Download Magazine - Levin College of Law - University of Florida

Alison Barnes (JD 85)
Professor of Law, Marquette University
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Senior Policy Analyst for the U.S.
Senate Special Committee on Aging
• Elder Law: Cases and Materials
(Lexis Publ. with Lawrence A.
Frolik, U. Pitt.), first published
1992, 4th ed. 2007, used in 80
U.S. law schools (Lexis estimate)
• Founder, Elder’s Advisor, an elder
law review, now in its 8th volume
Old things always held a fascination for me, from researching my familyʼs arrival
in 1734 Philadelphia as indigent religious refugees, to reading Sumerian cuneiform
from black market tablets for my UF degree in history, to my favorite times playing
cards with my grandparents, who lived to ages 94 and 96. The durability of the
knowledge calls for respect.
My calling in the law came by chance when I worked with elderly people in Alachua
County and found their unsolvable problems to be legal in nature. A body of law and
policy termed “elder law” was at the brink of recognition by policy makers and the bar,
and I needed to know all about it—and tell the story to legislatures, communities and
students.
Writing up Florida law on aging issues for the Center for Governmental
Responsibility and teaching elder law for the first time to a dozen law and graduate
students became the segue to the first casebook in the field.
My students, whether in Gainesville, Milwaukee, Maine or Miami, are the path to
better lives for elders, and ultimately to a better history of our culture as one that values
depth of knowledge and durable ideas.
David Schmudde (JD 72)
Professor of Law, Fordham University
I was mesmerized by Professor Baldwin in my first-year Constitutional Law class.
As I watched how he handled the class, I realized this is what I wished I could do.
He was challenging us to look at life and the world from a new perspective. All my
previous educational experiences had been in math and science. His class opened my
mind to what to me was unexplored territory.
It began my dream of becoming a professor of law.
Jack Freeland showed me that a seemingly dry subject like tax could be not only
interesting but exciting. After my first year in Income Tax, I constantly pursued a goal
of teaching law. I greatly admired the ability to generate enthusiasm for a subject in
students who had never been exposed to the subject before.
Ultimately, I believe that that is my job, passing on the enthusiasm that I have for a
subject to a whole new generation of lawyers.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Founded Fordham’s low income
taxpayer litigation clinic
• Three books, including Federal Tax
Liens, which is used as a training
guide by the IRS.
• Mediator for the U.S. District Court,
Southern District of New York
• Keefe Award by Fordham law
students for contributions to the
law school
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