EVENTS & NEWS
Bar Results
The Law School congratulates its recent graduates who achieved a 91.7% bar passage rate for first time takers on the February Alabama Bar Exam. This pass rate is highest among all Alabama law schools for first time takers.
1L Moot Court Tournament
On April 11 and 12, 2008, twenty-eight first year law students participated in the Law School's second annual Moot Court Tournament. Preliminary rounds of the tournament were held on Friday evening at the Law School and the elimination rounds were held on Saturday afternoon at the Alabama Judicial Building in downtown Montgomery. First year students Kristy Peoples and Clayton Tartt argued the tournament's final round in the chambers of the Alabama Supreme Court before a distinguished panel of judges including: The Honorable Edward E. Carnes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; Mr. Charles R. Driggars, a shareholder of the firm Sirote & Permutt, P.C.; Mr. Christopher M. Mitchell, a shareholder of the firm Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.; The Honorabe Harold F. See, Jr. of the Supreme Court of Alabama; and Mr. Michael L. White, a partner of the firm Webster, Henry, Lyons & White, P.C.
Congratulations to Clayton Tartt who received the Best Advocate award and to John Coke who received the award for Best Appellate Brief. The Law School extends its gratitude to the numerous members of the Alabama bench and bar who served as guest judges in the tournament.
Pictured from left to right: Clayton Tartt, Mr. Christopher Mitchell, Justice Harold See, Judge Edward Carnes, Mr. Charles Driggars, Mr. Michael White and Kristy Peoples
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
Pictured from left to right: Mary Alexander-Oliver, Monica Jackson, Professor Luevonda Ross, Courtney Joiner & George Bulls
Congratulations to the National Champions of BLSA's 2008 Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. The team of Monica Jackson, Courtney Joiner, George Bulls and Mary Alexander-Oliver traveled to Detroit, Michigan on March 26th and won the title after a very competitive weekend. This brilliant performance followed their sweep of the Southern Regional in Columbia, South Carolina in late January. The team was coached by Professor Luevonda Ross.
This accomplishment along with all of the other advocacy team successes is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our students and coaches. The Law School is very proud of you all!
NTC National Semi-Finalists!
The Law School congratulates Matt Griffith and Parker Miller for a Third Place finish in the National Trial Competition. Two of the Law School's trial teams competed in Austin, Texas on March 27-29 after sweeping the regional in Orlando, Florida on February 9th. More than 1,000 law students from nearly 300 teams representing 147 U.S. law schools participated in the annual National Trial Competition, which is sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the Texas Young Lawyers Association. Matt and Parker were two of the top six students in the nation. The team of Michele Gooslin and Brad Griffin performed very well and finished in the top 16. The teams were coached by Professor Joe Lester.
Congratulations on a job well done!
ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Pictured from left to right: Reid Strickland, Amanda Allard, Katie Langer, Stephen Frisby, Stephanie Joppeck and Anna Chambers
Congratulations to our two ABA NAAC Regional Semi-Finalists! The Law School sent two moot court teams to compete in the St. Louis Regional of the ABA's National Appellate Advocacy Competition. Both teams performed brilliantly. The team of Amanda Allard, Katie Langer and Reid Strickland won the award for Best Appellate Brief in the region. The team of Anna Chambers, Stephen Frisby and Stephanie Joppeck won the award for Second Place Brief in the region. Both teams received cash awards for their appellate brief honors. The teams were coached by Professors John Garman and Rhonda Garman. The Law School appreciates their hard work and dedication.
Faculty Presentations
Professor John Garman will participate in a symposium hosted by the University of Toledo College of Law on March 14. The symposium is sponsored by the University of Toledo Law Review and entitled Successful Economic Development in the 21st Century: Revitalizing Center Cities in an Era of Globalization, Technology and Changing Legal Regimes. You may click here for a press release.
Professors Jeff Baker, Jeff Hammond and Andy Olree will participate in the 2008 Christian Scholars' Conference at Lipscomb University on June 26-28. The theme of the conference is The Christian Faith, Life of the Mind, and the Public Square. These professors will participate in different panels throughout the conference. Professors Baker and Hammond will present their paper entitled Whom Would Jesus Cover? The Spiritual and Policy Ethics of 47 Million Uninsured Americans. Professor Baker will present another paper entitled Students as Teachers in Service Education: The Community Education Experience in the JSL Elder Law Clinic. Professor Baker is the Law School's Director of Clinical Programs. And, Professor Olree will present on the Founder's attitude toward legislative chaplains which is based on his article James Madison and Legislative Chaplains published in the Northwestern University Law Review.
