Stetson Lawyer - Spring 2021 by Stetson University College of Law

S T E T S O N

LAWYER SPRING 2021

A M A G A Z I N E F O R S T E T S O N U N I V E R S I T Y C O L L E G E O F L AW A LU M N I & F R I E N D S

120 Years of Innovation and Achievement

A LETTER FROM THE DEAN The global pandemic has been an uncharted territory for all of us, touching each of our lives in one way or another. I am proud to say that during this time, at Stetson University College Law we have drawn on our strength as a community to advance our mission of educational excellence and student wellness. Together, we weathered changes, rose to the unexpected challenges, and met the needs of the moment. Doing so has presented us with new opportunities to be creative and innovative. As a result, in the last 15 months, we have continued to grow. In the pages of this magazine, you will discover more about these areas of growth. The cover story offers a retrospective of Stetson Law’s track record of exceling in the midst of the unexpected. In our 120-year history, we have survived the Great Depression and World War II. We tapped into that same persevering spirit in our response to the pandemic. In this issue, you can read about our comprehensive and thoughtful approach to keeping our community safe. In the past year, we have also made additions to our curriculum, including a new Business Law Concentration that will leverage our community partnerships to enhance experiential opportunities for students. Further successes include enrolling one of the largest first year classes in the last decade thanks to the tireless efforts of our Admissions staff. Our students continue to make us proud, particularly through stellar performances from our advocacy teams. This year they brought home championships from the 2020 National All Star Bracket Challenge, the Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition, the William & Mary Negotiation Tournament and more! You, our alumni, have also been part of our triumphs as you showed your love for Stetson Law in our We Are Stetson and Law Firm Challenge philanthropic campaigns. We are so grateful for each of you. Special thanks go to Jeffery A. Smith, J.D. ’73, who stepped up with a $100,000 gift to spur the We Are Stetson campaign, to Dick, J.D. ’67 and Joan Jacobs, who made a $200,000 gift to fund the Dick and Joan Jacobs Public Interest Environmental Law Clinic, and to Steven and Donna Overly, who committed a $10 million planned gift to create the Steven and Donna Overly Distinguished Scholars Program. I must also note a special pride in our endeavors and achievements in diversity and inclusion. Social justice and equity have rightfully become a focal point in our country. Stetson Law is doing its part to achieve both, and our efforts have not gone unrecognized. We were one of only two law schools to receive the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. I find so much in our community to be inspired by every day. Times like this current moment bring forth the core of a community. I am proud to say that ours is particularly thoughtful, compassionate, and rigorous. Intellect and emotional intelligence are equally valued at Stetson Law. We lovingly push one another to reach new heights, always with respect for our common humanity. There is indeed a “Stetson Way.” That is a dogged commitment to thrive and excel. This trait is what will enable us to prosper no matter what challenges we face in the future. Michèle Alexandre Dean and Professor of Law Stetson University College of Law

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES Cover Story – 120 Years of Innovation SLAA Awards New Endowments Professor Beane Retires

12 15 18 19

SECTIONS Letter from the Dean Briefs Events Faculty Forum Class Notes Giving Back

2 4 20 24 27 31

STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW Alphonce J. Brown, Jr., Director of Development and Alumni Relations Patricia Toups, Associate Director of Development Michael Casey, Associate Director of Alumni Relations Ashley McKnight-Taylor, Managing Editor Lisa Diliberto, Editor, Director of Communications and Marketing Darryl Wilson, Faculty Editor Tomeka Jackson, Contributing Editor Tom Daniel, Writer Sandy Cromp, Graphic Designer Kristen Fiato, Library Archivist Coordinator Front Cover Images, clockwise from left: A law school class in 1903 in DeLand, Fla.; the 1954 graduating class at the Gulfport campus; the 1989 National Trial Competition winning team; and 2020 new student orientation with Dean Michèle Alexandre. Stetson Lawyer magazine is published for alumni and friends of Stetson University College of Law. Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, has prepared lawyers and leaders since 1900. Today, Stetson leads the nation in blending legal doctrine with practical training, evidenced by its top-ranked programs in advocacy and legal writing. Through our academically rigorous curriculum and commitment to social responsibility, Stetson lawyers are ethical advocates ready to succeed in the legal profession.

S T E T S O N L AW Y E R

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tetson Law now offers a new concentration in Business Law that is designed to hone skills and knowledge for those interested in pursuing careers in business law, including a strong focus on corporate and commercial law, tax law and related fields.

“It’s always been my belief Professor Theresa Radwan that business and tax law touch every interaction with your client, so I was very happy to hear that Stetson Law officially sanctioned a business law concentration,” said John M. Bartel, a 3L J.D./M.B.A. candidate who enrolled in the new concentration. The intense experiential curriculum includes opportunities in bankruptcy, intellectual property, documents of the deal, and much more to develop real-world skills. Students will receive close mentoring from members of the faculty to further sharpen proficiencies and build relationships.

NEW BUSINESS LAW CONCENTRATION OFFERED “We aim to help students find their niche within an area that is incredibly broad,” said Theresa J. Pulley Radwan, Transitional Business Administrator and Professor of Law. “They will get the coursework to prepare them and access to the key experiences to make them successful. That starts with a mentor and expands beyond the classroom to include clinics, externships, and networking. Our partnerships with area companies give students incredible opportunities to develop real-world skills.” Students in the Business Law Concentration must complete areaspecific legal pro bono and an externship. They will benefit from Stetson’s existing partnerships with a variety of local companies, including Citi Group and cybersecurity giant KnowBe4 (see more below). Other opportunities include fellowships with the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar, In-House Counsel externship, and Intellectual Property externship. Stetson accepted approximately 25 second- and third-year students into the program this first year. Businesses interested in partnering with Stetson Law on mentoring students, offering externships or other opportunities should contact Professor Radwan at radwan@law.stetson.edu.

Donates $250,000 to Stetson Law

nowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, made a $250,000 donation to Stetson Law in early 2020.

The donation included: • Creation of the KnowBe4 Cybersecurity Law Scholarship Fund to provide $5,000 merit-based scholarships for the next five years; • Creation of the KnowBe4 Cybersecurity Law Program Fund to support the establishment and growth of the cybersecurity law program at Stetson Law; and • A subscription to KnowBe4’s diamond-level new-school security training platform to enhance security and data protection awareness with Stetson’s staff, faculty and students.

“We see this donation as a great opportunity to contribute to and build our community,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4. “It’s also an opportunity to help fulfill the need to educate and train more cybersecurity talent. We’re excited to work with Stetson University College of Law to help develop an entire collegiate program that’s focused on cybersecurity in the Tampa Bay area.” The agreement includes the creation of other initiatives, such as a weekend course on the topics of cybersecurity and data privacy, speaking events, student-led research, internship opportunities, and providing general support for business law initiatives at Stetson. KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security.

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NEW ADVOCACY CENTER DIRECTOR FOCUSED ON EXPANSION B Y A S H L E Y M C K N I G H T - TAY L O R

lizabeth Boals joined Stetson Law in July 2020 as the new director of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy. Boals came to Stetson from American University Washington College of Law (WCL), where she was the Assistant Dean of Part-Time and Online Education. She previously served as director of the Criminal Justice Practice and Policy Institute and associate director of the Weinstein Trial Advocacy Program at WCL. In addition to running the Advocacy Center at Stetson, Boals teaches Evidence, Criminal Law, and a variety of Advocacy courses.

Evolution of Advocacy Advocacy programs are changing nationally, Boals said. Previously, they (perhaps apart from Stetson) took a back seat at many law schools. Today, more schools recognize the value of rigorous hands-on training for students, and advocacy programs are getting new attention and funding. The national advocacy community is growing more collaborative, as evidenced by the recent creation of the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators (NALAE) to advance creativity and innovation in advocacy teaching. Boals is the vice president of Trial Programs for NALAE. “I look forward to doing my part to enhance the recognition of advocacy teaching as an essential component of legal education,” she said. On the trial performance front, that means attending even more competitions, especially national ones. She aims to leverage digital tools to implement a multi-coach model for teams and launch a mandatory summer training program for coaches and students. And while competitions are an essential way for the national community to see Stetson students in action, as well as for Stetson students to get critical practice on how to be wellrounded and professional advocates, Boals will be concentrating on much more.

Boals’ Goals “I’m hoping to focus the next few years on the breadth and depth of courses that we’re offering, making sure that we are engaged in the national community, that we are out there on many fronts not just winning competitions,” she said. “It is not enough just to send students to competitions. We have to engage in conferences, in advocacy scholarship and in interschool communication in ways that we haven’t had to do in the past.” Boals’ plans include supporting faculty and coaches in developing effective teaching methodologies, the thoughtful integration of technology in the learning process, and the creation of meaningful advocacy training experiences for students outside of the classroom. She started a thorough review and revamping of the Online Advocacy Resource Center, which

offers skills lectures, training videos, demonstrations, and other advocacy-related topics accessible and free to all. Last fall, she announced a new Advocacy Writing Competition aimed at motivating advocacy skills teachers, coaches, and practitioners to share their practical and innovative ideas, as well as to support them in their careers in academia. The winner will present his/her paper at the annual Stetson Educating Advocacy Teachers (EATS) Conference in June and be published in the Stetson Journal of Advocacy and the Law. Boals has also revived long-discussed plans for a new Advocacy Center space, one that includes dedicated practice courtrooms, meeting spaces, and – of course – trophy cases. Currently the second floor of the Charles A. Dana Building above the Eleazer Courtroom is dilapidated storage space, but it could make for an amazing advocacy hub once construction and remediation costs are funded.

Alumni Engagement Boals “absolutely” wants alumni to get involved with the Advocacy Center however possible. “There is no way to run a trial advocacy program of this size, this breadth, without alumni engagement.” Options abound, from being an adjunct teacher, a coach, a mooter, judging competitions, contributing funding to the new center, or simply sharing ideas and suggestions (send them to advocacy@law. stetson.edu). The pandemic has been helpful in that it has shown how much can be accomplished over video chat, opening a plethora of possible collaborations with alumni who might not have been able to get involved before because of geographical limitations. The bottom line: Please reach out, she said.

A Bit More About Boals Boals is a member of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) teaching faculty, and her areas of specialization are criminal law and procedure, evidence, trial advocacy, expert testimony and jury selection. With her J.D. from George Mason University School of Law, and bachelor’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Boals began her legal career as an assistant public defender in Alexandria, Va., handling a felony caseload in District Court and appeals in the Virginia Court of Appeals. Before transitioning to a full-time teaching position, she was a labor and employment litigation attorney for the U.S. Department of Commerce. 5

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ADVOCACY UPDATES FALL 2020 - SPRING 2021 Photo credit: Daniela Gomez

The 2020 National All Star Bracket Challenge winners were, from left: Tyler Hillier, Katherine Castaner, Ashleigh Taylor, and Hunter Perez.

Stetson’s Vis International Arbitration Moot team won the Richard DeWitt Memorial Vis Pre-Moot competition. Pictured, from left: Robert Cummings, Audrey Gangloff, Brook Somerville, Joseph Kim, Melany Hernandez, and Andrew Zacherl.

Washington, D.C., regional ABA Law School Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition co-champions from left: Jessica Merker, Christopher Gieger, Frieda Lindroth, Toria Ryan, and Anya Pardy.

October 2020 • The Trial Team won the 2020 National All Star Bracket Challenge, a mock trial competition featuring 64 teams from across the country! Competing members were Tyler Hillier, Hunter Perez, Ashleigh Taylor, and Katherine Castaner, who took Best Advocate overall. November 2020 • Dispute Resolution Board members Abigail Dean, Alina Acevedo, Carlton Robinson, Diana Estrada, Huda Awan, and Kylie Weaver competed at the regional rounds of the American Bar Association Law Student Division Negotiation Competition. Stetson took both first and second place, with Alina and Kylie in first and Carlton and Huda in second! • Carmen Cato, William Linton, and Adam Poe competed in Region V of the 71st Annual NYC Bar Association National Moot Court Competition. The team advanced to the regional finals, thereby earning a spot at the upcoming National Finals.

