With the creation of the Veterans Advocacy Clinic in 2014, Stetson University College of Law firmly established its commitment to veterans and created an opportunity for students to gain real world experience by representing disabled veterans seeking benefits before the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Since that time, students and staff attorneys with the Clinic have helped nearly 100 clients and secured more than $2 million in back pay benefits for them.
Stetson Law now offers an Advanced Veterans Advocacy Clinic to expand on that work, provide the next level of service, and create an even deeper learning experience for law students.
Stacey-Rae Simcox
“The Advanced Clinic is an opportunity for students who have experience working at the agency level of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to represent veterans at the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims,” said Professor Stacy-Rae Simcox, director of Veterans Law Institute and Veterans Advocacy Clinic.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, located in Washington, D.C., is one the most recently established federal courts. Consequently, new case law is being created every day. This new law then needs to be implemented at the agency level, which can be difficult to accomplish. Students in the Advanced Veterans Advocacy Clinic handle and potentially argue their cases on appeal.
Christine Cerniglia
“Usually, Advanced Clinic students have already had the Veterans Advocacy Clinic experience,” said Christine E. Cerniglia,associate professor of Law and director of Clinical and Experiential Education. “The work here feels very different … that appellate work is quite different than building the case.”
Students in the Veterans Advocacy Clinic dedicate more than 6,000 hours of pro bono legal work on cases each year. Many have used their clinical experience as a springboard to future careers. To date, 11 graduates have gone on to the Judge Advocates General Corps (JAG), and more than 20 alumni are now practicing veterans law in some way, whether that be at U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, legal aid, veteran law non-profit organizations, or in law firms.
“It’s incredible to see students learn from this experience,” Simcox said. “They know how important it was to somebody. They’ve actually seen it up close and get to experience what it’s like being a lawyer, sitting at someone’s shoulder, and working together.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gives the keynote address at the dedication of Stetson’s Law Library in 1998.
United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at her home in Washington, D.C., following complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was 87 years old. She was only the second woman appointed to the court and served more than 27 years.
Stetson Law was fortunate to host Justice Ginsburg on campus as the keynote speaker for the dedication of the new law library on Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998. During the event, she discussed the history and evolution of law libraries in the United States, the changes in law education over the course of history, and the rise of women in the law profession. Her speech is still available online through C-SPAN.
Ginsburg had befriended then dean Lizabeth A. Moody when the two served on the Women’s Law Fund together in the 1970s and worked on a case challenging the pregnancy policy in Cleveland Public Schools. Ginsburg would become known for her work in gender discrimination litigation and efforts for gender equality.
The Stetson Law community continues to mourn Ginsburg’s passing, with members of the faculty and various student organizations sharing their memories and and honoring her legacy.
Professor Ellen Podgor
“For so many women, like myself, Justice Ginsburg was our inspiration. She was a brilliant jurist, trailblazer, feminist, educator, powerful, thoughtful, and righteous (confirmed by her passing on Rosh Hashanah). She fought the fight for all of us, even when ill and hurting. She managed to keep the issues separate from the people who advocated for those. It is now our job to carry that legacy forward. We need to restore civility in our country.”
Professor Luz Nagle
“While I was in law school at William & Mary, I consulted with the National Center for State Courts as an International Liaison. In this capacity, I hosted the justices of the Supreme Court of Chile on a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to being their “chaperone,” I was the interpreter during their meeting with Justice Ginsburg and Justice Scalia. Things became quite lively when Justice Scalia made a comment about the right of women to vote, and Justice Ginsburg took issue with his remark. This led to an animated debate between the two, and it was a real challenge to keep up with them in translating their debate for the Chileans. The interesting thing is that this was a post-Pinochet [Augusto Pinochet, former president of Chile] court, and yet, the justices seemed to side with Justice Scalia. Justice Scalia was a large man with a big presence, and Justice Ginsburg was petite and unassuming. But the power of their minds in one room was overwhelming.”
