News Archives - Page 66 of 138

International women leaders visiting Stetson advocate for peace

A group of women leaders from nine countries around the world visited Stetson University College of Law’s Gulfport campus on Sept. 15 to speak on advocating for peace, stability and security.

Women leaders gathered at Stetson Law to discuss promoting peace and security.

The group gathered at Stetson from Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan as part of a special initiative of the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program, sponsored by the Institute of International Education.

Stetson Professor of Law Luz Nagle, an expert in international law, talked with the women leaders about transitional justice and security issues. The group visited Professor Nagle’s law class and spoke with students about leading in conflict mediation and community transformation when faced with challenges to peace and security.

World Partnerships, the regional partner of the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program, helped coordinate the visit.

Stetson students honored 9/11

Stetson University College of Law students honored lives lost on Sept. 11 with an annual display of flags. The Stetson Law Republicans placed 2,996 flags on the Gulfport campus. Each flag represented a life lost on Sept. 11.

Students honor 9/11 with a flag display. Photo by Tyler Payne, Stetson Law Republicans president.

Fundraising Begins for a Vietnam Memorial on DeLand Campus

Ned Ricks ’68, soldiers set up a night defensive position while on patrol in the Central Highlands. — Ned Ricks ’68, sets up a night defensive position while on patrol in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

A Stetson University fund has been established for a permanent memorial, on the DeLand campus, to the patriotism and service of students and graduates from all of Stetson’s colleges and schools who served in Vietnam or during the Vietnam era.

According to Dr. Jay Mechling ’67, the Stetson Vietnam and Vietnam Era Veterans Memorial will include benches, specimen trees, and a plaque in an appropriate campus space to honor veterans and to recognize their service and sacrifice as well as to support reflection about war and peace throughout history.

Mechling, who is not a vet, sees the Vietnam war as a central fact of the Stetson experience of students of his era, and he argues that the lessons of Vietnam will continue to be important to 21st century Stetson students, who will be called upon, as citizens if not soldiers, to make important decisions about America’s role in the world. For all of these reasons, but most importantly to honor extraordinary patriotism and service in a time of war, Mechling argues that this memorial is “the right and moral thing to do.”

Those interested in contributing may make a donation or pledge of any amount directly by using Stetson University’s Development Office online gift form found at www.stetson.edu/give and designating the gift for a “Campus Vietnam Memorial” under “Other.”

Specific details of the memorial will be determined depending on the success of fundraising. The goal is to have the site ready for dedication at Stetson University’s 2015 Homecoming, the 40th anniversary of the end of the war for Americans.

Questions or comments about this memorial should be referred to Dr. Jay Mechling at [email protected] or Dr. Grady Ballenger, professor of English, at [email protected].

This article was contributed by Dr. Grady Ballenger, Stetson University professor.

Stetson, USF present medical marijuana’s legal impacts

Stetson University College of Law and the University of South Florida will host a daylong program, “Charlotte’s Tangled Web,” discussing the legal impacts of medical marijuana on Oct. 10 at Stetson’s Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.

The education program for lawyers and health care professionals will provide an overview of the impacts of the legalization of medical marijuana by the Florida legislature. Program sessions will address potential issues facing lawyers, health care professionals and pharmacists.

Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. The program starts at 8:15 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m.

The cost of attendance is $250 per person and details about both CLE and CME credits are available.

For details and to register, visit https://www.stetson.edu/law/academics/elder/home/charlottes-web.php.

Editor’s Note: Members of the media, please contact Brandi Palmer in the Communications Office at Stetson Law to confirm attendance at 727-562-7381.

The program is co-sponsored by the Stetson University College of Law Center for Excellence in Elder Law and the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.

Stetson professor new Southeastern Association of Law Schools president

Stetson University Professor of Law Ellen S. Podgor has been selected as the new president of the Southeastern Association of Law Schools, a regional association of law schools that includes 72 member schools and 31 affiliate member schools.

Professor of Law Ellen S. Podgor is the new president of SEALS.

SEALS promotes legal scholarship, provides a mentorship program for new scholars, and hosts events for law professors honing their teaching skills. SEALS’ annual meeting attracts scholars from around the world, offering discussions on substantive legal issues and teaching topics.

