With a low faculty to student ratio and expert professors, the L.L.M. in Taxation is a popular program

Graduate programs

LL.M. taxation

Specialize in tax law from one of the most influential programs in the country

Program format

In person

Commitment

Full time or part time

Duration

One year (full time)

Overview

Dedman School of Law has a storied history in the area of federal taxation. Ò»Æð²Ý’s is a comprehensive, advanced degree program for attorneys wanting to specialize in tax practice, specifically. It focuses not only on the technical mastery of tax laws but also on wider issues of tax and fiscal policy. Most of the courses in the curriculum provide survey-level instruction typically not found in J.D.-level tax courses.

Courses are taught by a combination of Dedman School of Law faculty and adjunct professors and lecturers who are experienced, practicing tax specialists in Dallas-area law firms and corporate law departments.

Students in this program develop the skills and expertise to become accomplished attorneys, going on to join prestigious firms or serve the public on behalf of taxpayers. 

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Envisioning a brighter future? Think grad school at Ò»Æð²Ý, where you join a lifelong family network and see immediate returns on your educational investment. Take your new big step at Ò»Æð²Ý.

Student success

Ò»Æð²Ý boasts a national and international reputation for training prominent lawyers.

We provide our students with a world-class education through practical legal experience, the support of an esteemed faculty, and programmatic strengths in business and corporate law, international law, intellectual property, energy law, and family law and advocacy, among others.

Prominent alumni include Texas Supreme Court justices, members of the U.S. Congress, an ambassador, a governor, foreign ministers and members of the highest courts worldwide, as well as partners at leading law firms and general counsels at major corporations.

This program prepares you to excel in the following areas and professions:

  • Tax law practice
  • Corporate counsel
  • Estate planning and wealth management
  • Tax compliance and advisory services
  • Accounting and CPA firms
  • Financial services and banking
  • Energy and real estate law
  • Tax litigation

Top 20%

Best National Universities

U.S. News & World Report (2026)

Top 25%

42nd out of 196 Best Law Schools

U.S. News & World Report (2026)

No. 32

Top 50 Law Schools

Above the Law (2025)

Admissions

Key dates and admissions information to help plan your application with confidence.

International students

All the essential admission requirements international students need to know.

Additional links

Requirements

  1. Application
  2. Application fee
  3. Official transcripts
  4. English language proficiency documentation (if applicable)
  5. A J.D. or an equivalent international law degree from an accredited institution

Ready to apply?

Get started here.

Tuition and financial aid

Tuition and costs

Explore the cost breakdown of tuition for graduate programs.

Financial aid

Find information on scholarships and financial support available at Ò»Æð²Ý.

Curriculum and learning

Featured courses

LAW 7392

Partnership Tax

Covers the formation of partnerships, taxation of partnership income, special allocations, elective basis adjustments, distributions, liquidations, retirements, transfers of partnership interests and family partnerships.

LAW 7216

International Tax

A basic course for U.S. and international students focusing on foreign citizens, residents and business entities conducting business or investment in the United States – so-called inbound transactions.

LAW 7290

Real Estate Taxation

A survey class that covers several fundamental areas relating to the income taxation of property transactions, with a specific focus on real estate investments and structures.

Outside the classroom

  • Centers and initiatives

    Find student and faculty resources that include educational programming, facilitation of academic research and opportunities to engage with the business/legal communities.

Research

Ò»Æð²Ý’s Dedman School of Law has a long-standing commitment to research and innovation. Students hone these skills through numerous advanced courses in legal research and instructor-directed research. Our faculty features numerous recipients of University-wide teaching and research awards. And exceptional facilities like the Underwood Law Library provide the resources and spaces needed for advanced scholarship.

Faculty

The faculty at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law is made up of internationally recognized experts, each of them accomplished legal academics and dedicated teachers engaged in prominent national and international scholarship.

In addition to their outstanding academic credentials, virtually all of the faculty brings practical experience from outside the classroom – particularly in the areas of corporate law, constitutional law, tax law, and legal technology. Our faculty provides the invaluable link between the theory of classroom instruction and the reality of legal practice. Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman Law professors include leading figures in many fields, representing many areas of expertise.

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Laura Ginsberg Abelson

Assistant Professor of Law

Shelbi Barnhouse

Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research
Headshot of Hillel J. Bavli, associate professor of law at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Hillel J. Bavli

Professor of Law

Thomas B. Bennett

Associate Professor of Law

Misty Birdsong '02

Co-Director of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research, and Clinical Professor of Law
Headshot of Chante Brantley, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Chante Brantley

Director of the VanSickle Family Law Clinic and Clinical Professor of Law

Martin L. Camp

Professor of Practice and Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Programs

Dale Carpenter

Judge William Hawley Atwell Chair of Constitutional Law, Altshuler Distinguished Teaching …

Lance E. Caughfield

Director of Advocacy Programs and Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Advocacy
Headshot of Carliss Chatman, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Carliss Chatman

Professor of Law

Anthony J. Colangelo

Professor of Law

Nathan Cortez

Co-Director of the Tsai Center for Law, Science and Innovation, and Adelfa Botello…
Headshot of Gregory S. Crespi, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Gregory S. Crespi

Homer R. Mitchell Endowed Professor in Commercial and Insurance Law, and Professor of Law

Beverly C. Dureus

Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research

Monika U. Ehrman

Professor of Law

Catherine Gaither

Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research

Timothy Gallina

Director of Legal Technology Instruction and Clinical Professor of Legal Research

