COMMUNITY
General Words of Wisdom: FIRST WOMAN AS TOP ARMY LAWYER SPEAKS TO STUDENTS By Tom Inkel
On Wednesday, April 16, Lt. General Flora Darpino of the United States Army gave a special presentation to Pepperdine law students. Darpino is the first woman to lead the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. She visited campus at the invitation of School of Law professor Ann Ching, a former active-duty JAG officer. Among her years of service, Darpino served overseas in Germany and in Iraq during the war. She received several awards and medals, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with One Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with a Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal. Darpino is the first “directcommission” lawyer to head the U.S. Army JAG Corps, having had no previous military experience when she joined JAG. During her presentation, the general revealed that her original intention in attending law school had been to become a corporate transactional attorney and raise a family. But after law school, her husband, also a lawyer, began serving a four-year commitment to the army as an ROTC officer. After considering the legal experience opportunities afforded by JAG, Darpino opted to join the army as well, not intending a long-term stay. They have now both been in the Army JAG Corps for nearly three decades and have two daughters. Darpino’s 2013 promotion meant that she now outranked her husband, forcing PEPPERDINE LAW
his transfer to another command to comply with rules regarding conflict of interest. In keeping with the general’s fascinating backstory, her talk focused on “work-life balance.” Darpino expressed dissatisfaction with the term. “[The phrase] suggests we’re walking a tightrope over an abyss,” she said. Instead, she said that professionals are constantly addressing both challenges out of “one big bucket,” and the goal should be to prevent exhausting that common resource. The best technique for accomplishing that is prioritization, she said. On that note, she had two pieces of advice. “You must take care of yourself,” she said, describing a careful routine ranging from running every morning to talking daily with loved ones, even Skyping nightly with her family from a combat zone. In addition, she encouraged students to “not feel guilty about what you must let go,” noting that guilt can continue to distract and sap resources long after the decision has ostensibly been made. Darpino’s presentation closed with a Q&A session with students, led by then 3L Joe Cardosi, one of 21 School of Law students who are former members of the United States military. Among the issues discussed was the evolving role of women in the army. The general spoke highly of the army’s ability to adapt, citing examples like the army’s response to the government’s recent decision to allow women in combat roles. Rather than simply creating a new physical standard for women in the combat arms, the army opted to do an exhaustive review of all of its physical standards, with the intent to draft new policies reflecting the actual demands of the roles rather than screening either gender by arbitrary measures. 38
PEPPERDINE LAW REVIEW HOSTS “TAX REFORM IN A TIME OF CRISIS” By Gareen Darakjian
Although the president of the United States and Congress claim that tax reform is a priority for the coming year, the path forward is uncertain given partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and an unusually large number of domestic and international crises. To address these and other concerns, the Pepperdine Law Review and Tax Analysts, the leading provider of tax news and analysis for the global community, hosted “Tax Reform in a Time of Crisis,” a symposium that featured panel discussions on individual/estate and gift tax reform, as well as on institutional perspectives on tax reform in a time of crisis. The symposium featured a keynote address by Joseph Bankman, Ralph M. Parsons Professor of Law and Business at Stanford Law School, with commentary by Edward Kleinbard, professor of law at USC Gould School of Law. Bruce Bartlett, former deputy assistant secretary of the treasury and tax author (The Benefit and the Burden: Tax Reform—Why We Need It and What It Will Take) and journalist (New York Times and Tax Notes), delivered the luncheon address. The symposium also included panel discussions on “Individual/Estate and Gift Tax Reform” and “Business/ International Tax Reform,” as well as on “Institutional Perspectives on Tax Reform in a Time of Crisis.” The sessions were streamed live at the School of Law’s LiveStream and panelists answered questions from viewers throughout the symposium.