Rooted | Resilient | Responsive Widener Law | 2012 Dean’s Annual Report
Planting Global Roots | Green Shoots | Taproots & Tall Branches | Bearing Fruit | Digging Deep
2011-2012 Board of Overseers Eugene D. McGurk, Jr., Esq. ’78, Chair Dean Linda L. Ammons, JD, Ex Officio Renae B. Axelrod, Esq. ‘91, Ex Officio Steven P. Barsamian, Esq. ’75 The Honorable Raymond A. Batten ’79 Scott E. Blissman, Esq. ’97 C. Grainger Bowman, Esq., Vice Chair John T. Carroll, III, Esq. ’81 Bonnie E. Copeland, Esq. ’09 Michael G. DeFino, Esq. ’75, Honorary The Honorable Susan C. Del Pesco ’75 Risa Vetri Ferman, Esq. ’92 Geoffrey Gamble, Esq. Jacqueline G. Goodwin, EdD President James T. Harris III, DEd, Ex Officio Richard K. Herrmann, Esq. Robert A. Honecker, Jr., Esq. ’81 Bret D. Keisling, Esq. ’05 Vice Dean J. Patrick Kelly, Ex Officio
2011-2012 National Advisory Council Peter M. Mattoon, Esq. James G. McGiffin, Jr., Esq., Ex Officio Kathleen W. McNicholas, MD, JD ’06, LLM ’10 Vice Dean Robyn L. Meadows, Ex Officio Edward B. Micheletti, Esq. ’97 George K. Miller, Jr., Esq. ’81 Kathryn J. Peifer, Esq. ’02 Vivian L. Rapposelli, Esq. ’93 Scott W. Reid, Esq. ’02 Thomas L. Sager, Esq. The Honorable Thomas G. Saylor John F. Schmutz, Esq. Bernard W. Smalley, Sr., Esq. ’80 The Honorable Lee A. Solomon ’78 Craig A. Styer, Esq. ’90 The Honorable Joseph T. Walsh John A. Wetzel, Esq. ’75 Douglas M. Wolfberg, Esq. ’96
Marc R. Abrams, Esq. ’78 Michael J. Aiello, Esq. ’94 Howard K. Alperin, Esq. ’90 Joseph M. Asher, Esq. ’93 Miriam Benton Barish, Esq. ’92 Carl W. Battle, Esq. ’82 Kyle D. Bowser, Esq. ’91 Alexander Bratic Michael A. Brown, Esq. ’91 Charlene D. Davis, Esq. ’84 Claire M. DeMatteis, Esq. ’92 Cary L. Flitter, Esq. ’81 Dr. Robert D. Gober, JD, ’79 Mitchell Gurwicz, Esq. ’95 N. Lynne Hughes, Esq. ’89 Brenda Alderman James, Esq. ’92 Jeffrey B. Killino, Esq. ’00 Wayne D. Kimmel, Esq. ’95 Samuel A. Landy, Esq. ’85 Alan B. Levin, Esq. ’80
Robert O. Lindefjeld, Esq. ’93 Kenneth J. Lopez, Esq. ’95 Harry Dillon Madonna, Esq. ’97 James J. Maron, Esq. ’85 Eugene D. McGurk, Jr., Esq. ’78 Patrick J. Murphy, Esq. ’99 John L. Reed, Esq. ’91 Cynthia R. Ryan, Esq. ’79 Leif R. Sigmond, Jr., Esq. ’90 Timothy J. Snyder, Esq. ’81 Douglas J. Steinhardt, Esq. ’94 Alice W. Strine, Esq. ’92 Leslee Silverman Tabas, Esq. ’79 James J. Veneruso, Esq. ’75 Richard P. Zaretsky, Esq. ’75
A Message from The Dean “ I am pleased to report that in these unusual times Widener has remained rooted to its core mission, responding and refocusing its efforts where necessary.� —Linda L. Ammons
Dear Alumni and Friends: Legal education and the legal profession are in the midst of transition. In 2011-2012, long-standing patterns and assumptions were questioned. This is a period of self-examination, during which we are striving for stronger performance, despite the challenges we face. I am pleased to report that in these unusual times Widener has remained rooted to its mission, responding and refocusing its efforts where necessary. Our faculty continue to produce groundbreaking scholarly work. They spread their influence globally and push our students to achieve academic excellence. Our students prevail in competition, distinguish themselves through service, and consistently find employment after graduating. Our alumni continue to earn the recognition of their peers and the public. Challenges notwithstanding, last year was an exciting one at Widener Law. The following pages reflect some of the significant progress we made and our contributions to legal education, the legal profession, and the global communities we serve. These are tough times but, in the Widener tradition, where others see
difficulty, we see opportunity.
