From left, Gov. Reubin Askew, Gov. Bob Graham, Gov. Bob Martinez, Gov. Buddy MacKay, moderator UF Law alum Ben Diamond (JD 03), and Gov. Charlie Crist engaged in a discussion Oct. 12 at UF for the Allen L. Poucher Legal Education Series. (Photo by Marcela Suter)

By Matt Walker
Senior writer

Florida’s environment, education, economic development and growth management were the primary topics of conversation on Friday, Oct. 12, when five former Florida governors convened at the Phillips Center for the Florida Law Review’s Allen L. Poucher Legal Education Series.

The panel discussion, “Florida’s Future: A Conversation with Florida Governors,” featured Govs. Reubin Askew, Charlie Crist, Bob Graham, Buddy MacKay and Bob Martinez. The discussion was moderated by UF Law alum Ben Diamond (JD 03). The conversation was based on student-submitted questions and centered on what the governors viewed as the most important issues facing the Sunshine State today.

The governors reminisced and joked amicably while trading stories about their time in office and noted that many of the same issues they were dealing with as long as 40 years ago are currently facing Florida.

Graham said that during his time in office he tried to focus on three key issues: economic development, the environment and education.

“With a state moving as rapidly as Florida, we need to be thinking not just to the next election or the next decade, but for the next generations,” Graham said, “and the way in which we do that most fundamentally is an investment in education.”

Graham said the spirit of today tends to not look at the big picture, not just in education, but in many areas including the environment.

“We’re more focused on avoiding having to make any sacrifices today, regardless of what sacrifices we’re going to have to impose in the future,” he said.

Diamond guided the nearly two-hour conversation, asking the governors questions about their time in office, growth management in Florida and water and environmental issues.

The governors agreed that a mindfulness of water management and the environment in Florida are among the most crucial issues facing Florida’s future. And Crist, who was governor during the 2010 BP oil spill, pointed out the lessons that can be learned from the incident.

“What did we learn from the spill? Well, I think No. 1, the last thing you ever want to do is drill off the coast of Florida,” Crist said. “I think the greatest wakeup call of all time, in terms of how sensitive Florida is and how dependent we are on tourism as a very important part of our economy, was evidenced by the BP oil spill.”

The governors also took questions from students in the audience in which they addressed taxes on Internet goods, the importance of energy independence and voter fraud.

The Allen L. Poucher Legal Education Series was established by Betty K. Poucher in honor of her late husband, Allen L. Poucher Sr. A humanitarian who lived a life dedicated to service, Allen Poucher graduated from UF Law in 1942 and practiced law for more than 60 years. The Poucher Legal Education Series seeks to provide a venue for prominent legal, political and business leaders to discuss important issues facing our nation and world today.

The webcast of the Poucher Lecture can be viewed here, http://mediasite.video.ufl.edu/Mediasite/Play/2c771f2f72644e6cb990d67455080bf51d.

A town hall meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed to the Spring semester and the date is to be determined.

The purpose of the planned Town Hall Meeting remains to discuss ways the college’s faculty, staff, students, and administration, can promote inclusivity and tolerance and build upon a shared sense of the values inherent in broad diversity. It is the sense of the Diversity Committee that a better program can be presented if the UF Law administration, along with the committee, are able to invest more time in its preparation. Further, it is the committee’s sense that this program will be better if it is one in a series of to-be-planned programs. Check emails and future issues of FlaLaw for more information.

The law school has created a webpage offering resources for dealing with academic stress, tolerance issues, anxiety and a variety of other issues. Got a problem? We can help. Contact the Communications Office if you have comments or suggestions for improving the page.

Intellectual Property Certificate Program hosts reception Tuesday

The Intellectual Property Certificate Program is having a reception on Tuesday at noon in HOL 285C for any student interested in the IP program and for all students currently enrolled in the program. Professor Elizabeth Rowe will provide information about the certificate program, IP course registration for spring and IP externships. Lunch will be served.

1st District Court of Appeal holds oral arguments on campus Thursday

The 1st District Court of Appeal will hold oral arguments in four cases on Thursday beginning 9 a.m. in the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center Courtroom. This is a chance for all law students to see real lawyers arguing real cases. The panel of three judges includes a UF Law alumnus (and founder of the Journal of Law and Public Policy), Judge Scott Makar (JD 87). The other judges include Judge Philip Padovano and Judge Stephanie Ray. The judges will address Legal Writing classes after oral arguments are complete.

