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Stetson University offers capital litigators crime scene to courtroom training

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 seminar.
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.

Recipes for legal writing: Stetson University launches new project at Legal Writing Institute conference

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.box-mockup-front-drop-shadow

“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].

To learn more about the project, visit www.stetson.edu/thebox. Learn more about Stetson’s Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication by visiting https://www.stetson.edu/law/academics/lrw/.

Class of 1966 alumni join Florida Bar 50-year member celebration

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 ’66, Frank J. Aloia, Sr. ’66, Melvyn Trute ’66 and Ernest S. Marshall ’66.
(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.

For the full list of honorees, visit the Florida Bar here.

Corporate campaign money? Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy joins FEC Forum in Washington

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 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.”

Read more: Professor Torres-Spelliscy examines the expansion of corporate rights in the American Constitution Society Blog.

More than 100 Stetson grads listed among Florida’s Legal Elite

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 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.

Read more here: http://www.floridatrend.com/legal-elite.

Chapter of the Year: Student groups again recognized at Florida Bar meeting

(L-R): Chantay Perry, Lauren Baio, Natalie Yello, Ciara Willis (’16), Alison Preston and Zabbdy Lopez.
(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.

(L-R): FAWLS executive board members Katie Salemi J.D. '16, Sadiya Hashem, Chloe Wells, Courtney Cox J.D. '16, Giselle Girones J.D. '16.
(L-R): FAWLS executive board members Katie Salemi J.D. ’16, Sadiya Hashem, Chloe Wells, Courtney Cox J.D. ’16, Giselle Girones J.D. ’16.

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.”

 

Stetson celebrates alumni and friends: Katherine Hurst Miller ’06 new president of Florida Bar YLD

(L-R): Katherine Hurst Miller with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
(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.
(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): Kayla Richmond with Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
  • (L-R): Frank Hearne 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.
    (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.
    (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.
    (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 grads among highest number of Super Lawyers in the state

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.

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Stetson’s May commencement 2016.

This year, more than 300 Stetson Law graduates are named in the 2016 Florida Super Lawyers.

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.

Read more here: http://www.superlawyers.com/florida/toplists.

Seeking justice for veterans: Captain Tanya Mayes J.D. ’03

“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.
(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.
(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.

Campus gathered Monday to reflect on the Orlando tragedy

Orlando-remembrance-web
Stetson University College of Law community members gathered for a moment of reflection about the tragic shooting in Orlando on the Gulfport campus on Monday afternoon. The flag flies at half-staff on Stetson Law’s campus in honor of all affected by this national tragedy.

The flag flies half-mast on the Stetson law school campus to honor those lost in the Orlando tragedy.
The flag flies at half-staff on the Stetson law school campus to honor those lost in the Orlando tragedy.

Counselor Sarah Siegrist with the Eckerd Counseling Center joined the gathering. Counselors are available to members of the Stetson Law community by calling 727-864-8248.

Students may also contact Tammy Briant in the Student Life Office at Stetson Law at [email protected] or at 727-562-7808.

Additional counseling resources are available at the Pinellas County Help Line by calling 2-1-1 or 727-210-4211 or at the Hillsborough County Crisis Hotline by calling 813-234-1234.

The City of Orlando has established a hotline number to call for anyone who believes that friends or family may have been injured in the shooting. The number to call is 407-246-4357.

Orlando Regional Medical Center has set up a meeting area for families who believe they have a loved one being treated at the hospital.

The GLBT Community Center of Central Florida has an active Crisis Hotline at 407-822-5036. They have also started a GoFundMe community fund for the victims of the tragedy at https://www.gofundme.com/29bubytq.

If you wish to donate blood to replenish resources used in response to the shooting in Orlando, visit Oneblood.org to find a place to donate blood near you and schedule an appointment anywhere in Florida.

“Our hearts and thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those that lost family members and friends in the tragedy in Orlando,” said Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.

“As we continue throughout LGBT Pride Month, Lambda Legal Society will not allow this act of terror and hate to disrupt our lives,” said Stetson Law’s Lambda student president Francisco Lopez. “We will show our strength by continuing to stand against discrimination and hate, holding the memories of all those we have lost in our hearts, as we celebrate Pride Month.”

Stetson Law’s Lambda Legal Society plans to participate in the LGBT Pride Night at Tropicana Field on Friday and at the St. Petersburg Pride Parade in two weeks.

“When crisis or tragedy occurs, that is the time when a community works together and shares together because that is who we are and that is what we believe. We share sadness but also should not permit senseless violence to define us. We hold hope for a better future because we have the ability to influence the future. For today, however, it is a time for all of us to stand together,” said Dean Pietruszkiewicz.

For information about events and resources on Stetson’s DeLand campus, please visit www.stetson.edu.

 

Tropical Storm Update

10:25 a.m., 6/7/16 update:

The College of Law will open today (Tuesday, June 7) at noon. Scheduled classes and activities beginning at noon or later will proceed as scheduled. The Library will also open at noon. For those students participating in external clinics or externships, please consult with your supervisor and Professor Batt for additional guidance.

In the event that weather conditions create individual difficulties for students, please work with your professor and Dean Rozelle. In the event that the weather conditions create individual difficulties for employees, please work with your supervisor and our Office of Human Resources.

Stetson offers Legal Writing Academy in Tampa

Stetson University College of Law is offering a continuing legal education program, Legal Writing Academy, on Aug. 19 from 8:15 a.m.-3:45 p.m. at the Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.

Stetson professor Catherine Cameron taught at the Legal Writing Academy in 2015.
Stetson professor Catherine Cameron taught at the Legal Writing Academy in 2015.

The program for legal practitioners is designed to improve legal writing skills and produce more persuasive legal writers.

Nationally recognized faculty members from Stetson’s Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication will offer sessions on:

• Winning on the Facts: Applying Effective Storytelling Techniques
• Advancements in Written Persuasion: What You Might Not Know
• Editing Techniques for Maximum Persuasive Impact
• Breakout Groups on Storytelling

The Legal Writing Academy includes breakfast, lunch, interactive instruction, and small group breakout sessions.

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

For questions regarding the Legal Writing Academy, contact Stetson’s Office of Professional Education at [email protected].

To register, visit https://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventId=1704451.