The Best Schools And Programs for Tax Law

Georgetown Law Center
Georgetown Law also benefits from its location, which is within walking distance of the nation’s capital, the center of tax policy. While NYU attracts adjunct faculty from leading tax firms, Georgetown can also recruit legal and accounting experts who work for Congress, the Treasury, the IRS, the Department of Justice, and the Tax Court. These nearby institutions, along with many top tax law, accounting, and consulting firms, also serve as potential externships and employers for students. Overall, the school boats more than 75 courses and seminars covering topics ranging from European tax law to estate and gift taxes. Tax law is Georgetown Law’s largest program, with over 200 students enrolled.
Florida
The University of Florida’s tax program regained the #2 spot in 2015. Unlike most programs, the Levin College of Law offers a one-year LL.M. program designed for students who’ve already earned a law degree. These LL.M. courses are taught by full-time faculty, not adjuncts. The tax law program also prides itself on forging a close collaboration between faculty and students, historically fielding one of the largest full-time faculty teams in the field.
Northwestern
Northwestern is ranked as the best tax law program in the Midwest. It is renowned for its personal attention to students, with student-to-faculty ratios often as low as 7:1. The school also touts foundational courses taught by professors who’ve written case books on tax law. Overall, the tax law program encompasses six foundational courses and over 25 electives (along with required seminars on international taxation and tax research). Students can also take elective courses at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management to fulfill elective requirements.
Boston U
The hallmark of Boston University’s tax law program is flexibility. Consisting of five required courses and over 30 electives, students can complete their required 12 courses in a full-time, part-time, or online setting. Tax-related courses are also scheduled in late afternoons and evenings to accommodate busy professionals. The current LL.M. program includes students from over 43 American and 15 international law schools.
Columbia Law
Columbia’s tax law program includes a key advocate: Dean David M. Schizer was a tax law professor before his promotion. A leader in corporate law, Columbia offers a variety of taxation courses covering trusts, partnerships, estates, and bankruptcy. It also boasts a student-edited journal, the Columbia Journal of Tax Law.