David J. Rotfleisch, CPA, JD
Certified Specialist in Taxation (LSO)
David J. Rotfleisch is one of Canada’s most senior and respected tax lawyers, with more than 38 years of continuous practice devoted primarily to tax law. He is a founding partner of Rotfleisch & Samulovitch P.C., a leading Canadian tax law firm established in 1987, and is recognized as one of only 16 Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialists in Taxation as of 2025 – a designation reserved for lawyers with exceptional depth and sustained excellence in tax practice.
David’s authority in tax law is grounded in an exceptional dual professional background. He is both a Canadian tax lawyer (JD, called to the Ontario Bar in 1983) and a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, Lifetime Member), having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1977. He also completed all levels of the CICA In-Depth Tax Course, widely regarded as the gold standard for advanced tax expertise in Canada. This combination enables him to navigate tax issues with a level of technical precision and strategic foresight few practitioners can match.
His practice encompasses the full spectrum of Canadian tax law, including tax planning, CRA tax audits and investigations, tax disputes and litigation, cryptocurrency taxation and Voluntary Disclosures (tax amnesty). He regularly represents individuals and businesses before the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Tax Court of Canada, handling complex reassessments, penalties, and high-stakes disputes involving income tax, GST/HST, and international tax compliance.
David advises a broad and sophisticated client base, including entrepreneurs, privately held corporations, multinational businesses, resident and non-resident taxpayers, and high-net-worth individuals. His work frequently involves cross-border and international tax matters, including offshore compliance, foreign reporting obligations, and the tax consequences of immigrating to or emigrating from Canada. He is also deeply experienced in the tax aspects of corporate and commercial transactions, real estate taxation, and business structuring.
A distinctive aspect of David’s practice is his long-standing involvement with technology and emerging industries. With a professional background in computer and IT systems, he brings uncommon fluency to matters involving cryptocurrency taxation, blockchain transactions, digital assets, smart contracts, and technology-driven business models. He works closely with specialized crypto tax accountants and is frequently consulted on complex issues at the intersection of tax law, software, and financial innovation. He has also acted as an expert in litigation in both tax and cryptocurrency.
Beyond client representation, David is a leading public voice on Canadian tax law. Through Taxpage.com, he publishes in-depth legal analysis on CRA practices, tax litigation trends, legislative developments, and taxpayer rights. His commentary is widely read by professionals and taxpayers alike, and he is regularly invited to provide expert insight through articles, interviews, and media appearances (both radio and TV), translating complex tax law into clear, practical guidance. He has appeared as a speaker providing tax insights to different professional bodies both in Canada and Internationally.
Education / Qualifications
- Certified Specialist in Taxation, Law Society of Ontario
- Founder, Rotfleisch & Samulovitch P.C. / Taxpage (1987)
- Called to the Ontario Bar (1983)
- JD, Osgoode Hall Law School – completed all available tax courses
- Chartered Accountant (CA), achieved in 1977; now CPA (Lifetime Member)
- Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.), McGill University (1975)
- CICA In-Depth Tax Course – completed all levels
Faces Behind Our Success
Lawyers
Paralegals
Admin
Students
Juan Carlos Diaz
Osinachi Obi-Njoku
What Our Clients Say
I’ve used Rotfleisch & Samulovitch for complex tax planning matters over the past few years. I’ve found them to be extremely knowledgeable, professional & effective, and would highly recommend them especially for entrepreneurs and their companies. R&S’ legal tax knowledge are a solid complement to the expertise of a quality accountant.
Mark BarnicuttToronto, Tel Aviv
Pro Tip
Tax Audits in Ontario
There are over 350,000 tax audit and review actions conducted by the Canada Revenue Agency on a yearly basis. Around 15,000 of these tax audits deal with “cash only” businesses (i.e. the underground economy). Additionally, an estimated 35,000 are tax shelter audits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tax lawyers, who are also known as taxation lawyers, or income tax lawyers are professionals specializing in taxation law. They are experts in tax law, having graduated from accredited law schools, and completed their articling program. They receive their law license from provincial law societies after successfully completing their bar examinations. It is these law societies that allow them to practice law. Tax lawyers practice tax law and have specialized in income tax law in full time practice.
