News Archives - Page 64 of 138

Stetson is Diversity Outreach Champion

Stetson University College of Law was honored with a Diversity Outreach Champion Award during the Honors and Appreciation Luncheon at the 10th Annual National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 24.

Carmen Johnson J.D. ’12 accepted the honor for Stetson.

Stetson was honored as a Diversity Outreach Champion for its “sustained commitment to reaching out to Black prospective applicants through participation in the Law Fair for 10 years in a row” – since the conference’s inception.

Carmen B. Johnson J.D. ’12, assistant director for admissions and diversity initiatives, accepted the award for Stetson Law.

“Before presenting the award, the conference organizer expressed gratitude to the honorees’ commitment to the conference and its mission,” said Johnson.

In addition to participating in the law fair, Stetson’s admissions staff has also served on panels and guided several of the conference participants through the law school application process.

Stetson launches campaign to raise awareness about sexual assault

Stetson University College of Law launched an “It’s On Us” program on Nov. 5 in Gulfport to raise awareness about guarding against sexual assault on college campuses. Tammy Briant, director of Student Life at Stetson Law, coordinated program activities. The “It’s On Us” campaign empowers college communities across the country to be aware and vigilant in stopping sexual predators and abuse on campus. College and university communities are urged to take the “It’s On Us” pledge to be vigilant and accountable for reporting sexual assault.

Students gather with Student Life director Tammy Briant to take the "It's On Us" pledge. — Students gather with Student Life director Tammy Briant to take the “It’s On Us” pledge.

Stetson Law’s program launch included an information and photo booth, pledge signing, and a lunchtime lecture by Professor of Law Peter Lake, director of Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law & Policy. The lecture, “What is Going on with Title IX,” was sponsored by the Education Law Society and Sports Law Society student organizations. Professor Lake is one of the nation’s top legal experts in Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education.

Professor Peter Lake spoke with students about Title IX and sexual assault.

Professor Lake told students to be better bystanders and aware of sexual predators and to know who to contact to get help.

“We need to think about what we can do if we see something,” said Professor Lake.

Stetson Law’s Hall of Fame inducts three alumni

Stetson University College of Law inducted three extraordinary alumni into its Hall of Fame on Nov. 1 in Gulfport. Hall of Fame inductees are selected for having a profound and positive impact on Stetson Law and the legal profession. This year’s inductees included:

(L-R): Joshua Magidson accepting his Hall of Fame honor from Dean Chris Pietruszkiewicz.

Joshua Magidson JD ’80 has served as president of the Stetson Lawyers Association, chair of the Board of Overseers and member of the Stetson University Board of Trustees. As an adjunct professor, Magidson has taught numerous Stetson Law students about the values of professionalism. The Pinellas County judiciary presented Magidson with the prestigious Richard T. Earle Jr. Professionalism Award in 2007, presented annually to the lawyer who demonstrates the highest degree of professionalism in the practice of law. He is 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. Magidson became a member of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969. >>WATCH VIDEO>>

(L-R): Rich McKay with Dean Chris Pietruszkiewicz.

Rich McKay JD ’84, president and CEO of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, credits his Stetson education with preparing him for his unique career path. After graduating and practicing law in Tampa for several years, McKay became vice president of the Football Administration at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later general manager. McKay is extremely proud that his first two draft picks were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Under his watch, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII by defeating the Oakland Raiders in 2003. After leaving the Bucs, McKay was introduced as president and general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, where he became the only person to have negotiated two stadium agreements–one in Tampa and one in Atlanta. McKay has served on the influential NFL Competition Committee since 1994 and has been chairman since 1998. A strong supporter of Stetson’s experiential opportunities, McKay frequently urges students to engage in every aspect of the legal learning process and to apply all of the tools they hone in law school in their careers. >>WATCH VIDEO>>

(L-R): Marsha Rydberg with Dean Chris Pietruszkiewicz.

Marsha Rydberg JD ’76 graduated first in her class at Stetson Law during a time when a Florida Bar survey revealed that women comprised only about 3% of the legal profession. Rydberg was the first woman president of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the first woman president of the Tampa Exchange Club, the first woman to chair the Tampa Downtown Partnership, and the first woman member and later president of the University Club of Tampa. She twice chaired the Florida Commission on the Status of Women and the Jacksonville Branch of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Board. She was the second woman to chair the Tampa Chamber’s Committee of One Hundred. The Girl Scouts of America presented Rydberg with their Woman of Distinction Award. Rydberg was honored with Stetson Law’s Outstanding Alumni Representative Award, The Ben Willard Award, and the President’s Award. She served as president of the Stetson Lawyers Association, chair of the Board of Overseers, and a member of the Board of Trustees. Rydberg played a pivotal role in helping Stetson Law build its Tampa Law Center. As an adjunct professor at Stetson Law, she has inspired numerous young women to pursue a legal career. >>WATCH VIDEO>>

Rich McKay talks with students

Rich McKay ’84 visited Stetson University College of Law’s Gulfport campus on Oct. 31 for a luncheon program for students. McKay, president and CEO of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, talked with law students about how his Stetson education prepared him for a stellar career as a leader in the NFL.

