The court will hear oral arguments in four cases on Wednesday, beginning at 2 p.m., and Thursday, beginning at 9 a.m. Students are invited to attend.

“The 1st District Court of Appeal scheduled this special session here at UF so that our students could enjoy the unique opportunity to observe appellate arguments in actual cases,” said Legal Research and Writing Director Henry Wihnyk.

The court travels to UF Law each fall to provide students with this chance to further their understanding of the appellate arguments and to meet and interact with the judges.

Wihnyk said the judges are looking forward to the visit and is eager for students to attend and observe the arguments. Students interested in reading the case briefs beforehand can email Wihnyk at wihnyk@law.ufl.edu.

The arguments will be available as a live webcast: Oct. 19 and Oct. 20.

Tax experts and professors from left to right: Yariv Brauner, Charlene Luke, J. Clifton Fleming, Michael Lang, Robert Peroni, Michael Friel and Martin J. McMahon Jr. (Photo by Marcela Suter)

The United States’ domestic budget problems have been at the forefront of recent national policy debates. However, the challenge of determining who — or what — to tax is not limited to the U.S. government. International tax law also plays a role in shaping what the country will do as the world becomes increasingly globalized, and businesses worldwide look for returns on their investments.

On Oct. 7, attendees of the Seventh Annual International Tax Law Symposium held by the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Graduate Tax Program learned about tax policy debates in the European Union and in the United States.

An archived video of the event can be viewed here.

Organizers provided additional seats for the law students, faculty, staff and other members of the academic community who filled the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom, HOL 180.

This year’s symposium featured two presentations from internationally distinguished scholars:

• “The Third Country Aspects of the Proposals for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) in the EU — The CCCTB Draft Directive in the Light of the Recent European Tax Policy Debate,” which was presented by Michael Lang, a professor and director of the LL.M. Program in International Law at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and head of the Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law.
• “Designing a Tax Exemption for Foreign Income When the Treasury is Empty,” which was jointly presented by J. Clifton Fleming, who is the Ernest L. Wilkinson Chair and professor of law at Brigham Young University Law School, and Robert Peroni, the Fondren Foundation Centennial Chair for Faculty Excellence and professor of law at University of Texas School of Law.

Faculty moderators included Yariv Brauner, a professor of international tax law, an Alumni Research Scholar and organizer of the symposium; Lawrence Lokken, Hugh Culverhouse Eminent Scholar in Taxation and professor emeritus; and Martin J. McMahon Jr., Stephen C. O’Connell Professor of Law.

Topics discussed in the EU presentation included deductible charitable donations, withholding taxation and taxation of resident companies. Both presentations touched on the argument advocates and opponents use for and against the worldwide and territorial taxation methods.

Peroni said that American multinational businesses use the competitive argument when advocating for a territorial system. These businesses claim that they need this sort of taxation method in order to be competitive in the global economy because other countries allow more favorable tax laws.

“But is it (that other countries are more economically competitive) because of tax laws, or is it because the (American) educational system is failing compared to other countries or (because) we need more infrastructure investment?” Peroni asked.

According to Peroni, multinational businesses using the competitive argument “bear the burden” of showing that taxes are the problem and that these specific tax changes will fix the competitiveness problem because taxation may not be the reason why American companies are not as competitive as other international entities.

Attendees were able to ask questions of the speakers and give their own comments, which fostered a lively debate between the guest speakers and the audience.

“That’s really the (objective) of the symposium,” said Michael K. Friel, associate dean and director of the Graduate Tax Program, “to bring leading international tax scholars from the United States and from around the world to discuss the pressing and controversial tax issues of the day.”

Friel noted that the symposium featured “very timely, important topics” and it gave students and scholars alike the opportunity to “exchange ideas and highlight debates taking place.”

Additional sponsors include the University of Florida Levin College of Law, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), University of Florida Center for European Studies and the Institute for International Commercial Law (Pace University).

The conference, which takes place Nov. 11-12, will be held at the Hilton-UF Conference Center on Southwest 34th Street.

The conference will bring together 35 or so scholars, practitioners, and representatives of international organizations from 20 or so countries to present papers in their areas of specialized expertise.

Claire M. Germain, UF Law associate dean for legal information and Clarence J. TeSelle Professor of Law, will present “Issues of Translation” at the conference.

This conference will provide information on multiple levels — understanding the rules of the CISG, the application of the CISG by signatory countries, theoretical insights, and its use by international transactional attorneys. It will also include a presentation by Luca Castellani, legal officer in the Secretariat of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, on the substance and status of complimentary conventions.

Total available CLE credits: 14.5 CLE credits.

For more information, visit the webpage. To register, click here.

Picart was one of 20 law students around the nation invited to present at the conference.

It will take place 10 a.m. in HOL 345.

In The Man Question, author Dowd takes up the challenge of theorizing the construction of manhood and masculinity as an anti-essentialist project that can sit with feminist discourses.

As Dowd argues, men’s treatment by the law varies by race, age, economic position, sexuality, and many other factors. Her work questions how we know and value the lived experiences of men, not in order to deny men’s privilege but to explore the price, structure, and contradictions of that privilege.

