Save the Date: 20th Annual Law Student Tax Challenge (2019-2020)

An alternative to traditional moot court competitions, the Law Student Tax Challenge asks two-person teams of students to solve a cutting-edge and complex business problem that might arise in everyday tax practice. Teams are initially evaluated on two criteria: a memorandum to a senior partner and a letter to a client explaining the result. Based on the written work product, six teams from the J.D. Division and four teams from the LL.M. Division are invited to attend the Section of Taxation 2021 Midyear Tax Meeting, where each team will defend its submission before a panel of judges representing the country’s top tax practitioners and government officials, including Tax Court judges.

The competition, sponsored by the Young Lawyers Forum, is a great way for law students to showcase their knowledge in a real-world setting and gain valuable exposure to the tax law community. On average, more than 60 teams compete in the J.D. Division and more than 40 teams compete in the LL.M. Division.

IMPORTANT DATES

Problem Release Date: September 8, 2020, released by 5pm ET

Submission Deadline: November 9, 2020, by or before 5pm ET

Semi-Finalists and Finalist Notifed: December 18, 2020

Oral Round Competition & Awards: January 29, 2021

A Note on This Year’s Competition:

The LSTC Administrators are carefully monitoring the ongoing COVID-19 situation. To protect the health and safety of the LSTC participants, the Oral Defense Part of the Competition may be held virtually, via Zoom or a similar virtual platform. Further information will be provided by the LSTC Administrators well in advance of the Midyear Tax Meeting, so that each semi-finalist team can make appropriate arrangements. The LSTC Administrators reserve the right to make any accommodations or adjustments to the Competition, in its sole discretion, that it deems necessary to protect the health and safety of Competition entrants. ■