S T E T S O N
LAWYER SPRING 2019
A M A G A Z I N E F O R S T E T S O N U N I V E R S I T Y C O L L E G E O F L AW A LU M N I & F R I E N D S
THESE STETSON WOMEN PROVED THEY
BELONGED IN LAW
A LETTER FROM THE INTERIM DEAN Acknowledging milestones along with next steps It is my great honor to have an opportunity to introduce this issue of the Stetson Lawyer. As a member of the faculty at Stetson University College of Law for approaching two decades, I have witnessed many milestones at the College of Law. We celebrated the opening of the law library in its present location with a dedication by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the opening of our Tampa Law Center in what has become a legal hub of activity in downtown Tampa, the unveiling of our elder-friendly Eleazer Courtroom, and the very recent dedication of our new Veterans Law Institute and Veterans Advocacy Clinic. Since 1995, we have ranked first in Trial Advocacy 21 out of 25 years.
Kristen David Adams
With each initiative, Stetson Law has remained focused on forward momentum along a path in line with our values as an institution. The contributions of our faculty, students and alumni have propelled Stetson into the 21st century as a national leader in advocacy and legal writing. In looking back at some of our pioneering predecessors, we can revisit some of the milestones that have led to our success. Stetson University College of Law is Florida’s first law school and the first law school in the state to graduate female lawyers. We welcomed our first female dean of the College of Law more than 20 years ago, Dean Emerita and Professor of Law Lizabeth Moody. Our cover story for this issue shines a spotlight on some of our extraordinary path-breaking alumnae. These four women have shattered the glass ceiling, achieved greatness despite challenges, and serve as role models to the next generation of Stetson lawyers. Also in this issue, it is my pleasure to introduce the next dean of the College of Law, who will have an opportunity to shape the future of our institution, Michèle Alexandre. I hope you will enjoy reading this issue of the Stetson Lawyer.
Kristen David Adams Interim Dean and Professor of Law Stetson University College of Law
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURES These Stetson Women Proved 12 They Belonged in Law Pioneering Stetson Women 14 Brad Kaufman 15 Anthony H. Johnson 16 Amy Rigdon 17 By the Numbers 18 SECTIONS Letter from the Interim Dean Briefs Events Faculty Forum Class Notes Giving Back
2 4 20 24 28 31
STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW Wendy B. Libby, President Kristen D. Adams, Interim Dean and Professor of Law Kevin Hughes, Assistant Dean, Development & Alumni Relations Brandi Palmer, Managing Editor Lisa Diliberto, Editor, Director of Communications and Marketing Darryl Wilson, Faculty Editor Tomeka Jackson, Contributing Editor Taylor Allyn, Kathryn Bonti, Jakob Braun, Janie Graziani, Molly Kaelin, Curtis Krueger, Sarah Shirley, Sy-Woei Hao, Writers Stetson Lawyer design and layout by Words and Pictures Creative Service, Inc. Stetson Lawyer magazine is published for alumni and friends of Stetson University College of Law. Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, has prepared lawyers and leaders since 1900. Today, Stetson leads the nation in blending legal doctrine with practical training, evidenced by its top-ranked programs in advocacy and legal writing. Through our academically rigorous curriculum and commitment to social responsibility, Stetson lawyers are ethical advocates ready to succeed in the legal profession.
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S T E T S O N L AW Y E R
BRIEFS STETSON UNIVERSITY SELECTS MICHÈLE ALEXANDRE AS NEXT DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF LAW BY JANIE GRAZIANI
F
ollowing a nationwide search, Stetson University Executive Vice President and Provost Noel Painter, Ph.D., announced the appointment of Michèle Alexandre, a noted civil rights, gender and race scholar, and author of The New Frontiers of Civil Rights Litigation, as the next dean of Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. The appointment is effective June of 2019. She is the College of Law’s first black dean.
zens and practice-ready lawyers represents a galvanizing vision for legal education in the twenty-first century. The College of Law’s priorities regarding social justice, academic rigor and student engagement are dear to my heart. I am eager to work with all aspects of the law school, the university and with its amazing alumni to help the law school continue to grow and reach new heights.” Alexandre is currently serving as the associate dean for Faculty Development and Intellectual Life, professor of law, and the Leonard B. Melvin, Jr. Lecturer at the University of Mississippi School of Law. Her broad expertise and commitment to justice is evidenced in the organization of a biennial national conference on sustainability and social justice for poor populations in the rural South, occurring since 2011. Alexandre has experience that allows her to be laser-focused on excellence in legal education while leveraging Stetson’s commitment to the core aspects of the liberal arts. At the University of Mississippi, she chaired the
I am eager to work with all aspects of the law school, the university and with its amazing alumni to help the law school continue to grow and reach new heights. — Michèle Alexandre
“Dean Alexandre brings an extraordinary wealth of vision and expertise to this position,” said Painter. “Her work in civil rights and gender equity fit hand in glove with Stetson Law’s emphasis on social justice and global citizenship, and our ongoing work for veterans, the elderly and the environment.” “I am thrilled to join the Stetson family,” Alexandre remarked. “Stetson’s commitment to training global citi4
undergraduate Honors curriculum committee, led the Honors College faculty, and taught courses in the undergraduate international studies program. She has a J.D. from Harvard Law and was Colgate University’s first black valedictorian. “Michèle Alexandre will lead Stetson Law in educating the next generation of outstanding Stetson lawyers,” said Stetson University President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D. “She is the right person to affirm and build on our reputation for excellence.”
BRIEFS
KARLA DAVIS-JAMISON: STETSON LAW’S NEW ASSISTANT DEAN FOR STRATEGIC ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT BY BRANDI PALMER
“I
didn’t go to college thinking I’m going to be an admissions professional,” said Karla Davis-Jamison, the new assistant dean for strategic enrollment management at Stetson. “Instead, my career path just led me into law school admissions and enrollment management.” Assistant Dean Davis-Jamison was born in Gainesville, studied public relations at the University of Florida as an undergraduate, and has deep roots in the state. After graduating from UF, Davis-Jamison worked in public broadcasting in West Palm Beach and at an advertising agency in Fort Lauderdale before landing in admissions at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law.
I love helping prospective students find their way to law school.
Encouraged by colleagues, Davis-Jamison left FAMU Law to pursue a role at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Moving from Orlando, Florida, to Chicago, Illinois, in January was a great transition, with a different climate and new cultures. At ChicagoKent, Davis-Jamison said that she had an opportunity to design Karla Davis-Jamison creative programming and diversity initiatives for attracting prospective students.
— Karla Davis-Jamison Another opportunity, this time in graduate admissions at “I knew nothing about law school admissions and recruiting when I started,” Davis-Jamison explained. “I did know public relations, marketing and communications, so I leaned into those skills in my first admissions position, and it worked.” Davis-Jamison said she found her niche in law school admissions, where she discovered opportunities to counsel, advise, coach and offer guidance to prospective students who wanted to meet their career goals. She learned the legal industry working closely with the dean of the law school. From Nova Southeastern, Davis-Jamison moved to Florida A&M University College of Law, an HBCU in Orlando, where she established the admissions and financial aid office for the new law school. “I had a tremendous opportunity to work with underrepresented student groups,” said Davis-Jamison. “It was incredibly rewarding to see students who never saw law school as a possibility graduate and move into their careers.”
Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, provided a balance of challenge and professional opportunities for growth. “Medill gave me an opportunity to tap back into my PR and communications background while gaining some experience in graduate admissions and enrollment management.” After 12 years in Chicago, Davis-Jamison said that she was anxious to return to Florida. A colleague encouraged her to look at Stetson Law, which Davis-Jamison knew for its reputation for advocacy and legal writing. Digging deeper, she said she was impressed by Stetson’s diversity and social justice programs. “I was excited about an opportunity to be a part of that,” said Davis-Jamison. Still happily settling into her new office at Stetson Law, DavisJamison has begun looking at ways to get alumni more engaged with newly admitted students and sharing the Stetson legacy. “I love helping prospective students find their way to law school and I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to do that back in my home state, and here at Stetson,” said Davis-Jamison. 5
BRIEFS
STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW OPENS NEW VETERANS LAW INSTITUTE FACILITY IN GULFPORT BY BRANDI PALMER
O
n a beautiful fall day in Gulfport, Stetson Law cut the ribbon on its new Veterans Law Institute facility, housing its Veterans Advocacy Clinic, on the corner of 13th Ave. S. and 62nd St. S.
Stetson Law Interim Dean Kristen Adams introduced the program of speakers on Oct. 29, including Stetson University President
Wendy Libby, Chief Judge Robert Davis and Judge Michael Allen of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Department of Veterans Affairs Acting General Counsel Catherine Mitrano, Judge Raphael Steinhardt J.D. ’63, and Stetson Law student Robert Kilmartin. Stetson’s new veteran-friendly facility has lighting and environmental details designed to make the space accessible, inviting and comfortable for veteran clients and students. Stetson’s Veterans Advocacy Clinic provides complimentary legal assistance for veterans whose disability compensation claims were denied by the Department of Veterans Affairs. To date, Stetson has helped veterans recover more than $14 million in back and future payments. To learn more about the Veterans Law Institute and Veterans Advocacy Clinic, visit stetson.edu/law/veterans, call 727-5627324, or email veteranslaw@law.stetson.edu.
STETSON CELEBRATES SPRING SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET BY BRANDI PALMER
O
n Saturday, March 2, Stetson hosted the Spring Scholarship Banquet on the Gulfport campus.
