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April 16- Consumer fraud, identity theft, Medicaid and prescription drug issues to be reviewed at free Elder Consumer Forum at Stetson College of Law

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Elderly citizens will be able to get information on a variety of issues affecting their lives at a consumer forum at Stetson University College of Law at 1:30 p.m. May 4 in Stetson’s Great Hall.

Speakers from federal and state agencies and programs will speak on topics including Medicaid fraud, prescription drugs, identity theft, cyber-fraud and other consumer matters.

The program was created by Elder Law Faculty Chair and Director of Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law Rebecca Morgan and Consumer Protection Fellow Nick Cox.

“Consumer fraud is a growing problem, especially for our senior citizens. Learning more about these frauds and how to avoid being a victim is one important way seniors can protect themselves. This forum will give the members of the audience valuable information and tools to avoid becoming victims of a fraud,” Morgan said.

Other scheduled speakers include representatives from the Florida Office of Attorney General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and others.

The forum is one of a number of outreach efforts from Stetson. A national leader in the field of elder law, Morgan has spearheaded unique partnerships with the Attorney General’s Office, AARP and the legal community to increase public awareness of consumer fraud against senior citizens.

With a background of service in both the State Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General, Professor Cox has worked closely with state and federal agencies on educating the public and law enforcement personnel on consumer fraud issues.

Professors Morgan and Cox both have been named to Florida Trend magazine’s Legal Elite list to be published in July.

May has been declared “Elder Law Month” in Pinellas County by the Pinellas County Commissioners and nationally by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a professional association of attorneys concerned with improving the availability and delivery of legal services to older Americans.

RSVP by calling Stetson at (727) 562-7393.

April 14- Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist to speak at Stetson University College of Law’s spring commencement

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist will speak to graduates at Stetson University College of Law’s spring commencement at 9 a.m., May 15, in the College of Law’s outdoor courtyard.

Attorney General Crist has served the state of Florida in a number of positions. He spent six years as a Florida state senator, two as Florida’s education commissioner, two as deputy secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and he also served as state director for former U.S. Senator Connie Mack.

Stetson has worked closely with the Office of the Attorney General to fight consumer fraud and exploitation of the elderly through a number of programs. In December, Crist presented Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law with the final installment of $700,000 to support the College of Law’s statewide program to educate elderly residents to avoid fraud.

Stetson Law Dean Darby Dickerson said Crist’s efforts complement the goals of the College of Law and the values its faculty members try to instill in its graduates.

“General Crist has used his office to reach and protect those whom he serves, which should be the goal of all in the legal profession,” she said.

During the ceremony, 199 students are expected to receive their degrees, including eight who will receive the LL.M. (Master of Laws) degree in International Law and Business. Thirty-six students also will have earned both the juris doctor and master of business administration degrees from Stetson University College of Law and the Stetson University School of Business Administration.

Several students with interesting stories are among this graduating class:

Slade Dukes is one of three law students statewide selected to participate in the Attorney General’s Honors Program. Dukes will have the opportunity to work in the Attorney General’s Office for at least two years.

Garrett Pendleton spent nearly two years on Antarctica as an air traffic control technician for a defense contractor after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. During his time in Antarctica, Pendleton helped with several missions for emergency medical treatment for those on the continent.

Alvin Brown will receive his LL.M., Master of Law. He is the principal of Brown Security & Law Group P.A. Before opening his own firm, Brown was employed by the CIA as a security officer. His duties included providing executive protection to the Director of Central Intelligence. He also trained and served as an as an intelligence operations officer.

Alva Cross will receive the Vause Award, in honor of the late dean of the College of Law, Gary Vause. Ms. Cross will be moving to Jacksonville to practice labor and employment law.

Steve Morgan, a retired Marine Corps Colonel, won The Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on Professionalism Second Annual Essay Contest in August 2002. Morgan’s daughter graduated from Stetson University College of Law the year Morgan started law school.

April 12- Stetson University law students win prestigious national negotiation competition

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

Gulfport, Fla. – A Stetson University College of Law team won the Robert Merhige Jr. National Environmental Negotiation Competition at the University of Richmond School of Law in Virginia April 2-4.

The Stetson team of Misty Hale and Will Sunter took first place over finalists University of Richmond, Georgetown University and Regent University.

“I am so proud to have coached these teams and to have seen them represent Stetson with such professionalism and talent,” said Professor Kelly Feeley.

Twenty-two teams competed in the second annual competition. A second Stetson team of Lee Carr and Jason Turner also competed in the event.

