lawyer 
fall 2009
A step back. A step forward. Emory alumni consider the state of the legal profession
Family & Friends Day 2009
Associate Dean for Development and University Relations Susan Fitzgerald Carter
early two hundred family and friends experienced life as a law student during the fourth annual Family & Friends Day on Sept. 11. “It certainly gave us a better understanding of what Matthew is experiencing, in addition to making us feel like part of Emory,” said Barry and Barbara Poliner, parents of Matthew Poliner 09c 12l. “Also, it is nice to be able to put faces with names of some of the people Matthew has mentioned.” Family members and guests heard from Dean David F. Partlett and experienced constitutional law with Professor Robert Schapiro. Following lunch, family and friends then attended a torts class with their students. “It was a perfect day to alleviate parents’ fears and help us understand the Emory Law environment. It was exciting to sit in on Schapiro’s constitutional law class — and the torts class, as well,” said Ginger Sinton, parent of Adam J. Sinton 12l. “Thank you so much for Friends & Family Day,” said Harriet Hiland, parent of Molly Parmer 12l. “Besides getting to spend some rare time with my daughter Molly, I was intellectually stimulated.”
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Timothy L. Hussey, APR
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Editor Wendy R. Cromwell Associate Director of Publications Contributors Liz Chilla, Assistant Manager of Communications Holly Cline Robert J. Kaufman 75L Phyllis Mahoney Tom McNeill 77L Ginger Pyron Charles Shanor, Professor of Law Art Direction/Design Winnie Hulme Photographers Associated Press Photos Wendy Cromwell Corky Gallo Tim Hussey Caroline Joe Harold McNaron Gary Meek Ethan Rosenzweig 02L About the Cover The cover story illustrations were created by Brian Stauffer. About Emory Lawyer Emory Lawyer is published biannually by Emory University School of Law and is distributed free to alumni and friends. Produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications. Contact Us Send letters to the editor, news, story ideas and class notes to Wendy R. Cromwell, Emory University School of Law, 1301 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322; wendy.cromwell@emory.edu or 404.712.5384. Accolades Emory Law won two 2009 Phoenix Awards, the highest award presented by the Georgia chapter of the Public Relations Society of America: best internal magazine for Emory Lawyer and best brochure for the 2009 viewbook for the Office of Admission. Correction In the Summer 2009 Emory Lawyer, we misspelled the name of Marni J. Galison 98L. The editor apologizes and thanks Ms. Galison for her understanding. © 2009 Emory University School of Law. All rights reserved. Articles may be reprinted in full or in part if source is acknowledged. Change of address: Send address changes by mail to Office of Development and Alumni Records, Emory University, 1762 Clifton Road, Plaza 1000, Atlanta, GA 30322. Email: Communications@law.emory.edu Website: www.law.emory.edu
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FEATURES
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The Art of History BY WENDY R. CROMWELL
Collecting art and artifacts a passion for Fred Bentley Sr. 49l
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A Step Back. A Step Forward. BY GINGER PYRON
Emory alumni consider the state of the legal profession
Is This the Dawn of the Small Firm Renaissance? BY ROBERT J. KAUFMAN 75L
New Economy Forcing Changes at Larger Firms
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Emory Law Provides Strong Foundation for 2009 Distinguished Alumni BY LIZ CHILLA
The Hon. Gordon D. Giffin 74l, Ruth J. Katz 77l and Thomas A. Reynolds iii 77l credit school with preparing them for careers
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BY TOM MCNEILL 77L
Emory Law Annual Report 19
PERSPECTIVE
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King 90l 90t Elected sclc President BY LIZ CHILLA
Group’s first female president hopes to inspire new generation of leaders
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New Thompson Professor Invested BY WENDY R. CROMWELL
Tying executive pay to bank debt could curb risk-taking, Tung says
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Improving Cancer Patients’ Quality of Life BY HOLLY CLINE
Haley Schartz 05l honored by American Cancer Society for her work
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Giving Students a Pat on the Back BY PHYLLIS MAHONEY
Marc Rawls 99l helps high school seniors get needed financial support
DEPARTMENTS 2
Dean’s View
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In Brief
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Class Notes
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In Memoriam
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Giving Back
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Faculty Voices
Dean’s View
LRAP Helps Alumni Make a Difference
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To learn more about LRAP and see an interview with Haley Schwartz 05L, visit www.law.emory.edu/ lrap.
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his issue of Emory Lawyer focuses on a matter of great consequence: the impact the recession has had on the legal profession.
We gain insight by reporting on conversations with alumni who have been affected. Those working in legal recruiting and within small, mid-size and large law firms offer predictions of the future of our profession. In addition, some of our recent graduates discuss how they are adjusting their plans in positive ways in light of these new realities. The need for lawyers to work in the public interest has never been more imperative. Our recent graduates and other young lawyers around the country are rising to the challenge. Lawyers are finding they can gain practical legal experience while making a difference in the lives of others. Emory Law offers a program to help our recent graduates that often doesn’t garner a lot of attention — the Loan Repayment Assistance Program. lrap helps defray student loan repayments so Emory Law graduates may take positions in public interest they might not otherwise be able to afford. These public interest graduates do commendable work within our communities. Haley Schwartz 05l, profiled in this issue on page 19, is a perfect example. Four years ago, Schwartz started the Breast Cancer Legal Project as part of an Equal Justice Works fellowship. Building on work done at the time by Atlanta Legal Aid, the project helps clients who face a range of legal issues related to their fight with cancer. Schwartz now works with Atlanta Legal Aid and hopes to expand the project to serve people with different types of cancer. The American Cancer Society honored her with the 2009 Lane W. Adams Quality of Life Award for her work. Schwartz says her work with Atlanta Legal Aid challenges her as a young lawyer by exposing her to many different areas of the law. A recipient of lrap grants for several years, she believes the program is an integral part in
helping her continue her work with Atlanta Legal Aid. For Schwartz and many other recent graduates, lrap offers the opportunity to pursue their passion without constantly worrying about repaying their student loans. This program would not be possible without donations from alumni and friends like you. As we continue to ride out this economic storm, I ask you to consider making a gift to Emory Law’s lrap to support the work being done by Schwartz and other alumni. Simply visit www. law.emory.edu/give. At its heart, law is about service to others. By supporting Emory Law’s lrap, you help ensure our graduates can continue to work for the common good in their communities for years to come.
David F. Partlett Dean and Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law
In Brief
Emory Law Partners with Panamerican University
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he Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution at Emory Law has partnered with Panamerican University in Mexico to develop a trial advocacy curriculum for Mexican legal education. The partnership is funded by a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development and managed by Higher Education for Development. “The center will work with Panamerican University to develop materials, case files and learn-by-doing programming to train Mexican law students and lawyers in the skills they will need in light of recent amendments to their constitution,” said Professor Paul J. Zwier ii, director for the Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution. Through the partnership, Panamerican University law faculty and Mexican judges and lawyers will participate in Emory Law’s KesslerEidson Program for Trial Techniques and take comparative law and criminal procedure courses at Emory Law in May. Emory Law also will conduct intensive, two-week trial advocacy training programs in Mexico City for the next three years.
Paul Zwier, Matthew McCoyd 93L and Alexander Barney 08L are helping with the partnership with Panamerican University.
Additionally, the grant will fund scholarships for Mexican law students and attorneys to study trial advocacy at Panamerican University. The training program at Emory and the two-week programs in Mexico will be taught in part by DeKalb County Assistant District Attorney Matthew J. McCoyd 93l and Georgia State Court
Judge J. Antonio Del Campo 89ox 91c. Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Fellow Alexander G. Barney 08l is serving as a visiting professor at Panamerican University this fall. The goal of the partnership is to assist Panamerican University in creating a Mexican Institute for Trial Advocacy.
Barton Clinic Receives National Recognition
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aren L. Worthington 94l 06g, director of Emory Law’s Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic, received the 2009 Outstanding Legal Advocacy Award in August from the National Association of Counsel for Children for her efforts to fight for children’s rights in Georgia. Georgia Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver 72l (d-Decatur) nominated Worthington, whom she describes as a “pioneer in children’s law in Georgia.” The nacc is a membership association for nonprofit organizations focused on child advocacy. The Outstanding Legal Advocacy Award honors those making “significant Worthington 94L 06G
contributions to enhancing the well-being of children through legal representation and other advocacy efforts,” according to the nacc. “The award speaks about the work that we do at the clinic,” Worthington said, referring to the clinic’s efforts. Additionally, Barton Juvenile Defender Clinic Director Randee Waldman is a co-author of Defending Clients Who Have Been Searched and Interrogated at School: A Guide for Juvenile Defenders, published by the National Juvenile Defender Center. The guide — which is a collaboration of the njdc, the Barton Juvenile Defender Clinic and the Youth Advocacy Project of the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Massachusetts — provides an overview of the law relating to school searches and interrogations, as well as practice tips for juvenile defense attorneys whose clients have been searched or interrogated at school. It will be distributed to juvenile defenders across the country.
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In Brief
Philip Bobbitt to Deliver Thrower Symposium Keynote RENOWNED CONSTITUTIONAL LAW SCHOLAR and former presidential adviser, Philip Bobbitt will deliver the 2010 Randolph W. Thrower Symposium keynote lecture on Feb. 11. Bobbitt is the author of The Shield of Achilles and Terror and Consent. The 2010 Thrower Symposium, hosted by the Emory Law Journal, will feature legal scholars and speakers discussing “The New New Deal: From De-Regulation to Re-Regulation.” The symposium will focus on re-regulation, government expansion and the changing role of the state in the wake of the recent economic crisis and a new administration and Congress. Faculty members from Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, the University of Texas, the University of Chicago, University of Virginia, Emory Law and New York University will serve on panels discussing the historical legacy of past periods of government expansion, such as the New Deal, the re-regulation Bobbitt of the financial sector and the changing nature of the relationship between the individual and the state. The Randolph W. Thrower Symposium was founded by the Thrower family and is one of the premier academic events each year at Emory Law. Alumni may earn CLE credit. Learn more about the Thrower Symposium and register at www.law.emory.edu/thrower.
2009 – 2010
Student Body Profile
Total students enrolled: 752 Gender
n Male . . . . . . 52% n Female . . . . . 48%
Ethnicity n White/Caucasian . . . . . . . . . . . . 64% Underrepresented groups . . . . . . . . 36% n Asian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . 13% n Hispanic/Latino . . . . . . . . . . . 12% n Black/African American . . . . . 10% n American Indian/Alaskan Native . 1% Geographic areas represented n n n n n n
Emory Law Alumnus Named to University Board of Trustees
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onathan Layne 79l 79b was one of two new members named to the Emory University Board of Trustees. Layne and Susan Cahoon 68c were elected during the board’s June meeting. Layne is a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher llp in Los Angeles, where he co-chairs the mergers and acquisitions group and is a member of the firm’s executive committee. He has extensive experience in advising corporate boards and is a frequent lecturer on mergers and acquisitions and corporate and securities law topics. Layne 79L 79B The 42-member board of trustees oversees the governance and long-range fiduciary health of the University. Alumni trustees serve six years. Nominees are selected by the Emory Alumni Board and submitted to the board of trustees for consideration and approval. Other Emory Law alumni serving as trustees include Henry L. Bowden Jr. 74l, Walter M. Deriso Jr. 68c 72l, C. Robert Henrikson 72l, Ruth J. Katz 77l and Chilton D. Varner 76l. 4
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South (non-Georgia). . . . . . . . . 40% Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19% Northeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18% Midwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11% West/Southwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7% Foreign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5%
Shepherd Appointed Reporter for Revising Georgia Business Corporation Code
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mory Law Professor George Shepherd was appointed by the State Bar of Georgia to be the reporter for the 20th anniversary revision of the Georgia Business Corporation Code, Georgia’s comprehensive statute for corporations. An expert on business law, Shepherd will guide and assist the various working groups and subcommittees of the Business Law Section’s Corporate Code Committee. The process will take two years, with legislation expected to be introduced in the General Assembly in early 2011. Shepherd Emory Law Professor William J. Carney served as the reporter during the Code’s last major revision 20 years ago.
In Brief
Class of 2012 Participates in Service Projects
Emory Law Class of 2012 Profile Applicants . . . . 4,589 Enrolled . . . . . . 247 Female . . . . . . 46% Male . . . . . . . . . 54% Median age . . . . 23 Age range . . . 20 – 42
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ncoming students took part in pre-Orientation service projects around Atlanta. In addition to those pictured, other projects included: • At Samaritan House’s Café 458, students helped prepare and serve meals restaurant-style to homeless men and women. • At Atlanta Union Mission’s residential recovery program, My Sister’s House, a group of students assisted with child care, sorting donations in the clothing closet and preparing a meal for residents. • At Kashi Street Meals, students helped prepare peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for area homeless shelters. • At Project Open Hand, students packaged meals in preparation for delivery. Project Open Hand helps people prevent or better manage chronic disease through comprehensive nutrition care.
Class percentiles LSAT GPA Median . . . . . . . . . 166. . . . 3.57 25th . . . . . . . . . . . 165. . . . 3.37 75th . . . . . . . . . . . 167. . . . 3.68
Ethnicity White/Caucasian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65% Under-represented groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35% Asian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14% Hispanic/Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12% Black/African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7% American Indian/Alaskan Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2% Universities with the most incoming students University of Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 University of Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 University of Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Vanderbilt University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Emory University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 University of Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Duke University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Cornell University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Tulane University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 University of Miami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Stanford University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Marc Gross 12L (first row, from left), Jeff Slanker 12L, Brandon Goldberg 10L, Adam Reinke 12L (second row from left), Cody Warner 12L and Jon Fayer 12L spent the morning helping break up old concrete and clean up a work area for the Chattahoochee Nature Center near Roswell, Ga. After they finished with the concrete, students helped mulch.
Professor Jan Pratt and a group of students, including Marissa Smith 12L and Sean Sobottka 10L (above), helped the Atlanta Community Food Bank sort food and check packaging to ensure donated items were safe for local food pantries and shelters.
Students helped the East Side Parks Network mark gravesites at Clay Cemetery in Gilliam Park in East Atlanta. Students mulched, removed invasive plants and worked on a bike path. The cemetery is one of Atlanta’s first integrated cemeteries.
