News Archives - Page 42 of 138

Hispanic Bar Association honors Professor Luz Nagle with Judge E.J. Salcines “Spirit of Tampa” Award

Professor Luz Nagle specializes in international law and international criminal law. — Professor Luz Nagle specializes in international law and international criminal law at Stetson University.

The Hispanic Bar Association honored Stetson Law Professor Luz Nagle on Nov. 2 with the E. J. Salcines “Spirit of Tampa” Award.

Professor Nagle is the first tenured Hispanic law professor at Stetson University. An expert in international law, international criminal law, national security law and human trafficking, she has been a lecturer and visiting professor, training students, lawyers and professors around the world. Professor Nagle’s career prior to teaching included serving as a judge in Colombia confronting drug lords and pursuing software pirates as a member of Microsoft Corporation’s Latin America Copyright Enforcement Practice.

As a professor of law at Stetson University, Nagle has met with visitors from across the globe as part of the State Department’s Distinguished Foreign Visitors Program. Active in several bar associations, Professor Nagle has served on the International Bar Association task forces on terrorism, corruption, criminal justice reform, and combatting human trafficking.

The E.J. Salcines Spirit of Tampa Award honors Judge Salcines and celebrates those members of the community who mentor, guide and pave the way for young Hispanics in the Tampa Bay area.

Judge Emiliano Jose Salcines served as a prosecutor and in private practice before he was appointed to the Second District Court of Appeal in 1998. He has been an active participant in the Tampa legal community. The Hispanic Bar Association recognized him for his years of service, and established the Salcines Spirit of Tampa Award as a tribute to his involvement in Tampa over the last 40 years.

Stetson hosts the COALA Blockchain Workshops on Oct. 30-31

Stetson University College of Law is hosting the Florida edition of the Blockchain Workshops on Oct. 30-31 at Stetson University College of Law, 1401 61st St. S., in Gulfport, Florida. Blockchain technology helps secure a variety of transactions over the internet.

The workshops for attorneys, software developers, bankers and cyber security specialists, explore the potential uses of blockchain technologies, and the economic, commercial, legal policy and social policy questions related to blockchain technologies.

The Blockchain Workshops, organized by the Coalition of Automated Legal Applications, are a series of public conferences that travel all over the world to lead cutting-edge discussions around blockchains and their legal implications.

The Blockchain Workshops are organized by COALA, a research and development initiative composed of academic institutions, lawyers, computer scientists and entrepreneurs, who are thinking collectively about the challenges and opportunities of emerging blockchain technologies and how they will affect the way we live in modern society.

Accommodations for conference attendees are available at the Don CeSar Resort on St. Petersburg Beach (use special code STEO27).

Organizers plan to make CLE credit available for attendees.

For more information, and to register, visit stetson.edu/law/coala.

Stetson wins 11th Annual Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition

Front row (left to right): Jordan Koziol and Kathryn Bonti Back row (left to right): Tyler Troyer, Logan Manderscheid, Anne Boyle, and Joseph Kemmerling. Photo courtesy Professor Brooke Bowman. — (Front row left to right): Jordan Koziol and Kathryn Bonti. (Back row left to right): Tyler Troyer, Logan Manderscheid, Anne Boyle, and Joseph Kemmerling. Photo courtesy Professor Brooke Bowman.

Stetson University College of Law students Jordan Koziol, Logan Manderscheid and Tyler Troyer won the 11th Annual Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition at Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 22. The team argued in front of two federal circuit court judges and a state supreme court justice.

A total of 30 teams from around the country travelled to Atlanta to compete in the 11th Annual Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition. Stetson sent two teams to the competition. A second Stetson team of Kathryn Bonti, Anne Boyle and Joseph Kemmerling were quarterfinalists in the competition.

Stetson Moot Court Director Professor Brooke Bowman and Jason Lambert B.B.A. ’02, J.D. ’12 co-coached the teams.

The students argued two issues: whether a police officer’s use of a taser gun in dart mode was excessive force, and whether a police officer may search and seize a cell phone, without a warrant, under the Fourth Amendment.

