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Loyola Lawyer LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS LAW MAGAZINE
FALL 2009
The Write Stuff WESTERFIELD FELLOWS PROGRAM LEADS TO SUCCESS IN LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP AND TEACHING
LAW PROFESSOR JOINS OBAMA ADMINISTRATION • SKILLS CURRICULUM CELEBRATES SUCCESS ALUMNUS FULFILLS LIFELONG DREAM • NEW FACULTY WELCOMED
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LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS Loyola University New Orleans President The Rev. Kevin Wm. Wildes, S.J. Dean Brian Bromberger Associate Dean for Academic Affairs The Rev. Larry Moore, S.J. Associate Dean for Student Affairs Stephanie Jumonville ’86 Assistant Dean of Admissions and Minority Affairs K. Michele Allison-Davis Vice President for Institutional Advancement Victoria A. Frank Associate Vice President for Major Gifts Chris Wiseman ’88 Associate Vice President for Marketing Terrell F. Fisher ’76 Loyola Lawyer Editor Publications Editor Ray Willhoft ’00 Loyola Lawyer Designer Publications Coordinator Theresa Ryan ’00 University Photographer Harold Baquet Senior Major Gifts Officer College of Law Suzanne Valtierra Law Alumni and Development Officer Alice Glenn Director of Public Affairs and External Relations Meredith M. Hartley Communications Coordinator James Shields Contributor Sean Snyder
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Loyola Lawyer LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS LAW MAGAZINE
Vol. 6 • No. 2 • Fall 2009 • www.law.loyno.edu
COVER FOCUS 10
The Write Stuff
FEATURES 16
The Skills for Success
20
A Lifelong Dream Fulfilled
22
New Kids in Town
DEPARTMENTS 6
On the Record
24
Alumni News
28
Alumni Events
30
Faculty News
Loyola Lawyer is published bi-annually for Loyola University New Orleans College of Law alumni and friends. Please address correspondence to: Loyola Lawyer 7214 St. Charles Avenue, Box 909 New Orleans, LA 70118 News and photographs for possible use in future issues may be submitted by readers.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Loyola Lawyer Loyola University New Orleans 7214 St. Charles Avenue, Box 909 New Orleans, LA 70118
Loyola University New Orleans has fully supported and fostered in its educational programs, admissions, employment practices, and in the activities it operates the policy of not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex/gender, or sexual orientation. This policy is in compliance with all applicable federal regulations and guidelines.
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From the Dean As we move through the 2009 – 2010 academic year, we are planning many exciting things at the College of Law. We have welcomed the largest first-year class in our history. Three hundred twentyfive students have been admitted from 125 colleges and represent 35 states. Not only do they bring diversity to the college, but their excitement and eagerness to learn invigorate both the faculty and staff. Our Westerfield Fellows Program is now in its fifth year. The program was designed for outstanding individuals who wish to pursue careers in academia. Fellows gain teaching experience while being afforded time to devote to scholarly writing and publication. The program has been a great success with seven fellows securing tenure track positions in law schools across the country. We are pleased to have two new fellows this year—JoAnne Sweeny, J.D., and Robert F. Weber, J.D. We are also proud to announce the addition of three new tenure track faculty members—Associate Professor Craig R. Senn, J.D., Assistant Professor Karen Sokol, J.D., and Associate Professor Imre Szalai, J.D. In the short time they have been with us, they have made valuable contributions to our academic community. Our Skills Curriculum continues to be a point of pride for the college. Our students are taught the practical lawyering skills that can give them a critical edge as they enter into the legal profession. Practicing attorneys and judges, many of whom are Loyola graduates, bring their experience and expertise into the Skills classroom. Thanks to the diligence of Patricia Phipps ’98, director of the Skills Curriculum, the program continues to have a huge impact on our students. Alumni participation in annual events has been very successful. In the summer, we again look forward to the Annual Party at the Louisiana State Bar Convention in Sandestin, Fla. Graduates eagerly await Law Reunion celebrations to reunite with friends. The Law Alumni Luncheon was enormously successful last year. Please plan to attend this most successful event again this year which is scheduled on January 29, 2010, at the Hotel InterContinental, as well as other planned class reunions. As the College of Law strives to enhance its outstanding national and local reputation, we welcome your continued support. A Loyola education prepares our students for successful careers, but it also instills the values that they will carry with them throughout their lives. Without your continued support, neither would be possible.
—Brian Bromberger College of Law Dean Judge Adrian G. Duplantier Distinguished Professor of Law
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Spring 2009
SKILLS CURRICULUM COURSE VOLUNTEERS
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Pat Phipps, director of the Skills Curriculum, extend sincere appreciation to the following attorneys who volunteered their time to teach during the spring 2009 semester. Practical Legal Research Francis X. Norton; Associate Professor, Reference Librarian
Motion Practice Bobby J. Delise; Delise & Hall
Deposition Skills Workshop William J. Sommers, Jr.; Duncan, Courington & Rydberg, L.L.C.
Mediaiton Skills Workshop Tom Grace; MAPS, Inc. Glenda Barkate; MAPS, Inc.
Using the Internet for Legal Research Brian Huddleston; Senior Reference Librarian, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law Representing the Federal Criminal Defendant in Court Marion D. Floyd; Attorney at Law How to Write a Will Deana Palmisano Lejarza; Palmisano Lejarza Law Firm, L.L.C. Trial Tactics William J. Sommers, Jr.; Duncan, Courington & Rydberg, L.L.C. Pleadings Drafting Workshop Robert Angelle; Attorney at Law The Professional in Practice Bobby J. Delise; Delise & Hall Developing the Theme & Theory of the Case William J. Sommers, Jr.; Duncan, Courington & Rydberg, L.L.C. Alternative Dispute Resolution Mock Mediation with Mediation Counsel Wayne Babovich; Babovich & Spedale 5,300 Reasons to Handle the Social Security Disability Case Elaine DeLoach; Group Supervisor, Office of Disability Adjudication & Review, Social Security Administration Technology & The Law—Beyond Word Processing Charles O. Taylor; Chehardy, Sherman, Ellis, Breslin, Murray, Recile & Griffith
Legal Letters—Communication for Lawyers Warren Horn; Heller, Draper, Hayden, Patrick & Horn, L.L.C. Family Law Workshop Lynne W. Wasserman; Attorney at Law Using Demonstrative Evidence at Trial Marion D. Floyd; Attorney at Law Negotiation Techniques Bobby J. Delise; Delise & Hall Drafting Corporate Documents Ryan Adams; Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein McAlister & Hilbert, L.L.C. Anatomy of a Construction Case Gordon Wilson; Attorney at Law Advocacy for the Ages Dominic J. Gianna; Middleberg, Riddle & Gianna The Art of Persuasion William J. Sommers, Jr.; Duncan, Courington & Rydberg, L.L.C. The Personal Injury Case—Plaintiff & Defense Views John W. Redmann; The Redmann Law Firm Leonard D’Angelo; Frederick A. Miller & Associates Lawyers in the Great Tradition The Argument of an Appeal The Hon. Harry T. Lemmon; Justice, LA Supreme Court (retired) Prof. Paul R. Baier; George M. Armstrong, Jr., Professor of Law, LSU Law Center
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On the Record
News Alumnae donate special gift n May 7, the College of Law held a ceremony in the Law Library to dedicate a bust of St. Ignatius Loyola, a result of a generous gift from Evangeline M. Vavrick, J.D. ’64 and her daughter, Evangeline A. Vavrick, J.D. ’01. Both are active alumni of Loyola. The elder Vavrick has served as president of the Loyola Alumni Association and was a recipient of the College of Law’s St. Ives Award in 1996, and the younger Vavrick is a current member of the Law Alumni Association Board. The Vavricks have been long-time supporters of the Loyola community and the College of Law. Associate Dean Larry Moore, S.J., performed the dedication ceremony with President Emeritus James Carter, S.J., and many Vavrick friends in attendance. “The College of Law was delighted to unveil a bust of Saint Ignatius of Loyola which was purchased as a result of a donation from Evangeline and Eve Vavrick,” says Dean Brian Bromberger. “The bust stands at the entrance to the law library and is a reminder to all of the Jesuit foundations of the university and law school.” The elder Vavrick has been active in the Louisiana State Bar Association as a member of the House of Delegates, the New
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Evangeline A. Vavrick, the Rev. Larry Moore, S.J., Evangeline M. Vavrick, the Rev. James Carter, S.J., and Dean Brian Bromberger.
