, or fraud investigations, having an attorney-CPA on the case is not a luxury — it is the appropriate level of representation.
Working With Matt
Matt’s practice operates through Wildes At Law, which is affiliated with CLAW Tax Group. Cases that begin as administrative resolution matters — installment agreements, offers in compromise, currently not collectible status — are handled by the CLAW Tax Group team. Cases that require legal representation, Tax Court petitions, or criminal defense involvement are handled through Wildes At Law.
In practice, many complex cases involve both. The two firms work together so clients have access to both EA-level resolution expertise and attorney-level legal representation without switching firms.
Call or text: (651) 323-2255
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CLAW Tax Group is a tax resolution firm based in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, serving clients in all 50 states. Affiliated with Wildes At Law.