News Archive

School of Law Winter Break Schedule

During winter break, the School of Law will be closed on Monday, December, 26, and Monday, January 2. For Law Library hours, please visit the library's website.

School of Law Co-Sponsors "Current Issues in Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development" Writing Competition

The MU Sustainable Environmental Policy Network is accepting submissions from MU undergraduate, graduate and professional students in the "Current Issues in Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development" writing competition. Essays should address local, state, national or international policy issues relating to environmental protection, renewable energy, sustainable development or related themes. One of the top essays will be published in the School of Law's Journal of Environmental and Sustainability Law (formerly known as the Missouri Environmental Law & Policy Review) and the winning graduate/professional essayist will have an opportunity to present during the journal's spring 2012 symposium. The competition is sponsored by the School of Law, the Missouri School of Journalism, the MU School of Natural Resources, the MU Department of Forestry and the MU Department of Geography.

For more information, see the MU Honors College Newsletter (PDF)

"Hard to Fix U.S. Nuclear Agency After Inner Turmoil:" Prof. Reuben Quoted by Reuters

Prof. Richard Reuben was recently quoted by Thomson Reuters in "Analysis: Hard to Fix U.S. Nuclear Agency After Inner Turmoil." In the article, Reuben notes that "It is not unusual for administrative boards to be dysfunctional, but the high stakes for the nuclear agency are unique," with respect to disagreement among members of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Prof. English's Principles of Wills, Trusts and Estates Published by West

The second edition of Prof. David English's book, Principles of Wills, Trusts and Estates, was recently published by West Publishing Company. With his co-authors, Prof. Sheldon Kurtz of the University of Iowa and Prof. William McGovern of UCLA, Prof. English was responsible for Chapters 9 through 15, dealing with trust law, powers of appointment, future interests, and federal estate and gift tax.

Prof Abrams Named a Fellow of the Missouri Bar Foundation

Prof. Doug Abrams was named a Fellow of the Missouri Bar Foundation, which seeks to improve the legal system through law-related research, education and charitable endeavors. Fellows are named for their significant contributions to the state bar.

Prof. Abrams has testified on the bar's behalf before state House and Senate committees in support of the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan. He serves on a special Missouri Bar committee that advises the board of governors on issues relating to member lawyers' First Amendment speech rights concerning positions the bar takes. He served on The Missouri Bar Commission on Children and the Law, and the General Assembly enacted several bills he drafted relating to children's welfare. He recently concluded his service on The Missouri Bar's Special Committee on Adoption Issues, which recommended solutions for troublesome questions concerning termination of parental rights.

Prof. Abrams frequently addresses Missouri Bar civic education and continuing legal education programs. He chairs the editorial board of the Journal of The Missouri Bar, and he writes an article about legal writing in each issue of Precedent, The Missouri Bar's quarterly magazine. His 167-page chapter, "Child Abuse and Neglect," appears in Missouri Juvenile Law, The Missouri Bar's CLE deskbook.

In 2000, he received a Spurgeon Smithson Award, presented by the Missouri Bar Foundation for outstanding service to the cause of justice. In 2005, he received a Chairperson's Award from The Missouri Bar's Young Lawyers Section. In October 2011, he received The Missouri Bar's Distinguished Service Award.

Prof. Mitchell's Fordham Urban Law Journal Article Cited by Orlando Sentinel

"Restore Fairness on Ex-Offenders' Rights," an op-ed by the Orlando Sentinel, cites Prof. David Mitchell's 2007 Fordham Urban Law Journal article, "Undermining Individual and Collective Citizenship: The Impact of Exclusion Laws on the African-American Community." Specifically, it notes the passage "denial or the infringement of any right associated with one of those (civil, social, political) elements (of citizenship) constitutes an erosion of that person's full citizenship" in arguing for faster restoration of felons' rights in Florida.

Prof. Daily and Law Librarian Bassett Speak at Legal Writing Conference

Prof. Melody Richardson Daily and Law Librarian Cindy Bassett recently spoke at the Legal Writing Institute for new teachers. They presented "Giving and Getting: The Pros and Cons of Having a Librarian in the LRW Classroom," detailing how librarians and legal research and writing faculty at the School of Law collaborate to teach research. The presentation included changes that have been made in the contributions of the librarians at the School of Law, specifically giving a pre-test/post-test to students to determine what they have learned about research and by having a librarian assigned to each legal research and writing section who attends each class.

This presentation was part of the Legal Writing Institute's one-day seminar at 11 law schools around the country, allowing faculty to meet and share ideas about legal research and writing.

Dean Dessem to Serve on American Bar Association Task Force

Dean Larry Dessem was recently asked to serve on the task force for the American Bar Association Reaccreditation Process. The purpose of the task force is to develop recommendations to enhance the speed, efficiency and burden of the ABA accreditation process on law schools and increase understanding of the purposes and goals of the law school accreditation process among law schools and the public.

Prof. Desnoyer Speaks on New Teaching Ideas in Legal Writing

Prof. Brad Desnoyer recently spoke at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law about the implementation of new teaching ideas in the MU Law legal writing program. His presentation was part of the Legal Writing Institute's one-day seminar at 11 law schools around the country, allowing faculty to meet and share ideas about legal research and writing.

Two MU Law Faculty Blogs Named to Top 100

The December 2011 issue of the ABA Journal features the magazines 5th Annual Blawg 100. This year's edition names two blogs run by MU Law faculty to the list of top 100 legal blogs. Prof. Dennis Crouch's Patently-O is listed in the intellectual property category, while Prof. Thom Lambert's Truth on the Market is listed in the business law category.

Major ICSID Arbitration Cites Two of Prof. Strong's Articles

Two of Professor S.I. Strong's articles – "From Class to Collective: The De-Americanization of Class Arbitration," 26 Arbitration International 493 (2010) (erroneously misattributed to Stacy I. Strong) and "Does Class Arbitration ‘Change the Nature' of Arbitration? Stolt-Nielsen, AT&T and a Return to First Principles," 17 Harvard Negotiation Law Review(forthcoming 2012) -- were cited in the dissenting opinion on jurisdiction recently rendered in Abaclat (formerly Beccara) v. Argentine Republic, ICSID Case No. Arb/07/5.

The case, which arose as a result of Argentina's default on approximately $100 billion worth of sovereign debt in 2001, involves more than 60,000 Italian claimants, making Abaclat the first mass arbitration ever brought in the context of international investment (treaty-based) arbitration. Prof. Strong was also cited in the majority award rendered on August 4, 2011.

Prof. Strong Appointed to WIPO List of Neutrals

Prof. S.I. Strong has been appointed to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center's List of Neutrals. WIPO is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property system. The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and assists in the resolution of international commercial disputes between private parties, particularly in cases involving technology, entertainment and other disputes involving intellectual property. Prof. Strong has significant experience in such matters, having litigated a variety of cases involving international copyright and the entertainment industry while in private practice, and having published several scholarly articles in that area of law. She is also an experienced commercial arbitrator and mediator.

"It Is, at the Very Least, Extraordinarily Unusual:" Prof. Frank Bowman on Prosecutor Added to Witness List

Prof. Frank Bowman was recently quoted by the Associated Press regarding  a case in which the defense added the lead prosecutor and two assistants to its witness list.

"It is, at the very least, extraordinarily unusual," Bowman explained to the AP. "It surprises me that the judge did not make a vigorous inquiry into why the defense attorney thought testimony from the prosecutor would be relevant and admissible."

Prof. English Recognized by the National College of Probate Judges

Prof. David English recently received the Treat Award for Excellence from the National College of Probate Judges in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the improvement of American probate law. The award was presented at the Fall 2011 meeting of the College.

Prof. English is best known for his work with the Uniform Law Commission, for which he was the Reporter for the Uniform Trust Code, the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act, and the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act. He is also active in the American Bar Association, for which he is a member of the House of Delegates, Commission on Law and Aging, and the executive committee of the Section of Real Property Trust & Estate Law. Prof. English is the co-author of Tax, Estate and Financial Planning for the Elderly; Tax, Estate and Financial Planning for the Elderly: Forms and Practice; Fiduciary Accounting and Trust Administration Guide; and Wills, Trusts & Estates.

According to Judge Mary Sheffield, circuit judge for the 25th Judicial Circuit of Missouri, "Prof. English is a person whose scholarly writings, lectures and contributions to all areas of probate, including drafting and analyzing legislation, make him especially appropriate to receive this award. As a past president of the National College, I am doubly delighted to see this award go to a fellow Missourian who truly deserves it. His national reputation precedes him!"

The National College of Probate Judges is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to improving probate law and probate courts. The Treat Award is given in memory of Hon. William Treat, the founder of the National College.

"Border Skirmishes" Symposium Discussed in Global Arbitration Review

The Global Arbitration Review, one of the leading publications of the international arbitral community, published an article concerning the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution's annual symposium. The article, "Neighbourly Advice from Gary Born," focuses on the keynote address by world-renowned author-arbitrator Gary Born.

Papers arising out of the symposium, including an article written by Mr. Born, will be published by the School of Law's Journal of Dispute Resolution in early 2012. The symposium, "Border Skirmishes: The Intersection Between Litigation and International Commercial Arbitration," was held at the School of Law on October 20-21, 2011.

Prof. Abrams Discusses Varsity Football Players Charged with Aggravated Assault

On Sunday, November 20, Prof. Doug Abrams appeared on WFAN radio to discuss whether a suburban New Jersey high school should have suspended nine varsity football players who have been charged with aggravated assault in the severe beating of two students, including one who was left unconscious. The school has permitted the charged players to continue playing in the state football playoffs.

WFAN, the "Flagship Station for New York Sports," is one of the nation's leading all-sports radio stations.

KC Star Cites Dean Bailey for "Reasonable and Responsible Ruling"

In an editorial by The Kansas City Star, Dean Bob Bailey is cited for a "reasonable and responsible ruling" as an arbitrator in a case involving the city and the Local 42 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Prof. Mitchell Gives Keynote at Annual Freedom Fund Dinner

Prof. David Mitchell recently gave the keynote address at the 48th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner for the Jefferson City (Mo.) Chapter of the NAACP. The theme of the evening, "How Long? Not Long!," referred to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "Our God is Marching On," given on March 25, 1965, after the historic march from Selma to Montgomery to advocate for the Voting Rights Act.

During Prof. Mitchell's remarks, he discussed the disenfranchisement of felons and that experienced by the Occupy Protest movement.

MU Law Closed for Thanksgiving

The School of Law will be closed on November 24th and 25th in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Article Supporting Municipal Accommodation of Religious Practices of Hassidic Jews Quotes Prof. Esbeck

Prof. Esbeck was recently quoted in "My Way or the Highway: Liberals Have Decided to Tell Religious Jews How to Ride the Bus," in Ami Magazine. "If a city, or the bus company on behalf of the city, wants to accommodate religious practices, they certainly may do so, and that doesn't violate separation of church and state," Esbeck says in the article. "The Supreme Court, in a long line of cases that are without exception, has said that the government may accommodate the religious needs of its citizenry."