Professor Christine Cerniglia, director of Clinical and Experiential Education
“Once when I was a law student at Loyola Law School in New Orleans, she was invited to speak, and just the invite to campus caused controversy raised by many conversative Catholics. The backlash was felt before she even stepped foot on campus, and I remember feeling like we, the law students, should speak up and let everyone know we want to hear from her, we want to hear what she has to say, we want to learn from her. I spoke up and wrote into the conservative Catholic newspaper. I can’t remember what I said, but I remember our Con Law and First Amendment professor pulling me aside at church and saying, “good job, proud of you.” The night she spoke, I arrived at the room early and planted myself right in the middle so I could absorb every word. I remember, despite the excitement, you could hear a pin drop when she spoke. She was petite (I’m the same height), and I remember reflecting on her quiet grace, passion and command of the room. As always, her words were carefully selected, and I remember her speech was for us – the law students. She knew her audience and inspired us to follow precedent and carefully study the law.”
“RBG has always represented the values I hold true, to stand up for what you believe in, to use the law to argue rationally, and to use the court system to right the wrongs. To work hard, very hard on the things you deeply care about and to never be intimidated, but instead use grace and strategy to persevere.”
Professor Peter F. Lake, director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law & Policy
As a higher education professor, I instantly think of RBG’s decisive role in the VMI [Virginia Military Institute] case, which assured equal rights for women to access certain forms of adversative military training. This was a big step in helping women overcome stereotypes of being unsuited for certain roles. It also has helped to make America safer and stronger as barriers to highly qualified individuals who seek to defend our country have been lifted.
Professor James W. Fox Jr.
Tie I am teaching in today, honoring RBG (Contracts class, not Con Law, but still) pic.twitter.com/XZIecwHAWL
Additional photos from the September 1998 law library dedication where Justice Ginsburg was the keynote speaker.
Then Stetson Law Dean Lizabeth Moody with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg during the September 1998 weekend celebration of the new law library dedication.An overhead view of the ceremony celebrating the dedication of Stetson Law’s new library. Justice Ginsburg is at the podium in the bottom center of the photograph.Then Stetson Law Dean Lizabeth Moody presents Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a rendering of the new law library.
The inaugural Edward and Bonnie Foreman Biodiversity Lecture of the academic year is titled “Scientists and Civic Engagement: Closing the ‘Groundwater Loophole’ in the Clean Water Act” and will hosted online on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 12-1 p.m.
The speakers will be Dr. David Kaplan and Dr. Mark Rains, both of whom were instrumental in working with Stetson Law’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy on an amici curiae (“friend of the court”) brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund.
Academic scientists are often disengaged from civil discourse, especially in the legal domain. Most notably, academic institutions are not structured for civil discourse, and academic scientists themselves are often unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable with the nature of civil discourse itself. However, a group of academic scientists, including Kaplan and Rains, overcame these barriers, engaging as friends of the court in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund (2020). The brief informed the Supreme Court of the United States, resulting in a science-based ruling that has closed a massive loophole and strengthened the Clean Water Act.
Kaplan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences within the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment at the University of Florida and Director of the H.T. Odum Center for Wetlands. Rains is a Professor of Geology and the Director of the School of Geosciences at the University of South Florida.
Stetson Law now offers a new concentration in Business Law that is designed to hone skills and knowledge for those interested in pursuing careers in business law, including a strong focus on corporate and commercial law, tax law and related fields.
John Bartel
“It’s always been my belief that business and tax law touch every interaction with your client, so I was very happy to hear that Stetson Law officially sanctioned a business law concentration,” said John M. Bartel, a 3L J.D./M.B.A. candidate who enrolled in the new concentration.
The intense experiential curriculum includes opportunities in bankruptcy, intellectual property, documents of the deal, and much more to develop real world skills. Students will receive close mentoring from members of the faculty and can utilize Stetson Law’s partnerships with various financial, cybersecurity and other companies to further sharpen proficiencies and build relationships.
Prof. Theresa Pulley Radwan
“We aim to help students find their niche within an area that is incredibly broad,” said Theresa J. Pulley Radwan, Transitional Business Administrator and Professor of Law. “They will get the coursework to prepare them and access to the key experiences to make them successful. That starts with a mentor and expands beyond the classroom to include clinics, externships, and networking. Our partnerships with area companies give students incredible opportunities to develop real world skills.”
