Called to the Law - 2014 Annual Review

Called to the Law

LAW

2014 Annual Review

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Called to the Law Founded in 1879, the Law School is a community dedicated to the proposition that law is more than a job, it is a vocation: a responsibility and an opportunity to serve others. Valparaiso Law School imparts doctrinal knowledge, teaches practical skills, and models the commitment of our community to law as a calling.

Letter from the Dean 01

2013-2014 Year in Review 02

Called to Lead: An Interview with Dean Andrea Lyon 04

Called to Innovate: Creating Value for Students 06

Called to Contribute: Advancing Legal Scholarship 12

Called to Excel: Students Take the Lead 16

Called to Serve: Alumni Accomplishments 20

Table of Contents

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Letter from the Dean

D uring the 2014 academic year, Valparaiso University Law School demonstrated once again what a community of proven

leaders can do to impact law, education, and society at large. As this institution’s new Dean, I’m excited to lead our ongoing mission to teach future leaders the art and craft of practicing law. Our forward-looking faculty is implementing an innovative new curriculum that meets rising demand for practice-ready graduates—and is advancing dialogue on important legal and social issues. Student leaders are demonstrating their passion for service and commitment to excellence. And distinguished alumni are translating the skills and values cultivated at Valparaiso Law into in�uential and ful�lling careers. You can be proud to support our dynamic, pragmatic, strategic institution as we adapt to market conditions while ful�lling our historic mission to serve students and society.

Andrea D. Lyon Dean, Valparaiso University Law SchoolAndrea D. Lyon

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Professor David Herzig and David Handler from Kirkland and Ellis presented a paper at the 39th Annual Notre Dame Tax and Estate Planning Institute, entitled “Evaluating Mistakes Made with Commonly Used Techniques.”

Assistant Professor Geoffrey Heeren moderated a panel at the Immigration Court Symposium hosted at the Union League in Chicago. The symposium was held to begin a discussion on how to improve the immigration courts and ensure greater access to counsel for persons facing deportation. The symposium was co-sponsored by Valparaiso University Law School and was organized by a working group of immigration experts in the Chicago region, including Professor Heeren.

Year in Review

Assistant Professor Faisal Kutty was elected to the Executive Committee of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Islamic Law at the 2014 annual meeting in January. He was also reappointed the editor of the Section’s Newsletter. At the AALS annual meeting in New York, he presented his paper, Religion in US Courts: Can We Live with or without It? as part of a panel titled “Islamic and Jewish Law in the 21st Century: Contemporary Philosophical and Legal Challenges to Religious Law.”

Associate Professor David Cleveland is co-editor of a new appellate advocacy blog. The blog will address a wide variety of issues related to appellate justice, including appellate court advocacy and practice, principles of appellate justice, appellate court jurisprudence on current issues, and legislative developments affecting the courts.

Assistant Professor Nicole Negowetti presented her paper, “Judicial Decisionmaking, Empathy, and the Limits of Perception” at the Conference on Psychology and Lawyering: Coalescing the Field, at UNLV Boyd School of Law, Las Vegas. Leading thinkers discussed how insights drawn from multiple �elds of psychology, as well as from neuroscience, can improve speci�c lawyering practices.

Professor Sarah (Sally) Holterhoff was awarded the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Robert L. Oakley Advocacy Award. Established in 2008, the Award recognizes outstanding advocacy work and signi�cant contributions to the AALL policy agenda at the federal, state, local, or international level. She also presented, “Gov Docs Basics – Where There Is No Such Thing as a Stupid Question,” at the 107th AALL Annual Meeting & Conference.

Professor Geneva Brown presented “Ain’t I a Victim: Intersectionality of Race, Class, and Gender in the Courtroom” at Tulane University’s Black Women’s Health Conference in New Orleans, LA.

Robyn M. Rucker, Associate Director of the Career Planning Center, was appointed as Secretary of the Indiana State Bar Association.

VALPARAISO LAW IS a vibrant and dynamic community in which faculty and students use their talents to explore legal practice and theory, help people individually, and serve civil society as a whole.

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Andrea D. Lyon, J.D., joined the Valparaiso University Law School faculty as its twelfth—and �rst female—dean. The former death penalty defense lawyer and Associate Dean of Clinical Programs at the DePaul University College of Law is the author of Angel of Death Row. Lyon will be responsible for the strategic leadership, coordination, and guidance of the Law School.

