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Fall 2010 Barrister
The University of Miami School of Law's Alumni publication.
Fall 2010 Ba r r i s t e r U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I A M I MIAMILAW S C H O O L O F L AW LAW & ART Six Alumni for Whom Life is Less About the Art of the Deal than the Deal for the Art FALL 2010 Barrister Patricia D. White Dean and Professor of Law Patrick O. Gudridge Vice Dean and Professor of Law Raquel M. Matas Associate Dean for Administration Georgina A. Angones Assistant Dean for Alumni Relations and Development Maria C. Garcia Executive Director of Communications Michelle Valencia Director of Publications Patricia Moya Graphic Designer Contributors Lauren Beiley Bob Benchley Maria Chisholm Liz Doup Arlene Adams Easley Rochelle Oliver Mindy Rosenthal Photographers Joshua Prezant Steve Schlackman Bob Soto The Barrister is published by the University of Miami School of Law. Address correspondence to Barrister, UM School of Law, P.O. Box 248087, Coral Gables, Florida 33124-8087. Telephone: 305-284-3470. E-mail: email@example.com. Website: www.law.miami.edu/alumni If we have made any errors, please accept our sincere apologies until a correction can be published. Copyright 2010 UM School of Law All Rights Reserved. Cover: De La Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space CONTENTS Letter from the Dean COVER STORY Law & Art 2 FEATURE STORIES Professor Stephen Urice Miami Law Clinics Foreclosure Defense Fellowship 8 FACULTY BRIEFS Faculty Notes New & Visiting Faculty Professor Michele DeStefano Beardslee 16 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS Moot Court team One-on-One Counseling Academic Achievement Program Miami STREET Law Program 24 NOTEWORTHY New joint degree programs Legal Corps 30 Legal Communication and Research Skills Program International Arbitration Institute Lectures and mini-courses at Miami Law ALUMNI Message from the President of the Law School Alumni Association Class Notes Alumni Profiles Philanthropy In Memoriam Alumni Questionnaire 38 MIAMILAW University of Miami School of Law Message From The Dean Our alumni live in all 50 states and in over 66 countries. They make a difference in many spheres. In this issue of the Barrister we profile six of our alumni and one faculty member who are playing important roles by helping to move Miami's vibrant arts scene forward. This issue also highlights the contributions to our community made by our remarkable clinics. Recently, the Clinical Legal Education Association awarded its national Award for Excellence in a Public Interest Case or Project to our Health and Elder Law Clinic for its work with the Haitian Temporary Protected Status process. In the upcoming spring term, we will continue to build on our commitment to public interest by adding a Human Rights Clinic which will focus on human rights litigation and advocacy. We recently announced the Legal Corps, an ambitious fellowship program that will place our recent law graduates in public agencies, public interest organizations, and judicial chambers in Florida and throughout the country. Legal Corps is the first serious attempt by a law school to address both the unmet need for legal services and the harsh economic realities faced by recent law graduates. This Barrister also introduces you to our new Legal Communication and Research Skills Program (LComm) which began this fall. Our full-time LComm faculty, under the direction of Professor Rosario Lozada Schrier, has designed a first-year writing program which we think is second to none. It emphasizes and teaches the critical research and communication skills necessary to excel in today's competitive legal environment. It features small classes with frequent small group and individual conferences. As you read about our new and visiting faculty and senior staff I am sure that you will be impressed. Our Law School is attracting exceptional people. As a relative newcomer to Miami Law, I continue to be excited by the vibrancy of South Florida and by the energy and loyalty of the school's students and alumni. Please continue to share your ideas, talents, and enthusiasm with us and come to visit. Patricia D. White Dean and Professor of Law University of Miami School of Law COVER STORY LAW & ART Six alumni for whom life is less about the art of the deal than the deal for the art As summer gives way to fall, there is something in the air besides an unfamiliar lack of humidity. Those in the know recognize it as the sense of anticipation surrounding the upcoming arts season. Musical performances, theater openings and art exhibitions will welcome the snowbirds and others who flock to Miami's warmth, but nothing will match the social competitiveness or the estimated half-billion-dollar economic impact of Art Basel Miami, which kicks off the season December 2-5 on Miami Beach. The arrival of Art Basel on the local scene in 2002 was a signal that Miami was finally being recognized as a world-class arts town. But the international flavor of the show fit perfectly with Miami, where almost everyone comes from somewhere else, and which has a rich history of global art mash-ups. It's a city that attracts artists and feeds the acquisitive hunger of collectors of all stripes. Not surprisingly, many of the major local collectors -- and even some of the local artists -- are alumni of the School of Law. What is the connection between law and art? Miami artist and alumnus Xavier Cortada believes the commonality, in part, is that each builds on precedents -- today's greats stand on the shoulders of giants in both fields. "This is how humanity moves forward," he says. Bigtime collector and Knight Foundation vice president/arts Dennis Scholl offers a more down-to-earth personal view: "We have bought 1,000 pieces of art," he says of himself and his wife, Debra, both alumni (profile, page 7), "which means we have done 1,000 deals. When you've done 1,000 deals, it helps to be a lawyer." In the following pages, we profile these alumni who, deal by deal, help move Miami's vibrant arts scene forward. Xavier Cortada, JD '92 GLOBAL ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE "I try to honor the influence of those who came before me." Xavier Cortada wants his art to change the world. Literally. And unlike the works of most artists, many of his creations are meant less to be purchased by collectors than they are to be owned, at least symbolically, by all of mankind. After all, an installation of 24 identical women's shoes circling the North Pole -- each representing one time zone, with a story of a person living in that slice of the Earth -- is hardly something you can bring home and put in your den. Cortada's passions are social justice, environmental awareness, global harmony and other large-scale issues; his art serves as the expression of his messages. "Since I was a kid, I've always thought of myself as an artist," he says. "I grew up in a cultural milieu surrounded by art -- both my father and uncle were artists -- but I thought of it as something I did, not as my future profession. Nonetheless, I was driven by what was instilled in me -- being engaged in the community." Initially, Cortada, JD '92, expected his community-service calling to be expressed through a career in medicine, and he entered UM as a pre-med major. His goals soon shifted, however, and 10 years later he held degrees in law, psychology and public administration. For the next few years, he directed juvenile violence prevention programs at the University of Miami School of Medicine and community-organizing efforts in marginalized neighborhoods, but art was always a part of his work. "I began using my art as a visual aid, an engagement technique," he says. "Then I saw that art could be a universal vehicle for engagement as more than a visual aid." Cortada's sideline became his focus, and he left non-profit work to become a full-time artist in 1997. Since then, Cortada has created installations at both of the Earth's poles to generate awareness about global climate change. He has worked with groups internationally to produce art projects and installations, including environmental works in Holland, Canada, and Latvia; peace murals in Cyprus and Northern Ireland; child welfare murals in Bolivia and Panama; and the official International AIDS Conference murals in Geneva and South Africa. In the U.S., he has developed eco-art projects promoting coastal reforestation initiatives in Miami, urban reforestation in St. Petersburg, Fla., and coral reef preservation efforts in Hawaii. He has been commissioned to create art for the White House, the World Bank, Miami City Hall, 2 MI A M IL A W Carlos de la Cruz, JD `79 & Rosa de la Cruz Xavier Cortada, JD `92 Miami-Dade County Hall, the Miami Art Museum, the Museum of Florida History, the Frost Art Museum, and the Amundsen Scott South Pole Station. He recently opened a new studio/exhibit space on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. Cortada says he sees strong parallels between law and art, both of which, he says, "provide structure for the work to exist. Probably most important is that each builds upon itself. As an artist, I try to honor the influence of those who came before me. Similarly, case law doesn't just pop up and exist on its own; it builds on the precedent of the last case. At the end of the day, each is a craft, too, and you have to perfect your craft. You have to think not just about the placement, not just of the words, but also of the impact, how the painting or document is perceived and acted upon by others. It has to have craftsmanship, but it also has to have meaning beyond the four corners." Carlos de la Cruz, JD '79 & Rosa de la Cruz WORLD-CLASS COLLECTORS "In the long run, art is a visual experience." Carlos and Rosa de la Cruz were destined to be a collecting couple. "Our parents were friends," says Carlos de la Cruz, JD '79, "We have a picture of them at my christening. " Both families were interested in culture and architecture. "I lived with my parents at my maternal grandmother's home in Havana. It was a beautiful house designed by the famous firm Carrere and Hastings, the architects that designed the New York Public Library. It was furnished with classical pieces and artworks. This year we will be showing the portrait of my mother by Salvador Dali that used to hang in the living room of the house." Rosa's maternal grandfather was the architect of the National Capitol Building in Havana and his sister founded Pro Arte Musical in Cuba that housed both the opera and concert hall. FALL 2010 3 "The years I spent at Andover, I visited often their wonderful art gallery and took several courses on art. No doubt that a good education was a solid starting point and helped me further my critical thinking about art." De la Cruz remembers that when he started dating Rosa in 1959, they both shared an appreciation for the arts. "My first wedding anniversary gift to Rosa in 1963 was an art book by John Canaday," says de la Cruz. "We have five children," says de la Cruz, "and we used to take them to Europe every summer. It was fun for us to visit cities, museums, and experience different cultures. All of these adventures helped the family understand better the history of art and to organize our thinking that later helped us when we started to collect." Besides collecting art, the de la Cruzes are patrons of the arts, funding numerous programs, including art education. The de la Cruzes' started their collection in the 1980s when their children were already grown. They first focused on Latin American art from the 1940s through the 1960s. Later, as they began to meet artists, they became interested in international contemporary art. Today, their children have also become collectors. De la Cruz is a highly successful entrepreneur -- he is the CocaCola bottler in both Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago and the distributor of beverage products in the Caribbean. He has served as a UM trustee for many years and was Chairman of the Board of UM when Donna Shalala started her presidency. He also serves on the Law School's Visiting Committee. Over two decades, the couple's collection grew to become one of the top 200 collections in the world. Their home on Key Biscayne became a veritable gallery, and during the past 15 years, the de la Cruzes have shown it by appointment to anyone interested. During Art Basel, their home is one of the hottest tickets in town. For the first three years they would throw an opening night party, but when the number of people grew too high, they continued their tradition by hosting daily breakfasts. In December 2009 they opened a new 30,000 square foot space in the Design District -- the "de la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space" -- which they consider an extension of their home. Their collection is known for the site-specific installations, where the artists personally come to install their works. Throughout the year, they rotate the collection and present unique groups of works by renowned international contemporary artists. Recently, they finished cataloguing more than 3,000 volumes from their personal 4 MI A M IL A W Sheldon, JD `57 & Myrna Palley library that are now available in the Design District space, free and open to the public. "In the long run, art is a visual experience," says de la Cruz. "You can read all you want, but the visual impact of an artwork is what one enjoys the most. With time we see things in a different way. That is the beauty of art." to play: Myrna, who was an art teacher, had the background to evaluate the early works they considered purchasing; Sheldon, who practiced real estate law and remains an active attorney, financed their purchases. But as the years passed, and contemporary glass artists were able to move their work from street fairs to high-end galleries, the Palleys together developed a deep knowledge of glass and today approach purchases with a single mind. "We agree on everything we buy," says Palley. "Many times we will go to an art fair or to a gallery and walk around separately. More often than not, if we are going to buy anything, we will have picked out the same artist or the same piece." That commonality of thinking has resulted in the purchase of more than 300 pieces of studio glass -- a collection valued at $3.5 million. For many years, items in their collection were kept in storage or on display in the Palleys' home, out of the sight of everyone but their friends and guests. All that changed with the couple's donation of $2.7 million to construct and sustain the Myrna and Sheldon Palley Pavillion for Contemporary Glass and Studio Arts, the first major addition to UM's Lowe Art Museum since 1996. The Palley Pavillion, which opened May 1, 2008, houses more than 150 pieces donated from the couple's collection, including works by 53 major glass artists. Sheldon Palley, JD '57 & Myrna Palley A LOVE AFFAIR WITH GLASS "If it doesn't speak to us, we don't buy it." "It was one little bowl," recalls Sheldon Palley. He is talking about the humble beginning, purchased at a Miami street fair, of one of the nation's most significant art glass collections. "I've always liked sculpture, the feel of it, to look at it. You look at a painting, and every time it looks different -- or it should. It's the same with glass. Hopefully it speaks to you. If it doesn't speak to us, we don't buy it." The bowl that "spoke" to Sheldon, BBA '56, JD '57, and his wife, Myrna, BEd '56, more than 30 years ago, launched the couple -- who met as students at UM -- on a love affair with glass that has been nearly as enduring as their 53-year marriage. Each had a role FALL 2010 5 Robins' undergraduate years, not surprisingly, were a mix of business and creative writing classes. A summer program in Madrid and a junior year in Barcelona "is what got me interested in art," he says. "I spent a lot of time in museums, and I was especially inspired by Goya." After he graduated, however, Robins didn't feel equipped to start in business. "I thought it was a better solution to continue with my education," he says. The answer was law school. "I loved the whole experience, and I learned a lot about business and how transactions were done. Later, South Beach was the perfect place for me to work. It merged my appreciation for art with my desire to enter the business world. The legal terminology applied to transacting business was the core of my legal education. Buying an art deco building in South Beach was as much about collecting sculpture as it was developing real estate." Robins started Dacra with the guidance of his father, David ("my most important mentor"), after graduating from law school. The company name is an acronym for "David and Craig." -- "although my father likes to say it stands for `Dad and Craig.'" Under the Dacra umbrella is a family of companies and organizations: Dacra Realty, the real estate development arm; Bridge House Hotels, a hospitality and events services company; Bridge Studio, a visual marketing and branding firm; Bridge House Publishing, a finearts book publisher; the Craig Robins Collection; his personal art collection; and the Anaphiel Foundation, a non-profit public charity supporting art projects. Dacra initially focused on the revitalization of South Beach, then developed mixed-use projects on Lincoln Road and Espanola Way. In 1999 the company acquired 8.5 acres on the southern tip of Allison Island and developed AQUA, a New Urbanist community blending modern architecture, design and site-specific public art. Dacra also spent the last 15 years revitalizing the Miami Design District from a once-abandoned neighborhood to a bustling area of cutting-edge art, design, food and fashion. Robins has now taken the company global and is pursuing opportunities in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, with an initial focus on the Chinese and Russian markets. But nothing can be written about Robins without mentioning his role in bringing Art Basel to Miami and his creation of Design Miami/, the leading international design show. "Miami is now seen as a cultural city of substance," says Robins. "Art Basel gave us the chance to showcase our community on an international platform. "What interests me," continues Robins, "is creative expression. Art, architecture and design are the linchpins in what makes a neighborhood interesting to live in. It's the same with events -- it's all part of being engaged in my community. My personal art collection tends to be international and connected in the sense that each purchase becomes part of a process in defining the future direction of the collection and subsequently, the next purchase. To me, it's about creativity, not the medium, and I collect hoping to support the creativity of our times." Craig Robins, JD '87 Of course, the Palleys haven't stopped collecting. "Our house is just as crowded as when the Pavillion opened, maybe more, because we continue to buy," says Palley. "Today we're leaning more toward younger, emerging artists who have something new to say. These people are coming out of the universities with degrees in fine arts and serving apprenticeships with established artists before they go on their own. It's different, and we find it very exciting. We just hope they stay with it and continue to grow." Craig Robins, JD '87 COMMUNITY CURATOR "To me it's about creativity, not the medium, and supporting the creativity of our times." We all know what a curator does for a museum or art collection, but who talks about "curating" a city neighborhood? Answer: Craig Robins. He defines the word in its broadest possible sense and, as chairman and CEO of Dacra -- a real estate development company that mixes architecture, art, design and cultural programming -- works to transform staid communities into energetic international destinations. If Robins, JD '87, doesn't sound like your typical developer, he's not. "I bought my first building because it had an art studio in it," he says with a laugh. "I was more interested in giving space to artists than I was in the building." When he was growing up in Miami, Robins' parents liked art, but they weren't collectors. For a couple of years, however, an artist was a tenant in their home. "He taught me to draw," says Robins. "I like to draw and can at least engage in the process." 