News Archives - Page 48 of 138

Full-day education program at Stetson’s Tampa Law Center explains process of reporting abuse and exploitation

Stetson University College of Law is hosting “A Day in the Life of an Exploitation Report,” a continuing legal education program for attorneys dealing with cases of abuse and financial exploitation.

The full-day program, co-sponsored by the Florida Bar Elder Law section, Florida Securities Dealers Association, Aging Life Care Association Florida Chapter, the Office of the Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Stetson Law, begins at 8:30 a.m. with a closing session at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at Stetson’s Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.

The program includes an overview of the process of reporting abuse and exploitation, from the first phone call to Adult Protective Services, to investigating the abuse, to taking the case to court, and finally identifying strategies to curb future exploitation.

“This seminar will take the participants from the Adult Protective Services hotline to the courtroom, explaining precisely how Adult Protective Services really works, what the department can do and what it can’t do,” said Stetson University Professor of Law Roberta Flowers, co-director of the Center for Excellence in Elder Law.

Speakers include Judge Sean O. Cadigan of the 13th Judicial Circuit; Erika Dine, elder law attorney and co-chair of the Florida Bar Elder Law Section Committee on Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation; Deanne Fields, assistant Suncoast region counsel with the Florida DCF; Professor Flowers; Laura Hinson, Adult Protective Investigator with the Florida DCF; Laura Moody, assistant state attorney in the Elder & Economic Crimes Unit in the Office of the State Attorney, 18th Judicial Circuit; and Roseanne Powers, statewide training coordinator for Adult Protective Services, Florida Department of Children and Families.

For more information on registration costs and a program schedule, call 727-562-7898. To register, visit https://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1856730.

Stetson’s July bar passage rate among top three in the state

Stetson University College of Law’s pass rate for first-time takers of the July 2016 Florida Bar Examination was 80.5% and 12 points above the statewide average of 68.2%.

Stetson's bar passage is no. 3 in the state. — Stetson’s bar passage is no. 3 in the state.

Stetson is also in the top three of all Florida law schools who took the exam, very close to tying for second place.

Trial advocacy expert presents CLE for trial lawyers at Stetson’s Tampa Law Center in October

Trial advocacy expert, longtime trial advocacy fellow and visiting law professor Lee A. Coppock presents a three-hour continuing legal education program for trial lawyers at Stetson University College of Law’s Tampa Law Center in October.

Professor Coppock will present persuading a jury to want to do right by the client, as well as preparing questions on the verdict form for both plaintiff and defense at a three-hour CLE, “Money Damages: Getting to the Jury’s Sweet Spot,” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Oct. 5 at Stetson’s Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.

The program covers:

evaluating a potential claim;
points for discovery;
methods of proof;
at trial: questions for direct and cross;
and from translation after the liability portion of the closing to making persuasive arguments that are most likely to get the jury to do right by your client.

CLE application has been made to the Florida Bar for 3.5 General CLE credits. To register, and for more information, please visit https://www.stetson.edu/law/conferences/homepages/money-damages-cle.php.

Stetson’s Special Needs Trusts Conference is Oct. 19-21

Stetson University College of Law’s 18th Annual Special Needs Trusts-The National Conference returns to the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club on Oct. 19-21.

Professor Rebecca C. Morgan.

This year’s conference offers a comprehensive review of major issues presented in special needs planning and in the creation, administration and monitoring of special needs trusts. The conference also features two pre-conference intensives on Oct. 19 on tax issues in special needs planning, as well as issues for pooled trusts administrators, attorneys and others who work with pooled trusts, followed by the two-day national conference.

The national conference begins on Oct. 20 with general sessions, followed by afternoon sessions with basics, administration and advanced tracks.

“This is a fascinating area of law with frequent new developments. This conference gives attendees a significant educational experience and an opportunity to network with the leaders in the field of special needs planning,” said Stetson Professor of Law Rebecca C. Morgan, conference chair and co-director of Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law.

Nationally recognized speakers include Ben Belton and Kenneth Brown from the Social Security Administration; Gregory W. Coleman J.D. ’89, past-president of the Florida Bar; Ann Koerner, president of the National Care Advisors; a significant number of nationally recognized attorneys who lead the field of special needs planning; and national political pundit Matt Towery J.D. ’87 of Insider Advantage. Noted football coach Charlie Weis of the Kansas Jayhawks and Notre Dame Fighting Irish will present the keynote on Hannah and Friends, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and adults with special needs.

