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law.arizona.edu | Link                                                                                  November 27, 2013

Greetings!

 

As you enjoy turkey and sweet potato casserole and stuffing--or perhaps this year it is kosher wine, challah chestnut stuffing, and sweet potato latkes--I hope you will join me in recognizing that there is so much to be thankful for at Arizona Law, as in the rest of our lives.

 

Every week in these virtual pages we celebrate the extraordinary paths and passions of the students, alumni, faculty and staff who make up the Arizona Law community.   This week we feature student Arianne Kerr, Alumnus Jeffrey Bernick, and Professor Dave Marcus.

  

Until the footnotes,

Marc

Students

Arianne Kerr (JD '14)

 

Arianne Kerr came to us from ASU, a difficult decision, hard as that may be for many of us to understand, as she was a proud Sun Devil. "Ok - ok, you're right - it's just football," she joked. (We'll see which of Arianne's loyalties prevail next Saturday, November 30, at Tempe Stadium...).

 

Arianne said that after touring Arizona Law, she knew it was the right place for her. "I was impressed by the sense of community here," she said. "We truly have a compassionate and supportive group of classmates who encouraged me to be intellectually curious while maintaining a balanced life." The superb faculty and their concern for their students also impressed her.

 

When she's not studying, Arianne is a strong defender of civil rights and focused on the needs of vulnerable people in our society. Prior to law school she served in Teach for America, and continued to work with youth as a social worker afterwards. Both of these positions revealed to Arianne a "disconnect between social policy and what actually happened on the ground" and drove her to pursue a legal education and continue to shape her career trajectory.

 

Arianne's experiences in law school reflect these passions. She served as a legal intern for the US Department of Education and in the Office for Civil Rights, Region VIII in Denver, CO. She has worked with some of our nation's leading civil rights advocates on equal access to education. Last session, Arianne served as the legal intern to the House Democrats in the Arizona State Legislature. She also clerked for Judge Karen Adam (BA '72, JD '76) --Presiding Judge at the Pima County Juvenile Court.

 

"I am truly blessed for the education and experience I have received at Arizona Law," Arianne said. In time, Arianne plans to run for office so she can help "shape the law before it hits the courtroom."

 

You can connect with Arianne here .

Faculty

Dave Marcus

 

Professor Dave Marcus started his college education at Harvard where he had dreams of being a historian. But with a hard-nosed view of the career options available to historians, he decided to attended Yale Law School instead.  Here at Arizona Law, we believe that Dave's choice of law over history was the second best decision he ever made. (The first was marrying Nina Rabin, a clinical professor at Arizona Law and the Director of the Bacon Immigration Law Program).

 

Fascinated by the intricate problems posed by class action procedure, Dave clerked for Judge Allyne R. Ross of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and then worked for several years at the firm of Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, where he was exposed to the challenges of class action lawsuits. Dave then decided to seek an appellate clerkship, and he went to work for Judge William Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

 

In his two stints as a judicial clerk, and in practice, Dave never abandoned the idea of teaching and scholarship. At the firm, Dave said he "kept finding myself spending far more time that I should have reading scholarship on class actions instead of writing my briefs."

 

As a scholar, Dave focuses on civil procedure and complex litigation. Dave is one of the (many) great teachers in the building, and has already twice been selected by students as Teacher of the Year, in 2009 and 2012.  Dave returns the passion: "By far the best aspect of the job is the law students, who become wonderful alumni."

 

Dave with wife Nina, son Leo, and daughter Ella.

Dave's scholarship brings his historian's perspective to procedural puzzles, and he has developed a distinctive scholarly voice. [Read more here]. Dave is currently involved in a study of class action doctrine in "public interest" lawsuits brought against government entities, including prison reform suits and foster care reform.

 

"There's been a lot of movement in class action doctrine lately, and I'm trying to figure out whether and how changes to class action practice have affected access to justice for people who are victims of government mis- or malfeasance."

 

Both Dave's teaching and his scholarship have drawn national attention, and he and Nina spent last year as visiting professors at Yale Law School. We could not be more happy that they are back home in Tucson, and again a central part of life at the College of Law.