Actor to teach art of persuasion class Oct. 29

At 10 a.m., Oct. 29, actor Paul Morella of Washington, D.C., will teach “The Art of Persuasion: Exploring Performance Philosophies in the Court Room” in the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center. The class is free and open to the public. Morella has performed professionally in regional theater, film, television, and radio for more than 30 years, establishing a reputation as one of the more respected, versatile, and acclaimed actors in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. As a member of American University’s Washington College of Law Trial Advocacy Program, Morella has continued to explore the relationship between theatre and law, particularly in terms of how the techniques and philosophies of performance inform the communication between trial lawyers and the juries. At American University, he was Artist-in-Residence for the drama department, teaching acting classes, and conducting workshops. In addition, Morella has taught basic and advanced acting at Montgomery College, the Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts, and was professional Artist-in-Residence for Signature Theatre’s outreach program, Signature in the Schools.

Morella will also perform a one-man show as the famed trial attorney Clarence Darrow. The show is at The Hippodrome Theatre from 7 to 9 p.m. As a trial lawyer, Darrow won cases that seemed hopeless. However, he was much more than a lawyer; he was an orator, a philosopher and a champion of the poor. Tickets for the show are $50 and can be purchased at thehipp.org or at the Hippodrome Box Office from 12 – 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or 12 – 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Create a video about Fourth Amendment issues and you could win $500

The Criminal Justice Center and the Criminal Law Association is pleased to host its inaugural criminal video-advocacy competition this fall. The competition solicits submissions by student teams of an original, creative and educational video portrayal of Fourth Amendment issues geared toward a college-student audience. Please note:

• The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and dinner with Professors Monique Haughton Worrell and George Dekle. The second place winner will receive a $350 cash price and the third place winner will receive $150. The winning entry will also be shown, along with other honorable mention entries, at a viewing party at the law school. At the discretion of the review committee, the winning entry may be selected to be aired on GatorVision network.
• All law students enrolled at the Levin College of Law are eligible to enter.
• Deadline for submissions has been extended to Oct. 29. Winners will be announced Nov. 10.
• The submissions will be evaluated by members of a judging panel; criteria include clarity of thought, well-structured argumentation, creative use of videography and liveliness of expression.

Decisions of the judging panel will be final. Complete rules of the competition are available on the CJC website (www.law.ufl.edu/academics/centers/cjc) or can be obtained from Eva Achero in Room 100, Bruton-Geer Hall.

CCD speaker Oct. 30 to discuss obtaining legal jobs in tight market

On Oct. 30 at noon in the Advocacy Center Courtroom, Pamela Spalter, Esq. will present “Identifying, Pursuing, and Obtaining Legal Positions in a Tight Market.” Spalter has nearly 20 years experience in legal employer/employee consulting services. She is founder and director of P.S.E.C., a business providing executive and legal and coaching services. This is a great opportunity for students to get advice on developing and executing a game plan for post graduate legal employment.

Ninth Annual Minority Law Student Picnic set for Nov. 10

The Ninth Annual Minority Law Student Picnic will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10, in Hialeah, Fla. In the past, UF Law alumnus and U.S. District Judge Paul Huck (JD 65) has assisted with connecting Florida Law students with a mentor. If you are interested in having a mentor, complete the student application. Each year many UF law students attend this picnic by traveling themselves or on the bus provided by the law school. The trip to Hialeah will take approximately five hours, and the bus will depart from Gainesville at approximately 7 a.m. The bus will begin the return trip around 4:15 p.m. If you are interested in attending the picnic and riding on the bus, sign up at the Student Affairs Office front desk by Monday, Oct. 29, at 5 p.m. and complete the release form to ride the bus.

LIC Notes: Legislative and Regulatory Research: A New CRS Report

Legislative and regulatory research can be complex and selecting the correct resource can be challenging. A recent Congressional Research Service report provides an overview of both freely available federal government and common fee-based legislative and regulatory resources. Learn more in “Researching Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Resources for Congressional Staff,” Aug. 31, 2012, http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33895.pdf

iStockphoto.com

By Matt Walker
Senior writer

Tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year will trigger higher average tax bills of almost $3,500 across all households in the U.S., and $2,000 for middle income households. Experts say this looming “fiscal cliff” would result in unprecedented tax hikes that could result in a major economic slowdown unless the current rates are renewed.

