Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship

Accepting Applications for the 2021-2023 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship

The American Bar Association Section of Taxation is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for its Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship program class of 2021-2023. Developed in 2008, the Fellowship program seeks to address the growing need for tax legal assistance and to foster a greater interest in tax-focused public service through funding and other support to young lawyers engaged in tax work for underserved communities.

The deadline for applications is November 2, 2020. The application form is now available.

2020 - 2022 Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellows

The Section of Taxation is pleased to announce the 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.
  
• 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.

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. 

Public Service Fellows in the News

• Restaurant Week Re-examined: A Month of Eating Within the IRS Collection Financial Standards by Jane Zhao
• Anna Tavis presented to the Council during the Midyear Meeting on January 24, 2013.

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

2019-21 Award Recipients

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

2015-17 Award Recipients

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

2013-15 Award Recipients

Susanna Ratner
SeniorLAW Center
Philadelphia, PA

Susanna Birdsong
National Women’s Law Center
Washington, DC

2012-2014 Award Recipients

Jane Zhao
Center for Economic Progress
Chicago, IL

Ana Cecilia Lopez
University of Washington School of Law
Federal Tax Clinic
Seattle, WA

2011-2013 Award Recipients

Sean Norton
Pine Tree Legal Assistance of Maine
Portland, ME

Anna Tavis
South Brooklyn Legal Services/Immigrant Workers’ Tax Advocacy Project
New York, NY

2010-2012 Award Recipients

Katie Tolliver
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands
Nashville, TN

Douglas Smith
Community Action Program of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

2009-2011 Award Recipients

Laura Newland
AARP’s Legal Counsel for the Elderly,
Washington, DC

Vijay Raghavan
Prairie State Legal Services
Rockford, IL