2003 News Index
The Shawnee County Youth Court, spearheaded by Judge David Bruns, has gotten off to a fabulous start. Youth Court is a program for high school aged youth who have agreed to enter a diversion program. Specifically, the court disposes of misdemeanor traffic infractions, including: speeding; failure to wear a seat belt; failure to yield to an emergency vehicle; and improper lighting. See the full story. (Posted November 19, 2003)
Phi Delta Phi, Landon Inn Chapter, hosted Marty Snyder, former prosecutor with the Kansas Office of Disciplinary Action, Wednesday, November 12, 2003. Ms. Snyder talked with law students about "How to Lose Your Law License in 10 Days!!" Among the ways attorneys get in trouble are: lacking competence and being truly clueless about the substantive and procedural law for the area being practiced; treating a law practice primarily as a private dating service by having intimate personal relationships with as many clients as possible; and completely blowing off all attempts at contact from the Disciplinary Administrator's Office. Snyder also discussed the top 5 ways to have an attorney admissions application rejected, and reviewed resources where students can find more information about the admissions or disciplinary process. (Posted November 13, 2003)
The Landon Inn Chapter of Phi Delta Phi at Washburn Law recently held its fall initiation at the Kansas Supreme Court. This initiation ceremony involved the largest initiation class in recent years. Established in 1869, Phi Delta Phi is among the oldest legal fraternities in North America. Its purpose is to promote a higher standard of professional ethics. In keeping with the tradition of the international fraternity, the Landon Inn places its emphasis on academics and ethics. (Posted November 13, 2003)
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy hosted Carol D. McDowell, Class of 1975, Tuesday, November 4, 2003 as part of its Lecture & Luncheon speaker series. In her talk, "Lawyers Who Lobby," McDowell explained the difference in outlook between a loyal lobbyist and a non-loyal lobbyist and discussed the ethical risks faced by lawyers because they are expected to follow a higher standard of professional responsibility than non-lawyers. She also described the legislative and lobbying process, explaining to students in a very practical way how lobbyists do their job and the benefits the legislature and society obtain from lobbying. Following the lecture, Ms. McDowell and a dozen students met for lunch. They talked further about the role of women in politics, women as lobbyists, and the pros and cons of a vigorous lobbying element in government. A number of students expressed interest in developing a law and lobbying course, including a possible externship with lawyer lobbyists in Topeka. McDowell, in addition to her Washburn Law degree, also has a degree in Political Science from Washburn University. She is a long time lobbyist in Topeka and has also been very active on the state and national political scene. (Posted November 11, 2003)
Professor Linda Elrod, Director of the Children and Family Law Center, discussed the newly adopted American Bar Association (ABA) Standards for Lawyers Representing Children in Custody Cases at Washburn Law, Friday, November 7, 2003. Professor Elrod's presentation was based on her recent article, "Raising the Bar for Lawyers Who Represent Children: ABA Standards of Practice for Custody Cases," published in the Summer 2003 issue of Family Law Quarterly. See the full story. (Posted November 10, 2003)
Donald Rupert, Class of 1976, was honored as the Washburn University School of Law's 2003 Alumni Fellow at a luncheon held Friday, October 24, 2003. The program, in its 11th year, was started in 1992 by Washburn's Alumni Association as a way to recognize distinguished alumni. See the full story. (Posted November 7, 2003)
Third-year Washburn Law student Melissa Ruggero was highlighted in a November 5, 2003 Topeka Capital-Journal article about the Shawnee County Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program. As a child in foster care, Ruggero was represented by a CASA. She now volunteers as a CASA and is thought to be the local program's first advocate who also benefited from CASA as a child. (Posted November 5, 2003)
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy hosted Judge Luis Maria Benitez Riera and Attorney Rosa Palau Aguilar, Co-Directors from Paraguay’s Center of Documentation and Archive for the Defense of Human Rights on September 25, 2003. At a public lecture, the speakers discussed the extensive compilation of documents that were found in Paraguay and how they implicated the former Paraguayan dictatorship of torture and weapons sales. They showed some of the documents and told some of the stories of the tortured. Judge Riera and Ms. Aguilar also discussed how the new government used these documents in the convictions of some key members of the former Paraguayan government. The Hispanic American Law Student Association helped the guests feel welcome by assisting with translation. (Posted November 4, 2003; Sheri Gibisch contributed this article.)