6 MI A M IL A W Dennis & Debra Scholl, JD '81 Dennis Scholl, JD '81 & Debra Scholl, JD '81 CHANGE AGENTS "My favorite piece is always the next one." For Debra and Dennis Scholl, the beginning of the Miami art season is marked by walking through the front door of their home to see what is hanging on the walls. They never know -- honestly. That's because for each of the past 11 years they have turned over the keys to their house and their 650-piece art collection to a different curator and gone away for a few days. In their absence, an art version of an "extreme makeover" occurs. The curator has absolute freedom in terms of what is hung where; the Scholls, in turn, commit to living with the result for one year. It's a commitment that would scare off many collectors, but the Scholls like to shake things up. "We want people to come in and have a reaction," says Debra. "If there is no reaction, the art isn't doing its job." Not only does the couple change the art they live with every year, but approximately every decade they also change what they collect. First came prints, then photography, then a mix of contemporary painting, video, drawings and other art forms; the two haven't decided yet what will follow. "My favorite piece is always the next one," says Dennis. Altogether, the Scholls have bought approximately 1,000 pieces of art; of the 650 they currently own, 50 are in their home in Miami, another 50 to 70 are in their home in Aspen, Colo., 500 are in storage, and others are on loan. They employ a full-time curator just to manage the collection. Debra and Dennis (both JD '81) have come a long way since law school, when they worked together part-time at a mall art gallery that sold "artwork to match your couch," recalls Dennis with a smile. "I was born with the `collecting gene,'" he says. "As a kid, I was passionate about coins and baseball cards. Debra is from New Jersey, so she had regular access to the great art museums of New York when she was growing up." But despite their different collecting origins, they learned about art together -- "just not from the gallery where we worked," laughs Dennis. After graduation, Dennis worked in finance, helping to raise money for others, before leaving to become a venture capital investor in his own projects. Along the way, he also became a serious winemaker as the founder of Betts & Scholl, which has received numerous high scores from Wine Spectator for their wines. He joined the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in 2009 as the Miami program director for the Knight Arts Challenge, and earlier this year he was named vice president/arts, charged with developing a nationwide arts program for the foundation. Debra initially went into banking and then opened a development company that has played an important role in the revival of South Beach. They also have used their legal training to help artists negotiate for public art projects. But art collecting remains their shared passion, and each addition is made only after careful consideration -- and sometimes spirited debate. "We never say, `You get that one, and I'll get this one,'" says Dennis. "We also have a two-vote rule -- Debra has saved me from myself over and over. I believe you buy from your subconscious, and we come from two different points of view. Debra likes emotionally charged pieces; I go more for geometric and architectural pieces. After a while, however, your tastes begin to meld. You start from different perspectives and try to arrive in the middle." He smiles. "After 32 years, we find that the middle has grown." FALL 2010 7 STEPHEN URICE... The legal shade of art Art, in its fundamental form, is universal. It's the strum of a guitar, the roar of a tribal song, the slant of a smile in a painting. Unlike commodities, works of art define a culture and are limited. "Cultural property tends not to be consumed, it tends to be preserved," said Associate Professor Stephen Urice, who lectures nationally and internationally on cultural property and heritage law and policy. To clearly understand the unique field, you have to ask: Who owns the past? Urice begins to answer this question in a book he recently co-edited: Law, Ethics and the Visual Arts, the 5th edition of the standard art law casebook. Urice arrived at Miami Law in 2006 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he served as a Lecturer in Law in a grant-funded position for three years. He has a JD from Harvard University, which is where he also obtained a master's degree in Biblical Archaeology and a Ph.D. in Fine Arts. He achieved a B.A. in English from Tufts University. Urice has served on the faculty and planning committee of the American Law Institute American Bar Association (ALI-ABA) course of study Legal Issues in Museum Administration for many years. In 1998, he was appointed to plan and implement The Pew Charitable Trusts' $50 million cultural policy program � a five-year effort to assist nonprofit cultural organizations participate more fully in the development of cultural policies at local, state and federal levels. When Urice began working in Cultural Property and Heritage Law in the late `70s, the field was in its infancy stage. He was intrigued by the dynamics created when archeology, art and law combined. A generation later, the area has vastly grown to include several interests, each meeting at the intersection of artistic expression and legal rights. "We're going to see more scholarly and legislative activities at the local, state and federal levels, and I think we're going to see an increase of litigation on these issues and an increase of opportunities for people to practice in these areas," said Urice. That's good news for incoming lawyers looking for unique ways to apply practical principles with cases that involve in-depth layers of complex cultural undertones and lengthy histories. Take the controversy over the Elgin Marbles, a case that involves the removal of artifacts from the Parthenon in the first decade of the 19th century. The sculptures, which were removed by the Earl of Elgin, are still housed at the British Museum to this day. Although scholarship has demonstrated that Greece has no legal claim to recover the marbles, that conclusion has not brought the debate to an end. Clearly, in the context of cultural property disputes much more is at stake than the law. More contemporary cases tackle issues such as those raised by the city of Hermosa Beach, which banned the practice of tattooing. The action was ruled unconstitutional in September by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals saying the art form is speech protected by the First Amendment. "The art market is a huge market," said Urice, who observed that until recently there were only a handful of opportunities to practice in the field. "The business involves billions of dollars a year." Not to mention, Miami Law is situated in a city fringing on an arts renaissance. "This is an arts community that is happening. That means now, more than ever, there will be more disputes, greater need for legislation pertaining to the unique needs of artists, dealers and collectors, and an increasing interest in scholarly study of the field." FEATURES MIAMI LAW'S CLINICS Real Clients, Real Cases, Real Advocacy Miami Law School students, Nema Daghbandan and Ana Kauffmann with Haitian clients seeking Temporary Protected Status. In the midst of computer stations, overstuffed bookshelves and private offices, a huddle of professionals dissect every point of their closing arguments. Computer keys click softly as others labor over their legal briefs. If you think you've walked into a law office, you're not far from wrong. Welcome to Miami Law's award-winning legal clinics. Here, students do more than learn the law. Each year, second- and third-year law students help Miami's indigent and underrepresented. They help a foster child get better medical care. They keep an immigrant from being deported. They save a mother from losing her home. These wide-ranging, in-house clinics -- carved out of converted classrooms and offices -- offer students practical skills. "All of our clinics are united by the belief that people on the margins of society have difficulty being heard and can benefit by what we do," said Bernard Perlmutter, JD `83, who directs the Children & Youth Law Clinic, which represents children in foster care and former foster youth. "These clinics work to get good results for the clients. But we're also teaching students not to practice law in a cookie-cutter way. We want them to expand their skills in making arguments and doing research." The Children & Youth Law Clinic was the first clinic established in 1995. Bankruptcy Assistance, Health & Elder and Community Lawyering were added later, followed by Immigration, Tenants' Rights and Federal Appellate, which started during the 2009-2010 academic year. Today, Miami Law is planning its eighth clinic: a Human Rights Clinic, to open in the spring, under the leadership of Caroline Bettinger-Lopez, a Columbia Law School professor who joined the faculty in August. The clinic will focus on human rights litigation and advocacy in the U.S., the Caribbean, Latin America and elsewhere -- including work before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations -- and will also support social and economic justice campaigns in South Florida. UM Law School faculty and adjuncts direct these clinics, which serve clients for free. "We pick students who are going to be committed," said UM Law Professor Ricardo Bascuas, director of the Federal Appellate Clinic, which drafts appeals for indigent criminal defendants in conjunction with the Federal Public Defender's Office. More than 200 vied for just under 100 openings last year. "I tell my students, `Your client has one appeal and you're in charge. There are no do-overs.' " HELP FOR HAITI After Frederick Hawkins, 3L, was accepted into the Health & Elder Law Clinic, he quickly found himself helping the Haitian community after Haiti's devastating earthquake. "I went in thinking I'd get practical skills, but nothing so immediate,'' he said. FALL 2010 9 CLINICS DIRECTORS: Ricardo Bascuas, Patricia Redmond, Bernard Perlmutter, JoNel Newman, Kele Williams Not pictured: Purvi Shah, Charles Elsesser, Rebecca Sharpless and Jeffrey Hearne. Ten days after the disaster, he was at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where the clinic ran a day-long effort helping people file for Temporary Protected Status. This would allow Haitians (already in the United States before the earthquake) to live and work legally in this country, explained JoNel Newman, clinic director. Local immigrant advocacy groups estimate between 34,000 and 68,000 potential applicants are in South Florida. Clinic staff, which typically guides students in providing representation in health and elder legal matters, trained 62 Miami Law students in TPS procedures, from the initial interview to the application process. Then in March, the staff ran an alternative spring break and trained 52 law students from six universities, from Stanford to the New England School of Law, to assist with the effort. By April, the Clinic had filed more than 150 applications, and by October, 110 of the applicants had received TPS with their employment authorization cards. The Immigration Clinic, directed by Rebecca Sharpless, jumped in, too. Working with Florida International University's Law School, they trained 42 law students during spring break from eight universities, from Yale to the University of California at Irvine. Those students lent a hand to the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center and Catholic Charities Legal Services in Miami with TPS cases. After spring break, UM Immigration Clinic students handled the unfinished cases. The commitment to the TPS cause has garnered national recognition: recently, the Health & Elder Law Clinic received the prestigious Clinical Legal Education Association's Award for Excellence in a Public Interest Case or Project. Students doing outreach with the Health & Elder Law Clinic worked with the Haitian community to help translate legal jargon into everyday language. In the process, they also gained the confidence from people who had feared deportation. Hawkins recalled an elderly woman who literally danced in the street when his group explained the Clinic's mission. "She wanted to write down our names and pray for us,'' Hawkins said. "It was just an unbelievable experience." Though students go into these clinics seeking experience, not appreciation, they usually gain both. The benevolence is often received with unexpected gratitude for the students. Jessica Young (then Jessica Melia), JD '09, was among three Health & Elder Law Clinic students who won asylum last December for a Venezuelan gay man with HIV. The man feared persecution if he returned to his country. "He's sent me cards for my birthday, Christmas and Valentine's,'' Young said. "He's very grateful." So is Alyce Gowdy Wright, director of South Florida Jobs With Justice, an advocacy group. The Community Lawyering Clinic, which works with the Community Justice Project of Florida Legal Services, is researching land use around mobile home parks to help her organization. This work is part of an effort to save the parks, which provide affordable housing. "We're not legal professionals and don't have the skills or degrees that could help us present our position," Wright said of the relationship that's spanned more than three years. "They've been our most invaluable partner." 10 M I A M IL A W The clinics' accomplishments were hailed during this year's keynote commencement address by Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe, a distinguished constitutional law scholar. "Yours is among the finest array of law school clinics in the nation," said Tribe, who was appointed Senior Counselor for Access to Justice in the U.S. Department of Justice in March. In helping clients who need a leg up, students get indelible lessons in compassion. Interns in the Bankruptcy Assistance Clinic offer legal services to low-income people dealing with bankruptcy. Many of these people facing financial ruin are elderly. "The point is, they're in financial trouble due to circumstances totally beyond their control," said Patricia Redmond, clinic director. Gisela Ades, JD '10, aided an African woman who'd landed in a detention center after she escaped her abusive husband, a U.S. citizen. Ades, interning in the Immigration Clinic, secured her release by arguing that her client was protected by a special immigration law for victims of domestic violence. Ades obtained legal status for the woman and a path towards permanent residency. "This is the biggest thing I've done on my own,'' Ades said. "She had been feeling powerless. Then, when I called to tell her that her application had been approved, she was so happy. She was shouting on the phone." PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE This learn-by-doing training developed out of a need to move beyond textbook teaching. "Our model is to have the students front and center," said Professor Sharpless. "We're the coaches in the background." Students typically attend clinic-related classes two to three hours a week. Most of their time -- 10 to 12 hours weekly or more -- is spent working on cases or directly with clients. Clinics range from six to 24 students and run one or two semesters. Of the seven clinics, four are located in the law school and two operate out of affiliate law organization offices in Miami. The Tenants' Rights Law Clinic is based at Legal Services of Greater Miami. Students in Community Lawyering Clinic work from Florida Legal Services. The Bankruptcy Assistance Clinic, which was established by the Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida, meets at private law firms and on campus. While cases vary between clinics, experiences are the same. "Handling these cases is a tremendous responsibility and tremendously rewarding," said Renee Darville, 3L. She recalls the valuable experience last year when she interned for the Children & Youth Law Clinic. "You go into a regular class and you can know everything about the three cases you were assigned to read. But in a clinical setting, you need to know everything all the time. Clients need answers." As part of her clinic work, Darville represented a 16-year-old boy in therapeutic foster care who was caught in limbo between two state agencies that were refusing him the treatment he needed. Win or lose, Darville believes she makes a contribution by advocating for the teenager. "When you win, you've made a difference in a child's life. But even when you lose, the kids see a benefit,'' she said. "You tell them, `You had your day in court. You had a voice.' " Community Lawyering Federal Appellate VICTORIES FOR CLIENTS & CLINICS Miami Law Clinics have garnished more than gratitude. They've chalked up impressive victories. In December, the state's highest court ended the practice of shackling children in juvenile courtrooms -- a change Professor Perlmutter and his clinic worked to end for three years. Then there's the case of Audrey Santiago, a mother of eight who was facing eviction from her home. "She was scared and felt so blindsided,'' said Hilary Bricken, JD '10. Before graduating, she worked with the Tenants' Rights Clinic, directed by Jeffrey Hearne of Legal Services of Greater Miami. "The site manager told her she didn't have a case and no one would listen to her." The clinic focuses on evictions from public and subsidized housing, Section 8 terminations and affordable housing denials. In three weeks, Bricken investigated and found Miami-Dade County's allegations were "vague at best." In court, Bricken conducted the entire court hearing, including opening and closing arguments, the cross examination of the site manager and a direct examination of the client. "It was both exciting and nerve-racking,'' she said. "This was my first time in a real live courtroom with a real live client." After learning she wouldn't be evicted, Santiago turned to Bricken and "I just grabbed her and hugged her and cried all over her." Bankruptcy Children & Youth Law FALL 2010 11 Darville's clinic prevailed in an appeal, and the client continued Specialized Therapeutic Foster Care Services. Later this fall, the clinic will represent the teenager in an appeal for additional developmental services. Today, Young, who worked on the Venezuelan asylum case, volunteers for Legal Services of Northern California. Some of her cases deal with representing indigent clients in such areas as housing and unemployment. "The clinic built my confidence,'' she said. "I'm more comfortable thinking that I'm doing the right thing because I've had experience. I've been through this before." The experience is also gratifying for the professors. "I watch them grow from little analytical machines who can analyze the law to being real lawyers,'' said Professor Redmond. "It's really rewarding.'' For more than five years, Professor Perlmutter's clinic interns worked to establish greater due process rights, including a right to a hearing and to counsel, for children in state foster care facing placement in locked psychiatric facilities. For their advocacy before the Florida Supreme Court and the state legislature, they received the Clinical Legal Education Association's 2003 Award for Excellence in a Public Interest Law Case or Project. PREPARING FOR A FUTURE In addition to honors, these clinics give students something more practical: a head start in the working world after graduation. In the Community Lawyering Clinic, directed by Charles Elsesser and Purvi Shah, students work directly with advocacy organizations and appear before government organizations. This gives them visibility before people in a position to hire them one day, Professor Elsesser said. Dealing with real clients and solving real problems can place students firmly on a career path. Immigration Clinic Director Sharpless participated in a similar clinic as a Harvard law school student. As part of that experience, she came to Miami in the early `90s to help Haitians seek asylum after a military coup. "By working on immigration cases in the clinic, I was inspired to become a public interest immigration lawyer," said Professor Sharpless, who worked for the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center before joining the law school faculty. "Through the clinic, I found that I loved working with immigrant clients. I was very moved by their personal stories and their ability to overcome adversity." A veteran of the Health & Elder Law Clinic, Daniel Whyte, JD '09, who worked on the Venezuelan asylum case, credits his clinic experience with providing more than skills. It emphasized the importance of reaching out to others. "The clinic imposed a realization that one can, and should, help less-fortunate people through pro bono causes and cases, which can only improve one's self-fulfillment through legal practice," Whyte said. "I truly feel that the experience and education I acquired through the clinic was far superior to any received in a normal lecture setting. Being a lawyer encompasses so much more than simply knowing the law. " PUSHING THE ENVELOPE Some professors also encourage students to think beyond traditional borders of law. By finding a new legal argument that assists their client, they ultimately could help others. "A lot of what we do is designed to push the envelope," Professor Perlmutter said. "As students research cases, they also discover legal arguments that could expand the rights of others in similar situations. In that way, students don't just learn the law, they make the law." "It's good for the law students, the clients, the community and the country," said Andrew Riccio, 3L, who worked on the Venezuelan asylum case. "We're working toward common goals that don't just help one person, they help many." Indeed, their legal legwork did set the stage for others. Professor Newman recognizes immigration courts have been divided about recognizing sexual orientation in discrimination cases. "This establishes a precedent," she said. Over the years, various organizations have delivered high praise and prestigious awards to professors and their clinics. For their work with people in financial turmoil, Professor Redmond's clinic earned the Put Something Back pro bono award from the Dade County Bar and Legal Aid Society in 2008. In 2005, Professor Newman's clinic won the Bellow Scholar Lawyering in the Public Interest Award for its medical-legal partnership model law clinic. The Association of American Law Schools Section on Clinical Legal Education gave the award. Health & Elder Law Immigration Tenants' Rights 12 M I A M IL A W FIGHTING THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS: UM Law Helps Local Residents Through its Foreclosure Defense Fellowships The statistics are staggering. The current foreclosure backlog in the Florida courts, from fiscal year 2006-07 through 2010-11, will reach 559,945 cases, with Miami-Dade County's 11th Circuit suffering the highest logjam - a whopping 87,955 cases, according to recent Florida State Courts Administrator's estimates. These figures translate to masses of displaced homeowners caught in a legal system inundated with foreclosures and unable to keep pace. Despite the Florida Supreme Court's attempt to reduce the burden by mandating that all state residential foreclosures seek mediation before heading to court, Miami-Dade County has already seen 27,216 foreclosure filings this year. Witnessing the crushing impact of these cases stacking up in judges' chambers, many with valid defenses yet no legal representation, UM Law Professor A. Michael Froomkin initiated the Foreclosure Defense Fellowships for UM Law graduates - not only to gain invaluable paid work experience, but also to provide vital resources for local legal service agencies assisting the poor and make a real dent in the soaring buildup of cases. Last fall, eight UM Law graduates were awarded six-month fellowships, which several extended through the end of 2010, to practice foreclosure defense law at Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. (LSGMI) and Legal Aid Service of Broward County, Inc. Six Fellows -- Siobhan Grant, Yolanda Paschal, Matthew Weintraub, Jaclyn Gonzalez, Francisco Cieza, and Bradley Shapiro -- have worked at LSGMI, while two -- James Duffy and Berbeth Foster -- served at Legal Aid Service of Broward County, Inc. The Fellows at LSGMI and Legal Aid of Broward County conducted intake interviews that provided an opportunity to interact with potential clients. Depending on needs, they obtained loan modifications, defended foreclosure actions, raised affirmative defenses and asserted counterclaims when applicable or recovered funds if clients were illegally taken advantage of by foreclosure rescue organizations. They assisted those tricked out of the deeds to their properties, sought the cancellation of sale dates, filed for