Campus Life News Archives - Page 4 of 29

Enlightening Summer Study Abroad Programs Return to Stetson Law

A group of students stands along a stone bridge in Oxford, England — Between their studies, students taking part in the study abroad program in Oxford, England had plenty of time to explore.

After two years of COVID-19-related travel limitations, two popular summer study abroad programs returned to Stetson Law. The courses brought globe-trotting students and faculty to Oxford, England and The Hague, Netherlands for immersive experiences with a sharp focus on key aspects of international law.

The intensive sessions were complemented by generous amounts of time to explore the surrounding areas, their incredible history, and their vibrant cultures. Students came away from the experience with new perspectives and renewed enthusiasm for their study of the law.

Advocacy in Oxford

For two weeks in July, a group of students from Stetson Law and other institutions gathered in the U.K. to explore advocacy through theory, practice, and collaboration, and examine the similarities and differences between legal systems. Students were also exposed to the fundamental tenets of comprehensive case theory development, advanced witness examination, and persuasive storytelling.

Stetson Law professors Elizabeth Boals, Roberta Flowers, and Stephanie Vaughan were part of the team of instructors that led the course. Boals said one experience that stood out to her was Professor Rafe Foreman’s creative storytelling exercise, which involved a student trying to make a case in a language nobody understood, thus having to rely on gestures, vocal tones, and facial expressions to get her point across.

The lesson aimed to show students how understanding and conveying underlying emotions in a particular case is critical to persuasive storytelling – something many students struggled with at first, but eventually began to grasp.

Students gathered on a river dock for a photo in Oxford, England. — Students and faculty took time to see the sights in Oxford.

“It was thrilling to see how far they progressed in their storytelling techniques during their closing arguments at the end of the course,” Boals said. “Their stories were persuasive, rich, compelling, and steeped in emotion.”

When they weren’t studying, participants explored the historic campus and surrounding environs, snapping photos of the incredible architecture and other unique sights.

Stetson Law student Greg Mueller, who participated in the program said his favorite part about the Oxford program was connecting with students and faculty from both Stetson Law and their across-the-pond counterparts.

“It was fun to be abroad and to experience so many amazing things that I had only heard or read about, but the best part of the experience for me was being surrounded by teachers and peers that made seeing those things so much fun,” he said. “From sightseeing together to just chatting over a pint, we became a close-knit group in a matter of days. I learned so much from my incredibly talented teachers, but what surprised me was how much I learned from my friends.”

Part-time Stetson Law student Tyler Vansant said he loved being able to build the experience into an unforgettable summer getaway with his family.

“It was wonderful to bring my wife and sons along for the trip; they got to explore many other parts of the UK and we still had plenty of family time on several evenings and during the weekend,” he said. “Also, being able to study in an environment so steeped in rich academic history like Oxford was very intriguing.”

To Professor Boals, it was an engaging, collaborative experience that proved invigorating.

“It was amazing to offer this intensive hands-on experience in such a historic and inspiring location,” Boals said. “The students and faculty alike were hungry to explore and engage and interact with colleagues. It was a wonderful experience and reminded me why I do this work.”

International Justice in The Hague

Also in July, Stetson Law was part of a program that gave students a front-row seat to international courts and tribunals in The Hague, one of the Netherlands’ two capitals.

Known as the International City of Peace and Justice, The Hague has played an integral role in diplomacy and international affairs since the late 19th Century. This past March, world leaders convened there to participate in the Nuclear Security Summit on the prevention of nuclear terrorism around the globe.

A group of students and Professor Luz Nagle stand in front of a line of international flags in The Hague, Netherlands. — Law Professor Luz Nagle (sixth from left) led an important course on violence against women in The Hague in summer of 2022.

The program consisted of four weeklong courses: Indigenous Peoples in International Courts, Freedom of Expression: Modern Challenges and Comparative Perspectives, Comparative Transnational Criminal Procedure, and Violence Against Women: Armed Conflict, Exploitation and Subjugation. The course covering violence against women was led by Stetson Law Professor Luz Nagle. Law Professor Jim Sheehan served as the program’s Residential Director.

Students found the summer 2022 study abroad experience in The Hague, Netherlands, enlightening.

To students, it was an eye-opening experience.

For 2L Sondos Hassan, it was an opportunity to compare legal systems while learning to understand and appreciate the overlapping nature of American law and other legal bodies. It was a great way to stay productive over the summer, she said, adding that her favorite part of the program was visiting the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

“Seeing the collective attempt to create a center for the enforcement of human rights on an international level was both inspiring and humbling as we got to witness the challenges to those aspirations, such as jurisdictional issues, and also the philosophical ideations of what level human rights should be relative on an international scale,” Hassan said.

Professor Nagle said The Hague, a place where crimes against humanity are addressed at the international level, provided the right backdrop to tackle the difficult topic she was teaching on, violence against women, because it took the matter out of the abstract.

