As they prepare to join a competitive profession that places profound value on relationships, law students must cultivate the ability to hold meaningful conversations despite differences. To support students in developing this skill, Stetson University College of Law has launched a bold new initiative designed to prepare future lawyers to lead difficult conversations with clarity, empathy, and professionalism. Championed by Dean D. Benjamin Barros, the… » Read more

Law Professor Royal Gardner gave a keynote address at the 2026 Everglades Coalition conference. Members of the Stetson Law faculty shared key legal insights – and a message of hope – on protecting the vast, beloved landscapes that constitute the Florida Everglades at the 41st Annual 2026 Everglades Coalition Conference in Naples, Florida. The event is the largest gathering of environmental advocates, government officials, students,… » Read more

Dean D. Benjamin Barros (left) looks on as Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer speaks at Stetson Law on February 1, 2026. On February 1, the Stetson Law community gave a warm welcome to Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who visited campus to share insights about the legal profession with College of Law students. The Sunday evening event, which filled the Great… » Read more

The first phase of the bioswale installation project began in fall of 2025. Student Noah Peretz has always been passionate about preserving wild spaces – and rewilding tamed ones. While a student law clerk with Stetson’s Jacobs Public Interest Law Clinic for Democracy and the Environment, the spring 2026 grad discovered that passion for protecting natural environments can translate to meaningful community impact. When the… » Read more

Highlights from 2025 include the dedication of the Turner Food Pantry, student championship wins, amazing speakers, an incredible graduating class, and celebration of the latest inductees to Stetson Law’s prestigious Hall of Fame. In 2025, the Stetson Law community worked hard, supported one another, earned national recognition, and achieved great milestones. From celebrating the College’s 125 years of exceptional legal scholarship to continuing our forward-thinking… » Read more

Left to right: Mary Samarkos ’20 and Morgan Zimarakos ’20 of Stetson’s Veterans Law Institute; Vasilios “Billy” Zimarakos ’20 Staff and students with Stetson’s Veterans Law Institute (VLI) and Veterans Advocacy Clinic (VAC) recently ventured to the nearby St. Petersburg College (SPC) Gibbs Campus to help student veterans file disability claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The event was coordinated by SPC’s Institute… » Read more

Bestselling author Michael Grunwald spoke at Stetson Law in November 2025. What does the food on your plate have to do with rising sea levels? As it turns out, says best-selling author Michael Grunwald, quite a bit. Grunwald, who spoke on the Stetson Law campus November 18 as part of the Edward and Bonnie Foreman Biodiversity Lecture Series, covers environmental policy and politics for The… » Read more

Teammates Valeriya Gilmutdinova and Clayton Smith following their championship win at the National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition in Washington, DC. in 2025. This one’s for Logan. For the seventh time in the competition’s 16-year history, a Stetson Law team secured a championship win at the National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition in Washington, DC. Going into the November event, teammates Valeriya Gilmutdinova and Clayton Smith decided to… » Read more

1994 alumna Rebecca Palmer An accomplished Orlando family law attorney, 1994 Stetson Law alumna Rebecca L. Palmer has become a leading voice in the conversation surrounding artificial intelligence – primarily, chatbot romances – and how family law practitioners should approach cases involving them.  Her innovative work explores how the romantic use of chatbots reshapes marriage, infidelity, and parenthood. Since chatbots are not recognized as “legal”… » Read more

Catherine Seal was the first person to receive an LLM in Elder Law from Stetson in 2008. The Colorado Bar Association’s Elder Law Section has recognized Catherine Anne Seal, JD, LLM, CELA, with its 2025 John Campbell Award for Outstanding Contribution to Elder Law. In 2008, Seal became the first person to ever graduate from Stetson Law’s LLM in Elder Law program. The CBA Elder… » Read more

Left to right: Jeffery Smith ’73, Dean Darby Dickerson, Dean D. Benjamin Barros, Michael Marder ’77, Professor Peter Lake At a midday event that took place November 1 at the Don CeSar in a chic event space overlooking the Gulf, five pivotal figures were inducted into Stetson University College of Law’s prestigious Hall of Fame. Representing a large breadth of backgrounds and experience, this year’s… » Read more

1973 alumnus Jeff Smith and his wife, Patricia Smith, at the grand opening of Stetson Law’s Advocacy Institute. After a long career in the Citrus County justice system, 1973 Stetson Law alumnus Jeff Smith is enjoying the retiree life with his wife, Patricia (“Trish”) in Inverness, Florida. His legal career spans decades as a powerful advocate, and he credits Stetson Law with giving him the… » Read more