News Archives - Page 130 of 138

Chief Defense Department treaty negotiator to speak at Stetson Law

Contact Aaron Reincheld
Communications Specialist
727-562-7381

Gulfport, Fla. – Col. Guy Roberts, U.S. Marines (Ret.), acting deputy assistant secretary of defense and principal director of negotiations policy for the Department of Defense, will speak at Stetson University College of Law at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Col. Roberts will address the Proliferation Security Initiative, a top priority of the current Bush administration.

As deputy head of the U.S. Delegation to the Biological Weapons Convention, Col. Roberts is involved with formulating national policies for nuclear, biological, chemical and conventional arms control negotiations and halting the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. He also oversees defense department participation in obtaining agreements to ensure U.S. nationals are not subject to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

Col. Roberts served as associate counsel for arms control in the Department of the Navy and is a former Joint Staff representative to both biological warfare and nuclear arms and disarmament issues at the United Nations, the Conference on Disarmament and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He has negotiated a number of arms agreements, and one of his current projects is the International Bio Warfare Convention.

Col. Roberts had a distinguished 25-year career with the Marine Corps serving in a variety of military and legal positions before retiring with the rank of Colonel. These included service as a platoon and company commander, prosecutor and defense attorney, claims officer and legal adviser on diverse international law issues.

The speech is free and open to the public. For more information contact Stetson’s Office for Graduate and International Programs at 727-562-7849.

Free seminars in Jacksonville area to help protect elder consumers from scams and fraud

Contact Aaron Reincheld
Communications Specialist
727-562-7381

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law’s Elder Consumer Protection Program will warn Jacksonville-area elderly citizens about the dangers of identity theft and home services fraud at several free consumer protection presentations in January.

The seminars are part of Stetson’s statewide Elder Consumer Protection Program, which is headed by Stetson’s Elder Law Chair Rebecca Morgan. The program began with a successful seminar series around the Tampa Bay area and will continue around the state in the coming months with sessions on different types of fraud.

“Over and over we hear stories about unscrupulous individuals posing as legitimate service repair providers who then take a large amount of money for no work or shoddy work,” Morgan said. “It is important for seniors to know how to find a legitimate service repair company and how to protect themselves from these service scams.”

Stetson’s Elder Consumer Protection Fellow Nick Cox will present warnings on services fraud, which includes lawn care, air conditioning repairs, appliance repairs or any home service that a person may need.

With experience in both the Office of the Florida Attorney General and the State Attorney’s Office, Cox has worked closely with state and federal agencies to educate citizens and law enforcement personnel on consumer fraud issues.

Cox will speak at the following senior centers:

Jan. 17, 10:30 a.m., Coastal Community Center, St. John’s County Center on Aging, St. Augustine
Jan. 20, 10:30 a.m., Mary Singleton Senior Center, Jacksonville (The city of Jacksonville will transport seniors from several surrounding centers for this presentation.)
Jan. 24, 11 a.m., Oceanway Senior Center, Jacksonville
Jan. 25, 11 a.m., Hammond Community Center, Jacksonville
Jan. 27, 11 a.m., Jacksonville Beaches Senior Center, South Jacksonville Beach

Funding for these programs was provided in part by the Administration on Aging, and the presentations are part of Stetson’s work under a federal grant to educate the elderly on consumer fraud prevention. Stetson, a national leader in the field of elder law, has partnered with the Florida Attorney General’s Office, AARP and the legal community to increase public awareness of consumer fraud against senior citizens.

To suggest a location or for information on scheduling additional consumer protection seminars, please call 727-562-7800 ext. 7235.

Stetson Law postpones “Stolen Childhoods” film screening

Contact Davina Gould
Associate Director of Communications
727-562-7346

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law’s screening of the documentary “Stolen Childhoods,” originally scheduled for Jan. 14, has been postponed to a later date. New details on the screening will be announced when they become available.

Stetson Law professor confirmed as federal judge

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications
727-562-7889

Gulfport, Fla. – The U.S. Senate and President George W. Bush confirmed the appointment of Stetson University College of Law Professor Robert N. Davis to a 15-year term as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

Davis will be one of seven judges. The nomination was formally confirmed Nov. 20. President Bush nominated Davis March 25, 2003. The nomination went through the Senate Committee Hearing process and the Veterans Affairs Committee April 1, 2004.

