IN BRIEF

GROOME RECEIVES FACULTY EXCELLENCE AWARD

Professor of Law Dermot Groome was honored with the Dickinson Law Faculty Excellence Award, for which nominations were solicited from faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The award recognizes demonstrated excellence in teaching, counseling, and/ or academic advising; scholarly accomplishments; and service to the institution, the profession, and the community.

One nominator shared that Professor Groome truly embodies all the characteristics of the award, including his teaching and scholarship as well as his service to the institution, profession, and community.

Many of the nominations highlighted Groome’s work in organizing the “Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws” program for fi rst-year law students. Nominators also described Groome’s consistent use of current events in his teaching, scholarship in various fi elds of legal study, and communities in and outside of Pennsylvania that have benefi ted from his efforts. “Students shared personal stories demonstrating Professor Groome’s compassion, support, and commitment to Dickinson Law’s ‘Practice Greatness’ motto,” said Sarah Williams, chair of the faculty development committee and assistant professor of law. “Students expressed deep appreciation for Professor Groome’s open-door policy, willingness to help students, and his emphasis on preparing them for practice after law school.”

ANNUAL AMADURE AWARD PRESENTED TO IIT TEAM

The 2020-21 Patricia A. Amadure Memorial Award was presented to the Offi ce of Instructional and Information Technology (IIT) in recognition of their industriousness, good humor, dedication, and loyalty to Dickinson Law, its students, and alumni. Seth McGeorge, director of instructional and information technology; Ryan C. Cook, information technology generalist; Thomas P. Dennis, senior multimedia specialist; Linda M. Evans, senior information technology training specialist; and Ian H. Ulsh, information technology consultant, were instrumental in helping the Dickinson Law community pivot to remote work in March 2020.

One colleague who nominated the IIT team for this award shared, “They have worked with diligence and good humor, keeping us updated on the latest technology. They have added technology to help each of us work in our remote environments and have worked with us to become comfortable with the technology. They have helped us mitigate threats to classes and events.”

From left to right: Ian H. Ulsh, information technology consultant; Dean Conway; Ryan C. Cook, information technology generalist; Thomas P. Dennis, senior multimedia specialist; Seth McGeorge, director of instructional and information technology. Not pictured: Linda M. Evans, senior information technology training specialist.

MAKHLOUF NAMED INAUGURAL FACULTY MEMBER OF THE YEAR

For her unique contributions to the core values of community, teaching, research, and scholarship at the Law School, Medha D. Makhlouf has been named the fi rst recipient of the Dickinson Law Faculty of the Year Award following a unanimous faculty vote.

Makhlouf is the founding director of the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic, where she emphasizes critical thinking to create a more equitable health system. Law students work with health care professionals to identify and address health-harming legal issues that may have otherwise gone undetected or unaddressed. She is also chair of the appointments committee, which hires new faculty members. In this role, Makhlouf seeks candidates whose experience, background, and unique points of view help diversify and strengthen Dickinson Law. Her desire to integrate health equity values into her teaching, service, and scholarship led her to the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, where she was named a fellow in 2020.

“The Dickinson Law community is extremely fortunate to have Professor Makhlouf as a leader, teacher, and scholar. She represents a new vanguard of professor at the Law School,” said Dickinson Law Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway. “Professor Makhlouf brings a sophisticated research agenda and line of inquiry to the Law School in her fi eld of health law. She is also an extraordinary teacher and mentor, having invested in teaching and learning best practices for the benefi t of students and colleagues alike. Professor Makhlouf deserves the Dickinson Law inaugural Faculty of the Year Award.”

RISING 2L ERIC LE SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS DON LIU SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Minh Eric Le ’23 was one of three law students from around the country selected to participate in the prestigious Don H. Liu Scholars Program, which recognizes law students who excel in the classroom and show great potential to succeed in a top law fi rm or Fortune 500 corporation. Le will receive a fi nancial scholarship of $15,000 as well as mentorship and assistance with his career development, including identifying potential internships.

Born in Vietnam and raised in Ho Chi Minh City before moving to Brooklyn, New York, in 2002, Le grew up in a single-family household. He was able to attend college at the University of Vermont (UVM)—and now Dickinson Law—without any parental fi nancial contribution. “I want other students of color to attend law school and succeed in law school,” said Le. “This is a profession that has a high barrier of entry, both fi nancially and culturally. I want to break that barrier. With a law degree, I hope I can show others that a legal profession is a viable path.”