A concentration is different from an undergraduate major in that students go beyond the course work with the help of their faculty member mentors, as well as possibly professionals outside the faculty, to think through the careers and network after graduation. Students interested in the concentration do not need an undergraduate degree in accounting or related field to apply for the program. Radwan said that is one great feature about the concentration; students who take Business Entities or similar courses in law school and realize they love it have a new opportunity to pursue that further.
Stetson Law is known for its strong experiential learning opportunities that include clinics, externships, and pro bono work, and students in the Business Law Concentration must complete area-specific legal pro bono and an externship. They will benefit from the College of Law’s existing partnerships with a variety of local companies, including Citi Group and cybersecurity giant KnowBe4. The latter created the KnowBe4 Cybersecurity Law Program Fund last year to support the establishment and growth of a cybersecurity law program within the Business Law Concentration, as well as merit-based scholarships. Other opportunities include summer fellowships with the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar, In-House Counsel externship, and Intellectual Property externship.
Bartel had the opportunity to be a tax preparer for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and an extern to The Honorable Catherine P. McEwen in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.
“I consider these experiences critical components of my education as a law student,” he said. “The coursework and experiences from the business law concentration prepared me for my summer associateship based around corporate and tax practice.”
After graduation, Bartel plans to enroll in a Tax LL.M. program to further specialize in the area.
Prof. Andrew Appleby.
Stetson accepted approximately 25 second- and third-year students into the program this first year. The application process is a rolling one, so there is no hard deadline. Concentration requirements include 21 hours in the business law curriculum, a 3.0 overall GPA and not less than 2.5 in any business law requirement. Professor Andrew Appleby, one of 10 faculty members in the Concentration, recommends students take Business Entities and Federal Tax 1 in their 2L year, as well as tax law if they want to apply for the Concentration. They must also demonstrate proficiency in finance and accounting principles and Microsoft Excel.
Businesses interested in partnering with Stetson Law on mentoring students, offering externships or other opportunities should contact Professor Radwan at [email protected].
GULFPORT, Fla. (Sept. 1, 2020) — Stetson University College of Law received the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. As a recipient of the annual HEED Award — a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges, universities and professional schools that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion — Stetson Law will be featured, along with other recipients, in the November 2020 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Dean Michèle Alexandre
“At Stetson Law, we are committed to the work being undertaken here and university-wide to implement meaningful inclusionary practices among students, faculty, and staff, and to continuing to foster an inclusive community where everyone is expected to lead with humanity and professionalism, so we could not be more thrilled that our efforts thus far have been recognized nationally,” said Dean Michèle Alexandre.
Why Stetson Law
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Stetson Law – one of only two law schools to receive the award this year – for increasing the diversity and representation of student and staff/tenured faculty communities, increasing the reach and structure of campus-wide diversity and cultural competence education and resources, and expanding the reach of its social justice advocacy program and initiatives to emphasize the importance of social justice in all that they do.
“The HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, co-publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”
Key Initiatives
Two of Stetson Law’s specific accomplishments were: the implementation of a concentrated effort to recruit and retain historically underrepresented and first-generation students through a pre-law pipeline program, personalized support and mentorship throughout their academic career, and specialized fundraising efforts for scholarships and endowments to ensure they have the financial wherewithal to complete law school; and the launch of an Inclusive Hiring Strategic Plan to provide a transparent framework to broaden the college’s continued advancements in increasing diversity and representation among faculty and staff.
Carmen Johnson
“We are passionate about this work and have emphasized the importance of analyzing the impact of our inclusion and equity efforts to ensure we are accomplishing our action plans with intention and consistency,” said Carmen Johnson, co-chair of Stetson Law’s Diversity Committee and director of Diversity Initiatives and Recruitment. “Our Stetson Law community should be proud of this recognition and let it serve as inspiration to reinforce our long-term commitment to our goals.”
About Stetson University College of Law
Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, has prepared lawyers and leaders since 1900. Today, Stetson leads the nation in blending legal doctrine with practical training, evidenced by its top-ranked programs in advocacy and legal writing. Through its academically rigorous curriculum and commitment to social responsibility, Stetson produces lawyers who are ethical advocates ready to succeed in the legal profession.
About INSIGHT Into Diversity
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine is the oldest and largest diversity publication in higher education today and is well-known for its annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, the only award recognizing colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts across their campuses. For more information about the 2020 HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.