Valparaiso Law Dean Andrea Lyon published a new book entitled The Death Penalty: What’s Keeping It Alive. The publication outlines the key issues surrounding the death penalty system.

Valparaiso Law students participated in the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer in Tax Assistance (VITA) community service program. Students provided free federal and state tax preparation support to 112 eligible taxpayers with annual income of $52,000 or less.

During spring break, nineteen Criminal Procedure students traveled to New Orleans to spend a week working in the Public Defender’s of�ce. Students made client visits, researched and prepared trial briefs, observed trials, visited ministers in the community, and much more. Since the program’s inception a decade ago, approximately 230 students have participated.

Valparaiso Immigration Clinic students Danielle DeWinter and Brian Casson won asylum for a Congolese man after representing him in a trial-type hearing in the Chicago Immigration Court. They spent a year interviewing their client about the traumatic experiences he endured in the Republic of Congo, gathering supporting evidence, drafting af�davits and a brief, locating expert witnesses, and communicating with fact witnesses in the Congo.

The Law School and Professor Jeremy Telman hosted an international interdisciplinary conference, Hans Kelsen in America, at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Telman presented comments on the keynote address and moderated the proceedings. He was awarded funding to support the conference through the Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies.

Two teams from the Valpo Law Moot Court Society, 3Ls Eric Skwiat and Ryan Locke and 3Ls Chris Freiberg and Matthew Tumminaro, competed against 34 nationwide teams in the Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition in November 2014. The 3L team of Eric Skwiat and Ryan Locke advanced to the Elite Eight Round.

Valparaiso University Law School created a new Poverty Law Fellowship that aims to develop future legal leaders in the struggle for economic justice in the United States. Each year two second-year Fellowship recipients will receive up to $7500 for summer work at one of the Fellowship sites.

Associate Professor Derrick Carter was the featured luncheon speaker at a two-day drug conference, sponsored by the 7th Circuit Bar Association, Harvard Club of Chicago, and Northwestern University Law School. The Conference was devoted to rethinking the war on drugs.

Dean Andrea Lyon, former Gary mayor Richard Hatcher, J.D. 1959, and the Rev. Jackson delivered powerful speeches to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act and Freedom Summer at the Genesis Convention Center in Gary, Indiana.

At the 2014 Law Review Symposium, Money in Politics, three panels of diverse scholars and practitioners addressed where election law has been, where it is currently, and where it is going. Panels discussed such pivotal Supreme Court cases as Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC, along with the recent controversy at the IRS.


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“What di�erentiates this school most is the experience other professionals have working with our students and graduates. Our people arrive ready to practice law—ready to think

for themselves, collaborate with others, and create tangible value.”

Q: Why should young people go to law school today?

A: Law provides the foundation for an ordered society. It’s also the basis of most social change. But it’s certainly not for everyone, and it’s not a career you just drift into. �ose who are called to the law can �nd many individual rewards—everything from intellectual engagement, to public service, to pursuing a passion for business or entrepreneurship, to �nding a good outlet for their competitive and combative natures.

Q: Why is it important for Valparaiso Law to provide opportunities to those traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession?

A: We live in a diverse society, and the law should re�ect our society. Beyond that, though, the diverse makeup and unique culture of our school makes us especially well equipped to serve and support students with di�erent life experiences. We are a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive school in which students feel supported by their professors and peers. Rather than turning out young lawyers who pursue a “lone wolf” agenda, we teach and reinforce a collaborative approach that demonstrates the value of supporting others and working together.

Q: What do you consider the competitive strengths of this law school?

A: Valparaiso Law is widely recognized for having one of the strongest research and writing programs in the country. Our legal clinics are also among the oldest, strongest, and most robust anywhere. And I believe other schools will embrace elements of our innovative new curriculum. But for me, what di�erentiates this school most is the experience other professionals have working with our students and graduates. Our people arrive ready to practice law—ready to think for themselves, collaborate with others, and create tangible value. I would like to see our ranking and national reputation re�ect these realities.

Q: Why was introducing a new curriculum an important and necessary step for Valparaiso Law?

