Fredric G. Levin College of Law

October 29, 2007 | Vol. XI, Issue 11

UF Trial Team Brings Home Title in St. John's University National Civil Rights Trial Competition

The University of Florida Trial Team brought home a national title at the St. John's University National Civil Rights Trial Competition in Jamaica, NY. After an intense three-day competition Oct. 18-20, team members Jessica Anderson (3L), Frank Gaulden (3L), Alicia Philip (3L), and Justin Stevens (3L) defeated 15 teams from across the country including Pace, Arizona State, and Emory, among others. The team was coached by Stacy Scott, Esq. (JD 95), and the Hon. David Gersten (JD 75), chief judge of Florida's Third District Court of Appeal in Miami. Presenting the plaintiff’s case Gaulden and Stevens defeated Temple University in the semifinals and presenting the defense’s case Anderson and Philip defeated Washburn University School of Law (Topeka, KS) in the final round. The civil rights case concerned a student accusing his college of violating his due process and free speech rights in the way in which the school sanctioned him after he was accused and found responsible for harassing a college dorm director. After weeks of practicing the team is very proud of the victory. "We only had four weeks but everyone worked extremely hard day in and day out and in the end it all paid off. I'm so proud of the effort my teammates put in and we couldn't have done it without our coaches," Philip said.

Career Services: More Than 90 percent of Class of 2006 Employed at National Median Salary of $62,000

The National Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP) publication, Jobs & JD’s, Class of 2006 analyzed employment data submitted for almost 44,000 law school graduates six to nine months following their graduation from 195 ABA-Accredited Law Schools between Aug. 31, 2005 and Sept. 1, 2006. This invaluable resource shows that 90.7 percent of the Class of 2006 was employed as of Feb. 15, 2007, while UF Law’s NALP employment rate was 91.7 percent. The employment status by region and state of the law school shows that of the 2,195 law students who graduated in Florida, 87.6 percent were employed. The report also shows that Florida ranked first in terms of the number of entry-level legal positions gained within state government. Not surprisingly, Washington, D.C. ranked highest of the geographic areas with the largest number of graduates being employed at the federal level.
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Additional Career Services Articles
• Due Dates Looming for Securities and Exchange Commission Summer Honors Law Program
• Programming This Week
• National Housing Law Project Seeking 2Ls and 3Ls for Academic Year and Summer Internships and Post-Graduate Fellowships
• Homeless Coalition Annual Fall Blanket Drive

Career Spotlight: Joe Kern

Next time Darden Restaurants, a Fortune 500 Company based in Orlando, develops a site for its next Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Bahama Breeze, Longhorn Steakhouse, Seasons 52 or The Capital Grille, chances are Joe Kern (JD 87) is involved in the project. Kern, a senior associate general counsel for Darden Restaurants, first started working with the company while at Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor, and Reed, PA, in Orlando, where he was a partner specializing in real estate and land development law. "While working at my old firm, one of the clients was Darden Restaurants, and I got to know the company well," Kern said. "After working with them for awhile, they asked me to join them in-house and I decided it could be a great opportunity."
READ MORE>>www.law.ufl.edu/flalawonline

UF Landscape Architecture Students Submit Design Ideas for Law School Woods Project

A landscape architecture design studio comprising of 32 students under the direction of Professors Tina Gurucharri and Kevin Thompson gathered in the UF Law Faculty Dining Room Oct. 19 to brainstorm design concepts for the environmental restoration of the Law School Woods that are consistent with the area's campus master plan status as a "conservation area." The project is managed by third-year law student Ashley Henry under a grant to the Environmental and Land Use Law Society from UF Student Government and the UF Office of Facilities and Planning. A final plan will be selected by representatives the law school, Golfview Neighborhood Association, Baby Gator and others, and submitted to the Office of Facilities and Planning. Pictured above is third-year landscape architecture student Sarah Andrews.

Florida Bar President Francisco Angones Shares Views With UF Law Students

As part of SALSA’s Hispanic Heritage month, the University of Florida welcomed Florida Bar President Francisco R. Angones (pictured left) on his first visit to Levin College of Law Thursday, Oct. 18. Angones met with students, faculty and staff as he shared his views on professionalism and diversity within the legal profession, as well as his love for his country, his appreciation for his Cuban heritage and his pride in being a legal practitioner in the State of Florida. After sharing stories on his childhood, his upbringing, his motivations for pursuing a legal career and his passion and utmost respect for the legal profession, Angones answered questions and attended a reception in his honor. "As someone who identifies with the hardships that accompany immigration, I found Mr. Angones' speech encouraging, insightful and inspirational," said Elora Andrade, a second-year law student who immigrated from Brazil in 1998. "It is refreshing to hear that as Florida Bar President, Mr. Angones aims to improve diversity within the legal profession."
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UF Urges Vaccinations, Safety Steps to Prevent Spread of Infections

