Dayton law school offers two new degrees

04/03/07

Dayton law school offers two new degrees

The University of Dayton School of Law now offers two new degrees, a Master of Law degree and a Master in the Study of Law degree. Approved by the Ohio Board of Regents, the degrees will focus on technology commercialization. While the Master of Law degree will assist lawyers in the area of intellectual property, the Master in the Study of Law would benefit those who want more advanced knowledge in a specified legal field. Lisa Kloppenberg, Dean of the School of Law, said in a press release, "This builds on our nationally acclaimed expertise in intellectual property, cyberspace, and law related to technology." According to Kelly Henrici, Director of the Program in Law and Technology (PILT), the degrees would benefit engineers and scientists who want enhanced knowledge intellectual property laws. The degree is intended for part-time students. However, it can also be earned by full-time students in a one-year program.

Epstein gives UCLA School of Law $5 Million
David J. Epstein, founder of the Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse, donated a $5 million gift to the UCLA School of Law. In recognition of the gift, UCLA will rename the Program in Public Interest Law and Policy as the David J. Epstein Program. The donation will also help set up the Jane Epstein Scholarships for Educational Law and Policy, a scholarship fund named after David Epstein's wife, a life-long educator. The Epstein Fund will support program students with scholarships, summer fellowships, and loans repayment money for those working in the public and charitable sectors. It will also fund the development of relevant coursework, conferences, and related research. Dean of the Law School Michael H. Schill acknowledged Epstein's remarkable gift and said that it will be utilized to train students who are willing to take up public and charitable services. Michael J. Epstein is a graduate from UCLA's '64 class. A versatile attorney, an active social worker, and a generous philanthropist, Epstein actively participates in all public interest programs. He also serves as a member on the UCLA School of Law Board of Advisors. UCLA School of Law's Program in Public Interest Law and Policy encourages students to pursue careers in the public interest sector. It allows students and graduates to help the community while learning. Professor Scott Cummings, faculty chair of the program, said that it provides training to pioneering lawyers who are interested in "promoting the interests of underserved communities and causes." The Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse, founded in 1984, audits businesses' unclaimed funds. Epstein not only returns abandoned financial assets to its rightful owners, he also has three decades of experience in property law. Epstein served as a commissioner on the California State Little Hoover Commission. Epstein has also designed a program to help the state enforce its unclaimed property law, a program that has increased California's state collections from $2 million to more than $100 million in a few years' time.

Law students to make fashion statements
The Women's Law Student Association at the University of Arkansas School of Law plans on making a fashion statement by hosting the Esquire Attire Fashion Show at Fayetteville's Teatro Scarpino on April 5. Proceeds of the show will benefit mothers and children at the Peace at Home Family Shelter in Fayetteville. The show will be emceed by Justice Richard Taylor, bankruptcy judge in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Eastern Arkansas. In a rare display of solidarity, local attorneys and faculties from the School of Law have volunteered to model on the catwalk. The Peace at Home Family Shelter is committed to ending family violence and promoting healthy families. Previously called the Project for Victims of Family Violence, the shelter offers support, prevention, education, and legal and personal advice to more than 1,000 individuals per year. The Shelter strives to undo the ravages of domestic violence, particularly on the children, by promoting advocacy amongst children and parents. The association's all-female members help women - both at the law school and in the community -resolve their issues through common aims and objectives.

Orrick's $250,000 support to boost Stanford's law clinic
Stanford Law School wants students to have the opportunity to advise charitable and budding micro-businesses. The law school has just created two new clinics, the Nonprofit and General Counsel Clinic, which will both be launched in fall 2007. International law firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP has pledged to donate $250,000 to support a teaching fellowship at the law school's clinics over the span of the next five years. Participating students will be part of the Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe Fellowship and will build the necessary legal skills required in the non-profit sect. The clinics will train students to be general counsels for nonprofit as well as for-profit organizations. Professor Larry Marshall, director of clinical education and associate dean for public service, commented on the new law clinic, saying, "Public service and pro bono practice takes place in many arenas—in the boardroom as well as the courtroom." Stanford Law School wants to revamp its second- and third-year curriculum into a multidimensional degree program, which will encompass the study of other disciplines with "team-oriented, problem-solving techniques, and […] expanded clinical training." The establishment of this clinic is a step taken in that direction. The first of its kind in Stanford's history, this transactional program will aid students who are pursuing corporate practice careers. The clinic director, in association with the Orrick Teaching Fellowship, will help students to establish charitable bodies and to advise clients on corporate governance matters, disclosures, and general counsel services. It will also help students to address social problems through an entrepreneurial approach. Orrick's gift is an exciting opportunity for Stanford's law clinics. Orrick is happy to support a program that will have a positive impact on the community. It will also help students sharpen their skills in transactional practice areas. The clinic is a mutually win-win situation for both the students as well as the law firm attorneys. Students will learn how to become thoughtful, skilled, and ethical lawyers; and non-profit organizations will benefit from students' high-quality legal services.

A seminar with "A Higher Sense of Purpose"
The Washington University in St. Louis School of Law is hosting the Philip D. Shelton Symposium on April 12. Entitled "A Higher Sense of Purpose: Access to Higher Education and the Professions," the symposium is co-sponsored by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Legal scholars at the seminar will discuss a broad range of topics, including the accessibility of higher education, legal professions, socioeconomic issues, and racial diversity. They will also discuss the challenges that various disciplines face. The free symposium will be held at the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom at Anheuser-Busch Hall. Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton and William H. Danforth, M.D., Chancellor Emeritus are expected to make the opening remarks at the seminar. It will end with tributes to Shelton, law school alumni, the LSAC President, a former University Dean and professor, and a National Council member.


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