May graduates celebrate with friends and family

Justice Judith Lanzinger ’77 of the Supreme Court of Ohio encouraged the 114 May graduates from The University of Toledo College of Law to adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and to foster a sense within themselves and in the community that the profession they’ve chosen is a noble one.

Justice Lanzinger, who graduated from the College of Law as valedictorian of her class in 1977, was the keynote speaker during the May 2006 graduation ceremony. She described to graduates some of the key markers of a happy and fulfilling career in law, as well as some of the responsibilities that come with a law degree. She urged the graduates to work hard, but not shut out their families, to contribute time and talents to their surrounding communities, and to listen carefully to and respect the confidences of clients.

“One of the truest measures of excellence is not just mastery of law and facts, but how you treat your clients,” she said.

Friends and family members packed the Student Union auditorium on May 7 to commemorate and celebrate the moment the May graduates became one step closer to becoming attorneys.

Marc Mallone, recipient of the Dean’s Award for service to the College of Law community, thanks friends and family members for their unflagging support.

Marc Mallone, outgoing president of the Student Bar Association and recipient of the Dean’s Award for service to the College of Law community, spoke of the many friendships that have been formed and of the way that the College of Law community fosters a collegial atmosphere among students.

“Some law schools will tell incoming students, ‘Look around. Some of these students sitting here won’t make it to graduation,’” Mallone said. “We were told by Professor Phil Closius at Orientation, ‘Look around. Someone sitting there is going to be your friend for the rest of your life.’ That is one of the greatest gifts this experience has given us.”

Tyler Pensyl addressed the class as valedictorian, encouraging his fellow classmates that they have gained the tools over the last three years that will enable them to succeed in their chosen profession.

Professor Frank Merritt assumed emeritus status during the ceremony and also had words of wisdom for the graduates.

“You’re going to win some you ought to have lost and lose some you ought to have won,” he said. “I would encourage each of you when the dust is settled not to look back but to look forward and to fight the next war, not the last one.”

Each year the graduating class chooses an Outstanding Professor. This year, Professor Joseph Slater, who teaches torts and labor and employment law, was chosen. He expressed his gratitude and characterized all of the graduates as future teachers – they will spend their careers educating their clients, their colleagues and the courts about the law.

“I hope you have as much enjoyment teaching the law as I’ve had teaching you,” he said.

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Fulbright Grant Awarded to UT Law Professor to Study Intellectual Property Law in China

UT Law Professor Llewellyn Gibbons recently accepted one of the most prestigious awards bestowed upon academics.

Professor Gibbons coordinates UT Law’s Intellectual Property Certificate Program

A letter from the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board informed him in March that he had been chosen to join the ranks of some of the most highly accomplished scholars, professionals and world leaders of this century and the last.

In January 2007, the intellectual property law professor will head to the Far East to live, teach and study in a country that is currently wrestling with critical issues of how to regulate the Internet, govern e-commerce, and enforce intellectual property rights. The way China resolves these issues is expected to have an impact on the rest of the world.

“The People’s Republic of China has one of the most interesting, exciting, and dynamic economies,” Gibbons said of his destination. “Right now, China is a laboratory experimenting with many possibilities. It’s rethinking property law and other social and legal issues that are largely regarded as settled in the United States and other developed Western nations.”

Among other issues, Gibbons hopes to have time to look at China’s approach to cracking down on piracy. He points out that the conventional wisdom views piracy as injuring solely Western brands, but that it really hurts Chinese business owners as well.

“For example, if someone can buy a fake designer product for $20 or a licensed authentic local product for $15, it is likely a brand-conscious consumer will purchase the fake rather than the authentic local product,” Gibbons explained.

Gibbons, who has taught at UT Law since 1998, expects that a look at China’s approach to these issues, and listening to the thoughts of his Chinese students, will cause him to carefully rethink the underlying assumptions of U.S. intellectual property law. Gibbons also hopes to make new contacts in China – both in government and in academia – that will enrich the classroom experience at UT Law, as well as result in broader employment opportunities for law students interested in practicing law on a global scale.

Gibbons joins three other College of Law faculty members who are Fulbright alumni – Professors Rebecca Zietlow, Daniel Steinbock, and Courtney Cahill.

About 800 U.S. faculty and professionals are chosen every year to participate in the Fulbright program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The program was established in 1946 by the U.S. Congress to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

Gibbons, a faculty member since 1998, is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law (JD), and Temple University School of Law (LLM). 

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Upcoming book co-authored by Professor Susan Martyn to appear in major bookstores

You may have a stash of manuals describing what kind of behavior to expect from computers, from home appliances, or even a few book-length guesses on what to expect from your kids, but users of legal services are hard-pressed to find an easy-to-read manual on what to expect from their lawyers.