Former “Hoarders” host speaks at Stetson’s Special Needs Trust Conference Oct. 18-20

Former “Hoarders” host Matt Paxton addresses Stetson University College of Law’s 19th Special Needs Trusts-The National Conference in October.

Paxton, who co-founded the Legacy Navigator to help survivors handle estate cleanout, presents a complimentary lecture on the science of hoarding at the Sunshine Senior Center, 330 Fifth St. N., St. Petersburg, at 12 p.m. on Oct. 18.

Paxton also presents to conference attendees at 10:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club, 501 Fifth Ave. NE in St. Petersburg.

Paxton will offer suggestions for trustees on how to handle insurance, liability issues, and where to get help for beneficiaries who hoard.

This year’s national conference begins with a pre-conference tax intensive, pooled trusts intensive, and veterans benefits intensive on Oct. 18 followed by the two-day national conference, Oct. 19-20.

The national conference kicks off with an introduction to ethics for first-time special needs planning attorneys on Oct. 19. Morning presentations will be followed by afternoon breakout sessions on both Oct. 19 and Oct. 20.

Application will be made to the Florida Bar for CLE credits. To register, and for more information, please visit https://www.stetson.edu/law/conferences/snt/registration.php.

Stetson is a national leader in the growing field of elder law, offering both a certificate of concentration in elder law and an online LL.M. in elder law through the Center for Excellence in Elder Law.

Stetson offers study abroad in South Africa for law students, lawyers, and business professionals

Stetson University College of Law will begin offering a study abroad program in Cape Town, South Africa, starting in the summer of 2018.

The Cape Town, South Africa program is meant to educate, inform, and create a better understanding of the world of international human rights in the context of South Africa’s evolution from apartheid to democracy.

The program, July 5-Aug. 3, 2018, is open to law students, lawyers, and business professionals interested in studying abroad in South Africa. Law students and lawyers should have an active interest in international human rights law. Law students from foreign law schools are also eligible and invited to enroll in the program.

Applicants with disabilities or other special needs should contact the Office of International Programs at Stetson in advance to discuss arrangements.

For more information about the program, visit stetson.edu/law/southafrica.

Students selected for Ms. JD Leadership Academy at Harvard

(L-R): Taylor Greenberg and Ashleigh Thornton attended the Ms. J.D. Leadership Academy Class at Harvard. Photo courtesy Ashleigh Thornton. — (L-R): Taylor Greenberg and Ashleigh Thornton attended the Ms. JD Leadership Academy Class at Harvard. Photo courtesy Ashleigh Thornton.

Students Taylor Greenberg and Ashleigh Thornton were recently accepted for the Ms. JD Leadership Academy Class of 2017. Applicants were chosen from a pool of law school candidates around the country based on their demonstrated commitment to elevating the standing of women in the legal profession. A total of 45 law students were selected for the Leadership Academy.

Greenberg and Thornton attended an intensive one-day National Women’s Law Students Organization Leadership Academy workshop at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Sept. 23. Attorneys, thought leaders, and professional development professionals presented at the workshop on the experiences of women in leadership roles and developing the professional skills to become and support women in leadership positions.

“This was a unique opportunity to network with accomplished women law students from around the country,” said Greenberg. “I am proud to be a part of a group of women advancing ourselves in the field of law and working together to combat injustices women face. This conference gave me the courage and inspiration to keep fighting for equality not just for women in the legal field, but for women everywhere.”

“Ms. JD is an organization that proudly supports the professional growth and development of women, and I am so grateful to have been a part of the Academy’s inaugural class,” said Thornton. “Being surrounded by such a diverse group of leaders was a truly empowering experience. We had the opportunity to both learn from and network with a powerhouse of women — women who are inspiring change and making their mark in the legal community.”

The Ms. JD Leadership Academy served to create a national network of women’s law association leaders empowered to lead their law student organizations, leveraging ideas and inspiration from their new connections with other law student leaders. The Leadership Academy class provided participants with tools to develop the professional skills to help them succeed and serve in leadership positions beyond law school.