“I will like to believe that all the students learned something about violence against women that was previously abstract or remote,” Nagle said “By taking such a course, some of the students will remember the topics and know how to look for signs of violence in future clients or understand the root causes and impacts in the civil society in which they will be practicing lawyers.”

As for the overall experience, she said it was liberating for everyone.

“It was wonderful to see students engaging in the travel experience, and they took full advantage. Many visited other cities and nearby countries during their weekends and before and after the program,” she said. “As for the teaching experience, it felt great to teach “live” somewhere other than on campus. The change of environment was good for my motivation and great for the students.”

For more information on summer study abroad programs at Stetson Law, visit the international programs page.

Moot Team Achieves a “Double-Double” at Orseck

A group of students and Florida Supreme Court Justices line up for a photo. — Left to right: Justice Ricky Polston, Justice Alan Lawson, Chief Justice Charles T. Canady, Tyler Brown, Hannah Klonowski, Justice John D. Couriel, Justice Jamie R. Grosshans, Justice Carlos G. Muñiz, and Justice Jorge Labargo.

For the second year in a row, a Stetson Law team won the Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition at The Florida Bar annual conference in Orlando.

Team members Tyler Brown, Thomas Fuhrman, and Hannah Klonowski brought home the win from this prestigious competition—but the triumph doesn’t end with that back-to-back win. Klonowski won the Best Oralist, Preliminary Rounds award and the Best Oralist, Final Round award, repeating fellow student Jessica Merkel’s wins during the 2021 event. Professor Brooke Bowman, Director of the Moot Court Board, coached the students.

The overall competition win and the pair of Best Oralist awards make for a “double-double” at an important event that took place in-person for the first time in three years.

Hosted by the Florida Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, the competition happens each year as part of The Florida Bar conference. The proximity to so many legal professionals means that actual sitting judges from the circuit courts and the district courts of appeal join with attorneys to judge the preliminary rounds. Teams that advance to the final round get to argue in front of the justices of the Florida Supreme Court—something very few attorneys even have the honor of doing.

It’s an opportunity for students to make connections while sharpening their craft with help from some of Florida’s top lawyers.

Stetson Law’s track record at Orseck has been stellar. Here’s a look at the wins and other successes the college has had in the last 28 years:

Seven championship wins;
Nineteen appearances in the final round;
Six Best Advocate, Final Round awards;
Five Best Advocate, Preliminary Rounds awards;
Nine Best Brief awards;
Two double advocate awards;
Two times winning three awards—Best Team; Best Brief; and the Best Oralist, Final Round; and
One time winning all four awards—Best Team; Best Brief; Best Oralist, Preliminary Rounds; and Best Oralist, Final Round.

Learn more about Stetson Law’s Moot Court Board.

Stetson Law’s Lambda Branches Out With Pride

Two people site at a table featuring memorabilia in Stetson Law's Banyan Courtyard — Lei-Lani Rogers, president of Stetson Law’s Lambda Legal Society (left), and Hunter Wolf, the group’s vice president

With the spring semester having drawn to a close, it may be quiet around campus, but Lambda Legal Society, Stetson Law’s LGBTQ+ student organization, is busy sharing its message with the community.

The group, which became a National LGBTQ+ Bar Association affiliate in 2021, will have a presence at Gulfport Pride on June 4 as well as St. Pete Pride on June 26. Members plan to table at both events. To Lambda president Lei-Lani Rogers, a 2L at Stetson Law, the community involvement is an opportunity to help promote legal protections for the LGBTQ+ community in the Tampa Bay region and beyond. Among LGBTQ and allied communities across Florida, there is concern over what they see as efforts at the state level to reverse decades of progress via legislation like the Parental Rights in Education bill, which critics refer to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

“Pride Month is a call to action for both the LGBTQ+ community and allies, but it’s particularly a time of visibility for our demographic,” Rogers said. “Florida is a hot spot currently for LGBTQ rights and representation and June is our time to be loud and proud when we say gay.”

Engaging Neighbors in Gulfport

Stetson Law is blocks away from downtown Gulfport, a longtime LGBTQ+ hub for locals and visitors alike. Underscoring this proximity is Lambda’s partnership with the Gulfport Public Library’s LGBTQ Resource Center for Gulfport Pride, which is currently slated to take place June 4.

The partnership made sense for Lambda due to the resource center’s far-reaching efforts. These include offering the BranchOut scholarship to LGBTQ+ students, hosting the SpeakOut series of events to talk about intersectionality, and currently, and hosting ArtOut, an exhibition consisting of 53 works from 35 artists representing 8 different countries, throughout June.

Rogers said the group’s board president, Susan Gore, is “a powerhouse” whose passion for promoting representation of the LGBTQ+ community is an inspiration.

“Seeing a direct injection of activism in Gulfport, seconds away from the school, inspires Lambda to do the same, and what better way to do so than partnering with another group?” Rogers said.

More to come from Lambda

Later this month, members of the group will table at the St. Pete Pride celebration on Saturday, June 25 to help engage the community on what Lambda does and why their work is important.

