Alumni Profiles
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Emeline Allenegui
Emeline Allenegui received her J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2020. She developed an interest in tax law while working as a financial administrator for a law firm. As a student, Emeline participated in the ABA Tax Challenge and researched Estate Planning issues. In her spare time, she provided graphic design services for UF’s student organizations, conferences, and NLLSA. She volunteered at UF’s Veterans Clinic and recently at Legal Aid’s Seniors Department. She also has a background in immigration law through clerkships. Emeline hopes to use her tax experience to continue serving the community.
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Austin Atkinson
Austin Atkinson recently received his J.D from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He is fluent in Russian and also holds bachelor's degrees in Russian and Geography from BYU. Austin was a member of the editorial board of the BYU Law Review and worked as a research fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies where he gained more international experience in eastern Europe. He found his passion for tax law while working in Moscow on a VAT project during an internship. During his free time, Austin enjoys running, reading, tennis, golf, and skiing.
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Christine Chai
Christine Hyun-Gee Chai received her J.D. from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in 2020 and her B.S. from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2013. As a Sustainability Law Research Fellow at Arizona State University, Christine authored a paper that will be published in 2021. She spent two semesters serving the Maricopa County, Arizona area at a Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic. Christine is primarily interested in tax controversy and regulatory tax policy. In her spare time, Christine enjoys trying vegan recipes and discussing current events.
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Weiwei Chen
Weiwei Chen received her J.D. from University of Illinois College of Law in 2018 with a focus on commercial and tax law but has worked as a litigation attorney ever since. She received her LL.B. from China University of Political Science and Law in 2014 prior to coming to the U.S. Weiwei has been passionate about tax law while in law school and externed at the Illinois Department of Revenue in her 3L year. Weiwei enjoys the ever-evolving and intellectually challenging nature of tax law and plans to re-launch her career practicing transactional tax law. She also has a side-interest in privacy and data protection.
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Connor Corbitt
Connor Corbitt received his bachelors of arts degree in philosophy at the University of Maryland (go Terps.) Recently, Connor completed his J.D. at Boston College before making the move to the west coast to attend UC Irvine. His tax experience includes externing in the litigation department at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Connor is an avid sports fan and particularly likes basketball and soccer. He enjoys staying active and is looking forward to the California weather and beginning his career in tax.
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James Curcio
Jim Curcio received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2007. He also holds a Master of Dispute Resolution degree from Pepperdine University School of Law and B.S./B.A. degrees from Cornell University in computer science, history, and linguistics. He is member of the California and Colorado bars and is a registered patent attorney with the USPTO. He has spent the last several years examining, prosecuting, and documenting software methods and control systems. He is interested in a career change to tax law. Jim enjoys traveling, swimming, and singing.
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Qiaoqi Li
Qiaoqi Li received her LL.B. in China and her J.D. from Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. While in law school, Qiaoqi served as a judicial extern at the U.S. District Court of Arizona and worked at a probate and estate planning law firm where she successfully represented a client case regarding guardianship matters in Superior Court of Arizona. Qiaoqi has grown especially interested in tax law since her second year of law school and wrote a graduation thesis regarding contingent-liability tax shelters. She is interested in practicing transactional or international tax in the future. Qiaoqi is a rescue scuba diver and enjoys free diving.
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Kyoolee Park
Kyoolee Park received her B.A. from Boston College and her J.D. from UCI Law. Before law school, she worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Korea, drafting and translating policy papers for intergovernmental climate change conferences. At law school, she took several tax courses and was fascinated by how tax codes interact together to advance major social and economic policies. She is particularly passionate about participating in pro bono projects and has most recently volunteered at California State Tax Clinic, representing low-income taxpayers in dispute with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
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Tashi Sammi
Tashi Sammi received her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law. During law school, she was an Associate Editor with the "Business Lawyer," and also clerked at the MD Ct. of Special Appeals. Following graduation, she was a Fellow in the Office of Technology Transfer at the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. Tashi also has a BSN from the Univ. of MD, School of Nursing and a BS in Biochem from Towson Univ. She was a Pediatric RN before attending law school. When not pursuing further educational debt, Tashi loves to fly as a Private Pilot, is an oenophile, loves to travel, collect books and drink coffee.
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Joseph Shafik
Joe Shafik received his J.D. from UC Irvine in 2020. During the J.D. program he externed at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in Laguna Niguel, CA, and participated in the ABA Tax Challenge. Prior to attending law school, Joe received a B.A. in Political Science from UC San Diego, and taught Math & Government/Economics at a private school in Orange County. He would like to start his tax career in the area of controversy or policy, and perhaps teach or write about tax one day. Joe spends his free time reading, listening to podcasts, and playing with his dog.
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Kelly Soldati
Kelly Soldati graduated from UC Irvine School of Law in 2020. While there, Kelly served as a board member for the student Veteran Advocacy Group, participated in Moot Court, and served as a Dean’s Fellow. She also externed at the IRS Chief Counsel’s Office in Laguna Niguel, CA. Prior to law school Kelly served as a US Army Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division and played Division I volleyball at the University of Notre Dame. She currently enjoys swimming, running, hiking and spending time with her two children. -
David Thompson
David Thompson is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. In law school, he was a member of the ABA Real Property, Trusts, and Estates Law Journal and the Mock Trial Bar, where he won two outstanding advocate awards. David began his professional legal career by clerking for the Honorable Judge J. Cordell Maddox in South Carolina. David developed a passion for tax law during his law school course work, as well as through his experience clerking in a law firm in South Carolina.
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Youjia Xie
Youjia Xie received his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2019. Prior to this he held a master of law degree from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and LL.B. degree from Xiamen University. He worked as an independent legal counsel for international bank client and mainly focuses on transactional practices and compliance. During his J.D. he served as Community Coordinator in ALPASA and Academic Chair in China Law Society. Youjia is a big fan of history, especially Mediterranean history and Japanese history.