bankruptcies, helped the elderly obtain reverse mortgages, provided information on rental assistance programs and more. Says UM Fellow Berbeth Foster, working in Broward County: "In one case, we had a client facing foreclosure from his condominium association and his mortgage company. The client's wife was a stay-at-home mom caring for their autistic child and our client was in his last year of a nursing program. Happily, we negotiated a settlement with the association and had the sale cancelled. We also think he's a good candidate for a loan modification since his income will increase once he completes his education." Jennifer T. Harley, Esq., Consumer Unit Supervisor at Legal Aid Service of Broward County, is delighted with the two Fellows there. "I'm very impressed with the UM Law School and the professionalism of the graduates -- their work, writing ability, and the ownership they assumed of their cases. The Fellows took on complicated tasks FALL 2010 13 and showed enthusiasm for the program, helping clients stay in their homes. After completing their fellowships, we were able to hire Berbeth and James quickly found other employment." Carol Lombardi, LSGMI Senior Attorney supervising the Foreclosure Defense Group, echoes Harley's sentiment: "This has been a wonderful partnership and a great experience for the Fellows because, unlike at big firms, they are meeting face-to-face with clients, dealing with lenders, opposing counsel, drafting pleadings and going to court -- generally performing as fully functioning attorneys from day one. "Having the UM Fellows at LSGMI has allowed us to expand the numbers of clients we're able to see. Since the second day, the Fellows have seen almost all of the home ownership cases. In fact, we invited all of them to stay through December," she adds. Francisco Cieza, the only UM Fellow serving in LSGMI's South Dade office, is thrilled to be extending his service, having developed comfortable working relationships with his clients. "I really enjoy what I'm doing and just wish we had more time and more attorneys so we could take more clients," he says. "I'm so grateful to UM and LSGMI for providing this fellowship for me. I didn't have a job when I graduated law school and now I've gained a lot of experience. Unlike the big firms, here I do what all the other attorneys do and I'm making a real difference." Miami Fellow Yolanda Paschal is satisfied with her experience as well. "I learned that it is important that people have access to lawyers in order to navigate our legal system. Professor Froomkin and LSGMI recognized this and created a program that provides individuals with greater access to justice. I am honored that I had the opportunity to take part in this fellowship," she said. Professor Froomkin responds in kind: "The foreclosure project has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams; I only wish we had the funds to do more." Two additional Fellows, Jessica Davis and James Walter, provided foreclosure defense representation through The Foreclosure Project, created by Richard Burton, JD '74. "The Fellows have done a marvelous job giving the poor the same legal abilities to defend themselves as the wealthy developers, adding pushback to the system,'' says Burton. "They've drafted lawsuits challenging the method in which foreclosures were pursued and met with Congressional representatives to enact regulations to allow homeowners to keep their houses." Before his fellowship at The Foreclosure Project, "I didn't recognize the pervasiveness of the mortgage crisis," said James Walter. "It has been an education to learn how a flawed system developed, then became the most common form of mortgage lending practice -- one where most homeowners were duped into taking loans designed for them to fail. And it's not just those you would expect who are affected. With the reduction in wages caused by local governments' financial deficits, two-thirds of City of Miami and Miami-Dade police and firefighters are in danger of losing their homes." For Fellow Siobhan Grant, the experience at LSGMI has been particularly relevant since "in my former life I was a commercial banker. Being on the other side now, I see the frustration of consumers as well as the inefficiencies and contradictions in banking documents. Much of my intake time has required explaining to my clients the meaning of their documents. Matt Weintraub with client Tresina Toyd and her 4-month-old baby girl Tasiya Toyo. 14 M I A M IL A W Siobhan Grant, Bradley Shapiro, and Matt and Matt (all of whom graduated graduated in May, Legal Services of Greater Miami, ABOVE: Siobhan Grant, Bradley Shapiro, Weintraub Weintraub (all of whom in May, 2009) work at2009) work at Legal Services of Inc. Greater Miami, Inc. "I have a banking background and a legal degree and I still find some documents confusing," she continues. "For many of my clients, it isn't that they aren't intelligent or that they're uneducated or incapable of understanding, but really that they aren't familiar and often overwhelmed with the format, presentation, language barriers or volume of information they receive. This paralyzes a lot of people.'' Even when they cannot resolve the problems faced by clients, for countless cases, advice is the primary tool in the Fellows' toolkit. "I just hope I can give good advice to at least one person," says Grant. "It's fine on both sides when the homeowner says they don't want representation, but just need advice. This is a perfect match of what they want and what we often can provide." Harley, the Supervisor in Broward, is a strong proponent of that as well. "You cannot discount the advice. Our biggest service to the community is to provide advice. Many of our clients come from severe poverty and have no social, familial or economic support. If advice helps save just one home, then that preserves the value of the other houses on the street and in the neighborhood. So in helping the client, we're really serving the entire community." The reviews are in. Without exception, each participant found the real world legal experience with the Foreclosure Defense Program meaningful, productive and tremendously educational. "Overall, the fellowship has been very rewarding, providing me with a perspective and a face to the financial meltdown," says Grant. "I never really thought of consumer advocacy as an area of law that I'd consider, but I've found it eye-opening, rewarding and interesting because consumer, banking and foreclosure laws are changing so rapidly." FALL 2010 15 FACULTY BRIEFS Professor KENNETH CASEBEER and the Rhetoric of Emergency," at the Third National People of Color Scholarship Conference. has completed the second edition of Work Law in American Society. He has also published an article "Supreme Court Without a Clue: 14 Penn Plaza Inc. v. Pyett and the System of Collective Action and Collective Bargaining Under the National Labor Relations Act." His book, American Labor Struggles and Law Histories, is forthcoming in the Carolina Academic Press. Professor MARY COOMBS gave her annual lecture to secondyear medical students about the legal system. She also spoke at the plenary session on forms of externships at the Externship Conference and participated, along with Associate Professor JoNel Newman, on a League of Women Voters panel discussing health reform. article "Ceremonial Deism and the Reasonable Religious Outsider" in the UCLA Law Review and her article "The First Amendment Right Against Compelled Listening" was reprinted in The First Amendment Law Handbook. She was a presenter at the First Annual Law & Religion Roundtable where she talked about "Atheists, Crosses, and the Establishment Clause" and she participated in the Law & Society Association where she presented her paper, "Ceremonial Deism." Professor CAROLINE MALA CORBIN published an A. Michael Froomkin Named Silvers-Rubenstein Endowed Distinguished Professor Miami Law Professor A. Michael Froomkin, an Internet and administrative law expert, was awarded the Laurie Silvers and Mitchell Rubenstein Endowed Distinguished Professorship for the 2010-2011 academic year. Professor Froomkin is the second recipient of the award. Last year, the late Professor Bruce Winick, a co-founder of the Therapeutic Jurisprudence field, became the first recipient. "I am very honored to be awarded the Laurie Silvers and Mitchell Rubenstein Endowed Distinguished Professorship," said Froomkin. "I hope I can live up to the achievements of the previous holder, Bruce Winick." Professor Froomkin, who joined UM Law in 1992, writes primarily about Internet governance, electronic democracy, and privacy. Other subjects include e-commerce, electronic cash, the regulation of cryptography, and U.S. constitutional law. He is a founder-editor of ICANNWatch, and serves on the Editorial Board of Information, Communication & Society and of I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society. Last year, Froomkin created Jotwell: The Journal of Things We Like (Lots) � an online journal where legal academics can identify, celebrate, and discuss the best new legal scholarship. He currently serves as its Editor-in-Chief and the Editor of the Administrative Law section. Dean Patricia D. White said Froomkin "is richly deserving of this recognition, and the law school is fortunate, indeed, both to have him on its faculty and to have Laurie Silvers and Mitchell Rubenstein make it possible for it to honor and support the work of its most distinguished faculty." Professor CHARLTON COPELAND presented "Federalism's Duty: Mediating Judicial Interaction in a Federal Regime," as a work-in-progress lecture at Cumberland Law School and at a Florida International University Law School Work-in-Progress Workshop. He chaired two panels: "(Re)Imagining the Court," and "Constitutionalism: Cases and Critiques" at the Law & Society Conference. He was also a special invited participant in a seminar titled, "The Risks of Interpretive Flexibility: When Basic Traditions are Challenged by an Emergency," held at Princeton University. Most recently, he organized a panel and presented a paper, "Republican Citizenship and Constitutional Structure: Racial Equality finished her chapter "Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzalez" to be published in Women and the Law Stories. She completed a book chapter, "Disabling Racial Repetition" in Righting Educational Wrongs: Disability Studies in Law and Education. She also submitted a symposium essay "No Witch is a Bad Witch: A Commentary on the Erasure of Matilda Joslyn Gage" for the Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal. Professor Fenton also presented "Beat Your Child into a Better Slave" at the Association for the Study of Law, Culture and the Humanities 13th annual conference. Professor ZANITA FENTON Vice Dean PATRICK GUDRIDGE'S debate with Bruce Ackerman regarding emergency constitutions has been published by CQ Press as one chapter FALL 2010 17 "What's Left of Solidarity? Reflections on Law, Race, and Labor History," was published by the Buffalo Law Review. She presented at the AALA Property Mid-Year Meeting about the "Norms Underlying the Mortgage Crisis" and was a participant in the Progressive Property Theory Workshop in New York. Professor Mahoney also served as an expert in the case of Perez-Santiago v. Volusia County which involved alternative language rights for Puerto Rican voters. Professor MARTHA MAHONEY'S article Human Rights Quarterly will publish "Indivisibility and Linkage Arguments: A Reply to Gilabert." Professor Nickel also presented at a conference at the University of Stirling, Scotland where he presented his paper "Legal Human Rights as Right-Goal Hybrids." He was also one of the speakers at the Beijing International Conference on Human Rights in China. Professor Francisco Valdes is Honored with the Professor BERNARD OXMAN 2010 "Great Teacher" Award article "Gateway to Justice: Constitutional Claims to Actual Innocence" has been accepted for publication by the University of Miami Law Review. Assistant Professor SARAH MOURER'S was recently appointed Judge ad hoc of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in a dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Professor Oxman also delivered the inaugural lecture of the course in public international law at The Hague Academy of International Law. The Society of American Law Teachers (SALT) honored UM Professor Francisco Valdes, awarding him its 2010 "Great Teacher" award. SALT recognized Valdes's "extraordinary leadership, scholarship, teaching, and community building." SALT declared: "Never the `lone warrior,' Professor Valdes has consistently, even insistently, worked to build a community with the agenda of antisubordination activism within and beyond the legal academy." The SALT award in particular honored Valdes's "tireless efforts over a dozen years" as "a cofounder of Latina/o Critical Legal Theory, better known as LatCrit, a vital and dynamic community of progressive legal academics." The SALT Great Teacher award, presented annually since 1976, includes among its previous recipients Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1980), Herma Hill Kay (1984), Derrick Bell (1985), and Cruz Reynoso (1993). The 2010 awards dinner concluded with a talk by Professor Valdes, outlining his distinctive approach to legal education, "Pedagogy and Technology: Bringing Values Back into the Law School Classroom." Professor KUNAL PARKER'S Federal Individual Income Tax 20102011 was published. Federal Individual, Corporate, and Partnership Income Tax 2010-2011 will be released shortly. He also submitted a review "Wealth is Just Capital" for Professor Froomkin's internet legal journal, Jotwell. Professor GEORGE MUNDSTOCK'S book article "Law In and As History: The Common Law in the American Polity, 1790-1900" will be published in the University of California Irvine Law Review. His book review on Christian Samito's Becoming American Under Fire: Irish Americans, African Americans, and the Politics of Citizenship During the Civil War Era will appear in the American Journal of Legal History. Professor Parker is editor of the Legal History section of the online legal journal, Jotwell. Professor JAMES NICKEL'S "The Philosophy of International Environmental Law" will appear shortly as a chapter in the forthcoming book The Philosophy of International Law. His "Foundations of Human Rights" will appear in another Oxford book, International Human Rights Law. a chapter, "Advocacy for Foster Youth in Mental Health Commitment Proceedings," to be published in the Child Welfare Law and Practice Manual. He also participated on a panel at the annual conference of Professor BERNARD PERLMUTTER wrote FALL 2010 19 FACULTY notes the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. He addressed "Intersections with Immigration Issues: Recognizing and Addressing Legal Barriers for Immigrants in Your Courtroom." on Haiti at Fairfield University and met with the Canadian Foreign Minister and his Chief Deputy to educate them on the policies they should pursue in Haiti prior to the G8 Summit. Professor Professor ROBERT ROSEN'S chapter STEPHEN SCHNABLY "Rejecting the Culture of Independence: Corporate Lawyers as Committed to their Clients," was accepted for publication in the series Law, Politics and Society. Additionally, Professor Rosen presented "Legal Ethics in Museum Administration" at the ALI-ABA conference on "Legal Issues in Museum Administration." presented a paper at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference in Chicago on "International Law Constraints on Constitutional Structure and Amendment: Lessons from Honduras." the Precautionary Principle in International Trade Law" at a conference on trade agreements in Wellington, New Zealand, as well as before the American Society of International Law International Economic Law Interest Group Research Forum. Furthermore, he presented at a workshop at the International Congress of Comparative Law in Washington, DC on "Situating the Private within a Transformative Public and Tales of International Law in Canada and the US: Seen Through the Eyes of Two Supreme Courts." Professor REBECCA SHARPLESS published "Fitting the Formula for Judicial Review: The Law-Fact Distinction in Immigration Law" in the St. Thomas Intercultural Human Rights Law Review. She also published "The Duty to Advise of Immigration Consequences: The U.S. Supreme Court's Decision in Padilla v. Kentucky" in The Florida Defender and presented the paper to the public defender offices in Broward and Orange counties. Professor Sharpless also presented "Why Must Defense Counsel Act?" at DePaul University School of Law and "Strategies for Overcoming Jurisdictional Bars to Judicial Review" at the National Immigration Project in San Diego. Professor IRWIN STOTZKY article "Between Rocks and Hard Places: Unprovenanced Antiquities and the National Stolen Property Act" has been published by the New Mexico Law Review. His paper "Unveiling the Executive's Extra-legal Cultural Property Policy," coauthored with Andrew L. Adler, has been posted on the Social Sciences Research Network as part of the University of Miami's on-line publications and will be submitted for publication this coming winter. He participated as a faculty member of the ALI-ABA annual course of study, Legal Issues in Museum Administration, and will be rejoining that faculty again next spring. He continues to serve on the national advisory board of the Aspen Institute's National Study of Artist-Endowed Foundations, and he prepared two briefing papers that will be published as a part of the study. Professor STEPHEN URICE'S published his book Law as Justice: The Moral Imperative of Owen Fiss's Scholarship. He also gave the keynote address at the 25th anniversary of the University of Connecticut International Law Journal and was the first recipient of the R.D. Tulisano Endowed Human Rights Lecture Series Award. Professor Stotzky taught a seminar Professor MARKUS WAGNER completed his manuscript "The Second Largest Force: Private Military Contractors & State Responsibility under International Law" to be included in a book tentatively titled Obligation, Delegation and the Sovereign. He presented his paper "Taking Interdependence Seriously: Reassessing 20 M I A M IL A W EW& VISITING faculty N 2 0 1 0 NEW FACULTY & SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS 2 0 1 1 Caroline Bettinger-L�pez Caroline Bettinger-L�pez's scholarship and teaching focus on international human rights law and advocacy. Her main regional focus is the United States and Latin America, and her principal areas of interest include violence against women, gender and race discrimination, and immigrants' rights. Professor Bettinger-L�pez regularly litigates and engages in other forms of advocacy in the Inter-American Human Rights system, federal and state courts and legislative bodies, and the United Nations. She also speaks regularly at conferences and programs on international human rights, women's rights, and clinical teaching, consults with U.S. NGOs on mechanisms for incorporating human rights into domestic advocacy, and coordinates conferences, trainings, and workshops on human rights. At Miami Law, Professor Bettinger-L�pez directs the Human Rights Clinic, which will launch in January 2011. Douglas Bischoff Douglas Bischoff was appointed Associate Dean for the Adjunct Faculty. With more than 30 years of legal experience, he served as head of the real estate departments in the Miami offices of Holland & Knight and Morgan, Lewis, & Brockius, LLP. Bischoff was also a partner at Therrel, Baisden in Miami Beach, general counsel at Omni Development Corp in Ft. Lauderdale, and in private practice at Douglas K. Bischoff, P.A. from 2003 to 2006. From 2007 to 2010, he was responsible for the oversight and coordination of all legal matters for The Related Group. Bischoff began teaching at the Law School in 1983. He has directed the Graduate Program in Real Property Development since 1999. Patricia A. Brown Patricia A. Brown is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of international taxation, with specialties in tax treaty policy and interpretation and the international taxation of financial products and institutions. She is the Director of the Graduate Program in Taxation at Miami Law. Outside the financial community, Professor Brown is best known for overseeing and coordinating the U.S. tax treaty program as the Treasury Department's Deputy International Tax Counsel (Treaty Affairs). For much of 2005, she was Acting International Tax Counsel, during which time she was directly responsible for all international tax matters within the Office of Tax Policy. Since 2007, she has served as a full-time consultant to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, developing guidelines and procedures for the cross-border taxation of portfolio investors. Professor Brown has also lectured and spoken extensively on a variety of topics relating to tax treaties and cross-border financial transactions. Mary Anne Franks Before joining the UM faculty, Mary Anne Franks was a Bigelow Fellow and Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School. Before she began teaching law, Professor Franks taught courses in social theory and philosophy at Harvard University, where she received four Distinction in Teaching Awards. She has also worked as a Senior Consultant for the SAB Group, a negotiation consulting firm. Her research and teaching interests include criminal law, cyberlaw, discrimination, law and social norms, and law and gender. FALL 2010 21 EW& VISITING faculty N NEW FACULTY & SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS Tamara Rice Lave Professor Lave was a deputy public defender for ten years in San Diego, California. As a P.D., she handled a variety of cases including possession of a spiny lobster out of season, torture, child molestation, rape, and murder. In 2005, Professor Lave left the public defender's office to start a doctoral program in Jurisprudence and Social Policy--an interdisciplinary law and society program--at the University of California, Berkeley. Her dissertation is titled "Constructing and Controlling the Sexually Violent Predator: An American Obsession." After receiving her Ph.D., Professor Lave became a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She was also a visiting professor at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. Her primary teaching areas and interests include criminal law, criminal procedure, ethics, law and philosophy, punishment, and sex offender legislation. Ileana Porras, well-known for her intensive work in sustainability and international environmental law, joins Miami Law as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Her main focus is on integral areas of the J.D. program, including course scheduling, academic counseling, and communications with students. Dean Porras was Professor of Law at the University of Utah from 1993-1999. She has also taught at the Universidad de la Paz, San Jos�, Costa Rica, at the Erik Castr�n Institute of International Law and Human Rights, University of Helsinki and since 2005 she has taught regularly at the Facult� de Droit, Universit� Paris V, France. Professor Porras teaches in the fields of international law, (including international legal theory, European Union law, the international law of sustainable development, international environmental law, and trade and environment) and property law. Her scholarship in international law has been primarily concerned with issues of violence, colonialism, trade, and the environment. Most recently her work has focused on the subject of the city and sustainable development. VISITING FACULTY Helga Audunsdottir Helga Audunsdottir, a Visiting Associate Professor for the 2010-2011 academic year, was born and raised in Iceland. In addition to her LL.M. degree in International Law with a specialization in U.S. and Transnational Law from the University of Miami, Professor Audunsdottir holds a Masters degree in Law and a Bachelor of Science in Business Law from Bifrost University in Iceland. She wrote her master's thesis on Essential Facilities in Competition Law, and her bachelor's thesis on Universal Banking. In 2004 she studied International Law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. Prior to coming to Miami, she was the Legal Director in an international investment company in Iceland, specializing in Corporate and Competition Law, and she co-taught a course on research and writing at Bifrost University. Albert Jan van den Berg Albert Jan van den Berg is a Professor at Law and the Arbitration Chair at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the President of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute. The world-renowned arbitrator is a founding partner of Hanotiau & van den Berg in Brussels. He was previously a partner at the law firms of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Stibbe Simont Monahan Duhot, both in Amsterdam, as well as Van Doorne & Sjollema Advocaten in The Netherlands. He also worked as Secretary-General of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute and at the department of international commercial arbitration of TCM Asser Institute. Additionally, Professor van den Berg is former Vice-President of the London Court of International Arbitration and is a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration, the Commission on International Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, LCIA Company, and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre. He is the leading expert on the New York Arbitration Convention and is the author of the classic treatise on the topic. 