Federal Tax Clinic
Loyola created the Federal Tax Clinic more than ten years ago to help taxpayer clients who otherwise might go without representation in dealing with matters concerning the Internal Revenue Service.
Clients come to the Federal Tax Clinic through referrals from private attorneys, the Bar Association, social service agencies and previous clients. The clinic's students take a teamwork approach, presenting the facts and suggesting possible solutions. In examining possible outcomes, students come to understand and learn the process of arriving at the solution.
A typical problem might be that the IRS sent a low-income client a report disallowing the earned income tax credit. The client is frustrated because he does not understand the reason for the disallowance because the IRS report is written in a manner meant to cover all possible reasons for denying the credit, not just this client's case. The client is stressed because he has already received the tax refund and spent the money. In this type of case, the student analyzes the facts, identifies the specific issue, develops the evidence and submits the evidence to the IRS to prove that the client is entitled to the earned income tax credit and the tax refund.
Along with learning such practical matters as how to open a file, how to meet with the IRS, and how to draft basic legal documents, students learn that helping clients does not always mean receiving a decision totally in the client's favor. Helping does, however, always mean identifying the problem, suggesting potential solutions and counseling the client about the pros and cons of each potential solution.
Professor Michael D. Novy is the director, and Professor Daniel P. Pavlik is the assistant director of the Federal Tax Clinic.
For a detailed course description of the Federal Tax Clinic, click here.
- About the Federal Tax Clinic
- Information for Students
- Information for Clients
- Tax-Related Links:
- Internal Revenue Service
- IRS Tax Forms and Publications
- Tax preparation assistance at the Center for Economic Progress
- Administer Justice
- Korean American Community Services
- Prairie State Legal Services
- Chicago Kent College of Law LITC
- Valparaiso University Law Clinic
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law Clinics