The Washburn Family Law Student Society hosted Alan Alderson, Class of 1974, Friday, October 17th, 2003 for an informal luncheon. Mr. Alderson, of Alderson, Alderson, Weiler, Conklin, Burghart and Crow, L.L.C., is a successful Topeka family law attorney. He discussed the perks of owning a law firm, including how his firm came to be in its present building. Mr. Alderson provided insight into the practice of family law, discussing in particular the differences between smaller firms and larger firms. (Posted October 21, 2003; Andrea Prewitt contributed to this article.)
Washburn Advocacy Society sponsored "An Evening with the Prosecution," Tuesday, October 14, 2003 at the International House on the Washburn Campus. Eight local attorneys, members of the Kansas County & District Attorneys Association, spoke about how they became prosecutors, the operation of their offices, and significant cases they have prosecuted. (Posted October 20, 2003)
Washburn Student Bar Association and the Washburn Law Career Services Office sponsored "Your Ticket to the Bar," Tuesday, October 14, 2003. Fran Acree from the Attorney Admissions Office, Carol Green, Clerk of the Appellate Courts of Kansas, and Gayle Larkin from the Disciplinary Administrator's Office discussed common problem areas related to completion of the Kansas Bar Exam Application, described a Kansas Bar Exam Admissions Hearing, and provided an overview of common pitfalls new attorneys may face in practice. (Posted October 20, 2003)
On October 9, 2003 Judge Charles Andrews, of the Shawnee County District Court, visited with Law Clinic students to discuss the legal profession and offer some practice tips. Among Judge Andrews' insights was that while it is important for an attorney to know the substantive law applicable to a case, one must also become familiar with the court rules of a particular venue and to become familiar with local practice. Additionally, Judge Andrews observed the importance of adequately preparing for court appearances. However, he noted that good preparation does not necessarily mean a lengthy argument or a voluminous motion. A clear and succinct presentation or motion is preferable to a long dissertation. After offering his thoughts, Judge Andrews fielded questions from clinic students.
The International Law Society (ILS) hosted Dr. Luis M.
Benitez Riera, Republic of Paraguay Supreme Court Justice (right in photo), Wednesday September 24, 2003. During his visit, Dr. Riera met with various State of Kansas officials, including Kansas Supreme Court Justice Lawton R. Nuss (left in photo) and Kansas Lt. Governor John E. Moore. Riera spoke about the many issues affecting Paraguay today and reinforced the friendship between Paraguay and Kansas. Ralf Mondonedo, ILS president, translated for Dr. Riera. (Posted October 9, 2003)
The Black Law Student Association held a 'Soul Food' expo, Wednesday, September 24, 2003. Approximately 120 students, staff, and faculty enjoyed a wide variety of food, including: red beans and rice, baked beans, greens, jerk and curry chicken, yams, and ka-bobs. A portion of the proceeds were used to assist with expenses for a recently deceased foreign Washburn Law graduate. (Posted October 7, 2003)
Washburn Law welcomes Karla Beam as Director of Admissions. She served for more than a decade on behalf of Kansas law-related professional associations. While with the Kansas Bar Association Karla held various positions, including Assistant Director, Continuing Legal Education Director and Media Relations Director. Karla later joined the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, providing advice and services in the areas of legal education, membership development and fund raising administration. She is a graduate of Kansas State University.
