I’m a securities attorney who self admittedly does not understand tax law… please tell me I’m not alone. I got a B- in tax law and it still haunts me to this day.

If there's one thing I learned in law school it is that I didn't learn anything practical except how to start to manage stress and anxiety.

If it makes you feel better I got a B in tax and now I’m a tax attorney and I know so many other tax attorneys with the same story 😂 that B- is not destiny…if you’re motivated, it’s definitely possible to learn with some reading!

I didn’t even take tax law because I was worried I wouldn’t understand it. I barely survived corporations 😂

You should read an article on debt vs. equity by a fellow named Plumb. That, entity classification (easy statutory rules), and whether someone is engaged in US trade or business (harder and includes case law) are the concepts most relevant to your practice.

Fairly certain that law school grades are not indicative of anything related to actual practice, so don't let that B- haunt you or make you feel like you are eternally destined to be meh as tax. FWIW, I got a C- in contracts and, well, look at my title. I love contracts, CONTRACTS ALL DAY EVERY DAY! ❤️❤️❤️ I am being serious. So, again, law school grades are meaningless and should not stop you or be a reason to feel insecure.

Is it part of your practice to offer tax advice? If not, you’re off the hook. Even if I might understand a tax situation I always have to CYA. Make it clear that you cannot offer any tax advice and that they should consult their tax professional about xyz questions. You’d be happy to speak with the tax professional as well.

People specialize in tax law for a reason. Every deal usually has tax (and employment, bankruptcy, etc., specialists come in).

I enrolled in tax law class because it was on the bar. Even with one of the most energetic and upbeat law professors, I was unable to focus and stay alert in the 1.5 hour class. I ultimately ended up auditing tax law and endearing refer to the class as "TurboTax Appreciation."

There are some things I wish y’all understood though, particularly if you’re gonna choose not to bring me in early so I can tell you we need to write a whole new disclosure for that.