Merhige Environmental Negotiation Competition, and a participant in the ABA Negotiation Competition. Simone Marstiller B.B.A. ’88, J.D. ’96, who has established the Diversity and Inclusion Endowed Scholarship at Stetson, addressed the banquet. Marstiller was recently appointed to be the secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice. She previously worked as of counsel with Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart P.A. in Tallahassee and Tampa. Before joining Gunster, Marstiller served as a judge with the First District Court of Appeal for six years, and as a high-level government leader. She was born in Liberia and grew up in St. Petersburg.
Interim Dean Kristen Adams introduced the program, featuring student scholarship recipient Alicia Winterkorn, recipient of the Carol R. Samuels Scholarship. “Tonight, we are here to celebrate both our remarkable students, and the generosity of the individuals whose dedication to philanthropy provides our students with critical scholarship opportunities,” said Dean Adams. Winterkorn is involved with the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, is vice president of communication for the Employment Law Association, a diplomat for Stetson’s international programs, and a member of the Wm. Reece Smith Jr. Litigation American Inn of Court. She was a champion in the William and Mary Negotiation Competition, a semi-finalist in the
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Dean Kristen Adams, 3L Student Alicia Winterkorn, Simone Marstiller B.B.A. ’88/J.D. ’96
Richard Harrison B.A. ’83/J.D. ’86, Ashley Hicks
BRIEFS
BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE UPDATES:
PROFESSOR GARDNER HELPS LAUNCH REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S WETLANDS
BY BRANDI PALMER
I
n October of 2018, in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, representatives from countries around the globe converged at the Ramsar Convention’s 13th Conference of the Parties. An intergovernmental treaty that promotes wetland conservation, the Ramsar Convention has 170 parties, including the United States and, most recently, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. A highlight of the gathering was the release of the Global Wetland Outlook, a comprehensive review of the state of the world’s wetlands. For the past six years, Professor Royal Gardner, director of Stetson’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, has served as chair of Ramsar’s Scientific and Technical Review Panel. The STRP is the treaty’s scientific advisory body, and it was tasked with producing the Global Wetland Outlook. Gardner was a lead coordinating author, along with Dr. Max Finlayson of Charles Sturt University in Australia. Gardner and Finlayson led a team of more than two dozen scientific and policy experts in developing the Global Wetland Outlook. The effort began with a meeting in Changshu, China, during the INTECOL International Wetlands Conference in September 2016. The report progressed through a series of meetings held at the Ramsar Secretariat in Switzerland and was reviewed by national representatives and anonymous scientific experts. As the Convention’s flagship publication, the Global Wetland Outlook was published in English, French and Spanish.
strengthening legal and policy arrangements; applying economic and financial incentives for communities and businesses; ensuring participation of all stakeholders in wetland management; and improving national wetland inventories and tracking wetland extent. In Dubai, countries were asked how they would use the Global Wetland Outlook, and the reaction was very positive. China pledged to translate the report into Mandarin and use it to promote a national no net loss policy. The Czech Republic stated that it would use the information to influence its agricultural policies and subsidies. Professor Gardner observed that the production of the Global Wetland Outlook was “truly a team effort, involving individual
Photo by IISD/Francis Dejon (enb.iisd.org/ramsar/cop13/23oct.html)
The report found that since 1970, where data are available, the world has lost approximately 35 percent of its wetlands. While the area of human-made wetlands has increased, it has not kept up with the decline in natural wetlands. Consequently, a quarter of wetland-dependent species is at risk of extinction. The decline in wetlands also results in a loss of benefits to people, including flood control, water purification, food production, and carbon sequestration. The Global Wetland Outlook offered response actions for governments, the private sector, organizations, and individuals. These include enhancing the network of wetland protected areas;
experts from around the world with the support of the Ramsar Secretariat.” He also noted key contributions from two Stetson Law alumnae: Foreman Biodiversity Fellow Erin Okuno J.D. ’13 was on the author team and Marcela Bonells J.D. ’12 provided outstanding assistance as the Ramsar Secretariat’s scientific support officer. Gardner said he views the Global Wetland Outlook as a fitting capstone to his two terms as STRP chair. 7
BRIEFS
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH DIVERSITY: STETSON STUDENTS VOLUNTEER IN HONDURAS PHOTOS AND STORY BY SY-WOEI HAO
A
t the close of the fall semester, winter break is thoroughly welcomed by students across all
(Top left to right) Luis Aleman, George Thurlow, Wilma Metcalf, Avram Scarlett, Sy-Woei Hao, Robert Vanderpool, Paul Bailey, Daniela Gomez; (Bottom left to right) Miranda Margolis, Miles Sanchez, Destiny Rawls, Jake Black, Lauren Stagner
levels. But this January, 13 Stetson Law students traveled to Honduras as part of Stetson’s first student-led international pro bono initiative. Partnering with Global Brigades, Stetson’s Legal Empowerment Brigade was born. During the seven-day journey abroad, students worked closely with Honduran lawyers and translators in legal clinics, community client counseling, and adult and child educational workshops on international human rights and legal rights. The Legal Empowerment Brigade aims to empower students to advocate for closing the justice gap on an international stage,
Lauren Stagner (left); Miles Sanchez (right) child educational workshop
while learning and embracing the power of diversity.
SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT Q&A BY JAKOB BRAUN
8
Q: What is your favorite place to study on campus and why? A: My favorite place to study on campus is probably unconventional but it’s a great spot! During exam period, I get up early and head to SC-201, the big conference room on the second floor of the student center. It’s a great space to spread out and has a giant whiteboard that I use every day because I am an extremely visual learner. It’s definitely a hidden gem on campus. Taylor Kennedy
Q: What is your favorite place to study on campus and why? A: After being inside a classroom all day, I like doing my coursework outside. One of my favorite spots to study is in the courtyard, behind the Mann Lounge. There is always a nice breeze and just the right amount of shade from the trees. The Emilia Soliman area is secluded and there are barely any people when I’m there. Being outside helps me relax.
Q: Do you have any study habits or rituals that you rely on before your exams? Do you have a favorite librarian? A: I will share my secret: plenty of rest and hydration - at least two days before an exam - is key to ensuring my neurotransmitters are performing at peak efficiency come exam day. It doesn’t hurt to throw in an aerobic spin class to enhance long-term memory retention. Due to the sincere Alexis Deveaux personal interest and consideration she has shown me, my favorite librarian is Sally Waters. Bonding with her over six-ring stationary and fountain pens will forever be one of my favorite memories in the library.
Q: Do you have a favorite past professor, class or librarian and why? A: My favorite professor is Professor Morrissey because I love his teaching style. He doesn’t just lecture or call on students, but he brings into his class real-life current event examples, and it really boosts my understanding of the materials. He calls it trying to make law classes “spicy,” and that style helps me understand the class as a whole. Jenna Jordan
BRIEFS
STETSON LAW PROFESSORS LEADING IN LEGAL WRITING BY BRANDI PALMER
T
hree seems to be the lucky number for Stetson legal writing this year. In addition to being ranked No. 3 for legal writing in the nation, Stetson is in the unique position of having three of its faculty holding high-profile national leadership positions. Professor Anne Mullins is president of the Association of Legal Writing Directors, Jason Palmer was elected treasurer of the board of directors of the Legal Writing Institute, and Dr. Kirsten Davis was also elected to the board of directors of the Legal Writing Institute. Dr. Davis is also serving as interim dean for student affairs, in addition to her role as professor of law and director of the Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication. “Serving as interim assistant dean is a great reminder that learning to be a ‘Stetson Lawyer’ is happening all the time, everywhere, on the campus,” said Dr. Davis. “As faculty and staff, we have tremendous opportunities to shape the professional identities of our students both in and outside of the classroom.” Dr. Davis is planning for a new series of Institute-sponsored lawyer communication training sessions. The Institute is also hosting nationally recognized Generation Z expert, Dr. Corey Seemiller, to lead a conversation with faculty and staff about working with Generation Z.
As faculty and staff, we have tremendous opportunities to shape the professional identities of our students both in and outside of the classroom. — Dr. Kirsten Davis Professor Jason Palmer’s leadership engagement with the Legal Writing Institute began when he was invited to co-chair the Legal Writing Institute’s Biennial Conference in Portland, Oregon. While co-chairing the Biennial Conference, he was elected by his peers to the LWI board. After serving two years as a board member, Professor Palmer was elected LWI treasurer. His new role as treasurer involves developing the two-year budget and working with LWI committees and the Applied Legal Storytelling Conference to develop and manage their budgets and fiscal responsibilities. Professor Palmer said that as a board member and LWI treasurer he is focused on building more service-oriented engagement
(L-R): Professor Anne Mullins, Dr. Kirsten Davis, Professor Jason Palmer.
among members. He actively supports LWI efforts to promote a virtual water cooler concept, in which members read and discuss articles online and build the discipline through scholarship. He also served as an editor for the Journal of Legal Writing and the LWI Monograph Series. Professor Palmer has written two law review articles this year, one on separation of powers and access to the courts and one on emotional intelligence and homophobia. He is also authoring a book on Reparations in Domestic and International Mass Claims Processes and revising a textbook on International Litigation and Arbitration. He is in his fourth year co-editing the ABA Section of International Law’s Year in Review. Professor Anne Mullins’ enthusiasm about legal writing is palpable. “This is my calling,” said Professor Mullins. New to Stetson from University of North Dakota School of Law, Mullins was drawn to Stetson’s program because the law school dedicates real resources to fundamental skills education. At North Dakota, Mullins was a standout, honored as Law School Teacher of the Year and with the university-wide Excellence in Teaching award. Her love for mentoring junior lawyers is what drew Mullins away from a legal career in complex commercial litigation into academia. At Stetson for only two semesters, Mullins has distinguished herself as president-elect of ALWD, one of the largest national legal writing professional organizations. She is also chairing ALWD’s upcoming biennial conference, “A Time for Transformative Leadership: Teaching and Learning.” This summer, Mullins will co-author Florida Legal Research for the next academic year. She is writing an opinion for the Feminist Judgments Project, working on two law review articles: on legal reasoning in an age of alternative facts and cognitive emotion in the law. She recently presented at law review symposia at Wake Forest and Washburn. 9
BRIEFS
FALL 2018/ SPRING 2019 ADVOCACY UPDATES
L-R: Tony Castro, Kaile Bennett, George Hiller, Valeria Villaverde, Grace Kobitter, Hannah Yoder.