The Environmental Law Society hosted Yvonne Anderson Wednesday, September 24, 2003 at Washburn Law. Ms. Anderson spoke about what qualities employers seek in applicants and how students should prepare if they are interested in obtaining a job in the environmental field. Ms. Anderson shared her experiences and impressions about the world of environmental law, including her personal experiences as counsel for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). A graduate of Washburn Law, Ms. Anderson is presently the Director and Chief Legal Counsel of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (Posted September 29, 2003)
The Washburn Tax Law Society hosted Jim McCarthy Thursday, September 18, 2003 at Washburn Law. Mr. McCarthy spoke about "Tax Return Preparation as a Part of Your Law Practice: How Non Tax Issues Generate Tax Liability." During his talk Mr. McCarthy spoke about the differences between certified public accountants and lawyers and how those differences relate to the practice of law as a tax attorney. He discussed the internal workings of the Internal Revenue Service, the tax courts, and explained some of the ethical topics that lawyers face when practicing tax. Mr. McCarthy is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and was a certified public accountant before becoming a lawyer. (Posted September 29, 2003)
Hispanic American Law Students Association (HALSA), in conjunction with the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) and the Washburn Multicultural Affairs Office presented a portrait of the late Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO, to Washburn University School of Law, Tuesday, September 16, 2003 in the Robinson Courtroom. The presentation was made as part of activities observing Mexican Independence Day. Tina De La Rosa, executive director, Kansas Advisory Committee on Hispanic Affairs, gave the keynote address and entertainment was provided by Mariachi Azteca. (Posted September 23, 2003)
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy continued its 2003/2004 Lecture & Luncheon Series by hosting Attorney Tom Wright, September 23, 2003, in the Robinson Courtroom and Bianchino Technology Center. Mr. Wright spoke about the role of technology in the courtroom, using his experience as local plaintiff counsel in Koch v. Koch. The Koch trial involved 1.6 billion dollars, $500 million of which was in dispute. See the full story. (Posted September 23, 2003)
Students turned out in numbers to the informational meeting for Washburn Law’s National Trial Advocacy Teams. The Trial Advocacy Teams provide an excellent opportunity for students to increase their oral advocacy skills and to gain valuable experience presenting their case in a courtroom setting. The Trial Advocacy Committee members and coaches discussed the benefits available to students participating in the competitions. Students were informed when Intramural Trial packets would be released Monday, September 29, and also provided with important dates regarding the ATLA Regional and National STAC Competitions. The level of student interest was exceptional and this should be an extremely successful competition. (Posted September 18, 2003)
The Veteran's Legal Association of Washburn conducted a cookie drive at the law school in early September. As a result of the many students, faculty and staff who donated their time and baking skills the drive was a great success. On Wednesday, September 10, 2003 cookies were delivered to thirteen Topeka Fire Stations, the Topeka Police Department, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Department and the Washburn University Police Department to show appreciation for the great service they provide to the community. (Posted September 18, 2003)
The Center is showing the film Secrets of the Generals Friday, September 19, 2003 at noon in Room 114. The film discusses human rights abuses of the former Paraguayan dictatorship and provides information on Archive of Terror Documents and "Operation Condor." Secrets of the Generals is being shown as background prior to the September 25 Operation Condor lecture at Washburn University. A transcript of the film is available. (Posted September 17, 2003)
The Washburn Law Volunteers Society held its first volunteer opportunity Saturday, September 13, 2003 at Serenata Farms School of Equestrian Arts in Lecompton, Kansas. Serenata Farms focuses on horse-assisted therapy for physically and mentally disabled individuals. Volunteers assisted by cleaning barns and grooming horses. (Posted September 16, 2003)
The Children and Family Law Center at Washburn Law hosted sixty lawyers, judges, mental health professionals and students at the continuing legal education program, High Conflict Custody: The Role of Lawyers and Judges, Friday, September 12, 2003 in the Washburn Memorial Union. See the full story. (Posted September 15, 2003)