Greenberg is founding president of the Child Advocates of Stetson Law and a Guardian ad Litem, as well as a legal extern at the L. David Shear Children’s Law Center of Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. Thornton is a member of the Trial Team, treasurer of the Student Bar Association, vice-president of the Child Advocates of Stetson Law, and a national member of the Black Law Students Association.

July bar passage released

Stetson University College of Law’s bar passage rates for graduates who took the July 2017 Florida Bar Examination for the first time is 76.8 percent, exceeding the 71.3 percent statewide pass rate for the majority of Florida law schools.

“At Stetson, our commitment for every student is a strong foundation upon which to prepare for and pass the bar. We will continue to work hard to ensure our students engage in a rigorous curriculum, comprehensive academic support, and specific bar-related programming to help our students be successful in law school and the practice of law,” said Stetson Law Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.

Campus Update

Friday, Sept. 15, 11:31 a.m.: Power is now restored at both the Gulfport campus and the Tampa Law Center. It will take us a little while to get back up and running, cool the buildings, and bring up all IT systems (including VPN, file servers and WiFi). We will be opening campus at noon today for students, staff, and faculty. Except for our facilities staff and public safety staff, we expect to have minimal staff on campus so please be patient. The Tampa Law Center remains open. As a reminder, all classes and activities at the Gulfport campus and the Tampa campus remain cancelled through Sunday; we will do our best to have everything ready for the resumption of classes on Monday.

We will reopen our dorms at 2:00 p.m. today. We are aware that a few of our Stetson-owned houses are still without power — please check with Duke Energy about their expectation for the restoration of service. We did have one complication — a roof in F wing collapsed between F302 and F303 and our staff is cleaning up the debris to ensure safety. There are no structural issues that will impede the opening of campus at noon (dorms at 2:00 p.m.)

As you have read from my updates, our facilities staff and our public safety officers have been simply extraordinary in preparing for Hurricane Irma and ensuring the campus would be ready for your return. If you see them, please say thank you.

As a reminder, the events for next week if you are interested —

Tuesday 9/19 — Breakfast Without Irma. Everyone (students, faculty, staff) is welcome (Crummer Courtyard from 8:45 – 10:15 a.m.)
Tuesday 9/19 — Faculty and staff meeting (update on Irma and its impact on campus; academic calendar for the remainder of the semester; answer questions) (Great Hall at noon)
Wednesday 9/20 – Student meeting (update on Irma and its impact on campus; academic calendar for the remainder of the semester; answer questions (Great Hall at noon)
Tuesday 9/26 – Faculty meeting rescheduled

Thursday, Sept. 14: 6:03 p.m.: The Gulfport campus still does not have power. We have two alternatives that we fully expect will take place tomorrow. Duke Energy fixes power — they have promised by midnight Friday night. If that happens, all is good. Alternatively, we have generators on campus that we have been running intermittently to accomplish three priorities — making sure that our systems are ready for when Duke Energy restores power, keeping freezers and refrigeration for food services at acceptable levels, and keeping as much humidity out of our buildings as possible, especially the library because books don’t like humidity.

The issue is that generators run on fuel and getting a fuel delivery has been a struggle. We have been promised a fuel delivery tomorrow (Friday) — that will allow us to run our generators more frequently, particularly if we can expect commitments for further fuel deliveries. That doesn’t make “all is good” but it makes it “all is better.”

I am sure that you have many questions, so here is the plan for when everyone is back on campus on next week. Please stop by if you are interested —

Tuesday 9/19 — Breakfast Without Irma. Everyone (students, faculty, staff) is welcome
(Crummer Courtyard from 8:45 – 10:15 a.m.)

Tuesday 9/19 — Faculty and staff meeting (update on Irma and its impact on campus; academic calendar for the remainder of the semester; answer questions)
(Great Hall at noon)

Wednesday 9/20 – Student meeting (update on Irma and its impact on campus; academic calendar for the remainder of the semester; answer questions
(Great Hall at noon)

Tuesday 9/26 – Faculty meeting rescheduled

Next update by 3:00 p.m. Friday.