22 M I A M IL A W 2 0 1 0 VISITING FACULTY - 2 0 1 1 Miriam Bitton Dr. Miriam Bitton is a law professor at Bar-Ilan University School of Law in Ramat-Gan, Israel. A former Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at DePaul University College of Law, she was also the Microsoft Research Fellow at U.C. Berkeley School of Law and a Visiting Fellow at George Washington University Law School. Dr. Bitton writes and teaches in the fields of intellectual property law, law and technology, and property. She is the winner of the prestigious Alon Fellowship for the years 2009-2011 (granted by the Council of Higher Education in Israel to promising junior faculty members in Israel) and the 100,000 EUROs Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant (granted by the European Union Commission). Kenneth Kettering Kenneth Kettering is visiting the Law School from New York Law School (NYLS), where he teaches courses in bankruptcy law, commercial transactions, and corporations. Before joining the faculty at NYLS, Professor Kettering practiced law for nearly 20 years with Reed Smith in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was a partner in the firm's business and finance group. Professor Kettering's research focuses on commercial and financial law, particularly the continual dialectic between the legal systems built by law-crafters and the machinations of the marketplace to deal outside of those systems. Fred McChesney Fred S. McChesney is a leader in applying economics (including statistical analysis) to the study of law. His primary teaching and scholarly interests are in the fields of antitrust (both American and international) and corporations (including corporate finance). He has published widely in leading journals, and is the author or co-author of several books. Prior to commencing his academic career, he practiced law and served as Associate Director for Policy and Evaluation at the Federal Trade Commission. Before assuming his chair at Northwestern Law, he was a member of the faculty at Cornell and Emory Universities. Madeleine Mercedes Plasencia Madeleine M. Plasencia earned tenure in 2003, at the University of Tulsa College of Law where she taught Corporations, Class Actions and Complex Litigation, Communications Law, and Internet Law. Professor Plasencia first taught Torts in 1997, while visiting at Syracuse, and her research interests in the field include two major works in progress dealing with the intersections of tort and contract law and tort and securities law, focusing on the common law concept of deceit as it informs the evolution of legal doctrine across these different substantive fields. Her published works include Privacy and the Constitution, as well as numerous law review articles. She is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of LISALEINE PRODUCTIONS, a multimedia production company dedicated to the production, distribution and exhibition of media projects that advance human rights. Nicol� Trocker Professor Trocker teaches Comparative Law, Civil Procedure, and Conflict of Laws at the University of Florence in Italy. He has published various books and numerous articles on these subjects. He received his legal education at the Universities of Munich (Germany) and Florence (Italy), where he earned his law degree (summa cum laude) and at the European University Institute where he received a Jean Monnet fellowship. FALL 2010 23 From Levi Strauss to UM Law As a Senior Marketing Manager at Levi Strauss & Company, UM Law Professor Michele DeStefano Beardslee spent her time trying to understand how people behaved, what motivated people to buy, and which strategies would get customers to purchase her company's products. But as time went on, she realized she wasn't that excited about selling jeans, so she turned to law school to focus on things that mattered to her -- human behavior as it relates to principles and ethics. While at Harvard Law School, Beardslee wrote her first paper, in which she interviewed general counsels on multidisciplinary practices. That experience solidified her desire to become an academic because she was able to combine her business background with her legal education. "It was kismet," she said. "I was able to put it all together. It's really nice when your worlds collide." DeStefano Beardslee joined UM Law in 2009 after serving as a Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, where she was previously the Associate Research Director of the Program on the Legal Profession. DeStefano Beardslee has been conducting research on the intersection of law and business, particularly looking at how the intersection is reshaping the roles of inside and outside counsel. Her current research explores the organizational settings in which lawyers work, such as corporations, law schools, courts, and firms, and the doctrines and rules that regulate those settings. Her two most recent articles, which were just published in the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, study the intersection between law and public relations, specifically examining how corporate lawyers are managing legal public relations -- the public relations surrounding legal controversies and legal issues. PROFESSOR MICHELE DESTEFANO BEARDSLEE Straddles the Worlds of Law and Business In addition to her research, DeStefano Beardslee teaches Civil Procedure and a course on the Legal Profession. She tries to engage her students in different ways, including using music in class to make a point, as well as using Clickers, a technological tool which allows instructors to ask questions and gather students' responses during a lecture. DeStefano Beardslee is spearheading a new academic model for this spring, called LawWithoutWallsTM (LWOW). This course is a "collaborative, semi-virtual venture" designed to innovate legal education and practice that will include law professors, non-lawyer entrepreneurs, practitioners, and law school students from six different universities: Fordham Law, Harvard Law, Miami Law, New York Law School, Peking University, and University College London. Students will be paired up from different schools with academic and practitioner mentors, and assigned a topic that relates to the evolutionary changes within the legal profession. The students' job will be to identify a problem in legal education or practice and create a Project of Worth that provides a creative solution to that problem. This project could be in many forms such as a new business model, or an innovation on an existing legal service. Additionally, once a week, students will attend virtual, realtime presentations and active learning sessions so students can be anywhere on their computer. "LWOW will end with a `conposium,' which is more than a conference, more than a symposium, it's virtual and real attendance; it involves students, academics and practitioners, with real time interaction," said DeStefano Beardslee. At the "conposium" students will present their projects alongside academics, practitioners, entrepreneurs and other types of business people. Her biggest challenge as a new faculty member? Time. DeStefano Beardslee has three small children, she's "addicted to working out" -- she runs 25 to 30 miles a week -- and she has just moved into a new home, close to the law school. "There are so many projects I want to work on, and so many people I want to connect with, but I don't have enough time to do everything I want to do." Having grown up in Miami, DeStefano Beardslee is more than comfortable being back in this city, after twenty years in the Northeast. "Miami is diverse and eclectic. It's both beautiful and harsh at the same time, and I love that dichotomy. I feel like I fit here." 24 M I A M IL A W Moot Court Teams Ranked 14th in the Country STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS The moot court teams -- the Charles Papy, Jr. Moot Court Board and the International Moot Court -- achieved success at both the national and international levels. The Charles Papy, Jr. Moot Court team advanced to the finals of the ABA Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition. Only 24 teams out of the 187 that entered the competition made it to the final round. In addition to advancing to the finals, the team was recognized with a third place Best Brief Award and a sixth place Best Oralist Award in the Regional Competition. The team also competed in the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition -- the premier environmental law competition in the country -- and made it past the quarterfinal rounds where they were the only law school in Florida and one of nine teams remaining. During the competition, third-year law student Daniel Poterek was named the Best Oral Advocate. UM Law's International Moot Court team placed second in the Pace Law School International Criminal Court Moot Competition held in The Hague. In addition, the International Moot Court team competed in the 51st Southeastern Super Regional Round of the Jessup Competition, advancing to the second round and placing within the top seven teams out of the 24 teams present. "We are extremely proud of the success the board has had this past school year and it is an honor for the school to be recognized with this ranking," said Kevin Huber, president of the International Moot Court Board. "The tireless dedication of our students and coaches in each competition enabled us to routinely succeed on the international circuit. We are looking forward to building on last year's success this school year and into the future." Miami Law's Moot Court teams were ranked 14th in the nation this year by the Blakely Advocacy Institute at the University of Houston Law Center. As one of the top moot court programs in the country, UM Law has been invited to Houston to compete for the National Championship in January 2011. "Placing 14th among over 200 law schools in the country is a testament to the hard work and talent of our members, adjunct faculty, coaches and judges, and the continued support of the administration," said Lauren Tuckey, President of the Charles Papy, Jr. Moot Court Board. "The Moot Court Board is eager to build upon its reputation as one of the top Moot Court Boards in the country and prominent training ground for future litigators." One-on-One Counseling: New Initiative Addresses the Whole Student This year, Miami Law has instituted a personal, hands-on approach to counseling its students through a new Student Development Initiative. The goal is to make a real connection with all 1Ls and to provide them with sound advice, compassionate care, and professional attention. This new initiative is a testament to Miami Law's commitment to students' academic, emotional, and professional well-being. Three attorneys -- Michael Bossone, Sarah Klein, and Joanna Sackel -- meet oneon-one with all incoming 1Ls to learn their stories and to understand and appreciate their unique backgrounds, values, adversities, and goals. They then develop a relationship through ongoing conversations of unlimited scope, ranging from informal talks about law school life and understanding the law school dynamic to structured discussions about study and exam strategy and course selection. The three are available to students at all times -- in person, by email, text, Skype, Gchat, cell phone, and Facebook. The program aims to address a deficiency in the American law school model that allows far too many students to disengage and grow increasingly dissatisfied with their law school experience, explains Bossone. This new model assumes that a law school should be a synergistic institution where students are respected as key contributors to the enterprise of building and sustaining a culture of collaboration and trust between the various segments of a law school community. "Dean White's leadership has allowed Miami Law to provide each and every one of our students with a talented and compassionate person who is available 24/7/365 to help make the law school experience more personal, positive, and affirming," said Bossone. "We are so fortunate to have Sarah and Joanna as part of our team, for they are both very special people who possess rare gifts. I continue to feel blessed to have the opportunity to play this role in our students' lives, and I deeply cherish those relationships." FALL 2010 25 A Model Program Established 16 years ago by Director Joanne Harvest Koren, the Academic Achievement Program (AAP) at Miami Law has become one of the model academic support programs in the country. The AAP involves students, faculty, and the law school administration in a collaborative effort to promote and enhance the academic environment of the law school. The program's focus is improving student learning and performance with the goals of developing analytical and examination skills and integrating first-year students early into the law curriculum. Robert Shawn Hogue First-year law students are given the opportunity to study under exemplary upper-level students known as Dean's Fellows. The Dean's Fellows are some of the "best and brightest students" who are trained to use interactive learning exercises geared toward different learning styles. They work with professors, attend all classes and facilitate two separate weekly study group sessions. Through these efforts, 1L students become acclimated to the study of law much more quickly. "The Academic Achievement Program is hugely beneficial for the faculty, hugely beneficial for the Dean's Fellows, and obviously hugely beneficial for the students," said Dean Patricia D. White. "It is a win-win-win program." Since its inception, 806 law students have served as Dean's Fellows. "Being a Dean's Fellow has been a phenomenal experience," said UM Law student Jennifer Hammitt. "Our students come from all sorts of backgrounds, but they have one thing in common -- this is the first time they are experiencing law school. As a recent 1L, I can remember what it's like to be scared and overwhelmed, so I can relate." Approximately 90 percent of first-year students regularly participate in the study groups. What makes UM Law's Academic Achievement Program so unique is that the program is open to every student, and so many second-and third-year students wish to participate as a Dean's Fellow. "Our Dean's Fellows enrich and support the Law School's vision," said Koren. "They are very supportive of our students and they show by example and inspiration." DEAN'S FELLOWS PROFILES Third-year law student chose to become a Dean's Fellow because "I know how daunting and intimidating the first year of law school can be. I felt like many of my Dean's Fellows not only did an excellent job reviewing the course materials with us, but were incredibly approachable, and a constant source of support." During his time at Miami Law, Hogue has served as a Dean's Fellow for Visiting Professor Gary Lowenthal's Criminal Procedure class and Professor Elizabeth Iglesias's Elements class. Additionally, he currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the University of Miami InterAmerican Law Review, volunteers in the STREET LAW program, and is a legal research assistant for Professor Francisco Valdes. Hogue's most memorable experience as a Dean's Fellow occurred last spring. "A student approached me in tears because of her disappointment in her first semester grades. I made it a point to always encourage this student, listen to her, and address her specific concerns. She ended up turning her grades around." Hogue hopes to clerk for a United States federal judge after graduation. Robert Shawn Hogue 26 M I A M IL A W Mallory Gold Jennifer Hammitt Mallory Gold is a 3L who has served as a Dean's Fellow for Jennifer Hammitt is a 3L who has served as a Dean's three semesters. Last year she worked with Visiting Professor George Schatzki's students in Civil Procedure and with Professor Zanita Fenton's Constitutional Law class. This year she is a Dean's Fellow for Visiting Professor Kenneth Kettering's Contracts class. She is an elected member of the Honor Council and is an intern for the Miami STREET LAW Program. Gold wanted to become a Dean's Fellow because she felt the Academic Achievement Program played an integral role in her success as a 1L and she wanted to pass on that positive experience to the next class. "The most gratifying part of being a Dean's Fellow is being an accessible mentor to the 1L students," said Gold. "Joanne Koren often refers to the Dean's Fellows as being on the `front lines' -- the first people 1L students approach seeking all sorts of information. I could not agree with this more. I very much enjoy being able to share my experiences in guiding students to work and study in a manner that maximizes their success." After completing her law studies, Gold plans on staying in Miami and practicing civil litigation. A devoted `Canes fan, she hopes to be around to see the Hurricanes win their next National Championship. Fellow for Professor A. Michael Froomkin's Torts class and Professor Frances Hill's Constitutional Law class and is currently serving as a Dean's Fellow for Professor Froomkin's Torts class again. She is a member of the University of Miami Law Review and is a Soia Mentschikoff Scholarship recipient. She is currently working for Judge Martinez in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She chose to become a Dean's Fellow because she felt indebted to previous Fellows who made transitioning to law school much easier. "The feeling of finally `getting it,' of understanding a difficult concept or grabbing onto a new piece of doctrine was exhilarating, and I hoped that I could continue to share some of my enthusiasm for law school with first year students," explained Hammitt. Her funniest experience in her role as a Fellow occurred last Halloween when ten of the first-year students dressed up as Professor Froomkin -- bow tie and all. "It was a great show of affection and humor that the students were bringing to the class." This past summer, Hammitt worked in Washington, D.C. in the Office of the General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. FALL 2010 27 A Model Program is a 3L who has served as a Dean's Fellow for the past three semesters. She has worked with Professor Gerald Wetherington's students in Torts and worked with students in the Academic Achievement Program Exam Workshop last spring and again this fall. She is a member of the Moot Court Board and a student mentor for Miami Law Women. She served as a student intern for the Children & Youth Law Clinic and was an associate in the Miami law firm of McDermott, Will & Emery this past summer. Becoming a Dean's Fellow provided Chatham with "a good opportunity to work with and develop relationships with faculty members, and contribute to the law school community. The best part of being a Dean's Fellow for me is being able to help and support other students so that they can be more successful in law school." Chatham has enjoyed her time at Miami Law, especially "being a Dean's Fellow and interning with the Children and Youth Law Clinic." She plans on joining McDermott, Will & Emery's trial department as an associate after graduating in May. Asra Chatham Jordan Fishfield is in his third year of the combined J.D./M.B.A. program. He has served as a Dean's Fellow for two semesters in Professor Terence Anderson's Elements class. He is the Articles and Comments Editor for the Inter-American Law Review and President/Treasurer of the Jewish Comparative Law Society. This past summer, he interned at the Fort Lauderdale office of MassMutual Financial Group. Fishfield became a Dean's Fellow because "it was one of the organizations on campus that has an actual impact. Dean's Fellows