The Informant

October 23, 2007
(2007-08 Archives)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Attorney Michael Tigar, best know for his defense of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, will deliver the 2007 Center for Advocacy Founders’ Lecture Oct. 31 beginning at 12:20 p.m. in Room 132. The lecture is free and open to the public. Tigar’s other notable clients have included Angela Davis, H. Rap Brown, John Connally, Allen Ginsberg, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Lynne Stewart. He has taught at numerous law schools and is currently a Visiting Professor at Duke University. His writings have included authorship or co-authorship of 10 books, three plays, And scores of articles and essays. While in Knoxville Tigar will also speak to the Knoxville Bar Association on “Advocates as an Endangered Species” Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. at Calhoun’s on the River. Tigar is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and earned a J.D. from its Boalt Hall School of Law.

In support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Judge Bill Swann will hold the Fourth Circuit Court docket at the College of Law on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. Court will begin at 8 a.m. with a lecture by Judge Swann about domestic violence and orders of protection. Courtrooms will be set up in Rooms 132, 135 and 136. Hearings are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m., with a break for lunch. Judge Swan and two Special Masters are likely to hear matters involving the granting of civil protection orders as well as contempt proceedings. Issues likely to arise include domestic abuse, substance abuse, family law, criminal assault, and civil procedure. All events will be open to the public.

Members for the 2008 National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare and Adoption Law are April Knight, Adam Holland, and Stacy Eckerd. Congratulations to the team members and many thanks to all who tried out for the team.

The members of this year's Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Moot Court Team, coached by Prof. Jeff Hirsch, are Stephanie Burchfield, Jonathan May, and Leslie Shaffer. The competition will be held at the New York Law School in March 2008.

The Evidence Moot Court Team has been selected from 13 excellent applicants. Those who tried out demonstrated the highest degree of preparation, persuasion, and professionalism, making it a very difficult choice for Profs. Penny White and Maurice Stucke and UT College of Law alumnus Darren Berg, who assisted in the selection. The team members for 2006-07, who will compete at the Jerome Prince Evidence Moot Court Competition in Brooklyn in April 2008, are Thomas William Atticus Caldwell, Ashonti Davis, and Joshua Dougan. Congratulations to the team members and thanks to all of those who tried out and made the judges’ decision so difficult.

Law Women and the UT Animal Law Project will host a Pet Halloween Costume Contest Oct. 28 at Dogwood in Victor Ashe Park. The contest will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m. Entry fee is $5 for each pet. All proceeds will benefit the Victim’s Advocacy Center and the local humane society. Please register by October 25 by emailing Sarah White at sarah.white617@yahoo.com (include your pet’s name and your contact info). Prizes for first, second and third places will be awarded.

Seventeen students competed in the joint Local Competition of the National Trial Competition and ATLA Trial Oct. 15. Congratulations to the following two students, who were selected to be new members of the two National Trial Teams, joining Bridgett Bush, Alicia Cottrell, Martesha Johnson, and Bryce McKenzie, who are returning members from last year’s teams: Goran Musinovic and Jatrean Sanders. All NTC team member should bring their class schedules to the receptionist in the Legal Clinic as soon as possible so that an organizational meeting can be scheduled in November after the Regional Trial Problem arrives. Prof. Gary Anderson and Carl Eshbaugh are the NTC coaches. Congratulations to the following five students, who were selected to be new members of the ATLA Trial Teams: Nicholas Cook, Adrienne Gilliam, Maryam Kassaee, Matt Lamberth, and Bart Williams. Larry Giordano and Summer Stevens at the ATLA Coaches.

The Knoxville Bar Association is sponsoring a series of free LawTalk programs this fall. These educational programs are designed to create better-informed citizens who understand what is involved in estate planning and administration. MORE

The UT Office of Equity and Diversity Experience has scheduled its workshops for Fall 2007. The schedule may be found here.

FACULTY

Prof. Robert Blitt's paper, "Babushka Said Two Things -- It Will Either Rain or Snow; It Either Will or Will Not: An Analysis of the Provisions and Human Rights Implications of Russia's New Law on Nongovernmental Organizations as Told Through Eleven Russian Proverbs," was recently listed on SSRN's Top Ten download list for Bureaucratic Behavior and Political Institutions: Bureaucracies & Public Administration.

Profs. Alex Long and Jeff Hirsch presented papers at the Second Annual Colloquium on Current Scholarship in Labor and Employment Law held at the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Prof. Long's presentation, "Retaliatory Discharge and the Ethical Rules Governing Attorneys," addressed the confusion surrounding rules governing retaliatory discharge claims brought by attorneys and proposed a comprehensive approach to such claims. Prof. Hirsch's presentation, "Regulatory Pragmatism in the Workplace," proposed a single, universal law governing all termination claims as a means to minimize the confusion and lack of clarity that currently exist in the patchwork of employment laws.

Prof. Jeff Hirsch was a moderator at the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy and West Virginia University College of Law conference entitled "Reversing Field: Examining Issues of Commercialization, Race and Labor in 21st Century Sports Law." Prof. Hirsch moderated the panel "Balls or Strikes: Are Economic Weapons Finding the Zone?"

Prof. Penny White attended a conference on "The Debate over Judicial Elections and State Court Judicial Selection" as an invited participant. The conference, a project of the Sandra Day O'Connor Project on the State of the Judiciary, was held at Georgetown University Law Center Oct. 17. Both former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Justice Stephen Breyer addressed the conference. The invited participants will develop a series of recommendations regarding state judicial selection.

STUDENTS

The Fourth Circuit Court will hold its docket at the Law School Thursday, Oct. 25. Volunteers are needed to help set up court rooms and tables for community agencies on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 24. Volunteers are also needed to man the information desk, assist the court officials and direct participants. Signup sheets and additional information are available in the Dean's Office.

Prof. Jennifer Hendricks is looking for a research assistant to work on projects involving sex classifications, abortion, procedural questions, and other topics. Please send a resume and copy of transcript to jsh@utk.edu.

CAREER SERVICES

Programs/events this coming week:

-- "Government & Public Interest Job Search," for 2Ls, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 9:40-10:20 a.m., Faculty Lounge.

-- "What Can I Expect as a First-Year Associate," for all classes, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 12:10-1:10 p.m., Room 132.

-- "Career Strategy: Targeting Smaller/Medium Size Law Firms," for 3Ls, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2:10-2 p.m., Career Center.

-- " Career Strategy: Targeting Smaller/Medium Size Law Firms," for 2Ls, Monday, Oct. 29,12:20-1:10 p.m., Career Center.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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CONTACT PERSONS

For a list of College contact persons, Click here.