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Stetson Ranked Third in the South

Contact Cindi Brownfield
University Marketing
386-822-7214
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Stetson University is ranked third among the South’s top regional universities for academic quality in the 2011 U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” publication.

Listed as one of the South’s leading universities since the U.S. News survey of colleges and universities was first published in 1985, Stetson this year tied for third place. The category was renamed “Regional Universities” this year. It includes universities that provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs, but few, if any, doctoral programs. The 572 universities in the category are ranked by region – North, South, Midwest and West.

“We are proud of Stetson University’s continued recognition as one of the top three universities in the South,” said Dr. Elizabeth “Beth” Paul, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Stetson. “This honor celebrates Stetson’s deep commitment to academic excellence and integrity. The university community takes great pride in the personalized and rigorous learning experience afforded to each and every student.”

The U.S. News rankings are based on several key measures of quality including peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

Stetson is featured in two other sections of the 2011 “America’s Best Colleges” guide – in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” and the “A-Plus Schools for B Students” sections.

The rankings posted on www.usnews.com at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, and the publication is due to hit newsstands Tuesday, Aug. 24.

Student Elected ABA Law Student Division Delegate

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Stetson Law student Tiffany Colbert. Click for high-resolution image.

This weekend at the annual American Bar Association meeting in San Francisco, Stetson University College of Law student Tiffany Colbert was elected by her peers to serve as ABA Law Student Division Delegate for the coming year.

“I am thrilled and honored to continue Stetson University College of Law’s long-standing tradition of national leadership in the American Bar Association Law Student Division,” said Colbert.

As a new division delegate, Colbert is one of only three law students from around the country representing the concerns of approximately 40,000 law student members to the ABA’s governing body.

“Tiffany is the epitome of professionalism and will represent Stetson and her peers well on the national level,” said Michael Farley, Stetson Law’s assistant dean of student life.

Last March, Colbert was elected fifth circuit governor of the ABA Law Student Division, representing law schools in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico and Tennessee.

Professor to Discuss CSI Effect, Aug. 28

Professor Carol Henderson speaking on the Stetson Law campus. Click for high-resolution image.

Stetson Law Professor Carol Henderson, a past-president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences who has consulted on the CSI Miami television series, will speak Aug. 28 on the “CSI effect” at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa. This presentation, at 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., will be the last of the lecture series entitled An F.Y.I. with CSI at MOSI and is part of CSI After Dark, which offers extended museum hours until 9 p.m. Henderson’s talk is included in the museum admission.

MOSI is showcasing CSI: The Experience, an interactive exhibit in which museum guests play the roles of crime scene investigators to solve mysteries. Professor Henderson, whose law students have the opportunity to play investigators in mock crime scenes in her classes, said she was excited about the exhibit, which runs though Sept. 6 at MOSI, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa.

“The interest in forensic science is global, not just local,” said Henderson, who speaks around the world from Hong Kong to Helsinki about the intersection of technology and the law.

Closer to home at Stetson Law, Henderson directs the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law, which houses an online database of more than 100,000 resources. Everything from court decisions to legislation, scientific publications to news media coverage can be found in the database, designed to be a free “one-stop-shopping” resource of forensic topics for lawyers, scientists, academics and researchers. The Stetson Law library and information center also houses a special collection of forensic resources that is unique among major law libraries in the U.S.

At Stetson, Henderson’s students learn about evidence, working with crime labs, and the “CSI effect” of pop culture TV science on real-life juries. Henderson regularly brings speakers to the Stetson Law campus to talk about the latest in forensic technology and the law. Among them, producer and writer of the Bones television series Kathy Reichs, legendary forensic investigator Dr. Henry Lee, and O.J. Simpson defense lawyer and Innocence Project co-founder Barry Scheck.

To learn more about the NCSTL, visit http://www.ncstl.org/.

To learn more about the MOSI CSI exhibit, visit http://www.mosi.org.

Special Needs Trusts Conference, Oct. 21-22

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

The Center for Excellence in Elder Law at Stetson Law will bring experts in the area of special needs from around the nation to St. Pete Beach, Fla., on Oct. 21-22. Stetson is sponsoring its 12th annual national Special Needs Trusts conference at the historic Don CeSar Beach Resort, 3400 Gulf Blvd.

