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Irish Team Wins International Environmental Moot Court Competition at Stetson

Contact Brandi Palmer
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A team of students from the Law Society of Ireland won the 13th Annual International Environmental Moot Court Competition at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla., on March 28.

(L-R): Law Society of Ireland team Michelle Cunningham, Best Oralist Carol Eager, Ellie Dunne and Stetson Law Professor Royal Gardner.
(L-R): Law Society of Ireland team Michelle Cunningham, Best Oralist Carol Eager, Ellie Dunne and Stetson Law Professor Royal Gardner. Click for high-resolution image.

Teams from eight countries competed in the international finals at Stetson, traveling to the Tampa Bay campus from Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Nepal, Ukraine and the United States. This year’s winners from the Law Society of Ireland defeated a team from the University of California-Hastings College of Law. Carol Eager of the Law Society of Ireland was named Best Oralist in the international competition.

A team from the Universitas Pelita Harapan in Indonesia won the inaugural Spirit of Stetson Award for outstanding advocacy, and a team from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago received the award for Best Memorial.

“This competition is an incredible opportunity for students from all over the world to gather on Stetson’s campus to hone their skills as international law advocates,” said Professor Royal C. Gardner, who also heads the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson and created the competition with Vice President and Dean Darby Dickerson.

This year’s competition coincided with the two-day 11th International Wildlife Law Conference. Distinguished international scholars from eight countries around the world presented topics ranging from biofuel production to ecotourism.

The final round of competition at Stetson was judged by Wil Burns, editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Wildlife and Policy; Johannes Huber, the executive secretary of the Antarctic Treaty, from Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Andi Pearl, the manager of the Antarctic Krill Conservation Project for The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C.

Colbert Elected ABA-LSD Circuit Governor

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Tiffany Colbert, 5th Circuit Governor of the American Bar Association Law Student Division.
Tiffany Colbert, 5th Circuit Governor of the American Bar Association Law Student Division. Click for high-resolution image.

For the second year in a row, a Stetson University College of Law student was elected 5th Circuit Governor of the American Bar Association Law Student Division. Tiffany Colbert was sworn in as the 2009-2010 circuit governor at the ABA Law Student Division at a ceremony on March 21 at the 2009 Spring Board of Governors Meeting held at the Sirata Beach Resort and Conference Center in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Colbert replaces Stetson law student Louis Brown, who completed his term of office this year. Brown graduates from Stetson Law on May 16. A Stetson Law student has held the governor position three times in the past five years.

Chris Sprowls, the first Stetson law student to chair the ABA Law Student Division and a former division delegate to the ABA House of Delegates, also graduates this May and presided over the board meeting on March 21.

“Stetson Law has a long tradition of leadership in the ABA Law Student Division, and we are excited that Tiffany will continue to represent Stetson both regionally and nationally,” said Michael Farley, Stetson’s assistant dean.

The Stetson ABA Law Student Division chapter was also recognized with the Bronze Key award for membership.

The 5th Circuit includes all law schools in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico and Tennessee. Colbert will represent the region at national ABA Law Student Division meetings.

Environmental Awareness

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

Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla., landscapes with native plants.
Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla., landscapes with native plants. Click for high-resolution image.

Stetson University students and faculty take environmental responsibility seriously, and it shows. From engaging in environmental education to dining green and encouraging smart commuting, Stetson students and faculty have declared their commitment to helping out the planet.

Two Florida universities, Stetson University and the University of Florida, are featured in the current issue of Southern Living’s photo spread on “Saving the Planet.” The spread highlights Stetson University’s Vera Lea Rinker Native Plant Garden in DeLand, its student-staffed native plant education program in Volusia County K-5 schools, and students working to protect native species in Blue Spring.