Thursday, Sept. 14: 11:24 p.m.: Power has been restored to the Tampa Law Center — it is open and operational. Today, the Tampa Law Center will be open from 11:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Beginning tomorrow, the Tampa Law Center will be open during its normal business hours — 6:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. and seven days a week. There will be limited technical support and our Public Safety Officer will be there during operating hours. The Tampa Law Center also has internet and WiFi, although not the faculty/staff network. To use WiFi on our Tampa campus, please use the Stetson Guest Network.

There is still no power in Gulfport, and no internet or phones.

There are no classes or activities in Tampa or Gulfport through Sunday. Classes and activities will resume on Monday, September 18 on both the Gulfport campus and the Tampa campus.

Next update by 6:00 p.m. Thursday.

Wednesday, Sept. 13: 5:15 p.m.: Stetson Law still has no power, no internet, and no phone service. We have been making significant progress on campus including the continuation of debris cleanup, removal of downed trees, verification that our chiller plants will be fully operational once power is restored, and testing of our IT infrastructure. The good news is all is good.

Still no timetable on the restoration of power — and we have been talking with Duke Energy continuously since Irma moved north.

Next update by 1:00 p.m. Thursday.

Tuesday, Sept. 12: 4:49 p.m.: We understand that Duke Energy, our service provider in St. Petersburg and Gulfport, continues to work on emergency services including police and fire departments, emergency operations centers, hospitals and nursing homes. At this point, they have not yet provided an estimated time for restoration of power, although we hear that they have committed to providing an estimated time for restoration in more detail later tonight.

As I mentioned in prior updates, we cannot resume classes and cannot open campus until power is restored. As a result, all classes and activities are cancelled through Sunday, Sept. 18 including weekend classes scheduled for this weekend. We are very confident that classes will resume on Monday, Sept. 18 and ask our faculty, staff and students to plan for a full resumption of operations on Monday.

We are currently working through the logistics for our academic schedule and expect to provide an update to our community as soon as possible. We certainly expect to provide an update to our community as soon as possible. We certainly expect to utilize the two hurricane days currently built into our academic calendar-Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 21 and Nov. 22.

At this time, power and Internet has still not been restored to campus and, as a result, we cannot yet open our campus or our dorms. We will continue to have our emergency facilities staff and public safety officers on campus but ask that our faculty, staff, and students not return until we let you know. If you need to reach our Public Safety Office, the temporary emergency phone number is 727-420-3611.

We are planning a welcome back “Breakfast Without Irma” (and yes, there will be coffee) for all students, faculty and staff on Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 8:45 a.m.-10:15 a.m. in the Crummer Courtyard-please stop by to share your Irma stories.

Next update at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Tuesday, Sept. 12: 12:04 p.m.: Both our Gulfport and Tampa campuses are without power and without Internet capabilities with no timetable about when power will be restored. We have learned that there are over 300 intersections in Pinellas County with traffic lights that are not operational and more than 200 deputies are helping with traffic control.

It is difficult to determine the number of power outages but we believe over 600,000 in Pinellas County and over 1.3 million that Duke Energy services (including Stetson). We know that their priority is hospitals and other emergency services. Our emergency team has been on campus all morning clearing debris and checking offices. All looks very good and we look like a campus again.

We cannot ask our faculty, staff, and students to return safely without power. We also understand that many in our Stetson community have evacuated to other parts of Florida and beyond. Providing our community with enough time to return safely is a priority.

Today by 5 p.m., we will make a decision about whether to resume classes on Thursday and Friday of this week.

Monday, Sept. 11: 3:22 p.m.: After walking the grounds of campus in Gulfport, our campus fared much better than expected from Hurricane Irma. The very good news is that we had a few trees down and there does not appear to be any structural damage or water intrusion. There is no power (or Internet) on campus in either Gulfport or Tampa and we do not yet have an estimate from Duke Energy when our power will be restored.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, our emergency personnel will be back on campus to clear debris and ensure the safety of our campuses. While we are in very good shape, please do not yet return to campus. We will remain closed through Wednesday and expect to make an assessment for the opening of campus and the resumption of classes as soon as possible.

