More than 40 first-year students created and presented a closing argument for the criminal case State of Lonestar v. Robert Duffie in the 2013 Trial Team 1L Closing Argument Competition.

After a full week of qualifying rounds, the three highest scoring advocates - Andreu Szempruch (Prosecution), John Kelly (Defense) and Lauren Humphries (Defense) – advanced to the final round, which took place in the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center on March 27.

Szempruch displayed a zealous prosecution style for the State of Lonestar, Kelly showed off his talents of persuasion and Humphries passionately advocated for her client. In the end, Kelly prevailed as the Best Overall Advocate.

The University of Florida Trial Team congratulates its finalists and thanks all who participated. For rising second-year students who wish to be part of the Trial Team, the team encourages attending the annual tryouts, which begin in September 2013.

(From left are Andreu Szemprach, Lauren Humphries and John Kelly)

ICAM team excels in Vienna

The Levin College of Law International Commercial Arbitration Moot (ICAM) team had a good showing in Vienna — despite snow, ice and extremely cold temperatures.

For only the fourth time since the program started nearly 20 years ago, the team qualified for the final rounds. The team lost in the round of 64 — only 64 of the nearly 300 teams make it to the final rounds. After finishing second in the Florida state competition earlier in February, team member Dane Ullian (2L) received Honorable Mention recognition in Vienna.

The other members of the team were Alexis Leventhal (3L), who served as captain; Julie deBruin (2L); and Phil Kegler (3L).

Each spring the team competes against groups from law schools around the world at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot competition in Vienna. The competition is one of the most prestigious of its kind and focuses on a problem that is drawn from the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The team members prepare arguments and briefs for both sides of the issue to present at the competition.

The team is coached by Professors George Dawson and Jeffrey Harrison, who are assisted by alumnus Eddie Palmer (JD 85).

(From left are: Professor George Dawson, Dane Ullian (2L), Eddie Palmer (JD 85), Alexis Leventhal (3L), Julie deBruin (2L), and Phil Kegler (3L), representing UF Law at the Florida Vis Pre-Moot Arbitration Competition in late February before moving on to the international competition in Vienna. The team qualified for the final rounds at the competition in Vienna, which was held in March).

Important registration information from Student Affairs

The course schedules for the upcoming academic year (Summer 2013, Fall 2013, and Spring 2014) have been released and are posted on the Student Affairs website: http://www.law.ufl.edu/student-affairs/current-students/course-schedules. You should be aware of information concerning distance education courses prior to registering for classes. Based upon ABA Standard 306(d), governing distance education in U.S. Law Schools, no student may obtain more than four credit hours of distance education(online/asynchronous) courses in the same term, and no student may receive more than a total of 12 credit hours of academic credit for distance education(online/asynchronous) courses to count toward the J.D. degree. Furthermore, since students are permitted, with prior approval, to complete up to six credit hours of graduate level courses to count toward law school graduation requirements, and since some students complete distance education courses through the Graduate School, the four credit hours and 12 credit hours limitations apply to these courses, as well. Thus, if a student is registered for an online graduate level course, this reduces the number of hours permitted for other distance education(online/asynchronous) courses either through the Graduate School and/or through the law school.

This information is particularly important for the Summer 2013 term, as there are currently 6 asynchronous (distance education) courses on the law school’s summer schedule of courses. Out of these six courses, one is a one credit hour course and the other courses are two credit hours. Therefore, you will only be able to register for up to two of these asynchronous courses during the summer term. Please review the schedule of courses carefully and plan your schedules accordingly. As you register for classes, you will be reminded of this requirement in ISIS when/if you register for any law distance education(asynchronous/online) course. If you attempt to register for a distance education(asynchronous/online) course, the following message will pop up to remind you of this rule:

“Per ABA Standard 306D, a law student may not register for more than four credits of asynchronous online courses in one term.”

