Ethical frameworks and practical strategies for sustainable, equitable tax advocacy.
This course examines the ethical and practical requirements for building a purpose-driven pro bono practice within the tax and legal professions. It covers the core responsibilities of competence, diligence, and communication while addressing the complexities of conflict management, confidentiality, and informed consent.
The curriculum explores structural barriers to justice for vulnerable populations, including low-income individuals, seniors, and ESL taxpayers, and provides actionable guidance on navigating IRS procedures such as audits, collection due process, and collection appeals. Participants will learn how to structure a sustainable pro bono model that balances professional ethical obligations with the need for community impact.
Topics Covered:
"When not knowing, we open our minds, get informed & learn."
Leslie Bonner, Enrolled Agent, MLS, has 39 years of experience in tax law in the areas of individuals, corporations (both C-Corp & S-Corp), partnerships & LLCs, non-profit and tax-exempt entities, and employment tax law. Leslie is skilled in Tax Consulting, Tax Preparation, Employment Tax, Sales Tax, Internal Audit and Accounting. Leslie is a Tax Advisor and Enrolled Agent (EA) with professional experience in helping clients resolve complex tax issues - especially as these issues relate to rental property and passive loss rules, employment taxes, trust, estate and gift taxes, real property & taxation, alien individuals and other foreign persons who need to meet their tax compliance and filing responsibilities, including tax planning, tax preparation, tax audits and representation, and appeals representation before the Internal Revenue Service. Leslie holds a Master in Legal Studies from Washington University at St. Louis School of Law, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Woodbury University. Leslie is an Enrolled Agent who is admitted to practice before the Internal Revenue Service, as well as a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA), authorized to act on behalf of alien individuals and other foreign persons with respect to those person who need to obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service. Leslie frequently speaks and holds events and webinars on multiple topics including Small Business Workshop, Foreign Persons & Their Tax Responsibilities, Foreign Banks and Financial Account and Tax Reporting Requirements, Real Property & Its Taxation, Estate Tax Planning & Taxation, Worker Classification & Tax Filing Requirements, and Personal Income Tax, Reasonable Compensation & Risk Mitigation, as well as various other tax-related topics.