AAJ Mock Trial Competition
The Law School hosted the American Association for Justice's Regional Mock Trial Competition on March 7-9. Sixteen teams from nine law schools across Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina competed in the Montgomery regional. Two teams represented the Law School in the competition and both performed very well. The Law School congratulates Sarah Frederick, Nick Hines, Mike Kelley and August Murdock who finished as regional semi-finalists. Further congratulations go to Casey Biggs, Scott Hewitt, Alfred Norris and Roland Salloum who placed sixth in the competition, narrowly missing the semi-finals. The teams were coached by Professor Robert McFarland.
NTC Regional Champions!
Pictured from left to right: Brad Griffin, Michele Gooslin, Parker Miller & Matt Griffith
On February 9, two trial teams from the Law School swept Region 6 of the National Trial Competition held in Orlando, Florida. Matt Griffith, Parker Miller, Michele Gooslin and Brad Griffin performed brilliantly besting each team they faced. Twenty four teams competed in the region representing thirteen law schools from Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Both teams advance to the National Finals which will take place in Austin, Texas, on March 26-29. The teams are coached by Professor Joe Lester.
Congratulations to Matt, Parker, Michele, Brad and Professor Lester and the school wishes you the best at Nationals!
BLSA's Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition
Southern Regional Champions!
The Law School is pleased to announce that Monica Jackson, Courtney Joiner, George Bulls and Mary Alexander-Oliver swept the Southern Regional of BLSA's Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition going undefeated. The regional was held in Columbia, South Carolina, on January 23-26. The top two teams from each regional advance to the national competition in Detroit, Michigan, to be held on March 26-30. The trial team is coached by Professor Luevonda Ross.
Congratulations to Monica, Courtney, George, Mary and Professor Ross! The Law School wishes you the best at Nationals.
Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
The Law School congratulates Matthew Griffith, Michele Gooslin, Danielle Mason and Parker Miller on achieving a third place finish in the Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition. The competition hosted 160 of the nation's top law students representing 40 law schools from across the country. Matthew Griffith won the award for Best Summation in the competition. The team was coached by Professor Joe Lester.
Students continue to shine in national trial advocacy events. The Law School is proud of their accomplishments.
Pictured from left to right: Parker Miller, Michele Gooslin, Danielle Mason & Matthew Griffith
Public Service Day
The Book Drive held on Saturday, November 10th, was very successful. The Law School collected 558 books for the Montgomery County Children's Center. Professor Robb Farmer won the prize for the most books donated by faculty/staff (32 books) and Amanda Senn, 1L, won the prize for the most books donated by students (104 books). The Law School thanks everyone who contributed and volunteered.
Adopt-A-Family Drive
The Christian Legal Society initiated an Adopt-A-Family Drive on November 9th and it will be ongoing through December 1st. Students and faculty are encouraged to participate. Please locate a CLS sign (there are many posted throughout the building) and choose a family/child to lend a helping hand to during the Holidays.
Fred Gray, Sr. Civil Rights Symposium
Pictured from left to right: Dean Charles Nelson, Bryan Stevenson & Fred Gray, Sr.
The third annual Fred Gray, Sr. Civil Rights Symposium took place October 9th in the E.L. Collum Rotunda Auditorium on the campus of Faulkner University. The topic of the symposium was the Death Penalty. The event was sponsored by the American Constitution Society, the Black Law Students Association and the Jones Law Review. The Law School extends its gratitude to Fred Gray, Sr., J. Richard Broughton, Amanda Parks and Bryan Stevenson for their participation in the symposium.
Bar Results
The Law School congratulates its graduates for a brilliant showing on the July 2007 Alabama bar exam. May 2007 graduates achieved a 96% pass rate. Other May graduates achieved a 100% pass rate on the Florida and Mississippi bar exams. The school's overall pass rate for first time takers on the Alabama bar exam was 92.7%.