Sincerely,
Linda L. Ammons, JD | Associate Provost and Dean
What do you do when your landscape changes?
It’s a question every law school in the country has asked itself over the past year. How do you respond? The answer depends on how well you are rooted. At Widener, we responded by pushing harder, working smarter, and refocusing our efforts to ensure that we produce the next generation of leaders. Grounded by our values and driven by an internationally renowned faculty, we grew as a hub for legal expertise, as an incubator for innovative thinking in the law, as a center for public service in the law and beyond, and as a producer of accomplished, practice-ready graduates.
Planting Global Roots Widener Law faculty led their students and the law school to remarkable places throughout the year, from Washington D.C. to China. From places like Lyon, France, where we established a global law consortium and student exchange program with the Catholic University of Lyon School of Law, to the virtual classroom via any computer in the U.S., where we now offer online MJ programs in Corporate and Health Law. Just as often, our faculty brought the world to Widener, partnering with our nation’s top corporations and legal professionals, the judiciary, elected officials, and ordinary citizens, who discussed and debated the issues that drive our laws, their application, and our society.
“ The Environmental Law Center aims to give students the experience of a lifetime. We regularly arrange student trips to view wildlife as a means of bringing what we teach in the classroom alive— to show how, where, and why the law matters most.” –Professor Jim May
Widener Law and Catholic University of Lyon School of Law established a global law consortium and student exchange program.
New, Notable, and Eminent
The inaugural DuPont/Widener Law intellectual property law symposium brought together legal professionals, small business owners, entrepreneurs, artists, and inventors for a discussion about protecting, commercializing, and funding ideas. From left: Chyrrea Sebree of DuPont; John Calvert of the Office of Innovation Development, United States Patent & Trademark Office; Angela Grayson of DuPont; P. Michael Walker of DuPont; and Associate Professor Sonia Baldia.
The Harrisburg Law & Government Institute again hosted “In Session.” Broadcast monthly on PCN, the show addresses some the nation’s thorniest legal and public policy issues.
The Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics recognized Widener Law with an award for exceptional work in strengthening the compliance and ethics professions through its corporate and health law compliance training programs.
The Institute of Delaware Corporate and Business Law’s symposium “Fiduciary Duties at the Intersection of Federal Bankruptcy and State Corporate Law” convened some of the nation’s top bankruptcy jurists and practitioners. It generated the idea— subsequently proposed as an amendment to the Delaware State Constitution— of permitting bankruptcy courts to certify questions of law to the Delaware Supreme Court.
Green Shoots In legal education, metrics matter. When it comes to our students, it is imperative to understand which ones matter most. We choose the members of each incoming class for their acumen, their achievements, and their potential. We graduate lawyers who are not only practice-ready, but who embrace the challenges of the 21st-century legal profession and are prepared for paths beyond typical law careers. In 2011-2012 we pushed our students to realize their potential. They responded by accomplishing great things: excelling in national competitions, working with faculty on groundbreaking legal research, serving their communities through pro bono and other volunteer work, and giving back to their law school. This approach has produced some impressive numbers. Our most recent graduates found employment, pursued advanced degrees, and undertook judicial clerkships at greater rates than their peers. They branched out. They grew.
WHO, UN, Global Security Institute
Just a few of the organizations at which our students completed global externships in 2011-2012.