Prof. Crouch and Prof. Strong Join International Task Force

Prof. Dennis Crouch and Prof. S.I. Strong have been appointed to the Patent Mediation Task Force convened by the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR Institute), an international think-tank dedicated to improving dispute resolution processes around the world. The task force is comprised of leading experts in the patent industry and includes representatives from private practice and the corporate world as well as academia.

Prof. Strong to Have Article Published in Spanish

Prof. S.I. Strong will have a Spanish-language version of her upcoming article, "International Arbitration and the Republic of Colombia: Commercial, Comparative and Constitutional Concerns From a U.S. Perspective," 22 Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law (forthcoming 2011), published in an upcoming edition of the Revista Internacional de Arbitraje.The Revista is the leading Spanish-language journal on international commercial arbitration, focusing primarily on developments in Latin America.

The Renewable Energy Reader Includes Contributions from Prof. Rule

Three substantial excerpts from Prof. Troy Rule's recent article on solar access laws, "Shadows on the Cathedral: Solar Access Laws in a Different Light," are included in The Renewable Energy Reader, published by Carolina Academic Press. Prof. Rule's excerpts are included to educate readers about the difficulties and breadth of existing statutory approaches for addressing solar access conflicts.

Prof. English Speaks in China on Trust Law and the Uniform Trust Code

Prof. David English recently visited Shanghai to speak at a conference on the reform of China's 2001 trust law. While in China, Prof. English also presented a lecture on the Uniform Trust Code to graduate law students at the East China University of Political Science and Law and met with representatives of China's emerging trust industry.

Prof. English, who was the Reporter for the Uniform Trust Code drafting committee, served as a U.S. consultant on the drafting of China's trust law. The conference, which was organized by the East China University of Political Science and Law, was designed to assess China's experience with trusts and to recommend amendments to the law. In addition to Prof. English, there were presentations by speakers from China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.

MU Law Arbitration Teams Advance to National Arbitration Competition

Congratulations to the two MU Law arbitration teams who advanced to the National Arbitration Competition, to be held in January in Chicago.

At the regional competition in Iowa, the two MU Law teams emerged victorious from a field of 16 teams. The advancement of these teams to nationals builds on MU Law's strong tradition in arbitration competition, which dates back to 2008 and includes two national placements.

Members of the MU Law arbitration teams are: Andrew Blackwell, Jake Kohut, Ida Shafaie, Audrey Danner, Dane Rennier, Ashley Cross, Andrew Starshefsky, Betty Hatting, Mark Godfrey and Chirag Shah. The teams were advised by MU Law faculty members Rafael Gely, Jim Levin, Chuck Henson and Ben Trachtenberg, and alumnus Scott Fox, '08.

Prof. Wells Serves on Panel at the T/F Global Journalist Forum

Prof. Chris Wells recently served on a panel at the T/F Global Journalist Forum, sponsored by the True/False Film Festival, to discuss "Better This World," which is about the arrests of protestors at the 2008 Republican National Convention. Join Prof.

MU Law Student's Op-Ed Appears in the Denver Post

Third-year MU Law student Justin Collins recently published an op-ed piece in the Denver Post. In the column, Collins weighs in on administrative pay in Denver Public Schools. The Post has a daily circulation of 324,970.

Collins holds a doctorate in K-12 educational administration. He recently completed two books on student engagement that will be released by Rowman and Littlefield in the coming year.

Prof. Hawley's Essay Published in Anthology by Leading Roosevelt Scholars

Prof. Josh Hawley recently published an essay on Theodore Roosevelt's constitutionalism. This piece, "Roosevelt's Republic," appears in a new anthology by leading Roosevelt scholars called A Companion to Theodore Roosevelt.

Patent Law Students Argue in Mock Claim Construction Hearing

Students taking a patent law course with Prof. Dennis Crouch recently argued in a mock claim construction hearing. The case is based upon a real dispute between Ron Nystrom and Trex Corp. over whether Nystrom's patent on specially-designed boards for outdoor decking covers the synthetic planks created by Trex. Experienced litigators from around the region came to campus to judge arguments and provide tips on claim construction.

Prof. Crouch Speaks at Kauffman Roundtable on Patent Reform & Innovation

Prof. Dennis Crouch recently spoke at Yale Law School as an invited participant in the Kauffman Roundtable on Patent Reform & Innovation. The event, sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation and the Yale Law School Information Society Project, served as a segue for those concerned with U.S. patent law policy. Pres. Obama recent enacted a major patent reform initiative, but there is work ahead to ensure that the country's patent system really works.

Prof. Strong to Publish Article Comparing Class Arbitration in the United States and Canada

Last year, Prof. S.I. Strong received a grant from the Canadian government to study class actions and class arbitrations in Canada.  Her findings will be published in "Resolving Mass Legal Disputes Through Class Arbitration:  The United States and Canada Compared," which will appear in 37 North Carolina Journal of International Law & Commercial Regulation (forthcoming 2012).  She will also present her research at a symposium sponsored by the University of North Carolina in January 2012.

Prof. Crouch's Blog Post Used in Appellate Court Dissenting Opinion

This week the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected a request for en banc rehearing to redefine claim construction jurisprudence (PDF). Dissenting from the denial, appellate Judge Kimberly Moore relied upon and cited one of Prof. Dennis Crouch's recent blog posts, "Court Continues to Struggle with Claim Construction."

Prof. Crouch operates the nation's leading patent law blog, Patently-O, which receives approximately 300,000 site visits per month and has 19,000 registered e-mail subscribers.

Prof. Strong Presents at Judicial Conference in Toulouse, France

Prof. S.I. Strong recently traveled to France to speak at a judicial conference convened in the historic city of Toulouse. Her presentation, "Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution in the United States of America," is part of a day-long discussion about alternative means of dispute resolution around the world.

While in Toulouse, Prof. Strong also taught a class on various forms of alternative dispute resolution at Université Toulouse 1 Capitole.

MU Law Student's Op-Eds Appear in Sunday Editions of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and Birmingham News

Third-year MU Law student Justin Collins recently published an op-ed piece in Sunday's edition of the Democrat Gazette, Arkansas' largest newspaper, about a state exemption from the No Child Left Behind Act. He also wrote an op-ed that was published in the Sunday Edition of the Birmingham News, Alabama's largest newspaper, about the academic performance of Birmingham-area schools. Collins holds a doctorate in K-12 educational administration. He recently completed two books on student engagement that will be released by Rowman and Littlefield in the coming year.

MU Law Professor and Student Publish Review of Supreme Court Copyright Case

Prof. Dennis Crouch and third-year MU Law student Ted Wright recently published a review of the pending U.S. Supreme Court copyright case of Golan v. Holder. The review, "Copyright Versus the Public Domain: Does the Constitution Allow Congress to Take Works from the Public Doman and Replace Those with Private Exclusive Rights?," was published in the Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases in October.

MU Law Faculty File a Brief Amici in the Supreme Court of the United States

Three MU Law faculty members recently worked with scholars at other American law schools to file a brief amici in the Supreme Court of the United States. Professors Carl Esbeck, Erin Hawley and Joshua Hawley were among those filing the brief in support of the petitioners in The Bronx Household of Faith, et al., v. The Board of Education of the City of New York, et al., a case that involves freedom of speech in a public forum where the excluded speech is religious worship.

Prof. David Mitchell to Discuss Social Movements and Occupy CoMo

Prof. David Mitchell will discuss social movements and Occupy CoMo on KBIA's "Intersection" program on Oct. 31 from 2-3 pm. KBIA is the National Public Radio station for the Mid-Missouri area.

Women of the Supreme Court of Missouri Visit MU

The women of the Supreme Court of Missouri- Judge Mary Rhodes Russell, '83; Judge Laura Denvir Stith; Judge Patricia Breckenridge, '78; and former Chief Justice Ann Covington, '77- discussed careers in the judiciary and clerkships in a panel hosted by the MU Women's Law Association and the MU Law Diversity Office on Oct. 27. Following the panel, the judges and current and former judicial clerks joined guests at a reception in Reynolds Alumni Center.

Dir. of Career Development Grant Shostak Selected for Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2011

MU Law Dir. of Career Development Grant Shostak, '96, was recently selected for inclusion in the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2011 listing for criminal defense attorneys. Before joining the School of Law's Office of Career Development this summer, Shostak was in private practice, focusing on the trial of criminal and personal injury cases. He is a past president of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Teaches Class at MU

Prof. Sir Geoffrey Palmer, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, taught a class at the School of Law via video link on Oct. 24.

In addition to his career as a politician, Prof. Palmer sat as a judge ad hoc on the International Court of Justice since 1995 and serves as a member of the Privy Council, a British judicial body which is based in London and hears appeals from various British territories and dependences as well as a number of Commonwealth countries. He has also chaired a United Nations inquiry panel looking into an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla and served as the New Zealand representative to the International Whaling Commission.

Prof. Palmer, who holds a JD from the University of Chicago and taught at the University of Virginia and the University of Iowa before starting his political career in New Zealand, currently serves as a professor of law at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

Prof. Palmer acted as a visiting lecturer in Prof. S.I. Strong's comparative law class and addressed various issues relating to New Zealand constitutional law. The session with Prof. Palmer utilized the law school's new virtual office, which allows high-definition video connections to be made with universities, institutions and individuals around the world.

Prof. Abrams Speaks at Missouri Juvenile Justice Association's Fall Educational Conference

Prof. Doug Abrams recently spoke at two seminars of the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association's Fall Educational Conference. At the Juvenile Law seminar, he provided an annual update of federal and Missouri juvenile justice legislation. At the Teens and Technology seminar, he discussed the future prospects of Missouri's elementary and secondary education "Facebook Law," which concerns teachers' communications with students on social networks; the Missouri General Assembly passed the law earlier this year but amended it in its recent special session due to First Amendment concerns.

The Missouri Juvenile Justice Association (MJJA) is a statewide organization that promotes justice for Missouri children, youth and families. Through legislative outreach and public and professional education, MJJA has been Missouri's recognized leader on state and national juvenile justice issues for more than 30 years.

Prof. Abrams serves on the MJJA board of directors and executive committee.

MU Law Student's Op-Eds Appear in Oklahoman and Tennessean

Third-year MU Law student Justin Collins recently published an op-ed piece in the Oklahoman, Oklahoma's largest newspaper, about Oklahoma City School District reform. He also wrote an op-ed that was published in the Tennessean, Tennessee's largest newspaper, about the progress of Memphis City Schools. Collins holds a doctorate in K-12 educational administration. He recently completed two books on student engagement that will be released by Rowman and Littlefield in the coming year.

Prof. English Appointed Chair of International Committee on Interjurisdictional Recognition of Lifecare Documents

Prof. David English was recently appointed chair of the International Committee on Interjurisdictional Recognition of Lifecare Documents, a joint effort of the Uniform Law Commission, the Uniform Law Conference of Canada and the Mexican Center of Uniform Law. According to the Uniform Law Commission, the purpose of the committee is to "consider and make recommendations concerning the need for and feasibility of drafting a uniform act on inter-jurisdictional recognition of life planning documents, such as powers of attorney, health care advance directives, and similar instruments."

