Houston College of Law recently established a pro bono Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic to help local residents with tax issues.
The new clinic comes thanks to a $43,000 grant from the Internal Revenue Service.
The clinic will offer help to a wide variety of people, including those who have a tax question, those who have received a letter from the IRS and are not sure how to proceed, and those who owe back taxes but are unable to pay them.
Staff and students will serve taxpayers in the Greater Houston region, including those in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, and Montgomery Counties. This geographic area is home to approximately 5.7 million individuals, 2 million of whom live at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
The clinic will also target the large Spanish-speaking populations in the region, as well as other international communities. To reach these populations, the clinic will work closely with community agencies that currently partner with the law school’s 16 other clinics, including those that address immigration, civil practice issues, and domestic violence.
The clinic’s director is professor and associate dean Bruce McGovern, and staff attorney Jeff Gold will work closely with the clinic.
“There is a significant need in the Houston-metro area for pro bono tax assistance and the types of services Houston College of Law’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic will provide,” said McGovern. “This valuable IRS grant will enable our staff and students to extend essential, hands-on support for low-income Houston taxpayers, and – at the same time – equip law students with real-world lawyering skills and experience.”
