CASY-MSCCN Jobs

Working/Functional Title

Director, Taxpayer Clinic, Fixed Term

Position Summary

The College of Law is looking to hire a director of its Alvin L. Storrs Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic.  The Director will be a full-time, 12-month, fixed-term, Assistant/Associate/Full Professor and will manage the Clinic's operations and funding, perform and supervise casework and outreach, and teach the Clinic seminar.  Candidates' experience should demonstrate a strong interest in actively pursuing service and/or scholarly opportunities, to enrich the intellectual life and governance of the law school, relevant professional associations, and beyond.

The Alvin L. Storrs Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic at Michigan State University College of Law was initially funded by the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) grant program administered by the IRS in 2000.  The Clinic is currently entering year two of a three-year grant from the IRS and it represents low-income and English-as-second-language taxpayers who live throughout Michigan. The Clinic is one of eight in-house clinics at the Law School.  Like all LITCs, the Clinic handles tax controversies with the IRS and generally does not provide tax return preparation services. The Clinic also handles tax controversies with the Michigan Department of Treasury and various cities' income tax departments.  It also manages a toll-free hotline for homeowners who need assistance in requesting the poverty or disabled veteran's exemption from property tax.  Law students take the lead on most Clinic cases, provide community and educational outreach, and participate in Tax Court and the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

Key responsibilities include:

• Teach, train, development, and supervision of law student attorneys.
• Supervise the client screening process including students and staff that are assisting in screening cases for tax controversy issues appropriate for representation by the student attorneys in the Clinic.
• Supervise cases and student attorneys, meeting with students, reviewing and providing comments on student work, accompanying them to court, and working on other activities, including education and outreach initiatives.
• Teaching weekly seminar to help students synthesize their clinical casework and develop their lawyering skills, ethical awareness, and professionalism.
• Apply for and manage the LITC grant that includes work in collaboration with the Michigan State University Contract and Grant Administration Office.
• Develop and maintain partnerships and community engagement to provide education on tax law, issues, and policy.
• Participate and collaborate with other clinical faculty members at regular meetings.

Review of applications begins on March 20, 2023.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate - Law

Minimum Requirements

Candidates must:

• Doctorate degree is required to be hired at all ranks of Assistant/Associate/Full Professor.
• have an excellent academic record.
• be a member in good standing of the Bar of any U.S. jurisdiction.
• be members in good standing of the Michigan State Bar or be able to gain admission upon hire.
• have sufficient tax law expertise to be considered a "Qualifying Tax Expert" under the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic program's grant.
• have expertise to perform and oversee the substantive and procedural aspects of client representation in controversies with the Internal Revenue Service.
• be admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court or eligible for such admission.  

Desired Qualificatio