help 1Ls acclimate to a difficult situation, and they really helped me when I was a first-year student." The best part of being a Dean's Fellow is "reading the evaluations at the end of each semester. So far, the students have been pretty positive," says Fishfield. "I enjoy helping 1Ls understand Elements, because it can be a difficult, abstract topic. It really has been an enjoyable experience." After he finishes his fourth year, Fishfield hopes to work in New York City in a major investment house. Asra Chatham Jordan Fishfield 28 M I A M IL A W MiamiSTREET LAW There are two ways to change a community for the better. You can deliberately force it to change, or you can build a bridge and -- as a team -- cross the divide between here and a brighter tomorrow. Miami STREET LAW, an educational and legal outreach program that launched in 1996, provides that bridge for the Miami community. As part of a national organization that began in Washington, D.C. in 1972, STREET LAW places law students in area high schools and youth facilities to teach law, critical thinking and principles of democracy. The program's success was recently recognized when Street Lawyer Rob Weaver, 3L, won the 2009 Supreme Court Lesson Plan Contest for writing the legal lesson on the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. "Legal education is empowering," said Karen Throckmorton, J.D. '81, LL.M. '87. As director of the program, Throckmorton works with 25 student Fellows and interns who are responsible for developing lesson plans for local schools. Throckmorton received the 2010 Richard Hausler Golden Apple Award for teaching from Miami Law in March. Locally, STREET LAW partners with eight high schools including two correctional facilities. The classes focus on educating teens about cases and statutes on relevant topics while encouraging analytical discussion about the law. Justin Wales, 2L, kicked off his Miami Senior High class with a rock-paperscissors tournament which divided the class into three groups: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. In mirroring the structure of our government as outlined in the Constitution, the Street Lawyers led them through a competitive exercise in which the winner became the President and others became Senators, Congress members, or Supreme Court Justices. Through a series of discussions the class learned what checks and balances were, how to pass bills and the meaning of a presidential veto. "There's a benefit to being educated," said Wales, who sees the class as a group learning opportunity. High school students learn from the Street Lawyers who are pressed to learn the law thoroughly. He also has to be prepared for the students' challenging questions. In 2008, the Law School Diversity Pipeline Program in conjunction with STREET LAW Inc., focused a study specifically on Miami Law's STREET LAW. The research showed that a substantial number of teenagers became interested in pursuing legal careers and increased career-related activism after having taken part in the course. Wales understands that while the class is entertaining and informative, it doesn't necessarily mean the students will follow his lead and aspire to be lawyers themselves. "It's just a means of bettering their own situations," he said. Each spring, Miami STREET LAW sponsors twenty-four high school students for a three-day law immersion at the law school. Students are coached in evidence and trial skills and exposed to a variety of legal career opportunities. On the third day of the program, students conduct mock trials in Federal courtrooms before real judges. "It's crucial to bring students through the front door instead of the back door," said Throckmorton. "It's important to have a positive experience with the judicial system." FALL 2010 29 NOTEWORTHY Joint Degree PROGRAMS M I A M I L A W L a u n c h e s U N I Q U E Joint Degree Pro g r a m s Miami Law has launched two new joint degree programs: a J.D. and M.M. in Music Business and Entertainment Industries, which is the first of its kind in the country, and a triple degree for students who were undergraduate business majors. Miami Law has teamed with the University of Miami's worldrenowned Frost School of Music to create the new joint degree program in law and music business. This degree will give future entertainment attorneys a thorough understanding of the music industry. In this specialization, students not only learn the essentials of law, but also the common practices of the music business. As one of the four top music cities in the U.S. and as the music center for the Latin American Divisions of all major music companies, Miami offers exceptional internship and work opportunities. "This is the only place in the world where this enterprise is happening," said Dean Patricia D. White. "It's really touched a nerve, and it's going to be a great success." "We are very excited to offer this unique opportunity to aspiring entertainment attorneys," said Assistant Professor Serona Elton from the Frost School of Music. "Our graduates will be well prepared to enter this rapidly changing field, where a working knowledge of both legal and business aspects will serve them well." The new triple degree program offers a combination of legal and business degrees to students who were undergraduate business majors. This unique offering gives the students the possibility of obtaining three degrees -- a J.D., an LL.M. in tax or real property development, and an M.B.A. -- in only four years. These credentials are ideal for anyone with a long-term goal of servicing top corporate clients or becoming a senior executive at a bank, real estate company, or financial institution. They also serve as significant assets in today's competitive marketplace for any attorney starting out in tax or real estate law. "In today's job market, it is very helpful to have credentials which more clearly establish the job candidates' areas of expertise," said Sandra Abraham, Executive Liaison for Interdisciplinary Programs and Initiatives at the School of Law. "Being able to obtain an M.B.A. and an LL.M. in tax or real property alongside the J.D. degree in a total of four years offers such an opportunity for our Law School students." 30 M I A M IL A W legal CORPS The University of Miami School of Law has launched Legal Corps, an ambitious initiative designed to place graduates in government agencies, public interest organizations and judicial chambers throughout the nation. Miami Law graduates beginning with the class of December 2009 who have been admitted to a state bar are eligible to apply for the prestigious, six-month fellowships and receive $2,500 in monthly stipends from the school. "We believe that Legal Corps is the first serious attempt by a law school to contribute in a significant way to both the enormous unmet need for legal services and the harsh economic realities faced by recent law school graduates," Miami Law Dean Patricia D. White said. "This program is conceived as a way to provide help to the understaffed and overburdened public interest organizations, governmental agencies, and courts whose funding has not kept pace with the workload of these challenging times and to provide training, experience, and opportunity to our graduates." The recent economic crisis has resulted in a reduction of funding for public sector agencies at a time when the demand for legal services at those types of agencies has dramatically increased. Miami Law hopes to fill this gap by providing these understaffed agencies with talented new lawyers. Florida Supreme Court Justice R. Fred Lewis, JD '72, said that the program provides a "unique opportunity for service. It captures both the advancement of the interests of new lawyers and provides assistance to organizations in need of legal talent." As part of the program, the Fellows will be required to attend biweekly professional development training sessions on topics such as ethics, client development, leadership skills and time management skills. Fellows who are not working in South Florida will participate remotely. These sessions will provide the Fellows with close to two years of Continuing Legal Education credit. "Legal Corps is a great program. It accomplishes what we in the legal profession should have been doing all along and provides what resembles an apprenticeship for UM Law graduates," said Chief U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno, JD '78. "The program is a win-win scenario. Graduates have an opportunity to receive excellent training and a little money to help them live, and the legal community, the public sector in particular, benefits from free legal assistance at a time when it is truly needed." Cesar Alvarez, executive chairman of the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A., added that the program also has the potential to encourage more graduates to pursue careers in the public sector. "I think that one of the favorable consequences of this program is that some of the participating individuals, who originally did not consider working in the public sector, will, when exposed to it, decide to pursue full-time careers in it," Alvarez said. So far, over 180 different organizations, from Florida to California, have agreed to participate in the program, with more than 450 placements available. MIAMI LAW LAUNCHES AMBITIOUS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR GRADUATES "At a time when the public sector is hurting because of budget cuts and law firms are not hiring at the rate they used to, Legal Corps provides a new way of giving recent graduates the opportunity to gain valuable experience while at the same time providing much needed assistance to those entities in the public sector with a critical need for legal resources," said U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan, JD `87. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle agrees. She said the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office has room for up to 20 Fellows in two programs that have far-reaching effects on the community: the Family Division Child Support Enforcement Program, which currently processes nearly 100,000 cases, and the Second Chance Program. "The Fellows will have the opportunity to provide a great service to women and children that could potentially improve the lives of those individuals in so many ways," Fernandez Rundle said. "Opportunities where attorneys have the chance to really help individuals on a personal level are invaluable and the kind of experiences that can shape the career choices of young attorneys for the rest of their lives." Legal Corps will be administered from the law school's offices at the Chesterfield Smith Center for Equal Justice in downtown Miami. It is a fitting location given Chesterfield Smith's dedication to help those in need during his legendary legal career and the proximity to the organizations where many of the Fellows will work. FALL 2010 31 LComm Evolves with the Times... It could have been just an average class. Students gathered at their desks. A professor with a morning lecture. A few questions. A few good answers. The clock tick-tocking its way to the end. But this isn't just another class. This is Legal Communication and Research Skills or LComm -- a new program at Miami Law geared to prepare students for success throughout law school, and well into their careers. The curriculum emphasizes the fundamentals of legal communication by focusing on how to write well-researched and polished legal documents, how to analyze real-world legal issues, and how to frame and present convincing arguments. "I want our program to be the best legal writing and research program in the country," said Dean Patricia D. White, who set out to elevate the quality of first-year research and writing classes last spring. In three months, 12 additional faculty members were hired and a curriculum was constructed. The faculty is made up of lawyers with highly-regarded accomplishments and various professional backgrounds. Of the group, six have worked as federal and state law clerks for such courts as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Annette Torres was a shareholder in the labor and employment department of Stearns Weaver and is an alumna of Miami Law, while Rachel H. Smith taught at Santa Clara University School of Law and was named Legal Writing Professor of the Year in 2008 and 2010. Jamila Alexander, a Harvard Law School graduate, is a former legal writing professor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Christina Frohock, who graduated from NYU School of Law, practiced at leading firms before joining our faculty. "We wanted a full-time faculty that shared deeply in the pedigree of learning theory and effective lawyering," said White. "We wanted these professors to work closely with students in small groups." In August, LComm faculty started teaching 489 first-year law students. THE CLASSROOM It's Friday, 8 a.m. Today, Professor Peter Nemerovski is teaching 1Ls how to prepare a closed memo assignment. Nemerovski graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a B.A. in Politics, and went on to earn his J.D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. Weariness shows on the students' faces. A half-dozen Starbucks cups dot the desks. Despite the tiredness, their pens whirl madly on spiral notebooks. Their minds are sharp. This isn't a class. It's a conversation about law. "This is a class where instead of me lecturing for an hour and fifty minutes, I simply say `Do it,'" said Nemerovski. "I play the role of Senior Attorney, and they bounce ideas off of me." Students divide into groups and are asked to condense a nine-page case into one paragraph, six sentences or fewer: The goal is to summarize a lengthy, complicated case that could be incorporated into a research memorandum or court filing. It's a typical assignment a junior attorney might encounter while working at a prosecutor's office. THE FACULTY The journey to develop such a program began in April, when Rosario Lozada Schrier -- who earned her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame, and served as Assistant General Counsel to the University of Miami before joining the Miami Law faculty in 2007 --was named LComm Director. 32 M I A M IL A W from Classroom to Courtroom From left to right, LComm Faculty: Rachel H. Smith, Christina Frohock, Peter Nemerovski, Alyssa Dragnich, Jill Barton, Kay Seibert, Rachel Stabler, Rosario Lozada-Schrier, Jamila Alexander, Annette Torres and Ellen Ross Belfer. Not featured in photo: Professors Kurt Lenz and Shara Kobetz-Pelz The students light up. Murmurs of analytical discussions can be heard. "Say second-degree murder because that's the same as..." one student dictates to the partner who scribbles quickly. "Thomas was subsequently shot and killed," a group reads their well-structured sentences aloud. "Five more minutes," says Professor Nemerovski. "Because the Florida Statute requires the curtilage of the..." One student interrupts: "Ooh, ooh, I know what to say!" The excitement increases as their thoughts materialize. It's the second week of class. The expectation is for students to be effective communicators by the end of the twosemester course. "It's no small accomplishment to take a complex burglary case and end up with a succinct paragraph," said Nemerovski. "It's an important skill to develop as an attorney because you're often dealing with 10 to 15 cases at one point that you'll want to discuss in your brief." THE COURSE "This is a learning-by-doing class," said Schrier. "We're taking foundational skills, building on them and making them relevant to contemporary practices so students can hit the ground running." From the first day of class, 1L students are asked to assume the role of attorneys and are expected to act accordingly as they develop oral and written communication skills. The curriculum includes one-on-one guidance for students to enhance their research and writing skills beyond the classroom. One unique aspect of the course is its dedication to promoting awareness about communicating in a tech-satiated world, an environment that demands lawyers to be professionals at all times. "The curriculum was designed to meet the demands of contemporary legal practice," said Schrier, who acknowledges that with the influx of technology, lawyers are more accessible than ever. LComm emphasizes that technology can enhance, but never replace, the human interaction that is critical to effective lawyering. Although the Internet, e-mail, and devices such as BlackBerry Smartphones can be used to communicate efficiently with clients and colleagues, these same tools can lead to unprofessional exchanges between attorneys and can lead to a deteriorated work ethic. "At the end of the day, their work product affects their professional reputation," said Schrier. Technology awareness provides a glimpse into how the class taps into today's demands. However, a major emphasis of the course will be on more traditional professional writing. Students draft legal memoranda, client letters, motions, and appellate briefs. This is the new ground on which LComm has been built. It's a bridge between a lawyer's necessary past, which includes legal writing and research skills, crossed with the everchanging demands of today. Said White: "I hope the students will gain a wide variety of communication skills and, most importantly, leave with the confidence to use them effectively." FALL 2010 33 ARBITRATION PROGRAM Completes a Stellar First Year Just as the city of Miami is increasingly becoming an international magnet, so, too, is UM Law's International Arbitration Program. Led by world-renowned international arbitrator and UM Law Professor Jan Paulsson, the program has just entered its second year, following an inaugural launch that brought leading practitioners from around the world to campus and featured unique lectures and seminars, international moot court competitions, and the signing of a cooperation agreement with the University of Versailles. "As Chairman of the Miami International Arbitration Society, I can report that our members are delighted that the International Arbitration Program has been established at the University of Miami School of Law," said Burton Landy, J.D. '52. Seven students made up the first class of the LL.M. degree with a Specialization in International Arbitration, and new classes were introduced to further enrich the offerings in the field. A course in Investment Arbitration was taught by two leading practitioners in the field, Nassib Ziade, Deputy Secretary-General of the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, and Lucy Reed, co-head of the International Arbitration Group at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and President of the American Society of International Law. Visiting Professor Albert Jan van den Berg from Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands and a world-renowned arbitrator in his own right, taught a new course, New York Convention Workshop, which dealt with the single-most important international instrument in the field of international arbitration. Professor van den Berg addressed the latest trends and problems in the New York Convention's application worldwide. This year, new courses will be offered by Prof. Martin Hunter from the United Kingdom and Andr�s Jana from Chile, both distinguished arbitration practitioners. Four students specializing in International Arbitration participated in a week-long course in Oral Advocacy in International Arbitration, jointly sponsored by UM Law and the international law firm of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Together with six associates from Freshfields' New York, Washington, London and Paris offices, the students studied a mock case and practiced making opening and closing statements and direct and cross examination. UM Law plans to make this course an annual event. "International arbitration has become the standard method for resolving international commercial disputes, and calls for a particular set of skills," said Paulsson. "Miami Law now offers instruction from world leaders in the field. The program dovetails with Miami's legitimate ambition to be a leading venue for arbitrations." The resources for the study of international arbitration at UM Law have been augmented with the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the University of Miami and the University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Faculty of Law and Political Science. The Cooperation Agreement provides for exchange of documents, publications and teaching materials; exchange of teaching staff, research staff and students; the organization of joint seminars and conferences; and the facilitation of internships. In February, a group of students from Versailles came to UM Law for a week of classes and to participate in the Florida Pre-Competition for the Willem C. INTERNATIONAL 34 M I A M IL A W UM Trustee Wayne Chaplin, JD '82, Provost Thomas J. LeBlanc, Dean Patricia D. White, Professor Jan Paulsson, President Donna E. Shalala, Marike Paulsson, Carolyn Lamm, JD '73, Joan Fabry Klein, Michael Klein, JD '66, Vice Dean Patrick Gudridge Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Competition. (See page 25 for more information about UM Law's international moot court successes.) Several prominent practitioners also came to the Coral Gables campus last year to lead a series of arbitration lectures and seminars. Experienced Mexican sports arbitrator and author of Arbitraje Deportivo (Sports Arbitration) Francisco Gonzalez de Cossio spoke on how disputes involving athletes, coaches, and sports federation officials at the Vancouver Winter Olympics could be settled in a matter of hours. Expert arbitrator Guillermo Aguilar-Alvarez spoke about NAFTA, its impact, and its effects on national economies and regional integration. Several distinguished speakers are lined up for this year as well, including Prof. Karl-Heinz Bockstiegel from the University of Cologne, Germany. The International Arbitration Program plays an active role in the Miami international arbitration community through its participation on the Board of Directors in the Miami International Arbitration Society, represented by Judith Freedberg, UM Law's Director of Professional Programs. Additionally, Paulsson and Freedberg have participated in the work of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) on the revision of its Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and its Arbitration Rules. "With Jan's arrival, the University of Miami has put in place all the pieces necessary to become a major source of arbitration information, education