A: Law school graduates must cultivate the doctrinal skills necessary to become e�ective advocates, but they also require well-cultivated legal research and writing skills. Instead of teaching these components separately, as law schools have traditionally done, we take a truly integrated approach by building research and writing into everything we do. We believe our model truly re�ects today’s

market realities, in which law �rms no longer provide skills training, and we’re on the front line of change.

Q: Why is the clinical experience so critical for law school students?

A: �ere’s a huge di�erence between thinking about being a lawyer and actually being one. And the real turning point for most students is the moment they meet their �rst client—and understand both their responsibility to clients and the importance of connecting with them. In the legal clinics, students have these transformative experiences under the watchful eyes of faculty advisors who help them process their early experiences, re�ect upon what serving clients really means, and ultimately de�ne what kind of lawyer they will be. In the years ahead, we will focus even more attention on building a rigorous doctrinal element into our clinical program and on creating a more uni�ed and consistent experience across our nine clinics.

Q: What’s the key to building a strong, engaged alumni base?

A: Recent surveys indicate that our alumni place a high value on their Valparaiso Law degree. But we want them to view law school not as

An Interview with Dean Andrea Lyon

Called to Lead


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something they did, but as something they continue to do. We understand the value alumni bring to our school not just in terms of money, but also mentorship and advice about our programs. We also believe alumni can bene�t from staying involved—whether by visiting with professors, reading their recent articles, attending continuing legal education, or just feeling connected to an institution that cares deeply about them. I believe the key to nurturing this mind-set is better two-way communication, and I’ve been meeting with alumni groups around the country and speaking personally with alumni who want to contribute to our school’s future.

Q: What advice do you have for members of the incoming 1L class?

A: �ey should know coming in that we will expect a lot from them, but that they

have the right to expect a lot from us as well. Law school is very demanding and requires hard work, but students will �nd us very supportive and nurturing—and very committed to their success. I hope that these shared expectations will create a mutually respectful and enriching experience for all of us.

Q: How will your new position here allow you to fulfill your personal “calling” as a legal professional?

A: I’ve learned the hard way that it’s a mistake to leave a soldier on the front lines for too long. I hope the work I’ve done as a clinical teacher—and that I will do as a dean—opens the door for new generations of professionals who care about social justice and who have the values and skills to do what social justice requires.

38%

49%

49%

Underrepresented Minorities

Women

Non-Traditional Students

Key Facts: 2014 Entering Class

An Interview with Dean Andrea Lyon

Called to Lead

Dean Andrea Lyon, 2L Emily Mussio , and 2L Alex Bialk


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Creating Value for Students

Called to Innovate

New Curriculum Passes Its First Test

After nearly three years of committed planning by faculty and administrators, Valparaiso Law successfully launched its new curriculum with the 206 students who comprised the Class of 2016. Similar to previous years, these students arrived with a strong dedication to service. This class also featured the largest number of female students in a Valparaiso Law entering class and had the most diverse representation in school history from groups underrepresented in the law.

These 1L students took carefully sequenced courses that built the context they will need to engage with clients in practice. They completed four seven-week sessions designed and integrated to build a doctrinal foundation, moving from contextual sessions in Contracts and Civil Procedure to Contracts, Torts, Criminal Law, and Property. They then

returned to Civil Procedure, along with a course on Damages and Equity. Throughout this sequence, students also built essential legal writing and critical reading and thinking skills through the Foundations course and through required legal research and writing courses.

New 1L students responded favorably to the new curriculum. They expressed genuine excitement about learning at the leading edge of legal education and experiencing an innovative approach that carefully integrates clinical skills into doctrinal courses.

“One complaint I heard while researching law schools was that some schools were antiquated and were not adjusting to a changing society in terms of technology and classroom pedagogy,” says Emily Mussio, 2L. “I’m thrilled that my school is adjusting to the demands of society and is being realistic about how the profession is evolving.”

Assistant Professor of Law Nicole Negowetti and 2L Cliff Mason

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Creating Value for Students

Called to Innovate Michael Sanchez o�ers a di�erent perspective. “I was a teacher for several years before starting law school, so I’ve seen how the education system is evolving. It’s important to be at a school that’s on the cutting edge and progressive enough to adopt a new style of learning suited to tech-savvy students.”

�e curriculum’s new structure makes Valparaiso the only law school in the country to replace its traditional law school curriculum with one that provides feedback in seven-week sessions and that immediately immerses students into the lawyer’s fundamental role as counselor and communicator.