18,000
The number of pro bono hours contributed by the class of 2012 while at Widener Law.
Judicial Clerkship Attainment Rate (Class of 2011)
Class of 2011 Employment Data (Nine months after graduation) Employment/Advanced Degree Enrollment Rate Widener Law vs. National Average
Widener Law vs. National Average 20%
96% 15%
94% “WHA [World Health Assembly] was the first of many experiences that my WHO intern badge got me: a front-row seat to the inner workings of the WHO and occasionally other United Nations organizations.”
92% 90% 88%
– Global Health Law Extern Stephanie Stotler, on her experience at the WHO.
86%
10%
5%
0%
Widener Law
National Average
84%
Selected Student Awards and Honors
82% 80% Delaware
Harrisburg
Widener Law Total
Advanced Degree Program
National Average
Employed
Tricia Lontz and Ryan Molitoris (pictured) won Best Petitioner’s Brief at the 25th annual August A. Rendigs National Products Liability Moot Court Competition. Jahlee Hatchett, Jennifer Friend-Kelly, Kenny Williams, and Roderick Thompson were Mid-Atlantic regional round winners at the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. Kevin Krauss was the inaugural recipient of the Project for Nuclear Awareness’s Eisendrath Award.
Taproots and Tall Branches Widener Law’s faculty connects our students to a world of knowledge, to the legal community, and to the world at large. Sought continually for their expertise locally, nationally, and internationally, they ensure our students are grounded in the fundamentals and inspired to grow taller and reach farther. They teach in effective and often extraordinary ways. Last year, as always, they published their groundbreaking scholarship in remarkable numbers, and they spoke throughout the nation and overseas. But their influence reached well beyond academia. They lent their knowledge to the media, their colleagues, public officials, and organizations like the Association of American Law Schools and the American Bar Association. They wrote for periodicals like Slate and the News Journal and were quoted in The Guardian, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. They received awards for their efforts. They litigated, influenced policy, and led in their communities. They spread their branches broadly, and they kept us firmly planted.
8+
The number of cities overseas in which our faculty had speaking engagements, including New Delhi, India; Oñati, Spain; Beijing, China; Selangor, Malaysia; Reykjavik, Iceland; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; London, England; and Lund, Sweden.
2,000
The number of media hits that reflected the faculty’s wide range of expertise.
2011-2012 Faculty Books Larry Barnett | The Place of Law: The Role and Limits of Law in Society
James R. May (Editor) | Principles of Constitutional Environmental Law
Ann E. Conaway & Robert R. Keatinge | Keatinge and Conaway on Choice of Business Entity
Wesley M. Oliver & Douglas Blaze Tennessee Criminal Law: Cases and Materials
John C. Dernbach | Acting as if Tomorrow Matters: Accelerating the Transition to Sustainability
Robert C. Power | Strategies and Techniques for Teaching Constitutional Law
Jules Epstein, et al. | Latent Print Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice through a Systems Approach
Associate Professor Jill E. Family served as a Visiting Scholar at Queen Mary University, researching the immigration adjudication system in the United Kingdom and comparing and contrasting that system with the U.S. immigration system.
Christopher J. Robinette | 6 New Appleman on Insurance Law Library Edition Andrew L. Strauss & Richard Falk A Global Parliament: Essays and Articles
Executive Director of Institutes Eileen Grena-Piretti ’92 (left) and law school Overseer Dr. Kathleen McNicholas ’06, LLM ’10, were installed to the Delaware Academy of Medicine board.
Six members of the faculty were named distinguished professors in for their outstanding scholarship and teaching. Left to right: John Dernbach, Michael Cozzillio, David Hodas, Louise Lark Hill, Alan Garfield, and Jean Macchiaroli Eggen.
Dean Linda L. Ammons was named among the 100 most influential black attorneys by On Being a Black Lawyer magazine and received the Delaware State Bar Association’s Service to Children Award.