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy hosted Topeka attorney Dan Lykins, Tuesday, September 9, 2003, as part of the 2003/2004 Lecture & Luncheon Series. Mr. Lykins spoke about how to evaluate and argue damages in a personal injury suit. Mr. Lykins' primary advice to attendees was that success in life and lawyering comes from preparation. Mr. Lykins used his own cases, most notably, a soft-tissue automobile case that he presented to the American Trial Lawyers Association summer conference this year and the famous civil procedure case Schreiber v. Allis-Chalmers, 448 F.Supp 1079 (D. Kan. 1978), to illustrate the importance of thorough preparation. See the full story. (Posted September 9, 2003)
The Family Law Student Society and the Children and Family Law Center hosted Professor Katharina Boele-Woelki, University of Utrecht, at an informal luncheon on Friday, August 22, 2003. Professor Boele-Woelki teaches private international law, comparative law and family law at Utrecht in the Netherlands, a university with over 4,000 law students. She discussed the rigorous academic requirements for upper level degrees from the university. She also spoke about being chair of the Commission on European Family Law and the gradual harmonization of family law in Europe in the context of European Union law. (Posted September 8, 2003)
Professor James Concannon was among the 240 lawyers, judges, law professors, legislators and other state officials participating in the 2003 Annual Meeting of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) in Washington, D.C. Commissioners donate their time as a pro bono public service and come together as the National Conference once a year to study and consider drafts of specific statutes designed to solve problems common to all the states. Professor Concannon was one of the Kansas Commissioners to the Conference and served as the State Legislative Liason to Kansas. He was appointed to the Study Committee on the Computer-Generated Demonstrative Evidence Act. (Posted August 26, 2003)
James R. Roth, Class of 1966, has recently been elected chairman of the Washburn University Board of Regents and Blanche C. Parks, a friend of the law school, and spouse of the late Sherman A. Parks, Class of 1975, has been elected vice chairwoman. See the full story. (Posted July 6, 2003)
Professor Bill Rich appeared as a guest on Jim Cates' morning talk show on KMAJ-AM 1440, Monday, June 30, 2003. Discussions involved recent decisions by the United States Supreme Court, including those relating to sexual orientation, affirmative action, and the government mandate that public libraries keep filtering software on their computers. Callers raised questions ranging from "Where should we draw the line between public morality and individual liberty?" to "Are we being faithful to President Lincoln's vision of a unified nation?" The prospects for new appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court were also discussed. (Posted June 30, 2003)
Professor Michael Kaye, Director of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy, has been named to a subcommittee of the Kansas Judicial Council. The subcommittee will study the financial cost of the death penalty and report to the Kansas Legislature by the end of the year. The economics of the death penalty extend from early in the pretrial phase through conviction, and often through the appeal and post conviction process. Death cases entail greater costs than ordinary criminal cases due to the large expenditures of time by the courts and attorneys, the extensive use of investigators and experts by both sides, and extensive hearings (e.g., mitigation hearings at sentencing). Cost determinations in death cases also reflect policy considerations concerning the importance of effective defense and prosecution. More lawyers are involved in death cases than in ordinary criminal cases. Professor Kaye was also quoted extensively in the June 30, 2003, Topeka Capital-Journal article about jury selection in the Wittig and Weidner prosecution. (Posted June 30, 2003)
Washburn University School of Law held its 97th Commencement on May 17, 2003 to recognize the Class of 2003. The Juris Doctor (J.D.) was conferred upon approximately 130 students during the ceremony. John D. Kemp, Class of 1974 and Principal, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, gave the commencement address. See the full story. (Posted May 22, 2003)
Washburn University held its annual Employee Recognition Ceremony Thursday, May 1, 2003. Several Washburn Law employees received awards. Joseph Hewitt (library, 5 years) and Leigh Ives (library, 15 years) received Classified and Administrative Length of Service Awards. Professor Ronald Griffin was recognized with a Faculty 25-Years of Service Award. Professor James Wendell Bayles, retiring at the end of the Spring 2003 semester, was awarded Emeritus status. Elizabeth Fischer (Assistant to the Dean for Administration), Kerri Pelton (Clinic Secretary), and Donna Vilander (Continuing Legal Education Assistant) were nominees for Outstanding Service Awards in the Administrative and Secretarial/Clerical categories. (Posted May 1, 2003)