Orleans Bar Association, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Bar Association. She has been president, vice president, and secretary of both the Academy of New Orleans Trial Lawyers and the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Both mother and daughter actively practice law in New Orleans, La.
College of Law presents Angola 3 he Loyola University New Orleans College of Law chapter of the National Lawyers Guild presented the play Angola 3 Sept. 18 – 20. The play, written and produced by Parnell Herbert and directed by Wayne DeHart, told the true story of three men, Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace, who organized a prisoner protest against miserable conditions in Louisiana’s Angola prison in the early 1970s. After a prison riot in 1972, the three men were accused of killing a prison guard and locked in solitary confinement. All three claim they were falsely accused for the murder because of their prisoner organizing and political activism. King’s conviction was overturned in 2001, and he was released from prison after serving 29 years. After 36 years, Woodfox and Wallace remain in solitary confinement. Many human rights activists, including Amnesty International, have
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called on Angola prison authorities to end their isolation on humanitarian grounds. The play was sponsored by Loyola’s National Lawyers Guild, the Black Law Students Association, Amnesty International, the Public Interest Law Group, the Association of Women Law Students, and Tulane University’s National Lawyers Guild. Founded in 1937, the National Lawyers Guild was the nation’s first racially integrated bar association. The National Lawyers Guild is dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system. Through its members—lawyers, law students, jailhouse lawyers, and legal workers united in chapters and committees—the guild works locally, nationally, and internationally as an effective political and social force in the service of the people.
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NEW CLASS DEMOGRAPHICS Class size:
325
Gender:
51% Male 49% Female
Average Age: 25 Diversity:
32.5%
Avg. LSAT: Avg. GPA:
153 3.3
States:
35
Colleges:
125
Professor Luz Molina receives prestigious award he Louisiana State Bar Association awarded College of Law Professor Luz M. Molina the 2009 David A. Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award on May 19. Molina, the Jack Nelson Distinguished Professor of Law, was recognized for 30 years of legal advocacy on behalf of underserved communities. Molina works in the Loyola Law Clinic with student practitioners in labor and employment law practice as part of her Workplace Justice Project, which is supported by the Southern Poverty Law Center. She also supervises the Extern Program and is responsible for student placement, supervision, and instruction. The award, which “recognizes individuals whose work demonstrates a life-long commitment to the provision of legal services to the poor and to the significant enhancement of the pro bono movement,” is awarded annually to a Louisiana attorney who has practiced at least 15 years.
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Professor Robert Verchick joins Obama administration authier-St. Martin Eminent Scholar Chair in Environmental Law Robert Verchick was selected to become the deputy associate administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation. Located in the Office of the Administrator, OPEI is the main policy arm of the EPA, which manages the agency-wide rulemaking process, reviews final policy analyses, and oversees the testing of new and innovative approaches to environmental protection. Verchick joined the Washington, D.C.-based staff of nearly 200 experts in the fields of regulation, policy, economics, and business on October 19 and will serve there for a minimum of 12 months. He plans to return to teaching at Loyola when his responsibilities with the EPA end.
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On the Record
News aw student Plezetta West was a big winner of Wheel of Fortune, netting $120,050 for her efforts. During her birthday weekend in April 2008, West decided to attend tryouts for Wheel of Fortune when the “Wheelmobile” stopped in New Orleans, La. Her name was not called that day, but a few weeks later, she got a belated birthday present—a callback for a second audition. For two weeks leading up to the audition, West, of Natchez, Miss., practiced nonstop and researched online, asking past contestants for pointers and tips. Her hard work paid off, and she was invited to be on the show in California. The episode with West aired March 23. During the show, West endured some ups and downs, but the Wheel was on her side. She correctly solved word puzzles through four rounds, making it all the way to the Bonus Round puzzle, where she won $120,050 by correctly spelling out “Magic Wand.” In addition to the money, West also won a trip to Central America. A member of Loyola’s Moot Court and Trial Advocacy teams, she credits both with honing the courtroom skills that helped her win at Wheel of Fortune.
Photo courtesy of Carol Kaelson.
Wheel of Fortune pays off for law student
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SAVE THE DATE 8
Plezetta West
Loyola College of Law and The Environmental Law Society present
The 2010 National Association of Environmental Law Societies Annual Conference March 4 – 7, 2010 A premier weekend of environmental law: gathering students, lawyers, scholars, activists, and community members together to support effective environmental law dialogue. E-mail els@loyno.edu for more information.
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College of Law Honor Roll of Donors August 1, 2008 – July 31, 2009 he College of Law wishes to recognize and thank the following alumni, who celebrated a reunion, for their contributions in support of Loyola’s College of Law in Fiscal Year 2009.
T 1958 The Hon. Denis A. Barry Mr. Orlando G. Bendana The Hon. H. Charles Gaudin Mr. Paul E. Hurley Mr. John Hanson Jackson The Hon. John A. Shea Mr. Francis G. Weller 1963 The Hon. Harry T. Lemmon 1968 Mr. John G. Amato Mr. Jules A. Carville, III Mr. Paul S. Fiasconaro Mr. J. Wayne Gillette Ms. Jane M. Gisevius The Hon. Charles A. Imbornone The Hon. Robert A. Pitre, Jr. Mr. Don M. Richard Mr. Lee J. Romero, Jr. 1973 Mr. Thomas P. Anzelmo, Sr. Mr. Richard A. Chopin Mr. Edwin R. Fleischmann, Jr. Mr. Thomas J. Lutkewitte Mr. Ross V. Mancuso Mr. William E. May Mr. William A. McNutt Mr. William A. Neilson Mr. Antonio J. Rodriguez The Hon. Michael G. Sullivan 1978 Ms. Linda S. Abshire Mr. Ardy A. Arani Mr. Morris Bart Mr. Robert J. Caluda Mrs. Mary Lou Cassingham
Mr. Jean M. Champagne Mr. Roger E. Cobb Mr. Amos H. Davis Mr. Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. Mrs. Lorraine Caffery Friedrichs Ms. Cynthia Coulter George Mr. Jeffrey L. Hill Mrs. Maureen Blackburn Jennings Mr. Robert K. McClammy Mr. Patrick D. McTernan Mrs. Susan M. Peterson Mr. Charles M. Raymond Mr. Bruce A. Scott Mr. David L. Simerly Mr. Richard S. Thomas 1983 Mr. Robert C. Alberstadt Mrs. Laura C. Broders Mr. Andre G. Coudrain Mr. Keith C. Hotard, Jr. Ms. Janice L. Kazmier Mr. Kevin P. Lohan Mr. Salvador G. Longoria, Jr. Mr. J. Fred Riley Mr. Lance P. Schiffman Mrs. Mary K. Zervigon Mrs. Deborah L. Ziegler 1988 Mrs. Ann M. Arnold Ms. Linda H. Conerly Mr. John H. Denenea Mrs. Mary L. Dumestre Ms. Kim K. McElwee Mr. Mark E. Peneguy Mrs. Anne E. Peterson Mrs. Theresa M. Piglia Mr. Brian G. Shearman Mrs. Therese T. Stuckey
Mr. Michael T. Tonti Mrs. Maria R. Treffinger Mr. Stephen A. Yazbeck 1993 Mrs. Susan R. Amundson Ms. Cheryl P. Buchert Ms. Aviva J. Bush Mr. Clancy DuBos, III Ms. Alexis Izquierdo Mr. Mickey P. Landry Mrs. Kelly M. Legier Mr. Peter J. Morris Mrs. Silvia S. Muller Mr. Philip E. Reso Ms. Rene E. Thorne Mrs. Donna Bramlett Wood 1998 Mr. Roderick Alvendia Mrs. Nicole H. Armstrong Mrs. Laura M. Borchert Mr. Brandt J. Dufrene, Jr. Ms. Christina Galanis-Angelos Mr. Andrew J. Hill Mr. Brian M. Klebba Mr. Brandt M. Lorio Mr. James A. Lovegren Ms. Mildred Morgado Mr. Mark E. Morice Mrs. Monica H. Wallace 2003 Mr. Bradley D. Becnel Ms. Nicole B. Breaux Ms. Monique R. Drake Ms. Alexis G. Krot Mrs. Anicia M. Ogonosky-Gau Ms. Andrea L. Ribando Mrs. Elizabeth S. Ritter Mr. Maurice C. Ruffin
