Regent Law News

Professor   Lynne Marie Kohm 's paper, " A Brief Assessment of the 25-Year Effect of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, " was recently listed on SSRN's top-10 download list for PSN: International Law/Compliance (Topic). Professor   Kenneth Ching  posted a new essay on SSRN: " Beauty and Ugliness in Offer and Acceptance ." Professor  Lynne Marie Kohm 's article, " Roe's  Effects on Family Law ," is now available on SSRN. Professors  Lynne Marie Kohm  and  Kathleen McKee  had their article, "Examining the Associations Between Sustainable Development Population Policies and Human Trafficking," accepted for publication by  Michigan State International Law Review .

Regent University School of Law's Moot Court Program closed the 2013-2014 season with a strong finish. In May 2014, the University of Houston released its Moot Court Competition rankings for law schools, and Regent's Moot Court Program was listed among the nation's top 20, finishing in the top 10 percent for law schools across the nation. According to the University of Houston, Regent's program ranked ahead of other universities such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School and the University of Virginia Law School. "I was really pleased to see our recognition in the latest ranking," said Jeffrey Brauch, dean of the School of Law. "It reflects the hard work, the dedication and the success of a lot of people—from our talented students to the outstanding faculty and coaches who prepare them." Michael Hernandez, professor in the School of Law and faculty adviser to the Moot Court Board, agreed that this ranking accurately portrays the quality of...

In April—only a few weeks before his first year at Regent Law would come to a close—Andrew Butler received news that he had a 6-centimeter brain tumor. Andrew and his fiancée Jane flew to The University of Kansas Hospital to meet with Dr. Paul Camarata, one of the best neurosurgeons in the United States. After evaluating Andrew’s MRI, Dr. Camarata determined that the mass appeared cancerous. He scheduled Andrew’s surgery for May 1. Andrew and Jane, photo by Chelsea Diane Photography As Andrew prepared for his 8:30 a.m. surgery on May 1, the Regent Law community gathered to pray for Andrew, Jane, and their families. About two weeks after Andrew first learned why he was having such excruciating headaches, he received great news: the tumor was benign. Andrew recounted his experience on his Facebook page. “The Lord has demonstrated His sovereignty, grace, and goodness to Jane and me in new ways over the last two weeks. It is impossible for me to think about where we find our...

Professors  Eric DeGroff ,  Natt Gantt , and  Benjamin Madison  were invited to the Professional Formation Workshop: Helping Each Student Internalize the Core Values and Ideals of the Profession. The workshop will be held at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minnesota from June 26-29. In his  latest video , Professor  James Duane  shares helpful tips on the law of hearsay to help students prepare for the bar exam. Professor  Natt Gantt  will speak on May 29 at the 11th annual Prayer Breakfast at the LSAC Annual Meeting and Educational Conference in Asheville, N.C. Professors  Natt Gantt  and  Benjamin Madison  are sending the final draft of their chapter on teaching ethical professional identity formation to  Building on Best Practices in Legal Education . The chapter will be published this month. Professor  Benjamin Madison  will speak at the Southeastern Association of Law Schools An...

Professor Scott Pryor, creator of the Regent Law’s Bankruptcy Practicum, and attorney G. Russell Boleman, who mentors students in the practicum, are featured in two recent issues of the American Bankruptcy Institute Journal . Professor Pryor (pictured) , former 2013 American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) Resident Scholar, is highlighted in the April 2014 ABI Journal regarding the inauguration of Regent Law’s Bankruptcy Practicum for the Spring Semester 2014. Boleman, who is also the founding attorney of Boleman Law Firm, PC, Virginia’s largest consumer bankruptcy law firm, is highlighted in the May 2014 ABI Journal for his $50,000 contribution to the ABI Endowment Fund. Contributions to the fund fuel research and education initiatives dealing with bankruptcy and insolvency. Regent Law’s Bankruptcy Practicum accepts about three students each semester. Through the practicum, students gain professional skills in applying legal concepts to real-life situations and interacting with clie...

Professor  James Duane  was quoted in  an article  featured on NorthJersey.com regarding the George Washington Bridge lane-closure scandal. Randy Singer , attorney-in-residence and director of the Singer Civil Litigation Practicum, and several Regent Law students who clerk for Signer went to trial in Westmoreland County on behalf of a client whose stepfather was accused of leaving his wife to die of exposure during a snow storm in February 2010. Following the three-day trial, the jury awarded Singer's clients $6 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages.  Read the story published by the  Richmond Times-Dispatch .

Blackstone Legal Fellowship, a ministry of Alliance Defending Freedom, attracts top-notch law students who desire training in natural law and aspire to work for organizations that defend Biblical principles and seek justice for the oppressed. This summer, two Regent Law students have the honor of serving as Blackstone Fellows, bringing the total number of Regent Law students who have been accepted into the program since it launched in 2000 to 100 students. Thirty-one students have been Blackstone Fellows in the last five years. Sandra Alcaide (pictured) will work for the International Justice Mission in South Asia, and Leah Achor will serve Alliance Defending Freedom in Washington, D.C. Leah was first impacted by Alliance Defending Freedom as an undergraduate student at Geneva College, which had filed a lawsuit against the Health and Human Services Administration. The contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act conflicted with the institution’s religious beliefs. “I admire...

On Saturday, May 3, an academic sea of caps, gowns, hoods and the graduates who earned them processed through the Library Plaza on Regent University's campus in Virginia Beach, Va. There, more than 1,400 representatives from Regent's eight schools crossed the threshold from the role of student to alumni at the 2014 commencement ceremony. Following the National Anthem sung by Cassidy and Tess Parroco, and "Great is Thy Faithfulness" led by Regent's worship team and Rev. Jason Peaks, Regent's founder, chancellor and CEO, Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson, greeted the class of 2014, and the 7,000-member crowd who cheered them on through the ceremony's opening. "This is a glorious time and a glorious day," said Robertson, announcing with joy that this year's ceremony honors the largest number of graduates in Regent's entire history. Daniel Sellers, chairman of Regent's board of trustees, greeted the graduates and their loved on...

On April 9, Professor James Duane spoke about constitutional criminal procedure at the invitation of the Federalist Society at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Professor  Kathleen McKee  has given presentations at several local venues to educate the public on human trafficking. Professor McKee and Professor   Lynn Marie Kohm  will send their article on that topic, "Examining the Associations Between Sustainable Development Population Policies and Human Trafficking," to publishers. Professor  Scott Pryor  was a panelist and presenter at Widener Law Journal’s April 14 symposium “Solving the Problem of Municipal Financial Distress.” His paper, which addresses taxpayer standing in municipal bankruptcy, will be published in the Widener Law Journal .

One hundred percent of Regent University School of Law graduates  passed the February 2014 Virginia Bar Exam on their first attempt, according to the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. The average pass rate for state-wide first-time bar exam takers was 69.96 percent.  Read the full story here . David Cortman  ('96) recently published "CORTMAN: Abortion pill mandate, Hobby Lobby, and why the Supreme Court should honor faith," in  The Washington Times . Alumnus  Steven Fitschen  ('99) filed an  amicus brief  this week, defending the right of the state of Virginia to limit marriage to one man and one woman. Brian M. Latuga  ('13) is the assistant commonwealth’s attorney in the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Nicole Thurston  ('11) joined the law firm of  Poole Mahoney PC  as part of the firm’s divorce and family law practice group. She works from the Virginia Beach office.