and idea-generation," said Jose Astigarraga, J.D. '78. "As leading thinker in this field, he has already created an energy that is attracting other worldclass lawyers to teach here. With its Miami location at the gateway of the Americas, the program is perfectly poised to become a clearinghouse of information and engine of education in this burgeoning field." Michael Klein Distinguished Scholar Chair Miami Law celebrated the investiture of world-renowned international arbitrator and UM Law Professor Jan Paulsson to the Michael Klein Distinguished Scholar Chair on April 29. Approximately 100 faculty, students, alumni, and members of the international arbitration community gathered at the Lowe Art Museum to witness the ceremony and hear Paulsson present a lecture titled, "Moral Hazard and International Dispute Resolution." FALL 2010 35 MIAMILAW Lectures and Mini-Courses This year, Miami Law sponsored a number of lectures and mini-courses, bringing important scholars and renowned practitioners to campus. These lectures highlighted significant legal topics, providing an opportunity for the Law School community to increase its knowledge as well as debate and share ideas. Ryan Calo, Director of the is also a volunteer attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights, the legal affairs correspondent for The Nation, a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books, and a commentator on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered". He presented a talk titled "Obama, Bush, and the War on Terror: Change We Can Believe In?" Charles J. Ogletree, distinguished legal theorist and Harvard Law Professor, taught a seminar titled, "PostRacial America?" Ogletree is internationally known for taking a hard look at complex issues of law and by working to secure the rights guaranteed by the Constitution for everyone equally under the law. the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Professor of Law and CoDirector of the Boalt's Berkeley Center for Law, Business, and the Economy at the University of California, taught a workshop called "Delaware Mergers & Acquisitions" which offered an in-depth review of Delaware law on mergers and acquisitions, a board's fiduciary duties, and related issues of corporate governance and takeover tactics and strategies. Talley is a leading authority on corporate law and law and economics. taught a four-day workshop titled "WTO Dispute Settlement," which covered the basic disciplines of the Dispute Settlement Understanding of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Bentes is a Legal Officer with the Appellate Body Secretariat of the World Trade Organization where he assists the Appellate Body in conducting the appellate review in WTO Dispute Settlement on a variety of trade issues. Bentes received his LL.M. in Comparative Law from Miami Law. Consumer Privacy Project at Stanford Law School, gave a presentation titled "Visceral Notice." Prior to joining Stanford, Calo was an associate with Covington & Burling, where he advised companies on issues of data security, privacy, and telecommunications. He researches and presents on the intersection of law and technology. Nina Pillard, Professor of Law Eric Talley, is a Professor of Law and Philosophy at Yale Law School. He presented "How is Legal Authority Possible?" His areas of interest include jurisprudence, family law, constitutional law and theory, criminal law, and philosophy of action. He is the author of Legality and editor of The Oxford Handbook of Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law. Scott Shapiro at Georgetown Law, is an accomplished litigator. She teaches civil procedure, constitutional law, American and transnational legal theory, and various labor and employment courses. Her current research interests include the constitutional and statutory law of equality with a focus on employment, and law in transnational context. She presented a lecture titled "(Re) inventing Work Law in a Transnational Context: Voluntary Codes of Conduct in Multinational Supply Chains." Douglas Morris is a legal historian and practicing criminal defense attorney with Federal Defenders of New York, Inc. He is the author of Justice Imperiled: The Anti-Nazi Lawyer Max Hirschberg in Weimar Germany. He is currently working on a book tentatively titled Discrimination, Degradation, Defiance: Jewish Lawyers in Nazi Germany. At Federal Defenders Morris represents defendants charged with federal crimes. His lecture was titled "Inside the Dual State: The Secret Life, Writings and Lawyering of Ernst Fraenkel under Nazi Rule." Judicial Activism sponsored by the Federalist Society. Cantero is the first Justice of Hispanic descent to sit on the Florida Supreme Court. Before his appointment, he was a shareholder and head of the Appellate Division of the law firm of Yoss LLP in Miami. He specialized in civil and criminal appeals at all levels, and also has extensive experience in commercial litigation. Justice Raoul Cantero gave a lecture about Pablo Bentes Jennifer Arlen, a respected authority on medical malpractice, corporate liability, and corporate governance and New York University Law School Professor, taught an intensive, onecredit course at Miami Law titled "Law and Economics of Medical Malpractice." The course used economic analysis to examine the law governing physician, hospital, and insurer liability for medical malpractice and focused on how the existing system is currently functioning and how it can be best improved. is the John Carroll Research Professor of Law at Georgetown Law where he teaches constitutional law, national security, and criminal justice. He David Cole Throughout the Academic Year 36 M I A M IL A W 2010 2011 INAUGURAL Vice Dean Patrick Gudridge, Henry Monaghan, Gisela Cardonne Ely and Alan Dershowitz JOHN HART The University of Miami School of Law was proud to remember and honor John Hart Ely, a member of its faculty from 1996 to 2003, and the first holder of the Richard Hausler Distinguished Faculty Chair, by presenting the first Ely Lecture on January 22nd. The inaugural lecture took the form of a conversation including Alan Dershowitz, Henry Monaghan and Patrick Gudridge. Professors Dershowitz and Monaghan are distinguished scholars and longtime friends of Professor Ely. Alan Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, widely known for his advocacy and commentary on a wide range of issues, including civil liberties. Henry Monaghan is the Harlan Fiske Stone Professor of Constitutional Law at Columbia Law School, and is generally recognized as among the most incisive constitutional scholars of our time. Professor Gudridge, a ELY LECTURE one-time editor and later colleague of Professor Ely, teaches and writes in the field of constitutional law at UM Law, where he currently holds the position of Vice Dean. The lecture series honors John Hart Ely, a constitutional scholar whose work continues to have a tremendous impact on legal thinking across the globe. Over the course of a long career at Yale, Harvard, Stanford, and Miami, Ely created a remarkable body of writing --notably insightful, elegant, and powerful. His book, Democracy and Distrust, is generally regarded as one of the very few genuinely influential discussions of American constitutional law published in the 20th century. FALL 2010 37 ALUMNI Message From LAA President Dear colleagues, In this issue of the Barrister, you will learn that our school is a perpetual institution, but it does not run itself -- individuals of extraordinary talent and purpose are what make it great. We are fortunate to have at the helm a Dean of extraordinary talent, supported by dedicated and accomplished faculty and administrators. If you have not already met Dean White and heard her vision for our school, I encourage you to attend future alumni events and get to know her. You will learn about two very special programs, LawWithoutWallsTM and the Legal Corps in this publication, as well as new interdisciplinary programs and clinics created at the school--perpetual motion indeed. We are very proud of our over 19,000 alumni internationally and their many achievements and strengths; you will have a chance to read about some of them in this publication. Their loyalty and support of our school enables our Alma Mater to provide the best legal education in the country to future generations. Our financial support is vital to the Law School, as it continues its tradition of excellence in legal education. I thank all of you who participate in the annual fund each year and urge those of you who have not done so to consider doing so. By supporting our programs, you help ensure the growing stature of our school and our law degrees. Providing much needed mentoring to our students and recent graduates is one of the primary goals of my year of leadership. I urge you to reach out to me or any of the members of our Board of Directors, share your ideas with us and volunteer your services. We will be traveling with Dean White and members of the Law Alumni Association in the months to come to cities with a strong alumni concentration; Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., New Jersey, Boston. If you are willing to host the Dean and local alumni, please let us know. The future of our alma mater lies in excellent hands. We welcome your partnership in continuing to strengthen the school and our alumni association through active participation. Thank you for your ongoing support and Go `Canes! Professor of Law Laurence "Lonnie" Rose, who served as Director of UM Law's Litigation Skills Program from 1990 to 2006, has returned to that post. He returns to the School after a four-year stint as president and CEO of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA)-- the nation's leading provider of legal advocacy skills training which pioneered the legal skills learning-bydoing methodology over 35 years ago and is the ultimate standard in continuing legal education. "I am pleased and excited to return to UM to direct the Litigation Skills Program, and to add my experience to the quality of education UM provides its law students," he said. "Over the four years I presided as NITA's full-time president, NITA became recognized worldwide for its ability to provide an excellent and ethical approach to the teaching of professional skills and critical thinking. What I have seen during the last four years is the increased globalization of the legal profession, as well as the dramatic reaction to the economic and practical realities of the current and future practice of law." LONNIE ROSE returns to MIAMILAW Jerry M. Markowitz, JD '74 President Law Alumni Association 38 MIA M IL A W CLASS 1965 notes Partners Award in the White Collar Crime category. 1975 JERRY DAVID MCGREAL recovered $50,000 on behalf of a victim of a car accident. THOMAS NEWCOMB HYDE, the National Director of Legal Training for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, received the Global Counsel Award for the "Best Training Programme" from the International Law Office and the Association of Corporate Counsel. RICHARD M. GOLDSTEIN of Bilzin Sumberg in Miami has been appointed to the board of directors of the Voices for Children Foundation. BENNETT H. BRUMMER received the Florida Association of Criminal Defense LawyersMiami Founders Award and was recognized by the Kiwanis Club of Biscayne Bay with the Citizen of the Year Award. PHILIP MAURICE GERSON won $245,000 on behalf of an elderly resident who fractured her hip in an attack in Lauderhill condominium parking lot. THE HONORABLE JOSE E. MARTINEZ received the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Miami Law Alumni Association. 1971 H. ALLAN SHORE has been named to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute Governance Advisory Board. 1967 BURTON YOUNG received the 2010 Alumnus of Distinction Award from the University of Miami Law Alumni Association during Homecoming. 1972 ROBERT A. DULBERG recently celebrated his 20th anniversary as a Certified Circuit Civil, Federal and Family Mediator. Mr. Dulberg, one of the first mediators Certified by the Supreme Court of Florida in 1989, is a partner in Salmon & Dulberg Dispute Resolution. 1976 FRANK ANGONES was named by the American Bar Association as the recipient of the 2010 Spirit of Excellence Award. 1968 NEIL ROLLNICK has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Real Estate, Construction, Zoning category. He was also honored by the 2010 South Florida Legal Guide as one of the "Top Lawyers in South Florida." JOEL HIRSCHORN has been elected for fellowship in the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society. DENNIS A. VANDENBERG successfully defended a periodontist accused of being responsible for an alleged nerve injury. 1974 JERRY M. MARKOWITZ was selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2010. He was also honored by the 2010 South Florida Legal Guide as one of the "Top Lawyers in South Florida." CLEMENTE L. VAZQUEZ-BELLO has been re-elected to the Florida International Bankers Association Board of Directors, as General Counsel for fiscal year 2009-2010. THOMAS RINGEL has been honored by the 2010 South Florida Legal Guide as one of the "Top Lawyers in South Florida." 1977 DEAN COLSON agreed to serve on the University of Miami School of Law Visiting Committee for the 2009-2010 academic year. 1969 ROBERT A. BUTTERWORTH of Atkinson Diner Stone Mankuta & Ploucha in Ft. Lauderdale has been appointed to The Able Trust Board of Directors. 1978 JOSE ASTIGARRAGA has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the International Business category. 1970 GEORGE R. HARPER was elected as the 2009-2010 President of the Inter-American Bar Association. ROY BLACK has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key NEIL P. LINDEN was named a top attorney by the South Florida Legal Guide. DONALD E. KUBIT has been named trustee of the Deering Estate Foundation. FALL 2010 39 jeff CAZEAU, JD '02 Jeff Cazeau, JD '02, can be found practicing law, attending board meetings or training for his first marathon, often in the same day. Born in Haiti, he was three when he moved to New York. Accepted to the prestigious Bronx High School of Science, he traveled by train three hours a day because his parents wanted him to have the best possible education. He attended the State University of New York at Stony Brook and spent his last semester studying in England. Traveling under a Haitian passport, Cazeau felt American. He became a citizen when he returned from Europe and then joined the military. "It was the summer of Operation Desert Shield," he explained, "and I wanted to do my part. I enlisted in the Navy." Cazeau's Commanding Officer recommended him to Navy Officer Candidate School. "I was very, very fortunate to get selected since it was during a period when the military was downsizing," he said. From there he went to Surface Warfare Officer School and Legal Officer School. Cazeau actually practiced law before he had a law degree. In the military, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) governs the law, and Cazeau was the legal officer on a U.S. Navy warship. After working as Caribbean Regional Analyst for the United States Southern Command with diplomats who all had law degrees, he decided to apply to law school. "I wanted to be like those guys," he remembered. The time-management skills Cazeau developed in the Navy served him well in law school. "I spent nine years in the Navy working hard and wanted to see what would happen in the civilian world if I kept up that work ethic," he explained. He was president of the Student Bar Association and a member of multiple honor societies including the Society of the Bar and Gavel and the highly selective Iron Arrow Society. "I just went all out," he said. "I remember thinking when this is all over, I want to be able to say I did everything I could. UM's a great school for that." He is currently Law Alumni Association vice president for fundraising, and he and Josh Spector, JD '02, have returned to talk to students about the South Florida job market. "I really love the school and the opportunities they gave me," he said. "I try to give back as much as I can." Cazeau opened his own practice this year. He represents individuals and companies in federal, state and local matters such as procurement disputes, land use and zoning. He helps his clients secure government contracts, including firms interested in reconstruction work in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake in Haiti. Cazeau wants to make sure the firms hire locals for the rebuilding efforts. He recently visited the devastated country for the first time since the earthquake. "It's clich�," he said, "but it's worse than what you see on television." In Miami, he participated in the Haitian Lawyers Association earthquake relief efforts and worked on the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) drives for Haitians living in the United States. Cazeau is past president of the Haitian Lawyers Association, Vice President for Regional Programs for the Law Alumni Association, Chair of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee, and an appointed member of the Miami Bayside Foundation. He manages his schedule by relying on his military skills. "I often get work done early or late," he said. He enjoys spending any free time with his wife and three daughters. JOSEPH SEROTA has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award as Special Recognition for Public Service. ADELE STONE was honored at the South Florida Business Journal's Influential Business Women of 2009 event and was selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2010. She was also elected as presidentelect of the Florida Chapter of NAIOP, a Commercial Real Estate Development Association. JOHN F. MARIANI co-wrote "Understanding Fiduciary Duty," published in The Florida Bar Journal. AMBASADOR SUE COBB was awarded the Order of Jamaica, becoming the first U.S. woman to be decorated with one of the highest honors given by the island nation. 1979 MIKE DRIBIN has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Trusts and Estates category. CARLOS DE LA CRUZ JR. was elected chairman of the board of Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe. HOWARD BERLIN has joined Berger Singerman as a partner. 1980 DAVID M. WELLS was named by Florida Super Lawyers Magazine as one of the top 100 attorneys in Florida for 2009. MICHAEL D. LOZOFF was named a top attorney by The South Florida Legal Guide. AMY D. RONNER has written a new book, Law, Literature, and Therapeutic Jurisprudence, as a tribute to Professor Bruce Winick. MICHAEL LOZOFF has been honored by The 2010 South Florida Legal Guide as one of the "Top Lawyers in South Florida." 1981 STEVEN BRODIE has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Government Contracts and Lobbying category. BRUCE CAROLAN published an exclusive opinion piece on the Supreme Court's Ricci case on Forbes.com. HILARIE BASS was the keynote speaker at the University of Miami Women's Commission's 39th Annual Awards Breakfast. Bass currently serves as the global operating shareholder of Greenberg Traurig, LLP. She is also chair-elect of the American Bar Association's Litigation Section, the largest section of the ABA. STUART H. SORKIN wrote and published a book titled: Expensive Mistakes � When Buying & Selling Companies....and How to Avoid Them in Your Deals... 40 MIA M IL A W 1982 KIMBERLY LEACH Johnson was selected as a 2009 Florida Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Media, Inc. KATHLEEN WILLIAMS has been recognized by the University of Miami School of Law Center for Ethics and Public Service with the CEPS Lawyers in Leadership Award. PEDRO MUNILLA has been named to the Latin Builders Association's board of directors. THOMAS M. KARR has joined Gunster, Attorneys at Law as a shareholder in the firm's Private Wealth Services practice. lyan FERNANDEZ, JD '79 Lyan Fernandez, BA `75, JD `79, moved to the United States from Cuba at the age of seven. She was fortunate to have a father who picked himself up and started a business, instilling in his children the importance of education and hard work. "I came from a family of entrepreneurs," said Fernandez, now the Chief Operating Officer for TotalBank. "There was never any question in my family about [the value of] education." Although Fernandez majored in English and French as an undergraduate at the University of Miami and considered a career in academia, she took a business law course that shifted her thinking. "I changed direction right then and there," she recalled. Fernandez took a wide range of classes while at the Law School, but she expected to work in the field of international law. "You usually end up doing something else," she admitted. She spoke fondly of the late Professor Richard Hausler and Dean Soia Mentschikoff and the influence they had on students. "Who could ever forget Professor Hausler?" she asked. "He was probably instrumental in forging the careers of many of the students who went to Miami. Then there was Soia. She mesmerized the student body with her knowledge and poise and her reputation." After law school, Fernandez worked as a research aide on the Third District Court of Appeals and then went to work for United States District Judge Edward B. Davis. "That was one of the best jobs I ever had," she said. Her work in the courts exposed her to litigation, and she spent a number of years working at firms as a commercial litigator. Eventually, Fernandez decided to go into practice with her husband, J. Rafael Rodriguez, a criminal defense attorney. "At some point, it became more manageable to leave a big firm," she explained. As a mother to four children, Fernandez knows a lot about juggling work and family. "You make choices along the way," she said. After spending a few years in practice with her husband, Fernandez went in-house with Ready State Bank. She then worked at Republic National Bank of Miami before moving over to TotalBank. Both litigator and real estate lawyer, Fernandez is responsible for the bank's operations and risk management. She doesn't get bored. "That is the best part of this job," she admitted. "I still wake up in the morning every day looking forward to whatever the day brings." Fernandez somehow manages to find time to devote to professional and civic organizations in the community and to the University of Miami. She is president-elect of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women of Miami), and she volunteers regularly for Habitat for Humanity and Hands on Miami. She has also served on the University of Miami Law Alumni Association Board. Her choices have worked for her, and she is content with the path she has chosen. "You have to know what's important in life," she said. 1983 STEVEN BEFERA received the Alumni Leadership Award from the University of Miami Law Alumni Association. JONATHAN GOODMAN has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the White Collar Crime category. JONATHAN GOODMAN has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the White Collar Crime category. CLAY PARKER has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the International Business category. EDITH G. OSMAN was elected president of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. MARK F. RAYMOND was featured in a Daily Business Review article for his success in representing BDO International in a recent jury trial. SCOTT M. SARASON earned recognition in Florida Legal Elite 2009 for his civil trial work. CATHERINE B. PARKS has been appointed as a Career Rating Veterans Service Representative with the Department of Veterans Affairs. 