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The Write Stuff WESTERFIELD FELLOWS PROGRAM LEADS TO SUCCESS IN LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP AND TEACHING BY JAMES SHIELDS
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Making the transition from the private sector to academia can be overwhelming. Each year, the College of Law takes in law graduates from around the country in an effort to make the career change a little less daunting. Begun in 2004, the Westerfield Fellows Program was started by College of Law Dean Brian Bromberger in honor of the first African-American dean in the history of Loyola, Louis Westerfield, who served from 1990 to 1994. He died in 1996 at the age of 47. The two-year program is designed for individuals pursuing a career in teaching law who want to gain teaching experience as well as have time to devote to scholarly writing and publication. While working outside the academic arena, many lawyers are unable to devote time to legal scholarship, which is quickly becoming a prerequisite to obtaining a law teaching position. At any given time, there are usually six or seven Westerfield Fellows at Loyola. Fellows are responsible for teaching legal reasoning, legal research, legal writing, and oral advocacy skills, such as Moot Court, to first-year law students in two, two-hour classes each semester. Additionally, in the fall semester of their second year of the fellowship, fellows may opt to teach a one-hour seminar on a specialized topic of their choice. The seven current fellows in the College of Law are Carter Dillard, Derek Fincham, J. Shontavia Jackson, Adam Lamparello, Carol Pauli, JoAnne Sweeny, and Robert F. Weber. Past fellows have gone on to secure tenure-track teaching positions at law schools across the U.S., including Willamette University, Louisiana State University, American University College of Law, and John Marshall Law School.
Not long after Bromberger became dean, he instituted the Westerfield Fellows Program, supervised by professors Mary Garvey Algero and Patrick Hugg. Algero directs the Legal Research and Writing Program and the fellows program during the fall semester, and Hugg leads in the spring with the Moot Court Program. They both meet weekly with the fellows to discuss their work and collaborate on assignments and courses.
“The fellowship provided me with an opportunity to research and write in my area of interest, which is something that I did not have time to do while I was in practice, and it also provided me with valuable time in the classroom.” —Christina Sautter, Westerfield Fellow (2006 – 2008) Inspiration also came to Bromberger from the University of Chicago Law School. “I have always been impressed by their Bigelow Fellows Program, where top recent graduates had the opportunity to experience the law academic environment in advance of attempting to obtain full-time teaching positions at law schools around the country,” Bromberger says. “Our program mirrors this, although our fellows have more opportunity to develop
The Need for Fellows When Bromberger interviewed at Loyola in 2003, he learned that legal writing courses were taught in large sections by professors and adjuncts, with student teaching assistants providing more individualized instruction. He thought this system placed too much of a burden on professors’ shoulders and relied too heavily on assistance from inexperienced upper-level law students. “Legal writing is a necessary skill for any lawyer and a vital part of legal education,” Bromberger says. “Law schools around the country have struggled for years, trying to find the best way to teach this course.”
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Westerfield Fellow JoAnne Sweeny
their own scholarship, and therefore make themselves more attractive to potential hirers.” Hugg says Bromberger’s initiation of the program has radically transformed the quality and rigor of the first-year curriculum. “Our first-year students are no longer taught fundamental courses by second-year teaching assistants but by dynamic, highly intelligent and successful graduates from leading law schools who are entering the law teaching profession,” he notes.
Fellowship is Living the Dream Before coming to Loyola, many of the fellows followed graduation with clerkships or practiced at litigation firms but realized they wanted to work in academia. JoAnne Sweeny, who started as a Westerfield Fellow last fall and is also completing her doctorate in law at Queen Mary, University of London, is eagerly jumping into her work full speed. “I’m thrilled to be accepted as a fellow,” Sweeny says. “I’ve wanted to be a legal academic for some time and being a fellow is ‘living the dream’ for me. I feel connected to the faculty and the support I’ve received from my colleagues, particularly the other fellows and Professor Algero and Professor Hugg, has been invaluable. Loyola is an excellent working environment and the students are thoughtful, enthusiastic and a pleasure to teach.” Christina Sautter, a Westerfield Fellow from 2006 to 2008, echoes Sweeny’s sentiments. Now an assistant
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professor of law at Louisiana State University, she says, “The fellowship provided me with an opportunity to research and write in my area of interest, which is something that I did not have time to do while I was in practice, and it also provided me with valuable time in the classroom. The fellowship confirmed that I really wanted to be a law professor.” Fellows teach their own classes but have the benefit of working under the guidance of an experienced director in a program in which the director and fellows coordinate the content and pace of the courses. Fellows also have a student teaching assistant to assist them with their courses. Students, not just the fellows, also flourish under the guidance of the fellows. Bobby Dexter, former fellow, now at Chapman University in California, was blown away by the progress of his students. “During both of my years in the program, I was always shocked near the end of the academic year to see students who started the year not knowing the difference between binding and persuasive precedent, finishing it on their feet, without notes, fielding questions from a three-judge panel,” says Dexter. “It’s a real testament to what students can do and the impact we can have on them as we prepare them for the profession.” Current fellow Carter Dillard says his work with students is mutually beneficial. “It’s great and has made me a better writer. The first-year students are eager to change their writing style to a legal format, and working them through that process improves my writing as well,” Dillard says.
Fellow Returns to Old Stomping Grounds The College of Law hired its first former Westerfield Fellow this year. To instill a sense of camaraderie and prevent competition, Loyola does not hire its own fellows immediately after they reach the end of their program. Professor Craig Senn, an Atlanta, Ga., native, graduated from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Law in 1995 and practiced labor and employment law until 2004, before coming to Loyola for his fellowship. Senn returned to Loyola as a professor this year after teaching at Charleston School of Law in South Carolina. Bromberger couldn’t be more excited. “Senn joined the
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program as we evacuated for Katrina, so he was thrust into an unexpected role as a teacher of a substantive course. He was very successful and, consistent with our policy that the program is a stepping stone to tenure-track positions, he obtained such a position elsewhere. Naturally, we are delighted to have him back.” As a Westerfield Fellow, Senn was excited about the opportunity to be in a classroom with students, especially given the competitive marketplace for law teaching positions. At the same time, he was nervous about leaving the financial security of a private practice. Those fears quickly faded away. “After my first class at Loyola, I told my wife this is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Senn explains. “New Orleans is very special, and the combination of that with such a great school and wonderful faculty and students is something that no other place can offer.”