Prof. Bowman Speaks on Criminal Law Issues at Recent Seminars

Prof. Frank Bowman recently spoke at two seminars on issues relating to criminal law. At a seminar on defending a federal criminal case, sponsored by the Federal Defenders Office for the Western District of Missouri, he presented "Some Advice About Criminal Practice Under Advisory Sentencing Guidelines." He also joined two panels at a conference sponsored by MU, "Communications in Forensics."

MU Law Students Win 2011 Attorney General's Cup

Four MU Law students endured two days of competition against students from Missouri's other law schools to win the 2011 Attorney General's Cup. This competition was started in 2010, when Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, '91, invited each of the four Missouri law schools to send two mock trial teams to Jefferson City to compete against each another to determine superiority in trial advocacy in the Show-Me State. Congratulations to the champions!

Andrew Blackwell
Ashley Cuttle
Alex Cornwell
Ida Shafaie

Prof. Hawley Litigates Major Religious Liberties Case in U.S. Supreme Court

Prof. Joshua Hawley recently served as co-counsel for a major religious liberties case argued before the Supreme Court of the United States. Widely regarded as one of the most important religious freedom cases in two decades, Hosanna-Tabor Church v. EEOC poses the question whether churches are obligated to follow the secular rules of state and federal employment laws in the hiring and firing of ministers. Hawley serves as counsel for the Petitioner, Hosanna-Tabor Church and School.

A decision is expected sometime next year.

Prof. Strong Speaks on International Commercial Arbitration in Washington, D.C.

Prof. S.I. Strong traveled recently to Washington, D.C., to speak at a conference organized by the International Chamber of Commerce, International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes and the International Center for Dispute Resolution, the international arm of the American Arbitration Association. The conference was held at American University Washington College of Law and Prof. Strong spoke on agency and distribution issues arising in international commercial arbitration.

MU Law Student Places in Writing Competition with "A BIT Unfair?: An Illustration of the Backlash Against International Arbitration in Latin America: Chevron Corp. v. Republic of Ecuador"

Third-year MU Law student David Ma received honors recently in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators North American Branch student writing competition. The contest was open to all law students enrolled in educational programs leading to a degree in law, regardless of their location, and generated applications from countries in Europe, Asia and North America.

Ma's article, "A BIT Unfair: An Illustration of the Backlash Against International Arbitration in Latin America: Chevron Corp. v. Republic of Ecuador," won second place and entitled Ma to present his writing at the international works-in-progress conference convened as part of the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution's Border Skirmishes symposium.

View the press release (PDF)

Prof. Uphoff's Recent Presentations Include "Handling Physical Evidence: How Does the Ethical, Zealous Advocate Respond"

Prof. Rod Uphoff taught at the Harvard Law School trial advocacy workshop in September, followed by three speaking engagements in October. He presented "Handling Physical Evidence: How Does the Ethical, Zealous Advocate Respond," at a seminar sponsored by the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Missouri in Kansas City. He then spoke at the Branson Forensic Conference on two panels: "Preparing the Case for Trial" and "Pretrial Press Statements and Handling the Media." On Oct. 21, he spoke at the 2nd Annual U.S. District Court Central Division CLE on "Taking the Deal or Going to Trial: Effective Client Counseling."

Three MU Law Professors Participate in Moot Court for Attorney General

Professors Frank Bowman, Paul Litton and Ben Trachtenberg recently participated in a moot court for Attorney General Christopher A. Koster, '91. Along with a few other mock Supreme Court justices, these faculty members helped Koster prepare for his upcoming argument before the Supreme Court of the United States in Missouri v. Frye.

Panelists from Around the World Visit MU Law for "Border Skirmishes"

On Oct. 21, the School of Law and its Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution are hosting an international symposium -- "Border Skirmishes: The Intersection Between Litigation and International Commercial Arbitration." Keynote speaker Gary Born is widely regarded as the world's preeminent authority on international commercial arbitration and international litigation. He has been ranked for the past decade as one of the world's leading international arbitration practitioners and the leading arbitration practitioner in London.

Born was recently selected by leading international arbitrators and peer practitioners to receive the Global Arbitration Review's inaugural "Advocate of the Year" award and was also chosen by his peers as the "World's Best International Litigator" in a recent survey by Legal Media Group. He has participated in more than 550 international arbitrations, including four of the largest ICC arbitrations and several of the most significant ad hoc arbitrations in recent history. Born is uniformly ranked by Euromoney, Chambers, Legal 500 and Global Counsel as one of the leading practitioners in the field and is one of only three lawyers in the world to receive global "starred" status in Chambers rankings.

Panelists at the symposium include FrèdÈric Bachand, Professor of Law, McGill University Faculty of Law (Montreal, Canada); Christopher Drahozal, John M. Rounds Professor of Law, University of Kansas; Alejandro Garro, Professor of Comparative Law, Columbia University; Louise Reilly, Legal Counsel for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Lausanne, Switzerland); Marianne Roth, Professor of Law and Chair of the Academic Senate, University of Salzburg (Austria); and Peter B. Rutledge, Professor of Law, University of Georgia.

The symposium is convened by Prof. S.I. Strong and is co-sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators North American Branch with additional support from the American Society of International Law, the American Bar Association Section of International Law, the Canadian Bar Association and Transnational Dispute Management.

Congratulations to Client Counseling Winners!

1st Place-Emily Walker & Kate Millington
2nd Place-Darrion Walker & Kristen Sanocki

MU Law Student Co-Chairs Celebrate Ability Week

Third-year MU Law student Amber Cheek was featured on KBIA Radio for her service as co-chair of Celebrate Ability Week, an annual celebration of disability rights and culture at MU. Cheek and her undergraduate co-chair oversaw 12 events over the course of the week, including an interactive demonstration by the MU wheelchair basketball team, the premiere of a documentary about MU students with disabilities, an accessibility expo encouraging students to experience assistive technology and numerous lectures (including one on the Americans with Disabilities Act at which Cheek was a primary speaker).

The highlight of the week was a lecture by Academy Award-winning deaf actress Marlee Matlin. Cheek and other members of the committee raised funds for a year to underwrite Matlin's visit, which focused on persistence in the face of stereotypes. "Many people pity persons with disabilities rather than seeing the valuable contributions their adaptability and resilience can bring to our communities and workplaces," Cheek says. "As a committee, we wanted Celebrate Ability to challenge these expectations and promote full inclusion for persons with disabilities both on campus and in the community."

MU Law Hosts International Works-in-Progress Conference

On Oct. 20, the School of Law and its Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution are hosting an international works-in-progress conference involving the intersection between litigation and international commercial arbitration. Speakers include legal academics and practitioners from Belgium, Sweden, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States, with additional speakers joining the conference by video link from Spain. The day's events will conclude with a presentation from Victoria Shannon, Deputy Director of Arbitration and ADR (North America) at the International Chamber of Commerce, one of the leading arbitral institutions in the world. Shannon is speaking on the recent revisions to the ICC Rules of Arbitration. The works-in-progress conference is convened by MU Law Prof. S.I. Strong.

Prof. Trachtenberg Moderates a Panel on "Exploring Diversity in France"

Prof. Ben Trachtenberg moderated a panel at the "Exploring Diversity in France" discussion series, hosted at MU by the Missouri School of Journalism. The series, sponsored by the Embassy of France to the United States, featured French senior fellows of Humanity in Action, an international educational organization of which Trachtenberg is a senior fellow.

MU Law Chapter of MATA Hosts Gov. Jeremiah W. "Jay" Nixon, '81

The MU Law chapter of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys hosted Gov. Jeremiah W. "Jay" Nixon, '81, on Oct. 19. Nixon discussed his thoughts about trial law and being a lawyer, followed by a question and answer session, with MU Law students.

Congratulations to the Client Counseling Competition Finalists!

Darrion Walker & Kristen Sanocki
Mariah Young & Amie Coleman
Emily Walker & Kate Millington

Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution Celebrates Mediation Week

The MU Law Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution (CSDR) is co-sponsoring several video conversations on the role of lawyers and mediators in promoting civility in public discourse for Mediation Week, which is sponsored by the American Bar Association Section on Dispute Resolution. Each day this week, The Law Offices of Sarah J. Read, Kaleidoscope Consulting, The Communications Center and MU Law CSDR will feature an online video interview focused on the theme of civility and civil discourse. MU Law participants include Prof. Richard Reuben and LLM Program Director Paul Ladehoff.

Prof. Abrams to Speak at Albany Law School Cyberbullying Symposium

On October 20, Prof. Douglas E. Abrams will speak at Albany Law School at a day-long symposium on cyberbullying in the public schools. The symposium, "Cyberbullying from Classroom to Courtroom: Contemporary Approaches to Protecting Children in a Digital Age," is sponsored by the Albany Law Journal of Science & Technology.

When cyberbullies and their parents file lawsuits challenging imposition of discipline, they usually raise two claims- first, that the message is protected speech under the First Amendment, and second, that the school lacks authority to discipline students for messages sent from off-campus. Prof. Abrams will discuss why in-school prevention programs are the most effective way to protect potential cyberbullying victims. But he will also discuss last month's suicide of a 14-year-old cyberbullying victim in Buffalo, N.Y., and show that the Supreme Court's First Amendment decisions for the past 40 years strongly support the schools' authority to discipline cyberbullies.

In 2007-2008, Prof. Abrams served on the Governor's Internet Harassment Task Force, which helped draft legislation to curb Internet stalking and harassment in Missouri. He testified in support of the legislation's constitutionality before state House and Senate committees in Jefferson City, and the governor signed the legislation into law.

Bureau of Prisons Should Increase Halfway House Placement for Former Inmates: Prof. David Mitchell

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MU Law Prepares to Welcome Gary Born

The keynote speaker for the 2011 Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution Symposium, Gary Born, was recently selected by leading international arbitrators and peer practitioners to receive the Global Arbitration Review's Advocate of the Year award for 2010. He was also chosen by his peers as the World's Best International Litigator in a recent survey by Legal Media Group. Born is widely regarded as the world's preeminent authority on international commercial arbitration and international litigation. He has been ranked for the past decade as one of the world's leading international arbitration practitioners and the leading arbitration practitioner in London. He has participated in more than 550 international arbitrations, including four of the largest ICC arbitrations and several of the most significant ad hoc arbitrations in recent history. Born is uniformly ranked by Euromoney, Chambers, Legal 500 and Global Counsel as one of the leading practitioners in the field. He is one of only three lawyers in the world to receive global "starred" status in Chambers rankings.

Born will speak on Friday, October 21, at 10:30 am in 7 Hulston Hall on the MU campus on "Border Skirmishes: The Intersection of Litigation and International Commercial Arbitration." Registration for the symposium is $50 (free for full-time academics and students).

Join Us in Celebrating National Pro Bono Week

National Pro Bono Week kicks off for the School of Law on October 17th with a power of attorney Power Point presentation and a Columbia City Council meeting. The focus on pro bono work continues through October 28 and includes uncontested divorce clinic trainings, a pro bono student panel, a power of attorney clinic and a session on mental health and due process. For a full schedule of events, visit MU Law Career Development (PDF).