Stetson Law’s Veterans Advocacy Clinic celebrates recent successes for veterans
In September 2020 Stetson Law’s Veterans Advocacy Clinic celebrated yet another victory for a veteran in need – this time for a Vietnam combat veteran who was terminally ill with esophageal cancer.
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, a national charity that provides free legal services in federal venues for veterans, referred his case to Stetson. Alumna Julie Munderback dedicated hours to get a remand from the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to give Stetson students a chance to collect new evidence to support the veteran’s claims.
Students Jakob Braun, JP Steinmetz, and Julia Knoll worked tirelessly, researching and developing medical theories as to how his service could have caused his cancer, including his exposure to chemicals and the possibility that other medical problems could have led to his cancer. They then prepared evidence and correspondence for a medical expert. The students’ work enabled the medical expert to formulate an expert opinion on the causes of the cancer that rebutted the Veteran Administration’s own medical expert opinions.
Stacey-Rae Simcox
The work of the students on this case was extremely detailed and laborious, said Professor Stacy-Rae Simcox, director of Veterans Law Institute and Director of Veterans Advocacy Clinic. From combing through medical journal articles with Law Librarian Sally Waters, to spending long sessions diagramming theories on whiteboards and then trying to frame their questions for the doctor in medical language that would be clear to him, the students remained diligent and dedicated to this case. Once students received the doctor’s answers and opinion, they then translated them into words the VA would understand.
In September, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals decided that this veteran’s cancer was service connected. They agreed to pay him $142,000 in back benefits. They also determined his wife will be entitled to widow benefits after he passes away, which was his primary concern.
“This is another example of why the work you all do is so important,” Simcox told those who worked on the case in her announcement of the VA’s decision. “It makes me proud to be a Hatter and proud to work with each and every one of you! Don’t forget this feeling you have right now – you can make a difference using your hard-earned skills.”
This is just one of many examples of the impact of Stetson Law’s Veterans Advocacy Clinic. Another was a decision handed down just prior to the end of 2020. A widow filed a widow’s pension claim in 2010, but over the years, the VA failed to appropriately adjudicate it several times.
Vasilios “Billy” Zimarakos (the best oralist at the 2019 National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition) won a remand the case from the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims before he graduated in May 2020. Michael O’Quinn, a 3L, and Morgan MacIsaac, Veterans Law Institute staff attorney, took over and drafted a brief to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals explaining why the widow deserved an earlier effective date for her claim. The Board agreed and awarded the woman $55,000 in back benefits.
After nearly 40 years, Robert DuBoise reunites with his sister Harriett (left) and attorney Susan Friedman after his release from Hardee Correctional Institute (Image: Casey Brooke Lawson/ The Innocence Project).
“The work toward justice is many times a long road, but the rewards renew us all! This is why I love clinical education,” said Christine Cerniglia, professor and director of Director of Clinical and Experiential Education.
Christine Cerniglia
Cerniglia was celebrating a multi-pronged accomplishment – one that involved many years and many players but ultimately forever changed the life of one man, Robert Duboise. After being incarcerated for 37 years, he was exonerated when newly discovered DNA evidence thought to be lost revealed his innocence in a 1983 Tampa rape and murder.
Duboise’ release was accomplished through The Thirteenth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office’s (Hillsborough County, Fla.) Conviction Review Unit (CRU). Attorneys for the CRU worked with Stetson law externs to review the prior conviction and evidence, which helped secure Duboise’s release from prison on Aug. 27, 2020.
Wilma Metcalf
The Conviction Review Unit is one of Stetson Law’s externship placements where students have been contributing for almost two years, and 3L Wilma Metcalf had the opportunity to work on Duboise’s case. She was tasked with researching and summarizing the use of bite mark evidence (that’s what was primarily used to convict Duboise) and why it has ultimately been discredited as unreliable.
“It felt really, really good to be part of something that big,” Metcalf said.
Teresa Hall, the supervising attorney for the Conviction Review Unit, is the externship supervisor for students. Hall also serves as adjunct clinic professor for Stetson’s Tampa Prosecution Clinic. Cerniglia said she is the true force of energy in the partnership with Stetson.
“The students always speak so highly of Teresa and the incredible mentoring received in the field,” Cerniglia said. “She makes them see the law differently and how important lawyers are to protect justice in the criminal system.”
