The Informant
March 16, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Beth Wilson is Jenkins winner
Congratulations to Beth Wilson for winning the final round of the 2010 Jenkins Trial Competition. Scott Jarvis and Anthony Bills gave Beth a run for her money and the competition was close. Beth also won the award for Best Oralist, and Warren Korges won the Best Witness award. The other witnesses, Cashauna Lattimore, Matthew Long, and Regina Koho, each did an outstanding job as well. Thanks to all of the competitors, witnesses, bailiffs, and judges for making this year's competition such a success.
Jessup team competes in Regionals
Please join in congratulating the College of Law's 2010 Jessup International Law Moot Court team, which recently returned from Miami after competing in the Jessup Southeast Super Regional round! This year's team—Sukhyun Byun, Steve Chu, TJ Hatter, and Hannah Lowe—represented their fictitious client states, the Republic of Aspatria and the Kingdom of Rydal—with great erudition and passion, even in the face of well-prepared opponents and hot benches. Agent Hatter, counsel for the Kingdom of Rydal, finished among the top 10 best oralists—beating out a crowded field of nearly 100 competitors. Although the team did not advance to the semifinal round, they performed with great professionalism and determination, leaving a high bar behind for next year's team! More information on the Jessup moot is available at http://www.ilsa.org/jessup/index.php and tryouts for the 2011 team will be held early in the fall semester.
AAJ 2L team is Regional runnerup
The UT College of Law sent two teams into the American Association for Justice National Student Trial Advocacy Competition at two sites recently. The 2L team of Eric Mauldin, Will Perry, Jacob Wilson, and Joe Welker competed in New York City and finished second regionally. The team defeated Rutgers, Connecticut and Fordham before bowing in a close decision to New York University in the finals. The 2L team’s accomplishment was especially noteworthy because the team learned very late they would even be allowed to compete and then faced weather-related flight delays in getting to New York. The 3L team of Charles Hartman, Kelley Brooks Simoneaux, Kevin Hartley, and Chris Smith competed in Charlotte, NC, posting a 2-1 record, winning six of nine judges overall and finishing fifth overall.
UT Law 2L featured in ABA video
Danielle Greer, a second-year student at the College of Law is featured in a video posted on the American Bar Association website as she discusses her recent experiences at the ABA Judicial Clerkship program. Danielle and three other UT students -- Kevin Swinton, Stephen Adams and Lin Ye -- attended the three-day seminar in Orlando, the purpose of which is to acquaint students with the opportunities provided by judicial clerkships. The Judicial Clerkship program also emphasizes preparing minority students to compete for clerkships in order to diversify the ranks of judicial clerks. You may view the video here.
Transactions announces new Board
The 2010-2011 Editorial Board for Transactions: The Tennessee Journal of Business Law has been selected. MORE
Peace Building Program at International House
John Marks, the president and founder of Search for Common Ground, a non-profit conflict resolution organization will be at the International House at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, beginning at 7 p.m. on March 16 to discuss peace building and conflict issues. MORE
TJLP Symposium March 26 on forensic evidence
The Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy is hosting a symposium on March 26 at the College of Law. The symposium focuses on issues related to forensic evidence. Dr. William Bass will present the morning keynote and Professor Margaret Berger, Brooklyn Law School, will deliver the luncheon keynote. In addition, other professors, scientists, and scholars will lead discussions related to the use of forensic evidence in civil and criminal litigation
FACULTY
From Greg Stein, Associate Dean for Faculty Development
Prof. Greg Stein gave a presentation at Georgetown Law School last week. The talk, entitled “Chinese Real Estate Law: The Divergence Between Published Statutes and Actual Practice,” focused on how China’s real estate industry was able to develop in the years before China adopted a formal law of property, with an emphasis on construction law. Prof. Stein’s presentation was a part of the annual meeting of the Association for Law, Property and Society.
Prof. Dean Rivkin has been quoted in an article in Law360, a national online legal publication. The article, entitled “Climate Favorable for Nuclear Revival, Attorneys Say,” discusses the likelihood of new nuclear reactors being built in the coming years. Prof. Rivkin discusses some of the obstacles to construction of new reactors. The article is available here.
Prof. Glenn Reynolds has received the Starlight Award for Distinguished Alumni from the Maryville City Schools Foundation. For more details, and a nice photo of Prof. Reynolds, go here.
A pair of upcoming events at the Baker Center will feature the work of two law professors:
- “Blogs, Social Media and Political Incivility,” featuring Prof. Glenn Reynolds, will take place on Tuesday, March 23, at 7:00 pm in the Toyota Auditorium. The presentation will be webcast live.
- “Understanding the Recession: Banks, Regulations, Markets and the Economic Outlook,” will feature Prof. Joe Carcello of the Department of Accounting and Information Management; Prof. Joan Heminway of the College of Law; and Prof. Matt Murray of the Center for Business and Economic Research. This presentation will take place on Wednesday, March 24, at 6:30 pm in the Toyota Auditorium.
Prof. Karla McKanders participated in the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law 2010 Critical Race Studies Symposium on Intersectionality. Prof. McKanders presented on a panel entitled “Race, Gender, and Nationality: Unbundling the Intersectional Discrimination of Latinos in the United States.”
Prof. McKanders will be the guest blogger for the month of March for the Society of American Law Teachers. She will be blogging on issues of immigration law and clinical legal education.
Prof. Iris Goodwin was the featured speaker at the Columbia University Seminar on Law & Politics on March 8, 2010. Her topic was "Donor Intent: Is There a Normative Basis in Civil Society?"