McKay described how his foundation in property law and employment law at Stetson helped him manage complex issues in his day-to-day job, from stadium agreements to injured players.

After he graduated from Stetson, McKay practiced law locally for several years before becoming vice president of the Football Administration at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later general manager.

McKay’s remarkable career includes leading the Buccaneers to win the Superbowl by defeating the Oakland Raiders in 2003. His first two draft picks were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He became president and general manager of the Atlanta Falcons after leaving the Bucs, where he became the only person to have negotiated two stadium agreements–one in Tampa and one in Atlanta. McKay has served as a member of the NFL Competition Committee since 1994 and has been chairman since 1998.

McKay was inducted into Stetson Law’s Hall of Fame in 2014.

Robert Levy talks on recent Supreme Court opinions

Robert Levy Ph.D., chair of the Cato Institute’s board of directors, spoke to Stetson Law students on Oct. 28 about recent Supreme Court opinions and his new book, co-authored with William Mellor, The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom.

A constitutional scholar and former CEO, Levy has written several articles on investments, law, and public policy for publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post and National Review. He speaks on public policy for media outlets including ABC’s Nightline, CNN’s Crossfire, Fox’s The O’Reilly Factor, MSNBC’s Hardball, and NBC’s Today Show.

Robert Levy spoke with students. Photo by Alex Nicodemi, 2L.

Levy’s visit was sponsored by the Stetson Law student chapter of the Federalist Society.

Stetson Law’s free open house for prospective students is Nov. 8

Stetson University College of Law’s annual open house and information day for prospective students is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 8, this year on Stetson’s Gulfport campus. Complimentary lunch will be provided at the free event, starting at 9:30 a.m.

WHAT: Prospective students will have an opportunity to meet Stetson Law students and faculty, attend a simulated law class and faculty-led seminars, tour campus, and learn more about admissions and financial aid.

WHEN: Registration begins at 9 a.m. The program takes place between 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

WHERE: Stetson University College of Law, 1401 61st St. S., Gulfport.

For more information, please email [email protected] or call 727-562-7802. RSVP preferred by Nov. 5.

Students visit once hidden spring in Tampa

Law students at Stetson University recently had the unique opportunity to visit one of Tampa’s natural springs steps away from the Tampa Law Center. On Oct. 21, students in Professor Royal Gardner’s wetland seminar met with Thomas Ries of the Ecosphere Restoration Institute for a tour of the flowing natural spring only blocks from downtown Tampa’s urban skyline. Stetson alumnus Andrew Zodrow ’95 of the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission spoke about permitting issues.

Thomas Ries talks with Stetson Law students at the Ulele Spring in Tampa. Photo by 3L Robert Laur.

Over the past year, the city has worked to restore the Ulele Spring, once hidden underground, and the Water Works Park behind Stetson University’s Tampa Law Center.

Professor Gardner’s law students learned how the exposed Ulele Spring can provide a refuge for manatee and fish along the Hillsborough River. Gardner directs the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson and received the 2006 National Wetlands Award for Education and Outreach from the Environmental Law Institute.

Ries is the 2013 recipient of E.L.I.’s National Wetlands Award for Conservation and Restoration.

To learn more about the Institute and Stetson’s J.D. Certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law, visit https://www.stetson.edu/law/international/biodiversity/.

Students in Professor Royal Gardner’s wetland seminar met with Thomas Ries, alumnus Andrew Zodrow, and staff and judges of the Second District Court of Appeal for a tour of Ulele Spring. Photo by Matt Procopio.

Ulele Spring in Tampa. Photo by Robert Laur. — Ulele Spring in Tampa. Photo by 3L Robert Laur.

Amendment 2 debated at Stetson

Approximately 400 people crowded into the Great Hall at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport on Thursday afternoon to hear a debate between former Florida Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Bell and attorney John Morgan on the topic of Amendment 2.

Justice Bell and Morgan debated the need for Amendment 2 to legalize medical marijuana during the free public lunchtime event.

Stetson Law’s debate was designed to educate voters on both sides of the argument for and against the Florida Right to Medical Marijuana Initiative, or Amendment 2, on the Nov. 4 ballot in the state of Florida.

Bell has questioned whether the amendment is necessary. Morgan is a proponent of the amendment.

Stetson University President Wendy Libby attended the event, moderated by Professor Mark Bauer and sponsored by Stetson’s student chapter of the American Constitution Society and the Stetson Republicans.

“With the election less than two weeks away and polls tightening, Stetson’s debate on the proposed Amendment 2 legalizing medical marijuana plays an important role to ensure law students and the local community make an informed decision,” said Professor Bauer.

Stetson dedicates “Brownacre” to professor James J. Brown

Family, friends, students, alumni and colleagues gathered at noon on Oct. 21to honor the life and work of longtime Stetson University Professor of Law Emeritus James (J.J.) Brown, who died in May of this year.

Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund Professor Emeritus James J. Brown — Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund Professor Emeritus James J. Brown

Stetson Law dedicated one of Professor Brown’s favorite locations in Stetson’s Dolly and Homer Hand Law Library on the Gulfport campus as “Brownacre.”