(L-R): Jenna Jordan, Haviland Kebler, and Professor Erika McArdle.
(L-R): Omar Amin, Professor Stephanie Vaughan, Alex Busvek, Matt Ceriale, Ryan Dwyer, Professor Erika McArdle, Clare McQueen, and Kyle McCabe.
(L-R): Alex Spadaro and Grace Kobitter.
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Dispute Resolution
Moot Court
Stetson University College of Law’s Dispute Resolution Board won the William & Mary Law School Negotiation Tournament for the third year in a row. Stetson Law students George Hiller and Valeria Villaverde won the competition on Nov. 4, 2018, and Villaverde was also named Best Overall Advocate.
The Stetson team of Madison Wahler, Deanna Cipriano and James Nealon won the Leroy R. Hassell National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition at Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Oct. 6, 2018. Nealon also won the fourth best oralist award in the preliminary round.
The Stetson University College of Law Dispute Resolution Board team of Jenna Jordan and Haviland Kebler competed and Kebler won the National Mediator Competition at the University of Houston Law Center in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 13, 2018.
Trial Team
Stetson University College of Law’s Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration team won the Richard DeWitt Memorial Vis Pre-Moot for the second year in a row in Miami on Feb. 23. The pre-moot prepares students for the international Vis competition in Vienna, Austria, on April 12-18. The Stetson Law team of Omar Amin, Alexander Busvek, Matt Ceriale, Ryan Dwyer, Kyle McCabe, and Clare McQueen won first place overall, Ceriale was awarded best overall oralist, and Busvek was named third best oralist in the competition. The Stetson University College of Law team of Grace Kobitter and Alex Spadaro won the regional Client Counseling Competition on Feb. 9 at the John Marshall School of Law in Chicago. The team advances to the national Client Counseling Competition at Baylor Law in March.
Stetson University College of Law won the regional American Association of Justice trial competition in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 1. The winning Stetson Law team of Dana Baker, Mary Katherine Bleckley, JJ Meyer and Ariana Seiler advances to the national AAJ competition in Philadelphia on April 11-14. A second team of Stetson students advanced to the semi-finals. The Stetson University College of Law team of John Kimbrough, Sara Papantonio and Madeline Pendley won the regional rounds of the National Trial Competition in Tallahassee, Florida, on Feb. 3, and head to the national finals in San Antonio, Texas, on March 27-31. Stetson Law has won the National Trial Competition five times. The Stetson University College of Law team of Elise Engle, LaMark McGreen, Grace Samarkos and Megan Tiralosi won the Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition on Jan. 23-25 in Tampa, Florida. This year, Stetson won the competition for the 23rd time in 37 years. A Stetson team won the inaugural Chester Bedell competition in 1983.
(L-R): Deanna Cipriano, James Nealon, and Madison Wahler. Photo courtesy Professor Brooke Bowman.
(L-R): (Back row) Forest Sutton, Megan McGinn, JJ Meyer, Sam Powers (front row) Dana Baker, Ariana Seiler, Kelli Motes, Mary Katherine Bleckley, and alumna Kaitlyn Dugas.
(L-R): Sara Papantonio, John Kimbrough and Madeline Pendley.
(L-R): Elise Engle, Grace Samarkos, LaMark McGreen, Megan Tiralosi, and coach Lara Breslow.
BRIEFS
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
WRITING WITH A J.D.
B Y TAY L O R A L LY N Professor James Sheehan J.D. ’77 teaches at Stetson Law and is the author of four published fiction novels. Drawing upon personal experience and real cases, Sheehan creates tales of murder and mayhem that work to humanize both those accused of committing a crime and the attorneys representing them. As a former civil litigator, he was tasked with representing people every day who put their lives in his hands and wants to bring fresh perspective to those whose lives are on the line. By taking the time to flesh out three-dimensional, sympathetic, realistic characters, Sheehan crafts stories that urge the reader to think critically about crime, context, and capital punishment. Sheehan began writing to deal with the stress of practicing law and sees it as his creative outlet. He urges anyone who wants to write to do it for their own self-satisfaction. “When you have something you enjoy doing,” Sheehan said, “you find the time to do it.” Matt Towery J.D. ’87 is a former Georgia state representative, political analyst, and current corporate strategist, blending his legal expertise with years of experience as a corporate CEO. Towery’s diverse background has allowed him to tackle many kinds of writing throughout his career, from general news columns to political commentary. His latest book, Newsvesting, is based on a formula he created to measure how news impacts the stock market. Towery never let his political background affect his writing, instead seeking to write only what made sense. He credits his legal education with instilling this neutrality in him, allowing him to see issues from both sides and to analyze them in a methodical, measured way. Towery’s advice to writers: Write because you have a passion, not because you want to make money. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people.
Christine Platt J.D. ’05 is a historian and former environmental policy advisor turned children’s book author. Her most recent publications are a series of children’s books centered around the African-American experience. After struggling to find books for her daughter, Platt discovered a startling lack of literature written for and about African-American children. She said that she wants to write books for children that operate as both a window and a mirror—shining a light on a particular experience while depicting characters and events that are often intensely familiar to the reader. Platt said that her legal career and education gave her the thick skin and appreciation of constructive criticism that help writers excel in the harsh world of publishing. She encouraged prospective writers to keep at it and to believe in their writing and story. Nora Bergman J.D. ’92 is a business coach for attorneys and the former executive director of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. Her most recent book, 50 Lessons for Women Lawyers from Women Lawyers, comes out in May and is what Bergman calls “one of the most fulfilling projects of [her] career.” Driven by her own experience as a woman in law, the book combines the knowledge of nearly 50 women lawyers and functions as a platform for these women to share what they have learned working in such a male-dominated sphere. Bergman said that she wants to share stories of success in the face of adversity and provide lessons that are relatable on both a personal and professional level. Bergman stressed that there is no such thing as time management, only self-management. If writing is something you want to do, don’t be dissuaded by the time it takes. She urged aspiring writers to reach out for support. 11
F E AT U R E
THESE STETSON WOMEN PROVED THEY
BELONGED IN LAW BY CURTIS KRUEGER
M
ore than half the students at Stetson University College of Law are women, and this has been true for more than a decade.
she has been closely associated with the Stetson legal community as a friend, supporter, board of overseer member and inductee into the Stetson Law Hall of Fame.
But some pioneering lawyers from Stetson remember a far different time.
Stetson, which is Florida’s first law school, also holds the distinction of having the state’s first female law school graduate, in 1908. That didn’t make it a common occurrence. As Luke puts it, female lawyers did exist in the 1960s, but they were “as rare as hen’s teeth.”
Eunice Luke, for example, graduated from Stetson Law in 1966. She was talking not long ago to some younger female lawyers in Atlanta and, “They couldn’t get their head around the fact that I was the only woman in my class… I said ‘You know, I was it.’ ” But when Luke visited the Stetson campus a few years ago for her 50th reunion, she was the one trying to get her head wrapped around what she saw. “I looked around the campus and there are all these women all over the place. And I’m thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so different.’ ”
“But all the women graduated,” she said of the six in her class.
Luke and other women in the Stetson Law community were trailblazers, even if they don’t often use such words about themselves. They can remember the people — sometimes their own classmates — who didn’t believe they belonged in law school. They can remember the skeptical looks they received in their first job interviews, in spite of their newly minted Stetson diplomas.
Elizabeth Kovachevich
But looking back at the careers of these women, a common thread emerges: success. Against all odds, they made an impact — not just on Stetson, but on the legal profession as a whole. There’s Elizabeth Kovachevich, who graduated from Stetson Law in 1961 and went on to become a U.S. District Court judge for the Middle District of Florida. There’s Carol W. Hunstein, who graduated in 1976 and went on to become chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. There’s Luke, who graduated from Stetson, went on to a career in the federal government, and then established a scholarship to help other Stetson students. And there’s Peggy A. Quince, the first African-American woman to become chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Although she received her law degree from the Catholic University of America, 12
When Hunstein enrolled in the 1970s, she was one of six female law students — the largest number of any class in Stetson Law history up to that point. “We were sort of an oddity. The men frankly thought we were there to marry a lawyer.” The men also could be heard grading the women by appearance, on a scale of 1 to 10.
Kovachevich recalls what she terms “the Stetson shuffle.” When a female student presented in class, “the fellows in the class would shuffle their feet and make that noise, like you’re on your way out of here.” She said, “It wasn’t a very pleasant experience and I for the first time in my life experienced discrimination, and it was gender discrimination.” In spite of the slights, these women persevered, each believing they had to Carol Hunstein make the most of their opportunity. Kovachevich’s grandfather, an immigrant from Croatia, had urged her to study the law because of his deep love for the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. She wanted to honor his wish. Hunstein first thought of going into law after a college aptitude test suggested she would excel in a legal or military career. Once in law school, she was determined to succeed. “It was so important to me to have this opportunity, something that I never dreamed would be available to me.” She was the first in her family to graduate from college. For these women, earning a law degree was a huge accomplishment, just as it is today. They knew that after passing the bar exam, they could reach out to any law office and seek a job.
That didn’t mean anyone would listen.
any time he could rule against me he would.”