April 6- Stetson University College of Law ranked second nationally for advocacy education

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

Gulfport, Fla. – U.S. News & World Report has ranked Stetson University College of Law the second-best school in the nation for trial advocacy training. Since the magazine started ranking law schools in 1995, Stetson has consistently ranked at or near the top for this specialty, placing first six of those years.

The rankings are based on nominations by legal educators at peer institutions.

“We at Stetson strive to provide the best faculty, facilities and learning environment possible,” said Dean Darby Dickerson. “Stetson is proud that this recognizes our role as a national leader for training trial lawyers.”

Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Advocacy emphasizes Stetson’s commitment to training in this specialty. “We have a long standing tradition of training students to be ethical, professional and successful advocates,” said Professor and Center Director, Roberta Flowers. “The Advocacy Center offers classes, internships and clinics that prepare students to negotiate all the intricacies of the advocate’s world.”

Stetson’s trial teams have won numerous awards at regional and national competitions this school year. Additionally, with the opening of the Tampa Law Center and Campus, students will have opportunities to observe and interact with the Tampa Branch of the Second District Court of Appeal, which shares the William Reece Smith Jr. Courtroom at the campus. This is one of only three locations nationwide where a working court and a law school share space.

April 5- Stetson University College of Law student elected to national ABA position

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law student Andrew Chiang was elected vice-chair of the American Bar Association Law Student Division, the second-highest position in the 50,000 member division.

Chiang was elected and sworn in as vice-chair elect at the national officers election in New Orleans March 27-28. He will officially take office at the ABA Annual Meeting in Atlanta Aug. 5-10.

As one of only four national officers in charge of the division, Chiang’s main duties will focus on membership.

“It is an incredible honor to be elected to such a position in a prestigious organization like the ABA, and I look forward to my term as vice-chair serving the law students of the country,” Chiang said.

Three Stetson students currently serve on the 22-member Board of Governors: 5th Circuit Governor Ashley Gay; outgoing Division Delegate Lauren Hosie and Chiang.

Stetson students hold myriad leadership positions with the ABA LSD including lieutenant governors of volunteer programs, membership and diversity, among others.

The American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership association in the world. With more than 400,000 members, the ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public.

April 5- Stetson Law student wins Best Oral Advocate in National Trial Competition

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law student Rena Upshaw-Frazier was named Best Oral Advocate and the team of Upshaw-Frazier and Julia Metts placed second in the National Trial Competition in Austin, Texas.Best Oral Advocate

With the award, Upshaw-Frazier will be invited to the national convention of the American College of Trial Lawyers, where she will speak to approximately 2,000 members in the fall.

The Stetson team of Upshaw-Frazier and Julia Metts went undefeated through three preliminary rounds and defeated Temple University and South Texas College of Law in the quarterfinals and the semifinals, respectively, to advance to the final round. There they were defeated by a team from the University of Houston in a close contest.

The top 28 teams from regional competitions around the nation participated in this event including two Stetson teams, which finished first and second in the southeast regional competition in February.

April 2- Best-selling author to speak at Stetson Law April 23

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Best-selling fiction author and Florida attorney Jilliane Hoffman will speak to the public and members of the Stetson community at noon, April 23, in Stetson’s Mann Lounge.

Hoffman’ s first novel, “Retribution,” involves a recent law graduate who endures a harrowing personal experience right before the bar exam and then faces a related ethical dilemma several years later.

The author served as an assistant state attorney and a regional legal advisor for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Her experiences inspired “Retribution.”

March 30- Stetson University College of Law students volunteer to help prepare taxes

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Most people try to avoid W-2s, 1040s or anything having to do with filing taxes. But for the last two months, 40 Stetson University College of Law students have volunteered their time to help low- to moderate-income individuals in Pinellas County find all the credits and deductions they deserve.

Stetson has partnered with a coalition of about 30 organizations including the Internal Revenue Service and the American Bar Association to educate tax filers about the earned income tax credit, to provide financial literacy training and for free tax preparation.

“This filing season, Stetson law students have prepared tax returns for hundreds of grateful people throughout St. Petersburg. The skills these students learned will last a long time, as will the memories of providing a needed service to so many,” said Michael DeWese, tax specialist with the IRS.

The College of Law’s efforts have been spearheaded by student Jeff Bauer, who directs the ABA Law Student Division’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for the 22 schools in the 5th Circuit. He recently received the division’s Certificate of Appreciation for his exceptional work with VITA programs.

“The VITA program is extraordinarily valuable,” Bauer said. “Low and moderate income taxpayers learn about significant tax credits which they would otherwise not likely understand or even know existed.”

