Memorial day weekend and the unofficial start to summer! Be sure to check the library hours, as we will be closed on Monday!

All weekend –

• Jazz Festival is happening downtown Friday through Sunday for free! Friday night features Sonny Rollins, see the full schedule for the other artists.

• Up for a drive? Palatka is hosting the Blue Crab Festival this weekend! Looks like fun.

Friday, May 25th –

• The Jacksonville Beach Moonlight Movie Series kicks off with Men in Black at 9 pm at the Sea Walk Pavilion.

• Take a candlelight tour of Fort Clinch selected Fridays and Saturdays through Labor Day Weekend, including this weekend!

Saturday, May 26th –

• The Riverside Arts Market (RAM) is back in full swing under the Fuller Warren Bridge from 10 am to 4 pm.

Sunday, May 27th – 

• Visit MOSH (the Museum of Science and History) to see the latest exhibit: Victory Begins at Home: Florida During World War II.

Dinner and drinks will be served. The attorneys will also do a Q&A session after the mock trial for any questions that students may have. If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact Kris Nowicki.  Mr. Nowicki can be reached at KNowicki@nooneyandroberts.com. The first 25 students that respond will be guaranteed a spot!

• Act as though your summer position is an extended interview.
• Be realistic about your expectations for feedback (don’t expect to get comments and notes on every single assignment).
• Make your supervisor your mentor.
• Be indispensable and take advantage of all learning opportunities (some organizations take note of attendance and non-attendance).
• Keep track of your summer work product.

The 2012-13 Legislative Intern Program begins on October 15, 2012 and ends on May 24, 2013.  From October 15 through December 31, participants work 20 hours per week; from January 2 through May 24, participants work 30 hours per week to assist with the increased session workload.  Work must be performed during regular business hours.  The rate of pay is $13.00 per hour.  In addition, participants receive payment of up to 18 hours of graduate tuition at Florida in-state rates during the time of the internship or receive a monthly stipend of $400 from October 15 through December 31, and $500 from January 2 through May 24.

The application deadline is May 31, 2012.  Log on to Symplicity to find out how to apply!

Jim Foley Rap

Click the Continue Reading link for more on Jim Foley.

According to his YouTube channel, James Patrick Foley (“Jim”) is a “Candidate for Appeals Court Judge, Division II, Washington State” who “has been practicing law for more 25 years; primarily criminal defense.”

But, other than his ability to post awesome campaign videos, why would someone want to vote for Jim?

Well, according to his Bragging Rights on Google+, he has “Raised three beautiful and talented children, none in jail or pregnant!”

Not enough? Well, he also “Sailed around the World,was a Roughneck on Off-shore oil rigs, Served in the Peace Corps in Papua New Guinea, fought wildfires in the Olympics, Practiced Law for more then twenty years.”

(Note: Fighting wildfires is not an event you should be on the lookout for in London 2012; the Olympic Mountain Range is in Washington State.)

Jim isn’t without his flaws: he could use a proofreader (“I build small boats, cook great food , memorize poetry and yes I parctice [sic] law”) and he doesn’t seem to be overly confident in his education (he lists only Quonset Point Elementary School as his education on Google+), but who among us doesn’t have shortcomings?

He is an active member of the Washington State Bar Association, he speaks Indonesian, and he has a clean Disciplinary Record. He’s also tech-savvy enough to have some privacy restrictions in force on his Facebook page. Sure, his math skills may be a bit suspect – he was admitted to Washington on 05/28/1991 yet boasts more than 25 years of experience on his YouTube site – but perhaps that bit of puffery just demonstrates that he is well suited for politics and the bench.

Jim faces an uphill battle though. As of Tuesday (May 22, 20120), he’d spent a whopping $0.00 on his campaign, while opponents Thomas Bjorgen and Tom Weaver had spent $9,721.02 and $7,117.15, respectively.

Really though, will ads and slick campaign websites triumph over a YouTube rap? I guess only time will tell, but the Primary Election on August 7, 2012 certainly bears watching.

Vote Jim Foley 2012!

UPDATE: Mark it down – May 24, 2012, 4:16 PM, Jim Foley gets the coveted Above the Law bump. That may well be the turning point in the campaign.

P.S. This post isn’t as whimsical as we usually are on Wednesday, but it is important.

Connect with Florida Coastal Alumni, students, and prospective students at networking events in Florida, D.C., Georgia, New York, and South Carolina. See Coastal Law Connect – Events Listing for more information.

NALP is hosting a free webinar titled “Summer Success: Getting the Most from Your Summer Public Interest Experience” on May 23 at 3:00 PM EDT. This free webinar will give you practical tips on how to develop professionally and personally while interning at public interest offices this summer. Plus, get insider advice from public interest attorneys and community leaders on how to walk away from your summer position having had an invaluable experience!

Register here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/824680642 or here: http://pslawnet.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/were-hosting-a-free-webinar-on-maximizing-your-summer-experience-come-one-come-all/

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-05-21/story/floridas-10-20-life-empowers-prosecutors-handcuffs-judges-juries-defense#ixzz1vVdzBd55

All weekend –

• Theater your thing? After Ashley, a dark comedy produced by the Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre, is at the Adele Grage Cultural Center Friday and Saturday nights at 8 through the end of the month. $15 cash or check only.

• Hiking or enjoying the outdoors? Be sure to check out Florida’s venomous snakes.

• The Jacksonville Suns Baseball team is playing the Pensacola Wahoos all weekend. Check the schedule for times, prices, and specials.

Friday, May 18th –

• It’s endangered Species day at the Jacksonville Zoo! Spend the learning about endangered species and take in the sights at the zoo.

• the Jacksonville Craft and Import Beer Festival is at the Veterans Memorial Stadium. Sample beers and food, $45.

Saturday, May 19th –

• The Riverside Arts Market (RAM) is back in full swing under the Fuller Warren Bridge from 10 am to 4 pm.

Sunday, May 20th – 

• Join the Keepers of the Coast for the 6th annual Sea turtle Festival from noon to 5pm at the Municipal Marina in St. Augustine. Learn about turtle conservation and enjoy live music and kids activities.

On May 11, 2012– the day before she graduated– Janine Seymour (3L), represented a client at mediation in a very high conflict case. The case involved post- judgment litigation wherein an extremely litigious couple could not agree on certain parenting issues which not explicitly addressed in their final divorce decree.  Although the case ultimately, but not surprisingly, reached an impasse, Janine was well-prepared and offered several creative solutions to resolve the client’s problems.

On May 17, 2012 Erjola (“Yola”) Hodo represented a client at a Final Hearing on Dissolution of Marriage. Yola spent the semester working on the case: meeting with the client, drafting pleadings, preparing the case through the discovery phase, and representing the client at mediation where the case settled on all issues. The final hearing on May 17 was the culmination of a semester of hard work on behalf of the client.

Great job, Janine and Yola!

“If every state in the country were to join us in taking up this mantle, that would mean at least two and a half million hours of additional pro bono work—what a positive impact on persons of limited means, communities and organizations that would gain from this infusion of pro bono work,” Lippman stated in his annual Law Day address at the Court of Appeals.

Go to Law.com to read the entire article.

