FlaLaw » 2002 » January » 14

First Annual Children’s Conference Draws Leaders

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 14 Jan 2002 17:37:03 +0000

Nearly 100 participants, including scholars from across the country, attended the first annual conference of the law school’s Center on Children and the Law in December. “Defending Childhood — Developing a Child- Centered Law and Policy Agenda” was headed by UF’s David H. Levin Chair in Family Law Barbara Bennett Woodhouse, and held at the UF Hotel & Conference Center. “We were quite pleased with the conference’s success,” Woodhouse said. “It allowed scholars from a variety of fields — including law, medicine, sociology, history, psychology and education — to meet others with similar priorities and to share perspectives on critical issues facing children and youth.” Jaap Doek, Chairman of the U. N. Committee on Rights of the Child and Professor of Child & Family Law at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, was a featured participant, along with 17 other national scholars — including representatives of Cornell and universities of Virginia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, George Washington, Indiana, Ohio State and Northwestern. Six UF faculty and 15 from the College of Law also were featured. “All the comments I heard were very, very positive,” said law school Director of Conference Planning Barbara DeVoe. “The presenters and the way the program was done were praised. They particularly enjoyed the breakout sessions and the give-and-take on areas of specific interest.”

Adjuncts Nominated

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 14 Jan 2002 17:34:36 +0000

Three of five names forwarded by the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association Judicial Nominating Committee to Governor Bush as nominees for the vacancy created by the resignation of Circuit Court Judge Nath Doughtie are adjunct faculty at the law school. Nominees included adjunct Professor Carl Schwait, who teaches Trial Practice in the fall and is faculty advisor to the team. Also nominated were County Court Judge Phyllis Kotey ’85, fall workshop leader for Trial Practice and coach for the Florida Bar Trial Team that won last year’s competition, and County Court Judge Ysleta McDonald ’83, a spring workshop leader for Trial Practice. “I was honored to have been nominated along with Judge Kotey and Judge McDonald, who are so well respected by the legal community,” said Professor Schwait, who added, “My ability to withstand the rigorous interview process was strengthened by the tough questions I receive from our students.” Governor Bush chose attorney Robert Roundtree in December to fill the vacancy.

Commencement Speaker Named UF Distinguished Alumnus

wsmitty@ufl.edu — Mon, 14 Jan 2002 17:28:03 +0000

Of the close to 300,000 graduates of the University of Florida, 265 have earned the distinction of being named Distinguished Alumni — celebrating their excellence and outstanding achievements. Of those 265, ninety are College of Law graduates — including Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles T. Wells, who received that honor on December 15, at UF graduation ceremonies. Chief Justice Wells (left, with Dean Jon Mills) one week later was the commencement speaker for the law school’s fall graduating class. Wells received his bachelor’s degree in political science from UF in 1961, and his J.D. in 1964. While at UF, he was president of Florida Blue Key and named to the UF Hall of Fame. He entered private practice in Orlando and served one year as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Later, Wells formed Wells, Gattis, Hallowes and Carpenter, P.A., in Orlando, where he practiced until his appointment to the Supreme Court in 1994 by Gov. Lawton Chiles. He is chairman and Supreme Court liaison for the Florida Courts Technology Commission, and on the faculty for the Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies and Circuit Judges Education Conference.