IRVINE, Calif. (April 7, 2025) — The University of California, Irvine School of Law’s Graduate Tax Program has announced a new scholarship initiative for IRS and U.S. Department of Justice tax attorneys who were terminated or whose job offers were rescinded due to the recent federal hiring freeze. In response to this unprecedented situation, UC Irvine’s Graduate Tax Program is stepping up to support these affected legal professionals by offering $20,000 scholarships to its tax law program. This initiative aims to provide continued educational opportunities and career development for those impacted by the freeze.
This initiative follows efforts pioneered by Former Acting Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division, Caroline Ciraolo now at Kostelanetz LLP, among others, and joins other endeavors within the tax law community to support affected professionals, as highlighted by the Tax Bar’s recent actions.
“We recognize the challenges faced by these talented attorneys and want to offer our support during this difficult time,” said Natascha Fastabend, Executive Director of UC Irvine’s Graduate Tax Program. “We deeply respect the government attorneys who, through no fault of their own, were impacted by the hiring freeze and reduction in workforce. Their commitment to public service and specialized knowledge in tax law are invaluable. Our program is dedicated to nurturing future tax lawyers, and these professionals would enhance our academic community while advancing the Law School’s mission of public service.”
The scholarship initiative is a $20,000 scholarship that will be applied to tuition and fees for admitted candidates who enroll in UC Irvine’s Graduate Tax Program. Interested applicants are encouraged to complete a short questionnaire. For more details on eligibility and the application process, please contact the program’s Executive Director at nfastabend@law.uci.edu.
For more information about UCI’s Graduate Tax Program, please visit https://www.law.uci.edu/gradtax/.
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