Don’t worry, it’s only 8 pages long handwritten, and with the illustrations probably only a page worth of actual text. While it definitely is not an example of the professionalism or civility that an attorney should exhibit, it’s good for a laugh and a smile. Enjoy!

Read Roger Groves’s latest piece at SportsMoney.

Please note that our office is open throughout the duration of the summer for normal office hours. We are available to take appointments or help in any other way you might need.

Feel free to stop by and say hi!

The early registration fee for the Job Fair is $25 for law students and 2012 law school graduates, and $50 for experienced attorneys.  After June 8th the Job Fair registration fee increases to $50 for law students and 2012 law school graduates, and $75 for experienced attorneys.

Past Job Fairs have included some of the following prosecutors offices:

• Attorney General’s Office for D.C.
• Baltimore City State Attorney’s Office (MD)
• Bronx County DA (NY) 
• New York City Law Department (NY)
• New York County DA (NY)
• Cobb County Georgia DA (GA)
• San Francisco DA (CA)
• Orleans Parish DA (LA)
• Harris County DA (TX)
• FBI: Office of General Counsel and Special Agent
• US Air Force JAG
• U.S. Arm JAG
• U.S. Navy JAG
• U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Command
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
• U.S. Attorney’s Offices (multiple states)
• Florida Office of State Attorney (multiple circuits)

For more information, including a Registration Form and a full list of past participating employers, stop by the Career Service Office or the Career Service bulletin board.

“In real life, these boys are going to be competing against the girls for jobs, for positions in graduate programs or in trade schools,” Hogshead-Makar said. “In every other area of their life, they are going to be competing side by side.”

Read the entire story at the Washington Post.

If you have any tips on things to do in Jacksonville and surrounding areas, feel free to send them to me to be included in future posts.

All weekend –

• Local Bluegrass band Grandpa’s Cough Medicine is playing Friday night at Fly’s Tie Irish Pub in Atlantic Beach at 10 pm. They’ll also play Saturday with Fusebox Funk at Mojo Kitchen in Jacksonville Beach at 10 pm.

• With headliners Erykah Badu and Doug E. Fresh (I think I just dated myself), Funk Fest looks to be an exciting place to be this weekend! Tickets are $65 for both Friday and Saturday, at Metropolitan Park at 6 pm on Friday and 5 pm Saturday.

• Theatre your thing? After Ashley, a dark comedy produced by the Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre, is at the Adele Grage Cultural Center Friday and Saturday nights at 8 through the end of the month. $15 cash or check only.

To see daily events, click on the Continue Reading link.

Friday, May 11th –

• Congratulations Graduates! Come to the Coastal Law Graduation Open House from 5:30 to 7:30 and bring your family. Of course the library will be open!

• Celebrate National Public Gardens Day at the Jacksonville Zoo! From 10 am to 4 pm, the zoo will have a scavenger hunt, garden tours and garden information.

• Remember how cool it was in high school to go see the laser shows at the planetarium? Just me? Well trust me, it’s cool! At MOSH (the Museum of Science and History), you can see the Beatles at 7pm, U2 at 8, Led Zeppelin at 9, or Metallica at 10. $5 per show, and $1 for laser glasses!

Saturday, May 12th –

• Congratulations graduates! The Coastal Law Spring Commencement is at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena at 3pm. Please note, Matthews Bridge is scheduled to be closed from 7 pm Friday until 6 am Sunday, so please plan your route accordingly.

• Bicycle registrations are available that The Bike Shop in Jacksonville Beach from 8 am to noon with a valid ID. Call 904.247.4004 or email parking@jaxbchfl.net for more information.

• The Riverside Arts Market (RAM) is back in full swing under the Fuller Warren Bridge from 10 am to 4 pm.

Sunday, May 13th –

• It’s Mother’s Day! Take a moment and call your mom or mom-substitute, she’ll be glad to hear from you.

• Pops at the Beach is a free concert by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 at the SeaWalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach.

“Part of it is the pursuit of a scholarship, even though many don’t ultimately get scholarships,” Hogshead-Makar said. “The thing that makes sports valuable is having a goal and postponing the short-term. If you want to have fun, you don’t train for the Olympics. What purpose would anybody have to swim four hours a day if they didn’t have a long-term goal?”

Read the entire story at The Californian.

Now, the man often known simply as the Motorcycle Cop has been given the green light to reclaim his copyright interests in those songs and others (at least in the U.S.). The Guardian (U.K.) has summed it up best with the headline - Village People’s policeman lays down the law on his right to royalties.

Videos
In the Navy
Go West
YMCA

Related Reading
New York Times, Arts Beat blog
The Hollywood Reporter
Billboard
Bloomberg

The early registration fee for the Job Fair is $25 for law students and 2012 law school graduates, and $50 for experienced attorneys.  After June 8th the Job Fair registration fee increases to $50 for law students and 2012 law school graduates, and $75 for experienced attorneys.

Past Job Fairs have included some of the following prosecutors offices:

• Attorney General’s Office for D.C.
• Baltimore City State Attorney’s Office (MD)
• Bronx County DA (NY)
• New York City Law Department (NY)
• New York County DA (NY)
• Cobb County Georgia DA (GA)
• San Francisco DA (CA)
• Orleans Parish DA (LA)
• Harris County DA (TX)
• FBI: Office of General Counsel and Special Agent
• US Air Force JAG
• U.S. Arm JAG
• U.S. Navy JAG
• U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Command
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
• U.S. Attorney’s Offices (multiple states)
• Florida Office of State Attorney (multiple circuits)

For more information, including a Registration Form and a full list of past participating employers, stop by the Career Service Office or the Career Service bulletin board.

• Be genuine and be a good listener.
• Make eye contact with a great smile.
• Have a firm handshake.
• Read newspapers, magazines, and practice journals before the event for conversation topics.
• Practice department statements, such as “Please excuse me, I’m going to refresh my drink.”
• Circulate.  Spend no more than 10 minutes with any person or group.
• Always thank your host before you leave.

To view a table listing the new print resources that the library received in April 2012, click Continue reading below. Most of the items listed there can be found in the General Collection and checked out for up to three weeks by members of the Coastal Community.

We also now have access to HeinOnline’s new U.S. International Trade Library, which includes many useful legislative histories. You can see all the new additions to HeinOnline on its new content page (reproduced below under our new print resources) and you can access HeinOnline through the Library & Technology Center’s Subscription Databases page.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to stop by the Reference Desk on the third floor of the Library & Technology Center or contact the Reference Librarians via email, telephone (904.680.7612), or the Ask a Librarian form.

Check back here for monthly updates on what the Library & Technology Center is adding. Updates will be published on the second Tuesday of every month.

If you think we should consider adding something to the collection, please feel free to recommend it here (Coastal ID login required).

New Print Resources Added to the Florida Coastal Library & Technology Center in April 2012

New Content Added to HeinOnline April 2012

Continuing Students:
Westlaw
Full access to Westlaw will end on May 31st for the summer.  If you are enrolled and earning class credit this summer, in Law Review, working on Moot Court, or a summer faculty research assistant you can extend your Westlaw password for the summer by logging into Westlaw and click on the banner “Westlaw Password Extension?” Please note that Westlaw is only available to those working for a non-profit organization if you are receiving course credit and are not receiving pay.

