Archive for May, 2009
Temporary Yale Law School Dropout Plays Pivotal Role in GM Dismantlement
It is not every 31-year-old who, in a first government job, finds himself dismantling General Motors and rewriting the rules of American capitalism.
But that, in short, is the job description for Brian Deese, a not-quite graduate of Yale Law School who had never set foot in an automotive assembly plant until he took on his nearly unseen role in remaking the American automotive industry.
Nor, for that matter, had he given much thought to what ailed an industry that had been in decline ever since he was born. A bit laconic and looking every bit the just-out-of-graduate-school student adjusting to life in the West Wing — “he’s got this beard that appears and disappears,” says Steven Rattner, one of the leaders of President Obama’s automotive task force — Mr. Deese was thrown into the auto industry’s maelstrom as soon the election-night parties ended.
Posted in 
Tags: Texas Senate Approves UNT Law School in Dallas
The University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law received the seal of approval from the Senate, which voted unanimously to approve the facility.
Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, spoke briefly to thank Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, and other legislators who worked all session to establish the school. It would be the first public law school in the Dallas area, currently one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country without a public law school. It was well received by Dallas-area Senators, with both Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, and Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, applauding West and Branch’s efforts.
“This is a great thing for Dallas, and I don’t think but for you two guys being so darn committed, that this would have ever happened,” Carona said. “Thank you so much.”
Catholic University Law School Sponsors Debate on Obama Administration and Abortion
Yesterday, Robert P. George and Douglas W. Kmiec took part in a debate, moderated by Mary Ann Glendon and held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., titled, The Obama Administration and the Sanctity of Human Life: Is There a Common Ground on Life Issues? What is the Right Response by ‘Pro-Life’ Citizens? The debate was sponsored by the Catholic University of America’s Columbus Law School.This is getting LOTS of attention from Catholic bloggers all over the country. Worth watching.
C-SPAN’s website offers the entire video. The length is 1:20.
New Law Schools Held Up By Recession
Chalk up the latest victims of the recession: new law schools.
A slowdown in contributions, coupled with state budget cuts, has clipped the wings of fledging institutions nationwide. Nearly a dozen new law schools have been in the works during the past year. Given the economic climate, some institutions that had planned to open law schools in 2010 are considering pushing back those start dates. Others are scaling back building plans and fundraising. At the University of New Haven in Connecticut and St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y., proposals to start law schools could be tabled indefinitely.
“The only challenge we’ve had is the economy,” said Tim Johnson, vice president of institutional advancement at Louisiana College in Pineville, La., which is re-evaluating whether to delay the opening date of its new law school by one year. “When things level off and begin to go back up, it’ll make things easier. But it’s been the biggest hurdle.”
[NLJ]
Powerful Connections Pay Off for Law School Applicants at the University of Illinois
State Sen. Chris Lauzen believed a student deserved admission to the University of Illinois law school in 2005, and he let the university’s lobbyists know.
The school’s dean thought otherwise.
“She won’t hurt us terribly, but she certainly won’t help us,” then-Dean Heidi Hurd wrote to Chancellor Richard Herman. “She will almost certainly be denied admission if the process unfolds as we predict. But she can probably do the work. If you tell me we need to do this one, we will. We’ll remember it though!”
“Please admit,” the chancellor replied. “I understand no harm.”
The e-mail exchange, one of hundreds received by the Tribune under a Freedom of Information Act request, embodies an ongoing power struggle between educators who want to protect the integrity of the state’s most prestigious public university and administrators who also feel compelled to appease powerful lawmakers.
Tory Lewis Wins Vanderbilt Law School’s Founder’s Medal
Since 1877, a gold medal has been awarded to the student graduating at the top of his or her class from each of Vanderbilt’s schools. These gold medals are called Founder’s Medals in honor of university founder Cornelius Vanderbilt, who made a specific contribution to endow the awards in their first year.
Tory Hodges Lewis, Founder’s Medalist for Vanderbilt Law School, graduated with a doctor of jurisprudence. After graduation, Lewis will serve as a law clerk to the Honorable Leon Holmes of the Eastern District of Arkansas.
University of Montana Wins Summary Judgment in Religious Student Org Funding Case
A federal court has granted summary judgment dismissing a suit against the University of Montana Law School for denying funding to a Christian student group because of the group’s exclusionary membership standards.
As at many law schools, the University of Montana maintains a non-discrimination policy under which all groups receiving funds from student activity fees must be open to all students. However, the Christian Legal Society (”CLS”), while allowing anyone to attend meetings, grants full membership only to those who sign the group’s “Statement of Faith”, and refuses membership based on “unrepentant participation in or advocacy of a sexually immoral lifestyle”.