Luke said some law firms simply ignored her applications. One lawyer asked how many children she intended to have. It took her by surprise. All she managed to blurt out was, “I’m not even engaged.”
But this judge gave her inspiration once she realized, “I could be a better judge than he was. That was the motivation for me running for a Superior Court judgeship in DeKalb County.”
When she realized the federal government was more equitable and paid men and women the same, she applied. She was hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and worked there for 34 years. Kovachevich became a sole practitioner, and “I specialized in anything that walked through the door.” She liked appearing in court, although she adds, “I never in my wildest dreams ever aspired to be a jurist.” But after she was appointed by Florida Gov. Claude Kirk to serve on the Board of Regents, friends told her she should run for office. She set her sights on a circuit judgeship.
With help from friends who knew how to run a good campaign, she was elected in 1984. She eventually applied to be named to the Georgia Supreme Court. Then-Gov. Zell Miller appointed someone else — a woman — and conventional wisdom was that two women would not be appointed to the high court in a row. But a friend encouraged her to apply again anyway, and Miller did appoint her. When she got the call, she said, “There was just this flood of emotion. I was just so grateful to have that opportunity. I still call him my governor.” All these women showed the acumen and grit to succeed. And all say Stetson has been an important part of their story.
“There was not any support from the local Bar, even though I was secretary of the (St. Petersburg) Bar Association… But here again when a woman had the audacity to offer herself for public service, wow, that wasn’t acceptable.”
“Without an excellent education, with all the challenges academically and professionally, where would I be?” Hunstein said. “They were there for me and they gave me the foundation to become a good lawyer, a good judge and really honor the law.”
But Kovachevich was successful, winning election as the first female judge in Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit. President Ronald Reagan appointed her as a U.S. district judge in 1982. She is Eunice Luke now a senior judge in Florida’s Middle District. After more than four decades on the bench, she feels she has been exactly in the right place.
Luke, the retired USDA attorney, established a scholarship because she received one in her third year at Stetson Law that was crucial to helping her finish school. She wanted to make sure others would have the same opportunity. The scholarship is open to women and men.
“I just had the feeling that this was what I was meant to do… I have a firm religious belief in God and I felt that this is what God wanted me to do. And I’ve tried to do it to the best of my ability,” Kovachevich said. Hunstein, who had managed to make it through law school as a single parent, began her job search in Georgia. “I couldn’t get a job searching titles. That’s true.” But a program in Fulton County allowed attorneys to come to the Atlanta jail on Mondays and be assigned misdemeanor cases, which needed to be resolved by the end of the week. “After which you would be paid $50,” she recalled. “And that’s slowly how I built my practice.” She handled litigation, criminal defense, domestic relations and more. “I loved being in the courtroom,” she said. She said she was generally treated well by fellow attorneys and by juries, but sometimes found judges could be surprisingly condescending. She remembers one in particular. “He was absolutely horrible to me. He called me ‘little lady’ and
Peggy Quince
Kovachevich has given back much to Stetson also, through an extensive judicial internship program in the federal court. Quince says that while she did not attend Stetson Law, “The law school was and is important to me because it was a part of the legal community that I was also a part of.” “I don’t necessarily consider myself a pioneer,” she said, but she strongly believes in the value of women and minorities having the opportunity to succeed in areas once closed to them. Therefore, she said in an email interview, “I take pride in the fact that I was the first African American female to be appointed to both a district court of appeal and the Florida Supreme Court. It was also an honor and a privilege to be the first African American female to head a Florida branch of government when I was the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court.” Yes, she said, these “firsts” were important to her. But what she really hopes is for them to be an inspiration to others. “I hope that young people will look on these accomplishments as a chance to say ‘I can do this too and more’.” 13
D I D YO U K N OW?
PIONEERING STETSON WOMEN THE FIRST WOMAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE ADMITTED TO PRACTICE IN FLORIDA WAS A STETSON LAW GRADUATE:
MARY STEWART
1900
BETWEEN 1900-1930, STETSON WAS THE ONLY LAW SCHOOL IN FLORIDA TO ADMIT AND GRADUATE WOMEN LAWYERS.
SHE WAS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE BY THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT ON JUNE 20, 1908. SHE WAS ALSO THE FIRST FEMALE GRADUATE OF STETSON LAW.
2.7
%
WHEN PROFESSOR OF LAW EMERITA RUTH THURMAN EARNED HER LAW DEGREE FROM STETSON IN 1963, ONLY 2.7 PERCENT OF THE NATION’S LAWYERS WERE WOMEN.
PROFESSOR ELIZABETH LEEMAN WAS THE FIRST WOMAN LAWYER APPOINTED TO THE STETSON LAW FACULTY (IN 1970).
12TH DEAN
IN 1994, DEAN EMERITA AND PROFESSOR OF LAW LIZABETH MOODY WAS APPOINTED STETSON LAW’S 12TH DEAN. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD THE POST.
PROFESSOR DOROTHEA BEANE WAS THE FIRST TENURED MINORITY LAW PROFESSOR AT STETSON LAW. Facts courtesy Florida’s First Law School, by Michael I. Swygert and W. Gary Vause 14
1930
PROFESSOR LUZ NAGLE WAS THE FIRST TENURED HISPANIC LAW PROFESSOR AT STETSON LAW.
ALUMNI SUCCESS
S T E T S O N L AW Y E R
ALUMNI SUCCESS STORIES
BRAD KAUFMAN J.D. ’86 B Y K AT H RY N B O N T I
B
rad Kaufman J.D. ’86, a first generation college graduate, never imagined when he sat in his first class at Stetson Law that one day he would end up becoming one of the most recognized and respected legal professionals in the nation. His only dream at the time was to become the next Perry Mason. But fast-forward 33 years, and one can now find Kaufman traveling from city to city, working on some of the largest securities cases in the nation and abroad, humbly serving in his role as co-president for Greenberg Traurig, one of the nation’s largest law firms. “I grew up in Florida and always knew I wanted to go to law school. I just really didn’t know much about law firms, how they worked, or how the industry worked. All I thought I wanted to do was become a prosecutor.” Kaufman realized early on his talent for advocacy and grit for big law life. He finished his first year at the top of his class with a clerkship at one of the most coveted law firms at the time, Fowler White. Kaufman went on from there, navigating the legal market, graduating with a job offer at Gunster for their Palm Beach County office. Kaufman met his wife, Jill, three days before his first class at Stetson. The two met at the school’s bookstore and started dating in their third year, a couple of months before graduation. The two now have three children. Kaufman eventually was recruited by Steel Hector, or “the Steel,” as many young lawyers referred to it at the time, a law firm that was known to not hire Stetson grads. But to Kaufman, it was his opportunity to prove that he belonged and in 1992, he ended up making partner. Six years later, Greenberg Traurig and Kaufman crossed paths and Kaufman made the decision to move firms. He brought his entire 20-person team, from secretaries to paralegals to fellow associates, with him when he made the move. The team, even 20 years later, that Kaufman credits with his success is still with him. “Find what you are not good at and hire people who are. You will never be great at everything. You can be great at some of it. But find people who will make up for your weaknesses. That is
how you will be better,” said Kaufman. Kaufman, in his role at Greenberg Traurig, also serves as the global hiring partner and chairman of professional development. Outside of his leadership positions, Kaufman is still highly involved in the day-today legal practice. His list of career highlights could go on and on, from representing O.J. Brad Kaufman Simpson’s attorney, F. Lee Bailey, on ethical violations, to winning a two-billion dollar case involving the president of Morgan Stanley. But the one that has meant the most to him involves his mother and father, who were able to stand on the steps of the Supreme Court with their son right before he was to argue in front of the highest court in the nation, defending a national figure, Ken Starr. Kaufman may not have won the case, but looks back to the day with fondness, remembering just how proud he was to share the day with his parents, who had loved and supported him throughout his entire academic and professional career. Kaufman is currently working on a securities case based in London, involving Barclays Bank. The work is hard, Kaufman notes, but rewarding. Although Kaufman may not have envisioned himself ending up here, it is evident from his continued dedication to the betterment of the legal community that he was always destined to be a lawyer, a lawyer of whom even Perry Mason would have been proud.
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ALUMNI SUCCESS
JUDGE ANTHONY H. JOHNSON J.D. ’80 BY SARAH SHIRLEY
“I
am not wealthy. I am a retired public servant, but I have everything that I need,” said book author Judge Anthony H. Johnson J.D. ’80. Judge Johnson writes about his experiences as a Marine who served in Vietnam. He recently dedicated the proceeds of one of his novels, Ambush at the Waterfall: Marines in Vietnam, to a scholarship for veterans at Stetson. “My motivation for writing was not financial. I wanted to record the stories for history to tell about that war to future generations, in honor of the men I served with.” Ambush at the Waterfall is dedicated to the Marines and Navy Corpsman killed in action near a waterfall on May 29, 1968. Johnson said that the proceeds from his Vietnam stories seemed like a logical way to help the scholarship for Stetson students towards endowment.
