FlaLaw » 2000 » November » 13

Law student to run 50 miles for MD research

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 13 Nov 2000 16:53:47 +0000

First year law student Whalen Kuller, 35, will run 50 miles Dec. 3, to raise funds for muscular dystrophy research. Whalen and his wife, Allison, a RN at Shands, are seeking pledges, with the taxdeductible donations going directly to the Parent Project for Muscular Dystrophy Research, Inc., a non-profit group of parents and families of boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD). The Whalens became involved with the Parent Project after their now 4-year-old son was diagnosed with DMD in 1998. Since then, they have organized various local fundraising and DMD awareness activities in support of the Project. Whalen will be racing in the Adventurous Concepts Ultra Run, a 50-mile trail run at Santos, just south of Ocala, on highway 441. When Whalen approached Adventurous Concepts with the idea of participating in the race as a fundraiser, owner Mike Arnspiger was enthusiastic. Arnspiger waived the race entry fee, and personally made the first pledge. Adventurous Concepts, based in South Florida, is the premier organizer of off-road and adventure races in the state. DMD is a genetic disorder, affecting one in every 3,500 boys worldwide, that causes progressive muscle wasting due to a deletion of the dystrophin gene that prevents production of the dystrophin protein necessary for proper muscle development. Boys with DMD are usually wheelchairbound by their early teens, and die, usually due to respiratory failure, by their early 20s. Boys with BMD have an altered dystrophin gene that allows a minimal amount of dystrophin production. Its disease progression tends to be at a slower rate, but with the same final outcome.There is currently no effective treatment or cure. The Parent Project was started in 1994, to raise funds to support research for treatments and a cure for DMD and BMD. The Project raised more than $1.8 million last year alone. Those wishing to pledge support can contact Whalen or Allison at 378.9197, wkuller@ufl.edu. To find out more about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the Parent Project, call the Parent Project at 1.800.714.KIDS, or visit their Web site at www.parentdmd.org. More information about Adventurous Concepts’ events can be found on their Web site, www.adventurousconcepts.com.

Distinguished Service Professor Freeland dies

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 13 Nov 2000 16:51:53 +0000

Jack Freeland, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, 73, died Nov. 7 at North Florida Regional Medical Center following a long illness. “Freeland was an outstanding teacher and scholar at UF for over 35 years until his retirement at the end of 1994,” said Graduate Tax Program Director Michael Friel. “His contributions to the College of Law and to the Graduate Tax Program he co-founded were immense. He will be sorely missed.” The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the James J. Freeland Scholarship Fund or James J. Freeland Eminent Scholar Chair at the College of Law.

Scholarship profile: Lars Noah

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 13 Nov 2000 16:44:06 +0000

Professor Lars Noah recently surpassed the 1,000 page mark in published law review articles (more than two dozen pieces in the last seven years). In the last 12 months, his work has appeared in Georgetown Law Journal, William & Mary Law Review, Hastings Law Journal, Tulane Law Review, Emory Law Journal, Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum, Environmental Law Reporter and Health Law News. Professor Noah’s scholarship reflects a wide range of interests, focusing at times on administrative law, products liability, law & medicine, and FDA regulatory matters. His articles also touch on widely disparate subjects such as Constitutional Law, antitrust, criminal procedure, evidence, international trade, intellectual property, land use planning, federal courts, civil procedure, Environmental Law, and professional ethics. “When I undertake a new writing project, it’s at least in part an excuse to learn something new,” Noah says. “I don’t start with a gimmick or a partisan axe to grind.” Professor Noah’s work has been cited by state and federal courts and in more than 200 scholarly articles. Because of his published articles, he has testified before (and served as a consultant to members of) Congress and federal agencies; spoken to academics, lawyers and judges throughout the country, including recent conferences or colloquia at Stanford, Harvard, Texas, Georgetown, Hastings, Kansas and Arizona State. He has addressed conferences sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine; and been quoted by a number of national media outlets, including Wall Street Journal, New York Times, National Law Journal, Business Week, Newsweek, USA Today and National Public Radio.Noah has taught a broad range of subjects (Torts, Administrative Law, Products Liability, Conflict of Laws, Civil Procedure, Food & Drug Law, and now Medical Technology), twice been recognized as “Teacher of the Year” at UF, and served as a visiting law professor at the University of Texas, University of California (Hastings), and Washington & Lee University. He earned his B.A. and J.D., both magna cum laude, from Harvard University, where he received the Sears Prize, for the highest first year grades in law school, and served as an editor of Harvard Law Review.

Insanity defense questioned

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 13 Nov 2000 16:36:26 +0000

Using insanity as a defense should no longer be allowed because the mentally ill don’t need special defenses, according to Professor Christopher Slobogin in a November article in the Virginia Law Review. “I’m proposing that we get rid of the special defense of insanity and instead apply to the mentally ill the same defenses we apply to others, defined in terms of what the offender actually thinks was happening during the offense,” said Slobogin. “Defined that way, the general defenses, like self-defense and lack of intent, sufficiently recognize the exculpatory effect of mental illness.” A news release discussing Slobogin’s views and the law review article was distributed nationally, and media representatives have contacted him for details and comments. The Gainesvile Sun and local broadcast media published stories on the issue early last week.

UF team advances to semi-finals

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 13 Nov 2000 16:29:16 +0000

Congratulations to Daman Broday, Christine Marlewski, Natasha Mayne and James McDonaldfor becoming semi-finalists at the Michigan State University—Detroit College of Law National Trial Advocacy Competition, Nov. 2-4, at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Because they advance to the semi-finals, the law school will receive an automatic invitation for next years’ competition. The UF team’s coaches are Professor Kenneth Nunn and Attorney Cory Strolla.