Digital Commons at St. Mary's University Law Notes School of Law Publications Fall 2004 LawNotes, The t.S Mary's University School of Law Newsletter St. Mary's University School of Law Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.stmarytx.edu/lawnotes Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation St. Mary's University School of Law, "LawNotes, The t.S Mary's University School of Law Newsletter" (2004). Law Notes. 4. http://commons.stmarytx.edu/lawnotes/4 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 Fall 2004 Hispanic Business Magazine: School of Law Ranks Fourth St. Mary’s University School of Law was named among the top law schools in the country for Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine for the sixth consecutive year. St. Mary’s was ranked fourth among all law schools, the same position it held in 2003. St. Mary’s School of Law alumni, faculty and staff participated in the “Just Take One” campaign of the In its September 2004 ranking, Hispanic Community Justice Program, which received the 2004 Texas State Bar Pro Bono Award. On hand were: Business magazine wrote, “Leadership by (left to right) Texas Supreme Court Justice-elect Paul Green (J.D. ’77); professor Al Leopold (rear); Fourth Court the Hispanic dean, faculty, students, of Appeals Justice Phylis Speedlin; Sharon Breckenridge Thomas, director of the Office of Academic Excellence; administrators, and alumni form a strong professor Gerry Beyer; Ana Novoa, director of the clinical program; Dayla Pepi, clinical fellow Center for Legal alliance at St. Mary’s University School of and Social Justice; Fourth Court of Appeals Justice Karen Angelini (J.D. ’80); professor Sue Bentch; attorney Law…. Hispanic graduates have included Margaret Netemeyer; Fourth Court of Appeals Justice Sandee Bryan Marion (J.D. ’80); and Bill Piatt, dean. three members of Congress, state and federal judges, defense and prosecution School of Law, S.A. Bar Association Win Pro Bono Award attorneys, and a national president The School of Law and the San Antonio serve as a model for other cities in Texas of of LULAC.” Bar Association have been honored with the collaboration possible between law The magazine also noted that “In addition the 2004 Texas State Bar Pro Bono Award schools and practicing attorneys in to participation in the school’s Hispanic Law for their collaborative efforts to provide providing much needed legal services to Students Association, Hispanic students legal services to the poor. low-income clients.” Sister Grace Walle, serve on the editorial boards of two law St. Mary’s Ask-a-Lawyer Program and F.M.I, of law campus ministry, nominated journals, hold leadership roles in the Student the Community Justice Program of the San the two programs. Bar Association, and occupy key positions Antonio Bar Association jointly share the They were recognized at the Bar Leader’s Recognition Luncheon of the State Bar in the 38 student organizations at the law award, which is “given to a volunteer attorney organization that has made an Annual Meeting in San Antonio this school. The school offers a rigorous outstanding contribution towards past June. academic program, with supportive faculty, guaranteeing access to the legal system by The Community Justice Program, alumni mentors, and guidance from the indigents during the past year,” the bar said initiated in 2002, pairs Texas licensed Office of Academic Excellence.” in a letter announcing the award. “We Continued on page 6 Thirty-one percent of the 179 J.D. degrees believe that your innovative joint effort can conferred last year at St. Mary’s were earned by Hispanics. “We certainly appreciate the recognition Law Alumni Association Honors Beirne, Specia that comes from rankings such as Hispanic Business magazine, and through our 77-year Some 450 alumni, friends and relatives The two are the 34th and 35th graduates attended the Distinguished Law Graduate to be so honored since the inception of the history we have always believed in educating Dinner as the Law Alumni Association award in 1973. Additionally, the Alumni students from across the social and cultural honored Houston attorney Martin D. Association recognized the St. Mary’s Law Continued on page 4 Beirne and 225th District Court Judge John J. Specia Jr. Continued on page 8 Message from the Dean Law Briefs Law Alumni needs of students. Al Hartman, assistant dean, Visiting Professors Law School Association and the Law Alumni Association will continue to coordinate a Applications Soar Helps Serve series of events on campus. Our Join Law School students would love to see you The law school received a Our Students and meet