News Archives - Page 95 of 138

Flexible Summer Courses Available

Law students visiting the Tampa area in May, June and July can take advantage of a wide spectrum of daytime, evening, weekend and condensed courses offered at Stetson University College of Law. Classes are offered at campuses in Gulfport and Tampa. Online courses are also being offered. The application deadline is two weeks prior to the start of classes.

“A large number of visiting law students have requested weekend and evening classes at Stetson this summer,” said Associate Dean for Academics Kristen Adams. “We’ve created a summer curriculum that matches academic requirements with interest levels among our own and visiting students.”

Weekend Courses:
• Voir Dire, May 19-22
• Expert Witnesses, May 20-22 or June 24-26 (two separate sections)
• Depositions, June 10-12 and July 8-10 (two credits; must attend both weekends)
• Introduction to the Physical Exam, June 17-19
• Financial Advocacy, June 3-5

Condensed Courses:
• International Law, May 16-June 6
• Criminal Procedure, May 16-June 6
• Professional Responsibility, June 13-July 12
• Comparative Criminal Justice Systems: Scottish, Civil, and Common Law
• Interviewing & Counseling, June 20-June 30
• Constitutional Law and the Civil Rights Movement, May 23-June 10 (this course must be taken concurrently with the travel course; the dates include the travel course)

Evening Courses:
• Evidence (Gulfport)
• Advanced Tort Law Seminar (Tampa)
• Arbitration (one section; a second section will meet during the daytime; both sections in Gulfport)
• Children and the Law (Gulfport)
• Family Law (starts at 4 p.m.; Gulfport)
• Florida Administrative Law (Gulfport)
• Florida Constitutional Law (Tampa)
• Florida Criminal Procedure (Tampa)
• Florida Practice (Gulfport)
• Interviewing and Counseling (Tampa, one section; another section will meet during the daytime in Gulfport as a condensed course)
• Negotiation and Mediation (starts at 4 p.m.; another section will meet in the morning; both sections in Gulfport)
• Professional Responsibility (condensed course; Gulfport)
• Trial Advocacy (two sections; another section will meet during the daytime; all three sections in Gulfport)

Day Courses:
• Advanced Legal Research (Gulfport)
• Animal Law (Gulfport)
• Federal Income Taxation (Gulfport)
• Legal Drafting (Gulfport)

Online classes are also offered this summer including Reproductive Technology and the Law, Legislation, and Advanced Legal Research.

For more information, visit www.law.stetson.edu/summer or contact the Registrar’s Office at Stetson Law at 727-562-7803.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Jamaican Senator Teaches at Stetson


	A.J. Nicholson discusses human rights with Stetson Law students.

A.J. Nicholson, a long-time member of the Jamaican Senate, is serving as a Distinguished International Fellow at Stetson Law through spring 2012. In this honorary role, he taught a course on Human Rights in the Caribbean through April 15 and gave a presentation to the Stetson Law community about the creation and role of the recently formed Caribbean Court of Justice.

Senator Nicholson has greatly influenced democratic change within the Jamaican government. In addition to his position within the Senate, Nicholson has also held roles of attorney general and minister of justice, leader of opposition business, parliamentary secretary, and member of the House of Representatives.

Nicholson is a familiar face at Stetson University College of Law, having twice taught courses on the Gulfport campus and in the Caribbean during Stetson’s Cayman Islands Winter Break Program.

“A.J. brings a vast wealth of legal experience with him to the Stetson campus,” said John Cooper, associate dean for international programs. “He is an engaging speaker, and the Stetson faculty and students are quite fortunate to have him spend time on our campus.”

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Stetson University Launches Summer Pre-Law Institute for Undergraduate Students

Stetson University in Central Florida is now accepting applications for its new Stetson University Summer Pre-Law Institute, a rigorous, six-week course in which undergraduate college students will be chosen to prepare for law school and a career in the legal field.