“Veterans’ educational benefits are very helpful, but they do have limits,” said Johnson. “It is often necessary for students to take time away from their studies to engage in outside employment in order to afford Stetson. Scholarship support helps relieve students of that burden and allows them to concentrate on their legal education.” Johnson enlisted in the Marines at the age of 17. What he said he learned in Marine training was that when you think you are done, you really have about 50 percent left in a reserve that you never thought that you had. A person can do a lot more than they think they can, said Johnson, and sometimes you must reach down into that reserve to get that extra push. After serving as a Marine, Johnson continued his career as a police officer, deputy sheriff, secret service agent, and prosecutor. In his third year after law school, Johnson saw an opportunity to continue public service on the bench and was elected county judge in
16
Orange County, Florida. After 29 years, Johnson stepped down from the circuit court bench and assumed senior judge status. Today, Johnson enjoys flying a small airplane that was used by the U.S. Army in World War II and is active in the St. Petersburg chapter of the experimental aircraft association. Johnson also
My motivation for writing was not financial. I wanted to record the stories for history to tell about that war to future generations, in honor of the men I served with.” — Judge Anthony H. Johnson J.D. ’80 participates in local sailing events with his boat “Magic Dragon” and travels regularly. Additionally, Johnson recently spent a week in Martinique conducting research for a historical novel about privateers and smugglers in colonial America. Johnson’s biggest passion is providing pro bono legal services to deployed troops. “We must fight for those people who fight for us,” said Johnson. Years ago, when a large number of troops were deployed to hostile fire zones in the Middle East, Johnson started a nonprofit organization that provided pro bono legal service to deployed troops. Many military members are unable to afford legal counsel and the military does not provide that service. Johnson wanted to relieve military members from the distraction and worry of legal issues that arose during their service. “If you are a 19-year-old Marine or soldier walking through a minefield in Afghanistan, you need to concentrate on what you are doing, not worry about your car being repossessed or a child custody issue,” said Johnson. “While many of those legal issues are small and easily handled, they result in high stress to the service member involved.” To learn more about books by Johnson, visit www.anthonyhjohnson.com.
ALUMNI SUCCESS
INTRODUCING THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE STETSON LAWYERS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:
AMY RIGDON B.A. ’05, J.D. ’08
B Y M O L LY K A E L I N
A
my Rigdon, a Double Hatter, graduated from Stetson University in 2005 and Stetson Law in 2008. Rigdon said that she always knew she wanted to go to law school. The culture and connections she encountered as an undergraduate made Stetson Law a clear choice for her. While at Stetson Law, she became a research assistant for both professors Ellen Podgor and Paul Boudreaux. She recalls both as great resources and very thoughtful people. She said that her fondest memories of law school consist of the supportive, dedicated people in her 1L study group. Her interests at the time were litigation and real estate law. She describes Stetson Law as “a place where someone can thrive,” and thrive she did. In addition to becoming a research assistant, Rigdon became editor-in-chief of the Stetson Law Review. Through on campus recruitment, she became a law clerk at Holland and Knight. It was here that Rigdon’s focus shifted to corporate law. She later accepted an associate position at Holland and Knight upon graduation.
We need to find the balance where technology is beneficial and not a weapon. Setting personal boundaries is very important. — Amy Rigdon B.A. ’05 J.D. ’08 Rigdon worked for Holland and Knight for six years. After seeing her performance at Holland and Knight as opposing counsel, Latham and Watkins offered her a position as an investment funds associate in Washington, D.C. She accepted and has worked with Latham and Watkins for almost five years. Her favorite aspect of being an investment funds associate is that it is the perfect blend of constitutional law, tax law and negotiation. She and her team are constantly watching Congress for new tax and regulatory reforms.
When speaking about her strong team of attorneys, she offers sage advice: “Find good people to practice with. The people are as important or more important than your practice.” She enjoys the long-term relationships that she develops with her clients and is passionate about her work. Rigdon was named a Rising Star in Securities & Corporate Finance by Washington D.C. SuperLawyers in 2018. In addition to practicing high-level corporate law, Rigdon is also committed to building the Stetson community. President of the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association, she is planning to broaden the visibility of the alumni network. The plan is to create a board of a dozen or so alumni from all over the world who will act as an interface with the university to add to the alumni prospective. Board members would serve a two-year term forming short- and long-term goals aimed at strengthening our network. Having a stronger community will allow alumni to develop authentic connections with each other and students through thoughtful engagement. Strengthening our community will strengthen us as lawyers as well. Rigdon pointed to the practice of law as an industry as being the main issue lawyers face today. Technology has changed the practice. “We need to find the balance where technology is beneficial and not a weapon,” she said. “Setting personal boundaries is very important.” Rigdon finds her own work-life balance through travel and dining with her husband. One of her main focuses while co-chairing a women lawyers group at her firm was mental health–specifically, how to find your ideal work-life balance. Further, she commends the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division for its role in helping to remove stigmas surrounding mental health in law.
17
BY THE NUMBERS
PAYING IT FORWARD WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 90 DONOR-FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS.
22 OF THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED WITHIN JUST THE PAST THREE YEARS. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE DONOR-SUPPORTED SCHOLARSHIPS, STUDENTS ALSO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP AID FROM GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO THE STETSON LAW GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND, AS WELL AS OPERATING BUDGET FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
18
BY THE NUMBERS
STETSON LAW RANKED BEST SCHOOL FOR TRIAL ADVOCACY IN THE U.S. FOR THE 21ST TIME BY BRANDI PALMER
F
or the 21st time, Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, is ranked the No. 1 school for Trial Advocacy in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report. Stetson is ranked No. 3 for Legal Writing, and is consistently among the top six programs for legal writing. Stetson Law is ranked among the top third of all programs in the U.S. for Dispute Resolution by U.S. News. In 2018, for the first time in its 17-year history, Stetson’s Dispute Resolution Board achieved a perfect four-for-four record of advancing to nationals in all four dispute resolution competitions sponsored by the ABA. More information about Stetson’s nationally top distinguished specialty programs is available online at www.stetson.edu/law/advocacy and www.stetson.edu/ law/academics/lrw. For more information on the U.S. News 2020 “Best Grad Schools,” visit www.usnews.com/grad.
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EVENTS
S T E T S O N
L AW Y E R
EVENTS Jim Terrell B.S. ’64, J.D. ’67 and Bob Riegel B.S. ’78, J.D. ’81 on the steps of the United States Supreme Court after the swearing-in ceremony.
Jim Terrell B.S. ’64, J.D. ’67, Eunice Luke J.D. ’66, Bob Riegel B.S. ’78, J.D. ’81, The Honorable Tangela Barrie J.D. ’97, Dean Kristen Adams, Lori Baggett J.D. ’02, Ahmad Yakzan B.A. ’03, M.B.A. ’05, J.D. ’08, LL.M. ’09, and Nathan Hatcher J.D. ’08 pose for a photo before being sworn in at the United States Supreme Court.
Eric Page J.D. ’04 welcomes guests at the Tampa Bay Alumni Chapter reception he hosted at Shutts & Bowen.
Tallahassee Alumni Chapter Holiday Party Alyssa Cory J.D. ’15, Angela Chiang J.D. ’15 and Stephanie Cuello J.D. ’16
20
EVENTS
Tallahassee Alumni Chapter Holiday Party – Event hosts Tom Adams J.D. ’14 and Lee Page J.D. ’15
Tallahassee Alumni Chapter Holiday Party - Amber Williams J.D. ’96, E. Alan Brock J.D. ’17, LL.M. ’18, and Taofikat Ninalowo J.D. ’18
Central Florida Alumni Chapter Reception at Ace Cafe - Genevieve Vasatka J.D. ’14 and Bruce Epple J.D. ’80
Central Florida Alumni Chapter Reception at Ace Cafe Stephanie Palacios J.D. ’12, Catherine Hollis J.D. ’11, Tiffany Colbert J.D. ’11, Wynne McFarlin J.D. ’89 and Sylvia Grunor J.D. ’89 Central Florida Alumni Chapter Reception at Ace Cafe Prineet Sharma J.D. ’98 and Richard Weinman J.D. ’99
21
EVENTS
Alumni Holiday Open House Tim McFadden J.D. ’90 and David DelVecchio J.D. ’91
Central Florida Alumni Chapter Reception at Ace Cafe - Carmen Johnson J.D. ’12, Associate Director for Admissions and Diversity Initiatives; KateLynn Dunwell J.D. / LL.M. ’15; and Danny Kavanaugh J.D. ’16
Alumni Holiday Open House The Honorable John Lenderman J.D. ’69 and his wife, Candy Lenderman
Alumni Holiday Open House Jahanna Azarian J.D. ’18, Kayli Keough J.D. ’16 and Courtney Oliver J.D. ’17 Alumni Holiday Open House Professor Stephanie Vaughan J.D. ’91, Howard Williams J.D. ’12, and Carmen Johnson J.D. ’12, Associate Director for Admissions and Diversity Initiatives
22
EVENTS
Alumni Holiday Open House John Wolfe J.D. ’73 and his wife, Gretchen Wolfe
Alumni Holiday Open House - Stanton Fears J.D. ’15, Debbie Swink, Senior Development Officer; and Kristine Rudzik J.D. ’16 Alumni Holiday Open House Joann Burnett J.D. ’08, Associate Director of Career and Professional Development and Regina Kardash J.D. ’07
Alumni Holiday Open House Lindsey Sheppy J.D. ’16 and Ira Berman J.D. ’76
Alumni Holiday Open House Jonathan Hart J.D. ’14, Alexandria Nicodemi J.D. ’16 and Christian Romaguera J.D. ’17
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F A C U LT Y F O R U M
S T E T S O N L AW Y E R
FACULTY FORUM January – February 2019
LINDA ANDERSON,
Professor of Law, attended the first joint LSAC/NBE conference on testing and assessments.
ANDREW APPLEBY,
Assistant Professor of Law, co-authored “Substantive and Enforcement Jurisdiction In a Post-Wayfair World,” which was published in State Tax Notes.
MARK BAUER,
Professor of Law, was selected as speaker by the fall graduating class of 2018, and presented the keynote remarks at the class’s December graduation celebration. Professor Bauer attended the AALS annual meeting where he was elected to the commercial and related consumer law section executive board. He completed two book chapters on bankruptcy in context and an article, “Antitrust by Design.”
