Francesca Ugolini spent 22 years in the Department of Justice, Tax Division, where she served as Chief of the Appellate Section from 2019-2025. In that role, she directed all of the federal government’s civil tax litigation in the courts of appeals. She is now a partner in the D.C. office of SouthBank Legal. Prior to her government service, Francesca was an associate in the tax section of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. She received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.S. from the University of Maryland at College Park.