Students enrolled in the unique program will spend four weeks on Stetson’s DeLand, Fla., campus, taking a critical thinking course designed for pre-law students, and two weeks at the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport in an immersion program designed to introduce students to the law school experience and the practice of law. Pre-law students, from a variety of majors, can develop their critical thinking, writing, problem-solving, and interpretation skills, preparing them for the competitive law school admissions process and creating a vision for themselves as law students and lawyers. The program will cost about $6,000, which includes campus housing. This year’s Summer Pre-Law Institute will be held June 6 to July 15.

Faculty for the program are full-time Stetson University faculty:

Dr. Rebecca B. Watts, assistant professor of communication studies at Stetson University, earned her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. Her research interests center on the application of rhetorical theory and criticism to public culture. Her book, Contemporary Southern Identity: Community through Controversy (University Press of Mississippi, 2008), reflects her research and teaching interests in the application of rhetorical theory and criticism to understanding Southern culture specifically and public discourse in general.
Dr. David L. Hill, associate professor of political science at Stetson University, teaches courses in the areas of American politics and research methodology. His research focus is in political behavior with a specific interest in the interaction between institutions and political participation. He has published articles in American Politics Research, Electoral Studies, State and Local Government Review, American Review of Politics, and Politics and Policy. He published the book American Voter Turnout: An Institutional Perspective (Westview Press, 2006), which explores the impact of governmental and electoral institutional arrangements on turnout in American elections. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida.
Kirsten Davis is an associate professor of law and director of the Legal Research and Writing Program at Stetson University College of Law. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Legal Writing Directors, and she writes on the topics of legal writing, law and rhetoric, professional responsibility and work/life balance. Her doctoral dissertation, in progress, focuses on the rhetorical construction of work and family issues in the regulatory context. Davis teaches Professional Responsibility and Legal Research and Writing.

To apply for the Stetson University Summer Pre-Law Institute, undergraduate college students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and have completed at least two full years of university study. Applications are now being accepted for summer 2011, with admissions beginning immediately and continuing until the program is full.
For more information and to apply online, visit: Stetson University Summer Pre-Law Institute.

Contacts: Dr. David Hill at [email protected], Dr. Rebecca Watts at [email protected], and Professor Kirsten Davis at [email protected].

Contact Cindi Brownfield
University Marketing
386-822-7214
[email protected]

Russian Judges Visit Stetson Law

Stetson University College of Law hosted six jurists and law professors from St. Petersburg, Russia, the week of March 26 as part of the Open World Program. While at Stetson Law, they toured the law school’s seven courtrooms, visited classes, and spoke with faculty, students and staff.

While in Tampa, the visiting delegation attended federal and state court proceedings, cultural events and met with judges and civic leaders. Judicial hosts for the visit included U.S. Magistrate Judges Elizabeth A. Jenkins and Anthony E. Porcelli.

The Open World Program enables emerging leaders from Russia and other Eurasian countries to experience American democracy in action. It is the first and only exchange program in the U.S. legislative branch. Congress established the program in 1999.

For more information on Open World, please visit www.openworld.gov.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Laura Cheek Joins Stetson Law as Communications Coordinator

Laura Cheek recently joined Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport as communications coordinator.

Cheek previously worked for the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa. She also worked for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Cheek has a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of West Florida.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Spring Commencement, May 14

Yale Law School Professor Jules Coleman and retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice Andrew G.T. Moore II will address Stetson University College of Law’s graduating class on May 14 at 9 a.m. in the outdoor courtyard on the Gulfport campus, 1401 61st St. S.

Scheduled to be recognized at Stetson Law’s May commencement are 259 students, including 22 students from the part-time program and 25 students from the J.D./M.B.A. program. Six students will receive an LL.M. in elder law, and eight students will receive an LL.M. in international law.

Coleman is the visiting Culverhouse Chair at Stetson Law this semester. As the Wesley Newcomb Hohfeld Professor of Jurisprudence and Professor of Philosophy at Yale Law School, he teaches in the areas of torts and philosophy of law. He has written books that include Hart’s Postscript, The Practice of Principle, and has co-authored the Oxford Handbook of Jurisprudence and the Philosophy of Law. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy from Rockefeller University and an M.S.L. from Yale Law School.

