At the ABA annual meeting last week, Professor Henderson participated in the "Scientific Evidence: What's on the Horizon" panel ( 8/11/07) and "The Future of Evidence" panel (8/12/07). In addition, she has been appointed the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Scientific Evidence and the Co-Chair of the Future of Evidence Committee for the Science and Technology Law Section. Also, the 5th edition of Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases was just published. Professor Henderson's co-authors are Andre Moenssens and Sharon Portwood(Foundation Press). NCSTL(Clearinghouse) staff also wrote chapters: kudos to Jeff Chesen, Marian Daggett, Elizabeth Fitterman, Leeanne Frazier, Katherine Guthrie and Angela Lack.

Below is a new organization that Professor Finch was instrumental in forming. In addition, Professor Janice McClendon was instrumental in qualifying the nonprofit association with the IRS. To: Law Community Interested in Psychological Injuries, Trauma, Disability, Rehabilitation, Forensics, and Law From: Association for Scientific Advancement in Psychological Injury and Law (ASAPIL) Date: August 14, 2007 Re: Announcing a new psychological journal, Psychological Injury and Law (PIL), and a recruitment drive for our new association We are a new organization interested in the interface of psychology and law pertaining to the reliable and valid assessment and treatment of psychological injuries (such as chronic pain, PTSD, traumatic brain injury) and disabilities after motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, or other trauma and preparation and presentation of reliable and valid evidence for medicolegal proceedings or court. We seek to promote scientific study of psychological injuries that result from such situations, and of the complications, confounds, and threats to validity in client presentation, including of pre-event psychological vulnerabilities, personality factors, and possible malingering. We have initiated a new journal on the topic, Psychological Injury and Law (PIL), with the inaugural issue due in 2008. The association and journal are described on the website, www.asapil.org. Presently, the journal board is being recruited. The main sections of the journal cover the areas of law, forensics, disability, chronic pain, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and assessment, including of possible malingering, with distinguished researchers heading each of the sections. We would appreciate your investigating the website to learn more about the association, the journal, the editorial board, our plans, and how you can join the association, submit articles to the journal, and even nominate psychologists and attorneys to the board (self-nominations will be considered, as well). Membership will be free this year (in 2007), because the journal subscription that is included in the annual dues will not be available until next year. Annual dues are set at a reasonable amount for next year, because the journal publisher, Springer Science and Business Media, New York, is lowering the cost of the journal for association members. The association and journal will be appealing to psychologists and other mental health professionals, in addition to other rehabilitation workers and forensic practitioners. Attorneys and other legal professionals also will find that the association and journal are important to them. For those of you interested in contributing to the administration of the association, kindly inform me of this when you send in your application form, with your CV attached. We are especially looking for a Treasurer and a Secretary to join the senior association board, as well as a Vice-President, Law, and a web master, in addition to committee chairs. We look forward to hearing from you. Gerald Young, Ph.D. Editor in Chief, PIL, and Association President, ASAPIL, York University, Toronto, Ontario; [email protected] And Michael S. Finch, J.D., Law Editor, PIL, College of Law, Stetson University, Gulfport, FL Andrew W. Kane, Ph.D., ABAP, Associate Psychology Editor, PIL, Milwaukee Wisconsin Charles Figley, Ph.D., Vice President, ASAPIL [and one of the growing number of board members, PIL], Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL And the journal section heads/ association working group: Journal Section: 1. Law: Michael S. Finch, J.D./ Carol Henderson, J.D.; 2. Forensics: Andrew W. Kane, Ph.D., ABAP; 3. Disability: Izabela Schultz, Ph.D., ABPP; 4. Pain: Robert Gatchel, Ph.D., ABPP; 5. TBI: Ron Ruff, Ph.D.; 6. PTSD: Gordon Asmundson, Ph.D./ Steven Taylor, Ph.D.; 7. Assessment/ Malingering: Michael Bagby, Ph.D.

Below is information about the panel on which Professor Nagle spoke during last week's ABA conference in San Francisco. Legacy of Nuremberg II Posted by Raj Purohit As I previewed earlier, this morning I moderated a fascinating panel at the ABA meeting on the Legacy of Nuremberg. The panelists were Professor David Crane (former Chief Prosecutor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Professor Luz Nagel (an expert in Latin America issues generally and Colombia specifically) and Judge Tunheim (U.S. District Court for Minnesota). The three panelists and I covered a broad swath of territory in the international justice sphere ranging from the U.S.-ICC relationship to the rule of law in post conflict societies to the challenges facing the next U.S. President. David Crane gave a terrific presentation on his time in West Africa and eloquently humanized the issues we were addressing. Luz Nagle spent a good deal of time talking about the fact that Colombia has failed to grapple with the massive human rights violations caused by both guerilla forces and government supported paramilitaries. Judge Tunheim really illustrated the challenges facing a justice initiative in a region where the major powers are heavily invested in ensuring a successful political transition. For me a real high point was when Justice Kennedy asked the panel whether there are real risks that international justice is viewed as western justice in Africa. David Crane answered the question well by discussing the importance of really listening to locals and understanding what they want to see happen. I added on that in Northern Uganda there is clear evidence that what the people want is a little different to what is being reported – while some groups are suggesting the people do not want justice to get in the way of peace, the reality (as shown by the ICTJ/UB report) is that the people actually do want both – they want peace AND so called “western” style justice. I was humbled by the fact that Justice Kennedy attended our panel and engaged in such a thoughtful manner. Clearly, judging by the very large crowd and the prominent slot afforded to this program, the ABA from the leadership to the members intends to remain engaged in the challenges facing our country and the international community in the area of international justice – and that can only be a very good thing. I'll have more to report later but just wanted to provide this update. Raj Purohit

Ellen Podgor and Debbie Brown presented at the 23rd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning in Madison, Wisconsin last week on the topic, "Legal and Practical Considerations in Developing and Effectuating Online Courses."

. . . who spoke to 308 death investigators at St Louis University on July 26th regarding "Digging Up Dirt on Experts," attended the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Executive Committee Meeting in Washington, D.C. on August 2-3, and appeared on NPR's "Tell Us More Show" to discuss the CSI Effect.

. . . whose paper on the Veterans Court, which was published in the Michigan Journal of Law Reform, has made the "Top 10 List" on SSRN, in the Procedure topic.

. . . who moderated the SEALS panel titled "Scholarship from a Career Perspective"

. . . who spoke on the SEALS panel titled "Faith Based Legal Education"

. . . who testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on July 31 concerning "The Tax Treatment of Compensation Paid to Hedge, Private Equity and Venture Capital Fund Managers." Professor Jones's written testimony can be viewed at http://finance.senate.gov/hearings/testimony/2007test/073107testdj.pdf

. . . who has been elected as President of the Gulfcoast Legal Services Board of Directors. In addition, Professor Fox spoke at SEALS on the panel titles "Federal Powers and Private Actors: Views from Legal History."

. . . who was a presenter at the national meeting of the U.S. Department of Justic's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in Orlando last week.

. . . who served as a mentor to "SEALS New Scholar" Sarah Ricks of Rutgers-Camden. Professor Adams also moderated a New Scholars Workshop.