Advocate AVE MARIA SCHOOL of LAW
MAGAZINE | 2018
“The presence of faith in and out of the classroom adds a profound sense of community to the law school. ” –Monsignor McGrath, Chaplain Advocate | 2018
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Advocate AVE MARIA SCHOOL of LAW MAGAZINE
| 2018
AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW MISSION Ave Maria School of Law is a Catholic law school dedicated to educating lawyers with the finest professional skills. Inspired by Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et Ratio, Ave Maria Law offers a distinctive legal education — an education characterized by the harmony of faith and reason. Formed by outstanding professional training and a distinctive educational philosophy, Ave Maria Law’s graduates are equipped for leading positions in law firms, corporate legal offices, the judiciary, and national, state and local government. Ave Maria Law offers an outstanding legal education in fidelity to the Catholic faith. We affirm Catholic legal education’s traditional emphasis on the only secure foundation for human freedom — the natural law written on the heart of every human being. We uphold the need for society to rediscover those human and moral truths that flow from the nature of the human person and that safeguard human freedom.
On the Cover: Ave Maria Law’s Chaplain, Monsignor McGrath, and his dog Driver photographed by Tabitha Canalda.
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The Blessed Virgin Mary has many titles, though from a lawyer’s perspective, none more important than “Most Gracious Advocate.” Ave Maria School of Law’s Advocate takes its inspiration from this title and from the recognition that lawyers are, at their core, advocates.
Dean’s Letter Sidebars Quick Facts Meet SBA’s New President Student Court Competitions Dean Castro: Here from the Start Meet our new CIO Insight from Dean O’Keefe: Summer Start Advantages We are Ave Maria Law Faculty Insider Spotlight on Professor Gillen Spotlight on Professor Miller Advocating Against Human Trafficking Culture of Life Partnership Events Goodbye, Class of 2018 Save-the-Date Remembering Professor Holtz
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A Letter from our Chief Advancement Officer Campus Naming Opportunities The Heritage Society Planned Giving Board of Governors Veterans Corner Spotlight on Veterans Memorial Law Library Founders and Wall of Honor Benefactors Fitness Complex Coming to Campus Hurricane Irma: Strength in Community Alumni: Where Are They Now? Keeping in Touch
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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR/WRITER: Kristy Kryszczak DESIGN: Gwen Frederickson PHOTOGRAPHY: Tabitha Canalda, Tony Zollo, Reagan Rule, Vanessa Rogers, Stanley Murzyn, student photography, general submissions
PRINTER: Presstige Printing Thank you to our proofreaders. Thank you to each individual who participated in an interview/story for this issue.
AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW ADVOCATE Advocate | 2017 2018 1025 Commons Circle • Naples, Florida 34119 • Phone: (239) 687-5300 • www.avemarialaw.edu
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A Word from our Dean Dear Ave Maria School of Law Community, When it came time to choose the cover for this year’s issue, we knew instantly when we saw it. Who better to represent our beloved school than our Chaplain, Monsignor McGrath? Monsignor has such a special presence on campus, from saying daily Mass to meeting one-on-one with students. We continue to become stronger in our faith because of Monsignor. Driver, his Golden Retriever and our “Law Dog,” is integral to us as our number one furry friend for comfort and support.
Dean Cieply with Student Veterans
Over the last four years, as a school, we have worked extremely hard to improve our bar preparation programs and improve our performance on the bar exam. This last February, our efforts were rewarded with our graduates ranking #2 in bar passage for the state of Florida. Our faculty is committed to providing nothing but the very best academic program, and our Bar Preparation Department is second to none in excellence. Recently, we lost a dear member of our school community, Professor Gregory Holtz. Professor Holtz directed our Estate Planning and General Practice Clinic, and he taught several courses, including Wills, Trusts, and Estates. He was a faithful servant of our Lord God, and an inspiration to us all. No one, that I am aware of, who came in contact with Greg ever left with anything other than deep respect for him. He was a great man, and we miss him dearly. Professor Brian Bulger, who served as an excellent Adjunct Professor at Ave Maria Law for many years, also passed away this last year. We very much appreciate Professor Bulger’s service to our students and to our school. Over this next academic year, we will build a new Fitness Complex on campus. Keep an eye out for an invitation to the groundbreaking ceremony on November 9, 2018. I believe that physical fitness is a miracle drug. It not only enhances physical well-being, it also greatly sharpens academic performance. Our new complex will act as a catalyst in providing a holistic law school experience: cultivating the spirit, mind, and . . . body. I think you will really enjoy this issue. It is packed with diverse stories spotlighting staff, students, alumni and benefactors. You may spot yourself in one of our event recap photos. Be sure to check out our save-the-date section to see what is coming this year. What sets our school apart from almost every other law school in America is our fidelity to the Catholic church and its teachings. Recently, I posed a number of questions to our school community: “How can each of us, tomorrow, become better individuals, stronger in our faith, and stronger in our academics? Tomorrow, how can we make Ave Maria Law better?” We are Ave Maria Law. We have a culture of treating one another with grace, sacredness, and kindness. I thank each and every one of you for all you do for our beloved school. We are blessed to share our lives with each other, and blessed to take part in our sacred mission of delivering faith and reason. Fides et Ratio,
Kevin Cieply President and Dean
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Sidebars Tylan Ricketts ’18, Kelly Sifford ’18
Mohad Abbass ’18, Juan Arias ’18
Asli Karaevli ’18, Meredith Lunde ’19
OUT ON THE TOWN The Student Bar Association hosted yet another fantastic Barristers Ball this year at the Hyatt House Naples with an “Under the Sea” theme. Our Ave Maria Law community enjoyed a cocktail hour, dinner and we danced the night away. Congratulations to the award winners from the evening:
Sarah Prosser ’18, Dean Maureen Milliron
Sterling Earhart Community Service Award: COURTNEY BREVARD ’18 Student Organization of the Year: BLACK LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION
PRO BONO AWARDS The Pro Bono Recognition Program honors those Ave Maria Law students who have dedicated more than 50 hours to underserved populations and individuals or families. The charitable work undertaken by these students puts the Catholic teaching on faith and morals into action, and inspires us to work towards the greater good of all.
1L Professor of the Year: PROFESSOR KIRK MILLER Upperclassmen Professor of the Year: PROFESSOR PAT GILLEN
The law school would like to recognize the following Class of 2018 graduates for putting their legal skills to work in the selfless service of others. We thank them for their service. Juan Arias
Deborah Jean-Enard
Courtney Brevard
David Jones
Angelica Carrero
Bartlomiej Milewski
Danielle Clark
Sarah Prosser
Meghan Davis Pomponio
Marry Zizzo
Jennifer Heemstra These students in total completed more than one thousand hours between them.
Class of 2018 Superlative Winners
“For me, working at Ave Maria Law is about learning from the students. The students are so respectful, with delightful attitudes and an inquisitive engaging nature that I find refreshing.” –Cathy Campion, Student Affairs Coordinator Advocate | 2018
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Sidebars
All Around Ave
Left to Right: Dean Castro, Dean Milliron, Dean Tracey and Dean Lucas-Ross
Ave Goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Monsignor McGrath and Alveda King
Jay Hamilton ’18
Volunteering at the Special Olympics
Dean Cieply with alumnus Daniel Whitehead ’17
Christmas Toy Drive
COLLIER COUNTY BAR LUNCHEON In February, Professor Elizabeth M. Donovan delivered a presentation entitled “Human Trafficking Law and Policy” to members of the Collier County Bar Association at their member luncheon. Human Trafficking Law Clinic students Tyler Cromie ’19, James Chillemi ’18, William Gates ’19, Meghan Davis ’18, and Advanced Law Clinic student Cara Covato ’19, joined Professor Donovan at the luncheon. During her presentation, Professor Donovan outlined the law, spoke about the types of cases she has handled since establishing the Human Trafficking Law Clinic in Ann Arbor, and explored policy considerations in addressing this crime on the federal and state levels.
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Below left: Ave Maria School of Law alumna and former Mediation Law Clinic member Jacquelyn Boudreau of Cardillo Keith Bonaquist Attorneys at Law in Naples with Professor Donovan. Below center: Magistrate Carolyn Swift, Professor Donovan and Rick Swift of Garlick, Swift & Garry, LLP in Naples. Below right: Ave Maria Law students James Chillemi ’18, William Gates ’19, Meghan Davis ’18 and Professor Donovan.
A CHAPLAIN AND LAW DOG We count our blessings every day that Monsignor McGrath is our school Chaplain and his beloved Golden Retriever, Driver, became our Law Dog.
MENTAL HEALTH WEEK ON CAMPUS Ave Maria Law hosted its second annual Mental Health & Awareness week on campus from March 19 – 24. We continue to lead a school-wide initiative bringing awareness to health issues in the legal profession. Activities helping to bring people together in a positive way included: Wine and Paint Night, Trivia Night, Salsa Night, massages on campus, guest speaker Molly Paris from Florida Lawyers Assistance, the Paws for Cause event with the Naples Humane Society and their adoptive animals, a volleyball tournament and a carnival celebration.
Thomas De Maio ’20, Christopher Stipek ’19, Corrinne Burns ’20
Brittany Cocchieri ’18
Welcome 2018 – 2019 SBA Officers President: Daniel Pardo ’19 Vice President: Thomas De Maio ’20 Secretary: Jimmie Bailey ’19
Senators: 3L (Class of 2019): Meredith Lunde, Christopher Stipek, Alexis Touras, Anita Abraham L (Class of 2020): Corrinne Burns, Ted Forlenza, 2 Ian Johanni, Daniel Korycki
Advocate | 2018
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Sidebars Ed Neebling
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the law school’s Director of A/V, is the latest recipient of the Dean’s Excellence Award. Ed provides outstanding service and dedication to Ave Maria Law. Ed logs long hours at the school and approaches every situation, big or small, with a smile on his face. We are grateful for Ed’s tireless commitment and proud to call him an integral member of the Ave Maria Law family.
Ed Neebling and Dean Cieply
2017 – 2018 DEAN’S DELEGATES The Ave Maria School of Law Dean’s Delegates Program is an established opportunity for students to serve as official student representatives on behalf of the law school and Dean Cieply at a variety of campus and community functions. The Dean’s Delegates showcase the excellence of Ave Maria Law to the community and are role models of professionalism, hospitality and character. Thank you for your service, 2017 – 2018 Dean’s Delegates:
INAUGURAL RED MASS ON CAMPUS It was an honor to host our first Red Mass on campus last October, celebrated by the Most Reverend Frank Dewane, Bishop of the Diocese of Venice. Thank you, Bishop Dewane, for leading us in this special service.
Olivia Bach, Class of 2019
Jennifer Heemstra, Class of 2018
Michael Ball, Class of 2018
Eve Kosciuszko, Class of 2019
Victor Bermudez, Class of 2018
Meredith Lunde, Class of 2019
Courtney Brevard, Class of 2018
Sean Lux, Class of 2018
Danielle Clark, Class of 2018
Kathleen Mullally, Class of 2018
Katherine Cook, Class of 2019
Daniel Pardo, Class of 2019
Thérèse Desilets, Class of 2018
Mellissa Stubbs, Class of 2019
Daisy Gonzalez, Class of 2018
Sarah Sulsona, Class of 2018
Stephanie Graham, Class of 2018
Dayanna Vasconcelo, Class of 2018
Jay Hamilton, Class of 2018
“Ave Maria Law is a place that motivates, encourages, and leads by example. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work in an environment in which I can incorporate all my areas of studies: theology, web design/development and social media together.” –Val Oliver, Web Developer & Social Media Coordinator
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Jay Hamilton ’18, Kathleen Mullally ’18, Eve Kosciuszko ’19, Sarah Sulsona ’18, Daisy Gonzalez ’19, Victor Bermudez ’18, Michael Ball ’18, Jennifer Heemstra ’18
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STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ON CAMPUS DEDICATED
NAPLES RANKS ON TOP U.S. SPORTS & ADVENTURE VACATION LIST
FAMILY-FRIENDLY CAMPUS
MOST DIVERSE LAW SCHOOL
2017
BEST
LAW SCHOOLS FOR THE
DEVOUT
2017
The Princeton Review
BEST 169 LAW SCHOOLS 2018
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SERVED AND RETIRED AS U.S. ARMY JAG OFFICERS
HOURS OF
VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICE BY AVE MARIA LAW STUDENTS
BUILT-IN FAMILY:
ALUMNI ARE EMPLOYED IN
46 STATES
AND INTERNATIONALLY preLaw
3 FACULTY MEMBERS
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FEDERAL JUDGES
3RD TIME’S A CHARM: RANKED #1 MOST DEVOUT LAW SCHOOL IN THE U.S. IN 2014, 2016, AND 2017
3RD TIME AROUND:
RANKED THE PRINCETON REVIEW BEST LAW SCHOOL
ON-CAMPUS CHAPLAIN, MONSIGNOR MCGRATH AND HIS GOLDEN RETRIEVER, DRIVER CAMPUS IS CONTIGUOUS TO A LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
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NUMBER OF ACRES ON OUR VINEYARDS, NAPLES CAMPUS
75 DEGREES AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IN NAPLES
$0 AMOUNT OF TUITION PAID BY VETERANS QUALIFIED FOR THE YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
4 VETERANS
PARKING SPACES
4 MARRIED COUPLES SERVING ON FACULTY
62 UNDERGRAD INSTITUTIONS OF MEMBERS OF CLASS OF 2021
18 YEARS
AVERAGE AGE OF OUR STUDENTS
#1
NAPLES RANKED HAPPIEST AND HEALTHIEST CITY
AVE MARIA LAW COMMUNITY HAS ATTENDED MARCH FOR LIFE
Advocate | 2018
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Student Spotlight:
DANIEL PARDO New SBA President
Daniel Pardo with fellow Ave Maria Law students. L to R: Bartlomiej Milewski ’18, Sarah Sulsona ’18, Daniel Pardo ’19 and Stephanie Williams ’18
Daniel Pardo
is a third year student at Ave Maria Law. He received his undergraduate degree from Ave Maria University, and has been elected as our Student Bar Association (SBA) President for the 2018-2019 school year. Why did you choose to attend Ave Maria Law? There are many reasons why I chose to attend Ave Maria Law, but two stand out. First, I thrive in the small classroom environment. At many law schools, students are just numbers. A professor will look at a class roster and call out a random student to answer questions in class. At Ave Maria Law, it is “Mr. Pardo, can you please brief this case?” Students here have relationships with our professors. Because our professors really know our students, the depth of the class lecture improves. Students feel comfortable asking questions and engaging in an intelligent dialogue. All of our professors are highly educated in their respective fields, and more importantly, they deeply care about the mission of the school and the success of their students. I experienced a small class environment at my undergrad, Ave Maria University, and knew it would be rare to find the same for law school.
