Temple University Beasley School of Law has received a $50,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue to enable students to provide expanded pro bono legal services at its low-income clinic.
The clinic’s students aim to help clients address state income tax liabilities, navigate collection alternatives and advocate for those impacted by worker misclassification on matters such as audits, appeals and tax collection issues.
Temple Law professor Omeed Firouzi said the clinic will explore relief options like installment plans and offers in compromise for clients facing collection challenges, such as levies or garnishments.
“The clinic will give students the opportunity to learn more about state tax controversies, see how tax debt can affect individuals in a range of ways and also help clients even more to reduce their financial burdens,” Firouzi said.
Abena Ampofo, a 2025 J.D. candidate, shared her perspective as a student advocate in the clinic during the Spring 2024 semester.
“While an advocate, I was assigned a client who, at first glance, only had federal tax issues; however, during our representation, we learned that he had recently become unemployed and had not paid any taxes to Pennsylvania the year before,” she said. “Knowing the tax deadline was approaching, we worked to replicate the federal process on the state side to give him some reprieve from instantly paying his taxes while he got back on his feet.”
Now in her final year of law school, Ampofo credits her clinic experience for solidifying her commitment to tax law and developing key skills in negotiation, counseling and advocacy.
“As a state with a tax system and many processes that require support from knowledgeable personnel, the funding will help taxpayers significantly,” Ampofo said. “And law students will also improve their knowledge of Pennsylvania income tax law.”