Stetson’s Trial Team won the Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition for the 25th time in 38 years! From left: Samantha Simmons, Tyler Hillier, and Lauren Cleveland. Not pictured: Alicia Roddenberg.

January 2021 • Stetson’s Trial Team won the Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition for the 25th time in 38 years! Team members were Alicia Roddenberg, Samantha Simmons, Lauren Cleveland, and Tyler Hillier. Roddenberg was named Best Advocate. February 2021 • Naomi Robertson and Mary Grace Henley will represent Stetson at the national level in April 2021 after winning a regional round of the ABA Representation in Mediation Competition. • Stetson’s Vis International Arbitration Moot team won the Richard DeWitt Memorial Vis Pre-Moot competition for the 13th time in the 17 years of the pre-moot’s existence! The team was composed of Robert Cummings, Audrey Gangloff, Melany Hernandez, Joseph Kim, Brook Somerville, and Andrew Zacherl.

Dispute Resolution Board members won the William & Mary Negotiation Tournament. Pictured from left: Coach Allison Belanger, winners Drew Trautmann and Shannon Walker, and coach Bill Greiner, J.D. ’07.

March 2021 • Dispute Resolution Board members Drew Trautmann and Shannon Walker won the William & Mary Negotiation Tournament. It marked the fourth time in a row that Stetson has won that tournament. • For the first time in Stetson moot court history, two Stetson teams won the virtual Washington, D.C., regional ABA Law School Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) and will advance to the national finals together. The team of Frieda Lindroth, Anya Pardy, and Toria Ryan won Best Brief Award. The team of Christopher Gieger and Jessica Merker beat the top-seeded team in their final round. 6

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Donation will create an environmental law clinic and environmental justice institute

Nonprofit recognizes Stetson Law student with education award

Their ultimate objective is to create an Institute of Environmental Justice with an expansive array of public interest services to the legal and lay communities, as well as governmental organizations, while offering law students opportunities to provide hands-on services as part of their legal training.

Lewis took the Environmental Advocacy class at Stetson last year, and his lesson plan was part of the class coursework. He serves as the treasurer of Stetson’s Environmental Law Society and has spent most of his school breaks working with the planning department in his hometown of Winter Park, Fla. He hopes to continue that after graduation, working for more feasible and sustainable development in light of Florida’s population growth, rising sea levels, and other environmental challenges.

lumnus Dick Jacobs, J.D. ’67, and his wife, Joan, made a new $200,000 gift to Stetson Law to be used in a challenge geared toward funding the establishment of the Dick and Joan Jacobs Public Interest Environmental Law Clinic. The Clinic will be to support greater stakeholder participation in environmental policy and decision-making in the courts, agencies, and legislatures.

“The kids have got to become the difference makers,” Dick said. “We just can’t keep repeating the past. That’s why you go to law school – to be a difference maker. An Institute of Environmental Justice will give students the chance to have an impact on environmental policies while they are still lawyers in training and, we hope, inspire them to continue that work after graduation.”

icholas Lewis, a 3L in the Environmental Law Concentration, won the 2020 Environmental Education Program Award from Keeping Tampa Bay Beautiful for a K-12 lesson plan he developed for the organization’s Environmental Education Center. KTBB promotes environmental stewardship through volunteer and educational opportunities, including litter cleanups, invasive plant removal, and more.

Biodiversity Institute plays role in Supreme Court decision on Clean Water Act case

I A Stetson contingent attended oral arguments before the United States Supreme Court in November 2019. Pictured, from left: Professor Royal Gardner; attorney Kathleen Gardner of Pollack Solomon Duffy LLP; attorney David Henkin from Earthjustice who argued the case; then 3L Kate Welch; and Erin Okuno, J.D. ’13 assistant director of Stetson’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy.

n summer 2019, Stetson Law’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund et al. on behalf of aquatic scientists and scientific societies. On April 23, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court referenced that brief in its 6-3 decision, which held that the Clean Water Act (CWA) covers the functional equivalent of direct discharges of pollutants to navigable waters. The ruling emphatically rejected the County of Maui and the Administration’s attempt to restrict the CWA to direct discharges of pollutants, which would have categorically excluded pollutants conveyed through groundwater, said Royal Gardner, director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy. It also validated and elevated the importance of science and its role in determining when and how the CWA applies.

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Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Pamela Campbell, J.D. ’89 speaks to the audience during the 2020 Family Guardianship Expo.

Advice and expertise at new family guardian expo

tetson Law was host to the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida for a Family Guardianship Expo on Jan. 24, 2020. The event was open to people who have been entrusted with the legal responsibility of looking after a loved one because he or she cannot manage his or her affairs. Family guardians had a chance to learn more about their legal duties, legal limitations, and the roles judges and magistrates play in the process, as well as what paperwork they are required to periodically file, such as an accounting of the ward’s finances. Among the speakers were Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Pamela Campbell, and a half-dozen experts in their respective fields, including Jill Cicero, a training specialist with the Pinellas Clerk of the Circuit Court, Stetson Professor Stacey-Rae Simcox, a specialist in veterans’ benefits, Gerald Siebens, J.D. ’95 an attorney for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and Travis Finchum, a lawyer whose specialty is Social Security benefits. Approximately 100 people attended the free event, and the hours counted toward required education for guardians. It also included a hall of exhibitors, such as Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc., the Florida Department of Children and Families, and Guardianship Association of Pinellas County.

Scott Bearby, vice president of Legal Affairs and General Counsel at NCAA, spoke during the conference.

Higher Ed conference maintains tradition in new virtual realm

tetson’s Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy held its 42nd Annual National Conference on Law & Higher Education virtually March 3-5, 2021. Higher education experienced unprecedented disruption in 2020. From the pandemic, lawsuits, and political and social upheaval, to regulations, restructuring, social mistrust of higher education, and shifting demographics – this year has certainly leveraged the skills and talents of higher education and demonstrated its resilience. The conference is designed to give professionals space to process critical dimensions of law and policy issues facing institutions of higher education. More than 450 people registered to hear nearly 30 industry authorities from all over the country speak during the three-day event. “The Center for Excellence successfully produced its first ever virtual Annual National Conference. The Conference offered much needed hope for the future of higher education and countless opportunities to share our resilience as an industry in the face of an unforgettably challenging year. The Conference will return to Clearwater Beach in 2022, stronger than ever,” said Peter F. Lake, director for the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy.

National special needs conference moves online

S Leading special needs attorneys Robert Fechtman and Robert Flemming kept the Florida spirit alive with festive attire despite presenting remotely during the 22nd National Conference on Special Needs Planning and Special Needs Trusts.

tetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law hosted its 22nd National Conference on Special Needs Planning and Special Needs Trusts. The annual event provides an in-depth review of major issues presented in the creation, administration, monitoring and planning of special needs trusts. This year’s virtual conference attracted over 350 attendees to hear more than 60 industry authorities from all over the country speak during the weeklong event. The conference is typically hosted at the beautiful Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla., and organizers hope the 23rd annual conference will return there next year.

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NEW ADVISORY BOARD CREATED TO ENHANCE SERVICES Veterans Law Institute Board of Advisors Christopher Dougherty, J.D. ’85 Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, PC Kasey Feltner, J.D. ’17 Shutts & Bowen, LLP Jeff Harvey, J.D. ’12 Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc.

From left, Andy Mayts, Josh Magidson, Prineet Sharma, Lawrence “Larry” Miccolis, Veterans Law Institute Coordinator Shirley Booker, Veterans Law Institute Attorney Mavic Francisco, Christopher Dougherty, Veterans Law Institute Director Stacey-Rae Simcox, and Kasey Feltner.

tetson Law formed a new Veterans Law Institute Board of Advisors in September 2019, a group of professionals tasked with supporting the work of the VLI. The mission of the Board is threefold: to drive engagement in and development of programs for the VLI; to mentor current veteran students and recent graduates; and to provide counsel and recommendations to College leadership. Veterans law is a growing area, and VA claims are one of the most challenging areas of administrative law to practice, said Stacey-Rae Simcox, director of the VLI. Stetson Law students and staff attorneys at the VLI fill the service gap, offering their services and guidance at no cost. The demand for help is rising.

“If we had more resources, we’d help more veterans and their widows,” Simcox said. “We have a wait list.” Members of the Advisory Board are tasked with growing the Institute’s presence locally and nationally, fostering partnerships with other colleges and organizations, including MacDill Air Force Base, spreading awareness among veterans groups, and helping secure funding so the VLI can help even more veterans. Since 2014, Stetson Law’s Veterans Advocacy Clinic has helped more than 100 clients, garnering over $2 million in back pay, providing a valuable and meaningful learning experience for 35 to 40 students a year, offering clients more than 6,000 hours in pro bono legal work per year, and much more.

Josh Magidson, J.D. ’80 – Honorary Macfarlane, Ferguson, & McMullen, PA Andy Mayts, J.D. ’91 Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP Lawrence (Larry) Miccolis, J.D. ’09 Lawrence E. Miccolis, P.A. Prineet Sharma, J.D. ’98 Sharma Eminent Domain Lawyers PLLC Judge Raphael Steinhardt, J.D. ’63 Honorary Jim Vickaryous, J.D. ’93, MBA ’98 James G. Vickaryous, PA Jennifer Suarez Jankes, J.D. ’03 Director, Associate General Counsel, and Site Lead Citi Tampa Global Legal Office Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

Stories by Tom Daniel

New Advanced Veterans Advocacy Clinic Offered

tetson Law now offers an Advanced Veterans Advocacy Clinic to expand on its work representing disabled veterans seeking benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs. The clinic will provide the next level of service and create an even deeper learning experience for law students. “The Advanced Clinic is an opportunity for students who have experience working at the agency level of the Department of Veterans Affairs to represent veterans at the United States Court of

Appeals for Veterans Claims,” said Professor Stacey-Rae Simcox, director of Veterans Law Institute and Veterans Advocacy Clinic. The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, located in Washington, D.C., is one the most recently established federal courts. Consequently, new case law is being created every day. This new law then needs to be implemented at the agency level, which can be difficult to accomplish. Students in the Advanced Veterans Advocacy Clinic handle and potentially argue their cases on appeal. 9

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ACHIEVEMENTS

2020

Top Colleges for Diversity Stetson Law continues to work to become an even more inclusive and empathetic institution, one focused on maintaining and promoting human dignity, not only for students, faculty and staff, but in the community as well. Three major initiatives and successes this year include:

HEED Award

tetson was one of only two law schools to receive the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The national honor recognizes U.S. colleges, universities and professional schools that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. Stetson was chosen for increasing the diversity and representation of student and staff/tenured faculty communities, strengthening the reach and structure of campuswide diversity and cultural competence education and resources, and expanding the reach of its social justice advocacy program and initiatives.

Antiracism Resolution

n October 2020, Stetson Law faculty voted to approve an Antiracism Resolution, declaring their commitment to “dismantling all forms of oppressive power dynamics and challenging any assumptions that diminish human dignity, including those that rely on racist assumptions.” The resolution grew out of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s and faculty’s concern about the national unrest that unfolded throughout the summer of 2020, as well as a call from students and faculty for Stetson to not only reflect on what was happening nationally, but to take a stand. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which comprises 15 members from Stetson staff and faculty, crafted a resolution that acknowledges racial and societal injustices and includes a multi-point call to action.

Florida Law Schools’ Consortium for Racial Justice

tetson Law joined the 11 other state law schools to respond to both long-standing and recent acts of racist violence throughout the country by forming the Florida Law Schools’ Consortium for Racial Justice (FLSCRJ). This collective is leveraging the strengths and educational roles of the schools to assist community organizations fighting for racial justice and policy reform throughout Florida. Each school will designate at least one student fellow to work with FLSCRJ annually. They will collaborate on a variety of possible initiatives, including changes to the process by which juveniles are charged as adults and the

passage of local and state ordinances designed to achieve equal pay for equal work. Stetson hosted the formal launch with a timely panel called “Civil Rights Litigation and Coalition Building in the 21st Century Forum.” It featured Michele Rayner-Goolsby, who represents District 70 in the Florida House and is one of the first openly LGBTQ women of color elected to Florida’s Legislature, and Jotaka L. Eaddy, the founder and CEO of Full Circle Strategies, LLC, a social impact consulting firm committed to advancing transformative change and global impact.