As her primary examples, she explores men’s experience of fatherhood and sexual abuse, and boys’ experience in the contexts of education and juvenile justice. How we, as a society, arrive at the contextual and anti-essentialist goals Dowd prescribes presents questions worthy of vigorous discussion and debate.

This workshop brings together leading masculinities scholars to discuss how understanding the diverse characteristics and consequences that attach to manhood help us comprehend the nature of privilege and subordination.

Speakers will explore questions of masculinity across the diverse areas of employment discrimination, criminal law, and international law, and constitutional law. In addition, participants will grapple with theoretical questions of history, identity, vulnerability, and the limitations of equality rights. Refreshments in the morning and lunch will be provided to attendees.

Check out the event flier here and RSVP to Debbie Willis by Nov. 11 to reserve a spot.

On Friday, Oct. 28, at noon in HOL 345, William E. Loucks, president/CEO of Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, will discuss practical and ethical tips for avoiding legal malpractice.

Throughout his career, Loucks has been actively involved in the Florida legal community. He has served on the executive, disciplinary, and Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar. He has also served as a governor of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division. In addition, he has been a member of the Judicial Council of Florida, chair of the Statewide Fee Arbitration Committee and member of the 7th Judicial Circuit Nominating Committee.

Prior to accepting the position of president/CEO of Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, Loucks served on its board of directors and as chairman of its underwriting committee. The Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division looks forward to welcoming Loucks and local attorneys to campus.

The event will include pizza courtesy of Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company.

The session focuses on “Change Management … Adjusting to Public Expectation” and features panel discussions on benefit and compensation issues; budgets, services, and public perceptions; and preparing for the next generation of Florida managers.

Panelists include city and county managers from throughout Florida, including Gainesville City Manager Russ Blackburn and Alachua County Manager Randy Reid, and CGR Director and Professor Jon Mills.

Registration is required and information is available online.

Attend if you are interested in: your rights as an author; copyright; how to get financial assistance to publish in an open access journal; a potential campus-wide UF Open Access Faculty Policy (mandating that faculty submit copies of their journal articles to the Institutional Repository); and/or the the future of open access publishing.

For the full agenda, see: http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/oa/oaweek/. If you have questions about the event, contact Jenny Wondracek, Instructional Services Reference Librarian at wondracekj@law.ufl.edu.

Check out the latest additions to the faculty, hundreds of publications and the academic breadth of UF Law here.

“Public service is a core value at the Levin College of Law, and it has been at the heart of our mission for decades. Preparing our students to serve not only their clients but also the justice system and the public consistently with the highest ethical standards and ideals of the legal profession is an indispensable part of providing students with a well-rounded legal education.” —UF Levin College of Law Dean Robert H. Jerry

Living and working in a smaller, more rural community creates challenges for students with finding public interest law placements. Yet, UF Law students and faculty are nonetheless immersed in the legal work of our state and local community. UF Law’s Pro Bono Project gives students the opportunity to perform valuable community service, learn about the legal needs of traditionally underserved groups, and gain practical legal experience. Since 2009, UF Law students have donated some 25,676 hours of pro bono work. The Joseph W. Little Pro Bono Support Fund reimburses students for reasonable travel and office expenses associated with completing pro bono work. Moreover, UF Law’s various fellowship programs also support student placement at government agencies and non-profit, public interest organizations. Such fellowship programs include the Center for Governmental Responsibility’s Public Interest Law Fellowship (funded by The Florida Bar Foundation) and the Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations’ Yegelwel Fellowship.

Students have the opportunity to participate in several criminal or civil clinics, representing indigent clients, non-profits or public entities. One such clinic, theIntimate Partner Violence Assistance Clinic, is breaking new ground nationally by collaborating with the UF College of Medicine, Shands Teaching Hospital and local non-profit Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network, providing low-income victims of intimate partner violence with comprehensive legal, medical and social services. Additionally, UF Law’s new Criminal Justice Certificate Program provides academic advising, mentorship, area-specific education, and detailed criminal-practice training for students dedicated to a career in public service in criminal law. In addition to the clinics, students have access to a variety of externships at courts, local governments, state and federal agencies and elsewhere, most of which focus on some aspect of public interest law.

Students also work with local groups to assist in: restoring the civil rights of convicted felons; providing volunteer low-income tax assistance; and conducting research for theFlorida Innocence Commission, which is advising the Florida Supreme Court on reducing wrongful convictions. Moreover, the Association for Public Interest Law, the Center for Career Development, The Florida Bar Foundation Public Interest Law Fellows at the Center for Governmental Responsibility, the Environmental and Land Use Law Society and other student organizations promote public interest law on campus by bringing in speakers, hosting conferences, connecting students with public interest law resources, and raising awareness through events such as the Public Interest Law Week. Students and faculty at UF Law recognize the importance of public service and work to carry out public interest and pro bono work statewide.

This article was submitted to the White House as part of the ‘Champions of Change’ event Oct. 13. The blog article will be posted online by the White House.