Mentors Prepare Fellows for Competitive Job Market Fellows are also given faculty mentors who teach and write in the fellows’ areas of interest. Senn, like many of the fellows, speaks highly of his mentors during his fellowship. “My mentors were Algero, Hugg, and Dean Bromberger. Mary and Pat are so unbelievably giving with their time, expertise, and materials. They have seen everything in terms of legal writing and moot court, and they always helped us through any questions or issues we may have had.”
“Same is true of Dean Bromberger,” Senn says. “He has a contagious energy and enthusiasm around the college. The fellows picked up on that. He never said no to a fellow who needed something as part of their teaching or scholarship interests.” Derek Fincham, who holds a doctorate in law from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, is in his second year as a fellow and is getting ready to start interviewing with other schools. Part of the Westerfield Fellows Program allows the mentors to prepare fellows for the competitive interviewing process.
“The infusion of new ideas and the energy the fellows bring to the College of Law inspire us all to grow in our own areas of teaching and scholarship.” —Professor Mary Garvey Algero “Mentors conduct mock practice sessions with us to get ready to go on the market,” Fincham says. “It’s extremely helpful. Without this fellowship, I would still be in England looking for jobs in the states.” Another former fellow, Ezra Rosser, now at American University in Washington, D.C., emphasizes the amount of support he received during his time at Loyola. He was one of the first fellows in the program in 2004. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he traveled to Houston, Texas, where the college took up temporary residence at the University of Houston. The unusual circumstances allowed him to grow close to certain professors. “Mitch Crusto was a great mentor. He impressed upon me the importance of writing and how instrumental it would be in my job search,” Rosser comments. “The dean was also very supportive in allowing me to travel in the months after Katrina, when budgets were tight.” Sautter also fondly remembers the advice of Loyola’s law professors. “Professor Trey Drury was a great mentor to me. He read a draft of the article that I wrote while at Loyola and provided me with comments. He also provided me with more general advice regarding teaching substantive corporate law courses. He continues to be a great mentor to me,” Sautter says.
Westerfield Fellow Carol Pauli FALL 2009
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The mentors had so much influence on Sautter that she will be taking on a mentor role at LSU in the near future. She is on the Fellows Program Committee, which plans on starting its own similar program next year. Kim Chanbonpin, now assistant professor of law at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Ill., also stresses the importance of her mentors. “Professor Isabel Medina was my official mentor. Her guidance and advice during those fellowship years were very important because she encouraged me to write about legal issues that I felt passionate about,” says Chanbonpin. Fellows depend on each other for support as well. “I also had unofficial mentors, like Sharon Finegan, a fellow in the class above me, and now a professor at South Texas College of Law, as well as Mary Algero” says Chanbonpin. “To this day, I lean on both of them for advice about my teaching and my scholarship.” Finegan also remembers the collaboration with her peers. “I was the only new fellow the year I started, and those who had taught in the program previously were great resources for my teaching and scholarship,” she says. The fellows share one big suite in the College of Law, which fosters a lot of brainstorming and collaboration, which, in turn, serves as an impetus for faculty and staff as well. “We are continually sharing ideas on teaching, research, and careers,” says current fellow Carol Pauli. “The infusion of new ideas and the energy the fellows bring to the College of Law inspire us all to grow in our own areas of teaching and scholarship,” says Algero. “What we hope we provide to the fellows in return is a stimulating, collegial environment in which each fellow is able to develop as a teacher and scholar under the guidance of experienced teachers and scholars. Providing mentoring to the fellows as they begin their law school teaching careers is vital to the success of the program.”
2009 – 2010 Westerfield Fellows Carter Dillard B.A., Boston College J.D., Emory University LL.M. 2009, New York University School of Law
Derek Fincham B.A., University of Kansas J.D., Wake Forest University Ph.D., University of Aberdeen
J. Shontavia Jackson B.S., Clemson University J.D., University of Arkansas
Adam Lamparello B.A., University of Southern California J.D., Ohio State University LL.M., New York University
Carol Pauli B.A., University of Evansville M.S., Columbia University J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
JoAnne Sweeny B.A., University of California, Irvine J.D., University of Southern California (Order of the Coif) Ph.D., Queen Mary University of London (expected December 2009)
Robert F. Weber A.B. Duke University J.D., University of Michigan
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Continuing Legal Education Says
THANK YOU! FATHER CHIEF JUSTICE: E.D. WHITE AND THE CONSTITUTION Prof. Paul R. Baier; George M. Armstrong, Jr., Professor of Law, Paul M. Hebert LSU Law Center The Hon. Pascal F. Calogero, Jr.; Retired, Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice The Hon. Robert Downing; Court of Appeal, 1st Circuit Prof. James D. Hardy, Jr.; LSU History Department Donald Hoffman; Hoffman Seydel, L.L.C. Harvey Koch; Montgomery, Barnett, Brown, Read, Hammond & Mintz, L.L.P. Andrew A. Lemmon; Attorney at Law The Hon Harry T. Lemmon; Attorney at Law The Hon. Mary Ann Vial Lemmon; U.S. District Court Prof. Christopher Pietruszkiewicz; Vice Chancellor, J.Y. Sanders Professor of Law, Paul M. Hebert LSU Law Center Prof. Olivier Moreteau; Director, Center of Civil Law Studies, Russell B. Long Eminent Scholars Academic Chair, Paul M. Hebert LSU Law Center Garland Rolling; Law Office of Garland Rolling Harry T. Rosenberg; Phelps Dunbar, L.L.P. Prof. James R. West; LSU Music School The Hon. Fredericka Wicker; Louisiana 5th Circuit of Appeal PARENTING COORDINATION TRAINING Robin M. Deutsch, Ph.D.; Children & the Law Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital Lisa Matthews; Hearing Officer, 22nd JDC Arnold Shienvold, Ph.D. ANNUAL LONGSHORE CONFERENCE Matthew H. Ammerman; Fitzhugh, Elliott & Ammerman, P.C. David Barnett; Barnett & Lerner, P.A. Kevin J. Bianchini, Ph.D. Jere Jay Bice; Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, L.L.C. Steven M. Birnbaum; Law Offices of Steven M. Birnbaum Alan G. Brackett; Mouoledoux Bland Legrand & Brackett, L.L.C. Todd Cowen, Ph.D.; Cowen Clinic for Rehabilitation & Physical Medicine Paul M. Doolittle; Law Offices of Paul M. Doolittle John Dudrey; Williams Frederickson, L.L.C. David A. Duhon; District Director, Seventh Compensation District, U.S. Department of Labor Eric Dupree; Dupree Law, A.P.L.C. Kenneth G. Engerrand; Brown Sims, P.C. Richard L. Garelick; Flicker, Garelick & Associates Paul B. Howell; Franke & Salhoum Frank Leon; Attorney at Law Ralph R. Lorberbaum; Zipperer, Lorberbaum & Beauvais Mark Popolizio; NuQuest/Bridge Pointe Lawrence P. Postol; Seyfarth Shaw, L.L.P. Stephen L. Purcell; Associate Chief Judge, U.S. Department of Labor Mark Reinhalter; U.S. Department of Labor–Office of the Solicitor Lee J. Romero, Jr.; District Chief Judge, U.S. Department of Labor Collins C. Rossi; Collins C. Rossi, P.L.C. Jon Robinson; Mouoledoux Bland Legrand & Brackett, L.L.C. Scott Soule; Chaff McCall, L.L.P. Michael Thomas; Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi, L.L.P. Janice Ulan; U.S. Department of Labor, Benefits Review Board Aaron L. Walter; Herbert Chestnut & Associates Nancy Dolder; Chief Judge, U.S. Deptartment of Labor, Benefits Review Board
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Loyola wishes to thank the following speakers and advisory board members for a successful spring 2009 programming season. Thank you for your support!
