1) Why do students typically pursue an LL.M. in Tax Law? In other words, what career doors can it open for someone who already has a J.D./LL.B.?

Students who already hold a law degree pursue an LL.M. in tax for three main reasons. First, many employers need to hire tax lawyers but few know how to train tax lawyers. A tax LL.M. is very helpful for a young lawyer to be able to be productive as a tax lawyer. Second, lawyers at various stages of their careers may wish to become tax lawyers but do not have the educational or professional background necessary to be able to secure a job as a new tax lawyer. An LL.M. in tax will equip such lawyers to enter the field of tax law. Third, many foreign lawyers, some of whom desire to practice law in the United States and some of whom do not, pursue a U.S. tax LL.M. in order to gain the experience and the credential to advise on the tax aspects of investments and transactions that involve the United States.

2) Broadly speaking, who are your students? Do they mostly come from inside the U.S. or from Europe?

Most of our students have U.S. law degrees. We have increasing numbers of foreign-trained students, mostly from countries in East Asia and Latin America rather than Europe. More of our enrolled students study with us part time, on top of full-time jobs as tax lawyers, rather than devoting full-time attention to their LL.M. studies. Inasmuch as part-time students study in our program for two to four years, however, more of the students in any particular class are full-time students.

3) Where do some of your students find jobs once they finish? Do most stay in Boston, or do they go back to their home countries?

Our graduates find jobs in all aspects of the tax world, including law firms, major accounting and consulting firms, federal and state governments and business corporations. Many of our graduates appreciate the Boston area and choose to remain here. Others go to Washington or New York to work, or to other U.S. or foreign cities from which they may have come. We attract students from all over the country and around the world, and our graduates are valued by employers all over.

4) How is the job market for tax law specialists looking in the United States generally? Is this a growing field? What do you anticipate in the future?

The economy is not very dynamic at this moment, and that does affect the demand for tax lawyers, especially in transactional fields of practice. But tax issues arise equally in contracting companies as in growing companies, and equally in dispositions as in acquisitions. So I believe that the demand for legal services in the tax field may be more stable than in other fields of law.

5) Is tax law similar to other kinds of law, where there is growing demand for people who understand Asian legal systems? If so, where can students go to develop that understanding?

Tax law reflects the modern business world, which is increasingly global. Tax lawyers do need to have some familiarity with international issues and international transactions, though most tax lawyers do not need to practice international tax law themselves. Asian legal systems are important – China, India and some other Asian countries offer economic growth and investment opportunities that currently cannot be found at the same levels in the United States. But nobody should dismiss the importance of Latin America, Central Europe or the traditional trading partners of the United States. We do offer some exposure to foreign cultures and legal systems, both in and out of the classroom. But U.S. tax lawyers, even those who practice primarily in the international area, must rely on local counsel for expert tax advice under foreign law.

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