WASHINGTON - Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Mark W. Everson today announced the appointment of Michael R. Chesman as Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility.

Chesman most recently served the IRS as Director of the Office of Taxpayer Burden Reduction, which he launched in 2001 before taking a position in early 2006 as senior vice president and general counsel with Ullico, Inc., an insurance and financial services holding company.

“I’m pleased we’ve gotten Michael back at the IRS,” said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “His legal expertise is a good fit for the Office of Professional Responsibility, which enforces high professional and ethical standards among tax practitioners.”

The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is responsible for setting, communicating and enforcing standards of competence, integrity and conduct among tax practitioners - specifically, attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents and others who represent taxpayers before the IRS.

Chesman will report for duty on March 1.

During his tenure in the Office of Taxpayer Burden Reduction, Chesman was able to save taxpayers more than 200 million hours of work by simplifying tax responsibilities or eliminating unnecessary filing requirements.

Earlier in his career, Chesman served in the IRS Chief Counsel’s Office and also worked as an attorney for Prudential Financial, where, in addition to other duties, he was in charge of the tax and employee benefits divisions of the Prudential law department. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Yale University.