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In Brief Letter to the Editor Senior Moment? Dear Editor: I enjoyed reading the Summer edition of the Emory Lawyer, but noticed one thing that I believe is incorrect — unless I am having a “senior moment.” In the section titled “Why We Give,” the article on William E. Shanks Jr. on page 38 indicated that he “and his classmates were the first ones to spend all three years in Gambrell Hall.” In point of fact, it was our Class of 1975 that was the first to go all three years in the new building. It is not often that you want to claim to be the oldest at having done something, but I believe if you check your records you will find that to be correct. Sincerely yours, Carlile M. Chambers 75L Editor’s note: Mr. Chambers is indeed correct about the first class to spend all three years in Gambrell Hall. The story should have said Mr. Shanks and his classmates were among the first to spend all three years in Gambrell Hall. Emory Lawyer regrets the error. We’d love to hear from you Have an opinion about a story? Send a letter to the editor. Simply email your letter to wendy.cromwell@emory.edu or mail it to: Wendy R. Cromwell Emory University School of Law 1301 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30322.
John M. Dowd 65L (left) and his wife, Carole L. Dowd 65L, helped bring Maj. Gen. John F. Kelly to Emory Law in September. Dowd was a captain in the Marine Corps and a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps. Dowd and Kelly are friends.
Maj. Gen. Kelly Speaks About the Rule of Law in Iraq “WE WEREN’T THERE TO CONQUER IRAQ, but we were,
in our hearts, there to liberate these people from a very, very terrible time,” said Maj. Gen. John F. Kelly during his lecture. The deputy commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force spoke about establishing the rule the law in the Al Anbar province. During his visit, Maj. Gen. Kelly met with Emory Law’s International Humanitarian Law Clinic and attended Professor Charles A. Shanor’s antiterrorism class.
EPIC Annual Conference Examines Economic Migration
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mmigration enforcement does not keep people from crossing the border and it does not prevent people from working,” said writer and photojournalist David Bacon. “What it does do is determine the status of people once they’re here. It’s about making workers unequal.” Bacon was the keynote speaker at the Emory Public Interest Committee’s annual conference, “Expendable People?: A Human Rights Perspective on the Impact of Global Economic Migration on Georgia.”
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The conference focused on three aspects of economic migration: human trafficking, the guest worker program and
the undocumented workforce. More than 200 people attended the conference held on Oct. 17.
In Brief Congratulations to Alumni Who Passed the July 2009 Georgia Bar Exam Class of 2009 Benjamin Black Alper Nicholas D. Bedford Priya Vinay Bhoplay Elizabeth Lorraine Brown Tekesha R. Brown Bradley Matthew Burman Thomas Edward Cardone James Franklin Carroll Robert Terry Carroll Cheng-Dhi Ashley Chen Daniel Joseph Conner Dorothy Mary Cornwell Danielle M. Curtis Justin Michael Daniel Christina Ellen Del Gaizo Brent Michael Dorfman Megan Carr Douthat Mackenzie L. Duelge Michael Leonard Eber Elizabeth B. Ellis Matthew Albert Ericksen Roshal Leigh Mentore Erskine Jennifer Ellen Fairbairn Kenneth Steven Franklin
Christopher R. Geel Jennifer JoeAnn Gibbs Esther Moody Graff-Radford Drew Van DeVere Greene Ashley Brown Guffey Justin Davis Helsby Adam David Herring Currey Elizabeth Hitchens Gerald Huang Candace R. Jackson Joanna Sungah Jang Jihan April Rush Jenkins Sean Patrick Jessee David William Johnson Stephen Patrick Johnson Stephanie Catherine Johnson Alex B. Kaufman Christopher Robert Kazanowski Margaret J. Kochuba Lavie Melech Lang Alison Elena Lardo Graham Spencer Lee Zachary Stephen Lewis
Sean Michael Libby Jennifer Erin Lyle Jarlath Robert MacKenna Sonette Tracee-Ann Magnus Sarah Colleen McKenney Kathryn Leigh Mitchell Garrett Henry Nye Julie Johanna Oinonen Christina Diane Paleveda Rajas Dileep Pargaonkar Kevin Michael Parrington Erin Elizabeth Patrick Brett Tyler Penley Carina Maria Podgorski Teresa Lynn Porter Jonathon D. Pressley Sybil N. Price Shannan K. Rahman John William Ramseur Laura Azar Rashedi Christine L. Rutz Brandon Markus Schecter Graham Reese Scofield Neal Dinesh Shah George Harlan Grant Smith Michael David Stacy
Nicholas Bradford 09L celebrates his swearing in to the Georgia Bar with his family. Jennifer Fairbairn 09L (below) holds up her State of Georgia Bar certificate after the annual bar swearing in for Emory Law graduates.
Jonathan James Stair Justin R. Starnes Joanna Paisley Steiner Richard Josiah Tillery Otobong O. Ukpong Puja Bipin Vadodaria Christa Theodora Van Der Zalm Richard Harvey Vigneault Robert Richard Walling Jared S. Welsh David Ross Werner Joanna Hui-Ren West Zachary Daniel Wilson Anne Temple Wise Esther Hyeshin Yu Lee C. Zoss Class of 2007 Janine Marie Carson Class of 2006 Karime Vergueiro Barry
Ruth J. Katz featured in Off-Broadway Play Ruth J. Katz 77l, a 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and chief public health counsel for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is among 20 people featured in a one-woman show, Let Me Down Easy, by playwright and actress, Anna Deavere Smith. The play, performed Off Broadway in New York, is a series of interviews conducted by Smith that explores medical care and end-of-life issues. It was featured in a recent New York Times article and on pbs’s Bill Moyers Journal. Katz is profiled for her battle with breast cancer. She worked at Yale University when Smith conducted her interviews there. Katz told the New York Times, Smith “would be performing me in front of people I work with. I would have to see them the next day.” Smith portrays the time Katz sought treatment for a fever after chemotherapy and was told her records were lost. The doctor questioned Katz about her condition, including where she worked. When Katz replied she was associate dean of the medical school, her records were found within 30 minutes.
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The Art of History “I have more fun than anyone,’ says Fred Bentley Sr. 49L of his eclectic collection by Wendy R. Cromwell
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he walls are covered in art — so are the floors, counters and any flat surface. The old Cobb County Courthouse in Marietta, Ga., doubles as the law offices of Bentley, Bentley & Bentley and as a treasure trove. At its heart is Fred Bentley Sr. 49l, who gave Emory Law two paintings — a landscape and portrait of Benjamin Franklin — in November, adding to his impressive collection at the law school. “I’ve been giving paintings and artifacts for 60 years,” Bentley says. “I’ve given away 2,000 paintings in that time.” Of course, you wouldn’t know he’s given such a large part of his collection away. “This is a piece of marble from the original U.S. Supreme Court building,” Bentley says, holding up a small white rectangle. “I’ve never argued before them. Never had to — I’ve never lost a case.” Going around to the other side of his desk, Bentley holds up a grenade then a bayonet, both from the Revolutionary War. “How would you like to have that coming at you?” he asks with a shiver. At his office door, he holds up a flintlock — “Old Bessie”— also from the Revolution. Sitting atop some rare books on his desk is a bronze of very large hands made from Abraham Lincoln’s hands. “I just landed the original cast of his face!” Bentley says. “It’s plaster and was made at the same time as his hands.” When he adds to his collection, he’s not as interested in the age of a piece as he is its historical significance. He next picks up a small earthen lamp. “This is from Jerusalem from the time of Christ. People just took care of it.” He points to a bookshelf in the corner of his office. “See that egg? It’s a dinosaur egg from 70 million years ago.” There are three more dinosaur eggs tucked away in a box near a chair holding an Acoma Pueblo pot. Bentley donates his art to the law school because “it’s pretty dull down there — it’s the truth. “Emory Law was a good school,” he says. “It took me in and educated me, one of my sons and my granddaughter. 8
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She finished first in her class!” His gifts grace the dean’s office, the rare book and archival rooms in the law library, faculty offices, common spaces in Gambrell Hall and the Center for the Study of Law and Religion office. “I look for pieces that are beautiful and have historical significance for the law school,” Bentley says. His favorite gift to Emory Law is a signed copy of the Declaration of Independence because “it’s one of the two most important documents ever produced in this country.” Outside his office is another framed copy of the
Declaration of Independence. Next to it is a framed copy of an invoice from the contracting company that cleaned the Philadelphia assembly room after the Continental Congress in 1787. “I have a collection of all the newspapers from that time period that describe in detail the drafting and ratification of the Constitution,” Bentley says. His love affair with art and history began when his Sunday school teacher invited him and his class over one afternoon. “I was 7 years old and had never seen a painting before,”
Bentley recalls. “She showed us three paintings she had done in college. I fell in love with art right then. I was smitten.” One of those three paintings now is part of his collection — a gift from the Sunday school teacher when she turned 95. “Nobody has as much fun as me,” Bentley says, turning toward a table full of pictures. “Of course, my real treasures are in those photographs.” The photographs are of his family.
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As of Nov. 15, 2009, more than 14,094 people have been laid off by major law firms since Jan. 1, 2008. (5,511 lawyers/8,583 staff)
A step back. A step forward. Emory alumni consider the state of the legal profession by Ginger Pyron
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“A The losses
lot of these people have done everything right. They did well in undergrad, went to great law schools, followed all the protocols — and, in return, expected a secure career. Now they find that the playbook has been thrown out.” So says Carey Bertolet 96l, managing director of bcg Attorney Search, New York, who, along with most people in the profession, has read the shocking stats of the past year’s layoffs and deferrals. She also has heard plenty of stories firsthand. Like some of the lawyers Bertolet advises, many partners and associates seeking jobs — and even those still working — are stunned: Hey, the plan we subscribed to didn’t say anything about major upheavals. How could this happen to us? But it has happened and, though the layoffs have slowed, it’s still happening. From new associates to managing partners, from debtladen law students to attorneys who’ve totted up decades of successful practice, insiders of the legal profession are anxiously following the news while scrambling to stay busy and solvent. On the corporate side, too, “we’ve seen a lot of belt-tightening,” says David Peters 01l, in-house counsel for ibm in Raleigh-Durham, N.C. “The business is seeking new revenue streams, and in the legal department we’re scaling down on budget, trying to be as efficient as we can.” And many companies’ costsaving strategies include demanding from their outside attorneys better value for cost. In other words: Train your new people on your own dollar, not ours.
The crux While emergency measures can provide some respite for the immediate crisis, they raise as many problems as they resolve. If the firms curb their billable hours — especially the hours of young associates — how will they pay the associates’ salaries? And how will these young lawyers receive training? If firms must accept fewer associates in the future, how can the profession absorb the new jds emerging yearly from 200 law schools? One big change that’s needed, according to Mark Wasserman 86l, is “a completely different mind-set” that starts when law firms take a step back and look closely at how they’re providing services, pricing them and partnering with their clients. As the firm-wide managing partner at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, based in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., Wasserman has begun to take his own advice, meeting with his firm’s many clients and listening to their perspectives. “In the past decade,” he says, “law firms built a business that was very dependent upon ever-increasing billable hour 12
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rates. The legal profession gradually became too focused on dollar generation. Now the focus is squarely on the issue of providing value to clients. This has changed the entire game on a go-forward basis. Over time, it can be a very good thing.” David M. Grimes 87l, formerly the managing partner of Reed Smith’s New York office, concurs: “I don’t think we’ll lose the hourly billing model entirely, but some firms need to hear the wake-up call and become more attentive to clients’ needs. It’s not a one-way street anymore.” Today’s two-way street through the industry gives clients and firms a chance to share the road — and the risks. Wasserman continues, “For firms that have the right conversations with their clients and with in-house counsel, there’s a lot to be gained. I think this can be a win-win for everybody.” The gains And the wins aren’t likely to stop there. “For a long time,” Grimes notes, “the quality of management in private law firms has been very uneven. These new conditions emphasize the need for top-quality managers
Going forward, what will we remember from all of this? What lessons will we have learned? — carey bertolet 96l
who can import classic corporate management ideas and concepts to help strengthen the law firm partnership model.” Some firms, in fact, will fare relatively well in today’s economy — and not just the ones that focus on bankruptcy and restructuring. Virtual law firms such as fsb Legal Counsel, where Gardner Courson 74l is a partner, are built, so to speak, to survive downturns and still provide quality lawyering. “fsb is a law firm without walls,” Courson says. “We have no associates, no one with fewer than seven years of experience. And a fourth of our attorneys have corporate experience as in-house lawyers, so we have a high appreciation for what corporate law departments want — and how they want it done. We’re one of the few firms that are expanding.” Some lawyers are finding that being laid off may not prove as dire as it sounds. Not only can you branch out and gain experience in another facet of law that you’ve always found intriguing, but as Jonathan Strauss 08l knows from his experience, “It can give you the guts, forcibly, to try something new.” Grimes points out, too, that deferred associates — and the associates for years to come — stand to receive more thorough training as the profession begins to shift from its
long-established methods of instructing young attorneys. He and Courson both mention the British system, which is more like medical training in the United States: three years of studying law, then five or six years of apprenticeship with a mentor in a law firm, and finally, license to practice. Legal recruiters, consultants and coaches, who likely have practiced law for years before opting for a different way to serve the profession, find that lawyers at all stages need their help, regardless of economic conditions. Attorney development coach Julie A. Fleming 93l with Life at the Bar in Atlanta explains, “If people in practice can’t figure out how to handle a difficult challenge, they either become one of the huge numbers of unhappy lawyers or leave practice altogether. Right now, people feel lucky just to have a job, so they’re reluctant to bring up any problems at work. I’m here to listen and to help them create solutions.” After being laid off or deferred, many lawyers find their way into pro bono work, which benefits the public in everexpanding ripples of service. “It will be interesting to see what changes take place in the larger community as a result of this enhanced talent pool,” Bertolet says. Jonathan K. Layne 79l 79b, a partner at the Century City office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher llp in Los Angeles, adds, “Some deferred associates going into pro bono work
For now. And for good. DEFERRED ASSOCIATES are discovering in the District Attorney’s Office a double opportunity: to help relieve our backlog of work and to gain hands-on experience in the courtroom. From the beginning, these volunteer special assistants handle investigations and help with the weekly bond calendar. Once they’re trained in the legal foundations, they move into the courtroom — preparing indictments, appearing in court on cases, handling motions, using the same techniques every good trial lawyer employs. Their clients are people of DeKalb County: defendant victims, an elderly person who needs
housing representation, someone who has been discriminated against. For everyone involved, this is a win-win. Our assistants acquire valuable experience that they can take back to their firms or elsewhere. For people who might never have considered a public service career, this is a perfect opportunity to try it out. Our attorneys love being mentors, sharing their passion for their work. All of us are grateful for the painstaking help that reduces our case loads and benefits our community. I hope this experience will help each participant recognize that the law isn’t just about collecting a paycheck: it’s
about solving problems for people. Every lawyer has a responsibility to this higher calling. As long as law firms are willing to partner with us, we are Keyes Fleming 93L more than willing to open our doors and our files. — Gwen Keyes Fleming 93L, District Attorney, DeKalb County
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may find their niche — and find their career forever altered.” As law schools respond to changing conditions, they serve several masters: their home universities, the steady flow of new and current students and the firms and organizations that will offer interviews, summer programs and jobs to each rising class. In recent years, Emory and many other law schools have begun to provide courses in practical legal skills — and they may need to develop additional ones. Layne suggests, “Give the students as much practical experience as possible. Prepare students in areas likely to increase in demand, such as intellectual property. Make sure that that students know their responsibility to do good in the community and in the world.” Peters adds to that list “workshops on drafting contracts and negotiating them, as well as accounting, marketing and basic business management.” For Wasserman, key teaching areas are client service and partnering methodology. The up-and-coming Without question, the near future looks rocky for today’s second-year students and associates looking for jobs. If that’s you, don’t despair; options remain. Janet Hutchinson, Emory Law’s assistant dean for career services, suggests several strategies for students and recent graduates: “First, broaden your search geographically. Think beyond the big firms of Atlanta and New York and instead consider working in your college town or the town where you grew up — places where you have connections. And be sure to look at smaller and midsize firms; unlike some of the larger firms, many are still stable.” Hutchinson emphasizes, “Above all, find ways to gain hands-on experience. Consider government work and public service.”