Bearing Fruit 2011-2012 was a remarkable year for our alumni. They assumed leadership positions in impressive numbers, selected by their peers in recognition of their successes. They served their communities through bar organizations, local government, charitable organizations, and houses of worship. They served their nation through public office, the judiciary, military service, and much more. Through their time, talent, and treasure they provided remarkable opportunities for our students. Why? The drive to succeed and to serve—the same drive that brought them here in the first place—is deeply rooted and continues to grow.
150+
Number of Widener Law alumni in 15 states who serve on the bench.
8
Number of Widener Law alumni serving in the Pennsylvania House or Senate.
Alumni Giving FY08-FY12 400M
300M
200M
100M
The law school celebrated alumni appointed to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett’s administration. Pictured: Deputy Chief of Staff E. Christopher Abruzzo ’92, Secretary of Legislative Affairs Annmarie Kaiser ’93, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, and Insurance Commissioner Michael F. Consedine ’94.
John Savoth ’85 (pictured) assumed the Philadelphia Bar Association’s chancellorship in 2012. Savoth is the first Widener Law alumnus to hold the position. Kevin McCann ’75 was elected president of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Scott Cooper ’93 was elected president of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice.
0M
FY08 $212,436
FY09 $222,001
FY10 $233,676
FY11 $280,779
FY12 $319,663
Widener Law alumni supported the law school at unprecedented levels in 2011-2012. We are deeply grateful to every one of them. See law.widener.edu/honorroll for a listing.
Numerous alumni organized and volunteered for Wills for Heroes events across the country. Christina Fisher ’08 (right) organized one through the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, attracting first responders from throughout central Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Wills For Heroes Honored her for her efforts.
Digging Deep The opportunities and experiences we provide our students, the Widener community, and the community at large would not be possible without sound financial management and support from our alumni, friends, board members, and others. In 2011-2012, we continued to respond to the changes in legal education with more external resources for scholarship funds, endowed programming, physical improvements, top faculty, and much more. In making so much possible, once again our supporters demonstrated their penchant for leadership. We are grateful.
80%
ercentage of the law school’s P Taking the Lead~The Campaign for Widener campaign goal reached
18%
Growth in fundraising since FY2010
37%
Growth in alumni giving since FY2010
Leadership Gifts and Pledges in 2011-2012 Taishoff Family Foundation............................................................ $200,000 Pennsylvania IOLTA........................................................................ $200,000 State of Delaware............................................................................... $200,000 HRSA/Crozer Keystone Health Systems.................................. $140,000 The Mutual Fire Foundation Inc.................................................. $68,000
George K. Miller Jr. ’81 ................................................................... $55,000 Carl Battle ’82 & Leon Williams ’82 . ......................................... $50,000 Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC....................................................... $50,000 Richard K. Herrmann, Chris Mourse, & Tom Russo.............. $50,000 The Young Foundation, Inc........................................................... $50,000
Campaign Totals at Fiscal Year End Fiscal Years 2010-2012
Widener Law Fund Giving Fiscal Years 2010-2012
12MM
380M
10MM
375M
8MM
370M
6MM
365M
4MM
360M
2MM
355M
0MM
350M
FY10 $6,146,961
FY11 $8,153,551
FY12 $9,604,358
FY10 $366,934
FY2011-2012 Revenue
$48,377,854 (4,539,005) 43,838,848 326,866 154,817 921,461 62,515 1,488,166 91,507 $46,884,180
Tuition (Student Aid) Net Tuition Annual Fund Misc. Income Housing Investment Income Endowment Income Bookstore Total Revenue
FY11 $369,554
FY12 $377,805
FY2011-2012 Expenditures Net Tuition Annual Fund Misc. Income Housing Investment Income Endowment Income Bookstore
$20,213,559 6,361,232 2,691,152 4,165,233 4,029,574 5,268,907 1,690,809 108,290 275,299 $44,804,055
Instructional Academic Support Student Services Maint./Operations Institutional Support University Services Depreciation Aux. Enterprises Debt Total Expenditures
Instructional Academic Support Student Services Maint./Operations Institutional Support University Services Depreciation Aux. Enterprises Debt
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