DOROTHEA A. BEANE,
Professor of Law, was elected vice-chairman of the Code Enforcement Board for the City of St Petersburg, Florida. She was also elected vicepresident of the American Caribbean Law Initiative. The Tampa Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, at a reception held recognizing “Hidden Figures” honoring Legal Trailblazers of Tampa Bay, recognized Professor Beane as the first tenured African-American professor 24
of law at Stetson. Professor Beane facilitated the meeting of the ACLI at the Tampa Law Center on Nov. 9, bringing American and Caribbean faculty and students together to work towards solving legal problems. Stetson LL.M. and J.D. students participated in the three-day event with four international law school deans.
PAUL BOUDREAUX,
Professor of Law, edited volume 22 of the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy and worked on a book about law and America’s changing suburbs. Professor Boudreaux also volunteered for a number of environmental organizations during his Fall 2018 sabbatical. He spoke on the idea of “species” at the January 2019 American Association of Law Schools Annual Meeting in New Orleans. While there, he also moderated a panel on land use law’s response to rising seas and coastal flooding. He also presented a paper at an environmental law works-inprogress session.
BROOKE J. BOWMAN,
Professor of Law; Director of Finances, Advocacy Boards; Director, Moot Court Board; Interim Director of the Law Library, hosted the Fifth Annual Chief Justice First-Year Oral Argument Competition. Professor Bowman also presented, “But I am Bashful . . . How to be Happy, and Not Grumpy, During Oral
Arguments,” at two Legal Writing Institute One-Day Workshops—at the University of Akron School of Law and at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Professor Bowman was recently invited to join the board of editors of Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research & Writing, established in 1992 by West Publishing, now Thomson Reuters.
CHRISTINE E. CERNIGLIA,
Assistant Professor of Law, and Director of Clinical and Experiential Education, organized and moderated a national roundtable webinar entitled “A Teaching Roundtable: Building Foundations for Practice in Law School,” hosted by the Institute for the Advancement of American Legal Systems in September. In October, she co-presented at the Southern Regional Clinical Conference hosted at the University of South Carolina on Implicit Bias in the Externship Setting. Professor Cerniglia and two other colleagues also co-presented separate CLEs dedicated to lawyer supervisors in externship and clinic programs to help build community and provide training for those mentoring students in the field. Professor Cerniglia’s article entitled “Creative Initiatives at U.S. Law Schools” was republished in Fall 2018 and made SSRN’s top ten downloaded legal education scholarship list. In response to Hurricane
Michael, Professor Cerniglia participated in weekly disaster phone calls hosted by the ABA YLD Disaster Committee and the Florida Bar. Stetson was asked to relaunch its Disaster Research Project to assist pro bono attorneys and Professor Cerniglia oversaw the relaunch in early December.
KELLY M. FEELEY, Professor of Law and Coordinator of Legal Research and Writing, continues to serve as the ABA Law Student Division Competitions Committee co-chair and as a member of the Negotiations Competition Subcommittee and National Appellate Advocacy Competition Subcommittee. She traveled to Chicago in January to assist running the National Arbitration Competition, and also traveled to Chicago in February to assist running the National Negotiation Competition, and to D.C. in March to assist running the Washington D.C. Regional National Appellate Advocacy Competition. In August, she spoke on several panels at the Coaches & Competitions Clinic at American University. Professor Feeley has coauthored Mastering Interviewing and Counseling for Carolina Press with Professor Rebecca C. Morgan. ROBERTA K. FLOWERS, Professor of Law and Director, Center for Excellence in Elder Law, serves as the chair of the Programs and Publications
F A C U LT Y F O R U M
committee for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She spoke at the 5th World Congress on Guardianships in Seoul, Korea; to the Aging, Law, and Society Collaborative Research Network in Toronto, Canada; NAELA’s Advanced Review Course in Chicago, Illinois; the Oklahoma NAELA Annual Conference; and the Missouri Joint Estate Planning and Elder Law Annual Conference.
ROYAL C. GARDNER,
Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, was a lead coordinating author of the first GWO, the flagship publication of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, which was launched at the 13th Ramsar Conference of the Parties in October in Dubai. At COP13, he presented the GWO to over 1360 participants from 143 countries. He also delivered his final report as chair of the Ramsar Convention’s scientific advisory body, concluding six years of service. Professor Gardner attended the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel meeting of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Germany as part of his work with Ramsar and a seminar on international biodiversity law at the University of Barcelona as part of his work with a Spanish government Global Wetland Outlook grant project. He was a member of a Stetson Law band that performed at the Justice, Soul & Rock ‘n’ Roll fundraiser for Gulfcoast Legal Services.
CYNTHIA G. HAWKINS,
Professor of Law, will have her new book, The Child Support Enforcement Handbook,
published soon by Cognella Academic Publishing.
MARCO JIMENEZ, Professor of Law, wrote an article that was recently recognized and recommended on Larry Solum’s Legal Theory Blog entitled “Retribution in Contract Law” that was published in the UC Davis Law Review, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2018. TIMOTHY KAYE, Professor of Law, was recently recognized on Larry Solum’s Legal Theory Blog for his article entitled “A Sound Taxonomy of Remedies,” published in the Quinnipiac Law Review, Vol. 36, 2017. REBECCA C. MORGAN, Professor of Law and Boston Asset Management Chair in Elder Law, worked with Professor Roberta Flowers on administering two grants and received a year-two award on their pooled special needs trust project. Professor Morgan has co-authored Mastering Interviewing and Counseling for Carolina Press with Professor Kelly Feeley. Professor Morgan received the Ben Willard award at the Stetson alumni reception during the Florida Bar 2018 annual meeting, and she was inducted into the Stetson University College of Law Hall of Fame in October. Professor Morgan continues to write blog posts for the elderlawprofblog. She is working on a new book and a new article on the use of powers of attorney to exploit elders financially. Professor Morgan chaired Stetson’s 20th Annual Special Needs Planning conference and has given several speeches. Along with several elder law attorneys and Judge Michael Allen, she is scheduled to train JAG
officers at Ft. Stewart on elder law issues. Professor Morgan received an award from the Missouri Chapter of NAELA for her support of their programs.
JOSEPH MORRISSEY,
Professor of Law, completed a draft of an article, “A Call to Reject Instrumentalism; Medical Deductions for Family Formation Denied.”
ANNE E. MULLINS,
Associate Professor of Law, co-authored the article, “Psichologija JAV ir Lietuvos Teiseje: Pakeliui ar Atskirai?” in American Psychology and Lithuanian Law: Together or Separate?, 29:1 Teismai (2018), with Grant Christensen. Professor Mullins also published “Reframing the Mundane: From Research to Relationships,” 26 Persp. 26 (2018). Further, Professor Mullins was selected to be one of the authors of the Feminist Judgments Project: Rewritten Employment Discrimination Opinions, edited by Ann McGinley & Nicole Porter, forthcoming from Cambridge University Press. She is re-writing Desert Palace v. Costa, 539 U.S. 90 (2003). Professor Mullins presented at Washburn University School of Law’s symposium, “Law in the Post-Truth Era” as a panelist on “Legal Reasoning in the Age of Alternative Facts.” At the Legal Writing Institute’s Biennial Conference, she presented “Meeting Students Where They Are: Developing Self-Direction at the Law School Level.” There, she argued that most law school curricula are designed on the flawed assumption that incoming students are selfdirected learners, when in fact,
self-directed learning is a skill that law schools should teach. Professor Mullins currently serves all three of the national legal writing organizations. She is the president-elect of the Association of Legal Writing Directors, and serves on the board of directors. She serves on the Nominations Committee for the AALS Legal Writing Section, and on the Scholarship Grants Committee and the Administrative Options Committee for the Legal Writing Institute.
LUZ ESTELLA NAGLE,
Professor of Law, continues her service as a trustee of the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute Trust and is co-chair of the Crimes against Women Subcommittee of the IBA’s Criminal Law Section. In October, she was a panelist/presenter for the session, “Business, Human Rights, and Poverty: Strategic Advantages and the Lawyer’s Personal Responsibility,” at the IBA Annual Conference in Rome. She was also cited as a contributor in two IBA articles on new and pending legislation addressing negligence in sexual abuse and assault in two Scandinavian countries. In November, she was a panelist for the session, “Media as a Cornerstone for Peace—The Assault on Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression” at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum in Paris. Professor Nagle recently met with Omani officials at Stetson to discuss combating human trafficking in Oman and throughout the Horn of Africa as part of her pro bono work as a foreign policy expert with the U.S. State Department’s Distinguished Foreign Visitors Program. Also in November, 25
F A C U LT Y F O R U M
Professor Nagle traveled to Quito, Ecuador, on behalf of the U.S. State Department to make presentations to Ecuadorian police investigators, prosecutors, judges, and financial intelligence officials on combating transnational organized crime, tracing and recovery of assets, asset forfeiture, and foreign mutual legal assistance. She also addressed the Ecuadorian national assembly and its drafting committee on strengthening proposed legislation to address those crimes. Professor Nagle additionally met with Ecuador’s United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to discuss best practices on implementing legislation for recovery of criminal proceeds, and she spoke to a large audience of law students and faculty at the Universidad Central regarding the legal tools necessary to combat drug trafficking and corruption. Domestically, Professor Nagle was retained by the Innocence Project of Florida as an expert witness for a Honduran national in his retrial in Florida state court on charges of double murder. Professor Nagle published “Pirates Plundering World War II Shipwrecks for High Tech Demand” in the International Enforcement Law Reporter, and her new book (as co-author), Negociación en Casos de Corrupción: Fundamentos Teóricos y Prácticos, was published in November in Spain. Professor Nagle spoke at the National Attorneys General Training & Research Institute and the International Association of Prosecutors Global Conference on Human Trafficking in Puerto Rico. Professor Nagle was recently selected as a Fulbright Award Recipient. She plans to serve her Fulbright at 26
the Universidad de la Laguna law school in San Cristobal, Tenerife, Canary Islands.
