Regent Law News

When we think of serious threats to religious liberty, our minds naturally turn to the Middle East, Africa, and other foreign lands. They don’t primarily turn to the United States. Yet while circumstances are different and the threats are of higher magnitude overseas, it is important to remember that we are ultimately protecting and defending the same right to religious liberty—whether the battle is foreign or domestic. Internationally, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“UDHR”) describes religious liberty protections as follows: “[e]veryone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief , and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” [1] This right is similarly described in the legally binding International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”), which provides that “[e]very...

Regent University students will soon be impacting change in the world of personal finance. In the fall 2015, Regent's School of Law (LAW) will offer a brand new concentration in its M.A. in Law degree program: Wealth Management & Financial Planning. This concentration will provide courses in financial, investment and insurance planning, retirement and employee benefits, and tax planning for its enrolled students. "It's important at this time because there's going to be a big wealth transfer over the next 20-30 years as Baby Boomers receive assets from their parents and then pass on assets to their children," said Dr. James Davids, associate law professor and director of LLM and M.A. programs. Davids explained that as these wealth-transfers occur, more and more individuals will be seeking financial planning and wealth management counsel. Job pr...

Dean Jeffrey Brauch, Kevin Martingayle, and Professor Natt Gantt. While the Virginia State Bar (VSB) exists in part to uphold the ethical standards of today’s legal professionals, many times the bar of professionalism is set too low, according to VSB president, Kevin Martingayle. On Thursday, April 2, Martingayle spoke to Regent University School of Law students about the importance of upholding ethics and professionalism in advocacy. According to Martingayle, a lawyer who follows a vague notion of mere ethics still has the opportunity to be a “jerk” during advocacy. He's seen a lot of young lawyers – himself included – who have fallen into the trap of being too aggressive. "When the only tool you have in your toolbox is a hammer, everything looks like a nail," said Martingayle. Martingayle explained there will be temptation to get an advantage in a court case at any cost. Including simple ways, like ...

Kerriel Bailey is an advocate for children as a Guardian Ad Litem in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Her persistence in seeking justice for the kids she represents precipitated her award as “Champion for Children” in the legal field in 2014. Outside of her work in family law, Kerriel also co-authored “ They’ve Crossed the Line: A Patriot’s Guide to Religious Freedom ” and works as an Adjunct Professor at Regent University. Kerriel’s journey to Regent Law and to a legal career started when she was already a homeschooling mom taking care of two boys. While in college, the birth of her son, Aaron, prevented her from finishing school, but she was inspired much later at a family member’s graduation ceremony to go back with hopes of finishing her Bachelor’s degree within ten years. It was her experience as an undergraduate student at a secular college that sparked Kerriel’s interest in the law and her passion for bringing justice to those who have no voice. As she progressed through her Americ...

 Regent's team won first place at the Touro Law Center's National Moot Court Competition. Photo courtesy of Tessa Dysart. This weekend proved to be another successful turn for Regent University School of Law's moot court competition teams both in the United States and abroad. "In an already great year for Regent's moot court program, this was a great weekend. At each of the competitions our students attended, they achieved top awards in brief writing, as oralists and as a team," said Jeffrey Brauch, dean of the School of Law. "I'm excited for the students, as God has honored their hard work and dedication. I couldn't be more excited for them; it's amazing what they've done." Regent's team won first place at the Touro Law Center's National Moot Court Competition in Law & Religion in New York. Wesley Pilon, Tiffany Bennett and Michael Pierce were coached by assistant law professor Tessa Dysart. ...