POLITICAL BROADSIDE: ELECTION DAY IN FOCUS HALLOWEEN Columnists debate Afghanistan Confused about election issues SBA throws a SEE PAGE 7 on the ballot Nov. 3? We were, spooky bash, LGBT SYMPOSIUM: too. Everything you need to know and all that Allies Symposium draws large about Issues 3, 5, and 6. was left were crowd to discuss future of LGBT SEE PAGE 5 these ghoulish civil rights issues CASINOS IN CLEVELAND? pictures. SEE PAGE 10 Is passing Issue 3 a gamble? Students speak up. SEE PAGE 8 SBA DOLLARS AT WORK SEE PAGE 6 SEE PAGE 2 THE GAVEL VOLUME 58, ISSUE 2 THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT CLEVELAND-MARSHALL COLLEGE OF LAW NOVEMBER 2009 Ohio AG shares experience arguing before U.S. Supreme Court Attorney General details his case to uphold death sentence for the 1982 CSU campus murders By Mike Borowski Cordray drew on a wealth of Supreme the Criminal Law Society as co-sponsor. Cordray argued the first of his seven STAFF WRITER Court experience when he presented Attorney General Cordray’s total cases before the Supreme Court. the state’s arguments for reinstating the Supreme Court experience dates to the 1980s. Among those seven, the Justice State attorneys general rarely death sentence of convicted serial killer After he graduated from the University Departments of President George present their own oral arguments before Frank Spisak. Cordray argued the case, of Chicago Law School in 1986, Cordray W. Bush and President Bill Clinton t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Smith v. Spisak, before clerked twice in the Supreme Court—first each appointed Cordray to two cases. Supreme Court. An the Supreme Court for Justice Byron White, and later for Justice Cordray also worked pro bono on infamous example to the October 13. Just two Anthony Kennedy. In 1993, then-Attorney contrary came in 1987’s days later, he analyzed General Lee Fisher named Cordray Ohio’s SEE ATTORNEY South Dakota v. Dole, his approach and the first-ever State Solicitor. As State Solicitor, GENERAL, PAGE 4 when South Dakota Spisak case’s special Attorney General Roger ties to Cleveland State C-M Bar Results dips slightly from last year, Tellinghuisen presented University, in a crowded such an insufficient case lecture in the Cleveland- First-time passage rate still best in Cleveland that both the majority Marshall Moot Court and dissenting opinion R o o m . T h e C - M mentioned his arguments. student chapter of the In sharp contrast to American Constitution Tellinghuisen, Ohio Society sponsored Attorney General Richard Cordray’s lecture, with Spisak case leads victim’s son to legal career By Jillian Snyder and inspiring, and holds special meaning STAFF WRITER with respect to the Cleveland legal community and Ohio Attorney General When 1993 Cleveland-Marshall Richard Cordray’s Oct. 15 lecture at C-M. alum Brendan Sheehan was sworn in On Aug. 27, 1982. Sheehan’s as Cuyahoga County Common Pleas father, Timothy, was due home from Court Judge Jan. 8, the ceremony work as CSU’s assistant superintendent was especially poignant. The story for buildings and grounds. Brendan and of Sheehan’s motivation to become a prosecutor and judge is both difficult SEE SHEEHAN, PAGE 4 So long ‘Cleveland-Marshall,’ welcome to the new ‘C M’ Law school unveils branding campaign By Jillian Snyder President Lindsay Wasko considers STAFF WRITER the new branding campaign to be one SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 11 exciting aspect of her presidency thus New banners in bright green and far. At the beginning of her term, Dean Interview: New CSU President bold letters hang in the atrium to greet Mearns contacted Wasko regarding the students, faculty, and visitors to “C|M|Law.” merchandise that the SBA sold to the C-M The updated logo is one of community. Mearns explained the need keeps law school a priority the results of the law school’s fund- for an update on the classic C-M logo. By John Stryker president at Florida International raising initiatives to improve and update “Dean Mearns told me that for CONTRIBUTOR University (FIU) in Miami. the image of Cleveland-Marshall. The some years he has tried to change the From the law student new “C|M|Law” logo has a modern C-M image so that our law school could A change in guard at Cleveland State perspective, a few things about flair but “also captures the historic be recognized, although still affiliated, as brings apprehension over possible changes President Berkman eased my mind. origins of our excellent