with you. They, you and Bill Piatt, dean of the record 2,170 applications for we will continue to bring the law School of Law, has this academic year, a boost of One of the many factors school into its well-deserved announced that three more than 17 percent over last that helps make St. Mary’s position of prominence. Thank Visiting Professors of year and more than double the University School of Law a you, once again, for all of Law have joined the number of applications just six truly great law school has your help. n school for the 2004-05 years ago. been the renewed academic year. Nearly 300 students from 24 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Barbara commitment by our alumni Cheryl George was a states and one Canadian Hervey (J.D. ‘79) (standing, back) visits with first- year law students during the orientation lunch in the and the Law Alumni staff attorney with the province are entered in the first- Pecan Grove. Association to assist Professional Discipline year class. The median LSAT our students. unit of the State District Court Judge Andy Mireles score for the incoming class is from Texas, and they received The dues that you have Board for Educator (B.A. ‘72, J.D. ‘75) served as the 154, up from 152 the prior year with Paul Casseb Distinguished a median GPA of 3.05.That LSAT undergraduate degrees from 90 been paying to the Law Certification prior to joining St. Mary’s. She Summer Visiting Professor at score is in the 62nd percentile of all colleges and universities. Alumni Association have gone earned her bachelor’s St. Mary’s. Mireles taught scores nationally. The students range in age from Professional Responsibility. to help our students in many degree in 1990 at Additionally, nearly 90 percent 20 to 56, and 58 percent are male ways. I am grateful to Fourth Howard University of the incoming students are and 42 percent are female. n Court of Appeals Justice and holds a J.D. degree from Sandee Bryan Marion, Texas Tech University. She is president of the association, active in the legal clinic LL.M. Programs Hit Record Numbers for her leadership as she sponsored by her church. follows in the tradition of Suzanne Oliva earned a The LL.M. programs in American United States. other presidents who have bachelor’s degree in 1987 Legal Studies and International and The LL.M. program in come to our assistance. from St. Mary’s and her J.D. Comparative Law at St. Mary’s, International and Comparative This semester alone, the degree from the School of established in 1996, have more Law now offers two tracks, one in Law in 1996. She has spent students enrolled than ever before. Law Alumni Association public international law and one Cheryl George time in private practice after The program includes the first hosted a reception for first- that focuses on private or working as a certified public exchange student from Chilean commercial international law. year students during accountant. She serves as a Universidad de Valparaíso under a “Efforts to develop the latter orientation, hosted the first- director of the Bexar County collaborative program of faculty and track have been quite successful ever Faculty Appreciation Women’s Bar Association student academic and cultural thanks to the invaluable teaching Luncheon, contributed more and is a member of the exchanges signed early this year. assistance of San Antonio attorneys than $10,000 to assist third- Professionalism Committee Some 15 students are enrolled in who specialize in commercial for the State Bar of Texas. the programs, including Christine year students enroll in international law,” Summers said. David Peeples has served Weidenslaufer, who will return to the preparatory programs for the Bill Piatt, Dean and Ryan Professor of Law New courses include international Bexar County for 23 years as Universidad de Valparaíso to teach bar exam, attended faculty intellectual property, import a judge, including six years law upon graduation from St. Mary’s. meetings and other events, Suzanne Oliva on the Fourth Court of Over the years, the LL.M. export law intellectual taxation, and has generally given a Appeals. He helped found programs have changed significantly international organizations and We all are committed to finding ways to tremendous boost to our students. the San Antonio chapter of in content and adjunct faculty international labor law, as well as Alumni continue to help to recruit better serve the students. The faculty, law Child Advocates San involvement, said Bob Summers, some of the standard courses such as students and to place them in jobs upon school administration and I are working Antonio and the First director of the LL.M.