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Visiting Student: Irina Feofanova
Russian law student Irina Feofanova says the biggest difference
in American and Russian laws aren’t the rules themselves but the
way in which we use them. Russians don’t have common law, she
says, so being able to cite case after case is not only irrelevant, it
isn’t part of the law school curriculum.
Irina was a visiting scholar at the University of Arkansas
School of Law for the 2005-06 academic year. As a visiting
scholar, Irina took classes as a full-time law student, but her classes
didn’t count towards her law degree in Russia.
“It was for my own experience,” she said, explaining that
in Russia she will earn two degrees, one as a lawyer and one as
an interpreter of English. At the University of Nizhni Novgorod,
where she is currently enrolled, a law degree is earned in a five-year
program, somewhat similar to earning a professional architecture
degree.
Novgorod is one of the oldest Russian cities, Irina says,
explaining that it means “new city,” a sort of ancient New York of
Russia. It was founded in the 800 and 900s and was once one of
the chief centers of foreign trade, she said. It is the most ancient Slavic city
recorded in Russia, though some of its historic monuments were destroyed by
the Nazis during World War II.
Before coming to the University of Arkansas, Irina had never been
outside of Russia. She says San Francisco was her favorite city in the United
States, and she hopes that one day she will be able to return, perhaps to earn
her master’s degree in law. n
Wal-Mart Legal Diversity Scholarship
School of Law Welcomes New Professors
The School of Law welcomed three new assistant tenure-track
professors this fall.
Assistant Professor Scott Dodson received his J.D. from Duke
University Law School, where he was a member of the Duke Law Journal
and graduated cum laude. After clerking for Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis
in the Eastern District of New York, Professor Dodson practiced complex
litigation in private practice and with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
He currently teaches Civil Procedure and Federal Jurisdiction.
Assistant Professor Sharon Foster joined the School of Law faculty
in 2000. Prior to her arrival, she was an adjunct professor at Loyola Law
School in Los Angeles since 1998. She taught in The University of
Arkansas School of Law Legal Research and Writing Program and has also
offered courses in international legal research and international finance.
She is teaching First-year Contracts, Anti-Trust and Debtor/Creditor.
Assistant Professor Ned Snow teaches Property, Law and the Internet
and Decedents’ Estates. Prior to joining the faculty, he practiced law at
Baker Botts, L.L.P., in its appellate and complex litigation sections. He
represented clients in matters regarding intellectual property, internet
trespass, international real estate and insurance fraud. As an undergraduate,
Professor Snow studied philosophy and economics at Brigham Young
University, graduating summa cum laude. He received his J.D. from Harvard
Law School where he was a member of the Journal on
Legislation. Following law school, he clerked for Judge
Edith Brown Clement on the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Fifth Circuit. n
The Richard B. Atkinson
Memorial Courtyard
law briefs
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Wal-Mart and the University of Arkansas School of
Law presented the second-annual Wal-Mart Legal Diversity
Scholarship to Carlyle White of Jackson, Miss., on April 10.
White will earn a total of $12,000 in Wal-Mart scholarships
over three years of law school.
“Wal-Mart is proud of its commitment to diversity and the
many diversity initiatives the company sponsors,” said Thomas
Mars, senior vice president and general counsel for Wal-Mart
Stores Inc. “The Wal-Mart legal department is pleased to support
the law school.”
Alberto Mora, vice-president and general counsel for the
International Division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., presented the
award. Mora is responsible for Wal-Mart’s legal affairs in Puerto Rico, China,
Japan, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Germany ,
South Korea and five Central American countries. n
The year-long fund-raising effort for the Richard B.
Atkinson Memorial Courtyard has been a tremendous
success, according to Dean Cyndi Nance.
“The courtyard was Dick Atkinson’s dream for
the finishing touch to the Robert A. Leflar Law
Center expansion,” said Nancy Cozart, director of
development for the School of Law. “He wanted the renovated courtyard
to be a spectacular place to be enjoyed by law students and the larger
community.”
In September 2005, after Tyson Foods, Inc., announced that it would
match gifts up to $250,000 for the courtyard, Woody Bassett,’77, and
Archie Schaffer spearheaded the formal effort to make this dream a
reality. As of September 2006, over $602,000 has been raised in gifts and
commitments for the courtyard project, according to Cozart. n
On May 5, 2006, Jesús Moroles (second
from left) presented his design for the
Richard B. Atkinson Memorial Courtyard.
Dean Atkinson’s dream was for Moroles to
commission the courtyard. “Mr. Moroles
used Dean Atkinson’s words from their
conversations to guide his design, and it
was enthusiatically embraced,” said Cozart.
Also pictured are: Cozart (right of Moroles),
architect Charley Penix (left of Moroles),
Michael Hollomon and Susan Schneider.
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