Justice Moore is a Distinguished Professorial Lecturer at Stetson Law. Justice Moore served on the Delaware Supreme Court for more than 12 years. During his time on the court, he wrote opinions on several prominent takeover and corporate governance cases including Revlon and Unocal. Before being appointed to serve on the court, Justice Moore practiced corporate law in Wilmington, Del., for nearly two decades. The American Bar Association recognized Justice Moore with a Certificate of Appreciation in 1994 for his distinguished service in promoting lawyer recovery from addiction.

Among this year’s outstanding graduates are:

Tiffany Colbert, one of only three students elected from law schools across the country to be Student Delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates, is also former 5th Circuit Governor for the Law Student Division including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Puerto Rico.

Aaron Swift, two-term president of the student organization Equal Justice Works who raised more than $30,000 for summer stipend scholarships for students doing public interest work, is also a national American Bar Association Law Student Division section liaison.

This year, Stetson Law is graduating a record number of five national ABA Law Student Division section liaisons.

See Spring 2011 Commencement for more information.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Dr. Henry Lee Discusses Legendary Career

Dr. Henry Lee discussed his legendary career as part of a

Dr. Henry Lee Signing — Dr. Henry Lee signs books for the crowd gathered at Stetson Law to hear him talk. Click for high-resolution image.

lecture series sponsored by the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law at Stetson University College of Law on March 31. Watch the video of Dr. Lee’s talk here.

Dr. Lee uncovered clues in the JonBenet Ramsey case, investigated war crimes in Bosnia and Croatia, testified in the O.J. Simpson trial and served as an international expert on forensic crime.

He spoke to members of the public and Stetson community in the Great Hall at Stetson’s Gulfport campus. A book-signing immediately followed the presentation.

Dr. Lee led an engaging discussion about his career working on some of the most famous criminal cases of the past half-century. He has investigated more than 6,000 cases, co-authored 20 books, major chapters and scientific reports, and published hundreds of journal articles on subjects including DNA, forensic evidence, crime scene investigation and criminal justice.

Dr. Henry Lee speaks — Dr. Henry Lee spoke March 31 at Stetson Law in Gulfport. Click for high-resolution image.

The National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law at Stetson Law is a nexus of scientific, technological and legal information for judges, lawyers, teachers, students, scientists and law enforcement that includes a database of hundreds of thousands of forensic articles and records.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Football Returns to Stetson University

DeLand, Fla. – Get ready for the return of Hatter Football!

Stetson University is starting the process to join the prestigious Pioneer Football League with the first game in fall 2013. Long ago considered a pigskin powerhouse in Florida, Stetson has not had a football team since the 1956 season. The football announcement website is www.stetson.edu/football.

1906 Hatters — Stetson Hatter team, 1906. Click for high-resolution image.

A new NCAA Division I program in Women’s Lacrosse – which has become wildly popular since it started a year ago as a club sport at Stetson – will also be added at the same time.

The university currently has 15 intercollegiate sports, with most of those played in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Following approval by the Stetson University Board of Trustees last month, the next formal step toward a new football program was to establish a partnership with the City of DeLand for shared use of Spec Martin Football Stadium at Earl Brown Park.

The DeLand City Commission approved that partnership in a special meeting today, Monday, March 14. The agreement calls for the city to finance capital improvement needs for the stadium in return for an annual rental fee from Stetson and an agreement to share revenue from sponsorships and advertising, as well as a commission on concessions and parking. Stetson has a similar agreement with the city for use of Melching Field at Conrad Park for baseball.

“We are thrilled to work together with the city on the prospect of re-introducing Hatter Football,” said Stetson President Wendy B. Libby. “The city and Stetson have been bound together since the late 1800s, and our health and vitality go hand-in-hand.”

