Regent Law News

Regent University School of Law's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) team of Katy Dacanay and Bo Holden won the Robert R. Merhige Jr. National Environmental Negotiation Competition held at the University of Richmond's T.C. Williams School of Law, March 27-28. After two days of intense competition against 26 teams from 15 law schools nationwide, Regent bested teams from Pepperdine, University of Maryland, Lewis and Clark, and Hastings law schools to advance and win in the final round. Teams were judged on how well they were able to negotiate with opposing teams towards a mutually agreeable problem solution. Dacany and Holden, along with Regent Law professor and team coach Eric DeGroff, cite the Regent Law ADR board's dedication and cooperative spirit as an essential component of the team's success. "The most important factor [in our success] is that Regent's ADR board is extremely active," DeGroff said. "Students are very supportive of one another an

Regent Law alum James Davis (’91) was recently selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers 2009. Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers magazine, published in all 50 states and with a readership of over 13 million, recognizes attorneys in each state who received the highest point totals in peer-review assessment and through the independent research of Law & Politics. “It’s a humbling experience [to be recognized as a Super Lawyer]. In reality, there are many excellent lawyers, but I appreciate the vote of confidence by my peers. I will strive to be worthy of the honor,” said Davis who is a trial lawyer in North Carolina and has had a successful practice for 18 years. “To run a successful firm, it’s taken lots of effort and the willingness to ask questions. It is difficult to master business and management principles of a law practi

Regent Law Alum Colleen Holmes (’99) was recently given her dream job. Ever since she encountered conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly’s writings as a student at Wellesley College, Holmes has considered Schlafly to be a personal hero, and Schlafly’s Eagle Forum to be her dream employer. “[Schlafly] helped me put into perspective much of the feminist literature I was exposed to as an undergraduate. I sought out her writings to provide a conservative counterpoint to my assigned reading, and I came to regard her as an excellent role model; as a woman who was too busy being effective at what she did, being a wife, a mother and an activist, to complain about being a woman” Working with the Eagle Forum became a goal, but after working in non policy-oriented jobs for most my career I had sort of given up. I would have been happy to lick stamps at the Eagle Forum but it seemed God’s timing was perfect, and here I am.” Since September 2008, Holmes has worked as Eagle Forum’s Executive Directo

Regent Law recently welcomed long-time friend and Jurist-in-Residence Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr. to campus. During Regent’s annual Jurist-in-Residence week, March 9-13, Justice Hassell spoke to campus leaders, lectured on various topics in classes, and joined students for meals to offer insight into the value of legal education and the rigors of the legal profession. The week’s activities were highlighted by Hassell’s presentation of a $500 award to second-year law student Benjamin Eastburn as top prize in the second annual Honorable Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr. Writing Competition. Eastburn’s student note, Hold That Line! The Proper Establishment Clause Analysis for Military Public Prayers, was written in response to improper applications of current Establishment Clause tests to a military context. In his note, Eastburn purports to refute the use of those tests and provide a proper analytical framework for public prayer in the military. A graduate

According to U.S. News and World Report calculations, 94.4% of Regent Law’s 2008 alums are presently employed or in a graduate law program, a statistic in league with top-tier law schools nationwide. Furthermore, 11% of the class of 2008, or 17 students, are presently enjoying prestigious judicial clerkships. “These numbers represent a high percentage of our ’08 graduates serving in an important role – especially considering the extremely competitive nature of clerkships,” explains Regent Law Dean Jeffrey Brauch. The school reports its numbers each year to the National Association for Law Placement and US News and World Report. Read more about where Regent Law grads are working >>

Law Professor Lynne Marie Kohm, Regent’s John Brown McCarty Professor of Family Law, was interviewed by the  New York Daily News    regarding rights of unmarried fathers. The story resulted from the recent news of Bristol Palin breaking up with her fiance and father of her child.

Regent Law’s moot court teams continue to be a powerhouse on the ABA competition circuit, with recent strong showings at both the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Regional Competition held March 7-8 in Washington, D.C ., and the ABA Regional Mediation Competition held February 28 - March 1, in Durham, NC. At the Appellate Advocacy Competition, Regent’s team of Jeremy Spitzer, Rachel Williams, and Tiffany Barrans advanced to the final round, defeating teams from William & Mary, UVA, Liberty, and South Carolina law schools and narrowly losing to a team from American University. Regent’s second team of Melissa Hudgins, Aaron Casavant, and Aaron McDonnell advanced to the semifinal round, where they narrowly lost a close contest to a team from South Texas that ultimately advanced to the national competition. “I am very proud of this showing,” team coach and Regent Law professor Mike Hernandez said. “The teams worked exceptionally hard and represented our school well.” At the ABA Regional

Regent Law alumnus and capital defender for Virginia’s Southeastern District, Joseph A. Migliozzi, has been nominated for a Norfolk General District Court judgeship. The Virginian-Pilot covers this story here .

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Col. Nir Nitzan For Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Col. Nir Nitzan, living in the Middle East's only democracy brings certain responsibilities. "The first obligation of people in a democracy is to obey the commands of your government," he asserted. "That obligation comes with the privilege of living in a democracy." Nitzan spoke to a group of Regent Law students, professors and other faculty and staff about the current situation in the Middle East, as well as answering questions about an upcoming study trip to Israel for Regent Law students. Nitzan served as tour guide for Regent Law's first study trip last year and said he is looking forward to hosting the students again. "This is an exceptional tour," he said, as he enumerated many of the activities that students will be able to participate in. These include coursework at the Hebrew University, which ranks in the top 50 of the world's universities; observing a

Assistant Alabama Attorney General and Regent Law alumna Kelly Hawkins is prosecuting a major child pornography case – a 311-count indictment, no less – less than a year after graduating from Regent Law. As Director of the Alabama Attorney General’s Family Protection Unit, she is responsible for protecting families and their children throughout the entire state of Alabama. While at Regent, Hawkins completed a rigorous thesis on internet child pornography. Her scholarship was inspired by a faith-driven desire to protect children from sex crimes. Regent Law students come with a calling, are built intellectually, professionally and spiritually, and leave prepared to make an immediate impact. Asst. Atty. General Hakwins is a prime example of Christian leadership changing the world, one indictment - or 311 - at a time. For the full press release in PDF format, click this link .

Third-year Regent Law student and Hillsdale College alumna Erin DeBoer was recently featured in an InterVarsity article. DeBoer is a recipient of the Regent Law/IVCF scholarship, which to date has awarded over $170,000 to InterVarsity alums attending Regent Law. Read the article  here .