"Fight for Your Right: How a New Project Could Transform Solar Access Laws:" Prof. Troy Rule in Solar Industry Magazine

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"Rajaratnam's Health Claims Likely to Face Scrutiny:" Prof. Frank Bowman Quoted by Reuters

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3L Receives Scholarships from Women Lawyers Associations

Third-year MU Law student Laura Browne recently received two scholarships from women lawyers associations in Missouri- one from the Association of Women Lawyers in Kansas City and one from the Women Lawyers' Association of St. Louis.

"Both organizations work to promote and assist women to obtain positions of influence and leadership within their workplace, the legal profession, the judiciary and the community," Browne notes. "I believe that women have a duty to support other women lawyers in their personal and professional lives in this way, and look forward to doing so throughout the rest of my time in law school and once my legal career begins."

Prof. Chris Wells Invited to Participate in SCOTUS Blog on Stolen Valor Act

Prof. Chris Well was invited to participate in a discussion at the blog of the Supreme Court of the United States on the Stolen Valor Act, which makes it illegal to lie about military honors. The Supreme Court is considering a certiorari petition tomorrow for the case of United States v. Alvarez.

According to Wells, a nationally-recognized expert on free speech, "The United States surely is within its rights to protect against actual fraudulent use of its medals to obtain valuable goods and services. Such actions would, in fact, be punishable fraud. The Stolen Valor Act does not punish those actions. It simply punishes lying. Although there is reason to question the value of such lies, punishment of them raises even greater concerns under the First Amendment."

Prof. Abrams Publishes Article about the Lessons of Lochner v. New York (1905) and Kennedy v. Louisiana (2008)

The Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly carries Prof. Douglas E. Abrams' latest article, "Lochner v. New York (1905)and Kennedy v. Louisiana (2008): Judicial Reliance on Adversary Argument." In both decisions, the justices' deliberations demonstrate the courts' reliance on advocacy in the adversary system of civil and criminal justice.

In Lochner, the stark imbalance between the state's "incredibly sketchy" brief and the defendant's sterling submission may have determined the outcome, and thus may have changed the course of constitutional history, by leading two swing justices to vote to strike down New York's maximum-hours law for bakery workers. By a 5-4 vote, the court ushered in the "Lochner Era" by applying economic substantive due process.

The Supreme Court's reliance on adversary argument assumed the spotlight most recently in 2008, when Kennedy v. Louisiana held that the Eighth Amendment prohibits capital punishment for non-fatal rape of a child. Kennedy found a "national consensus" against such punishment by surveying the landscape of American law. The court, however,overlooked a 2006 congressional enactment and a 2007 presidential executive order that no party or amicus had briefed.

Amid the sheer complexity of contemporary American law, the institutional challenges that followed the brief writers' lapse in Kennedy reinforces the justices' own longtime recognition of the central place of lawyers' advocacy in the adversary system. "The law is made by the Bar, even more than by the Bench," said then-Judge Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1885. "A judge rarely performs his functions adequately," added Justice Louis D. Brandeis, "unless the case before him is adequately presented." Justice Felix Frankfurter reported that in the Supreme Court and lower courts alike, "the judicial process [is] at its best" when courts receive "comprehensive briefs and powerful arguments on both sides."

Congratulations to the 2011 MU Law Regional Mock Arbitration Team!

Andrew Blackwell
Ashley Cross
Audrey Danner
Mark Godfrey
Elizabeth Hatting
Jake Kohut
Dane Rennier
Ida Shafaie
Chirag Shah
Andrew Stashefsky

Register Now for Border Skirmishes: The Intersection Between Litigation and International Commercial Arbitration

On Oct. 21, keynote speaker Gary Born leads an international group of experts in a frank discussion of issues that can arise when parties combine litigation tactics with international commercial arbitration. The symposium, Border Skirmishes: The Intersection Between Litigation and International Commercial Arbitration, will be held at the award-winning Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution at the MU School of Law.

Associated events include a works-in-progress conference where authors discuss their current research with other specialists and a student writing competition sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) North American Branch. The registration fee for the symposium, including an early bird session concerning the new ICC Rules of Arbitration, is $50 and registration is available online.

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"Online Housing Discrimination Primarily Done by Roommate-Seekers, Familial Status:" Study by Prof. Rigel Oliveri

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Career Development Welcomes New Additions

You may notice some new faces around the Office of Career Development this fall. MU Law recently welcomed two new members -- Linda Lorenz and Grant Shostak.

Lorenz serves as the new director of public interest law, replacing Erika Fadel, who assumed the role of director of diversity initiatives and outreach. Lorenz comes to MU after six years as the director of career development at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo.

Shostak has settled in nicely as the new director of career development, a welcome change from his last title at MU Law -- student. Shostak graduated in 1996 and most recently was in private practice in St. Louis. The faculty is glad to see him again. "Grant is a fantastic addition. We're lucky to have him," said Dean Bob Bailey.

Lorenz and Shostak join an enthusiastic career development team which includes Lisa Key, Jennifer McGarr and Lesley Clark.

Law School Congratulates Karma Q. Johnson and Camille Roe, 2011 and 2010 Recipients of Judge Kit Carson Roque, Jr. Scholarship Awards

For two consecutive years, University of Missouri School of Law students have been selected by the Jackson County Bar Association as recipients of the Judge Kit Carson Roque, Jr. Scholarship Award. The Kit Carson Roque, Jr. Scholarship is an annual law school scholarship given in honor of the late Judge Kit Carson Roque, Jr. An African-American graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School and a former member of the Jackson County Bar Association. Judge Roque was a dedicated civil rights leader, community activist and child advocate. The Jackson County Bar Association welcomes 2L and 3L applicants who exemplify Judge Roque's high academic standards and commitment to community. The recipients for the past two years are: 2011 - Karma Q. Johnson (First Place Award Recipient) and 2010 - Camille Roe (Second Place Award Recipient). Congratulations to both Karma Johnson and Camille Roe for this recognition and honor.

"Recognizing the Public Schools' Authority to Discipline Students' Off-Campus Cyberbullying of Classmates": Prof. Doug Abrams Publishes Article

Prof. Douglas E. Abrams has published an article on cyberbullying in the current issue of the New England Journal on Civil and Criminal Confinement, a publication of the New England School of Law. The article, "Recognizing the Public Schools' Authority to Discipline Students' Off-Campus Cyberbullying of Classmates," arose from his participation in a symposium at the law school in Boston last autumn.

When cyberbullies or their parents file lawsuits challenging imposition of discipline, they usually raise two claims- first, that the message is protected speech under the First Amendment, and second, that the school lacks authority to discipline students for messages sent from off-campus. The article shows that the Supreme Court's First Amendment decisions for the past 40 years support the schools' disciplinary authority in cyberbullying cases.

Two years ago, Prof. Abrams wrote "A Coordinated Public Response to School Bullying," which discusses the protective roles of schools and other public agencies, including the child protection agency, the juvenile and family courts, and the state mental health agency. The schools' first protective role is to conduct effective prevention programs in the classroom.

Prof. Troy Rule Receives Funding to Improve Solar Energy Laws

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Prof. Frank Bowman Quoted in Wall Street Journal about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

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Congratulations to the Members of the MU Law Attorney General's Cup Team

The Attorney General's Cup competition was started in 2010, when Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, '91, invited each of the four Missouri law schools to send two mock trial teams to Jefferson City to compete against each another to determine superiority in trial advocacy in the Show-Me State. Congratulations to Mizzou law students selected for our 2011 Attorney General's Cup team:

Andrew Blackwell
John Risvold
Aaron LaPlante
Alex Cornwell
Ida Shafaie
Adam Sommer
Ashley Cuttle
Catherynne Whitmore

Alumni Honored as Up & Coming Lawyers by Missouri Lawyers Weekly

Ten MU Law alumni were recently honored by Missouri Lawyers Weekly with inclusion in the paper's "Up & Coming Lawyers" listing. This designation recognizes attorneys who "epitomize excellence in the legal community" and leadership in the community at large.

Matthew L. Dameron, '02
Brett A. Emison, '02
J. Chandler Gregg, '04
Betsy Kate Loomer, '05
J.D. Luhning, '02
Chris Kunza Mennemeyer, '97
Jalilah C. Otto, '02
Jason D. Sapp, '06
Heidi Doerhoff Vollet, '00
Adam D. Woody, '06

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"Parental Frights: Can Parents Practice Rites that Scare Children?": Prof. Carl Esbeck in Christianity Today

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Alumni Elected to Leadership Positions with The Missouri Bar

During the 130th Annual Meeting of The Missouri Bar, two alumni were elected to leadership positions in that organization. Patrick B. Starke, '79, was named president-elect. He has served on the bar's board of governors since 2006. Raymond E. Williams, '95, is a newly-elected representative from one of the three districts of the Missouri Court of Appeals. In this capacity, Williams will serve on the bar's executive committee.

Congratulations to Board of Advocates Negotiation Competition Winners!

1st Place -- Tim Kingsbury & Alex Ricke

2nd Place -- Kristen Sanocki & Darrion Walker

Prof. Reuben's Mindfulness in the Classroom Article to be Published

Prof. Richard Reuben's article, "Bringing Mindfulness into the Classroom," was one of five articles selected for publication in a forthcoming symposium edition of the Journal of Legal Education. The journal, published by the Association of American Law Schools, is distributed quarterly to more than 10,000 law professors.

Prof. Strong Travels to the Republic of Colombia and Publishes Two New Articles

Professor S.I. Strong recently traveled to Cartagena, Colombia, to speak at the Congreso Internacional de Derecho Procesal (International Congress of Procedural Law). Professor Strong's presentation, "Resolution of Mass Legal Disputes in the International Sphere: Are Class Actions Better Than Class Arbitration?," was published in La Jurisdicción y La Protección Internacional de Los Derechos: 4 Congreso Internacional de Derecho Procesal (2011).

While in Colombia, Professor Strong also taught a seminar in international commercial arbitration and transnational litigation at the Universidad de Medellin. Professor Strong's recent work in Colombia has also generated an article, "International Arbitration and the Republic of Colombia: Commercial, Comparative and Constitutional Concerns From a U.S. Perspective," which will appear in 22 Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law (forthcoming 2012). The article constitutes one of the very few analyses of Colombian arbitration law in English and the first comparison of U.S. and Colombian approaches to international commercial arbitration.

Prof. Strong Cited in Supreme Court Blog

Prof. S.I. Strong's upcoming article, "Does Class Arbitration ‘Change the Nature' of Arbitration? Stolt-Nielsen, AT&T and a Return to First Principles," 17 Harvard Negotiation Law Review (forthcoming 2012), was cited on the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) blog in a posting by Professor Jill I. Gross titled "AT&T Mobility, FAA Preemption and Class Arbitration."

Law Alumni and Faculty Honored by The Missouri Bar

Outstanding MU Law alumni and faculty will be recognized this week at The Missouri Bar Annual Meeting in Kansas City.

