Three Florida Supreme Court justices will discuss the importance of maintaining an independent judicial branch of government in the state of Florida Thursday at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

“The Importance of an Independent Judiciary,” will take place at 1 p.m. in the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center; it is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Gerald T. Bennett Inn of Court and The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, Law Students Division.

The structure of an independent judicial branch of government in the United States helps to ensure that the judiciary remains free from the outside influence of other government entities and partisan interests. With Election Day rapidly approaching, this issue has come to the forefront in Florida with questions being raised about the state’s process of appointing Supreme Court justices. Currently, Florida Supreme Court justices are retained on the bench through a merit-based system, decided by voters every six years.

The panel discussion and conversation with law students will be moderated by UF Law Dean Emeritus Jon Mills, director of the Center for Governmental Responsibility, and by Carl Schwait, UF Law adjunct professor of law, member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors and senior partner at the Gainesville law firm of Dell Graham PA.

“Judicial independence is a fundamental Constitutional principal and it’s critical that it be protected,” Mills said. “We look forward to hearing the justices speak and to the participation of the students and community in this discussion.”

All seven Florida Supreme Court justices have been invited, and to date, Justices Barbara J. Pariente, R. Fred Lewis and Peggy A. Quince are confirmed to appear on the panel. The three justices are on the Nov. 6 ballot for merit retention this year.

Environmental program potluck reception
There will be a potluck reception for all students and faculty with an interest in environmental and land use law, at the home of Prof. Mary Jane Angelo on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. Bring your favorite dish and get to know some students and faculty who share your interests. Please RSVP to Lena Hinson at hinson@law.ufl.edu, and let her know if you need directions to Prof. Angelo’s home.

Resource counselor available in Student Affairs Stressed out? Overwhelmed? Feeling anxious? Simply want to talk with someone besides your friends and family? Our new resource counselor, Ron Del Moro, is now available for you, the UF Law community. Del Moro’s office is located in the Office of Student Affairs 164J, immediately on your right when you walk in. Del Moro is a nationally certified/licensed counselor who completed his graduate work at UF. He is open to working with individuals, couples and groups with any issues and/or concerns. Everything is confidential and free of charge. His office hours are Mondays 1-5 p.m. and Wednesdays 12-5 p.m. Please stop by anytime. Walk-ins are welcome or you can email him at rondel@ufl.edu to set up an appointment or ask questions.

Specialist can help your writing skills
Concerned about your writing skills? Our new legal writing specialist, Andrew Reynolds, is now available to help you. He graduated from UF this August with a Ph.D. in English, and he has worked as a writing instructor and tutor for several years. You are encouraged to visit Reynolds for assistance with any writing issues you might have, whether you need specific questions answered or want to learn general strategies for more effective communication. His office is located in HOL 372. He is available Mondays (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Tuesdays (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), and Thursdays (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). E-mail him at areynold@law.ufl.edu to make an appointment. Walk-ins are also accepted. In addition, Reynolds will be conducting writing workshops on Sept. 16, Sept. 23, Oct. 7 and Oct. 14. All four workshops will take place in HOL 285C at 10 a.m. Additional information about the workshops will be provided closer to the scheduled times.

Environmental program potluck reception
There will be a potluck reception for all students and faculty with an interest in environmental and land use law, at the home of Prof. Mary Jane Angelo on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. Bring your favorite dish and get to know some students and faculty who share your interests. Please RSVP to Lena Hinson at hinson@law.ufl.edu, and let her know if you need directions to Prof. Angelo’s home.

Select certificate programs make credit-hour requirement changes
Certificate programs in Family Law, Intellectual Property and Estates & Trusts will no longer require that students complete eight additional hours beyond the normal hours needed for graduation as part of their program requirements. All other requirements of these programs remain in effect. This change is effective for current and future students enrolled in the certificate programs, and is based on authorization from the faculty that occurred in the Sept. 8 faculty meeting.
In addition, CCF will hold a Family Law Certificate meeting at 12:30 p.m. in HOL 345 on Sept. 14 for anyone interested in applying or with questions about the program.