Lexis
If you are enrolled and earning class credit this summer, in Law Review, working on Moot Court, earning Pro Bono hours for the Certificate, or a summer faculty research assistant, you can extend your full Lexis.com password for the summer by logging into Lexis and clicking on the “continue summer access” box. If you have not extended your access by May 31st, your access will be “limited.” However, you can still extend your access anytime during the summer and your access will be restored to regular access within a few hours. Your Lexis Advanced access will remain active with no action on your part.

Emails from Westlaw/Lexis
If you don’t want to receive emails from Westlaw and Lexis (and you are), please “Update” your password profile in Westlaw or “Manage your Account” in Lexis.

Alumni (Graduates):
Congratulations to our graduating students. Here is some Alumni and Summer Access Information.

Alumni Coastal Library Access
Alumni have FULL access (except for databases that require personal passwords) to the LTC for two semesters (ex. Summer and Fall semesters) after graduation. At the end of the second semester, we ask you to register as an Alumnus. See the full policy for more information about our continued services to alumni click here.

Lexis
You can extend full access to Lexis.com through the summer by logging into Lexis and clicking on the “continue summer access” box. If you have not extended your access by May 31st, your access will be “limited.” However, you can still extend your access anytime during the summer and your access will be restored to regular access within a few hours. All graduates’ IDs will be deactivated on August 1st. Your last day to earn LexisNexis points is May 31st and you must spend these points by July 31, 2012. Your Lexis Advanced access will remain active through the end of July with no action on your part.

Westlaw
Starting June 1, 2012, Westlaw student passwords are “active” for one year post graduation, but only for “Job-Related” databases. “Job-Related” is essentially the West Legal Directory, AFJ, Profiler-ALL and a handful of other directories. If a graduate tries to access anything else, they will get “not available under your subscription” message.

If you would like to have access to Westlaw to study for the bar in June and July, you must register for a Graduate Password. To request a Graduate Password, click on the ad for “continue summer access box” that displays when you logon at Westlaw. Students who register for a Graduate Password will have 10 hours of Westlaw per month (10 hours in June and 10 hours in July) to help them prepare for the bar.  Westlaw points for May graduates will expire on June 30th.

Medtronic Surgical Technologies

The application deadline for this great internship is this Friday (May 11th)!  Don’t miss out!  Log onto Symplicity to find out more information about this internship and to apply!

We have a culture that breeds love for football. By the time a child with extraordinary talent reaches puberty, that talent is likely to be revealed, exulted, and exploited. Most parents would welcome the adulation, free college education, and instant millionaire status as a windfall for child and parents alike. Or so it seems.

Read the rest of Professor Groves’s piece at SportsMoney.

Law students, attorneys, and recent law grads: Just The Beginning Foundation is hiring a Program Director, Assistant Program Director, and Team Leaders for our summer programs! Summer employees can work in Carbondale, IL, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and/or Washington, D.C., depending on your availability. Please see the linked position descriptions and application form for more information, including dates, locations, and stipend amounts. 

2012APD-JobPosting.pdf

2012ProgramDirectorJobPosting.pdf

2012SummerEmploymentApplication.pdf

2012TeamLeaderJobPosting.pdf

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Ramsey, JTBF Program Director: lramsey@jtbf.org, or via phone at 312-258-4868.

May 18, 2012

5:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.

Everbank Field ~ West Club

Wine Tasting: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Jaguars Presentation: 7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Dinner, Open Bar, Casino Night, & Live Music: 7:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Ticket Information

$50.00 for purchases made before May 14, 2012

$65.00 for purchases on May 15, 2012- May 17, 2012

$75.00 at the door

Net proceeds will go to benefit the Equal Justice Conference, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, and the Northeast Medical Legal Partnership, and to purchase Jaguars tickets to distribute to employees and volunteers of the Jacksonville community not-for-profit organizations.

Send check or credit card information to: The Jacksonville Bar Association c/o Kendra Rhodin, 841 Prudential Drive, Suite 1320, Jacksonville, Florida 32207 or email krhodin@jaxbar.org

Out of the Closet and Into Your Office: Representing LGBT Clients 2012 

Hosted by:

Central Florida Gay and Lesbian Law Association

Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Association

Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Network, Inc.

• Date: June 23, 2012
• Where: Caribe Royale – 8101 World Center Drive, Orlando, Florida 32821 (www.cariberoyale.com) mention Central Florida Gay & Lesbian Law Association for discount room rate

Schedule of Events

• Welcome: 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
• Family Law, Estate Planning, Real Estate, & Bankruptcy: 9:15 a.m.- 10:30 a.m.
• Judges’ Panel: 10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
• Transgender Panel: 12:15 p.m.-1:20 p.m.
• Immigration and Criminal Defense Panel: 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Discrimination: Housing, Employment & Public Accomodations: 2:45 p.m.-3:50 p.m.
• Practice Tips, Marketing, Where Do We Go Now?: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Cocktail Party: 5:00 p.m.

Cost of Registration

• $50.00 before May 15, 2012
• $75.00 after May 15, 2012

Website

• Visit www.cfgalla.org for more information

Yale University old catalog cards (video)

We will be open during finals and throughout the summer to work with each of you!  Simply submit a Counseling Appointment form on our website at www.fcsl.edu/careerservices, schedule your appointment on Symplicity or call us at 904.680.7744 to get started.  Setting yourself up for success during and after law school starts here!

“It’s certainly not automatic,” said David Pimentel, a judicial expert at Florida Coastal School of Law. “The standard that they apply is impropriety or the appearance of impropriety … You could see how the system could be manipulated pretty seriously. Judges are reluctant and resistant to recuse because they’re playing into the hands of manipulative lawyers.”

Read the entire article at Naples News.

Atlanta Networking Event

When: Thursday, May 17, 2012

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception

Where: Rooftop 866 Restaurant, Midtown Renaissance Hotel

866 West Peachtree Street Northwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30308

 Miami Networking Panel & Reception

When: Thursday, May 17, 2012

6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Panel Discussion on the Landscape of the Miami Market

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception

Where: Fado’s Irish Pub , Mary Brickell Village

900 S. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33130

 Orlando Networking Club Panel & Reception

When: Tuesday, May 15, 2012

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Panel Discussion on Life and Law from the Perspective of Young Lawyers

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception

Where: Orange County Bar Association

880 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801

 Washington, D.C. Networking Panel & Reception

When: Thursday, May 17^th

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Panel Discussion on the Landscape of the D.C. Market

6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception

Where: The University Club

1135 16^th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Southeastern Minority Job Fair:

• Dates for Job Fair: July 27, 2012-July 28, 2012
• Location: Marietta, Georgia
• Website: http://www.semjf.org/

The Southeastern Minority Job Fair (SEMJF) provides legal employers throughout the United States an opportunity to interview second and third year law students, as well as recent graduates, from 50+ ABA-approved law schools located in the following 14 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. In past years, approximately 140 employers have interviewed over 900 students during the two day job fair.

