Complimentary Webinar Jan. 26
Family law litigation has its emotional minefields, but probate litigation runs a close second. Michael Orfinger, a partner with Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group, will present his thoughts on the important role mediation has come to play in probate litigation and how to focus your clients on the important matters to be mediated, while also recognizing and validating those clients’ feelings of grief, anger, betrayal and entitlement. He will also share the keys to a successful probate mediation. Upchurch Watson White & Max and the University of Florida Levin College of Law Institute for Dispute Resolution hope you enjoy this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and 1.5 CLE credits from The Florida Bar from the comfort of your home office or desk at work. Reserve your seat now.

Music Night 2011
Got a hidden musical talent? Show it off at Music Night 2011, to be held Sunday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. at the home of Dean Bob Jerry and his wife, Lisa. All students and faculty are invited — but the “ticket” to attend is that you must bring a dessert and agree to perform a musical piece (play an instrument or sing a song). A piano will be available. Each participant can bring one guest. Space is limited, so sign up is on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, stop by the Dean’s Office and see Doris Perron.

Federal Judicial Law Clerk Roundtable set for Feb. 1
Are you interested in a judicial clerkship? The North Central Florida Chapter of the Federal Bar Association is teaming up with the Center for Career Development to host the Federal Judicial Law Clerk Roundtable. This event, which takes place Tuesday, Feb. 1, at noon in FDR, will provide law students interested in judicial clerkships the opportunity to learn from the experience and advice of four current federal judicial law clerks about the application process and about the different types of federal clerkships available. Students will also have a chance to ask questions. Free pizza and drinks will be provided. Please RSVP Jamie Shideler, as seating is limited.

Renowned scholar to discuss ‘The Five Lives of Louis Brandeis’
Professor Melvin I. Urofsky will deliver a lecture on “The Five Lives of Louis Brandeis” in HOL 180 beginning at noon Wednesday, Feb. 2. His recent biography, Louis D. Brandeis: A Life (Pantheon Books, 2009), has been very well received. Urofsky is professor of law and public policy and a professor emeritus of history at Virginia Commonwealth University and was the chairman of its history department. He is the editor (with David W. Levy) of the five-volume collection of Louis Brandeis’ letters, as well as the author of American Zionism from Herzl to the Holocaust and Louis D. Brandeis and the Progressive Tradition. He lives in Gaithersburg, Md. “Justice Louis D. Brandeis not only is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding justices in Supreme Court history, but also many consider him to be one of the America’s greatest lawyers. Mel Urofsky has spent decades studying the life and work of Brandeis, and this promises to be an enjoyable and informative talk,” UF Law Professor Michael Allan Wolf said.

Spend an evening with pioneers of U.S. Civil Rights Movement
The University of Florida Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations (CSRRR) and the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program (SPOHP)* present “An Evening with the Dues: Pioneers of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement” Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. with a reception and book signing followed by lecture in the Buddy and Anne McKay Auditorium of Pugh Hall. The event honors the work and legacy of Patricia Stephens Due and John Due. The Dues will discuss their lives, work, and the future work that needs to be done for social justice. In 1960 Patricia Stephens Due and four other students from Florida A&M University made history when they served 49 days in jail after being arrested for sitting-in at a lunch counter. Ms. Due and her fellow protestors refused to pay a fine and instead chose to go to jail in order to highlight the injustice of legal segregation. This was the first jail-in of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and the beginning of Ms. Dues work fighting for human and civil rights in America. Ms. Due and her husband, civil rights attorney John Due, have fought for human rights since their days on the campus of Florida A&M University. Ms. Due is the recipient of many awards, including the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Outstanding Leadership, the Ghandi Award for Outstanding Work in Human Relations and the NAACP Florida Freedom Award. John Due is a 1963 graduate of the FAMU College of Law. *UF event co-sponsors: African American Studies Program; Bob Graham Center; Center for African Studies; Center for Women’s Studies & Gender Research; Department of Anthropology; George A. Smathers Libraries; History Department; and the Office of the Provost.

Princeton Review seeks input from law students
The Princeton Review has once again named the University of Florida Levin College of Law one of the best law schools in the nation. Distinguished schools will be profiled in the 2012 edition of Best Law Schools. In order to help them represent UF Law accurately, please fill out the following survey to author a new “Students Say” profile and update our ratings.

“It’s been a great experience so far,” Good said. “The section of state and local government law is really supportive of law students and has a lot of opportunities for law students to get involved; the section has given me a number of leadership roles.”

Good said that after she joined the ABA as a 1L, she would get frequent e-mails from the organization, but because of the size and scope of the ABA she didn’t really know where to start or how to make the most of her membership. Then she saw a message about student liaison positions.

“I thought, ‘This seems like a great way to find mentors and to network,’” Good said. She knew it was important to expand her reach beyond the law school walls and make the most of networking opportunities. A student liaison position seemed like a great way to make that happen.

Through her liaison position, Good has had the opportunity to see the many ways attorneys who specialize in state or local government can apply their knowledge — from lobbyists to state government employees to county attorneys. It is also interesting to see how different state and local governments deal with the same types of issues, she said.

Deciding on the state and local government law section was an easy choice for Good, mostly because of her involvement with the Florida Horse Park in Ocala. Good’s interest and experience in state and local government — and one of her main motivations for going to law school — began at the Horse Park where she was the director of development for four years.

Because the nonprofit equestrian facility is on state-owned land, she interacted with several state agencies and learned a lot about how state and local governments operate, Good said. And in a way, Good had already made her mark on Florida state government before she even entered law school or considered applying for the student liaison position. With the help of several dedicated volunteers, she is largely responsible for the new “Discover Florida’s Horses” license plates, which benefit the Florida Agricultural Center and Horse Park Authority. Good said when she worked at the Horse Park, the idea of trying to get a special license plate made for the park had been floating around for a while and she decided to act on it.

Good took the idea to the Florida Horse Park’s board of trustees for approval, helped secure financing for the project, held a contest to decide on artwork for the plate and even made the trip to Tallahassee to try to get the plate legislation passed. The plate was approved by the state after Good had left the Horse Park to attend law school, but she is happy that she was able to make an impact.

Good has also accomplished a great deal during her time as an ABA member. Not the least is being chosen following a competitive appointment process to be a law student liaison to all law students in the country.

Among the notable projects Good has helped with during her tenure as liaison is developing and promoting a law student resume database for her section.

“The section leaders reasoned that if the section could figure out a way to connect members with law students, it would help our law-student members find jobs in their area of interest,” Good said about the idea behind the database.

The database has been up and running for about six weeks and the biggest challenge she faces now is getting the word out to law students and potential employers.

Students can upload their resumes to the ABA section website and employers can search the database or browse resumes to find the perfect candidate.

Once her term as state and local government law school liaison ends, Good said it is likely she will pursue further opportunities in the ABA.

“State and local government law is what attracted me to pursue a law degree,” Good said, “but I want to make sure I give myself opportunities to try out a lot of different areas while I am here.”