Resource counselor available in Student Affairs Stressed out? Overwhelmed? Feeling anxious? Simply want to talk with someone besides your friends and family? Our new resource counselor, Ron Del Moro, is now available for you, the UF Law community. Del Moro’s office is located in the Office of Student Affairs 164J, immediately on your right when you walk in. Del Moro is a nationally certified/licensed counselor who completed his graduate work at UF. He is open to working with individuals, couples and groups with any issues and/or concerns. Everything is confidential and free of charge. His office hours are Mondays 1-5 p.m. and Wednesdays 12-5 p.m. Please stop by anytime. Walk-ins are welcome or you can email him at rondel@ufl.edu to set up an appointment or ask questions.

Specialist can help your writing skills
Concerned about your writing skills? Our new legal writing specialist, Andrew Reynolds, is now available to help you. He graduated from UF this August with a Ph.D. in English, and he has worked as a writing instructor and tutor for several years. You are encouraged to visit Reynolds for assistance with any writing issues you might have, whether you need specific questions answered or want to learn general strategies for more effective communication. His office is located in HOL 372. He is available Mondays (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Tuesdays (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), and Thursdays (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). E-mail him at areynold@law.ufl.edu to make an appointment. Walk-ins are also accepted. In addition, Reynolds will be conducting writing workshops on Sept. 16, Sept. 23, Oct. 7 and Oct. 14. All four workshops will take place in HOL 285C at 10 a.m. Additional information about the workshops will be provided closer to the scheduled times.

Inn of Court accepting applications
The James C. Adkins, Jr. American Inn of Court, which meets in Gainesville, is accepting student applications for participation in the esteemed American Inns of Court, a national legal mentoring organization that teams law students (pupils) with new lawyers (associates), seasoned practitioners (barristers), judges, and senior lawyers (Masters of the Bench). The Inn meets six to eight times per year. Selected students participate in regular meetings, at no cost to student members. Meetings include a mixer, dinner, and an educational program. All group members of the Inn prepare and present programs that address issues, techniques, problems, and ethics of the practice of law. Student membership is an excellent opportunity to work with, and observe, outstanding members of the legal profession, while learning trial techniques and other essential legal skills. Applications are available in the Legal Research & Writing office. Deadline is Sept. 17. For more information, please contact Senior Legal Skills Professor Diane Tomlinson at tomlinso@law.ufl.edu.

A judicial clerkship is a prestigious, paid position for a law graduate, who is employed by a judge to assist with research, writing, and review of opinions and orders, usually for a one- or two-year period.

Many times, the judicial clerk will have first completed a judicial externship for the particular judge who then hires the law student for the law clerk position upon graduation. A judicial clerkship is a great way to begin a legal career and opens many employment doors upon completion. Judicial clerkships are available in both the federal and state courts.

Congratulations to the following May 2010/2011 graduates who will begin their legal careers as federal and Florida Supreme Court judicial law clerks:

• Ryan Eastmoore, Senior Judge Susan Bucklew, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• Jeffrey Fabian, Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Jenkins, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• Andres Healy, Circuit Judge Richard Tallman, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Anne McAdams, Chief Judge Anne C. Conway, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• Jon Philipson, Chief Judge Anne C. Conway, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• Jessica Swann, Senior Judge G. Kendall Sharp, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• Erica Tate, Judge Charles R. Wilson, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• Jay Yagoda, Justice Barbara J. Pariente, Florida Supreme Court

Make plans to attend the two upcoming judicial clerkship programs: March 30 at noon in HOL 345 to learn about the process from obtaining letters of recommendation to applying to accepting an offer and on April 6 at noon in room TBA to gain perspective from federal judicial law clerks. Please be aware that the judicial application process typically is accomplished over one year in advance, so don’t miss out on great opportunities by missing critical deadlines. 2L’s apply during summer 2010 for positions beginning fall 2011.