“Law school is a big change in every aspect of life—the way you’re taught and the way you read and take notes,” says Maison Haines. “So getting feedback immediately was really important. Seven weeks in, I knew where I stood, what study techniques worked the best, and what I was struggling with and needed to change.”

Students also responded favorably to the Praxis component. Hands-on work serving live clients helps 1L students adjust to their roles as professionals, become better problem solvers, develop interpersonal and professional skills, and understand how to learn from experience.

“I found the live client-based experience I had especially rewarding because I was providing a service to the community,” says Alicia Miles. “I was able to see how attorneys can impact the lives of others in ways I never imagined. Working with a couple to de�ne health care directives, I could interact with di�erent personalities and see the wheels turning as I explained their options and helped them make important decisions.”

Jennie Bell �nds additional value in the Praxis experience. “I’m learning the basic skills of lawyering—how to pull out and explain important information, how to use words that are helpful, and how to build rapport with clients. �ese skills are also helping enhance my social relationships.”

Even as they introduced the new 1L curriculum, faculty worked to �nalize the 2L and 3L curricula. For the 2L year, the focus shifts to courses most often tested on the bar exam, plus substantive areas and skills necessary for

206

“ It’s important to be at a school that’s on the cutting edge and progressive enough to adopt a new style of learning suited to tech-savvy students.” –2L, Michael Sanchez

1L students completed four seven-week sessions designed to carefully integrate clinical skills into doctrinal courses

entry-level competency. Students also complete experiential requirements in three established markets—business, advocacy, and government—to ensure that they gain substantive and practical experiences in all three “themes.”

�e third year is entirely elective. 3L students take a series of Practica—coordinated, intensive o�erings that immerse them in substantive and practical experiences. Many students also participate in a legal clinic or take a series of classes based on a speci�c area of interest. �ese o�erings, Valparaiso Law’s in-house equivalent to the medical residency model, are linked to distinct practice settings: individual representation, entity representation, governmental agency, and judicial representation. During each Practicum, each student completes an in-depth research and writing project supervised and graded by either an assigned faculty member or a mentor who is


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a practicing attorney. Students also develop personal career objectives and action plans and participate in general or speci�c skills training focused on interviewing, counseling, negotiations, problem solving, and ethics.

“�e Practicum I’ll be teaching—Public International Law—will be a year-long course that students can take over both semesters or just one semester,” says Professor Jeremy Telman. “Students will work with international human rights clinics at other law schools and with non-governmental organizations that work in the �eld of human rights.”

“I’m especially excited about the 3L year,” says 2L Courtney Smith. “�rough

clinics, externships, and internships, I’ll gain the experience I need to know what I’m doing from day one. I’ll know what it’s like to report to associates and how to draft memos and write case briefs. And I’ll be able to discover what I love to do without having to jump from job to job to �nd out.”

Law Clinics Cultivate the “Emotional Quotient”

Since 1969, the Valparaiso Law Clinic has served the community as a licensed law �rm where third-year law students represent disadvantaged clients, at no or low cost, who would not otherwise

have access to legal services. Today, the Law Clinic comprises nine live-client clinics in the following law practice areas: Civil, Criminal, Domestic Violence, Immigration, Juvenile, Mediation, Post-Conviction, Sports, and Tax. Students who participate in the Law Clinic develop a full range of lawyering skills in advocacy, negotiation, mediation, representation, and more. �e Law Clinic has given generations of Valparaiso Law graduates the practical skills they need to gain employment and represent clients e�ectively.

In the Criminal Clinic, students engage in a process of self-discovery in which they move from an imagined legal career into the reality of representing

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Called to Innovate

1. Professor David Vandercoy, Director of Clinical & Skills Training Programs & Professor of Law 2. David Cleveland, Associate Professor of Law 3. Derrick Carter, Professor of Law and Jennie Bell, 2L 4. Geneva Brown, Professor of Law

1 2 3

4


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“�e Law Clinic fosters a process of self-discovery, in which students develop the skills and perspective they need to work with diverse clients. Students also learn how much work it takes inside and outside the courtroom to be successful advocates.”

–David Welter, Professor of Law

cases handled by students in the Valparaiso Law Clinic each year

courtroom to be successful advocates.” courtroom to be successful advocates.” courtroom to be successful advocates.”

