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THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY NOTA BENE WASHI»eT«S 0C A Forum for News, Features, & Opinions in the Law School Community Wednesday, October 13, 2010 Vol. 25, No. 4 First Mock Trial Competition to Begin on Oct. 23 "This year is the largest C&C bring out favorable facts to help their the competitors to choose from a BY RYAN TAYLOR we've had yet, with seventy-two own case or discredit the witnesses to pool of witnesses and create their News Editor competitors," McGonigle said. the detriment of the plaintiffs. The own demonstratives or visual aids. "That is twice the amount we defense then does the same, calling "I competed in last year's C&C The Cohen & Cohen Mock Trial had in the first competition eight two witnesses of their own. After and advanced to the semi-finals," Competition will begin its first round years ago. This, in conjunction the defense rests, teams give closing McGonigle said. "It was one of on October 23. The tournament is with the increased participation arguments and the trial concludes. the more rewarding and enjoyable for upper-level students to hone their in our external mock trial teams, McGonigle says there are many experiences I've personally had knowledge and skills in the area of underlines that trial advocacy is changes from last year's competition. at law school and allowed me trial advocacy and evidence. thriving at GW Law." "This year's problem has a lot to develop my sense of the rules The teams that advance through Like most mock trial hidden in it," he said. "There are bits and application of evidence in a quarter- and semi-finals on November competitions, Cohen & Cohen and pieces of evidence that might be trial scenario. It also helped me 7 will go before Judge Lettow of follows a standard format. Before admissible if the competitors can understand more about public the United States Court of Federal the trial stage begins, each team find the right argument. There is speaking and presenting arguments. Claims, father of GW Professor presents a Motion in Limine, even more that is only admissible I had a lot of fun working not only Renee Lerner-Lettow. Judge Lettow an attempt to exclude certain if opposing counsel opens the with my teammate but our witnesses will preside over the November 10 evidence from introduction at trial. necessary doors. Of course, as and even those we faced as opposing finals. Opening statements are then made, my Evidence professor would say, counsel. Competitions like Cohen The president of The George followed by the plaintiff's direct 'nothing happens till someone & Cohen are a great opportunity to Washington University Law School examinations of two witnesses. objects,' so the craftier teams might test yourself, experiment with some Mock Trial Board, Bill McGonigle, The defense teams will have an be able to get a lot in if opposing skill sets you might not otherwise, said he is excited about the opportunity to cross-examine these counsel isn't paying attention." and meet some other members of the tournament's growth. witnesses in an attempt to either Other changes include requiring GW Law community." Scalia Urges Law Professors to Spend More Time Teaching employment opportunities for its "My writing has always enhanced clinicians and LRW instructors and BY HUNTER ANDERSON students and alumni. my teaching because it has allowed also by outsourcing such teaching to Staff Writer Like most law schools in the me to study issues in more depth so adjunct professors have not achieved country, GW Law administrators that I have a better understanding of and will not achieve a healthy balance within modern law faculties. While speaking at the dedication must balance faculty's time spent them," Dean Maggs said. Rather, such practical of a new building at Marquette helping students by increasing Brent Evan Newton of the components of the faculty possess University Law School, U.S. Supreme the school's rankings and helping Georgetown University Law a separate-and-unequal status in Court Justice Antonin Scalia urged students through classroom Center brought this argument to the the vast majority of American law the administration to encourage instruction. Potomac in his recently published schools. The gulf between the main professors to spend more time "Academic scholarship, article, "Preaching What They faculty and these second- and third- instructing students than publishing teaching, and administrative service Don't Practice: Why Law Faculties' class members of the legal academy academic research. (on committees, etc.) are all essential