Florida Coastal School of Law 2011 Viewbook by Florida Coastal School of Law

Merissa Mort, Class of 2012 Atlantic Beach, Florida

TABLE OF CONTENTS Invitation 1

MISSION

Dean Peter

Environment 9 10

STUDENT Life

LOCATION

PRACTICAL PREPARATION

ACADEMIC SUPPORT & BAR PREP

Clinical Programs

CAREER SERVICES

Certificate programs

ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS

COMPETITIVE SUCCESS

STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES

FACULTY MENTORSHIP

Serve

Live 30

ACHIEVE

FOCUS

ALUMNI NETWORKS

APPLICATION

AN INVITATION FROM THE DEAN

As you consider the pursuit of a legal education and a career in law, the first major decision you will face is the choice of a law school. The basic curriculum and the traditional three-year time period required for legal education have remained constant for more than a century. However, it is more important than ever that a law school take maximum advantage of this limited time to prepare its graduates to enter the profession well equipped. Since its founding, Florida Coastal School of Law has placed the student at the center of the institution’s focus. Here, the study of law blends acquiring a comprehensive knowledge of the law and the legal system with developing the critical thinking and practical skills essential to its practice. Ensuring the proper balance of each of these components is an integral part of the educational process we deliver. We believe the essential hallmarks of a successful legal education include: rigorous academic coursework, innovative use of technology in the classroom, infusion of skills training and multi-culturalism into traditional courses, frequent student and faculty assessment with opportunity for feedback, and valuing student needs by listening and responding to them. We further believe that this approach is essential to success on the bar exam and will better position our graduates to be successful and inspirational in their legal careers. The Coastal Law experience is also fostered by the commitment of the faculty to mentoring and a climate of collegiality. We believe this is the basis for the student/faculty partnership in legal education. Our faculty is enthusiastic about shaping and guiding students’ careers. All of our faculty members have “real world” experience that they bring to the classroom and to the rest of the environment. We believe Coastal Law provides a unique opportunity for a quality legal education. But rather than just telling people how we are doing things differently, we are committed to making it obvious that we are successful in preparing students for entry into the profession. We welcome visitors and encourage you to visit and tour our campus. Talk with our students, graduates, faculty and staff about their experiences and whether Florida Coastal School of Law is the right law school for you.

C. Peter Goplerud III Dean and Professor of Law

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student perspective

Matthew Roepstorff, Class of 2011 Sanibel Island, Florida

ENVIRONMENT

Coastal Law is the perfect fit because you get all the excitement of living in a big city atmosphere, along with the comfort of learning in a tight-knit community.

STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES

Meticulously designed by one of the top firms of its kind worldwide, to reflect both OUR traditionally-rooted and realistic approach to legal education, Florida Coastal School of Lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lake front campus boasts 220,000 sqUARE FEET of state-of-the-art learning technologies. From fully functioning trial and appellate courtrooms, to our podcasting capabilities and wireless technology, the tools at Florida Coastal School of Law make us one of the most sophisticated legal facilities nationwide.

THE LIBRARY Our Library & Technology Center is the heart of the campus and the key resource for students, faculty, and the community. Comprising more than 47,024 square feet, the library houses the majority of study rooms and research resources for students. While the entire campus is equipped with wireless technology, the library also maintains a 48-seat computer lab, as well as a separate computer training lab. The greatest resource in the library is its staff of more than a dozen library professionals, including many with juris doctor degrees of their own.

FACULTY MENTORSHIP

Coastal Lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than 70 full-time faculty members represent many of the most academically acclaimed ABA-accredited law schools from across the country, including Harvard University, the University of California at Berkeley, George Washington University, Duke University, Georgetown University, Columbia University, New York University, and the University of Florida. Together they boast international legal and academic accomplishments from authoring dozens of case books and articles to counseling the Iraqi Constitutional Commission, advising the United Nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; war crimes tribunal in the Hague, and most recently advising ON Nepalese governmental reform. Each contributes to our rigorous and stimulating academic environment, and as former judges, government officials, general and in-house counsel, corporate executives, and attorneys practicing in law firms of all sizes, they provide our students with realworld perspectives to the issues concerning the law every day.

