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.
Joshua Magidson.
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.
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.
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 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, 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.
Litigators who work on death penalty cases immersed themselves in a complimentary two-day crime scene to courtroom training seminar at St. Pete Beach on July 11-12 offered by Stetson University College of Law.
Death penalty expert and Temple University Professor of Law Jules Epstein spoke at the crime scene to courtroom seminar.
Seminar topics included forensic science 101 for capital litigation; forensic report wording and statistics–interpreting DNA results; science research for lawyers; and forensics after the National Academy of Sciences Report.
Nationally known experts in death penalty law, forensic science and biology, and digital forensics led sessions and roundtable discussions with capital litigators from across the country. The seminar was funded by a grant awarded to the Bureau of Justice Assistance by the U.S. Department of Justice, Capital Litigation Initiative.
Speakers included death penalty law expert and Temple University Professor of Law Jules Epstein; forensic science expert Max Houck; and forensic biology and DNA expert Julie Sikorsky.
“Lawyers must be able to understand science because that knowledge could make or break a case,” said Stetson University Professor of Law Carol Henderson, director of the National Clearinghouse of Science, Technology and the Law. “Working with the BJA, Stetson is offering much-needed interdisciplinary education in a critical area.”
Through grants from the BJA, Stetson has offered several training workshops on the use of forensic science in trying capital cases. Last fall, Stetson University’s National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law was awarded a grant from the U.S. Attorney General to develop a forensic evidence training program for lawyers who work on death penalty cases. In March, Stetson launched an eight-part series of webinars as part of the Capital Litigation Initiative: Crime Scene to Courtroom Forensics Training that educates lawyers about using forensic science in death penalty cases, from evaluating the crime scene to defending or prosecuting death penalty cases in court.
Stetson’s next webinar in the series on Pathology Essentials is Oct. 13. To register, or for more information, contact Mercy Roberg at [email protected] or 727-562-7898 or visit www.ncstl.org.
Stetson University College of Law’s Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication is launching “Teaching Legal Writing: Out of the Box Ideas Inside,” an educational service project with legal writing experts around the country. Stetson University Professor of Law Kirsten Davis will introduce the project during the Legal Writing Institute Biennial Conference in Portland on July 10-13, with the goal of sharing favorite legal writing teaching ideas with law school professors from across the U.S.
“The Box” project features a boxed collection of idea cards for teaching legal writing as well as online teaching materials to accompany the idea cards. The project launches with a box that includes a half-dozen legal writing teaching idea cards organized by topic and created by Institute. “The Box” will be updated annually with new teaching ideas in categories ranging from writing organization to research and attribution.
“Improving legal writing teaching is a mission for the Institute. ‘The Box’ promotes excellent legal writing instruction by sharing good teaching ideas among faculty nationwide,” said Dr. Davis, who directs the Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication and legal research and writing program at Stetson. Stetson University’s legal writing program is consistently ranked at the top among programs in the U.S. “We loved the idea of having inspiration for teaching sitting on our desks, and ‘The Box’ is a fun and effective way to share that inspiration with others. Over time, we hope that everyone who teaches legal writing has an idea card in ‘The Box.’”
Faculty who teach legal writing may receive “The Box” and future updates by sending their name and address to [email protected].
To contribute an idea, legal writing professors may email [email protected].
Stetson University College of Law alumni Frank J. Aloia Sr. J.D. ’66, Anthony A. Balasso J.D. ’66, Kenneth C. Deacon Jr. J.D. ’66, Ernest S. Marshall J.D. ’66, Bruce Thomas McKinley J.D. ’66 and Melvyn Trute J.D. ’66 were among more than a dozen Stetson law school alumni recently honored at the Florida Bar luncheon celebrating 50-year members during the Florida Bar Annual Convention on June 17 in Orlando.
(L-R): Anthony A. Balasso J.D. ’66, Frank J. Aloia, Sr. J.D. ’66, Melvyn Trute J.D. ’66 and Ernest S. Marshall J.D. ’66.
The Florida Bar honored 226 attorneys for 50 years of dedication to the practice of law. Active or inactive Florida Bar members in good standing who reached their 50th bar admittance anniversary this year were recognized.
Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, an election law pundit and author of the new book, Corporate Citizen? An Argument for the Separation of Corporation and State, joined a Federal Election Commission Forum on Corporate Political Spending and Campaign Influence on June 23 in Washington, D.C.
Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy (center) joined a panel at the FEC forum in Washington D.C.
Professor Torres-Spelliscy presented on a panel that addressed the impact of corporate money and foreign influence on the election and the FEC’s role in responding.