“This national conference is designed to educate those in the field of special needs on the cutting edge issues and trends in this area of the law,” said Professor Rebecca C. Morgan, the Boston Asset Management Chair in Elder Law, who also directs Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law.

More than 350 attendees are expected to attend this year’s conference, which is designed for attorneys, trustees, estate planners, financial advisors, CPAs and other special needs professionals. A diverse group of more than 20 experts from across the country will present.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available by contacting Brianna Wetherwax, Director of Conferences and Events, at 727-562-7898.

CLE credits are also available. For CLE credit information, please contact Irena Milasinovic at 727-562-7312 or [email protected].

For tuition and registration information for the conference, visit the Office of Conferences and Events at Stetson on the Web at www.law.stetson.edu/conferences/snt2010, e-mail [email protected], or phone 727-562-7312. The conference will also be available via Webcast. A Webcam to view the beautiful beach outside the Don is located at http://www2.tbo.com/static/weather/tbo-webcams-don-cesar/.

The deadline for early-bird registration is Sept. 24.

SLA Honors Alumni and Friends

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]


	Slideshow: SLA 2010 Honorees

The Stetson Lawyers Association honored alumni and friends in Boca Raton on June 23 during the Florida Bar Annual Convention.

Fred R. Dudley JD ’68 received the Ben C. Willard Award for humanitarian achievements of distinction. A member of the College of Law Board of Overseers, Dudley is senior counsel with Holland & Knight and is a board certified construction lawyer. He served 16 years in the Florida Legislature, retiring from the Florida Senate in 1998, where he chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Judge Simone Marstiller BBA ’88, JD ’96 received the Distinguished Alumna Award for extraordinary service to Stetson Law and to the legal profession. Judge Marstiller of Florida’s First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee has served the state of Florida in a variety of ways. Before becoming a judge, she was the state’s chief information officer and deputy attorney general as well as executive director for the Florida Elections Commission.

Scott J. Sternberg JD ’98 received the Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award for his generous contribution of time and gifts to the College of Law and alumni association. Sternberg owns a firm in Boca Raton that concentrates on workers’ compensation. He supports various projects at the College of Law and is an active member of the College of Law Board of Overseers.

Judge Gail A. Adams JD ’80 and Donald A. Pumphrey JD ’96 both received Outstanding Alumni Representative Awards for dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Association. Judge Adams, a circuit court judge in Orange County, annually hosts the annual alumni gathering in her home. Pumphrey, a criminal defender and member of the Stetson Lawyers Association, also regularly hosts alumni events in his home and reaches out to alumni.

Thomas W. Carey, Connie Pruitt, and Arturo M. Rios and Myrna Rios each received Distinguished Service Awards for significant, meritorious and continuing contributions benefiting the College of Law. Carey, a partner in the Carey & Leisure law firm, represents plaintiffs in personal injury and complex tort cases. His law firm established an award for the top student in each first-year Torts class at Stetson. Pruitt, executive director of the Hillsborough Bar Association, supports Stetson Law student scholarships and many collaborations between the bar and Stetson. Arturo Rios, an immigration attorney in St. Petersburg, and his wife Myrna, manager of the Rios Law Firm, regularly host several Stetson events, including the annual moot court party, as well as alumni receptions in Puerto Rico.

Lori Y. Baggett JD ’02 received the Stetson Lawyers Association President’s Award for service and dedication as immediate past-president of the SLA. Baggett, who dedicated substantial time to helping to advance the SLA as president, received the presidential gavel from incoming SLA president Barbara Cowherd JD ’00. The dedication and stewardship of the Stetson Lawyers Association, with more than 8,000 members, helps make Stetson Law a national leader in academic excellence.

Stetson Law Alumna, Overseer Help Tip the Scales for Female Jurists

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
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The July 2010 ABA Journal features Stetson Law alumna Chief Justice Carol Hunstein and Stetson Law overseer Justice Peggy Quince, as well as Inns of Court lecturer Justice Janice Holder. (L-R): Chief Justices Sue Bell Cobb, Peggy Quince and Carol Hunstein. Click for high-resolution image.

