The Informant
November 24, 2009
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Three members of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Board (left to right: Alicia Teubert, Tiffany Hagar, Beth Anderson) present the money SALDF collected at the Pet Halloween Costume Contest to the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley.
Students make donation to Humane Society
On November 1, the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (with help from SBA and Law Women) held its annual Pet Halloween Costume Contest to benefit the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley. The weather cleared just in time to give us a nice sunny day for the contest. All the participants were in high spirits and even Smokey IX gave us a few unforgettable howls! Both law students and community members attended and we were able to raise $500.01 for the Humane Society.
Judges Dean Doug Blaze, Dean Carol Parker, Dean Katrice Morgan, and Prof. Sibyl Marshall had to make some tough decisions because the costumes were so good, but everyone walked away with a prize. Click here for more pictures from the contest.
Thank you to all those who participated and donated to a great local cause!
Best of Show: Daisy (football player); Honorable Mention: Dixie (cheerleader)
Reserve Best of Show: Sari
PAD members delivered almost one ton of food to Second Harvest Food Bank. Left to right are Sachin Kori, Rashida Davis, Jenny Tang, a representative of Second Harvest Food Bank, April Young, and Ashley Sudberry.
Successful PAD Second Harvest Food Drive
Phi Alpha Delta’s annual Second Harvest Food Drive resulted in donation of almost one ton of nonperishable food items to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Thanks to all students, faculty, and staff who contributed food items and who participated in Immunity Days. Special thanks go to Prof. Amy Hess and her Fundamental Concepts of Income Taxation and Gratuitous Transfers class and to Prof. Paula Schaefer and her Business Associations class. Profs. Hess and Schaefer matched their students’ contributions can for can, resulting in donation of 920 cans from Prof. Hess’s classes and 135 jars of peanut butter from Prof. Schaefer’s class. The food drive was coordinated by PAD Service Committee Chair Jenny Tang, along with Service Committee members Rashida Davis, Beth Anderson, Ashley Sudberry, Rebecca Bryan, April Young, and Patrick Gray.
Mediation visionary Grayfred Gray speaks here
UT law Professor Emeritus Grayfred Gray (right) spoke to the law school community Nov. 17. Prof. Gray is a mediation pioneer and one of the most venerated mediators in Tennessee. During his 28 years as a member of the law school faculty, Prof. Gray founded the Mediation Clinic and was involved in the practice of mediation and in programs in which law students mediated cases before Tennessee courts and federal, state, and local government agencies. He also was one of the founding members of the Community Mediation Center, a local non-profit agency that provides mediation services to the local courts and community.
Lecture on Antisemitism Nov. 23
On Monday, Nov. 23, Prof. Alvin Rosenfeld of Indiana University will give a lecture at the College of Law. His topic is "What is the ‘New’ Antisemitism, and What Can We do About It?" Prof. Rosenfeld’s talk will take place at 7 p.m. in Room 132. The lecture, which is sponsored by the Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Program in Judaic Studies, is co-sponsored by the College of Law and numerous other campus and community groups.
Sign up for Martin Luther King, Jr. luncheon Jan. 19
As fall semester draws to a close, the Committee on Community would like to remind the law school community about the annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday Luncheon event, which will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010, during the free hour. Faculty members volunteer to host staff, students, and other faculty members for lunch in their offices, and a box lunch and beverage is provided for each participant. This event has become a tradition at the College of Law and offers a unique opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to come together to listen and learn from each other.
This year the Committee also hopes to present a community-wide event on Tuesday, Jan. 19, that will highlight the work and writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., providing a foundation for discussion during the luncheons. We hope you will participate in these luncheons. Faculty and students value the opportunity to hear staff members' perspectives on such a meaningful subject. Your participation in the luncheons makes them a truly community-wide event. If you have questions about the luncheons, feel free to contact Committee members Dawn Adkins or Sophia Dardy, or any other Committee member.
Because time will be short once spring semester classes begin on Jan. 13, 2010, we invite you to sign up now to participate. Reply to Prof. Judy Cornett and you will be added to the guest list.
Angela Miller joins College staff
Angela Miller has joined the College of Law staff as Coordinator of our Mail and Duplication Services. Angela earned a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from UT Knoxville in August of 2009. While a student, she also worked for two years in the Law Library, including serving as a Research Assistant for Reba Best; as a Customer Service Sales Associate for three years with the UT Book Store; and served as a Great Apes Intern with the Knoxville Zoo, where she assisted with the daily care of Western Lowland Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Blue Monkeys and Red River Hogs. Angela will be working 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on most days, with some additional hours during exams and other peak periods as needed. Welcome, Angela.
Nominations sought for 2009 Student and Staff Awards
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to submit nominations for several student and staff awards to be presented at the College of Law's Annual Honors Banquet and Awards Program on Friday evening, February 19, 2010, at The Foundry on the World's Fair Site.
Nominations should be submitted by Thursday, December 31, 2009 to either the Dean's Office (Suite 278) or the Student Records Office (Suite 166). Nominations also may be submitted by e-mail to Mary Ann James at mjames1@utk.edu.
Descriptions of awards and nomination forms:
General Information
Student Awards
Susan B. Anthony Award
Library Staff Award
College Staff Award
FACULTY
From Greg Stein, Associate Dean for Faculty Development
Prof. Robert Blitt has been invited to present a paper during a panel session on New Voices in Human Rights at the forthcoming 2010 AALS annual meeting. He will be discussing a work in progress entitled "The Migration of Anti-Constitutional Ideas: The Bottom Up Journey of Defamation of Religion from Muslim States to the United Nations."
The Wall Street Journal blog covered the recent conference at Georgetown Law School at which Prof. George Kuney was a participant. To read the WSJ blog posting, go here.
Prof. Greg Stein participated in a drafting committee meeting for the NCCUSL Partition of Inherited Property Act this past weekend in Chicago. The committee is preparing a draft uniform law that will govern the partition of certain tenancies in common. Partition problems arise with particular frequency in southeastern states because of the significant number of “heirs’ properties” held by the descendants of slaves. In many of these families, agricultural property has passed via intestacy for several generations and numerous distant cousins now own the property without any written agreement governing its operation and maintenance. Under current law, partition can lead to loss of the land at a discounted price, and the uniform act would modify partition law to avoid this result. Prof. Stein serves as the observer on the committee from the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
STUDENTS
Summer Fellowship in Antitrust Law
The ABA Section of Antitrust Law is sponsoring a summer fellowship program, whereby selected students will serve for a minimum of eight weeks in the consumer protection department of one of the participating State Attorneys General during the summer of 2010. Each selected student will receive a $5,000 stipend for the summer and a supplemental housing/travel allowance of up to $2,000. The application period is until February 5, 2010. MORE
Business Internship and Writing competition
The Center for Entrepreneurial Law notes that the American Bar Association is promoting a business internship program for the Summer of 2010 and a writing competition featuring cash prizes. For more information click here. Prof. George Kuney is willing to assist students in preparing an internship application or discuss the writing competition if desired.
Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law essay contest
The Public Justice Foundation is sponsoring the 2010 Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest. The topic is Can "Coal Be Clean? Litigation Remedies for Coal Contamination from Mining to Combustion to Sequestration." The intent-to-enter form submission deadline is Jan. 29, 2010, and the essay submission deadline is March 31, 2010. Below is the link for additional information about the contest. If you have any questions, please call 202-797-8600 or email cgoings@publicjustice.net. 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.
CAREER SERVICES
Upcoming programs offered through the Bettye B. Lewis Career Center:
-- 1L Career Advising Sessions continue through Dec. 2, sign up for a session through Symplicity.