BASIC AND DIVORCE MEDIATION TRAINING F. Noel Cieutat; Attorney at Law Prof. Bobby Harges; Adams & Reese Distinguished Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law Claire C. Hesse, L.P.C., L.M.F.T., N.C.C. Jennifer C. de Blanc; O’Brien and de Blanc Roxanne Newman; Southeast Louisiana Legal Systems Becki Kondkar; Tulane Law School Domestic Violence Clinic Edith Morris; Morris, Lee & Bayle, L.L.C.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR! UPCOMING PROGRAMS Annual Estate Planning Conference December 3 – 4, 2009 Annual Family Law Conference December 10 – 11, 2009 From File to Trial: 8 Keys to Success in Court and Beyond January 13, 2010 All proceeds will go to the Community Justice Clinic to assist Hurricane Katrina clients. Don’t miss this internationally acclaimed speaker The Hon. Mark A. Drummond Contempt of Court: A Discussion of a Lynching that Changed America’s Legal System February 3, 2010 Annual Longshore Conference (ALC) March 18 – 19, 2010 For more information, visit www.law.loyno.edu/cle or call (504) 861-5441.
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The Skills for Success
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THE LOYOLA SKILLS CURRICULUM PREPARES CURRENT STUDENTS FOR FUTURE CAREERS BY RAY WILLHOFT ’00
hat does a law school student
W
need to know in order to
secure employment after graduation and set out upon a successful career path?
Though
a
fundamental
understanding of the law is of course the key, practical lawyering skills can give a new graduate an undeniable edge in the legal field. That’s why the Loyola Skills Curriculum has become a vital component in a Loyola College of Law student’s education, ensuring that he or she learns the necessary skills to become a successful attorney.
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Skills Curriculum Instructor Scott Wolfe, Jr., J.D. ’05
The Program
The Instructors
The Skills Curriculum was initiated during the 1985 – 86 academic year, at a time when few law schools were creating such programs. “Our goal from the very beginning has been to teach students how to practice law,” explains Pat Phipps ’98, director of the Skills Curriculum. And that is exactly what the Skills Curriculum has continued to do. Students are required to attend a total of eight courses, which are designed to provide an overview of specific areas of the law and to introduce basic hands-on training. The courses are divided into four categories: Factual Investigation and Counseling; Trial Practice Skills; Communication and Negotiation; and Administrative Boards and Law Office Management. No tuition fee is charged for the courses, and students are encouraged to attend more than the required eight. A total of 58 courses have been developed over the years, and about 30 different ones are offered each semester. In addition, new courses are being proposed and developed all the time. “We are continually looking for new ways to improve our courses and address new topics that will be useful to our students,” notes Phipps. This semester, Scott Wolfe, Jr., J.D. ’05, founding member of the bi-coastal firm, Wolfe Law Group, proposed and taught a new course, Ethical Dilemmas of Online Marketing—From Blogs to Twitter, upon encountering issues himself related to online advertising and marketing. “I felt the topic of online marketing and social networking has come to the forefront lately, and that it would make a good Skills Curriculum course since the courses are designed to be practical and introduce students to what they will be encountering in their careers.”
Practicing attorneys and judges, many of whom are Loyola graduates, teach the Skills Curriculum courses strictly on a voluntary basis. “Our instructors love interacting with the students and sharing their knowledge and experiences,” says Phipps. “And for those who are alumni, teaching our courses is a great opportunity for them to keep in contact with their alma mater.”
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The Results The students’ responses to the Skills Curriculum have been positive. “I enjoy having the opportunity to take Skills courses that teach real life applications,” says law student Paulina Davis. “The fundamentals of law school courses come to life when I am able to apply my knowledge from the Skills classes to my clients’ legal issues. The Skills Curriculum provides an opportunity to students because we are taught from the best litigators in their respective fields and is an invaluable
“The Skills Curriculum provides practical knowledge of the various areas of legal practice. It helped me identify what type of practice I wanted to pursue.” —Tiffany M. Fleming ’04, J.D. ’08 Associate, LeBlanc Butler, L.L.C.
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SKILLS COURSES Factual Investigation and Counseling Pretrial Practice Skills Developing Deposition Skills Practical Legal Research Skills Using the Internet for Legal Research Foreign and International Legal Research Computer Fundamentals for Computer-assisted Research Construction Law Creative Problem-solving Techniques Documents Drafting How to Write a Will Representing Controversial Clients Drafting Corporate Documents Pleadings Drafting Advocacy and Strategy in Government Regulatory Affairs
Trial Practice Skills
educational tool that has aided my transition from a law student to a law professional.” And alumni are equally generous in their praise. “The Skills Curriculum provides practical knowledge of the various areas of legal practice. It helped me identify what type of practice I wanted to pursue,” notes Tiffany M. Fleming ’04, J.D. ’08, an associate with LeBlanc Butler, L.L.C. “The Skills Curriculum provided me with a foundation of practical experience from experts in the legal field,” comments Gerald Shields, J.D. ’01, tax law specialist for the IRS. As a law student, Shields was on the Skills Curriculum Honor Roll and now proudly displays the plaque to prove it in his office. “The subject matter was always interesting, and the faculty were outstanding, particularly Charles Taylor, with whom I took three courses,” he says.
The Future The future of the Skills Curriculum is bright. With its success and substantial praise, it is one fixture that will undoubtedly remain at Loyola for many years to come. For more information, visit www.law.loyno.edu/skills-curriculum
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Courts in Action Quantum Theory—Valuing the Case Developing the Theory of the Case Lawyers in the Great Tradition: The Argument of an Appeal Louisiana Class Action Litigation Handling the Criminal Case The Expert Witness in Court Voir Dire: Evaluating the Jury Demonstrative Evidence I Demonstrative Evidence II Using Evidence at Trial Motion Practice Intensive Trial Weekend Family Law I Family Law II Products’ Liability in Louisiana Appellate Practice Nuts and Bolts of the Workers Compensation Case
Effective Communication and Negotiation Courtroom Communication Techniques Courtroom Performance Workshop Guerrilla Negotiating Negotiation/Settlement Techniques Workshop Entertainment Law Workshop Dispute Resolution/Arbitration Skills Workshop Dispute Resolution/Mediation Skills Workshop Real Estate Transaction Workshop Handling Employee Benefits Claims Legal Letters: Communication for Lawyers
Administrative Boards and Law Office Management Handling Bankruptcy Claims Handling the Social Security Case Handling the Title VII Case Handling Claims Under the ADA Handling the Medical Malpractice Case Screening the Medical Malpractice Case Handling the Longshore Case Practice and Procedures Before Administrative Boards The Professional in Practice Law Office Management Technology and the Law Office—Beyond Word Processing
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A Lifelong Dream Fulfilled Richard E. McCormack, J.D. ’84 uses his legal education to help others By Sean Snyder
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or Richard E. McCormack, J.D. ’84, working as an attorney is fulfilling a lifelong dream. “In trying to discover what I wanted to grow up to be, I never moved past the letter A in the alphabet,” he says. “I wanted to either be an archeologist, an astronaut, an architect, or an attorney. I think my mind was made up about what I would become when my fifth grade teacher, Sr. Maria Louise, caught me as I practiced signing ‘Esquire’ behind my name.” McCormack grew up just outside of Washington, D.C., a city filled with policy makers and change agents, where his father was a member of President John F. Kennedy’s administration. He was greatly influenced by his surroundings and knew that, like his father, he wanted to work in a field that had great influence on how laws were made and interpreted. Prior to his law studies, McCormack realized one of his other dreams by studying anthropology, first at the University of Alabama in 1977 – 1978 and then at Tulane University. He spent a year of his studies and field research in anthropology at the Universidad de Las Americas, in Puebla, Mexico, and graduated with honors with a degree in anthropology from Tulane in 1980. Upon graduation, McCormack quickly set out to pursue his primary passion, law. He worked for the National Labor Relations Board for a year, conducting union certification elections, then enrolled in law school at Loyola University New Orleans. He graduated with a juris doctor in 1984 and has been in private practice in the city ever since. “From the moment I arrived here to finish my undergraduate degree at Tulane, I fell in love with this city,” says McCormack. “I cannot think of another place that is as diverse and culturally interesting as New Orleans. It is a tremendous pleasure to practice law in a city that never ceases to amaze me.” McCormack specializes in employment and insurance defense litigation. He serves as national, regional, and local counsel for corporate and individual clients as well as several local educational institutions, including his alma mater. He represents employers both in federal and state courts and before federal and state administrative agencies covering matters involving employment discrimination, sexual harassment, civil rights, contract disputes, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and workers compensation. For the past 20 years, McCormack has served as a volunteer for the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area. He was provided with this opportunity through Boards Work, an organization that paired young professionals with different nonprofit agencies to intern for a year. “I have really enjoyed working with the United Way during a time when the organization has experienced tremendous challenges,” explains McCormack. “The United Way is extremely dynamic, and I am able to make a difference in many lives, especially during and after times of disaster.”
