North Carolina Central University School of Law has a new addition to its complement of nationally ranked clinical programs, this one aimed at helping low-income residents with their tax troubles.
The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), which began last month, provides assistance for individuals and families experiencing problems with the Internal Revenue Service. The clinic does not provide tax preparation, but offers help in resolving a myriad of tax-related legal issues. The clinic is staffed by students and faculty who have an interest in tax law, and practicing attorneys who offer their services pro bono to the community. The students and practitioners represent low-income taxpayers and negotiate terms with the IRS at little or no cost to the client.
“We typically pick up the problems that happen after people have filed, or not filed, their taxes,” clinic director Tameka Lester said. “This clinic is an opportunity to help some really good people out there who have gotten into bad situations. It’s an opportunity to serve the public.”
Lester holds a bachelor’s degree in integrated marketing communications from Winthrop University, a master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix, and is a 2011 graduate of the NCCU School of Law. She is a member of the North Carolina State Bar.
Lester was hired in August to lead the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, which is partially funded through a three-year grant from the IRS. The school received $60,000 for the first year. The clinic helps those who earn less than 250 percent of federal poverty level, which translates to an annual income of no more than $27,225 for a single person.
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