Amy Jurgensmeier and Kelly Keane are the recipients of the Irvine E. Ungerman Excellence in Trial Practice Award for the Spring semester. The Ungerman award is given to the Clinic intern who has distinguished himself or herself by providing highly competent representation to clients in a manner exemplifying the ideals of our profession: "pursuit of the learned art in the spirit of a public service." Amy and Kelly received their awards last night during the Clinic's dinner, Wednesday, April 30, 2003. (Posted May 1, 2003)
The First Annual Veteran's Legal Association of Washburn Blood Drive was held Wednesday, April 23, 2003. Thirty-eight usable units of blood were collected from 51 students and faculty. Each unit can help 3 people so the drive potentially can save 114 lives. Twenty-seven students were first time donors. The Washburn Law Democrats and Phi Alpha Delta tied for the highest number of individual members participating. The Washburn Law Republicans had the highest percentage of its members participate with 19% (9 members). Several faculty members showed their support by donating, including Dean Dennis Honabach, Professor Nancy Maxwell, Professor Alex Glashausser, Professor Bill Rich and Professor Ellen Byers (pictured above). (Posted April 25, 2003)
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy hosted Pedro Irigonegaray at its last lecture and luncheon of the 2002-2003 school year Wednesday, April 23, 2003. Mr. Irigonegaray, a Topeka attorney, spoke about what it takes to build a legal career centered around advocacy. He stressed that dedication, hard work, and integrity are the keystones of being a good advocate for one's client. Following his presentation, Mr. Irigonegaray joined students for lunch and conversation. Students asked about a variety of topics, including current cases he is handling, the experience of being a Hispanic lawyer in Kansas, and his views about the decline of racism in the United States. (Posted April 24, 2003)
Womens Legal Forum and the American Bar Association hosted Jerry R. Palmer Wednesday, April 23, 2003 to discuss membership in various legal organizations following law school. Mr. Palmer is a member of the ABA, KBA, NBTA, ATLA, KTLA, ACTL, IATL, ABTA, and ALI and works at the Topeka firm of Palmer, Leatherman & White. He has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for 10 years. (Posted April 24, 2003)
Kansas attorney Barry Clark spoke to Professor Ellen Byers' first-year Criminal Procedure class Tuesday, April 22, 2003, supplementing the students' study of the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and the related problem of coerced confessions. Mr. Clark successfully represented a man wrongly convicted of rape on the basis of a false confession. Working with the Innocence Project, a nationwide network based at Cardozo University in New York, Mr. Clark oversaw the recovery and testing of 20-year old evidence, ultimately convincing a judge to issue an order proclaiming his client's innocence. (Posted April 24, 2003)
Professors Linda Elrod, Loretta Moore, Sheila Reynolds and Nancy Maxwell attended the first Annual Midwest Conference of Women in Legal Academics at the University of Missouri School of Law, Columbia, Missouri on April 4, 2003. At the conference Professor Maxwell gave a presentation on mentoring programs for women law faculty members. (Posted April 14, 2003)
Washburn Law students were recognized at the Tenth Annual Awards Banquet for Washburn Law Journal, Moot Court Council, and Trial Advocacy. See the full story. (Posted April 11, 2003)
The Washburn Family Law Student Society hosted Dana Parks, Class of 1987, at an informal luncheon on Monday, April 7, 2003. Ms. Parks discussed the advantages of being licensed to practice law in both Missouri and Kansas. After several years of practicing real estate law she changed her focus to the family law area. Her practice is primarily divorce and related post-divorce issues, and she has handled step-parent adoptions and served as guardian ad litem in Missouri Family Court. Parks indicated she feels family law is an area that one should love if it will be the sole area of practice, and discussed the balancing of family with work. (Posted April 8, 2003)
Washburn Law students, faculty, and staff learned more about Professor Mary Ramirez's recent article, "Economic Crime Reform After the Sarbanes-Oxley Act," at a pizza party, Monday, April 7, 2003. Her article is scheduled for publication in the next issue of Loyola University Chicago Law Journal. Ramirez's article focuses on the sentencing of individuals in white-collar crime cases and ponders whether changes in sentencing guidelines may be needed in light of passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002. She concludes that before enhancing penalties for economic crime provisions in the sentencing guidelines, the Sentencing Commission should wait to see whether the enhanced penalties imposed by the 2001 Economic Crime Package amendments (effective November 1, 2001) are sufficiently high enough to deter economic crime. Ramirez proposes, as an alternative, that the Commission guide the discretion of district judges to depart from the mandatory guidelines, and thereby limit the opportunity for defendants to avoid the strictures of the Guidelines altogether. (Posted April 7, 2003)