JASON S. PALMER,
Professor of Law, was invited to present at the Cognitive Emotion and the Law Symposium at Wake Forest University on emotional intelligence and homophobia. His paper on the topic will be published in the Wake Forest Law Review. Additionally, Professor Palmer will author the 7th edition of International Litigation and Arbitration, published by Carolina Academic Press.
GEORGE A. B. PEIRCE,
Culverhouse Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, met with Ms. Karlijn Jans, Defense Policy Advisor, British Embassy to the Netherlands, to discuss current Transatlantic peace and security issues and challenges. Their meeting was part of Ms. Jans’ visit to the United States sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Additionally, in November, Professor Peirce presented to the Association of Retired Attorneys of Sarasota, Florida on the “Craft of Intelligence and the Rule of Law.”
ANN M. PICCARD,
Wm. Reece Smith, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Law, was the first faculty member from the College of Law to receive a Nina B. Hollis Research Impact Award. The grant rewards those engaged in research that explores ways to improve P-12 educational outcomes for marginalized youth. Professor Piccard received the award for her project at the law school that seeks to help teenaged foster children to avoid the “school to prison pipeline,”
using law student volunteers as education partners to get and keep the teens in school.
ELLEN S. PODGOR,
Gary R. Trombley Family White-Collar Crime Research Professor and Professor of Law, served as the official reporter for the Florida Bar Criminal Justice Summit in October 2018, and is currently writing the report for this summit. In November 2018, she presented at the ABA-AALS Criminal Justice Roundtable on “Payments to Third Parties in Corporate Criminal Cases.” Her articles, “White Collar Shortcuts” for the Illinois Law Review, “Disruptive Innovation in Criminal Defense: Demanding Corporate Criminal Trials,” for the Mercer Law Review, and “Recognizing Inclusiveness,” for the UMKC Law Review, were all recently published. Professor Podgor also provided an update to the board of directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), on her forthcoming report as chair of NACDL’s Strategic Litigation Strategy Group. Professor Podgor continued her service as a member of the AALS Membership Review Committee and continued to be listed in the top 10 percent of authors on SSRN. Professor Podgor spoke as a discussant at the AALS Session - “Insider Trading and Cryptoassests: The Future of Regulation in the Blockchain Era.” She also represented Stetson at the two AALS House of Representatives Committee Meetings. Professor Podgor held an ALI dinner and program on campus and also completed an updated version of the Overview of U.S. Law book with Assistant Dean JR Swanegan.
SUSAN D. ROZELLE, Professor of Law, was recently invited to write an article on death qualification of jurors, for a forthcoming Capital Punishment symposium issue of the Texas Tech Law Review. CIARA TORRES-SPELLISCY,
Leroy Highbaugh Sr. Research Chair and Professor of Law, looks forward to her second book, Political Brands, being published by Edward Elgar Publishing. She spoke at the American Association of Law Schools annual meeting in New Orleans on preventing foreign interference in American elections. In October, Professor Torres-Spelliscy presented, “Free Speech and Campaign Finance: Debating the First Amendment and Citizens United,” at the Mary L. Hilfiker Symposium, held at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She also spoke at Mercer School of Law at the Corporate Law in the Trump Era symposium and at Washington & Lee Law School’s faculty workshop about her new book, Political Brands. In October, Professor Torres-Spelliscy also published “Florida Voters Have the Chance to Expand the Franchise in 2018” in the Harvard Law Review Blog and “Explainer: Object Lessons in Mismanagement at the Donald J. Trump Foundation” in Just Security. She was also interviewed on the Scholars Strategy Network No Jargon Podcast Episode 150, Giving the Vote Back, on Oct. 4, 2018. In November, she published “Florida Has A Chance To Make Civil Rights History In This Election,” in the Huffington Post. Professor TorresSpelliscy was interviewed and quoted numerous times by the
F A C U LT Y F O R U M
popular press regarding issues involving elections and the presidency.
STEPHANIE VAUGHAN,
Professor of Law, was invited to serve as an arbitrator at the 10th Annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Pre-Moot at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.
LOUIS J. VIRELLI III,
Professor of Law, was retained as a consultant by the Administrative Conference of the United States, a federal agency responsible for recommending improvements in administrative process and procedure, to provide a report on best practices for recusal of administrative adjudicators. Professor Virelli’s report, “Recusal Rules for Administrative Adjudicators,” served as the basis for the proposed ACUS Recommendation of the same name. As the project consultant, Professor Virelli presented his research to the ACUS plenary session in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, when the proposed recommendation was adopted by the ACUS membership. During the nomination process for retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s replacement, Professor Virelli was contacted by the special counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee and by the American Constitution Society to provide his insight on potential recusal issues facing the nominees. Professor Virelli currently serves as the chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Association of American Law Schools. He served as moderator for the section’s main program, Presidential Control of Administrative
Agencies, at the AALS Annual Meeting this January. He is also the chair of the AALS Section on Constitutional Law. He currently serves on the board of trustees of the Southeastern Association of Law Schools, and as chair of the SEALS Works-in-Progress committee, and is a managing editor of the ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice’s quarterly publication, Administrative and Regulatory Law News. Professor Virelli appeared numerous times in the popular press commenting on the appointment of Florida Supreme Court justices and the work of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission. He also made presentations regarding the U.S. Supreme Court at the Goldberg-Cacciatore Criminal Law American Inn of Court, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, Eckerd and St. Petersburg Colleges, and the Rotary Club of Tampa.
DARRYL C. WILSON,
Associate Dean for Faculty and Strategic Initiatives, Attorneys Title Insurance Fund Professor of Law, and Co-Director, Institute for Caribbean Law & Policy, assisted Dorothea A. Beane, Professor of Law, and Co-Director, Institute for Caribbean Law & Policy, in hosting the American Caribbean Law Initiative fall clinical experience at Stetson in November. He also recently attended a conference on Technology and Teaching in the 21st Century at Penn State Law School, and the Inaugural Lawyers Conference on Diversity and Inclusion at George Mason’s Scalia School of Law.
GIVING BACK AND PAYING IT FORWARD: TAMMY BRIANT J.D. ’06 BY MICHAEL CANDELARIA Tammy Briant J.D. ’06 has departed from her full-time role at Stetson University College of Law. Yet Briant certainly won’t be forgotten. The former Stetson Law assistant dean for student affairs has been tapped for a position with The NCHERM Group, LLC (TNG), one of the largest education-specific law and consulting practices nationwide. Briant will continue to teach the Law and the Civil Rights Movement course at Stetson as an adjunct professor. Even more notably, in the spirit of paying it forward and as a way of saying thank you to the College of Law, Briant has endowed a scholarship to benefit future students in her popular course.
STETSON REMEMBERS RETIRED DELAWARE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE DREW MOORE Retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice Drew Moore, who taught corporate law between 2004-2015 as a Distinguished Professorial Lecturer at Stetson Law, passed away in December of 2018. Justice Moore received an honorary LL.D. degree from Stetson Law. He co-taught a one-of-akind course with Professor Emeritus Clark Furlow. The book, Big Deal, summarized Justice Moore’s influence on corporate law: “Justice Moore may well have had more of an impact on modern corporate law than any other person.” The book, The Iconic Cases in Corporate Law, included four cases authored by Justice Moore among the most important corporate law cases of the 20th century.
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CLASS NOTES
S T E T S O N L AW Y E R
CLASS NOTES What’s New in Your Life? Tell us. Email us at alumni@law.stetson.edu or visit www.stetson.edu/law. Please send us your high-resolution photo, too. 1970s
Dean Mead announced that Martin S. Friedman J.D. ’75 has joined the firm’s Orlando office. Friedman represents a broad range of Florida utilities as lead counsel. Throughout his 38-year career, he has handled 130 utility acquisitions totaling more than $3 billion.
1980s Overseer Richard Harrison B.A. ’83, J.D. ’86 began offering the first Open Government Law course at Stetson Law in the fall of 2018.
legal service to bolster the firm’s highly experienced and accomplished Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights practice group. Law alumnus Rich McKay J.D. ’84, president and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons, was named as one the Top 500 Most Powerful Leaders in the Atlanta Magazine 2019 publication.
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Chartwell Law has added Jorge L. Cruz-Bustillo J.D. ’92 to the firm’s Miami office. CruzBastillo focuses his practice on first party and third party insurance defense.
Tori L. Kaufholz J.D. ’86 was appointed to the Florida Bar Certified Arbitrator Committee through June, 2030. Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP announced that Bradford D. Kaufman J.D. ’86 will join Ernest L. Greer as co-president. Kaufman, resident in the firm’s West Palm Beach office, is currently defending the key figure in the Barclay’s case in London - the only major prosecution stemming from the financial crisis. Most recently, he served as a senior vice president and treasurer of Greenberg Traurig and as global chairman of the firm’s Professional Development and Integration.
1990s Trenam Law is pleased to announce that Lynn Welter Sherman J.D. ’83 has joined the firm’s St. Petersburg office as a shareholder. She brings more than three decades of
J.D. ’90 was named a fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers at the organization’s annual meeting held in St. Petersburg, Florida, Feb. 21-24.
Lila Jaber B.A. ’88, J.D. ’90 received the Lifetime Advocacy Award from the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce. Carlton Fields is pleased to announce that Tampa Shareholder Wm. Cary Wright
Richard B. Schwamm J.D. ’91, shareholder at Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm P.A., has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. Akerman LLP has promoted Raye Curry Elliott J.D. ’94 to partner. Elliott is a former Federal Deposit Insurance (FDIC) counsel.