The University of Florida Student Health Care Center is joining with the Healthy Gator 2010 Coalition in a fall campaign to promote good health and prevent the spread of infectious diseases on campus. UF is urging students, staff and faculty to receive vaccinations for influenza and meningococcal meningitis and to take other daily precautions. "The importance of vaccination in the prevention of meningococcal disease and influenza cannot be overemphasized," said Dr. Phil Barkley, center director. "In combination with a common-sense approach to the prevention of common upper respiratory illnesses, the morbidity and mortality due to these diseases can be reduced."
READ MORE>>www.law.ufl.edu/flalawonline

Recent Incidents of Racial Bigotry and the Death Penalty Process Among Topics Discussed by Faculty

In the wake of several recent incidents of racial bigotry that have grabbed interest throughout the United States, The Gainesville Sun called on UF Law Professor Katheryn Russell-Brown, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations. Russell-Brown (pictured left) said the frequency of these recent noose hanging incidents suggests there's still a subsection of American society that harbors a long-standing hatred of minorities. "It's a small number (of incidents)," said Russell-Brown, who is writing a book about lynching. "But these things represent much larger constituencies, and that's what the concern is." Read what UF Law professors are saying in the media and writing about in scholarly publications in FlaLaw Online's weekly updates on Faculty Scholarship & Activities.
• Faculty Scholarship & Activities

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News Briefs

Newcastle Law Professor Richard Collier Kicks Off Lecture Series with Talk on Fathers' Rights Movement
Richard Collier (pictured left), professor of law and social theory, Newcastle University, Newcastle Law School, in the United Kingdom, kicked off the UF Center on Children & Families 2007-2008 lecture series, "Families in Transition," Oct. 24 with his presentation, "The Fathers' Rights Movement, Law Reform and the New Politics of Fatherhood: Reflections on the UK Experience," in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom (HOL 180). Collier is the author of several books on law and fathers, fathers’ rights and legal reform, and law and masculinities. This is the first of four lectures to be presented this academic year, all of which will be open to faculty, staff and students. Angela Mae Kupenda, professor of law at Mississippi College School of Law, will present the next lecture in the series on Feb. 19, 2008.

Make a Pledge to the Fall 2007 Class Gift
The Fall 2007 Class Gift Committee is hoping to secure a pledge from all members of the graduating class. The goal is to raise $100,000, which can be reached if every graduating student pledges at least $500 ($100 per year over five years). Come by the table in the courtyard Monday and fill out a pledge form. Your pledge can be spread out over five years, and the first payment is not due until one year after graduation (December 2008). Your donation is tax deductible, and as a donor you will be recognized in the Law Center Association Annual Report and receive other benefits as well, depending on the amount. The great education you receive at the University of Florida Levin College of Law is in part due to the donations of the alumni that have come before you. Keep this tradition alive and ensure that future students receive the same quality education and continue the tradition of UF Law being the best school in the state. While we hope you donate $500, any pledge is welcomed. This is our time to leave our legacy.

Law Association for Women Silent Auction Nov. 6-8
The Law Association for Women is having its annual silent auction November 6-8. Last year, law student bids raised over $5,000 to benefit Peaceful Paths. This year the auction will benefit the Alachua County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center. We have some awesome sponsors and items to bid on. Look for our table in the courtyard so that you can make your bid.

Enrollment Deadline for Environmental & Land Use Law Certificate Program Nov. 2
Students wishing to enroll in the Environmental & Land Use Law Certificate Program this semester are encouraged to do so before November 2. Enrollment forms are available online at http://www.law.ufl.edu/elulp/certificate/index.htm or in Holland Hall Room 319 or Student Affairs. Students enrolled in the certificate program will receive email notification regarding priority pre-registration for core courses.

Legal Information Center Closed Saturday, Nov. 3
The Legal Information Center (LIC) will be open normal hours Friday, Nov. 2, 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. The LIC will be closed Saturday, Nov. 3. Upcoming holiday hours and football game closings include the following: Saturday, Nov. 10, open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 11, closed; Monday, Nov. 12 (Veterans Day), open 1-11:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 17, closed; Wednesday, Nov. 21, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 22-24, closed; Sunday, Nov. 25, open 1-11:30 p.m.

College Cost Reduction and Access Act Focus of Nov. 7 Brown Bag Lunch Presentation
Interested in Public Interest Law? Not sure how you can do public interest work while trying to pay off your high debt? The Florida Bar Foundation Public Interest Fellows & APIL present a brown bag lunch presentation on The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 at noon Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the Faculty Dining Room. The Act addresses the problem of high educational debt and low paying public interest careers. We will have roundtable discussion with public interest attorneys that will help describe how the new law reduces monthly student loan payments and provides for loan forgiveness after 10 years of public service employment.

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