Meet more of our students and experience our environment at www.fcsl.edu/360tour or scan this code to read our interactive campus guide.

professor perspective

I strive to instill in my students a sense of purpose in their professional and personal lives. It is a privilege to mentor and partner with the next generation of lawyers, whether in class or in Coastal Lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Legal Advocacy Center for Women in Sports.

Nancy Hogshead-Makar Professor of Law Triple Gold Medalist - 1984 Olympics

Brooke Fuller - Mock Trial President Class of 2011 Tallahassee, Florida

PRACTICAL PREPARATION

To ensure Coastal Law graduates are prepared for the demands of legal practice, we offer many opportunities to gain the realworld experience seldom found in any classroom or textbook.

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The initial client interview

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Case planning and development

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Drafting letters and pleadings

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Discovery

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Negotiation

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Appearances in court and at administrative hearings

FOCUS

Under the supervision of full-time faculty members, Coastal Law students represent indigent clients in one of our many specialized Live Client Clinics. While enrolled, students engage in every phase of legal representation, including:

CLINICAL PROGRAMS

In the Family Law Clinic you will assist clients with matters including dissolutions of marriage, custody, adoptions, guardianships and paternity actions, delinquency, dependency, and special education. In the Consumer Law Clinic you will represent clients with issues including mortgage foreclosure, debt collection harassment, and errors on credit reports. In the Immigrant Rights Clinic you will provide direct legal services to non-citizens as well as oversee legal advocacy projects. Legal services provided include the preparation of asylum petitions, family unity applications and petitions, and applications for naturalization. In the Housing Rights Clinic you will work with clients with issues ranging from basic landlord/tenant disputes, to subsidized/public housing concerns to fair housing reasonable accommodation/ modification requests. In the Disability and Benefits Clinic, you will assist clients with Social Security disability claims and advance directives, and help navigate disagreements over Medicaid and Medicare benefits. Scan here to learn more about Coastal Law’s experiential learning programs or visit www.fcsl.edu/experiential-learning

In the Caribbean Law Clinic, you will have the opportunity to learn about and assess legal problems pending in the courts of Caribbean nations. Each semester an attorney general from one of the participating countries or U.S. states (Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Florida, or Texas) refers current legal problems to the Clinic, and students research and write reports and memoranda. In addition to Coastal Law’s clinics, you may apply for various for-credit externships and judicial internships. Some placement opportunities include: »»

U.S. Attorney

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State Attorney

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Public Defender

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City of Jacksonville General Counsel

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Jacksonville Area Legal Aid

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Florida Department of Children and Families

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Florida Attorney General

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Social Security Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals

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Florida Supreme Court

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Florida District Courts of Appeal

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Numerous state courts

Coastal Law also offers a large contingent of non-clinical courses that focus on professional skills and allow practice through simulation. We have courses in areas such as trial and appellate advocacy, dispute resolution, pre-trial drafting, interviewing and counseling, and transactional drafting.

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Among the many advantages that set Coastal Law apart from OTHER LAW schools is our curriculum , which allows students to align desired career choices with specialized areas of legal expertise. Successful completion of a certificate program not only represents significant learning, but can also exhibit to potential employers a student’s dedication to the corresponding practice area.

In addition to our certificate programs, students may choose a specifically designed course concentration in several areas, including:

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Commercial Practice

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Probate, Estate Planning, and Elder Law

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Corporate Transactional Practice

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Real Estate Practice

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Criminal Law

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Sports Law

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Family Law

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Taxation

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Health Law

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Trial Advocacy

Sports Law Certificate PROGRAM

The Sports Law Certificate is administered through the Coastal Law Center for Law and Sports. The program consists of a group of coordinated courses designed to provide students with a substantial legal knowledge base as to how the sports industry functions under state and federal laws, and to provide students with the practical legal skills necessary to work in the sports industry. Students enrolled in this certificate program also have the unique opportunity to participate in an internship with one of many professional and collegiate sports organizations in the Northeast Florida area and across the nation.

Environmental Law Certificate Program

For students who wish to develop a special expertise in environmental law, the wild natural beauty of Northeast Florida provides a beautiful backdrop to the Environmental Law Certificate Program. Students participating in the Environmental Law Certificate Program also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through externships with state and local environmental agencies, law firms, and non-governmental organizations.