Two state supreme court chief justices with ties to Stetson University College of Law —alumna and Board of Overseers member Carol Hunstein of the Georgia Supreme Court and Board of Overseers member Peggy Quince of the Florida Supreme Court —are featured on the cover of the July 2010 ABA Journal. The cover story features female chief justices who lead supreme courts in 8 out of 13 southern states. The south has more female chief justices than any other region.

Hunstein, J.D. ’76, was appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court in 1992 and was elevated to chief justice in July 2009; she was inducted into the College of Law’s Hall of Fame in 2006. Quince, LL.D. ’99, has dedicated significant time to Stetson Law’s Board of Overseers, which she will rejoin as an active member in Fall 2010.

In January 2010, Stetson Law’s annual Inns of Court banquet featured Chief Justice Hunstein, Chief Justice Quince, and Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Janice Holder, each of whom discussed being chief justice of a state supreme court in the South —the same topic addressed in the ABA Journal article. During this event, they discussed the incredible advances women have made in the legal profession and judiciary, but reminded the crowd that there was still much important work to be done.

State supreme court justices Holder, Hunstein and Quince spoke at Stetson Law's Inns of Court in January. Click for high-resolution image.

Editor’s Note: To read the ABA Journal article about the trend-setting state supreme court justices, visit http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/tipping_the_scales.

Moot Court Team Wins Competition

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
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Stetson Law's award-winning Moot Court Team in Boca Raton. (L-R): Professor Stephanie Vaughan, students Megan Fossen, Sandra Harrell and Erik Hanson and alumna team coach Aleks Jagiella. Click for high-resolution image.

Stetson University College of Law’s Moot Court Team won all three top awards at the Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition in Boca Raton, Fla., June 23-26. In addition to being named Overall Best Team, Stetson won the Best Brief and Best Oralist awards.

Stetson students Megan Fossen, Erik Hanson and Sandra Harrell defeated a team from St. Thomas University School of Law in the finals. Hanson, a part-time law student at Stetson who also works full-time, was named best oralist in the final round. All seven justices of the Florida Supreme Court judged the final round.

“This is the first time in our memory that Stetson has taken home all three top honors with best team, best brief and best oralist in this competition,” said Professor Stephanie Vaughan, Stetson’s moot court advisor. “We could not be more proud of our students’ skills as legal writers and advocates.”

The competition included teams from all 11 Florida law schools and was sponsored by the Florida Bar Young Lawyers’ Division. Stetson alumna Aleks Jagiella ’06 coached the award-winning team.

To learn more about moot court at Stetson, visit http://www.law.stetson.edu/advocacy.

Part-Time Program Information Sessions

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Stetson University College of Law will offer two information sessions in August for potential part-time law students. The sessions are designed to provide prospective students with all the information they need to know before applying to law school. Attendees are encouraged to R.S.V.P. for one of the sessions in either Tampa or Gulfport.

• Aug. 5 in classrooms 135 and 136 at the Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.

• Aug. 26 in the Great Hall at the Gulfport campus, 1401 61st St. S.

Both programs will start at 6:30 p.m. Registration begins at 6:15 p.m.

“The part time law program allows me to balance the study of law with the time I spend at my job or with my children,” said student John Kinsella.

“Our part-time law students bring a breadth of real-life experience to the class,” said Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Laura Zuppo. “We are excited about welcoming the next diverse group in the fall.”

Stetson Law enrolls new part-time evening students in the fall of every year. The information sessions will provide an overview of law school admission and financial aid, law school curriculum, legal careers, and insights from part-time law students.

To R.S.V.P. and for more information and directions to campus, visit http://www.law.stetson.edu/admissions/ptinforsvp/. See the J.D. Part-Time Program page for more information.

For more information, contact:
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
(727) 562-7802
[email protected]

More than 200 Alumni Listed as Super Lawyers

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

A total of 238 Stetson University College of Law alumni were recognized in this year’s Florida Super Lawyers ® list, and 134 alumni were listed in the 2010 Florida Rising Stars ® list. Super Lawyers is a list of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas and Rising Stars is a list of the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state —those who are 40 years old or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less.

Stetson alumnus Christian D. Searcy ’73 was listed on the Florida Super Lawyers top 10 list.