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Second, the school is in a prime location for internships and experiential opportunities. In the Naples/Fort Myers area there is a federal courthouse, state courthouse, U.S. Attorney’s Office, State Attorney’s Office, and numerous private firms. Whatever area of law you want to go into, there are opportunities to get experience. Many students have the opportunity to intern for state and federal judges. I wasn’t sure what kind of law I wanted to practice, so I interned at a different place each semester after my 1L year. It was great getting exposure to different areas of the law. Congratulations on your appointment as the Student Bar Association President. What do you hope to accomplish during your time in this position? Being on the SBA is a great honor and privilege and I hope to leave it better than I received it! Our law school is growing rapidly. With growth comes the need for improvements. As SBA President, I hope to reinvent the SBA for the better of the school. I want to make it an organization dedicated and committed to working for our students. Overall, I have three goals for the SBA this year: 1) improve communication with the student body; 2) improve attendance
”The law school provides students the opportunity for self-growth through a mix of education and practical experiences.”
at school events; and 3) improve events. In addition, we will improve relationships with alumni, provide students with mentorship opportunities, and involve ourselves in the local community. I have been blessed with a fantastic senate that is highly motivated to accomplish our goals and make the school better. I am really excited for this year!
What do you like to do in your free time outside of studying and being fully immersed in the Ave Maria Law culture on campus? Is there room for balance? Staying balanced is important with the stress of law school. I believe everyone should have some sort of escape; I play tennis in my free time. I played tennis in college and love the sport. It is important for me to decompress after a long day of work or class. As a law student, I’m usually reading or studying all day, so getting out and doing something physical is important. There’s a park right next to campus with public tennis courts, which makes it easy for me to play. I am thrilled that the new Fitness Complex is being built, and I can’t wait to take advantage of its offerings.
Regarding post-law school plans, I am currently applying to a mix of private and government jobs. I am excited about my job prospects and know that my internships and time at Ave Maria Law has prepared me to transition from being a law student to a practicing attorney. What is your favorite quote?
“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
How is Ave Maria Law currently preparing you for your career path upon graduation?
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The law school provides students the opportunity for selfgrowth through a mix of education and practical experiences. While in law school, I have been fortunate to intern for United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell of the Middle District of Florida, as well as at the local United States Attorney’s Office and Florida Attorney General’s Office. My internships have transformed law school’s abstract concepts into real-world situations. I cannot imagine entering the legal profession without having had these invaluable experiences under my belt. Also, the law school’s Career Services Office helped to make my internships possible. From the first day of law school, Career Services is accessible to all students. The department gives relevant information on job search timelines, encourages students to ask questions, and supports students on whatever career path they choose. I have taken full advantage of the opportunities that Career Services has offered and it has paid off.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” —Mother Teresa
Who are the key mentors in your life? My parents. I am a first generation American—my parents came to America from Venezuela and El Salvador with a dream of giving me a great life and the best opportunities. My parents are the hardest working people I know and their work ethic drives me to be the best version of myself that I can be. Their love and effort made me the man I am today, and they inspire me to follow my dreams. I owe everything to them.
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Taking it to ST. THOMAS MORE TRIAL COMPETITION WINNERS Champions: Tripp Spangler ’18 and Jimmie Bailey ’19 Finalists: Sarah Sulsona ’18 and Mohad Abbass ’18 Best Advocate: Tripp Spangler ’18 We’re thankful to everyone who helped make this competition a success, including the local judges, attorneys, and moot court members who so graciously donated their time.
The Honorable Mac R. McCoy, Chris Fiore ’19, Kathleen Mullally ’18, Eve Kosciuszko ’19, Ryan Murphy ’18, the Honorable Sheri Polster Chappell, and the Honorable John Steele
ROBERT H. BORK MOOT COURT INTERNAL APPELLATE COMPETITION
Special thanks to the Honorable Robert L. Crown, Ms. Kathleen Smith, Mr. Richard Montecalvo, and Mr. Ed Kelly for judging the final round. Thank you to Professor Mark Bonner who oversees the entire Moot Court program.
The competitors participated and gave their arguments for both parties in front of local attorneys and alumni. We’re proud of everyone who took part in this event. Semi-Finalist Teams: Ryan Murphy ’18 and Eve Kosciuszko ’19 Kathleen Mullally ’18 and Chris Fiore ’19 Thérèse Desilets ’18 and Jay Hamilton ’18 Jacee Broadway ’19 and Chris Stipek ’19 Finalist Teams: Kathleen Mullally and Chris Fiore Eve Kosciuszko and Ryan Murphy Winning Team: Eve Kosciuszko and Ryan Murphy Best Oralist: Chris Fiore Strong Argument: Kathleen Mullally Thank You Volunteers: Judge Chappell, Judge Steele, and Judge McCoy
Robert H. Bork, St. Thomas More, and External Competitions (such as UCLA) are all run by the Moot Court Board, and the St. Thomas More 1L (first year) Oral Advocacy Competition is run by RWA, the Research, Writing and Advocacy department. 10 avemarialaw.edu
L to R: Mohad Abbass ’18, Sarah Sulsona ’18, Honorable Robert L. Crown, Tripp Spangler ’18, Jimmie Bailey ’19
the Court
“This impressive national win by Victor and Christopher did not just drop out of the sky; it was earned by their intelligence, skill, dedication and fortitude — fostered and trained by our Faculty and Moot Court Board — all supported by Ave Maria Law’s administration. Victory is sweet.” –Professor Mark Bonner, Moot Court Faculty Advisor
UCLA’S CYBER CRIMES MOOT COURT COMPETITION CHAMPIONS! We’re thrilled to share the news that on Saturday, April 21, in Los Angeles, Ave Maria Law’s Moot Court Team consisting of Victor Bermudez ’18 and Christopher Fiore ’19 won UCLA’s Cyber Crimes Moot Court Competition! The Competition is an annual external moot court competition open to all law schools, exploring cutting-edge issues in the field of cyber law. This year’s issues concerned espionage, the warrantless search of a cell phone, and the use of a virtual cell-tower called a “stingray.” Twenty teams competed from all over the United States. Ave Maria Law’s team went into the final round with the highest score and emerged #1. Christopher and Victor deserve the utmost congratulations for this outstanding success. They were coached by Professor Clifford Taylor, and supported by the Moot Court Board, faculty, and staff who share in this victory.
THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL ST. THOMAS MORE 1L ORAL ADVOCACY COMPETITION Congratulations to every student who took part in the Eighteenth Annual St. Thomas More First-Year Oral Advocacy Competition. Members of the Bench who joined us for the finals were The Honorable Sheri Polster Chappell, The Honorable Mac R. McCoy and The Honorable Michael J. Brown. Congratulations to Richard Varadan for winning Top Oralist and Christopher Fiore for winning the Best Brief Award. Finalists: Carolyn De Salvo Kayla Lasswell Marina Moussa Richard Varadan Kayla Lasswell ’20, Carolyn De Salvo ’20, The Honorable Michael J. Brown, The Honorable Sheri Polster Chappell, The Honorable Mac R. McCoy, Richard Varadan ’20, Marina Moussa ’20
Semi-Finalists: Evelyn Hildebrand Colleen McInerney Lindsey Rider Gretchen Wade
QuarterFinalists: Jeffrey Bauer Jeffrey Bunnett Kaitlin Coyle Pete Fernandes Samantha Fortune Encalada Theresa Holt Agapija Kostovski David Merrill
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Dean Castro
Dean Castro with Michelle Hurvitz ’17
Here from the start Kaye Castro
is the Associate Dean for Finance, Facilities, and Student Administration. Dean Castro has been with the law school since its inception in Michigan. She brings more than thirty years of experience in higher education administration to her work each day. Dean Castro, you wear many hats at the law school and you’re always the first to jump in and lead various departments when needed. What is a typical day like for you in your current role as Associate Dean for Finance, Facilities, and Student Administration? Every day varies which is what makes it wonderful to work in higher education. Different times of year bring different focuses. I’m always looking for the best efficiencies in my day-to-day work. It’s fun working for a small institution as there’s more opportunity to have your voice heard and affect positive changes that takes place. It also comes with incredible responsibilities. I’m always looking for ways to improve and look ahead. It serves the institution well to be open and flexible. The goal is to offer our students the best experience during their stay at Ave Maria Law and give them useful resources at their disposal.
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We’ve learned two fun facts that most people wouldn’t know. You are a black belt in taekwondo and you ride a motorcycle. How did your interest come about with these two pastimes? Taekwondo came about because of an incident years ago when I was almost attacked on a beach in Venezuela. Upon my return, I vowed to learn self-defense and it stuck with me. Many positive experiences came from my training. I gained great life-long friends and practiced on-and-off in Michigan in between having my children. It was also a fun way to become fit without it feeling like traditional exercise. I was proud to take the black belt testing in spring 2009 and pass. I remember feeling such a sense of accomplishment. I learned moves to this day that could protect me if need be. You never lose the skill. I got into riding a motorcycle because it’s my husband’s passion. Now we take trips together and get to explore new destinations. I tend to prefer to stick with smaller trips. My sons ride as well. It has become a family affair. I am frequently asked about safety and that is a valid concern. I learned to ride defensively and always wear safety gear. I’m most comfortable when we ride in groups. When we retire, the plan is to take our bikes with us on the road and explore various parts of the world.
“It’s important to have a focus on finding veteran students. It’s important that we’re such a veteran-friendly school, as this isn’t the case with every institution. Next, efforts to assist our students in passing the bar exam have increased through the years. We make it a priority to help students pass and move on to their destiny of becoming attorneys.” What have you seen as being the biggest positive change at the law school in recent years? A few bigger positive changes come to mind. The first is the increased effort to recruit students who are practicing Catholics. Second, our veterans initiative is very important and it has been elevated in recent years. We’ve always supported veterans through scholarships, and now we’ve dedicated our law library, the Veterans Memorial Law Library. We have an annual veterans event on campus. We have a veterans video interview project. We have a Veterans Resource Center, veterans parking, and a staff member on the Admissions team dedicated to recruiting veterans. It’s important to have a focus on finding veteran students.
”When we retire, the plan is to take our bikes with us on the road and explore various parts of the world.”
Next, efforts to assist our students in passing the bar exam have increased through the years. We make it a priority to help students pass and move on to their destiny of becoming attorneys. Bar prep starts in the first year of the students’ curriculum. It’s as important as law school itself, since the bar exam is the benchmark students need to pass in order to begin their law careers. Given your longevity with the law school, what do you enjoy most about working at Ave Maria Law? Given my background in business administration, it was interesting to watch Ave Maria Law grow from nothing to what it is today. I was there when the law school was just an idea, and I’ve been lucky enough to watch it transform, unfold, and build throughout the years. How would you describe the Ave Maria Law community to those who are unfamiliar? In many places, you have to separate your faith from your work, and here at Ave Maria Law, they overlap. You can embrace your faith in the Ave Maria Law community. Everyone is welcome.
Dean Castro with her husband, daughter, and two sons
“I absolutely love working at Ave Maria Law! I look forward going to work every day and enjoy everyone I work with. I like the fact that it is a very laid back and relaxed environment, not “corporate” so to speak. Not to say we don’t work hard, because we do. But to me there’s an underlying easy-going vibe. Everyone is there for you and supports you in whatever may be going on in your personal life as well. Hopefully, I will be here for years to come. And dogs love it here too!”
–Paula Johnson, Administrative Services Coordinator on Dean Castro’s team
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MEET OUR NEW CIO:
Monica Rengifo
Monica Rengifo
is the Chief Information Officer at Ave Maria School of Law. Monica lives in Naples with her husband and two boys. With over seventeen years of experience, Monica is well-equipped to be running the IT department at Ave Maria Law. You’ve been at Ave Maria Law for five years now. Can you tell us the different positions you have held at the law school? I started in the IT Department in August 2013. My title was Web Developer up until the Fall of 2017 when my title changed to Assistant IT Director and Full Stack Developer. For those that may not know, a Full Stack Developer is someone who is familiar with all layers in computer software development. I became Chief Information Officer in the spring of 2018. You’ve had an outstanding work ethic throughout your life. You put yourself through college at Hodges University while raising children. Congratulations on becoming CIO of Ave Maria School of Law. What do you enjoy most about your position? 14 avemarialaw.edu
Being a CIO is meaningful and impactful work. Every day my team and I have the opportunity to help boost productivity at Ave Maria Law by bringing people and technology together. What are some of the goals you see for you and your team in terms of continuing to elevate the IT department? Our team is committed to providing excellent customer service to students, faculty and staff by communicating and educating end users (everyone at the law school utilizing technology) to improve efficiency. One of our main goals is to continue to streamline workflows to reduce any unnecessary tasks, and to uncover needs for improvement of current systems. What do you and your family do for fun in Naples? We love the beach and going out to dinner. We also enjoy attending events in the area. What do you enjoy most about working at Ave Maria Law? Ave Maria Law has given me an opportunity to work on what I love and what I am passionate about: all things technology. I solve computer issues and assist people with being more productive every day.
Summer Start Program Advantages Matthew Stauffer ’21, Danilo Cortes ’21, Rhiannon Gomes ’21, Dean O’Keefe, Brandon Karas ’21, Kathleen Bryan ’21, Helcio Sumbe ’21
Ave Maria Law’s Advantage Summer Start Program affords students the opportunity to complete two classes over the summer, prior to the start of the traditional fall semester start. This allows for a lighter course load during the first year of law school. This program is available to all incoming students who wish to choose this option. This past summer of 2018 was the largest summer start class to date for the law school. We sat down with our Associate Dean of Admissions & Student Engagement, Claire O’Keefe, to learn more about this program and the newest students welcomed into the Ave Maria Law family. Dean O’Keefe, this is one of the largest summer start groups you’ve seen enter the law school. What do you think contributes to this uptick? Is there anything unique you can share with us about this incoming class? I feel there are a few reasons for the increase. First, our applications were up over last year and we promoted the summer program quite heavily. The program is featured prominently in our print and web materials, and we include it in email campaigns. I think what really drove the increase is the fact that law school applicants are very savvy and educated about their prospects. These applicants understand the tremendous advantage afforded to them by enrolling in a summer start program such as the one here at Ave Maria Law. What are a few of the advantages of starting law school in the summer, as opposed to traditionally starting the academic year in the fall? The advantages are tremendous. These students begin their
law school journey with two classes, instead of five. They are a small group (compared with the full fall class), which promotes camaraderie and support right from the beginning. It’s easier to form study partnerships or groups and it allows a student to ease into law school and feel less overwhelmed, which can result in better grades. Legal writing (RWA) is one of the most difficult and time-consuming classes in all of law school. Summer start students take the first part of this year-long class with only one other class. While the summer start semester is compressed, it affords the ability to dig in and really focus on legal writing without a great deal of distractions. The summer start benefits are apparent during the traditional 1L year (Aug-May), as the summer students feel a significant advantage over their classmates who start in August. For example, summer starters know how to brief a case, write an outline and take an exam. They feel light years ahead of their classmates, as they have one less class in each of the first year semesters. It is important to note that these students have the ability to focus on fall exams without the pressure of finalizing their legal memo for RWA. What is the feedback you receive from students once they’ve completed their summer start and are well into their 1L year? Students are overwhelmingly positive about their experiences and are thrilled that they chose the summer start program. Some of last year’s students spoke on a panel to our current summer starts about their decisions and how happy they are to have started law school in the summer. They felt better-prepared and more able to handle the rigors of five or six classes.