Washburn Law is pleased to welcome two staff members to the law school community. Margann Bennett (right in photograph) is the new Director of Career Services and Continuing Legal Education. Margann received her BA in 1991 and J.D. in 1996 from the University of Kansas. She practiced law at Hershberger, Patterson, Jones & Roth in Wichita, Kansas and at Shook Hardy & Bacon in Overland Park, Kansas and Kansas Employment and the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device divisions. After leaving Shook Hardy in June 2001, Margann joined Thomson-West (Westlaw) as a Corporate Account Manager. She worked with corporate legal departments of numerous companies in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma. Gerry Hayden is the new Administrative Assistant in the Career Services Office. Although new to Washburn Law, Gerry is not a newcomer to the Washburn campus. Her previous job at Washburn University was in the Facilities Services Department, a position she began in June of 2002. Prior to Washburn, Gerry worked for many years in the Sabetha/Wetmore Unified School District #441 in Sabetha, Kansas as Career Coordinator at Sabetha High School. Gerry has an Associate's degree in Business from Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California. Both Margann and Gerry are excited to be at the law school. (Posted April 7, 2003)
The Washburn Family Law Student Society hosted Judge Daniel L. Mitchell, Class of 1973, at an informal luncheon on Wednesday, March 26, 2003. Judge Mitchell discussed the different types of cases he hears. Particularly difficult are the cases where he is deciding the future of a family and the well-being of a child. Mitchell is the Division 10 Judge on the Shawnee County District Court, and enjoys riding his Harley motorcycle. (Posted April 7, 2003)
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy hosted L.J. Leatherman, Class of 1992, on Wednesday, March 26, 2003, in the Robinson Courtroom and Bianchino Technology Center for his presentation "Ethical Anatomy of a Murder Case & Ethical Considerations in Expert Preparation and Presentation." His talk focused on a murder case he tried soon after graduating where he discovered exculpatory evidence showing his client was innocent. Leatherman is a member of the Topeka, Kansas law firm Palmer, Leatherman & White. (Posted April 7, 2003)
Washburn Law faculty, staff, and students celebrated the publication of Professor Ali Khan's recent book, A Theory of Universal Democracy: Beyond the End of History (Kluwer Law International, 2003, ISBN: 9041120033), at a 'scoops' party, Monday, March 24, 2003. Professor Khan presented a signed copy of his work to the library and gave a short synopsis. This most recent book is a follow-up to his 1996 work, The Extinction of Nation-States. In Universal Democracy, Khan proposes a fusion of Universal Democracy and Free State to revolutionize the classical theory of government and to offer a new paradigm that accommodates both universality and uniqueness. Following the presentation, attendees were treated to scoops of ice cream and various toppings. (Posted March 24, 2003)
Professor David E. Pierce gave a three-part presentation, "From Extraction to End Use: The Technical Background, The Marketing Background, and The Legal Background," as part of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (RMMLF) Special Institute on Private Oil & Gas Royalties on March 20-21, 2003 in Denver. Professor Pierce also chairs the RMMLF program committee. (Posted March 24, 2003)
The Washburn Family Law Student Society hosted Gwynne Harris Birzer, Class of 1992, at an informal luncheon on Monday, March 3, 2003. Ms. Birzer met with Washburn Law students to share her insights about the practice of both family law and criminal law. She was especially passionate about her favorite type of case, adoptions. Ms. Birzer has served as Assistant District Attorney for Shawnee County, Kansas. Several years ago Birzer established a general practice law firm in Topeka where she handles criminal, civil, domestic, probate, business, and adoption matters. (Posted March 24, 2003)