If you live in the Rosa Apartments, there appears to be no damage and there is power (at least for now). Some of our houses have power and some do not. If you have evacuated the area, please check with Duke Energy before returning. Finally, our dorms remain closed until at least Thursday morning. Should circumstances change, we will let you know as soon as possible.

We will provide another update by 8 p.m. tonight.

Finally, we hope Hurricane Irma has not disrupted your lives dramatically but we know that for some it has been devastating. Stetson is a strong community and we will care for each other. As the hours and days pass, we will do all that we can to help.

With our best wishes to you and your families.

Sunday, Sept. 10: 11:45 a.m.: In light of the severe impact that Hurricane Irma will have on the Tampa Bay area and the difficulties of many that will be trying to return to our area, all classes and activities at the College of Law (Gulfport and Tampa) are cancelled at least through Wednesday, Sept. 13. After the storm passes, we will be back in touch with further updates.

Be safe — our thoughts and prayers are with you — and your families.

Friday, Sept. 8: 12:08 p.m.: Based on the track of Hurricane Irma, the likely impact of the storm on the Tampa Bay area on Sunday and Monday, and the mandatory and voluntary evacuations in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, all classes and activities at the College of Law (Gulfport and Tampa) are cancelled on Monday. We will continue to monitor the storm and its impact on our campuses and will update you as the weekend progresses about when we will expect to resume classes and open our campuses. As a reminder, the cancellation of classes on Monday also means you are not expected to attend local off-campus externships and clinics.

As you prepare for the storm, please know that there are a number of shelter locations published by Pinellas County including two shelters in Gulfport, Boca Ciega High School and Gulfport Elementary School, as well as a number in St. Petersburg including shelters that welcome pets. The Stetson University College of Law is not designated as a shelter for individuals or pets.

Pinellas County Public Shelter List: http://www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/shelters.htm

If you have not done so, I encourage you to download the Ready Pinellas App and register for text messages from the College of Law through My Stetson.

We will be communicating with you by text message, email, and the Stetson College of Law home page. Should you have any additional questions, please contact our Office of Public Safety at 727-343-1262 or [email protected].

We look forward to welcoming you back to campus when we are safely able to do so.
Our thoughts are with you — and your families.

Wednesday, Sept. 6: 3:43 p.m.: After consulting with state and local officials, all classes and activities at the College of Law (Gulfport and Tampa) are cancelled on Thursday, Sept. 7 through Sunday, Sept. 10 including the weekend classes. The current College of Law policy includes local off-campus externships and clinics in a cancellation of classes. As a result, students are not expected to attend their externships or clinics. Students are expected to conduct themselves professionally in terms of communicating with supervisors and professors so that assignments are completed and hours fulfilled.

We will provide an update about classes on Monday when we have a better indication of the path of Hurricane Irma and will do our best to provide as much notice as possible.

The Gulfport and Tampa campuses will be closed beginning on Thursday at noon and will remain closed through Sunday.

Importantly, safety remains our highest priority. In the event that conditions create individual difficulties for our non-emergency staff on Thursday, staff should please work with their supervisors and our Office of Human Resources. Because of anticipated power outages and emergency procedures, dorm students should be prepared to evacuate — our Student Affairs/International Programs staff will be reaching out to students soon.

As you prepare for the storm, please know that there are a number of shelter locations published by Pinellas County including two shelters in Gulfport, Boca Ciega High School and Gulfport Elementary School as well as a number in St. Petersburg including shelters that welcome pets. The Stetson University College of Law is not designated as a shelter for individuals or pets.

http://www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/shelters.htm

If you have not done so, I encourage you to download the Ready Pinellas App and register for text messages from the College of Law through My Stetson.

We will be communicating with you by text message, email, and the Stetson College of Law home page. Should you have any additional questions, please contact our Office of Public Safety at 727-343-1262 or [email protected].

