Staff Attorney for the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic at Maryland Carey Law is seeking a Staff Attorney (payroll title -Research Assistant) to assist in the management, supervision and teaching of the Clinic. The law school received funding this year from the Maryland legislature to increase the Clinic’s capacity to handle Maryland tax cases (supplementing its focus on Federal tax cases). This is a two-year commitment with annual appointments including the possibility for renewal. It is an opportunity designed for an attorney with experience as a practitioner in the field of tax law, including substantial work representing clients in disputes with the IRS and the Maryland Comptroller. This clinic operates pursuant to an IRS grant and special funding from the Maryland legislature and has been representing low-income taxpayers before the IRS since 2000.

The Clinical Law Office

The Clinical Law Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law was established in 1973 and offers approximately twenty clinical courses each year. The School of Law is among the nation’s leaders in fusing theory and practice and the Clinical Law Program is designed to give students the lawyering experiences necessary to join the profession upon graduation.

The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

This clinic is designed to (1) represent individuals with meritorious claims who would otherwise go unrepresented before the Internal Revenue Service; (2) provide students with the foundational skills required to practice tax law; and (3) increase the capacity of the bar to provide adequate representation to non-citizens. Cases accepted by the Clinic include representation before the United States and Maryland Tax Courts, representation during audits and appeals, collections hearings and procedures, as well as other matters that might arise between low- and moderate income individuals and the IRS or the Comptroller.

Staff Attorney Essential Functions

The Staff Attorney will assist in teaching a one semester, 6 credit clinical course (to be offered each semester). The Staff Attorney will assist the Clinical Instructor with teaching a weekly two hour classroom component, which covers the practice-related skills (including advocating effectively for underserved individuals), the theoretical underpinnings of tax law, and the reflective learning necessary to excel as tax law practitioners.

In addition, the Staff Attorney will assist the Clinical Instructor in supervising the students’ legal work, including their representation of clients before the IRS, the U.S. Tax Court and the Comptroller of Maryland. These activities require regular meetings with each student, reviewing student work, and preparing them for all facets of client representation. During the summer, the Staff Attorney will work with the Clinical Instructor to cover existing matters.

The Staff Attorney will have primary responsibility for the component of the clinic dealing with low-income Maryland taxpayers. The candidate should have experience with state tax disputes or a strong record indicating an ability to handle state tax disputes. The Staff Attorney will also be responsible for traveling to other regions within Maryland to provide outreach and guidance.

Qualifications :

Minimum Qualifications:

• J.D. from an ABA accredited law school.
• Admitted to the Maryland Bar or barred in another state and allowed to practice under Maryland Rule 19-218. (The Clinical Law program at Maryland Carey Law is a legal services program as defined by Rule 19-218(a)).
• Three years’ experience in income tax law required. Prior teaching experience and experience with state tax administration preferred.

Salary: Annualized salary of $65,000

To Apply: Online only before May 30 at http://www.umaryland.edu/jobs/ .

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UMB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law or policy. For assistance related to employment, please contact the Staffing department at HRJobs@umaryland.edu .

If you anticipate needing a reasonable accommodation for a disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), during any part of the employment process, please submit a UMB Job Applicant Accommodation Request . You may also contact HRDiversity@umaryland.edu . Please note that only inquiries concerning an ADA request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.