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We Are
Ave Maria Law
“It is a pleasure to assist our students in achieving their educational goals. Knowing their work as lawyers will help numerous people in the future is very rewarding.” –Pamela Kramer, Executive Assistant to the Dean
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“One thing I truly appreciate about working at Ave Maria School of Law is the fact that I can share my faith in God openly. This is a blessing in a society that leans toward being politically correct and making the work place uncomfortable for believers to share their Christian values.” –Rhonda Skeete, Advancement Database Assistant II
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Insider’s Insight: • Professor Pat Gillen, (J.D. PhD) worked on a pro bono case representing a pro-life protester wrongly arrested and held in Michigan with colleagues from the Thomas More Society, Chicago IL, along with The American Freedom Law Center. • Professor Kevin Govern, (J.D., L.L.M.) wrote two publications: ° John Winn and Kevin Govern, Defending Public Safety and Business Infrastructure: Effective Statutory Responses to Black Bloc Domestic Terrorism, Washburn Law Journal, Vol. 57 No. 1 (Winter 2018). International Humanitarian Law (IHL): Five Key ° Dymamics Shaping The Global Landscape, Security, and Freedom of Religion and the Way Ahead in The Persecution and Genocide of Christians in the Middle East: Historical, Legal, and Policy Concerns, Ronald Rychlak and Jane Adolphe eds, Angelico Press (2017). • Professor Kevin Govern has also been a featured speaker or commentator on many occasions. Here are a few of the highlights: ° Featured Speaker on The Security Dimension - National Security Issues - American Perspective, Expert Meeting on relevant issues concerning the preparation of the Global Compacts on Migrants and Refugees within the United Nations System, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland (December 2017 - Videotelectonference). ° Featured On-Air Guest Commentator, Attempted terrorist incident in New York City Uptown Radio / Columbia University (December 2017). ° Featured On-Air Guest Commentator, MTA Subway Derailment in New York City, Fox 5 and WNBC 4 TV News (June 2017).
”Working at Ave Maria Law since 2009 has been a great joy and blessing in my life. The smaller class sizes and sense of community make Ave Maria Law a unique and caring environment. I have a great sense of pride when I watch as our students graduate and become lawyers, using all of the skills we have provided to them. Our school is a very special place for me and, I hope, for all of the students who pass through our doors.” –Professor Wendy Tenzer 18 avemarialaw.edu
Faculty ”I love teaching at Ave Maria School of Law because the small class sizes allow for much more one-on-one interaction with the students. I also greatly appreciate the students who decide to enroll here because of the mission with its strong focus on morals, ethics, faith and reason, as well as the school’s very supportive family-friendly atmosphere.” –Professor Scott Daniels • Dean Emeritus Eugene Milhizer, (J.D., L.L.M.) was published in the following: ° Miranda’s Near Death Experience: Reflections on the Occasion of Miranda’s Fiftieth Anniversary, 66 Catholic University Law Review 577 (2017). ° Applying the Digital Search Incident to Arrest Doctrine to Predigital Content, 61 St. Louis University Law Review 165 (2017). ° Applying Riley v. California to Predigital Content,45 Search and Seizure Law Reporter 1 (Jan. 2018) (West). • Dean Milhizer gave two impactful Federalist Society sponsored presentations: ° Presentation entitled, “Mass Incarcerations in the United States,” Federalist Society, Ave Maria School of Law (April 16, 2018). ° Stetson Law School. Presentation entitled “Balancing Civil Liberties and Governmental Interests” (October 25, 2017). • National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation attorney, former Member of the National Labor Relations Board, and professor John Raudabaugh, (J.D.) played a key role in a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to favor the company and not the union in the case, Colorado Fire Sprinkler Inc. and Road Sprinkler Fitters Local Union No. 669, 364 NLRB No. 55 (2016). Professor Raudabaugh was one of the attorneys who filed an amicus brief on behalf of a Colorado Fire Sprinkler employee. • Quinnipiac Law Review published Professor Elizabeth Donovan’s, (J.D.) 144-page article in Summer 2018: Same As It Ever Was: In Support of the Rights of Sex Trafficking Victims, Volume 36: Issue 4 Quinnipiac L. Rev. 2018. • Jane Adolphe (LL.B/B.C.L., J.C.L., J.C.D.), Ligia Castaldi (L.L.M.), Brian Scarnecchia (M.Div., J.D.) presented at the International Human Rights Conference in Warsaw, Poland over the summer in early July. Jane Adolphe served as one of the conference organizers.
Professor Mark Bonner gave a speech to the Bucks County Legatus Chapter on Nov. 9, 2017 at the Doylestown Country Club in suburban Philadelphia.The speech was about the Persecution of Christians, which was the theme of the book edited by Professor Jane Adolphe and Board of Governors Member Ron Rychlak “The Persecution and Genocide of Christians in the Middle East�, to which Professor Bonner, Dean Cieply, Professor Kevin Govern and others have contributed.
Professor John Raudabaugh
Professor Elizabeth Donovan
Professor Kevin Govern
Professor Jane Adolphe speaking at the International Human Rights Conference in Warsaw, Poland.
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Faculty
Spotlight on
Patrick T. Gillen
Associate Professor Patrick T. Gillen (J.D., PhD) joined the law school faculty in 2007. Prior to joining the faculty he served as a judicial clerk for the Hon. Daniel A. Manion, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Hon. Robert D. Potter, United States District Court Judge for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to these clerkships, Prof. Gillen practiced law for fifteen years, focusing on civil litigation and civil rights. Professor Gillen still engages in pro bono litigation involving civil rights. Most recently, Professor Gillen was voted “Professor of the Year� by his upperclassmen students. Professor Gillen, how do you feel about being voted best professor by your students? I was delighted. I am grateful for each individual who comes to the Ave Maria Law community with the goal of entering the legal profession because that gives our institution a chance to collaborate with them as they seek to enter a noble profession. I believe the opportunity to help students join the bar is a privilege and I do my best to serve well. It was nice to be recognized this year, particularly because so many of my colleagues are excellent teachers, which makes the competition tough! What courses do you teach at Ave Maria Law and what is your teaching style? I have taught a variety of courses since joining the faculty. Currently, I teach courses in Constitutional Law, both federal and state, as well as Evidence. I have also taught Civil Procedure, Federal Courts, and Appellate Practice, which I enjoy because those courses allow me to bring my experience in civil litigation to bear in the classroom. Right now, I am also teaching one of our foundational mission courses, Moral Foundations. The task is challenging because the course aims to help students think about the relationship between law and morality and equip students to evaluate the law from a critical perspective. The course in Moral Foundations is designed to help these students see the inherent implausibility of moral relativism and begin to
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appreciate the importance of the relationship between law and morality. The course also gives students an opportunity to think about the relationship between the natural law tradition and the courses they study in their first year, contracts, torts, property, and civil procedure. Given my training in the study of history, I approach the subject from a historical perspective. My goal is to help students see that the natural law tradition is interwoven with our common law and constitutional traditions. Hopefully students emerging from their first year of studies recognize that the natural law tradition represents a long-lived and vibrant system of thought that has a great deal to say about many pressing issues of our day. These issues include everything from the sanctity of human life and the importance of marriage, to the importance of property rights and the role that tort and contract law play in promoting justice. What advice would you share with students embarking on their law school journey? First, they must appreciate the human dimension of the practice of law, that their clients will entrust vitally important matters to them and rely upon them for assistance, often in very difficult circumstances. If students have an appreciation for this human dimension of the practice, they should recognize the imperative to work hard while they are in school so they are well equipped to enter this noble profession and practice well. At Ave Maria Law, we guide them to see the importance of preserving soul, mind, and body as they enter a challenging and competitive profession. As for my teaching style, I try to emulate the superb professors who directed my studies. I assign a great deal of material and I expect students to do the work. I have high expectations and students must meet them to earn a good grade in any course that I teach. I am not interested in brow beating or intimidating students, but view a course as a collaboration between professor and student. Ideally, the classroom experience is a discussion of interesting material with students who are eager to master the fundamentals in a given area.
You and your wife have ten children, which is considered rare in this day and age. You are blessed. How wonderful to be a patriarch to such a large family. What is your family dynamic like at home? How do you manage a balance between your work and home life? We are very blessed. Of course, as a man interested in the truth as well as domestic harmony, let me acknowledge that my wife is an essential part of any success we enjoy as parents. As for family dynamic, I think that to be a parent is to recognize that every family is a work-in-progress with good days that are a foretaste of heaven, and bad days that can seem like the opposite! More seriously, the basic dynamic is what you would expect when you have a fairly large group of individuals with their own needs and desires—a lot of joy, with some sadness when things go wrong. I think you just do the best you can to ensure that everyone grows in wisdom, knowledge, and the love of God so that the whole family can be, as I tell my kids, united forever at the big party in heaven. That is the way our Lord describes it, as a wedding feast in a house with many rooms. I find that is a very human and appealing prospect—one worth working towards—and I try to share the excitement with the kids. As I work towards that goal with my wife, I am blessed to work at an institution that values family. Ave Maria Law is a
small institution with a faculty that works very hard. It is also an institution that has always given me the flexibility I need to take care of my family obligations. What do you enjoy most about being a part of the Ave Maria Law family? I enjoy the personal exchanges with students that deal with matters outside of the coursework. It is very rewarding when you have a chance to offer students some advice or insight that you know may help them reach their full potential. Likewise, it is very rewarding when students acknowledge that you have helped them see an issue, say marriage or religious liberty, in a new light. At Ave Maria Law, we are committed to the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, which means that many of our students hear ancient truths for the first time. There are few institutions in America where these truths can be spoken plainly. I am blessed to serve at one of them. I also enjoy those occasions when we celebrate significant days in the liturgical year or the school year. It is wonderful and humbling to see that faculty and students join in prayer—all equal in the sight of God—all mindful that we are on the same pilgrimage and working to make our way towards our real home. Finally, let me say that I’ve been called a lot of things at my house but patriarch is not one of them. I may suggest it though. It has a grand ring to it.
AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW FEBRUARY 2018 FLORIDA BAR RESULTS
#2 Ranked #2
84.6% passage rate
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Spotlight on
Kirk Miller
Professor Kirk Miller
(J.D.)
is an Associate Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law, and he has been voted “Professor of the Year” by the student body five years in a row. He and his wife, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Maureen Milliron, have been with the law school since it was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Being voted “Professor of the Year” for five years in a row by the students is quite a feat. You must love what you do and it shows. How do you approach teaching? I take a collaborative approach to teaching. I think that my best lectures are those that get students actively involved in the discussion. For example, when discussing a case with my 1L Property class, I will ask students to put on the hat of the attorney representing the plaintiff and/or defendant and then switch up some of the facts to see how well they can apply the rule(s) of the case to a new set of facts. It is one thing to pull out an issue, rule, holding and reasoning from a case. It is quite another to be able to apply that law to a hypothetical “on the spot”. For students, it might be a little intimidating at the beginning of the semester — but, after a few weeks, I think that students know what to expect (and prepare for) in my class.
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What do you feel the dynamic is between you and your students? I consider myself both a teacher and a mentor. The fact that I practiced law for fifteen years prior to joining the law school full-time allows me to impart practical advice to students about the profession that they will soon be entering. Whether it is advice about how to impress a prospective employer during an externship or internship; or, what to expect as a new associate, I try to make myself available as much as I can for the students. I am at the law school all the time and I have an open door policy that allows me to develop lasting relationships with students after they graduate and enter the profession. There is no better feeling than receiving an email or phone call from a former student thanking and advising me that they (for example) won their first trial and employed many of the trial techniques that they learned as a student in my Trial Advocacy class. As a professor, I live for those moments! What classes do you teach at the law school? Primarily, I teach Property I and II to the entire first-year class; and, I also teach Trial Advocacy to the 2Ls and 3Ls in both fall and spring semesters. In addition, I typically teach Advanced Property and/or Products Liability as electives during the Intersession and summer semesters.
The Architect of Ave Maria School of Law You have a unique work environment in which you and your wife, Dean Milliron, work for the law school. Do you enjoy working together and is it nice to have that support system at work? Yes and Yes! Dean Milliron and I met during our first year in law school and married a few days after graduation. We studied together throughout law school and to prepare for the bar exam. Dean Milliron was also an appellate attorney at my law firm for a couple of years, so, we had quite a bit of history working together prior to Ave Maria Law. After leaving my private practice as a trial attorney to join the law school as a full-time professor here in Florida, I really leaned on Dean Milliron for advice and support to help me with the transition.
June 20, 2018 was a historic day at the Veterans Memorial Law Library: We had the honor and the privilege to hang a portrait of our Founder, Tom Monaghan, painted by Igor Babailov, in our library. Mr. Monaghan’s life has been an inspiring story of success made by the harmony of his faith and reason. Although Mr. Monaghan, who once aspired to be an architect, and a great fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, did not exactly end up pursuing a career in architecture, thankfully his devout Roman Catholic faith led him to be The Architect of Ave Maria School of Law. The painting was donated to Ave Maria Law by the estate of the late U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Michael Novak.
What advice would you give to students considering law school? Recognize that you will soon be entering a proud and noble profession, and challenge yourself to commit fully to that end. There will be a lot of “ups and downs” during your law school career, but understand that the pride and satisfaction that you will feel when you walk across the stage to accept your juris doctorate degree is worth every ounce of energy and every minute spent studying and working hard to get there. What do you enjoy most about being a professor at the law school? Working with the students and watching them make that metamorphosis from layperson to lawyer is an incredibly rewarding experience. In addition, the advantage of working with such an outstanding and supportive Dean, faculty and staff cannot be overstated. We are a close-knit community here, and I believe that we are all the better for it. Ave Maria School of Law is a special place with a special mission. I am extremely proud and blessed to be a part of this law school community.
Tom Monaghan and Dean Cieply with Ambassador Michael Novak
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Faculty
An Advocate for
Human Trafficking Awareness Professor Elizabeth Donovan, Director of Legal Clinics and Associate Clinical Professor, and her students represent survivors of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and other violent crimes. Labor and sex trafficking is modern-day slavery, which deprives countless men, women, and children of their dignity and freedom. Yet, Professor Elizabeth Donovan, who directs the school’s Human Trafficking Law Clinic, remains hopeful. She believes a key to combatting modern day slavery is education and awareness. “Each case of human trafficking happens within a community. Likewise, the means to end human trafficking must happen within a community. Educating people about the existence of modern day slavery, and what they can do to make the work of the traffickers more difficult, is key.” Her belief in education and awareness is why Professor Donovan has coordinated with her clinic students and various student groups to offer awareness days on campus since the school started in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Over this last year, the Human Trafficking Law Clinic on campus came together in a group effort. The Black Law Student’s Association, Women’s Law Association, and Latino Law Student Association joined Human Trafficking Law students in their efforts to combat human trafficking through sharing facts about human trafficking locally, nationally, and globally, and to raise money for clinic clients and their families. During the Fall of 2017, the Human Trafficking Law Clinic received approval for a T-visa on behalf of a sex trafficking survivor and a T-visa on behalf of a labor trafficking survivor. In the spring of 2018, members of the clinic celebrated with a client who received permanent resident status after suffering years of abuse from her husband. Over the summer, the Human Trafficking Law Clinic helped a client bring his three children to the United States, and shared with another client news that he and his wife could remain in the United States.
