Where Will Your Legal Education Take You?

Graphic by Alondra Pulido

Tax attorneys tend to specialize in specific areas, whether that specialization is in corporate tax, state and local tax, individual income tax, or tax-exempt organizations—though there are many other possible areas of specialization. As such, tax attorneys may practice in a variety of settings: from law firms, to accounting firms, to positions within the government, and to working in-house at both for-profit and non-profit organizations. The field of tax law is also broad enough for attorneys to focus in either litigation or transactional work.

Tax litigators may focus their work on tax controversy cases, helping their clients resolve disputes between taxpayers and taxing authorities (e.g. the IRS). Generally, this work focuses on civil tax disputes, though occasionally tax attorneys handle criminal tax cases. It is recommended that students wishing to pursue a career as a tax controversy lawyer enjoy advocating for clients and writing briefs, as this underlines a majority of tax controversy cases.

Photo by Olga DeLawrence on Unsplash

Law students interested in pursuing a career as a tax attorney should consider earning a Tax LL.M. degree. Such a degree expands one’s employment options in tax law, and may even be required for some positions. The Tax LL.M. degree from the University of Washington School of Law trains students in federal, state, and local tax law, as well as international, trusts, and estates tax law. Students in the Tax LL.M. at the University of Washington School of Law also may participate in the Federal Tax Clinic, the Rural Alaska Tax Assistance Program, the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic, or other externships.

• An Introduction to Tax Careers for J.D.s [Heather M. Field, ABA Tax Times, Vol. 38, No. 3, p. 30 (2019)]

• Pursuing a Tax LLM Degree: Why and When? [Paul L. Carson et al. U of Cincinnati Public Law Research Paper No. 10-11 (2010)]

• Tax Lam LL.M. [University of Washington School of Law]

• Federal Tax Clinic [UW School of Law]

• Tax Law (M.J. Curriculum) [UW School of Law]

• The Tax Lawyer [ABA]

• University of Washington School of Law Faculty:

  • John Clynch - Managing Director, Federal Tax Clinic

  • Michael Hatfield - UW Dean Emeritus Roland L. Hjorth Professor of Law

    Teaches and researches in taxation.

  • Shannon Weeks McCormack - UW Professor of Law

    Teaches and researches in taxation.

  • Scott Schumacher - Faculty Director, Federal Tax Clinic