Regent Law News

Over the past few years, Regent University School of Law students have reached out to the surrounding community by offering free tax assistance through the Internal Revenue Service's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The VITA Program offers free tax preparation for low to moderate income families and individuals who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Student volunteers must complete a rigorous training program which details the IRS tax code and provides students with hands on tax assistance training. After completing each of the two separate training modules, students must pass a post-test with an 80% or higher proficiency before the IRS will issue a certificate of completion. After receiving certificates of completion, students are able to volunteer their time as tax preparers for would be tax payers. This year the VITA workshops will be conducted on Saturdays from 8am to 4pm in the Regent University Communications Building. The first workshop was held on February...

Judges, professors, students and hundreds more from Virginia and beyond gathered to celebrate the founding of Jamestown at the "Liberty Under Law: 400 Years of Freedom" symposium held at Regent University April 12-13, 2007 and sponsored by Regent's School of Law. The event began with a dinner and reception at Founder's Inn where guests were treated to a preview of "First Landing," a film jointly produced by Regent University and CBN that will premiere on the ABC Family Channel on April 30 after a screening on campus the night before. The film tells the story of the founding of Virginia with a focus on the perspective of Robert Hunt, the Virginia Company's chaplain. Following the preview, the night's keynote speaker, the Honorable Chief Justice Leroy Hassell of the Virginia Supreme Court, spoke on the evolution and history of Virginia's many constitutions. "State constitutions are often overlooked by historians and lawyers," Hassell said...

Professor Thomas Folsom, who specializes in intellectual property, contracts and corporate law, took home a third place award today for his article “Defining Cyberspace: Finding Real Virtue in the Place of Virtual Reality." The International Trademark Association (INTA) holds an annual competition for both students and professors through its “Ladas Memorial Award,” the goal of which is to develop interest and further discipline in the field of trademarks. The INTA is comprised of more than 5,000 trademark owners and professionals from more than 190 countries.

Regent University Professor Brad Jacob has been asked to participate in a discussion of the Constitution and the separation of church and state at Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. The discussion will be hosted by the American Constitution Society (ACS) and will take place on Tuesday, March 27th. The discussion will last approximately one hour and will take place in the conventional debate format. Professor Jacob will debate Edwin F. Kagin, a constitutional attorney and founder/director of Camp Quest, a summer camp for children of Atheists and other nonbelievers. Kagin also serves as the National Legal Director of the American Atheists. Kagin believes that many hold an incorrect belief that the Ten Commandments form the basis of the law of our nation. On his web site, www.edwinkagin.com, Kagin states that “there is a great pooling of ignorance just now over the so-called ‘Ten Commandments,” found in the ‘Holy Bible,’ with many holding the incorrect belief that the...

Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft is more than just a political figure; to Regent Law Students, Ashcroft is also an entertainer. Since joining Regent University in 2005 as a distinguished professor of law and government, Ashcroft has hosted an ice cream social at his beach home on 4 separate occasions. Each semester students hasten to sign up for the event as participation is limited to a first come, first serve basis. On Tuesday, January 23rd, students were invited by General Ashcroft and his wife Janet to join them at their beach home for their most recent ice cream social. After Ashcroft had scooped ice cream for each of the 55 student participants, everyone headed to a large dining room table for casual conversation and fellowship with the General and his wife. Student Joshua Bachman stated that “personally interacting with the great men of our age such as General Ashcroft is truly what a University education is all about and Regent answers the call.” When everyone’s b...