Bob Probasco

Biography

Fascination with a challenging intellectual discipline. I once read that the primary effect of law school is being forced to question your cherished certainties. That is depressing for some; I found it incredibly attractive. I was a late bloomer, though. There were no lawyers in my hometown (a small town of 1,200 people in rural Iowa), so my concept of the law was based on watching Perry Mason or The Defenders. Those programs were fun to watch but I never thought of that as something I might do. It wasn’t until much, much later that I was exposed to a more expansive view of the law and began to realize I might enjoy it.Learning – whether from examining something more deeply than I had before, in order to explain it to students, or from viewpoints by students that I hadn’t really considered. The opportunity to contribute to the students’ learning process and professional development is also very rewarding, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Of course, with a tax clinic, there is another very important component. Most taxpayers can’t navigate the tax system by themselves but can’t afford to hire practitioners to achieve the results they deserve. That is an inevitable, but unfortunate, result of the necessary complexity of tax law and procedure. Our clinic helps the tax system work better for our clients and has a much bigger impact than I could have by myself.An understanding of how to work within a complex statutory and regulatory regime; practical knowledge of how to work with clients; interviewing and negotiating skills; creativity in finding a different approach ​when the normal method is blocked; satisfaction from making a difference for the clinic’s clients. And most importantly – fun.

Research Interest

Law, Income Tax