Prior to attending Dickinson Law, Le served as a diversity accessibility and community outreach coordinator for Vermont Legal Aid, a paralegal for the New York Legal Assistance Group, a care navigator for the Institute for Family Health, and a donor coordinator for LiveOnNY. At UVM, he served on the Asian American Student Union Executive Board and co-founded the UVM Badminton Club. He graduated with a bachelor of science in political science and government.

Named after Don H. Liu, executive vice president and chief legal and risk offi cer for Target and a member of its executive leadership team, the program was founded by two past presidents of the Asian American Bar Association of New York to identify, cultivate, and inspire future Asian American leaders within the legal profession.

DICKINSON LAW LAUNCHES DOCTOR OF JURIDICAL SCIENCE PROGRAM

Dickinson Law expanded its law degree offerings by introducing a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) program. As Dickinson Law’s most advanced law degree, the S.J.D. is designed for both domestic and foreign lawyers seeking specialized knowledge in a particular area of law; a career in academic law or other scholarly, research, policy, or professional endeavors; or career advancement through the acquisition of an academic doctorate in law.

“As the highest research degree in law, the S.J.D. degree enhances the scope of Dickinson Law’s global curricular offerings to legal scholars,” said Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway. “Aspiring legal scholars who want to continue their education and engage in intensive legal research and writing now have the option to do so at Dickinson Law.”

The course of study required for the S.J.D. degree will offer students an opportunity to work under the supervision of a faculty advisor to pursue sustained, supervised research and writing leading to the production of a dissertation that makes an original and valuable contribution to legal scholarship. “From national security and international criminal law to intellectual property and international comparative law, our globally aware faculty—including Fulbright scholars and grant recipients—are accomplished leaders in their respective fi elds and are actively contributing to research and scholarship where the rule of law is most crucial,” said William E. Butler, John Edward Fowler Distinguished Professor of Law.

The S.J.D. program requires students to complete at least one but no more than two academic years in residence at Dickinson Law. Learn more about the program, its requirements, and how to apply at dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/sjd-program.

ACCOLADES

CONWAY RECEIVES AALS IMPACT AWARD

Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway was honored with the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Inaugural Impact Award with four law school sister deans for the creation of the Law Deans Antiracist Clearinghouse Project. Launched in June 2020, the project is a webpage for law deans, faculty, and the public that contains resources and information related to addressing racism in law and legal education.

FACULTY AND STAFF ELECTED TO AALS COMMITTEES AND BOARDS

Dean Conway was elected to serve a three-year term on the AALS Executive Committee following the approval of her nomination by the House of Representatives of the AALS. Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Bekah Saidman-Krauss ‘12 was nominated and approved to serve as chair of the Standing Nomination Committee of the AALS Section on PreLegal Education and Admission to Law School’s 2021-22 Executive Committee. Assistant Professor Mohamed Rali Badissy was elected to serve as chair-elect of the AALS Section on Islamic Law. Director of Alumni Relations, CLE & Special Events Robin Fulton Langhans was invited to serve on the planning committee for the virtual 2022 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Institutional Advancement.

LAW SCHOOL NAMED CLEO EDGE AWARD WINNER

Dickinson Law received the coveted Council on Legal Education Opportunity Inc. (CLEO) EDGE Award, which recognizes the Law School’s signifi cant commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in legal education. CLEO, an organization committed to diversifying the legal profession, bestowed EDGE Awards to four individuals and one law school. The EDGE Award recognizes excellence in each of the CLEO EDGE Award pillars: leadership, education, diversity, and greater equality. Dickinson Law was honored for its role in education.

LAW SCHOOL RECOGNIZED FOR TRIAL ADVOCACY

Dickinson Law earned top marks in the winter 2021 issue of preLaw magazine. The Law School was awarded an ‘A’ on the Trial Advocacy Law Honor Roll, which recognizes courtroom skills training. This recognition is made possible by those involved in our moot court programs, trial advocacy curriculum, clinics, mock trial teams, and more.

LAW SCHOOL RANKED 8TH IN U.S.

The Princeton Review ranked Dickinson Law eighth in the country in the category of “State and Local Clerkships” on the Best Law Schools for 2021 list. The ranking is based on the percent of class of 2019 J.D. graduates employed in judicial clerkships (state or local).