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Before law school: Two years as a defense analyst in Washington, D.C. Deferral: Dewey & LeBoeuf, New York; opted for four-months’ deferral vs. 12 months in public interest at half salary Current work: DeKalb County District Attorney’s office, doing white-collar litigation. “I saw a listing Robbins 09L at Emory and also knew Matt McCoyd [93L], a brilliant assistant D.A. and one of my coaches in Emory’s Mock Trial program.” A step back: “We have to take a step back and realize that the law is a
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Emory’s career counselors encourage students to leverage prior work experience and to revisit subjects they enjoyed as undergraduates. “A new career path could emerge,” Hutchinson says. And it’s not too soon to heed the advice that counselors and consultants alike are offering out-of-work attorneys. While you’re networking, expanding your search and pursuing new experience, do one more thing: Think about what makes you happy. “If you seriously do that,” says Regina Lipovsky Bodi 98l, president and co-founder of Triumph Search Consultants in New York and Washington, D.C., “the legal profession may gain — at the very least — one more person who is really interested in practicing law.” The prospect What does the future hold for the legal profession, and for those who want to pursue it? The fact is, we just don’t know. Emory lawyers voice a spectrum of opinions: “The economy will swing back.” “I don’t think it’s likely to snap back anytime soon.” “Eventually, everything will return to normal.” “Some things will never again be the same.” But there’s substantial agreement about two things: 1) The profession of law offers an ongoing opportunity to provide service in better and better ways. 2) Each person’s greatest resource — the one that will never change — is quite simple: other people. “Stop marinating in the bad news!” Fleming tells her audiences. “Go back to the first basic rule: Talk to other people. Every conversation can open new avenues for change.” Ginger Pyron is a freelance writer based in Atlanta.
business as well as a profession. That’s a concept that every law student needs to understand.” A step forward: “The recession has given me an opportunity I wouldn’t have had otherwise, one that I hope will make me a better attorney.” — Andrew Robbins 09L
“I got a chance to start over.” Before law school: BBA in international business, focus on finance. “Law school offered a new intellectual challenge.” Layoff: Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, New York; one-year sabbatical, 1/3 salary & full benefits Current work: Research fellow, Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable
International Investments. “I’m here, thanks to Professor Tina L. Stark at Emory and a pro bono project with Alicia Clifford at Cadwalader.” A step back: “This is a chance to step back, take stock and consider what I’d like to do next.” A step forward: “This experience has shown Strauss 08L me that a law degree can be used in so many more ways than I ever thought possible. It has opened the door to many opportunities that I might not have originally considered right out of law school.” — Jonathan Strauss 08L
A STEP BACK. A STEP FORWARD.
Is This the Dawn of the Small Firm Renaissance?
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ecessions unmask flawed business models. In manufacturing, home building, banking, retailing and virtually every sector of the economy, even the omnipotent Am Law 200 have seen their business models assaulted and, in some instances, devastated. The classic Big Law model of paying high salaries to first-year associates and billing at exorbitant rates is meeting with resistance from clients who refuse to pay for educating first-year lawyers. These clients now require that an experienced lawyer be assigned the task instead of inexperienced associates and demand real value for their ever-shrinking corporate legal budgets. This is happening in a climate that requires ever more legal work in a challenging economic environment with tremendous increase in government compliance and regulations. As William Henderson, an Indiana University law
Small Law is superbly positioned to utilize its inherent strengths — flexibility, nimbleness and an ability to react quickly to dynamic circumstances. professor and legal pundit, stated in the July 2008 ABA Journal, “firms without a good mix of premium practice areas will find it difficult to stick with the so-called Cravath model... For many large firms, the wheels of their hallowed business model are falling off.” Many clients are transitioning to firms with prices that match their budgets and that demonstrate a willingness to provide flexible and innovative billing. Small Law is superbly positioned to utilize its inherent strengths — flexibility, nimbleness and an ability to react quickly to dynamic circumstances. Moreover, as smaller firms begin to handle matters traditionally done by Big Law, these clients will realize the enormous talent pool that resides with Small Law. Also, many small firms are incredibly technology savvy, which narrows the horsepower gap between Big and Small Law. In fact, Small Law’s ability to embrace technology and experiment with innovative software, like litigation support programs, at a relatively low cost affords small firms to be more technologically advanced than big firms.
By Robert J. Kaufman 75L
Couple this with the price sanity that Small Law can charge because of lower overhead, and at the end of the day, small firms can truly deliver the one thing clients want — real value for their money. The economic crisis has driven corporate America to carefully scrutinize budgets and seek lower cost providers of legal services. This plays directly to the strengths of Small Law, Mid Law and boutique practices — especially those with the reputation for delivering high quality work at a fair price. Big Law always will be needed for that “bet the company litigation” or that “mega merger;” but these developments do suggest a sea change is occurring. Big Law will need to adapt to succeed. As many big firms evaluate their business models, papers are rife with layoff announcements and new hire deferrals. This suggests the business model to replace Cravath has not been developed or implemented yet. In the meantime, Small Law benefits from this dislocation. Richard Susskind, a renowned legal futurist, published an important and insightful book, The End of Lawyers?, in which he gives his vision of the direction of the nature of legal services. He poses many challenges that await all lawyers, but he places particular emphasis on challenges confronting Big Law. He is somewhat sanguine on the prospects as to whether those challenges will be met. Susskind’s title includes a question mark because he is definitely not predicting the end of lawyers — but there are a lot of maybes out there. He quotes William Gibson, a Canadian science fiction writer, who said in another context, “The future has already arrived. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.” I believe a bold, bright and exciting future has arrived for Small Law, regrettably, in some measure at the expense of Big Law. Law firms, like every other entrepreneurial enterprise, are beholden to capitalism, and capitalism can be messy. In Darwinian terms, those that can adapt will survive and flourish. In these times, Small Law is better equipped to do just that. Robert J. Kaufman 75L is the founding member of the Kaufman, Miller & Sivertsen PC in Atlanta. He also is a member of the Emory Law Alumni Association Board and the chair of the school’s Family & Friends Day.
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A STEP BACK. A STEP FORWARD.
New Economy Forcing Changes at Larger Firms By Tom McNeill 77L
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ver the past 18 months, larger law firms have painfully experienced the economic downturn in a changing market for legal services. Virtually every firm has been affected — particularly those with significant practices in economically sensitive areas, such as capital markets, real estate and private equity. Although business lawyers have counseled clients through similar downturns during the last 25 years, larger firms were historically less affected. This time, firm leaders have been forced to apply downsizing and belt-tightening principles adopted by clients in similar circumstances. The economic crisis led to a reduction in firm revenues in three important ways. First, clients no longer pursued expansions or combinations or financings to fund those initiatives. The legal work for those activities was the lifeblood of transactions practice. Second, business clients significantly cut legal budgets that historically covered “repetitive” law firm work for items such as securities compliance, benefits maintenance, contract review and regulatory issues. Third, “big case” litigation that often sprang from difficult times failed to materialize as clients elected to resolve disputes rather than litigate. Firms’ initial reactions followed conventional wisdom. Expenses garnered a hard look, beginning with “soft” costs — entertainment, promotion and marketing. Capital investments in technology or new offices were postponed. Next, attention turned to pay and hiring freezes for staff and associates. Entry-level associate offers were deferred and, in some cases, rescinded. Finally, many firms took the difficult step of laying off lawyers and staff. For the future, the crystal ball, although cloudy, indicates a continuation of further challenges and some degree of hope. Most prognosticators look for continued mediocre performance in the short run. General consensus is that when firms move past the economic downturn, growth will be modest — far less than rates enjoyed over the past 15 years. The way in which law firms deliver legal services will change. For law students and recent graduates, the impact likely will include: • Demand for entry-level associates during the next two years will continue to be reduced. When employment returns, growth will be more muted than in the previous 10 years. • The historical “lock-step” seniority-based structure will be replaced by a competency-based model in which associates progress in pay as they progress in skills. 16
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Compensation will become more incentive-based, with bonuses rewarding performance consistent with firm goals and strategies. • The historical leverage model of a target ratio between partners and associates will give way. Firms will increase the use of contract lawyers for specific projects. Staff attorneys, counsel or special counsel roles will grow as firms restructure to balance compensation, performance, work-
Larger law firms are adapting to the new economic reality. Some will be more successful than others in refocusing their structures and personnel to meet clients’ needs. force flexibility and fluctuation in client demands. • Recruiting will be more selective with greater focus on a candidate’s ability to “hit the ground running,” rather than academic performance. There will be greater emphasis on work experience and other skills that will permit a candidate to quickly provide effective client service. • Law firms will focus on identifying talent with a recognition that different roles will be required, in much the same way a manufacturing company needs different skill sets: production, sales, product development, etc. Larger law firms are adapting to the new economic reality. Some will be more successful than others in refocusing their structures and personnel to meet clients’ needs. There will not be a “one-size-fits-all” approach as different firms emphasize individual strengths and talents to offer clients a compelling value proposition. The good news is that law students and recent graduates will have significant opportunities to participate in meaningful careers in this new economic model so long as they are capable and willing to remain flexible in their approach and focused on ensuring their performance provides valuable service in ways clients can perceive. Tom McNeill 77L is managing partner for Bryan Cave LLP in Atlanta. He is a member of the Emory Law Advisory Council.
Perspective
King 90L 90T Elected SCLC President Group’s first female president hopes to inspire new generation of leaders
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he Rev. Bernice King 90l 90t, the youngest daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, was elected the seventh president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on Oct. 30. She is the first woman to lead the organization and the third member of the King family, following her father and her brother, Martin Luther King iii. “All of us in the Center for the Study of Law and Religion are delighted to see the pioneering work of Dr. King now entrusted to his daughter, Bernice,” said John Witte Jr., professor and The Rev. Bernice King 90L 90T is the third member of the King family to serve as president of the cslr director. Southern Christian Leadership Conference following her father, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Witte taught King, a her brother, Martin Luther King III. joint-degree student in the nonviolent activism in their communities as modeled by law and theology program, my father,” King told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It during her time at Emory Law. is time to breathe new life into an old movement for the “With deep training both in law and theology, with long progress of a people.” experience in the pulpit and prison ministry, she has the Today, the sclc is more important than ever, Aris said. ideal set of gifts to carry on Dr. King’s crusade to enable “As the current blsa president, I know how important it is that our students see the potential of what they can become,” Aris said. “As African Americans in the legal profession, it can be a challenge knowing that you are a minority, but Ms. King truly exemplifies the idea that one can become anything they desire with hard work, faith and dedication.” — THE REV. BERNICE KING 90L 90T Founded in 1957 by the Rev. King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy and Joseph Lowery, the sclc has played a major role in the U.S. civil rights movement, including the passage everyone to achieve the promise of life, liberty and the purof the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Right Act of suit of happiness,” Witte said. 1965. “I think it is absolutely amazing that she is the first The organization — which includes about 10,000 female president of the organization, and furthermore that members and nearly 60 chapters in 17 states — has since she is continuing the legacy of her parents,” said Chantelle expanded its focus beyond civil rights to international Aris 10l, Emory Black Law Students Association president. human rights. “To a female like myself, she is truly an inspiration.” King was elected with a 23 to 15 vote by the board of A motivational speaker and minister at New Birth Missionary Church in Lithonia, Ga., King has said one goal directors. Her opponent was Arkansas Appeals Court Judge Wendell Griffen. is to attract a younger generation to the organization. — Liz Chilla “I look forward to re-engaging people in the work of
“It is time to breathe new life into an old movement for the progress of a people.”