Professor Susan Martyn, Stoepler Professor of Law and Values at The University of Toledo College of Law, has co-authored a book that will help to fill that gap. Now appearing in major bookstores nationwide, Your Lawyer: A User’s Guide, was written by Martyn and Lawrence J. Fox as a guide to help clients better understand their lawyers’ professional and ethical responsibilities. Following a Q & A format, the book takes on an accessible tone aimed at non-lawyers.

This is Martyn’s fourth book co-authored with Fox, who is a partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath in Philadelphia. They have collaborated on an ethics casebook, a handbook for lawyers, and a professional standards volume. The authors’ overall goal is to “make legal ethics understandable, interesting and fun,” Martyn has said.

Your Lawyer: A User’s Guide, published by LexisNexis, clues clients in to what it is that lawyers can and can’t do because of ethical considerations, and why. It also touches on issues surrounding finding and paying a lawyer, special characteristics of the attorney-client relationship, what to keep in mind when dealing with other people’s lawyers, and how to define “victory.” In the preface, the authors explain that they don’t intend their book to substitute for communication between counsel and client, but the book provides information that can help make encounters with lawyers and the legal system more rewarding.

"We recommend this book for all clients," said Martyn, "and we recommend that lawyers give copies to clients as a goodwill gesture."

For more information on the book, go to http://www.lexisnexis.com/yourlawyer.

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Career Services Specialist Jessica Mehl coordinates efforts to educate students on public interest career options.

14 students receive fellowship awards from College of Law to assist them in exploring public interest law

Demonstrating a commitment to helping College of Law students gain experience in the public interest field, the College of Law awarded 14 public interest fellowships this year.

The recipients of this year’s awards will be working for legal aid organizations, such as Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), various state and local government practice settings, and several public interest organizations, such as the Student Hurricane Network and Habitat for Humanity.

“These fellowships promote awareness of public interest law as a viable career option,” said Jessica Mehl, career services specialist at the College of Law. “If these students weren’t paid at all, they might not be able to take advantage of opportunities to gain experience in the public sector.”

Fellowship sponsors include Cooper & Walinski, LPA, Bruce Comly French, and The University of Toledo College of Law. The awards range from $400 to $1200 for the summer.

The students who received awardssecured summer public interest positions before applyingfor the fellowships. Many of these jobs offer little to no pay, so the fellowships are meant to offset summer living expenses.

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UT Law hosts international conference on the role of information technology in resolving disputes  

Conference participants enjoy dinner together at Beirut Restaurant in Toledo

Scholars and practitioners from Hong Kong, Paris, Malaysia, Australia, Poland, Greece, Indonesia, and the United States gathered at The University of Toledo College of Law in April to talk about the emergence of online dispute resolution on the legal and business landscape and to explore its promise for the future.

Online Dispute Resolution is the marriage of information technology with traditional techniques routinely employed by lawyers and executives, such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and even litigation.

As one of the latest innovations to come out of the intersection of the Internet and the law, it has gained international momentum over the last five years as businesses have begun to explore its potential for cost-cutting and efficiency, and as lawyers and law students have become increasingly technologically savvy.

The conference was scheduled to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the International Competitions for Online Dispute Resolution (ICODR), according to Associate Professor Ben Davis, who organized the conference and helped to create ICODR.

Scholars and practitioners came to UT Law from all over the world.

“Online Dispute Resolution is a rapidly evolving field of rich experience and experimentation,” said Davis, who joined the UT Law faculty in 2003, having spent much of his pre-academic career working in international commercial arbitration with the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. “It was important to bring together such a diverse group from around the world, all working in different vineyards on the common mission of enhancing understanding of Online Dispute Resolution. The exchanges that day and the papers to be published by The University of Toledo Law Review will hopefully help deepen the understanding of how information technology can be at the service of peaceful dispute resolution.”

Taking time out to visit the world-class Toledo Museum of Art

Law students from around the world have participated in ICODR, giving students a chance to test and expand their skills on an international plane, at the same time broadening their educational experience as they interact with students with varied backgrounds and cultures. All submissions and participants remain anonymous throughout the competition, ensuring that evaluations of student performances are based solely on the quality of interaction during the online negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation scenarios.

In the 2005 competition, UT Law students competed against teams from 20 law schools on five continents and came out of the competition with two gold medals.

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Law Alumni Association to recognize distinguished alumnus and outstanding faculty member at Fifth Third Field on May 25

Before throwing out the first pitch of the Toledo Mud Hens v. Buffalo Bisons baseball game, The Honorable Norman Zemmelman ’69 will warm up by accepting the Distinguished Alumnus Award on May 25 at Fifth Third Field.

