Thanks in part to a grant from the Internal Revenue Service, Texas A&M University School of Law will soon open the doors of its newest clinic, focused on serving low income taxpayers.

The grant is part of the Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) program, administered by the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate at the IRS to make the services of these clinics more widely available, particularly in underserved areas.

Under the interim direction of Jack Manhire, Director of Program Development and Senior Lecturer at Aggie Law, the Tax Clinic will provide legal counsel as defined by the LITC program criteria. Services will focus primarily on tax disputes and are available to those who qualify as low income taxpayers. The clinic also gives Texas A&M law students an opportunity to work directly on federal tax controversy cases by receiving provisional admission to represent taxpayers before the IRS.

The law school is currently seeking qualified professionals to permanently fill the leadership positions at the clinic, which will be one of nine clinics offered through the law school.

“We are very excited to be a part of the LITC community,” Manhire said. “We are fully dedicated to serving the needs of the Fort Worth area and the educational enrichment of our students. We also plan to leverage cutting-edge technology and our Aggie network to represent taxpayers in some of the most underserved communities in Texas.”

According to the Taxpayer Advocate Service, “Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) assist low income individuals who have a tax dispute with the IRS, and provide education and outreach to individuals who speak English as a second language (ESL). LITCs can represent you before the IRS or in court on audits, appeals, tax collection matters, and other tax disputes. Services are provided for free or for a small fee. Although LITCs receive partial funding from the IRS, LITCs, their employees, and their volunteers are completely independent of the IRS. In order to qualify for assistance from an LITC, generally a taxpayer’s income must be below a certain threshold, and the amount in dispute with the IRS is usually less than $50,000.”

The clinic, Aggie Law’s ninth, will be located in the Star-Telegram building in Downtown Fort Worth.

Texas A&M University School of Law announces the launch of its revolutionary online graduate curricula in Wealth Management  — developed as an important part of the public university’s mission.  Delivered completely online, the Wealth Management curricula is built around the needs of wealth advisory professionals to become versed in the legal and planning aspects of financial analysis, high net wealth taxation, portfolio management, family office, charitable planning, retirement and executive compensation, securities and market regulation, and insurance/annuities. Lawyers and non-lawyers alike will take a deep dive into the intricacies of managing wealth and its associated risks, critical in a rapidly evolving workplace climate.

Texas A&M law professor William Byrnes, who conceptualized both curricula and pioneered online legal education 20 years ago, quoted an industry research report, “industry research from analytics firm Cerulli Associates uncovered that 43% of all financial advisors are either at or are approaching retirement with one-third of advisors between 55 to 64.  Advisory firm Edwardes Jones, with 12,000 locations and more than $900 billion assets under management agreed with the Cerruli report that 237,000 new financial professionals are needed to keep up with the demand of retiring baby boomers.” Says William Byrnes, “Yet universities remain stuck in a silo approach to education, with graduates unprepared for the financial advisor requirements of these firms and their clients.  Firms must be fearless pushing universities to fulfil their role for educating and training graduates for employment outcomes.”

Ernst & Young’s Tax Insights magazine, distributed to its clients and through the Financial Times,  stated “Texas A&M University is among the pioneers of change in tax education. In 2013, the State of Texas not only established a new law school at the university but also gave it carte blanche to create a new education model.”

“Very few law graduates that my company interviews studied advanced planning and thus can’t sit down with clients to address these tax and financial advisory questions,” added Robert Bloink, an attorney who has advised on over two billion dollars of insurance premium.

“For complex modern families with multiple marriages and various children, a properly educated wealth manager knows the questions to ask, then how to research and analyze the legal and financial issues associated with non-probate assets”, interjected Dr. George Mentz of the American Academy of Financial Management which is mentioned as an industry professional association for financial analysts on the Department of Labor website.

“A client-centric wealth management approach  requires that the education model be developed and taught by multi-disciplinary academics and professionals.” explains William Byrnes. “A Texas A&M graduate will be able to evidence career preparation as a financial advisor or financial analyst wealth manager with an industry tailored wealth manager curriculum that includes aspects of the Series 7, wealth, and legal planning.”   According to National Law Journal (May 20, 2013), “No one in legal academia has more experience with online master’s degrees than William Byrnes.”

These are exciting times at Texas A&M University School of Law, which is leading Fearlessly on every Front! Since the university acquired a law school in August of 2013, the law school has embarked on a program of investment that increased its entering class credentials and financial aid budgets, while shrinking the class size; hired twenty new faculty members, including thirteen prominent lateral hires; improved its physical facility; and substantially increased its career services, admissions, and student services staff.  And now, we are again hiring additional faculty.

Texas A&M University School of Law now seeks to expand its academic program and its strong commitment to scholarship by hiring multiple exceptional faculty candidates for contract, tenure-track, or tenured positions, with rank dependent on qualifications and experience.  Candidates must have a J.D. degree or its equivalent.  Preference will be given to those with demonstrated outstanding scholarly achievement and strong classroom teaching skills.  Successful candidates will be expected to teach and engage in research and service.  While the law school welcomes applications in all subject areas, it particularly invites applications from:

1)      Candidates who are interested in expanding and building on our innovative Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic (with concentrations in both trademarks and patents), or in one of our other acclaimed clinical areas, including Family Law and Benefits Clinic, Employment Mediation Clinic, Wills & Estates Clinic, Innocence Clinic, and Immigration Law Clinic; and

2)      Candidates with an oil and gas law and/or energy law background, either domestic U.S. or international, who are interested in interdisciplinary research, teaching, and programmatic activities.

3)      Candidates with strong classroom skills and scholarly achievement interested in teaching in our exceptional Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing Program.