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Perspective
New Thompson Professor Invested Tying executive pay to bank debt could curb risk-taking, Tung says
“I
suggest that we could blunt bank managers’ risk-taking tendencies by paying them not just with the equity securities of their banks but also with their banks’ publicly traded debt securities,” said Professor Fredrick Tung. Tung, the new Robert T. Thompson Professor in Business Law, addressed executive compensation at banks during his Oct. 7 investiture lecture, “Financial Crisis, Financial Regulation and Financial Executives’ Compensation.” “The idea with stock-based compensation is to try to align managers’ incentives with those of stockholders, so that when the stockholders do well, the managers also do well,” Tung said. “This conventional approach could lead to excessive risk taking.” Banks are heavily leveraged, which means they have low equity capital
“Fred’s scholarship is so timely. His work at the intersection of bankruptcy and corporate governance could not have been more perfectly attuned.” — DEAN DAVID F. PARTLETT
relative to their amount of liabilities or assets, Tung said. The federal government also guarantees banks’ major liabilities — their customer deposits — through deposit insurance. “Deposit insurance has some nasty side effects, though,” Tung said. “It gives bank managers special incentives to take risks. “Because banks’ major creditors, 18
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depositors, enjoy a government guarantee, these creditors don’t impose the same constraints on risk-taking that private creditors of ordinary companies do,” Tung said. Tung proposed including subordinate debt in banking executives’ compensation packages to curb risktaking with federally insured deposits. “If a bank fails, the subordinated debt holders don’t get paid Robert T. Thompson Jr. 72C 75L 89G congratulates until all the deposiFrederick Tung after his investiture and lecture. tors are made whole,” for the Hon. Stanley A. Weigel in the Tung said. “The U.S. District Court for the Northern market price of the subordinated debt is going to fluctuate with bank manag- District of California and then practiced corporate and bankruptcy law ers’ risk-taking.” with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los One study shows that large ceo Angeles and San Francisco. holdings of company debt in the The Robert T. Thompson form of pensions are associated with Professorship in Business Law, hondecreased risk-taking, Tung said. Tung is the third person to hold the oring Thompson Sr. 51c 52l, was established by his three sons, Robert Robert T. Thompson Professorship T. Thompson Jr. 72c 75l 89g, Randall in Business Law. Professor Fred S. C. Thomason 76c 80m and David McChesney held the chair from 1988 L. Thompson 79c, and his three to 1997 and Professor Andrew Kull daughters-in-law. from 2001 to 2005. “My son, Bobby, said he would do “Fred’s scholarship is so timely that almost anything for Professor Tung,” it’s almost uncanny,” said Dean David said Thompson Jr. during the investiF. Partlett. “For example, his work ture ceremony. “Bobby said of Fred, at the intersection of bankruptcy and ‘he’s wonderful. He’s one of the smartcorporate governance could not have est people I’ve ever met in my life.’ been more perfectly attuned.” That really says something if Robert On faculty since 2005, Tung Thompson iii gives you an A+.” serves as an adviser to the Emory Thompson Sr. was a leading Bankruptcy Developments Journal. spokesman for business interests in He has taught at Peking University Washington, D.C. He was a foundand consulted on corporate and coming partner of Thompson, Mann & mercial law reform for the Ethiopian Hutson, a labor relations firm based Ministry of Justice, Indonesia’s Center in Atlanta, Greenville, S.C., and for Commercial Law and Economics Washington, D.C. He served as chair and the California Law Revision of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Commission. — Wendy R. Cromwell Prior to teaching law, Tung clerked
Perspective
Improving Cancer Patients’ Quality of Life By Holly Cline
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aley Schwartz 05l didn’t set out to become a patient advocate, but she’s found her niche. The American Cancer Society recently named her a 2009 Lane W. Adams Quality of Life Award recipient because of her work with the Breast Cancer Legal Project. The prestigious award recognizes individuals making a difference by providing compassionate care and counsel to cancer patients and their families. As director of the project, Schwartz addresses legal needs for low-income breast cancer patients so they can focus on treatment and wellness. “Women who have limited resources and systems of support need an advocate to deal with the legal aspects of the medical, economic Haley Schwartz 05L (right) prepares her Atlanta Legal Aid client, Nella Walker, before a and personal issues that arise when court appearance at the Fulton County Courthouse. Schwarz was honored for her work with the Breast Cancer Legal Project through Atlanta Legal Aid. patients are debilitated by their illness,” Schwartz says. Schwartz launched the project as breast cancer, so I have been intimately exposed to the disease. an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Atlanta Legal Aid Launching the Project was an opportunity to make a differSociety in 2005. The most common issues Schwartz’s clients ence and address an issue that was near and dear to me.” face are access to disability benefits, healthcare, housing, Four years later, between robust community outreach wills, advance directives and employment rights. and spending time with patients in waiting rooms, the “Most of the women we work with aren’t aware of their Breast Cancer Legal Project is a valuable resource to countlegal rights or programs, which can help offset financial less women and their families. Schwartz is thinking about burdens and provide access to public benefits,” Schwartz what’s next. “Our hope is to address the needs of the cancer community at large,” she says. “The core needs of cancer patients are the same. We want to help more people get access to legal services, so they can focus on treatment and wellness, instead of legal issues.” Schwartz’s drive to help this patient population is one of —HALEY SCHWARTZ 05L the primary reasons she received the award, but she credits everyone she works with for her recognition and shares the says. “They also need help preparing applications for Social honor with them. Security, disability or ssi [Supplemental Security Income] “The award is not mine alone. I cannot do this work and making end-of-life decisions, such as who will care for without the support and expertise of my Atlanta Legal Aid their children.” colleagues and the cancer support community. We’re all in While at Emory Law, Schwartz recognized her passion the trenches together trying to make the lives of patients a for helping domestic violence victims and knew she wanted little bit easier.” to continue working with women and children. As she narSchwartz is one of her clients’ strongest advocates, and rowed her focus for fellowship opportunities, her mentor, as the award indicates, she’s truly helping improve their Debbie Segel 79l, suggested Schwartz work with Atlanta quality of life. Legal Aid to address the needs of breast cancer patients. “My mom was a caretaker for her best friend battling Holly Cline is a freelance writer based in Atlanta.
“I’d love to see more students get involved in public interest programs.”
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Perspective
Giving Students a Pat on the Back Marc Rawls 99L helps high school seniors get needed financial support
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romoting education is a priority for Marc Rawls 99l, a partner at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan in Atlanta and vice chair of the board of directors for Students Without Mothers Inc. The Atlanta-based charity awards small college scholarships to students whose mothers have died or are not living at home because of other circumstances. “A lot of times, they are very, very self-sufficient and independent,” Rawls said, noting students often live on their own or in foster homes. “You just want to help them because they are doing so much to help themselves.” The group helps from 25 to 40 students at a time, depending on funding. A typical scholarship is $1,000 a year for four years. Students apply as high school seniors. They must maintain a 2.0 gpa or better in college and serve on an advisory board after graduation. This year, the organization gave four students $4,000 scholarships and a laptop for college in addition to helping
30 college students with $1,000 scholarships. Rawls, who received a full scholarship to Morehouse College and a Woodruff Fellowship to Emory Law, said his scholarships allowed him to focus on his schoolwork, and he’d like to help ease the way for others.
“For these kids, $1,000 or a laptop really does make a world of difference.” — MARC RAWLS 99L
“We’re just trying to give the students a little bit of a pat on the back,” he said, adding the money can make a big difference, helping with living expenses, books, airline tickets to college or other school-related needs. In addition to awarding scholarships, Students Without Mothers partners students with life coaches who offer guidance and serve as mentors. “A lot of times they don’t have someone at home to lift them up and celebrate the accomplishment of getting into school,” Rawls said. He noted that an annual reception celebrated the achievements of new scholarship recipients. Rawls, who practices in corporate mergers and acquisitions, securities issues and general corporate matters, got involved with Students Without Mothers three years ago. He joined the Students Without Mothers board about two years ago and spends five to 10 hours a month calling contacts on behalf of the group. He also is a member of 100 Black Men of Atlanta Inc., another charity focused on education. Though Students Without Mothers has remained small since its founding in 1999, he said, the hope is eventually to spread to other cities. One of the organization’s biggest challenges is maintaining donations, Rawls said. “Although the economy has slowed, it hasn’t slowed the need.” Rawls’ firm has been generous, supporting his efforts and buying a table for the group’s fundraiser. Sutherland also has donated refurbished laptops for students. “The great thing about this organization is the actual amount we’re asking for isn’t all that much,” Rawls said. “But for these kids, $1,000 or a laptop really does make a world of difference.” — Phyllis Mahoney Phyllis Mahoney is a freelance writer based in Marc Rawls 99L spends five to 10 hours a month doing outreach for Students Without Mothers Inc. Indianapolis. 20
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Emory Law Provides Strong Foundation for 2009 Distinguished Alumni Although they have followed varied career paths, the three 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award winners credit Emory Law with preparing them to serve as an ambassador, a public health expert and a large firm executive. By Liz Chilla
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here’s no doubt that the preparation you receive from Emory — to think like a lawyer and analyze like a lawyer — is of great assistance in almost any professional pursuit,” says the Hon. Gordon D. Giffin 74l, the 19th ambassador to Canada. “Legal training is great training for many professions,” says Ruth J. Katz 77l, chief public health counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce. “My own resume is a good example of that. I certainly have not followed the traditional career path of a law school graduate. But, my Emory experience prepared me very well for the road I have chosen to travel.” “Emory Law gave me the foundation to enjoy a wonderful career in the practice of trial law, as well as the tools to play a role in law firm management,” says Thomas A. Reynolds iii 77l, a partner at Winston & Strawn llp in Chicago.
Excelling in Public and Private Practice Giffin is a senior partner at McKenna Long & Aldridge llp in Atlanta where he chairs the public policy and international department. He has a long and distinguished legal career in both public and private practice. Following his graduation from Emory Law, Giffin served as the legislative director and chief counsel to U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn Jr. 61l 62l in Washington, D.C. In 1984, he joined Sen. Nunn and then-Gov. Bill Clinton in founding the Democratic Leadership Council. At that time, Giffin also began his practice at McKenna Long & Aldridge. From 1997 to 2001, Giffin served as ambassador to Canada, managing U.S. interests in the world’s largest bilateral trading relationship in the context of the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as U.S. collaboration with Canada on global issues. Giffin returned to McKenna Long & Aldridge in 2001, focusing on administrative and regulatory law in the energy, environmental, trade, communications and procurement fields.
The Hon. Gordon D. Giffin 74L
“The rigorous, focused analysis of the challenges that you confront is probably the best thing my Emory education did for me,” says Giffin. “I also think the value of an Emory Law degree has appreciated over the years. Certainly the reputation of the school today has broadened substantially.” Giffin’s commitment and service to Emory is steadfast. He served on the Law School Council — now the Emory Law Advisory Board — and the board of The Carter Center. Giffin has been an adjunct professor and has hosted and participated in numerous alumni programs regarding the political atmosphere and election analysis. Taking a Different Path Combining her legal education with a master of public health from Harvard University, Katz has been a leader in public service and in the medical and legal professions since she graduated from Emory Law more than 30 years ago. “My most valuable lesson from Emory Law was a new way of thinking about problem solving,” she says, “This has been enormously helpful in navigating through very difficult health policy questions.”
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As the Energy and Commerce Committee’s chief public health counsel, Katz is focused on helping to enact healthcare reform legislation. Early in her career, Katz worked for the Atlantic City prosecutor’s office and practiced law in Philadelphia. After graduating from Harvard, Katz worked as a policy analyst to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health. From 1982 to 1985, she served as counsel to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health and Environment of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Carbon County Coal Co. — ever collected in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition to his legal successes, Reynolds is being recognized for his civic leadership. “Without Emory Law I would not be in a position to support school reform in our cities and financial aid awards for students,” he says. Reynolds’ community service evolved during his years as a former public defender and a prosecutor in Chicago. “It eventually became clear to me that inadequate education of those I either represented or prosecuted was the common theme,” he says. “It became a passion.” Reynolds and his wife, Hope, are involved in the Big Shoulders Fund and link Unlimited—organizations dedicated to providing financial support and mentoring to Chicago’s inner-city students. They recently received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award by link Unlimited for enriching the education of disadvantaged African American students. A 1974 graduate of Georgetown University, Reynolds has been a member of its board of directors since 1997. He also is a trustee and vice chair of the board
Ruth J. Katz 77L
After leaving Capitol Hill, Katz was director of public health programs at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and then worked as counsel to the Advocacy Committee on Tobacco Policy and Public Health. She also served as an associate dean of Yale University’s School of Medicine. In 2003, Katz became dean of The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services — the first individual with a law degree to serve as dean of an accredited school of public health. “A lawyer approaches the job of leading a complex institution, such as a school of public health, much differently than an MD or PhD, the more traditional choices for the dean’s position,” Katz says. “I brought a different perspective to the table, and I think a very helpful one.” An active alumna, Katz served as a long-term member of the Law School Council and the Dean’s Council at the Rollins School of Public Health. She also sits on Emory’s Board of Trustees. Giving Back to the Community Reynolds recently stepped down from Winston & Strawn’s executive committee after 12 years in a senior management role. A former assistant attorney general for Illinois, Reynolds focuses on commercial, securities and antitrust litigation. He holds the distinction, along with another firm partner, of having secured the highest jury award — $181 million for 22
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Thomas A. Reynolds III 77L
for the University of Chicago Medical Center and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and he sits on the University of Chicago Board of Trustees. Reynolds serves on the executive committee of the Emory Law Advisory Board and has hosted and organized several alumni events in Chicago. Distinguished Alumni Award nominations are accepted throughout the year. After reviewing nominations, the Emory Law Alumni Board selects award recipients based on the nominee’s credentials and record of service to the legal profession. The recipients’ photos and biographies now hang in the Emory Law Hall of Distinguished Alumni in Gambrell Hall.
Class Notes From the Director of Alumni Relations Dear Fellow Alumni: After three and a half fulfilling years in alumni relations, I have accepted Dean David F. Partlett’s offer to become the assistant dean for admission. Before I truly can fill my new role, I must thank everyone for the tremendous support given to our alumni relations efforts during my tenure. Under the dean’s leadership, increasing alumni engagement has been a top priority as the administration moves Emory Law forward as a leader in student-centered legal education. By all measures, we have answered the dean’s call and succeeded in reconnecting alumni with their school. A special thank you to the two Emory Law Alumni Association presidents with whom I have worked so closely — Judge Jackson Bedford 73l and Halli Cohn 90l. They have spent countless volunteer hours laying the groundwork for our reconstituted Emory Law Alumni Board. This leadership group is committed to providing meaningful programming for our alumni and students, and I look forward to witnessing its great results as the board flourishes as a leader among Emory’s alumni organizations. Our work is producing positive results. Our alumni communities in New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta are prospering with a consistent Emory Law presence in networking opportunities, continuing legal education and social events. Visits to San Diego, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Chicago, Orlando, Fla., Jacksonville, Fla., Birmingham, Ala., and Savannah, Ga. allowed us to bring the Emory Law experience to so many graduates who have not returned to campus since graduation. And, our partnerships with the greater Emory University Alumni Association allow all our alumni, regardless of location, to stay connected with Emory Law through our online e-communities, alumni chapters and e-mentoring opportunities. All of us at Emory Law are committed to a seamless transition in the alumni relations office with a new director. And, with the strong staff in place throughout the Development, Alumni Relations and Marketing and Communications division, there will be no interruption in the services, programming and information our alumni expect from us. I look forward to working with you in my new role in admission as well as seeing folks at alumni events soon. Only this time, I will be there as a participant! As always, I am so proud to be a fellow alumnus with you. Please keep in touch.
