By Roberta Mann, Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Stewart Professor of Business Law 

Pandemics have silver linings. This particular silver lining came as a brainstorm after I attended a virtual conference. Some law schools have held tax policy colloquia for years, flying speakers to their campuses, putting them up in hotels, and taking them out to dinner. But now, speakers can “come” to Eugene for an hour and a half, without going to the airport, suffering jet lag, and having to reschedule their own classes.   

I found that terrific speakers are willing to do that and I am so grateful. Nine speakers have been scheduled to present their scholarship in various stages of completion to an audience consisting of UO Law students, other scholars, and practitioners. The speakers are a mix of senior scholars, mid-level scholars, and junior scholars. They come from all over the United States: Boston, Florida, Minnesota, Utah, New York, California, New Jersey, and Alabama. The topics range from tax fairness, low income taxpayer issues, judicial deference to tax regulations, using blockchain to enhance tax compliance, international tax, digital transactions tax, and critical tax issues from race to gender.  

The tax policy students, all of whom are writing their own papers, benefit from engagement with the scholars. I’m having a great time watching them interact.  

View the UO Law Tax Policy Colloquium Schedule

Comments from attendees and presenters:  

"The excellent paper presentations and thoughtful discussions in the Oregon School of Law’s 2020 Tax Policy Colloquium have become a must-attend Zoom event on my fall calendar. Thanks to Professor Mann and the Oregon students for sharing their learning community! "   

"I greatly enjoyed presenting at Oregon's Tax Policy Colloquium. I was very impressed with the high quality of all the students. Their comments and questions were great! "

"Professor Roberta Mann has designed an excellent learning experience for her students, and they are clearly thriving under her leadership. The presentations from outside scholars cover a wide range of issues, and Oregon's students have shown that they are up to the challenge of engaging with advanced topics." 

“The program is well worth my time.  Each speaker opens my eyes to a new area of tax.  I always leave with a greater understanding of the field.”