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 elder law, offering both a certificate of concentration in elder law and an online LL.M. in elder law. Visit https://www.stetson.edu/elderlaw to learn more.

Sea turtle course at Stetson features guided visit to sea turtle nest at Fort DeSoto Park

Students in Stetson University College of Law’s special summer course on Sea Turtle Law and Policy visited a sea turtle nest at Fort DeSoto Park on Aug. 28.

Students and professors gather at a hatched sea turtle nesting site at Fort DeSoto Park on Aug. 28 as part of a special summer course on sea turtles. Photo by Frank Klim.

Students in Stetson's sea turtle course gather at a sea turtle nesting site at Fort DeSoto Park where turtles recently hatched. Photo by Frank Klim. — Students in Stetson’s sea turtle course gather at a sea turtle nesting site at Fort DeSoto Park. Photo by Frank Klim.

A sea turtle nesting site at Fort DeSoto Park. Photo by Frank Klim.

Stetson was awarded a grant by the Sea Turtle Grants Program to offer the one-credit, three-day course, “Topics in Biodiversity Law: Sea Turtles,” on its Gulfport, Florida, campus for law students and graduate students who are pursuing degrees in marine science, environmental science, or environmental policy.

The course was offered through Stetson’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy on Aug. 26–28. Law and other graduate students learned about threats to sea turtles and the local, state, national, and international legal and policy framework to protect them.

Scholarships funded by the Sea Turtle Grants Program covered the cost of the course for students.

Stetson students, faculty, staff kick off the fall with two days of community service

The Stetson volunteers at the Habitat for Humanity build site on Aug. 19

The Stetson volunteers gather on Aug. 18 at Community Preschool.

Students, faculty and staff at Stetson University College of Law kicked off the fall semester by volunteering for two days to help people and pets through community organizations in the Tampa Bay region.

(L-R): Second-year law students Danny Jacobo and Taofikat Ninalowo volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.

A total of 63 members of the Stetson community volunteered on Aug. 18-19 to help build furniture for classrooms and to read to children at the Community Preschool, sort and clean books and read to preschool children at the Goodwill/Book Works Program, socialize homeless pets at Friends of Strays, and build affordable housing for Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County.

Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz volunteered with faculty, staff and students for Habitat for Humanity, — Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz volunteered with faculty, staff and students for Habitat for Humanity.

Professor Judith Scully co-coordinates Stetson’s Social Justice Advocacy Program which will spearhead the pro bono program starting this fall with professors Kristen Adams and Ann Piccard.

(L-R): Professor Judith Scully and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Susan Rozelle. — (L-R): Professor Judith Scully and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Susan Rozelle helped at the Habitat for Humanity build site.

“In three short years, law students will be joining the legal profession — a profession that requires its members to serve the needs of clients from all walks of life,” said Professor Scully. “Adopting a habit of serving a diverse group of people early on in a law student’s career will benefit them in the future. Since law students are on a career path that requires them to serve others, it is important for our students to adopt a culture and practice of serving the community on a regular basis. Our pro bono program seeks to build advocates that lead both in the courtroom and in the community.”

Stetson was one of the first law schools in the nation to establish a pro bono service requirement for graduation, and students today are required to complete 60 hours of pro bono work for graduation. Professor James Sheehan previously directed the pro bono program at Stetson.

Alumni named to Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” list

Amos Goodall LL.M. '09. — H. Amos Goodall LL.M. ’09.

By Brandi Palmer

The Best Lawyers in America has just released its “Lawyer of the Year” list, which includes several Stetson University College of Law alumni working in the greater Tampa Bay, Florida area.

The list includes alumni Debra L. Boje J.D. ’92, Tae Kelley Bronner J.D. ’94, Thomas H. Dart J.D. ’77, Aileen S. Davis J.D. ’83, Aubrey O. Dicus Jr. J.D. ’74, Theodore Eastmoore J.D. ’80, Rhea F. Law J.D. ’79, Chandra L. Miller J.D. ’98, Robert A. Norgard J.D. ’80, Angela E. Outten J.D. ’93, Thomas D. Roebig Jr. J.D. ’86, Scot E. Samis J.D. ’86, Barry F. Spivey B.A. ’67, J.D. ’70, Scott I. Steady J.D. ’86, Joan M. Vecchioli J.D. ’86 and Katherine E. Yanes J.D. ’97.