–David Welter, Professor of Law

clients in increasingly higher-class felony cases. Because of their complexity, these cases require students to confront legal issues, do more investigation, write more briefs, and spend more time interviewing witnesses. Importantly, these cases also expose them to the “emotional quotient”: the commitment and hard work it takes to advocate for a client and the time-management skills necessary to balance a heavy case load.

Valparaiso Law’s Criminal Clinic gives students the �exibility to choose the area of criminal law that interests them most. �ey can work with Professor David Welter representing clients facing criminal felony charges, with Professor Geneva Brown on domestic violence cases, or with Professor David Vandercoy on post-conviction cases.

Recently, two students in the Criminal Clinic represented a client charged with four counts of Class A Felony Child Molesting. �e client had already served more than 20 years for a previous murder conviction. �e two students met with him at the prison; identi�ed and interviewed witnesses who could help the case; took depositions from forensics experts, family members, and police o�cers; and appeared at many pretrial hearings to discuss evidentiary matters. During the exhaustive week-long trial, they prepared and delivered the opening statement and examined all the witnesses.

“Part of the mentoring support I provide is to counsel students that their cases may not work out for the best, and they need to contemplate how they will react if they lose,” says Supervising Faculty Attorney David Welter. “Good lawyers understand this. �ey may know they’re whipped, but they persevere regardless and do everything they can to see the case through to the end.”

Students Embrace Legal Profession’s Digital Future

Technology is changing the face of the legal profession, in�uencing everything from the structure of law �rms and legal services, to the rules of discovery and evidence, to the courtroom presentation strategies used to shape the juror experience. �is evolution in turn is creating attractive new opportunities for law students and legal professionals to di�erentiate themselves. Many law �rms are looking for tech-savvy attorneys who can work in di�erent formats, who know how to market themselves online, and who can use technology to work more e�ciently and productively. Additional career tracks are emerging at the nearly 500 new legal technology �rms that opened their doors in 2013 and with organizations seeking to manage their cybersecurity risks.

Valparaiso Law prepares students for the legal profession’s digital future by immersing students in all research

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Called to Innovate

platforms. �ey begin with print—the foundation of legal research—and move on to computer-assisted systems, and even learn the smaller systems used by solo practitioners. Over the course of three required and graded semesters, students interact closely with law librarians who guide them through course assignments, work with them on hands-on research assignments, assess their progress, and administer practical exams. And because research is fully integrated across the curriculum, students see from the outset the importance of research skills to everything they will do as lawyers.

Research librarians also stress the enlightened use of digital research platforms. For many students, search capabilities are de�ned by Google and by new search engines designed to look like Google. Research librarians teach students to fully understand how the research function works and to know what they are looking for. �ey learn how to use an index, how to search for key

terms, and how to post-�lter their results so they don’t miss a pivotal case or a key statute. Students also learn to back up their research and to evaluate the authority of legal information.

“Millennials are digital natives, but they are not necessarily digitally literate,” says Emily Janoski-Haehlen, Associate Dean for Library and Information Services. “We teach them to use technology appropriately, e�ectively, and responsibly. Because technology is a growing part of law practice and judicial administration, its e�ective use has become one of the attributes of responsible and successful lawyers.”

Janoski-Haehlen also developed a new course that exposes students to the latest technologies used both in the courtroom and inside law practices and teaches students the changing rules governing how these technologies are used to present physical and digital evidence. Students work with speci�c apps that make it easy to incorporate videos and

photos for accident reconstruction. �ey learn how to use knowledge-management technology to run a paperless law practice, manage billing and accounting, gather and store client information, and keep all this data secure both on servers and in the cloud. “Clients and jurors expect lawyers to use technology in the courtroom,” Janoski-Haehlen says, “and we’re redesigning our teaching courtrooms so that students have access to all these emerging technologies.”

Outside Audits Reveal Strengths and Opportunities

In 2014 Valparaiso Law completed two comprehensive audits—one by the American Bar Association and another by outside consultants Hanover Research—that evaluated the school’s current performance, established baseline metrics, and solicited insights and suggestions from students, faculty, and alumni about how to improve the school’s programs and reputation.