Stetson’s interest in beginning a non-athletic-scholarship football program began in the fall of 2009 with the reports of a number of on-campus committees suggesting that such a program along with NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse would:

Help meet Stetson’s strategic goal of enrolling 3,000 DeLand campus undergraduates by 2016;
Allow the university to join the prestigious Pioneer Football League;
Help Stetson attract students from outside Florida;
Make the campus environment more vibrant;
Increase the number of students staying on campus over weekends and contributing to life on campus and elsewhere in the City of DeLand;
Strengthen Stetson’s ability to attract and retain students; and
Enhance alumni engagement.

Increasing enrollment and retention would help strengthen finances at the DeLand campus of the university and provide funds to be invested in support of Stetson’s highest strategic priorities, Stetson officials said. Several strategies have already begun, including the dramatic improvements in classrooms and landscaping done this past year. In addition, a new Student Success Center to increase retention opened in fall 2010; that same fall, the university’s recruitment and financial aid strategies were revamped in ways that anticipate an increase of approximately 10 percent in the entering class for fall 2011.

1956 Hatters — Hatter team, 1956. Click for high-resolution image.

Over the past year and a half, much work went into exploring the feasibility and costs of re-introducing football. After a study by NACDA Consulting, Stetson staff worked to assure that the pro forma’s estimated revenues were financially conservative and that the expenses fully stated the cost of the programs. Based on those numbers, Stetson anticipates a significant revenue stream that would be devoted to the university’s highest priorities.

The goal of a renewed Stetson football program is join the well-respected Pioneer League. Stetson will now make application to be accepted by the league. League officials have made it known that they enthusiastically look forward to receiving the application.

The Pioneer Football League is comprised almost entirely of private universities that play at the NCAA Division I level in their other sports competitions. The league includes: Butler University, Campbell University, Davidson College, University of Dayton, Drake University, Jacksonville University, Marist College, Morehead State University, University of San Diego and Valparaiso University. Football players in the league do not receive athletic scholarships, but are eligible for the types of academic scholarships awarded to most Stetson students.

“The other institutions within the Pioneer League are similar to Stetson in size, academic rigor and integrity,” said Stetson Director of Athletics Jeff Altier. “Joining the league will create a continuation of athletic rivalries with schools such as Jacksonville, Mercer and Campbell, all of which are currently fellow members of the Atlantic Sun Conference.”

Bringing football back to Stetson will end a 57-year hiatus of a program that was tremendously successful in its early days.

“We are excited to see football return to Stetson after a 57-year hiatus. We believe it would generate excitement on campus, as well as among alumni and the community of DeLand,” added Altier.

Contact Cindi Brownfield
Director, News and Media Relations
(386) 822-7214
[email protected]

First in Trial Advocacy, Third in Legal Writing

The 2012 U.S. News & World Report has again ranked Stetson University College of Law the top law school in the nation for trial advocacy and number three for legal writing.

Since the U.S. News rankings began in 1995, Stetson Law has ranked first in advocacy 14 times. Stetson has also consistently ranked among the top programs in the nation for legal writing.

“To represent clients effectively, attorneys need to communicate well both orally and in writing,” said law dean Darby Dickerson. “For this reason, I’m proud that Stetson has again been recognized as a leader in these two critical areas.”

“Stetson creates lawyers with superior advocacy skills grounded in a deep understanding of the law,” said Charles H. Rose III, Professor of Excellence in Trial Advocacy at Stetson Law. “This commitment to advocacy excellence is seen in all of our graduates. They are competent, compassionate, and professional members of the bar.” Rose directs Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Advocacy.

“Our legal writing faculty has dedicated itself to developing the legal writing discipline and teaching our students to be excellent legal communicators,” said Professor Kirsten Davis, Director of Legal Research and Writing at Stetson. “I’m thrilled that Stetson’s commitment to legal writing, teaching and scholarship has earned this recognition.”

Stetson requires first-year students to complete seven credits of legal research and writing coursework in the first year. Ten tenured and tenure-track faculty members teach legal research and writing.

To read more graduate school rankings, visit http://www.usnews.com/grad.

To learn more about Stetson’s advocacy program, see the Center for Excellence in Advocacy or Advocacy at a Glance.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Study Reveals Bankruptcy Causes for Seniors

Seniors are vulnerable to bankruptcy, and a recent Stetson University College of Law study finds more senior bankruptcies are caused by everyday financial decisions, not a single event.