Some of the nation’s senior tax policy advisers will be discussing this critical issue during the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Gelberg Lecture Friday at 10:30 a.m. in UF Law’s Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom, HOL 180. The panelists will be Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation Thomas Barthold, Mark Prater, minority tax counsel for the Senate Finance Committee and former staff director of the House-Senate deficit reduction supercommittee, and Chief Tax Counsel of the Senate Finance Committee Lily Batchelder. The discussion will be moderated by Lindy Paull, co-managing partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and former Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff. The event is free and open to the public.

“We are at the point where every individual has a financial stake in what is done with tax reform,” said UF Law Professor and Alumni Research Scholar Dennis Calfee. “These individuals are playing key roles in the reform process.”

Among the laws affected by the fiscal cliff are last year’s temporary payroll tax cuts, various tax breaks for businesses, Bush’s tax cuts from 2001 and 2003, and the estate tax exemption amount, which will be reduced from $5.12 million to $1 million. January will also see the beginning of taxes related to Obama’s Affordable Care Act. U.S. lawmakers must choose between letting the changes go into effect as scheduled, possibly plunging the nation back into recession; cancel or alter the scheduled increases in an attempt to avoid a recession, while increasing the nation’s deficit; or seeking a moderate approach which will have less impact on growth and address limited budget issues.

The Ellen Bellet Gelberg Tax Policy Lecture Series is an endowed lecture series that examines tax policy and how its implementation affects the economy and people’s lives. Gelberg, who holds a J.D. and LL.M. in taxation from UF Law, established the lecture series to bring distinguished lecturers to the college each year to speak on tax policy topics to students and faculty, and provide a special opportunity for reflection on the policies supporting the U.S. tax structure.

UF Law Dean Robert Jerry, right, presents W. George Allen (JD 62), the university’s first black graduate, with a plaque in the Marcia Whitney Schott Courtyard. (Photo by Marcela Suter)

By Matt Walker
Senior writer

When W. George Allen became the first African-American to graduate from the University of Florida in 1962, it was not only a victory for him, but also for countless others who had fought for equality for decades at the university.

On Friday, Oct. 12, the University of Florida and UF Levin College of Law celebrated the 50^th anniversary of Allen’s graduation from UF Law with a special program that looked back at the struggle leading to the acceptance of black students at the university and the groundwork laid for future generations by Virgil Hawkins, whose persistence in the courts led to UF Law’s integration, and George Starke, the first black person admitted to UF Law.

The Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom was filled to capacity and visitors filed into overflow areas as speakers reflected on the civil rights struggle and Allen’s role. Katheryn Russell-Brown, UF Law professor and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations, and Terry Nealy, president of the UF Association of Black Alumni, served as moderators. The celebration was co-sponsored by the University of Florida Alumni Association, Association of Black Alumni, UF Law and its Center for the Study of Race and Relations. The program served as the kick-off for the University of Florida’s Black Alumni Weekend.

“The integration story of Florida, not just in our institution but higher education throughout this entire state, the integration story of Florida began here,” Nealy said, “so it is appropriate that we kick off the opening ceremony of the Black Alumni Weekend where it all began – at the college of law.”

The celebration was punctuated with frequent applause and standing ovations as UF Law Dean Robert Jerry discussed desegregation heroes in the United States, attorney Harley Herman looked back at the legacy of Virgil D. Hawkins, who’s lawsuits against UF led to the university agreeing to accept African-American students, and UF Law alumna Ava Parker (JD 87) recounted the story of the first black person to enroll in UF, George H. Starke Jr. The program also included reflections from JaDawnya Butler (JD 04) and Brandon Campbell (2L), president of the Black Law Student Association.

The crowd was moved during the video essay, “First Footsteps: The Struggle for Racial Desegregation at UF,” which offered a detailed and sometimes jarring look back at the relationships of African-Americans with UF and the Alachua County area in the 20^th century. The essay was produced by UF African-American Studies Professor Patricia Hilliard-Nunn.

Allen delivered the keynote speech, where he described his experience at UF Law as both bitter and sweet. He said he was met with much opposition when he began law school in September of 1960 as the only black student on campus. He said one of the sweet parts came when he realized that he was a direct beneficiary of the compromise made by Hawkins when he withdrew his application from the law school in exchange for the university agreeing to accept black students.

“Another sweet part was that (my wife) Enid and I realized we were engaging in an era that would open up higher education in Florida for all, including our children, our grandchildren, and many of you and your progeny,” Allen said.

In 1960, Allen and his wife were living in Berkeley, Calif., where he was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He had been accepted to Harvard Law School and the law school at the University of California at Berkeley, each of which he could have attended on scholarship.