1984 STEVEN E. EISENBERG has joined Lipscomb Brady & Bobadilla as a member of the firm. BRETT A. PANTER was part of a team that received a $2.88 million judgment in a medical malpractice suit. DIANE WAGNER KATZEN, Litigation Attorney and shareholder with the Miami law firm Richman Greer, P.A., has been named Vice Chair of the Florida Bar's Grievance Committee. DIANA SANTA MARIA served as attorney panelist at a seminar for crime victim advocates in West Palm Beach titled "Civil Justice for Victims of Crime", organized by The National Crime Victim Bar Association (NCVBA) and the National Association for Victims of Crime. Her article titled "Guideline for Handling Cases Involving FALL 2010 41 christopher LOMAX, JD '08 Christopher Lomax, BM `O5, JD `08, is as comfortable playing the trumpet in a concert hall as he is speaking in a courtroom. As an undergraduate at UM, Lomax studied music and entertainment and took nearly half his courses in the School of Business. His interest in business law and his involvement with the mock trial team (which began with an unplanned trip to Iowa to save the team from being disqualified because they did not have enough participants), led the musician to the study of law. Lomax did not approach law school with a master plan. "I sort of found my way as I went along," he admitted. Although he expected to pursue a career in entertainment law, his classes broadened his interests. Professor Anthony Alfieri's civil procedure class was a turning point for Lomax. "That was the beginning of my love for federal law," he remembered. During his second and third years of law school, Lomax was outstanding at moot court and mock trial competitions, placing first in local and regional tournaments. He used his summer months wisely, earning an internship at the Florida Supreme Court as well as a position as judicial intern for United States Magistrate Judge Patrick White. As a third year student, Lomax was the first recipient of the Daniel S. Pearson Endowed Scholarship. According to the scholarship committee, this award is given to students who show great promise as trial lawyers and dedication to public service and the highest standards of professionalism. "I have a legacy that I have to live up to, being the first Daniel Pearson Scholar," Lomax explained. William Pearson, the son of the late Daniel Pearson, was Lomax's litigation skills professor. "Christopher was a pleasure to teach," Pearson recalled. "It was particularly meaningful for Christopher to be named the first ever recipient of the Daniel S. Pearson Scholarship, developed in honor of my dad, who instilled [in me] my passion for trial work as I know we did for Christopher." A skilled speaker and student, Lomax was chosen by his classmates to speak at his commencement ceremony. In his speech, he described the fellowship of his law school class. "We learned that one person's success does not necessarily come at the expense of another's failure," he said. "We have all had a measure of success, not because we've trampled each other in an effort to reach the front of the line. Rather because we have pushed one another towards that line in hopes that we would reach it together." Lomax is currently working at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. He is a trial attorney for the Civil Rights Division, representing the United States as a prosecutor in cases involving official misconduct, forced labor and hate crimes. Looking back, he is extremely satisfied. "Although I did not have a particular plan in mind," he explained, "everything I did prepared me for where I am now." Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a Public School Teacher" (co-authored with attorney Laura Dolin) has been published in the Summer 2009 (Vol. 33 number 3) edition of the Nova Law Review. MITCHELL KARPF was appointed as Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Family Law. He also became a fellow in the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. 1985 ERVIN A. GONZALEZ has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Litigation category. SANTIAGO ECHEMENDIA was a finalist for the South Florida Business Journal's Key Partners Awards in the Law: Real Estate/ Construction division. PETER PRIETO has been named to the board of trustees of St. Thomas University. ESTHER GALICIA has been appointed to serve on the 11th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee. ROSA M. DE LA CAMARA was elected by Becker & Poliakoff P.A. to the management committee. PETER PRIETO, former chairman of Holland & Knight's litigation practice, has joined Podhurst Orseck as a partner, where he will focus his practice on a range of complex commercial and civil litigation matters. ALAN D. LASH has been appointed by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to their Commercial Arbitration Panel. Lash is also one of only 11 attorneys nationwide (and the only in Florida) invited by the AAA to serve on the Healthcare Dispute Resolution Advisory Council. 1986 DANA KAUFMAN has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Litigation Support category. CRAIG RASILE has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Bankruptcy and Foreclosure category. KATHLEEN DEUTSCH, a partner of Broad and Cassel in West Palm Beach, has been recognized by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Salute to Miami's Leader Awards in the category of Legal/Law. JAY J. FREIREICH has moved from Poe & Freireich P.A. to the law firm of Brach Eichler L.L.C. as a member of the firm. 1987 DAVID SCHARLIN served as Executive Producer for the documentary film, "Echoes of the Holocaust," which premiered on September 23. 42 MIA M IL A W LEA SOUZA-RASILE was an honoree at the South Florida Business Journal's Influential Business Women of 2009 event. MARIE JO TOUSSAINT has been named to the Board of Directors of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association. JORGE LUIS LOPEZ has been named chairman of the Dade Community Foundation's Board of Governors. JOHN J. GRUNDHAUSER has been named secretary of the Dade Community Foundation's Board of Governors. suzanne PEREZ, JD '00 Born and raised in Miami, Suzanne Perez, JD '00, feels a strong connection to her community. She graduated with a degree in political science and communications from Florida State University and viewed law school as a "natural fit" for her interests. "I knew law school would give me a good background whether I went into law or business," she explained. "We are a society governed by laws." She looks back on her time at the UM School of Law with appreciation. The friendships she formed and the closeknit community made a lasting impression. She was executive editor of the University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review as well as a participant on the International Moot Court Board. Perez recalled how accessible the professors were to the students. "There was always an open-door policy," she said, "if you had questions or wanted to discuss issues." In particular, Professor Susan Stefan influenced the way Perez viewed the law. "She taught Civil Procedure," Perez remembered, "and she really taught us how to critically think and analyze each word in each sentence." Attention to detail is something Perez relies upon in her field of work. Since October of 2008, she has been the assistant general counsel of Norwegian Cruise Line. She enjoys getting the opportunity to work with each department in the company. "I'm constantly learning different aspects of the business," she said. Prior to working at NCL, Perez was general counsel of EFC Holdings, Inc. and an attorney at Whisenand & Turner in Miami. Perez is involved in a number of professional and civic organizations in the community, but she devotes much of her spare time and energy to the University of Miami Alumni Association. A board member since 2004, she has served on various committees. She is currently focusing her efforts on the annual fund and how to connect the alumni to the University more effectively. "We want students to keep that bond active once they graduate," she explained. There are a number of ways to be involved. Whether it is a donation of money or time, Perez believes the result is worth it. "Not only is it a great networking tool, but it's a place to bond with others who have the same interests," she said. "UM is very much a part of the community." As the mother to two young children, Perez knows about time management, but separating work and family does not always come easily. "People want access to you all the time," she said. "Why should you do it Monday when you can get it out Saturday?" she asked, conveying what she often feels is expected of her. Sometimes, she gets the most work done at home. "Once everyone's asleep, you're actually able to concentrate and work quietly," she explained. When she is not working or volunteering, she enjoys the South Florida weather by boating and being outdoors with her family. 1988 GARY S. SALZMAN was named as one of "Florida Super Lawyers" in 2009. JORGE DIAZ-SILVEIRA led a legal team at Hogan & Hartson that completed a $2 billion hydroelectric project for the nation of Ecuador. LORI L. HEYER-BENDAR has been named as partner-in-charge of the law firm of Roetzel & Andress LPA's Fort Lauderdale office. DOUGLAS JAMES ROSE joins Tully Rinckey PLLC as a partner of the firm. 1989 NANETTE O'DONNELL was recognized by Chambers & Partners as one of the top lawyers in Miami in the area of healthcare. TAMMY FORREST joined Glantz & Glantz, P.A. as an associate and head litigator in the firm's criminal law division. VICTORIA BRENNAN has been nominated by the Miami-Dade Judicial Nominating Commission to fill the vacant Circuit Court seat. JERRY RODEN has been elected to serve on the Indian River County Board of Trustees for Indian River College. 1990 ANTHONY N. UPSHAW served as Board of Governors Liaison for the ABA's 2008-2009 President Advisory Council on Diversity in the Profession. CARLOS J. MARTINEZ was honored by the James E. Scott Community Association with their Public Leadership Award. He was also recognized by the University of Miami's Alumni Association with the Alumni Achievement Award for consistently excelling in his field of endeavor and in the public sector, and for his service to the University of Miami. ARTHUR REDGRAVE has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Trusts and Estates category. ROBERT J. BECERRA has joined Fuerst Humphrey Ittleman as a member of the firm. JODI SEITLIN was elected to the Board of Directors of Florida's Children First non-profit organization. ALBERT L. FREVOLA was named a top attorney by The South Florida Legal Guide. FALL 2010 43 maria elena PRIO, JD '81 When Maria Elena Pr�o, JD `81, and her family moved to Miami from Cuba in 1952, they did not expect to stay. Her father, Carlos Pr�o Socarr�s, was the last democratically elected president of Cuba and was exiled in a military coup led by Fulgencio Batista. When Batista was overthrown, Pr�o's family returned to the island but stayed for less than two years. The dictatorship of Fidel Castro forced them to return to Miami for a second exile, and they have lived there ever since. Pr�o's family instilled in her a love for politics and law, but her first career was in television. After graduating with a political science degree from Duke University, Pr�o worked for a television station projecting elections. She stayed in the industry for nearly ten years as a reporter and then a producer. Her focus was public affairs, but it was her interest in national and international affairs that led her to law school. She finished law school in two and a half years and loved every minute of it. "I could have stayed in law school three or four more years," she admitted. The challenges were exciting, and the professors were outstanding. Pr�o recalls studying Elements of the Law with the late professor John Gaubatz. "I was hooked," she said. "It was a wonderful course, and he was wonderful teaching it." Professor Clifford Alloway's Constitutional Law course was also memorable. "You had to be on your toes," Prio recalled. "If you weren't prepared, you paid the price." She credits the late Professor Alan Swan and his international business transactions class with sparking her interest in international law. After graduation, Pr�o worked in banking and international corporate transactions. She spent a number of years at firms but went in-house for the Internet firm Yupi International. Two days before the company was supposed to go public, the market crashed. "The bottom fell out," she remembered. Microsoft acquired them, and Pr�o remained outside general counsel before going to Warner Channel television network where she is currently vice president and general counsel. Owned by Warner Brothers, Warner Channel is a cable network transmitted throughout Latin America. "I've come full circle," she laughed. "Now I'm practicing law at a television network." Pr�o enjoys the dynamic and fast-paced environment of the television industry. Her work includes copyright and music rights, designs and logos, licensing, foreign tax structuring, labor and regulatory work. In the industry, Pr�o pointed out, things have to be done quickly and well. "You can't theorize all the time," she said. "You've got to get it done for the business." Pr�o's work may keep her busy, but she still makes time for causes that are important to her. She is a board member of CINTAS Foundation, an organization that provides grants to Cuban artists. She is involved with animal rights groups and has nurtured her passion for politics by volunteering for a number of presidential campaigns. She is obviously very content. "I've loved my professional life from beginning to the present," she said. After 30 years of a distinguished career with the Department of Justice and Administration Office of the Courts, BARBARA (BADGETT) PAPADEMETRIOU retired as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Asset Forfeiture Division, Miami, Florida. LANCE A. HARKE of Harke & Clasby in Miami has been reappointed as a director of Legal Services of Greater Miami. 1991 ZOLTAN PINTER recently joined the personal injury law firm Leighton Law, P.A. GRANT J. SMITH has been named assistant managing shareholder of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler in Fort Lauderdale. SPENCER M. ARONFELD hosted a fundraiser for Haiti through his nonprofit "Lawyers to the Rescue." DARIN I. ZENOV has been elected to partnership with Foley & Lardner LLP. 1992 JAMES D. GASSENHEIMER was named to the Litigation Council of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society. JOHN M. QUARANTA joined Damian & Valori LLP as an associate. OTIS WRAGG has been named secretary and a member of the executive committee of the Council of Public Relations. YVETTE OSTOLAZA, a commercial litigation partner in the Dallas office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, has been selected by the Dallas Women Lawyers Association (DWLA) as the 2009 Louise B. Raggio Award recipient. JEFFREY S. BERLOWITZ has joined Siegfried, Rivera, Lerner, De La Torre & Sobel as of counsel for construction and community association work. 1993 PAUL A. CALLI was selected as one of this year's "Winning" trial attorneys by The National Law Journal. HARVEY HYMAN was released from active duty with the United States Coast Guard after serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom for four years. He will be pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of South Florida this fall. JULIE BRAMAN KANE was named president of the Miami-Dade chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She also received the Alumni Leadership Award from the University of Miami Law Alumni Association. DIANNE O. FISCHER has joined Akerman Senterfitt in Fort Lauderdale as a partner of the firm. 1994 PETER F. VALORI was recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer in the area of business litigation. 44 MIA M IL A W BRIAN H. BIEBER was the recipient of Daily Business Review's 2005 Most Effective South Florida Lawyer Award. andrew PLEPLER, JD '86 There was really no question Andrew Plepler, JD '86, would be an attorney someday. The Connecticut native was raised in a politically active household by parents committed to social change. "I am a political junkie," he confessed. On top of that, his father was a trial attorney, so Plepler "was always exposed to the practice of law." He studied government at Franklin and Marshall College and then went to UM Law. He is currently the Global Corporate Social Responsibility and Consumer Policy Executive for Bank of America. During law school, Plepler took advantage of judicial internships available to students. He remembers sitting in the courtroom and watching the attorneys. "That was probably the formative experience that made me want to go work at the Justice Department," he said. "Being at UM and having a lot of exposure was incredibly valuable and really did shape my career aspirations." After graduation, Plepler worked for the Urban Development Corporation in New York. From there, he went to the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. "I went to the DOJ after being turned down by Robert Morgenthau at the Manhattan District Attorney's office," he admitted. "That was the low point of my career." His mother always said, "Things work out for the best,'' though, and his move to D.C. proved to be quite a good one. It was there that he met his wife and spent nine years as a trial attorney in the Tax Division. "It was a dream job," he said. During that time, he worked on Capitol Hill as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee. While living in D.C., Plepler became involved in a volunteer initiative that ultimately led to the formation of the Urban Alliance Foundation (UA), a nonprofit organization that provides jobs and mentoring to economically disadvantaged high school students. "I spent a lot of my life talking a good game about helping others," he said. After speaking to a group of students at Anacostia Senior High, Plepler helped six of them get jobs. Today, the UA has guided over 1,000 underprivileged students into the work force. "It was a labor of love working with those kids and getting them jobs and helping position them to be successful in life," he said. He still serves on the board of the DC-based organization. "That program is really what led me to where I am today," he explained. Plepler spent five years as senior vice president of Housing and Community Initiatives at Fannie Mae Foundation and then moved to Charlotte, NC, to become the Bank of America Foundation president in 2003. His current role combines his experience with law, management and community development. "Being at a financial institution at this time is both rewarding and challenging," he explained. On the philanthropic side, the demands are greater than ever. "The bank's interest in trying to stabilize the communities is a key component of our corporate strategy," he said. In 2005, Bank of America developed a ten-year $1.5 trillion investment goal. Plepler and his team manage the project which includes community development lending and investing, philanthropic investments and environmental initiatives. MICHELLE DIFFENDERFER spoke on Special Assets and Entitlements on a panel titled "Anatomy of Business Law series: The Real Estate Ropes" at the American Bar Association Midyear meeting. JASON S. OLETSKY has joined Akerman Senterfitt in Fort Lauderdale as a partner of the firm. 1995 SANTIAGO ECHEMENDIA has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Real Estate, Construction, Zoning category. JUAN CARLOS FERRER was appointed Chair of the Corporations, Securities and Financial Services Committee of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar. MICHAEL A. HAGGARD was elected President of the Florida Justice Association's executive committee. MARK PASSLER has been named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Technology, Intellectual Property category. ROBERT A. MALINOSKI has been named co-chair of the Pollution Assessment Remediation Management and Prevention Committee of the Florida Bar Environmental and Land Use Law Section. ANTONIO ARZOLA was promoted to the 11th circuit bench after serving as Miami-Dade County Court judge. RICHARD J. PLOTKIN was designated one of Florida Super Lawyers "Florida Rising Stars" in 2009. PATRICIA A. LEONARD co-wrote the article, "Re-examining the Presumption in Favor of Arbitration in Complex Commercial Classes," published in The Florida Bar Journal. SAMUEL A. COFFEY has become a partner of the law firm Abramowitz & Pomerantz, P.A. 1996 LEYZA F. BLANCO was designated one of Florida Super Lawyers "Florida Rising Stars" in 2009. MARLENE QUINTANA was honored as one of Florida Super Lawyers in 2009 and recognized by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers with Leader in the Law award. She was also elected vice chair of the 11th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission. MELANIE E. DAMIAN was recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer in the area of business litigation. Mrs. Damian was also recently named to the list of The Top 50 Women Attorneys in Florida and was appointed as an adviser to the American Bar Association Women Rainmakers Committee. PAUL D'ARELLI joined Berger Singerman as a shareholder in the firm's government and regulatory team. WILLIAM SNYDER won the South Florida Business Journal's Key Partners Awards in the Law: Trusts and Estates division. FALL 2010 45 CLASS KERI LYNDA HORVAT has opened the Horvat Law Firm where she will continue to focus on commercial litigation, liability, maritime and insurance cases at the trial and appellate levels. Ms. Horvat is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. FITZGERALD A. FRATER of Frater Law Firm, P.A., in Naples has been sworn in as a member of the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. notes KENNETH A. GORDON has been named partner of the law firm Brinkley Morgan Solomon Tatum Stanley Lunny & Gordon. WILLIAM J. SIMONITSCH recently became a partner at the global law firm of K&L Gates LLP in their Miami office. 