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STETSON LAW WELCOMES NEW FACULTY Professor Alicia Jackson

Director, Academic Success and Bar Preparation and Assistant Professor of Law Alicia Jackson is the new director of Academic Success and Bar Preparation and a member of the law faculty. She previously served as the Associate Dean for Student Learning and Assessment and Academic Success and Bar Preparation at Florida A&M University College of Law. Jackson was also the Critical Skills Instructor and an assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University. Prior to her academic career, she owned a private law practice and worked with law enforcement agencies in Fort Lauderdale.

Professor Roy Balleste

Director, Dolly & Homer Hand Law Library and Assistant Professor of Law Roy Balleste is the new director of the Dolly & Homer Hand Law Library and a member of the law faculty. Balleste previously served as the Law Library director, a tenured professor of law, and director of the Graduate Program in Cybersecurity Law & Policy at St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens, Fla. He has been working in law libraries for 20 years and in administration for 15 years. Professor Balleste teaches and has concentrated his scholarship in space law and cybersecurity law and policy.

Professor Elizabeth Berenguer Associate Professor of Law

Elizabeth Berenguer is a member of the law faculty. Berenguer previously served as an associate professor of law at Campbell Law School in Raleigh, N.C., where she taught advanced legal writing and advocacy, trial advocacy, foundations of critical legal thought, and research and scholarship, and coached moot court. Berenguer was an associate professor of law and director of Legal Skills & Professionalism at Savannah Law School, a visiting professor of law at Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law in Macon, Ga., and an assistant professor of law at Barry University School of Law in Orlando. In all three capacities, she coached moot court and mock trial teams.

Professor Robyn Powell

Visiting Assistant Professor of Law Robyn Powell is a new visiting assistant professor of law. She is principal of Robyn Powell Consulting, LLC, providing disability law and policy consulting, speaking, and compliance assessment services to public and private entities. Prior to that, she was an attorney advisor for the National Council on Disability in Washington, D.C. She has published extensively on topics related to disabilities, including journal articles, book chapters, government reports and other commentary.

Professor Andrew Appleby Assistant Professor of Law

Andrew Appleby is a member of the law faculty and focuses his teaching and scholarship on tax and business law. He has published in prominent law journals, and has expertise in state and local taxation, sports taxation, and applied tax policy. Prior to joining Stetson Law, Professor Appleby practiced tax law at leading law firms for nearly a decade, including Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, and Alston & Bird LLP. Prior to his legal career, Professor Appleby was an information technology and business consultant.

Professor Charles J. Tabb

Distinguished Visiting Lecturer Charles J. Tabb has been a Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at Stetson Law this year. He currently serves as a professor emeritus at Illinois College of Law, as well as Of Counsel with the law firm Foley & Lardner LLP in Chicago. He is considered one of the nation’s leading bankruptcy scholars. Prior to his academic career, he practiced bankruptcy and commercial law, handling cases such as the Continental Airlines Chapter 11 reorganization. Tabb was appointed to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States and worked with the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China on the reform of the Chinese bankruptcy law.

F E AT U R E

STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW:

A History of Innovation, Tenacity, and Achievement. BY TOM DANIEL

ust like a person, an institution often has its own personality, a set of character traits that define it. At Stetson University College of Law, this personality is distinct. Stetson Law is dynamic and innovative. For more than 120 years, it has been a pioneer, always looking for new challenges and opportunities, as well as creative ways to address them. Above all, Stetson Law is resilient and compassionate.

Photo credit: Emily Preu

Stetson Law Firsts Stetson Law’s history as an innovator began with its founding. After repeated requests from members of The Florida Bar, the College of Law opened in 1900 in DeLand, becoming Florida’s first law school. Innovation also took shape in terms of inclusivity when in 1908, Mary Stewart Howarth-Hewitt attended Stetson and became the first woman in Florida to attend law school and earn a law degree. In their definitive book, “Florida’s First Law School, History of Stetson University College of Law,” the authors, Michael I. Swygert and W. Gary Vause, write, “… since its inception, Stetson University’s College of Law offered not only substantive, theoretical instruction in the law, it also required students to take an intensive skills course in trial practice. Its program was both comprehensive and innovative, a combination which, at the time, appears to have been unique in American legal education.”

Tenacious Throughout History From the start, Stetson Law was forward-thinking. However, history often presented the school with unanticipated challenges. During the Great Depression, approximately 1,500 institutions of higher education in the country went bankrupt or were forced to shut down. The Florida state economy was in shambles, yet

The Public Defender Clinic in 1969. Robert E. Jagger, together with Stetson Professor Paul Barnard and 6th Judicial Circuit Senior Judge John Bird, organized the state’s first clinical legal education program at Stetson in 1963.

Stetson Law survived. Dean Lewis H. Tribble kept the school afloat by convincing teachers to remain at Stetson beyond their retirement and work for a lower salary. In the next decade, the school had to cope with a challenge it could not overcome – World War II. Facing economic challenges and a shortage of young men applying for the school because of the lowering of the draft age to 18, Stetson Law was shuttered from 1943 to 1946. At the war’s end, the Stetson Board of Trustees made Stetson University President the decision that it was time to reopen. William Sims Allen and his secretary. In his announcement, then-President William Sims Allen said, “We are determined to have a law school of even greater distinction than past years.” Thus began a period of steady growth and achievement. Less than a decade later, in 1954, Stetson Law moved to its current location. University officials realized that to attract more students, present them with the opportunities that other law schools offered, and achieve the status the school desired, Stetson Law needed to move to a metropolitan community. Once word got out, three cities – Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, and Tampa – competed to be chosen as the new home. The winner was St. Petersburg, offering to pay

Students study in the Law Library in 1903.

F E AT U R E

$100,00 of the $200,000 purchase price for the former Rolyat Hotel, which had been in foreclosure. In less than 10 years from the school’s closing during World War II, Stetson Law had rebounded and relocated, ushering in a new era.

Experience Is the Best Teacher Stetson Law possesses a long-held belief in the value and power of experiential learning. This facet of the Stetson Law experience underwent a boom in the 1980s, when several new programs were added, including an elder law clinic, a joint J.D.-M.B.A. program, a federal judicial internships program, and a pro bono requirement for graduation. In 1986, the Elder Law Clinic opened, presenting students with an opportunity to represent and provide legal services to low-income seniors in the Tampa Bay region. Supervisory attorneys offered guidance to the students. This focus on elder law was taken to the national level with the establishment of the Stetson University College of Law Center for Law and Aging in 1995. When founded in 1988, the Federal Judicial Internship Program was considered a relatively uncommon offering for a law school. Over time, through this program, hundreds of Stetson Law students have benefited from their roles as part-time clerks for federal judges in the Middle District of Florida, which stretches from the Georgia border to Naples, Fla. By the end of the decade, Stetson Law students had seven clinics and centers from which to choose. They each provided an extremely valuable and enriching experience to all who participated. Along with the Elder Law Clinic, they included the Federal Civil Rights Clinic, the Stetson Labor Law Clinic, the Center for LaborManagement Dispute Resolution, the Public Defender Clinic, and the Prosecution Clinic, as well as a new Criminal Appeals Clinic. Of course these continued to evolve and grow during the past 40 years to the college’s current pillars: Center for Excellence in Advocacy; Center for Excellence in Elder Law; Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy; Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communication; Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy; Institute for Caribbean Law and Policy; and Veterans Law Institute – all of which have produced groundbreaking legal and academic work through talented faculty and students. Not to mention the more than 300 clinic and externship opportunities, LL.M. and M.J. programs, and international programs Stetson Law now offers.

Graduates who walked in the December 2020 ceremonies adhered to safety guidelines, including wearing masks.

KEY INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS COVID-19 PANDEMIC • Launching the Safer Stetson website with up-to-date information, resources, and FAQs • Launching the Everbridge mobile app for daily COVID-19 screening • Creation of designated Wellness Stations as main access points during busy business hours and class times where students, employees, and visitors are required to stop for health screening • The installation of physical barriers in classrooms and offices where there is an increased potential for close contact with others • Improving air quality via HVAC systems • Investment to outfit classrooms with the necessary technology for dual-delivery classes, as well as giving both the Great Hall and Mann Lounge major technology upgrades so those large spaces can be utilized as classrooms • Partnership with iSelectMD that provides Stetson Law students 24/7 access to real-time virtual medical consultations with physicians for COVID-19 concerns • Extensive new cleaning regimens using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved cleaning solutions and tools, including electrostatic sprayers • Color-coded Stetson branded lanyards to help distinguish among students, employees, and visitors • Periodic testing of students and employees • Stetson Law purchased face coverings for all students and employees and implemented a strict Face Covering Policy • Vaccinations available on campus

From left, Judge Raphael Steinhardt, then Institute Director Michael Allen, and then Interim Dean Royal Gardner cut the ribbon at Stetson’s new Veterans Law Institute on May 31, 2012.

F E AT U R E

Diversity and Inclusion Taken to the Next Level Beyond education, Stetson Law has taken great strides to become an even more inviting and compassionate institution, one with a constant eye on maintaining and promoting human dignity. Three recent examples illustrate Stetson Law’s commitment.

The 1996 Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition winning team. Stetson Law has now won the competition 25 times in 38 years.

A Thorough and Thoughtful Response Stetson Law’s most recent example of innovation and resilience has come during the COVID-19 pandemic. To assure students safety, many policies, procedures, and physical adjustments were made to comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mandates. Students were able to choose between attending classes in person, remotely, or a combination of both for this academic year. Approximately 75 percent of the incoming first-year class opted to pursue in-person instruction for most of their classes. Dean Michèle Alexandre said, “This academic year is going to be unlike any other … we are confident our students will still experience the same rigorous legal education whether their classes are remote or in person.”

Continuing to Evolve In spite of the pandemic, Stetson Law continues to evolve. The school now offers a concentration in Business Law that is designed to hone skills and knowledge for those interested in pursuing careers in business law, including a strong focus on corporate and commercial law, tax law, and related fields. True to Stetson Law’s history and reputation, this concentration offers an intense experiential curriculum. To help students develop real-world skills, this includes opportunities in bankruptcy, intellectual property, and documents of the deal, to name a few. Students receive close mentoring from members of the faculty and can utilize the College’s partnerships with various financial, cybersecurity and other companies to further sharpen proficiencies and build relationships.

Stetson University College of Law received the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversityfocused publication in higher education. Stetson Law was one of only two law schools to receive the national award in 2020. In a natural progression of the efforts that led to the HEED award, in October 2020, Stetson Law faculty voted to approve an Antiracism Resolution, declaring their commitment to “dismantling all forms of oppressive power dynamics and challenging any assumptions that diminish human dignity, including those that rely on racist assumptions.” The resolution grew out of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s and faculty’s concern about the national unrest that unfolded throughout the summer of 2020. At the state level, Stetson Law joined the 11 other law schools in Florida to respond to long-standing and recent acts of racist violence. The deans formed the Florida Law Schools’ Consortium for Racial Justice (FLSCRJ). This collective will leverage the strengths and educational roles of every law school in the state to assist community organizations fighting for racial justice and policy reform throughout Florida.

Consistently Moving Forward Stetson University College of Law has never been one to rest on past achievements. The school is on a constant path forward. From its humble beginnings in DeLand, Stetson Law has survived the Great Depression and World War II, and now continues to thrive and grow during a worldwide pandemic. Through it all, the school has carried on its commitment to its students. Stetson Law will continue to build on and enhance its reputation as an innovator. After all, that is ingrained in the school’s personality.

The August 2020 new student orientation adhered to safety guidelines, including physical distancing and face masks.

ALUMNI SUCCESS

SLAA RECOGNIZES ALUMNI FOR SERVICE AND DEDICATION

he Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association (SLAA) presented awards on June 18, 2020, to six individuals who have made a positive impact in the community and supported Stetson University College of Law.