Hall insists the law students are an integral part of the work at the Conviction Review Unit.
“We are so proud of the work that we have done and the partnership with your clinics and having externs participate in the system,” Hall said.
Teresa Hall
It’s a win-win collaboration, Hall explained, because students bring fresh eyes to complex criminal prosecutions and provide a new and different perspective. Students, meanwhile, gain knowledge about criminal trial work from both the prosecution and defense perspective, as well as contacts with individuals throughout the area, including trial attorneys, community leaders and future employers.
“Twenty years ago, I began my work in prosecution by being a certified legal intern with the law school I attended in Indianapolis,” Hall said. “This is where my fulfilling career began, and it helped make me the trial attorney I am today. I urge all law students to participate in the clinical experience. It is invaluable.”
Of course, the individuals who benefit most from these partnerships are those, like Duboise, who regain their freedom after years of wrongful incarceration.
“I am grateful to be here, now with a chance to move forward, but I know there are more innocent people like me still behind bars,” DuBoise told members of The Innocence Project.
About Stetson Law
Stetson Law is known for its clinical and experiential education programs designed to enhance classroom-based learning and give students opportunities to gain valuable, real-world experience. These experiences allow students to observe and participate in the application of substantive law and find solutions to problems that confront attorneys daily. Learn more on our website: https://www.stetson.edu/law/academics/clinical-education/.
The Florida Bar Foundation announced the winners of the 2020 Florida Pro Bono Law School Challenge, and Stetson Law took top honors for most law school clinic engagement.
“This is great news,” said Christine E. Cerniglia, director of Clinical and Experiential Education at Stetson Law.
This is the second iteration of the Challenge, which launched with a pilot version in 2019. Using an online platform at FloridaLawSchoolChallenge.org to match students with alumni mentors, Florida’s law schools competed to see which could take the most pro bono cases. Students and lawyers from all of Florida’s 12 law schools participated this year, as did 47 Florida lawyers who graduated from out-of-state law schools.
Stetson Law is known, in part, for its experiential learning opportunities, including more than 300 clinic and externship opportunities annually. With approximately 28 clinic and externship courses at 60 hosting organizations, Stetson joins a handful of other law schools across the country who guarantee that every student can participate in a clinic or externship course during law school.
This year’s orientation was one of the longest and most logistically complicated programs in the law school’s history. Stetson Law staff worked hard to accommodate this year’s large incoming class while maintaining physical distancing.
Mario Makram, an incoming first year law student from Clearwater, said he was nervous on his first day of orientation August 11. But, he clarified, it was typical “first day of law school” jitters, rather than fears associated with coronavirus. Thanks to the protocols in place, he was not as anxious as he might have been, he said.
Stetson University and Stetson University College of Law implemented many new policies, procedures, and physical adjustments, as well as invested in new equipment and supplies, to comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mandates regarding COVID-19 and to ensure that students, faculty, and staff would be safe returning to campus for the first day of class August 17.
The efforts that went in to make an in-person educational experience possible this year include:
Wellness Centers screen visitors.
Launching the Safer Stetson website for both the main campus in DeLand and the College of Law in Gulfport with all of the up-to-date information, resources, and FAQs;
Creation of designated Wellness Stations as main access points during busy business hours and class times where students, employees, and visitors will be required stop for health screening;
The installation of physical barriers in classrooms and offices where there is an increased potential for close contact with others;
Improving air quality via HVAC systems and other methods;
Considerable technology investment to ensure all classrooms are outfitted with the necessary technology for dual-delivery classes, as well as giving both the Great Hall and Mann Lounge major technology upgrades so those large spaces (typically used for major gatherings) can be utilized as classrooms this year;
Partnership with iSelectMD that provides Stetson Law students 24/7 access to real-time virtual medical consultations with physicians for COVID-19 concerns, as well as many other non-urgent, acute illnesses such as sinusitis and the flu;
Extensive new cleaning regimens using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved cleaning solutions and tools, including electrostatic sprayers;
Color-coded Stetson branded lanyards to help distinguish between students, employees, and visitors;
Visitor Screening form for campus guests, who must also stop at the Wellness Station in the horseshoe for additional screening prior to entering;
Periodic testing of students and employees at the College of Law; and
Of course, face coverings. Stetson Law purchased face coverings for all students and employees and implemented a strict Face Covering Policy.
