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Six Inducted Into Hall of Fame

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications
727-562-7889
[email protected]

Six new members joined Stetson University College of Law’s Hall of Fame on Oct. 11 during an induction ceremony on the law school’s Gulfport campus. Stetson Law’s Hall of Fame now includes 46 members. Four of this year’s inductees are graduates of the law school.

“We are very pleased to honor six individuals this year who have had both a profound impact on the legal profession and on Stetson University College of Law,” said Stetson Law Vice President and Dean Darby Dickerson.

» Watch Videos for 2008 Hall of Fame Inductees

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include:

 
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Dorothy Bishop

Dorothy Bishop worked at Stetson University College of Law for 48 years before retiring in 2004. During nearly five decades of service, she worked for six deans and witnessed Stetson’s rise as a national leader in legal education.

 
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S. Sammy Cacciatore ’66

Sammy Cacciatore has devoted his entire legal career to fighting for the rights of individuals. Cacciatore is a partner in the Melbourne-based law firm of Nance, Cacciatore, Hamilton, Barger, Nance, Cacciatore. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Stetson University. He has served as a Stetson University trustee and on the Stetson College of Law Board of Overseers.

 
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Doyle Carlton Sr.

Doyle Carlton Sr. served as Governor of Florida during the Great Depression and helped the state survive one of its most difficult times in history. He graduated from Stetson University in 1909 and went on to become a senior statesman, esteemed attorney and founding partner of Carlton Fields. Carlton also served as a Stetson University trustee for more than four decades and on the Stetson  College  of Law  Board of Overseers for  20 years.

 
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William Gillespie ’56

After graduating from Stetson University College of Law, William Gillespie joined his father’s law practice and later served in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Senate. He helped pass the Government in the Sunshine Law, the coastal setback-line revision of the Florida Constitution, the Environmental Land and Water Management Act, probate reform, and numerous educational initiatives. He was a member of the Stetson  College  of Law  Board of Overseers for eight years.

 
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Rhea Law ’79

After graduating from Stetson University College of Law, Rhea Law worked her way up in Fowler White Boggs Banker to become the first female president and CEO of a large Florida law firm in 2001. Law was named one of the top five women business leaders in Florida by the Commonwealth Institute in June 2008. She was named one of Florida’s most influential people by Florida Trend magazine and Businesswoman of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal in 2004. Law has served on the Stetson College of Law Board of Overseers and was instrumental in the law school’s Cornerstone fundraising campaign.

 
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E.V. Vane McClurg ’69

Vane McClurg was elected to serve on the board of directors of Publix Supermarkets in 1988 and continues in that role. He is chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Nominating Committee. McClurg has been a strong supporter of community organizations in Lakeland including the Boy’s Club, the Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation, Florida Southern College, Stetson Law, and many others.

LSU Wins National Pretrial Competition

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

On Oct. 4, a team from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center won first place at the inaugural National Pretrial Competition, co-sponsored by Stetson University College of Law and The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division.

LSU’s award-winning team of law students Megan Donohue, LaToya Jordan, Adam Savoie and Celeste White were coached by Professor Todd Bruno, a graduate of Stetson’s 2008 Teaching Advocacy Skills Program.

“The National Pretrial Competition is the first competition of its kind, designed to engage students from other law schools in the award-winning Stetson method of advocacy,” said Professor Charles Rose, director of Stetson Law’s Center for Excellence in Advocacy.

The pretrial competition, created by Stetson Law Dean Darby Dickerson to prepare students to be ethical and professional advocates, brought together eight teams of 32 students from law schools across the nation.

Other schools competing included Baylor Law School, Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Florida Coastal School of Law, Mississippi College School of Law, Regent University School of Law, and South Texas College of Law.

Stetson Law’s advocacy center promotes skills training with a three-tiered approach of teaching, scholarship and research at the pretrial, trial and appellate levels.

The 2009 U.S. News & World Report national rankings place Stetson among the nation’s top 100 law schools, first in trial advocacy and sixth for legal writing.

National Clearinghouse Offers Program on Veterans' Issues, Oct. 31

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 presents “Emerging Issues: Returning Veterans, PTSD and Other Injuries, and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System” on Oct. 31.

The program will take place in the Eleazer Courtroom on Stetson Law’s Gulfport campus at 1401 61st St. S. between 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. The results of this discussion will be shared with government representatives and agencies, including the Veterans Administration and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of California. Three of the six presenters will participate via broadcast from the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System Offices in Menlo Park, Calif.