On March 26-27, the law school’s Gulfport campus will host the two-day 11th International Wildlife Law Conference, bringing together a distinguished panel of international scholars and experts to discuss topical environmental issues such as biofuel production and biodiversity, sustainable ecotourism, regional fisheries and the fragile Antarctic ecosystem. Speakers from eight countries include Wil Burns, editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy; Johannes Huber, executive secretary of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Julia Jabour of the University of Tasmania’s Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies; and Andi Pearl, manager of the Antarctic Krill Conservation Project for The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C.

go green“At its best, environmental education is an impetus to both discuss and act wisely to make responsible and sustainable choices for ourselves and for the environment in which we live,” said Professor Royal Gardner, the director of Stetson’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy who recently co-authored a chapter with 2007 Stetson Law graduate Ezequiel Lugo in Agenda for a Sustainable America.

The Wildlife Law Conference is being held in conjunction with the International Finals of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition. Students from ten different countries, including Brazil, China, India, Nepal and Ukraine, will travel to Stetson to participate in this advocacy event and attend the conference.

Gardner also advises Stetson Law’s Go Green Committee, which recently brought waste and recycling experts from the City of Clearwater to the Gulfport campus to encourage students, staff and faculty to recycle at home as well as at school.

Stetson Law Presents Lifetime Achievement Awards for Excellence in Advocacy

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Professor Thomas A. Mauet and Judge Warren D. Wolfson accept their awards for a lifetime of achievement in advocacy March 5 at Stetson Law.
Professor Thomas A. Mauet and Judge Warren D. Wolfson accept their awards for a lifetime of achievement in advocacy March 5 at Stetson Law. Click for high-resolution image.

Professor Thomas A. Mauet and Judge Warren D. Wolfson were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Advocacy by Stetson University College of Law during its Educating Advocates Conference on March 5.

Mauet is the Milton O. Riepe Professor and Director of Trial Advocacy at the James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona. Wolfson has been an appellate judge in the 1st District of Illinois since 1994 and has directed the Trial Advocacy Program at the Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology since 1971.

Stetson’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes excellence in all facets of advocacy, from teaching others to representing clients. The inaugural recipient of the award was Terence MacCarthy, director of Chicago’s Federal Defender Program and an outstanding advocate and teacher.

Stetson Law offers a number of programs on advocacy education. On May 20-22, Stetson Law will host its second annual teaching advocacy skills program on the Gulfport campus. Attendees will learn from nationally renowned advocates how to increase their effectiveness in the classroom and develop course materials using the Stetson method. The intensive program graduated its first group of advocacy instructors in May 2008.

“I am proud that Stetson continues to find new ways to continue to grow as a leader in advocacy,” said Professor Charles Rose, director of Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Advocacy, which includes a free online Advocacy Resource Center for public service attorneys. “We have developed new programs to teach Stetson’s award-winning method to both the advocate and the advocacy instructor.”

Stetson has ranked at or near the top for advocacy among law schools nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report since they began the rankings.

To learn more about the advocacy program at Stetson, please visit the Center for Excellence in Advocacy.

Student Named Best Advocate at Regional NAAC

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(L-R): Stetson students Kristin Shusko, Chris Sprowls and Jennifer Morris McPheeters.
(L-R): Stetson students Kristin Shusko, Chris Sprowls and Jennifer Morris McPheeters. Click for high-resolution image.

Stetson University College of Law student Jennifer Morris McPheeters was named Best Advocate in the St. Louis regional of the American Bar Association Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) on March 14. Stetson sent two teams to the regional NAAC, a traditional moot court competition focusing on written and oral advocacy skills.

“The ABA competition is one of the most prestigious competitions in the nation,” said Moot Court Advisor Professor Stephanie Vaughan. Thirty-one teams competed in the St. Louis regional – one of six regional competitions in the NAAC.

Student Chris Sprowls was named Fourth Best Advocate and the team of Jennifer Morris McPheeters, Kristin Shusko and Chris Sprowls won the Second Best Brief Award in the regional competition.

Professors Michael Allen and Louis Virelli coached the students. “It makes me proud to be a teacher,” Professor Allen said of working with the students.

Best Advocate Jennifer Morris McPheeters.
Best Advocate Jennifer Morris McPheeters. Click for high-resolution image.