The Black Law Students Association conducted mock oral arguments of Grutter v. Bollinger on Monday, February 24, 2003, in the Robinson Courtroom and Bianchino Technology Center. Grutter was argued before the United States Supreme Court on April 1, 2003; a decision is expected from the Court by July 2003. At issue is whether the University of Michigan Law School's use of racial preferences in their admissions policy violates the 14th amendment. Working from the briefs filed in the case, Eric Gamble and Eduardo Beckett argued for the petitioners (i.e., Grutter); Bradley Laurent and Lawrence Williamson appeared for the respondents. [For more information about Grutter, see the University of Michigan Law School web site.] (Posted March 13, 2003)
Judge Thomas E. Malone, Class of 1979, was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals on Wednesday, March 12, 2003. Judge Malone's appointment fills a vacancy on the Court created by its expansion from 10 members to 11. With the appointment of Malone, Washburn University School of Law alumni will occupy 5 of the 11 seats on the Kansas Court of Appeals. See the full story. (Posted March 13, 2003)
The Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, in conjunction with the Center for Excellence in Advocacy, hosted a pizza party for Washburn Law students on Thursday, February 27, 2003, at the International House on the Washburn University campus. Attorneys from around Kansas shared their personal reasons for becoming criminal defense lawyers. The first-hand accounts revealed that these attorneys are a close-knit group, willing to help each other when necessary. They find their work to be very rewarding. (Posted March 12, 2003)
The team of Eric Bidwell, Leann Cramer, and Tiffany Tant traveled to the 15th National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition held February 20-22, 2003 at Pace University School of Law in White Plains, New York. Attracting more than 65 teams from around the United States and Canada, it is among the largest national competitions in the United States. The Washburn Law team advanced to the quarterfinal round on the strength of its written brief and oral performances. In addition, Tiffany Tant received Second Best Oralist honors in Round I, Eric Bidwell received Second Best Oralist honors in Round II, and Leann Cramer received Best Oralist honors on the second day of the Competition in Round III. (Posted March 12, 2003)
Phi Alpha Delta hosted its annual 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament on Sunday, March 9, 2003. The team, Cash Money Millionaires! (comprised of Matt Bergmann, Brian Perkins, Greg Wagner, Sarah Louden, and Tammie Mundil), won the championship game. Proceeds from the tournament are donated to the Children's Miracle Network to benefit seriously ill children in the Topeka area. (Posted March 12, 2003)
The J. Reuben Clark Law Society hosted James Layton on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 for a talk entitled "Trials and Tribulations of Appellate Practice." During his presentation Layton spoke about the life of an appellate practitioner, the differences between appellate and trial practice, and fielded questions from students. Mr. Layton is the State Solicitor in the Office of the Attorney General of Missouri. As the State of Missouri's principal appellate lawyer he supervises work in all appellate courts. His personal caseload focuses primarily on state and federal constitutional issues. He has argued on behalf of the State before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and many times before the Missouri Supreme Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals. In 2002, Mr. Layton along with two others from his office, won two of the four national awards for best briefs filed in the U.S. Supreme Court by offices of the Attorneys General in all the states and U.S. territories. The award is given by the National Association of Attorneys General and is judged by nationally recognized Supreme Court litigators. (Posted March 12, 2003)
The Business and Transactional Law Center at Washburn Law hosted the continuing legal education program, Sarbanes-Oxley and the Corporate Counsel: How In House Counsel Is Navigating the Uncertain Terrain, Monday, March 10, 2003 at Washburn's Bradbury Thompson Center. See the full story. (Posted March 12, 2003)
Veteran's Legal Association of Washburn served a Fat Tuesday brunch as a fundraiser on March 4, 2003. Proceeds are being used to send care packages to Washburn Law students who have been deployed, and their families. Items on the menu included Southern style biscuits drenched in butter and smothered in sausage gravy; omelets prepared by Chef Jim Thompson; Richard Buck's Jambalaya; Dean Vizzier's cheese and green grits; strawberry shortcake drizzled with chocolate syrup; cinnamon rolls; croissants; fruit plates; and cream cheese coffee cakes. (Posted March 4, 2003)
Dean Mark A. Sargent, Villanova University School of Law, presented the 25th Annual Foulston Siefkin Lecture in the Robinson Courtroom and Bianchino Technology Center on Friday, February 21, 2003. Dean Sargent's lecture was entitled "Lawyers in the Perfect Storm: Sarbanes-Oxley § 307 and Corporate Lawyering Post Enron." See the full story.