Wednesday, Sept. 6: 11:57 a.m.: We continue to monitor Hurricane Irma, along with state and local officials. There have been a number of developments since yesterday. The hurricane cone provides a likely path of the storm and the path or cone is more narrow or predictable the closer to the eye of the storm. Because of the eye of the storm will likely move onshore on Sunday, the current cone with potential impact to Florida is remains large.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at1+shtml/145752.shtml?gm_track

While the cone encompasses all of Florida, many of the spaghetti models that predict the actual storm track have shifted further east — this is good for the Tampa Bay area.

http://www.wtsp.com/weather/spaghetti-tracks-east

There will be further updates by the National Hurricane Center and the Pinellas County Emergency Operations Center this afternoon. With that information, we will make a decision about classes and campus closure for Thursday and Friday no later than 5:30 p.m. today.

Importantly, safety remains our highest priority. In the event that weather conditions create individual difficulties for students, please work with your professor and Dean Rozelle. At this time, our class attendance policies continue to apply. In the event that the weather conditions create individual difficulties for employees, please work with your supervisor and our Office of Human Resources.

As you prepare for the storm, please know that there are a number of shelter locations published by Pinellas County including two shelters in Gulfport, Boca Ciega High School and Gulfport Elementary School as well as a number in St. Petersburg including shelters that welcome pets. The Stetson University College of Law is not designated as a shelter for individuals or pets.

http://www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/shelters.htm

If you have not done so, I encourage you to download the Ready Pinellas App.

Finally, thank you for registering and updating your emergency contact information on the My Stetson page — our test yesterday was very successful. Should you have any additional questions, please contact our Office of Public Safety at 727-343-1262 or [email protected]. We plan to post another update this afternoon.

Tuesday, Sept. 5: 11:28 a.m.: At present, we are actively monitoring Hurricane Irma, a very strong Category 5 hurricane, and will continue to do so, recognizing that movements of hurricanes are very difficult to predict. In the next day or so, we will have a better idea of the path of the storm. At that time, we will be in a position to make a decision about class cancellation and law school closure. We expect to make a decision as soon as possible to provide our students, faculty, and staff with the necessary time to make individual decisions about preparation for the storm and/or evacuation. At present, it appears that any effect in the Tampa Bay area would principally take place this weekend — we will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as appropriate. Any changes to the College of Law schedule will be noted on the school’s website in addition to email and text communications.

You can find current information about Irma’s predicted path at the National Hurricane Center and we urge you to monitor developments over the next few days. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?cone.

Now would be an excellent time to ensure that you are prepared. You can find information about hurricane preparedness at this link on the College of Law’s website: https://www.stetson.edu/law/communications/preparedness/home/index.php and also on the Pinellas County Emergency Management website — http://www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/.

In the event that there are significant issues with a storm, communication becomes increasingly important. Text messages will serve as a primary source of information and can be more reliable method of communication. The College of Law created an emergency text system. Please register now. Registration information is below from our Public Safety Office —

As the storm develops we will communicate with you in a variety of ways, the most important method being the Stetson Hatter Alert Emergency Notification System. This Emergency Notification System is used to keep individuals informed during emergency situations as it pertains to Stetson University and the various campuses. When a situation requires immediate attention, recipients will receive a phone call, a text message, and an email. If you have not registered to receive emergency notifications from Stetson, we strongly urge you to do so now.

In addition to the Emergency Notification System, the following means of communication may also be used:

Onsite Indoor-Outdoor Emergency Notification Speakers
Website via our Campus Docket announcements, which is available to the Stetson community and general public
Messages on class cancellation hot line (727-562-7816)

To register or update your enrollment in the Stetson Hatter Alert Emergency Notification System, a link can be found in myStetson within the Personal tab. You will be prompted to enter your contact information.

Here, you can provide a phone number and a number to receive texts (they can be the same). Please ensure that, when enrolling in SMS/Text alerts, a cell phone number is used. Your Stetson email will automatically be linked to this system (please note that registration or updates take one hour to sync with the Emergency Notification System).

We expect to run a test of the Emergency Text System at 4 p.m. today (Tuesday, Sept. 5) — you should receive a text message if you are registered.

If you have any questions or do not receive a text message and you have registered, please contact our Office of Public Safety at [email protected] or 727-343-1262 .

We will provide further updates as necessary.