Every seven years, law schools certi�ed by the American Bar Association participate in an accreditation audit. In April 2014 a team of seven auditors visited the Valparaiso Law campus and spent three days evaluating the school, faculty, curriculum, library, technology, clinic, budget, and facilities. While �nal survey results have not yet been released, the preliminary report gave the school high marks for its new curriculum, its legal research and writing program, its new Practicum format, and the number of legal clinics the school operates. Site inspectors were also impressed by the school’s diversity pro�le, especially considering its location in northwest Indiana, and also by how well the school adapts to nontraditional students.

Emily Janoski-Haehlen, Associate Dean for Law Library Services & Assistant Professor of Law explores the latest innovations in courtroom technology


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Bethany Lesniewski, Director of the Academic Success Program, meets with Monalisa Dugue, 3L.

“I’ve never seen a preliminary ABA report like the one we just received,” says Dean Andrea Lyon. “�e audit team’s high regard for what we’re doing with our new curriculum and with our research and writing programs leapt o� the pages. Several of these auditors plan to share what we’re doing here with administrators at their schools.”

In addition to the ABA’s review an internal audit was conducted. In late July 2014 the Dean’s Survey was administered to 588 respondents, including 405 alumni, 117 current students, and 35 faculty. Overall, respondents value the Valparaiso Law degree, the experiential education Valparaiso Law o�ers, its legal curriculum, its convenient location, and its sense of community. �ey also believe that the school should further publicize its e�orts to integrate practical lawyering skills into courses on legal

doctrine. Respondents would also like to see the school improve its reputation for successful career placement, overall ranking, and the strength of its alumni network.

Students Embrace Pro Bono OpportunitiesValparaiso Law’s strong alumni network plays a vital role in helping current students discover mentors, learn about the profession, build strong networks, gain professional experience, and pursue employment opportunities. �e Alumni Mentor Program pairs current students with alumni based on geographic location or practice area. �e alumni who have volunteered to be paired are ready to give advice and strengthen their connections with current Valparaiso Law students.

“�is network is a valuable source of information and opportunities for students as their careers evolve,” says Vanessa Verner, Associate Director of Alumni Relations. “We’ve created a wealth of meet-and-greet-network opportunities at the Law School and across the country in such cities as Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Indianapolis, and Chicago to help our students take advantage of our extensive alumni network.”

A recent survey of alumni revealed that while only 10 percent of current alumni respondents participate in the Alumni Mentoring Program, 94 percent of these participants would recommend involvement to other alumni. A majority of the alumni (66 percent) rate their experience with the program either good or excellent.

Students work closely with the Academic Success Program Directors to learn the skills necessary to be successful law students.


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Advancing Legal Scholarship

Called to Contribute

David Herzig, Associate Professor of Law

To get the best results for clients, tax and estate attorneys need to understand the law but also know how and why tax and estate laws were written and why certain cases end up in tax court and district court. David Herzig sees legal research and writing as a way to bring such perspectives to the classroom. By exploring the current issues of the day, he can advance ongoing legal dialogue while helping students consider these issues within the broader context of existing procedures and rules.

One current scholarly interest pertains to Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Even before the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v Windsor rendered DOMA’s de�nition of marriage unconstitutional, state and federal agencies struggled to determine how to apply its de�nition of “marriage” for tax and other purposes. After the ruling, federal agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) needed to determine how to enforce the new law as written. �e decision opened the door for Treasury and the IRS to treat taxpayers disparately based on an individual state’s de�nition of marriage. As Herzig noted in a Tax Notes article, domestic partners can

Professor David Herzig argued for a more expansive interpretation of marriage that considers all forms of commitment that share certain purposes consistent with the utilitarian premise of marriage.

Valparaiso Law School boasts a diverse and gifted faculty that e�ectively balances multiple roles as teachers, mentors,

legal scholars, and members of the Law School and University communities. Over the last three years, faculty members

have published nearly 100 articles or book chapters. Several are also involved in legal reform initiatives and contribute to

important national and international scholarly debates by participating in panels and programs. �eir scholarly interests span such

subjects as the tax implications of the Defense of Marriage Act, laws regarding companion or service animals, the current state of

the legal academy, and the theoretical debate between legal positivism and legal realism.