As for the rest of the summer, Rogers said Lambda is planning for a full slate of activity over the 2022-23 academic year, namely events that spark discussion among peers and the Stetson community as a whole.

In 2021-22, the organization tabled at several events on campus, where they offered pronoun pins and other items to promote a welcome environment for LGBTQ+ students and allies.

Last year, Lambda Legal Society created a new endowed scholarship for students who have shown dedication to advocating for the LGBTQ community through academic work, campus activities, or professional endeavors.

Learn more about Lambda Legal Society.

Spring ’22 Graduation Highlights

Graduates in sunglasses smile as they leave an outdoor commencement ceremony — Graduates at the Spring 2022 enjoyed sunshine and camaraderie.

Under bright, sunny skies Saturday morning and afternoon, more than 250 Stetson Law students officially became Stetson Law alumni. Comprising three ceremonies, graduation took place in the Plaza Mayor.

The three ceremonies took place at 8:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., and 12:00 p.m. Each began with a ceremonial procession featuring bagpipes followed by marshals, graduating students, legacies, faculty, and the platform party.

Bagpipers leading a procession into a Stetson Law Spring 2022 commencement ceremony — A pair of bagpipers leads the commencement procession into the Plaza Mayor.

Once all were seated, Stetson University College of Law Dean Michèle Alexandre welcomed the graduates and their loved ones, acknowledge active-duty military and veterans among those gathered, and spoke about the graduates’ exceptional resilience and grit, which she said prepares them for meaningful advocacy careers.

A side angle of Dean Michele Alexandre giving a commencement speech — Stetson Law Dean Michele Alexandre gave a moving speech to the graduating class.

“As I pondered the issues we face today in this increasingly complex world: climate change, global wars, and my conviction has reinforced that you are well prepared to join us in tackling these problems,” she said. “That is because you are the embodiment of the qualities that it takes to rise to this moment in our history. You, 2022 graduates, have had to adapt and transcend conditions and a national landscape for which there was no blueprint. You faced it all and excelled.”

Stetson University President Christopher Roellke in ceremonial regalia. — Stetson University President Christopher Roellke leads graduates out of a Spring 2022 commencement event.

In addition to the rigors of academic life at Stetson Law, the new graduates assembled there faced the unique challenge of attending the bulk of law school amid a global pandemic in a time of political upheaval – something not lost on those who spoke.

“You’ve made it to the end of a remarkable journey, and I commend you for your resilience, your tenacity and for all that you have accomplished during what I have been calling a ‘once-in-a-century set of challenges’ for higher education,” said Stetson University President Christopher Roellke, PhD. “You made it. You made it through lockdowns, online learning, virtual meetings, lost internet connections, masks, handwashing, and physical distancing. You endured and you made it.”

Students in graduation caps and gowns wait under a canopy. — Students wait as a Spring 2022 commencement ceremony begins.

A keynote from the Deputy Secretary of the V.A.

After President Roellke bestowed on him an honorary doctor of laws, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Donald Remy gave a lively commencement address that expressed the gravity of the work the grads will soon be doing as lawyers. But his speech was not without levity.

A speaker is seen on a large screen at graduation — Deputy VA Secretary Donald Remy gave the Spring 2022 commencement keynote.

He said his friend and former colleague, Stetson Law Professor Royal Gardner, offered him pointers for giving the address: keep it short, keep it simple, and avoid cliches like telling the students “to be courageous as you go out into the brave new world.” It was that last bit of advice, Remy joked, that he couldn’t completely follow.

“I’m going to come dangerously close to telling you all ‘to be courageous as you go out into the brave new world,’” Remy said. “Because that’s part of your responsibility as new lawyers. In accepting this call to become lawyers, to join this profession of law, you have an opportunity, but you also have a responsibility. And that responsibility is to right wrongs. It’s to look at challenges both large and small and make a difference. And most importantly, it’s to hold our great nation accountable to its promises.”

A large audience watches the Spring 2022 commencement ceremony — Family and friends gathered in the Plaza Mayor to watch the Spring 2022 graduation ceremony.

He told the graduates that as lawyers, they help ensure that the words in the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence will never ring hollow – and they will defend the fundamental promises upon which the U.S. was founded.

A service dog sits in the grass at Spring 2022 graduation. — Friends and family looked on as the ceremony took place.

“After three years of law school, you know better than many that democracy isn’t destiny,” Remy said. “It doesn’t just survive on its own. It’s on you to preserve and protect it. You know better than anyone that progress doesn’t just happen. It’s on you to make it happen.”

Provost Noel Painter and Assistant Dean Darryl Wilson leaving the courtyard — Provost Noel Painter and Assistant Dean Darryl Wilson exit the Plaza Mayor after a Spring 2022 commencement ceremony.

Virtual words of encouragement from key leaders

In short, pre-recorded videos, some of the most prominent Stetson Law community leaders congratulated the graduating classes and encouraged them to advocate for a better world.