Residential students and those attending in-person classes were asked to obtain PCR testing within the two weeks before arrival to campus and provide the results to the Office of Student Life. Stetson will report all positive COVID-19 test results on the Safer Stetson website, though the site will not include any personally identifying information.
Masks are required on campus.
Stetson Law offered students a choice of taking classes in person, remotely or a combination of both for this academic year and worked to ensure all students who preferred to attend in-person classes would be able to do so. Approximately 75 percent of the incoming first-year class opted to pursue in-person for most or all of their classes, though many second and third-year students are taking a mix of both. The College of Law is able to offer this additional remote education pursuant to an approved American Bar Association variance to the rules regarding distance-education programs for ABA accredited law schools.
Our admissions team worked diligently to bring in one of the largest classes in the last 10 years. Of the incoming 1Ls, about 85 percent chose to attend in-person orientation.
JoCynda Hudson, assistant dean for Student Affairs, and her team worked tirelessly to produce one of the longest and most logistically complicated orientation programs in the law school’s history to accommodate this year’s large incoming class while maintaining physical distancing and those who preferred to attend online. Orientation typically lasts only three days, but this year it ran from August 7-14 in multiple sessions.
Amanda Mercado, an incoming 1L from St. Petersburg who attended in-person orientation, said the orientation schedule was “inclusive,” and giving students the option of whether to attend in person or online alleviated any worries they might have had about safety.
Mia Hartley, an incoming 1L from St. Pete Beach, was moved to online remote orientation because of lack of capacity but found that she and her fellow students were still able to establish a rapport through online conversation and bond as a group.
“It was great! Even online I found the presenters to be very engaging, and the conversation through the chat tool to be productive and efficient,” Hartley said.
Professor Simcox wears a face shield.
The Stetson Law community realizes that the key to making the 2020-2021 academic year safe and successful is for everyone to do their part.
Jason Bent, associate dean for Academic Affairs, told one group of 1Ls, “If you want in-person classes, we want to deliver in-person classes, but we can only do that if you follow the rules.”
The rules being: wear a mask, maintain physical distance, and do not gather in groups larger than 10. All staff and students should be aware that the new COVID-19-related policies have been added in addendums to both the Stetson University Personnel Policy and College of Law’s Code of Student Professionalism and Conduct.
Another key to making in-person classes possible this year is, ironically, technology.
While all of Stetson Law’s classrooms include the standard tech and audio/visual bundles of computers, projectors, media cabinets and microphones, they were equipped further with live webcasting appliances, additional microphones and cameras to make “dual delivery” possible.
“That’s our big secret sauce,” said Daniel Payne, director of the Office of Media Services.
Dual delivery is when professors are teaching in-person classes, but students can watch remotely online in real time. Unlike live streaming, which is a one-way communication, the dual delivery enables the remote students to utilize their computer microphones and cameras to actively participate in classes, just like in a Zoom or GoToMeeting.
The Great Hall now boasts a 16 ft. x 10 ft. remote-operated projection screen hung from the ceiling, as well as six, 70-inch Samsung monitors mounted along the side walls, and a state-of-the-art sound reinforcement system to ensure sound is clearly delivered to the back of the room and to remote viewers. The Mann Lounge also features enhanced sound and multiple 70-inch monitors mounted to stands so they can be moved.
The new 16 ft. x 10 ft. projection screen, six, 70-inch Samsung monitors mounted along the side walls, and a state-of-the-art sound reinforcement system, make the Great Hall ready for dual-delivery classes.
Payne spent four straight weeks designing the necessary technology infrastructure and working with a supplier to track down the equipment. Much of it is made in China and not readily available because of COVID-19 shutdowns and increased demands from schools across the country, leading to a nationwide search, Payne said.
Without this new equipment, the College of Law would have run out of space to host physically distant, in-person classes, he added.
Even with the technology, creating an academic calendar was a logistical challenge. The faculty and staff collaborated in stellar fashion to meet it. And all of the law school staff worked to ensure the campus was clean, safe and beautiful for the start of classes, said Dean Michèle Alexandre.
