Michael Karlan
Encyclopedia
Michael Karlan is a party planner and founder and president of Professionals in the City
. Professionals in the City is a social and networking group with more than 200,000 members and that hosts more than 1,000 events a year.
, first with Covington & Burling
and then with the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS). While at the IRS, Karlan was principal drafter of federal regulations relating to 401(k) plans.
Karlan's published works as an attorney include "Differences in Treatment of Employees and Independent Contractors Under Selected State and Federal Statutes," 1998 American Bar Association
Section of Taxation Mid-Year Meeting (with Kurt L.P. Lawson), and "Cash or Deferred Arrangements, Matching Contributions, and Employee Contributions," 1998 Annual American Law Institute
-American Bar Association Conference (with Mary Oppenheimer).
On December 31, 2006, when simultaneously hosting New Year's Eve
Galas at both the French Embassy and the Washington Plaza Hotel, the Washington Post wrote a cover story about Karlan that characterized him as "an expert party guy."
On December 31, 2007, Karlan hosted the farewell party for the historic Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C.
's oldest continuously operated hotel, the hotel located across the street from the White House
. With more than 3,000 attendees, this was the largest party in the history of the Hotel Washington. At the same time, Karlan hosted a second Gala at the Embassy of Italy.
In April 2008, Washington City Paper
readers picked Professionals in the City as having Washington, D.C.'s second best website.
In March 2009, the Washington Post published a cover story about how more children of immigrants are seeking partners of the same ethnicity, and how Professionals in the City is catering to this societal change by expanding "its repertoire of lectures and wine-tastings over the past year to include 'speed dating' nights for people of Asian, Latino or South Asian descent." This article quoted Karlan as saying that targeting ethnic groups makes sense in the Washington area, which has more than 1 million immigrants.
In March 2009, in a feature that also included Oprah Winfrey
and Suze Orman
, ABC News
filmed a Professionals in the City speed dating event where it quoted Karlan as saying that credit score dating websites are a double-edged sword because they enable singles to meet other singles who are preselected for certain financial criteria, but that these sites are unable to avoid the situation of singles still having to find a person to whom they are attracted in the first place."
In July 2009, Karlan was featured in a Professionals in the City marketing video promoting its speed dating events, further emphasizing the group's increasing focus on singles.
In August 2009, Nikkei Trendy in Japan featured Karlan and his Professionals in the City speed dating events as what is currently trendy in the United States.
In October 2010, Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty
officially commended Karlan for Professionals in the City surpassing a membership of 200,000 in the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area and for enhancing the quality of life of residents of Washington, DC.
In February 2011, Karlan hosted the nation's first-ever speed dating at an auto show, at which Washington Post columnist Carolyn Hax
provided advice on dating and then the speed daters went from car to car in the General Motors
exhibit at the Washington Auto Show
participating in a different date in each car.
from Columbia University School of Law. He holds an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law
. He holds a Bachelor's Degree
from the University of Colorado at Boulder
, where he was valedictorian
of his graduating class.
Professionals in the City
Professionals in the City is the United States' largest socializing and networking organization. It offers professionals in major cities an opportunity to unwind and meet other professionals who share their interests outside of the workplace. PNC is based in Washington, DC, with branches in New...
. Professionals in the City is a social and networking group with more than 200,000 members and that hosts more than 1,000 events a year.
Early career
Prior to forming his business, Karlan worked as an attorneyLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, first with Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling LLP is an international law firm with offices in Beijing, Brussels, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Washington, DC. The firm advises multinational corporations on significant transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters...
and then with the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS). While at the IRS, Karlan was principal drafter of federal regulations relating to 401(k) plans.
Karlan's published works as an attorney include "Differences in Treatment of Employees and Independent Contractors Under Selected State and Federal Statutes," 1998 American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
Section of Taxation Mid-Year Meeting (with Kurt L.P. Lawson), and "Cash or Deferred Arrangements, Matching Contributions, and Employee Contributions," 1998 Annual American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
-American Bar Association Conference (with Mary Oppenheimer).
Professionals in the City
Karlan founded Professionals in the City to bring the local professional community together and to familiarize residents with the activities their cities have to offer.On December 31, 2006, when simultaneously hosting New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
Galas at both the French Embassy and the Washington Plaza Hotel, the Washington Post wrote a cover story about Karlan that characterized him as "an expert party guy."
On December 31, 2007, Karlan hosted the farewell party for the historic Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
's oldest continuously operated hotel, the hotel located across the street from the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. With more than 3,000 attendees, this was the largest party in the history of the Hotel Washington. At the same time, Karlan hosted a second Gala at the Embassy of Italy.
In April 2008, Washington City Paper
Washington City Paper
The Washington City Paper is a U.S. alternative weekly newspaper serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Founded in 1981, and published for its first year under the masthead 1981, taking the City Paper name in volume 2, by Russ Smith, it shared ownership with the Chicago Reader from 1982...
readers picked Professionals in the City as having Washington, D.C.'s second best website.
In March 2009, the Washington Post published a cover story about how more children of immigrants are seeking partners of the same ethnicity, and how Professionals in the City is catering to this societal change by expanding "its repertoire of lectures and wine-tastings over the past year to include 'speed dating' nights for people of Asian, Latino or South Asian descent." This article quoted Karlan as saying that targeting ethnic groups makes sense in the Washington area, which has more than 1 million immigrants.
In March 2009, in a feature that also included Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
and Suze Orman
Suze Orman
Susan "Suze" Lynn Orman is an American financial advisor, author, motivational speaker, and television host.Orman was born in Chicago and received her B.A. in social work. She worked as a waitress in Berkeley, California before becoming a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch...
, ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
filmed a Professionals in the City speed dating event where it quoted Karlan as saying that credit score dating websites are a double-edged sword because they enable singles to meet other singles who are preselected for certain financial criteria, but that these sites are unable to avoid the situation of singles still having to find a person to whom they are attracted in the first place."
In July 2009, Karlan was featured in a Professionals in the City marketing video promoting its speed dating events, further emphasizing the group's increasing focus on singles.
In August 2009, Nikkei Trendy in Japan featured Karlan and his Professionals in the City speed dating events as what is currently trendy in the United States.
In October 2010, Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty
Adrian Fenty
Adrian Malik Fenty was the sixth, and at age 36, the youngest, mayor of the District of Columbia. He served one term—from 2007 to 2011—losing his bid for reelection at the primary level to Democrat Vincent C. Gray...
officially commended Karlan for Professionals in the City surpassing a membership of 200,000 in the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area and for enhancing the quality of life of residents of Washington, DC.
In February 2011, Karlan hosted the nation's first-ever speed dating at an auto show, at which Washington Post columnist Carolyn Hax
Carolyn Hax
Carolyn Hax is a writer and columnist for the Washington Post and the author of the eponymous advice column Carolyn Hax — formerly titled Tell Me About It. The column debuted in 1997 and is published Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday – syndicated in more than 200 newspapers...
provided advice on dating and then the speed daters went from car to car in the General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
exhibit at the Washington Auto Show
Washington Auto Show
The Washington Auto Show is an annual local auto show held in Washington, D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center between late January and early February. The event has evolved to emphasize and showcase the latest innovations in sustainable automotive technologies...
participating in a different date in each car.
Education
Karlan holds a J.D.Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Columbia University School of Law. He holds an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
. He holds a Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, where he was valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of his graduating class.