Podgor is the Gary R. Trombley Family White-Collar Crime Research Professor at Stetson University. She has led faculty strategic initiatives and spearheaded developments in online education at Stetson, serving as the associate dean of faculty development and electronic education and as the LeRoy Highbaugh Sr. Research Chair. Professor Podgor also chairs the Advisory Committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White-Collar Criminal Defense College at Stetson. Now in its 56th year, the NACDL presented Professor Podgor with its highest honor, the Robert C. Heeney Award, in 2010.

Professor Podgor is a preeminent scholar in white collar crime law. She is the recipient of the Dickerson-Brown Award for Excellence in Faculty Scholarship and the Homer & Dolly Hand Award for Excellence in Research at Stetson.

Professor Podgor co-authored numerous books including White Collar Crime in a Nutshell, Understanding International Criminal Law, and the first ever Hornbook on White Collar Crime. She has authored more than 70 law review articles and essays in the areas of computer crime, international criminal law, lawyer’s ethics, criminal discovery, prosecutorial discretion, corporate criminality, and other white collar crime topics. This award-winning professor also edits the highly ranked White Collar Crime Prof Blog.

Professor Podgor served on the board of directors of the NACDL and presently serves on the board of the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law. She chairs the AALS Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity issues, is an honorary member of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, and is a member of the American Law Institute. She has also served as chair of the Criminal Justice Section of the Association of American Law Schools.

Stetson University College of Law Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz is SEALS’ past-president, serves on the board of trustees, and as deputy secretary/compliance officer with the organization.

Stetson University offers new joint degree in advocacy

Stetson University College of Law will offer a new joint degree program starting spring 2015, allowing students to earn both a J.D. degree and an LL.M. degree in advocacy from Stetson in seven semesters.

Students in Stetson University’s new program will save a semester of full-time study by applying up to 12 hours of prescribed J.D. courses towards the LL.M. degree, allowing them to complete the LL.M. degree in less than six months by taking an additional 12 hours of LL.M. coursework.

“This innovative new program allows Stetson to build on our strengths as America’s top-ranked law school for advocacy, offers students a focused learning environment to further develop skills that lawyers use every day, and distinguishes our students in an increasingly competitive legal marketplace,” said Stetson Law Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz. “It provides students with the opportunity to earn a second degree within a shorter time and with less expense than the traditional path for obtaining these two degrees.”

“This joint degree highlights the value of Stetson’s J.D. program by connecting it to an intensive LL.M. curriculum, making these graduates even more attractive to legal employers,” said Professor of Excellence in Trial Advocacy Charles H. Rose III.

In addition to the J.D. and LL.M. in Advocacy programs, Stetson University also teaches advocacy to legal practitioners and law professors through its annual Teaching Advocacy Skills conference and other seminars in Florida and abroad.

To learn more about the new joint degree program, call the Stetson Law admissions office at 727-562-7802 or email [email protected].

For more information about advocacy at Stetson University College of Law, visit stetson.edu/advocacy.

Stetson University officially Smoke/Tobacco-Free

The policy officially declaring Stetson University’s residential campuses in DeLand and Gulfport smoke- and tobacco-free will be in effect, as of Aug. 1, 2014. With this declaration, Stetson University joins a growing list of colleges and universities across the country enacting a policy to prohibit smoking and tobacco-related products.

All forms of tobacco use are prohibited, including e-cigarettes and a variety of smokeless products, in Stetson buildings, structures, grounds, parking lots and in university and personal vehicles while on Stetson grounds.

“This is an exciting time for Stetson University as we kick off a new academic year,” said President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D. “With Stetson’s institutional values commitments that focus on the development of the whole person, it is imperative that our campuses provide a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors. I am proud of the work of so many who advocated for and led us to becoming smoke- and tobacco-free.”

“Putting values into action is an important component of the Stetson experience,” said Christopher Kandus-Fisher, Ed.D., vice president of student affairs. “The decision for Stetson University to become smoke- and tobacco-free is completely in line with our commitment to holistic wellness. The residence halls have been smoke-free for quite some time, and it is wonderful to see that the university community supports the overall health and wellness of our faculty, staff and students.”

Stetson began implementing smoking restrictions in 2007 by banning smoking near buildings and air vents. The new policy is the result of several years of research, focus groups and a university task force that determined that smoking was inconsistent with the values of the university. Stetson’s commitment to values like health and wellness includes protecting non-smokers and also supporting smokers in reconsidering a behavior that has been scientifically proven to have serious long-term health consequences.