 Indianapolis Bar Association Diversity Job Fair:

• Dates for Job Fair: July 26, 2012-July 27, 2012
• Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Website: http://www.ibadiversityjobfair.org/

Job fair is open to 2L students graduating in 2013 who represent all aspects of diversity and are looking for a one of a kind legal community in a Midwestern city. Last year more than 20 employers participated. There is no fee for students to register for the fair. Three $2500 scholarships will be awarded to participating students. Registration opens April 1, 2012 and runs through June 18, 2012.

 The National Black Prosecutors Association Conference & Job Fair:

• Dates for Conference: July 29, 2012-August 4, 2012
• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
• Website: http://www.blackprosecutors.org/annualconference.html

Job fair will be held on Tuesday, July 31, 2012. There is a nominal registration fee required for participation. Registration is available online with a credit card.

The Boston Lawyers Group Boston and Washington Job Fairs for

Law Students of Color:

• Dates for Job Fair: July 31, 2012-August 1, 2012
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Website: http://www.thebostonlawyersgroup.com/events/

 The Boston Job fair will take place on Thursday, August 1, 2012. Rising second year law students are encouraged to participate.  In addition to the job fair, the BLG will host networking receptions for selected students. Registration begins April 1, 2012. Registration deadline is July 6, 2012. 

The Delaware Minority Job Fair for 2Ls and 3Ls:

• Date for Job Fair: August 11, 2012
• Location: Wilmington, Delaware
• Website: https://law-dmpd-csm.symplicity.com/students 

The Job Fair is open to all second and third-year law students seeking positions in Delaware for the summer of 2013 and fall of 2014. The job fair is by invitation only and if you are invited, expenses are paid. Students submit an application to all attending employers and if selected by two, they are invited. For more information contact Job Fair Administrator at dmjf@dsba.org. Registration deadline is May 18, 2012.

IMPACT Legal Recruitment Program for Students with Disabilities:

• Date for Job Fair: Friday, August 3, 2012
• Location: Washington D.C. / Arlington
• Website: http://www.law.arizona.edu/Career/Impact/welcome.cfm

Job fair will take place in Washington, D.C. on August 3, 2012. Registration deadline July 8, 2012. Open to rising 2Ls, 3Ls, and graduates with disabilities.

Heartland Diversity Legal Job Fair:

• Dates for Job Fair: August 3, 2012-August 4, 2012
• Location: Kansas City, Missouri
• Website: http://www.heartlanddiversity.org/

The 2012 Heartland Diversity Legal Job Fair will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Kansas City. Last year, Kansas City played host to nearly 100 students from over 40 Law Schools from across the nation who had the opportunity to interview with 15 area law firms, organizations and government agencies.

Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair:

• Dates for Conference: August 23, 2012 – August 25, 2012
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Website: http://www.lgbtbar.org/annual/

 Hispanic National Bar Association Convention & Career Fair:

• Dates for Conference: August 22, 2012-August 25, 2012
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• http://www.hnba.com/news-events/annual-convention/

The career fair will be held in Seattle, Washington on August 24, 2012. Open to rising 2Ls, 3Ls and LL.M. students. Registration deadline TBA.

Bay Area Diversity Career Fair:

• Date for Job Fair: July 28, 2012
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website:https://basf-orrick-dcf-csm.symplicity.com/students/

 Job fair held in San Francisco in early August, open to rising 2L students. Registration deadline June 15, 2012.  

Northwest Minority Job Fair:

• Date for Job Fair: August 25, 2012
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Website: http://www.law.nwmjf.org/

Job Fair participants are also encouraged to attend the Fair luncheon held at 12:00 pm, featuring a local guest speaker. Applications deadline July 31, 2012. Please see website for more information.  

Rocky Mountain Diversity Career Fair:

• Date for Job Fair: September 14, 2012
• Location: Denver, Colorado
• Website: http://rmdlcf.com/

Career fair aims to assist employers in fulfilling their commitments to diversity and expand opportunities for law students and law graduates traditionally under-represented in the practice of law in the Rocky Mountain region including law students and graduates who are ethnic or racial minorities, disabled, and/or gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Job fair takes place at Invesco Field in Denver, Colorado. Interested applicants can begin applying April 1, 2012 and the deadline is July 14, 2012. 

Tri-State Diversity Recruitment Program:

Open to rising 2Ls and 3Ls interested in interviewing with law firms and corporations in the Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana region. Registration deadline TBA. 

Vault/MCCA Legal Diversity Career Fair:

Fair is open to 2L, 3L and lateral candidates. Both Washington D.C. & Los Angeles fairs will take place in July. Registration for each fair is separate. Apply online.  No registration deadline is indicated, application deadline TBA if interested.

Virginia Bar Association Diversity Job Fair:

The VBA annual Diversity Job Fair will take place in August and is open to rising 2L and 3L law students of diverse backgrounds (including race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age) who are interested in practicing in Virginia. There is no cost to students for participation in the fair. More information and registration online. Student registration dates TBA.

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Look for our table in the Atrium!

Below are the details for each reception.  You will be responsible for your own travel arrangements, although students are encouraged to work together to share travel costs when appropriate.  If you are truly committed to finding a job in any of these markets, the trip is worth the investment. 

During difficult economic times, most people find jobs through a contact or someone they met at an event.  As such, this trip could be the most important thing you do in your job search.  If you have not already accepted an invitation to a reception, you can add your name to our list of attendees by emailing careerservices@fcsl.edu.  Below are the dates for each reception:

Atlanta Networking Event
When: Thursday, May 17, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception
Where: Rooftop 866 Restaurant, Midtown Renaissance Hotel
866 West Peachtree Street Northwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30308

Miami Networking Panel & Reception
When: Thursday, May 17, 2012
6:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. – Panel Discussion on the Landscape of the Miami Market
6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception
Where: Fado’s Irish Pub , Mary Brickell Village
900 S. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33130

Orlando Networking Club Panel & Reception
When: Tuesday, May 15, 2012
5:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. – Panel Discussion on Life and Law from the Perspective of Young Lawyers
6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception
Where: Orange County Bar Association
880 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801

Washington, D.C. Networking Panel & Reception
When: Thursday, May 17th
4:30 p.m.- 6:00 p.m – Panel Discussion on the Landscape of the D.C. Market
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. – Networking Reception
Where: The University Club
1135 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

In order to attend you will need to RSVP by emailing careerservices@fcsl.edu.

Volunteering at the event this year were 40 attorneys from the Jacksonville area, students from Professor Kara Roberts’ Citizenship Skills Lab, 15 clinicians from the Immigrant Rights Clinic, 35 other law student volunteers, Florida Coastal faculty and staff and 12 interpreters from a local non-profit agency. Students were able to assist 100 people from the Jacksonville community file their citizenship applications.  Several other individuals whose applications needed more attention are being referred to local attorneys for pro bono representation.

The applicants who attended were from various countries.  Some of the countries represented at the event were: Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Russia, Vietnam, Sudan, Panama, Liberia, Costa Rica, and a few European countries. The community came out in great number and expressed gratitude for this life changing event put on by Florida Coastal School of Law.