The award has been given out annually since 1986, not based on pitching talent, but to UT Law graduates who have distinguished themselves through significant professional accomplishments and community service, whose personal reputations for integrity and ethical conduct have made them role models for all College of Law graduates. Zemmelman has served as judge of the Domestic Relations Division in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas since 1997. Prior to his judgeship, he was a partner in the Toledo firm Britz & Zemmelman for 24 years. He served as law clerk to The Honorable Don J. Young, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, after graduating from The University of Toledo College of Law in 1969.

Also slated to be recognized on May 25 will be College of Law Professor Daniel Steinbock who will receive the 2006 Outstanding Faculty Award in recognition of excellence in teaching, research and scholarship, as well as service to the College, University and legal profession. Professor Steinbock, a faculty member since 1985, is a graduate of Yale University (BA, JD) and is currently the Harold A. Anderson Professor of Law and Values at the College of Law. Steinbock has published in the fields of criminal procedure, evidence, and refugee and immigration law. He is a frequent commentator in the media on a variety of criminal justice issues. He teaches Trial Practice, Evidence, Criminal Procedure, Administrative Law, and Immigration Law.

Judge Zemmelman and Professor Steinbock will receive the awards during the Law Alumni Association Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. on May 25 in The Roost at Fifth Third Field. The Mud Hens baseball game starts at 6:30 p.m. For tickets or for more information, call Ann Elick at 419.530.2628.

The Law Alumni Association also recently recognized Cary Rodman Cooper ’69 with the Distinguished Toledo Lawyer award presented at the Toledo Bar Association’s 2006 Law Day Luncheon in April. Although Cooper is an alumnus of the College of Law, the Distinguished Toledo Lawyer does not have to be a UT Law graduate. The award is given to a person who has practiced at least 15 years in the Toledo area and is a role model for others in the profession through community involvement, distinguished reputation, and professional achievement.

One of the founding partners of the Toledo firm Cooper & Walinski LPA, Cooper has been listed in annual editions of The Best Lawyers in America. He is also an adjunct professor at The University of Toledo College of Law, teaching Race and the Law.  Cooper received a law degree summa cum laude from The University of Toledo in 1969 and was editor of The University of Toledo Law Review.

Don’t miss the next opportunity to nominate alumni for next year’s awards. All College of Law alumni are eligible to nominate or to be nominated for the Distinguished Alumnus Award. For more information about alumni awards, contact Ann Elick at 419.530.2628.

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UT Law and the Black Law Students Association welcomed U.S. Rep. John Conyers, Jr., in April

A leader in civil rights and the second most senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives, John Conyers, Jr., was the featured speaker for the annual Torrence R. Greene Scholarship Lecture.

Scholarship recipient Boyd White (left) is congratulated by Rep. Conyers (right).

Rep. Conyers spoke on such varied topics as the status of affirmative action and immigration reform in a public speech, then attended a luncheon held to honor the Congressman as well as to announce the Torrence R. Greene Scholarship winner, UT Law student Boyd White ’08. The scholarship is given out annually by the Black Law Students Association in recognition of a student’s academic excellence and commitment to service.

The Torrence R. Greene Lecture Series was named after an African-American College of Law student who was tragically killed after his first semester. Dedicated to highlighting issues relating to race, diversity and justice, the series last year featured Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP.

Rep. Conyers, a Detroit Democrat, has served on the pivotal House Committee on the Judiciary and is one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). He is considered Dean of that group. Formed in 1969, the CBC was founded to strengthen African-American lawmakers’ ability to address legislative concerns of Black and minority citizens. In his 40-plus years in Congress, Rep. Conyers has been on the forefront of many key issues.

Rep. Conyers' visit closed out the speaker series for the 2005-06 academic year. UT Law has used its speaker series to contribute to the intellectual atmosphere and development of the College of Law and surrounding community. By bringing in people who are nationally-renowned in their fields, the series has exposed the community not just to commentary on the legal system in black and white, but to the broader social issues and problems that color society and shape the law. During the 2005-06 academic year, the slate of speakers at the College of Law included AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee, author Christopher Hitchens, documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

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John W. Stoepler Golf Classic scheduled for June 5

Support the John W. Stoepler scholarship fund by participating in the Golf Classic. Registration form. For more information about the event, contact Ann Elick at 419.530.2628 or at law.alumni@utoledo.edu

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New College of Law web site launched

The College of Law web site has gotten a face lift, courtesy of webmaster Anita Crane. Crane joined the College of Law staff in December 2005 after working in web development for 10 years. While working at AAA Northwest Ohio, she won a 2002 Crystal Merit Award. She will continue to refine and enhance the web site, while maintaining its usefulness as an informational tool for prospective and current students, faculty, staff and alumni. The site will be regularly updated with the latest News & Events, including highlights of the speaker series and articles on the continuous stream of accomplishments of faculty and students. Alumni can also use the web site to update their contact information, view the alumni event calendar, and take advantage of the national alumni referral database. Check it out at www.utlaw.edu.

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