lawyer cuaThe Catholic University of America • Columbus School of Law Summer 2015 Commencement is Only a Step on the Journey for Our Alumni The Catholic University Of America From the Dean’s Desk Columbus School of Law cualawyer Summer 2015 • Vol. 33, No. 1 Dear CUA Law School Community y the time you receive areas is due in no small part to The alumni depicted herein represent the range this publication, we the outstanding efforts of our of career successes among our alumni popula- will have celebrated Columbus Community Legal tion, from law firm partners to judicial officers Bour 126th commencement at Services clinics, trial and ap- to business leaders. Whatever their chosen CUA Law. Among our 2015 pellate moot court teams, and field, our alumni share a common trait: their graduates, some are headed curricular concentrations in gratitude for receiving a first-rate education at for careers in private practice, civil litigation and criminal CUA Law that has positioned them for lifetime while others have chosen to litigation, just to name a few of career success and service to others. serve others through employ- of our programs focused on ment with the government or these areas. As we respond to ever-evolving and challeng- public interest organizations, ing landscape of legal education, many of you and still others will be working We know that the practical continue to play a special role in our students’ in business related fields or as- training our students receive success during their CUA Law experience. You sisting the judiciary as law clerks. We are very bears fruit in the real world of practice. In a can be assured that your gifts of time, talent, proud of each and every one of them, their ac- recent survey of mid-level law firm associates and treasure over the years have played a sig- complishments, and their aspirations. by the American Lawyer, law firm associates nificant part in our ability to provide a rigorous ranked CUA Law #15 among all law schools education, and to offer scholarship support and Now in my third year as Dean, I remain com- nationally for the best preparation for practice. opportunities for community service and expe- mitted to implementing new and enhanced Relatedly, a newly released study, featured in riential learning through our law reviews, our ways to meet the expectations of our students, the New York Times, ranks CUA Law #32 in clinics, and our institutes. as well as the expectations of their prospec- the country based on the number of alumni tive employers. We have continued to focus who are partners at large law firms. For that I say, thank you for your continuing our attention on the need to better prepare partnership with us. With best wishes to you practice-ready graduates as demanded by the At the same time, we can point to the continu- and yours for an enjoyable summer season, marketplace, and with the ideas, support, and ing success of our alumni, and remain confi- action of our faculty, we have made significant dent that the phrase CUA Law Advantage: curriculum changes to implement this type of Practical, Focused and Connected, appropriately experience. Rest assured that our curriculum depicts the many strengths of our students’ ex- and programs will not remain static, as we are ceptional educational experience. We are proud determined to be proactive in a challenging le- to describe the accomplishments of a few of our Daniel F. Attridge gal market. notable alumni in this magazine— Michael J. Dean and Knights of Columbus Professor of Law Bidwill ’90, Paul M. Bisaro ’89, Alice S. Fish- We are very proud of our reputation as one of er ’92, Hon. Shireen Avis Fisher ’76, Daniel the best law schools for practical training. In M. Gallagher Jr. ’99, Hon. Joseph Leeson Jr. the latest U.S. News & World Report survey, ’90, Daniel T. Lennon ’90, J. Paul Molloy CUA Law’s trial advocacy program is nation- ’65, Hon. William T. Newman Jr. ’77, Hon. ally ranked at #14 and our clinical training pro- Eileen J. O’Connor ’78, and S. Jenell Trigg gram at #21. Our strong performance in these ’97 —as a way of underscoring this enduring value of a CUA Law education. The Catholic University Of America Columbus School of Law cualawyer cualawyer Summer 2015 • Vol. 33, No. 1 The Catholic University of America • Columbus School of Law Thomas M. Haederle Editor in Chief ALUMNI LIGHTS Joseph Ferraro Marketing and Communications Manager 2 Difference Makers Daniel F. Attridge Dean and Knights of Columbus Within an alumni body already brimming Professor of Law with achievement, these 11 CUA Law Marin R. Scordato Associate Dean for graduates continue to make a special mark Academic Affairs and Research in their chosen fields, even when their and Professor of Law career paths have led them in Tanya Easton Executive Director unexpected directions. of Development and Alumni Relations