Research, Writing and Drafting Certificate Program

INTERNATIONAL AND Comparitive Law Certificate Program

Students enrolling in the International and Comparative Law Certificate Program not only have the resources of an experienced faculty devoted to international law and issues but also the resources and opportunities provided through the Caribbean Law Clinic and The American and Caribbean Law Initiative.

Family Law Certificate Program

The Family Law Certificate Program provides students with the opportunity to study a wide variety of issues in family law. In addition to challenging coursework, the Family Law Certificate Program requires students to satisfy a skills component that offers opportunities to gain valuable practical legal experience through either externships with state and local agencies and law firms or one of our in-house legal clinics.

STUDY IN FRANCE

As a first-year or second-year student, you may also elect to study abroad during your summers, as part of our program with the University of Auvergne in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

FOCUS

Unique to Florida Coastal School of Law, the Research, Writing, and Drafting Certificate Program allows students to specialize in the legal analysis, research, oral advocacy, and writing skills needed for success in a law practice or clerkship. Students participating in the program focus on research and production of a bound portfolio of documents they may use to not only market their skills to potential employers, but also as a reference for use in practice.

student perspective

They say legal experience on a resume is the number one quality employers look for when hiring new associates. Coastal Law is great about providing numerous opportunities year-round for students looking for that competitive edge.

FOCUS

Aline Baker, Class of 2011 Tampa, Florida

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ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS THE 3/3 PROGRAM

As part of its ongoing partnership, Florida Coastal School of Law and Jacksonville University (JU) have combined resources to allow students to earn both a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree and juris doctor degree in one year less than the standard track. The program, called a 3/3, allows selected JU students to enter Coastal Law after completing only three years of undergraduate study and earn both a baccalaureate and a juris doctor degree in six years. During the fourth year, students are essentially dually enrolled in both bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and juris doctor programs.

Students studying environmental law often take active roles in professional programming, including our annual Environmental Summit with Jacksonville University,

The Joint JD/MBA Program

The Davis College of Business at Jacksonville University and Florida Coastal School of Law have also created a joint degree program through which qualified individuals may enroll in the Coastal Law JD and the Davis MBA programs simultaneously. By allowing a number of courses to satisfy requirements in both programs at the same time, the time required to earn both degrees is shortened.

FOCUS

Students in the dual degree program may obtain both degrees in four years, compared to the five years it would take to earn both degrees if pursued separately. Part-time students typically can complete both degrees in five years.

COMPETITIVE SUCCESS

Most recently, our Moot Court Honor Board earned a spot among the country’s top 15 programs, as recognized by officials of the Moot Court National Competition. Consistently, Coastal Law’s moot court teams place at or near the top of statewide, national and international simulated courtroom competitions. In addition to team wins at many of these prominent competitions, our students were recognized as top advocates and brief writers more than 40 times in recent years.

Recent Team Wins »»

The Robert Orseck Moot Court Competition (Florida’s oldest and most prestigious competition)

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The E. Zehmer Moot Court Competition

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The Chicago Bar Association National Constitutional Law Competition

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The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition

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The National Sexual Orientation Moot Court Competition

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The ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition

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Navy JAG Military Justice Moot Court Competition

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The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot

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The Charleston National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition

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The National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition in Chicago

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The Georgetown White Collar Crime Invitational Competition

student perspective

My law school experience and my moot court participation, in particular, have been a lot like being in the middle of a fast-paced marathon with highly trained runners. It can be overwhelming at times, but overall it is both exhilarating and extremely rewarding.

FOCUS

Jeremy M. Paul, Class of 2011 Evansville, Indiana

ACADEMIC SUPPORT & BAR PREPARATION

Florida Coastal’s Academic Success Department provides students with the guidance, support, and resources necessary to achieve in law school and pass the bar exam – the first time. Our Academic Success counselors are available to meet with students individually to implement study skills, review academic performance, discuss course selection, and provide feedback on practice essays and multiple choice questions. The proof is in the results: Coastal Law’s pass rate for the Florida Bar Exam – one of the most difficult exams in the nation – is often several points higher than the state average and ranked among the state’s historic leaders.