Don’t miss out on an opportunity for an externship with the U.S. Attorney’s or State Attorney’s office, many other agencies and corporations or the opportunity to represent indigent clients in one of our five In House Clinics. The deadline for applying for clinics and non-judicial externships for Fall 2012 is Wednesday, April 25th. Applications are available on Symplicity and in the Clinic Office, Room 255, and may be submitted electronically on Symplicity or in person to Cleopatra Smith in the Clinic Office.

I am pleased to announce that Jessica M. Pierce has been selected to serve as Executive Editor on the 2012-2013 Florida Coastal Law Review Editorial Board.

What: Miami Networking Event (with attorney panel presentation prior to the networking event)
When: Thursday, May 17th
Where: Fado’s Irish Pub
 Mary Brickell Village
 900 S. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33130 Website: http://www.fadoirishpub.com/miami/directions

In order to attend you will need to RSVP by emailing careerservices@fcsl.edu.

Please email me if you have any questions.  Hope to see everyone there!

Volunteering at the event this year were 40 attorneys from the Jacksonville area, students from Professor Kara Roberts’ Citizenship Skills Lab, 15 clinicians from the Immigrant Rights Clinic, 35 other law students, and 12 interpreters from a local non-profit organization.  Students as well as attorneys were dedicated to the cause and to making this event a success. Prior to the event student clinicians helped the Citizenship skills lab conduct pre-screens of interested members of the community.  This helped filter out candidates with more complex issues who may not be a good fit for Citizenship Day, also allowing things to move more swiftly on the day of the event.  Some students and faculty dedicated their entire day to the event, starting as early as 8 AM and leaving the event well after 6 PM.  The stories from the community were diverse and heartwarming.  It means so much to these individuals that with the help of FCSL students they were able to take the final step on the path of becoming American citizens.

Students were able to assist 100 people from the Jacksonville community file their citizenship applications.  Several other individuals whose applications needed more attention are being referred to local attorneys for pro bono representation.  The applicants who attended were from various countries.  Some of the countries represented at the event were: Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Russia, Vietnam, Sudan, Panama, Liberia, Costa Rica, and a few European countries.

The community came out in great number and expressed gratitude for this life changing event put on by Florida Coastal School of Law.

The health care debate has been heard by the Supreme Court.  But what was argued and why?  What are the potential effects to your health care?  Join us as we host local experts who will debate the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) at a health care symposium. 

• What: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act panel debate
• When: Tuesday, April 17th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Florida Coastal School of Law, Atrium

Speakers include:

• Hugh Greene, CEO of Baptist Health, will serve as the policy expert
• Joe Jacquot, former chief of staff to Bill McCollum, 2007-2011 Florida Attorney General
• Professor Darren R. Latham, Florida Coastal School of Law

This event is sponsored by Impact Jax, the Jacksonville Bar Association, and Florida Coastal School of Law.

• What: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act panel debate
• When: Tuesday, April 17th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Florida Coastal School of Law, Atrium

Speakers include:

• Hugh Greene, CEO of Baptist Health, will serve as the policy expert
• Joe Jacquot, former chief of staff to Bill McCollum, 2007-2011 Florida Attorney General
• Professor Darren R. Latham, Florida Coastal School of Law

This event is sponsored by Impact Jax, the Jacksonville Bar Association, and Florida Coastal School of Law.

• What: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act panel debate
• When: Tuesday, April 17th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Florida Coastal School of Law, Room 550

Speakers include:

• Hugh Greene, CEO of Baptist Health, will serve as the policy expert
• Joe Jacquot, former chief of staff to Bill McCollum, 2007-2011 Florida Attorney General
• Professor Darren R. Latham, Florida Coastal School of Law

This event is sponsored by Impact Jax, the Jacksonville Bar Association, and Florida Coastal School of Law.

“In high school it’s about gender identification. Whatever somebody says they are is what they get to participate in,” said Hogshead-Makar. The WSF took its policy for the NCAA from the International Olympic Committee’s policy that mandates that transgender women must be at least two years post-gender reassignment surgery in order to compete.“

Read the entire article at CNN.

Congratulations go to the Entertainment Law Society for sponsoring two outstanding panel discussions during the semester: “Fame & Fortune: A Multi-Platinum View of Music Contracts” and “Alternative Careers for Law School Graduates in the Entertainment Industry.” The Multi-Platinum panel included four current performers in well-recognized bands who shared their experiences with music contracts — good and bad — and confirmed the importance of having knowledgeable and ethical attorneys in their corner. Three attorneys, two from Nashville and the other, a Canadian attorney working in New York City, discussed their journeys to becoming a music publisher, a manager and an A&R representative, respectively, how their legal training led to their success and how they handle some of the ethical issues associated with the perception of wearing two hats.

The deadline for applying for in-house clinics and non-judicial externships is Wednesday, April 25^th. Applications are available on Symplicity and in the Clinic Office, Room 255, and may be submitted electronically on Symplicity or in person to Cleopatra Smith in the Clinic Office. Take advantage of the opportunity to represent clients in a clinic or to work as a legal extern in one of our various placements including, but not limited to, the State Attorney’s office, the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Public Defender office, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, the Wounded Warrior Project, and numerous corporations and other agencies. A complete listing of externships available can be found on Symplicity and on the clinical link on the Coastal website.

On Tuesday, April 17th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 455, Fourth Judicial Circuit Mediator, Lisa Dasher, and Philip Hughes, a Jacksonville family law attorney, will be talking about the mediation process in the area of family law.  Mr. Hughes will also discuss how to develop mediation as an element of a family law practice.  Ms. Dasher will talk about developing a career as a court mediator. Coastal Law is very proud to claim Ms. Dasher and Mr. Hughes as alumni. This event has been approved for .5 CPE credit hours.  Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about this vital area of the law – - and how to successfully move from the classroom to a career.  Both Ms. Dasher and Mr. Hughes will provide invaluable insights and share their own experiences in building a career in the law and their expertise in the area of family law mediation. Come and learn about mediation from two exceptionally talented lawyers.

Florida Bar YLD Scholarships

Each year the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar (“YLD”) awards cash scholarships to law students who attend one of Florida’s ABA- accredited law schools. Scholarships are awarded to eligible Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division Members on the basis of both merit and financial need. Other than a photocopy of the applicant’s current law school transcript and a signed letter of recommendation, no other attachments should accompany this completed Scholarship Application. If you are not a member of the YLD Law Student Division, join today at http://www.flayld.org/students/signup.php

See Florida Bar YLD Scholarships for more information.

Completed scholarship applications, along with a letter of recommendation and the applicant’s law school transcript, must be received by 4/30/2012 via U.S. Mail to the following address:

Ward P. Griffin, Chair
YLD Scholarships
1214 Maryland Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002-5336
ufward@hotmail.com

U.S. EPA Office of General Counsel

The Office of General Counsel is the chief advisor to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is responsible for implementing the nation’s environmental laws.

Practice Areas:

• Air & Radiation
• Pesticides & Toxic Substances
• Solid Waste & Emergency Response
• Water
• Cross-Cutting Issues
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• General Law
• Civil Rights
• Finance Law

Office of General Counsel Law Clerk Program

The 12 week program is open to law students that have completed their second year of law school at an ABA accredited law school.

Deadline to apply is August 24, 2012.  For more information click here.