While the law school is primarily interested in entry-level candidates for the above positions, more experienced candidates may be considered to the extent that their qualifications respond to the law school’s needs and interests.

In addition, the law school welcomes lateral and highly experienced professionals for the following positions:

1)      Candidates with experience in IP licensing and technology transfers, with relevant academic and/or professional science background, and who are interested in working and building synergies with the Texas A&M University’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

2)      Candidates in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution with a national or international reputation and stellar credentials in scholarship, teaching, and service, and with an interest in building our nationally ranked dispute resolution program;

3)      Candidates in any field with a national or international reputation and stellar credentials in scholarship, teaching, and service;

Texas A&M University is a tier one research institution and American Association of Universities member.  The university consists of 16 colleges and schools that collectively rank among the top 20 higher education institutions nationwide in terms of research and development expenditures.

Texas A&M School of Law is located in the heart of downtown Fort Worth, one of the largest and fastest growing cities in the country.  The Fort Worth/Dallas area, with a total population in excess of six million people, offers a low cost of living, a strong economy, and access to world-class museums, restaurants, entertainment, and outdoor activities.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Texas A&M welcomes applications from a broad spectrum of qualified individuals who will enhance the rich diversity of the university’s academic community. Applicants should email a résumé and cover letter indicating research and teaching interests to Professor Gabriel Eckstein, Chair of the Faculty Appointments Committee, at appointments@law.tamu.edu.  Alternatively, résumés can be mailed to Professor Eckstein at Texas A&M University School of Law, 1515 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-6509.

Texas A&M University School of Law announces the launch of its revolutionary online graduate curricula in Risk Management — both developed as an important part of the public university’s mission.  Delivered completely online, the Risk Management curricula meets the increasing need of professionals to be versed in the legal aspects of financial transactions, risk, anti money laundering, FCPA, terrorist financing prevention, OFAC, and compliance management. Lawyers and non-lawyers alike will take a deep dive into the intricacies of managing risk, critical in the rapidly evolving global financial climate.

Texas A&M law professor William Byrnes, who conceptualized both curricula and pioneered online legal education 20 years ago, quoted a New York post article, “In a field paying anywhere from $75,000 to $250,000 in annual salary for qualified compliance pros, staffing is one of the biggest challenges for firms today.”  New York Post (Aug. 13, 2016)

“The demand of universities from firms”, says William Byrnes, is, “How are you going to give us that staff member of the future?  Although several universities are considering how to adapt their programs to the future needs of students and employers, it is easier to talk about change than actually bring it about.”

Ernst & Young’s Tax Insights magazine, distributed to its clients and through the Financial Times,  stated “Texas A&M University is among the pioneers of change in tax education. In 2013, the State of Texas not only established a new law school at the university but also gave it carte blanche to create a new education model.”

“A risk management approach means that the new model will by definition be multidisciplinary.” explains William Byrnes.   According to National Law Journal (May 20, 2013), “No one in legal academia has more experience with online master’s degrees than William Byrnes.”

Discover what the next generation of risk management thought leaders who are Fearless on Every Front: http://www.law.tamu.edu/distance-education/risk-management

Texas A&M University School of Law announces the launch of its revolutionary online graduate curricula in Wealth Management and Risk Management — both developed as an important part of the public university’s mission of training practice – readying professionals and preparing them for career success.

Delivered completely online, these curricula meet the increasing need of professionals to be versed in the legal aspects of financial transactions, financial literacy, risk, and compliance management. Lawyers and non-lawyers alike will take a deep dive into the intricacies of managing wealth or risk, critical in a rapidly evolving workplace climate.

“Our ultimate goal is to enable professional and graduate students to completely confront the complexities of modern wealth management and risk management, and to propel them for successful careers as well as for independent, lifelong learning,” explains Executive Professor and Associate Dean William Byrnes, who helped conceptualize both curricula and will teach several courses.

Byrnes pioneered online legal education 20 years ago, and is credited with creating the
first online LL.M. offered by an ABA accredited law school. According to National Law Journal (May 20, 2013), “No one in legal academia has more experience with online master’s degrees than William Byrnes.”

Courses are taught asynchronously online. Enrolled students log in and participate in course lectures and assignments on their own schedule, which provides flexibility for those with competing professional and personal obligations.

Byrnes emphasizes that the asynchronous format is “Not like binge-watching TV.” Instead, assignments are conducted on a weekly basis, and students participate via discussion questions, online assessments, group project work, and interactions with professors during virtual office hours.

WebX recording about Risk Management: http://ccst.io/e/un64j9k9
WebX recording about Wealth Management: http://ccst.io/e/u27hw7b9

At the conclusion of the curricula, students will receive either an LL.M. or M. Jur. degree. Each takes approximately six semesters to complete; students also have the option of visiting the law school campus to accept their diploma as well as the coveted “Aggie Ring.”

The caliber and quality of the instructors is another differentiator. Some of the most well-known experts in the field, such asBruce Zagaris, George Mentz, and Robert Bloink, join with law professors, business leaders, and leading practitioners to deliver the content.

“Our goal is to provide an outstanding legal education for a nationally-based, diverse student body in a collegial and supportive environment,” says Bloink. “Our attention is focused on newly emerging areas of law, particularly those related to technological development and globalization.”

“We are excited by the opportunity to provide 21^st century practical training to those who otherwise may not attend a top-tiered law school,” explains Dr. Chris Odionu, Program Director, Office of Distance Education Programs.

Both Wealth and Risk curricula are recruiting and accepting applications for its first cohort of students for the Spring 2017 semester.

To learn more about wealth management, visit www.law.tamu.edu/wealth.
To learn more about risk management, visit www.law.tamu.edu/risk.

This program is pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.