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McCormack notes that some of his most satisfying work has been with the Loyola Law Alumni Association and the Upper Audubon Association, his neighborhood association. As a board member of the Law Alumni Association, he has supported the computer donation initiative for the College of Law. One of his major upcoming initiatives with the association will be implementing a state-of-the-art electronic database system designed to communicate with Loyola’s far-flung law alumni community. He also leveraged his affiliation with the Upper Audubon Association to help build community relations during the College of Law’s expansion in 2006. “Because I was able to represent the college to the neighborhood associations and keep communication lines open between the university and the two neighborhood associations straddling the college’s location in Uptown New Orleans, the expansion project was generally welcomed within the community,” says McCormack.
“I chose to study law at Loyola because the university teaches a person how to practice law without losing one’s conscience.” —Richard E. McCormack, J.D. ’84
“The work that I am most proud of is being able to represent Loyola as a lawyer,” he says. “Because of this, I have been able to get to know and work closely with the president, provost, other key administrators, and faculty.” One of those administrators is Brian Bromberger, dean of the College of Law. McCormack says Dean Bromberger’s outstanding leadership has helped to improve the college’s reputation locally and among regional and national peers. “I began with Loyola in 1981, and I have never seen the College of Law in as good a shape as it is in now,” notes McCormack. “I credit this progress to the tireless efforts of Dean Bromberger, a man I genuinely admire.” McCormack greatly appreciates having been able to study at Loyola, a place that continues to value and emphasize social justice. “I chose to study law at Loyola because the university teaches a person how to practice law without losing one’s conscience,” he says. Because of the education he received at Loyola, he believes that he has been able realize his childhood dream by making a positive difference in the lives of many.
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New Kids iN Tow N: Craig Senn Associate Professor of Law
The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law welcomed three new additions to the faculty for the 2009 – 2010 academic year. No doubt they will continue the tradition of scholarship and academic excellence for which the college’s faculty has become known.
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Craig Senn graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, where he served as articles editor for the North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, where he graduated first in his class. After law school, Senn was a labor & employment lawyer and litigator, and he spearheaded the Atlanta employment practice of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, P.L.L.C. From 2004 to 2006, he served as a Westerfield Fellow at Loyola. And, from 2006 to 2009, he was an assistant professor of law at the Charleston School of Law in South Carolina. Senn’s teaching and scholarly interests primarily include contracts, commercial transactions (sales), employment law, employment discrimination law, and labor law.
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College of Law Welcomes New Faculty Karen C. Sokol
Imre Szalai
Assistant Professor of Law
Associate Professor of Law
Karen C. Sokol graduated from Yale Law School, where she served as articles editor for the Yale Human Rights and Development Law Journal and was a member of the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic. After law school, Sokol clerked for Judge Carolyn Dineen King of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She then worked as a policy analyst for the Center for Progressive Reform, writing a number of papers and articles on environmental and public health and safety issues, with a focus on government and corporate accountability. The year before coming to Loyola, Sokol was a fellow at Georgetown University Law Center, where she worked with faculty members on scholarship about developments in international law in response to globalization and about national and transnational tobacco control policies. Sokol’s teaching and research areas include constitutional law, torts, public international law (particularly international human rights law and international environmental law), and law and philosophy.
Imre Szalai graduated from Yale University, double majoring in economics and classical civilizations, and he received his law degree from Columbia University, where he was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. After graduating from law school, Szalai practiced antitrust law in New York City, N.Y., and then he practiced complex commercial litigation in Miami, Fla., representing clients in high risk cases in various jurisdictions. Prior to joining Loyola’s faculty, Szalai served on the faculty of California Western School of Law. Szalai’s teaching interests and scholarship focus on civil procedure and dispute resolution, particularly arbitration and the Federal Arbitration Act. His scholarship has been cited in briefs filed in the United States Supreme Court and other federal and state courts in cases involving the Federal Arbitration Act.
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Alumni
News Pascal Calogero, Jr., J.D. ’54, H’91, Metairie, La., Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice, retired after 36 years on the bench. He’s authored more than 1,000 opinions, some of them landmark decisions. Donald O. Jansen ’61, J.D. ’63, after retiring as a senior partner at Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston, Texas, is now senior tax counsel at The University of Texas System. He continues to speak throughout the U.S. and was elected a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, adding to his fellowship in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. His wife, the Hon. Janice Law, a former criminal court judge, has published her fifth book, Wicked Good Secrets. Their five children and four grandchildren are a joy and doing well. The Hon. Joseph E. Anzalone, Jr., J.D. ’64, Hammond, La., is retired but would like to know what his classmates are doing. Kenneth F. Sills ’63, J.D. ’66, Baton Rouge, La., served in the Army Reserves for 29 years and received the Legion of Merit Award for his dedication and service—the highest peace time award a solider can receive in the army. He also runs a very successful law firm and is celebrating his 20th anniversary this year with Hammonds and Sills. Aaron Broussard, J.D. ’73, Kenner,
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La., Jefferson Parish president, received the University of New Orleans 2009 College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Alumnus Award. The Hon. Sylvia Taylor Dunn, J.D. ’74, Reserve, La., has served as a worker’s compensation judge for 16 years for the parishes of Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard. Chet Traylor, J.D. ’74, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice, retired from the bench on May 31. He is pursuing legal opportunities in private practice. Darryl C. Casanueva, J.D. ’76, Tampa, Fla., was named chief judge-elect of Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal. Alexander F.X. Matulewicz, J.D. ’76 started a radio show, StopandThinkRadio.com. John B. Morthland, J.D. ’76, Hannibal, Mo., was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. Fellowship in the college is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility, and collegiality. Gerald M. Woods ’71, J.D. ’76, Kenner, La., retired from the U.S. Government.
Paul S. Weidenfeld, J.D. ’80, Alexandria, Va., a principal in the law firm of Ober|Kaler, has been chosen by Nightingale’s Healthcare News for its “Outstanding Healthcare Litigator—2008” ranking. Paul is one of only 10 lawyers from across the country selected for inclusion on the list, which appeared in the January 2009 issue of Nightingale’s. Marguerite L. Adams, J.D. ’81, from Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans, La., has been named to the Louisiana Super Lawyers 2009. She was also selected for inclusion in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
Mortgage I, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRTA), a real estate investment trust in Las Vegas, Nev. David W. Leefe, J.D. ’82, from Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans, La., has been named to the Louisiana Super Lawyers 2009. Kim E. Bouck, J.D. ’84 was made a partner at Rue & Ziffra, a 25year-old Volusia County law firm with offices in Orange City and Port Orange, Fla. Kimberly A. Cook, J.D. ’84, a partner in the Miami-based law firm Abadin Cook, has been named to the Florida Super Lawyers.
