Regent Law News

Congratulations to the 44 Regent Law alumni who made this year's Virginia Super Lawyers list or Rising Stars list! VIRGINIA 2018 SUPER LAWYERS BANKRUPTCY Karen M. Crowley (’93), Crowley, Liberatore Ryan & Brogan, P.C., Norfolk BUSINESS LITIGATION Ryan G. Ferguson (’05), Bischoff Martingayle, Virginia Beach ELDER LAW Matthew C. Sunderlin (’95), Clark & Bradshaw, P.C., Harrisonburg ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE L. Ashley Brooks (’03), L. Ashley Brooks, PLC, Chesapeake FAMILY LAW Shantell S. Nashatka (’03), Mahoney Nashatka Richmond, PLLC, Virginia Beach Corrynn J. Peters (’03), Phillips & Peters, PLLC, Norfolk Andrew T. Richmond (’10), Mahoney Nashatka Richmond, PLLC, Virginia Beach PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF Catherine M. Six (’94), East Coast Trial Lawyers, Virginia Beach T. Wayne Williams (’00), Williams DeLoatche, Chesapeake PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: PLAINTIFF Williams W.C. Harty (’00), Patten Wormom Hatten ...

Regent Trial Advocacy Board's very own Molly Banas, Madeline Jones, and Amina Jones spent Friday, April 20, volunteering their time at the Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association's mock trial competition for middle school kids. Photo from The Virginian-Pilot For the past two months, teams from various middle schools have been working with lawyers and law students to prepare for the competition. On Friday, the kids got to go in front of judges and attorneys at Norfolk Circuit Court and show off their hard work. Madeline and Amina served as coaches for two different teams, while Molly helped the competition go off without a hitch on Friday. Read The Virginian-Pilot news story about this event here >

On Wednesday, April 11, Regent University School of Law students and practicing attorneys from the local area gathered under one, shared goal — to ensure there’s justice for all. Justice should be blind, blind to the rich, the poor, and anyone in between. Unfortunately, there’s a justice gap — a difference in how citizens of different economic status receive varied legal assistance. “It’s important to understand the justice gap before we talk about any type of pro bono service,” said Crista Gantz, Director of Access to Legal Services for the Virginia State Bar. “I think it’s pretty clear that liberty and justice for all, the idea of equal justice, is kind of a foundational concept in society and our culture … it’s strange to me that we still grapple with these issues since it seems to be central in how we think about justice in this country.” Although one-in-eight Virginians are eligible for Virginia Legal Aid, there aren’t enough attorneys to provide it. According to Gantz, t...

The Office of Law Career and Alumni Services just welcomed 22 Regent Law students into the summer 2018 Judicial Internship program. Each summer, law students have an opportunity to intern for eight weeks with a Virginia Circuit, General District, or Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in the surrounding seven cities, where they will gain invaluable writing and research skills and critical exposure to the courtroom and local legal community. These first and second-year law students commit at least 20 hours per week for a minimum of 8 weeks during the summer. 2L Joe Addink, who was part of the program last year, said that the best lessons came from behind-the-scenes conversations outside of court. "I had the opportunity to interact with attorneys, judges, bailiffs, and clerks on a personal basis," said Addink. "This helped me to see that while important decisions are being made each and every day in the legal world that I am still dealing with people and I do n...

Once again, Regent University School of Law alumni secured the top overall bar passage rate above all other law schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia Board of Bar Examiners (VBBE) released the results from the February 2018 bar exam in mid-April: Test-takers with their law degree from Regent passed the Virginia Bar Exam at an 81.82 percent rate – 31 percent above the statewide average. “I am thrilled for our graduates,” said Regent Law  Dean Michael Hernandez . “I am especially pleased with and proud of our faculty who mentor our students and invest in them individually.” Hernandez acknowledged the efforts of Professor Ben Madison, who leads Regent Law's bar passage initiatives. Earlier this year,   Regent alumni passed the July 2017 bar with a 94.59 percent overall passage rate  – 23 percent above the statewide average. Hernandez said that Regent’s continued lead in overall bar passage rate is a “great sign,” and he hopes that students gradua...

Attorneys and judges from the Hampton Roads area routinely participate in panel discussions and presentations at Regent Law. Recently, Law Career Services had the privilege of welcoming several judges and clerks to provide insight into the judicial clerkship and internship application process. On February 13, Law Career Services hosted several judges and their clerks as part of a Judicial Clerkship panel. The judges and their clerks discussed the value of judicial clerkships and provided current law students with an inside view of the application process. The panel consisted of members from the following chambers: Judge Henry E. Hudson of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division,  Judge Randolph Beales of the Virginia Court of Appeals, and  Judge David Lannetti of the Norfolk Circuit Court On March 6, Law Career Services hosted a Judicial Internship Panel. Each summer, law students have an opportunity to intern for eight w...

Three Regent Law students recently participated in the John Costello National Criminal Law Trial Advocacy Competition sponsored by Antonin Scalia Law School and held at Fairfax County Judicial Center. L to R: Prof. Jim Metcalfe (coach), Olga Pazilova, Molly Banas, and Selia Butler The team represented the defendant, who was charged with felony murder and involuntary manslaughter. The Costello competition is an that takes place in a courtroom in front of three judges. Facts and witnesses are revealed as the competition progresses to keep students on their toes.  The students all agreed it was a great experience.