STUDENT ORG SPOTLIGHT - Finance and Tax Law Association
Colorado Law is home to nearly 50 active student organizations. These organizations empower law students to increase their knowledge, gain leadership experience, network, and collaborate with the legal community—all while building connections with classmates that will last throughout their careers and beyond.
In this series, we are highlighting extraordinary organizations run by Colorado Law students.
Meet the Finance and Tax Law Association (FTLA) at Colorado Law.
FTLA Co-President Natalie Phillips ’26 and Vice President Anona Striker ’26 shared their insights into this new student organization.
“We had the idea for it [the organization] in spring 2025, when Anona and I had a class together,” Phillips said. “This is our inaugural semester.”
FTLA was approved by the Student Bar Association for the fall of 2025. Alongside Phillips and Striker, the Executive Board is composed of Co-President Johnathan Khoriaty ’26, Secretary Nick Haggestad ’26, Treasurer Tyson Agla ’26, SBA Representative Trent Dawe ’28, and Program Director Xandra Gonzales ’27. Professor Sloan Speck, Professor Nadav Orian Peer, Professor Amanda Parsons and Professor Rabea Benhalim are the faculty advisors.
The primary goal of the FTLA is to get students introduced and exposed to the areas of bankruptcy, tax law, consumer and corporate finance, and securities. As these areas are not always covered in law school courses, particularly in 1L year, Phillips and the other board members aim to introduce these areas of study to their peers early on.
“We want to show future employers that these students have an interest in finance and tax law beyond their transcript, and help get them connected with attorneys that are actively practicing in the area,” Phillips said.
FTLA hosts a variety of events to help members reach their academic and professional goals. These include networking opportunities, panels, listening events, and academic guidance. One recent listening event featured Supreme Court arguments of Learning Resources v. Trump. FTLA gathered early in the morning to listen and discuss the specifics of this case.
“We discussed whether or not the wide sweeping tariffs were legal,” said Phillips. “We had a surprisingly great turnout, especially for it being an 8 a.m. event.”
FTLA aims to help students find their unique path within the areas of bankruptcy, securities, and tax law. With assistance from board members and those in the profession, students are exposed to various opportunities and insights in this field.
“Bankruptcy, securities and tax are highly specialized areas. We are getting people exposed to different classes that help them in their career, and connecting them with different focus areas,” Phillips said.
Despite just getting started, FTLA has over 60 members, many of whom are in their 1L and 2L years. The executive board is excited to see how much FTLA can grow, even after the board members graduate from Colorado Law this spring. Because of the organization’s size, they received school funding to attend the 2026 Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition in New York City. The team competed in the 2025 Competition as well.
“The association provides opportunities for students that would be hard for them to find without it,” Striker shared. “It’s an incredible way to build professional skills, while also gaining the background knowledge to enter into these disciplines.”
To get involved with FTLA, students can email ftla@colorado.edu.