Joanna L. Grossman

Ellen K. Solender Endowed Chair in Women and the Law, Altshuler Distinguished Teaching…

Christopher H. Hanna

Alan D. Feld Endowed Professor of Law and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor

Grant M. Hayden

Richard R. Lee Jr. Endowed Professor of Law

Patricia S. Heard

Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research
Headshot of Christine Hurt, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Christine Hurt

Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Alan R. Bromberg Centennial Chair in…

Thomas Kimbrough

Associate Director for Collection Development and Clinical Professor of Legal Research

Thomas S. Leatherbury

Director of the First Amendment Clinic and Clinical Professor of Law
Headshot of Anna A. Mance, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Anna A. Mance

Assistant Professor of Law
Headshot of George A. Martinez, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

George A. Martinez

Professor of Law

Thomas Wm. Mayo

Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor and Professor of Law

Orly Mazur

Professor of Law

Sari Mazzurco

Assistant Professor of Law
Headshot of Pamela R. Metzger, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Pamela R. Metzger

Executive Director of the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center and Professor of Law

Seema Mohapatra

MD Anderson Foundation Endowed Professor in Health Law and Professor of Law

Natalie Nanasi

Director of the Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women and …
Headshot of Jason P. Nance, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Jason P. Nance

Judge James Noel Dean and Professor of Law

Anna Offit

Professor of Law

Cara Foos Pierce

Director of the Master of Legal Studies Program and Assistant Professor of Practice

Carla L. Reyes

Professor of Law

C. Paul Rogers III

Marilyn Jeanne Johnson Distinguished Faculty Fellow, Former Dean, and Professor of Law

Julia (Julie) Patterson Forrester Rogers

Provost Faculty Research Fellow and Professor of Law

Eric Ruben

Professor of Law

Meghan J. Ryan

Co-Director of the Tsai Center for Law, Science and Innovation, James Cleo Thompson, Sr.…
Headshot of Christina Sautter, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Christina Sautter

Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Law

Shani Shisha

Assistant Professor of Law

Mike Sims

Director of Academic Success and Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing, …

Mary Spector

Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, Director of the Civil/Consumer Clinic, and…

Jennifer Rangel Stagen

Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research
Headshot of Marc I. Steinberg, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Marc I. Steinberg

Rupert and Lillian Radford Chair in Law and Professor of Law

Heather L. Stobaugh

Co-Director of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research, and Clinical Professor of Law
Headshot of Diane M. Sumoski, faculty member at Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law.

Diane M. Sumoski

Director of the Child Advocacy Clinic, Director of the Institute for Children's Rights,…

Joshua C. Tate

Professor of Law

David O. Taylor

Co-Director of the Tsai Center for Law, Science and Innovation, and Professor of Law

Andrea Tosato

Professor of Law

Jenia Iontcheva Turner

Amy Abboud Ware Centennial Professor in Criminal Law
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Kandace D. Walter

Director of the Small Business and Trademark Clinic, and Associate Clinical Professor of…

Jessica Dixon Weaver

Vinson & Elkins Faculty Fellow and Professor of Law

Donna Wolff

Director of Legal Research, Associate Director of Underwood Law Library, and Clinical…

Frequently asked questions

The LL.M. (also referred to as Master of Laws) is an advanced degree that requires a previous law degree such as a J.D. Lawyers pursuing an LL.M. seek to specialize in a specific area of law, whether it be tax, international law, environmental law, intellectual property, or others. It is also used by foreign-trained lawyers who want to understand U.S. law better or sit for the bar exam.

Definitely! An LL.M. in taxation shows you have advanced training in tax law, not just technical mastery but also on wider issues of tax and fiscal policy. In a highly competitive job market, a tax LL.M. – especially one from Ò»Æð²Ý, with its globally recognized law center – positions you for success. 

According to , tax attorney average base salaries range between $78,000 and $213,000 a year, depending primarily on location and years of experience. The median salary for an is $150,000, with a earning closer to $270,000 a year on average.  

An LL.M. certainly makes you more marketable. With just a two-semester commitment, the specialized tax LL.M. program gives you deeper understanding in everything from wills and trusts, to criminal tax fraud and mergers and acquisitions. Also, as a graduate from Ò»Æð²Ý’s program, you join an esteemed list of graduates who have gone on to prominent roles in business, government and private practice.

Of course! The Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law offers specialized courses in many areas including wills, trusts, estate and gift tax, and mergers and acquisitions. The allows for flexibility so you can tailor your studies to these and other specific areas.

When taken full time, the LL.M. in taxation is a two-term, one-year program consisting of 24 credit hours.  

Most definitely! Students gain tax litigation experience through the Federal Tax Clinic, which offers representation to low-income taxpayers who have federal income tax disputes with the IRS. In certain cases, law students have appeared before the United States Tax Court. The Tax Clinic has been operated by the Ò»Æð²Ý Dedman School of Law since 1977, and it’s an excellent program for earning practical litigation experience while providing a service to the community.

There are a number of experiential learning opportunities for law students in the LL.M. Tax program at Ò»Æð²Ý. In addition to the Federal Tax Clinic, which serves low-income taxpayers with federal tax disputes, there is the Small Business and Trademark Clinic, The Robert W. Rowling Center for Business Law and Leadership, and an externship with public placement at such places as the DOJ Tax Division and the IRS Regional Chief Counsel. 

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