MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University College of Law recently named attorney Stephanie M. Coleman program director of its Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.
As program director, Coleman will make free legal representation available to low-income West Virginians dealing with tax controversy matters. She will supervise law students working with clients to receive unclaimed refunds, to resolve tax amount disputes, or to assign tax debt responsibility.
The LITC is funded by a grant from the Internal Revenue Service, which recognizes West Virginia as being underrepresented in tax-related legal services.
Coleman is a career veteran of the LITC program, having managed clinics for Legal Aid of West Virginia and Rhode Island Legal Services. She has also been a team leader for the tax representation firm JK Harris & Company.
Coleman is licensed to practice in the U.S. Tax Court, and she is a member of the West Virginia State Bar, where she serves on its Government Lawyers and Tax Committees.
“Stephanie’s expertise and extensive experience with low income tax clients will benefit West Virginia’s taxpayers as well as our own law students who get the opportunity to work with her in this program,” said Amelia Smith Rinehart, dean of the College of Law. “Her leadership in this area enables us to offer high-quality legal services while educating the next generation of tax lawyers, which supports the College of Law’s commitment to our land-grant mission and dedication to public service.”
The LITC is primarily located in Charleston, West Virginia, at WVU’s Equities House offices, which strengthens the College of Law’s ties to the state capital. Coleman will engage in student instruction and supervision in both Charleston and Morgantown and will conduct outreach throughout the state to raise awareness about the LITC and WVU Law’s Clinical Law Program and to foster closer relationships between the College of Law, its students and the West Virginia legal community.
“With Stephanie at the helm, the clinic will be able to broaden its legal services throughout the state while offering students increased experiences in tax law and representation,” said Nicole McConlogue, director of the Clinical Law Program.
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