Presenters include:

  • Presiding Veterans Court of Buffalo, N.Y., Judge Robert T. Russell  
  • Christopher Weaver of the National Center for PTSD Veterans Administration  
  • Donna Jacobs, veterans advocate for the California Statewide Veterans Collaborative and founder of Not This Time Vets  
  • Lt. Colonel David Rabb, Military Liaison of the U.S. Army Western Regional Medical Command V.A.  
  • Professor Michael P. Allen, Stetson University College of Law  
  • Professor Rebecca C. Morgan, Boston Asset Management Chair in Elder Law and Director of the Center for Excellence in Elder Law at Stetson University College of Law

The program will address some of the commonly experienced physical and psychological injuries of veterans returning to civilian life from combat deployment, resources available through the Veterans Administration and community programs, judicial responses to the ever-growing defendant population of veterans, and military resources that help both reserve and active-duty personnel and their dependents identify and respond to stresses when returning to civilian life.

To R.S.V.P. and for more information, please contact Stetson’s National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law at 727-562-7316.

Editor’s Note: This program will be archived for public access and review by government offices, community organizations and the general public on the National Clearinghouse Web site at http://www.ncstl.org/.

Roundtable Discussion of Marriage Amendment

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
(727) 562-7381

On Oct. 15, Stetson University College of Law professor Cynthia Hawkins-León joins St. Petersburg Times columnist Howard Troxler and American Civil Liberties Union of Florida’s executive director Howard Simon  at Studio@620 in St. Petersburg to discuss Amendment 2. The social justice roundtable, moderated by Eckerd College political science professor Bill Felice, begins with a reception at 6 p.m. at the Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S.

The roundtable, co-sponsored by Eckerd College, Stetson Law, and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, will discuss “It Takes Two: The Marriage Amendment and Tolerance.” This is  the first in a series of social justice roundtables this season at the Studio@620. Stetson is a patron sponsor of the Studio@620, which offers artistic, cultural and educational programs to the Tampa Bay community.

The public is invited to attend and to participate in the discussion. Space is limited and reservations for this free event are required. For reservations and more information, please call the Studio@620 at (727) 895-6620, e-mail [email protected], or visit them on the Web at http://www.studio620.org/620/e_sjrt.php.  

Recent Grad Wins Professionalism Award

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
(727) 562-7381

Tallahassee, Fla. – During a recent ceremony in Tallahassee, Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero presented 2008 Stetson University College of Law graduate Callie Weed with the prestigious Student Professionalism Service Award from the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism.
 
The award is given to the student who best exemplifies the ideals of professionalism through pro bono service, clinical and internship activities, mentoring of law students and others, community service, and personal character.

Weed excelled as a student at Stetson, serving more than 110 hours of legal pro bono work every semester as a Public Service Fellow and creating Stetson’s Family Law Society. Weed also served on Stetson’s moot court.  
 
A guardian ad litem who regularly recruits law students to work with children, Weed is presently an associate attorney for The Law Firm for Family Law in Clearwater, Fla., where she practices in the areas of family law and adoption.  

Special Needs Trusts X, Oct. 16-17

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

» Register for Conference

Tampa Bay, Fla. – The Center for Excellence in Elder Law at Stetson University College of Law will sponsor Special Needs Trusts X: The National Conference on Oct. 16-17 at the Don CeSar Beach Resort, 3400 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, Fla.

A national faculty of more than 20 experts will address topics including special needs, supplemental needs and irrevocable trusts; tax issues involved in special needs planning; new legislation and case law; adaptive transportation for disabled clients; the impact of Uniform Trust Code; creating independent and safe living environments for disabled adults; the relationship between immigration law and trusts; intergenerational planning; fee agreements; hiring home help; and disaster planning for the disabled.

“This program will provide the audience with insights into the issues and the law, as well as a look at some of the emerging issues surrounding the establishment and administration of special needs trusts,” said Professor Rebecca C. Morgan, the Boston Asset Management Faculty Chair in Elder Law and director of the Center for Excellence in Elder Law at Stetson.

Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law is partnering with the Green-certified Don CeSar Beach Resort this year to promote an environmentally responsible conference, providing flash drives instead of printed course materials, post-conference Podcasts of individual sessions, recycled paper and double-sided printing for folders and brochures, and re-usable water bottles for conference attendees. This year’s conference is also available via Webcast. CLE credits are available.