law school,” an independent institution from CSU,” that lie ahead, especially when First, he established Dean Mearns said in a recent interview. Wasko said. With the success of the fund- the previous leadership was a law school at FIU. Student Bar Association raising campaign and the hire of a new highly regarded. I imagine Secondly, one of his director of marketing at CSU, the many law students, like initial statements in our C-M logo recently received that myself, wondered if the search interview was that his update. The familiar heather gray committee remembered to daughter is now attends and forest green have been traded represent the law school’s law school. He reiterated in for fresher, more modern colors interest while picking the some of her struggles in of lime green, black, and white. chosen one. To answer some torts and contracts classes. “The new look accomplishes of these questions, I requested Both statements made what the Dean wanted, something an interview from our new him very sympathetic edgy and recognizable,” said president, Ronald Berkman. to the law student’s cause. Wasko. “In terms of the shortened Berkman was appointed July 2009 as CSU’s newest president. Previously SEE CM BRAND, PAGE 3 he was provost and executive vice SEE PRESIDENT, PAGE 4 PAGE 2 NOVEMBER 2009 THE GAVEL Dean puts new ‘mark’ on school as a result of fundraising and marketing initiative In my last several engaged and generous alumni historic origins of our excellent law We chose: Learn Law. Live Justice. column, I indicated encouraged me to establish a new school, which is the product of the I believe these four words that the law school fund-raising campaign – the Fund for merger of the Cleveland Law School accurately communicate what we do h a d r e c e n t l y Excellence. The goal of this campaign, and the John Marshall School of Law. and what we aspire to achieve. We are embarked upon a which we commenced last Fall, is to raise Over the last few weeks, I have a community of students and scholars new initiative to $1 million to improve the law school in displayed this mark at various alumni seeking to expand our understanding increase awareness ways that can be measured. I am pleased events, and I showed it to the students of the law. We aspire to use that of the law school to report that, as of June 30, 2009, we who attended the open forums I held a few knowledge in the service of others and to enhance our have received approximately $350,000 weeks ago. Everyone who has seen the in order to build a more just world. Geoffrey reputation. I would in gifts and new mark has By now, you have seen the banners Mearns like to give you some d o c u m e n t e d [C|M|Law, the new brand,] is been favorably hanging in the atrium with the new mark more information p l e d g e s t o i m p r e s s e d . and the new tag line. You should now also THE DEAN’S about the origin support this attractive and distinctive. It also Indeed, one be able to purchase t-shirts and sweatshirts COLUMN and purpose of this i n i t i a t i v e . captures the historic origins of the most with the new mark from the SBA. initiative. T h i s g r a t i f y i n g I encourage you to stop by S i n c e b e c o m i n g past summer, of our excellent law school. aspects of this the Admissions Office to see the new dean more than four years ago, it has we used some DEAN MEARNS initiative has brochure that we have developed as become clear to me that this law school of these funds to engage been how excited part of this initiative. The brochure is much better than some people perceive. a marketing firm. One of the projects alumni, staff, and students are about being is very attractive and very creative. Unfounded and outdated misconceptions we asked this firm to assist us with was able to display their pride in our law school The principal purpose of impede our ability to attract even more developing a new mark for the law school. by wearing t-shirts and other apparel with this marketing initiative is to enhance outstanding students and faculty, and these To develop this mark, we began the new mark. Our visible pride in the the law school’s external reputation, misperceptions may inhibit employment with a few basic premises. First, we institution will certainly lead others to both here in Cleveland and across opportunities for our graduates. wanted a mark that preserved our historic have even more respect for our law school. the country. I am confident that, in Last year, I began talking with identity.