Outside of Florida, H. Amos Goodall Jr., who graduated with his LL.M. in Elder Law from Stetson in 2009 and works in Pennsylvania, was named “Lawyer of the Year” for the second year in a row, with distinctions in two areas of practice. This year, Goodall was named “Lawyer of the Year” in Trust and Estate and last year, he was named “Lawyer of the Year” in Elder Law.

Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer-review, and the methodology is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Best Lawyers in America was founded in 1981.

Top advocate Natalie Yello named first Ms. JD Fellow from Stetson University

Stetson University College of Law third-year student Natalie Yello was awarded a fellowship by Ms. JD for 2016. The competitive fellowship was only awarded to 15 law students from around the country. Yello is the first Stetson student to receive the fellowship.

Natalie Yello is a Ms. JD fellow. — Natalie Yello is a Ms. JD Fellow.

This year’s Ms. JD Fellows were selected for their academic performance, leadership, and dedication to advancing the status of women in the profession. The fellows include women pursuing opportunities in academia, public interest, and the private sector in every region of the U.S.

Yello serves as president of the Stetson chapter of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Law Student Division. She was selected from all of the Florida student governors as the 2016 Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division Governor of the Year. The year 2016 also marks the third year in a row that the Stetson chapter of the Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division was awarded “Chapter of the Year.”

Yello is an associate justice for Stetson’s moot court board. She is also editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Aging Law & Policy. Yello was a member of the team of Stetson law school students who won the Florida Bar’s 2016 Law Student Professionalism YouTube Contest for their training and educational video depicting professional conduct for lawyers.

Yello volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem child advocate for the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida. She was a summer associate at GrayRobinson, P.A., in Orlando, Florida, this summer and has accepted an associate position in litigation after graduation from Stetson.

As an undergraduate at the University of Florida, where she graduated cum laude with her bachelor of arts in political science and bachelor of science in psychology, Yello served on the board of the Student Conduct Committee and was a junior fellow in the political science department to Beth Rosenson, Ph.D. She received the University of Florida’s Phyllis M. Meek Spirit of Susan B. Anthony Award for promoting the advancement, rights and opportunities of women.

Stetson University’s biodiversity institute receives ABA environmental achievement award

Stetson University’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy has received the American Bar Association’s 2016 Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy Award.

“This award recognizes the contributions of the Stetson community and our partners in wetland, wildlife conservation, and environmental issues around the world,” said Professor Royal C. Gardner, director of Stetson’s Institute and an internationally recognized expert in wetland law and policy.

Stetson's biodiversity institute director Royal Gardner visited the Okavango Delta, Botswana in May. — Stetson’s biodiversity institute director Royal Gardner visited the wetlands of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Africa, in May.

Every year, the ABA selects one organization to receive the Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Law and Policy Award. Professor Gardner accepted the award on behalf of the biodiversity institute at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco on Aug. 7.

A special committee of the ABA’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources selected Stetson’s Institute based on its demonstrated leadership in improving the substance, process, and understanding of environmental issues.

The Institute’s upcoming programs include:

On Aug. 26-28, the Institute will offer a special one-credit, three-day course on Sea Turtle Law and Policy for law and other graduate students pursuing degrees in marine science, environmental science, or environmental policy. The Sea Turtle Grants Program has provided a grant that funds scholarships for this course.

In the fall, the Institute will continue its popular public Foreman Biodiversity Lecture Series with three presentations by conservation, legal and scientific experts.

On Nov. 3, Stetson will collaborate with the Environmental Law Institute to sponsor the fourth annual ELI-Stetson Wetlands Workshop.
Stetson received this year’s Distinguished Achievement Award in Environmental Law and Policy.

In January of 2017, Stetson will co-sponsor the 17th International Wildlife Law Conference. The conference will be held in Pune, India, hosted by the Institute of Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth University.

From March 30-April 1, 2017, Stetson will again host the international finals of the International Environmental Moot Court Competition, now in its 21st year.

To learn more about the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson, visit: www.stetson.edu/law/biodiversity.

Joshua Magidson J.D. ’80 honored with Barney Award

By Brandi Palmer

Joshua Magidson J.D. ’80, a Stetson University trustee and past-president of the Stetson Lawyers Association who has chaired the board of overseers at the College of Law for the past eight years, was recently honored with The Barney by the Barney Masterson Inn of Court.

Every year, The Barney is awarded to a lawyer who demonstrates the highest degree of professionalism, ethics, civility and legal excellence in the practice of law.