Office of General Counsel Honors Legal Fellowship Program

The fellowship is a two-year fellowship that will start in September 2013. The program targets candidates that are about to graduate from law school or complete a judicial clerkship.

Application Materials:

• Cover Letter
• Personal Statement
• Resume
• Law School Transcript
• Writing Sample
• References
• Demographic Information

Deadline to apply is July 13, 2012. For more information click here.

Myth No. 1: Title IX is controversial

“I’d say that is the biggest myth out there,” says Hogshead-Makar, who is also senior director of advocacy for the Women’s Sports Foundation. Citing three major polls, including one by The Wall Street Journal and CNN, she notes that about 80 percent of people surveyed say they want Title IX left alone or strengthened. “There’s a very small group of noisy people opposed to Title IX,” she says. “The vast majority of the public wants men and women to have equal educational opportunity, including in athletics.”

Read the entire article at ESPNW.

In circuit court, she thought she was going in to argue a complicated motion to compel.  But when we arrived at the hearing, we learned that the client had hired a new attorney and that he was planning to argue the motion to compel.  We then had to address the procedural issue of what to do when two attorneys are counsel of record and they do not agree on what discovery is relevant.

In county court, Zena argued what should have been straightforward motion to dismiss in a debt collection case. However, the clinic students learned about judicial discretion and that despite was the rules may say, the judge has the final say on what is sufficient to state a cause of action.

And finally, in small claims court, Zena appeared at a pretrial conference to argue another motion to dismiss in a debt collection case.  Most of the other clinic students were able to attend these hearings as well and share in the experience of litigating in state court!

Immigrant Rights Clinic student Anshul Krishn presenting at last month's Interpreter Training

Last month Immigration Rights Clinic students Shavae McKnight and Anshul Krishn organized and conducted an interpreter training event for students.  The event which drew quite a large crowd, was attended by bilingual students interested in volunteering their time to help student clinicians communicate with their non-English speaking clients.  This is significant since the clinics depend on student volunteers for interpreting.  The training also attracted students who are not bilingual but recognize the need for interpreters in our growing multicultural society, as well as the importance of accurate communication in legal representation.  Also stressed in the presentation were possible ethical duties involved in using interpreters in legal practice as well as the rules of professional responsibility triggered by its use.

Thanks to the training, the clinical program was able to expand its interpreter database significantly.  It garnered interpreters in a wide range of languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Turkish, French, Polish , Urdu, Farsi and a few other languages.

At the Rendigs National Products Liability Moot Court Competition in Ohio the team of Sarah Young (brief writer/oralist) and Drew Parrish Bennett and Anson Call (oralists) out-paced teams from Indiana University, South Texas, University of Georgia, John Marshall (Chicago) and Pace University, among others in a field of 22 teams, to reach the out-rounds. Our team then defeated Pepperdine University and Mississippi College of Law in the quarter-finals and semi-finals to reach the championship round. Drew and Anson argued in front of a bench of nine jurists in the final round, including justices from the Supreme Courts of Missouri, West Virginia, Arkansas and Indiana. The finals bench also included judges from the federal Courts of Appeals for the Sixth and District of Columbia Circuits, and the Northern District of Ohio. In addition to reaching the championship round, Sarah Young received the Best Brief, Respondent Award.

In the same competition, our team of Todd MacLeod and Jonathan Spellman (oralists) and Zac Smith (brief writer/oralist) advanced to the quarter-final round. The Team Manager was Nicole Jordan. Professor Nick Martino coached both teams.

Two other Honor Board teams competed in a national competition this weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina. In a field of 34 teams, Dazi Lenoir-Williams and Sherea Randle (oralists/brief writers) advanced to the quarter-finals, missing advancing to the semi-finals by a mere seven tenths of a point. The team of Jenna Gailliard and Britt Hansen (oralists/brief writers) advanced to the octo-finals. Jenna Gailliard received the Best Advocate, Third Award in a field of nearly 100 advocates. The Team Manager was Wesley Harbuck. Catherine (CJ) Scott, a former Honor Board President, coached both teams.

One Honor Board team competed this weekend at the Prince National Evidence Law Moot Court Competition in New York City. In a field of 36 law schools, our team reached the octo-finals. The team was comprised of Chantal Pillay (brief writer/oralist), Jessica McHale and Ross Evans (oralists) and Charles Griffith (Team Manager). Professor Sander Moody coached the team.

Congratulations also to two Honor Board teams on reaching the out-rounds at a national competition last week. The teams consisted of Team Manager Alyssa Yarbrough, oralists/brief writers Diana Mederos and Cathy Mainardi, and oralists/brief writers Michelle Haines and Garrit Pruyt. Both teams were coached by Professor Nick Martino. The competition took place at the University of Wisconsin, addressing complex Constitutional issues involving the Establishment Clause and Equal Protection. In a field of 36 teams, both our teams advanced to the octo-finals.

The Career Services Department is hosting the 50 Yard Line on Thursday, April 5th from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. exclusively for 2L’s (spring or fall admit). This Lunch n’ Learn program will help you find answers to those questions and more. The event will be held in room 465.

The program will include:

• Self-Assessment
• Market Assessment
• Developing a Career Action Plan
• Speaker, Kathryn A. Adams, Attorney at Saalfield Shad Attorneys at Law

 Lunch will be provided, so please RSVP on Symplicity by Tuesday, April 3rd!

“I would say this is probably the most far-reaching case that the court has heard in the last 20 years,” said Rod Sullivan, a professor at Florida Coastal School of Law, said of the health care law.

Sullivan said what the country’s nine Supreme Court justices decide next week could not only change the fate of health care but also the scope of what the federal government can do.

Read more, via News 4 Jax.

This Tuesday and Wednesday, United States District Court Judge Timothy Corrigan will be visiting as this year’s jurist-in-residence. Judge Corrigan is a highly respected jurist who brings both wisdom and enormous intellect to the federal trial bench. He is recognized not just for his legal acumen, but also for his decency and rich understanding of the human condition.

Judge Corrigan is known as a judge’s judge and as a lawyer’s judge — because of his many years on the federal trial bench and his many years as a practicing attorney. In 2007, Judge Corrigan was named “Judge of the Year” by the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and he is the 2010 Ehrlich Award winner from Florida Coastal School of Law. He is a Master and past president of the Chester Bedell Inn of Court.

Judge Corrigan will hold two special topic sessions and visit a number of classes. On Tuesday, he will participate in a panel discussion with three First DCA judges on professionalism. On Wednesday, he will address the relationship between good writing and good courtroom advocacy. Each special topic session has been approved for one hour of professionalism credit.

In the family law clinic, students assist individuals in abusive relationships get a divorce, represent children;s best interests in contested custody cases and assist fathers in establishing paternity so they can visit their children.

The disability and public benefits students challenge state agencies to help mentally retarded individuals maintain their community supports, they assist disabled children reaching the age of majority with maintaining social security benefits, and they assist parent caregivers in getting guardian advocacy over their disabled children so they can continue to assist in making healthcare and financial decisions.

The immigration clinic assists victims of domestic violence in filing their own petitions to become citizens, prevents refugees and asylees from having to return to their country of origin, and facilitates human trafficking victims rise above their enslavement to achieve permanent residency.