The students will continue to volunteer a combined 60-70 hours a week until the April 15 filing deadline.

March 25- 13th Annual Stetson University College of Law 5K Law Run April 3 Run will benefit Community Law Program

Contact Aaron Reincheld
Communications Specialist
(727) 562-7381

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law’s 13th annual 5K Law Run, “The Esquire Flyer,” is set for Saturday, April 3, at the college’s Gulfport campus.

This year’s race, co-sponsored by the St. Petersburg Bar Association and the city of Gulfport, benefits the Community Law Program, which provides pro bono legal services to those in Pinellas County who are unable to afford representation. Last year the program helped nearly 1,500 low-income clients.

The race begins promptly at 9 a.m. at the start/finish location at Stetson University College of Law, 1401 61st St. S. Runners will travel the mile-long course around the local Gulfport neighborhood. The race will be followed by a pancake breakfast at 9:30 a.m. and the “fun run/walk” at 9:45 a.m. Pets are welcome to join the walk.

Entry fees for the run are $15 for pre-registration ($17 day of event) and $12 for the fun-run/walk ($15 day of event). Racers will receive a T-shirt, race packet and a free continental breakfast with pre-registration.

For more information call Stacy Elizondo or Jennifer Horton in Stetson’s Career Services office at (727) 562-7815.

March 19- Stetson Law to present international bankruptcy symposium June 15-18 in Canada

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law will present its fourth International Bankruptcy Symposium June 15-18 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The event is chaired by Chief Judge Emeritus Alexander L. Paskay of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tampa, Fla., who also serves as a Stetson adjunct professor.

The conference is designed for U.S. judges and attorneys to meet with their Canadian counterparts to discuss a variety of topics of international interest, including an overview of the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency as adopted by Uncitral, current Chapter 11 issues with international implications and current developments in international insolvencies and reorganizations.

In previous years, the symposium has taken place in Varenna, Italy, and Budapest, Hungary. These programs have provided an opportunity for combining education, collegiality and entertainment with peers, friends and family in an international setting.

A number of Canadian and American bankruptcy judges and attorneys from Montreal, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Florida will speak during the symposium. All are regarded as experts in their various insolvency/bankruptcy practices and have contributed to numerous publications and seminars.

In addition to the International Bankruptcy Symposium, Stetson has presented an annual U.S. bankruptcy seminar in Tampa Bay for the past 28 years. Past attendees and national leaders in bankruptcy law have characterized the Stetson conference as the premier conference on bankruptcy in the nation.

To register for the conference please call the Office for Continuing Legal Education at

(727) 562-7830 or visit the CLE Web site at: http://www.law.stetson.edu/cle.

March 18- Stetson Law announces new assistant director of career services

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law students have a fresh resource to help in the tough task of finding a job – new Assistant Director of Career Services Mercedes Pino.

Pino, a 2002 Stetson Law graduate, worked in the Career Services Office while a Stetson student. Before returning to the College of Law, Pino worked as an assistant state attorney in the 11th Circuit’s domestic violence unit. She remains a member of the Florida Bar.

“I am thrilled that Mercedes has joined the Career Services Office staff,” said Catherine Fitch, director of career services. “Her knowledge of the South Florida legal market will be invaluable to our placement efforts.”

Pino will assist students with resume and cover letter preparation and discuss general matters relating to their job searches while in school and following graduation.

While attending the College of Law, Pino served Stetson as Chief Ambassador, and as a member and officer in several student organizations. She received the prestigious Dean’s Award at graduation.

March 17- Stetson Law moot court team wins award at national competition

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

Gulfport, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law moot court teams continued their outstanding run in competitions at the recent Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Moot Court Competition in New York City.

Stetson’s labor and employment law moot court team won the best brief award and advanced to the semifinals. More than 40 schools from across the country competed in this event, one of the largest of its kind.

The team consisted of students Mary Clapp, Chrysi Pejot and Ashley Gay. Stetson professor Jennifer Anglim coached the team.

“I would like to express my overwhelming pride in our moot court board this year,” said Stetson professor and moot court adviser Stephanie Vaughan. “We have won several best brief awards, several best oralist awards and placed in the top three overall teams in virtually every competition we’ve entered since June.”

After defeating Florida Coastal, Stetson defeated Loyola Chicago in the quarterfinal round and advanced to the semifinals before losing to Pepperdine.

In recent weeks, Stetson moot court teams placed near the top and won awards in the Judge Conrad B. Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, the American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition and the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.