Stetson University Board of Trustees Chair Maureen Breakiron-Evans said the graduates join a community of Stetson Law alumni that has spanned a century and urged them to stay connected with the Stetson Law community with which they shared a law school journey in unprecedented times.

Stetson University Board of Trustees Chair Maureen Breakiron-Evans.

“You are graduating at a time of political polarization and fake news,” she said. “You’ve had to navigate through a global pandemic to complete your studies, and that’s been challenging for everyone. Your future lies before you as blank pages in a book in which you will write the story of your personal life’s journey.”

Mitchell Schlermer, current president of the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association, told the new alumni that this is a monumental moment for their careers and that he looks forward to having them join the ranks of Stetson Law alumni and lawyers.

“Enjoy the moment,” he said. “Enjoy bar study, as hard as it might be, because soon you’ll have a lifetime of law practice to look forward to.”

Tala El-Ghali, who served as Student Bar Association president in her 3L year, encouraged her fellow grads to use their hard-won advocacy skills to fight for a better world.

“Whether you make $40k or $400k, we as attorneys will carry substantial power and influence within our communities, and I encourage you all to make good-faith efforts to exercise this power in impactful ways both inside and outside of the legal profession,” she said.

Graduating Classes – By the Numbers

December 2021 Graduates

Total: 33

J.D.: 27

LL.M. in Advocacy: 1

LL.M. in Elder Law: 2

LL.M. in International Law: 1

M.Jur. in Healthcare Compliance: 2

May/August 2022 Intended Graduates

Total: 262

J.D.: 245

LL.M. in Advocacy: 2

LL.M. in Elder Law: 6

LL.M. in International Law: 3

M.Jur. in Aging Law & Policy: 4

M.Jur. in Healthcare Compliance: 2

International Environmental Moot Court Competition (IEMCC) 2022: A Recap

Attendees and organizers of the 26th annual IEMCC gather for a large group photo — The 26th Annual International Environmental Moot Court Competition took place Apr. 7-9, 2022.

For the first time since 2019, the International Environmental Moot Court Competition brought teams from around the world to Stetson Law to compete in the international finals. The event’s 26^th edition brought 12 teams from 11 countries and five continents together for a spirited event April 7-9.

Teams argued a fictional case involving armed conflict, protected wetlands, and vulnerable sea turtle nesting areas.

Current events inspired the premise, and current events affected the event itself. A team from Ukraine had to cancel plans to attend as a result of Russia’s invasion of the country; they sent a moving video message to those in attendance. Teams from Bangladesh and India were unable to attend due to COVID-19-related visa issues. A team from Nairobi, Kenya was able to attend – but only because their visas got approved just a day before their scheduled departure.

“Despite travel-related challenges, the event went smoothly. I was impressed and inspired by the students’ advocacy skills, as well as their resilience and good cheer,” said Professor Royal Gardner, the competition’s founder and main organizer. “It was such a joy to host the teams in person after being virtual for two years.”

From bumpy travels to brilliant triumphs

Micah Cheyenne Ecarma of the University of the Philippines College of Law said her team had students from every level, which, due to time constraints, meant they could only practice once a week. Despite this, they made it to the final round.

“In the end, we saw our efforts bear fruit and witness each other’s improvements. Instead of dreading our preparations, we started looking forward to them,” Ecarma, who won Best Oralist for the preliminary rounds, said.

Micah Cheyenne Ecarma of the University of the Philippines College of Law holds two award plaques next to Professor Royal Gardner. — Micah Cheyenne Ecarma of the University of the Philippines College of Law, whose team was an IEMCC finalist, and Professor Royal Gardner. Ecarma also one Best Oralist for the preliminary rounds.

The trip from Manila to Gulfport wasn’t easy. A connecting flight was delayed, and the team even got separated. They arrived safely, albeit more than a half-day later than planned. Ecarma said ultimately, competing in person – especially on such a beautiful campus as Stetson Law’s – made the trip worth it.

“We were blown away when we first set foot in the halls of Stetson. Being in such a lovely campus really inspired us and kept us calm and focused during our rounds,” Ecarma said. “We also really loved competing in the rooms themselves, as they really gave us the full experience of doing oral arguments in a courtroom in front of a panel of judges.”

Rising to the occasion

Participants commended the event’s organizers for a well-executed event.

“The organizers rose to the occasion given the challenges that we are facing to facilitate travel, accommodation, and paperwork. They kept us well fed, coordinated volunteers and judges, and gave comfortable space to work on campus to 12 teams from five continents,” said Verónica Cáceres Chamorro, who served as a championship round judge for the event.

Cáceres Chamorro, who is the secretary general of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, said she was impressed with the competitor’s command of her organization’s policies and their intensive research skills.