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be considered married in the eyes of Illinois law, but not for the purposes of �ling federal taxes. Herzig raised this issue in three Tax Notes articles and in several op ed pieces posted on tax professional blogs. In March 2014, he also moderated a Valparaiso Law Review symposium panel that addressed DOMA enforcement within the broader context of scandal at the IRS. And in a longer article, entitled Marriage Pluralism: Taxing Marriage After Windsor, Herzig argued for a more expansive interpretation of marriage that considers all forms of commitment that share certain purposes consistent with the utilitarian premise of marriage.

In the classroom, Herzig draws on this scholarship to demonstrate how tax procedure works. “�is issue helps me highlight the nuances between who enforces and who doesn’t enforce tax laws,” Herzig says. “It also helps students think about which court matters most to individual taxpayers. Students see a clear example of how one law can favor some taxpayers over others.”

Herzig also contributes to ongoing dialogue on a number of other legal issues. He was quoted in the Wall Street Journal regarding a pending case against FedEx involving responsibility for shipping controlled substances. He wrote an article on exchange funds that the New York State Bar’s tax section referred to when it made recommendations to the U.S. Treasury regarding exchange funds. And in 2013 he participated in a panel discussion at the 72nd Institute on Federal Taxation on family limited partnerships and sophisticated planning techniques after the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

Rebecca Huss, Professor of Law

Rebecca Huss developed her interest in animal law early in her career while working for an animal health company. Since then, her research and writing has focused on the changing nature of the relationship between humans and their companion animals and whether the law adequately re�ects that relationship. In recent years much of her work has considered a speci�c population of people (students—both primary and post-secondary, older adults, inmates) and analyzed the issues that these people face in connection with having companion or assistance animals in their lives. Her research and advocacy have made her one of the country’s leading voices on animal law, addressing everything from breed discriminatory legislation to laws regarding companion and service animals. She was recently named the Michael and Dianne Swygert Research Fellow for 2014-2016.

Huss published two articles in the past year that explore the legal and ethical issues surrounding companion animals. In Canines (and Cats!) in Correctional Institutions: Legal and Ethical Issues Relating to Companion Animal Programs,

published in Volume 14 of the Nevada Law Journal, she explores the rising trend of using companion animals to help rehabilitate inmates in correctional institutions. �e article analyzes various types of programs that institutions have established, including those that allow inmates to have their “own” animals in prison facilities. It also assesses the common bene�ts of and challenges for the programs and discusses the safety risks such programs create.

Huss expands her discussion of companion animals in an article that considers their potential to impact the well-being and health of today’s aging Baby Boomer generation. In Reevaluating the Role of Companion Animals in the Era of the Aging Boomer, published in Volume 47 of the Akron Law Review, Huss considers how companion animals a�ect the lives of seniors, what issues older adults face regarding companion animals in their residences, what federal laws protect their rights to access public accommodations and housing with their animals, and what risks these animals pose to older adults.

Huss teaches courses in business associations, mergers and acquisitions, nonpro�t organizations, and animal law. She also has been active on the American Bar Association’s, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section’s Animal Law Committee, where she has worked on establishing policies that call for jurisdictions to adopt breed-neutral dangerous dog legislation and ensure that persons using service animals are fully accommodated. “�is association not only provides an opportunity to explore issues in animal law but also expose[s] students to opportunities to get involved in a professional organization.”

The research and advocacy work of Professor Rebecca Huss has made her one of the country’s leading voices on animal law.

Advancing Legal Scholarship



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Robert Knowles, Assistant Professor of Law

As an attorney at Washington D.C.-based Covington and Burling LLP, Assistant Professor Robert Knowles gained broad exposure to the internal workings of national security and military institutions while representing Guantanamo Bay detainees in habeas corpus proceedings. His interest in how the U.S. Constitution is applied to foreign a�airs has provided fertile ground for legal scholarship—and for lively classroom discussions on everything from the government’s torture and detention policy to the implications of the distinctly masculine culture that permeates the U.S. military and the National Security Agency.

In National Security Rulemaking, forthcoming in Volume 41 of the Florida State University Law Review, Knowles argues that the national security exception from notice-and-comment, combined with the overuse of classi�cation authority, combine to insulate most national security rulemaking from public scrutiny and meaningful judicial review. Knowles proposes regulatory reforms that would

strike a balance between secrecy and greater scrutiny and public participation.