President's Distinguished Service Award
Prof. Douglas E. Abrams
C. Patrick McLarney, '68

President's Award
Robert T. Adams, '89
Erik A. Bergmanis, '85
Heidi Doerhoff Vollet, '00

Spurgeon Smithson Award
John W. Kurtz, '76

Lon O. Hocker Trial Lawyer Award
Jennifer M. Phillips, '01

Pro Bono Publico Award
Jon Michael Gold, '90

Roger P. Krumm Family Law Practitioner Award
Gary L. Stamper, '81

Legislative Award
Rep. Stanley B. Cox, '76
Sen. Jack A.L. Goodman, '98

YLS Chairperson's Award
Jamica D. Johnson, '02
Jason A. Paulsmeyer, '03
Jason K. Rew, '00

Complete list of awardees

Congratulations to the 2011 Board of Advocates Negotiation Competition Finalists

Ben Swiderski & Jacob Pfeiffer

Tim Kingsbury & Alex Ricke

Rachel Hirshberg & Emily Fiore

Megan Dittman & Sharon Geuea Jones

Kristen Sanocki & Darrion Walker

Trever Neuroth & D'Juan Neal

MU Law Alum Nominated for 66th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

On September 16, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Representative J. Russell Carnahan, '84, as Representative of the United States of America to the 66th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (U.S. Representative from the State of Missouri). Carnahan currently represents the 3rd District of Missouri in the U.S. Congress.

Congratulations to the 2011 Law Day Awardees!

On Saturday, September 17th, School of Law alumni and faculty were recognized for contributions to the law school, their communities and the legal profession at the Law Day Awards Ceremony. "On Law Day we celebrate the excellence that has been a hallmark of the law school for almost 140 years," said Dean Larry Dessem. "We are proud to recognize these outstanding alumni, faculty and students, and look for even greater accomplishments from these individuals in the years ahead." Congratulations to this year's awardees!

Read more from the MU News Bureau

MU Law Bar Pass Rate 97.3% in Missouri

We are pleased to announce our bar pass rate for alumni who took the Missouri bar examination in July -- 97.3%. The overall pass rate for first-time takers for graduates of all schools was 92.6%.

Prof. Ben Trachtenberg Presents on Admissibility of Expert Testimony

Prof. Ben Trachtenberg recently made a presentation to the Missouri Attorney General's Office on the admissibility of expert testimony in Missouri and federal courts. The presentation was part of the attorney general's office's annual continuing legal education seminar and there were approximately 150 assistant attorneys general in attendance.

Join Us in Honoring Late Dean Tim Heinsz

Each September, across the country, friends and colleagues of Tim Heinsz celebrate Bow Tie Day, honoring the law school's late dean. Because Heinsz almost always wore a bow tie with his suits, Bow Tie Day participants do the same. This year's event will be held on September 14. Join us in fondly remembering a good father, a good husband, a good scholar, a good teacher, a good dean, but mostly a good friend!

Read more about Tim Heinsz and Bow Tie Day.

Join Us for Law Day!

There is still time to register for Law Day and Class Reunions 2011. Make plans to join us on September 16th and 17th for old friends and new ones, lots of laughter and memories, honoring distinguished alumni and friends, and the Mizzou vs. Western Illinois football game. Questions? Contact the Office of Development at 573-882-4374 or mulawevents@missouri.edu.

MU Law Welcomes New Faculty

The School of Law is pleased to welcome new faculty who joined us in Hulston Hall this fall: Cindy Bentch, Carli Conklin, Brad Desnoyer, Erin Morrow Hawley, Joshua Hawley, Chuck Henson and Ben Trachtenberg.

Learn more about our new faculty (PDF)

Prof. Abrams to Speak on Legal Obligations of Coaches and Athletic Directors

Professor Doug Abrams will be a guest on Rick Wolff's radio show, "The Sports Edge," on Sunday, September 4, from 7:05-8 am central time. He will discuss the legal obligations of coaches and athletic directors under New Jersey's new anti-bullying law.

A podcast of the interview is available here.

Fewer Law School Applicants = More Satisfied Lawyers in the Future: Dean Larry Dessem

The School of Law was recently featured by the Associated Press as representative of a national downward trend in law school applications. Dean Dessem points to the trend as leading to more satisfied lawyers in the future because applicants may be more committed to the idea of practicing law, not just to what paycheck it might bring.

Read the Associated Press story.

Church-State Issues in Congress and the Courts: Prof. Esbeck on KDCR Radio

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An Accident or a Crime? Law Unclear in This Case: Prof. David Mitchell in St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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Third-Year Student Places in Writing Competition

Third-year student Emily Ousley placed second in the International Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Contest. This competition is open to all JD candidates enrolled in accredited law schools and entrants must write on subjects in the fields of tort law, insurance law, civil procedure, evidence or "other areas of the law of practical concern to lawyers engaged in the defense or management of the defense of civil litigation."

Law School Congratulates Fall Moot Court Winners and Finalists

Best 2L Brief
Stan Musgrave

Best 2L Oral Advocate
Audrey Danner

Best 3L Brief
Josh Moore

Best 3L Oral Advocate
John Constance

Finalists
Audrey Danner
Chantal Fink
Kevin Hoffmeyer
Stan Musgrave
D'Juan Neal
Jordan Paul

MU Journals Announce New Associate Members for 2011-2012

Missouri Law Review

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Missouri Environmental Law and Policy Review

Professor Diamond Speaks at Conference on Meeting Expectations of the Changing Legal Market

Professor Randy Diamond gave a presentation on August 27th at the Western Regional Legal Writing Conference "How to Hit the Ground Writing: Meeting the Expectations of the Changing Legal Market" at the University of San Francisco School of Law. The program description for his talk titled "How to ‘Research' Like a Lawyer" appears below.

To hit the ground "researching," first-year lawyers must be prepared for different research experiences (and expectations) in practice than they may be used to in law school. This session introduces teaching methods and exercises from an advanced legal research course that simulates real-world research assignments in different practice settings. Topics include factual and investigative research, case valuation, expert witness research, litigation document "repositories" (e.g., PACER) and transactional research sources.  Opportunities (and methods) for teaching practitioner research skills in other courses will also be considered.

The full conference program is here.

Professor S.I. Strong Cited in Ground-Breaking ICSID Arbitration

Professor S.I. Strong's article, "From Class to Collective: The De-Americanization of Class Arbitration," in 26 Arbitration International 493 (2010), was recently cited in a ground-breaking arbitration administered by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The case, which is entitled Abaclat (formerly Beccara) v. The Argentine Republic, ICSID Case No. Arb/07/5, involves more than 60,000 Italian claimants, making it the first large-scale arbitration administered by ICSID. The citation to Professor Strong's work (unfortunately misattributed to "Stacy I. Starck") appears at pages 189-90 of the jurisdictional award rendered on Aug. 4, 2011.

Law School Mourns Passing of Professor Greg Scott

Statement from Dean Larry Dessem: "It is with great sadness that I send this email to confirm the death of our great friend and colleague Greg Scott. Greg touched an amazing number of people in an amazing number of ways: as a professor here at the Law School, teaching at the Business School, as a charismatic Boy Scout leader, as an attorney, and- most importantly- as a friend. The width of Greg's smile was only exceeded by the size of his heart, and just this past week we saw Greg at his best in welcoming our newest students to the Law School. Greg would have wanted us to remember him at his best and to smile through our tears. Please do so and say a prayer for someone who was such an inspiration and friend to us all."

A memorial service will be held for Professor Scott on Monday, August 29, at 7 pm, at Calvary Episcopal Church, 123 South Ninth Street in Columbia. This will be an informal gathering and guests will be able to share memories. The church recommends that guests arrive early, as space will be limited.

MU Law Staff Recognized for Excellence

Two members of the law school staff were honored this month for outstanding service.

Elaine Litwiller, administrative assistant in the law school's fiscal office, is the recipient of the 2011 Patty H. Epps Award, which is presented annually to a staff member who honors the memory of Patty H. Epps with exceptional public service, cheerfulness, and indomitable spirit and dedication to the School of Law.

Kathy Smith, administrative associate in the Law Library and building coordinator for Hulston Hall, is the recipient of the 2011 Jo Ann Humphreys Law Library Employee Performance Award. This award is presented annually to a Law Library staff member who honors the memory of former library associate director Jo Ann Humphreys through outstanding contributions to the law school community that enhance the quality of law school life.

Dean Dessem Plenary Panelist on "The Future of Legal Education"

Dean Larry Dessem recently spoke on a plenary session panel on "The Future of Legal Education" at the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Law Schools. The session description is on page 54 of the conference program.

Sportsmanship and Respect Instill Citizenship, Reduce the Risk of Injury: Prof. Doug Abrams

Professor Doug Abrams' two-page article, "A Winning Equation: Sportsmanship + Respect = A Safer Game," appears in the August issue of USA Hockey Magazine, the official monthly publication of USA Hockey, the sport's national governing body. "Sportsmanship and respect for the rules instill citizenship in [youth-league] players, but that is not all," he writes, "Games marked by sportsmanship and respect also reduce the risk of injury." The magazine reaches more than half million youth-league players, coaches and officials. Read the article here (PDF).

Prof. Strong's Work Published by Stanford and The Hague Yearbook

Professor S.I. Strong has had two new articles accepted for publication. The first, "What Constitutes an 'Agreement in Writing' in International Commercial Arbitration? Conflicts Between the New York Convention and the Federal Arbitration Act," will be published by the Stanford Journal of International Law in early 2012. The second, "Class and Collective Relief in the Cross-Border Context: A Possible Role for the Permanent Court of Arbitration," will appear in The Hague Yearbook of International Law.

Alleged Acts in News Corp Hacking Scandal- Fraud?: Professor Doug Abrams on Reuters

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Professor Reuben on Cameras in the Courtroom

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"Credibility of Accuser Key to Strauss-Kahn Case": Professor Rodney J. Uphoff Says Information about the Accuser's Credibility Will Help Jurors

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Retroactive Cocaine Sentencing ‘Step in the Right Direction': Professor David Mitchell

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What's the Problem with Assigning Value to Human Life? Professor Ben Trachtenberg Explains.

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Professor Abrams Quoted on the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan and the Pledge of Allegiance

On July 1, the Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.) reported on a bill that would replace that state's contested elections for seats on the state supreme court with a merit-based selection process similar to the one that Missouri pioneered in 1940. On July 3, the Columbia Tribune reported on the Columbia City Council's recent decision to open its meetings with recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

In the Wisconsin State Journal, Professor Abrams said that the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan "works quite well. It has produced seven very capable, very qualified judges."

Columbia Tribune writer Rudi Keller discussed Professor Abrams' recent article in the Journal of Supreme Court History about Justice Robert H. Jackson's eloquent majority opinion in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943). Barnette upheld the First Amendment rights of Jehovah's Witnesses schoolchildren not to salute the flag or recite the Pledge for religious reasons.

The Tribune also discussed current calls to require American Muslims to take loyalty oaths. Professor Abrams said this about loyalty oaths: "[T]here are many examples of American history where we become scared and demand overt statements of loyalty from minority groups . . . . The lesson of history is that we tend to wake up in the morning hating ourselves for it. The fear wasn't well-grounded, and the loyalty oath wasn't well-grounded."

"Loyalty oaths against the communists in the 1950s were ineffective," Abrams added. "If you were disloyal, the first thing you will do is sign a loyalty oath. The conscientious people are the ones you are going to snag, and those are among the least dangerous in society."

