'Go Forward and Seek Justice'
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Spring 2021 ‘GO FORWARD AND SEEK JUSTICE’ School of Law Prioritizes Issues of Diversity and Inclusion SPRING 2021 Passing the Baton After leading the Abrahams Legal Clinic for 28 years, Professor Kate Mahern has retired from her leadership role, passing the baton to Professor Diane Uchimiya. 18 Dean’s Fund a Lifeline in Trying Times The Dean’s Fund in the School of Law, primarily funded by Creighton Law alumni, is used for things large and small, and in 2020, the fund was used to help recent graduates navigate taking the bar exam with new restrictions in place due to 22 COVID-19. Hamilton: ‘Go Forward and Seek Justice’ 14 From History to Broadway Through administrative efforts, faculty and staff During a campus talk, Professor Raneta commitments, and student-led initiatives, the School Mack (law) and other Creighton faculty of Law is working to create a welcoming program for members offered perspectives on the students, faculty and staff of color, one that takes an historical and cultural context surrounding active role in University and community conversations Alexander Hamilton and the events that about creating a more equitable world. 24 inspired the Broadway sensation. Lawyer News Alumni News Students, Faculty, Staff Adapt to Pandemic Rules ................................. 4 McCoy Grateful for the Journey ............................................................... 26 Creighton Adds New Sports Law Concentration ..................................... 4 Alumni Notes ........................................................................................... 27 Law Faculty Provide Pandemic Perspectives .......................................... 5 Class of ’80 Giving $80,000 ................................................................... 27 Confidence in the Court ........................................................................... 6 From the Bench ....................................................................................... 28 Women in Law Speakers Share Stories, Reunite Alumni ...................... 7 Pogges Recipients of 2020 Alumni Merit Award ................................... 29 Haneman Advocates for Tax Incentives for Green Burials ..................... 8 Creighton Alumnus Helps Create Book for Congress ........................... 30 Pro Bono Program Soars ......................................................................... 8 In Memoriam ........................................................................................... 30 Gift Strengthens Creighton’s Ties to Jewish Community ...................... 9 Rod Shkolnick, Revered Law Dean, Dies at 88 ....................................... 31 When ‘Unalienable Rights’ Meet National Crisis, Who Wins? ............ 10 Moot Court Teams Rising in Competitions .............................................. 11 Alumnus Co-Authors Research on Evictions in Omaha ........................ 11 New Faces at Creighton Law ................................................................... 11 Faculty: Beyond the Classroom .............................................................. 12 Follow us: On the cover: From left to right, former law school faculty member Frances Ryan; the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; current law student Traemon Anderson, @CreightonLaw BSBA’20; the Hon. Elizabeth Pittman, BS’47, JD’48; and current law student Creighton Law School Deanna Mathews, BA’18. @creighton_law COVER ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX WILLIAMSON Creighton Lawyer is published by the Creighton University School of Law for alumni, students, faculty and friends. Joshua Fershée Dean and Professor of Law Craig Dallon Dean’s Message Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law am now in my second year at Creighton, and I continue to be awed by and thankful for the Rick McFayden Associate Dean for Student Affairs Creighton Law community. The past year was and Administration I not easy on anyone, and the challenges continue, but I would not want to be anywhere else. BarbaraKaye Miller My time here has been both demanding and Assistant Dean for Admissions rewarding. The global pandemic caused, and continues to cause, great pain and suffering for many, and Mandy Whiddon unimaginable loss for some of our students, faculty and Assistant Dean for Career Development staff. Additionally, the lingering pain of institutional Rick Davis and systemic racism, manifested by the killings of Director of Communications George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, among too many others, have highlighted inequities Sheila Swanson and unfairness in our nation, particularly for Black Associate Director of Communications Americans, that hurt us all. We are reminded that the U.S. legal system is Denise Bilbow designed to give every single person a voice, even Senior Marketing and Communications Strategist – School of Law though it sometimes comes up short. As a legal community, we work to help people question processes Kevin Coffey, Eugene Curtin, and outcomes. We help them regardless of our views, because that Follow me: Micah Mertes, Cindy Murphy McMahon, is consistent with freedom. However, our profession requires that @jfershee Nichole Jelinek, Emily Rust and we respect democracy, act in good faith and follow the rule of law. @creightonlawdean Blake Ursch As lawyers, we take oaths in which we commit to upholding the U.S. Contributing Writers Constitution and our state constitutions. As we watched our nation’s JoshuaFershee 46th transition of power, we were reminded of just how sacred that oath Address correspondence to: Creighton Lawyer is, regardless of who we supported in the election. Creighton University In our Creighton community, we respect, value and embrace diversity, University Communications and I mean “diversity” in every sense of the word. While we are a and Marketing Jesuit, Catholic institution, we all come from different backgrounds. 2500 California Plaza We are of different races, ethnicities and identities, with diverse faiths, Omaha, NE 68178-0208 ideologies and political views. But we learn, work and grow together in an atmosphere of respect and with a common belief that we are in this Creighton Lawyer is published by the together. Creighton University School of Law. Our magazine this year is focused on our many efforts to make Postmaster: Send change of address to Creighton Lawyer, P.O. Box 3266, Creighton Law and our community more positive and more equitable Omaha, NE 68103-0078. as we navigate our way through a global pandemic. Our faculty is committed to providing the best learning experience possible under the Send letters to the editor to Rick Davis current circumstances, and so many things have gone well because our at [email protected]. students, faculty and staff have worked hard and remained committed to following the rules. For enrollment information, contact One of the things I love most about Creighton is that we’re here for the School of Law Admissions each other. We work hard, we work together, and we expect success. Office at [email protected] or 800.282.5835 or 402.280.2872. I hope this finds you and your families and communities safe and healthy, and I wish you the very best. For the latest on alumni gatherings, Joshua Fershée, JD contact the Alumni Relations Office at Dean and Professor of Law 800.CU.ALUMS (800.282.5867) or check online at alumni.creighton.edu. Update your mailing address at alumni.creighton.edu, 800.334.8794 or mail to Development Office, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178-0208. law.creighton.edu Copyright © 2021 by Creighton University Students, Faculty, Staff Adapt to Pandemic Rules Students, faculty and staff have proved “remarkably resilient” in successfully adapting to a new world of COVID-19-mandated online learning, social distancing and face covering requirements. This encouraging news was delivered to law school alumni Aug. 27 by Dean Joshua Fershée, who outlined the precautions the law school has taken to help contain the virus. Priority for in-person classes is given Students, faculty and staff are required to wear face coverings and go through daily temperature screenings on to first-year students, he said, although campus. Classroom capacities have decreased to allow for proper social distancing and are cleaned between each class. Cleaning products and hand sanitizer are available in every classroom. they too must have online components. When on campus, students and faculty are required to observe all precautions “We’ve been able to do a good job,” Fershée about how many people can be in a particular established by the Centers for Disease said. “We are really imploring our students space, or to wear face coverings properly, Control and Prevention, the state of particularly, but everybody, to follow the but despite the need for periodic reminders, Nebraska, the city of Omaha and Creighton rules not just when they are at the law school people have been quite good.” University. These include wearing but when they go out.” Social distancing requirements have face coverings, practicing good hand Compliance has been strong, Fershée said. reduced the number of students able to hygiene, isolating if diagnosed positive “We are really trying to work with them attend in-person classes and library capacity or quarantining if exposed to someone to resist the urge to try and return to a too- has been cut in half. Nevertheless, Fershée diagnosed positive, observing designated normal space when it’s not safe to do so,” he said, needs are being met. “The reality is that patterns of movement