Editor’s Note: Class Notes are submitted by alumni and are not verified by the editor. While we welcome alumni news, Emory Lawyer is not responsible for information contained in Class Notes.
40s
Anthony A. Alaimo 48L, senior judge for the U.S. District Court’s Southern District of Georgia, is the subject of a new book, The Sicilian Judge: Anthony Alaimo, An American Hero by Vincent Coppola (2009).
J. Lewis Sapp 66C 68L with Elarbee Thompson Sapp & Wilson LLP was recognized as “Best in Class” in the 2009 Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business Guide. William C. Turner 66C 69L is building a mediation center on the Oregon coast.
70s 50s Kenneth F. Murrah 55C 58L was honored at the Winter Park Historical Association’s Peacock Ball in November for his service to the city’s public library and civic center. He also helped raise needed funds for fire and police stations in Winter Park, Fla.
60s
Edward A. Charron 61L is the editor of the Federal Bar Association Senior Newsletter. He is seeking submissions of relevance to senior practitioners.
Donald B. Harden 66C 67L, a partner with Fisher & Phillips LLP, was selected for inclusion in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
John L. Gornall Jr. 72L and H. Bruce Jackson 82L, attorneys with Arnall Golden Gregory in Atlanta, were chosen to lead the firm’s new eight-person water resources practice team, focused on helping companies manage the full spectrum of legal needs related to water usage.
Leonard Wertheimer 72L, a shareholder with Feld, Hyde, Wertheimer, Bryant & Stone PC in Birmingham, Ala., was selected for the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He also presented “Critical Reminders about Alabama’s Uniform Trust Code” at the Alabama Bankers Association’s annual Fall Trust Conference in Birmingham in October. Thomas L. Heeney 73L, a partner with Heeney & Arii in Rockville, Md., was selected for the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
Ethan Rosenzweig 02l erosenz@emory.edu
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Class Notes James A. Martin Jr. 73L, president of Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen in Clearwater, Fla., was elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates. He also was recognized for the third consecutive year in the latest edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Herbert D. Shellhouse 72C 75L was named a partner at Elarbee Thompson, Sapp & Wilson LLP in Atlanta. Jonathan H. Waller 75L rejoined Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker LLC in Birmingham, Ala., in the litigation practice group.
Oscar Clark Carr III 76L with Glankler Brown PLLC in Memphis, Tenn., was included in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Chilton Varner 76L, a partner at King & Spalding in Atlanta, was honored as a Woman of Achievement at the 26th annual YWCA event in May. She also was featured in a new book, Raising the Bar: Legendary Rainmakers Share Their Business Development Secrets, by Robin Hensley, which benefits the Atlanta Legal Aid Society. Clark W. Furlow 77L, dean of Stetson’s Tampa Law Center, received tenure at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla.
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80s Douglas R. Sullenberger 77L with Fisher & Phillips LLP was selected for inclusion in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
David L. Ladov 78L with Cozen O’Connor in West Conshohocken, Pa., was appointed to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Committee.
Louise M. Wells 74C 78L was elected managing partner of Morris, Manning & Martin LLP in August. She is the first female to hold the position since the firm’s founding in 1976 and takes office Dec. 31. Mark H. Cohen 76C 79L represented the State of Georgia before the U.S. Supreme Court in Perdue v. Kenny A., challenging a $4.5 million fee enhancement it was ordered to pay to reward lawyers who succeeded in reforming the state foster care system in a longrunning class action. Jonathan Layne 79L 79B, a partner with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles, was elected to the Emory University Board of Trustees for a six-year term.
Stanford G. Wilson 80L with Elarbee Thompson, Sapp & Wilson LLP was recognized as “Best in Class” in the 2009 Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business Guide.
Charles T. Autry 81L, founding partner of Autry, Horton & Cole, and partner Roland F. Hall, wrote a book, The Law of Cooperatives, which gives an overview of cooperatives and cooperative law, addressing topics such as when to use this business form, governance, financing and taxation. Lucille M. Espey-Francis 81L is the 2009 recipient of the Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida Volunteer Lawyers Project Lake County Pro Bono Award. Thomas L. Holder 81L, partner at Long & Holder of Atlanta, gave an interactive presentation to members of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants. Mary F. Radford 81L, Georgia State University School of Law professor, received the Verner F. Chaffin Award, which recognizes outstanding service to those in the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia.
Leon C. Harmon 82L with Nexsen-Pruet in Greenville, S.C., was selected for the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. H. Bruce Jackson 82L and John L. Gornall Jr. 72L, attorneys with Arnall Golden Gregory in Atlanta, were chosen to lead the firm’s new eight-person water resources practice team, focused on helping companies manage the full spectrum of legal needs related to water usage. Edward D. Buckley III 83L of Buckley & Klein LLP received Professionalism Award from the Atlanta Bar Association at its May luncheon.
James A. Durham 83L is the new head of marketing at McGuire Woods, a firm with offices in 18 locations, including Atlanta, Boston and Richmond, Va. He continues to promote his book, The Essential Little Book of Great Lawyering, about maintaining a client base while growing your practice. Samuel S. Olens 83L announced he is running for Georgia attorney general. Mark Colm 85L joined Broadpoint Capital Inc. in New York as a managing director and salesman.
Glenn Hendrix 85L, managing partner of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP in Atlanta, assumed the chairmanship of the American Bar Association’s International Law Section in August.
George E. Spofford IV 85L, a shareholder in the construction practice group of Glenn Rasmussen Fogarty & Hooker PA, was named a Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America, an invitationonly trial lawyer honorary society.
Julie I. Fershtman 83C 86L was elected vice president of the State Bar of Michigan. She also was named a Fellow of the American College of Equine Attorneys. She is the only Michigan attorney to receive this distinction. Joe Negron 86L was elected to the Florida Senate during a special election in August to fill a vacated seat. Lawrence Paul Sandor 86L of McLean, Va., has been named senior associate general counsel at the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, overseeing the 529 college savings plans.
Lois Fitzgerald Downey 85L was appointed to a three-year term as a judge of the Municipal Court of Moorestown Township, N.J. Mark D. Wasserman 86L was re-elected managing partner at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP in Atlanta in May.
Class Notes Miriam Albert 87L 87B married James Lyman on Sept. 13, in Glen Cove, N.Y. Albert is a professor at Hofstra Law School in Hempstead, N.Y., where she teaches contracts and corporate law.
Grady L. Beard 87L with Sowell Gray in Columbia, S.C., was named to the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Rochelle “Shelly” Levy Cooper 87L was promoted to vice president and general counsel at United Space Alliance, one of the world’s leading space operations companies.
Jonathan R. Sigel 87L, a partner in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Group with Mirick O’Connell in Boston, has been named by the publications Boston magazine and Law & Politics to the 2009 list of New England “Super Lawyers.”
Jeffrey E. Tompkins 87L, a partner at Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP, joined the board of directors of The Study Hall, a nonprofit afterschool program serving children and families of the Peoplestown community in south Atlanta.
Mark Bauer 88L, associate dean of academics at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla., was granted tenure in August.
Randy Kessler 88L, partner with Kessler, Schwarz & Solomiany PC, was elected vice chair of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. He has commented on Anderson Cooper 360 and other shows on family law issues. He also teaches family law at John Marshall School of Law in Atlanta.
Terry P. Finnerty 89L, partner with Duane Morris Practice Group in Atlanta, was included in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for labor and employment.
Allison H. Hauser 89L, with Marks Gray PA in Jacksonville, Fla., was named one of the top attorneys in Florida by the Florida 2009 Super Lawyers. James Trusty 89L is the new deputy chief of the Department of Justice’s Gang Unit in March after spending the last nine years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Maryland.
90s
Greg Slamowitz 90L, co-founder of the Ambrose Employer Group LLC in New York City, was featured on a segment about resume fraud on the CBS Evening News in August.
John Snelling 90L, partner with Duane Morris Practice Group in Atlanta, was included in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for labor and employment. Alan Friend Rothschild Jr. 91L was named chairelect of the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust & Estate Law Section at its annual meeting in Chicago. He will be the second chair from Georgia in the section’s 85-year history, when he becomes chair in 2010.
Scott H. Moskol 92L joined Burns & Levinson LLP in Boston as a partner in the bankruptcy, corporate and finance practices.
Gwendolyn Keyes Fleming 93L, DeKalb County district attorney, was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Who’s Who in Atlanta for the legal and accounting professions. Paul Geller 93L, a founder of Lerach Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins LLP and a nationally ranked martial arts expert, was featured in a new book, Business Lessons from the Edge: Learn How Extreme Athletes Use Intelligent Risk Taking to Succeed in Business. Mark I. Duedall 94L joined the Atlanta office of Hunton & Williams LLP as counsel in the firm’s the national bankruptcy, financial restructuring and creditors’ rights practice group. Stacy Edelstein Hyken 94L and Edward Hyken 89C celebrated the birth of twins Jacob Alexander and Daniel Craig on Feb. 25.
Karen Worthington 94L 06G, director of Emory Law’s Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic, received the 2009 Outstanding Legal Advocacy Award in August from the National Association of Counsel for Children for her efforts to fight for children’s rights in Georgia. Chad McGowan 95L announced he is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Jim DeMint in South Carolina. McGowan is a partner at McGowan, Hood & Felder LLC in Rock Hill, S.C. Rita Lewis 96L, a prosecuting attorney from Butts County, Ga., published her first book, Excuse Me, Your Honor, about her odd and humorous experiences in the courtroom. Janis Gomez Anderson 97L and her husband, Martin, celebrated the birth of twins, Gabrielle Allison and Evan Fiske, on Oct. 15.
Carlos A. Kelly 97L published an article, “Eminent Domain: Identifying Issues in Damages for the General Practitioner” in the May issue of the Florida Bar Journal.
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Class Notes Kathleen Gary Mones 01L and Stuart M. Mones 01L celebrated the birth of Madden Jude on May 31, 2008.
L. Christian Marlin 97L was reappointed to the board of directors of the Florida Bar Foundation, a statewide nonprofit organization that funds Legal Aid and programs to improve Florida’s justice system and encourage law students and young lawyers to pursue public interest careers.
Sherry Boston 99L is running for DeKalb County State Court judge. The election is in November 2010. Isabel M. Garcia 99L, a partner at Piedmont Law Group of Garcia & Van Duyne, and her husband, Lt. Cdmr. David J. Sanchez celebrated the birth of Cole Alexander Sanchez on June 26. Jennifer C. Rodman 99L and Heith Derek Rodman 00B 00L celebrated the birth of Emory Kathleen on Dec. 30, 2008.
Robert W. Capobianco 98L with Elarbee Thompson, Sapp & Wilson LLP was recognized as “Best in Class” in the 2009 Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business Guide. Robert L. Herzfeld 98L was elected circuit judge of Saline County, Ark., on Nov. 4, 2008.
Lori Wittlin 98L, a partner with Winston & Strawn LLP in Washington, D.C., was chosen by the Washington Business Journal as one of Washington’s “Rising Stars” during its sixth annual “Women Who Mean Business” Awards. Tara L. Acton 99L and David Acton celebrated the birth of Kevin Johnson on May 5. Tara Acton is a claims manager for Qwest Corp.
00s
Heith Derek Rodman 00L 00B and Jennifer C. Rodman 99L celebrated the birth of Emory Kathleen on Dec. 30, 2008.
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Michael Bergman 03L of LPK took the top prize of $20,000 for a Facebook application, Numbskull 2.0, which helps students with test preparation in the Cincinnati Innovates competition.
Christopher T. Nace 03L 03B was elected to the board of directors of the Public Justice Foundation. He also was elected to the board of governors of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan D.C. and to the D.C. Bar Tort Law Section Steering Committee. Jason E. Wynn 04L 04B became an assistant council at McCormick & Co. Inc. in Sparks, Md. Pamela M. Bettis 05L and Nedra K. Howard 05L opened a law firm, Bettis & Howard PC, specializing in family law and criminal law. Julia James 05L married Andre Demetrius on May 2.
Eric J. Lubochinski 03L with Shipman & Goodwin LLP was elected to the board of directors of the Fairfield County Bar Foundation.
Nicole Marcharnd 03L is running for DeKalb County State Court judge. The election is in November 2010. Jennifer Dickinson 01L, with Hunter, Maclean, Exley & Dunn PC in Savannah, Ga., is the new president of the Savannah Bar Association. She is one of the youngest to serve in this capacity. She also was recognized as a “Community Star” by the Savannah Technical College Foundation’s Community Council for her work on several boards.
Brian R. Meyer 03L was named an associate attorney at Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth & Heller PC in Southfield, Mich.
Sucharita S. K. Varanasi 07L, an associate at Edwards Angell Palmer and Dodge LLP, joined the board of Teen Voices, a Boston-based journalism and mentoring program for teen girls that produces a self-titled print and online publication. Tom Byron 07L published an article, “As Long as There’s Another Way: Pivot Point v. Charlene as an Accidental Template for a Creativity-Driven Useful Articles Analysis,” in 49 Idea 147. Kevin Rubin 08L and his wife, Andrea, celebrated the birth of Jordyn Emma Rubin on Jan. 5.
Robert David Blumenfeld 06L married Dina M. Epstein 04C on May 31.
Scott T. Buser 01L and his wife, Tasha Buser, celebrated the birth of Penelope Pamela on July 28.
Cindy L. Joffe Hyman 01L and her mother, Avril Joffe made their debut on QVC in August with their jewelry line, Avindy.
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Zachary J. Stewart 01L married Julie Thomas on May 2 in Alexandria, Va. Stewart works for CA Inc., an international software firm, as in-house counsel for public sector business, focusing on government and commercial contracts and regulatory matters.
Trinity Townsend 06L and his brother Travis Townsend published When the Cops Come Knockin’: An Illustrated Guide to Criminal Law. The book is aimed at helping kids stay out of jail.
Benjamin Clark Caldwell 06L joined Burns & Levinson LLP as an associate in the business litigation and trusts and estates areas in its Providence, R.I., office. Ann Parker 06L and Robert McKeehan 06L were married on Sept. 19, in Knoxville, Tenn. Parker is an associate specializing in corporate Law at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. McKeehan is an associate specializing in environmental law at Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr in D.C. Michelle Schmitt 99OX 01C 06L married Sean Mahoney 06B on May 9.