Stetson hosts half-day CLE seminar for attorneys on the appeals process

Stetson University College of Law is hosting a half-day appellate practice CLE seminar for attorneys on Nov. 3 at the Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for in-person registration, with the program beginning at 9:05 a.m. and concluding at 12 p.m.

Attorney Keith Upson will provide attorneys with a roadmap for navigating the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure and Appellate Procedure during the seminar on “Florida Criminal Counsel’s Continuing Obligations After Sentencing.”

An application has been submitted to the Florida Bar for 3.5 CLE hours.

To register, and for more information on registration fees and the agenda, please visit https://www.stetson.edu/law/conferences/.

Senate confirms Stetson Veterans Law Institute director for federal judgeship

The U.S. Senate confirmed Stetson University College of Law Veterans Law Institute director and Professor of Law Michael P. Allen as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims based in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 3.

Professor Allen is a renowned expert on the law of veterans’ benefits, and has testified before Congress and written widely on veterans’ benefits issues.

“I have to acknowledge the thousands of students I’ve taught at Stetson University College of Law,” Allen told the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs during the hearing on his nomination on July 19 in Washington, D.C. “I can assure you that they’ve given me far more than I ever taught them.”

Allen has served in a variety of roles at Stetson since 2001, receiving numerous awards for excellence in scholarship and teaching as a professor for 16 years and as an associate dean for four years, overseeing both academic affairs and faculty and strategic initiatives.

Stetson’s Veterans Law Institute, founded in 2012, serves to increase legal services available to the growing population of military members, veterans and their families in the Tampa Bay, Florida, region by bringing together volunteers, faculty, students and other community organizations. Stetson’s Veterans Advocacy Clinic, as part of the Institute, provides representation to Tampa Bay area veterans appealing decisions denying Veterans Administration disability benefits.

Stetson Law alumnus James M. Byrne J.D. ’95 was confirmed as Department of Veterans Affairs general counsel on Aug. 3.

Carmen Johnson is new Pinellas Florida Association for Women Lawyers president

Carmen Johnson Assistant Director for Admissions and Diversity Initiatives. — Carmen Johnson is Assistant Director for Admissions and Diversity Initiatives.

Stetson Law Assistant Director for Admissions and Diversity Initiatives Carmen Johnson was installed as the new president of the Pinellas chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers on July 20 in Clearwater. She served previously as president-elect and secretary and for a two-year term as director of Continuing Legal Education with PFAWL.

She is a member of the Florida Bar’s Education Law Committee as well as the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, and previously served as secretary of the Fred G. Minnis, Sr. Bar Association. She is passionate about higher education administration and education law and policy.

At Stetson, Johnson works with admission compliance policies, recruiting, and diversity initiatives.

She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Miami and her law degree from Stetson University College of Law. After graduating from Stetson, Johnson worked in complex civil litigation in Tallahassee, Florida, and later served as a staff attorney with the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida where she practiced criminal and post-conviction law.

Visiting Professor Carla Reyes joins Harvard center focused on using digital technologies for social good

Stetson University Visiting Assistant Professor of Law Carla Reyes has recently been named a faculty associate at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.

The Center addresses issues at the intersection of technology and society with a focus on the design and use of digital technologies for the social good.

In December, Professor Reyes spoke in Mexico and in Africa on using cutting-edge technologies like Bitcoin to promote economic, social and cultural rights and to reshape the law. She presented at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum in Mexico on Dec. 8 and at the Kenya Blockchain Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 15-16.

At Stetson, Professor Reyes is teaching Business Entities in the fall, and Secured Transactions and Non-Litigation Drafting: Technology Transactions Skills in the spring.

“The skills course will use a bitcoin company hypothetical and introduce students to the issues presented and skills required of attorneys working with technology start-ups,” Professor Reyes explained.

She presented her article, “Conceptualizing Cryptolaw,” forthcoming in the Nebraska Law Review, at Arizona State University’s Governance of Emerging Technology Conference in May, and presented on blockchain technology and business organization law at the University of Utah’s National Business Law Scholars Conference in June. Professor Reyes travels to Bermuda at the end of this month for a joint COALA-MIT blockchain conference.