The consumer clinic represents victims of predatory lending, fights companies engaged in abusive debt collection practices, and defends against foreclosures so families can stay in their homes.

The criminal defense clinic defends individuals who cannot afford an attorney who have been charged with misdemeanors. Our clients come from diverse backgrounds and usually meet the Court’s indigency standards. They are individuals unable to afford a private attorney and don’t necessarily fit within the priorities of other local legal programs for the poor.

The students get real experience with live clients who, without the students’ help, would be in desparate circumstances. Individuals may debate the meaning of our pillar, “serving the underserved” but time spent in the clinic reveals the every day down and dirty meaning of the concept. The clinic is the lifesblood of Coastal Law’s mission pillar, “serving the underserved.”

• Kentucky Players And Coaches Are Still Underrated

• Michigan State’s Draymond Green Is Exhibit A For Why Most Players Should Stay In College

But Starr and Hogshead-Makar, a graduate of  Georgetown Law School and a professor at Florida Coastal School of Law, said there is nothing in the act that prohibits national governing bodies from enacting such rules.

“I don’t understand why at Penn State when the Sandusky story came out they had a complete change of leadership,” Hogshead-Makar said snapping her fingers. “When the University of Colorado had the rape by the football recruits, complete change of leadership,” she continued, snapping her fingers again. “All these NGBs, big scandals coming out, nothing happening.”

Read more at The Orange County Register.

After three preliminary rounds, three Coastal Law competitors qualified for the octo-finals. Garth Cheek 2L and Jola Adigun 2L were octo-finalists. Marc Taupier 2L advanced to the semifinals and placed third in the competition. They were coached by Professor Richard Watson and Coastal alum, Jo-Anne Yau. Congratulations to all.The Student Bar Association and Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company will be sponsoring a “Lunch and Learn” on March 22, 2012 from Noon to 1:15 p.m. in room 405. The topic will be “Ten Best Ways to Commit Malpractice with your [Lack of] Technology.” Lunch will be provided. Attorneys will receive one general CLE credit and students will receive one CPE credit. The Lunch and Learn will be followed by a Professional Networking that evening from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at River City Brewery, and appetizers will be served. Attorneys can RSVP via email at sbaevent.rsvp@gmail.com and Students may RSVP via email at sbaevent.studentrsvp@gmail.com.

Please join the Academic Success Department for Bar Prep Kickoff week. Watch your emails and the flat screens for details throughout the week, including the Bar Coaching Kickoff event for May 2012 graduates being held on Thursday, March 22, from 5:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the 5th Floor Knowledge bar.

The Third Annual Service Plus Expo will be held on Thursday, March 22, in the Atrium from 11:30-1:30. Please join the various Coastal Law departments to learn how we used the feedback provided by our students in surveys and emails to improve the services we offer. There will be drawings for gift cards and other prizes as well as free food and beverages.

Please join the Jacksonville Chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates for an interactive presentation entitled “Civility Matters.” This event will take place on Tuesday, March 27, from 12-1 p.m. in room 365 and is approved for 1 CPE credit. No RSVP required, but pizza and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Our team consisted of oralists/brief writers Tier Brown and De’Anne Jackson and Team Manager Juwon Adebayo. The team was coached by Honor Board alum Cory Simmons, who now practices criminal law downtown. After having won the FDMCC Southern Regional in January, Tier and De’Anne argued this weekend in the National Rounds in Washington, D.C. At the National Rounds, our team defeated teams from Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Texas, UCLA, South Texas, John Marshal Law School (Chicago), St. Thomas University (Miami), the University of Alabama and Washington & Lee, among others. This is an outstanding accomplishment! Congratulations to all!In addition to the success at FDMCC, another Honor Board team won the National Child Welfare and Adoption Law Moot Court Competition in Ohio last weekend. The team members were Jessica DaSilva and Monique Robinson (oralists) and Dominic DeLuca (brief writer). Aida Ramirez served as the Team Manager.

Our team surpassed more than twenty teams from law schools such as the University of Michigan, Baylor University, Seton Hall University, the University of San Diego, Brigham Young University, the University of Colorado, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago-Kent College of Law and Elon University, among others. In addition to winning the championship, Monique Robinson received the Best Advocate Award for her performance in the championship round. The championship round bench included the former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio and the current president of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys.

Another Honor Board team at this same competition reached the semi-finals, narrowly getting edged out on a chance to join our other team in the championship round. Katherine Daugherty and Alison Thomas (oralists) and Brian Chorney (brief writer) performed brilliantly in reaching the semi-finals. Linsay Warren, a former President of the Moot Court Honor Board and currently Assistant General Counsel of the Wounded Warrior Project, served as the coach of both teams.

Congratulations to both of these teams!

Now for the not so good news.  Out of the 36,043 law school graduates in 2010, only 870 graduates (roughly 2%) went into in-house positions upon graduation.  But that was more than the 700 graduates the previous two years!

• Plan solicitations for supplies and services and analyze contract proposals.
• Negotiate and evaluate contact terms.
• Award contracts and perform detailed administrative functions.
• Ensure compliance with contract terms and conditions during term of contract.
• Terminate contracts when necessary and perform contract closeouts.
• Formulate contracting strategies and advise on contracting actions.
• Meet with employees at all levels on all types of procurement issues and concerns.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of clients’ procurement requirements and serve as subject matter expert on the clients’ professional fields.

• Healthcare Regulatory Policy Coordinator
• Records Administrator for the District Attorney
• Contract Analyst
• Claims Attorney (in-house)
• Healthcare Staff Attorney (in-house)
• Law-Related Education Coordinator
• Legal Services Director
• Personal Injury Client Manager
• Foreclosure Mediations Specialist

Attorney Alan Williams specialty is insurance laws. He is a professor at Florida Coastal School of law and  has no relationship with this case.
Williams said the consumer has a remedy and the right to rely on the expert.
“What you have here in essence is the consumer is asking the expert, the agent this is what I want and the agent saying this is what I’m selling you but the agent was actually selling the consumer something else,” said Williams.

Read, and watch, more, via First Coast News.

Barely reported in newspapers, radio, television, or social media is the fact that fans of the Green Bay Packers just finished paying $67 million for a stadium renovation. More specifically, they each bought a tiny piece of the team when buying shares of corporation, and the money raised will be used for the renovation. Saliently, each of those who were part of 268,000 shares purchased decided to pay cash without any expectation of receiving more money than they paid as a return on their investment.

Read more at Forbes Money.

Rod Sullivan, a professor with the Florida Coastal School of Law, explained how Best Bet Jacksonville was able to open to FirstCoastNews.com.
“(The law) was drafted to apply to a few number of pari-mutuel license holders and nobody else,” Sullivan explained. “What they have to do is offer a certain number of races on 140 days out of the year. If they have 140 racing days that they’re simulcasting, then they’re legal.”

Read more, via Poker News Daily.

“We think we’re solving problems with technology, but it just leads to more problems,” said Alan Williams, a health law professor at Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville. “Moral and ethical dilemmas arise that laws were never made to deal with.”

Read more, via the AP.