“In this election year, the topic of the appropriate bounds of corporate power continues to be raised by candidates and voters alike,” Professor Torres-Spelliscy writes in Corporate Citizen. “History shows that size matters. We’ve gone from too big to fail to too big to jail.”
“We cannot reach the point where there are firms that are too big to regulate,” Torres-Spelliscy writes. “And gigantism matters a great deal if real (human) citizens are expected to compete with corporations for the attention of elected officials in policy making, or for the attention of their fellow citizens during elections. Protecting the ideal of one-person-one-vote requires mitigating the power of corporate money in politics.”
In Corporate Citizen, Torres-Spelliscy addresses a lack of corporate accountability in areas ranging from protecting the environment to paying taxes and respecting human rights.
“If we are guilty of committing a crime, we can expect to be held accountable under the rule of law,” Torres-Spelliscy writes. “But with corporations, which are at their essence just a pile of papers, U.S. courts have granted them more and more rights, and then simultaneously, absolved many firms from responsibilities.”
A total of 111 Stetson University College of Law graduates were selected for inclusion among Florida’s Legal Elite in the July 2016 Florida Trend magazine.
Stetson Law students celebrated commencement in May.
Stetson Law alumni Stephen D. Busey, Mark A. Hanley and Rhea F. Law are again included in the Legal Elite Hall of Fame, a distinguished group of attorneys who consistently earn high peer rankings in the annual Legal Elite voting. Busey is chairman of the Smith Hulsey & Busey law firm who received both his bachelor’s and law degrees from Stetson University. Hanley is a partner at the Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP law firm. Law is chair of the Buchanan Ingersoll Rooney P.C. firm’s Florida offices, a member of the board of directors and co-chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee. She is also a member of the Stetson University College of Law Hall of Fame.
This year’s Florida Trend magazine lists 20 Stetson Law graduates as “up and coming” attorneys and four Stetson Law graduates as outstanding attorneys working in the government and non-profit sectors among Florida’s Legal Elite.
Florida’s Legal Elite, now in its 13th edition, showcases attorneys chosen by their peers who exemplify a standard of excellence in their profession. Voting for this year’s Legal Elite attorneys began in October 2015 when Florida Trend invited all in-state members of the Florida Bar to participate. This year, 1,144 lawyers are listed among the Florida Legal Elite, representing fewer than 2 percent of the active Florida Bar members who practice in Florida.
(L-R): Stetson Chapter of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Law Student Division members Chantay Perry, Lauren Baio, Natalie Yello, Ciara Willis J.D. ’16, Alison Preston and Zabbdy Lopez.
Stetson law school student organizations were again honored as chapters of the year at the Florida Bar Annual Meeting in Orlando on June 17.
For the third year in a row, the Stetson Chapter of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Law Student Division was named Chapter of the Year.
The group was also honored for Best Event for an “Evening of Etiquette.” Third-year Stetson Law student Natalie Yello was named Governor of the Year.
For the second year in a row, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers at Stetson was named Law Student Chapter of the Year. Incoming FAWLS president Chloe Wells accepted the award on behalf of FAWLS at the FAWL Annual Gala on June 16.
“Both of these organizations work tirelessly to put on stellar programs and always represent Stetson beautifully,” said Joann Grages Burnett, associate director in the career development office at Stetson. “I truly love working with their leadership teams and am confident that we will continue to see wonderful things from each organization next year.”
(L-R): Katherine Hurst Miller with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
Stetson University College of Law presented its annual awards to outstanding alumni and friends of the college during the Florida Bar meeting in Orlando on June 16. Stetson also celebrated the installation of Katherine Hurst Miller J.D. ’06 as president of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division.
(L-R): Mac McCoy with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
Alumni and friends honored this year by Stetson included:
(L-R): Kayla Richmond with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
(L-R): Frank Hearne with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
Judge Mac McCoy B.A. ’98, J.D. ’01 was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, recognizing individuals who are outstanding in their profession, who have brought honor to themselves and to the College of Law through service to humanity and dedication to the ideals of the College of Law;
(L-R): Larry Miccolis with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
Kayla Richmond J.D. ’13 received the Outstanding Alumni Representative Award for her dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association through local district involvement and for encouraging other alumni involvement in local district activities of the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association;
(L-R): Judge Catherine McEwen with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
Frank Hearne received the Distinguished Service Award, presented to recognize his significant, meritorious, and continuing contributions which have benefited the College of Law;
(L-R): Marc Levine with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
Larry Miccolis J.D. ’09 received the Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award for showing his continued support of the Alumni Association and the College through contribution of time and gifts;
Judge Catherine McEwen J.D. ’82 received the Ben C. Willard Award for expending great effort for the benefit of the citizens of Florida and for her humanitarian achievements bringing distinction to herself and to the College of Law;
Marc Levine J.D. ’06 received the President’s Award, presented to the current Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association president at the end of his/her term for service and leadership and for constantly striving to improve the on-going efforts of the SLAA for the betterment of all alumni.