Stetson Advances to National Competition

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Stetson Law's team won the right to advance to the AAJ National Student Trial Advocacy Competition in April.
Stetson Law's team won the right to advance to the AAJ National Student Trial Advocacy Competition in April. (L-R): Nelson Baez, Sara Mieczkowski, Aaron Watson and Derrick Connell. Click for high-resolution image.

Stetson University College of Law will send a team of students to compete in the American Association  for Justice’s National Student Trial Advocacy Competition April 2-5 in West Palm Beach, Fla. At a regional competition held in Providence, R.I., Feb. 27-March 1, Stetson’s student team of Nelson Baez, Derrick Connell, Sara Mieczkowski and Aaron Watson won the right to advance along with 13 other law schools from across the country to the national AAJ competition in April.

“This is one of the biggest competitions of the year,” said Professor Lee Coppock, who directs Stetson’s trial team and travelled with the team to Rhode Island. “This competition is not an invitational. Our students had to earn their way to the nationals and we could not be more proud.”

Judge David A. Demers, Adjunct Professor Susan Demers and Professor Roberta Flowers  coached the winning Stetson Law team to victory at the regional competition.

Trial advocacy competitions allow law students to develop and practice their trial skills before distinguished members of the bar and bench.

Students to Compete in Vienna and Hong Kong

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Students Win in Orlando
Front row (L-R): Stephanie Kwan, Joe Etter and Matt Ransdell. Back row (L-R): Erik Detlefsen, Professor Stephanie Vaughan, Hazel Turner, Pat Causey, Professor Jason Palmer, Kristen Chittenden, Aisha Sanchez and J'Aimee Crockett. Click for high-resolution image.

A team of Stetson University College of Law students won the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot pre-competition on Feb. 28 in Orlando, Fla., for the fourth year in a row. The Stetson Law students will next compete in the two international moot competitions in Vienna and Hong Kong against students from 200 law schools from around the world.

Stetson students Kristen Chittenden, Erik Detlefsen, Stephanie Kwan, Matt Ransdell and Hazel Turner will head to the Vis East Moot competition in Hong Kong. Students J’Aimee Crockett, Pat Causey, Joe Etter and Aisha Sanchez will compete in Vienna where Stetson won the Vis International Moot in 2005. Sanchez was selected as Best Oralist in the Vis Moot pre-competition in Orlando.

“We are incredibly proud that our students have won this contest four years in a row,” said Moot Court advisor and professor Stephanie Vaughan. She added that Stetson Law hopes to capture international titles in both Hong Kong and Vienna. Organizers of the Vis Moot opened the Hong Kong competition to encourage students who could not travel to Europe to participate.

Along with Vaughan, Stetson Law professors Joseph Morrissey, Marco Jimenez and Jason Palmer coached the winning teams. The Florida Bar International Law Section organized the event, hosted at Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando.

The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot competitions are held annually in Vienna, Austria and in Hong Kong, China. The object of the Vis Moot is to foster study in the areas of international commercial and arbitration laws and to encourage the resolution of business disputes by arbitration.

Carlton Fields Selects Vilma Martinez as Diversity Fellow

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Vilma Martinez, Carlton Fields 2009 Diversity Fellow.
Vilma Martinez, Carlton Fields 2009 Diversity Fellow. Click for high-resolution image.

Carlton Fields law firm has selected Stetson University College of Law student Vilma Martinez as its 2009 Diversity Fellow. Martinez, who began working with the firm on Feb. 5, will spend approximately 200 hours throughout the spring semester working on legal projects at all seven of the Carlton Fields office locations.

Martinez, who is fluent in Spanish and proficient in both Mandarin Chinese and French, will graduate with a law degree from Stetson on May 16.

Carlton Fields created the Diversity Fellowship Program at Stetson Law in 2004 for students who have experienced socioeconomic or cultural barriers to pursuing a legal education and who are interested in serving as fellows within the large firm environment at Carlton Fields.

Justice Delayed, Not Denied

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G. Douglas Jones presents Stetson's Nichols Foundation Prominent Speakers lecture
G. Douglas Jones presents Stetson's Nichols Foundation Prominent Speakers lecture. Click for high-resolution image.

