Applications being accepted for Tax Section’s 17th Annual Fellowship Program

The Florida Bar Tax Section is accepting applications until March 1 for the 2026–2029 class of its Fellowship Program. Three fellows are selected each year for three-year terms in the leadership development initiative, designed to foster active participation and long-term engagement in Tax Section work.

Eligible applicants must be Tax Section regular or affiliate members who are either 35 years old or younger as of July 1 or have been in practice for fewer than 10 years. Attorneys interested in applying who are not Tax Section members can join through The Florida Bar Member Portal.

Now in its 17th year, the Fellowship Program was launched in 2009 by the Tax Section’s New Tax Lawyers Committee as part of a sustained effort to attract, develop, and retain new tax lawyers through education, networking, and leadership opportunities.

“This program plays a critical role in strengthening both our section and the profession as a whole,” said Tax Section Chair J.J. Wehle, a partner at Drummond Wehle Yonge in Tampa. “By helping new lawyers find their footing and develop a sense of belonging within the profession, we’re building a strong pipeline of engaged, knowledgeable leaders.”

Each fellow receives a $3,000 annual stipend to offset the costs of attending Tax Section meetings, along with waived registration fees. fellows are paired with experienced Tax Section mentors who provide guidance and help integrate them into section activities. Participants also attend Fellowship Sessions and roundtable discussions with section leaders, with a first-year emphasis on mentorship and understanding the inner workings of the section.

The program offers fellows opportunities to write articles, serve on committees, host New Tax Lawyer events, and present continuing legal education programs. Responsibilities increase throughout the three-year term, culminating in leadership roles within the section.

Tax Section regular or affiliate members who are either 35 years old or younger as of July 1 or have been in practice for fewer than 10 years are automatically considered members of the section’s New Tax Lawyers Committee and are encouraged to take full advantage of the section’s educational programs, networking events, and leadership opportunities. 

Christopher Weeg of Comiter Singer in Palm Beach Gardens and Zachary King, an attorney at Tripp Scott in Ft. Lauderdale, serve as co-directors of the Tax Section’s New Tax Lawyers Committee.

“Initiatives like the Fellowship Program are critical to helping new lawyers establish both confidence and direction early in their careers,” said King. “Access to mentorship, hands-on experience, and leadership development early in an attorney’s career can have a lasting impact on both professional growth and long-term engagement.”