Laura C. Settlemyer 08L joined McGlinchey Stafford PLLC in New Orleans as an associate in the commercial litigation section. Alex Kaufman 09L is running for the Georgia House of Representatives in the 49th District.
In Memoriam
Harold C. McKenzie Jr. 55L of Marietta, Ga., on July 8
A corporate lawyer for 30 years, Gibert would prep for hours before a trial, scrutinizing every side of an argument. Among his cases, Gibert helped represent Julian Bond when the Georgia House of Representatives refused to seat Bond for his opposition to the Vietnam War. A Navy veteran from 1951 to 1955, Gibert taught law at the Universities of Alabama and Texas and later Emory Law. He is survived by his second wife, Anne J. Gibert; four sons, Arthur Gibert, James Gibert, John Gibert and Kenneth Gibert; his brother, Stephen Gibert and seven grandchildren.
Hugh Waring Gibert 57L of Atlanta loved arguing cases before a judge and jury. He died July 24 of heart failure. He was 79.
The Hon. Ernest C. Aulls Jr. 57C 58L of Eustis, Fla., earned the nickname Two Judge Aulls for his service on the bench in Lake
Emory Law mourns the passing of the following alumni, whose deaths were reported to the school since the date of our last alumni publication.
50s
Eugene H. Massey 48C 50L of Greensboro, Ga., on Dec. 28, 2008
John W. Nesbitt 50L on June 2, 2005 Charles Franklin Barnwell Sr. 55L of Atlanta on Sept. 21
County, Fla. He died Aug. 25 at age 75. Aulls followed his father to Emory University but stopped short of entering the medical profession. After graduating from Emory Law, Aulls begin serving on the bench in 1960 as a municipal judge for Eustis, Tavares and Umatilla, Fla. He retired from Circuit Court after 31 years, including eight years as chief justice of the 5th Circuit. He also served as a mediator until retiring in January. He is survived by his wife, Mickey Aulls; two children, Trey Aulls and Christy Bradshaw; and two grandchildren. William J. Knierim Jr. 58C 59L of Jacksonville, Fla., on Feb. 21, 2008
Coleman 97L Helped Create Miss Jean Award “Lori would make things happen,” says Zahra Karinshak 97l with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta. “She galvanized people into action.” Lori Lynn Coleman, supervising county attorney for Brooklyn and Staten Island, died May 23, 2008, from breast cancer. A public servant dedicated to improving the lives of children, she was 46. “Lori was a passionate leader in our class who made Emory Law a better place, including establishing the Miss Jean award,” Karinshak says. “Miss Jean was the wonderful snack lady while we were students,” Karinshak says. “One day, Lori asked me if I thought we should have an award in her honor. I said it was a good idea. Next thing I know, it happened.” The Miss Jean “Angel” Award is presented at graduation and now honors a student who most exemplifies the qualities of Gloria Jean Fowler in helping to create a community at Emory Law. Creating the award was a no brainer, says David Patton iv 88c, former assistant dean of students at Emory Law. “Once Lori came to us with the idea, we all realized Miss Jean should be recognized for fostering a sense of community at the law school.” “She and Miss Jean were pretty tight,” says Barry Breitung 97l. “It doesn’t surprise me in the least that Lori was instrumental in getting the award established. It
60s
James Patrick Ward 64C 66L of Cairo, Ga., on Oct. 12, 2008
James Edwin Giblin 69L of Decatur on May 18
70s
Charles A. Rosebrock 70L of Concord, Mass., on July 25 Oliver D. Peters Jr. 71L of Decatur on June 26
Hank R. Bernstein 76L of Trenton, N.J., on Aug. 22
Nicholas Pennington 77L of Atlanta on April 23
80s
Lois J. Cohen 83L on Oct. 4, 2006 Gilbert M. Malm 89L of Atlanta on Aug. 15 Eric Lee Whitner 89L of Omaha, Neb., on Aug. 22
90s Helen Ann Stewart 92L of Lawrenceville, Ga., on May 27
Bryan Dorsey 77L of Marietta, Ga., on May 3
was completely in character for Lori.” Classmate Janis Gomez Anderson 97l agrees. “Lori would always say you can’t overlook Miss Jean. Lori picked who was important to her because of who they were, not their positions. This was something she shared in common with Miss Jean.” Although Anderson knew how ill Coleman was, news of her death was a shock. “The world is a less interesting place without her. “Lori enjoyed life and lived in the moment,” Anderson says. “You could go months without hearing from her, and when you finally connected, you picked up right where you left off.” “Lori came to law school on a mission and to set an example for the community,” Patton says. “She was extraordinary. She was a nontraditional student who brought her life experiences to the law school and her classmates.” Coleman was an officer in the Student Bar Association and a member of Legal Association for Women Students, Black Law Students Association and egala, now called OutLaw. “Lori was open to everyone and moved among all groups,” Breitung says. “We all appreciated it. She didn’t fit in any mold.” “Lori was bigger than life,” Karinshak says. “She was a person out to change her world while she was here, and she did.” Survivors include Coleman’s partner, Lori Hannibal; father, Vance Coleman; brothers, Michael and Gary; sister, Michelle; and three nieces and two nephews.
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Emory Law Annual Report 2008 – 2009 28
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From the Dean: Focusing on Our Students
I
am now well into my fourth year as dean, and I report that we have accomplished much. We have made great progress, constantly enhancing Emory Law’s position as one of the top law schools in the country.
Through alumni and university support, we have improved Emory Law’s tuition discount rate (tuition actually paid by students after financial aid is awarded) from 19 percent in FY 2007 to 35 percent in fy 2009. This brings us more in line with peer and aspirant schools and positions us to attract the best and brightest students in the country. Our work is yielding fruit — our median lsat for incoming students has climbed from 164 to 166 and our median gpa also has increased. We continue to build a strong sense of community among our students. This effort is led by Greg Riggs 79l, associate dean Our goal is to ensure students are free for student services to explore the many different career and community engagement, who possibilities a law degree opens to oversees student them while helping prepare them for life, admission and success in their chosen paths. career services. He is leading an effort to strengthen cooperation among all administrative units allowing Emory Law to deliver on the “Optimal Student Experience.” There are three tenets of this plan: Discerning your path, Preparing for success and Building community. Our goal is to ensure students are free to explore the many different career possibilities a law degree opens to them while helping prepare them for success in their chosen paths. Because our average incoming student is younger than those at our peer schools, we sometimes find he or she needs additional support in determining which career option best fits his or her goals. By strengthening our academic advising and career services, we hope to provide the additional help they need to be even more successful. As we enter the fourth year of our $35 million fundraising campaign, we continue to move toward making improvements to our physical learning environment. We are working with the University to conduct a feasibility
study on Gambrell Hall to determine the best way to take advantage of our current space, while making changes that improve the student experience. It is an involved process, and I will update you on our progress. Finally, in the last three years we have continued to hire faculty to provide outstanding teaching and scholarship. Some colleagues have retired or passed away, and their legacy is deeply respected. Our faculty continues its work toward updating the Emory Law curriculum. Over the course of the next several months, we will share more about the curriculum changes. Our goal is to prepare students for more than practice by giving them even greater exposure to practical learning experiences. The best is yet to come. Thank you for your continued support during the last four years. We rely on the support of our alumni and friends in so many ways—from financial support through your donations to gifts of your time in mentoring our students. Your generosity means the world to them; it makes a difference in their lives.
David F. Partlett Dean and Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law
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Campaign Priorities 1. Provide the optimal student experience $2 million to fund student life and technology initiatives
2. M ake an Emory Law education affordable for all qualified students
$16 million for student scholarships
3. E xpand programs and faculty to build on Emory Law’s strengths
$6 million for faculty chairs
$6 million for academic program enhancements
4. Empower students to make an impact $5 million for Office of Career Services program improvements
To date as of Aug. 31, 2009
Raised: $15.3 million
Campaign goal: $35 million
To go: $19.7 million
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Time frame: Two years
Alumni Snapshot
9,789
Percent of alumni by gender
Alumni by race* Hispanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Asian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 302
n 37% female n 63% male
Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
total number of living Emory Law alumni
White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,484 * of the 46% of alumni who responded
Alumni by geographic location
44 11
18
1
15
29 4
8 17
1 3
7 375
62
174 153
75
13
13 47
17
30 132
25 225
301
166 149
4,439
49
208
104
199
213
35 4
272
90
23
23
12
12
76
6
6
29
10
761
689
Washington, D.C. 175 International 234
5 Alumni by degree
Alumni by age
SJD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3000
LLM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772
2500
JD/MPH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2000
JD/MTS or JD/MDiv. . . . . . . . . . . 72
1500
JD/MBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
1000
JD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,421 Nongraduates/no degree . . . . . . . 104
546
Emory Law alumni engaged with the school as measured by the Emory Alumni Association in 2004 – 2005
1,665
500 0
20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80+
Emory Law alumni engaged with the school as measured by the Emory Alumni Association in 2008 – 2009 fall 2009
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Gifts and Contributions Sept. 1, 2008 to Aug. 31, 2009 Emory Law Giving Societies PRESIDENT’S CLUB $1 million+ LEADERSHIP LEAGUE $100,000+ QUADRANGLE SOCIETY $25,000+ LULLWATER SOCIETY $10,000+ LONGSTREET CIRCLE $5,000+ DEAN’S CIRCLE $2,500+ BARRISTERS CLUB $1,000+ Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the appreciation lists in this report. We apologize for any omissions or errors. Please contact Angela M. Eyer, director of donor relations and stewardship, at 404.727.6511 or angela.eyer@emory.edu with any corrections. * Donor is deceased
LEADERSHIP LEAGUE Michelle R. Barclay 90N 96L & Andrew B. Barclay 02G 07G David S. Cohen 94L Mary Hood Gibson C. Robert Henrikson 72L & Mary Eagan Henrikson The Henry Luce Foundation Inc. McDonald Agape Foundation Alonzo L. McDonald Jr. 48C & Suzanne M. McDonald Morris, Manning & Martin LLP Philip Syng Reese 66C 76B 76L & Daphne Craven Reese Brent Jamieson Savage 78L & Linda L. Savage Rhett Turner & Angela Turner QUADRANGLE SOCIETY Joel Steven Arogeti 82L & Beth W. Arogeti Atlanta Law School Foundation Fred D. Bentley Sr. 49L & Jane M. Bentley Ruth H. Berman Henry L. Bowden Jr. 74L & Jeanne Johnson Bowden 77L Gardner G. Courson 74L & Haidee Courson John M. Dowd 65L & Carole L. Dowd 65L The Evan Frankel Foundation William G. Gisel Jr. 78L Ruth J. Katz 77L Joyce L. Kramer 76L
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Raymond W. McDaniel Jr. 83L & Lori R. Buchbinder 83L Lewis J. Miers Jr. & Kathleen S. Miers Kenneth F. Murrah 55C 58L & Ann Hicks Murrah Thomas A. Reynolds III 77L & Hope Reynolds The Sapelo Foundation Inc. Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Onnie Mae Spruill Foundation John C. Staton Jr. 63L & Sue Staton LULLWATER SOCIETY Anonymous Frank S. Alexander & Joan B. Alexander American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc. America’s Promise Alliance Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im & Aisha A. Osman Thomas C. Arthur & Carolyn Fisher Arthur Michael J. Broyde & Channah S. Broyde William J. Carney & Jane C. Carney Susan Fitzgerald Carter & John B. Carter Jr. William F. Denson III 68L & Deborah D. Denson Alleen D. Deutsch & J. Anthony Paredes Martha Grace Duncan C. Lash Harrison 62B 65L & Paula Hilburn Harrison John L. Latham 79L & Sheri T. Latham Martin Liberman 74L David F. Partlett & Nan Partlett Polly J. Price 86C 86G Rich Products Corp. Gregory L. Riggs 79L & Kaye A. Riggs Amelia Toy Rudolph 88C 91L & Frederick M. Rudolph Robert A. Schapiro & Lillian R.G. Schapiro Susan McRae Shanor 89L & Charles A. Shanor Lynn Heilbrun Stahl 76C Sutherland Charles E. Taylor 84L Johan Van der Vyver & Elma C. Van der Vyver Voices for Georgia’s Children Inc. John Witte Jr. & Eliza Ellison 96T Barbara B. Woodhouse & Charles F. Woodhouse The Zeist Foundation Inc. LONGSTREET CIRCLE ACCA Georgia Chapter Baker & Hostetler Foundation Burnet V. Davis Allan B. Diamond 79L & Sharon Diamond Denis L. Durkin 73L Sandra L. Fitzgerald 95L & James Edward McGean 84C Ford & Harrison LLP Milt Garfield & Adrienne Garfield Kathy Buckman Gibson 89B 89L & James W. Gibson Jr. Olga C. de Goizueta
Corey F. Hirokawa 00L & Benjamin T. Hirokawa Linda Kagan Horowitz 89L & Seth R. Horowitz James B. Hughes Jr. & Melba N. G. Hughes Hunton & Williams LLP Celeste M. Katz Robert Jeffrey Kaufman 75L & Barbara Alexander Kaufman Gershon Kekst & Carol Kekst Shari K. Krouner 84L & Todd Jay Krouner 84L Ian Lloyd Levin 92L & Lisa Kring Levin 92B John C. Mayoue 79L Debia Fine McCulloch 79C 87G & Robert J. McCulloch 79C David G. McIntee & Dian T. McIntee McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP Kimberly L. Myers 92L Kenneth Scott Nugent 80L & Ginger Nugent Michael J. Perry & Sarah A. O’Leary Norman & Bettina Roberts Foundation Inc. Edwin Jay Schklar 80L 80B Julie Seaman & Jeffrey Seaman Frederick Tung & Angelique F. Tung Chilton D. Varner 76L & K. Morgan Varner III DEAN’S CIRCLE Alston & Bird LLP Jesse H. Austin III 80L 80B & Deborah Pitman Austin 77C 84L David J. Bederman & Lorre B. Cuzze 10PH Joel G. Burris 80B 83L & Pamela R. Esterman Emmett B. Cartledge Jr. 31C 33L* John A. Chandler & Elizabeth V. Tanis Han Chun Choi 93L & Catherine M. Abrams The Coca-Cola Co. Debra R. Cohen 88L Columbus Equipment Co. James W. Cooper 89L & Renata Kendrick Cooper 86C 86G 89L Eric M. Davis 92L & Lisa Marie Davis Judith W. Devins John C. Ethridge Jr. 82L & Cynthia Cates Ethridge Stephen M. Forte 80L & Susan Seavey Forte Richard Dale Freer & Louise Lambert Freer Stephen Frank Fusco 98C 01L David Giannotti 72L & Kathy A. Giannotti J. David Gibbs 79L & Kaye L. LaFollette David M. Grimes 87L Robert S. Harkey 63C 65L & Barbara P. Harkey James I. Hay 71L & Molly Hay The Huisking Foundation Inc. Walter E. Jospin 79L & The Hon. Wendy L. Shoob Kilpatrick Stockton LLP King & Spalding LLP
Frederic M. Krieger 75L & Alice T. Whittelsey Harry V. Lamon Jr. 58L & Ada Lamon Jonathan K. Layne 79L 79B & Sheryl S. Layne 79C Joseph L. Manson III 74L Teri Plummer McClure 88L & Roderick W. McClure Paul M. McLarty Jr. 63C 66L & Ruth Bunton McLarty Thomas R. McNeill 77L & Pat McNeill The Hon. Mary Margaret Oliver 72L Elizabeth A. Reimels 01L Michael P. Sarrey 76L & Paula K. Sarrey Frank W. Scroggins 59L & Gloria Scroggins William E. Shanks Jr. 76L & Jean S. Shanks 74G Gregory A. Slamowitz 90L & Kirsten J. Hilleman 91L Richard H. Thomson Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice BARRISTERS CLUB Robert B. Ahdieh & Krista A. Forsgren Miles J. Alexander 52C & Elaine B. Alexander Paul H. Anderson Sr. 38C 40L & Marian Anderson Paul H. Anderson Jr. 75L Wright H. Andrews Jr. 70C 73L & Lisa S. Andrews The Arnold Foundation Inc. Morton Henry Aronson & Ellen S. Aronson Anthony B. Askew 65L & Margaret Royster Askew 65G
Ashley Jane Austin 09L Emily C. Baker 98C 01L & Christopher C. Bly 99C 02L Anthony M. Balloon 02L & Shannon M. Balloon Donald E. Batterson 93L & Karen E. Batterson Charles H. Battle Jr. 70L & Lola E. Battle Henry R. Bauer Jr. 67L & Mary Carole Cooney 75L Gerald L. Baxter 76L
The Hon. Dorothy Toth Beasley 08L J. Guy Beatty Jr. 57L & Patricia Peter Beatty Nicholas D. Bedford 09L Elizabeth Antonakakis Beebe 98L & Jonathan Beebe Priya Vinay Bhoplay 04C 09L Jessica Sara Boar 02L & Roland Del Cid George Harry Bobotis 09L Carol Bogash Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore LLP William L. Bost Jr. 73L & Ruthanna J. Bost Emily R. Bramer 02L L. Travis Brannon Jr. 52L & Jean Mouchet Brannon Peter A. Braverman 77L & Susan R. Rosenberg 78L Shirley Rose Brener 07L Tekesha R. Brown 09L Cecile A Broz Aaron L. Buchsbaum 54L & Esther Rosenbaum Buchsbaum Bradley Matthew Burman 09B 09L A. Paul Cadenhead 49L & Sara Davenport Cadenhead James C. Camp 76L & Delia Alice Park Robert D. Carl III 78L & Anne C. Currie Christopher A.P. Carpenter 94L Robert Terry Carroll II 04C 09L Benjamin J. Chapman & Julie A. Leff Ellen S. Cheek 95L & Ty J. Cheek Ian C. Clarke 07L Leslie Evan Cline 08L
A. Morgan Cloud III & Shelby D. Gennett The Hon. Ezra Harry Cohen 69L & Katherine Meyers Cohen Ileen Smith Cohen & Leonard Cohen Halli D. Cohn 90L & Richard J. Warren 92L The Hon. Brenda Hill Cole 77L & Thomas W. Cole Jr.
