Past Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellows Omeed Firouzi, Anna Tavis, and Lany Villalobos speak on their experiences as fellows. Learn more about the Tax Assistance Public Service Endowment and donate today.
September 15, 2022
Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship
What is the Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship?
The Public Service Fellowship program was developed in 2008 to address the need for tax legal assistance, and to foster an interest in tax-related public service among those individuals who participate. In 2013, the Public Service Fellowship was re-named the Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship in honor of the late Christine A. Brunswick, the Section’s former Executive Director for over 20 years. Christine was a strong proponent of advancing public service efforts in tax law and fostering a fair and equitable tax system. Under her leadership, the Tax Section has devoted significant resources to further that goal. The PSF program is funded entirely by tax-deductible donations to the Tax Section’s Tax Assistance Public Service (TAPS) Endowment Fund.
Apply for the Fellowship
The Section of Taxation is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for its Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship program class of 2023-2025. Applications are due November 10, 2022.
Virtual Information Sessions
If you are considering hosting a fellow, applying for a fellowship or supporting an applicant, check out our virtual information sessions below.
Current Fellows
2022 - 2024 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellow
- Anna Gooch is a Research Fellow with the Center for Taxpayer Rights, and also assists low-income taxpayers through pro bono work with the Villanova Federal Tax Clinic and the Justice and Diversity Center of San Francisco. Prior to joining the Center for Taxpayer Rights, Anna worked as an International Tax Consultant at Deloitte in San Francisco. She received her JD, MBA, and LLM from Villanova University. Anna will work with the Center for Taxpayer Rights to develop an LITC Support Center which will match LITC with pro bono attorneys, create trainings and resources for LITC practitioners, and identify barriers to taxpayer’s rights and identify solutions.
"The Christine A. Brunswick Fellowship allows me to support all low-income taxpayer clinics and the invaluable work that they do in their communities and nationally by providing access to pro bono volunteers, training, and other resources. The Fellowship also gives me tools for growing personally and professionally. For both opportunities, I am forever grateful."
Anna Gooch
2021 - 2023 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellow
- Nirali Patel, a graduate of Roger Williams University School of Law in Rhode Island, will work with Greater Boston Legal Services. Her project will focus on misclassified employees and the treatment of employers who continuously misclassify their employees.
"The fellowship gives me the opportunity to help people that have been wrongfully misclassified as independent contractors. In such a short time at Greater Boston Legal Service, I have already connected with coalitions, community members, and colleagues that will support me on my project. Knowing that I will have a positive impact on the most vulnerable population is the best part of the fellowship. "
Nirali Patel
Nirali Patel will join the current 2020-2022 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellows.
2020-2022 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellows
- Shailana Dunn-Wall, a graduate of University of Nebraska College of Law, will work with Legal Aid of Nebraska to educate residents throughout Nebraska on the benefits of the Earned Income Tax Credit in an effort to increase the percentage of eligible taxpayers who claim the credit by filing a tax return.
"The Christine A. Brunswick Fellowship is an incredible opportunity and a program that I will forever be grateful to have been able to participate in. In just over one year as a Fellow I have managed cases, assisted pro se individuals during tax court calendar calls, written six articles explaining tax concepts to clients, and taught community members about tax through webinars, individual meetings are CLEs. Legal Aid of Nebraska houses the only Low Income Taxpayer Clinic in the state and when I was able to join the program as part of my Fellowship, the number of attorneys serving low income individuals with tax issues doubled- allowing us to assist significantly more clients than previous years. "
Shailana Dunn-Wall
- Terri Morris, a graduate of University of Richmond School of Law, will work with the Community Tax Law Project of Richmond, Virginia, on their Fight Against Financial Abuse project. Through this initiative, Terri will advocate, educate and engage local domestic violence survivors on tax issues surrounding financial abuse.
"The Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship has provided me with an amazing opportunity to do impactful work in my community and connect with wonderful tax professionals. This Fellowship has also given me a strong foundation for a career as a tax attorney."
Terri Morris
PSF Policy
The Section is dedicated to creating and maintaining an equitable tax system that can be fairly administered. The Section's work supports the integrity of the nation's voluntary system for tax reporting and payment. It evaluates the "simplicity, enforceability, fairness and probable effect of the tax system on economic, business and personal behavior...." However, the Section does not speak on political and economic aspects of tax policy, such as special tax treatment designed to stimulate the economy, or on shifts in the tax burden among income groups. The Section’s public policy submissions, including comments on legislative proposals, regulations and other published guidance, are available on our Government Submissions & Policy page.
Past Fellows
Evan Phoenix
Bet Tzedek Legal Services
Los Angeles, CA
Andre Robinson
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
New Orleans, LA
2018-20 Award Recipients
Omeed Firouzi
Philadelphia Legal Assistance
Philadelphia, PA
Anastassia Kolosova
Accounting Aid Society
Detroit, MI
2017-19 Award Recipient
Catherine Martin
Community Legal Services, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
2016-18 Award Recipients
Laura LaPrade
Community Tax Aid, Inc.
Washington, DC
Catherine Strouse
Legal Aid Society
San Diego, CA
Daniel Knudsen
Oklahoma Indian Legal Services
Oklahoma City, OK
Frank DiPietro
Ronald M. Mankof Tax Clinic and the Center for New Americans
Minneapolis, MN
2014-16 Award Recipients
Patrick Thomas
Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic
Indianapolis, IN
Lany Villalobos
Philadelphia Legal Assistance
Philadelphia, PA
Susanna Ratner
SeniorLAW Center
Philadelphia, PA
Susanna Birdsong
National Women’s Law Center
Washington, DC
Jane Zhao
Center for Economic Progress
Chicago, IL
Ana Cecilia Lopez
University of Washington School of Law
Federal Tax Clinic
Seattle, WA
Sean Norton
Pine Tree Legal Assistance of Maine
Portland, ME
Anna Tavis
South Brooklyn Legal Services/Immigrant Workers’ Tax Advocacy Project
New York, NY
Katie Tolliver
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands
Nashville, TN
Douglas Smith
Community Action Program of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Laura Newland
AARP’s Legal Counsel for the Elderly,
Washington, DC
Vijay Raghavan
Prairie State Legal Services
Rockford, IL