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Winter 2003 LawNotes, The t.S Mary's University School of Law Newsletter St. Mary's University School of Law
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This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law Publications at Digital Commons at St. Mary's University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Law Notes by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons at St. Mary's University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The St. Mary’s University School of Law Newsletter Winter 2003
Bar Passage Rate Up First-time test takers from St. Mary’s University School of Law experienced a 74.37 percent pass rate – the best since 1998 – on the July bar exam, according to the Texas Board of Law Examiners. That is a 20 percent increase over the July 2002 rating. St. Mary’s graduates showed the greatest improvement in bar exam scores among the nine law schools in Texas. “The faculty and administration of the school have worked diligently over the past few years to increase the bar Bill Piatt, dean, and Martin Phipps (J.D. ’94) flank members of the Lone Star Classic National Mock Trial passage rate by toughening the championship team – Sandrine Shelton, Chris Terrill, Jessica Macklin and Scott Mechler – at a rally on campus. academic standards and requiring students to take more bar-related courses,” said Bill Piatt, dean. Law Students Capture 3rd Straight Championship “This is an indication that what St. Mary’s University School of Law students Some 28 teams from 18 law schools in 12 we’re doing is working, but I don’t think took top honors for the third consecutive year at states competed for the championship. In this is the best it’s going to get,” Piatt the Lone Star Classic National Mock Trial addition to St. Mary’s and Florida State, teams said. “I’m expecting the scores to competition, held at the Bexar County represented the law schools of University of continue rising over the next several Courthouse in October. Alabama, Buffalo, Campbell, University of years.” The team of Jessica Macklin, Scott Mechler, Connecticut, John Marshall, Hastings, Loyola, Even though the school did not move Sandrine Shelton and Chris Terrill defeated a St. John’s, Southwestern, South Texas, Southern up in the ranking, the increase in the team from Florida State University, receiving all Methodist, University of Houston, Weidner, number of St. Mary’s graduates who five of the judge’s votes. Additionally, Macklin Thomas Cooley, Wesleyan and William and passed helped push the school closer was named the best speaker of the championship Mary. to the statewide average, a goal set by round and second best speaker of the “This tournament is an excellent opportunity President Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D., in his tournament. The team was undefeated during the for St. Mary’s to not only showcase the Vision 2006 Plan. three-day tournament. excellence of our students but our law school and “We may not have moved up in the Also, the team of Michael Brownlee, Suzanne our town,” said Martin Phipps, coach of the rankings, but we are getting closer to Jost, Shannon Cottle and Damond Garza went to mock trial teams. the state average. I think if we continue the semi-final round before losing to the Florida More than 200 lawyers from across San on the path that we have constructed, State team. Antonio volunteered as judges. that goal is attainable,” Piatt said. This year 82.74 percent of those who Association Honors Haberman Knight-Sheen as Distinguished Graduate took the Texas Bar exam for the first time passed. Nearly 400 people turned out at the the 33rd graduate to be so honored since the “This year’s numbers are huge and Distinguished Law Graduate Awards dinner this inception of the award in 1973. we are closing in on our goal,” he past fall as the Law Alumni Association honored A host of members of the judiciary also were added. retired District Judge Carol Haberman Knight- honored that night as the association paid tribute Sheen. to St. Mary’s Legacy of Judicial Service. Continued on page 3 Haberman Knight-Sheen, a 1956 graduate, is Continued on page 4 Message from theDean
classroom technology with the Dear Alumni, addition of three “smart” classrooms. And, we just installed a wireless This has been an extremely network in our law library so that productive semester and we have students are able to access the many exciting things to report. Internet from any point in the Sarita Applications to our law school Kenedy East Law Library without have nearly doubled since my regard to connection through a arrival. This year, more than 1,800 traditional data port. We continue to applicants vied for some 300 seats explore the development of new in our first-year class. As a result, courtroom technology in the Moot we were able to be much more Courtroom in our Law Classroom selective in our admissions than in Building. the past. Indeed, each year has seen Additionally, we continue to add an increase in the total applicant to the research capabilities of the pool and in the qualifications of our Sarita Kenedy East Law Library, and first-year class. Thank you for your have increased significantly the help in our recruitment efforts. acquisitions budget to provide the We continue to focus on best research tools available to our enhancing the academic students. To improve access to those environment at St. Mary’s. The holdings, we have purchased