“I was delighted to see how knowledgeable the students participating in the Moot Court were of the entire IAC text, resolutions, and the research they did outside legal documents…addressing sea turtle threats – not only lighting, but climate change, dangers in the marine habitat with a marina and boat strikes, damage to nests from people walking on the beach, to the socioeconomic aspects,” she said.

IEMCC 2022: Results and recognition

The final round was between two teams from the Philippines: University of the Philippines College of Law and University of Cebu School of Law, Philippines. The latter was ultimately the winner. A University of Cebu School of Law competitor, Golda Marie Lim, won Best Oralist in the final round.

Three women sign a map of the world using Sharpie markers. — Team members from Kenya and Korea sign a world map that will be presented to the Ukrainian team, who were the 2022 recipients of the Spirit of Stetson Award.

Semifinalists were Singapore Management University and Law Society of Ireland.

Best Memorial went to University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Though they could not be present to compete, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla, Ukraine was given the Spirit of Stetson Award.

See the full 26th IEMCC results.

Dispute Resolution Board Wins National Energy Law Competition

For the first time ever, Stetson Law’s Dispute Resolution Board won South Texas University’s Energy Law Negotiation Competition. The virtual event took place March 25-26 and featured teams from 18 law schools, including University of Texas, University of North Carolina, and Emory University.

Prior to this year’s win, Stetson Law had never before advanced in this competition – let alone won it outright.

Making this victory even more remarkable was the fact that the two competitors from Stetson Law, Andrew Zacherl (3L) and Selina Nadeau (2L), were up against teams from schools that have concentrations in energy law. Nadeau, who has a concentration in environmental law, was competing for the first time.

They went into the final rounds seeded third, having won five of six ballots in the preliminary rounds, and emerged from finals as champions.

Now in its seventh year, the annual Energy Law Negotiation Competition gives participants the opportunity to practice their negotiation skills in a hypothetical setting in Houston, which is often referred to as the energy capital of the United States. The event is judged by oil and gas industry professionals from major law firms and energy companies. In recent years, many of the competition’s top-four spots went to schools from Texas, a state known for its oil and gas industry. In 2019, all four schools that placed were in Texas.

Negotiation facts were given to the 18 teams on February 25, which gave them a month to prepare.

Professor Kristen Adams, who is faculty director of Stetson Law’s Dispute Resolution Board, said the team’s success was “truly historic.”

“This was the culmination of Andrew’s distinguished work on the DR board, and a truly auspicious beginning for Selina, who was competing for Stetson for the first time,” Adams said. “Congratulations, and a special thanks to Coach Bill Greiner.”

Learn more about Stetson Law’s Dispute Resolution Board.

Campus to Career ’22: Week One Recap

From an engineer-turned-real-estate rockstar to a barrier-breaking mayor of a major Florida city, Campus to Career’s first week was packed with compelling insights from Stetson Law alumni. The sessions showcased how these high-profile grads navigated their early careers after graduation – and demonstrated that professional pathways don’t always go in a straight line.

“You don’t really choose…your profession. Sometimes it chooses you.”
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis

Here are some highlights from the week’s keynote events.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis on Service & Community Involvement

Fort Lauderdale Mayor and Stetson Alumnus Dean Trantalis

Well before fighting homophobia in Broward County in the nineties or being elected Mayor of Fort Lauderdale in 2018, Dean Trantalis was a Boston University student inspired to major in political science by the Vietnam War and Watergate. While he didn’t go to law school right away, advocacy always called to him.

“You don’t really choose…your profession. Sometimes it chooses you,” he said. “And I guess I kind of always knew that I was going to be a lawyer.”

In his Tuesday keynote, the ’79 Stetson Law alumnus talked about fighting for LGBTQ protections in Broward County at a time when even like-minded politicians were afraid to publicly support it – and why, whether you’re advocating in a courtroom or knocking on doors, you need to put the work in.

“The first thing to do when advocating something is to know your subject matter,” he said. “Because if you don’t know your subject matter, people are going to see right through you. Make sure you know your subject matter, and make sure that you own it…And be honest in your advocacy.”

See the full keynote.

Selling Tampa’s Rena Upshaw-Frazier on Career Pathways

While her career path wasn’t one of absolute certainty, Rena Upshaw-Frazier knew one thing.

“I wanted to do something that was going to make an impact,” she said Wednesday afternoon.

Stetson Law Alumna and Selling Tampa Star Rena Upshaw Frazier

She had wanted to go into environmental science, but her father advised her against it because it wouldn’t be lucrative – so she pursued environmental engineering at University of South Florida. The Tampa native was drawn to the legal work she was exposed to – so she applied to Stetson Law and got in.

“I had a lot of people tell me engineers won’t make good lawyers,” she said. “It actually ended up being the opposite.”

She ended up at a large firm, where she fell in love with real estate while helping a colleague with extra work. It felt like a calling – so much so that she eventually got her real estate license and joined Allure, an all-female Tampa brokerage. A producer from the reality show Selling Sunset reached out to Allure about filming a similar reality show in Tampa. Upshaw-Frazier auditioned for a role and got it – but like leaving law, it was a tough decision.