“This academic year is going to be unlike any other, and we truly appreciate the patience and support of our College of Law community. We are confident our students will still experience the same rigorous legal education whether their classes are remote or in person, and that everyone will benefit from the safe environment we’ve worked hard to create and maintain. We are excited to welcome everyone back to campus.”
Starting August 1, 2020, Stetson Law students will have access to real-time virtual medical consultations with physicians 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a new telehealth partnership with iSelectMD.
Students can simply visit https://mhealth.iselectmd.com/stetson-law.html to register and create an account. They will then gain access to a toll-free number and/or mobile health portal for consultations with health care providers for COVID-19 concerns, as well as many other non-urgent, acute illnesses such as sinusitis and the flu.
KRD Advisors, a private non-profit organization that specializes in telehealth promotion, awarded Stetson Law a Telehealth Grant to fund the program and subsidized physician services for students, said Michael Iaquinta, president and founder of iSelectMD.
While the service is free for students, they could incur costs (billable to health insurance if applicable) If the provider needs to refer them for additional services, or the student’s condition requires a prescription.
The core objective of the Telehealth Grant is to assist colleges and universities to safely allow students to return to campus while ensuring that, in the event of an uptick in coronavirus cases, students have access to physicians in real time
Prof. Theresa Pulley Radwan
“We are glad to be able to offer Telehealth as an additional tool to help keep our students healthy this year,” said Theresa J. Pulley Radwan, professor and transitional business administrator for Stetson, as well as a member of the Safer Stetson Taskforce.
iSelectMD, formed in 2010, has triaged tens of thousands of students. By significantly improving access, telehealth has become a valuable tool for reducing stress on college health care systems, reducing costs, and delivering peace of mind to parents and students.
“iSelectMD is excited to be improving access to health care for both students returning to school in the fall and those participating in online studies. The peace of mind that comes with telehealth is transforming the landscape when dealing with health care concerns. iSelectMD leadership and Stetson University College of Law have worked closely together to develop a program that assists in removing barriers to returning to class,” Iaquinta said.
Clinical and Experiential Education is a key component of the Stetson Law experience, one that College of Law officials feared might be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Faculty and staff, expecting that many of Stetson’s community and professional externship partners might not be able to host students in summer 2020, did what they do best: innovated.
In an effort to simulate the learning opportunity students would typically get through an internship or externship, they created three new courses:
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Criminal Legal System and Human Rights
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Civil Legal System
Judicial Practice
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Criminal Legal System and Human Rights
Professor Judith Scully
Criminal and social justice expert Professor Judith A.M. Scully designed this course so students could explore the impact that COVID-19 had on basic criminal legal proceedings in spring and early summer 2020. It included a thorough review of criminal legal reform issues placed under scrutiny as a result of COVID-19, such as Bail Reform; the impact of fees and fines on the jail and prison population; prison and jail conditions; prison and jail release policies; policies impacting the reentry of former prisoners back to the community both during COVID-19 and in general; and the role of public defenders, prosecutors and judges in the times of emergency.
Students studied an array of official COVID-19-related documents, including Department of Justice executive agency memos, Court policies, and basic motions filed by attorneys during such emergency situations. They also explored international human rights documents that govern prisoner treatment and racial discrimination, as well as COVID-19-related policies specifically (and legal policies and practices in general) that have had disproportionately negative impacts on Asian American, Native American and African American communities.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Civil Legal System
Prof. Christine Cergniglia
The course, led by Professor Christine Cerniglia, director of Clinical and Experiential Education, was designed to prepare students for the many legal issues now relevant in the civil setting and the increased demand on the civil court systems. Students studied the needs of communities vulnerable before the pandemic, as well as a growing vulnerability for those hit hardest by the economic impact. This included focus on child welfare, custody cases, domestic abuse, landlord/tenant eviction proceedings, and a growing homeless population, as well as civil court procedure and client representation issues. Guest lectures and expert panels gave insight into the rapidly changing legal issues.
