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competitive edge. A principled foundation. For more than 25 years Regent University School of Law has skillfully prepared students to practice with distinction in arenas from corporate law and private practice to judicial clerkships, government and military.
Their education includes a thorough grounding in legal skills under faculty recognized among the Top 10 law faculty in the nation by The Princeton Review. In fact, in its 2013 annual law school rankings, The Princeton Review placed Regent Law professors among a select group of law schools including Duke, Stanford, Washington and Lee, the University of Chicago and the University of Virginia. Regent Law also has earned a prestigious reputation for consistently producing moot court, mock trial and negotiation c h r i s t i a n
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champions in competitions that have included Harvard, Yale and University of Oxford. Regent Law students are quick to acknowledge these competitions as a critical training ground, sharpening their research and collaboration skills so that they can excel as attorneys. At the core of their success is a comprehensive understanding of the Christian foundations of law. “It is vitally important as a Christian school to pursue excellence in everything,” says Regent Law Dean Jeffrey Brauch. “We can’t settle for mediocrity—we must pursue excellence that carries into our work as counselors-at-law.”
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The Princeton Review surveyed more than 18,500 students at 169 law schools, in addition to collecting data from school administrators, to create school profiles and ranking lists in 11 categories. “This Top 10 recognition embodies our faculty and staff’s desire to go beyond legal theory,” says Darius Davenport, director of Regent Law’s Career and Alumni Services. “They provide a comprehensive legal education that encompasses how students are ethically formed as lawyers and leaders.” Regent Law’s advocacy teams have won more than 65 national and regional championships, along with “Best Brief” and “Best Oralist” awards. The school’s Center for Advocacy trains students in the legal skills of negotiation, trial advocacy and appellate advocacy, developing competition teams that have seen extraordinary success and are among the top in the nation. Adding to its list of accomplishments, the moot court team ranked second this year in the world at the Price Media International Moot Court tournament held in Oxford, England—finishing ahead of both Oxford and Cambridge universities. Regent Law was one of four schools from the United States in the international competition and the only team from the Americas Regional Round to advance to the final. “This team devoted countless hours to preparation and practice for this tournament,” Brauch observes. “It is a remarkable achievement to finish second in the world.” Out of 183 teams nationally, the moot court team also won the award for the 2nd Best Brief in the nation at the prestigious New York Bar Association National Moot Court Championship. Regent won the regional tournament for the second consecutive year. Beyond these competitions, Regent Law students have the opportunity to put their training to practical use in internships. This year, 20 students served the poor and enslaved through the Center for Global Justice. Students interned in such places as Uganda, India, France, Mexico, Ghana and South Korea as well as the United States. In addition, Regent Law students have the unique opportunity to observe and
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participate in one of our country’s foremost public interest law firms, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ). Regent students participating in the ACLJ’s summer internship program played an integral role in the First Amendment case of Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, in which the ACLJ represented the Utah city in a challenge to a display of the Ten Commandments in a city park. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the ACLJ, clearing the way for governments to accept permanent monuments of their choosing in public parks. As part of the ACLJ Spring Semester Program, Regent Law and the ACLJ offer select students the chance to study constitutional law, the courts and Congress in Washington, D.C., alongside practicing constitutional law experts. Students
“It is vitally important as a Christian school to pursue excellence in everything. We can’t settle for mediocrity— we must pursue excellence that carries into our work as counselors-at-law.” -Dean Jeffrey Brauch
participate in the daily research and advocacy of the ACLJ in its office across the street from the U.S. Supreme Court. Regent Law alumni also continue to make an impact from the local to the national levels. This year two more Regent alumni were selected as judges, joining 24 other Regent graduates currently serving as judges around the United States. An additional five graduates served as judges previously, bringing the all-time total to 31. “Our students and alumni amaze me with their skill and determination,” says Brauch. “I am deeply proud of them, and I praise God for His blessing on their efforts.” Learn more about Regent University School of Law: regent.edu/law
regent university
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Here is some good news as the end of the year approaches: The government fully supports charitable giving. Did you know that 50 percent of your adjusted gross income can be given to charity? Mick Cummins ’92 (Law) is the Senior Vice President of Gift Planning with the National Christian Foundation (NCF), which is the 12th largest U.S. charity and the largest Christian grant-making foundation in the world. Cummins shares, “We encourage people to give more wisely by maximizing their current giving, while reducing their income tax and hopefully eliminating any risk of estate tax.” He points out that December 31 is the deadline to make a tax-deductible charitable gift each year. So here are a few tips to consider for your year-end giving. Think Beyond the Check Ninety percent of the assets we typically own are in the form of noncash—things like marketable securities, real estate, closely held businesses, etc. Yet 80 percent of the giving in support of charities is in the form of cash. Cummins encourages people to give out of their noncash assets to maximize the efficiency of their giving—up to the limit of 30 percent of adjusted gross income. “For example, if you have a sizable holding in a particular stock, consider
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re-balancing your portfolio by gifting some of the shares to your favorite charity,” he says. “You could qualify for a full market value charitable deduction, and because the charity is tax exempt, they would be able to liquidate that stock and avoid any capital gains tax on the sale.” Consider a Charitable IRA Rollover This gift option expires at the end of 2013. “If you have plans to donate directly from your IRA to charity, you need to do so before December 31, 2013,” Cummins says. “This is only available to people age 70 ½ or older and is limited to $100,000.” Start Early “If you plan to give a noncash gift such as mutual funds, real estate or business interests, it can take some time to process,” Cummins cautions, “So start early to ensure all transactions can be completed before the December 31 deadline.” “God specifically called me to Regent Law,” Cummins reflects. “I am amazed how He has directed my path in marvelous ways ever since, particularly in serving Him at NCF.” He encourages others that God will also lead them in both the amount of their gift and the asset to be given. Your financial support of Regent University equips students to change the world. Learn how you can give a gift today: regent.edu/give Learn more at nationalchristian.com/givers
regent university
Dr. Jay Sekulow ’04 (Business & Leadership) believes in the vision of Regent University—and he’s put action behind his faith. Not only is he a member of the Regent Board of Trustees, he is an alumnus, having earned his Ph.D. from the School of Business & Leadership. His son, Jordan, is a 2009 graduate of the School of Law. “I was attracted by the founding idea that we are training Christian leaders to change the world. Regent has a rigorous academic environment, but it also has a significant spiritual atmosphere for the students,” he says. As chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), Sekulow has argued several landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court that have since become part of the legal landscape in the area of religious liberty. He spars with political opponents as a regular guest on national news networks on an ongoing basis. He recently ventured into another arena as a panelist for Regent’s Clash of the Titans™ debate, exploring the boundaries of presidential power. “Regent once again picked THE issue that was the most significant to the American people across the political spectrum,” Sekulow observes. “This touches everybody. The timing couldn’t have been better.” With events like Clash and Regent students working on landmark legal cases with the ACLJ, Sekulow sees a tremendous impact on society, both in America and abroad.
