Stuart Gibson on Actual Intelligence, Zealous Advocacy, and Lifelong Reinvention

The professional paths of host Liz Sweigart and guest Stuart Gibson first crossed at the inaugural NYU Tax Controversy Forum reception, back when Stu was Special Trial Counsel for the US Department of Justice Tax Division and Liz was a mid-career Big 4 tax advisor. Two decades, multiple career pivots, and a trans-Atlantic author-recruiting adventure later, Stu remains a plain-spoken mentor whose insights elevate every room he enters. In this episode of Past the Profile, the conversation traces his journey from landmark courtroom victories to leading a global tax newsroom and launching Actual Intelligence LLC, exploring how curiosity, integrity, and humor power a career that never stops evolving.

Highlights:

• How one cocktail-hour conversation sparked an “anchor” mentorship that still shapes both careers.

• Why Stu traded federal courtrooms for tax journalism and back again, and what he learned guiding a newsroom through COVID lockdowns.

• The origin story of Simple 720, a cloud platform that files excise-tax returns in minutes starting at less than $40 a form.

• How his new venture Actual Intelligence is helping taxpayers fight algorithmic ERC refund denials.

• A choral singer’s take on keeping work fun, staying curious, and holding the line on integrity, regardless of which side he argues.