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.
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 2024-2026. Applications are due November 9, 2023.
If you have questions about the application, attend the virtual information sessions below or reach out to Meg Newman at [email protected].
Virtual Information Sessions
If you are considering hosting a fellow, applying for a fellowship or supporting an applicant, register for our virtual information sessions below.
- Information Session for Potential Host Organizations, Law School Career Centers, etc.
- Information Session for Potential Christine Brunswick Public Service Fellows and Law Professors, etc
Current Fellows
2023 - 2025 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellows
- Mohit Mookim, a graduate of Stanford Law School, works at the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC) in Oakland, California helping new socially minded organizations receiving assistance from SELC’s Resilient Communities Legal Cafe to address tax issues and establishing resources for established philanthropic organizations around the tax implications of funding nontraditional organizations.
"The Tax Section's support has made such an impact on my career—allowing me to begin my legal career using tax law to empower community organizations fighting for racial and economic justice. At the Sustainable Economies Law Center, I have collaborated with allied coalitions and trusted partners who need nonprofit, cooperative, or foundation tax law support."
Mohit Mookim
- Hannah Stephan, a graduate of University of Minnesota Law School, works at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid in Minneapolis, Minnesota expanding the services of the LITC throughout Minnesota to immigrants, rural residents, survivors of domestic violence and other populations that are difficult to reach, using strategic partnerships, “pop-up clinics”, and Justice Buses.
"The Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship allows me to work towards a goal of expanding Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid's existing Low Income Taxpayer Clinic services to a wider geographic area through community partnerships, pop-up clinics, educational events, and individual representation. I am very grateful for the opportunity to provide more Minnesota taxpayers with free legal services with the fellowship's support."
Hannah Stephan
2022 - 2024 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellow
- Anna Gooch, a graduate of Villanova University (JD, MBA, and LLM), works at the Center for Taxpayer Rights to launch a new app called “LITC Connect” which connects tax volunteers with Low-Income Tax Clinics to access pro bono cases and on a research and advocacy project to identify how taxpayer rights are affected at the state and local level.
"The Christine A. Brunswick Fellowship allows me to support the invaluable work of low-income taxpayer clinics across the nation by providing them access to representation and education. I also work to address systemic issues facing taxpayers via comment letters and amicus curiae briefs. The Fellowship also gives me tools for growing personally and professionally. For both opportunities, I am forever grateful."
Anna Gooch
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
2021-23 Award Recipients
Nirali Patel
Greater Boston Legal Services
Boston, MA
2020-22 Award Recipients
Shailana Dunn-Wall
Legal Aid of Nebraska
Omaha, NE
Terri Morris
Community Tax Law Project of Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, VA
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