For tuition and registration information, visit the Office of Conferences and Events at Stetson on the Web at http://justice.law.stetson.edu/conferences/SNTX/, e-mail [email protected], or phone 813-228-0226. The deadline for early-bird registration is Sept. 18.

Editor’s Note: Journalists are encouraged to R.S.V.P. to Brianna Wetherwax, director of Conferences and Events, at 727-562-7898.

The Florida Bar Continues to Honor Stetson Law Faculty with Professionalism Awards

Contact Brandi Palmer
Communications Specialist
(727) 562-7381

The Florida Bar honored Stetson University College of Law professor Charles H. Rose III, director of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy, with the Law Faculty Professionalism Award at its annual convention in Boca Raton, Fla., June 18-21. Rose is the third Stetson Law professor to be honored with the award in the past five years.

“The award is presented to a faculty member who, through teaching, scholarship and service, represents the highest standard of professionalism,” said Carl Zahner, director of The Florida Bar’s Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism. The Henry Latimer Center works to promote professionalism in law schools, the judiciary and The Florida Bar membership.

The Latimer Center works with The Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on Professionalism to select award recipients.

Stetson Law professor Roberta Flowers received the award in 2005 and professor Rebecca Morgan received it in 2003. In addition, Stetson’s Centers for Excellence in Advocacy and Elder Law jointly received the Professionalism Award in 2005 for their Elder Law Ethics Video Project.

Stetson is home to Centers for Excellence in Advocacy, Elder Law, Higher Education Law and Policy and International Law, as well as the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, Institute for Caribbean Law and Policy, and the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law.

Seminar to Discuss Foreclosures, Dec. 5-6

Contact Brandi Palmer
Communcations Specialist
(727) 562-7381

The recent surge in home foreclosures is one of several topics to be discussed at Stetson University College of Law’s 33rd Annual Alexander L. Paskay Seminar on Bankruptcy Law and Practice on Dec. 5-6 in Tampa, Fla. The annual seminar for bankruptcy experts is moving to the Sheraton Tampa River Walk at 200 N. Ashley Dr.

“With increasing mortgage foreclosures and the implementation of 2005 reform legislation, it is important for attorneys to be familiar with the change in the law, which effects the rights of consumers and business people alike,” said the conference’s namesake and chair, Judge Alexander Paskay. Paskay is Chief Bankruptcy Judge Emeritus of the Middle District of Florida, and an adjunct professor at Stetson Law.

A national faculty of bankruptcy lawyers, judges and officials will present at this year’s seminar. Speakers include U.S. Bankruptcy Judges Randolph Baxter and Bruce Markell; Arthur Boelter of Boelter and Associates; Harvey Miller of Weil Gotshal; Louis Phillips of Gordon, Arata, McCollam, Duplantis and Eagan LLP; Shayna Steinfeld of Steinfeld and Steinfeld, P.C.; and U.S. Trustee Donald Walton.

Topics will include:

  • Recent developments in bankruptcy law
  • The U.S. Trustee’s perspective in consumer cases and chapter 11 cases
  • Dischargeability of taxes
  • Exceptions to discharge and issues in litigation
  • Dealing with pre-pack chapter 11 cases
  • Treatment of small businesses and chapter 11 cases
  • Chapter 11 cash collateral
  • Tax questions in chapter 11 cases
  • Stay litigation in chapter 11 releases
  • Confirmation issues in chapter 11 third-party releases
  • Conversion or dismissal under Section 1112
  • Treatment of 910 claims and effect of surrendering collateral
  • Lien stripping

To register, call the Office of Conferences and Events at 813-228-0226, e-mail [email protected] or visit http://www.law.stetson.edu/conferences for more information.

 

Eight Honored for Distinguished Service

Contact Brandi Palmer
Communications Specialist
(727) 562-7381

Stetson University College of Law recently honored eight outstanding alumni and friends with awards for distinguished service to the law school or legal profession.

Stetson Law Vice President and Dean Darby Dickerson presented this year’s awards on June 18 at the Stetson Lawyers Association Annual Meeting and Reception in Boca Raton, Fla., to the following:

(Please click on the bold links below to view a photograph of each award recipient)
Robert Dillinger ’76, the Pinellas-Pasco County public defender, received the Ben C. Willard Award for his distinguished humanitarian achievements that benefit Florida citizens. Dillinger has also served as an adjunct professor at Stetson Law and supervised its Public Defender Clinic.