Judicial Practice
Prof. Lou Virelli
Taught by constitution law expert Professor Louis J. Virelli III, this course helped students develop skills and garner experience relevant to working in a judge’s chambers, either as an extern or a full-time judicial clerk, including researching and drafting documents for the court and observing court proceedings. It shed light on the judicial process—ways in which judges make decisions and how the judicial approach may vary depending on the type of proceeding, the specific court, or the parties to the case. Students learned ways in which cases are filed and managed in the federal court system, including the full range of rules and requirements that apply to litigants in federal court. In addition to valuable research and writing experience, students grew their expertise in the wide range of legal topics that come before federal judges.
GULFPORT, Fla. – Stetson University College of Law and Community Law Program (CLP) received a $33,500 grant from the American Bar Endowment (ABE) to create clinics to help returning citizens previously convicted of felonies get their voting rights restored.
In 2018, 65 percent of Floridians voted to amend the Florida Constitution to restore voting rights to 1.4 million citizens previously convicted of felonies (commonly referred to as “returning citizens”). Months later, the Florida Legislature passed Chapter 2019-162 Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 7066 requiring all financial obligations of returning citizens’ sentences be paid before they could vote. This meant only those returning citizens with enough money to pay financial obligations such as court fees, fines, and restitution in full would be eligible to vote. The requirement eliminates access to justice and civic engagement for hundreds of thousands of low-income and indigent citizens.
Litigation is pending on this issue, and a new hearing is scheduled for August 11. In the meantime, returning citizens still need help reviewing their court records, determining what, if any, type of legal financial obligations are owed and whether it’s necessary for them to pay the legal financial obligations.
“When the law imposes barriers to a right as fundamental as the right to vote, and when those barriers disproportionately impact poor people, we had to get involved,” said Kimberly Rodgers, executive director for Community Law Program. “I’m so thankful to the American Bar Endowment for enabling our organization and Stetson to come together on this important work.”
To combat possible confusion around this issue, CLP, with the help of students and faculty at Stetson University College of Law, have started a series of Restoration of Voting Rights Remote Clinics serving Pinellas County, Fla. CLP staff will recruit, train, and support volunteer attorneys to host virtual clinics twice a month to review legal options with returning citizens interested in restoring their voting rights.
Professor Judith Scully
“The effort to ensure the right to vote to all citizens in the state of Florida is crucial to ensuring a fair democracy in which all of our voices count,” said Stetson Law Professor Judith A. Scully. “To allow restrictions on a citizen’s right to vote is an affront not only to the individual’s civil and political rights, but it is an affront to the entire legal system. Our students and alumni attorneys who participate in this project will demonstrate Stetson’s commitment to equal justice. We are proud to be a part of the campaign to restore the voting rights of individuals who were previously incarcerated.”
Stetson Law selected four student fellows who will support CLP’s outreach efforts through assisting with intake, research, and outreach. The law students also will assist in recruiting, organizing and training other law student volunteers and community partners. Stetson faculty will help provide ethics training for volunteer attorneys and students regarding pro bono outreach efforts.
Professor Christine Cerniglia
“The students have become community organizers and leaders on these important issues,” said Christine E. Cerniglia, Stetson Law professor and director of Clinical and Experiential Education. “This type of work is an opportunity to engage students in outreach outside of the classroom and for them to learn about community lawyering. ”
Community Law’s first clinic took place online on June 25. Clinics will be every first and third Thursday of month from 5-7 p.m. People can call CLP at 727-582-7480 to schedule an appointment.
ABE Opportunity Grants are awarded to “boots-on-the-ground” initiatives and innovative projects that:
Enhance access to justice through innovative legal services delivery;
Promote the rule of law and improve the justice system; and
Increase the public’s understanding of the law and the legal system and increase civic engagement.
About Community Law Program
Community Law Program, Inc. (CLP) was formed in 1989 by a small group of members of the St. Petersburg Bar Association concerned about the unmet civil legal needs of the poor in the community. Since then, CLP has blossomed into a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that offers an array of programs and services designed to ensure equal access to justice for all. Over the years, they have helped thousands of poor and disadvantaged individuals, families, and social service organizations.
About Stetson University College of Law
Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, has prepared lawyers and leaders since 1900. Today, Stetson leads the nation in blending legal doctrine with practical training, evidenced by its top-ranked programs in advocacy and legal writing. Through its academically rigorous curriculum and commitment to social responsibility, Stetson produces lawyers who are ethical advocates ready to succeed in the legal profession.
