Tax Law Certificate

Overview

The Tax Law Certificate is a response to the growing demand for attorneys with expertise in the tax field. Completion of the certificate requirements allows students to develop the practical and technical skills needed to build successful careers.

Certification also assures employers that the student not only has a mastery of basic principles of individual and entity taxation but has been exposed to some of the finer points of tax law and practice.

Certificate Requirements

Students who intend to pursue a certificate program should complete the Declaration Form. The form deadline for your intention to pursue a certificate is November 1st of your 3L year, though you may certainly do so at an earlier point. If you fail to meet the requirements of the certificate by the time you graduate, you will not earn the certificate.

In addition to all other J.D. degree requirements, students must complete the requirements below to earn the Tax Law Certificate.

Core Courses

Complete these courses:

• Federal Income Taxation
• Taxation of Business Enterprises

Elective Courses

Any four of the following elective courses:

• Business Planning Seminar
• Estate Planning: Practice
• Estate Planning: Principles
• Introduction to Employee Benefits
• Nonprofit and Tax-Exempt Organizations

Additional Requirements

Students must also complete a minimum of 20 hours of participation in:

• An Internal Revenue Service-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program or a similar nonprofit tax assistance program

Course descriptions

A student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in tax courses that count toward the certificate.

Pro Bono hours do not include any service performed for the purpose of fulfilling a requirement of a law school class or certificate program. Learn more about the Pro Bono Program.