Outstanding Alumni Representative Award Lori Baggett, J.D. ’02, received this award, which is designed to recognize dedication and service to the Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association through involvement in local alumni activities, for her membership on the SLAA Board, hosting many alumni events, serving on the BLSA Reunion planning committee, and establishing the Baggett Family Scholarship Endowment.

Distinguished Service Award This award is presented to a non-alumnus in recognition of their significant, meritorious and continuing contributions to support Stetson Law. To honor the life and memory of her late daughter, Meredith E. Level, a 1994 graduate of the College of Law, June Level established the Meredith E. Level Endowed Scholarship that provides financial resources to a second-or third-year female student at Stetson.

Ben Willard Award This award recognizes an alumnus who expends that extra effort to prevail for the benefit of the citizens of Florida and whose humanitarian achievements have brought distinction to themselves and Stetson. Joseph W. Landers, Jr., B.A. ’64, J.D. ’70, spent an early part of his legal career serving as aide to Florida Secretary of State Tom Adams and then chief Cabinet aide and principal environmental adviser for Gov. Reubin Askew. In 1974, he was appointed executive director of the Internal Improvement Fund (the state land management agency), and then first secretary of the newly established Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Later, Landers agreed to serve as interim executive director of the Florida Department of Natural Resources. He left government in 1979 to join a Tallahassee law firm before co-founding his own firm, Landers and Parsons. He resigned from his law practice to create a niche

patient finance company, USMed. Ten years later, JPMorgan Chase purchased the company and named Landers CEO of ChaseHealthAdvance. He retired in 2007.

Paul M. May Meritorious Service Award This award recognizes an alumnus for showing continued support for Stetson through the contribution of both time and gifts. Seymour Gordon, J.D. ’60, taught classes at Stetson Law as an adjunct professor and served as an alumni mentor for 1L students. He helped organize a joint 50-year reunion for the Classes of 1959 and 1960. Gordon and his wife have established an endowed scholarship. He practices in the area of real estate, commercial law and estate planning.

Distinguished Alumnus Award This award goes to an alumnus who is recognized as being outstanding in his chosen profession and for his service to humanity, which has brought honor to himself and Stetson. State Rep. Chris Sprowls, J.D. ’09, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2014. In his first session, he passed legislation to assist craft breweries and reform the Public Service Commission, and a bill to protect property owners from losing their homes at the hands of out-of-state corporations. He was re-elected in 2016 and is the first Stetson Law alumnus to serve as the Speaker of the House.

President’s Award This award is presented to the outgoing president of the SLAA in recognition of their term of service. During Amy Rigdon’s, B.A. ’05, J.D. ’08, term as president, she led the board through a time of unprecedented change, including welcoming a new dean and the transition from classroom instruction to online learning in response to COVID-19. She also led the board in developing new fundraising initiatives and created a series of events to encourage student leaders to remain involved following graduation. Rigdon is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Latham & Watkins.

ALUMNI SUCCESS

MEET THE BOARD OF OVERSEERS The purpose of the Stetson University College of Law Board of Overseers is to counsel, advise, and assist the dean of the College of Law and the president of the University in developing the program of legal education and of financial and other resources. The current active members are: Hon. Tangela Hopkins Barrie Decatur, Georgia Superior Court of DeKalb County J.D., Stetson University ’97 Gregory W. Coleman Chair of the Board, Executive Committee West Palm Beach, Florida Critton Luttier and Coleman, LLP B.B.A., Stetson University ’85 J.D., Stetson University ’89 Michael P. Connelly Malvern, Pennsylvania Crown Castle B.A., Stetson University ’93 J.D., Stetson University ’96 M.B.A., The Wharton School of Business Robert E. Doyle Jr. Naples, Florida Doyle Conflict Resolution, Inc. B.A., George Washington University J.D., Stetson University ’75 Grace E. Dunlap Tampa, Florida Bryant Miller Olive, P.A. B.A., George Mason University J.D., Stetson University ’86 Wil H. Florin Palm Harbor, Florida Florin Roebig B.A., Ball State University J.D., Stetson University ’80

Leo J. Govoni Clearwater, Florida Founding Partner and President, Boston Asset Management, Inc. B.A., Framingham State College Tracy Raffles Gunn Tampa, Florida Gunn Appellate Practice, P.A. B.A., University of South Florida J.D., Stetson University ’93 Mark E. Haranzo New York, New York Holland & Knight B.A., University of South Florida J.D., Stetson University ’85 Richard A. Harrison Executive Committee Tampa, Florida Richard A. Harrison, P.A. A.A., Miami-Dade Community College B.A., Stetson University ’83 J.D., Stetson University ’86 Benjamin H. Hill, IV Tampa, Florida Hill Ward Henderson J.D., Stetson University ’97 Jenay E. Iurato Secretary of the Board, Executive Committee Tampa, Florida Iurato Law Firm, P.L. B.S., B.A., Pepperdine University J.D./MBA, Stetson University ’00 Joseph W. Landers, Jr. Tallahassee, Florida B.A., Stetson University ’64 J.D., Stetson University ’70 Charles S. Liberis Pensacola, Florida Liberis Law Firm, P.A. B.S., Stetson University J.D., Stetson University ’67

Joshua Magidson Clearwater, Florida Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, P.A. B.A., Boston University; University of Maryland M.A., University of Connecticut J.D., Stetson University ’80 Michael E. Marder Orlando, Florida Greenspoon Marder Law B.A., University of South Florida J.D. Stetson University ’77 Simone Marstiller Tallahassee, Florida Florida Department of Juvenile Justice B.B.A., Stetson University ’88 J.D., Stetson University ’96 Timothy P. McFadden St. Petersburg, Florida B.S., United States Military Academy at West Point J.D., Stetson University ’90 Steven D. Overly Amelia Island, Florida Rogers Towers B.A., Gettysburg College M.P.A., Pennsylvania State University J.D., Stetson University College of Law ’82 LL.M., Georgetown University Law Center James M. Papantonio Pensacola, Florida Levin Papantonio B.A., University of Florida J.D., Samford University, Cumberland School of Law Hon. Peggy A. Quince Tallahassee, Florida Retired Justice, Supreme Court of Florida B.S., Howard University J.D., Catholic University of America LL.D., (Hon.) Stetson University ’99

Robert G. Riegel Jr. Jacksonville, Florida Rogers Towers B.A., Stetson University ’78 J.D., Stetson University ’81 Amy R. Rigdon Washington, D.C. Latham & Watkins, LLP B.A., Stetson University ’05 J.D., Stetson University ’08 Arturo R. Rios St. Petersburg, Florida Arturo Rios, P.A. B.A., Eckerd College J.D., Stetson University ’06 LL.M., Temple University Scott Stevenson New York, New York B.S., Wharton School of Business B.A., University of Pennsylvania J.D., Stetson University ’12 Matthew A. Towery Executive Committee Atlanta, Georgia M.Phil., University of Cambridge, England J.D., Stetson University ’87 Jason L. Turner Nashville, Tennessee Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem, PLLC B.B.A., Belmont University J.D., Stetson University ’04 Aaron Watson Pensacola, Florida The Watson Law Firm, PLLC B.A., Florida State University J.D., Stetson University ’09 Roger W. Yoerges Executive Committee Washington, D.C. Capital Talent Agency, LLC B.A., University of Florida J.D., Stetson University ’85

ALUMNI SUCCESS

ALUMNI GROUP HAS NEW DIRECTOR

lphonce J. Brown Jr. stepped into the role of director of Development and Alumni Relations in January 2020. He is a senior executive with 35 years of experience in higher education, nonprofits, development strategic planning, and capital campaign feasibility studies. Brown has a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. He has achieved many development successes during his career, including conducting research and targeting major donors for UCLA, leading to media mogul David Geffen donating $200 million. Brown has been recognized as one of 110 Advanced Certified Fundraising Executives (ACFRE) and is one of 94 certified Master Trainers within AFP. He was named Top 14 Most Influential Fundraisers in USA in 2009 by NonProfit Times. Brown was recently named an AFP 2021 Distinguished Fellow, a national recognition for individuals who have made significant leadership contributions to philanthropy and the fundraising profession.

Annual Campaigns We have many opportunities for alumni to help shape who we are and what we’ll become, including the Law Firm Challenge and the We Are Stetson Giving Challenge. Both play a critical role in our continuing efforts for excellence and national prominence in providing student financial aid, faculty research, clinical education, and academic programs. The We Are Stetson Giving Challenge is a three-day campaign in April in which alumni, faculty, students and friends have an opportunity to show their support for the College of Law. This year, alumnus Jeffery A. Smith, J.D. ’73, agreed to donate $100,000 if 300 alumni gave to the campaign, and it was a resounding success. The Law Firm Challenge runs November-January and is a friendly competition where law firms with multiple Stetson Law graduates vie for the highest percentage of alumni giving. You can also support the new Dick and Joan Jacobs Public Interest Environmental Law Clinic fund if environmental policy is important to you. Of course, you don’t need to wait for a campaign to provide support. Graduates can give back to any Stetson Law fund at any time and in any amount. If you have questions, contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at alumni@law.stetson.edu or 727-562-7818.

Meet the Office of Development and Alumni Relations Team Janet Caramello, Major Gifts Officer Caramello joined Stetson in 2021 and will connect donors and potential major donors with opportunities to advance the College of Law through financial contributions and volunteer leadership. Karen Ryals, Development Officer Ryals joined Stetson in 2020 and oversees new annual giving programs and manages existing campaigns, including the Law Firm Challenge and Student Emergency Fund.

Mike Casey, Associate Director of Alumni Relations Casey helps to establish and grow local and nationwide alumni chapters. He is also responsible for planning many of Stetson’s signature events, including the Hall of Fame Banquet.

Patricia Stone, Database Administration Specialist Stone provides support through gift accounting and processes, database management and reporting tools, and donor stewardship, as well as provides administrative support to staff.

Tomeka Jackson, Administrative Support Jackson provides administrative support for the entire department and works closely in helping to prepare Stetson’s many events and compiling Class Notes.

Patricia Toups, Associate Director of Development Toups brings a broad breadth and knowledge to the development team that includes historical timelines, practices and procedures, and fiscal management. 17

STETSON LEGACY

NEW ENDOWMENTS HONOR TREASURED ALUMNI AND FACULTY Robert E. Jagger Public Defender Scholarship This scholarship was established by Robert Jagger’s family – including his wife, Mrs. Jo Ann Jagger, and sons, The Hon. Edwin Jagger, J.D. ’91 and Robert F. Jagger – to honor his memory.

William R. Nunno, J.D. ’71, created this new scholarship to both thank Stetson Law for giving him “the opportunity to become a lawyer,” and to recognize Dean Alexandre for her good governance of the law school.

Robert E. Jagger, J.D. ’58, was the first Public Defender for the Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court in 1961 and served in that role for 35 years. At the time, he was believed to have been the longest-standing elected Public Defender in the country. He was an adjunct professor at Stetson Law for many years and served several terms on the law school’s Board of Overseers. He was known for his devotion and commitment to the legal profession, and he worked to establish and mentor the students in the Public Defender Clinic at Stetson Law. In 2005, Jagger was inducted into Stetson Law’s Hall of Fame.

“I am endowing this scholarship in the name of Dean Alexandre to honor her for the exemplary leadership role she has taken at Stetson University College of Law,” he said.

The ideal recipient of the Robert E. Jagger Public Defender Scholarship will have successfully completed the Public Defender Clinic Program or be enrolled in the program, will be in good academic standing, and aspire to pursue a career in public service.