Stetson Law professors Theresa Pulley Radwan and Rebecca Morgan conducted the study (download PDF of article), which was published as the lead article this spring in the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy.

“While prior studies of the general bankruptcy population have found that bankruptcies are often caused by one significant or traumatic financial event in the debtor’s life, the elderly seem to be living in a more fragile economic state every day,” said Radwan, an expert in bankruptcy law.

At a time when legislators are debating the issues of healthcare, credit card debt and unemployment, the new study by professors Radwan and Morgan examines the reasons why people fall into debt or choose the “last resort” of bankruptcy.

The study identified the following financial threats to the nation’s elderly among those surveyed:

General credit card debt used to pay for basic necessities far outweighed medical debt.
Bankruptcies were caused by a combination of low income and the high expenses of everyday living rather than by a single financially catastrophic event.
Social Security and Medicare failed to prevent the financial downfall of debtors.

The people surveyed for the Stetson study filed for bankruptcy between 2006-2008, with 102 Florida debtors responding. Of those who returned surveys, 96.9% were elderly or nearly elderly at the time. Sixteen attorneys representing debtors also returned surveys about bankruptcy among the elderly.

“As other studies have suggested for the elderly in general, Social Security and Medicare have critical roles in the financial life of the elderly,” Radwan said. “Almost every debtor in our study had both and, while many also had other sources of income and medical insurance, these other sources were insignificant and could not prevent the financial downfall of the debtors.”

Stetson University College of Law is home to the nation’s first elder-friendly courtroom, spearheaded to be a model for accessibility. Stetson’s Elder Consumer Protection Program provides information to seniors about how to better protect themselves from becoming the victims of financial scams, through public workshops and materials.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Stetson Law Hosts Law School for Physicians at Tampa Law Center

Stetson University College of Law and Continuing Education Inc. are co-sponsoring a “Law School for Physicians” at the Tampa Law Center, 1700 N. Tampa St., on March 22.

The four-hour continuing education course in criminal law, “Law School for Physicians: What to Do When the DEA Comes Knocking: Prescribing Pain Medicines Without Fear of Prosecution,” is designed to introduce physicians and healthcare practitioners to a legal issue that has a direct impact on the practice of medicine. The program is supported by an educational grant from ELab Solutions.

The faculty includes:

Brian Albritton, former U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida and partner at Phelps Dunbar LLP;
Joseph Bodiford, former assistant state attorney and partner at Bodiford Law PA;
Cynthia A. Mikos, Board Certified Health Law attorney at Allen Dell PA.

Course attendees will learn how to identify and implement legal strategies to promote excellence in patient care. Registration begins at 4 p.m. and closing remarks are at 9 p.m.

To register online, visit Conferences and Events at Stetson Law. For more information, please call Robin Hoyle, Executive Director of the Tampa Law Center, at 813-228-6625 x 7306.

CLE and CME credits are available. For questions about CLE credits, please contact Irena Milasinovic in the Conferences and Events Office at Stetson at 727-562-7312 or [email protected].

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]

Team Wins Regional AAJ Competition in Miami

A team of students from Stetson University College of Law won the regional 2011 American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition March 3-6 this past weekend in Miami.

Team Wins AAJ Miami — Team (L-R): Chris Hamilton, Erika Wilson, Brooke Geiger and Julian Catala. Click for high-resolution image.

The team of Julian Catala, Brooke Geiger, Erika Wilson and Chris Hamilton will advance to the national finals on March 31 in Las Vegas, Nev.

“Stetson has a long history of winning mock trial competitions. We are pleased to be a part of continuing that rich tradition,” said Professor Lee Coppock, who coached the winning team.

Sixteen squads of students from 10 law schools competed at the regionals for a chance to compete in the national mock trial competition, which helps law students to develop and apply their trial advocacy skills before distinguished members of the bar and bench.

Contact Brandi Palmer
Manager of Media Relations
727-562-7381
[email protected]