If it is determined that you have registered for more than four credits of asynchronous (distance education/online) courses in any term (e.g., this summer), you will be notified to drop a course or courses. If this is not done, you will then be administratively dropped from the course or courses until you are in compliance with the ABA Standard 306(d).

If there should be any questions or concerns about any of this information, please feel free to contact Assistant Dean of Students, Kari Mattox, at mattoxk@law.ufl.edu, or stop by the Office of Student Affairs.

Submit your art to be featured in the upcoming art show

The annual Student Faculty Art Show is Thursday, April 11, from 6-9 p.m. in the Lawton Chiles Library. The art show gives students and faculty the opportunity to utilize a different type of skill set and an outlet for their creative sides. Submissions from past years have included oil on canvas to photography, melted crayon art, sculpture, sketches, blown glass, and even clothing. The show also aims to give students a study break before finals with hors d’oeuvres and wine served in the library alongside the art on display. If you’ve been dying to try out that art project you saw on Pinterest or you have something you created years ago, now is your chance to share. Submissions will be returned and artists can choose to display their art with their name and title or anonymously.

2013 Class Gift Legacy

The University of Florida Levin College of Law would not be what it is today without support from alumni. As you prepare to join the distinguished Gator Nation alumni network, now is your chance to make a difference and leave a legacy for future generations of students. Consider making a gift, at any amount, in support of your college. UF Law appreciates your support, as the 2013 Class Gift campaign aims to achieve 100 percent participation from all graduating 3Ls.

To make a gift today visit http://www.law.ufl.edu/alumni/giving/class-gifts.

Steinberg

This past fall, Stacey Steinberg (JD 03) joined the Legal Writing and Appellate Advocacy Department after spending almost a decade advocating in the courtroom.

Her experience working with vulnerable individuals will provide students a real life perspective on the practice of law. She hopes to instill in her students an understanding of the importance of legal analysis in the advocacy process.

Upon graduating from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2003, Steinberg joined the 8th Circuit State Attorney’s Office, where she served in the Special Victims Unit and prosecuted crimes against women, children and families. Her responsibilities included advocating for victims and witnesses through trial advocacy. While at the State Attorney’s Office, Steinberg supervised legal interns and taught police officers on criminal procedures.

Steinberg coached the University of Florida Levin College of Law Trial Team in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, her team finished first at The Florida Bar Competition. In 2008, Steinberg was hired at the Levin College of Law as an adjunct professor in 2009, teaching Juvenile Law and Juvenile Justice Law. That same year, she joined Children’s Legal Services (CLS), the legal advocates for Florida’s Department of Children and Families, representing the best interests of abused and neglected children.

While in law school, Steinberg was chief defense counsel on the Honor Court, Guardian ad Litem volunteer, and an active member on the Trial Team. She advocated her way to a first place finish at Loyola University’s National Civil Trial Competition, making the University of Florida Trial Team the national champions of trial advocacy in 2002. Steinberg also received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, where she was a member of Florida Blue Key and received the University of Florida’s Outstanding Female Leader Award at graduation. She looks forward to bringing her advocacy experience to the classroom.

From left, Brandon Meadows, Stephanie Koffler, Sarah Carpenter and Lauren Lewis won first place in the 2012 E. Earle Zehmer Mock Trial Competition Nov. 11 and 12 in Tampa.

UF Law Trial Team is the 2012 state champion. The University of Florida Levin College of Law Trial Team took home that distinction with its first place in the E. Earle Zehmer Mock Trial Competition Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 in Tampa.

The University of Florida Levin College of Law Trial Team took home first place in the 2012 E. Earle Zehmer Mock Trial Competition Nov. 11 and 12 in Tampa.

The competition, a premises liability suit, was sponsored by the Florida Justice Association and consisted of seven Florida law schools and 14 teams.