“I failed to convince my wife Enid that it made economic sense to pay for an education at a segregated school when I could get scholarships to attend two prestigious school ranked higher than the law school at the University of Florida,” he said.

Allen said that by graduating from UF Law he was able to fulfill the tenacity, spirit, expectations, determination and will of Hawkins.

“So today I dedicate these 50 years of desegregation, 50 years of progress, 50 years of educating Florida’s best, brightest and successful students to the Bard of Okahumpka, Lake County’s favorite son, Lake County’s most famous son, Virgil Darnell Hawkins, my mentor, my friend, my hero,” Allen said in closing. “God bless you Virgil, and your spirit; you started a revolution and Florida is better because of you and your good work.”

The program concluded near the Marcia Whitney Schott Courtyard with the unveiling of a plaque honoring Allen’s legacy and graduation from UF Law.

Two positions are now available at the Florida Supreme Court for the Spring 2012 semester. They are each a five-credit externship, running Jan. 14 – April 26, 2013, and require 20 hours per week. You must have a clearance letter from The Florida Bar to participate. For more information or to apply, contact Tim McLendon in CGR in 230 Bruton-Geer, by email at mclendon@law.ufl.edu, or by phone at 273-0835.

Applications open for 2013 Evan Yegelwel Summer Fellowship

The Evan Yegelwel Summer Fellowship award permits one UF Law student to participate in a paid Summer Fellowship Program at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Florida Regional Office in Boca Raton. The Yegelwel Summer Fellowship award is $4,000. The ADL is a premier national civil rights organization that fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry in the U.S. and abroad, combats international terrorism, probes the roots of hatred, comes to the aid of victims of bigotry, develops educational programs, and serves as a public resource for government, media, law enforcement, all toward the goal of countering and reducing hatred. A generous gift from Evan Yegelwel (JD 80) has made this fellowship possible. Yegelwel is a partner in the Jacksonville law firm of Terrell Hogan Ellis Yegelwel, P.A. Click here for more fellowship and application information.

Spring Semester Foreign Enrichment Course and Spring Break Field Course will feature International Development Law and Policy

The UF Levin College of Law Environmental and Land Use Law Program will offer the following conservation and development practice related courses for Spring 2013 Semester:

• Contemporary International Development: Law, Policy and Practice (1 credit) (Spring semester on campus)
• Sustainable Development Field Course: Law Policy and Practice (2 credits) (Spring Break in Belize)

Students are eligible to enroll in either or both. Course descriptions and further information provided below.

Contemporary International Development: Law, Policy and Practice (1 credit) addresses the international and comparative law framework within which international development is carried out. The course will explore models of international development and development assistance as these have evolved since the Post-WWII Breton Woods accords that created the World Bank Group and regional progeny.  Topics that will be addressed include, but are not limited to free and fair trade, environmental security, human rights and global health.  The course will be coordinated by UF Law faculty and taught by law and policy practitioners from Costa Rica, Argentina and Jamaica.  Course instructors include Otton Solis, a Costa Rican development economist, former minister of the economy and presidential candidate; Oscar Avalles, an Argentinean attorney and World Bank country director for Guatemala; and Danielle Andrade, a Jamaican environmental and human rights attorney with the Jamaica Environment Trust.  The one-credit course will meet for one hour on Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 a.m. and conclude on Feb. 27 before spring break.

SPRING BREAK FIELD COURSE IN BELIZE

Sustainable Development Field Course: Law Policy and Practice (2 credits) will provide students with an on-site, interdisciplinary understanding of the law and policy challenges associated with “sustainable development” in a developing country.  Students will travel to and within Belize over Spring Break and delve into international and domestic law issues concerning protected areas, indigenous land rights, intellectual property in biological diversity, water, mining and energy development, fisheries and coral reef conservation – all within the context of national pressures for human development.  In addition to domestic Belizean law and international development policy, students will be exposed to the unique legal framework of the commonwealth Caribbean. The course will include skills exercises based around ongoing projects of the UF Law Conservation Clinic.   The course includes a Program fee that will cover in-country expenses and students must make their own international travel arrangements.  Enrollment is capped at 12 students.  Preference in given to students enrolled in the college of law’s Environmental and Land Use Law Program, but others may apply on a space-available basis.

