With the recent passage of major tax legislation, local attorneys will be turning to the Atlanta Bar Association Tax Law Section for timely programming and expert guidance —and several Georgia State University College of Law alumni will be among those leading the way.
Ashley McClure (J.D. ’17), Christy Turner (J.D. ’22), and Ethan Vernon (J.D./MTX ’17) — all graduates of the Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic—and former clinic associate director Willard “Bill” Timm (A.B. ’65) were elected this year to serve in key leadership roles.
Ashley McClure (J.D. ’17), a senior associate with Osterberg & Associates, LLC, will serve as the 2025-2026 vice-chair/chair-elect
McClure, a senior associate with Osterberg & Associates, LLC, will serve as the 2025-2026 vice-chair/chair-elect. Turner, an associate attorney at Journy PLLC, was elected secretary/treasurer.
Timm is the 2024-2026 member-at-large, while Vernon, an associate at Asbury Law Firm, Tax Counsel, was elected to the 2025-2027 members-at-large group.
Another tax clinic alumna, Maggie Garrett (J.D. ’21), was elected Secretary in the Women in the Profession Section.
The Tax Law Section is a vital part of Atlanta’s legal community, helping local practitioners stay informed on evolving tax issues and IRS and Georgia Department of Revenue procedures.
For Ted Afield, vice dean, and the Mark and Evelyn Trammell Clinical Professor at Georgia State Law, the election of recent alumni is a powerful endorsement of the clinic’s training model.
“In an area of law that changes as rapidly as tax law, our graduates have been entrusted to develop programming for attorneys across the city to stay abreast of these developments,” Afield said.
The Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic is one of the largest and most active of its kind in the country, providing free legal representation to clients who cannot afford private attorneys in disputes with the IRS over federal income or employment taxes. From their first day, students take the lead on real cases of complex tax controversy matters.
“In the clinic, we pride ourselves on training students who are ready to hit the ground running from the moment they graduate,” Afield said. “While the skills obtained in the clinic are useful across a wide variety of practice areas, students who choose to pursue a career in tax graduate with the ability to take a tax controversy matter from start to finish.”
Christy Turner (J.D. ’22), an associate attorney at Journy PLLC, was elected secretary/treasurer.
Turner credits her clinic experience for helping shape her career and land her current role at a boutique firm specializing in taxpayer defense. “The reputation of the clinic (and Georgia State) was essential in helping me secure a position in tax,” she said. “I have seen our alumni at every level – in trials, at networking events, on panels, and in news articles. Georgia State Law is well known for producing excellent tax attorneys. They also happen to be great people as well.”
McClure also said the tax clinic provided a strong foundation. “It taught me how to communicate effectively with clients, especially during difficult times. I rely on those skills when speaking to my clients now,” she said.
Both alumnae cited the mentorship of faculty, including Afield, Tameka Lester, Emily Yaun (J.D. ’17, MBA ’17), and the student graduate research assistants as key to building practical skills. “The professors make the clinic something special and something you are proud to be part of,” McClure said.
She recalled a long-running case she resolved just before graduation. “The client wrote me a beautiful thank you note,” McClure said. “It put into perspective that the work the clinic does for its clients is truly life-changing for them.”
Turner agreed: “Even as a student, you can make a real difference.”
Looking ahead, both alumnae are excited to serve and collaborate. “The tax section consists of knowledgeable, efficient and friendly attorneys who work very well together,” Turner said. “I am very excited to be working with them in the upcoming year.”
Seeing graduates take on leadership roles is one of the most meaningful aspects of Afield’s job. “There is no better feeling than to see your former students become leaders in the profession,” he said. “This group of graduates are following a proud tradition of tax clinic alums who have become leaders of the tax bar in Atlanta and beyond. This tradition is also why I look to our clinic alumni first when hiring for the clinic (as evidenced by my two colleagues, Professors Emily Yaun and Conner Watts (J.D. ’17), who are both clinic alums themselves).”
As the new Tax Law Section officers begin their terms, they bring with them not only deep expertise but also a shared foundation built at Georgia State Law—one grounded in practical training, public service, courage, and a commitment to making a difference.
Written by Stacey Evans