The Hon. Thomas B. McCoun III Scholarship Thomas McCoun’s wife and children, Mrs. Jennie McCoun, Bullitt, Jonathan, Cameron and Katie, established this scholarship in his honor. Judge McCoun, J.D. ’77, lived an accomplished and dutiful life. He practiced law for 41 years, serving the last 24 years as a Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida. Judge McCoun taught as an adjunct professor at Stetson for many years. He valued active church membership, coaching his children in various sports, teaching Sunday school, and was the go-to dictionary and mathematician for the family. Candidates for this scholarship should participate in the federal judicial externship program, be a member of the trial team or in the Trial Advocacy Concentration, demonstrate a financial need, and be in good academic standing. 18

Dean Michèle Alexandre Scholarship

Nunno was a solo personal injury practitioner from 1972 until his daughters joined his law firm 20 years ago. He has been appointed by the Superior Court of New Jersey and has served as a personal injury arbitrator for over 30 years. His daughters, Alisa Nunno Di Chiara, J.D. ’95 and Tracie Nunno D’Amico, J.D. ’96 are also Stetson Law graduates and certified Civil Trial Attorneys. The Dean Michèle Alexandre Scholarship is intended for students with financial need in either the full-time or part-time J.D. programs.

Bernie McCabe Prosecution Clinic Scholarship Bernie McCabe’s classmates, including Denis M. de Vlaming, J.D. ’72, created this scholarship to honor the longtime State Attorney. McCabe was a “Double Hatter,” earning his bachelor’s in 1969 from Stetson University and Juris Doctor from Stetson Law in 1972. He began his career as the Assistant State Attorney in the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Florida and was eventually elected as State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco counties in 1992, a role he held until his passing in 2020. McCabe was a steadfast presence at Stetson Law, being appointed to the Board of Overseers in 1994, supervising the Stetson Prosecution Clinic for 28 years, teaching young law students as an Adjunct Professor, and hiring and mentoring many Stetson Law alumni. The Bernie McCabe Prosecution Clinic Scholarship is intended to provide tuition assistance to a student participating in the Prosecution Clinic.

STETSON LEGACY

PROFESSOR DOROTHEA BEANE RETIRES B Y A S H L E Y M C K N I G H T - TAY L O R

ongtime professor of law and co-director of the Institute for Caribbean Law and Policy, Dorothea A. Beane, announced her retirement from Stetson Law, effective December 2020. She still serves the College as a Professor of Law Emeritus.

Professor Beane is a Stetson Law legend with 30 years teaching Federal Pre-Trial Practice, Civil Procedure, International Human Rights Law, and The Law of International Tribunals. She was founder and director of the Summer Abroad Program in The Hague, Netherlands, and has worked extensively in The Hague on matters involving international criminal law and human rights. She was the first minority tenured faculty at Stetson Law and received the College of Law Teaching Excellence Award in 2005. Beane joined Stetson after her first career as a trial attorney at the Department of Justice. While her résumé and accolades make clear her legal and teaching prowess, it is the stories her colleagues and former students tell that reveal the true impact Beane had at Stetson Law. And a theme begins to emerge: demanding, but compassionate. “The perfect description of Professor Beane is ‘tough love,’” said Ted Karatinos, J.D. ’93 and adjunct professor. “She sets a high bar but bends over backward to help them meet it.” Judge Michael Allen was a member of the faculty from 2001 to 2017 and said that while Beane projected a tough exterior, she had a softer side that was evident in how she would go out of her way to help students, be it with law school or in their personal lives. During his tenure as associate dean, Beane was an honor code investigator who would be brutally honest in her fact-finding, but exceedingly practical in her recommended punishments, primarily because she cared so much for students. She did not want to let one mistake define them or the rest of their careers, Allen explained. Clinton Paris, J.D./MBA ’00, said he’d never even had Beane as a professor, but she made a point to stop him in the courtyard to chat one day. “She was just profound at this,” Paris said. “She knew every Black student on campus and went out of her way to make a connection with you.”

Professor Beane was founder and director of the Summer Abroad Program in The Hague, Netherlands, Stetson’s most popular study abroad program.

Her efforts went beyond simple small talk. Beane encouraged Paris to apply for an internship with Judge Mary Scriven and to try out for Moot Court Board and Law Review. She pushed him to work harder and aim higher while still reassuring him that success was possible if he put his mind to it and embraced the challenge. Quite simply, Paris said, Beane made sure he got the most out of law school. “You didn’t want to let her down,” Paris said. Karatinos took Civil Procedure I with Beane the first year she started teaching at Stetson Law. She tapped him as a teaching assistant and to help draft a Law Review article. Eleven years later, Beane asked him to guest lecture for one of her classes, and they have co-taught Federal Civil Pretrial Practice since 2002. Karatinos said when it came to students, Beane was generous with her time, providing office hours, tutoring, and plenty of feedback – a hallmark of her teaching style. She also stressed to students that her classroom was a safe space to make a mistake; she’d rather they do it there and learn from it instead of out in the real world. In doing so, she not only ingrained the lesson but built students’ confidence. “To me, she’s a Stetson icon.”

Professor Dorothea A. Beane Scholarship A distinguished committee of Stetson BLSA alumni created The Professor Dorothea A. Beane Scholarship to honor the work and career of Professor Beane. It is intended to attract and retain Black students with enormous potential each academic year at Stetson Law. Scholarship consideration may be given to first-generation African American college students and students with financial need. Eligible first-year students qualify, as do eligible 2L or 3L African American students either in the full-time or part-time J.D. program. “This scholarship is really the first initiative to rally and gather the Black student alumni,” said Danielle Weaver-Rogers, J.D. ’13, and one of the committee members. The goal is to fund 100 percent tuition. Clinton Paris, J.D./MBA ’00, agreed: “This scholarship gives alumni a chance to make a statement.” 19

EVENTS

GRADUATION Nearly 300 new graduates recognized during December 2020 commencement ceremonies From left, Stetson University President Dr. Christopher F. Roellke, Stetson University Provost Dr. Noel Painter, and Stetson University College of Law Dean Michèle Alexandre during the socially distant graduation ceremony on Dec. 5, 2020.

n Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, Stetson University College of Law celebrated three separate commencement ceremonies recognizing graduates from three classes: December 2019 Class, May/August 2020 Class, and the December 2020 Class. Commencement may have looked different this year, but the staff at the College of Law worked hard to ensure students had as close to a traditional ceremony as possible. The events were held outdoors with limited attendance to follow CDC guidelines on physical distancing. Other safety protocols included a face-mask requirement for all attendees and wellness screenings prior to entering campus. In some ways, the changes were par for the course for the Class of 2020. Rachel Wise, outgoing Student Bar Association president, said their class – having begun law school during Hurricane Irma and finished during worldwide shutdowns from COVID-19 – had “become experts in adapting to change.” “After perhaps one of the most memorable years in history, and three years learning how to truly master change, we emerged together today as graduates ready to enter the legal profession and make positive change,” Wise said in a prerecorded speech.

I am so proud of who you are as humans, scholars, and legal minds.”

— Dean Michèle Alexandre

Stetson University President Dr. Christopher F. Roellke

Stetson University College of Law Dean Michèle Alexandre said the graduates showed resilience and grit as they dug deep to overcome every hurdle placed in their path this year. “I am so proud of who you are as humans, scholars, and legal minds,” she said. “In answering the call to become an attorney, you are beginning your purpose in life. You now have the tools to be change agents and justice warriors who can transform the world.”

Please add kindness to your practice.” — President Dr. Christopher F. Roellke

Lori Baggett, J.D. ’02, the managing shareholder of the Tampa office of Carlton Fields, delivered the commencement address during the 11:30 a.m. ceremony. She was also recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree for her award-winning legal work, leadership in the community, and ongoing dedication to the College of Law. “I’m sure a lot of us feel like we’ve been bludgeoned by chance,” Baggett said, but noted when graduates are faced with adversity, they should look for things they can control. “You have agency over your life.”

Stetson University College of Law Dean Michèle Alexandre

Commencement speaker Lori Baggett, J.D. ‘02

EVENTS

Attendance for the outdoor ceremonies was limited to ensure attendees were safely distanced.

Baggett explained that deliberate intent plus substantive action can lead to success, but success would look different for each of them – they should define it themselves, create their own happiness, and make their mark on this world. Then, they have an obligation to share that success with others by giving back to their communities.

You have agency over your life.” — Lori Baggett, J.D. ’02

The students already have a foundation in volunteerism, as Stetson Law has a pro bono requirement for graduation. The December 2019 and May 2020 graduates volunteered more than 34,000 hours of community service. Stetson University President Dr. Christopher F. Roellke called on them to continue to incorporate agency, empathy and, most importantly, kindness, as they embark on their professional lives. “Please add kindness to your practice,” he said. Graduates who walked in the ceremony adhered to safety guidelines, including wearing masks.

We emerged together today as graduates ready to enter the legal profession and make positive change.” — Rachel Wise, J.D. ’20 21

EVENTS

STETSON LAW WELCOMES 2 NEW MEMBERS TO HALL OF FAME

ichard O. “Dick” Jacobs and Dr. Madison M. Mosley Jr. were inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame on Dec. 9, 2020. For the past 16 years, Stetson Law has honored distinguished luminaries in the legal and academic arenas at its annual Hall of Fame event. This year’s event was virtual and shared live on YouTube because of the pandemic. Richard O. “Dick” Jacobs, J.D. ’67 Prior to attending law school, Jacobs spent nearly a decade building a highly successful career in the life insurance business. He later became a tax attorney and co-founded a law firm that grew to about 100 lawyers and multiple locations. He served as Chair of the Tax Section of The Florida Bar. In the late 1970s, he joined clients in forming Park Bank of Florida, which eventually became a public company. When it began to flounder, Jacobs took over as CEO in hopes of righting the ship. However, the bank failed in 1986. It was the biggest learning experience of his life, and he wrote a book, “Crash Landing: Surviving a Business Crisis,” in an effort to understand how it happened. Jacobs decided to pursue new projects in venture travel and environmental conservation. His journeys took him to the seven continents and opened his eyes to how much of the rest of the world lived. In 2015, he published Wonderlust, a book of his photography and lessons learned from crisscrossing the globe. His conservation work brought Dick back to Stetson Law for many fruitful collaborations. In 2016, he and his wife created the Dick and Joan Jacobs’ Environmental Law Externship Fund to provide financial assistance for students. In 2020, he launched The Stetson Environmental Tax Policy Writing Competition for students to develop innovative tax law policies to fund solutions for sea level rise. His vision for Stetson Law continues to expand, with the creation of a Center for Environmental Justice underway. Amid all his traveling and philanthropic work, Jacobs had returned to practicing law with Holland & Knight, then Trenam Kemker with a focus on health care law. He was editor and prime author of “Health Care Law – Mergers and Acquisitions of Physician Practices” and was ultimately named

to Best Lawyers in America and a Florida Super Lawyer for his work in this area. He currently is on staff as Senior Counsel at Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP. Madison M. Mosley Jr., J.D. ’92 Prior to attending Stetson, Mosley earned a bachelor’s degree in library science and English from Florida State University in 1971, a master’s degree in library science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1974, and a doctorate in library science from Florida State University in 1980. He spent his early professional career in various librarian roles before becoming director of the library at Florida Community College in Avon Park. He was an active member of the community, serving two years on the Avon Park City Council before moving to St. Petersburg to attend Stetson Law, where he earned the best speaker award in his research and writing section. He joined the Stetson Law staff after graduation, serving as reference librarian and associate director before being appointed library director in February 2001. Mosley served as co-chair of the St. Petersburg Citizens Review Committee for the Police Department, and the parliamentarian of the city’s African-American Voter Education Committee. He was an active member of the American Library Association and the ALA’s Black Caucus; the American Association of Law Libraries and the AALL’s Southeastern Chapter; the Florida Library Association; the Association of College and Research Libraries; the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative; The Florida Bar; and the National Bar Association. Mosley’s most prolific work was as an executive board member of the Florida Library Association. He was named to the organization’s Transformers Honor Roll in 1996 for his efforts to improve the quality of service to library users. He served as president from 1999 to 2000. He moved to establish a standing committee on leadership development and recognized the need for electronic access to FLA information. Mosley was considered a leader in the field who made significant contributions to libraries and librarianship. He mentored many students and other librarians throughout his career. Mosley continued these efforts and his service as library director until his unexpected and untimely death on March 29, 2005, at the age of 55.

