Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • July 9, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 9 FOCUS who makes unrestricted contribu- tions to designated and approved community organizations. The credit is to apply to property taxes on "residential property" and will equal 85 percent of the amount do- nated. The intention of this approach is to characterize the payment as a charitable contribution deduction. The IRS has implied it will be at- tacking some of these workaround proposals enacted by Connecticut and other states. A notice from the agency suggests that the approach most subject to attack will be the conversion of a state income or property tax payment into a chari- table deduction. Consequently, it is not clear that this part of the new Connecticut legislation will be effec- tive for federal tax purposes. Further guidance is expected from the IRS. The new law makes several other Connecticut modifications that will significantly impact businesses in the state. They include: • Individuals and pass-through enti- ties will not be allowed to get the full benefits of the new 100 percent bonus depreciation and increased section 179 tangible property ex- pense amounts. • Connecticut will not follow the new federal interest limitation rule and will allow the full busi- ness interest deduction. While hoping to assist Connecti- cut businesses and residents, an unintended consequence of the new legislation is that the new rules may produce many implementation is- sues and increase business adminis- trative costs. Michael D'Addio is the principal of tax and business services at Marcum, a national accounting and consulting firm. ing to full-time employment. Powell took a similar path, but ac- cepted an offer outside his internship at Goldberg Segalla just days after graduation. On a recent afternoon studying for the bar exam at UConn, the Hartford native recalled a "rigorous" three- month application process that in- cluded five hours of interviews over two days with several partners. "I think the whole goal is to be con- sistent and apply to as many different places within your interests that you can," said Powell, who earned a bach- elor's degree in sociology from UConn in 2014. "The process worked for me." Powell credits the law school's career- planning center, which he says helped most of his classmates stay informed about available internships or associate positions that led to job offers weeks, or even months, before graduation. The career-services department, led by director Meredith O'Keefe, helps pu- pils identify practice areas through in- dividualized counseling and self-assess- ment reports and also offers recruiting services, professional building work- shops, mock interviews and a variety of corporate and alumni job fairs. Inundated by numerous practice options, law students are often ap- plying to jobs in either litigation, intellectual property, public interest, family, immigration, insurance or criminal law, among other options. O'Keefe's office connects students with UConn's Rolodex of local firms known for recruiting the school's top talent before graduation. The job market heats up again after gradu- ates pass the July bar exam, she said. "Law schools, including UConn, have a very structured and organized employment recruiting program," said O'Keefe, a UConn alum and former public interest lawyer. "We have found that the students able to hone in on practice areas of interest tend to be the most successful in the job search." Entry points O'Keefe and Menapace said jobs aren't readily available in certain practice ar- eas, but both agreed opportunity looms, particularly in public interest law, which is oftentimes overlooked by graduates. Public interest law provides an un- tapped job market for positions at non- profit and legal-aid organizations and others within government, they said. Menapace said 80 percent of fam- ily law cases have one unrepresented party as many families cannot afford traditional law services. The lack of representation is harming the legal system, he says. "An area that courts, clients and law firms have been struggling with are the individual clients who do not qualify for legal aid but cannot afford full retail services," he said. "The cli- ent base is underserved." Quinnipiac law school graduate Amanda Smallhorn is seizing opportu- nities in public interest law, represent- ing poorer, incarcerated and marginal- ized clients. Smallhorn, 29, of Southbury, will be- gin a one-year fellowship in September with a new group including the Con- necticut Bar Foundation and the Singer Family Foundation. The partnership is meant to help public interest lawyers work and remain in Connecticut. After graduating from UConn with a bachelor's degree in English, she spent years as a grant writer and ad- vocate for women prisoners. Despite her experience, Smallhorn must apply for a second year in the fellowship. If needed, Smallhorn says she will apply for a grant to fund her work. She said aspiring law students needn't worry about the job market, suggesting opportunities arise when lawyers pursue their passions. Quality Construction + Butler Manufacturing = Repeat Customers www.borghesibuilding.com © 2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing™ is a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. 2155 East Main Street • Torrington, Connecticut 06790 The Belknap White Group, Hartford, CT | 2012 | 15,300 sq. ft. Northeast Beverage, Orange, CT 2006 | 97,000 sq. ft. Contact us at 1-855-BUILD-86 or visit us on the web. Looking to create a custom publication? Let us take care of it for you. 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