Rod Sullivan, a constitutional law professor at Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, agrees that the law is probably unconstitutional regarding random testing of employees who aren’t in such “safety-sensitive” positions.

Read more, from the AP.

Both teams competed in the New York Regional of the National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) hosted by the American Bar Association. NAAC is the largest moot court competition in the country. The New York Regional had 36 teams competing. The team of Michael Hunter, Ross Darville and Matthew Rosenthal won the Regional championship, surpassing teams from Florida International, Columbia, Duke, New York Law School, Hofstra, Syracuse, St. John’s University, Marquette, Pace, Seton Hall and Brooklyn Law School, among others.

Our other team of Florence Chen, Tenielle James and Nicholas LeCakes reached the semi-finals. In addition to our teams’ success, out of over 100 advocates, Florence Chen won the Best Advocate Award, Second and Michael Hunter the Best Advocate Award, Fourth. Brooke Downing did a great job as Team Manager. Both teams were coached by Professor Sander Moody. Our championship team advances on to the National Rounds in Chicago, where the American Bar Association is headquartered.

This weekend also included the American Association of Justice’s National Mock Trial Competition. Over 250 schools nationwide compete in this prestigious competition. The Coastal Law teams beat Miami, FSU and Stetson to finish tied for fourth overall out of 24 teams in our region. Congratulations to team members Bobi Frank 2L, Thomas Mangan 2L, Kim Campbell 3L, Bruno Portigliatti 2L, Jeremiah Blocker 3L, Jennie Simons 2L and Kristi White 2L, team manager Madison Hagopian and coaches and Coastal alumni, Lindsay Tygart and Fraz Ahmed.

The partnership has been extremely beneficial for all involved because it has afforded our clinicians with valuable legal experience while allowing the office of Family Court Services to continue serving pro se family litigants at its current capacity. The staff at family court services has been extremely complementary of the quality of work provided by our students that a new for-credit externship was created and two family law clinicians (Shachar Spiegel and Nequosha Anderson) have even been extended opportunities to work directly with the Family Court Services Magistrates!

First, congratulations to our Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition team. Jessup is the largest moot court competition with over 600 law schools world-wide competing. This weekend in Houston, Florida Coastal reached the semi-finals of the Jessup Southern Super-Regional. After going undefeated in the preliminary rounds against LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Georgia State, our team paired up against advocacy powerhouse South Texas College of Law in the quarter-finals. (Florida Coastal and South Texas have been the only two law schools this year to lead the moot court national rankings.) Our team defeated South Texas in the quarter-finals before dropping an extremely narrow decision to Emory in the semi-finals.

Our Jessup team members include Andrew Weegar (Team Manager), Michael Flores and Warda Ali (oralists) and Amanda Isaacs, Theodora Oprea and Jim Buergler (brief writers). Amanda, Theo and Jim won Best Brief, Third. Michael won the Best Advocate, Sixth award. Warda won Best Advocate, Fifth. Professor Chris Roederer coached the Jessup team, continuing his Jessup success. In past years, Professor Roederer has coached Florida Coastal Jessup teams to top-10 and top-20 world-wide finishes.

This weekend another Florida Coastal moot court team reached the semi-finals of the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (“NELMCC”). NELMCC is the largest single-site competition in the entire country with over 75 law schools and over 200 advocates competing.

In addition to our team’s semi-finals result, 2L Nicolas Gullet was the second ranked advocate of the over 200 advocates in the field, winning Best Oralist, Honorable Mention, a phenomenal achievement. Nic was joined by teammates Shannon Blankinship (oralist), Elizabeth Fortino (brief writer/oralist) and Ashley Harvey (Team Manager). Professor Nick Martino coached the team.

And, finally, a third Florida Coastal moot court team reached the semi-finals of the National Immigration Law Competition (the “ILC”) in New York City this weekend. The ILC is hosted each year by NYU’s law school. Alexandra Amador and Nina Cano served as oralists/brief writers. Moot Court Honor Board Vice President Nicole Devito was the Team Manager. Professor Sander Moody coached. Our team defeated Cornell, the University of Houston and City University of New York in the preliminary rounds and Brooklyn Law School in the quarter-finals before being edged by Georgetown in the semi-finals.

Congratulations to all!

DURHAM – Nancy Hogshead-Makar’s competitive swimming record landed her at Duke University on a full scholarship, and her talent also took her on to claim three gold medals and a silver at the 1984 Olympics.

 

Now a lawyer who works on gender equity issues in education, Hogshead-Makar said she knows that female athletes a few years older than she, but equally as hard-working, didn’t have the same scholarship opportunities.

Read more: The Herald-Sun – Duke women’s athletics 40 years and counting

The Competition simulates a law office consultation in which the students, acting as attorneys, were presented with a client matter. They interviewed actors acting as clients and then explained what legal action they would recommend based on the hypothetical situation presented by the client.

At the end of the first three preliminary rounds, the students were ranked second in the competition. After the semi-final rounds, they were ranked number one although they were ultimately defeated in the finals. They ultimately finished ahead of teams from, among others, Stetson, Nova and Florida State. This is the first year Florida Coastal advanced to the finals in this competition. Monique Goran was the team captain. Professor Irvin, Professor Millard, and Martha Smith coached the team.

Congratulations to all! Great work.

Florida Coastal Law Review is very fortunate to have a great panel of presenters from across the country. The event will kick off with a keynote presentation by the Honorable Alex Kozinski, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. To complete the panel, we have Florida Coastal’s own Professor Lucille Ponte, Professor Lyrissa Lidsky (University of Florida), Professor Jacqueline Lipton (Case Western Reserve University), Paul Alan Levy (Public Citizen Litigation Group), and Eric Robinson (University of Nevada-Reno, Center for Media and Courts).

The panel discussions will be moderated by Florida Coastal Professors John Knechtle and Joseph Tomain. Lunch and breakfast will be provided. All attendees are required to dress in courtroom attire. Laptops and electronic devices will not be permitted. If you plan on attending, please RSVP by February 29, at 5:00 P.M. at www.fcsl.edu/go/lawreview and sign in at the registration table at 8:30 A.M. on the day of the event. You must register for a Coastal Connect account in order to RSVP. If you do not RSVP, you are still welcome to attend, however, you will not receive lunch.

On March 9, 2012, the Special Programs Committee and Career Services will be hosting the Florida Defense Lawyers Association’s (FDLA) annual 2012 Young Lawyer Boot Camp here at Florida Coastal School of Law.

The FDLA is a professional organization that represents the interests of lawyers in private practice whose practice is primarily the defense of civil matters. The Boot camp covers how to prepare and evaluate a case, paper discovery, how to defend depositions, a case law update and professionalism issues. Young lawyers from around the state will be attending this training.

The FDLA has reserved 40 slots for interested FCSL students and has waived the $209.00 registration fee. The training will be held in Room 425 on Friday, March 9th from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This training offers a wonderful opportunity for any student interested in civil litigation. The presenters include some of the most skilled civil litigators from all parts of Florida. Any FCSL student interested in attending this day long training will need to register this week. A sign-up sheet is posted outside Room 392. Students interested in attending must sign the registration sheet outside Room 392 to attend.

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