EVENTS

RESTORING A CAMPUS ICON TO ITS FORMER BEAUTY BY TOM DANIEL

s readers of this magazine know, Stetson University College of Law was originally built in 1925 as the Rolyat Hotel. Developer “Handsome Jack” Taylor, a “Great Gatsby” type character, wanted the hotel to exude opulence. The Rolyat was designed to replicate a Spanish feudal castle with buildings surrounding a central plaza. Its many notable features included a main tower styled to resemble the Torre del Oro in Seville, roof tiles imported from a Spanish monastery, and a central fountain that was said to flow with champagne at the hotel’s celebrity-filled opening on Jan. 1, 1926. Today, students, faculty and visitors can still enjoy the beauty that Taylor’s vision gave to this campus. College officials have been working to restore some of the unique features, beginning with the fountain in the Plaza Mayor courtyard. This seven-month endeavor, an official historic restoration, was no small task. The images in each quadrant of the fountain were cut out, tiles removed from slab, cleaned, and restored. Other tiles could not be salvaged, so bisque was imported from Italy and hand-painted to match the original tile, baked, and then waterproofed. All the painting was done by the same woman, meaning no two tiles are exactly alike, just as was true of the originals. RLA Conservation of Art & Architecture in Miami, Fla., a state certified tile restoration company, oversaw the work.

With all tile removed, the old fountain shell was taken out and replaced with an exact replica. The fountain was then equipped with modern improvements, such as auto water fill, main drain for proper filtration of water and, to reduce chlorine consumption, a UV light system for purification of fountain water. SDF Contracting of St. Petersburg constructed a new pump room and infrastructure to handle the filtration requirements for this and the three additional fountains in and around the Plaza. This type of restoration makes the maintenance of the fountain far less labor-intensive, said William “Dale” Stubblefield, supervisor of Grounds and Event Setup. Without the proper filtration systems, the fountains require water replenishment, skimming and sweeping to keep clean. The restoration was primarily made possible by a $500,000 Special Category Grant from the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, said Patty Johnson, associate vice president of Budget and Finance. “We intend to apply for another grant for the restoration of the other three fountains on campus.” For now, anyone presented with the opportunity should spend a moment taking in and enjoying the brilliant restoration work on Stetson Law’s main fountain. Sadly, at present, there are no plans to fill it with champagne again.

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S T E T S O N L AW Y E R

FACULTY FORUM October 2020 - January 2021

ANDREW APPLEBY,

Assistant Professor of Law, coauthored two articles published in TAX NOTES; State Tax Credit Issues Raised by SALT Cap Workaround Legislation (2021) and State Estate Taxes and the Due Process Clause (2020). Prof. Appleby’s article Designing the Tax Supermajority Requirement was accepted for inclusion in 71 Syracuse Law Review (forthcoming 2021), and he presented Subnational Digital Services Taxes at the Junior Tax Scholars conference. In addition, Prof. Appleby hosted the Stetson Tax Law Society’s inaugural Stetson Tax Innovators Exchange (STIX) event, which brought several of the nation’s top tax law minds together (virtually). Through the Tax Law Society, he was instrumental in moving the Florida Bar Tax Section’s National Tax Moot Court Competition from the University of Florida to Stetson starting in 2021. Prof. Appleby also became a coauthor of the leading treatise on state and local taxation, Hellerstein & Hellerstein, STATE TAXATION (3d. ed., 2021 rev.).

ROY BALLESTE,

Assistant Professor of Law, was an invited speaker for the Annual Strategic Space Law Course at McGill University Institute of Air and Space Law in November 2020. Designed for military lawyers, public policy practitioners/scholars, commercial lawyers, and other relevant stakeholders, the course considered space objects 24

as key elements in global security, while increasingly vulnerable to harmful radio interference, space debris, and counter-space weapons. This is the world’s first course focusing on various legal and policy considerations surrounding the strategic uses of outer space. Prof. Balleste’s contribution addressed the cutting-edge subject of Cybersecurity Policy and Standards for Space Operations.

MARK D. BAUER,

Professor of Law, virtually attended the 2021 annual meeting of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), where he spoke at a colloquium on privacy law sponsored by the Business and Commercial Law Section of the AALS. Prof. Bauer was also reelected to the Section’s executive board.

ELIZABETH I. BOALS,

Assistant Professor of Law, was appointed as the inaugural Vice President of Trial Advocacy Programs for the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators (NALAE) in October 2020. Prof. Boals hosted 20 trial advocacy teams for the National Pretrial Competition held entirely online. She served on the “Awakening the Advocate Within” panel in December 2020 and prerecorded materials for inclusion in programming on challenges in part-time legal education presented at the 2021 Association of American Law Schools (AALS) annual meeting. Prof. Boals presented on feedback strategies at the Campus to Career Conference and served as an instructor on

cross-examination strategies at the For Women By Women Advocacy Skills Workshop. Professor Boals continues her work on the third edition of her casefiles State v. Peyton and Addison v. Peyton, published by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and scheduled for release in June 2021.

BROOKE J. BOWMAN, J.D. ’02,

Professor of Law was invited to join the National Education Committee of the American Inns of Court. Prof. Bowman serves as co-chair of the ALWD Guide to Legal Citation Task Force, which involves reviewing drafts and developing marketing plans. The seventh edition of the ALWD citation manual for teaching and learning legal citations is scheduled for a May 2021 release. Prof. Bowman co-hosted Region V of the 71st Annual NYC Bar Association National Moot Court Competition in November. She also co-coached five moot court teams in the fall, and the Stetson team won the third-best brief award and were quarterfinalists at the 20th Annual Leroy R. Hassell, Sr. National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition. Stetson won the Best Brief Award and were semifinalists at the Appellate Lawyers Association’s 2020 National Moot Court Competition. All fall 2020 Moot Court competitions were conducted virtually.

PAUL BOUDREAUX,

Professor of Law, served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy, completing issues

23-3 and 23-4. He also served as assistant editor of ABA’s Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law. Prof. Boudreaux was elected chair-elect of the Association of American Law Schools’ (AALS) section on Environmental Law. He completed the edits of his article, Rethinking Segregation, to be published in early 2021 by the Michigan State Law Review.

JAMES FOX,

Professor of Law, recently published Black Progressivism and the Progressive Court in the Yale Law Journal Forum. Prof. Fox’s essay was solicited by the journal editors as part of a symposium titled “The Progressive Era, 100 Years Later.”

ROYAL C. GARDNER,

Professor of Law, presented on the Clean Water Act at a University of Georgia River Basin Center symposium, a Florida Conservation Voters Facebook Live event, and an Association of State Wetland Managers webcast. He wrote about the role of biodiversity-related scientific advisory bodies in the context of zoonotic diseases for an upcoming book to be published by Springer and remotely presented on that topic at the University of Soongsil’s 10th Godang International Conference on Law (Republic of Korea). Prof. Gardner presented on the same topic at a virtual seminar organized by the University of Barcelona Faculty of Law (Spain). He also was a remote panelist at the University of the Philippines’ 2nd Southeast

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Asia Biodiversity and Climate Change Policy Forum, which was held in conjunction with the Southeast Asia Regional Rounds of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition. Prof. Gardner and Erin Okuno, J.D. ’13 Visiting Professor of Law and Assistant Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of nine scientific societies in opposition to the Trump administration’s efforts to limit waters protected by the Clean Water Act. In December, Professor Gardner received a Society of Wetland Scientists 40th Anniversary Award.

LANCE N. LONG,

Professor of Law, authored the chapter Climate Change Civil Disobedience and the Necessity Defense in “Earth Law Emerging Ecocentric Law—A Guide for Practitioners” (Anthony R. Zelle, Grant Wilson, Rachelle Adam, Herman F. Greene eds., 2021) (Wolters Kluwer) (Forthcoming).

REBECCA C. MORGAN, J.D. ’80,

Boston Asset Management Chair in Elder Law, Director M.J. Health Compliance, and Professor of Law, continued to update her authored and co-authored publications (six in the past year) and regularly contributed posts to the elderlawprof blog. Prof. Morgan taught Trusts and Estates and Intro to Aging & the Law synchronously, in addition to teaching the LL.M. Aging and the Law course asynchronously, during the fall. She wrote There’s no such thing as bullet proof, just bullet resistant: Measures for Minimizing the Potential for Guardian/Agent

Financial Exploitation, Voices of Experience 1 (2020) (with co-authors Randy Thomas and Slade Dukes, J.D. ’04). She also authored Rick Courtney, CELA, CAP, Fellow NAELA’s Renaissance Man: Family Man, Friend, Attorney, and Leader, NAELA News (online) (2020). Prof. Morgan spoke on the intersection of elder law and family law for DePaul’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Virtual Symposium: The Current State of Elder Law, in October 2020. In December, she participated in a podcast for the American Society on Aging, and in January, she presented the annual case law update for the Missouri Chapter of the NAELA. She serves as Board Treasurer for the Center for Medicare Advocacy, is on the board of the American Society on Aging, and serves as a trustee for the NAELA Foundation. She also reviewed grant applications for the Borchard Foundation Center for Law & Aging. Additionally, Prof. Morgan continued to participate in a card-writing project for J.D. students to send “thinking of you” cards to residents of nursing homes and senior centers. She also continued to sew masks for the Sunshine Senior Center in St. Pete. Prof. Morgan was recently asked to write an article on Post-Appointment Legal Issues in Guardianship for the 4th National Guardianship Summit in May of 2021 and asked to update a portfolio in the Bloomberg publication Planning for Disability.

ANNE E. MULLINS,

Professor of Law, rewrote an opinion for Desert Palace v. Costa, 539 U.S. 90 (2003), and it was included in a collection published by Cambridge University Press. Prof.

Mullins’ essay The Power Skill of Teamwork was published in the inaugural volume of PROCEEDINGS, a new online legal writing journal. Prof. Mullins is a member of the Research Methods in Legal Communication group consisting of national and international legal writing scholars. The group studies quantitative and qualitative research methodology from communications disciplines and their application to legal communication. Prof. Mullins is the Immediate Past President of the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) and is a leader in the effort to release the next edition of the ALWD Guide. She also serves on the Legal Writing Institute’s Discipline Building Working Group, which strategizes ways to develop legal writing as a scholarly discipline. Additionally, Prof. Mullins serves on the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research Nominations Committee.

LUZ ESTELLA NAGLE,

Professor of Law, continued her service on the American Bar Association Latin America and Caribbean Law Initiative (LACLI) Council, as a Trustee of the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute Trust, as the IBA Latin American Regional Forum Liaison Officer of the Access to Justice and Legal Aid, and as a participant in the IBA Section on Public and Professional Interest Council planning session. Prof. Nagle also served as an adviser to COPLA (Latin American and Caribbean Criminal Court against Transnational Organized Crime) on the formation of a Transnational Criminal Court for Latin America and the Caribbean, and as an El

Centro Fellow of the Small Wars Foundation. She organized and moderated a panel on Sexual Assault against Female Athletes for the International Bar Association’s (IBA) Annual Conference and participated on a webinar panel that addressed Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession for the IBA. Prof. Nagle also taught a continuing education program on identifying and assisting human trafficking victims for the Alachua County Medical Association.

ERIN OKUNO, J.D. ’13

Visiting Professor of Law and Assistant Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, helped organize and virtually host the North American Regional Rounds of the 25th Annual Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition (IEMCC). She also gave a presentation on coral reefs as part of the 2nd Southeast Asia Biodiversity and Climate Change Policy Forum, hosted by the University of the Philippines, and was a final round judge for the Southeast Asia Regional Rounds of the Stetson IEMCC. She and Royal C. Gardner, Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, were two of the co-authors of Towards a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands, which was published online in Marine and Freshwater Research. They also filed an amici curia brief on behalf of scientific societies in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in litigation regarding which waters should be protected by the Clean Water Act. Prof. Okuno also remotely attended the 17th Scientific Committee Meeting of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles.