“I think this fruit goes back to the rigor of the school,” he shares. “The law school doesn’t act like a school that’s only been around for 30 years. It operates like a school that’s been around since the Harvards and the Yales.” Sekulow touts the advantages that students have in their interaction with the ACLJ: “The interaction is threefold. First, we have lawyers at the ACLJ who teach law classes at Regent. Secondly, we train students through our internship program. And finally, we have a program on international law out of our European Center for Law and Justice.” In addition to courses taught by other ACLJ attorneys, Regent Law students have the opportunity to enroll in elective courses taught by Sekulow, such as a seminar on recent Supreme Court cases and a course in Supreme Court History. With one of its primary offices located on the campus of Regent University, the ACLJ allows Regent Law students the opportunity to secure volunteer and paid positions to assist ACLJ staff attorneys as they provide legal services for clients involved in pro-family and proliberty cases. “We’re highly engaged in the educational pursuits of these students,” Sekulow says, “really from the moment they walk on campus.” “When you look at the history of the School of Law, it’s not that old,” he points out, “but we’ve already helped produce a governor, judges and members of state legislatures and the House of Representatives. It’s already an impressive result.”
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Holiday Concert Saturday, December 14, 2013 | 7–9 PM Regent University Performing Arts Center 1000 Regent University Dr., Virginia Beach, VA
Regent World Changer
Kyle Westaway
Social Entrepreneur, Attorney, Writer Social entrepreneur Kyle Westaway ’07 (Law) is carving out a significant global impression. From his office in Manhattan, Westaway represents artists, entrepreneurs and activists. He also serves as director of business development for The Blind Project, which seeks to leverage art and fashion to empower women vulnerable to and rescued from the sex trade in Southeast Asia. Westaway helped build Biographe, a sustainable style brand that employs these survivors. Westaway lectures on social entrepreneurship at Harvard Law and Stanford Law and writes for Triple Pundit, Social Earth and Law for Change, among other ventures to help the developing. “For me, it’s clear that God has a special interest in the poor and oppressed,” he says, “and we in a rich Western nation have the resources to do something about it.” Please pray for Kyle Westaway and the other Regent University School of Law alumni who are reaching out to aid the oppressed of this world. Learn more at kylewestaway.com
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regent university
A Message From the Chancellor Dear Friends, Our nation is faced with tremendous challenges as our freedoms are assaulted from every direction. Regent University founded a robust School of Law to combat the deterioration of our God-given liberties.
Reserve Free Tickets by Contacting the Box Office
(757) 352-4245 Sponsored By:
Robertson School of Government School of Communication & The Arts
Regent Law’s advocacy teams have won over 65 national and regional championships, Best Brief, and Best Oralist awards. In this past year, Regent’s moot court team took second place globally in the Oxford University Media Price Championship and won the regional competition of the National Moot Court Competition (NMCC) sponsored by the New York Bar Association. Regent’s team also won the competition award for Best Brief. Likewise, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) was founded with the mandate to protect religious and constitutional freedoms by implementing an effective strategy of advocacy, education and litigation. ACLJ and Regent Law work together to protect and defend Biblical truth in the courts. ACLJ chief counsel and Regent alumnus Dr. Jay Sekulow, along with his legal and legislative team, has experienced tremendous success in litigating cases at all levels of the judiciary—from the federal district court level to the Supreme Court. As a result of their interaction with the Schools of Law and Government, our students have the unique opportunity to observe and participate in one of our country’s foremost public interest law firms on cases of religious and civil importance at the highest levels. Regent University provides highly skilled individuals with a place to prepare them to help transform the world through Christian leadership. Your help is crucial in this fight. Thank you for your prayers and support.
In Christ,
regent.edu/impact Blue: CMYK = 100-84-36-39 Green: CMYK = 90-34-99-28 Regent University’s Impact is published monthly by the university’s Office of Advancement, free of charge, for alumni and friends of the university. Regent University admits students without discrimination on the basis of race, color, disability, gender, religion or national or ethnic origin. Regent University is certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to operate campuses within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Regent University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associates, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions about the accreditation of Regent University. Opinions expressed in Impact are those of individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of Regent University’s board, faculty, administration or staff. Regent University accepts news submissions from readers but reserves the right to edit based upon clarity, length and content. The university may decline to print material at its discretion. ADV131228
Pat Robertson Chancellor/CEO Regent University
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