Tax Controversy - Summer Law Clerk

Description

Job purpose

Working as part of a team to add value for clients, Tax Controversy Staff will be a licensed attorney with the right to practice under the provisions of Treasury Circular 230. He or she will represent clients before the IRS, state revenue departments, and local governments. This representation will include advocating for clients in tax disputes involving examinations, appeals, collections, penalties, and other tax matters.

Duties and responsibilities

Commitment to Client Service

• Develops effective working relationships with clients and firm associates by providing high quality service and work product in an accurate and timely manner.
• Models cooperation and teamwork by listening to the objectives of the client and adjusting quickly to changing business needs. Consults with clients to ensure all avenues for the desired tax issue resolution are fully considered.
• Participates in client meetings professionally and confidently.
• Assists in identifying potential tax-related procedural steps during planning of engagement.
• With appropriate guidance, develops effective solutions to client issues based on understanding of IRS, state, and local tax procedure.
• Communicates with the IRS and other state authorities in a professional and accurate manner
• In collaboration with other tax controversy team members, offers counsel and represents clients before tax agency personnel while advocating for the best possible resolution.

Technical Skills

• Accurately applies tax-related procedures to tax controversy cases.
• Exceptional writing skills to write responses relative to disputed tax agency actions.
• With appropriate guidance, thoroughly and accurately analyzes information and prepares quality, practical approaches to client’s tax controversy case.
• Accurately performs technical research and presents responses to tax agency issues clearly, succinctly, and in keeping with the basic legal writing format when applicable (i.e. IRAC).
• Conducts research, analysis, and development of case-related facts and information and applies the applicable law/procedures in the case resolution process.

Leading People

• Builds and maintains positive relationships across the firm.
• Supports professional development, technical expertise, and business growth of the tax controversy team.
• Contributes and supports new ideas, methods, and procedures.

Business Results

• Demonstrates a basic understanding of federal and state tax controversy matters including examinations (audits), collections, penalties, appeals, accounts management, return processing, and agency procedure.
• Regularly seeks feedback to minimize errors and to apply new methods and procedures.
• Maintains open communication with management regarding the progress of completion on tax controversy cases.
• Meets firm goal for chargeable hours while tracking and entering time daily.
• Champions the use of technology to advance business objectives.

Executive Presence

• Represents the Firm’s culture, both internally and externally, with professionalism at all times.
• Attends and promotes Firm events.
• Actively seeks to continuously refine technical skills by utilizing outside reading, studying and professional
growth techniques.
• Collaborates with other team members in writing tax controversy articles of current interest for the BT
blog, outside publications, and the BT tax controversy newsletter.

Qualifications

Qualifications

Qualifications include:

• Second or Third Year Law Student
• General knowledge of tax agency procedure - primarily IRS and GA-DOR
• General understanding of local government tax dispute procedures
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong commitment to professional and client service excellence
• Time management, organizational and prioritization skills

Bennett Thrasher is an Equal Opportunity Employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; religion; national origin; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; gender identity and/or expression; age; disability; genetic information, citizenship status; military service obligations or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.