CAREER SERVICES

Coastal Law’s Career Services Department (CSD) is committed to empowering students and alumni to pursue the careers of their choice. From individual counseling and resume critiques to attorney panels and on-campus interviewing programs, the CSD offers comprehensive services and resources that will guide you along your own unique career path. As a student, the department will facilitate your transition from law school to legal practice. As an alum, the CSD will guide you through the process of making a change in your practice, career direction, or geographic area. Further, the CSD can help you determine your career interests, map out job search strategies, practice interviewing techniques, and further develop the professional skills you need in the legal community.

91% More than 91 percent of the Coastal Law alumni who graduated in December 2007 and May 2008 found jobs within nine months of graduating. In addition, approximately 89.6 percent of those graduates found jobs in “JD required,” “JD preferred,” or “other professional” categories.

professor perspective

Roger Groves Associate Professor of Law

ACHIEVE

The profession of law has great flexibility, as it correlates with practically all professional interest areas. I have been impressed with the quality of my experiences at Coastal Law, and have already seen many of my hardworking students find success in their careers, be it through government, small firm practice, or public interest entities.

STUDENT LIFE

Coastal Law has many student organizations that provide opportunities to develop skills, work as part of a team, and, of course, have fun. Collectively, they also plan programs and events held on campus each year, including concerts, lectures, special events, spirit rallies, cultural and social events, and conferences. As you grow at Coastal Law, you will discover the more involved you become, the more you will benefit from your educational experiences.

On-campus Organizations »»

American Bar Association

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International Law Society

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Animal Law Society

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Irish American Law Society

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Asian Pacific American Law Students Association

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Italian American Society

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Association of Trial Lawyers of America

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Jewish Law Students Association

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Black Law Students Association

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Law Students Against Violence

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Christian Legal Society

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Phi Alpha Delta

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Coastal Association of Public Interest Law

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Phi Delta Phi

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Coastal Law Democrats

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Pro Bono Project

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Coastal Law Republicans

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South Asian American Legal Society

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Criminal Law Society

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Southeastern Conference Society

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Entertainment Law Society

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Sports Law Society

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Environmental Law Community Action Team

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The Rainmaker – Coastal’s official student newspaper

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The Federalist Society

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Women Law Students Association

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Hispanic American Law Students Association

Coastal Law students can also make use of our oncampus fitness center to help balance the workout of their minds and bodies.

student perspective

Getting involved in student organizations is definitely a great way to establish a social life in law school, but it also provides opportunities to develop practical skills and network with practicing professionals.

LIVE

Travis M. Sumter, Class of 2011 Rex, Georgia

LOCATION THE RIVER CITY

Coastal Law is in Jacksonville, Florida, which was named among the Top FIVE “Up and Coming” Areas by Good Morning America and among “The Top Ten Places to Live” by Money Magazine. Jacksonville is a metropolitan center of more than 1 million people, including one of the youngest populations in Florida. Boasting 68 miles of ocean coastline, 300 miles of riverfront, and one of the largest park systems in the country, it offers an outstanding array of outdoor activities of all types. Home to unique neighborhoods and restaurants, exceptional arts and culture, and a wide variety of entertainment options and professional sports - including NFL, PGA Tour, LPGA, ATP Tennis, hockey and baseball - Jacksonville will provide you with the idyllic setting for a legal education while you enjoy warm winters and beach-filled summers.

Coastal Law students are strongly encouraged to volunteer their legal services in the community so they may better develop as attorneys, while helping individuals who cannot afford legal representation.

LIVE

ALUMNI NETWORKS

Starting with just 60 students, today Florida Coastal School of Law has more than 3,000 alumni practicing in all areas of the law across the country and abroad. All students who graduate from Coastal Law are members of the Alumni Association. From its beginnings, the law school has produced alumni whose contributions have enhanced the legal communities not only OF Jacksonville, but MANY throughout the United States. Our alumni play a key role in the success of Coastal Law. They provide career advice to current students, help recruit the best and brightest new students, and offer bar mentorship to new graduates in Florida and beyond.

FLORIDA In addition, Coastal Law alumni chapters are continuously growing and expanding throughout the country.

OUTSIDE FLORIDA

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Gulf Coast

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Charlotte, NC

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South Florida

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South Carolina

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Panhandle

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Atlanta, GA

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2nd Circuit

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Washington, DC

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Jacksonville