Britt-Marie Khalilah Cole-Johnson 03C 08L & Craig Johnson Robert L. Coley 70B 73L & Bettie T. Coley Daniel Joseph Conner 09L The Hon. Clarence Cooper 67L & Shirley Elder Cooper 84A Gabrielle Marie D’Adamo 09L Nichole Elaine Davis 08L Richard T. de Mayo 71C 74L & Claudia Poulnot de Mayo Mark F. Dehler 84L & L. Cathy Cox Tomas Edwin Delgado 08L Christina Ellen Del Gaizo 09L Brian Scott Dieter 09L Sarah Treble Dingivan 05C 09L Carolyn B. Dobbins 78L & Benjamin Knox Dobbins The Hon. John E. Dougherty 48C 50L Brent Michael Douglas 09L William Bradford Drummond 08L Steven S. Dunlevie 73L & Katherine S. Dunlevie Michael Leonard Eber 09L & Alison Eber A. James Elliott 63C 66L & Phyllis H. Marshburn W. Tinsley Ellis 55C 58L & Judith Williams Ellis 57C M. Jerome Elmore 76L & Susan Elmore Michael V. Elsberry 74L & Sally Ann Blackmun 76L Mark David Engsberg Epiq Systems Inc. David M. Epstein 88L & Sandra L. Epstein 89L Martha Williams Fagan & James D. Fagan Jr. Jennifer Ellen Fairbairn 09L L. Susan Faw 78L John Patrick Figura 09L Martha L.A. Fineman J. D. Fleming Jr. 67L David H. Flint 71L & Sandra Flint Elizabeth D. Floyd 83L & John E. Floyd 83L William L. Floyd 65L & Connie Floyd Jamie I. Freedman 08L Danielle B. Frisa 09L Gerard J. Gaeng 84L Mark Eric Galvez 08L David H. Gambrell & Luck F. Gambrell Sharon A. Gay 82L & Neil C. Schemm Ruth H. Gershon 67C 70L & Sanford A. Cohn 67L GlassRatner Advisory & Capital Group Brian S. Goldstein 85L & Marcia Karetsky Goldstein 86L Marc Goldstein 84C 87L & Elaine G. Goldstein 86C Timothy J. Goodwin 90L & Andrea G. Weyermann Andrea Lori Gottesman 09L Judson Graves 75L & Kathryn Heath Graves 93PH Greenberg Traurig LLP Drew Van DeVere Greene 09L Bernard L. Greer Jr. 68L & Lynda K. Greer
The classes of 1969, 1979, 1989 and 1999 celebrated their reunions in September. Pictures may be found at http://bit.ly/iFVqN. Kenneth A. Gross 75L & Karin G. Gross Ernest James Guadiana 09L Ashley Brown Guffey 09L Tanisha Janelle Hadley 09L David L. Hamilton 75L & Ann B. Hamilton Gregory R. Hanthorn 85L & Judith A. Hanthorn W. Marvin Hardy III 61OX 63C 66L & Pamela P. Hardy Carrie Lynn Harrison 09L Norman A. Hartman Jr. 74L & Barbara L. Hartman Barrett K. Hawks 60B 63L & Kathleen P. Hawks Hedge Funds Care Inc. Adam David Herring 09L The Hon. James C. Hill 48L & Mary B. Hill Catherine Marie Hilton 95L & Larry W. Hilton Robert H. Hishon 69L Grover B. Hogan Timothy Holbrook Harry C. Howard 55L & Telside Strickland Howard Susan Hoy 74L Robert P. Hoyt 74L Fangda Huang 05C 09L Laura S. Huffman 08L The Hon. Willis B. Hunt Jr. 54L & Ursula S. Hunt Hunton & Williams LLP Timothy L. Hussey Richard C. Ingwersen 73L & T. W. Ingwersen Thomas Joseph Izzo 09L Elizabeth Ann Johnson 82L & Nathaniel E. Gozansky Jones Day John A. Jordak Jr. 93L & Nancy Y. Jordak 93L Sam K. Kaywood Jr. 86L & Cheryl L. Kaywood Christopher Robert Kazanowski 09L Peter A. Kelly 08L 08B David Kessler 94L & Rhonda Kessler TaeJin Andrew Kim 03C 09L Margaret J. Kochuba 09L
Elisa Smith Kodish 99L & Thad C. Kodish 00L Deborah Brooke Koslin 09L The Hon. Phyllis A. Kravitch 98L Madeline B. Kuflik 75L & Sidney Howard Kuflik Derek Wen-hao Kung 07L Jennifer Kwon 09L The Hon. John S. Langford Jr. 58L & Margaret E. Langford Graham Spencer Lee 09L The Hon. Elliott H. Levitas 52C 56L & Barbara Hillman Levitas Thomas E. Lewis 70L Zachary Stephen Lewis 09L Jonathan Charles Lippert 08L Douglas J. MacGinnitie 92L & Michelle T. MacGinnitie Kareem A. Maddison 03L & Shonda Maddison Meghan Howett Magruder 80C 83L & Alexander Clarke Magruder Jr. 80C David C. McBride 75L & Sally McBride Michael J. McConnell 86L & Nancy M. McConnell James F. McDonough III 07L & Melissa McDonough Barbara A. McIntyre 78L & Victor A. Speck Joseph H. McLure Jr. 55L & Jessica B. McLure Patricia Ratner McWeeney 84L & Micheal McWeeney Christina E. Meier 83L & John E. Hottendorf Linda Giunta Michaelson 90L & David J. Michaelson Lee P. Miller 82L Jeanne M. Mininall 79L Thoral David Mitchell 89L Elizabeth Ann Morgan 90L Jawad Bassam Muaddi 07L Carl W. Mullis III 75L & Marian Mullis Paul J. Murphy 86L & Gia M. Partain Christopher T. Nace 03B 03L Sally Cotter Nielsen 82L & Ned Nielsen
Albert G. Norman Jr. 58L & Marshall D. Norman The Hon. William C. O’Kelley 51C 53L & Ernestine Allen O’Kelley The Hon. Mary Margaret Oliver 72L Robert I. Paller 58L & Caryl Paller Wilmer Parker III 76L & Rebecca J. Skillern Parker Vivek Ashwin Patel 08L Erin Elizabeth Patrick 09L & Benjamin Black Alper 09L Paul, Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP Todd R. Phillips 83L & Stacey Brady Justin R. Pollak 08B 08L Randi Pomerantz 86L & Scott Pomerantz 86M Teresa Lynn Porter 09L Barbara Lee Portman 88L Leslie Anne Powell 09L Janette B. Pratt Presbyterian Publishing Corp. Joseph P. Records 09L & Jennifer Angel Records 09L Anne M. Rector 87L & Julie Hassell 65OX 67C Lawrence Andrew Reicher 08L B. Allen Reid 80L & Leslie M. Reid Mark David Richardson 09L Andrew Stricker Robbins 09L Thomas D. Robertson 78L Jennifer Murphy Romig & Curtis J. Romig Alvin I. Rosenblum 09L Ethan Michael Rosenzweig 02L Kevin Arnold Ross 80L & Gornata Lynn Ross Peter J. Ross 78L & Anne I. Thorson Neal A. Roth 76L Teemu Ruskola Robert Travis Santos 09L Joseph O. Saseen 54L & Patricia F. Saseen Daniel A. Sasse 97L & Anne M. Brafford Arthur Jay Schwartz 72L & Joyce Straus Schwartz Neal Dinesh Shah 09L J. Ben Shapiro 64C 67L & Nancy Shapiro Herbert D. Shellhouse 72C 75L & Winifred D. Simpson 80L Samuel M. Singer 09L G. Harlan Smith 01C 09L Kristen David Smith 95L & Jeffrey Smith Donna Irvin Sobel 82L & Edward B. Sobel 82L Brian Daniel Spielman 09L Wendie C. Stabler 83L & W. Laird Stabler III Michael David Stacy 09L Tina L. Stark & David Weisenfeld Courtney Blaire Statfeld 07L Jay Frederick Steele 94L Nicole Amy Stein 09L Thomas E. Story III 80B 83L & Janice K. Story 82B John R. Strother Jr. 56C 58L & Elsie W. Strother 58C Courtney Devon Taylor 08L
Nicholas B. Telesca 89L Nancy F. Tenenbaum 74C & Bert Tenenbaum 75C Timothy P. Terrell & Mary E. Terrell William J. Terry 70L & Marie Carmen Fernandez Laura G. Thatcher 80L & Brad Thatcher Randolph W. Thrower 34C 36L Willard N. Timm Jr. 68L & Wanda F. Timm Charles H. Tisdale 72L & Martha Eskew Tisdale Troutman Sanders LLP Bruce L. Udolf 79L & Sheryl Singer Udolf Iva Uroic 07L Puja Bipin Vadodaria 09L Christa Theodora Van Der Zalm 09L Barbara A. Van Gelder 76L & Oliver B. Patton Shelia Vandall 73G & Frank J. Vandall Marjorie K. Voth 07L & Sebastian Voth 09L Brian Matthew Wagner 09L R. J. Watts II 81L & Maureen W. Watts Amy Levin Weil 77C 81L & Craig E. Weil 81MR Neal A. Weinstein 81L & Rebecca L. Weinstein 81L Jordan P. Weiss 77L & Carol Login Weiss Joshua Darman Weiss 09L Terry R. Weiss 83C 86L & Jennifer Falk Weiss 86L Della Wager Wells 86L & Jere A. Wells Louise M. Wells 74C 78L & Thomas M. Wells III David A. Wender 03L & Jaime S. Wender Stephen David Weyer 00OX 02C 09L 10T Warren O. Wheeler 70L & Linda G. Wheeler Trevor C. Wilmot 09L David D. Wilson 93L & Melody Wilder Wilson Stanford G. Wilson 80L & Debi T. Wilson T. Henry Wilson Jr. & Janet H. Wilson Anne Temple Wise 09L Timothy W. Wolfe 75C 78L & Kim M. Wolfe The Hon. Anne Workman 72L Karen L. Worthington 94L 06G & Mark Crowe Jack G. Yopp Christopher C. York 66L & Marilyn York Esther Hyeshin Yu 09L David A. Zimmerman 99L & Stephanie M. Zimmerman Paul John Zwier II & Marlene D. Zwier
Please visit www.law.emory.edu/ donors to view the complete list for 2009.
