Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law | May 2016
In this Issue

Upcoming Events 






May 12 - Commencement Ceremony

May 13 - 
Law Center Plus CLE: "E-Everything:  What You Need to Know about Electronic Service, Filing, and Court Administration in Florida"

June 10 - Law Center Plus CLE: "Unbundled Legal Representation in Family Law: Ethically Managing the Challenges" | Register Now

June 16 - Florida Bar Annual Convention - Complimentary Alumni Reception (6:30 pm - 7:30 pm) | Register Now


  
NSU Law is #2 in Florida in Bar Passage

The Florida Bar passage rate for first time test takers was announced on April 11, 2016 and NSU Law graduates came in second in the state for the February 2016 test. NSU's pass rate was 75%, placing NSU Law just behind FIU and far ahead of the 58.4% state average for the exam.   

"We are very proud of the success of our students," said Jon Garon, NSU Law dean. "Their results are especially significant at this time when the statewide bar passage rate continues to decline."

The swearing-in ceremony was held in the Panza Maurer Law Library at the Shepard Broad College of Law on April 11, 2016. More than 40 NSU Law alumni who passed the Florida Bar exam - both first and second time testers - participated in the ceremony. | Press Release
2016 Commencement Ceremony

The 2016 Commencement Ceremony for Shepard Broad College of Law will take place on Thursday, May 12th at 2:00 p.m in the Arena at the Don Taft University Center. NSU Law graduates and their families are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit the NSU Commencement homepage
LCPE-Everything: What You Need to Know about Electronic Service, Filing, and Court Administration in Florida

Friday, May 13, 2016 | 7:30AM to 9:30AM | Shepard Broad College of Law Atrium
Advance registration is required | Live presentation or web streaming is available.
  • Understand the relationship between the E-Portal and the Clerk's Case Management System (CMS)
  • Learn the rules for E-Service and E-Filing
  • Understand your professional and ethical obligations under the Rules of Judicial Administration 
  • Online demonstration of how to use the E-Portal

Presented by Amy Borman, Esq. General Counsel to the 15th Judicial Circuit - Palm Beach County and Cindy Guerra, Esq. Chief Operating Officer for Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller. The Florida Bar approved 2.0 CLE credit hours (including 0.5 hour Ethics) for this seminar. The Seminar begins promptly at 8:00 AM. Check-in begins at 7:30 AM. Learn more about Law Center Plus. Click here for Sponsorship opportunities. 

Baker & McKenzie Hosts NSU Alumni in Barcelona

On April 5, 2016, the law firm of Baker & McKenzie in Barcelona, Spain hosted NSU Law for the Dual-Degree Alumni Reception. Dean Jon Garon and Associate Dean Catherine Arcabascio attended the event, along with faculty, staff, and alumni from Universitat de Barcelona. Baker & McKenzie operates as a passionately global and genuinely collaborative firm. It combines an instinctively global perspective with the nuanced local insights of more than 4,200 locally qualified lawyers in 77 offices around the world. This includes the knowledge and experience of more leading lawyers in more countries in the Chambers Global Directory than any other global Top 20 law firm. Chambers lists 23 of our practices in its global rankings of the world's leading practices.
Alumna Valerie Barnhart Wins STUEY for Alumni of the Year
On April 12, 2016, NSU Law alumna Valerie Barnhart (2010),  partner at Kelley Kronenberg in Fort Lauderdale, FL won the STUEY award as Alumni of the Year for Nova Southeastern University.  Barnhart, the finalist from NSU Law, was selected from among four other finalists. The Student Life Achievement Awards ("STUEY"), presented annually in a variety of categories, celebrate NSU's best in Academic Excellence, Student Centered, Integrity, Innovation, Opportunity, Scholarship/Research, Diversity, and Community.  
Alumni Admitted to Practice Before Supreme Court of the United States

On April 19, 2016, NSU Law took its biennial trip to the Supreme Court of the United States, (SCOTUS), for attorney admission and to watch oral arguments. The visit to the nation's capital began with a reception for NSU Law alumni in the Metro DC area. President Hanbury and Dean Garon attended the reception and swearing-in ceremony. 

The 2016 SCOTUS candidates who were admitted include Tara Campion (2011); Emmanuela Charles (2010); Joshua Eggnatz (2009); Michael Ehren (2007); Steven S. Farbman (1985); Nathaniel Flinchbaugh (2011); Lisa Goldberg (1984); Benjamin Lopatin (2009); Joseph Natiello (2012); Michael Pascucci (2008); Adam Schloss (2007); and Jane G. West (1998). 

faculty
Faculty News
Professor Tim Arcaro 
was a panel moderator for the Florida Bar International Law Section CLE on "International Litigation, Arbitration & Transaction (ILAT) Conference," held in Miami. The panel he moderated was titled "International Family Law: A Primer on Navigating an International Divorce."
Professor Kathy Cerminara presented on April 1, 2016,
Advance Directive Statutes: Guarding State Interests at the Expense of Liberty at a symposium sponsored by St. Louis University School of Law's Center for Health Law Studies and the St. Louis University Journal of Health Law and Policy. She has accepted an offer to become a member of the advisory board for the Memorial Healthcare Lectures in Medical Ethics at Broward College. Additionally, she has been asked to review manuscripts for the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, & Ethics. Finally, on April 21, 2016, Cerminara was a judge at the Pharmacy Shark Tank at the Health Professions Division (HPD) of NSU.