The Washburn Family Law Student Society hosted Ms. Nancy Freund, Class of 1981, at an informal luncheon on Monday, February 24, 2003. Ms. Freund met with Washburn Law students to discuss the practice of domestic relations law, including reasons for the high burn-out rate among these practitioners. She also provided insight on how to combat the problems attorneys face, particularly the difficulty they have leaving this type of work at the office. Ms. Freund has been a family law practitioner in Topeka for the past 15 years. (Posted March 3, 2003)
The Christian Legal Society hosted Topeka attorney Caleb Stegall, Friday, February 28, 2003. Mr. Stegall discussed some of the ethical dilemmas he has faced in practice and how he maintains a healthy family life in the face of a stressful career as a trial lawyer. His talk included using the Book of Jeremiah from the Bible as a guide for attorneys in their practice of law. (Posted March 3, 2003)
Professor Alex Glashausser spoke to a group of twenty-one undergraduate students visiting from Washburn's sister school in Japan, Fukouka University. Glashausser's talk was entitled "The Fairness of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund." The students offered their perspective on the fund and efforts in the United States to help victims of terrorist attacks and other tragedies. Much of the discussion focused on whether the survivors of people who died in terrorist attacks are more worthy of government aid than the survivors of people who died at the hands of non-terrorist criminals. (Posted February 27, 2003)
Washburn Law sent two Client Counseling teams to the American Bar Association Regional Client Counseling Competition, held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Saturday, February 22, 2003. The Washburn teams of Tina Murphy/Kelli Thein and Steven Boyden/Samuel Speed competed against teams from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri, Columbia, the University of Missouri, Kansas City, St. Louis University and Washington University of St. Louis. After the initial round of the competition, which involved three client interviews, the Murphy/Thein team placed first among all schools, earning the right to advance to the final round; they finished in third place overall. The team of Boyden/Speed team placed fifth overall. (Posted February 26, 2003)
Womens Legal Forum (WLF) hosted the monthly meeting of the Women Attorneys Association of Topeka (WAAT) at Washburn Law on Wednesday, February 26, 2003. WLF mentees joined WAAT mentors for lunch and a discussion of non-traditional jobs held by a panel of Topeka attorneys. The panel included Deborah Stern, Natalie Hague, Cheryl Mathis, and Martha Hodgesmith (left to right in photo). The panelists discussed the value of their legal education to the positions they have held, emphasized the importance of getting practical experiences while in law school, and encouraged the audience to never under-estimate the power of networking. (Posted February 26, 2003)
Washburn University School of Law is pleased to announce Allison M. Kenkel as recipient of the 2002 Judge J. Richard Foth Writing Award. The Foth Award is given annually to the student who writes the best brief in the first year Legal Analysis, Research & Writing Seminars. The professors in each of the Legal Analysis, Research & Writing Seminars select the top paper in their class. The top papers are then read by a committee of two law professors and one practicing attorney or judge. Ms. Kenkel is in Professor Peter Cotorceanu's class. The award for this year recipient is $350. (Posted February 20, 2003)
The Washburn Family Law Student Society hosted Mr. Larry Rute, Class of 1973, at an informal luncheon on Monday, February 17, 2003. Mr. Rute met with eight Washburn Law students to discuss the use of mediation techniques in family law cases. Rute is a certified mediator and has his own alternative dispute resolution firm in Topeka. (Posted February 20, 2003)
Professor Nancy Maxwell and her first year advisees visited the Kansas Court of Appeals on Thursday, February 13, 2003 to hear oral arguments about a search and seizure issue. Judges hearing the arguments were: Chief Judge Gary W. Rulon, Class of 1972; Judge Christel E. Marquardt, Class of 1974; and Judge G. Joseph Pierron, Jr. Following arguments, the judges remained on the bench and fielded questions from the students about appellate practice. Seven recent Washburn Law graduates, working as Research Attorneys for Kansas Court of Appeals judges or Kansas Supreme Court justices, joined the students for lunch. The alumni discussed their work as research attorneys. (Posted February 14, 2003)
The Black Law Students Association hosted Judge Gregory B. Gillis of the Kansas City Judicial Circuit Court No. 16, Friday, February 7, 2003 at Washburn Law. Judge Gillis discussed practical issues involved in criminal law and procedure, his life growing up in Kansas City, and the obligation of lawyers to give back to their communities. Judge Gillis served as a Human Rights officer with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights. In 1989, he transferred to the Prosecutor's Office Drug Prosecution's Unit, where he worked in the positions of trial attorney, trial team leader and Senior assistant prosecuting attorney. He also served one year as the Prosector's Office chief warrant officer. From November 1999 until his appointment, Judge Gillis served as the Jackson County Drug Court Commissioner. (Posted February 14, 2003)
The Advocacy Society hosted Dan Monnat & Grace Wu-Monnat Friday, February 7th in Henderson Learning Center. They presented the program Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Kung-Fu Tactics and the Law. The program was an introduction to planning and executing litigation and trial strategies.(Posted February 14, 2003)
Richard Buck began his Law Clinic internship in January 2003. He immediately saw the need for new and better toys in the Clinic reception area, and decided to do something about it. In his unprecedented generosity, Richard donated puzzles, toy trucks, Legos, a sorting game and stuffed animals. Children of Clinic clients are already enjoying the toys when they visit the office with their parents. Thank you, Richard, for such a thoughtful donation. Clinic faculty, staff and interns are all very grateful. (Posted 2/12/2003)