STUDENTS
TAPIL and Kolwyck Fellowships
The TAPIL Fellowships and Kolwyck Equal Access to Justice Fellowship. Students interested in applying for summer public interest internships should apply for the TAPIL and/or Kolwyck fellowships. For application information and deadlines, please go to http://www.law.utk.edu/clinic/10SummerFunding.shtml. Should you have any immediate questions please feel free to contact Karla McKanders (mckanders@utk.edu) or Brittany Gardner (bgardne5@utk.edu).
French Business and Legal Education discussion Wednesday
Prof. Francois Lenglart from HEC School of Management, Paris, France, will be speaking to MBA/JD and other students on Wednesday, March 17, from 2:30 until 4 p.m. in the MBA Conference Room of the MBA Office on the 5th Floor of the Haslam Business Building. His talk will address opportunities for the study of business and law at HEC, as well as possible internships. He may also discuss French business and legal education generally. Prof. Lenglart will also be speaking to an undergraduate business law class on Tuesday, March 16, and Thursday, March 18, both from 9:40 until 10:55 a.m. in Room SMC G2 (Stokely Management Center). His topic will be contract and tort law and health care in France. SMC G2 is a large room, so if law students wish to hear him speak then, Prof. Bruce Fisher has told us that they would be welcome. Prof. Lenglart is a Professor of Law at HEC and formerly was a commercial law judge in France. He also was legal counsel to a large French international corporation.
BA Law Practice Today Expo April 16
The Knoxville Bar Association invites UT College of Law students to participate in the annual Law Practice Today Expo. Student members of the KBA may attend workshops at a reduced rate. All students can visit the Exhibit Hall using a Free Pass available in the Career Center. Workshops are included in each of six tracks of programming: Technology; Tools and Techniques to Avoid Litigation; Making an Impression; Show Me The Money; Winning Before Trial; and Software and Research. Students must pre-register to attend CLE workshops. Many of the speakers are College of Law alumni and Knoxville area employers, so don't miss this opportunity to learn and network at the same time! The Law Practice Today Expo will be held on Friday, April 16, from 8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. at the UT Conference Center, 4th Floor. Details are available in the College of Law Career Center or on-line at www.knoxbar.org.
Research Assistant needed
Prof. Judy Cornett is seeking a research assistant to work 15-20 hours per week, starting immediately and continuing through June 30. Areas of research include law and literature, legal ethics, and civil procedure. Please submit CV and statement of interest and availability to Prof. Cornett at jcornett@utk.edu.
The TAPIL Fellowships
Each year the Tennessee Association of Public Interest Law (TAPIL) at the College of Law seeks to encourage and foster students' interest in public interest and social justice work. It's aim is to cultivate a commitment to social justice and to help students provide legal representation to traditionally underrepresented groups. TAPIL provides fellowships to students who have committed to spending their summer working with a public interest organization. By providing stipends, TAPIL reduces the financial barriers for students who wish to accept public interest summer employment and assists under-funded public interest organizations reach greater numbers of low incomes individuals and families.
Kolwyck Equal Access to Justice Fellowships
In recognition of the legal profession’s special obligation to provide legal services to persons of limited means, the College of Law awards Kolwyck Equal Access to Justice Fellowships to deserving students who have completed their first or second year of studies and have secured summer or term-time employment with a governmental agency or non-profit organization which provides free legal services to or on behalf of persons of limited means, or with a law firm which will assign the student exclusively to matters in which the firm is providing pro bono publico legal services to or on behalf of persons of limited means. The criteria for an award include professional promise, financial need, prior public service activities, likelihood of long-term commitment to the provision of legal services to persons of limited means, and the extent to which the student’s proposed employment will further the goals for which this scholarship has been established.
Third Annual 1L Advocacy Idol Competition
It’s that time again! The Third Annual 1L Advocacy Idol competition will be held on Wednesday, March 17 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Room 132. First-year law students, coached by second- and third-year students, will compete by presenting five-minute opening statements to a panel of federal and state judges. After preliminary rounds, six finalists will be chosen, and from these finalists, the panel of judges will determine which first-year student will be named the Third Annual 1L Advocacy Idol. No advance preparation is required. Following the competition, first-year participants, their coaches, and the judges will have dinner together and discuss ways to improve advocacy skills. Cash prizes and certificates will be awarded at the dinner. The competition not only serves as an introduction to the Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Concentration, but is also a great way to prepare for Legal Process II oral arguments. Interested first-year students should sign up by emailing Norene Napper at nnapper@utk.edu. The competition is limited to the first twenty-four first-year students who sign up. Students with questions about the competition may contact either Norene Napper or Prof. Penny White at pwhite@utk.edu.
2010 Spring Hooding
Spring '10 Hooding information, including hotel accommodations.
Research Assistant needed
A Research Assistant is needed to work approximately 10 to 15 hours per week. Research will be in the area of immigration and asylum law. Students interested in the position should send a resume, current transcript and writing sample to Professor Karla McKanders at mckanders@utk.edu. Any questions regarding the position can be sent by email or telephone at (865) 974-5710.
Employee benefits writing competition
The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel is accepting entries for its 2010 law student writing competition. Details.
Environmental writing competition underway
The TBA Environmental Law Section has announced the 2010 Jon E. Hastings Memorial Award writing competition for law student members of the section. The competition is held each year in memory of one of the section's most outstanding founding members and has a cash prize pool of $1,200. It is a juried competition for the best legal writing on a topic related to Tennessee or federal environmental law. Entries are due March 27.
Learn more about the contest.
Education Law writing contest
Entries are being sought for the 2010 George Jay Joseph
Education Law Writing Award. Learn more about the contest.
Admiralty and Maritime Law writing competition
The Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee of the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section is offering a writing competition, open to all law students. By writing an essay on Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law, students are eligible to win $500, plus up to $500 reimbursement towards attendance at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco. MORE
CAREER SERVICES
Upcoming programs offered through the Bettye B. Lewis Career Center:
-- No events scheduled this week.