A SPECTACULAR HOME Katherine G. Crowley Director of Alumni Relations 17 Still Gorgeous After Highlights All These Years UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS FACULTY TRANSITIONS 19 John Garvey President A still sparkling and beloved home, the Law School building remains in great shape MOVING FORWARD 20 Andrew V. Abela Provost after celebrating the 20th anniversary of NOTABLE EVENTS 26 James J. Greene Dean of Graduate Studies its opening in 1994. Cathy R. Wood Vice President for Finance COMMENCEMENT 2015 28 and Treasurer SIGNATURE PERSPECTIVES Frank G. Persico Vice President for University LAW SCHOOL WELCOMES NEW Relations and Chief of Staff 22 Signature Lecture Series MEMBERS TO ITS BOARD OF VISITORS 56 Michael S. Allen Vice President for Attract Signature Speakers Student Affairs Christopher P. Lydon Vice President for Enrollment The country’s best-known special settlement Departments Management and Marketing master and arbitrator, two federal appeals court judges, and a member of the Board From the Dean’s Desk Scott P. Rembold Vice President for University inside cover Advancement of Governors of the Federal Reserve System were among those who delivered the Law FACULTY NEWS 30 Alumni are encouraged to send news about School’s banner lectures this year. themselves and other alumni. Please send Professional Activities, 30 these items, as well as letters to the editor, Publications, 33 comments, requests, and address changes to: PRACTICE IN ACTION Recent Media, 35 Conferences and Symposia, 36 CUA Lawyer 24 Learning from the Masters ALUMNI NEWS Director of Alumni Relations What is it like to prepare for a Supreme Court 38 Columbus School of Law oral argument? The answer is revealed— In Memoriam, 51 The Catholic University of America Washington, DC 20064 thanks to the willingness of top practitioners HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 59 to moot some of the biggest cases of their Email: [email protected] careers at CUA Law as a teaching moment CALENDAR OF EVENTS Phone: 202-319-5670 for law students. inside back cover law.edu Summer 2015 / CUA Lawyer 1 ALUMNI LIGHTS Difference Makers Alumni Showcase the Best of CUA Law More than 12,000 men and women have earned degrees from Catholic University’s Law School since its founding 118 years ago. CUA Law alumni are an amazingly diverse bunch, but the connecting thread is one of excellence. For a CUA Law alumnus, no matter what you elect to do in life, chances are high that you will do it well. The alumni profiled in these pages have stood out, no matter what road they have taken. From class years spanning four decades these alumni have forged careers that have positively affected the lives of others and moved their practice areas forward. Their success is a testament to the applied power of a CUA Law degree in private practice, business, on the bench, or in the cause of service to others. To be fair, there are hundreds of stories that deserve telling among the graduates of the Columbus School of Law. The few contained in this issue of CUA Lawyer represent one of the most accomplished bodies of law school alumni in the nation. Like their classmates, and indeed all CUA Law alumni over the years, these men and women have excelled through talent, hard work, and perseverance. Their work matters. They are difference makers. 2 CUA Lawyer / Summer 2015 ALUMNI LIGHTS THE WORD IS TRANSFORmatIONAL torney in Phoenix where he specialized in homicide and other violent crime cases. Bidwill’s successful involvement in area civic affairs won him the 2014 Transformational Leader Award from the Arizona Chamber of “It sounds simple but the question I ask most Commerce & Industry. He also serves at the invitation of NFL Commis- sioner Roger Goodell on a number of key league committees. He chairs often is: how does this make our team or the league’s recently formed Conduct Committee, which was created business stronger and better?” last December to ensure NFL policies in this area remain current and consistently reflect the high standards expected of all team and league — Michael J. Bidwill, 1990, President of the Arizona Cardinals; employees. Member of the Board of Visitors, Columbus School of Law “The incidents that affected the NFL in 2014 created great attention and led to much-needed discussion on a society-wide problem,” Bidwill says. Leave it to Mike Bidwill to reach for a “All of us understand the special place that football enjoys in the hearts prize that no one has yet grasped. “We had and lives of Americans. We currently have an opportunity to take a lead- very specific goals for 2014 and the biggest ership position on the community-wide issue of domestic violence. The was to become the first team to play the hope is that we can do so in a way that is impactful and will lead to soci- Super Bowl in its home stadium,” he says.