Stetson University College of Law graduates are again ranked among the best lawyers in Florida by Florida Super Lawyers. Stetson law school ranks third in the state for the highest number of alumni on the 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list.
The 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list includes 321 Stetson Law graduates and the 2016 Florida Rising Stars list includes 206 Stetson Law graduates.
Stetson Law alumnus Christian D. Searcy is listed among the Top 10 2016 Florida Super Lawyers and Top 100 2016 Miami Super Lawyers. The Top 100 2016 Miami Super Lawyers list also includes Stetson Law graduate Shane J. Kelley.
Stetson Law graduates Emma Hemness, Cynthia A. Mikos, Caroline Black Sikorske, Cheryl L. Worman and Katherine Earle Yanes are listed among the Top 50 2016 Women Florida Super Lawyers.
The Top 50 2016 Tampa Bay Super Lawyers list includes Stetson graduates Amanda B. Buffinton, Mark A. Hanley, Mikos, Luis Prats and Sikorske.
The Top 100 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list includes Stetson Law graduates Jeptha F. Barbour, Stephen D. Busey, Mikos, Searcy, Sikorske and Troy K. Smith.
Super Lawyers magazine rates lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement through independent research, peer nominations and evaluations.
“I am not one of those who dreamed as a young adult of going to law school and seeking justice for all,” said Captain Tanya Mayes J.D. ’03. “I did not even enter law school until later in life.”
(L-R): (Ret.) Navy Captain Dwaine Alexander, 2015-16 committee member of the ABA standing (LAMP) committee; CPT Tanya R. Mayes; and COL Christopher Hedrick, 80th Training Command (TASS) Staff Judge Advocate. Photo by Ray Pacheco.
The mother and member of the Army Reserves received a LAMP Distinguished Service Award on June 10 for her work spearheading the establishment of a free legal clinic for wounded warriors and qualified veterans at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center.
Recipients of the LAMP awards are individuals and units who set the bar for military legal assistance by pushing themselves and their practices in extraordinary ways.
More than a decade ago, Captain Mayes was a Military Police Officer in the Army Reserves who planned to work in federal law enforcement. While working on her criminology degree at Florida State University, a couple of classes in legal writing piqued her interest. She took the Law School Admission Test at the prompting of then State Attorney Jim Appleman, scored well on the test, and applied and was accepted to Stetson law school. At the end of her first year of law school at Stetson, Mayes was deployed to Bosnia as an Army Reserve Military Police Officer. After a year away from law school, Mayes returned to finish her law degree at Stetson. She began practicing in the workers compensation field, later joining the JAG Corp in 2009.
“I have done many different things as a JAG attorney, but by far the most rewarding work I’ve done is with legal assistance at the VA,” said Mayes. Mayes, who is stationed in the Army Reserves in Virginia as a judge advocate, identified a complication in the provision of legal services at the local VA Center that was negatively impacting both active military members and qualifying veterans.
“Most VA hospitals receive their legal assistance support from active duty Legal Assistance Offices,” Captain Mayes explained. “Unfortunately, these offices are often far away and/or fully engaged on their installations. These challenges coupled with the fact many of the patients at the VA centers are not mobile can make the delivery of legal assistance services to our Wounded Warriors, retirees and veterans difficult.”
(L-R): CPT Tanya R. Mayes and (Ret.) Navy Captain Dwaine Alexander, 2015-16 committee member of the ABA standing (LAMP) committee. Photo by Ray Pacheco.
Facing this challenge head on, Mayes established a program to fill the gap and provide veterans at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia, with legal services. The program uses the resources of the US Army Reserves Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at the 80th Training Command (TASS) and volunteer members of the Virginia Bar Association to meet veterans’ legal needs.
Asked why she sees the need to help wounded warriors and veterans, Mayes recalls an encounter with a badly injured young soldier, the same age as her own son, being treated at the McGuire VA Medical Center Polytrauma unit who was in need of legal assistance.
“On my last visit with this Army Scout, he stands with the aid of his father and salutes me,” Captain Mayes recalled. “I have never been so humbled in all of my life. If there has ever been a soldier that deserved a salute it was that wounded warrior and not me. This is only one of the many many soldiers and qualified veterans we have been able to assist at McGuire. ”
“From the young wounded warriors striving to return to service, to the WWII Veteran that still has his military photo above his nursing home bed, each and every one touches us in a different way and reminds all of us in the 80th Training Command SJA office just why we get up every morning and put this uniform on,” said Captain Mayes.