Students interested in either course can contact Professors Tom Ankersen (ankersen@law.ufl.edu) Mary Jane Angelo (angelo@law.ufl.edu) or Research Assistant and Joint J.D./M.D.P candidate Gentry Mander (Gentry.Mander@gmail.com )

Dean Emeritus Jon Mills, at right, introduces Florida Supreme Court justices during a discussion of the importance of an independent judiciary. (Photo by Marcela Suter)

By Felicia Holloman (3L)

Marbury v. Madison. Brown v. Board of Education. These are some of the most well-known and influential cases in history, but also some of the most unpopular or controversial during the time of the rulings. The rulings may not have been possible without an independent judicial branch — one free of political bias and societal whims.

Florida Supreme Court Justices Barbara J. Pariente, R. Fred Lewis, Peggy A. Quince, and Jorge Labarga spoke candidly at UF Law Oct. 18 about the importance of judicial independence and the challenge to maintain an unbiased court system. The justices arrived to a lively Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center courtroom packed with students, faculty and staff.

Dean Emeritus Jon Mills gave opening remarks and said “We take for granted what the Constitution did when it created an independent judiciary.”

Mills noted that Florida’s judicial system was not always independent of politics. Prior to the 1970s, judges ran for election.

Lewis remembers the time of judicial elections and discussed discouraging experiences as a young lawyer campaigning for Shelby Highsmith for Florida Supreme Court justice.

“(The experience) made me wonder if I had selected the right profession,” Lewis said. “The state was in an awful mess.”

It was not until 1972 that Florida judicial elections became non-partisan. According to Pariente, non-partisan elections reflect the belief that judges should not “fear that their livelihood or tenure” would be in jeopardy due to an unpopular ruling.

Labarga noted the backlash for his ruling as a circuit court judge in Bush v. Gore.

“I followed the rule of law. Some people cannot accept that,” Labarga said, who then joked that he was glad to have been four years away from an election at the time of the ruling.

Judicial independence brings stability to courts. According to Quince, stability means citizens will know what to expect from their court experience.

“Win or lose, you will know you are coming before a judge that is fair and impartial,” Quince said.

The discussion comes ahead of the Nov. 6 election on whether to retain Pariente, Quince, and Lewis. The Florida Republican Party recently announced that it opposes retention of the justices, and conservative groups are campaigning against them.

Voters decide every six years whether to retain Florida Supreme Court justices.

Pariente expressed concern over the increasing politicization of judicial elections. “We now have super PACs, many outside the state, trying to impact elections.”

“There is a conscious, very dedicated attempt to involve partisan politics in the judiciary,” agreed Justice Lewis.

However, Justice Pariente hopes that citizens will not allow the judiciary “to be bought” in the coming election.

The panel was moderated by Carl Schwait, an adjunct professor of law, a member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors, and a senior partner at Dell Graham, P.A. The Gerald T. Bennett Inn of Court and The Florida Bar Law Student Division sponsored the event.

A diversity panel held Oct. 12 at UF Law featured national and local leaders who discussed how to minority lawyers can claim more of the jobs and governance of the legal profession. (Photo by Marcela Suter) 

By Francie Weinberg
Student writer

When The Florida Bar integrated – requiring all Florida lawyers to become members – in 1950 the white leadership was mindful that it would not allow blacks into its social gatherings.

That history lay in the background of “Leadership and Law: Diverse Perspectives on the Role of Race and Participation in Professional Legal Organizations,” presented Friday, Oct. 12. The program brought together leaders from national, state and local bar associations into the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center Courtroom to discuss ways in which (voluntary) segregation still exists today in Florida’s legal profession – and whether there’s anything wrong with that. Panelists also discussed how minority lawyers can claim more of the jobs and governance of the legal profession.

From the local level all the way to the national level, legal bar associations are often divided by color lines, decades after becoming officially integrated. The event focused on ways to foster a dialogue on avenues for leadership and joint initiatives that transcend racial and other divides.

More than 70 people of many races came together to listen to five noted panelists. The panel included Daryl Parks, Arnell Bryant-Willis, Carl Schwait, AuBroncee Martin and Dawn Vallejos-Nichol, and was moderated by UF Law Professor Kenneth B. Nunn. It was sponsored by the 8th Judicial Circuit Bar Association, the Josiah T. Walls Bar Association, UF Law Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations and The Florida Bar. The program was the brainchild of Rob Birrenkott, director of UF Law’s Center for Career Development.

Panelists discussed why it is necessary to have minority bar associations in addition to general bar associations, and how it helps give black lawyers useful connections and a push in the right direction.

“It’s not necessarily what is printed in the law books or the cases,” said Martin, the felony division head for the public defender’s office for the 8th Judicial Circuit and president-elect of the Josiah T. Walls Bar Association. “It’s about how you relate to one another that really drives the legal system. In the legal profession, bar associations are good opportunities for you to put yourself in a position for good things to happen to you.”