Magidson, who serves as shareholder with Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, was inducted into the Stetson University College of Law Hall of Fame in 2014 and received the Richard T. Earle, Jr. Professionalism Award 2007, presented annually to the lawyer who demonstrates the highest degree of professionalism in the practice of law. He is a longtime adjunct professor at Stetson law school, the recipient of Stetson’s Outstanding Alumni Award and the Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award for his continued support of the College of Law.

In addition to his service to Stetson University, Magidson has served as board chairman of Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc., and on the boards of the Clearwater Arts Council and Florida Orchestra Conductor Search Committee. Magidson began his service as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969.

Magidson is listed among Tampa Bay’s Top Lawyers by Tampa Bay Magazine, among the Best Lawyers in America (2009-2015), Florida Trend’s Legal Elite 2011, and Florida Super Lawyers (2013-2016).

The Barney Masterson American Inn of Court was founded in 1988 in Pinellas County by judges and lawyers seeking to improve the skills, the professionalism, and the legal ethics with which the bench and the bar perform their duties.

Graduate joins highly selective Honors Program for Attorneys in Washington D.C.

By Brandi Palmer

This fall, Lane Cryar, J.D. ‘14, will be joining the Department of Homeland Security’s Honors Program for Attorneys in Washington, D.C. The Honors Program for Attorneys is a highly competitive program open to application by recent law graduates as well as federal or state judicial law clerks with no more than two years of clerkship experience. Only four attorneys from a large pool of highly qualified applicants were selected for Cryar’s Honors Program class.

Lane Cryar J.D. '14 is among a select handful of attorneys joining the Honors Program in Washington, D.C. — Lane Cryar J.D. ’14 is among a select handful of attorneys joining the Honors Program in Washington, D.C.

Cryar was a member of the Honors Program and Valedictorian of her class at Stetson University College of Law, as well as executive editor of the Stetson Law Review, an editor with the Stetson Journal of Advocacy and the Law, and student president of Stetson’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund.

While in law school, Cryar made helping others a priority, performing over 500 hours of public service in addition to completing a Public Service Fellowship and serving as a mentor to numerous law students. She volunteered for and supported causes that ranged from raising money and awareness for veterans’ groups to advocating for animal rights and supporting victims of domestic violence.

“The common thread among the different efforts I supported during law school was a desire to make an impact for the public good,” said Cryar.

Cryar heads to D.C. after completing a two-year clerkship for Judge Charles R. Wilson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

“I wanted to make sure I was using my law degree in a meaningful way, so I focused on obtaining a position after my clerkship that would permit me to do important work with significant responsibilities,” said Cryar.

Cryar said she did some research to discover that federal government attorneys in honors programs seemed to have more opportunities to do the kind of work she wanted to do. She was drawn to the prospect of continuing work in the public sector and wanted a position where she felt that she could make a difference. The Department of Homeland Security’s Honors Program seemed like an ideal fit.

During their two-year term, Honors Attorneys rotate through various divisions and components within the department. The opportunity to gain exposure to a variety of different practice areas ranging from national security law, immigration law, and litigation to international law, intellectual property law and environmental law was appealing to Cryar.

Cryar, who said that her interests have grown even more varied in the past two years working at the appellate level, said, “I wanted a position where I would be challenged and continue to learn more about the law, while still being able to do meaningful work that makes a difference in the lives of others. This was a great match for me.”

Stetson University hosts Legal Writing Academy for lawyers in August

Stetson University College of Law is hosting a Legal Writing Academy for lawyers on Persuasive Legal Writing: What Every Lawyer Should Know on Aug. 19 in Tampa.

Professor Jason Palmer reviews and advises on student writing. — Professor Jason Palmer, who teaches legal writing at Stetson, meets with students to review research and writing projects.

WHERE: Stetson University’s Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.

WHEN: Aug. 19, 8:15 a.m.-3:45 p.m.

WHAT: Stetson’s Legal Writing Academy helps lawyers improve their persuasive legal writing skills with sessions on how to apply storytelling techniques to persuasively write about facts, use advances in persuasion studies to improve writing, and edit writing to give it additional persuasive power. The schedule includes breakfast, lunch, interactive instruction, and small-group breakout sessions.

WHO: The program will be taught by nationally recognized faculty in Stetson’s Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication.

Special discounted rates are available to Stetson alumni, non-profit and government workers.

An application will be made to The Florida Bar for 5.0 CLE credits.

For more information, contact Stetson’s Office of Professional Education at [email protected] or 727-562-7898.

To view the program or to register, visit https://www.stetson.edu/law/academics/lrw/legal-writing-academy.php.