Congressman Gus Bilirakis ’89, elected to four terms as a member of the Florida House of Representatives and a member of the House Committees on Homeland Security, Veterans’ Affairs and Foreign Affairs, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award for service to humanity and proven dedication to the ideals of the College. His office recently sponsored a Stetson Law student as part of the new Law and Policy Internship in Washington, D.C.

Robert E. Doyle, Jr. ’75 and Matthew A. Towery ’87 each received the Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award for their continued support of the College through contributions of time and gifts. Doyle is a mediator and arbitrator and serves on the Executive Committee of Stetson University College of Law’s Board of Overseers. Towery is a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives and a well-respected author and political campaign strategist. He has served on Stetson Law’s Board of Overseers and supports projects of the Center for Excellence in Elder Law.

Barbara Cowherd ’00 and Arturo Rios, Jr. ’06 received Stetson Law’s Outstanding Alumni Representative Award for dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Association and encouraging alumni involvement in local activities. Cowherd, whose practice is devoted to liability matters, is a past participant in the Homeless Advocacy project and Guardian ad Litem program who has devoted significant time to Stetson Law’s ABA Self-Study Committee. She is an officer of the Stetson Lawyers Association Advisory Council. Rios specializes in immigration law litigation and has devoted significant time to advocacy and alumni activities at the College. He was recently elected to Stetson Law’s Board of Overseers.

Susan Demers and Hassan M. Milani each received the Distinguished Service Award, which was created for non-alumni who make significant contributions to Stetson Law. Demers, dean of St. Petersburg College’s paralegal studies program, is a long-time adjunct professor and trial team coach at Stetson Law. Milani, a successful businessman who originally came to the United States from Iran, created an endowed scholarship at Stetson Law and has helped the law school with certain facilities projects.
Editor’s Note: Farzad Milani ’06 accepted the award for his father and appears in the photograph on behalf of Hassan M. Milani.

“These awards show our appreciation to the outstanding alumni and friends of the College who have devoted their time, integrity, scholarship and other resources to make Stetson Law the outstanding legal institution that it is today,” said Stetson Law Vice President and Dean Darby Dickerson. “Because of the work of these many individuals, the College can continue on its mission to create a community of leaders in the legal profession.”

Charles Roberts is this year’s incoming Stetson Lawyers Association president.

Stetson Law Students Win Competition

Contact Brandi Palmer
Communications Specialist
(727) 562-7381

Stetson University College of Law students Natalie Hagan and Joseph Murray won the E. Earle Zehmer Workers’ Compensation Moot Court Competition Aug. 18 in Orlando, Fla.

Hagan and Murray also received best advocate awards for the overall competition, sponsored by the Workers’ Compensation Section of The Florida Bar. Hagan was also named best advocate in preliminary rounds.

“We are extremely proud that our Natalie and Joe were named best advocates in the overall competition,” said Professor Stephanie Vaughan, Stetson’s Moot Court Advisor. “Natalie’s individual best advocate award is the highest individual award given in a moot court competition.”

Professor Michael Allen and Stetson Law alumnus Jason Stearns coached the winning team.

Stetson’s Moot Court Board is composed of students who seek to improve both their writing and oral advocacy skills in a wide variety of legal specialties through competition. Members compete as teams in interscholastic moot court competitions that take place throughout the year around the globe.

Tampa Part-Time Classes Doubled

Contact Brandi Palmer
Communications Specialist
(727) 562-7381

Stetson University College of Law will more than double the number of credit hours offered at its Tampa Law Center. This month, the American Bar Association approved Stetson’s request to allow part-time students to take up to half of their course requirements in Tampa.

“Had it not been for Stetson’s part-time program, I wouldn’t have even entertained the thought of transitioning to a law career at this phase in my life,” said Darin Richter, who completed both a law degree and an MBA degree in May 2008.

Stetson’s part-time program began on its Gulfport campus in 2002. Stetson’s Tampa Law Center opened in 2004, allowing students to take approximately one-fifth of their classes in Tampa. The Tampa Law Center houses two courtrooms, the Tampa division of Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal, state-of-the-art classrooms, and a law library with many group study rooms.

For more information about Stetson’s part-time law program, please contact Stetson Law at 727-562-7802 or e-mail [email protected]. Applicants must take the Law School Admissions Test and have a bachelor’s degree to be considered for admission.