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ELLEN S. PODGOR,

Gary R. Trombley Family White-Collar Crime Research Professor and Professor of Law published Carpenter v. United States: Did Being Gay Matter? 15 Tennessee Journal of Law and Public Policy (2020). The article was listed as a top 10 new article in SSRN’s White Collar Crime E-Journal. In addition to this publication, Prof. Podgor spoke at the Kharkiv International Legal Forum - Baltic-Ukrainian Centre, on the topic of Bribery and Corruption: Shortcut Offenses. At Vermont Law School’s Virtual Program on Developing Your Scholarly Agenda, she presented on the topic of Ten Tips for Planning Your Scholarly Agenda. Also, as part of the Speaker Series at American University, Washington College of Law, she presented her forthcoming article, The Dichotomy Between Overcriminalization and Underregulation. She continued to be listed in the top 10 percent of Authors on SSRN by total new downloads and on all-time downloads. In December, Prof. Podgor completed her service as a member of the AALS Membership Review Committee. She continues her service as a member of the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Florida and the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law.

CIARA TORRES-SPELLISCY,

Professor of Law, continued to be sought out for commentary and presentations regarding her expertise in the election law field. She commented and/ or was referenced by national and international press and media outlets approximately 50 times and presented on numerous panels. Her presentations included a panel discussion titled “NYS Election Reform 2021: The Three Most 26

Important Things” at the NYC Bar Association’s Election Law, Government Ethics and State Affairs, and NYC Affairs Committees; a panel comparing the distinctions between Bush v. Gore 2000 and the 2020 post-presidentialelection litigation by Donald Trump, for the American Constitution Society (ACS) Pepperdine Law Chapter; a panel called “Blueprint for Democracy: How We Can Stop Being Ripped Off ” exploring the dangers of dark money, hosted by Common Cause Ohio; a panel with University of Chicago Professor Geoffrey R. Stone addressing the First Amendment, the 2020 election, and her book Political Brands in New America’s online symposium “Free Speech Project: Do We Need a First Amendment 2.0?”. Additionally, Prof. TorresSpelliscy was featured in the recently released documentary film “Fish in a Barrel,” which discussed the 2016 election, as well as appeared on Netflix’s Explained. Prof. TorresSpelliscy also spoke on a panel addressing campaign finance, the 2020 elections, and her book “Political Brands” at the 2020 Election Speakers Series, which was sponsored by the University of Dayton School of Law and the University of Dayton Human Rights Center. Additionally, she participated in a memorial for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg organized by U.S. Congressman Charlie Crist where she highlighted Justice Ginsburg’s impact on constitutional law and election. Prof. Torres-Spelliscy’s recently authored articles include Why is Florida screaming about the pay-to-vote system it created? The Hill, Oct. 1, 2020, and Giuliani Whiffed On A Legal Question Every Law Student Knows The Answer To. But The Underlying Issue Is More

Complex Than It Seems, Talking Points Memo, Nov. 18, 2020, as well as numerous blog contributions.

STEPHANIE A. VAUGHAN, J.D. ’91,

Professor of Law, has been appointed as Stetson’s Interim Trial Team Director. As Interim Director, Prof. Vaughan will administrate the spring trial competition teams, including making competition selections, assigning students to teams, working individually with students, recruiting coaches, solving technology challenges for practicing and competing online, and collaborating with the director of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy. Prof. Vaughan also will again co-coach the Virtual Willem C. Vis International Arbitration Moot Team, which will compete online in both a Miami pre-moot and the final moot (administered in Vienna, Austria). Additionally, Prof. Vaughan was a panelist for Stetson Law’s 2021 Campus to Career Conference on a session called, We have a plan for that! How your calendaring/ journaling/inbox habits can help you reach your goals.

LOUIS J. VIRELLI III,

Professor of Law, made numerous press appearances discussing legal issues related to the presidential election and the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett. These appearances included multiple invited spots as a guest commentator on Court TV during the Barrett confirmation hearings and an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times, co-authored with former Senator Russ Feingold, titled New Justice Should Recuse Herself. He authored an article titled An Ethical Gap in Agency Adjudication, which was based on his prior work with the Administrative Conference of the United States and is

forthcoming in the Buffalo Law Review. In October, he made presentations to the Goldberg-Cacciatore Criminal Inn of Court and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Eckerd College on the recent and upcoming Supreme Court terms. Prof. Virelli served as a commentator in the New Voices in Administrative Law program at the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) 2021 annual meeting. He continues to serve as co-author of the Supreme Court Update column for the American Bar Association (ABA) Section on Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice’s quarterly publication, the Administrative and Regulatory Law News (ARLN), and as vice chair of the Section’s constitutional law committee.

DARRYL C. WILSON,

Associate Dean for Faculty and Strategic Initiatives, Attorneys Title Insurance Fund Professor of Law, and Co-Director, Institute for Caribbean Law & Policy, virtually attended the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) 2021 annual meeting where he participated in the program “Reopening International Programs.” Prof. Wilson also presided over virtual lien release hearings for the City of St. Petersburg, Fla., Code Compliance division. He continues as a contributor and co-editor for columns in the American Bar Association (ABA) Real Property and Probate bimonthly magazine. Prof. Wilson also accepted a recent invitation to speak (virtually) at the annual World Intellectual Property Forum conference this spring.

CLASS NOTES

S T E T S O N L AW Y E R

CLASS NOTES What’s New in Your Life? Tell us. Email us at alumni@law.stetson.edu or visit www.stetson.edu/law. Please send us your high-resolution photo, too. N. Staten Bitting, Jr., J.D. ’78, was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia’s Commission on Dispute Resolution (GCDR). He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1989 and has been a partner at Fulcher Hagler LLP, based in Augusta, since 1992. Mr. Bitting has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in a number of practice areas, including mediations, and has been a registered neutral in Georgia for over seven years. Christine A. Yared, J.D. ’84, is pleased to announce the publication of her book, “Private Love, Public School – Gay Teacher Under Fire.” Her work as an attorney, professor, and activist has centered on LGBTQ+ legal, political, and social issues. Reneé Monfort, J.D. ’90, of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, P.C., has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States, Canada and

Puerto Rico. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only. Reneé has been practicing in Champaign, Illinois focusing her practice on the representation of health care providers for the past 30 years. She has also previously been recognized as a Leading Lawyer and a Super Lawyer. Dwight W. Olson, J.D. ’91, published Fundraising for Nonprofit Board Members. He also spoke at the national meeting of the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy and the International Conference of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Kim Helper, J.D. ’93, 21st District attorney general and a Franklin, Tenn., resident, has been elected by fellow members of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC) to serve on the organization’s executive committee. James “Jim” G. Vickaryous, J.D. ’93/MBA ’98, was re-elected to his second term on the Florida Bar Board of Governors, representing the lawyers of the 18th Judicial Circuit (Brevard & Seminole Counties). Jim has been married to Jennifer Ferguson for two decades, and enjoys their children Irelyn and Evan. William “Tripp” Gulliford, J.D. ’94, was promoted to

executive managing director of the Florida region of CBRE Group Inc., a commercial real estate company. Juan Carlos Arias, J.D. ’95, became the Managing Attorney for the Professional Regulation Department of the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine. Arias focuses his practice in the areas of Florida Lawyer Regulation, Lawyer Ethics Consulting, State Professional Licensing before the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Board of Nursing, Law Student Representation before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, and Unlicensed Practice of Law (UPL). Robert Angus Williams, J.D. ’95, an attorney in the Tallahassee office of Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A., has recently been certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Circuit Mediator. Prior to joining LLW in 2019, Robert served as General Counsel for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and before that, as Chief Deputy General Counsel, serving FDEP’s Public Lands Section and Defense Section.

Troy Smith, J.D. ’96, was named the 2021 Tournament Chairman of THE PLAYERS Championship, making him part of a leadership team of 2,000-plus volunteers that makes the PGA TOUR’s flagship event possible. Smith is a partner at the law firm Burr & Forman, where he is a member of the firm’s Construction and Project Development practice group, focusing on complex commercial litigation within the construction industry. L.A. Perkins, J.D. ’96, founding partner of Perkins Pershes, PLLC, was installed as president of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association. During her tenure, Perkins will continue to engage in efforts to increase the diversity of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association’s membership, offer programs that educate members on racial bias, promote access to the justice system, and be an important resource and voice to the community. Simone Marstiller, B.A. ’88, J.D. ’96, was appointed Secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

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Karen Vaughan McManus, J.D. ’97, has been named Managing Director of International Legal & Regulatory Affairs at FedEx Logistics, Inc. in Memphis, Tenn. J. Eric Romano, J.D. ’97, of Romano Law Group, was recently sworn in as president of the Florida Justice Association for the 2020-2021 year. He will spend the next year dedicated to preserving and strengthening the civil justice system in Florida, ensuring that all Floridians have full and equal access to the courts. Sean McQuaid, J.D./MBA ’00, was sworn in as the 96th President of the St. Petersburg Bar Association in May 2020. His term in office will last for one year. He is a personal injury attorney with McQuaid & Douglas. Bob Gualtieri, J.D. ’02 and Pinellas County Sheriff, received the 2020 Leadership Award from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). In the 25 years that PERF has presented the Leadership Award, Gualtieri is the first sheriff to receive this recognition. PERF is an independent research organization that focuses on critical issues in policing. J.D. Dickenson, J.D. ’02, has been appointed as office managing partner for the firm Cozen O’Connor’s West Palm Beach office.

Christa L. Folkers, J.D. ’03, joined Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC, becoming the 18th attorney in the firm’s growing practice. Christa is a boardcertified real estate attorney. She concentrates her practice in commercial and residential real estate and handles all aspects of real estate transactions and development, including condominiums and planned developments. Christa represents developers, investors, builders, lenders, and individuals in connection with purchase and sale transactions. Michelle Johnson-Weider, B.A. ’00, J.D. ’03, graduated from the University of Arkansas College of Law with an LL.M. in Agriculture and Food Law. She is a professorial lecturer in law (adjunct faculty) co-teaching Legislative Analysis and Drafting at The George Washington College of Law. She also is an attorney adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services with a total of 16 years of Federal service between HHS, the Food and Nutrition Service, and the United States Senate. James Russell Headley, J.D./ MBA ’03, received a Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for the 10th Judicial Circuit. Since becoming an attorney 16 years ago, Headley has counseled hundreds of veterans regarding filing for service-connected compensation with the U.S. Veterans Administration. He has never charged a veteran for this service. Headley also helps with record requests, research for potential claims, and with applications for potential veterans’ benefits.

Thomas Daniel Oates, J.D. ’03, partner with The Law Offices of Oates & Oates, P.A., was appointed commissioner of the 17th Circuit Judicial Nominating Committee (JNC) for a term ending July 1, 2024. Theresa Jean-Pierre Coy, J.D. ’04, received the 2020 G. Kirk Haas Humanitarian Award from The Florida Bar during the 2020 Annual Convention. Natasha L. Goodley, J.D. ’05, was recognized by the City of Tampa with a commendation for her great work as East Tampa CRA (Community Redevelopment Area) Community Advisory Committee Chair and efforts to bring about much-needed economic development. Goodley is Senior Consultant at Black & White Consulting. William Giltinan, J.D. ’06, was one of three Carlton Fields intellectual property attorneys recognized as some of the world’s top trademark professionals in the 10th edition of the WTR 1000. The WTR 1000 commended practice group leader Giltinan, who is a “commercially aware lawyer with deep experience and a calm and approachable demeanor.” The firm also ranked as one of Florida’s top trademark law firms. Laurie Sharpe, J.D. ’06, joined the Deerfield Beach office of Chartwell Law. Sharpe joined the firm as a partner and will focus her practice on first-party

property matters. Before joining the firm, she was part of the in-house counsel for a property and casualty insurance company in Clearwater. J. Giffin Chumley, J.D. ’06, is rejoining Fishback Dominick as a partner. Chumley first began his career at Fishback Dominick in 2006. He is board certified by the Florida Bar in City, County, and Local Government Law. Prior to his return, Chumley served as an assistant county attorney for Volusia County for eight years. Art Rios, J.D. ’06, published a self-help book, “Let’s Talk… About Making Your Life Exciting, Easier and Exceptional,” that is a bestseller in multiple categories on Amazon. Erin Whittemore Lohmiller, J.D. ’06, was named managing attorney of The Whittemore Law Group, P.A. (WLG). She is responsible for overseeing daily operations of the entire firm including technology, organizational efficiency and marketing. She will also continue to represent clients in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death and probate litigation. The Hon. Michael C. BaggéHernández, J.D. ’07, has been selected as a leader in the Greater Tampa

CLASS NOTES

Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. He will be the Vice Chairman of the Fort Brooke District, one of nine districts in the council. The district encompasses the western half and northern half of Hillsborough County. Baggé-Hernández, became a judge January 2020, after working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Puerto Rico and in the Middle District of Florida. Carlos Gazitua, J.D./MBA ’07, is serving on the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association 2021 Board of Directors Executive Committee. Gazitua is president and CEO of Sergio’s Family Restaurants in Miami. Ashley Hodson, J.D. ’07, was named partner at Shutts & Bowen LLP. She is a member of the Private Client Services Practice Group. She focuses her practice on estate planning, estate and gift taxation, and estate and trust administration. She designs her clients’ estate plans to meet their specific personal and financial goals with an emphasis on family wealth transfer planning. She also has significant experience administering complex estates and trusts, including the preparation of federal estate tax returns. Todd Howard, J.D. ’07, has been named president of Redstone Family Realty, LLC. This is in addition to serving as president of Redstone Title Services, LLC since 2014. Redstone Family Realty, LLC provides residential and commercial real estate services throughout the Tennessee Valley.

