June 30, 2021

Professor Abrams Praises Supreme Court Decision Upholding High School Student’s Free Speech Rights

In an essay on a leading youth sports website, Professor Douglas E. Abrams praised the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. (June 23, 2021). The eight-Justice majority held that the public high school denied the First Amendment speech rights of the 14-year-old frosh who, after she did not make the varsity cheerleading team, responded with vulgarities in a Snapchat posting that she sent from off-campus on a Saturday. The school suspended her from the cheerleading team for the upcoming year. The Court warned that courts must remain “skeptical” of a public school’s efforts to…

June 29, 2021

Professor Bennett’s scholarship cited in U.S. Supreme Court decision

Professor Thomas Bennett’s scholarship recently was cited by Justice Clarence Thomas in a U.S. Supreme Court decision in TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez. “By declaring that federal courts lack jurisdiction, the Court has thus ensured that state courts will exercise exclusive jurisdiction over these sorts of class actions,” Justice Thomas wrote in his dissent. As noted in an article in The Wall Street Journal, “Supreme Court Pares Back Class-Action Suits,” and in Reuters, “State court will be next frontier for consumer class actions under federal law,” Justice Thomas’ dissent cited Professor Bennett’s paper “The Paradox of Exclusive…

June 26, 2021

Professor English helps explain Britney Spears’ case

Professor David English was recently interviewed by Slate for its article What Can Britney Spears Do Next? The piece asked Prof. English, an expert in guardianship law, to explain how typical her case is and what her next steps could be. On June 30, TheFederalist.com also published an article with comments from Professor English, “The #FreeBritney Movement Is Bigger Than Britney.”

June 21, 2021

Five alumni honored with ICON Awards

Missouri Lawyers Media will honor 28 attorneys and judges from around the state with its 2021 ICON Awards. Five of the honorees are alumni of Mizzou Law. Robert Langdon, ’72, Langdon & Emison Timothy W. Monsees, ’81, Monsees & Mayer Glenn A. Norton, ’85, Blitz, Bardgett & Deutsch; former chief judge, Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District John G. Schultz, ’87, Franke Schultz & Mullen Paul N. Venker, ’80, Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice These awards, launched in 2018, are given to distinguished men and women attorneys age 60 and older in recognition of their exemplary careers and longstanding commitment…

June 7, 2021

Twelve Mizzou Law Alumnae Among Honorees for 2021 Women’s Justice Awards

Twelve Mizzou Law alumnae are among the 2021 Women’s Justice Awards 55 honorees, which include judges, in-house counsel, legal scholars and private practitioners from around the state, as well as outstanding students at Missouri law schools. The Leaders of Tomorrow are recognized for leadership, professionalism and passion for making a difference in the justice system or legal profession. Tori Schafer, ’21, is among this year’s honorees. The Public Service Award recognizes women who work on behalf of a nonprofit organization, government agency or the judiciary; or have made their mark in education: Betsy AuBuchon, ’00, director of government relations/deputy counsel…

May 25, 2021

Mizzou Law Alumna Judge Robin Ransom Appointed to Missouri Supreme Court

Governor Mike Parson appointed the Honorable Robin Ransom, ’91, as the next Judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Laura Denvir Stith in early March 2021. With the selection, Ransom becomes the first Black woman to serve on the state Supreme Court. Ransom also is the fifth woman to serve, joining Mary Rhodes Russell, ’83, and Patricia Breckenridge, ’77, on the bench. Stith and Ann Covington, ’77, previous female judges, are both retired. “Appointing a judge to the Supreme Court of Missouri is an important duty that I do…

April 9, 2021

Mizzou Law moves up seven spots in Best Law Schools rankings

Mizzou Law rose seven spots to #60 among the best law schools in the latest rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, 2022 Best Graduate Schools. “Mizzou Law has worked really hard to improve the metrics within the U.S. News rankings that make a difference for students, such as career placement, bar passage, and debt burden upon graduation,” says Dean Lyrissa Lidsky. “We will continue working to get the recognition we deserve as one of the top public law schools in the United States.” Already looking ahead to the next academic year, Dean Lidsky adds, “We hope to…

March 25, 2021

17th Annual TH5K set for April 17

The 17th annual Tim Heinsz 5K, 10K & Jim Devine Dog Walk & Bob Bailey Bike Ride is set for Saturday, April 17 at Twin Lakes Recreation Area in Columbia. This event celebrates the extraordinary impact these three men have had on students at Mizzou Law and across campus. It will be held rain or shine. The event includes a variety of categories for participants: a competitive 5K/10K run, a “just for fun” 5K/10K run or walk, a 15K bike ride, a leisurely dog walk, and a kids fun run. There is even a “t-shirt only” option for those…

March 25, 2021

Professor Mitchell honored with Diversity and Inclusion Award

Professor S. David Mitchell is among the winners of the Missouri Lawyers Media 2021 Diversity and Inclusion awards. Mitchell is the Ruth L. Hulston Professor of Law and recently became one of the two inaugural co-directors of the Michael A. Middleton Center for Race, Citizenship & Justice at Mizzou. Mitchell has been with the law school since 2006 and had served as associate dean for academic affairs from 2015-2021. The awards recognize attorneys, firms and organizations, who are nominated by peers, for significantly advancing diversity, inclusion and the dignity of all people in Missouri’s legal profession and in…

March 23, 2021

Veterans Clinic announces new Military Lawyer Transition Program

With generous donations from Susan Combs of Combs and Co. and Diana Pendleton, through her friend Dorothy Connell Berry, the Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic recently announced the creation of the Military Lawyer Transition Program (MLTP). This new program is designed for Mizzou Law students who will be entering a Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) program in one of America’s armed forces. There is a period of time between when law students who will work in the JAG program graduate, typically 6-8 months, and when they first report for active duty. During this time, the military does not provide pay to…