Inspired by the 50^th anniversary of the graduation of W. George Allen (JD 62), who helped pave the way for generations of students in Florida by becoming the first African-American to graduate from the University of Florida and UF Law, the discussion also focused on how to diversify the law profession.

“The challenges for African-American lawyers just tend to be a little bit different than other lawyers,” said Parks, immediate past president of The National Bar Association, a legal group for African-Americans. “The NBA is able to really go to bat for diversity. When it comes to these crucial issues, we have to argue that we deserve better.”

Nunn asked why a separate bar association for African Americans is necessary. He also brought up why it is important to work toward bringing The National Bar Association together with other bar associations like The Florida Bar.

“We live in a multi-cultural, multi-diverse world,” said Bryant-Willis, a member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors and The Florida Bar’s Inaugural Diversity Initiatives Manager. “What the bar is trying to do is develop programs so that we can help minorities reach out and become a part of minority organizations if they so desire.”

Nunn’s final concern was how to move the various bar association toward a more diverse and united front and what the future holds.

“They’re just groups that recognize that different lawyers have different life perspectives,” Martin said. “Each of these organizations is akin to an instrument and when you play them together you make beautiful music.”

Claire M. Germain spoke in August on “Worldwide Access to Foreign Law:  International & National Developments Toward Digital Authentication” at the World Library & Information Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in Helsinki, Finland. Her paper discusses the challenges of digital law and the importance of authentication of official legal information worldwide. Germain’s paper is available at http://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/working/1/.

Germain also spoke on “Recent Developments in the French Criminal Jury” at the 2012 International Conference on Law & Society in Honolulu, Hawaii, in June. She provided an update on the contemporary landscape of the French jury in its legal and political aspects, from a comparative perspective.

Robert Jerry
Dean, Levin Mabie & Levin Professor of Law

“UF honors 50 years since first black law grad as black law enrollment drops” (Oct. 11, 2012, The Gainesville Sun)

University of Florida Levin College of Law honors W. George Allen (JD 62) for being the first black graduate 50 years ago. In recent years however, black enrollment at UF Law has declined. Dean Jerry and other faculty look for ways to fix this drop and increase black students’ interest in the law.

From the article:
Dean Robert Jerry said in an email that the college’s budget is among the challenges it faces in recruiting black students. Budget constraints prevented it from offering scholarships to students in the 2012 entering class that were competitive with other law schools, he said.

He also pointed to a wider trend in the region. The number of black law school applicants in the southeastern U.S. declined 21 percent between 2010 and 2012 compared with a 14.5 decline nationally over the same time period, Jerry said.

Jerry has appointed a task force of faculty, students and alumni to recommend ways to increase the number of black and other minority students applying and graduating.

Jerry said in the email that events like the ones being held today bring attention to issues involving black students and allow the college to honor alumni “as we express our commitment to building upon their efforts and creating a broadly diverse and inclusive law school community.”

“Five Former Florida Governors Visit University of Florida” (Oct. 12, 2012, WCJB-TV)

This article is about the discussion between the five Florida governors during their visit to the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts sponsored by the Levin College of Law’s Florida Law Review.

From the article:
Dean of Levin College of Law at the University of Florida, Robert Jerry says, “the opportunity to hear the wisdom of these great leaders of our state and their advice for our students there’s no question this is something that we’ll remember for a long long time.”

Joseph Little
Emeritus Professor

“Joe Little: Merit retention: Judges and politics don’t mix” (Oct. 14, 2012, The Gainesville Sun)

Professor Little wrote an opinion column concerning the vote on whether to retain or dismiss three Florida Supreme Court judges, and why Florida voters often do not know or care regarding this particular issue.

From the article:
On Nov. 6, Florida electors will vote to retain or dismiss three Florida Supreme Court justices in a “merit retention election.” Many readers will have no basis to formulate a reasoned vote.

The past-president of the Florida Bar recently wrote, “90 percent of the participating voters do not understand what the term ‘judicial merit retention’ means.” This ignorance sends a troubling message. Why do we have these elections?

How to select and retain judges in Florida and elsewhere has a controversial history. The controversy is between a desire for judges to make decisions free of partisan biases and an urge to hold them accountable for decisions that stray too far from some measure of political legitimacy. The Florida “merit” system reaches a somewhat uneasy compromise between them.

In 33 years Florida voters have rejected no judge or justice in a retention election, and removal has been rare in other states with similar laws.