Ara Stepanyan

Dr. Stepanyan specializes in tax and transfer pricing controversies and data analysis, with extensive experience leading case teams in supporting experts and attorneys for both taxpayers and taxing authorities.

He focuses on developing best method analyses grounded in empirical observations of firm and industry behavior and economic principles. Clients have retained Dr. Stepanyan to develop and implement approaches used to inform case theory or expert analysis in various stages of litigation. His recent litigation experience includes working on high-profile transfer pricing cases involving companies such as Coca-Cola and Facebook.

In addition to transfer pricing litigation, Dr. Stepanyan has advised clients – ranging from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies – on value chain design, the valuation of intangible assets and financial instruments, documentation and audit support, advance pricing agreement negotiations, M&A due diligence, and transfer pricing risk assessment.

Along with transfer pricing disputes, Dr. Stepanyan also has expertise in applying causal data science techniques to develop various data-driven business strategy and performance improvement solutions.

Prior to joining Brattle, Dr. Stepanyan was a Principal at an economic and strategy consulting firm, where he co-led the firm’s transfer pricing controversy practice. He has also worked at a global management consultancy and Big 4 accounting firms, and taught economics at Rice University.