Amy Lawton

Fulbright All Disciplines Scholar Award - Villanova University

Amy is a Senior Lecturer in Tax Law at the University of Edinburgh and is passionate about community engagement and pro bono in tax. Her clinic, the Scottish Tax Clinic, has saved over a hundred thousand pounds for people in Scotland. As a Fulbright Scholar, Amy is keen to learn how her clinic can grow from one of the most experienced tax clinic countries in the world: the United States. 

While at Villanova University, Amy will be immersing herself in one of the oldest tax clinics in the United States. The Villanova Federal Tax Clinic represents, litigates for and provides a voice for low-income taxpayers. It plays a crucial role in making sure the US tax system is fair for individuals who may otherwise not have a voice. 

Beyond learning from this clinic, Amy’s Fulbright project seeks to explore the impact of legal representation in the tax court in both the US and the UK. Are taxpayers more likely to succeed if they can afford to pay for this representation? It is important to identify the voices that are being heard in the shaping of our tax law.