DAVID TILLINGHAST

TILLINGHAST--David R.

Influential international tax lawyer of New York City, died on August 15, 2018. Serving as the first US Department of the Treasury Special Assistant for International Affairs (now the International Tax Counsel) David, with Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy Stanley Surrey, created the foundation of modern-day international tax law, 1962-1965. Having been in private practice with Hughes Hubbard & Reed, he returned there as Partner until 1990. He joined Chadbourne & Park as Partner, 1990-1999. From 1999 until his retirement in 2014, he was Partner and then Of Counsel in the New York Office of Baker & McKenzie. David taught international tax law at NYU Law School Graduate Tax Program, published a continuing stream of scholarly treatises and articles on a wide range of technical and policy issues, and delivered lectures at major conferences throughout the US and the world. He was instrumental in defining the course of action for the International Fiscal Association and the American Law Institute. He served as a consultant to the US Treasury Dept, the UN, and diverse governments and institutions. In 1996, the NYU School of Law with Baker & McKenzie established the annual David R. Tillinghast Lecture on International Taxation. The lecture is then published in the Tax Law Review. The Tillinghast family has roots in the American Colonies of the 1600s. David was born in New York City on February 5, 1930, the son of Dorothy Rollhaus Tillinghast and Dr. Charles Carpenter Tillinghast, Headmaster of the Horace Mann School 1920-1950. His older brothers, Charles and John, predeceased him. David graduated from Horace Mann '47, Brown University '51, and Yale Law School '54 -- where he was an editor of The Yale Law Journal. David was a stickler for proper English usage even when telling old fashioned jokes. He enjoyed traveling, was an amiable host, diverted himself with puzzles, and was enthusiastic about sports -- as a participant and later on as an observer. David is survived by his wife of 34 years Lisa Sewell Tillinghast (nee Mellion), stepson Greg Sewell, daughter Lauren Tillinghast, son-in-law Stephen Wessley, and grandson Barrett Sewell. His previous marriage to Phyllis Van Horn ended in divorce. A genuinely modest, unassuming, low-key, civil man, David was always available to listen and advise. He will be missed by his loving family, life-long friends, devoted secretary, esteemed colleagues, and appreciative mentees and former students. The family will be at home on Thursday, October 4th from 4 to 7 pm to celebrate David's life. Contributions in memory of David R Tillinghast may be sent to Alzheimer's Association, Horace Mann Scholarship Fund, or NYU School of Law to support the David R Tillinghast Lecture on International Taxation.