Download Magazine - Levin College of Law - University of Florida

UF Conservation ClinicTeams Up With Georgia OnRiver ConservationLaw students from the Universityof Florida and the University ofGeorgia met at the border forsomething other than football — anopportunity to canoe the St. MarysRiver, the boundary water betweenthe two adjoining states. The UFLaw Conservation Clinic and theUniversity of Georgia EnvironmentalLaw Practicum have teamed up for atrans-boundary water law project thatinvolves researching and petitioningthe state of Florida for an OutstandingDefense Prevails in TrialTeam Final FourFlorida Water designation for theriver (if warranted by research),while designing some sort of similarprotection for the river in Georgia —which does not have an analogousregulation.The two law school-based servicelearning programs are working withthe St. Marys River ManagementCommittee, a volunteer boardappointed by the four counties thatborder the river (Nassau and Bakerin Florida; Camden and Charlestonin Georgia) and supported by theSt. Johns River Water ManagementDistrict. Students will also be lookinginto shared watershed cooperationThe University of Florida Trial Team marked the end of its four-week selection processby holding its annual Final Four competition Oct. 3 in the Bailey Courtroom. Final Fouradvocates Amanda Brus, Katrina Gavette, Joshua Lukman and Kara Wick, who werechosen from a pool of almost 100 students, presented their arguments for the fictitiouscivil case Smith v. Lighter Corporation. Brus and Wick, counsel for the defendant, wereawarded the title of “Best Overall Team.” Wick was also named “Best Overall Advocate.”The Honorable Judge Stephan Mickle served as the presiding judge. At the end of thecompetition, Mickle congratulated both sides on their dynamic closing arguments.Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, P.A., a litigation firm with offices in Florida and Alabama,sponsored the tournament. The jury was composed of J. Scott Kirk, James A. Edwards,Sara J. Burton and LaShawnda K. Jackson, all attorneys at the firm. (Left to right)Joshua Lukman, Katrina Gavette, Judge Stephan Mickle, Kara Wick and Amanda Brus.mechanisms at the local level thatcould harmonize planning and localriverine protection regulations.Fall 2008Enrolled Class ProfileThis year’s entering class is among thebest and brightest in the nation. WithUF Law ranked in the top 25 publicand 46th overall of the nation’s nearly200 accredited law schools, its studentbody continues to reflect the college’sstatus as one of the country’s bestpublic law schools. With a substantial397 students and an average LSATscore of 160, the class of 2011is no exception to this standard ofexcellence.Class Size: 397Number of applicants: 3,373Number of offers: 940Gender: 52% male, 48 % femaleMinority Representation: 25.4%*(8.56% Asian, 5.79% Black, 10.57%Hispanic, .5% Native American)*8.3% self declared as other or did notindicate race, this figure is not includedin the 25.4%Average age: 24Residency: 80% resident and20% non-resident.Academic Credentials:UGPA: 75th percentile3.78, median 3.61,25th percentile 3.38LSAT: 75th percentile162, median 160,25th percentile 156The 7 th AnnualUniversity ofFlorida MusicLaw ConferenceFebruary 20-21If you are a UFalumnus experiencedin entertainment lawand interested insharing your knowledgewith up-and-comingmusicians and fellowattorneys, pleaseemail the conferenceExecutive DirectorSondra Randon atsrandon@ufl.edu.welcoming Chief Justice of the UnitedStates John G. Roberts Jr. to campus. Atthe reception, which was held Sept. 4 atthe UF President’s house, the Chief Justiceexpressed his high regard for Fay andapplauded the creation of the program.“I think it would be absolutelywonderful for the law school to invite allkinds of judges from around the country,”said Fay. “This program will really givestudents a chance to talk to judges and torealize a lot of different things, number onethat judges are human beings striving todo a good job. And number two that juristsdeal with everyday questions that are verysimilar, if not identical, to the questionsthat are being discussed in class.”The idea to name the jurist-inresidenceprogram after Fay camefrom Fay’s colleague and friend, U.S.District Court Judge Paul C. Huck, whograduated from the college in 1965. Huckregards Fay as a judicial mentor, and hewanted to honor Fay in a fashion thatrepresented Fay’s tremendous dedicationto the professional development of younglawyers. The program will bring judgesto the UF law campus at least onceeach year for a period of several days tointeract with law students, providing themwith unusual access to judicial expertiseand insight in appellate advocacy.“The general concept is that judgeswould be invited to spend two or threedays on campus and participate inlaw school activities as suggested bya committee comprised of judges,faculty and law students,” said Huck.“While we expect to have judges whoare UF law alumni participate initially,it is contemplated that eventually wewill also invite Supreme Court justicesand other nationally known jurists toparticipate.”Perhaps not surprisingly, Fay hasbeen tapped to serve as the school’s fi rstjurist-in-residence later this year.“This honor is the highlight of my38 years as a federal judge,” Fay said.“I’m very honored, very embarrassed andvery humbled.”FALL 2008 7