They had typically performed above average in their tax law courses in law school, and usually during their articling program and summer internships they have worked under the close supervision of income tax lawyers of a tax law firm and decided to specialize in tax law when they became practicing lawyers. Some tax lawyers in Canada, such as the founder of the firm, David J. Rotfleisch, have additional qualifications in tax law by also being chartered professional accountants or chartered accountants (CPA or CA). The area of specialization for them is taxation law.
The Law Society of Ontario, which governs the legal profession in Ontario, sets out criteria that have to be met in order for a lawyer to be recognized as a specialist in a field of law.
Certified Specialist in Taxation is the certification given to tax lawyers who have met the criteria set out by the Ontario law society. As of the end of April 2020 David Rotfleisch is one of only 12 certified specialists in taxation.
Jason Dos Anjos
Jason is the head of the Paralegal team and has been working at the firm since 2018. He graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Double Major in History and Classics along with an English Minor. He then graduated from Humber College’s Paralegal program in 2018 with Honours. He handles most of our Corporate Department and Small Claims matters while also taking care of the Office’s own little Zoo, including a fish tank and bearded dragon. On his spare time Jason enjoys gardening, reading, writing and spending time outdoors.
Kevin Persaud
Kevin earned his Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and became an articling student in 2017. He has been with us as a tax lawyer since his call to the bar in 2018 and is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Taxation Law.
Amol Bhangoo
Amol Singh Bhangu joined our team as a paralegal in 2022, after graduating with his P1 paralegal license from LSO in March of 2021. Amol works on client tax files, dealing directly with the Canadian Revenue Agency and accountants. He holds multiple degrees, including a BA from Punjab University and an LLB from Punjabi University.
Danielle Kuechler
Danielle Joined our team in February of 2021. She is in charge of intake information. Danielle is ready willing and able to help anyone whether it be a client or other coworkers. She is an integral part of our support team. She is a Georgian College Graduate and the mother of 2 fabulous boys.
Jack Wang
Jack started at our firm as a summer student and was called to the bar in 2021. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Ottawa law school and was awarded professor Vern Krishna’s scholarship for demonstrating strong academic standing and a genuine interest in Income Tax and Business Law. Before law school, he was an Oracle certified professional Java programmer. In his spare time, he loves reading ancient mythology and history books.
Evgeniia Predannykova
Evgeniia Predannykova joined our tax law firm in 2023 shortly after graduation with a Honour specializing in Law Clerk studies from Centennial College. Her educational background includes a Master’s degree in Banking from the University of Ukraine. Evgeniia is fluent in three languages. Evgeniia enjoys hiking, planting, cooking, traveling, as well as being active through sport and spending time with her lovely daughter, in her spare time.
As a highly organized individual with excellent keyboard skills and a remarkable attention to accuracy and detail, she is a valuable member of the team. Her passion is making a positive difference in other people’s lives.
In her role as a Law Clerk on our team, Evgeniia is responsible for clarifying issues, obtaining information, scheduling follow-up appointments for the lawyer, and ensuring that goals and deadlines are met in order to maintain the legal system. She serves as the organization’s ‘face’ as a law clerk, assuming great responsibility and trust.
Hoang Nguyen
Hoang Viet Nguyen joined our team as an Articling Student in 2024. He earned his Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and his MBA from Schulich School of Business. He also had a Bachelor of Business Management from Singapore Management University and a Bachelor of Laws from Ho Chi Minh University of Law. He had worked in market research and practiced law in private practice and in-house in Asia. In his spare time, Hoang loves reading and going outdoors.
Barbara Jobber
Juan Carlos Diaz