Patricia M. Flanagan, J.D./ MBA ’08, an attorney with Fox Rothschild LLP, was named to the list of Professional Excellence Honorees “On the Rise” by Daily Business Review. This award recognizes attorneys in the South Florida business community for their earlycareer accomplishments while “showing expertise in litigation or transactional work and committing themselves to pro bono, charitable and professional volunteer work.” Flanagan is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Department. Amos Goodall, LL.M. ’09, has been given a Lifetime Achievement Award for 2020 as part of The Legal Intelligencer’s 2020 Professional Excellence Awards series. The award recognizes the achievements of Pennsylvania lawyers who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession and who have left an imprint on the legal history of the state. In 2000, he was certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, and in 2009, he earned an LL.M. (with honors) in Elder Law from Stetson Law. This year, he completed a term as President of the National Elder Law Foundation. Lindsey Romano, J.D. ’09, joined the San Francisco office of Gordon & Rees as a member of the Health Care practice group. J. Christian Barker, J.D./ MBA ’09, joined the Nashville office of Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP as entertainment transactional

partner. He represents artists, songwriters, producers, independent record labels, independent music publishing companies, and boutique artist management companies nationwide. He also has experience in family law matters involving disputed intellectual property assets.

a trial attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, concentrating his practice on general business litigation involving contract disputes, business torts, real estate disputes, and creditor’s rights. He also handles landlord-tenant, employment, personal injury, probate and trust litigation.

Jessica Yeary, J.D. ’09, won the race for Second Judicial Circuit Public Defender, marking the first time in at least 30 years that a sitting Second Judicial Circuit Public Defender was unseated. She earned 64 percent of the vote across six counties in an upset against the incumbent. A former assistant public defender and now private attorney, she vowed to be active in the defense of her office’s clients, implement more training and to advocate outside of the courtroom.

Whittni M. Hodges, J.D. ’11, recently made partner at Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel.

Scott A. Richards, J.D. ’09, was elected to shareholder at Carlton Fields. He has substantial experience handling matters involving business and commercial litigation; construction litigation; creditors’ rights, securitization, and consumer protection; insurance coverage disputes; bankruptcy; and class actions. He also has experience representing hospitals and insurers in health care (litigation, compliance, and transactional) matters. Thomas Rinaldi, J.D. ’10, has been recognized as a 2020 Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star in the field of Business Litigation. Thomas is

Helayne Levy Payne, J.D. ’12, was named to the Super Lawyers Best Lawyers in America list for Elder Law. Andrew D. Reder, J.D. ’12, is now a partner in the firm Sessums Black Caballero & Ficarrotta, P.A. Kimberly A. Koves, J.D. ’12, was named shareholder of the law firm Guerra King. Kim served as a Notes and Comments Editor for the Stetson Law Review and a judicial intern for the Honorable Elizabeth A. Jenkins, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Kim focuses her practice on complex commercial disputes, with an emphasis on the representation of financial services institutions and professionals in federal and state court, FINRA and AAA arbitration, and regulatory proceedings. Kim has been recognized as a Rising Star in securities litigation by Florida Super Lawyers since 2016. Matt McMurtrey, J.D. ’13, has been promoted to senior associate at the law firm Lowndes. He focuses on real estate transactions, development and finance with an emphasis on hospitality and leisure assets and senior living facilities. 29

IN MEMORIAM

CLASS NOTES

James C. Dauksch, J.D. ’64, died Feb. 7, 2020

Kayla Richmond, J.D./MBA ’13, of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., was honored during the Lee County Bar Association’s Pro Bono Awards held Oct. 16, 2020. Richmond is a stockholder who focuses her practice in the areas of divorce, marital and family law, including custody, paternity, child support and domestic violence cases. Her most rewarding pro bono case this year was assisting a father reunite with his daughter after two years of estrangement. Victoria San Pedro Madani, J.D. ’14, was named a partner in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen LLP. She is a member of the Class Action & Mass Litigation Practice Group. Prior to joining the firm, Victoria was an associate at a regional firm where her practice encompassed all aspects of civil litigation. She represented airlines in complex litigation, with representative experience in cases involving international transportation treaties. She also has experience defending corporations in wrongful death, personal injury, and premises liability matters. Hieu Le, J.D. ’14, and his firm received the 2020 Annual Chief Justice’s Law Firm Commendation Pro Bono Award from the Supreme Court of Florida.

Jennifer Wilson, J.D./MBA ’15, has joined Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin’s Tampa office as an associate. She is a member of the firm’s Amusements, Sports and Recreation Liability Practice Group. Her clients include water parks, theme parks, recreational attractions, amusement and sports facilities, and other entities facing a claim against their businesses. Carolin A. Pacheco, J.D. ’15, an attorney with Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, has been included in the inaugural edition of the 2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, a new recognition given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. She was selected in the category of Insurance Law. Sarah A. Gottlieb, J.D. ’16, has joined Freeborn & Peters LLP as an Associate in the Litigation Practice Group and a member of the Insurance Brokerage team. She will focus her practice on complex commercial litigation. Timothy C. Jones, J.D. ’16, joined Strubinger Law, P.C., on June 1, 2020, as an associate. Also, he and his wife, Maria, welcomed their second child, Daniel Jones, into the world on Dec. 17, 2019. Their daughter Libby Jones, who was born on July 17, 2018, enjoys being a big sister.

Jennifer L. Hutchins, J.D. ’18, has joined Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin’s Tampa office as an associate. She joins the firm’s Casualty Department representing many large insurance carriers and their insureds. She defends clients in litigation involving automobile liability, premise liability, and other general liability matters. Madison Wahler, J.D. ’19, joined Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, LLP as a litigation associate in the Tampa office. John Marra, J.D. ’20, has joined Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., as an associate in the Tort & Insurance Litigation Department. Marra was a member of Henderson Franklin’s 2019 Summer Associate Program. While in law school, Marra was a member of the Stetson Law Review and served as an intern for U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg and U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean Flynn.

Robert Glenn Stokes, J.D. ’61, died April 26, 2020

Richard “Dick” W. Hogan, J.D. ’70, died May 18, 2020

Jack W. Windt, J.D. ’59, died July 4, 2020 The Hon. Mark I. Shames, J.D. ’76, died July 9, 2020

Robert E. Jagger, J.D. ’58, died July 28, 2020

Joseph W. Fleece, Jr., J.D. ’56, died July 29, 2020. Robert S. Andringa, J.D. ’92, died Aug. 10, 2020 John S. Slye, J.D. ’64, died Aug. 21, 2020 Thomas C. Marks, Jr., J.D. ’63, died Sept. 28, 2020

Christopher C. Ferguson, J.D. ’73, died Oct. 1, 2020 Rowlett W. Bryant, J.D. ’62, died Oct. 2, 2020 John Lynwood McFadyen, J.D. ’73, died Oct. 16, 2020 Bernard “Bernie” J. McCabe, B.A. ’69, J.D. ’72, died Jan. 1, 2021

Acton Wayne Chalu, J.D. ’75, died Jan. 17, 2021

Carol Abernathy, B.A. ’58, J.D. ’82, died April 4, 2021 William J. Carnes, J.D. ’92, died April 11, 2021 John S. Valenti, Jr., J.D. ’12, died April 20, 2021 Lauren Rosenthal, J.D. ’20, died April 30, 2021

PHILANTHROPY

I absolutely feel that I owe a debt of gratitude to Stetson. The school gave me a lifetime profession and opportunity to be an attorney and the dignity that came with being an attorney.”

WHY I GIVE Seymour, J.D. ’60, and Susan Gordon B Y A S H L E Y M C K N I G H T - TAY L O R

eymour and Susan Gordon are nothing if not dedicated. Their steadfastness is evident in all their relationships – to each other, to their daughters, to the St. Petersburg community, and most especially to Stetson Law. Seymour graduated from Stetson in 1960, and 10 years later returned as an adjunct professor teaching domestic relations, and wills and estates. When Dean Richard Dillon passed away, Seymour contacted all his classmates to help establish an endowment for an annual award named for Dillon to be given to a graduating student. Last year, he and his wife established the Seymour and Susan Gordon Scholarship to be awarded to a student with financial need. Their charitable gift annuity will help Stetson students in perpetuity. Above and beyond the award and scholarships, the couple consistently make their support of Stetson known through annual giving above Dean’s Circle level. Their “why” is simple: “I absolutely feel that I owe a debt of gratitude to Stetson,” Seymour said. “The school gave me a lifetime profession and opportunity to be an attorney and the dignity that came with being an attorney.” Susan agreed, saying that Stetson was and continues to be a big part of their lives and love story. The couple, who are now in their 80s, have been married for 63 years. They credit Stetson with giving them the ability to make a good living, travel and

— Seymour Gordon, J.D. ’60

raise their two daughters – both of whom have law degrees, including one Stetson alumna. Stetson has provided a way of life, such as events and activities at the college, that they aim to repay, she said. Seymour has practiced law in St. Petersburg for 60 years in areas that include real estate, commercial, wills and estates, and estate planning. He is a past president of the St. Petersburg Bar Association, an organization that he credits for helping him make lifelong friends and encourages all young local lawyers to join. Though they were both born in New York (Brooklyn for him, the Bronx for her), they didn’t meet until they were both attending the University of Florida. They settled in St. Petersburg and found it to be a great city in which to raise a family and build a profession, but Seymour said it was the many nonprofit organizations – “the unselfish part of society” – that really made St. Pete so wonderful. Civic engagement has always been a cornerstone of their personal and professional lives. Seymour believes it is especially important for lawyers to give back to the community because it is the right thing to do, and lawyers have a duty to share their knowledge of government and society with nonprofits. He has served on the executive board of Goodwill Industries, was president of The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, has served the Museum of Fine Arts for over 20 years, including being on the Board of Trustees and as its president, was president of the Kiwanis Club of St. Petersburg, and has been active in organizations including the Suncoasters of St. Petersburg. Susan served as the executive director of The Science Center of Pinellas County for 25 years and was a biology teacher in Pinellas County for many years. She was active in the local, county and state PTA for 14 years. Susan said the world needs more ethical people – such as Stetson Lawyers – who stick to their values and principles, “and we’ll keep giving for as long as we can give” to help make that possible.

COLLEGE OF LAW Development & Alumni Relations 1401 61st Street South Gulfport, FL 33707

Stetson Lawyer - Spring 2021

Articles inside

Faculty Forum

Giving Back

Events

Professor Beane Retires

Cover Story – 120 Years of Innovation

New Endowments

SLAA Awards

Letter from the Dean