Famed attorney G. Douglas Jones presented “Justice delayed, but not denied: the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing prosecutions” to a  crowd of  law students and professors  on March 12 in the Great Hall at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport.

Jones discussed one of the most significant prosecutions from U.S. civil rights history as part of Stetson Law’s annual Nichols Foundation Prominent Speakers Lecture Series. Jones secured murder convictions nearly 40 years after the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala.

“We were running against time,” Jones said of the historic case, in which several key witnesses’ testimonies were heard just before they died.

The church bombing was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Jones is the former U.S. attorney for the northern district of Alabama who prosecuted and won murder convictions against two former Ku Klux Klansmen, Thomas Blanton Jr. and Bobby Frank Cherry, for the 1963 church bombing that killed four young girls. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute recently awarded Jones the 15th Anniversary Civil Rights Distinguished Service Award. “Lawyers can do great things,” Jones told the young law students in the audience.

Stetson’s lecture series is named for Perry Nichols, who served as president of the American Trial Lawyers As ­sociation and the International Trial Lawyers Association. An inductee to the Stetson Law Hall of Fame, Nichols also was a charter member of the law school’s board of overseers. The Nichols Foundation Prominent Speakers Series, established in 1995, enriches academic life at Stetson by presenting prominent speakers from business, government and the law.

ABA Site Visit, March 8-11

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Every ABA-accredited law school is visited once every seven years to reconfirm the school’s accreditation status. On March 8-11, 2009, an ABA team is visiting Stetson. The team is composed of three law school deans, a law school librarian, a law professor, a university president, and an assistant United States attorney, and all are from outside Florida.

During their time on campus, team members will visit numerous classes on Monday and Tuesday, March 9-10, and will be conducting interviews with students and the campus community. The team also will observe competition practices or other co-curricular activities.

Faculty Pioneers and University President Honored

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(L-R): Stetson Law pioneering educators Professor Dorothea Beane, Ruth Thurman, and Luz Nagle.
(L-R): Stetson Law pioneering educators Professor Dorothea Beane, Ruth Thurman, and Luz Nagle. Click for high-resolution image.

On Feb. 26, Professors Dorothea Beane, Luz Nagle and Ruth Fleet Thurman were honored for being pioneering educators at Stetson University College of Law. Outgoing Stetson University President H. Douglas Lee and First Lady Margaret Lee were also honored for their commitment to social justice.

Professors Beane, Nagle and Thurman represent a series of faculty firsts at Stetson Law. Thurman is the first tenured female professor, Beane is the first tenured African-American professor and Nagle is the first tenured Hispanic professor. A bronze relief, commissioned by Stetson Law Vice-President and Dean Darby Dickerson, was unveiled during the ceremony.

Professor Beane, co-director of the Institute on Caribbean Law and Policy at Stetson Law, works on matters involving international criminal law and human rights and has lectured extensively on the role of international tribunals. She is a past recipient of the Stetson University College of Law Teaching Excellence Award.

 

 

(L-R): Stetson University First Lady Margaret Lee and President H. Douglas Lee.
(L-R): Stetson University First Lady Margaret Lee and President H. Douglas Lee. Click for high resolution image.

Professor Nagle served as a judge on Colombia’s court of general jurisdiction from 1983-86 and was forced to leave Colombia following repeated assassination attempts. Nagle specializes in international law, international criminal law, national security law, terrorism, drug and human trafficking, guerrilla insurgency, and Latin American business law.

Professor Thurman was inducted into the Stetson University College of Law Hall of Fame in 2005. She was in private practice for 13 years before joining the Stetson Law faculty in 1975. Thurman is the first woman to serve as assistant state attorney in the 6th Judicial Circuit of Florida. She teaches in the areas of professional responsibility and family law.

President Lee retires in May after 21 years in the university presidency. In honor of Lee and wife Margaret, Stetson Law made donations to non-profit micro-credit organizations in countries in which Stetson has study-abroad and social justice programs.