Paul O. Dicharry ’69, J.D. ’81 of Taylor Porter, Baton Rouge, La., received high individual rankings from “Chambers USA— America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.”
Jeffrey Lynch, J.D. ’84, Watertown, Conn., joined Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, a fast-growing law firm that exclusively represents individuals who have suffered injuries in Connecticut.
Drew K. Kapur, J.D. ’81, partner with the firm of Duane Morris, L.L.P., was recognized as one of the top lawyers in Philadelphia, Pa., in the area of real estate by Chambers & Partners.
Ron Sholes, J.D. ’84, New Orleans, La., Adams and Reese litigation partner, received the A.P. Tureaud Achievement Award from the Loyola University College of Law.
Graymond Martin ’77, J.D. ’81, a longtime top adviser to former Mayor Marc Morial who started his career as a New Orleans police officer, is serving as first assistant to Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro.
Robert S. Angelico, J.D. ’86, from Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans, La., has been named to the Louisiana Super Lawyers 2009.
Robert J. Aalberts, J.D. ’82 was appointed to the Board of Directors of Vestin Realty
Dr. Robert E. Barsley, J.D. ’87, Ponchatoula, La., a general dentist and a professor at the LSUHSC School of Dentistry, was installed as secretary-treasurer of the Louisiana Dental
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Association (LDA) for 20092010 during its 129th House of Delegates April 4, 2009, at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. James C. Exnicios, J.D. ’87, from Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans, La., has been named to the Louisiana Super Lawyers 2009. He was also selected for inclusion in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Val P. Exnicios, J.D. ’89, New Orleans, La., received the American Inns of Court’s 2009 Professionalism Award for the Fifth Circuit. Troy D. Taylor, J.D. ’91 is the chief counsel for the NASA Shared Services Center at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. He also was promoted to colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
and was selected to become the Staff Judge Advocate, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing in New Orleans, La. Richard Traina, J.D. ’92, Covington, La., was appointed to serve on the State Board of Election Supervisors by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Louis L. Lusco, II ’92, J.D. ’95, New Orleans, La., joined Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C., as an associate attorney. Stephen B. Panus, J.D. ’95 has been named general counsel for Agassi Graf Holdings, L.L.C. (Las Vegas, N.V.). Stephen’s responsibilities include leading and managing all legal issues (and collaborating in the business and marketing affairs, specifically managing the endorsement relationships of Andre Agassi) for the following entities: Agassi
Graf Holdings, L.L.C.; Agassi Holdings, L.L.C.; Stefanie Graf Ventures, L.L.C.; Agassi Enterprises, Inc.; Alliance Sports Management Company d/b/a PRISM; Andre Agassi Foundation (public 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation); and the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy (a Las Vegas-based public charter school). Stephen and his wife, Kellie, a yoga teacher, and 4 ½-year-old son, Jake, reside in Las Vegas, N.V. Robin D. Pittman ’91, J.D. ’96, New Orleans, La., was elected to Section F, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, on November 4, 2008. After receiving her law degree, Robin was hired as an associate with the firm of Millard Collins and Associates. In 1997, she was hired as an assistant DA. In the trenches of the DA’s office, she gained her most valuable experiences as
senior attorney for 106 felony and misdemeanor trials and was also responsible for trial work in the Child Support, Juvenile, Magistrate, and Trial Divisions, and she served as a narcotics, homicide, and sex offense screener. In 2000, she took a deputy position with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. There, she investigated and prosecuted Louisiana attorneys for violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. In 2006, Robin was hired as an associate with the firm of Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer, where she would remain until her term as judge began on January 1, 2009. Edward T. Hayes, J.D. ’98 was named as a partner of Leake & Andersson, L.L.P., in New Orleans, La. Edward also received a nomination to the Board of Directors of the World Trade Center in New Orleans.
Leader of the Pack Ramón A. Abadin, J.D. ’85, founding partner of Abadin Cook, was awarded the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA)’s prestigious “Passing on the Leadership” Mentorship Award. The award is presented annually by CABA to a distinguished member who demonstrates excellent leadership qualities, and who also serves as a mentor to his or her peers in the legal community. A preeminent litigator who has been named to Florida Trend’s “Florida Legal Elite” and Florida Super Lawyers for the past three consecutive years, Ramón is also the recipient of the Haitian Lawyers Association Significant Contribution Award (2006) and the Florida Bar’s G. Kirk Hass Award (2005). A Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rated attorney, Ramón has long been a leader in the legal profession, both in MiamiDade County and throughout Florida. He’s a past president of both the Cuban American Bar Association and the Cuban American Bar Foundation, and a Lifetime Fellow of the Florida Bar Foundation. He has served on many committees of The Florida Bar and currently serves on The Florida Bar Board of Governors. A past chairman of the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Third District Court of Appeals, Ramón currently serves on the Florida International School of Law Dean’s Advisory Council and the Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company Board of Directors. In addition, he is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel.
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Alumni
News Martin R. Welles, M.C.M. ’94, J.D. ’98, Washington, D.C., graduated in May 2009 from Georgetown University Law Center with an LL.M. in taxation with certification in employee benefits. He is a labor and employment attorney with the U.S. Postal Service in Washington, D.C., and conducting a nation-wide search for an ERISA litigation position (private sector/in-house/government). Brett A. Bonin ’95, J.D. ’99, New Orleans, La., is practicing law with a concentration on domestic litigation. He was elected to Orleans Parish School Board along with two other Loyola alumni, Seth Bloom, J.D. ’03 and Ira Thomas ’91. He built a new house in Lakeview after the old one received a little bit of water damage in Katrina (11 feet). He is married to MaryBeth Makofsky ’93 with two daughters, Caroline and Katherine.
Sarah Schneider Kaseforth, J.D. ’01 moved to Chicago, Ill., last year from her hometown in San Antonio, Texas. She opened her own law practice, SRK|Legal, in Chicago in October 2008, and she married Jason M. Kaseforth on May 9, 2009. Hays Alexander, J.D. ’02 is a partner in the Baton Rouge, La., office of Kean Miller. He practices in the business group. He has experience in a wide variety of business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, offshore construction projects, and commercial and industrial real estate matters. Hays is a member of the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and he a member of the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and American Bar Associations. Stephen Hanemann, J.D. ’02 is a partner in the New Orleans, La.,
office of Kean Miller. He practices in the admiralty and maritime practice group. He has extensive experience in a wide variety of admiralty issues, including Jones Act, personal injury, and oil and gas exploration, among others. Stephen has also been instrumental in forming and developing local construction companies and assisting them with various issues relating to contract procurement and negotiation, as well as demolition and remediation services.
victims hurt by big businesses looking to cut corners.
Micah J. Stewart ’00, J.D. ’04 joined Phelps Dunbar’s regional business practice group as an associate in the Baton Rouge, La., office and focuses on tax-related issues.
Tiffany Marie Fleming ’04, J.D. ’08 married Bryan Rogers in November 2008. She is an associate with the law firm of LeBlanc Butler in Metairie, La.
Kim Lambert, J.D. ’05, Pensacola, Fla., is an attorney with Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Echsner & Proctor. She works on product liability cases, defending
Joseph M. Fusz, J.D. ’06 joined the Illinois-based personal injury law firm of Salvi Schostok & Pritchard in 2008. Prior to joining the office, Joseph was an assistant state’s attorney in the High Tech Crimes Unit of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office in Waukegan, Ill. Additionally, he served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, achieving the rank of captain.