Just the beginning in Michigan
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First year in Florida
Clinic outreach at JetBlue Park
It’s the Beginning of a
Beautiful Partnership
Tom Monaghan toasting to a new partnership with Culture of Life Foundation
“Ave Maria Law is thrilled to be partnering with the Culture of Life Foundation. Given our common missions, faith and reason, as well as
A partnership had secretly been coming together behind the scenes for months. Officially, in the spring of 2018, The Culture of Life Foundation and Ave Maria School of Law partnered to form the Culture of Life Institute at Ave Maria School of Law.
respect for the dignity of life,
This new Institute, entered into by Ave Maria Law’s President & Dean Kevin Cieply and Culture of Life Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Kimball Watson, launched on Thursday, March 22 at the Ave Maria Law campus with a champagne toast by our Founder, Tom Monaghan, founding former member of The Culture of Life Foundation in March of 1997.
our goals through synergy,
“Ave Maria Law is thrilled to be partnering with the Culture of Life Foundation. Given our common missions, faith and reason, as well as respect for the dignity of life, we believe that by working together we can advance our goals through synergy, mutual support, and helping each other create a national and global platform.” – Dean Cieply, Ave Maria School of Law
we believe that by working together we can advance mutual support, and helping each other create a national and global platform.” –Dean Cieply, Ave Maria School of Law
The Institute will offer programs in ethical principles as applied to the fields of law and policy. Programs include externships on Capitol Hill, bioethics in the law with our nation’s legislature; Academic Symposia, strengthening Catholic Leadership in Legal Education; Student Seminars in Bioethics; and a Quarterly Peer Reviewed Journal.
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EVENTS
Monsignor McGrath, Bishop Dewane, Richard Varadan ’20, Tylan Ricketts ’18
Bernadette La Paglia, Ladies for Liberty Singing Troupe, Thelma Hodges
Jim Kelleher, Donna Heiser, Sue Kelleher, Mitzi Magin
Kristina Borjas ’20, Edgar Vidales ’20
Debi Lux, Sean Lux ’18, Monsignor McGrath
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Danielle Clark ’18 with her family.
All smiles at March for Life in D.C.
A Night with
Newt Gingrich We are blessed that over three hundred guests attended our annual Signature Event on Saturday, February 17, 2018 with the Honorable Newt Gingrich as the guest speaker. We had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gingrich’s wife, Ambassador Callista Gingrich, who accompanied her husband. Ave Maria Law presented Ambassador Gingrich with an honorary law degree.
Guest speaker, The Honorable Newt Gingrich
Mr. Gingrich’s speech was nothing short of astute and insightful as we all expected, and the crowd also learned another side about the Gingrich’s recent experience living in Italy. Mr. Gingrich made a point of saying that Ave Maria Law was important in the formation of moral and ethical lawyers and that the students we are training will have a significant impact on our country. Thank you to our generous sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: Ave Maria Mutual Funds Media Sponsors: Gulfshore Life, Naples Daily News, Life in Naples Our Legal Counsel: Cohen & Grigsby
Tom Monaghan, Callista Gingrich, Dean Cieply
Frank Ponzio, Sunny Ponzio
Frank Corvino, Maura Corvino
Newt Gingrich, Pat Adams, Callista Gingrich
Nancy Myrick ’17, John Myrick
Veteran Joseph Bare, ’19, Lynn Blanford, Larry Blanford
Marilyn and John Thyen
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EVENTS
Keynote Speaker Paul Lee
Fifth Annual
Estate Planning Conference
We were pleased to welcome leading Estate Planning Influencers Paul Lee, Stacy Eastland and Mark Parthemer, among other notable guests, to speak at the Fifth Annual Estate Planning Conference that was held on Friday, April 27, 2018 at The Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort. The conference received a Certificate of Accreditation for Continuing Legal Education from The Florida Bar. Mr. Lee kicked off the conference as the first keynote speaker discussing “Managing Tax Basis Today for Tomorrow.”
Marve Ann Alaimo, Co-Chairman
Other key topics of discussion on the agenda included “Wills and Estates in a Digital Age”, “Charitable Giving: How it can cost you nothing to give to charity”, and “Drafting Issues from the Fiduciary Perspective”. Thank you to our 2017-2018 Committee: Marve Ann Alaimo, Preston Came, Kevin Carmichael, Pat Cingle, Kim Delcomyn-Javarinis, Aaron Farmer, Donna Heiser, Jerry Hesch, Gregory Holtz, David Masterson, Jim Raley, Shelley Perry, Gavin Piasky, Amber Richards, Mark Warnken, Jonathan Gopman and Olivia Goolsby. We’re incredibly grateful to our Co-Chairs who volunteered many hours of their time, along with the entire Estate Planning Committee. Co-Chairing the conference committee this year was Marve Ann Alaimo, a partner at Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, and Kevin Carmichael, a partner with Wood, Buckel & Carmichael. Both co-chairs have served on the committee since its start in 2014.
Preston Came with Nancy Gibbs
A sincere and special thanks to our sponsors for the conference this year: CliftonLarsonAllen, Hawthorn PNC Family Wealth, PCE, Akerman, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, HBK CPA’s & Consultants, Wells Fargo, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Northern Trust, Bridgeford Trust Company, Coral Gables Trust, South Dakota Trust Company, Corporate Valuation Services, Right at Home, Pension Planners, and Farmer & Associates PLLC. Congratulations to our scholarship recipients this year: Samantha Encalada ’20, Joe Bare ’19, and Kyle Bacchus ’19. Thank you to all of our volunteers who came out to help make the day a success, including Samantha Encalada ’20, Joe Bare ’19, Kyle Bacchus ’19 and Danielle Clark ’18.
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Stacy Eastland and Jerry Hesch
Ave Maria Law Marches
Ave Maria Law marches in Naples
This year the law school renamed our local March for Life walk, and the First Annual Monsignor Laurence Higgins Respect for Life Celebration was born in honor of a dear friend of the law school who has passed away. We happily welcomed Dr. Alveda King to campus for what happened to be an impactful talk to our group, followed by a campus wide walk. We always stand together each year in support of the pro-life movement, close to our hearts and in line with our school’s mission. Ave Maria Law has been traveling to D.C. in support of the March for Life since our school first opened in Michigan in the year 2000. Students, faculty, staff and alumni came together for a series of events: Law of Life Summit, March for Life Expo, an Alumni event, and the March for Life walk. Our Lex Vitae Society always takes the lead and paves the way for us each year.
Ave Maria Law and friends travel to Washington, D.C.
We met up with EWTN at the March and Dean Cieply accompanied Gretchen Wade ’20 and Jay Hamilton ’18 to participate in a live interview on behalf of our school.
Monsignor McGrath Daniel Korycki ’20
Thank you to our students for always doing such a great job of bringing our community together for such an important cause.
Tampa friends of the late Monsignor Higgins receive a plaque commemorating the First Annual Monsignor Laurence Higgins Respect Life Celebration (L to R) Ms. Patricia Wermuth, Tim Murray, Kevin Murray, Dr. Alveda King, Joan Thibalt and Dean Cieply.
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EVENTS AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW CELEBRATES COMMENCEMENT 2018 On May 12, 2018 at the Artis—Naples Philharmonic, the Class of 2018 walked across the stage to receive their well-deserved Juris Doctor degrees. They accomplished a great deal over the past three years, and yet, their accomplishments are only a mere glimpse of their true potential. Thank you Class of 2018. We, at Ave Maria Law, appreciate everything you have done for our school. Taken from the words spoken by our Student Commencement Speaker, Kelly Sifford ’18, “One of the best parts about Ave Maria Law are the people here.”
“The Class of 2018 will make their mark on the world. They will take their faith, they will take their education, and they will be leaders in our society, making our society more secure, more just, and more sacred.” –Kevin Cieply, President & Dean
“Through the fear and the work, we have emerged with a quality legal education.” –Kelly Sifford ’18, Student Commencement Speaker
COMMENCEMENT EVE
On Friday, May 11 leading up to Commencement, we held our Baccalaureate Mass at St. Agnes Catholic Church, celebrated by Ave Maria Law’s Chaplain, Monsignor Frank McGrath, followed by a New Alumni Reception and Pinning Ceremony our campus in St. Thomas More Commons in which over 200 people attended including our new alumni and their families, staff and faculty.
“During the last three years since you’ve been here, we’ve been the most improved law school in the U.S.” –Tom Monaghan, Founder
“Living vocationally is spiritually enriching. You will never, ever have a boring day.” Above left: Sarah Sulsona ’18, Class of 2018 Student Bar Association President, presenting the Class of 2018’s gift for the law school – Seal of Florida for the Moot Court Room
–George Weigel, Commencement Speaker
Above middle: Chelsea Maukonen ’18 Above right: Prof. Brian Scarnecchia, Christopher Jay ’18, Mary Zizzo ’18, Bartlomiej Milewski ’18
Congratulations to all of the students selected for the Student Commencement Awards: Mary, Queen of Lawyers Award – Kathleen Mullally ’18; Presented to the student whose life and learning show that the student, like Mary, is the person we would choose to defend us in the most important judgement of all.
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St. Thomas More Award – Jennifer Heemstra ’18; Presented to the student who most embodies the virtues of this great saint as well as achieving academic excellence.
St. Ives Award – Christopher Jay ’18, Tylan Ricketts ’18, Stephanie Williams ’18; Presented to the student who has acted most vigorously in defense of a Catholic moral and social order.
Soar
Spread Your Wings and
Thank you to Kelly Sifford ’18 for speaking on behalf of your class and doing so in such a commemorative and enlightening way. Congratulations to George Weigel, Senior Fellow & Chair in Catholic Studies and Kevin Bane, Co-Chair of Williams & Connolly LLP, for receiving their Honorary Degrees during our Commencement exercises.
Voted “Mr. Ave” by his peers, Mohad Abbass ’18 with his family.
Thank you to George Weigel for sharing a bit of your wisdom and knowledge during an impactful speech to our graduates.
St. Catherine of Alexandria Award – Hershal Spangler ’18; Presented to the student excelling in oral advocacy, especially in moot court competitions and the trial advocacy program. St. Raymond of Penyafort Award – Sarah Prosser ’18; Presented to the student excelling in written advocacy.
St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Award – Courtney Brevard ’18; Presented to the student with outstanding performance in clinical programs. St. Michael Award – Sean Lux ’18; Presented to the student veteran who has been an effective advocate of the United States Armed Forces on campus or in the community.
St. Thomas Aquinas Award – Victor Bermudez ’18 and Kelly Sifford ’18; Presented by the Dean to the student who best exemplifies the ideals of Ave Maria Law.
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Save
EVENTS
MAY 2019
MARCH 2, 2019
EVENT
FORMER AMERICAN FOOTBALL STAR AND PRO-LIFE ADVOCATE
MATT BIRK
TO GIVE CLASS OF 2019 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS We’re thrilled to announce that Matt Birk will be Ave Maria Law’s COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER in May 2019. We learned the power of Matt’s speech when he came to speak to the Legatus Naples Chapter and knew he needed to address our Ave Maria Law Community. Matt Birk is a former American football center. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and later played for the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football at Harvard. Birk is a two-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl selection, and one-time Super Bowl champion. Birk established the HIKE Foundation in 2002, which seeks to “impact the lives of at-risk children by providing interactive programs and resources needed to guide a child through the key educational transitions between elementary, middle, high school and college.” Birk received the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2011 for his commitment to improving literacy among at-risk youth. He was named the sixth-smartest athlete by the Sporting News in 2010. Birk is a pro-life activist. His wife volunteers at a crisis pregnancy center and he participated in the Maryland March for Life. He is also a Roman Catholic and father of six.
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Ave Maria School of Law, Tom Monaghan and John and Billie Resnick have the distinct pleasure of hosting
Steve Forbes
Our Signature “Profiles in Ethical Leadership” Speaker Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media
Saturday, March 2, 2019 • 5:00 p.m. Royal Poinciana Golf Club, Naples, Florida We are honored to welcome Steve Forbes, author of “Reviving America: How Repealing Obamacare, Replacing the Tax Code and Reforming The Fed will Restore Hope and Prosperity” and a Republican Presidential candidate for President as our Signature “Profiles in Ethical Leadership” Speaker for 2019. All proceeds will benefit the Ave Maria School of Law Scholarship fund. Tickets available soon. Visit forbes.avemarialaw.edu. For more information, please contact Donna Anthus at (239) 687-5403 or email her at danthus@avemarialaw.edu. Save the Date! This academic year, Ave Maria Law is launching a new program titled: PROFILES IN ETHICAL LEADERSHIP. Each month, Ave Maria Law will invite distinguished CEO’s, entrepreneurs and other leaders to campus to speak to students, faculty, and staff. The Signature Event in March 2019 will serve as the program’s centerpiece, giving the program energy and momentum.
the Date OCT. 16, 2018 | ON CAMPUS & ONLINE | ALL DAY
NOV. 9, 2018 | ON CAMPUS | 12:00 PM
3RD ANNUAL VETERANS MEMORIAL CELEBRATION
&
A E LAW GIVES
FITNESS COMPLEX GROUNDBREAKING Featuring the patriotic Ladies for Liberty Singing Troupe and bestselling author, Dr. John Ratey
10/16/18 On Tuesday, October 16, Ave Maria Law will host its inaugural DAY OF GIVING. Please join us in our goal to strengthen the bond of our community consisting of students, alumni, staff, faculty, benefactors, Board of Governors, neighbors and friends of the law school. Your support of the law school will continue to help us improve our campus technology, student scholarships, and our up-and-coming fitness complex on campus. We appreciate you. Visit: day-of-giving.avemarialaw.edu
JAN. 11, 2019 | ON CAMPUS | 12:00 PM
AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW SECOND ANNUAL MONSIGNOR LAURENCE HIGGINS RESPECT FOR LIFE CELEBRATION
Join Us
Watch for more details on our events coming soon. If you have any questions, please contact Amber Richards, Special Events Specialist at 239-687-5341 or arichards@avemarialaw.edu.
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Farewell, Gregory T. Holtz “No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.” –Calvin Coolidge This quote epitomizes Professor Gregory T. Holtz. Professor Holtz was an extremely special, wonderful part of the Ave Maria Law community. He will be greatly missed by our family of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and benefactors. We were blessed that fate brought him to Ave Maria Law. Knowing we had the opportunity to witness his presence, talent, determination, and even perseverance toward the end of his battle, we are honored to be in the company of this great man.