Since that time, Stetson has offered a variety of resources to help members of the Stetson University community quit smoking. These resources have included a series of informational sessions, health fairs, human resource training sessions, free education programs about smoking and free resources for those who want to quit, including cessation products and classes. More information about Stetson University’s smoke/tobacco-free programs can be found at stetson.edu/breathe-free.

Compliance with this new policy rests with all members of the Stetson community. Community members are empowered to respectfully inform others about the policy and the ongoing effort to enhance awareness of and encourage compliance with this policy.

More information about compliance is covered in the policy section of the university’s Breathe-Free website.

Contact:

Mary Anne Rogers, University Marketing
Phone: (386) 822-7215; main line (386) 822-8920; cell (386) 717-5836
E-Mail: [email protected]

Stetson University offers Advocacy Training in Ireland

Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, offered an advocacy training program to a sell-out crowd in Dublin, Ireland, July 17-18. The two-day program for law students, law professors and legal practitioners taught the renowned Stetson method of trial advocacy at the University College of Dublin Sutherland School of Law.

Participants in Stetson's July 2014 advocacy program in Ireland. — Participants in Stetson’s July 2014 advocacy program in Ireland.

“This new program reinforces Stetson’s commitment to teaching advocacy in a global marketplace.” said Stetson Law Dean Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz. “Our trial advocacy program is ranked number one in the U.S. and we are delighted to offer Stetson advocacy training to our legal partners in Ireland for the first time.”

“We were honored to share the Stetson method with our colleagues across the Atlantic. Our program focused on psychology, storytelling, case analysis and fundamental advocacy skills,” said Professor of Excellence in Trial Advocacy Charles H. Rose III. “Over two days, we built professional relationships and new friendships while sharing the Stetson method for creating persuasive, ethical and superior advocates. We look forward to future programs in Ireland and other locations within the United Kingdom.”

Michael Collins SC provided the keynote address. Collins is an expert in commercial, competition and EU law at the Irish Bar and appears regularly before the Supreme Court of Ireland and European Court of Justice.

Program sessions included the Psychology of Persuasive Storytelling, Increasing the Persuasive Power of Direct Examination, and Conducting Cross-Examination with a Purpose.

Stetson also regularly offers a successful Educating Advocates Teaching Advocacy Skills program annually in the spring to legal practitioners and law professors from across the U.S.

Stetson’s trial advocacy program has ranked #1 in the U.S. in U.S. News & World Report for more than a decade.

For more information about advocacy at Stetson University College of Law, visit www.stetson.edu/law/advocacy.

Pensacola native Charles Liberis named to Stetson University Board of Overseers

Prominent Pensacola attorney Charles S. Liberis of the Liberis Law Firm was recently named to the Stetson University College of Law Board of Overseers. The board of overseers advises and counsels the dean of the College of Law and the university president on academic programs and financial matters.

The board also includes Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince, Florida Sixth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bernie McCabe, and Florida Bar Association President Gregory Coleman.

“I am delighted that Charles will be joining our board at a time when we continue to modify our legal education program to meet the demands of the legal marketplace, prepare students for the profession, and help them understand their community involvement responsibilities,” said Stetson Law Dean Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz. “Because of his background, Charles will add a strong voice as we think about these important issues.”

Liberis, who received both his bachelor’s and law degrees from Stetson University, was instrumental in facilitating the 3+3 Program offered by the University of West Florida and Stetson University College of Law.

The program, scheduled to start in August of 2015, will allow high-performing students to reduce the time they spend earning a law degree, earning both their bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees in six years, rather than the traditional seven years.

Stetson University College of Law is nationally ranked #1 for trial advocacy and #6 for legal writing by U.S. News and World Report.

TheBestSchools.org recently ranked the University of West Florida among “The 25 Best Bachelor in Legal Studies Degree Programs.”

Ukraine rejoins Stetson University’s International Environmental Moot Court Competition

Ukraine will host a regional round of Stetson University’s International Environmental Moot Court Competition again this year after a hiatus from the competition.

The University of California-Hastings team with Professor Royal Gardner, director of Stetson's Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy. — The 2014 IEMCC winners: University of California-Hastings team with Professor Royal Gardner, director of Stetson’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy.

