Digital Commons at St. Mary's University Law Notes School of Law Publications Spring 2006 LawNotes, The St. Mary's University School of Law Newsletter St. Mary's University School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.stmarytx.edu/lawnotes Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation St. Mary's University School of Law, "LawNotes, The St. Mary's University School of Law Newsletter" (2006). Law Notes. 9. https://commons.stmarytx.edu/lawnotes/9 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], [email protected]. Free CLE Program on Courtroom Renovation Initiative Tap for Law School Homecoming Surpasses S1.6 Million Goal Homecoming is just around the corner. St. Mary's University School That means we are gearing up for a variety of Law has reached its $1.6 of on-campus events, including free million goal to renovate the Continuing Legal Education courses which courtroom, a setting where students receive hands-on feature a variety of our professors and judges courtroom training. offering insights into some of today's The AT&T Foundation important legal issues. made an initial $300,000 This year's Homecoming festivities will be challenge grant to kick off the held April 7-8. fundraising effort. St. Mary's Aspedaltribute University contributed more honoring Charles E. than $700,000 to the initiative Cantu for 40 years as with the remainder coming a law professor at from individual alumni St. Mary's wnl be held contributors, corporations and during the Dean's law firms, the Law Alumni Rec:eption following Association and faculty and the CLE classes on staff of the law school. Friday, April 7. Cantu, "We will now begin Courtroom Construction the St. Mary's construction to create a truly Construction on the courtroom renovation project is scheduled to begin Distinguished South first class courtroom that will this spring and is expected to be completed by the time the fall Texas Professor of Law and associate dean for give our students the semester begins. administration, has influenced thousands of opportunity to work first­ young lawyers as the longest-Inured Hispank hand with technology that they will St. Mary's graduates, including jurists on law professor in the country. Please join us as encounter in real-world settings," said Bill the state's highest courts, learned the we rec:ognize this exceptional achievement at Piatt, dean of the law school. essentials of advocacy. However, it has in 5:30 p.m. the Law Alumni Room of the The original courtroom was constructed received only minor cosmetic Sarita Kenedy East Law Library. in the 1960s where many distinguished Continued on page 3 ~ In addition to the annual Homecoming Oyster Bake on Saturday, April 8, in which alumni from the entire University are invited, Center for Terrorism Law Gets S1 Million DoD Appropriation alumni from the School of Law get the The U.S. Congress has approved a $1 known as open government laws, and how opportunity again to enrich their minds and million U.S. Department of Defense security planners can stay within these laws their practices at the annual CLE sessions appropriation for the Center for Terrorism to secure the cyber world from terrorist put on by the school and many of its faculty. Law at St. Mary's University School of Law attacks, said Addicott, also an associate The free ali-day classes will be held Friday, to study and analyze cyber terrorism-related professor of law at St. Mary's. April 7 in the Law Classroom Building. legal issues, according to Jeffrey Addicott, The center, in conjunction with subject "We'd like to see as many of our alumni director of the center. matter experts, will engage in a top to as possible come back to campus and take The funding will help the center study bottom research study and analysis of the legal ramifications associated with privacy Continued on page 4 ~ and freedom of information laws, also Continued on page 4 ~ Message from the Dear Alumni, What a glorious spring! There are many good things taking shape here. We are very grateful to all who so generously contributed to the Courtroom Renovation Initiative. We have now surpassed our fundraising goal of $1.6 million, have scheduled construction during this summer, and plan a gala reception and courtroom opening soon after classes resume this fall. Professor Jeff Addicott continues to bring recognition and resources to our law school through the Center for Terrorism. Sister Grace Walle's excellent work has once again brought national attention to our law school. Grace was recently named the recipient of the Charles Forsyth Award for Outstanding Leadership of Roman Catholic Campus Ministry, which was given Bill Piatt, Dean and Ryan Prafessar of Law by the National Catholic Campus Ministry Association. Our students are working hard and continue to be blessed by the generous I hope to see you at our Homecoming support of our alumni. Most recently, the in April, at alumni events throughout the Law Alumni Association funded partial year, and any time your travel and your scholarships allowing our third year heartstrings bring you back to our students to take an intensive bar essay beautiful campus. writing seminar conducted at our Please let us know how we can law school. assist you. • We continue to work toward opening our evening program in the fall, 2007. We welcome three new tenure-track professors to our law school this fall: Cheryl George, Dorie Klein, and Colin Marks. Each of these very talented individuals brings new perspectives and energy to our faculty. On a personal note, Instructor of Law Rosanne Piatt and I became grandparents for the first time in February. Our little grandson is perfect. It just does not get any better than this! 2 Law Courtroom Washington, Military Hold Appeal for Renovation Law School Students and Grads Surpasses Goal St. Mary's law students and graduates are ~ Continued from page 1 finding success in Washington D.C. in the federal government, military and private sectors. enhancements over the past A number of students have secured positions 40 years. as law clerks, while others have joined various "This renovation will directly Judge Advocate General Corps. Some are benefit our students," Piatt turning summer internships into full-time jobs, added. "We have strengthened and others are receiving fellowships. our external advocacy program, "We're having some success in placing our and once we complete the new students in Washington and in the military and courtroom more of our civilian positions," said Annette Wilson, director students will have the of the Office of Career Services. opportunity to participate in Here's a look at what some of our recent Michael and Danielle Copes advocacy training." graduates and current students are doing. The project is expected to be Jonathan Hardt, class of 2006, worked as a plans to apply full-time to the JAG Corps when completed by the beginning of summer associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering he graduates. the 2006-2007 academic year. Hale and Dorr LLP and has accepted a James Bagby Ill, class of 2007, nabbed one of A key component of the post-graduation position with them as only two student intern positions that are project includes the latest associate attorney. awarded in the Office of the General Counsel, computer and audiovisual But before that he will spend a year working Department of the Navy. He will be a summer technologies. Plans call for as a law clerk for Judge David Folsom, U.S. law clerk working for the Commandant of the computer monitors at each District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas. Marine Corps at the Pentagon. The General counsel table and at the judges' "They really like their associates to get Counsel of the Navy is the principal legal bench, sophisticated sound and this type of training, Hardt said. "I will do adviser to the Secretary of the Navy, and his It is an to his staff and video systems, and document a lot of research and writing. staff provides legal services excellent opportunity." personnel throughout the Navy and cameras and plasma screens for Franklin Hopkins IV, class of 2007, is excited Marine Corps. viewing exhibits offered into to be chosen as an intern at the Contract Danielle and Michael Copes, both 2005 evidence. These will allow for , Appellate Division graduates, were selected as one of an extremely hands-on learning experiences of the Army JAG in small number of married couples who have as well as the ability to Arlington, Va. He been accepted in the Army JAG Corps. videotape students for playback first served as an Christopher Gee, J.D. '05, is a Presidential evaluation and feedback. intern with the Army Management Fellow with the Department of Additionally, the new JAG Corps at Fort Homeland Security. technology will provide access Sam Houston last Sharon Chu, class of 2007, Navy JAG Corps. to remote transmissions of summer after his Joanna Ballard, class of 2006, Army trials and proceedings from first year of law JAG Corps. federal and state courts. school. He was one Rebecca Milligan, class of 2006, interned last With access to advanced 25 first-year law summer and will go with the U.S. Army after programs and training made students in the graduating this May. Franklin Hopkins IV possible by a renovated moot country to intern in Mario Cortes, class of 2006, worked last courtroom, graduates of the Army JAG.