 
Professor Olympia Duhart wrote an article on Huffingpost.com's blog, Huffpost Black Voices, on the passing of Prince, entitled "Prince: A Lifelong Rebel in Music, Style and Societal Expectations."  
Professor Richard Grosso was quoted in an article entitled, "That Sinking Feeling" that appears in The American Prospect (Winter 2016), about sea level rise in South Florida and its effects on the economy, development, real estate, insurance, and livability for millions of Floridians living in the region.
Professor Shahabudeen Khan presented at Northeastern University School of Law as part of A Workshop on Reproductive and Sexual Justice on April 29-30, 2016. His presentation was entitled, The Threat Lives On: How to Exclude Expectant Mothers from Prosecution for Mere Exposure to HIV to Their Fetuses and Infants.

Associate Dean and Professor Elena Langan was selected to present a previously published article, along with the follow-up, which is currently in progress and tentatively titled: The Intersection of Branding and Social Behavior: A Comparative Analysis of States' Experiences after Eliminating "Custody" Litigation, at the International Society of Family Law, North American Regional Conference: Family Realities and Family Law in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in May.
Professor Michael Masinter was interviewed by WIOD radio on April 14, 2016. He discussed the newly filed lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Line over the fact that it is following Cuban rules in its new cruises to the island.

jani mauer


Professor Jani Maurer lectured at the Florida Justice Association Workhorse Seminar on March 30, 2016. Her topic was: "Don't You Think You Should at Least Consider Guardianship When Representing a Brain Injured Client."

Professor Joel Mintz published an article entitled, "Thinking Beyond Gridlock: Towards a Consistent Statutory Approach to Federal Environment Enforcement,"46 Envt'l. L. 241 (2016). An article he wrote, "'Running on Fumes': Enforcement Staff Shortages and the Development of New EPA Regulations in an Era of Scarcity," was also accepted for publication in the June 2016 issue of the Environmental Law Reporter. He recently presented at the April NSU Law Environmental Symposium, speaking on "What Scientists Want Attorneys to Know about the State of our Oceans." In the news, Mintz spoke with Vero News regarding environmental law issues, as well as Local 10 News regarding a controversy concerning water service rates in Broward County. In August, Mintz will present a scholarly paper at Oxford University at a symposium on "Population, Migration and the Environment."

Becka Rich, Senior Associate Library Director, presented on Gamification at NSU Law. Gamification relates to teaching, specifically to "incorporating elements of game play into assessment and instruction to increase student learning and engagement." This is part of the NSU Libraries' Gear Up For Success series targeted to all NSU faculty and students.

Professor Emerita Gail Richmond has been appointed to be the AALS representative on the March 2017 ABA-AALS site team for Cardozo Law School (Yeshiva University). She has also co-authored Mastering Trusts & Estates (Carolina Academic Press forthcoming) with Professor Don Castleman (Wake Forest) (deceased).

Professor Emeritus Marc Rohr published: "Threatening" Speech: The Thin Line Between Implicit Threats, Solicitation, and Advocacy of Crime, 13 Rutgers Journal of Law and Public Policy 150 (2016). His article DeMinimus Content Discrimination: The Vexing Matter of Sign-Ordinance Exemptions, 7 Elon L. Rev. 327 (2015), has been selected for reprinting in Thomson Reuters' 2016 Zoning and Planning Law Handbook. On March 26, 2016, he moderated and participated in a panel discussion of voting rights at the 2016 annual meeting of the Broward County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Call for Authors
Call for Authors: American Inns of Court Warren E. Burger Prize

The American Inns of Court invites judges, lawyers, professors, students, scholars, and other authors to participate in its 2016 Warren E. Burger Prize. Authors should submit an original, unpublished, 10,000-20,000 word essay on a topic that addresses the issues of excellence in legal skills, civility, ethics, and professionalism. The winning essay will be published in the South Carolina Law Review and the author will receive a cash prize of $5,000. The submission deadline for the 2016 Warren E. Burger Prize is July 1, 2016. More information is available on the American Inns of Court website at www.innsofcourt.org/BurgerPrize.
alumni
NSU Alumni Association Events
  • May 14 - Dad Vail Regatta, Philadelphia, PA |  RSVP
  • May 16 - Jacksonville Happy Hour Networking | RSVP
  • May 18 - What's Your Type? Myers-Briggs and Communication, Ft. Lauderdale | RSVP
  • June 11 - Alumni Day at the Atlanta Braves | Buy Tickets
  • June 16 - NSU Law Alumni & Friends Reception at FL Bar Convention | RSVP 

Visit the Alumni Event Page for Full Listing of Events

class
Class Actions

Lori Koethe, (MS 2007) was recently hired as Magruder Hospital's Vice President of Nursing. 

