Regent Law News

Competing against law schools from the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean, Regent Law’s competition team recently advanced to the international round of the University of Oxford’s Price Media Law Moot Court Programme to be held on the campus of the University of Oxford, England, this coming April. Regent’s team also won the award for the competition’s third best brief. Participants in the Price competition argue cases regarding the rule of law and international norms for freedom of expression. The competition, which features regional rounds held in South Asia, South East Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East, is known for its wide range of student competitors and notable guest judges from around the world. At the Americas Regional Round held January 24-27 in New York City, Regent’s team of Monica Bailey, Kevin Hoffman, Caleb Wan, and Alexis Fenell defeated teams from Brazil and Argentina in the preliminary rounds, and St. Mary’s School of Law and the Cardozo Schoo...

The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) has named Regent University School of Law professor Scott Pryor the Robert M. Zinman ABI Resident Scholar for the spring 2013 semester. ABI names a resident scholar each semester to help further the organization's research and solutions for insolvency. During his appointment, Pryor will be based in ABI's Alexandria, Va., office, assisting ABI with its educational programming and in its role as the authoritative source of bankruptcy information for Congress, the media and the public. "Serving as Resident Scholar is an honor and an opportunity," said Pryor. "It is an honor to be recognized for my work in this field of law and an opportunity to be of service to the larger legal community." Pryor has been a professor in the School of Law since 1998, and was a Fulbright Scholar to National Law University-Jodhpur (India) in 2009. He has written and lectured extensively on bankruptcy, contract law and Article 9 of the ...

Regent University's Center for Global Justice, Human Rights & the Rule of Law hosted its second annual symposium Jan. 11-12. Aptly named "Seeking Justice for the Least of These," the two-day event rallied approximately 300 attendees to hear 40 speakers explore issues of child protection in the United States and around the world. Sponsored by Operation Blessing International and Orphan's Promise, the symposium offered sessions in four major areas: child trafficking, child welfare, juvenile justice and adoption. Speakers included non-profit founders, government advisors, FBI agents, and more. Ben Cooley, CEO and co-founder of Hope for Justice, runs the only non-profit in the UK dedicated to identifying and investigating cases of child trafficking. The organization has rescued children as young as 3 months in cases of benefits fraud, forced labor and sexual exploitation. "Children are a message to the future," Cooley said. "We want to make sure we ...

Two weeks into her coursework with Regent University's Civil Litigation Clinic, School of Law student Heather Moore ('12) received her first case, a Social Security disability case referred to the clinic by the local Legal Aid Society. Moore, who graduated in May, was still a student, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity to put her legal skills to work in the local community. The Civil Litigation clinic, run by Associate Professor Kathleen McKee, has been a staple of Regent Law for more than 12 years, providing law students with the opportunity to use their legal knowledge to serve area residents who couldn't otherwise afford legal representation. "The purpose of a clinical program is to give the student a feel for what it's like to work within a law firm, to represent a client from the beginning to the end of a case," McKee explained. "It helps students close the gap between classroom and courtroom." Students have dealt with a variety of cas...

To discuss positions in the legal field across Hampton Roads, Career Services hosted Joyce Diaz, Placement Director at Special Counsel, to speak with students on Tuesday, January 15. The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) team held an informational meeting for the upcoming Intramural Competition on Tuesday, January 15. Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) hosted a mini golf social event on Wednesday, January 16. Reverend Luis Cortes, Jr. , founder of Esperanza , a Hispanic community network, and one of Time Magazine's 25 most influential evangelicals delivered this week’s Law Chapel message on Thursday, January 17. Previous Law Chapel messages may be viewed here . Regent Law hosted the National Moot Court Competition for the American Collegiate Moot Court Association on Friday and Saturday, January 18-19.

Regent Law’s students and faculty continue to impact some of the most important legal issues of our time. As part of the Center for Global Justice’s Child Advocacy Practicum, Regent Law students and faculty recently submitted an amicus brief on behalf of the best interests of a child caught in the middle of her parents’ assisted reproduction parentage dispute. Early this month the Supreme Court of Virginia adopted the concepts set forth in the Center’s brief - and used some of the Center’s research verbatim– in a ruling that will safeguard the best interest of the child. The Supreme Court of Virginia’s full opinion in the case of L.F. v. Mason v. Breit is available here . The Virginian-Pilot covered the case earlier here . The Center argued that a child should not be deprived of a parent, in this case her father, when her other parent, in this case her mother, argued that her father was simply a sperm donor rather than an intended parent. In its decision the Supreme Cour...

Assistant Professor J. Haskell Murray of Regent University School of Law presented a paper on jurisdictional competition and social enterprise at the annual meeting of The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) in New Orleans on Sunday, January 6. Spring 2013 courses commenced on Monday, January 7. To help students bring in the New Year and own their career, Career Services hosted "The Nuts & Bolts of Job Searching" program on Tuesday, January 8. On Wednesday and Thursday, January 10, students interested in becoming Student Ambassadors were able to have their questions answered by Sarah Schulte in the lobby of Robertson Hall. More information on becoming a Student Ambassador may be found here . Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Professor L. O. Natt Gantt, II of Regent University School of Law, delivered this week’s Law Chapel message on the topic of “worry” and how to fully trust the Lord to provide in times of need on Thursday, January 10. Pr...

Some of the most pressing and challenging issues of justice facing children today will be confronted at Regent Law's Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law when it presents the second annual "Seeking Justice for the Least of These" Symposium. The two-day symposium will take place at The Founders Inn and Spa on the Regent University campus, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 11-12. For a complete schedule and to register, go to http://www.regent.edu/justice . The symposium will offer attendees the opportunity to interact with a network of experts on issues involving child trafficking, child welfare, adoption and juvenile justice both in the United States and around the world. Symposium attendees will include human rights advocates, legal professionals, nonprofits, ministry leaders and students. Everyone coming to the meetings shares a common purpose: to help and to serve the vulnerable and oppressed in the world. Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Fa...

Hugo Valverde '05 (Law) was profiled in this Hispanic Executive magazine article for his work in helping members of Virginia's immigrant community. Kelley Holland '08 (Law) has joined the law firm of Williams Mullen in Virginia Beach, as reported by Money®News and several other news outlets.

Honoring Hampton Roads women who have been successful in their business and careers, as well as positively impacting their community, the Inside Business Women in Business Achievement Awards have been a staple in the region for the past ten years. This year, one of the honorees was Regent University alumna Kristi Wooten '99 (Law and Government). Wooten (pictured left)  practices family law at Wooten & Shaddock PLC. "I'm honored to receive this award," said Wooten. "As a woman in a male-dominated career, it's great to see women honoring other women and helping us gain recognition for our accomplishments." Wooten admits that being a successful business owner, wife and mother, as well as impacting her community, has been a challenge. "I hope other women see these awards as inspirational and as an opportunity to learn from other women who have gone before them," she explained. "Receiving awards and plaques shouldn't drive our goa...

Students' success in the practice of law depends upon more than classroom performance. It also relies on the students' opportunity to perfect fundamental legal skills prior to graduation. This opportunity can take a variety of forms. It might look like taking on a case under the direction of a seasoned attorney, participating in competitions designed to refine skills as orators and writers, or perhaps working as a clerk at an internationally recognized nonprofit with global reach. All of these opportunities (and more) are available to Regent University School of Law students through the Center for Advocacy, which was established to equip the next generation of lawyers with exceptional training in research and writing, negotiation, trial and appellate advocacy. "We believe we can have a broader reach and a more significant impact by coordinating our efforts through this center," said Jeffrey Brauch, dean of the School of Law. "The center will bring greater att...