Professor Trachtenberg's Study Cited in Huffington Post

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Law Day and Class Reunions 2011

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MU News Bureau Press Release on Professor Trachtenberg's Research

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Professor Strong speaks in Germany and Austria

Professor S.I. Strong spoke recently at the University of Frankfurt and and the University of Passau at the request of the Deutsche-Amerikanische Juristen-Vereinigung (German-American Lawyers Association), addressing various topics in international commercial arbitration. The presentation at the University of Passau constituted in the inaugural lecture in the Faculty of Law's Series on American Law. While in Europe, Professor Strong also taught on the Summer Academy in International Commercial Arbitration in Linz, Austria, along with Missouri Professor Richard Reuben. Several Missouri students attended the Academy this year.

On WFAN Sports Radio, Professor Abrams Discusses Youth Sports Parent's Death Threats

On Sunday morning, June 26, Professor Doug Abrams appeared on WFAN radio (New York) to discuss the arrest of a Long Island Little League mother on charges of stalking, aggravated harassment, and filing a false report.

Police allege that after a coach did not select her 11-year-old son for a travel team, the mother sent threatening letters to the volunteer coach and his young son, and also wrote the local school principal falsely charging that the coach was abusing his own children.

The mother's letter to the coach said, "I'm personally making it my goal to make sure and your family suffers dearly. You will be rotting in hell soon. I will make it happen."

The mother's letter to the coach's 11-year-old son said, "Tell your stupid father to back away from the...baseball team or he will be sorry. There are other things in life than baseball and if he wants to enjoy them he will get out of...baseball for good... Think about it, if something terrible happens to your dad or mom or sister, you can blame your dad for not taking my threat seriously. He will be harmed and the outcome will not be good for you. You might never see your dad again. You all better watch your f-ing backs. This is no joke. This is as real as it gets."

The podcast of Prof Abrams' interview (about 35 minutes long) is at http://newyork.cbslocal.com/audio-on-demand/rick-wolff-the-sports-edge/

Dean Dessem Publishes New Edition of Pretrial Litigation Textbook

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Professor Trachtenberg Takes Federal Agencies to Task on "Bad Math"

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Professor Trachtenberg's Article Commended on Environmental Law Prof Blog

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Professor Abrams Publishes Chapter on Child Abuse and Neglect

The Missouri Bar has published the fourth edition of Missouri Juvenile Law, its deskbook for the state's judges, court professionals, and lawyers. Chapter 6 is "Child Abuse and Neglect," by Professor Abrams. The 167-page chapter treats state child maltreatment law and related federal doctrines.

Professor Abrams serves on the bipartisan 15-member Advisory Board of the Missouri Division of Youth Services, which is considered the nation's finest statewide juvenile justice treatment agency. He also serves as treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association, which promotes justice for the state's children, youth and families.

Professor Uphoff's Publishes Article on the Physical Evidence Dilemma

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Professor Litton Selected as a 2011 Health Law Scholar

Professor Paul Litton has been selected as one of four 2011 Health Law Scholars to present at a workshop co-sponsored by the Center for Health Law Studies at SLU and the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics. His abstract for Discerning Physician Obligations in Non-Clinical-Care Settings: Reflections on Physician Participation in Lethal Injections was one of four chosen through a blind review process by a committee of nationwide senior health law faculty looking for work that has "an original thesis and [is] likely to…make a significant contribution to health law and bioethics scholarship."

President Obama Nominates Mary Elizabeth Phillips '97 to Serve as U.S. District Judge

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Non-Lawyer Volunteers Sought for Mock Voir Dire

What: The University of Missouri School of Law solicits non-lawyer volunteers for a law school class in jury selection. Volunteers will serve as members of a mock jury pool.

Who: This class, conducted by MU Law alumnus Judge Harold Lowenstein, will focus on an actual case involving negligence in which the plaintiff's parents died. MU Law students will serve as judge and attorneys in this case.

When: 1 p.m., June 11

Where: Courtroom, John K. Hulston Hall, MU campus

Notes: To volunteer, contact Robin Nichols at the School of Law at nicholsrkn@missouri.edu.

Professor Strong Becomes Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Professor S.I. Strong was recently named a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), achieving the highest qualification possible with the London-based professional institution. CIArb is one of the world's premier arbitral organizations, providing education and training for arbitrators, mediators and adjudicators as well as acting as an international center for practitioners, policy makers, academics and those concerned with the cost-effective and early settlement of disputes. The University of Missouri offers several courses on the group's unique pathways programme and is the only North American-based law school to be named a Recognised Course Provider for courses offered during the regular academic year. See http://law.missouri.edu/csdr/ciarb.html for more details on Missouri's RCP courses.

Professor Trachtenberg's New Article "Health Inflation, Wealth Inflation, and the Discounting of Human Life"

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MU Law Graduation Coverage

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Greta Bassett-Seymour ('01) Featured in Columbia Business Times

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Professor S.I. Strong Takes Up Fellowship at University of Cambridge

Professor S.I. Strong has travelled to England to take up a Visiting Fellowship at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at the University of Cambridge. During her time abroad, Professor Strong will research public international law issues relating to arbitration of large-scale collective disputes. The Fellowship marks Professor Strong's return to the University of Cambridge, where she earned her doctoral degree in law.

Professor Whitman Quoted in Bloomberg Businessweek

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Professor Rule on Land Use Prof Blog

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Dean Dessem Quoted in Kansas City Star on Judge Duane Benton

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Law School Congratulates 2011-2012 Board of Advocates Candidates

Professor Strong Judges International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna

Professor S.I. Strong travelled to Vienna, Austria, recently to act as a judge in the 18th Annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. The Vis aims to foster the study of international commercial law and arbitration for resolution of international business disputes through its application to a concrete problem of a client and to train law leaders of tomorrow in methods of alternative dispute resolution. Students from around the world argue in front of leading international arbitrators, advocates and academics in what is considered by many to be the premier student mooting competition in the field of international private law.

Professor Uphoff Speaks About Representing High Profile Clients

On March 14, 2011, Professor Rodney Uphoff spoke about the Oklahoma City bombing case and his representation of Terry Nichols in state court. This was the inaugural talk in the Devine Speaker Series. The series aims to honor Dean James Devine's legacy as a great storyteller and his commitment to promoting ethical excellence in the legal community. Read the program announcement here (PDF).

Professor Mitchell Honored by Legion of Black Collegians

On Friday, April 22, 2011 the Legion of Black Collegians at the University of Missouri concluded its Black Love Week events with a banquet honoring the contributions of minority faculty and staff across campus. Professor Mitchell received a Minority Faculty and Staff Appreciation award in recognition for his "outstanding service to minority students." In addition to Professor Mitchell, the Legion of Black Collegians also honored current 1L, Donell Young- Student Judicial Coordinator. The remainder of the honorees were: Sylvia Jauregui - Residential Hall Coordinator; Linda Garth- Director Academic Retention Services; James Langley - Student Service Coordinator; Farouk Aregbe - Coordinator, Student Government Services; Dr. April Langley - Interim Assistant Director of Black Studies Program and Professor of English; LeAnn Stroupe - Coordinator Visitor Relations; Earnest Perry - Associate Professor in Journalism and Chair of Journalism Studies; and Pablo Mendoza - Director of the Multicultural Center.

Professor Abrams Publishes Journal of Supreme Court History Article on Justice Jackson

In 1943, the Supreme Court handed down West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 324 (1943). With Justice Robert H. Jackson writing for the six-Justice majority, the Court upheld the First Amendment right of Jehovah's Witnesses schoolchildren to refuse to salute the flag or recite the Pledge of Allegiance, state-imposed obligations that the children and their parents contended were acts of idolatry that violated biblical commands. Judge Richard A. Posner has said that Justice Jackson's effort "may be the most eloquent majority opinion in the history of the Supreme Court."

Professor Abrams' article, "Justice Jackson and the Second Flag-Salute Case: Reason and Passion in Opinion-Writing," appears in the current issue of the Journal of Supreme Court History, a publication of the Supreme Court Historical Society. The article discusses how Justice Jackson, during the high drama of wartime, balanced two ingredients- reason and passion- that have marked assessments of rhetoric and human experience since ancient times, that guided the nation's Founders and early Presidents, and that have continued as dual touchstones frequently applied in law and popular culture. The article concerns how judges' vigorous, forceful writing can justify and explain decisions to the lawyers and parties; to future courts, lawyers and litigants under our system of stare decisis; and sometimes also to lay readers in cases such as Barnette, which touch on matters of wider social concern.

Law School Congratulates 2011-2012 Board of Advocates

Chair- Chirag Shah
Judging Directors- Sabrina Bennett & Rachel Watkins
Finance Director- Daniel Graves
Writing Director- Joe Blumberg
Intra-School Competition Director- Andrew Blackwell
Regional Competition Director- Paige Oster
Polsinelli Shughart Fall Moot Court Directors- Whitney Hampton & Jackie Whipple
Negotiation Competition Director- Meg Travis
Client Counseling Competition Director- Brandon Bardot
Mock Trial Competition Director- Jake Kohut
Mediation Competition Director- Heath Hooper
1L Moot Court Directors- Alexander Cornwell & Michael Matthews
Members At Large- John Risvold, Katie Vogt
Honorary Members - Amber Cheek, Jacob Westen

Dennis Kennedy speaks on Legal Technology: The Internet and Social Media for Legal Careers

Dennis Kennedy, a nationally known information-technology lawyer and legal technology author, will speak about social media, the Internet and legal technology with a focus on how students can use these tools to effectively launch their legal career. This informal presentation, with plenty of opportunity for interaction and questions, will provide strategies for how to employ new technology in the launch of their legal careers and discuss what role the Internet can play in tough economic times.

Mr. Kennedy is speaking as part of Classroom to Workplace, a week-long series of training opportunities for students to help them prepare for their summer work experiences. This session is sponsored by the MU Law School Library, Career Development, and a student organization, Association of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law (AIPEL).

Law School Congratulates IL Moot Court Advocates

Top 1L Moot Court Oral Advocate
Jordan Paul

Top 10 1L Moot Court Oral Advocates
Maggie Ahrens
Ashley Cross
Kaitlin Gallen
Rebecca Gay
Tracy Johnson
Jordan Paul
Curtis Shank
Stephen Webber
Catherynne Whitmore
Nicholas Zotos

Professor Rule Receives Gold Chalk Award

Congratulations to Professor Troy A. Rule on receiving a 2011 Gold Chalk Award. The award recognizes professors who have made significant contributions to the education and training of graduate and professional students. Recipients are nominated by students in their respective schools.

7th Annual Tim Heinsz 5K Run/Walk & First Annual Jim Devine Dog Walk to be held April 16

The 7th Annual Tim Heinsz Memorial 5K Run/Walk & First Annual Jim Devine Dog Walk honors the memory of two of Mizzou Law's most beloved deans. Tim Heinsz served as dean of the MU School of Law, and was an avid runner. Jim Devine served as associate dean of the school, and was a noted dog lover. Proceeds benefit the Timothy J. Heinsz Scholarship Fund. The race will start at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, 2011 in front of Hulston Hall (west side facing Missouri Ave. and the Alumni Center), home of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.

