561 Tax Policy

This two-credit seminar will feature presentations (eight in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. Although this is a two-credit seminar, it is scheduled for three hours per week on the weeks in which it meets. The first meeting will be February 6. Students will write reaction papers (of approximately three double-spaced pages) for seven of the eight works-in-progress. (Each student can choose which week not to write a reaction paper.) Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Enrollment Pre-/Co- Requisite Information

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite (waivable at the discretion of the instructor for a student with a comparable tax background acquired in some other way).

Course Areas of Practice
Evaluation Methods
  • Reaction Papers
  • Class participation
Degree Requirements
Course Type
  • Seminar
Learning Outcomes
  • Knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law

Sample Syllabi

Spring 2024

2024
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 2
  • Reaction Papers
  • Class participation
Lawrence A. Zelenak

This two-credit seminar will feature presentations (eight in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. Although this is a two-credit seminar, it is scheduled for three hours per week on the weeks in which it meets. The first meeting will be February 6. Students will write reaction papers (of approximately three double-spaced pages) for seven of the eight works-in-progress. (Each student can choose which week not to write a reaction paper.) Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite (waivable at the discretion of the instructor for a student with a comparable tax background acquired in some other way).

Spring 2023

2023
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 2
  • Reaction Papers
  • Class participation
Lawrence A. Zelenak

This two-credit seminar will feature presentations (eight in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. Although this is a two-credit seminar, it is scheduled for three hours per week on the weeks in which it meets. The seminar will meet during only two-thirds (approximately) of the weeks of the semester. More precisely, the first meeting will be on Thursday, February 3, after which the seminar will meet regularly for the remainder of the semester. On the weeks during which we consider the works-in-progress, the seminar will meet twice: first (on Tuesday) to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time (on Thursday) to discuss the paper with the author. In addition, there will be an initial meeting (February 3) not in connection with a particular paper, and a final meeting (on Tuesday, April 12) also not in connection with a particular paper. Students will write reaction papers (of approximately three double-spaced pages) for seven of the eight works-in-progress. (Each student can choose which week not to write a reaction paper.) Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite (waivable at the discretion of the instructor for a student with a comparable tax background acquired in some other way).

Spring 2022

2022
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 2
  • Reaction Papers
  • Class participation
Lawrence A. Zelenak

This two-credit seminar will feature presentations (eight in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. Although this is a two-credit seminar, it is scheduled for three hours per week on the weeks in which it meets. The seminar will meet during only two-thirds (approximately) of the weeks of the semester. More precisely, the first meeting will be on Thursday, February 3, after which the seminar will meet regularly for the remainder of the semester. On the weeks during which we consider the works-in-progress, the seminar will meet twice: first (on Tuesday) to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time (on Thursday) to discuss the paper with the author. In addition, there will be an initial meeting (February 3) not in connection with a particular paper, and a final meeting (on Tuesday, April 12) also not in connection with a particular paper. Students will write reaction papers (of approximately three double-spaced pages) for seven of the eight works-in-progress. (Each student can choose which week not to write a reaction paper.) Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Syllabus: 561.01.Spring2022-syllabus.pdf31.97 KB

Pre/Co-requisites

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite (waivable at the discretion of the instructor for a student with a comparable tax background acquired in some other way).

Spring 2021

2021
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 3 Lawrence A. Zelenak

This three-credit seminar will feature weekly presentations (eleven in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. The seminar will meet twice each week--first to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time to discuss the paper with the author. Students will write a reaction paper (of approximately three pages) for each work-in-progress. Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite

Spring 2020

2020
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 3 Lawrence A. Zelenak, Richard L. Schmalbeck

This three-credit seminar will feature weekly presentations (eleven in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. The seminar will meet twice each week--first to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time to discuss the paper with the author. Students will write a reaction paper (of approximately three pages) for each work-in-progress. Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite

Spring 2019

2019
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 3 Lawrence A. Zelenak

This three-credit seminar will feature weekly presentations (eleven in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. The seminar will meet twice each week--first to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time to discuss the paper with the author. Students will write a reaction paper (of approximately three pages) for each work-in-progress. Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite

Spring 2018

2018
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 3 Lawrence A. Zelenak

This three-credit seminar will feature weekly presentations (eleven in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. The seminar will meet twice each week--first to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time to discuss the paper with the author. Students will write a reaction paper (of approximately three pages) for each work-in-progress. Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites

Federal Income Taxation is a prerequisite

Spring 2017

2017
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 3 Lawrence A. Zelenak

This three-credit seminar will feature weekly presentations (eleven in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. The seminar will meet twice each week--first to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time to discuss the paper with the author. Students will write a reaction paper (of approximately three pages) for each work-in-progress. Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites
None

Spring 2016

2016
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor

561.01 3 Lawrence A. Zelenak

This three-credit seminar will feature weekly presentations (eleven in total) of works-in-progress on a wide range of tax policy topics, by leading tax academics from law schools around the country. The seminar will meet twice each week--first to discuss the paper prior to the arrival of its author, and a second time to discuss the paper with the author. Students will write a reaction paper (of approximately three pages) for each work-in-progress. Grades will be based on the reaction papers and on contributions to the seminar discussions.

Pre/Co-requisites
None

*Please note that this information is for planning purposes only, and should not be relied upon for the schedule for a given semester. Faculty leaves and sabbaticals, as well as other curriculum considerations, will sometimes affect when a course may be offered.