A tax lawyer is a lawyer who practices exclusively in tax laws. Tax law or simply tax law is a field of law where official or private government, including state, federal and municipal authorities employ a body of complex rules and procedures in order to calculate and collect taxes from an individual or organization. It is the responsibility of tax lawyers to explain to people about tax laws and their rights. They are responsible for defending their clients’ rights against wrongs done by other parties, including government tax departments and auditing authorities.
A tax lawyer might work for his own private practice or for an office of the IRS. It depends on his individual convenience and location. An IRS agent might be a tax lawyer as well who might need this kind of expert help with his job. In case of an audit by the Internal Revenue Service, these agents are closely acquainted with the IRS tax code and all the latest changes in it. So, if one is not aware of this code, he might find himself at a real disadvantage while trying to make things right after the audit has occurred.
Tax law lawyers also practice before the IRS itself. This gives them firsthand knowledge of what a tax lawyer can do in that specific situation. Many of them even start their career by working as an attorney in a law firm or in the IRS itself. They gain experience over time by taking on new clients in their new field of specialization. After getting enough experience in this practice areas, they might think about branching out into new areas or concentrating on one area only.
The top level tax lawyers, i.e., attorney, law professor and so on, usually attend law school just for the sake of this field of study. Attending law school may be compulsory in some states or countries, and some private firms may insist on having their employees go through law school. But it is not mandatory for a tax lawyer to go through law school. Many tax attorneys decide to major in accounting or a related field, and then they get a license after completing their undergraduate degree. They are then able to take further courses relevant to taxation and working in the IRS.
Tax law lawyers work with a number of other professionals, including accountants, H&R Block tax attorneys and CPAs, payroll officers and others. There are also some government agencies and smaller private firms that employ tax lawyers. These include Saks and Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Cieaura, Luxury Hotels and Others. It would certainly help for an individual’s career prospects if he had experience working in these kinds of firms or even in a similar practice areas.
Many tax lawyers work in different counties or states throughout the country. They receive tax attorney’s certification when they pass the bar exam. Tax attorneys can practice privately, but they are typically associated with a large firm or law office that employs dozens of other legal professionals. A good tax lawyer will have his own separate department where his own tax law cases are handled, and he will continue to work there even after he has passed his bar exam. Tax attorneys have a lot of work ahead of them because most tax laws change from time to time.