Stetson graduates Stephen D. Busey ’69, Robert S. Freedman ’90, Mark A. Hanley ’80, Luis Prats ’81, Robert J. Sniffen ’93 and Alton C. Ward ’82 joined Searcy on the top 100 list for Florida. The six Stetson alumni were also on the top 50 list for North Florida.

Stetson alumnae Caroline K. Black ’84, Lorena Hart Ludovici ’89, Marian P. McCulloch ’79 and Denise L. Wheeler ’94 were mentioned in the top 50 women list for Florida, and on the top 25 women list for North Florida.

For more information, please visit Super Lawyers online at www.superlawyers.com.

Stetson Graduate Wins Legal Writing Award

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Forrest Bass, 2010 Burton Award winner and 2009 Stetson Law graduate. Click for high-resolution image.

Stetson University College of Law graduate Forrest Bass ’09 recently received a Burton Award for student legal writing. This national award, presented on June 14 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., was given to only 15 recent law graduates nationwide.

Bass was honored for his article “Calming the Storm: Public Access to Florida’s Beaches in the Wake of Hurricane-Related Sand Loss,” which was published in the Stetson Law Review‘s spring 2009 issue. Bass also received the St. Petersburg Times Award for his writing on the Stetson Law Review.

On June 17, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case Mr. Bass analyzed. Bass now practices estate planning and tax law with the Punta Gorda law firm of Farr, Farr, Emerich, Hackett & Carr P.A.

The Burton awards, which were created by attorney and author William C. Burton of New York City, recognize achievements in legal writing, legal practice, and public service. Others honored at the 2010 ceremony included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, CNN senior legal correspondent Jeffrey Toobin, and Bryan Garner, editor in chief of Black’s Law Dictionary and the May 2010 commencement speaker at Stetson University College of Law.

Stetson, which has been honored with six Burton Awards over the past 10 years, is ranked third in the nation for legal writing by U.S. News & World Report.

National Clearinghouse to Receive Award

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

The National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law at Stetson University College of Law has been selected to receive the 2010 August Vollmer Excellence in Forensic Science Award in the category of Innovation in Forensic Technology.

The National Clearinghouse was selected for outstanding achievements on behalf of the law enforcement profession by the International Association of Chiefs of Police Forensic Committee. The award will be presented on Oct. 24 at the IACP’s 117th Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla.

Stetson’s National Clearinghouse provides a unique online resource that concentrates on the nexus of science, technology and the law, educating and sharing information with scientists, legal professionals, law enforcement, academics and the public. Its forensic research database provides more than 100,000 resources about forensic science and technology, the law of scientific evidence and expert witnesses.

To learn more about Stetson’s National Clearinghouse, visit http://www.ncstl.org or call 727-562-7316.

Nagle Appointed to IBA Council

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
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Stetson University College of Law Professor Luz Nagle has been appointed to the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division Council for a four-year term starting in January 2011.

“I feel honored to have been selected for this important appointment,” Nagle said. “As a member of council, I am thrilled to have an opportunity to work with one of the world’s leading legal organizations.”

Nagle, an expert in international law and international criminal law who has been published in English and Spanish on four continents, began her legal career in Colombia, where she was a judge in MedellÃn fighting drug lords. At Stetson, she teaches International Law, International Criminal Law, Transborder Criminal Law, National Security, and an Advanced Seminar on Terrorism and Global Security. Deeply involved in the global fight against human trafficking and modern day slavery, Nagle was honored with the 2009 Freedom Award given by the Florida Coalition against Human Trafficking.

She is a member and co-chair of the Criminal Law Section of the IBA, member of the American Bar Association, ABA Criminal Justice Council, Teaching of International Law Committee, and serves as Stetson’s editor to the American Society of Comparative Law. Nagle is also a member of the American Law Institute, L’Association Internationale de Droit PÃ©nal, the International Network to Promote the Rule of Law, the Academia Mexicana de Derecho Internacional Privado y Comparado, the College of Lawyers of Colombia, and the Tampa Chapter of the Committee on Foreign Relations.

The IBA, with a membership of more than 40,000 lawyers and 197 bar associations and law societies, spans every continent. It influences the development of international law reform and shapes the future of the legal profession throughout the world.

Nagle will attend her first meeting as an entering council member in the fall.

Slideshow: SLA 2010 Honorees