New Directors to Lead Federal Tax Clinic and Law Library

Mark C. Alexander, The Arthur J. Kania Dean and Professor of Law, recently announced the appointments of Christine Speidel as Assistant Professor and Director of the Federal Tax Clinic, and Amy Emerson as Assistant Professor and Director of the Law Library. Both were hired after rigorous nationwide searches and will join the Law School in July.

As Director of the Federal Tax Clinic, Speidel will teach students in Villanova’s renowned Federal Tax Clinic. Students in the Clinic, one of Villanova’s six in-house law firms, earn credit while representing real clients with critical legal issues. They act as advocates for low-income taxpayers in controversies with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), both before the IRS and in federal court.

Emerson, as the Director of the Law Library, will lead the Library into a new phase enhancing its central role in the life of the Law School and helping to determine the future of legal education at Villanova. She will also oversee development of the Library’s services and collections, manage the Library staff and teach Law School courses in her areas of expertise.

“Our new Directors will help to shape and propel Villanova Law for decades ahead,” remarked Dean Alexander. “Throughout the search process, Christine Speidel and Amy Emerson showed their passion, curiosity, spirit of collaboration and strong leadership skills. I look forward to having them join our community.”

Speidel joins the Law School from Vermont Legal Aid, Inc. (VTLA), where she joined as staff attorney following her graduation from Harvard Law School. At VTLA, Speidel honed her practice in Tax Law directing the Vermont Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic while focusing on healthcare law. Through this work, she has advocated on behalf of individual clients and worked as a policy advocate in dealing with state and federal law. She is the Chair of the American Bar Association, Section of Taxation, Pro Bono and Tax Clinics Committee.

Emerson comes to the Law School from Cornell Law School, where she served as Associate Director for Administration of the Law Library and Director and Adjunct Clinic Professor of Law of the Legal Research Clinic. Prior to joining Cornell Law, Emerson practiced law for nine years focusing on real estate. She holds a Juris Doctor and a Master of Library Science from Syracuse University.