Abigail Upshaw has joined Stetson University College of Law as the new assistant director of development.
Abigail Upshaw, Stetson Law’s new assistant director of development.
At Florida State University, Upshaw was president of the Art History Association, serving as faculty and student liaison, developing and maintaining relationships with alumni, and managing fundraising events.
Upshaw earned an M.A. from Florida State University and a B.A. with high honors from the University of Georgia. While a student at Florida State, Upshaw was a member of the Council for the College of Visual Arts, Theater and Dance, and published an article in the university’s international publication, Athanor.
“I am thrilled to join the Stetson team at this exciting moment in its history. I believe strongly in Stetson University College of Law’s mission statement to cultivate creative and enthusiastic leaders in the community,” said Upshaw. “We will work tirelessly to ensure that many more students can fulfill this honorable mission.”
For the past eight years, Stetson University College of Law students participating in Professor Robert Bickel’s Constitutional Law and the Civil Rights Movement course have had an opportunity to visit the historic sites and history-makers who shaped the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
Professor Robert Bickel and class met this summer at the site of the new Civil Rights brick pathway on Stetson’s Gulfport campus.
Students journey to Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee to meet with still-living veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, which challenged racial segregation throughout the south and brought about the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act.
“Every Civil Rights Movement veteran we visited emphasized that our generation is responsible for the future meaning of their efforts during the civil rights struggle,” said Stetson University undergraduate student Alicja Duda, a member of Stetson’s Social Justice Lecture Series Committee. “Just as they fought for a more just world for our generation, so we are called to make our own contribution to a more just world, now, and for future generations.”
Days before heading out on this year’s travel course, students paused to place a brick on a new Civil Rights pathway on Stetson’s Gulfport campus. The brick path commemorates the Civil Rights Movement veterans whom students have met and learned from during the travel course.
“Throughout the travel course, we speak to the people who bore witness both to the great injustice and the great awakening of American society,” said alumna Maria Bogomaz JD ’12. “Experiencing this history helped me develop a personal relationship with social justice law that dictates every aspect of my career on a daily basis.”
“This experience has renewed in me a sense of direction and a confirmation of my ultimate purpose,” said alumna Traci Blake BA ’06, JD ’12.
Bruce Jacob, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law, was presented with the Champion of Indigent Defense Award by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at its 56th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. Jacob was formally presented with the award on Saturday at the Association’s board meeting. The Champion of Indigent Defense Award recognizes an individual for exceptional efforts in making positive changes to a local, county, state, or national indigent defense system.
Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law Bruce Jacob.
Over 50 years ago, Bruce Jacob began his career by arguing for the State of Florida in the historic case of Gideon v. Wainwright. While Prof. Jacob argued on the side of Florida then, in the years since he has become one of the nation’s strongest voices advocating for the right to effective indigent defense counsel. As noted by Paul M. Rashkind, a federal public defender in Florida, Prof. Jacob is admired for his candor and his transition from advocate for Florida to advocate for indigent defense. Prof. Ellen Podgor, a colleague of Prof. Jacob, described his dedication to the cause of indigent defense: “He has argued on behalf of an indigent defendant before the U.S. Supreme Court, served on numerous indigent defense initiatives, started legal clinics focused on indigent defense at more than one law school, written articles stressing the importance of indigent defense, and to this day, remains in his office late on many nights writing pro bono habeas petitions and briefs for indigent defendants.”
Prof. Jacob’s contributions to improving indigent defense services in America are too many to list. In the 1960s, as a professor at the Emory University School of Law, he established the Legal Assistance for Inmates Program at the Atlanta Penitentiary. Later, as a member of the faculty at Harvard Law School, Prof. Jacob contributed to the establishment of the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project, an initiative through which students at Harvard Law provided legal services to indigent defendants. Prof. Jacob has written prolifically on the subject of indigent defense, and he made major contributions to the 2009 Report of the National Right to Counsel Committee.
Prof. Jacob regularly provides pro bono representation to indigent defendants. Prof. Joan Catherine Bohl, who has worked with Prof. Jacob on these cases, admired his dedication to his clients: “I have sat with him in his office while he patiently explains an inmate’s case to the inmate by telephone, often for an hour or more. He never gives over-simplified explanations, but he always seems to leave the inmate with a heightened understanding of his situation, and of the range of possible outcomes.”
In notifying Professor Jacob of the award, NACDL president Steve Benjamin said: “You have devoted your career to making the right to counsel a reality in courts across the country and we feel that it is particularly appropriate to recognize your steadfast advocacy on behalf of indigent defendants on the 50th anniversary of the Gideon decision.”
Presently, Bruce Jacob teaches at Stetson University in courses involving administrative law, constitutional law, criminal law, and criminal procedure.
Alumna Ashley Goggins JD/MBA ’12, a recipient of Stetson University College of Law’s Bridge to Practice Fellowship, was hired as an assistant public defender working in the Juvenile Court Unit in the Fourth Judicial Circuit in July.
Ashley Goggins
Goggins shared that she has always had a passion for public service. “That passion was cultivated during my time in law school,” said Goggins, who served with Stetson’s Public Service Fellows while still a student. With a focus on juvenile justice issues, Goggins also volunteered with legal aid and as a Guardian ad Litem.
