LL4CG      Half Unit
Understanding Issues in Tax Law and Policy

This information is for the 2017/18 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Ian Roxan NAB 7.25 and Mr Eduardo Baistrocchi NAB7.33

Availability

This course is available on the Master of Laws and Master of Laws (extended part-time study). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course is required for the following LLM specialism: Taxation. NB: The monthly Taxation Seminars are available to all with an interest in taxation including LLM and MSc students. Students wishing to attend the Taxation Seminars are very welcome. For more information, see the Law Department or LSE Financial Markets Group web pages.

This course is capped at 30 students. Students must apply through Graduate Course Choice on LSEforYou.

Pre-requisites

Students will be expected to be taking other tax courses or to have a good background in taxation.

Course content

This course considers the key principles of tax policy (including the development and interpretation of tax law), and the methodology of developing and applying these principles, in the context of a range of current issues in taxation and tax policy, and often with an interdisciplinary approach. It will use the monthly Taxation Seminars during the Michaelmas Term to provide students with direct exposure to current debates in taxation. The monthly seminars bring together a wide variety of participants, including lawyers, economists, accountants and government officials. Those attending the meetings are encouraged to participate, and the meetings provide a forum for topical discussion on taxation. The topics for the seminars are chosen each year from subjects of current interest.

Teaching

22 hours of seminars in the MT.

Weekly two-hour seminars in the Michaelmas Term in a variable format, including seminar-discussions and monthly Taxation Seminars attended by a range of tax professionals.

 

Formative coursework

Students are expected to submit one 2,000-word formative essay.

Indicative reading

Indicative reading: James and Nobes, The Economics of Taxation (2009), (Birmingham: Fiscal Publications, 9th ed.); Mirrlees, et al., Tax by Design: the Mirrlees Review (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press: 2011); Mirrlees, et al. (eds), Dimensions of Tax Design: the Mirrlees Review (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2010); Lamb, et al. (eds), Taxation: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Research (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2004); Murphy and Nagel, The Myth of Ownership (New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 2002); Kaplow, “Rules Versus Standards: An Economic Analysis” (1992), 42 Duke L. J. 557; Weisbach, “Formalism in the Tax Law” (1999), 66 U. Chicago L. Rev. 680.

Detailed reading lists will be provided during the course via Moodle.

Assessment

Essay (100%, 8000 words).

Key facts

Department: Law

Total students 2016/17: 18

Average class size 2016/17: 18

Controlled access 2016/17: Yes

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Specialist skills

Course survey results

(2013/14 - 2015/16 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 70%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

1.9

Materials (Q2.3)

1.7

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

2.2

Lectures (Q2.5)

2.4

Integration (Q2.6)

2.1

Contact (Q2.7)

1.9

Feedback (Q2.8)

2.1

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

52%

Maybe

30%

No

18%