Preoccupation with Impractical in terms of practical experience and "Research and writing is of responsibilities of faculty at GW Scholarship and Devaluation of inclination is widening at the very course a part of the academic life and Law," said Gregory Maggs, Dean for Practical Competencies Obstruct time when it needs to be shrinking." perhaps the part that makes you best Academic Affairs. Reform in the Legal Academy." Newton's concern is that law known for the time being beyond The most current U.S. News "Especially at law schools in the schools lose their focus on hiring the walls of your own institution," Law School Rankings report that upper echelons of the U.S. News devoted educators in exchange for Scalia said. "But the reality is that the student to faculty ratio at GW & World Report rankings, the core the convenience of hiring more the part of your academic career that Law is 14:2 with full and part-time of the faculties seem indifferent or teachers with less experience and will have the most lasting impact is faculty at 280. According to Dean even hostile to the concept of law less commitment to the classroom. the hours you spend producing an Maggs, faculty only teach nine school as a professional school with Instead, he says teaching should not intellectual legacy in the classroom." credit hours a year, two classes in the primary mission of producing become a secondary purpose for One reason professors are the fall and one class in the winter. competent practitioners," Newton law school faculty, especially since encouraged to spend time publishing This allows faculty members to said. "Attempts by law schools their primary purpose is to produce academic research is to help enhance have more time for their students to compensate for the decreasing "competent lawyers." the reputation of the school, and their writing than professors at number of tenure-track professors thereby increasing the school's some peer universities. In turn, this with practical backgrounds or rankings. An increase in rankings balance of experience leads to better inclinations by allocating practical See Scalia on Page 2 is, in turn, thought to create greater classroom instruction. teaching to a discrete, small pool of Walmart in Africa Page 5 Michael Vick Page 6 Necessary Precedent Page 5 Life as a 1L Page 7 NEWS Friend Zone Page 7 Student Organizations Page 2 One National Campaign Page 5 The Bullying E pidemic Page 3 Money Never Sleeps Review Page 6 Hollywood Legal Page 8 OPINIONS Swing Voter Page 8 Mess in Mex ico Page 4 FEATURES Confrontation Confusion Page 4 Korn Feed Pace 3 Page 2 Nota Bene October 13, 2010 NEWS Student Orgs Help NOTA BENE 1919 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., N.W. WASHINGTON D.C. 20006 Members Find Jobs www. NOTABENE.GWSBACOM [email protected] on December 1. Take it from me, NOTA BENE IS A BI-WEEKLY STUDENT PUBLICATION AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BY BRITTANY BISNOTT someone who waited until the UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL. NOTA BENE SERVES AS A FORUM FOR NEWS, FEATURES, AN D Stuff Writer OPINIONS IN THE LAW SCHOOL COMMUNITY. Public Interest Fair in January WE SEEK SUBMISSIONS FROM ALL AT GW LAW. We all know about the Fall to even consider thinking about Recruitment Program. At least applying for employment in my 1L EDITOR IN CHIEF the Career Development Office year, the sooner the better! CLARE CAVALIERO sure tries keeps us up to date on Winter MANAGING EDITOR HANNAH GEYER it. However, what some of you For those of you interested in OPINIONS EDITOR KATE MEREAND might not know is that FRP is not FEATURES EDITOR JULIAN MEEK the only resource available to GW joining the GW Feminist Forum NEWS EDITOR RYAN TAYLOR Law students looking for work. or Law Students for Reproductive WEBSITE EDITOR VADIM PAKTIN And no, I am not referring to the Justice (LSRJ), you might be Public Interest Fair in January. surprised to know that both What I am talking about organizations are putting on a STAFF are events held by the student panel in January to help students JACK ALWOOD HUNTER ANDERSON organizations at GW; run by hear about opportunities available HEATHER BENTON BRITTANY BISNOTT to 2Ls and 3Ls other than the JAIME BUGASKI CHRISTEN GALLAGHER students for students. These "traditional" jobs (e.g., judicial JENNETTE GRAY DAVID KEITHLY organizations are hosting internships, summer associate ANIKA KESWANI A.J. KORNBLITH networking events, resume reviews, LAUREN LOCKLEAR DAVID MUELLER job fairs, and more. position at a firm and positions in CAROLINE PHAM MONA PINCHIS In this way, joining an government agencies).