1998 DARREN W. FRIEDMAN was named to Florida Trend's 2009 "Legal Elite" directory. DENISE M. ROSENTHAL has joined Carlton Fields in Miami as counsel in the firm's business litigation and trade regulation practice group. LORELI A. SCHUMACHER has been promoted from associate to partner of Bilzin Sumberg. 2001 BRANT C. HADAWAY successfully represented China-based Shandong Airlines, which resulted in a $1.7 million judgment. NANCY GUFFEY-LANDERS co-wrote "Understanding Fiduciary Duty," published in The Florida Bar Journal. ANDREW HUBER co-wrote "Asset Location: Why Attorneys Should Bridge the Perceived Investment Gap," published in The Florida Bar Journal. 1999 JARET L. DAVIS was featured in the Daily Business Review for his contribution as a shareholder with Greenberg Traurig in guiding Terremark through an offering of $420 million in securitized notes. He was also named a finalist for a 2009 South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award in the Corporate Finance category and was named to the board of directors of Miami Children's Hospital. VICTORIA MENDEZ was voted PresidentElect of the Cuban American Bar Association. PATRICK MONTOYA was selected as the incoming President of the Spellman-Hoeveler American Inn of Court. DAVID I. SPECTOR has joined Ackerman Senterfitt as a partner of the firm. CHRISTINE A. GUDAITIS, a partner with the law firm Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin, P.A., has been named President of the Miami-Dade Public Library Foundation. ANTHONY L. RECIO has been named a partner of the law firm of Weiss Serota Helfman Pastoria Cole and Boniske, PL. LOREN D. PEARSON has joined Assouline & Berlow as a partner of the firm. STEPHANIE RUSSO has been named a partner of the law firm Broad and Cassel. 1997 OLANIKE ADEBAYO was named to the Board of Directors of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association. THOMAS RINGEL has been honored by The 2010 South Florida Legal Guide as one of the "Top Lawyers in South Florida." RACHEL LOPATE RUBIO has been honored NIKKI LEWIS SIMON has been named to the Board of Directors of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association and the Mercy Hospital Board of Trustees. by The 2010 South Florida Legal Guide as one of the "Top Lawyers in South Florida." MICHAEL F. MUNDACA was nominated by President Barack Obama to the position of Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy in the Department of the Treasury. RONALD P. PONZOLI was elected to a second term for 2009-2010 on the Board of Directors for the North County Section of the Palm Beach County Bar Association. ADA B. POZO joined ATD Mediation LLC as a mediator. MARK S. ROHER has joined Adorno &Yoss in Coral Gables as a partner in the firm. ANGELA T. PUENTES LEON has been named a partner of the law firm Carlton Fields. 2000 KECIA J. REYNOLDS aided the Admissions and Recruiting Office in Washington, D.C. with the Law Forum event by serving on a "What Lawyers Do/Careers in Law" panel. 2002 ALICIA HUGHES was nominated councilwoman-elect to the Alexandria City Council. TODD MICHAELS recently joined the Haggard law firm. SABRINA G. FERRIS has been nominated Secretary for the Florida Association for Women Lawyers 2009-2010 term. JEFFREY LYNNE has been appointed to the national board of directors for the League of American Bicyclists. GREGORY M. YAFFA was named to the Board of Directors to the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. NICHOLE D. FITZGERALD has been ADAM HOROWITZ has been honored as the Most Effective Personal Injury Lawyer of 2009 by the Daily Business Review. 46 MIA M IL A W promoted from associate to partner in Holland & Knight's Private Wealth Services practice group. Nash, Smoak, & Stewart, P.C., solely representing management in all aspects of labor and employment. AARON J. SLAVIN was named an "Up & Comer" by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and was selected for the leadership of the St. Pete Class of 2010. 2006 TANYA REED joined the board of directors of the Urban League of Palm Beach County. ANTHONY VICTOR DE YURRE has been named by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as one of "40 under 40" outstanding lawyers of Miami-Dade County for his commitment to helping the community and dedication to providing outstanding legal service. ANSANA D. SINGH has joined Glantz & Glantz in Plantation as an associate. HEATHER L. RIES has joined Fox Rothschild in West Palm Beach as an associate. PATRICK R. COSTELLO has joined Quarles & Brady LLP as an associate. 2003 FARA T. GOLD has accepted a position at the Department of Justice in their Civil Rights Division. 2007 JODI R. EDELSTEIN took (and passed) two bar exams -- Vermont and Massachusetts. Then she spent the last year teaching English in Japan as part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (aka "JET") Program. Jodi is now working for Shechtman Halperin Savage, LLP in Providence, RI. MATTHEW ZIPAY was selected as a 2009 Florida Rising Star by Law & Politics Media, Inc. ANNIE HERNANDEZ was selected to serve on the board of directors of the Spellman-Hoeveler American Inn of Court. TODD MICHAEL FELDMAN has been admitted to practice in the District of Columbia. He is a special counsel for Jones Walker in the firm's Business & Commercial Litigation Practice Group. BRIDGETTE E. BONET has been named a partner of the Association Law Group. 2008 CHRIS M. LOMAX aided the Admissions and Recruiting Office in Washington, D.C. with the Law Forum event by serving on a "What Lawyers Do/Careers in Law" panel. JORDAN A. DRESNICK was selected to serve as the PresidentElect for the Spellman-Hoeveler American Inn of Court. MARAN TURNER is the new Executive Director of Freedom Now, a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to free prisoners of conscience through focused legal, political, and public relations advocacy efforts. DANIEL E. VIELLEVILLE has joined Assouline & Berlow as a partner of the firm. JOY M. PURCELL aided the Admissions and Recruiting Office in Washington, D.C. with the Law Forum event by helping to speak with students. KEVIN C. ROACH aided the Admissions and Recruiting Office in Washington, D.C. with the Law Forum event by helping to speak with students. JOSHUA WINTLE was part of a team that received a $2.88 million judgment in a medical malpractice suit. NOAH D. DOMNITZ, an attorney at the law firm Domnitz & Skemp, had an Op-Ed published in the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, regarding the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC. 2004 CRYSTAL L. AROCHA joined McIntosh Sawran Peltz & Cartaya in Fort Lauderdale as an associate. ROBERT H. ARONZETTI was named chairman of the Business Law Committee of the Palm Beach County Bar Association. JACQUELINE M. LAGE joined Gonzalez & Wermuth as an associate. DAMARIS PEREIRA joined The Elias Law Firm as an associate in the transactional department. 2009 EMILEE K. LAWSON HATCH joined the firm of Green & Seifter Attorneys as an associate at the firm's Syracuse office. JOEY M. LAMPERT has been named an associate at Mase Lara Eversole in Miami. 2005 MATTHEW ZIPAY was selected as a 2009 Florida Rising Star by Law & Politics Media, Inc. ANGELA NOLFI FERRIS has joined the law firm of Burns, White & Hickton in Pittsburgh, PA. ALLISON PEREZ was sworn into the Florida Bar as an associate of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. CHRISTIAN ZINN is now an associate at Ogletree, Deakins, FALL 2010 47 PHILANTHROPY Alumni Frank and Georgie Angones Establish Scholarship The husband and wife team of Francisco Angones, BA '72 (magna cum laude), JD '76, and Georgina "Georgie" Angones, BA '72, have recently established an endowed scholarship at Miami Law. The scholarship will be used to support students in financial need who have demonstrated leadership and public service, with preference given to students of Cuban-American descent. "As Cuban-Americans and political immigrants, we came to this country leaving everything behind; life and our parents taught us that the only thing you take with you wherever you go is your education and your faith," explains Georgie Angones, adding that both she and her husband followed their parents' example, working hard throughout high school and college to obtain a good education. Frank Angones is a founding partner in the Miami law firm of Angones, McClure & Garcia. He was born in Havana in 1950 and was sent to the U.S. by his parents in 1961 as part of Operation Pedro Pan, which brought unaccompanied Cuban children to the United States. He is a past president of the Cuban American Bar Association and the Dade County Bar, and was the first Cuban-born president of The Florida Bar. For his efforts to encourage diversity in the profession he received the 2010 Spirit of Excellence Award from the ABA. In 2008, the University of Miami honored Angones with the Edward T. Foote II Alumnus of Distinction Award. "We are very grateful to the generation that preceded and mentored us at UM," says Frank Angones. "They provided the scholarship funds that enabled both Georgie and I to attend the University of Miami. I was the recipient of the Fred Berens scholarship as an undergraduate. We believe in the University of Miami and the educational opportunities it provides." Georgie and Frank are members of the prestigious Iron Arrow Honor Society and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society. Georgie Angones is the Assistant Dean for Alumni Relations and Development at Miami Law. She was awarded the 1991 "Inside Out" Outstanding Service Award by the University of Miami Alumni Association. She is also a recipient of the FIAC Humanitarian Award and the "Women Who Make a Difference" Award for Community Leadership. She is a member of the Judicial Nominating Committee for the Southern District of Florida, and serves on the board of the Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews. "It is only fitting that we try to give back and extend a helping hand to future generations, so that they too can avail themselves of a quality education," says Frank Angones. "We also wish to encourage others to do the same -- reach out to help future generations -- by providing them the resources to succeed in today's complex world." Genovese, Joblove and Battista Law Firm Establishes Scholarship The law firm of Genovese, Joblove & Battista (GJB), with offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Caracas, Venezuela, recently established a scholarship at Miami Law with a commitment of $50,000. This scholarship will be used to support students in financial need with prior military experience. "I am a draft era veteran," explains partner John Genovese about why the decision was made to assist law students who are military veterans. "Largely because of the draft I went from an underachiever, barely graduating high school, to a great deal of professional success." The $50,000 pledge will be paid off equally between the firm and the attorneys over a five-year period. "I am very proud of the fact that my partners at GJB fully supported the preference given to veterans," said Genovese. A member of the University of Miami's Citizen Board, Genovese feels strongly that UM has helped play a role in the success of his relatively young law firm. Twelve of the firm's 36 local attorneys are Miami Law alumni. "We owe much of our success obviously to our attorneys, many of whom graduated from the University of Miami," said Genovese. He points out that several of the firm's attorneys are involved with Miami Law's moot court program and partner Allison Day is an adjunct professor who teaches bankruptcy law. "Establishing a scholarship is a way of repaying UM for the way it has contributed to our success, both through the talented and educated lawyers we have, as well as the educational events that many of us have participated in." Children & Youth Clinic Receives $133,000 Grant from the Florida Bar Foundation UM Law's Children & Youth Law Clinic (CYLC) was awarded a $133,000 grant from The Florida Bar Foundation to support the Clinic's law reform and direct service advocacy for older children 48 M I A M IL A W ... and adolescents who are aging out of Florida's foster care system. This grant will allow the CYLC to advocate on behalf of children in the foster care system who are transitioning into adulthood. The focus of this project is to enforce the state's obligation to foster youth through the provision of mandatory Independent Living Program services, mandatory legal skills training, expanded housing, medical, mental health, and educational services, all designed to prepare foster youth for the "real world." "The Children & Youth Law Clinic is immensely grateful to the Florida Bar Foundation for its continuing generosity in supporting our students' advocacy for foster children and youth, and their law reform advocacy on behalf of these clients," said Clinic Director and UM Law Professor Bernard Perlmutter. Concert Benefits the Steven E. Chaykin Endowed Fellowship Friends, alumni, faculty members and students gathered at a reception and concert on the Coral Gables campus to celebrate the life of law alumnus Steven E. Chaykin, JD '76. The concert featured Marcia Ball, Grammy-nominated jazz and blues artist. All proceeds from the concert benefitted the Steven E. Chaykin Endowed Fellowship at the School of Law, which supports students involved with the Center for Ethics and Public Service. Chaykin, a prominent attorney with the Miami law firm of Akerman Senterfitt and a great friend to the Law School, died tragically in July 2008 while on vacation. He was 57. Born in 1951, Chaykin was a native of South Florida. He graduated from Nova High School in Davie and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Miami in 1973 before attending Miami Law. In the time since, he remained a very active member of the Law School community. He was a member of the Dean's Circle Committee and served on the advisory board of the Law School's Center for Ethics and Public Service (CEPS), which honored him with their Friend of the Center Award for Outstanding Service in 2002. Chaykin was also a member of the University's Citizens Board where he served as president from 2007 to 2008, and he served as an ex-officio member of the University's Board of Trustees. The first Chaykin Fellow at Miami Law was awarded last year to William Nicholson, JD '10. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia, Nicholson was a member of the University of Miami Law Review, where he served as Senior Articles Editor. He was also a fellow of the Ethics & Professional Responsibility Program at the Center for Ethics & Public Service. Nicholson is currently working in the law firm of Chadbourne & Parke in New York. "It was an honor to be chosen as the first Chaykin Fellow," said Nicholson. "Mr. Chaykin was a strong advocate of the Center for Ethics and Public Service, and the Ethics and Professional Responsibility Program in particular. I am proud to be a part of his legacy." Shook, Hardy & Bacon Foundation Expands Support of Diversity with Grant The Shook, Hardy & Bacon (SHB) Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to Miami Law to provide stipends to minority students who receive judicial clerkships or judicial internships under the Professional Opportunities Program (POP). The program offers a six-week internship in the chambers of federal, state, and county judges. Since 1990, local law firms have also employed POP students in their summer clerkship programs on an annual basis, and several of these students have continued clerking with the firms and have been offered positions after graduation. "The mission of the SHB Foundation is to increase diversity in the legal workforce," said SHB Foundation Chair Jay Simpson. "This new grant program should further that goal by making sure that the law students are prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation." "The Professional Opportunities Program provides a great opportunity for students from diverse backgrounds to gain internship experience with members of the judiciary, and federal, state and local government agencies," said Marcy Cox, Assistant Dean of Career Development. "These internships will allow students to move forward in their legal careers with a sense of accomplishment and purpose. We are very grateful for Shook Hardy's support of our students and their commitment to diversity in the legal profession." making a difference FALL 2010 49 We Mourn the Loss of... Judith F. Abrams, JD '72 R. K. Allen, JD '83 Jose M. Angueira, JD '75 John E. Baker, JD '54 Gordon E. Beaubien, JD '52 Frank L. Belsante, JD '50 Mark Bisbing, JD '82 Robert B. Bratzel, JD '63 Eileen G. Breier, JD '88 David E. Bruner, JD '70 Thomas M. Carney, JD '67 Thomas J. Chasler, JD '73 Dixie H. Chastain, JD '30 Sherwin S. Choos, JD '74 Susan R. Cohen, JD '84 Philip J. Coniglio, JD '53 Edwin D. Cooper, LLME '79 Sarino R. Costanzo, JD '50 Michael J. Crimi, JD '50 Johnson E. Davis, JD '52 David P. Dittmar, JD '75 Kenneth J. Duckworth, JD '72 Bernard S. Edelstein, JD '54 Richard J. Essen, JD '63 D. Z. Ezekowitz, JD '77 James D. Fahey, JD '60 Adele S. Faske, JD '50 Donald Feldman, JD '60 Natasha E. Pettigrew, 3L Rosemary J. Furman, JD '83 Charles G. Gardner, JD '88 Robert T. Geib, JD '58 George B. Hardie, JD '52 Kenneth G. Hawkes, JD '79 Irving Herris, JD '52 James S. Hocker, JD '52 Nathalie L. Hughes, JD '80 Judy F. Hyman, JD '82 Bonnie G. Katz, JD '91 Jay B. Keys, JD '51 Jean D. King, JD '51 Benjamin Koven, JD `48 Erling R. Krosby, JD '78 Everett M. Lassman, JD '57 David Levine, JD '50 I. S. Levine, JD '54 Bennett M. Lifter, JD '50 John R. Lindsey, JD '50 Edward N. Loeb, LLM '80 Stephen A. Longo, JD `64 Albert C. Lowery, JD '53 Frank M. Marks, JD '49 Edward G. Maliskas, JD '78 Anders K. Meader, JD '09 Van Buren Miller, JD '55 Joseph W. Monsanto, JD '53 Henry L. Oppenborn, JD '60 Simon S. Porter, JD '52 Francis M. Pohlig, JD `64 Mamo K. Powers, JD '87 George Richardson, JD '51 Leonard M. Rivkind, JD '54 Wilbur C. Rollins, JD '51 Jerald I. Rosen, JD '69 Harold Rosenstein, JD '51 Robert A. Rosillo, JD '86 S. B. Ross, JD '52 Barry J. Rovins, JD '55 Bertley Sager, JD '49 Marvin Schild, JD '53 Alvin S. Sherman, JD `57 Eugene M. Short, JD `59 Daniel S. Simons, JD '82 Felicia C. Smith, JD '83 Leonard L. Stafford, JD '82 Roger H. Staley, JD '56 Robert J. Stampfl, JD '56 Robert W. Stolp, JD '70 Rebecca G. Tanner, JD '88 Michael A. Voigt, JD '74 Ernest G. Wintter, JD '72 William O. Yates, JD '48 Miami Law mourns the passing of Bruce J. Winick, a professor with a passion for righting wrongs. Professor Winick co-founded therapeutic jurisprudence, which studies the effects of law and the legal system on the behavior, emotions, and mental health of people. Winick, a New York University School of Law graduate and fervent advocate of social justice during a spectacular legal career that spanned the courtrooms of New York and the editorial boards of some of the legal profession's most prestigious publications, was the first Laurie Silvers and Mitchell Rubenstein Distinguished Professor of Law as well as professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. "A giant in the legal community" is how UM President Donna E. Shalala described Winick. Winick's extensive work in the area of mental health law resulted in UM establishing the nation's first Therapeutic Jurisprudence Center, which he directed. Dedicated last year during a ceremony attended by Winick and Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente, the center was Winick's dream and continues to play a significant role in identifying the practical insights of law and psychology. He authored and edited numerous books, including Civil Commitment: A Therapeutic Jurisprudence Model, Judging In A Therapeutic Key: Therapeutic Jurisprudence And The Courts, and Protecting Society From Sexually Dangerous Offenders: Law, Justice And Therapy. He also authored over 100 articles in law reviews and interdisciplinary journals. "Bruce Winick's scholarly and advocacy work in therapeutic jurisprudence was central to the development of the field � a field that focuses on human dignity and worth," said Dean Patricia D. White. "This will remain a permanent part of his legacy. Beyond his work he will be remembered as having served as a model for dealing with life's difficulties with remarkable courage, grace, and optimism." To honor Professor Winick's legacy, the family requests donations be made to the University of Miami Therapeutic Jurisprudence Center. 50 Where there's a WILL, ... there's aWAY MIAMILAW You don't have to be wealthy to leave a legacy -- any size gift can make an impact for generations to come. To learn more, or for assistance with sample bequest language, please contact Cynthia L. Beamish, Executive Director of the University of Miami Planned Giving Office at (305) 284-4342 or email@example.com or Georgie Angones, Assistant Dean for Alumni Relations and Development at: email@example.com or (305) 284-3470. ...to support By naming the University of Miami School of Law as a beneficiary in your will, you can minimize your taxable estate, simplify the probate process, and fulfill your philanthropic goals and support a cause at the School of Law such as: scholarships for deserving and/or needy law students funding for one of the many clinics at the Law School funding for the unrestricted fund to support the Law School's greatest need Through a bequest in your will, you still retain full use and control of your assets during your life. It's easy -- just ask your attorney to draft a codicil to your existing will or, if you don't have a will, now is a good time to have one prepared. The bequest to the School of Law can be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or trust, or specific property designated to be given to the School. In addition, you can decide whether you want to leave an unrestricted gift, which allows the Law School to meet its most pressing needs, or a restricted gift, which allows you to decide how you want the gift to be used. It's easy to leave a legacy! MIAMILAW Office of Law Alumni Relations & Development P.O. Box 248087 Coral Gables, Florida 33124-8087 Non-Profit Organiztion U.S. Postage PAID Miami Florida Permit No. 438