and faculty has enacted a more rigorous installed the Innovative Millennium academic program which includes software system at our library. tightened grading standards, a There is an important, tangible “menu” plan that will result in more benefit to our students from all these students taking more bar courses, improvements: more employers are and stricter attendance conducting on-campus interviews this requirements. A Faculty Teaching year at our law school than in the Excellence Committee continues to recent past. work to improve our teaching. I am very, very pleased with the Another committee reviews increasing enthusiasm among our law examinations to ensure our exams alumni. In the past several months I are of sufficient length and rigor. It have had the opportunity to meet is now more difficult to get into with alumni in St. Louis, Dallas, Fort St. Mary’s Ð and more difficult to Worth and San Antonio. At every graduate from St. Mary’s Ð than it Bill Piatt, Dean and Ryan Professor of Law gathering, I see the renewed pride in has been in many years. St. Mary’s University School of Law. These enhancements are I am particularly pleased that alumni beginning to pay off. Just this fall, we saw a competition. Our Student Bar Association has participation at our events includes graduates remarkable increase in the bar passage rate. developed a remarkable initiative in identifying from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and from ’00, The bar passage rate of first-time test takers in the needs of students and is working with the ’01, and ’02. The Class of 2003 will soon join July rose to more than 74 percent. That is the administration to ensure those needs are met. us Ð they were busy studying for the bar this best showing is the past five years, and was the And, our students recognize the importance of summer! greatest improvement of all nine law schools in studying the courses tested on the bar exam. It is my hope during this coming year to Texas. While we are not yet where we want to This year marks the implementation of visit as many of you as possible at the various be regarding the bar pass rate, we have made additional technology at the law school. All law alumni gatherings. You are the heart and soul steady improvement, and I expect even better students now have e-mail accounts; we have of our institution. You were our students for results over the next few years. implemented electronic distribution of the three years; you are our alumni for life. I am Our students continue to perform in an Witan (the law school’s weekly campus very much aware that the value of your degree exemplary fashion in regional and national newsletter to faculty and students); and Career is a direct function of the reputation of our competitions. We recently took top honors in Services materials are now available institution. I will continue to do all I can to the Lone Star Classic National Mock Trial electronically. We also have improved improve that reputation.
2 LawBriefs
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Hears Arguments on Campus
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals offered St. Mary’s law students a first-hand look at the workings of the state’s highest criminal court when it heard arguments in two cases on the law school campus this fall. This is only the fourth time the highest state court for criminal appeals has heard cases away from its courtroom and the third time outside Austin, according to Judge Barbara Hervey, a 1979 graduate of the law school. It previously visited the University of Texas, a high school in Longview and Southern Methodist University. The court listened to arguments in two Bexar County cases: a direct appeal in the capital murder case of Reginald Blanton, sentenced to death in the fatal shooting of Carlos Garza on the city’s Southwest Side in April 2000, and a state’s petition for discretionary review in the driving while intoxicated case of Dawn Kuretsch Stewart. Each side in both cases gave 20 minutes of arguments in presenting their cases to the court. Three of the four attorneys who presented cases before the court are St. Mary’s University School of Law alumni, and one, Stephanie Stevens, is currently a clinical professor of law at St. Mary’s. Hervey said it is advantageous for the court to hear cases outside Austin because it gives the public an opportunity to see the legal system up close. “Less than 3 percent of the people in Texas know what the Court of Criminal Appeals does,” she said. Eight of the nine judges from the court were present for the arguments. Some 350 students and other observers filled all seats in the Moot Court classrooms. Amanda Garza, a first-semester law student at St. Mary’s, admitted Members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals pause before heading into she didn’t catch all of the technical legal points being made during the the Law Classroom Building where they heard two cases. The court includes, oral arguments, but she said watching the procedures in person was left to right: Michael Keasler, Charles Holcomb, Cheryl Johnson, Paul worthwhile. Womack, Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, Tom Price, Cathy Cochran, and “There’s a lot of stuff you don’t get to see,” Garza, from Las Cruces, Barbara Hervey, (J.D. ’79). Judge Lawrence E. Meyers did not attend the N.M., told the Associated Press. “It’s nice that it’s accessible.” session in the Moot Court classroom.
Bar Passage Rate on the Upswing