UF Law sent two teams, one of which earned first place. The winning team consisted of third-year law students Stephanie Koffler and Brandon Meadows as the plaintiff, and Sarah Carpenter and Lauren Lewis as defendant. The other UF team consisted of 3Ls Ebony Cobb, Andrick Lewis, Seth Green and Josh Wertheim. The trial team coaches Nick Zissimopulos, of Rush and Glassman, and Tania Alavi, of Alavi, Bird and Puzzuto traveled with the teams to offer support.

With a narrow victory over Florida State University College of Law in the semi-finals, UF advanced to the final round against Florida International University College of Law, where it won in what seemed to be an overwhelming victory. Along with the pride of winning a state championship, the UF team took home a $1,000 cash prize.

“We have a very talented group of advocates who were more prepared and focused than the competition, and this win is the result. The Trial Team has incredible support from UF, the coaches, and our advisor, Jennifer Zedalis, and we hope to stand in the winner’s circle again in the spring,” said Brandon Meadows, the trial team president.

It had been several years since UF has competed in this competition. Though they have no more competitions in the fall, they look forward to the spring when they will compete in Chester E. Beddell Memorial Competition, TYLA National Trial Competition, American Association for Justice Tournament and the South Texas Shootout.

“They worked very hard and practiced long hours, so this effort combined with sheer talent pushed them over the top,” Zedalis said. “I am so proud of them.”

by Andrew Friedman

Twelve Levin College of Law students got their hands dirty on Saturday at Rooterville Animal Sanctuary. They helped with farm chores like repairing fences and enjoyed the sunny, blue-skied afternoon with more than a hundred animals, including pigs, chickens, turkeys and a goat. Most of the animals were rescued from factory farms, circuses and other merciless conditions. The sanctuary is located in Archer, about a half-hour southwest of campus, and is home to more than 100 animals. The event was organized by the Animal Law Association. ALA aims to educate the public about animal abuse and how litigation and other legal means can protect the lives of animals. The group is planning more events throughout the semester. For more information contact Jamie Klapholz at animallawassociation@gmail.com.

Joint degree informational meeting Feb. 5

Did you know that you can earn your law degree and a graduate degree at the same time? Did you know that pursuing both degrees at the same time can actually save you time and money? In fact, in most situations, under a joint degree program, a student can obtain both degrees in approximately two semesters less than it would take to obtain both degrees if pursued separately. The joint degree programs are credit-sharing arrangements that allow qualified students to combine their legal studies with graduate work, resulting in two degrees earned in a reduced amount of time. Joint degree programs can be established in nearly any area, such as: agribusiness, anthropology, building construction, business administration, counselor education, criminology, decision & information sciences, doctorate of medicine, educational leadership, electrical & computer engineering, environmental engineering, exercise and sport sciences, food and resource economics, forest resources & conservation, history, interdisciplinary ecology, Latin American studies, mass communications, materials science & engineering, medical sciences, pharmacy, political science, psychology, public health, real estate, sociology, urban and regional planning. If you are interested in learning about this opportunity, students are invited to attend an informational session about joint degree programs on Thursday, Feb. 5, in HOL 285C and visit at http://www.law.ufl.edu/programs/joint/. Assistant Dean of Students Kari Mattox, mattoxk@law.ufl.edu, will address the requirements of the program and answer questions.

ELULP informational meeting Feb. 13

The Environmental and Land Use Law Program offers many opportunities for you to become involved and learn about these important areas of law. There will be an informational meeting at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 13, in HOL 283. At the meeting, you’ll learn critical information about the ELUL program, including the requirements for earning a Certificate in Environmental and Land Use Law, and details about the curriculum, including the Conservation Clinic, summer externships, and the summer study abroad in Costa Rica, and find out about the Environmental and Land Use Law Society, the Environmental Moot Court Team, the Public Interest Environmental Conference, and our new LL.M. in Environmental and Land Use Law. Students who attend will also have the chance to meet and talk with some of the ELULP faculty and to get individual advice on course selection for summer and fall and career development guidance. This is an excellent opportunity for currently enrolled certificate students to get answers to questions about certificate requirements, course availability, etc. All students with an interest are encouraged to attend, but especially first- and second-year students – this is the ideal opportunity to get the best possible information to plan your academic program for your remaining semesters. Contact ELULP Program Assistant Lena Hinson at hinson@law.ufl.edu.

