Reflections - Texas Wesleyan School of Law - Texas Wesleyan ...

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Photo by Abby E. Dozier around 19th exoneree sees hope in future of legal system Following nearly 26 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Johnnie Lindsey wants to be sure that the lawyers of tomorrow know that they hold the fate of many in their hands. Lindsey, who is the 19th person to be exonerated in Dallas County, was the guest of honor at the Wesleyan Innocence Project’s exoneree luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 3. The event was held in the law school’s Bernie Schuchmann Conference Center and was attended by more than 50 students, staff and faculty members. Lindsey was charged with and convicted of aggravated sexual assault at the age of 30. He then spent the next 25 years and 11 months of his life in prison. By choosing to maintain his innocence, Lindsey was never eligible for parole. He repeatedly filed motions requesting to have his case reviewed, and all but the last went unanswered. Exoneree Johnnie Lindsey speaks to students at the Wesleyan Innocence Project’s exoneree luncheon. Lindsey said he enjoys the opportunity to speak with law students and legal professionals to remind them of the great responsibility they carry. campus notes of interest about campus events “I filed six motions to Dallas County for [blood] testing,” Lindsey said. “I would wait two years for a response. [The letters] were never answered. I wrote my last motion, my seventh, and finally a judge appointed [an attorney] to my case.” Lindsey was exonerated in September 2008, and just five months out of prison, he spoke openly about his experience, with little display of anger or resentment. When asked about his view of the legal system that put him in jail for another man’s crime, Lindsey said he thinks the system is fundamentally broken, though he has developed a more positive outlook in recent years. He credits “new blood” in the Dallas County district attorney’s office, and said that the younger people entering the legal system have “better and brighter” ideas than their predecessors. Speaking to law students and other members of the legal profession is important to Lindsey, because he wants them to be aware of the power they have. “Don’t spend all of your time learning the law and then become lawless,” Lindsey told students. “The people I had to deal with had no regard for the law. You hold the future of a lot of people in your hands. I can’t stress enough that it is up to you. You are the future of the law.” Symposium considers alternatives to courtroom The latest legal drama series or novel might have you believe the courtroom is the only place to hash out legal battles, but the other – albeit less dramatic – option of settling out of court, through alternative dispute resolution, was the topic of choice at Texas Wesleyan’s spring law review symposium. On Friday, Feb. 13, the Texas Wesleyan Law Review hosted a symposium on the topic of alternative dispute resolution. Ten speakers presented papers on subjects ranging from arbitration advocacy to mediation in domestic violence situations. 6 An ethics panel focusing on ethical dilemmas faced by mediators and arbitrators concluded the day. Presenters included Dallas attorney Harriet Miers and Sharon Press, then director of the Florida Dispute Resolution Center. Miers, former White House counsel for President George W. Bush, presented “The Importance of Teaching Problem-Solving in Law School.” She said that law schools can improve the reputation of the legal profession by teaching students to spot issues and propose solutions. “Law schools need to emphasize that this is new concept law,” Miers said. “It’s not just being a technician and applying rules.” Press, who joined Hamline University School of Law as the director of the Dispute Resolution Institute in July, presented “Reflections on Two Decades of ADR in Florida Courts: Lessons Learned for the Future.” Her lunchtime presentation addressed how alternative dispute resolution has developed in Florida since state statutes were broadened in 1987 to grant trial judges the authority to refer any contested civil matter to mediation or arbitration, subject to limited Supreme Court exceptions. Symposium editor 3L Zach Burt said the day’s presentations and panel provided a great variety of information and knowledge for attendees. “The law review was honored to have such a collection of experts in the field of mediation, arbitration and collaborative law for our symposium,” Burt said. “A lot of issues were discussed and I feel a lot of practical knowledge and advice was delivered to all the symposium attendees.” Symposium presenters included Adjunct Professor Kay Elliott of Texas Wesleyan School of Law; attorney Sherrie Abney of Dallas; attorney Jeff Poster of Fort Worth; attorney Mike Amis of Dallas; Judge Debra Lehrmann of the 360th District Court of Tarrant County; attorney Don Philbin of
Photo by Abby E. Dozier around campus San Antonio; Professor Michael Green of Texas Wesleyan School of Law; and attorney Larry Maxwell of Dallas. Ethics panelists included attorney Jeff Poster; attorney Chuck Noteboom; attorney Don Philbin; Professor Michael Green; attorney Larry Maxwell; and attorney Kim Kovach. The panel was moderated by Texas Wesleyan School of Law Professor Frank Elliott. Students explore public service opportunities With an aim to introduce law students to summer and career opportunities in the public service sector, panel discussions, guest speakers and an information fair filled the days of Public Interest Week at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law Feb. 16-19. Representatives from dozens of public service organizations around Texas took part in the annual event, including more than 40 attorneys representing 29 organizations at the eighth Equal Justice Day on Feb. 18. Panel discussions took place early in the week, and guest panelists answered student questions and provided insight on the type of work attorneys experience in the public service sector. Roxanna Manoochehri, who served as president as a 2L of the Texas Wesleyan Law Fellowship, said the week’s events provided multiple opportunities for 2009 marked the eighth annual Equal Justice Day at Texas Wesleyan School of Law. The event provides students the opportunity to meet with various agencies and attorneys at one time and gather information about potential internships, externships and fellowships. Admissions Dear Texas Wesleyan Law Alum: Another successful year has come and gone in the admissions office. This year brought some new challenges as we moved through the application cycle, but it also brought with it some new successes. I am very pleased that we were able to meet our goal of exceeding last year’s applicant pool size, and we are looking forward to challenging ourselves in 2010 with the goal of 2,000 applications or more. We continue to improve upon our paperless application process, and we are taking advantage of new technologies to expedite our reviewing process. The admissions committee now receives all applications online, thus making it possible to review applications anywhere in the world they can access the internet. This year’s entering class continues to reflect a more statistically competitive class than previous years. The statistical profile of the fall 2009 entering class: Total applications = 1,973 Students enrolled = 233 Median LSAT/GPA = 151/2.88 25 th LSAT/GPA = 153/3.17 75 th LSAT/GPA = 155/3.44 Women made up approximately 45 percent of our fall 2009 entering class and 21 percent of the class consisted of ethnically diverse students. The average age for the entering class student body was 27, and 93 different colleges and universities were represented. In closing, I want to share that I am proud of the new class as they represent a wide array of interests and backgrounds. This diversity is reflected in our 1L blogs and upper level blogs on our web site, and I invite you to visit www.law.txwes.edu and get to know just a few of our current students. I am confident that they will continue to add to the success and reputation of our law school! Sincerely, Sherolyn M. Hurst, J.D. Assistant Dean of Admissions & Scholarships students to learn about the benefits that can be gained and provided through public service work. “Public Interest Week was a great success this year,” Manoochehri said. “The purpose of the event was to expose students to the wide variety of work encompassed by public interest law. Our guest speakers showed everyone how important the work they do is to underserved communities. “Equal Justice Day provided students with an opportunity to find out more 7 about summer opportunities offered by the agencies. With the help of fellowship awards, Texas Wesleyan law students will be able to help these agencies by providing much-needed assistance. It is so important that we learn and explore these possibilities as law students before we launch into our legal careers.” Patti Gearhart Turner, assistant dean for student affairs, said that the benefits of the week’s activities are beneficial for everyone involved.
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