“This judicial appointment is without a doubt an honor for me,” Davis said. “I am excited about the opportunity to decide cases that have a major impact on a significant population of veterans who have proudly served our nation. I am also pleased that this confirmation occurred during my tenure as a faculty member at Stetson. While I am looking forward to the challenges of the judiciary, I am disappointed that I will be leaving my full-time teaching duties at this very fine law school.”

A local swearing in ceremony is planned for early February.

Professor Davis joined Stetson Law in 2001. He teaches and frequently provides legal analysis to news media on national security, terrorism and constitutional issues. He also served in the U.S. Navy Reserves Joint Intelligence Directorate at MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa. With extensive experience as an arbitrator and mediator with the American Arbitration Association, he is a mediator with the U.S. Postal Service and has been an arbitration panel member with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

He practiced as a government attorney for 10 years with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the U.S. Department of Education. Professor Davis also briefly served as a special assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia.

Professor Davis previously taught at many law schools and summer programs and spent 13 years on the law faculty at the University of Mississippi. He is the founder of the Journal of National Security Law. Professor Davis graduated from the University of Hartford and the Georgetown University Law Center.

December 20- Stetson Law promotes admissions administrator

Contact Aaron Reincheld
Communications Specialist
(727) 562-7381

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law is proud to announce the promotion of Laura Zuppo from assistant director of admissions to associate director of admissions. In this role, Zuppo travels extensively for Stetson, coordinates many on-campus recruiting events and is a member of the Law School Admission Council Admit-M Advisory Board.

December 16- Stetson Law professor receives national elder law award

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications
(727) 562-7889

Tucson, Ariz. – Stetson University College of Law Elder Law Chair Rebecca Morgan was recently presented with the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys’ 2004 UnAward for her unique and notable contribution to the advancement of elder law.

Established in 2000, the UnAward is given annually to recognize members who have brought innovative ideas and value to NAELA and the elder law community. The award recipients are dedicated, creative individuals who have been instrumental in providing the Academy and the profession with visionary expertise and ideas.

Professor Morgan is a past president of NAELA and the director of Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law.

About the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Established in 1987, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others who work with older clients and their families. Members of NAELA are attorneys who are experienced and trained in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and disabled individuals. The mission of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys is to establish NAELA members as the premier providers of legal advocacy, guidance and services to enhance the lives of people with special needs and people as they age. NAELA currently has more than 4,800 members across the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. For more information, please contact NAELA at (520) 881-4005 or visit www.naela.org.

December 14- Stetson Law to present programs on terrorism and Schiavo right-to-die case

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications
(727) 562-7889

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law will present two programs on Jan. 28 that will examine two of the country’s most significant legal issues.

“Reflections on and Implications of Schiavo” at Stetson’s Gulfport campus, 1401 61st St. S., free registration is required.
“In the Age of Terrorism -Where Should Attorneys Stand?” at Stetson’s Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St., registration is now free.

Reflections on and Implications of Schiavo
Terri Schiavo has been in a vegetative state since 1990. Life, death, family, religion, and politics are some of the themes running through the battle of whether to keep her on life support equipment. Schiavo’s guardian ad litem, Jay Wolfson, her husband Michael Schiavo’s attorney, George James Felos, and Ken Connor, representative for Governor Jeb Bush, will discuss this highly controversial case. Panels will include scholars discussing the constitutionality of Terri’s Law, Schiavo’s implications in trusts and estates, and Schiavo’s impact on the controversial topic of the “right to die.”

Stetson Law professors Rebecca Morgan and Michael Allen will lead the day’s discussions. Morgan is the director of Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law, which is presenting the program with Stetson’s Office for Continuing Legal Education.

In the Age of Terrorism -Where Should Attorneys Stand?
A panel of distinguished presenters on will examine terrorism-related legal issues, such as the Patriot Act; torture; patriotism in the age of terrorism; and citizenship in a time of repression. American Law Institute President Michael Traynor will be the keynote speaker. Other speakers include attorneys, academic and military and government officials such as Donna A. Bucella, director of the Terrorism Screening Center in Washington, D.C.; and Professor Nikolay M. Kropachev, dean of the Faculty of Law of the Saint-Petersburg State University, chairman of the Charter Court of Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

Stetson Law Professor Roberta Flowers will lead the program. She is director of Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Advocacy, which is sponsoring the event with Stetson’s Office for Continuing Legal Education.

