The University of Washington School of Law Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)
received a $97,250 grant from the Internal Revenue Service. The UW law school's clinic was one of only nine to receive the maximum grant
award.
"By assisting low-income clients with their IRS problems, we are able to help
people resolve tax disputes, which to them seem unsolvable," said clinic
director Scott Schumacher. "At the same time, students in the program get
invaluable experience working with real clients who have real problems, and
learn how to deal with the IRS and complex tax issues."
The UW law school's clinic was established in 2000 to assist low-income
individuals throughout Western Washington resolve disputes with the IRS. The clinic, which is funded by a federal matching grant and the
law school's Graduate Program in Taxation, offers this assistance as a public
service and as a means of training law students in tax practice.
The IRS formally announced the 2006 grant recipients on April 14, 2006.
A total of $8 million in matching grants were awarded to 150 LITCs for 2006,
32 of which are operated out of
law schools. The IRS LITC grant program, now in its eighth year, encourages the creation and growth of clinics across the
nation. LITCs provide free or nominal cost assistance to taxpayers who
otherwise may not be able to afford a tax professional.