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By the Numbers Emory Law more than doubled its scholarship pool between 2006 and 2009. The overall discount rate increased from 19 percent to 35 percent bringing the school more in line with its peers and enabling more students to graduate with less debt. Increased scholarships from the dean’s appointment package allowed Emory Law to improve its median LSAT score to 166, supporting a rise in U.S. News & World Report ranking to No. 20. As additional scholarship money is reduced, alumni gifts to the Law School Fund will be critical to maintaining overall student quality and ranking. Financial aid dollars spent (millions)
U.S. News & World Report ranking
Median LSAT score 166
5
20
165
4
22
164 3
24 163
2
26
162 1
28
161
0
20 06
2007
2008
2009
160
20 06
2007
2008
2009
30
20 06
2007
2008
2009 @Work Challenge
Alumni giving and participation rates
The 2009 @Work Challenge, an annual alumni participation/giving competition, achieved record participation. The challenge raised $180,909 for the Law School Fund and added 19 new donors through 35 participating firms despite an uncertain economic climate.
Total giving*
2005
$2,154,134
$765,829
20%
2006
$3,312,393
$838,716
20%
2007
$2,988,849
$1,277,042
22%
2008
$1,851,399
$1,039,415
21%
2009
$2,566,723
$1,276,984
22%
2009
Total alumni giving Alumni participation
*Total giving includes gifts by friends, foundations and organizations
2009 top participation firms and organizations Akerman Senterfitt . . . . . . . . . . 100% Burr Forman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100%
Annual Fund giving
Chamberlain Hrdlicka. . . . . . . . 100%
Total giving
Number of donors
City of Atlanta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100%
2005
$545,402
1,282
Ogletree Deakins. . . . . . . . . . . . 100%
2006
$526,997
1,308
McKenna Long Aldridge . . . . . . 89%
2007
$562,266
1,475
Smith, Gambrell & Russell . . . . 89%
2008
$539,891
1,520
Emory University . . . . . . . . . . . . 80%
2009
$661,984
1,463
2009
4,198 3,333 1,903 $671 22% Total gifts
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Alumni gifts
Alumni donors
Average alumni gift
alumni participation
There are more than 700 reasons to become an Emory Law Partner.
Jason Esteves is just one of them.
Announcing Emory Law Partners, a unique way for your firm to reach some of the brightest legal minds in the country. Get involved with Emory Law by sponsoring student activities and organizations throughout the year through one point of contact. Opportunities include: • Diversity and affinity organizations • Emory Public Interest Committee • Mock Trial and Moot Court teams • Student Bar Association • Student law journals To learn more about how to become a partner, contact Alleen Deutsch, director of development, at 404.727.5773 or alleen.deutsch@emory.edu.
Jason Esteves 10L Student Bar Association President and member of Black Law Students Association and Latin American Law Students Association
more than practice
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Giving Back
Meet the Emory Law Alumni Board From left to right: Alison Elko 03L is an associate at McKenna, Long & Aldridge in Atlanta, specializing in bankruptcy. Rob Kaufman 75L is the managing partner of Kaufman Miller & Sivertsen in Atlanta. He has chaired Emory Law’s Family & Friends Day since 2006, as well as the Emory Law Alumni Mentor Program.
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Halli Cohn 90L is a partner in the tort and environmental litigation practice groups at King & Spalding in Atlanta. The president of the Emory Law Alumni Association, she is a longstanding member of various alumni leadership boards, including the Dean’s Advisory Board and the Dean’s Ad Hoc Leadership Review Committee. Kareem Maddison 03L is the managing attorney at Morris Hardwick & Schneider’s Tucker office. Maddison serves on the Black Law Students Association alumni board.
Thad Kodish 00L is a partner at Fish & Richardson in Atlanta, specializing in intellectual property. Kodish served on the Dean’s Ad Hoc Leadership Review Committee in 20082009. Jennifer Dickinson 01L is an associate at HunterMaclean, in Savannah, Ga., specializing in employment law. She is one of the youngest presidents of the Savannah Bar Association and founded her firm’s pro bono program.
Melissa Hawkins 03L recently started the Hawkins Legal Group LLC, where she practices litigation and transactional law. John Jordak 93L is a litigation partner at Alston & Bird in Atlanta, where he chairs the securities litigation group.
Giving Back Della Wells 86L is a partner at Alston & Bird in Atlanta, specializing in finance. She wrote a biography on George Woodruff. Judge Leo Gordon 77L was appointed to the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York in 2006. Doug MacGinnitie 92L serves as city councilman in Sandy Springs, Ga.
Carlos Kelly 97L is a stockholder with Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt in Fort Myers, Fla., where he handles commercial litigation, real estate litigation and eminent domain matters. Jackie Pampel 02L is a senior tax attorney at Baker & McKenzie in Chicago. She is the president of the Chicago Emory Law Alumni Association.
John Maggio 96L is a partner at Condon & Forsyth in New York City, practicing aviation law. Maggio serves on the New York City Emory Law Alumni Leadership Board. Mark Rogers 05L is an associate at Smith Gambrell & Russell in Atlanta, specializing in general and securities litigation. Not pictured: Erin Bailey 06L is an associate with Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP in Charleston, W.Va., specializing in employee benefits, executive compensation and ERISA.
Emily Baker 98C 01L is a senior associate at Jones Day in Atlanta, where she specializes in products liability litigation. Stacey Blaustein Divack 88L is a IBM staff attorney in New York. She also serves on the New York City Emory Law Alumni Leadership Board. Erin Healy Gallagher 06L is an associate at Jones Day in Washington, D.C., specializing in general litigation. Ashby Kent 03L is an attorney with Burr Forman in Atlanta, specializing in commercial litigation, financial services and torts.
winter 2009
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Giving Back
A Letter from the Alumni President
G
reetings from the Emory Law Alumni Association. I am pleased to report the newly constituted governing body of our alumni community — the Emory Law Alumni Board — recently completed its second meeting. By all measures, we have succeeded in creating a diverse, energized and committed group of alumni who are dedicated to serving our students and you in the next year. The board is actively fulfilling its mission to provide meaningful opportunities for alumni to remain engaged in the Emory Law community through strategic alumni programming and student-alumni interaction. To that end, we have divided into working groups. The first group is focusing on alumni serving students. Over these last few months, I have been impressed with how quickly board members seized upon the importance of organizing activities between students and alumni to assist our students in refining their career goals and aspirations.
It is clear we must leverage technology — specifically social networking — to reach a broader group of alumni. Soon, board members likely will call upon you to serve as mentors and resources to our students. I encourage you to accept their invitation. The board believes assisting Greg Riggs 79l, associate dean for student services, with creating an optimal student experience will influence third-year students’ commitment to Emory Law as alumni. The University alumni board has spent two years investigating similar “student-to-alumni experience” initiatives for undergraduates. We hope to leverage that research to benefit Emory lawyers. (We have four fantastic representatives on the University board, who we look forward to partnering with as well, President Paul McLarty 63c 66l, Susan Hoy 74l, Isabel Garcia 99l and Chris Bly 99c 02l.) Simple ideas — such as creating a student friendly database of alumni who can answer questions about a career
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path and providing networking opportunities with alumni over winter and spring breaks — go a long way in demonstrating our concern and commitment to our students’ success. The second working group is focusing on “alumni serving alumni.” This group will concentrate on providing opportunities for our nearly 10,000 alumni to reconnect with one another, as well as our school. Approximately 17 percent of alumni have at least one “touch point” with Emory Law each year. Board member Doug MacGinnite 92l succinctly identified our opportunity: “That means we have 83 percent of alumni we need to reach.” Ideas include expanding cle seminars, enhancing the reunion experience, organizing meaningful and worthwhile networking gatherings and providing career guidance when our alumni face employment crossroads, among other things. It is clear we must leverage technology — specifically social networking — to reach a broader group of alumni. Prior to our first meeting, Carlos Kelly 97l sent me a LinkedIn request with a message about how he had been waiting for an opportunity to do something — to give back to the school. I am convinced that there are many more alumni like Carlos who simply need to be connected with Emory Law so they can share their gifts with our students and one another. Social media could be the easiest way possible to jumpstart that conversation. Finally, if you have suggestions for the board — things for us to consider, projects to tackle or programming options — please contact us. If you want to get involved and don’t know where to begin, let us know. We are here to serve you and our school.
Halli Cohn 90l hcohn@kslaw.com
Giving Back
Board Members Focus on Engaging Alumni, Strengthening School
“I
’m an Emory alumnus and lawyer,” says Rob appeal to different age groups.” Kaufman 75l. “It’s my duty to advance the interests Wells recommends the board assess its resources before of the school and its students. It’s the duty of my deciding what programs to implement. profession.” “For example, we could build on current faculty continuKaufman, managing partner of Kaufman Miller & ing legal education or other practice enrichment programs,” Sivertsen, and 19 other fellow alumni agreed to serve on Wells says. “cle programs taught by faculty could keep the new Emory Law Alumni Association Board that has Emory active and relevant in the lives of our alumni, as well been charged with engaging alumni through strategic as draw alumni, faculty and students together.” programming and student-alumni interaction. “This very talented group of people was concerned and interested in advancing our school for our students and alumni,” Kaufman says. Some, like Kaufman and Della Wells 86l, have served the school since graduation. “I’ve stayed involved with the law school from my student days beginning in 1983,” says Wells, a partner at Alston & Bird in Atlanta. “I felt my experience at the law school made a huge difference for me and equipped me for my career.” All are enthusiastic about the opportunity to help strengthen Emory Law. “When I was asked, I was ready to help,” says Carlos Kelly 97l, a stockholder with Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt in Fort Myers, Fla. “I do believe the experiences I had at Emory Law fueled my intellectual curiosity.” “I had a great experience and loved it,” says Jackie Pampel 02l, a senior tax attorney at Baker & McKenzie in Chicago. “I got a great legal education and want to give back to the school. I really like the direction the law school is going and want to be a part of it.” Kareem Maddison 03l, managing attorney John Maggio 96L (left) and Kareem Maddison 03L discuss alumni board at Morris Hardwick & Schneider in Tucker, Ga., projects during the August meeting. agrees. “I am excited about engaging alumni with our students Pampel would like to engage alumni in encouraging and new graduates and aligning the two — getting them others to get involved. more connected and increasing the networking,” Maddison “If you see your pals from law school coming to an event, says. “I want the two groups to talk with each other. you might be more interested in coming to that same event,” Connecting alumni and students is the most important Pampel says. “We also need to have more interesting and reason why I joined the board.” broader programs. We need to provide something that our The board has been tasked with two key areas by alums can’t get somewhere else.” alumni association president, Halli Cohn 90l, — alumni Kelly agrees. “The most important role for the board is serving alumni and alumni serving students. making meaningful contact with fellow alumni and stu“Given the current economy, I think we all could bendents. The interpersonal relationships are key. We need to efit from the help and experience of other Emory alumni,” have handfuls of people reaching out; otherwise, engaging Maddison says. “We need to develop networking functions with alumni and students will be impossible.” for all practice areas. These networking functions need to —Wendy R. Cromwell
The board has been tasked with two key areas — alumni serving alumni and alumni serving students.
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Faculty Voices
Title VII Landscape after Ricci v. DeStefano by Charles A. Shanor
O
ften, employers seek competent and diverse employees. But, race-blind selection devices like scored tests may shortchange diversity aspirations and diversityregarding devices may undermine competence goals. In Ricci v. DeStefano, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Title VII requires an employer to have a “strong basis in evidence” that a selection device was not job-related before abandoning it. Otherwise, the employer must stick with the test despite diversity desires. After Ricci, employers having this problem must address two questions. Is my decision because of race? And, do I have a “strong basis in evidence” for thinking the test is not job-related?
Ricci says that when diversity desires conflict with nondiscrimination norms, diversity must yield under Title VII.
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Race or not? Abandoning test results for nonracial reasons after Ricci is permissible, but it is not clear what reasons are nonracial. An employer no longer needing to fill jobs who decides against using a test acts nonracially. But, one with unchanged business needs who learns the promotion pool demographics is more problematic. After Ricci, arguing ethnic diversity was the reason for scuttling a test will not suffice. Post-Ricci employers must show that “racial outcomes were far from our minds,” even if they have previously published commitments to diversity and affirmative action. Consider a “we want to avoid Title VII liability” rather than a “we need diversity” approach by an employer. A professional opinion before abandoning test results that finds “a substantial likelihood of a disparate impact challenge if the results are implemented” is not enough after Ricci. The employer needs expert guidance that the test given, usually contrary to pretesting representations of the test developer, was not job-related. It will be expensive and hard to obtain. Companies will not wish to broadcast test results before carefully assessing the test’s validity. In Ricci, this occurred with the posting of exam results, but most private employers, even before Ricci would not have posted such results. Notice that “due to changes in our
business needs, all prior applicants who wish to be further considered should reapply” is a wiser approach. No plaintiffs, no lawsuit. Strong basis in evidence? The Ricci dissenters wrote the “strong basis in evidence” test was novel and insufficiently respectful of affirmative action motivations. After Ricci, one might ask where this standard lies along the better-known “preponderance of the evidence” and “clear and convincing evidence” continuum. I suspect it is closer to the latter. Ricci indicates that employers must assess a test’s validity evenhandedly before abandoning it, but experts and lawyers may disagree as to whether particular evidence shows job-relatedness. Experts use different methodologies and may have hidden agendas (like the one in Ricci whose testimony may have been a thinly veiled plug for his methodology). Procedurally, there may be lawyers who advise corporations to suspend action based on a test and file a declaratory judgment action to get a judicial determination whether invalidity has a “strong basis in evidence.” If the judge says yes, the test is abandoned; if the judge says no, the test is used. The bottom line? An employer with unchanged business needs (like New Haven needing fire officers) and race (diversity) factors present in its decisional process, may be more likely to face Title VII liability if it abandons rather than retains a test. Ricci says that when diversity desires conflict with nondiscrimination norms, diversity must yield under Title VII. Some day, when employment affirmative action is tested under the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, it will likely be found wanting. Charles A. Shanor, professor of law, teaches employment discrimination and constitutional law, served as general counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and once represented police promotional candidates disappointed by a city’s decision to abandon the results of an exam.
Can you imagine turning a life lesson into a
life’s work?
Inspired by the children she met while volunteering at a day camp in Tennessee, Stacy Tolos 10L is filling her resume with public service. She has founded a program for at-risk students, taught English in West Africa, and co-developed a college course in corporate social responsibility. Now she has been named to the board of Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit supporting students and lawyers working in the public interest. “I just take the opportunities that are presented to me,” she says, “and try to make a difference.” Your support will help Emory Law educate leaders with a passion for knowledge and a commitment to public service.
It can happen here.
www.campaign.emory.edu
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