Trial Team makes semifinals at mock trial competition

The UF Trial Team sent two teams to The Florida Bar mock trial competition this year in Miami on Jan. 14 & 15. The first team included four advocates, Ranaldo Allen, Kailey Evans, Connie Jones, and Maulik Sharma (all 3Ls). They defeated Stetson and Miami in the initial round. The second team was composed of two advocates who argued both the plaintiff and defense side of the trial, 3Ls Elizabeth Manno and David Mitchell, along with witnesses played by 2Ls Allison Kirkwood and Jamie Stephens. This team defeated FSU and Barry in the initial round. Manno and Mitchell qualified for the semifinal round, but lost in a 5-4 split of the judges. The team was coached by Nick Zissimopulos (JD 02), former UF Trial Team member who is currently a criminal defense lawyer at the Gainesville firm Rush & Glassman. Pictured from left: Elizabeth Manno, David Mitchell, Jamie Stephens, Kailey Evans and Ranaldo Allen. (Not pictured: Connie Jones, Maulik Sharma and Allison Kirkwood)

Fall 2010 Financial aid renewal reminder

For those of you who have not already done so, now is the time to apply for aid for the 2009-2010 academic year. I encourage you to apply by April 1 using FAFSA on the Web. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and follow the instructions on the site. After applying via FAFSA/Renewal FAFSA on the Web, you can check the status of your application and/or make corrections online. You will need to use your Federal Access Code (PIN) to complete the 2009/2010 FAFSA.

2009 Vis-Pre Competition Feb. 28

The International Law Section of the Florida Bar will bring together law students, practitioners, and scholars for the 2009 Florida Pre-Competition for the Annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Orlando on Saturday, Feb. 28. Every year over 200 law schools from all over the world gather at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria and Hong Kong, China, to argue a case based on complex aspects of international commercial law. For many years, Florida’s law schools have strongly acquitted themselves at these premiere moot events, consistently ranking among the top teams. This year, the International Law Section continues this tradition by inviting members of the bar and public to learn about and participate in the event. The 2009 Florida Pre-Competition will be held at the Florida A&M University College of Law located at 201 Beggs Ave. in downtown Orlando. The competition will begin at 9 a.m. Contact Arnie Lacayo at alacayo@astidavis.com for more information.

The Frederick W. & Grace P. Brecht Scholarship

The Frederick W. & Grace P. Brecht Scholarship ($1,000) is available to students who meet the following criteria: Home and place of residence must be in Brevard County, Florida or must have graduated from a Brevard County high school; accepted for admission to a community college or university in the state of Florida; enrolled as a full-time, degree seeking student in an undergraduate, graduate, or professional program; demonstrate financial need as determined by the 2009-2010 FAFSA; minimum 2.0 GPA; and good moral character and habits. The deadline to apply is May 15. Scholarship recipients are selected annually; renewal is not automatic. To be considered for renewal you must submit a new application and complete each step listed in the procedures section of the new application instructions. Applications are available at www.sfa.ufl.edu/pub/forms.html#apps

Joshua Lukman, counsel for the plaintiff, presents a enlarged version of a jury verdict form during closing arguments, but the explanations would not be enough to sway the jury in the plaintiff's favor.

The University of Florida Trial Team marked the end of its four-week selection process by holding its annual Final Four competition Oct. 3 in the Bailey Courtroom.

Final Four advocates, Amanda Brus, Katrina Gavette, Joshua Lukman and Kara Wick, who were chosen from a pool of almost 100 students, presented their arguments for the fictitious civil case Smith v. Lighter Corporation.

Brus and Wick, counsel for the defendant, were awarded the title of “Best Overall Team.” Wick was also named “Best Overall Advocate.”

