Structuring a Tax Policy Workshop Series -- Toronto

Ben Alarie and David Duff, co-hosts of the James Hausman Tax Law and Policy Workshop Series at the University of Toronto, continue our series on how to best structure a tax policy workshop series:

The James Hausman Tax Law and Policy Workshop began at the Faculty of Law of the University of Toronto in the fall of 2004. The primary motivation behind the workshop is to increase the profile and circulation of innovative and emerging tax research at the law school and, to the extent possible through this type of forum, the broader tax community. A number of secondary motivations surrounding the workshop include: (a) promoting the pedagogical value of exposing all interested students to the latest tax research; (b) generating useful feedback for our invited guests in the form of written student comments; and (c) solidifying the desirability of the law school for JD and graduate students who are interested in studying tax law and policy. The primary motivation of the workshop — to increase and profile and circulation of innovative and emerging tax research at the law school — in my view has been and remains dominant as we approach its fifth year.

While the workshop is open to all members of the law school community (and beyond), it is offered for credit to a limited number of upper year JD and graduate students (maximum enrollment is 10), all of whom must have taken at least the introductory income tax course, and are encouraged to take additional tax courses as well. The workshops are usually held every two to three weeks throughout the year. Students enrolled in the workshop for credit prepare short written responses to the papers that are presented, and produce a longer tax policy paper at the end of the course on a topic of their own choosing. In keeping with the primary motivation of the workshop, there has not been a preoccupation with an overall theme or with establishing a logical course of development from one workshop to the next; instead, the workshop strives simply to attract those who are doing important and influential work in tax law and policy to Toronto. We are extraordinarily grateful to the friends and family of James Hausman who continue to honour his life and work by providing financial support to the workshop. Without them, the workshop would not be possible.