For more information about either program or to register, contact Stetson Law’s Office for CLE at (813) 228-0226 or visit www.law.stetson.edu/cle.

December 13- Carlton Fields establishes diversity fellowship at Stetson Law

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications
(727) 562-7889

Gulfport, Fla. – Carlton Fields, P.A. has selected third-year Stetson University College of Law student Gregory Redmon as the first recipient of the Carlton Fields Diversity Fellowship Program at Stetson Law.

The program is designed to provide access to large-firm practice for one student each academic semester that has experienced socioeconomic or cultural barriers to legal education. Redmon will work about 200 hours during the spring semester with the nationally renowned law firm and receive a $5,000 stipend.

“The program will provide our students with invaluable experience and the opportunity to develop relationships with the firm and its members,” said Dean Darby Dickerson.

The student’s work is expected to be split between pro bono clients and other clients of the firm.

“I view the Carlton Fields Diversity Fellowship as a tremendous opportunity for me to learn and grow professionally from exposure to a venerable and forward-thinking law firm,” Redmon said. “My goal is to confirm the best hopes that Carlton Fields has for the future of its diversity program at Stetson University College of Law, and other law schools throughout the nation. During my fellowship, I look forward to continuing the tradition of excellence for which Stetson students are known.”

The program is designed for students, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or veteran status, who have faced challenges and are interested in serving as a fellow with the firm.

The Diversity Committee at Carlton Fields made the selection with the assistance of Stetson’s Office of Career Services, who created a committee to narrow the selection to a list of three to five candidates. Students were asked to demonstrate, in the form of a 500-word essay, that they have experienced socioeconomic or cultural barriers during their pursuit of a legal education.

Located in major business centers in Florida and the Southeast, Carlton Fields offers a full range of legal services in more than 30 areas of law. Established in Tampa, Fla., in 1901, the firm maintains offices in Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Additional information is available on the firm’s web site located at www.carltonfields.com.

December 6- Legal analyst Dan Abrams to speak at Stetson Law fall graduation

Contact

Gulfport, Fla. – Dan Abrams, NBC’s chief legal correspondent and MSNBC anchor, is Stetson University College of Law’s fall commencement speaker. The graduation ceremony will take place 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 18, in the College’s outdoor courtyard.

Abrams covers high-profile trials as NBC News’ chief legal correspondent and anchor of MSNBC’s “The Abrams Report.” Prior to joining NBC News, Abrams was an anchor and reporter for Court TV.

“We are honored to have Mr. Abrams as our graduation speaker,” said Dean Darby Dickerson. “Mr. Abrams combines his communications skill with his legal background to explain complex legal issues to national audiences.”

During the ceremony, 93 students are expected to walk, including five who will receive a Master of Laws degree in International Law and Business. Thirteen students will earn a dual Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Stetson Law and the Stetson’s School of Business Administration.

At Stetson’s fall honors and awards ceremony, Friday, Dec. 17 at 4:30 p.m., Stetson will celebrate the accomplishments of high-achieving graduating students. During the ceremony, Professor Luz Nagle will be honored with a robing ceremony recognizing her achieving the rank of full professor; she is the first Hispanic to earn that honor.

There are many graduating students with noteworthy stories. Here are just a few:

Koinonia Martin Givens created The Cyrus Initiative: Building Bridges, Restoring Hope, a program designed to promote diversity in the legal profession by working to increase the number of African-American males on law school campuses, traditionally an underrepresented group at law schools.

Neelofer Syed is a lawyer in her native Pakistan, where she has fought for human rights. Four years ago, Syed won a landmark case in Pakistan that legally validated the Right of Muslim women to marry without the consent of their parents. She also fought against child labor in Pakistan. Earlier this year she was awarded a Woman of Achievement Award by the human rights organization Women on the Way.

Blake Thompson was named to Tampa Bay Business Journal’s “30 under 30” list honoring outstanding young business leaders in the Tampa Bay area. At 23 he is CEO of The Blake Whitney Thompson Co., acquisition director for the Beckett Whitney Group, and development coordinator for Walker Whitney. He is currently developing multiple real estate sites in Florida and South Carolina.