“You’re just really putting yourself out there and you don’t really have a lot of control over the end product,” she said. “You film the scenes, and it gets chopped up how it gets chopped up.”

Ultimately, she “decided to just go for it and see what happened,” and became a key person on Netflix’s Selling Tampa.

If she could say anything to her law-school self, she would tell herself to take it easy.

“I’d say ‘girl, relax,’” Upshaw-Frazier said. “I would enjoy the journey a lot more.”

See the full keynote.

“Team Coy” talks career, love & passing the bar

Stetson Law Alumna Theresa Jean-Pierre Coy

When moving into private practice after working with the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s office, Stetson Law alumna Theresa Jean-Pierre Coy said she didn’t realize that having your own practice means that you take on all support roles, from IT person to administrative assistant. She realized this when her cell phone rang, and it was an angry judge on the other end asking why she had missed a hearing.

Coy is now Conviction Unit Supervisor with the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office.

The former George Edgecomb Bar Association President fielded questions Thursday evening alongside her husband, Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office Juvenile Division Chief Travis Coy, who is also a Stetson Law alum.

The two met at Stetson Law, and throughout their keynote address joked about what it’s like to have a romantic partner who’s also a colleague.

The Coys stressed relationship-building and hard work as keys to success. For example, when studying for the bar exam, Theresa Jean-Pierre Coy said she treated it like a nine-to-five job. Yet while the work is important, she also thinks it’s important to give oneself some breathing room.

“I would tell myself relax a little,” she said when asked what she would tell her younger self.

You’re going to be okay, in fact, you’re going to do better than you ever imagined.”

Travis Coy urged the students who were participating to enjoy life.

“Being a lawyer does not define who you are. First and foremost, you’re a human being,” he said. “Make sure you embrace life and that you cherish the moment and that you’re living in the moment.”

See the full keynote.

Stetson Law’s Campus to Career event continues through April 14. See the full Campus to Career event program.

Campus to Career ’22: Keynotes, Contacts & Cool Perks

Stetson Law School’s Gulfport, Florida campus

When learning how to navigate the transition between law school and professional life, the best teachers are those who transformed their Stetson Law education into exciting careers.

That’s why Campus to Career 2022, also known as Stetson Law’s Professional Development Conference, should pique the interest of any 1L, 2L or 3L. Spanning from March 22 through April 14, it features virtual workshops, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and more. The event kicks off with keynote addresses from some of Stetson Law’s most high-profile alumni, including Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and Rena Upshaw-Frazier, star of the Netflix series Selling Tampa.

Organizers and speakers alike say they look forward to showing students what it looks like to successfully go from life as a law student to the day-to-day rigors (and, frankly, challenges) of a career that will likely look a lot different from days spent immersed in learning.

“I’m excited to return (virtually) to Stetson Law to participate in this year’s Campus to Career Conference,” said Mayor Trantalis, who is also Fort Lauderdale’s first openly gay mayor.

What to expect

Trantalis’s hour-long keynote launches the event Tuesday, March 22 at 11:45 a.m. Service will be the theme of his speech.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor and Stetson Law alum Dean Trantalis

“During my time at Stetson, I became equipped with many of the necessary skills needed to successfully achieve a career in law,” Trantalis said. “Today, as the founder of my own firm and the two-term mayor of the city of Fort Lauderdale, there’s much more that I’ve learned since my graduation that I look forward to sharing with my fellow soon-to-be alumni.”

Over the course of the event, students can gain insights from Stetson Law faculty, staff, alumni, and other community members on how to cultivate a host of competencies that will help them build and sustain their careers – whether or not they choose to become legal practitioners. This includes demonstrating resilience (handling setbacks), cultural humility (understanding the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion), time management (how not to over-extend), professional identity (social media dos and don’ts), and wellness (managing stress).

A series of career community panels will also give students critical insights into what it is like to practice criminal, elder, and other types of law from professionals who operate in those spaces every day.

A ”springboard” to success

In past years, the Campus to Career has been so meaningful, it has inspired students to help organize it.

“Looking back, Campus to Career was the 1L springboard that has led me into my final semester,” said 3L Joseph Kim, co-chair of the 2022 Campus to Career Conference. “As someone who continues to incorporate the knowledge they gained attending as a 1L and serving as a 2L Student Fellow, I highly encourage you to attend this year’s conference.”

Attendees who meet certain criteria will be eligible for a host of fun door prizes, from Target gift cards to a reserved parking spot for the 2022 Fall semester.

For more information, including schedules, speaker bios, and door prize eligibility, See the Campus to Career program guide.

New Course Brings Stetson Law to USF St. Pete

Professor Kirsten Davis gestures during a lecture to a class — Professor Kirsten Davis speaks to USF St. Pete undergraduate students.

Stetson Law and University of South Florida St. Petersburg have some things in common: revered faculty, beautiful grounds, and a vibrant learning environment. Now, something else connects the two: a new partnership that has brought Stetson Law faculty to the USF St. Pete campus to teach law.