The plaintiffs, represented by Katrina Gavette and Joshua Lukman, sued the defendant, a manufacturer of cigarette lighters, represented by Brus and Wick, for damages arising from a fire that occurred in their mobile home in the imaginary state of “Sunshine.”

As a result of the fire, the plaintiffs’ 8-year-old daughter was severely burned and their 5-year-old son died.

“This is a case about the defendant’s lighter, which caused the family a devastating loss,” Gavette said.

The plaintiffs alleged that the defendant manufactured a defective lighter that caused the fire. Brus argued that the lighter was equipped with 17 perfectly safe parts as well as a label that warned parents to keep the lighter away from children.

“The best child-proofing device is the watchful eye of a parent,” she said.

The Honorable Judge Stephan Mickle served as the presiding judge. At the end of the competition, Mickle congratulated both sides on their dynamic closing arguments.

“It did my heart good to hear those arguments,” he said.

Both sides’ arguments matched or exceeded some of the arguments heard in actual courtrooms, Mickle said.

Jennifer Zedalis, advisor for the trial team, also expressed her satisfaction with the team’s quality.

“I am so proud of these students that I could pop,” Zedalis said.

Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, P.A., a litigation firm with offices in Florida and Alabama, sponsored the tournament. The jury was composed of J. Scott Kirk, James A. Edwards, Sara J. Burton and LaShawnda K. Jackson, all attorneys at the firm.

(Left to right) Joshua Lukman, Katrina Gavette, Judge Stephan Mickle, Kara Wick and Amanda Brus.

Wick, a second-year law student, said that it was important to remain calm under pressure and to imagine that the distinguished judges were just normal jurors, she said.

“It was definitely intimidating,” Wick said.

Gavette, who plans to be a litigator in the future, described the experience of trying out for the elite team as “exhilarating.”

“It’s such an honor, especially knowing the number of students that tried out,” she said.

Brus, who has a strong background in theater and was involved in a mock trial team in high school, heard about the team last semester.

“I told myself ‘I am making the trial team,’” she said. “I couldn’t wait to start.”

Enrolling in a trial practice course with Zedalis helped Lukman prepare for competing with the trial team. It is important to avoid overcomplicating legal arguments, he said.

“Simplify the communication with the bench,” Lukman said. “Don’t get too caught up in it.”

Lukman, who is interested in litigation and foreign legal issues, looks forward to meeting the expectations of the team.

“I don’t want to let them down,” he said. “I know they picked me because they saw that I had potential.”

The UF team consisted of Scott Barnes and Shanese Rivera (for the plaintiffs) and Oshia Gainer and Kemay Jackson (for the defense). They were coached by Stacy Scott and Josh Silverman.

The case dealt with a civil rights section 1983 claim under title VII. The team argued both sides of a case in which a former police officer claimed that a department policy had a discriminating effect on pregnant police officers. UF defeated teams from Pace Law School and Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law in the preliminary rounds before besting a team from Southwestern Law School in the semifinals.

The team’s efforts to defend its title from 2005 fell just short in the final round when it lost 51-49 to Brooklyn Law School. The competition drew teams from 16 law schools, including Temple University, New York University, and Fordham.

• Scott Boyer

• Molly Cox

• Karen Derby

• Frank Gaulden

• Lori Lustrin

• Alicia Phillip

• Justin Stevens

The top four advocates—Scott Boyer, Molly Cox, Frank Gaulden, and Justin Stevens—will be paired against each other in the Final Four competition, which will be held in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom on Friday, Oct. 13, at 11a.m. All members of the Levin College of Law are encouraged to attend. The competition packet is a civil case, Gerry Cook v. Chipper Properties, Inc. The case involves a three-ton jet hoist, a bad industrial accident, and a rabid dog. The Trial Team would like to recognize and thank Paul C. Huck, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida, for volunteering his time to serve as the presiding judge, and the Law Firm of Rumberger, Kirk, and Caldwell for sponsoring the competition and providing attorneys to serve as jurors.