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman ’87, a former student and friend of Professor Brown, as well as Professor Brown’s daughter Amy Kluth offered remarks at the dedication of “Brownacre,” a tribute to the longtime property law professor Brown who often referenced the generic “Whiteacre” and “Blackacre” in property cases.

Stetson Law Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz, Professors of Law Emeritus William Eleazer and Michael Swygert (in absentia), and professors and former students Brooke Bowman’02 and Stephanie Vaughan ’91 all spoke in tribute to their friend, mentor and colleague, described as a tough professor who challenged his students and lifted them up.

Professor Brown retired from Stetson in 2010. He was the first Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund Professor at Stetson University, where he taught property, real estate law, land use planning and local government for more than three decades. He began teaching law in 1970, following five years of practice in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Stetson University College of Law Professor James J. Brown Merit Retention Scholarship Fund is named for the professor.

(L-R): Professor of Law Emeritus William Eleazer, Amy Kluth, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, Professor Stephanie Vaughan, Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz and Professor Brooke Bowman.

Panel addresses careers of state attorney, public defender

A panel of six lawyers discussed their varied careers as state attorneys and public defenders during a noontime lecture for students at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla.

Panelists (L-R): Ashley Roura, Irene Maslanik, Howardene Garrett, Douglas Covington, Fred Schaub and Craig Schaeffer.

Douglas Covington ’83 of the Office of the State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit, Howardene Garrett of the Office of the Public Defender for the 10th Judicial Circuit, Irene Maslanik ’10 of the Office of the Public Defender for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Ashley Roura ’08 of the Forensic Behavioral Health Intervention Unit of the Office of the Public Defender for the 13th Judicial Circuit, Craig Schaeffer of the Office of the State Attorney for 12th Judicial Circuit, and Fred Schaub ’84 of the Office of the State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit presented on the panel about working in public service.

Panel participants explained that the rewards of the profession range from helping clients, homeless veterans and victims every day to the thrill of being in a courtroom.

Garrett said that knowing someone’s life has changed because of her work gives her a sense of accomplishment in a 40-year career as a public defender. She received the Craig Barnard Award from the Florida Public Defender’s Association for outstanding lifetime service to indigent defense.

Maslanik, who is Garrett’s daughter, followed in her footsteps working as a public defender in the juvenile crossover division, representing foster children in dependency and delinquency matters. In a job with few public accolades, Maslanik said that she celebrates the tiny victories, like clients who trust you enough to call you when they are in trouble.

Stetson’s Office of Career Development hosted the event, moderated by Joann Grages Burnett ’08.

Texas Tech wins Stetson’s Seventh Annual National Pretrial Competition

Texas Tech University School of Law won Stetson University College of Law’s Seventh Annual National Pretrial Competition on Oct. 19 in Gulfport, Fla.

The Texas Tech team with the competition judges. Back row: Julie Walbroel, the Honorable Caroline Tesche, and Stetson Law Associate Dean Michael Allen. Front row: John Roddy Pace, Katherine Handy (Best Advocate, Final Round), Delaney Crocker, and Caleb Miller.

“All of the advocates were poised and professional throughout the competition—a competition that combines both the presentation of a classic legal argument and the presentation of evidence,” said Stetson moot court adviser and professor Brooke Bowman. “Stetson’s competition gives teams from around the country an opportunity to hone their real-world skills as professional advocates.”

Texas Tech also won the Best Memorandum of Law Award for the Plaintiff and Charleston School of Law won the Best Memorandum of Law Award for the Defendant.

Katherine Handy from Texas Tech won the Best Advocate Award in the Final Round, and John Roddy Pace, also from Texas Tech, won the Best Advocate Award in the Semifinal Round.

A team from Chicago-Kent College of Law placed second and Regent University School of Law and Mississippi College School of Law were semifinalists.

Stetson University College of Law has ranked number one in trial advocacy 16 times since U.S. News & World Report began rankings in 1995.

To learn more about advocacy at Stetson, visit www.stetson.edu/law/advocacy.

Kevin Hughes directing development and alumni activities at Stetson Law

Fundraising professional Kevin M. Hughes has joined Stetson University College of Law in Tampa Bay, Fla., as assistant dean leading development and alumni relations.

Dean Hughes joined Stetson University from the Institutional Advancement office at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. He previously worked in development at the Ohio Health Foundation in Columbus, Ohio.

“I’m thrilled to be at Stetson and am excited by the opportunities that exist to further engage our alumni and increase philanthropic support for the College of Law,” said Dean Hughes.

At Denison University, Dean Hughes created a formidable portfolio of gift prospects and improved engagement among alumni, family and friends. At the Ohio Health Foundation, Hughes was responsible for all development activities at two hospital care sites.

Dean Hughes is a member of the Major Gifts Conference, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and Independent College Advancement Associates.

Stetson University’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations provides opportunities for alumni, parents, and friends of the law school.

For more information about engaging with alumni and supporting Stetson, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at [email protected] or 727-562-7818.