Greg Holtz with his wife, Jody
As you know, Greg was a visiting professor of law at Ave Maria Law and taught Wills, Trusts and Estates and Estate Planning. He oversaw the Estate Planning and General Practice Clinic. His generosity was endless. He established the following endowments: The Theodore S. Holtz Endowed Scholarship at Ave Maria Law in memory of his father, and The Gregory T. Holtz Estate Planning and General Practice Clinic, which was named after him by the law school in his honor. Professor Holtz was involved in the Ave Maria Law Estate Planning Conference since its inception, and served as the Committee Chair during the Third Annual Conference. He made it a point to attend most events in support of Ave Maria Law. Professor Holtz served on a variety of organizations including WGCU Radio Reading Service, volunteer; The Rotary Club of Bonita Springs; Community Foundation of Collier County Professional Advisors Council; Collier County Bar Association; Collier County Women’s Bar Association; and the Lee County Bar Association to name a few. He served as a Pro Bono Attorney under the Legal Aid Service of Collier County’s “Collier Lawyers Care” Program. Greg epitomized the act of giving back one’s time, talent, and treasure and we are eternally grateful. Our prayers remain with his family during this difficult time. Let’s come together and say goodbye to a dear friend. 34 avemarialaw.edu
Monsignor McGrath, Professor Holtz, Dean Cieply
“Professor Holtz was truly an amazing man. An example for all to follow. We will miss him, and we thank him and his family, for everything he has done for our school. We do not decide our birth or our death, only our life. You can live a safe life or an authentic life, either one but not both. Choose to live the latter, and give others your best each day – Professor Holtz did, you can too.”
–Dean Cieply
What inspires you to give? What inspires you to give to an organization? What causes or issues are you passionate about? And how do you want to be remembered? For many of us, this is a very personal decision and reflects our unique and individual goals in life. Giving brings us great joy and satisfaction in making a difference in what we truly believe in. Maya Angelou found that giving “liberates the soul of the giver.” Simply put, giving makes us feel good for doing something we passionately believe in.
Donna C. Heiser, APR, CFRE Chief Advancement and External Affairs Officer Ave Maria School of Law dheiser@avemarialaw.edu 239-687-5405
“For it is in giving that we receive.” –St. Francis of Assisi
For our benefactors and friends that you’ll read about in this issue, giving to Ave Maria Law is an investment in our faith and in our country’s future. As Gigi Daniel notes, remembering Ave Maria Law in her will is a legacy that will give the school “the opportunity to produce lawyers and judges who will operate on strict moral principles.” To Veteran Memorial Law Library Founders Maura and Frank Corvino, Ave Maria Law is “one of the best schools of its kind in the nation” and one that they are so “strongly aligned with in mission, vision and values” that Ave Maria Law has become their favorite charity. For Veterans Wall of Honor benefactors, Connie and Vinny Von Zwehl, Ave Maria Law represents “the best chance for our Catholic faith and the best hope for its future. Assisting veterans by helping to provide them with law degrees is an honor for us.” John and Karen Ferguson echo their sentiments and note that “it is a great opportunity to honor our nation’s veteran heroes through the Veterans Wall of Honor.” Each day, we are inspired by the stories we hear of how Ave Maria Law alumni are making a difference in our world. Joshua McCaig, a member of the inaugural class of Ave Maria Law and one of the leading voices for Catholic legal professionals today is the Founding President of the Catholic Bar Association. McCaig lives his faith boldly. Last year, he made national news speaking at the U.S. Senate against the anti-Catholic questioning of law professor Amy Coney Barrett during her confirmation hearing to the Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Our alumni truly are inspirational and fine examples of the importance of providing scholarships to worthy students who will become the leaders and champions of faith, morals and social justice that our country so desperately needs. Florida Assistant State Attorney and Ave Maria Law graduate Lisa Haba is doing just that by prosecuting challenging human trafficking cases in Orlando, one of the country’s most prevalent areas for the crime. For her work, Haba was honored with the Florida Attorney General’s Prosecutor of the Year Award, earning our respect and admiration. Fellow Ave Maria Law graduate Vincent Vernuccio has made significant inroads in labor policy as a senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. He also served under President George W. Bush as special assistant in the Department of Labor and on President Trump’s transition team. We have the privilege of sharing with you that alumnus Joseph Toth has been appointed a Federal Judge and alumnus Matthew Dawson has been appointed an Administrative Law Judge. As one of our esteemed Board of Governors members and benefactors, Tom Garlick, so appropriately noted, “I am proud that Ave Maria Law has been named the Most Conservative Law School based, among other virtues, on our mission to train today’s attorneys not only in the best legal skills and adherence to the founding principles our forefathers promised in the Constitution, but also to follow and defend moral truth and practice with ethical standards, civility and professionalism.” Your continued support and your prayers are necessary now, more than ever, to help us to train the next generation of lawyers who will take a stand for restoring the moral and legal foundations of our great nation. This is important work, and your gift is vital. I urge you to remember Ave Maria Law in your will, contribute to the scholarship fund or to provide a scholarship to a veteran by becoming a Veterans Memorial Law Library Founder or Wall of Honor benefactor. Thank you for your faith in us and our mission and for making a difference in the lives of our students and the potential impact they can make on our country.
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CAMPUS NAMING OPPORTUNITIES These naming opportunities offer you a meaningful way to support Ave Maria School of Law while honoring and commemorating someone or something important in your life. The following is a partial list of naming opportunities for your consideration. CREATE A LASTING LEGACY You can create a legacy to ensure that the good work of Ave Maria School of Law will continue into the future. Planned or deferred gifts from your estate can also provide support for scholarships, legal clinics, named gifts and campus enhancements. To learn more about making a gift through your estate, please contact us. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Heiser, CFRE, Chief Advancement and External Affairs Officer Ave Maria School of Law, 1025 Commons Circle, Naples, FL 34119 (239) 687-5405 or dheiser@avemarialaw.edu
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STRUCTURE
DONATION ESTABLISHED REMAINING AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT
Campus Law Clinics Veterans Law Clinic Veterans Advocacy Center Commons Administration Dean’s Executive Wing Faculty Wing West Hall East Hall Villas Information Technology Training Center Administration Lobby Large Classroom Military Service Appreciation Plaza Welcome & Reception Areas Library Group Study Conference Rooms Faculty and Student Lounges Bookstore Classroom Computer Lab Veterans Memorial Law Library Founders Reception Area History Wall Seminar Rooms Confessionals Offices Student Organization Offices Vineyards Blvd., Pine Ridge, Vanderbilt Signage Exterior Signage Offices (small) Chapel Pews Kitchen and Snack Bar Rare Book Cases Veterans Memorial Wall of Honor Plaque Attorney and Audience Tables Tables- Moot Court Room Study Carrels Computer Workstations Awards and Faculty Scholarship Cases
$5,000,000 1 $4,000,000 4 $4,000,000 1 $1,000,000 1 $1,500,000 1 $1,500,000 1 $750,000 1 $750,000 1 $500,000 1 $500,000 1 $200,000 8 $150,000 1 $100,000 1 $100,000 2 $100,000 1 $100,000 3 $50,000 4 $50,000 2 $50,000 3 $50,000 1 $50,000 6 $50,000 1 $50,000 100 $30,000 1 $25,000 3 $10,000 2 $10,000 10 $10,000 4 $10,000 3 $5,000 6 $5,000 36 $5,000 4 $5,000 1 $2,500 3 $2,500 Many $1,500 5 $1,500 3 $1,500 18 $1,500 20 $1,000 3
CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION
DONATION ESTABLISHED REMAINING AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT
Bench Tree Study and Meditation Garden
$1,500 10 10 $500 Many Many $20,000 2 2
FITNESS COMPLEX ew! N
DONATION ESTABLISHED REMAINING AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT
Fitness Complex Fitness Complex Director’s Office Fitness Complex Lobby Bleachers Basketball Gym Floor A (NAMED) Basketball Gym Floor B Women’s Locker Room Men’s Locker Room Athletic Equipment Room Group Fitness Studio Multipurpose Athletic Room Athletic Field Fitness Atrium Children’s Playground Grill Area Individual Sports Equipment
$2,000,000 1 $25,000 2 $100,000 1 $25,000 1 $75,000 1 $75,000 1 $25,000 1 $25,000 1 $25,000 1 $100,000 1 $100,000 1 $100,000 1 $100,000 1 $50,000 1 $25,000 1 $500 to $1500 Many
1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 1 1 2 1 3 4 1 3 1 6 1 75 1 2 2 10 4 3 6 36 3 1 3 Many 5 3 15 20 3
1 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Many
The Heritage Society
The Heritage Society honors donors who make planned gifts and bequests to Ave Maria School of Law, which are critical sources of income for its ongoing legal programs. Ave Maria Law is unique in its emphasis on faith, reason and Natural Law as the basis for all morals and law. With morals and natural law under siege today, and with many challenging our right to voice moral convictions and our faith, we must be prepared to defend the truth. Either we accept that God is the foundation of morals and the law or we and future generations will become the victims of today’s relativism. Membership in The Ave Maria School of Law Heritage Society involves no dues, obligations or solicitations. Your complimentary membership is our way of thanking you for the plans you have made to include a planned gift or bequest to Ave Maria Law — and to inspire generosity, resolve and conviction in others.
HOW TO JOIN
BECOME A MEMBER
Ave Maria School of Law welcomes you to The Heritage Society if you have:
To become a member, visit www.avemarialaw. edu/heritagesociety to complete your member profile form or contact us at 239-687-5403 to let us know you have made estate plans for Ave Maria Law. We will send you a membership acknowledgment and welcome letter. Your arrangements with the law school will remain confidential. Please contact Jeff McManus, JD, Planned and Leadership Gifts Officer, at 239-250-3536 with any questions. You may also check the appropriate box on the enclosed return envelope that is included in this issue of the Advocate.
• Included Ave Maria Law in your estate plan through a will or living trust • Created a charitable remainder trust which names Ave Maria Law as a remainder beneficiary • Entered into a charitable gift annuity agreement with Ave Maria Law • Named Ave Maria Law as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy, an IRA or retirement account, or as a payable on death beneficiary on a bank account or securities account • Made a gift of real estate reserving a life estate We are confident that you will continue to be pleased with the mission and successes of Ave Maria Law. However, should you desire, most planned gifts allow the donor to change the beneficiary at any time.
Gigi Daniel
has been a supporter of Ave Maria School of Law since the campus moved to Naples in 2009. As a conservative Catholic, Gigi was drawn to its lofty mission of developing students who would become outstanding and ethical lawyers and judges. To help accomplish this goal, Gigi has chosen to leave her legacy to Ave Maria School of Law as “Deferred Annuity”, which gives her complete control of the timing of her gift to the law school, either before or after her death.
Gigi comments, “I firmly believe that Ave Maria School of Law, which has won awards such as the Most Conservative and the Most Devout law school in America, will produce lawyers and judges who will operate on strict moral principles and who will follow the letter of the law as outlined in the United States Constitution. Let us pray for its success.” We are very grateful to Gigi for all that she does for Ave Maria Law and for her legacy gift that will enable more young men and women to realize their calling to become well-formed and well-trained lawyers and judges.
Fr. Eamon McManus and Gigi Daniel
THANK YOU TO PETER CANCRO AND JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS for their significant support of the scholarship fund at Ave Maria Law.
Peter Cancro and his wife Tatiana Voevodina Cancro with Tom Monaghan.
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Friends of Ave Maria Law
How Can I Leave the World a Better Place? All of us have probably asked ourselves this question at one time or another. As a practicing estate attorney for over 30 years, I found that most people do not give this question the kind of thorough analysis it deserves. After all, you have worked your entire life to accumulate assets — and for what purpose? Most of my clients initially went no further in the analysis than thinking about their immediate family. Family no doubt deserves very serious consideration, and especially when children are young, perhaps nothing else should have a higher priority. However, as children grow older and become self-sufficient, and in some cases even better off than their parents, a deeper and more faithful analysis should occur.
Jeff McManus Planned and Leadership Gifts Officer, Ave Maria School of Law 239-250-3536 jmcmanus@avemarialaw.edu
I have always been an advocate of charitable giving, especially by encouraging people to think more about charitable giving through an end of life gift. Charitable gifts not only provide a much needed source for funds for societal needs that may not otherwise be met, but they make those who contribute actually feel better about themselves. Consider this short list of what you can accomplish by making a charitable gift upon your death: 1. LEAVING A LEGACY
3. PRIVATE VERSUS GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
I think there is a desire on all our parts, perhaps a God given desire, for all of us to leave the a world better place than we found it, to support a cause we believe is important, and to inspire others. An estate gift is an easy way to leave that legacy without making gifts from funds that are relied on for normal living expenses, or from savings for unknown future needs.
Estate gifts to charity help relieve the need for the government to become involved in supporting and controlling more charitable organizations that could and should be supported exclusively by private charitable dollars. You have made the decision to support several charities with gifts during your lifetime. Why should that devotion to help others stop at the time of your death, the time when you will be able to make the greatest and most impactful charitable gift?
2. NEEDS OF OUR FAMILY I believe everyone needs to do a heartfelt examination of the real needs of their heirs. Do your children really need 100% of your estate when you die? Would their needs be well provided for by receiving 80% or 75% or even 50% of your estate value? In a two million dollar estate, for example, if two children were left 80% to split, or $800,000 a piece, would they suffer in some material way by receiving $800,000 rather than by receiving 100%, or 1 million each? Almost certainly the answer would be no. But what benefit would a charity like Ave Maria School of Law gain from an estate gift of the remaining $400,000? The impact you provide would be immense and inspiring!
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4. IS THERE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE TO CHARITABLE ESTATE GIVING?
“Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” If this Yes! It is written in 2 Corinthians 9:7,
exhortation applies during our lifetimes, it surely must apply at our deaths when most families will pass on the largest gift of their lifetime, their estate, to family members, charities or otherwise.
So, with at least four good reasons to consider making a charitable estate gift, let’s address the other issues that often keep people from making a charitable estate gift: time and cost. There are several ways you can leave a charitable estate gift while investing very little time or money. Here are four of the most common ways to leave a legacy gift inexpensively: 1. NAME A CHARITY AS A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY BENEFICIARY Insurance policies are often acquired when people are young. As we grow older and more financially independent, the purpose for which they were acquired may no longer exist. Does your current stated beneficiary really need all of your insurance proceeds? One simple change of beneficiary form can leave all or a percentage of your death benefit to one or more charities. EXAMPLE: 50% to Ave Maria School of Law; 50% to your children TIME REQUIRED: 10 minutes COST: Zero
2. IRA/RETIREMENT ACCOUNT BENEFICIARY IRA proceeds can be a costly benefit to pass on to heirs. Again, one simple form can change part or all of the proceeds to include one or more charities. This can be an income tax savings benefit to your heirs since the death benefits of an IRA payable to an heir are often subject to income tax. EXAMPLE: 50% to 2 different charities TIME REQUIRED: 10 minutes COST: Zero
On a related note: IRA’s are an excellent charitable lifetime gift vehicle for people over 701/2 who don’t rely on all the money from their IRA for ordinary living expenses. Distributions up to $100,000 per year can be made directly from the IRA Administrator to a charity. These gifts can be used to satisfy your annual required minimum distributions requirements but are not taxable to you.