Gunster, one of Florida’s oldest and largest full-service business law firms, is pleased to announce that private wealth services attorney Debra L. Boje J.D. ’92 has assumed her role as chair of the Florida Bar Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section (RPPTL).
Brian Tannebaum J.D. ’94 has been appointed the new chair of Innocence Project of Florida board. Tannebaum has served on the Board of the Innocence Project of Florida since 2015 and is a former president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is currently special counsel at Bast Amron, LLP in Miami, serving as general counsel, and handling ethics and criminal defense cases.
CLASS NOTES
2000s Brooke Brady J.D. ’01 is a magistrate in the 4th Judicial Circuit.
William B. Lafferty J.D. ’95 has joined the Atlanta Office of Cantor Colburn as counsel. Cantor Colburn is the number 4 patent law firm in the country and appreciates the breadth of experience he brings to its full service IP practice. David E. Stamey, Jr. J.D. ’95 was appointed Polk County judge in the Tenth Judicial Circuit by former Florida Governor Rick Scott. Simone Marstiller B.B.A. ’88, J.D. ’96 has been appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Former Florida Governor Rick Scott appointed Adam Mohammadbhoy J.D. ’97 to the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee. Mohammadbhoy of Bradenton is an attorney with Harllee & Bald, P.A.
Associate Director of Career and Professional Development Joann Grages Barnett J.D. ’08 co-authored an article on “Courthouse Lactation Rooms” for FAWL. Hudson Cook LLP is pleased to announce that attorney Erica A.N. Kramer J.D. ’03 has been promoted to equity partner of the firm. Erica, resident in the firm’s Tennessee office, recently co-authored several articles on how the Military Lending Act continues to affect the auto finance industry. Christine Platt J.D. ’05 released her debut children’s book series titled Ana & Andrew. Amanda Davis Singleton J.D. ’05, St. Petersburg, received the 2018 Caregiving Visionary Award, presented at the National Caregiving Conference in Chicago, Illinois. It was awarded to Singleton for her advocacy on behalf of unpaid caregivers through her law practice, Singleton Legal PLLC.
Donnelly + Gross is pleased to announce that James Brantley J.D. ’09 became partner with the firm. Donnelly + Gross has offices in Gainesville and Fort Myers.
2010s
The law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is pleased to announce that Christina C. Nethero J.D./M.B.A. ’10, a corporate transactional attorney in the Tampa, Florida, office has been elected a partner of the firm.
FordHarrison LLP, one of the country’s largest managementside labor and employment law firms, is pleased to announce that Luis A. Santos J.D. ’10 has been named the firm’s first Deputy Diversity Partner. Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell has elected Chase Hattaway J.D. ’10 as a partner of the firm. Chase practices in the areas of employment, casualty litigation and construction defect litigation.
The law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is pleased to announce that Rachel B. Goodman J.D ’10, a health law attorney in the Tampa, Florida, office has been elected a partner of the firm.
Kristine Bouaichi J.D. ’98 is the new managing partner at Ice Miller LLP. Chad B. Hess J.D. ’99, has joined Rogers Townsend & Thomas PC as special counsel.
company for law firm owners looking to streamline their procedures, maximize their revenue and achieve a fulfilling work-life balance. She will continue to practice law at personal injury law office of Chelsie M. Lamie, P.A.
Chelsie M. Lamie J.D. ’07 has launched The Law Firm Guru, an educational and consulting
Johanna Wood J.D. ’11 made shareholder at Gray Robinson in March 2018.
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CLASS NOTES
ment, focusing her practice on construction defect litigation and general professional liability defense.
Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell has elected Carie Hall J.D. ’12 as a partner of the firm. Carie focuses her practice in the areas of casualty and product liability litigation.
PulteGroup’s West Florida Division has announced Kimberly Driscoll J.D. ’15 as director of Procurement. In this new role, Driscoll will manage contract agreements and relationships with subcontractors and suppliers, analyze house costs and vendor capacity.
Eric S. Eber J.D. ’18 joined the Pinellas County State Attorney’s office as an assistant state attorney serving the 6th Judicial Circuit.
Kelley Kronenberg, a diverse business law firm, announced that Paul M. May J.D. ’17 has joined the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office as an attorney. May assists in handling matters related to first party insurance defense litigation.
Marriages Darren M. Stotts J.D. ’13, Clearwater, Fla., has been named a partner at Persante Zuroweste, P.A. where he will continue his practice focusing on probate and trust litigation, complex business litigation, and securities litigation and arbitration.
Stephanie Gomez Alvarez J.D. ’15 has joined The Aikin Family Law Group in Winter Park, Florida. Stephanie is practicing family law and collaborative law. Token IQ, Inc. has named Phillip Silitschanu J.D. ’15 as director of strategic relationships.
Carolyn Janell Manka J.D. ’15 to Daniel James Brownlow. They were married April 28, 2018, at Cascade Gardens in Yakima, Washington.
In Memoriam Hall of Fame inductee Professor Paul Barnard J.D. ’58, who opened the doors to practical legal education in the state of Florida, establishing Stetson’s Public Defender Clinic, February 3, 2019. Vanda Bayliss J.D. ’77, March 3, 2019. Judge Arthur B. Bleecher J.D. ’57, October 30, 2018. William F. Davenport LL.B. ’50, January 11, 2019. Douglas W. Grissinger J.D. ’89, August 25, 2018. Sutton Goodrich Hilyard, Jr. J.D. ’68, September 29, 2018. Carol Catherine Murphy J.D. ’78, December 15, 2018.
Burr & Forman LLP announces the addition of Tampa-based associate Patrick Reid J.D. ’14, who joins the firm’s Intellectual Property and Cybersecurity Practice Groups. In his practice, Reid assists clients in developing strategies to identify and protect inventions and technology, and to defend their associated rights, as necessary. 30
Judge George Carey Nelson J.D. ’77, March 18, 2019.
Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, a leading civil defense litigation law firm, has added Hillary L. Albertson J.D. ’16 as an associate in the firm’s Jacksonville office. Albertson joins the firm’s Professional Liability Depart-
Judge Thomas E. Penick, Jr. J.D. ’72, member of the Stetson Law Hall of Fame and distinguished veteran who received the Bronze Star Medal, March 21, 2019. George I. Sanchez J.D. ’84, September 25, 2018. Theodore “Ted” Weeks III J.D. ’73, December 26, 2018. Judge Clyde E. Wolfe J.D. ’80, 7th Circuit Judge, October 31, 2018.
PHILANTHROPY
GIVING BACK: JEFFERY SMITH J.D. ’73 B Y M O L LY K A E L I N
R
ecently, Jeffery Smith J.D. ‘73 visited Stetson Law for the first time in decades. During his long overdue tour of the Gulfport campus, Smith said he was so inspired by the students that he met that he decided to establish a scholarship. He said he felt it was his time to give back to a place that had given him so much. Without the full scholarship he received at Stetson Law and the Army, Smith says he would not have had the same opportunities. “It is my moral obligation to give back,” Smith explained. After joining the Army and graduating from the University of Florida, Smith set his sights on law school. Shortly after his LSAT scores were published, he received a phone call from Stetson Law, offering him a full scholarship. He and his wife, Patricia “Trish” Smith, whom he married during college, moved to Gulfport. Smith always wore a suit and tie to class in law school. He was always prepared to be put on the spot by a professor at any moment. Today, he credits these tough professors with preparing him for anything. While at Stetson, Smith served as social chair of Phi Alpha Delta and was later elected chapter president. He recalls that only two women were in his 1L class, a trend he is glad to see has changed. Initially, tax law and estate planning were his focus. This later changed when he met Phil Schaller, the acting state attorney at the time. Schaller offered Smith a position in a criminal prosecution task force, which he accepted. After a few years on the task force, he transitioned into private practice. In private practice, Smith provided criminal defense largely for those accused of homicide and crimes involving narcotics. He said that he liked that he was not sitting behind a desk all day. However, after some time, he left the office wondering if his impact on society was positive. He was bothered by the cutthroat nature of criminal law. “If you [can’t] win ethically and righteously, it [i]sn’t worth doing,” said Smith. “Whatever you do in life, you must follow your moral compass.” His moral compass led him back to the state prosecutor’s office. Smith knew he had made the right personal decision to return to the prosecutor’s office because he never left the office feeling upset.
Patricia and Jeff Smith J.D. ‘73
Here, he felt he was doing something positive for the community. It was also here that alumna Julia Metts, a current Stetson Law professor, interned for Smith at the senior prosecutor’s office. They remain close friends and colleagues. Smith began working in the juvenile justice division of the prosecutor’s office. At that time, the county did not have a juvenile court. Seeing a need for change, Smith established the first drug, mental health, and juvenile court in Citrus County. He worked as a prosecutor for the remainder of his career and has since retired after making unforgettable contributions to Citrus County and the justice system. Today, Jeff Smith lives in Inverness, Florida, with his wife, Trish. They have two daughters and five grandchildren. He is an avid marksman, hunter and fisherman. Smith said that he is now giving back to the Stetson Law to say, “Thank you.” In addition to scholarships, part of his contribution has been pledged to one of the courtrooms at Stetson Law.
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COLLEGE OF LAW Development & Alumni Relations 1401 61st Street South Gulfport, FL 33707
UPCOMING EVENTS JUNE
27
Alumni Reception at the Florida Bar Convention Boca Raton Resort & Club
OCTOBER
25-26
Class of 1969 50th Reunion Gulfport Campus
For more information on these events, please visit: www.stetson.edu/law/alumni and click Alumni Events.