For more information visit http://law.missouri.edu/sba/th5k/raceinformation.html.

Congratulations to Women's Justice Award Winners Professors Strong and Levine, 3L Garnett Matthews Campbell, and Distinguished Alumni Honorees

On April 27, 2011, several members of the MU Law School Community will be honored at the 13th Annual Women's Justice Awards at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis. The Women's Justice Awards, presented by Missouri Lawyers Weekly, recognize women across the state of Missouri who have improved the quality of justice and exemplified the highest ideals of the legal profession. The Law School congratulates:

Professor S.I. (Stacie) Strong (Legal Scholar Award)
Adjunct Professor Lori J. Levine, Carson and Coil (Litigation Practitioner Award)
Garnett Matthews Campbell, 3L (Leader of Tomorrow Award)
Janet Robey Alonzo ('82), UniGroup, Inc. (Enterprise Award)
Millie Aulbur ('90), The Missouri Bar (Citizenship Award)
Jill Geary Patterson ('93), Greene County Sheriff's Office (Public Services Practitioner Award)
Susan Ford Robertson ('86), The Robertson Law Group (Litigation Practitioner Award)

Professor Crouch to Speak at Harvard Business School

Professor Dennis Crouch will give a presentation on April 8th at the Harvard Business School as part of their Economics of Science and Engineering Seminar Series. His talk is titled "The Market for Patents: Themes Developed From the Files of One Million Recent Patent Applications." Read the program description here.

Professors Beck and Abrams named to The Missouri Bar's Special Committee on Adoption Issues

Professors Mary Beck and Douglas E. Abrams have been named to The Missouri Bar's Special Committee on Adoption Issues, which will convene to "identify issues related to the termination of parental rights and propose ideas and solutions that would addresses those issues."

Professor Beck holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Nursing and worked as a certified nurse practitioner before graduating from law school. In 1993, she joined the University of Missouri Law School faculty. As director of the Family Violence Clinic, she supervises law students representing indigent clients in 32 rural Missouri counties. She teaches courses in Advocacy, Family Violence, and Public Policy and in Adoption, Assisted Reproductive Technology and Guardianship. She researches and publishes in the areas of domestic violence and adoption. She has a small private practice limited to the adoption of children and surrogacy. She has drafted national and multi-state legislation on adoption; has been quoted in the New York Times and been interviewed on CNN and NPR about birth parent rights; and makes presentations to national professional organizations on putative father registries and adoption.

Professor Abrams teaches Children and the Law and Family Law, and has written or co-authored four books in these fields, including two nationally prominent casebooks published by West. He serves on the bipartisan 15-member Advisory Board of the Missouri Division of Youth Services, and also serves as treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association. He also served on the Governor's Internet Harassment Task Force in 2007-08, and on The Missouri Bar Commission on Children and the Law from 1995 to 2003. In 1994, Professor Abrams received the Meritorious Service to the Children of America Award, presented by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges to recognize his public service.

Professor Rule To Publish "Airspace in a Green Economy" in the UCLA Law Review

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Law School Congratulates 2011 Board of Advocates Honorees

Order of the Barrister
Sam Buffaloe
Jose Caldera
Larry Hall
Ty Harden
Tanya Maerz
Whitney Miller
Brad Nolden
Alison Singh
Katie Jo Wheeler
Amanda Yoder

Fred L Howard Prize for Excellence in the Advancement of Advocacy
Larry Hall
Ty Harden
Tanya Maerz
Whitney Miller

Roscoe Anderson Award for Excellence in Advocacy
Sam Buffaloe
Brad Nolden
Amanda Yoder

Allen H. Parke Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy
Mary Glover-Rogers
Jessica Long

Professor Uphoff Quoted on Legislation Seeking Criminal Recoupment Costs

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Professor Strong Speaks, Publishes With the Journal of Private International Law

Professor S.I. Strong's article, "Jurisdictional Discovery in Transnational Litigation: Extraterritorial Effects of United States Federal Practice," will appear in April in 7 Journal of Private International Law 1 (2011). The article builds on her previous work in the field of jurisdictional discovery and considers the unique issues facing parties from outside the United States. Professor Strong will also be speaking in April at the Fourth Journal of Private International Law Conference at the University of Milan, Italy, presenting a paper entitled "Resolving Mass Legal Disputes in the International Sphere: Are Class Arbitrations an Option? Lessons From the United States and Canada."

Professor Freyermuth on Private Transfer Fee Covenants

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Professor Esbeck Interviewed on Obama Faith-Based Initiative

On March 25th, Professor Carl Esbeck was interviewed on KDCR, an FM station in Iowa. He was a guest of a talk-radio program hosted by Dr. Carl Zylstra, and spoke on the Obama Faith-Based Initiative and efforts in Iowa to pass legislation protecting religious conscience.

Professor Peters Quoted on the Federal Affordable Care Act

Professor Philip Peters was interviewed last week on Missouri legislation to implement the new federal Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Professor Peters was quoted on this issue in the Columbia Tribune and News Tribune Jefferson City. The story has also run in several other AP web sites outside of Missouri.

Professor Lande Publishes Book On Lawyering With Planned Early Negotiation

Professor John Lande's book, Lawyering with Planned Early Negotiation: How You Can Get Good Results for Clients and Make Money, was published by the ABA. The strategies in this book can help lawyers become more effective negotiators, which can increase their professional satisfaction, generate good will, relieve stress, and increase their effective billing rates with creative fee arrangements. This book is not only about negotiation -- it outlines a general approach to practicing law. For more information, see http://www.law.missouri.edu/lande/plannedearly.htm.

Read the MU News Bureau press release here.

Professor Reuben Elected to The American Law Institute

Professor Richard C. Reuben has recently been elected to The American Law Institute.

The American Law Institute is the leading independent organization in the United States producing scholarly work to clarify, modernize, and otherwise improve the law. The Institute drafts, discusses, revises, and publishes Restatements of the Law, model statutes, and principles of law that are enormously influential in the courts and legislatures, as well as in legal scholarship and education.

For more information click here (PDF)

Professor Strong to Publish in Harvard Negotiation Law Review

Professor S.I. Strong's article, "Does Class Arbitration 'Change the Nature' of Arbitration? Stolt-Nielsen and First Principles," will be published in the Harvard Negotiation Law Review in early 2012. The article considers the Supreme Court's recent claim that class arbitration "changes the nature" of arbitration by comparing class arbitration with other types of multiparty arbitration, discussing the jurisprudential nature of arbitration and analyzing whether class arbitration deviates from previously established norms in any way.

Professor Wells KBIA Interview on the Impact of U.S. Supreme Court Funeral Protest Decision

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Professor Mitchell Interviewed on Restoration of Civil Rights for Ex-Felons

Professor S. David Mitchell was recently interviewed about changes made by Florida's Executive Clemency Board to the process for restoring rights to ex-offenders. The article, "Missouri law professor urges restoration of civil rights for ex-felons" can be found here.

Professor Litton Quoted on Illinois Death Penalty Abolishment and on Missouri Execution Drug

Professor Paul Litton who co-chairs the Missouri Death Penalty Assessment Team, assembled by the American Bar Association to study and make recommendations regarding the laws and practices of Missouri's capital system, was quoted last week by St. Louis Public Radio and the Missourian.

Journal of Dispute Resolution Announces 2011-2012 Editorial Board

Editor in Chief
Ben Angulo

Managing Editor
Amber Cheek

Associate Editor in Chief
Melanie Myears

Assistant Managing Editors
Dan Mitchell & Paige Oster

Lead Articles Editor
Nick Haynes

Senior Note and Comment Editor
Whitney Hampton

Note and Comment Editors
Laura Browne, Blake Shier & Tom Swoboda

Layout and Design Editor
Meg Travis

Professor Mitchell on Florida Felon Disenfranchisement Legislation

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Professor Crouch Testifies Before Congress on Patent Law Reform

On March 10, 2011, Professor Dennis Crouch testified before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet.

Read the committee announcement with written and recorded testimony here.

Read Professor Crouch's written testimony on his patent law blog here and commentary here.

Professor Bowman Quoted on U.S. Supreme Court Sentencing Case (Pepper v. United States)

Professor Frank Bowman was quoted extensively in the March 9, 2011 issue of the BNA Criminal Law Reporter. The article At Federal Resentencing, District Court May Rely on Post-Sentencing Rehabilitation is available here (PDF) (Reproduced with permission from Criminal Law Reporter, 88 CrL 681 (Mar. 9, 2011). Copyright 2011 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (800-372-1033) http://www.bna.com

MU Law Professors Participate in Mizzou Advantage

The University of Missouri has awarded more than $1 million in grants in the second round of funding by the Mizzou Advantage initiative. MU Law professors Philip G. Peters, Jr., Richard C. Reuben, Troy A. Rule, and Rodney J. Uphoff are participating in six of the recently funded projects. Read more about their projects below. MU Law professors Thom Lambert and Richard C. Reuben also participate in projects that were accepted in the first round of funding last spring.

Mizzou Advantage is an initiative to expand and strengthen MU's educational excellence and national stature. The program brings together networks of collaborators from across campus to develop activities and educational programs related to institutional strengths that have been identified as competitive assets setting MU apart from other universities. Learn more about Mizzou Advantage at http://www.missouri.edu/mizzou-advantage/

Philip G. Peters, Jr.

The Impact of Federal Health Care Reform Legislation on Missouri Citizens and Institutions
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-148, as amended) represents the most comprehensive change in federal regulation of health care since 1965. This project will build MU's strength as a land-grant university by disseminating the results of research related to this change in law through an extensive network of faculty with significant connections to the institutions and organizations affected by these changes. In addition to changes in the delivery of health care by the medical professions, participating faculty have expertise relevant to the impact of the changes of law on the insurance industry, business, labor, community leaders, public administrators, policy makers, and advocates for underserved populations.

Richard C. Reuben

Contemplative Studies in Higher Education: Balancing Old and New Transformational Technologies
Our goal is to establish a think tank and outreach center to investigate and practice, through research, teaching, and service to the MU community, the ways that old contemplative technologies-including meditation, breath awareness, contemplative reading, etc.-beneficially intervene in the cognitive and health disruptions that emerge alongside the benefits of new, transformational technologies. Contemplative practices are ancient transformational technologies that can bring balance to contemporary lives and education that are increasingly dependent on new ones. In other words, these practices bring essential health and cognitive benefits that complement and help to manage the use of new digital technologies.

Current Textile Labeling Requirements: Disruptive and Transforming?
In response to U.S. Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) call for rigorous research and public discourse about green and/or sustainability-related labeling practices in textiles and apparel for policy improvement, this project proposes to hold a Summit, in order to establish relationships and to create a new collaborative network among MU faculty, consumer advocacy groups, policy makers, and policy administrators. Through these networking activities, we expect to situate MU as a MAJOR contact/collaborator for FTC's textile label regulation efforts. At the moment, there is no other academic institution with which FTC is collaborating on this topic.