Goggins’ Bridge to Practice Fellowship supported her work in the public defender’s office handling felony cases. Launched this year, Stetson’s fellowship gives recent graduates an opportunity to gain valuable on-the-job experience working as lawyers in public interest environments. To date, nine fellows have worked in public service organizations with attorney mentors through Stetson’s program.
“After graduation, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be a public defender, and I wanted to do it at home in Jacksonville,” Goggins said.
On July 1, she became the newest assistant public defender in the juvenile unit.
Stetson University College of Law students were honored during the Florida Bar’s recent annual meeting on June 28 in Boca Raton, Fla. Stetson members of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division-Law Student Division received the “Best Event Award.”
(L-R): Stetson students Angelika Zych, Anisha Patel, Jennifer Tindell and Frank Leung.
Stetson was selected from among all Florida law schools for their “Balancing Law and Life” professionalism event, featuring a panel discussion with several attorneys on how to balance life and the practice of law. The panelists explained their struggles to find a way to balance work and family and discussed success strategies.
Students Frank Leung, Anisha Patel, Jennifer Tindell and Angelika Zych accepted the award.
Stetson is listed third among the top 10 law schools across the country producing the most FloridaSuper Lawyers this year, with 278 Stetson law alumni selected for inclusion. Six Stetson alumni, Stephen A. Barnes, Troy J. Crotts, Mark A. Hanley, Steven H. Mezer, Luis Prats and Caroline Black Sikorske, are listed among the Top 50 Tampa Bay Florida Super Lawyers 2013. Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and evaluations.
Stetson is listed fourth among 116 law schools producing the most lawyers in Florida Trend’sLegal Elite, a special report that recognizes the top attorneys in the state as chosen by their peers. According to Florida Trend, 108 Stetson law alumni are listed in this year’s 10th anniversary edition. Two Stetson alumni, Mark A. Hanley and Rhea F. Law, are listed among Florida Trend’s Legal Elite Hall of Fame.
Stetson University College of Law is hosting part-time law school information sessions in July and August for prospective students who wish to learn more about the admissions process. Stetson enrolls new law students annually in the fall. Students interested in the full-time program are also invited to attend.
Those interested in attending should RSVP for one of the sessions:
Tuesday, July 30, at the Gulfport campus, 1401 61st St. S.
Thursday, Aug. 22, at the Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St.
All programs will start at 6:30 p.m. Registration begins at 6 p.m.
Stetson University College of Law Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz and Stetson Lawyers Association president Jenay Iurato JD/MBA ’00 presented five annual awards to alumni and friends on June 27 in Boca Raton, in conjunction with the Florida Bar’s annual meeting. View photos here>>
(L-R): Jenay Iurato, Vincent Citro, Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz and Joshua Magidson.
Clara and George Nenezian received the Distinguished Service Award for their significant, meritorious and continuing contributions to Stetson Law. The Nenezians started an endowed scholarship, the Nenezian-Jones Scholarship, in honor of their late son Richard Nenezian JD ’84. For more than a decade, the Nenezians have supported a popular annual event, the Nenezian-Jones Scholarship Softball Classic, bringing together Stetson law alumni and students and encouraging mentorship and character development.
Vincent A. Citro BBA ’98, JD/MBA ’00 received the 2013 Distinguished Alumnus Award for service to the Stetson Law and the legal profession. An assistant U.S. attorney, Citro has successfully convicted many criminals in the state. Citro has served as deputy chief of the Orlando Division of the U.S. Attorney’s office as well as national security cyber specialist and anti-terrorism advisory council coordinator.
Stetson awarded Deborah C. Brown JD ’87 the Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award for continuously supporting Stetson Law and its alumni association. Brown served for six years as the law school’s associate vice president for legal affairs and human resources and for seven years as an adjunct professor. She volunteered as lead facilitator of the Stetson Lawyers Association Tampa Chapter working group and was recognized with Stetson’s Outstanding Alumni Representative Award in 2003. Brown has served as chair of the Florida Bar’s Labor and Employment Law Section, Continuing Legal Education Committee, and Labor and Employment Law Certification Committee.
(L-R): Jenay Iurato, Judge William Raymond Holley, Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz and Marc Levine.
Judge William Raymond Holley BA ’91, JD ’97 received the Outstanding Alumni Representative Award for dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Association. Judge Holley is a community leader in Jacksonville who previously served in private practice and as an assistant state attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit. Judge Holley also serves on the board of the Stetson University Alumni Association.
Joseph J. Reiter JD ’68 received the Ben C. Willard Award for humanitarian achievements bringing distinction to themselves and Stetson Law. Inducted into the Stetson Law Hall of Fame in 2007, Reiter rose from poverty to a stellar legal career as a trial attorney. He has served as president of the Florida Bar, chair of the Judicial Qualifications Committee, treasurer and board member of the Palm Beach County Legal Aid Society, a lecturer on ethics and personal injury law, a member of the College of Law Board of Overseers, and has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America. Reiter served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
(L-R): Jenay Iurato, Joseph J. Reiter and Dean Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
Stetson University College of Law 2003 graduate Monica D. Barnes has been named one of the 2013 “40 Lawyers under 40” by the National Bar Association and IMPACT. Barnes will be recognized among the Nation’s Best Advocates during the association’s 88th annual convention on July 27, in Miami.
