Published by the LITC Program Office – May 31, 2019
After 13 years of service and dedication to low income taxpayers of South Florida, Mr. Ramamurti “Ram” Venkataramani is stepping down as Director of the Legal Aid Services (LAS) of Broward and Collier Counties LITC. Ram’s colleague, Attorney Katherine Riano, shared some highlights from his life, and we share them here to honor him and to thank him for his many years of advocacy, dedication, and service to taxpayers and the LITC Program.
Ram earned bachelor and master’s degrees in law, commerce auditing, and accounting in his native country of India. He was later admitted to the Bar Council of Tamilnadu State and worked for a major Indian bank having over 30,000 offices throughout Asia. His work ethic, intellect, and tenacity paved his way to the top as Chief of the bank’s Law and Legal Service Department. After three decades of banking experience, Ram left India and relocated to the United States.
In 2004, Ram’s giving nature and sense for justice led him to volunteer in LAS’s Consumer Law Unit and assist the community he called home. In 2006, he was approached with the opportunity to start a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. Without hesitation, Ram rolled up his sleeves, passed the challenging Enrolled Agent exam, and began his 13-year LITC advocacy journey.
In the last 13 years, Ram has represented over 1,600 low-income taxpayers before the IRS, reduced millions in federal tax liability, recovered thousands of federal tax refund dollars for low income families, mentored hundreds of student interns, eased the minds of many with his counsel and advise, and provided countless pieces of candy to all who entered his office. Ram always worked under an open-door policy, never turning away a coworker in need of an ear to listen, an intern anxious about the future, a taxpayer overwhelmed by his tax situation, or any others in need. Ram will be missed in the halls of LAS, and he will always have a place in the hearts of all whose lives he touched in the last 13 years.
We thank Ram for his dedication, compassion, and advocacy on behalf of low income and ESL taxpayers. He has truly made a difference in the lives of many. He will be missed but we wish him a most productive and enjoyable retirement.