Ukraine hosted the first Central and Eastern European rounds of the IEMCC in 2010.

“Ukraine has experienced many challenges in the past year, and it is especially important for us to stay connected with our colleagues in the Ukrainian legal community,” said Professor Royal C. Gardner, director of Stetson’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy. Prior to joining the Stetson faculty, Gardner participated in negotiations in Kyiv to help facilitate the safe and secure dismantlement of the former Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons.

Law students from Ukraine, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Turkey, the Middle East, as well as West, Central, and South Europe are invited to compete in Kyiv, Ukraine, in January 2015 in the regional rounds of the IEMCC. The regional competition winners will travel to Stetson University College of Law’s Gulfport, Fla., campus for the final rounds of the IEMCC, April 16-18, 2015.

“I am more than excited and looking forward to the event,” said Ielyzaveta Badanova, who is helping coordinate the IEMCC regional rounds in Eastern Europe. Badanova works in the legal unit at the Energy Community Secretariat and as a senior tax and legal consultant at KPMG Ukraine. Professor Maryna Medvedieva, of the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University Institute of International Relations, is also actively involved in the round preparations. The Institute of International Relations is hosting the competition.

Stetson’s IEMCC, now in its 19th year, provides student advocates with an opportunity to litigate legal environmental issue that cross national borders. Students participating in this year’s competition will address the issue of shark finning and trade restrictions. A team from University of California, Hastings College of Law won the competition in April 2014.

Student teams will participate in regional rounds of Stetson University’s IEMCC around the world in East Asia and Southeast Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, India, Ireland, and Latin and North America.

For details of this year’s competition, visit https://www.stetson.edu/law/international/iemcc/.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/StetsonUkraine for details on Ukraine rounds of Stetson’s IEMCC.

Stetson University named best student chapter by Florida Bar

The Florida Bar recently honored Stetson University College of Law student leaders for their outstanding chapter. Stetson’s chapter of the Young Lawyers Division Law Student Division was named the best in the state during the Florida Bar’s Annual Meeting June 25-26 in Orlando.

Student Anisha Patel accepted Stetson's best chapter award. — Student Anisha Patel (left) accepted Stetson’s best chapter award from the Law Student Division president.

“Our fantastic student leaders Jennifer Tindell, Anisha Patel, Ciara Willis, and Jeffrey Berglund, do an incredible job of representing Stetson within the Florida Bar and on campus,” said Stetson University College of Law Assistant Director of Career Development Joann Grages Burnett. “It is wonderful that they were once again recognized for these contributions.”

Stetson’s chapter won an award last year for best event.

The Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division is governed by a president and board of governors. The Law Student Division’s board is comprised of six elected and/or appointed representatives from each of Florida’s 12 law schools who serve as the liaisons between the Florida Bar and Florida law students.

Stetson Law wins best brief at Florida Bar moot court competition

Stetson University College of Law students Jeremy Bailie, Anisha Patel and Nick Sellars won the best brief award at the Robert Orseck Memorial Moot Court Competition at the Florida Bar conference on June 25-26 in Orlando.

Stetson's Moot Court team won best brief. (L-R): Gordon Glover (Moot Court Committee member), Katherine Hurst Miller (Stetson alumna and co-chair of the Moot Court Committee), Nick Sellars, Anisha Patel, Jeremy Bailie, Melaine Griffin (President of the Young Lawyers Division), and Andrew Pickett (Chair of the Moot Court Committee). — Stetson’s Moot Court team won best brief. (L-R): Gordon Glover (Moot Court Committee member), Katherine Hurst Miller (Stetson alumna and co-chair of the Moot Court Committee), Nick Sellars, Anisha Patel, Jeremy Bailie, Melaine Griffin (President of the Young Lawyers Division), and Andrew Pickett (Chair of the Moot Court Committee).

Stetson’s Moot Court team advanced to the final round of the annual competition, arguing in front of the justices of the Florida Supreme Court.

“Throughout the competition, our team had the opportunity to argue in front of state trial and appellate judges,” said Stetson Law professor Brooke Bowman, who co-coached the team with alumnus Larry Miccolis.

“Participating in this competition is a remarkable experience in real-life oral advocacy. The appellate judges said that our students were professional, poised, and extremely prepared,” said Bowman.

The competition was hosted by the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division and the Appellate Practice Section.