 

Dave and Nina balance their classroom and scholarly work with a busy home life, tending to the demands of their two children, Leo  and Ella.

 

Dave recently volunteered in the dunk tank at our Homecoming Festival.  In fact, rumor has it, he was the first Professor to volunteer. You can watch the dunk tank activities here.
Alumni
 
Jeffrey Bernick ('90)

Jeffrey Bernick's journey with Arizona Law started after he finished his undergraduate degree, graduating cum laude from Boston University. Jeff chose the College of Law for its price and the Tucson climate. But he loved more than just Tucson: "Turns out it was among the best decisions I ever made. I met my wife in Jamie Ratner's small section Contracts class (Harriet, '90). Arizona Law provided me with a top-quality legal education at an incredible price in a beautiful place."

  

Twenty-three years later, the quality, value and stunning location remain distinctive aspects of Arizona Law.

 

Jeff began his legal career and spent over two decades at a general practice firm, Ridenour, Hienton & Lewis, in Phoenix. Jeff credits Arizona Law alumnus Bill Ridenour ('70) for mentoring him and giving him his strong start in the law.  Early in his career, Jeff become the go-to person for labor and employment law, handling more than 35 appeals.

 

Jeff's work in labor and employment has garnered him many honors, including multiple years as a Southwest Super Lawyer (2011, 2012, 2013). In addition, The American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel Magazine chose Jeff as one of Arizona's "Top Rated Lawyers" in 2013, and Arizona Magazine named Jeff one of the "Top Attorneys"  in 2012.

 

In March, Jeff joined the partnership at Jackson Lewis, the second largest firm in the world focusing solely on labor and employment with 765 lawyers and 54 offices. Phoenix office Managing Partner, Gregg E. Clifton stated he was "thrilled to welcome Jeff to Jackson Lewis. His stellar employment counseling and litigation background is a strong addition to our workplace law expertise, and his vast experience in building Arizona-based client relationships will be a great asset in expanding our client base in Maricopa County and throughout the state."

 

Jeff specializes in counseling, preventative advice and training, labor and employment policy and procedure design, representation before administrative agencies, litigation, and appeals. He also counsels employers on restrictive covenant or employee movement cases, employee discipline and discharge, wage and hour issues, workplace privacy, internal investigations, employee handbooks/manuals, employment and confidentiality agreements, medical leave policies and practices, drug testing and substance abuse, accommodation of disabled individuals, and other human resources policies and procedures. Jeff serves as Special Counsel for the Arizona State Personnel Board and as a Judicial Merit Commission Hearing Officer.

 

While Jeff may be a Phoenician now, he has never forgotten his place at Arizona Law. He served on the University of Arizona Alumni Association's Phoenix board for six years, and has had U of A  basketball and football season tickets for nearly 20 years.   Jeff's oldest son, Eli, is also a freshman at the U of A.  His younger son Jeremy, is a sophomore at Arcadia High school but we assume he is a Wildcat in the making.  

 

 

Jeff enjoys traveling, music, and hiking. Jeff has seen Bruce Springsteen in concert over 30 times, spanning four different decades, in more than a dozen different states. Boys--has your dad taken you to a concert?  

 

 

 

 

Footnotes
Movers and Shakers 
  

Two Arizona Law Alumna honored by Greater Tucson Leadership. 

Arizona Law alumna, Keri Silvyn '97 named Tucson Woman of the Year and Arizona Law alumna , Barbara LaWall  '76 given Founders award. Read more here. 

Barbara LaWall

  

Keri Silvyn 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Arizona Law Needs Your Support  

 

Thank you for being part of the Arizona Law family.   We are grateful to our alumni and friends.  As the year draws to a close, please consider making a year-end donation.  Your support is essential.  Every gift matters.

  

 

   

 
 

I wish you a joyous Thanksgiving and happy Hannukah.  Thank you for being part of the Arizona Law community.

  
Warmly,    
Marc Signature
   
Marc L. Miller
Dean & Ralph W. Bilby Professor of Law
James E. Rogers College of Law    
The extended Arizona Law family
My daughter Evie (7), in the cap, with Dean White's daughter Zaya (7)
  
  

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