At the helm of the inaugural course is Stetson Law Professor Dr. Kirsten Davis, who was selected for the role by Stetson Law Dean Michèle Alexandre. The course, “Text, Tweet, Take to the Street: Dissent and the First Amendment,” aims to explore dissent and how it relates to free speech. Students learn about landmark cases involving the First Amendment, what types of speech are protected and what are not, and how decades-old precedents still apply in the digital age.

“In all areas of life, we are dealing with what dissent looks like. We see it on television, in our neighborhoods, on Twitter and Facebook,” said Davis, the inaugural Judy Genshaft Honors College Visiting Professor of Law. “For any citizen, understanding how the First Amendment fits with that discourse is really important.”

Creatively adapted for undergraduates

Davis, who is Director of Stetson Law’s Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication, finds creative ways to teach First Amendment law to a lay audience. The class incorporates puzzles and art sessions that help non-law students more easily grasp often-complex legal language and processes.

“I’ve taken what I know about teaching law school and adapted it for what I hope is a fun and interesting course for outstanding undergraduate students, no matter their major,” she said. “I think our favorite in-class activity has been making art as a way to review key concepts of the course.”

She is planning to bring her colleague, William Reece Smith, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law Kristen Adams, to the classroom for a session that connects law and poetry.

A professor surrounded by her students — Stetson Law Professor Kirsten Davis is surrounded by undergraduate students from the course she teaches at USF St. Pete.

In addition to bringing together students from all majors, from biology to political science, the course can help them decide if law school is right for them.

“The class will help students decide whether or not they want to attend law school. Even if it’s not for them, now they’ll know,” said Thomas Smith, USF’s associate dean of the Judy Genshaft Honors College and a professor of political science.

The experience has strengthened USF St. Pete junior Alivia Kelly’s resolve to attend law school – at Stetson, in particular. The psychology major has enjoyed studying psychological concepts’ role in shaping First Amendment law.

“I am definitely looking at Stetson for law school,” she said. “I have experienced firsthand being a disabled woman in the U.S., and my identity motivates my interests. I would love to explore the complexities of law across cultures and mediums that have never been fully integrated into the legal sphere before.”

A student at the back of the room sits at a laptop while a professor gives a lecture — Stetson Law Professor Kirsten Davis speaks to a classroom at USF St. Pete.

A multifaceted partnership

The USF-Stetson Law partnership also includes a course taught to environmental science majors by Stetson Law Foreman Biodiversity Fellow Katherine Platt and Stetson Law 3L Lauren Beames.

The program allows environmental law students to earn credit through teaching such courses at USF St. Pete. Law students and fellows like Pratt collaborate on curriculum suited to their classes.

“This is really a great immersion experience,” Pratt said. “There really is no better way to understand a concept than to teach it to someone else.”

As part of the Stetson Law-USF St. Pete agreement, undergraduate honors students can start their first year of law school while enrolled in their final undergraduate year. There is also a direct-admission program for students whose GPA and LSAT scores meet a certain standard, which guarantees admission to Stetson Law as well as access to scholarship funds.

Environmental activist discusses how to fight harmful bacteria in Florida waters

Cyanobacteria may not be a household name like red tide, but its effects on Florida waterways can be similarly dire, environmentalists say. That’s why renowned environmentalist Maggy Hurchalla wants to raise awareness of these pollutants – and is calling for stronger laws to curb their proliferation.

As part of the Edward & Bonnie Foreman Biodiversity Lecture Series, Hurchalla spoke at a hybrid event on the Stetson University College of Law campus Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, on the eve of World Wetlands Day. Hurchalla’s lecture focused on waterways in and around Lake Okeechobee, including the Everglades, the threat cyanobacteria overgrowth poses public health, and what she sees as lagging public policy when it comes to water resources.

The lecture was titled “Old Laws and New Health Threats.” Cyanobacteria blooms are associated with wastewater runoff from mass-scale agricultural operations, water laden with nutrients that feed the blooms. Volumes of this polluted water are stored in Lake Okeechobee and are periodically released into the waters off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

“Our natural systems are hurting,” she said. “They are suffering because of over-allocation of our water resources. We have given away more water than we have.”

A longtime activist who was an early advocate for Everglades restoration, Hurchalla was a Martin County Commissioner from 1974 to 1994. Her sister was former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. She said the consequences of cyanobacteria outbreaks can be dire for families living along affected waterways as well as businesses that rely on clean water, like boat charters.

Foreman Biodiversity Fellow Katherine Pratt; Environmental activist Maggy Hurchalla; and Law Professor and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy Royal Gardner in the Banyan Courtyard on the Stetson Law campus.

Cyanobacteria in and of itself is not the problem, she said.

“They are one of the oldest life forms on earth. They are approximately 3.5 billion years old. Without them, we wouldn’t exist.”

