Message from the Founding Tax Faculty
When the faculty at UCI Law decided to launch a graduate tax program, they granted us carte blanche to build our “dream tax program.” We seized on this rare opportunity, and created a program like no other.
We have all gained significant experience at other leading tax programs around the country, so we know what works, and what doesn’t. We also approached tax practitioners, government tax administrators, tax policy advocates, and other industry experts, and asked what they would want to see in a new tax program.
With this background, we have built a program that prioritizes student success, leaning on three pillars: mandatory in-depth doctrinal knowledge, required practical tax training, and a small student/full-time faculty ratio.
We designed a curriculum in which the first semester is comprised mostly of mandatory requirements, focusing on transactional tax courses. This structure ensures that all students gain the in-depth doctrinal knowledge needed to be a successful tax practitioner and approach the rest of the program on an even playing field. In the second semester, students gain a unique opportunity to apply their doctrinal knowledge to practical use in clinics, externships and other practical opportunities. No other graduate tax law program in the country offers a similar curriculum.
Our practical emphasis is aimed to prepare students to successfully practice tax law in a wide-variety of professional settings, both domestically and internationally. In building this new program, we have received enthusiastic feedback from potential employers, at law firms, accounting firms and government agencies, to our program’s strong emphasis on practical training. Our small size assures that students receive meaningful attention, especially from our core residential full-time tax faculty.
As scholars and former practitioners, we all share a deep passion for tax law. We will strive to impart what we have learned throughout our respective careers. We know what it takes to succeed in this field, and we are devoted to helping our students reach their goal of entering the practice of tax law.
This is our dream tax program. We hope you will join us.
Omri Marian, Joshua Blank, and Vic Fleischer – Founding Graduate Tax Program Faculty