The goal of the competition is to provide moot court team members with useful critiques regarding their oral arguments as they prepare for the American Bar Association’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition. This year’s team consists of David Hughes (2L), C. Andrew Roy (2L), Cary Aronovitz (3L), and Philip Moring (3L). Kevin Combest (3L) and Shelly Garg (3L) will serve as alternates.

“This competition provides our students an excellent opportunity to observe the ‘cream of the crop’ exhibit their superb advocacy skills,” said Henry Wihnyk, senior legal skills professor, director of UF Law’s Legal Research, Writing and Appellate Advocacy Department, and moot court team faculty advisor.

Providing critiques for the Maguire competition will be five retired chief justices of the Florida Supreme Court, including the Hon. Harry Lee Anstead (JD 63), Hon. Stephen H. Grimes (JD 78), Hon. Parker Lee McDonald (JD 50), Hon. Ben F. Overton (JD 67), and Hon. Charles T. Wells (JD 64).

“On this, the 100-year anniversary of the Levin College of Law, we are honored that these distinguished judges have returned to the college and given so generously of their time to help our members prepare to compete in the ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition,” said Rob Davis (3L), president, Florida Moot Court Team. “We are looking forward to a very memorable event.”

Students interested in joining the Florida Moot Court Team must be entering their third semester of law school, successfully completed appellate advocacy and be in good academic standing. Once the basic criteria have been met, students must participate in an intramural competition where they write and submit an appellate brief and present two oral arguments before a panel of student and faculty judges. Those who do well in this process are selected to join the team.

The Florida Moot Court Team, founded in 1961, is governed by the Justice Campbell Thornal Executive Board, named after Justice Campbell Thornal (JD 30), the prominent Florida Supreme Court chief justice. The competition is sponsored by the Orlando office of Holland & Knight. The competition would not be possible without the support of Charles W. Abbott (JD 53), retired partner at Holland & Knight.

For more information on the Florida Moot Court Team, visit www.law.ufl.edu/students/organizations/mootcourt.

Professor Amar is the Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale. His work has been cited more than 20 times by the U.S. Supreme Court; he has also been mentioned on the popular TV show The West Wing, to which he was a consultant. Amar served as editor of the Yale Law Review and clerked in the First Circuit for then-Judge Stephen Breyer. He has authored five books, including America’s Constitution: A Biography and The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction. His work has been honored by many groups, including the Federalist Society.

“Professor Amar is one of our nation’s leading constitutional scholars and his Dunwody lecture will be a stimulating and informative discussion for all,” said Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles T. Canady, a friend and fellow Yale Law School graduate who plans to attend the Dunwody lecture.

Amar’s constitutional law course at Yale is one of the most popular undergraduate classes at campus. “Professor Amar is a brilliant, engaging and entertaining lecturer,” said Peggy Hunt, a third-year UF law student and former student of Amar’s. “His constitutional law class was one of my favorite courses at Yale.”

The public is invited to attend the lecture, hosted by the Florida Law Review, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, at the UF College of Law campus in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom (Holland 180) or via webcast at www.video.ufl.edu.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Florida Law Review, the college will webcast the Dunwody Lecture in Law for the first time on the World Wide Web.

“The fact that UF alumni and students and faculty from colleges around the world can join in the celebration makes this Dunwody Lecture very special,” said Larry Dougherty, editor-in-chief of the Florida Law Review.

The Dunwody Lecture Series was established by U.S. Sugar Corporation and the law firms of Dunwody, White, & Landon, P.A. and Mershon, Sawyer, Johnston, Dunwody and Cole in honor of UF law graduates Elliot and Atwood Dunwody. The honorees were brothers who dedicated their lives to the legal profession and who set a standard of excellence for The Florida Bar.

For more information on the March 24 event, webcast, Dunwody Lecture series or the Florida Law Review, visit www.floridalawreview.com.