Assistant City Attorney Monica Barnes.
Barnes is an assistant city attorney for the City of Miami Gardens, Fla. She was recognized in 2008 by the Miami Herald as one of the “10 Rising Voices in the South Florida Black Community.”
This honor recognizes young African-American lawyers age 40 and younger who have achieved professional and philanthropic prominence and distinction. Honorees include solo practitioners, government lawyers, judges, academicians, corporate counsels, elected officials and other lawyers chosen for their achievement, innovation, vision, leadership and community involvement.
The National Bar Association, founded in 1925, is the nation’s oldest and largest national network of predominantly African American attorneys and judges. It represents approximately 44,000 lawyers, judges, law professors and law students and has more than 80 affiliate chapters throughout the U.S. and around the world.
IMPACT is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to engage and build a network of young professionals of color to foster civic engagement, increase knowledge of the political and legislative processes, and enhance economic empowerment opportunities.
Third-year law student Kevin Crews recently won the 2013 Florida Law Student Essay Contest. Crews won a cash award and complimentary registration at the Seventh Annual Solo & Small Firm Conference, and his essay on the topic of maintaining confidentiality with technology was published in the June Florida Bar Journal.
Stetson Law student Kevin Crews.
Crews’ essay outlined how Florida lawyers can develop best practices to protect client confidentiality when working with e-documents. He outlined potential risks to client confidentiality that might be encountered over the Internet and offered some solutions. He explained how using public Wi-Fi and email, for example, might put client confidentiality at risk.
“Technology has the potential for destroying confidentiality, particularly if lawyers do not know the risks. Lawyers must use technology smartly; being moderately ‘tech-savvy’ is a de facto job requirement for today’s lawyers,” wrote Crews. “The best way to use technology properly is to understand it, which will allow lawyers to create thoughtful — and effective — policies and operating procedures to manage electronic files and messages.”
Crews said that he learned of the essay contest and became interested in the topic in Stetson adjunct professor Jim Martin’s class on Law Practice Management. He said clerking at the Spinks Law Firm in Tampa sparked his interest in the topic of technology use in everyday legal practice.
Editor’s Update: Crews also won the Florida Law Student Essay contest again in 2014.
Stetson University College of Law’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching Advocacy was presented to Loyola Law School professor Susan G. Poehls this year.
Professor Susan Poehls, winner of Stetson’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching Advocacy.
Poehls is the director of trial advocacy programs and the William C. Hobbs Professor of Trial Advocacy at Loyola Law School, where she developed the highly ranked Byrne Trial Advocacy Team, Loyola’s National Civil Trial Competition, and oversees the Hobbs District Attorney Clinic. She is also a National Institute of Trial Advocacy faculty member and Nita Tournament of Champions board member.
The award was presented during Stetson’s annual three-day conference, Educating Advocates: Teaching Advocacy Skills, May 22-24, in Gulfport, Fla. Conference participants developed their teaching skills, learning the Stetson method of advocacy and networking with renowned advocacy scholars from across the country.
“At Stetson, we believe in the concept of the complete advocate, and are committed to teaching each advocate how to find their own unique voice as an advocate for others,” said Professor of Excellence in Trial Advocacy Charles Rose. “Professor Poehls is a shining example of selfless service in the best traditions of Stetson and the profession. We are happy to welcome her into our Stetson family as a recipient of this award.”
Rose is the director of the Center for Excellence in Trial Advocacy at Stetson University.
U.S. News & World Report has ranked Stetson’s trial advocacy program first in the nation 15 times since the ranking began in 1995.
Stetson’s advocacy center promotes the development of advocacy skills through teaching, scholarship and research, offering an Advocacy Resource Center and a new online LL.M. in Advocacy for legal practitioners who wish to distinguish themselves as advocates.
Stetson University College of Law professor Rebecca Morgan and her husband Jay were presented with the keys to the City of St. Petersburg during an evening fundraising program at the Sunshine Center in St. Petersburg on May 18.
Professor Rebecca Morgan and Jay Morgan received the keys to the City of St. Petersburg for decades of service to the Sunshine Center.
The Morgans were recognized for volunteering substantial time and making significant contributions to the Sunshine Center over the past 30 years.
Professor Morgan directs Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law and the LL.M. in Elder Law program. She developed the nation’s first elder-friendly courtroom on Stetson’s Gulfport campus in 2005. Jay Morgan retired from 35 years of service with the City of St. Petersburg-Office on Aging last year. He developed a therapeutic recreation program while serving with the City of St. Petersburg.
The Sunshine Center, part of the City of St. Petersburg-Office on Aging, organizes programs for seniors including meals and entertainment. The Friends of the Sunshine Center Inc. sponsored the event, which included a fundraiser for the Sunset Avenue Café, to help provide low-cost meals to older adults with fixed incomes.