December 3- Stetson Law to honor first Hispanic full professor

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications
(727) 562-7889

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law Professor Luz Nagle has a career marked with distinction, dedication and achievement. She has fought drug lords and human rights violators in her native Colombia and excelled at Stetson Law as a scholar and teacher. Stetson will honor Nagle’s rise to full professor with tenure at a robing ceremony during the fall Honors and Awards Ceremony, 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17 in the Great Hall of Stetson’s Gulfport Campus.

“Professor Nagle’s work and research has significantly affected drug and human rights policy,” said Stetson Dean Darby Dickerson. “She has earned respect on a global level, and we are delighted to celebrate her full professorship.”

Nagle is the College’s first fully tenured Hispanic professor. She was a district court judge in Colombia until assassination attempts by drug lords compelled her to leave the country. Her commitment to improving conditions in Colombia continues through her research and work as a lecturer and expert in the areas of human rights violations and drug war-related foreign policy.

“As the first tenured full professor of Hispanic descent, and as an immigrant to this country, I am deeply honored to represent the Hispanic community on this faculty. I hope that this achievement, 104 years in the making at Stetson, will inspire others to work toward their dreams and overcome the adversity they encounter on the way to reaching their goals,” Nagle said.

Most recently, Nagle has worked with the Pentagon and the U.S. Southern Command’s Office of the Judge Advocate General to train Colombian military lawyers in international humanitarian law and how to work more effectively with non-governmental organizations in conflict zones. Professor Nagle has become an integral member of the team providing instruction to Colombian army commanders, Colombian JAG lawyers and military paralegals in efforts by the United States to improve respect for human rights among the Colombian military. The goals include targeting of suspected guerrilla sites and forces, mitigation of collateral damage, relief of effected civilian populations and most importantly advise in respect for international humanitarian law and human rights in conflict zones. In the last few weeks Professor Nagle has instructed at the Colombian National War College in Bogota and with the Colombian army’s 4th Brigade in Medellin.

December 2- Stetson Law programs to warn about holiday consumer dangers

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications

Gulfport, Fla. – ‘Tis the season for generosity and selflessness. But by helping and giving, people may be exposing themselves to increased danger of being targets for scams and frauds. To help prevent this danger, Stetson University College of Law’s Elder Consumer Protection Program will present two programs.

At Stetson’s Gulfport campus at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 9 in the Mann Lounge the College of Law will sponsor a seminar warning people about scams involving charities.
At Stetson’s Tampa Law Center from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. Dec. 16 the College of Law will sponsor a Senior Consumer Forum and Agency Fair.

The Gulfport session is designed to help people determine whether a charity is legitimate. It will also cover dangers involved with professional fundraisers, telemarketing and mail fraud.

“During the holiday season, many people want to help those less fortunate by making donations to charities. Unfortunately, there are some who take advantage of that giving spirit by pretending to operate a legitimate charity when actually it is a scam,” said Rebecca Morgan, director Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law. “Everyone needs to know how to determine when a charity is a legitimate one.”

The Senior Consumer Forum and Agency Fair in Tampa will feature law enforcement and consumer protection professionals who will instruct seniors on how to protect themselves from scams and financial frauds and other crime prevention tips during the holiday season. Crime prevention, consumer protection and senior service experts and agencies will staff tables with information and hand-out materials. Representatives will be on hand to answer questions.

These free programs are examples of a number of outreach efforts by Stetson Law’s Elder Consumer Protection Program. The program has partnered with the Attorney General’s Office, AARP and the legal community to increase public awareness of consumer fraud against senior citizens. Funding for these programs was provided in part by the Administration on Aging.

For more information, call Stetson’s Elder Consumer Protect Program at (727) 562-7800 extension 7235. To RSVP for the Senior Fair in Tampa, please call (813) 228-6625.

November 15- Stetson Law postpones Fifth Annual Judge Stringer Youth Day to February

Contact Frank Klim
Executive Director of Communications
(727) 562-7889

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law has postponed the Fifth Annual Judge Thomas Stringer Youth Day, originally scheduled for Friday, until February.

The day honors the achievements of the first black graduate of Stetson University College of Law and encourages minority students to pursue higher education and the legal profession.

More details on the rescheduled date will be sent out when they are available.