3. PAYABLE OR TRANSFER ON DEATH ACCOUNTSPOD’S AND TOD’S If you set up a bank account as “payable on death,” the account will pass to the beneficiary whom you name upon your death. The assets in the account do not have to pass through probate court. As long as you are alive, the person you name to inherit the money in a payable-on-death (POD) account has no rights to it. You can spend the money, name a different beneficiary, or close the account. The Florida law covering payable on death accounts covers all deposit accounts with a payable on death designation, including checking, money-market and certificates of deposit. POD accounts are distinct from those that transfer-ondeath (TOD), a designation used for stock certificates and investment accounts, but the results are the same with the account assets being payable to the designated beneficiaries with no cost or probate court involvement. TIME REQUIRED: 10 minutes COST: Zero
4. WILLS OR REVOCABLE LIVING TRUSTS Did you know that less than half of all adult Americans have a valid Last Will and Testament? Individuals can now easily find forms online to create a will or a revocable living trust. However, I do not recommend this way of saving money. The cost of hiring an attorney for estate consultation is minimal compared to the costs that can be incurred as a result inadequate self-drafting. If you have not yet made a will or created a trust, think about the opportunity to make a charitable gift by very easily including a provision for a gift to charity. Example: 10% to Ave Maria School of Law OR $50,000 to Ave Maria School of Law
If you already have a will or trust: you can create a simple Codicil to your will or a short Amendment to your trust to add charitable beneficiaries without having to re-do your entire will or trust. This can be done very easily and inexpensively through your attorney by using percentages, or by designating specific dollar amounts or by gifting a particular asset.
“My hope is that everyone will prayerfully consider a gift to one or more charities upon their death no matter what the size of their estate. Even if an individual leaves only a small percentage to charity, many people will be better off. And remember, “God loveth a cheerful giver!”
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Friends of Ave Maria Law
Professor Holtz’s Planned Gift Leaves a Legacy Ave Maria Law lost a dear friend and our students lost an outstanding professor, mentor and example with the passing of Professor Gregory T. Holtz on June 30, 2018. Professor Holtz was a distinguished attorney by anyone’s standards. He earned multiple advanced degrees including a Master of Science degree from Cleveland State University, a Juris Doctorate degree from Case Western Reserve University and a Master of Laws degree in Elder Law from Stetson University College of Law. He was a respected author and lecturer, the recipient of a Florida Bar President’s Award for Pro Bono Service and served as a member of a variety of organizations. He had a distinguished career in estate planning, fiduciary administration and wealth management. Despite all these accomplishments, perhaps his most meaningful and fulfilling vocation was as Visiting Associate Clinical Professor at Ave Maria Law. Professor Holtz understood the value of a well-formed Catholic legal education. Having significant familiarity with many other law schools, he also knew the uniqueness of the legal education provided to the students at Ave Maria Law. His students were immersed from their first day on campus with courses and concepts that are not offered at other law schools. Students examined ethical issues through four required courses focused specifically on ethics: Moral Foundations of the Law; Jurisprudence; Professional Responsibility; and Law, Ethics, and Public Policy. These courses explore the philosophy of law and the foundations of democracy in America. Students also learn the interrelationship between law, ethics, and Catholic moral and social principles, and how to apply these principles to their profession. Professor Holtz’s passion was The Law Clinical Program at Ave Maria School of Law. This program provides an exceptional opportunity for students to work with clients, learn substantive law, craft and implement legal strategies, and serve the common good. Its core is a legal teaching method based on experiential learning—the practical work
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of students on real cases. Whether advocating for a human trafficking victim, mediating a small claims dispute, helping someone with estate planning or representing an inventor, students learn from their experience and appreciate this unique opportunity. That passion led him to make a provision in his estate plan for a gift to Ave Maria Law. Professor Holtz named the law school as a beneficiary of a portion of his IRA, which will provide for the ongoing funding of the Ave Maria School of Law Clinical Program. Professor Holtz also chose to help future law students with tuition costs through a Scholarship Fund Commitment named in honor of his father, Theodore S. Holtz, who had a distinguished career in law and public service for 57 years. The funds, provided through an Inherited IRA, will be used to provide a permanent scholarship fund at Ave Maria Law for those who participate in Pro-Bono activities, show an interest and proficiency in estate related law and have a devotion to public and community service.
“The privilege of serving as a professor of law at Ave Maria School of Law has underscored for me, through the passion and commitment of my students, Ave Maria Law’s core mission of service and conscience. Financially supporting that mission through participation in the law school’s development programs is a meaningful way to offer a legacy to our students and the legal communities in which they will contribute, serve and make a difference.” Professor Holtz recently commented,
May God bless Professor Greg Holtz and may his life and caring benevolence be an example for others.
Ave Maria Law’s First
Life Planning Presentation In 2018, Ave Maria Law sponsored the first of what will become a very special series of annual presentations by distinguished speakers on compelling life planning issues. On March 27, 2018, the first of these presentations was held at The Pelican Bay Club in Naples, FL. The topic was, “Planning for the Rest of Your Life- What Keeps You Awake at Night?” This public service and education event included lunch along with three informative and thought provoking presentations. The late Associate Clinical Professor Gregory T. Holtz, Esquire, of Ave Maria Law made an interesting, educational presentation entitled, “How to Help Your Lawyer Help You Live Happily Ever After.” Included in his topic were: • Whom should I appoint to handle my estate and affairs? • Keeping peace in the family with asset distributions • Probate and non-probate property-why it matters Prior to his recent passing, Professor Holtz was a regular participant in special events and an integral part of Ave Maria Law’s Planned Giving Committee and programs. Michele McKenney, MPH, J.D. of McKenney Home Care in Naples presented on a topic most of us will have to deal with, “Aging in Place and Desirable Health Care Options.” We all
Jeff McManus, Dean Cieply, Michelle McKenney, Kristin Phillips ’15, Donna Heiser, Tina Dedrick ’15
learned about the incredible challenges of aging and how the desire most of us have to stay at home, known as aging in place, can best be planned for and accomplished. We were very proud that two graduates of Ave Maria Law, Tina Dedrick and Kristin Phillips, were able to join us as presenters. Both are now employed in Naples as estate and tax planning attorneys with the law firm of Woolman, Gehrke and Associates, PC. Kristin and Tina brought the audience up-to-date on the “Impact of the Recent Tax Law Changes,” including implications for estate and financial planning. The comments we received from the attendees were very complimentary, one of which was, “This was the first program we have ever attended in which complicated information was delivered in a way we could actually understand. The presenters were all knowledgeable and friendly, and nobody tried to sell us anything. Please have more programs like this so we can bring our friends!” We plan to do just that. We will be sending out save the date cards and invitations for a spring event in 2019. Please contact Jeff McManus at 239-250-3536 if you would like to receive an invitation. We hope to see you there.
Ave Maria Law alumnae Tina Dedrick ’15 and Kristin Phillips ’15 present “So we have a new tax law. What should I do now?” at the Life Planning Conference.
Advocate | 2018
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Thank You Ave Maria School of Law
Board of Governors MR. THOMAS S. MONAGHAN Chairman of the Board and Founder, Ave Maria Foundation
LIEUTENANT GENERAL RICHARD F. NATONSKI
Retired U.S. Marine Corps, Commander of the Marine Corps Forces Command
MRS. CATHY RUSE
Senior Fellow for Legal Studies at the Family Research Council
MR. RONALD J. RYCHLAK
President of SEALS, Professor of Law and Jamie P. Whitten Chair of Law & Government, University of Mississippi, School of Law
MR. PETER A. CARFAGNA Chairman and CEO, Magis, LLC
MR. KEVIN CIEPLY
MR. THOMAS B. GARLICK
Managing Partner, Garlick, Swift & Garry, LLP
President and Dean, Ave Maria School of Law
MR. RICHARD KLAAS
THE HONORABLE PATRICK J. CONLIN
MRS. MITZI S. MAGIN
Michigan 22nd Circuit Court (Retired)
MOST REVERAND FRANK J. DEWANE The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida
MR. JAMES WILLIAM FENNESSEY
Partner, Klaas Capital Group Catholic Education Advocate and Philanthropic Community Leader
HIS EMINENCE ADAM CARDINAL MAIDA
MR. MICHEL SAADEH
President and CEO, Vineyards Development Corporation
ADMIRAL HENRY F. WHITE, JR.
Rear USN (Ret.), and Former Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the American Bar Association
MR. JAMES P. WHITE
Professor Emeritus of Indiana University and Consultant Emeritus, American Bar Association
Archbishop Emeritus of Detroit
President and CEO, Fennessey Buick, Inc. (Retired)
You’re Invited
AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW BOARD OF REGENTS
BOARD OF REGENTS BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
The Board of Regents was created to further the vision and mission of the law school. As an influential voice and supporter of Catholic legal education, you are invited to join the Board of Regents, a non-governing entity with your gift of $5,000. Annual renewal is at your discretion.
• Invitation to the Annual Board of Regents’ exclusive event featuring a nationally recognized speaker
For more information, contact Donna Heiser, Chief Advancement & External Affairs Officer dheiser@avemarialaw.edu or (239) 687-5405
• Discounted tickets with complimentary upgrades and VIP seating to Platinum level to Ave Maria Law Signature events and lectures by nationally recognized speakers. • Special seating and recognition at Commencement each year, with a listing of your name in the program • A personalized Board of Regents Plaque • A complimentary plaque to honor the loved one of your choice on the Veterans Wall of Honor ($2500 value) • An Ave Maria Law Signature Lapel Pin • Membership is for a period of 12 months, from the date of your completed gift or pledge • All gifts will benefit the Scholarship Fund at Ave Maria Law • Complimentary use of our Fitness Complex
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Veterans Corner Spotlight on: Kevin Professor Kevin Govern began his legal career as an Army Judge Advocate, serving 20 years at every echelon during peacetime and war in worldwide assignments involving every legal discipline. He has also served as an Assistant Professor of Law at the United States Military Academy and has taught at California University of Pennsylvania and John Jay College. He has published widely and spoken frequently on international and comparative law, national security and homeland security, cyber security and cyber defense, military operations, and professional ethics. Professor Govern, first and foremost, thank you for your service to our country. You are on the faculty as Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law. How long have you been with the law school and what classes do you teach? I was honored to join the Ave Maria Law faculty in 2007 in Ann Arbor, moving with the school to Naples, Florida in 2009. Presently, I teach Professional Responsibility, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, National Security Law and Military Law. Past courses have also included Law, Ethics and Public Policy, Computer/Internet Law, Health Care Law, Contracts I & II, and Evidence. You’ve been published widely through the years. In your opinion, what have been some of your most impactful works that have been published? Impactful writing is the art and science of story-telling. It starts with good ideas, having a clear sense of audience and purpose, adding value to the intended reader’s consideration of the topic, progressing logically, compellingly, and directly relying on competent sources woven together with mechanical competence. In particular, my work with the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law has resulted in many impactful works, including but not limited to contributions in Oxford University Press books on Cyberwar: Law and Ethics for Virtual Conflicts and also Targeted Killings: Law and Morality in an Asymmetrical World to name a few.
Govern
Professors Kevin Govern and John Raudabaugh, U.S. Veterans, at the law school’s annual event.
What advice would you give to students as far as being well prepared for a course and being able to excel in their law school curriculum? Students must be mentally, physically and spiritually open to live the Ave Maria Law Mission, as professors teach to focus on the what, why, and how of subjects; the result will spark imagination, inspire spirit, and motivate to act consistent with faith and reason. Two skills learned and mastered in law school that make for great lawyers and servants of society will be effective time management and astute issue identification. What are some of the key values you learned as part of your military experience? While military service is geared towards excellence as a Servant of the Nation, the very same values lived as a Soldier and Army Officer apply as a lawyer, teacher and servant of the community: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage. What do you enjoy most about being a professor at the law school? Without a doubt my greatest joy is knowing and working with the people at Ave Maria Law, and I am most grateful for being a part of the Ave Maria Law community of faith and reason. Students, faculty and staff enjoy a unique bond, and together we have become one of Florida’s, and, indeed, the nation’s best law schools, committed to excellence in legal education and service to others.
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Interview with: Dayo
Felix-Doyle
Dayo with his wife and daughter.
Dayo Felix-Doyle is a current second-year student at Ave Maria Law. He’s also a proud Marine Corps veteran, a husband and a loving father. Dayo, thank you very much for your service to our country and for deciding to join our Ave Maria Law community as a student. What war did you serve in and what motivated you to join the military? I served in Iraq. I was motivated to join the Marine Corps, because of who we are, what we do, and what we represent. I joined the military to better my life due to financial disparity, social hardship, and a sense of duty to something other than myself. What was your job/assignment in the military? My job in the Marine Corps from when I began my service, as all Marines, from cook to fighter pilot, is that of a warrior of the sea, known as the Marine Corps Infantry. I completed my service and was officially discharged as an Infantry Marine, Non-Commissioned Officer.
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What influenced your decision to study law? My influence to study law came from those qualities inherent in my character as a being in this universe. I am subject to Natural Law omnipresent in us all. How did you keep yourself motivated when you began your law school path? Humility and confidence. Without both, we are destined to fail and crack. And cracking ain’t my style! How do you spend your time outside of law school? There is no time for much else. Yet, as a pilot, I love to fly, all the while looking to my astronaut friend Leland Melvin for inspiration. I love to swim, hunt, and fish. All of the aforementioned activities pale in comparison to spending time with my daughter. What area of law would you like to practice? I desire to practice Intellectual Property & International Business Law. What is your favorite quote? Besides being a proud citizen, I am a proud human being. A favorite quote of mine is by Kahlil Gibran, in which he states, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
Ms. Polly Crews viewing her son’s name on the Veterans Wall of Honor
Honoring Local Heroes
at the Second Annual Veterans Memorial Celebration on Pearl Harbor Day On December 7, 2017, Ave Maria School of Law hosted its Second Annual Veterans Memorial Celebration in honor of our nation’s veterans. For the first time, we presented the Annual St. Martin of Tours, Patron Saint of Veterans and Soldiers, Heroes Award to three deserving individuals: Major General J. T. (Mike) Coyne, United States Marine Corps (Retired) who served as the Master of Ceremonies and Lieutenant General Richard F. Natonski, United States Marine Corps (Retired) who was our Guest Speaker and newest member of the Ave Maria Law Board of Governors. The third hero award recipient was long time veteran, Mr. John Gideon, who is 97 years old. Mr. Gideon served in the Navy in WWII. He was at Pearl Harbor on the day of the attack, December 7, 1941. He eventually received a medical discharge from the Navy. Back by popular demand were the Ladies for Liberty Singing Troupe and we were honored to have the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard with us.