For example, spirulina, a popular dietary supplement, is a cyanobacteria, as are countless other microorganisms. Many occur naturally in Florida waterways – Hurchalla said the overgrowths seen in Lake Okeechobee would not occur in a pristine environment – but climate change, industrial agriculture and the destruction of mangrove ecosystems create a perfect storm for harmful overgrowths.

“Massive cyanobacteria blooms are not natural,” she said.

People living near the outbreak have seen an increase in rashes, nausea and respiratory problems, she said, adding that she worries about children living along Lake Okeechobee’s shores, and how the blooms might affect their long-term health.

“They swim in it, they eat the fish, and they breathe [near it],” she said

Despite the potentially detrimental impacts, Hurchalla says, policies at the local and state level surrounding cyanobacteria and water management are utterly lacking.

The event included a question and answer session in which students and other guests asked questions about Florida’s water policies.

The event gave students and others in attendance an opportunity to learn about a real-world example of the intersection between law and the environment.

“I hope that students better understand the threats to Florida’s water quality, and I am certain that they will be inspired by Maggy’s example,” said Professor Royal Gardner, Director for the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson Law.

For Hurchalla, the event was an opportunity to inspire action through direct involvement and engaging local and state officials on the issue.

“There’s something more important you can do about water resources,” she said. “Vote, vote, vote.”

The Everglades are a body of water recognized as a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty that aims to encourage responsible wetlands management and the entity behind World Wetlands Day. Hurchalla’s lecture was recognized as a World Wetlands Day event.

Esteemed legal scholar Jules Coleman to speak at Feb. 17 Inns of Court lecture

Dr. Jules Coleman

As part of a monthlong visit to the Stetson University College of Law campus, author, scholar of law, and Yale University Professor of Philosophy Jules Coleman will give the Wm. Reece Smith, Jr. Distinguished Lecture at the College’s Annual Inns of Court event.

Dr. Jules Coleman is a prolific author who has written a dozen books and over 100 scholarly articles and peer-reviewed essays, including The Practice of Principle: In Defense of a Pragmatist Approach to Legal Theory, based on his Inaugural Clarendon Lectures in Law at Oxford (published in 2001 by Oxford University Press). A former Wesley Newcomb Hohfield Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale University and Senior Vice Provost and Professor of Philosophy at NYU, Dr. Coleman is a thought leader in Higher Education committed to projects designed to reduce the disparity between the distribution of talent on the one hand and opportunity on the other.

A Compelling Discussion

His Inns of Court address, which he will deliver at a hybrid event Feb. 17 from 5:00-6:00 p.m., is titled “What Can be Learned from Thoroughbred Horses & Trolley Carts.” It explores the intersection of the law and everyday ethical issues using examples taken from the Kentucky Derby and the storied “Trolley Problem” thought experiment.

“I strongly believe that many of the issues the law addresses occur in different forms in our ordinary experiences, and that the law stands to learn a good deal from the ways in which we have come to resolve these issues in non-legal contexts,” Coleman said.

Students, staff and faculty will be invited to attend the lecture in-person in the Great Hall (which is at limited capacity due to COVID-19 precautions), while others are invited to attend the event virtually.

Inspiring Faculty & Students

As part of his visit to campus, Coleman will offer one-on-one scholarship mentoring to faculty and aims to inspire students to look to jurisprudence as a fundamental aspect of their future work.

Professor Marco Jimenez

“I hope to spend significant amounts of time with the faculty to help them work through their current research projects, identify new projects and help them develop a strategy and a practice for completing research projects,” Coleman said. “I hope to meet with students and help them identify areas of the law they wish to study and in which they practice; and to help them learn the lesson that legal theory is a central element of first-rate legal practice.”

Given Coleman’s international reputation and his engaging speaking style, College of Law faculty members look forward to his visit, which will be the second time he has visited the campus.

“Dr. Jules Coleman’s visit should prove invigorating to faculty and students alike,” said Stetson Law Professor Marco Jimenez. “I, for one, am incredibly excited to welcome one of our nation’s premier legal scholars on our beautiful Stetson campus for the second time! “ During his visit, Coleman will also speak at the 43^rd Annual National Conference on Law & Higher Education, which takes place March 2-7 at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach (see details and register).

Moot Court team named finalist, earns brief award, in competition

Moot Court Board team members Anya Pardy, Sara Spears, and Emily Witthoeft were named finalists and earned a third-place award for the Petitioner’s Brief in the 12th Annual Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition held Oct. 20-23, 2021.

The three-day long competition was hosted virtually by Elon Law School and included 51 teams from 34 law schools and over 100 advocates.

The final round, which was judged by the Associate Justices and a former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, was a close contest against Michigan State. This was the furthest a Stetson team has gotten in this competition, and the largest number of teams participating in a competition thus far this season. It also marked the fourth competition that a Stetson team earned recognition for their brief writing, as well as their team performance.

Stetson alumna Caitlein Jammo coached the team.