Read more about Lori and your fellow alumni who are reaching new levels of excellence in their respective fields in our new PDF format.
student
Student News
3L Earns STUEY Student of the Year for NSU College of Law

NSU Law student, Yineth Sanchez (3L) was a finalist for Student of the Year for her work as President of Nova Trial Association (NTA), which successfully ran the inaugural Trial Advocacy Summer Institute (TASI) program in 2015.  

Other STUEY finalists from NSU Law include: Nova Trial Association as Graduate Student Organization of the Year, and Professor Megan Chaney its Faculty Advisor; and Professor Donna Litman, Co-Curricular Advisor of the Year.
NSU Law Student Wins Outstanding Voir Dire at the Show Me Challenge 

Yineth Sanchez, 3L, Maria Bueno, 2L, and Nathan Nelson, 3L, traveled with their coach Professor Megan Chaney to the federal courthouse in Kansas City to complete the Show Me Challenge sponsored by the University of Missouri, Kansas City on April 8-9, 2016.  296 citizens of Kansas City participated to give the 16 competing teams authentic jury selection practice. Nathan Nelson, 3L, won 2016 Outstanding Voir Dire at the Show Me Challenge.  He received a perfect score for his jury selection talent beating all 48 of the other competitors at the competition. 
L to R: Professor Brown, Bethany Crouse (Winner), Judge Melanie May, Claudia Caudor (Runner-Up), and "Chief Justice" Ashley Ellis
Moot Court Society Hosts Feinrider Competition

On Saturday April 9th and Sunday, April 10th, NSU Law's Moot Court Society (MCS) held their annual Feinrider Competition. At the end of the competition, twenty 1Ls are chosen to become members of the Moot Court Society. 

1L Bethany Crouse won the competition, with Claudia Caudor earning Runner-Up. 

MCS would like to thank all those who participated both in the competition and as judges, including Judge Melanie May and Professor Brown. 
Weschler Moot Court Team Earns Runner-Up

On April 9, 2016 the Weschler Moot Court competition team participated in the Herbert Weschler National Criminal Law Moot Court Competition in Buffalo, NY. Noted "crowd favorites" Kerry Valdez (3L) and Maxwell Sawyer (2L) brought home Runner-Up in the final round against Villanova. The competition judges were extremely impressed by the competitors' performances, and one judge even said she would hire all four team members.

Special thanks to all who assisted the team in preparing for the competition, including Prof. Baxter, Prof. Brown, Prof. Chaney, Prof. Dale, Prof. Dobson, Prof. Khan, Prof. Masinter, Prof. Richmond, H. Dohn Williams, and Prof. Uzdavines.  
NSU Trial Team Proves "Outstanding" at South Texas Mock Trial Challenge

NSU beat thirty teams to emerge in the Elite 8 at the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge hosted by South Texas College of Law in Houston. Out of 144 competitors, Brandon Dinetz won an individual 2016 Outstanding Advocate Award. The team consisted of graduating 3Ls, Alexander Bekker, Brandon Dinetz, and Andrew Simon; 2L competitor, Shirley Sharon; and coaches Berkin Aslan & Professor Chaney. Brandon will take his award to the Office of the State Attorney in West Palm Beach where he will be working as an Assistant State Attorney. Congratulations to the team for their incredibly hard work. Way to end a successful NTA season!
Broward County Women Lawyers' Association Awards NSU Law Student Scholarships

The Broward County Women Lawyers' Association presented the 2016 Rising Star Scholarship Awards to three, deserving NSU Law students. Maria F. Baker and Kerry Valdez both received gold medals and were awarded $5,000 each. Maria F. Baker previously obtained a law degree in Colombia and began her legal studies in the U.S. in 2013. She will graduate this semester second in her class of evening students. Kerry Valdez was the Editor-in-Chief of Nova Law Review and will graduate summa cum laude. Suzanne J. Dycus received the Silver Medal and was awarded $1,500. Suzanne has been highly active in the Dispute Resolution Clinic and the Legal Aid Service of Broward County and will graduate cum laude.  
contact
Contact Us

For questions, suggestions, and to submit news for the Class Actions column, please contact:
 
Elena Rose Minicucci, JD (1996)
Director of Alumni Relations, Shepard Broad College of Law
minicucc@nova.edu | 954-262-6303  

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