Dean Cieply addressing guests
Donna Heiser, John Gideon, Dean Cieply
It was special having so many local veteran organizations join us from Lee and Collier County, including the Wounded Warriors of Collier County, the Collier County Veterans Council, the Collier County Veteran Service Organization, the Military Officers Association of SWFL, the Jewish War Veterans Post 202, the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Support Our Troops. Guests of 2nd Annual Veterans Event
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Dean Cieply with his wife Kelli and daughter Tiffany, with Tiffany’s family.
Tom Garlick has been a guiding force at Ave Maria Law and one who
Tom Garlick with Tom Monaghan
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has generously given of his time, talent and treasure to ensure its success. We are grateful to Tom for his many gifts to the law school, including becoming a Founder of the Veterans Memorial Law Library and thoughtfully including Ave Maria Law in a planned legacy gift. “I have been a member of the Board of Governors of the law school since about the time it moved from Michigan to Florida,” noted Mr. Garlick. “I continue to be impressed by Ave Maria Law, its administration, students and faculty in overcoming the challenges of moving the campus and in the progression in status and reputation of this relatively young institution. It has not been an easy road in either the business or educational aspects of its growth. But hand in hand, with our patron Mary, Ave Maria Law has prevailed. More than that, I am proud we have been named the Most Conservative Law school based, among other virtues, on our mission to train today’s attorneys not only in the best legal skills and adherence to the founding principles of our great Constitution, but also to follow and defend moral truth and practice with ethical standards, as well as civility and professionalism.”
Veterans Memorial Law Library
Founders
Lou and Pat DiCerbo Lou and Pat DiCerbo have been loyal Ave Maria School of Law benefactors for many years and most recently became Founders of the Veterans Memorial Law Library. Mr. DiCerbo serves on the Veterans Memorial Law Library Steering Committee and was instrumental in the launch of the new founder’s initiative. We are grateful to them for their philanthropy and generosity that has enabled us to provide scholarships to deserving veterans and to provide a lasting tribute to honor and remember our nation’s veterans. Mr. DiCerbo quoted Saint Francis of Assisi when we asked him why it was important to him and Pat to support Ave Maria Law, “It is in the giving that we receive.” Well said!
Frank and Maura Corvino Remember a loved one on the Veterans Wall of Honor You can honor a veteran with a plaque on the Ave Maria School of Law Veterans Wall of Honor located in our Veterans Memorial Law Library. Each plaque can be designated with the name, rank and military branch of your loved one for a donation of $2500, with all proceeds benefitting our scholarship fund. For more information, contact Donna Heiser at 239-687-5405 or dheiser@avemarialaw.edu.
Frank and Maura Corvino have recently joined the Ave Maria Law family and have become two of our most ardent supporters. They enthusiastically became Founders of the Veterans Memorial Law Library last year and joined this group of distinguished benefactors who are making difference by helping us to educate moral and ethical lawyers. “People who have the means to give back are constantly being asked to donate or help with many worthwhile charities,” noted Mr. Corvino. “We chose to become founders at Ave Maria Law. We were overwhelmed with the quality of the students, the faculty and the administration of the school. We also are strongly aligned with the mission, vision and values of Ave Maria Law. Our dads were veterans and we do everything we can to support veterans because they give up a great deal to protect our freedom. Also, the idea of a Catholic conservative law school in our world today is critical to keep our legal system in balance. Ave Maria Law is our favorite charity. It is also one of the best schools of its kind in the world.” “Congratulations to Tom Monaghan, Kevin Cieply, and his team for their dedication and excellence,” he concluded. Thank you Frank and Maura for your wonderful generosity and support!
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Veterans Wall of Honor Connie and Vinny Von Zwehl Gala Co-Chairs, Honorary Degree recipients, special event hosts, volunteers and truly dedicated Ave Maria Law and Catholic education philanthropists, Connie and Vinny Von Zwehl give because of their belief in God and country. Remarking that her comments are “what we feel from our heart,” Connie explained that she and Vinny came to support Ave Maria Law slowly. “It always had the wonderful mission of providing law degrees for the devout. Of course, we believe in that, and in any form of Catholic education. We were fortunate enough to have a front row seat while the school relocated, purchased and expanded the campus and elevated its programs. With the addition and expansion of both staff and board we came to the realization that Ave Maria Law represented the best chance for our Catholic faith and the best hope for its future. As we got to know students, watch them graduate and go forth, we were proud to have been of some support in their success.” “And now,” she notes, “with the bold and brilliant opportunity to offer scholarships to veterans through the Wall of Honor program, we feel the most pride for Ave Maria Law. We cannot think of better candidates than these seasoned Americans who have served their country before themselves once already. That we can help provide them with law degrees is an honor for us. That they can continue their lives in the service of God and Country makes our support imperative at this time in America’s history.”
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God they gold refine
Till all success be nobleness, And every gain divine!
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Benefactors John and Karen Ferguson John and Karen Ferguson’s philanthropy to Ave Maria Law began many years ago and continues today enabling us to achieve our mission to train tomorrow’s leaders to help uphold the truths of our faith and our Constitutional principles. A dedication to our nation and to the veteran heroes who defend it has inspired the Ferguson’s to become Veterans Wall of Honor benefactors. “Our nation was born of the faith, courage, wisdom and visionary intellects of our founding fathers,” noted Mr. Ferguson. “Our Declaration of Independence acknowledges the freedoms, under God, with which we have been blessed. These freedoms have been maintained through the will, commitment and patriotic spirit of the men and women who have bravely served our country in protection of our liberties.” “Ave Maria Law’s leadership in honoring our veterans through its Wall of Honor is a tribute to the sacrifices of our servicemen who have put their lives in danger to protect the freedoms we enjoy. We owe a great debt of gratitude to our heroes of the armed forces. Ave Maria Law is saying thank you.” “My father, John Ferguson, was teaching at the City College of New York when World War II commenced. He immediately joined the Navy as a LTJG and rose to the rank of Lt. Commander. He was sent to desolate Adak in the Aleutian Islands after the war ended. He was returning from Sitka, Alaska on November 30, 1945 when he was tragically killed in a plane crash that was lost without a trace. He was only 36, and the father of three children. I was the oldest, then age 6.” “I urge all Americans who love our country, respect our flag and appreciate the sacrifices of our veterans and their families to support the financial initiatives of Ave Maria Law and give to its veterans scholarship program,” he suggested and went on to recommend that “the third verse of “America the Beautiful” should be sung more often and possibly be added to the Wall of Honor as a tribute to our veterans.”
Fitness Complex
Coming to Campus
CONNECTING MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT FOR A PURPOSEFUL LAW SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
“When a benefactor of the law school granted us two million dollars to invest in a fitness complex on campus, we knew this was a dream realized for the law school. The benefits of physical fitness will enhance the academic discipline needed for students to perform well and will complete the law’s school’s program designed to develop the mind, the spirit, and the body. Each of us, from students, to faculty and staff, will embrace this as an opportunity to invest in ourselves. And that is priceless.” –Dean Cieply
AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW
BASKETBALL COURT
Thank you to the Kelleher Firm for their support in the naming of a basketball court. The Kelleher family has four family members currently attending Ave Maria Law.
Ave Maria Law’s state-of-the-art Fitness Complex will include covered basketball courts, a soccer field, and exercise facilities for our law school community. A variety of programs are being implemented, from intramural sports, spin classes, dance and yoga, to individualized training needs. There’s something for everyone.
Save-the-Date for the groundbreaking event on
November 9, 2018!
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Hurricane Irma
Strength in Community
Pete Fernandes ’20, Chris Stipek ’19, Daniel Hanco ’19, Mohad Abbass ’18, Juan Arias ’18, Juan Delgado ’20
Being Floridians, as much as we prepare for hurricane season each year, we don’t quite realize the full impact until we are in the eye of the storm. For many of us in the South, Hurricane Irma made an incredible impact. Here on campus it certainly consumed our lives for a period of time. We continually pray for one another and those who become affected by the seriousness of hurricanes. One thing we experienced during and after Irma was the strength of our community. A group of our exemplary students, alumni, faculty, staff, families and friends extended their utmost generosity in helping with our campus clean-up in the aftermath and we are still grateful for all of these individuals to this day.
Daniel Hanco ’19, Dean Cieply, Monsignor McGrath after the storm.
We were deeply touched by the selfless act of another group: Mormon Helping Hands. They came to our campus with about 50 volunteers, who willingly gave their time and energy to help our school. The group included Nolan Tyler ’18, Jacqueline Coronel ’20, and alumnus Andrew Bennett ’13, who is also one of our adjunct professors. Dean Maureen Milliron and Professor Kirk Miller took the time to donate nonperishable items to a church in Immokalee. They stationed their vehicle in front of the Veterans Memorial Law Library and packed it to the brim, thanks to those who stopped by to donate items. It was heartfelt to witness our community working together, to better our school. It gives all of us hope and belief in the future.
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Where Are They Now?
Matthew Dawson
is a 2005 graduate of Ave Maria Law. He is an Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration. Congratulations on the success in your career and your appointment as an Administrative Judge. What have you enjoyed most about growing in your career and getting to this pinnacle point? While I have had many positive experiences throughout my career, I have most enjoyed the professional relationships and friendships that have formed along the way — in particular those at the Michigan Court of Appeals, Brooks Wilkins Sharkey & Turco (BWST), and among my fellow Ave grads. I would like to acknowledge Chief Judge Christopher Murray for whom I clerked on two different occasions. His guidance and example have been crucial to my development from both a technical and philosophical perspective. Similarly, the willingness of the partners and other litigators at BWST to invest in my professional growth is something I’ve found to be a rare gift in private practice. Finally, the advice and support of several fellow law school grads have proven invaluable in helping me choose different paths throughout my career. Can you please share your advice to those who may be interested in a similar career path. In your opinion, what are the necessary steps one must take to be successful in the field of law? Three steps come to mind. The first seems obvious, the second and third perhaps less so. First, proficiency in the law is essential. The successful lawyer is the one who demonstrates consistent command of both the law and the facts. The ability to communicate clearly, particularly through legal writing, cannot be overstated. Second, character matters. Put simply, colleagues, clients, adversaries, and judges remember how you conduct yourself. Your reputation is important, and, over time, advancing your case or your career hinges on this more than you realize. Third, make time for what’s important. Remember that you do not live for your career and trust in Providence. In the end, your happiness lies in faith, family, and friends. Trust that God has a plan for your life and this, in turn, will affect not only the type of lawyer you are, but, more importantly, the type of person you become. As for anyone interested in a career path similar to my own, I would encourage that person to get involved in litigation, either criminal or civil, as much as possible. Also, I would encourage that person to apply for a clerkship or, if that is not possible, to apply for other research or writing jobs within the courts. Each of these avenues was essential to my judicial appointment.
What are the most valuable lessons you learned while attending Ave Maria Law? Of the many lessons I’ve taken from Ave Maria Law, I think the most valuable was the emphasis on technical proficiency as an offering to God. I recall Dean Bernard Dobranski saying during a voir dire weekend that excellence in the legal field rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition was key to achieving this goal, and this theme was consistently reiterated through professors like Charles Rice, Joseph Falvey, Richard Myers, Stephen Safranek, and Mollie Murphy. The point is that one cannot begin to advance a just society in the legal field unless one has a command of that field. So, while understanding justice and morality philosophically is necessary, that understanding alone is not sufficient for the effective Catholic advocate. Knowing the nuts and bolts of evidence, torts, civil procedure, and the like are essential if one seeks to serve God in this field. This mission extends beyond one’s education at Ave Maria Law, and should guide all Ave graduates in their professional development. What is one of the best pieces of advice you’ve been given throughout your career? Don’t be afraid to try new things, particularly early in your career. The more diverse your resume and experience, the more likely you’ll discover your true interests. This has the added benefit of making you more marketable in a very competitive field.
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Where Are They Now?
Danielle White
is a 2014 graduate of Ave Maria Law. She currently works as Legal Counsel for Heartbeat International, the first network of pro-life pregnancy centers founded in the United States. Thank you for all of the work you do advocating for the Pro-Life movement. What is a typical day like in your job position? What is most rewarding to you about your job? It’s an honor and a joy to work in this movement. As an initial matter, for any who may be unfamiliar, Heartbeat International is a network of pro-life pregnancy help organizations. Our 2500 affiliates are located in all 50 states and in more than 60 countries across the world. They provide a plethora of support to women experiencing unexpected pregnancies — material aid, medical services, housing, educational and career assistance, parenting courses, fatherhood initiatives, and post-abortion recovery, to name only a few. I serve as in-house counsel for Heartbeat International, which could be conceptualized as a kind of “Bar Association” of the pro-life pregnancy help organizations described above. As for your question of a typical day, there really is no typical day. My work touches so many areas of law — and just when I think I have a plan for my day, I can get involved in a totally different issue at a moment’s notice. Since I handle the legal affairs of Heartbeat as well as providing resources and education for our affiliates, every day is different, and my work has a lot of variety. I expected that working in the pro-life movement would involve constitutional law. It has, and I have really enjoyed that aspect of my work. But in my position, I have touched such a wide variety of issues, including those dealing with contract, tort, intellectual property, real property, healthcare, employment, and tax law. I’m certainly not an expert in any of those areas, but I enjoy learning them and networking with like-minded attorneys (including several from Ave Maria Law!) who do have expertise in those areas. As for the most rewarding aspect of my work, I’ll have to narrow it down to two things. I’ll start with the most recent. California recently enacted a law requiring medical pro-life pregnancy centers (and only pro-life centers) to post a notice providing the phone number a woman can call to receive a taxpayer-funded abortion. Non-medical centers had to include a disclaimer in all of their advertising stating that they did not have medical personnel — and that disclaimer 52 avemarialaw.edu
had to be made in up to 13 different languages and in a font size larger than the text of the advertisement itself. If a pregnancy center wanted to place a 7-word, three line advertisement in a newspaper, the disclaimers would turn that same ad into a 350-word, two column monstrosity costing the center thirty times more than the ad it intended to place! I had the opportunity to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on behalf of Heartbeat International, arguing that this draconian measure was unconstitutional. During oral argument, Justice Gorsuch referenced our brief! It felt like we had scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl of lawyering. Being able to be in the courtroom when the Supreme Court handed down that tremendous win for free speech was incredibly rewarding. Second, I really enjoy interacting with the directors of pregnancy help organizations. Naturally, I cannot provide direct legal advice for all of them, but I do provide education about various areas of law in a more broad and general fashion. Helping them to be more confident in running their centers and serving women is so rewarding. What are some of the most valuable lessons you learned while attending Ave Maria Law? I learned the importance of being prepared — especially in Professor Grenardo’s contracts class! I learned how to research effectively, and I really honed my writing skills through Professor Generazzo’s mentoring. I really appreciated the faculty at Ave Maria Law. They didn’t necessarily “teach” me — they challenged me by giving me the tools to figure things out on my own. I might not have always appreciated it at the time, but I’m sure grateful now for all of the times they answered my questions with questions! While a student at Ave Maria Law, were you involved in prolife activities? The reason I attended law school was to get involved in pro-life work, so I was looking for opportunities as soon as I started school. I served on leadership with Lex Vitae and attended the March for Life with them. But perhaps more rewarding than that was serving as a mentor for a teen mom at a maternity home in Golden Gate. I met with her once per week to walk with her through her pregnancy and provide support. We still talk periodically. I also spent my summers with prominent pro-life legal
organizations such as the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Thomas More Society in Chicago. All of these experiences prepared me for my current position. If you were to provide advice to recent law school graduates, what would it be as they look forward on their careers ahead? Network, network, network. Having a network of professional contacts is beneficial for finding that first position and then advancing your career. Also, find ways to use your legal training to benefit others in a way you are passionate about. I believe that God gives each of us talents and strengths that we can use to glorify him and improve the lives of those around us. When our education and skills bring about a better life for someone else, all of the hard work truly is worth it.