Treating Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Technological Innovation for Children's Health Care
Funding of this proposal will permit the participants to complete the initial, formative steps in developing a technology startup that markets a computer/Web based product that can assess the needs of children with ASD, determine resources to meet those needs, and then generate applications for public private programs that provide care. At the conclusion of this phase, the participants will have resolved technological issues, determined market and demand, and begun the process of developing a business plan to support requests for investment capital for the creation of new technology company based in Columbia, Mo.

Troy A. Rule

MU Environmental Policy Network to Enhance the Stature and Impact of Mizzou Advantage Strategic Area
This project will involve the formation of an Environmental Policy Network among faculty across the University of Missouri campus whose research and teaching interests relate to environmental issues. The group will ultimately develop a "Blueprint for Environmental Policy Education, Research, and Outreach at MU." In the short term, the group will organize and hold an environmental policy seminar series featuring outside speakers from the private sector. Eventually, the group intends to help develop a graduate-level Environmental Policy Certificate for students who complete a selection of environmental policy-related courses in departments across campus.

Rodney J. Uphoff

MU Global Connect- Proposal for the Development of a Digital Global Studies Undergraduate Certificate Program
The Digital Global Studies Undergraduate Certificate is a 15 hour project-oriented and interdisciplinary program that allows students to explore the impact of technology, in particular digital technology, in two key areas: business/entrepreneurship and the nonprofit (NGO) sector. The certificate emphasizes the relationship between cultural diversity, globalization, and digital communications and their effects on international business and the NGO sector. The major desired outcome is to mentor and guide students to gain a high degree of cultural competence in the uses, ethics and stakes of digital technology globally, thus preparing them for work in the digital age. Additionally, students will gain hands-on experience in international business and the NGO sector through internship/volunteer work in global organizations and businesses.

Prof. Strong on Missouri Bill Regarding Foreign Law

Professor S.I. Strong was quoted in the Talking Points Memo regarding a new bill recently proposed in the Missouri State Legislature concerning use of foreign law in Missouri courts. The bill states, "Any court, arbitration, tribunal, or administrative agency ruling or decision violates the public policy of this state and shall be void and unenforceable if such court, arbitration, tribunal, or administrative agency bases its rulings or decisions in the matter at issue in whole or in part on any law, legal code, or system that would not grant the parties affected by the ruling or decision the same fundamental liberties, rights, and privileges granted under the constitutions of this state and the United States." The article quoting Professor Strong can be found here: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/missouri_wants_to_ban_sharia_law_in_courts_too.php.

Professor Wells on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Snyder v. Phelps

Read the MU News Bureau story here. Professor Christina E. Wells is also quoted in the following publications: USA Today, The Tenneseean, Tuscon Citizen, Livingston Daily, and Asheville Citizen-Times.

Sudhir Venkatesh on Black Market Justice March 7 (Allen Auditorium)

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MELPR Announces 2011-2012 Editorial Board

Editor in Chief
Katherine E. Vogt

Managing Editor
Christine K. Lesicko

Associate Editor In Chief
Joshua D. Moore

Lead Articles Editor
Joshua K. Friel

Layout and Design Editor
Mark A. Abbott

Associate Managing Editors
Sabrina K. Bennett
Rachel S. Watkins
Anna L. Molitor

Note and Comment Editors
Kristin R. Michael
Walter S. Stokely
Megan L. Dittmann

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to Hold Session at Law School on February 24

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit will hold a session of court on February 24 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia. The first case concerns an individual challenging his conditions of confinement under the Missouri Sexually Violent Predator Act, the second case involving an action by Warner Brothers for copyright infringement and other intellectual property claims stemming from the defendants' use of materials from The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, and Tom & Jerry cartoons, and the third case involving an action for over $10 million in damages for alleged breaches of common law and U.C.C. warranties and fraud. Following the conclusion of the third case, Judge Duane Benton, Judge Raymond Gruender, and Judge Bobby Shepherd will entertain questions from students.

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals handles appeals from the United States District Courts in Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. During this session in Columbia the Court will hear three cases, and the session is open to the public. (MU Law School contact: Casey Baker, Director of External Relations, bakercd@missouri.edu)

More Information (PDF)

Congratulations Mediation Competition Winners & Finalists

First Place
Sam Buffaloe & Jose Caldera

Second Place
Tim Kingsbury & Alex Ricke

Third Place
Kevin Luebbering & Andrew Stashefsky

Finalists
Mary Cile Glover-Rogers & Tanya Maerz
Jordan Mason & Audrey Danner
Martin Bax & Zach Kluesner

Professor S.I. Strong's Most Recent Article to be Published in Switzerland

Professor S.I. Strong's most recent article, "Collective Arbitration Under the DIS Supplementary Rules for Corporate Law Disputes: A European Form of Class Arbitration?" will be published in March 2011 in the ASA Bulletin. The article discusses a new form of collective arbitration in Germany and compares it to class arbitration in the United States. The ASA Bulletin is published by the Association Suisse de l'Arbitrage (the Swiss Arbitration Association) and is one of the leading peer-reviewed journals in the world of international commercial arbitration.

MU Law Students Capture 1st Place in KC Client Counseling Competition

From BOA: "the team of Amanda Yoder and Brad Nolden earned 1st place in the Kansas City Client Counseling Regional over the weekend of Feb 19-20. As a result they will be invited to compete in the National Client Counseling Competition this April. The competitors would like to thank Professor Henson for his assistance in preparing for the competition. All of our regional competitors have put in a lot of work and represented the law school well."

MU Law to Host 6th Annual Small Firm & Public Interest Expo on March 11

MU School of Law cordially invites you to our 6th Annual Small Firm and Public Interest Expo on Friday, March 11, 2011. This event is designed for all attorneys in government practice, the judiciary, not-for-profits, and firms of less than 25 attorneys. From 12:30-2:00 p.m. please enjoy refreshments during a networking event with fellow attorneys and MU Law students. Following the reception, attorneys are invited to attend a complimentary CLE (worth 2.0 hours of MO ethics CLE) from 2:00 -4:00 p.m. We look forward to seeing you at Hulston Hall.

MU Law School to Host Hate Crimes Panel

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Professor Esbeck on President Obama's Faith-Based Initiative

Late last week Professor Carl H. Esbeck spoke at Washington University School of Law on "President Obama's Faith-Based Initiative." His address elaborated on what has happened since Obama signed Executive Orders on February 5, 2009, and November 17, 2010, concerning the involvement of religious organizations in the delivery of social services using funding via federal grants. The thrust of his remarks was that overall far more things have remained the same with the office as it was under the Bush Administration than have changed. For example, religious organizations receiving federal grants continue to be free to employ staff of like-minded faith.

Missouri Law Review Announces 2011-2012 Editorial Board

HATTS Trial Press Coverage

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Professor Strong speaks in Washington, D.C.

Professor S.I. Strong spoke in Washington, D.C., at a symposium convened at American University Washington College of Law and entitled "International Law Bares its Teeth: How States and International Organizations Enforce Customary Norms and Treaty Obligations." Professor Strong spoke on the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments as compared to foreign arbitral awards, particularly in the context of international class or collective suits.

MU School of Law Puts Dr. Frankenstein on Trial

The University of Missouri School of Law's Historical and Theatrical Trial Society (HATTS) will present "Creating Life and Death: The Trial of Dr. Victor Frankenstein" on February 10, 2011.

Previous HATTS trials have featured Lewis and Clark's supposed theft of a Native American's canoe, Al Capone's role in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and Missouri Gov. Thomas Crittenden's alleged bounty on the head of outlaw Jesse James.

Now a new kind of "historical" character will be featured – one from the annals of literature. The story of Frankenstein is one that has intrigued the minds of people around the globe. Since it was first published, Frankenstein has inspired countless books, movies and works of art, not to mention its use in political rhetoric.

Dr. Victor Frankenstein will be tried for the wrongful death of his assistant, Igor, who was murdered by Frankenstein's monstrous creation. Is Dr. Frankenstein responsible for the actions of his creation, or should this "creature" be considered a human adult that is solely responsible for its own behavior? These questions and more will be argued and decided by MU Law faculty, staff and students, as well as practicing lawyers and judges.

The trial will be held at 7 p.m. in Jesse Auditorium on the University of Missouri campus. It is free and open to the public. Due to references to murder and other adult subjects in the story of Dr. Frankenstein, parental guidance for children 13 and under is encouraged.

HATTS is a group of students and faculty dedicated to exploring the intersection of law, history and theatre.

View the Petition filed by the Plaintiff

Law School Congratulates 2011 Mock Trial Winners

First Place: Amy Lopez and Andrew Blackwell

Second Place: Paige Oster and Adam Sommer

Law School Bingham Portraits on Display at Museum of Art and Technology

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MU Students to Participate in Vis International Arbitration Moot in Vienna

Two MU students- Chi-Chi Chukwu and Holly Cole- will be traveling to Vienna, Austria, this April to compete in the William C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition. The moot attracts hundreds of participants from around the world and is the leading international competition in the field. Although a team of MU students observed last year at the Vis East Moot (a related competition located in Hong Kong for the benefit of Asian law students), this is the first time that students from Missouri will be competing in this prestigious event. Chi-Chi and Holly will be supported in part by funding from the International Law Students Association and the Asian Law Students Association.

Professor Strong Elected to ALI and ITA Academic Council

Professor S.I. Strong was recently elected to the American Law Institute (ALI), where she will serve on the Members Consultative Group for the Restatement of the U.S. Law of International Commercial Arbitration. Professor Strong was also recently named to the Academic Council of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA).

Adjunct Professor Brad Desnoyer Published in DC Comics

DC Comics released its Batman 80-Page collection of short stories on December 2, featuring Desnoyer's "Within the Walls of Dis." The story chronicles infamous Batman villains Two-Face and The Joker engaged in twisted mind games - all in the midst of a very strange birthday party. Reviewers call Desnoyer's script "outstanding" and say this "beautifully crafted" story is "one of the creepiest and best short stories I have read in a while…"

Desnoyer is also included in DC's Detective Comics Annual #12, published December 8, with a tale starring female detective The Question and her quest to better understand her identity. Comicvine.com says, "This story is absolutely amazing" and that "the dialogue…makes this inspirational." And WeeklyComicBookReview.com applauds, "Crisp dialogue and emotional tension made the back up story work."

The comics are available online or at local comic book shops.

Professor Abrams Discusses First Amendment on WFAN Sports Radio

On Sunday, January 9, Professor Douglas E. Abrams was the guest on "The Sports Edge," broadcast on WFAN sports radio in New York. The hour-long interview concerned high school athletes' First Amendment free expression rights when their coaches set hair-length rules, dress codes, and similar standards. A podcast of the full interview is available for downloading at http://newyork.cbslocal.com/audio-on-demand/rick-wolff-the-sports-edge/.

Robert L. Langdon ('72) and Don M. Downing ('82) Receive Missouri Lawyers Awards

Congratulations to Robert L. Langdon ('72) and Don M. Downing ('82) on their Missouri Lawyers Awards. They were recognized as Legal Champions - Awarded to plaintiffs or defense lawyers, not based on the size of verdicts but the importance of the principle or policy at stake.