Robert W. Tschirn ’04, J.D. ’08, New Orleans, La., joined the Law Office of John W. Redmann, L.L.C., as an associate attorney.
Save the Date! The 2010 Law Alumni Luncheon Friday, January 29, 2010 The Hotel InterContinental 444 St. Charles Avenue Cocktails begin at 11 a.m.; Luncheon to follow at noon. For sponsorships and tickets, or for more information, please contact the Office of Law Alumni and Development at (504) 861-5555 or jdalumni@loyno.edu
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Alumni
Events Partying in Sandestin L
oyola’s Annual Party at the Louisiana State Bar Convention was held on June 11 at the Village Door in Sandestin, Fla. This year’s glass honoree was Professor Emeritus David Normann. A special thanks again this year to the event’s organizers Brett Dupuy, J.D. ’92 and Warren Horn, J.D. ’84.
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Celebrating Law Reunions T
his year, classes celebrating milestones have organized and planned their own reunion activities. Celebrating this year are the Law Classes of 1959, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004. If you will be celebrating a milestone in 2010 and would like to help plan your reunion, please contact the Office of Law Alumni and Development at (504) 861-5555 or afglenn@loyno.edu
Class of 1989
Class of 1974
Class of 1969
FALL 2009
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Faculty
News Associate Clinical Professor of Law CHERYL PRESTENBACK BUCHERT updated and edited the Family Law Chapter in Volume One of the book, Louisiana Civil Practice Forms, 2009 Edition, published by Thompson West. She moderated the panel, “Work Life Balance Roundtable Discussion – Can I Have It All, Including My Sanity?,” at the La. State Bar Association and Association of Women Attorneys – New Orleans Chapter cosponsored C.L.E., “SUPERWOMEN: Female Attorneys Challenging the Rules of the Game at Home, at Work and in Alternative Practices,” on April 24 in New Orleans.
Junior Achievement’s JA Connecting to Success: A Business Conference for High School Students. The conference brought together high school students from Southeast Louisiana for a half-day of sessions on ethics, values, teamwork, problem solving, and presenting themselves to employers. The event was held on April 22 at Delgado Community College, City Park Campus. Crusto’s biographical profile was added to the 2010 edition of Who’s Who in America. He was selected because of the reference value of his outstanding achievements. He has been so honored every year since first listed in the 47th Edition, published in 1992.
Alvin R. Christovich Distinguished Professor of Law DANE S. CIOLINO launched a new website, Louisiana Legal Ethics (lalegalethics.org), designed to be a convenient ethics resource for Louisiana judges, lawyers, and law students.
Westerfield Fellow DEREK FINCHAM had his article, “How Adopting the Lex Originis Rule Can Impede the Flow of Illicit Cultural Property,” published in the winter 2008 issue of the Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts. He was invited to present his work-in-progress, “Fraud on Our Heritage: A Rigorous Standard for the Good Faith Acquisition of Antiquities,” at the University of Chicago Cultural Policy Center in May. He was cited in an article by David Glenn in the Chronicle of Higher Education, “Peru v. Yale: Machu Picchu,” April 3. He was cited in another story for NPR affiliate KPCC in Southern California, “Southland raids changed the way museums do business,” February 2. The piece
Professor MITCHELL CRUSTO contributed to a March 8 TimesPicayune article titled “Court issues string of policyholderfriendly rulings in insurance cases” (http://blog.nola.com/ tpmoney/2009/03/court_issues_ string_of_policyh.html). He was interviewed in the March 19 edition of Loyola University’s Maroon newspaper. He was chosen to serve as a breakout session leader for
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marked the one-year anniversary of federal raids on four prominent California museums.
Professor ROBERT GARDA presented a paper titled “Breaking the Institutional Link Between Race and Disability” at the Conference on Disability Studies in Education at Syracuse University in May.
Adams and Reese Distinguished Professor of Law BOBBY HARGES was appointed to serve as a member of the Family Law Committee of the Louisiana State Law Institute.
Assistant Professor JOHANNA KALB responded to a paper by Professor Vicki Jackson of Georgetown Law Center at the Comparative Constitutional Law Roundtable at George Washington University Law School. Professor CYNTHIA LEPOW: The newly revised 7th edition of Bittker and Eustice Federal Income Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders cites Lepow’s article, “Tales of Unrequited Love and Unexpected Taxation in the Family Corporation,” twice in Chapter 9, Stock Redemptions. She spoke on providing tax services to low income taxpayers for whom English is a second language at the ABA Tax Section Meeting in Washington, D.C., in May.
Leon Sarpy Professor of Law KATHRYN VENTURATOS LORIO’s article, “Conceiving the Inconceivable: Legal Recognition of the Posthumously Conceived Child,” was published in the ACTEC (American College of Trust and Estate Counsel) Journal. She contributed a chapter on “Ethical and Legal Issues Relating to Intrauterine Insemination,” which will appear in a book on the subject to be published by Cambridge University Press in the U.K. On March 29, she made a presentation on the legal aspects of stem cell research as a part of a panel, including a geneticist and a rabbi at the Jewish Community Center. On April 3, she participated as a presenter to the LSU Medical School at “grand rounds.”
Professor Emeritus DAVID R. NORMANN and his wife, Barbara, were guests of honor at the annual Loyola College of Law Alumni Party, celebrated during the Louisiana State Bar Association convention in June. Normann was chosen by the alumni to have his picture embossed on the cocktail glasses for the party, which will be presented to the college as an expression of gratitude for his years of service to the college and students as a member of the faculty.
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Associate Professor of Law MARKUS G. PUDER was a Spanish Language Guest Instructor: “El Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos,” Department of Languages and Cultures, College of Humanities and Natural Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, April 3.
Janet Mary Riley Distinguished Professor of Law and Director of the Loyola Law Clinic and the Gillis Long Poverty Law Center BILL QUIGLEY: Speaker, “Grassroots Organizing, Law
and Justice,” American University Washington College of Law, April 14; Speaker, “Pro Bono,” Brooklyn Law School, April 6; Board Member – Right to the City, Housing and Urban Development Workgroup, Washington, D.C.; Board Member – U.S. Human Rights Network, Board Member, Atlanta, Ga.; New Pro Bono Litigation: City Council of New Orleans v Tracie Washington, CDC, First Amendment appeal of district court gag order and prior restraint on publication of e-mails of city council members, March 2009. Co-counsel.
Awards: Loyola Public Interest Law Journal – April 2009; Loyola Black Law Student Association Award – March 2009.
SAVE THE DATE
Join us on Saturday, March 20, 2010, for a 1-mile Fun Run/Walk and 5k Race through New Orleans’ beautiful Audubon Park and help support Boys Hope Girls Hope! Start: Shelter #10 in Audubon Park For more information, visit www.bhghnola.com or call (504) 484-7744. FALL 2009
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LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS Campus Box 909 7214 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70118
Non-profit org. U.S. Postage PAID New Orleans, LA Permit no. 121
Contempt of Court: A Discussion of the Lynching that Changed the American Legal System Wednesday, February 3, 2010 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Loyola University New Orleans Main Campus Monroe Hall, Nunemaker Auditorium Exactly a century ago, the case of a young black man from Chattanooga, Tennessee, dramatically changed the state and federal court systems as we know them today. Indeed, it redefined the practice of law. The amazing story of Ed Johnson and his two lawyers was buried in dusty old law books. But, thanks to Mark Curriden’s book, Contempt of Court: The Turn-of-the-Century Lynching that Launched a Hundred Years of Federalism, and Continuing Legal Education (CLE), the events of 1906, 1907, and 1908 come alive. 2.0 credit hours (includes 1.0 hour of ethics and 1.0 hour of professionalism)