Jeremy Temple
graduated from Ave Maria Law in 2003. He currently works as Director and Senior Counsel at LexisNexis. Jeremy, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview. You work for LexisNexis, a corporation providing computerassisted legal research. What brought you to your current position and what is a typical day like for you?
flexible, act as a teacher, and be able to listen and come up with solutions based on your experience of what the market position is, as well as the risk tolerance of your company. Aside from closing deals, I also work on advising on supply chain and vendor management, new product releases, handling customer disputes, litigation management, marketing and advertising, and legal operations. Do you enjoy working in the high tech industry? Yes, I have always enjoyed working with technology. One of the main benefits of being in-house is that you don’t get stuck working with only lawyers. In a technology company, many of those colleagues are software engineers, data scientists, solution architects, researchers, and process improvement experts, and there is almost always a new set of problems to work on. Because LexisNexis’ principal customers are attorneys and law firms, I get to see early what the next generation of legal practice will look like and have a hand in helping to shape it.
LexisNexis is probably most well-known among attorneys for its research business, but it also sells software-based solutions (both software as a service and traditional onpremise models) and news and business insights solutions. Lexis was looking to hire senior attorneys in their Raleigh, NC technology center last year to support these two lines of business. I came over to LexisNexis after serving about six years with IBM as a senior negotiator supporting global technology outsourcing deals, and a subsequent four years as corporate counsel with HCL Technologies, in a much broader capacity, but still primarily focused on large technology transactions.
What do you enjoy most about the career path you chose as an attorney?
Where an in-house transactional attorney at a publicly traded company spends his or her time is largely driven by the revenue cycle at the ends of the quarter. During the end of the fiscal quarter and fiscal year, the focus is on closing revenue generating deals. Sometimes the things you spend your time on are purely legal issues, such as limitations of liability and indemnification provisions in customer agreements, but often, the issues end up being ones that are both for the business executives and legal to work through together, in areas like termination rights, security obligations, technology service levels and refresh cycles, as well as complex financial terms. You need to remain
Two, like Charlie Rice told his students, “Law school is a trade school.” While the law has a sort of “pride of place” among the traditional lay professions, it is at the end of the day, a practical degree aimed at solving practical everyday problems. Don’t get so caught up in the prestige-seeking that many lawyers are prone to that you forget.
I was a teacher before I went to law school, and I still enjoy the teaching element of being an attorney most of all. What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned while attending Ave Maria Law? One, persistence and determination matters as much as talent and academic success. Even if you get knocked down in school, just get back up, put your head down, do your best, and keep going. You’ll figure it out and make it work, if you are persistent.
Did you know you always wanted to go to law school? I didn’t always want to go to law school. I thought I’d go to graduate school in classics, philosophy or theology. I had a wise father-in-law who advised me against this, even though I had already been accepted by a couple of programs.
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Where Are They Now? If you were to provide advice to recent law school graduates, what would it be as they look forward on their careers ahead? Try to find out what you enjoy and have aptitude in. Those things are tied together. You won’t do a really good job at something unless, at some level, you enjoy it. Also, do internships and externships during school if you can. An internship I did at the legal department of Toyota’s R&D center in Ann Arbor during my 3L year was what made my mind up about going in-house, which I did right out of law school. Who have been your key mentors in your life? My father, Wayne Temple. My college professors at Thomas Aquinas College. Finally, my law school professors, especially John Dolan, Charlie Rice, and Steve Safranek.
Andrea (Andi) Phillips graduated from Ave Maria Law in 2017. She was highly involved in her school and was her Class Commencement Speaker. Andi currently works at Children’s Legal Services, Department of Children & Families. How has life changed since graduating in 2017? I have moved a couple of times: first, to study for the Florida Bar Exam and start my new job; second, to transfer to my new office. Your job is extremely meaningful. The work you do helps people on a daily basis. How did you end up in your current job? When I was praying about going to law school, the Holy Spirit kept calling me though Proverbs 31:8-9. Discernment about that passage from scripture, life experiences, and several of my law school internships led me to want to work in some sort of victim-advocacy field, particularly keeping the vulnerable safe. Children’s Legal Services (CLS) with the Department of Children and Families allows me to fulfill that calling—“Open your mouth in behalf of the mute, and for the rights of the destitute; open your mouth, judge justly, defend the needy and the poor!”— so when a CLS opening posted on LinkedIn while I was studying for the Florida Bar Exam, I applied. In my job, I get to help protect abused, abandoned, and neglected children. I help families get services in order to work through their particular issues to make their home safe again, and, if that is not feasible, I help children find adoptive homes. What are some of the positive challenges you faced at Ave Maria Law that may have helped you grow as a person? The study of law was a whole new world for me. I had previously been in rigorous academic environments, but I 54 avemarialaw.edu
had only set foot in an active courtroom once before law school. Learning the language of law challenged me to broaden my perspective. What advice would you share with students interested in going to law school? Learn how you learn. When you go to law school, people are going to give you an excessive amount of advice about how to study. However, what works for them may not work for you, so my advice to you is to think of a topic you know well, really well. How did you learn that material? Was it in a group or alone? Did you listen, read, or write to learn? While studying in law school, try to implement that method… the one that works for you. For me, I learned best by studying in restaurants. For you, it could be in a library cubicle. How do you want to make an impact in this world as an attorney? If you want peace, work for justice. I hope to bring integrity, compassion, and justice with me as I work in public service. Where do you see yourself in ten years? Working in public service in some sort of government agency. I’m not sure what I will be doing ten years from now, but I would like to always work to help keep people safe.
Mary Fowler and Elizabeth Humann
graduated from Ave Maria Law in 2016 and went on to begin their own firm, Gulf Coast Legal Group. Mary and Elizabeth, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview. Congratulations on opening your own practice! What made you decide to go into business together? Can you share the process with our readers of how this transpired? Elizabeth: You’d think that this would have been an event that we planned and strategized about for months, but it really wasn’t. I knew I was going out on my own in the next year or so, but did not have a concrete plan or any kind of timeframe. Mary told me she was ready for the transition in mid-February. We were offered an office that week. Once we knew we had a physical location, the decision happened literally over a weekend. Mary: Personally, I knew that if I left the position I had with the firm I was working with to go on my own, I didn’t really want to be completely on my own. I wanted to have someone I could trust to bounce ideas and have each other’s backs.
That’s why when the opportunity presented itself to go into practice with Beth, I jumped right on it. I could not think of another person I had more in common with in terms of our current situation in life, and more importantly, our work ethic. I knew she’d make the best partner. The decision to go on our own was made rather quickly. We talked about it. We asked each other “are you ready?” We both said yes, and somehow we had an office space lined up within days. Then Beth did most of the research on what was needed to get started: a business name; domain name for website and email addresses; registering with the state; getting a tax id from the IRS; etc. We met over a weekend and went over all the details and voila! Gulf Coast Legal Group was born. Then there was the issue of remodeling our office space which was outdated and dingy looking. It took us two months to remodel, but it was totally worth it! We have been in our offices since April and we couldn’t be happier. You both graduated from Ave Maria Law in the same year. Did you happen to be close friends and study partners? Elizabeth: We did study together but not for everything. And we were definitely good friends. I certainly hope Mary gives you the same answer about the friendship thing or I’m going to be a little sad on the inside! Mary: We studied together for most of the classes we took together but not for everything. The schedule would not allow it sometimes, especially during our second and third years. But we were definitely friends all the way through. We met before classes started our first year and remained friends all three years and beyond. What are some of the most valuable lessons you learned while attending Ave Maria Law? Elizabeth: Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. Just like it takes a study group to succeed in law school, it takes a village to succeed your first few years as an attorney. You can’t be afraid to ask questions of people who know more than you do. When you are so tired that nothing is sinking in anymore, take a break. Mary: Time is very valuable when you are in law school. I would advise anyone not to waste time. Also, you are not the only one feeling overwhelmed, ask for help and don’t be afraid to sound stupid. School is the time to sound stupid, better there than in front of a judge. Lastly, study to learn and not just for a grade. Incredibly, a lot of what you learn in school does come up in practice later. If you were to provide advice to recent law school graduates, what would it be? Elizabeth: Work on creating a network of people you can reach
Elizabeth Humann ’16
Mary Fowler ’16
out to regularly. This is important for both your practice and your sanity. Don’t be difficult to work with just because you are trying to prove yourself as a new attorney. Cut other attorneys some slack, because at some point you will need them to do the same for you. Be professional, especially about communicating. Answer your emails and return phone calls. Mary: Surround yourself with a good support group. By that, I mean other attorneys have been in your place and know how hard it is when you first come out of school. Don’t get discouraged when you first begin to practice and realize you don’t know anything. It is called the practice of law for a reason. This is an old, overused attorney saying but it is so very true, “It takes a lot of practice to feel a little bit confident, and just when you think you know your stuff, you get a curve ball thrown at you.” Who have been your key mentors in your life? Elizabeth: I am pretty old, so I have had people provide me with guidance during different phases of my life/career. While I won’t name anyone specific, I will say this: whoever your “mentor” is, treat them right. Buy them a gift card, take them to lunch. Small tokens of appreciation go a long way. Mary: It is very hard to mention names because I have been fortunate to have learned from many people. However, I would have to say that someone who inspired me to pursue my dream of being a lawyer, even after being much older than the average student, was a professor I had during my undergraduate studies in New Brunswick, Canada. He was an Employment Law professor named Neil Franklin. Professor Franklin may not know it, but I attribute the crazy idea of going to law school at 36 completely to him. What do you like to do in your free time here in Naples? Elizabeth: Beach, kayaking, spending time with my friends and sleeping. I love sleeping. Mary: Oh, this is an easy one… I love the beach! Swimming, kayaking, reading a book under a beach umbrella. I also enjoy volunteering with an animal rescue group.
Advocate | 2018
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LAWYERS COMMITTED TO PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
Keeping in Touch Jennifer Lucas-Ross
, Associate Dean of Career Services and Alumni Affairs, is responsible for all administrative functions of the Career Services Office. Ms. Lucas-Ross offers individualized counseling services to students and alumni. She is also responsible for reaching out to employers, coordinating the law school’s recruitment programs, and producing public interest opportunities for students. Ms. Lucas-Ross is licensed as an attorney in Florida. Prior to joining Ave Maria Law, she worked as a sole practitioner concentrating on civil litigation. Her professional background includes experience in management, academic support and teaching. Ms. Lucas-Ross earned her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center. She completed her undergraduate studies at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA, where she earned a degree in English.
Alumni, for more information or to share your news and accomplishments, please contact: Jennifer Lucas-Ross, Esq. jlross@avemarialaw.edu 239.687.5351
You oversee Alumni Affairs and Career Services for the law school. What do you love most about your role? I love seeing the students develop and move from law student to practicing professional. My favorite experience in my role is watching a student graduate, begin their career, and then asking them back to mentor our current students. Every time they allow me to share in their success is a delight. Since taking over Alumni Affairs, I have also been able to see the further progress of our alumni. They are so talented and a deeply caring and receptive alumni community. Having gone through law school earning your J.D. and practicing as an attorney at one point in your life must be helpful in mentoring students and alumni, since you were once in their shoes. What is the best advice you would give to current students pursuing internships, and to new alumni starting out on their legal career path? Having a plan is essential, but keep your heart open. I believe that our profession is a calling. And as such, sometimes we are called down a path we didn’t see when we first began this journey.
“Continuing my involvement with Ave Maria Law after graduation was a no-brainer, giving back to my alma mater and helping as many current students be successful only serves to increase the standing of the school in the eyes of the local community as well as the national legal community which in turn helps all alumni.” –Jaime Hewitt, Class of 2014 and President of the Ave Maria Law Alumni Association
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ROOTED IN CATHOLIC INTELLECTUAL TRADITION
“As a new student, I wanted to reach out to prospective externship sites and be sure I was noticed. I turned to the Career Services and quickly made use of the professional support they offered. Career Services helped me tremendously with resumes, cover letters, and writing samples, working with me to make these documents stand out from the competition. With the support of Career Services, I was blessed with a unique opportunity to work under a federal judge who mentored me.”
–Victor Bermudez, Class of 2018
Tribute Dr. Krauthammer
It was with heavy hearts that we said farewell to Dr. Charles Krauthammer, author, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist, patriot and one of the most influential and brilliant communicators of our time. We were fortunate to twice welcome Dr. Krauthammer as our Signature Event speaker for Ave Maria Law. He graced us with his presence, astonished us with his intellect and believed in our mission of educating moral and just lawyers. Dr. Krauthammer was introduced to Ave Maria Law through his friendship with the late Judge Robert Bork who, together with Dean Emeritus Bernard Dobranski developed and taught our seminal “Moral Foundations of the Law” course. This required course continues to be taught to every first year student and in its uniqueness, distinguishes us from many other law schools. Dr. Krauthammer understood the importance that morality and ethics plays in the education of lawyers. Certainly, we will miss Dr. Krauthammer and we will forever treasure what he brought to our lives.
1950 – 2018
preLaw
MOST DIVERSE LAW SCHOOL
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AVE MARIA SCHOOL OF LAW 1025 Commons Circle Naples, Florida 34119 avemarialaw.edu
BEST
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The Princeton Review
BEST 169 LAW SCHOOLS 2018
Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, license number 4007. Fully accredited by the American Bar Association. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Consumer-Services, 1-800-435-7352. Ave Maria School of Law recognizes the inherent value and dignity of all members of the human family. It values equal opportunity and seeks racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity. The Law School does not preclude admission or retention of students or employees on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or status as a veteran or disabled veteran. The Law School maintains its Catholic character but is open to persons of all religious faiths who respect the goals of Ave Maria School of Law and whose conduct does not undermine the Law School’s religious goals or compromise its Catholic identity.