In �e Intertwined Fates of A�rmative Action and the Military, forthcoming in Volume 45 of the Loyola University Chicago Law Review, Knowles examines the opportunity the military has to use a�rmative action policies to improve not just diversity, but social cohesion and stability. He argues that the military must commit itself to bold and comprehensive steps toward integration and stand behind its policies when they face legal challenges. In doing so, it can demonstrate the broader bene�ts of a�rmative action to society at large.

Susan Stuart and Ruth Vance, Professors of Law

As legal writing professors, Susan Stuart and Ruth Vance follow with great interest the current debate about whether the legal academy can teach Millennial students to learn the lawyering skills and professional values required of successful practitioners. �eir article, Bringing a Knife to the Gun�ght: �e Academically Underprepared Law Student & Legal Education Reform in Volume 48 of the Valparaiso University Law Review, advances current thinking on how to teach these students with an in-depth discussion of what the authors consider “the startling erosion in entering students’ academic preparation and the increasing numbers of academically underprepared students.” �is position—supported by empirical studies of adult

literacy and studies of learning on college campuses—has serious implications for the way law schools structure their curricula. Instead of assuming that incoming law students have the critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing skills necessary to think and perform like lawyers, law schools must teach students these higher-order skills at the outset so that they can master the techniques of case and statutory analysis. In addition, law schools must also provide basic training in the interpersonal, listening, and other social skills necessary to function in the legal community. Stuart and Vance assert that the best learning takes place in a two-way partnership between teacher and student where law students assume an active role in completing their cognitive apprenticeships. Instead of assuming they have cultivated higher-order skills in college, Valparaiso Law supplies its students with specially designed courses and resources to develop these skills. In addition to its long-standing requirement of Legal Writing in all three years, Valparaiso Law has created a new 1L course called Foundations of Legal Analysis and a 1L Praxis experience for client counseling and professional business communication. �e legal research requirement has been expanded to three semesters, and the Legal Writing Program recon�gured.

thinking on how to how to how an in-depth

authors consider entering

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Assistant Professor Robert Knowles teaches Civil Procedure, Administrative Law, National Security Law, and Damages and Equities

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1. D.A. Jeremy Telman, Professor of Law 2. Faisal Kutty, Assistant Professor of Law 3. Susan Stuart, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Law 4. Curtis W. Cichowski, Associate Professor of Law meets with attentive students

1 4

2 3

Jeremy Telman, Professor of Law

Professor Jeremy Telman manifests his ongoing interest in international law in both his academic research and his teaching. In 2014 he contributed a chapter to a book entitled International Legal Positivism in a Post-Modern World, published by Oxford University Press and edited by Jean D’Aspremont and Jörg Kammerhofer. �e book explores how two opposing legal theories—legal positivism and legal realism—might contribute to a comprehensive theory of international law that assimilates the

complexities of both post-modern theory and a post-modern global society. In his chapter, Telman examines the interaction between the two theories and identi�es areas where each can enhance our understanding of how legal norms interact with non-legal factors. Telman ultimately suggests that none of the currently available theories of international law may be comprehensive enough to capture the complexities of international law in the post-modern world.

In June 2014, Telman revisited the theoretical debate between legal positivism and legal realism when he hosted “Kelsen in America,” an interdisciplinary conference focused on Austrian legal philosopher and political theorist Hans Kelsen. In his response to the keynote address, Telman shared his perspective on why this leading legal positivist’s views have been largely

rejected by the U.S. academy and what they might contribute to current debates on international law.

Telman added depth to Valparaiso Law’s international law curriculum by creating a new Public International Law Representation Course, in which students work on matters currently pending before the International Criminal Court in �e Hague. He also helped to create a new course, International Humanitarian Law in Israel and Palestine, which will be a joint program hosted by the Sha’arei Mishpat Academic Center in Hod HaSharon, Israel. �is course provides an introduction to the history of the Zionist movement, the State of Israel, and the movement for Palestinian independence. �e course focuses on the law of war and the Arab/Israeli con�ict and will enable students to learn about legal doctrine in the context of one of the major con�icts in which that doctrine is being created.


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3L Jacobie Whitley, center standing, works with all student organizations and programs to help students feel included and empowered as law students and future attorneys.

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Jacobie Whitley

3L Jacobie Whitley is a natural problem solver. Growing up in rural Smith�eld, VA, he and his grandfather were drawn to TV dramas portraying compassionate lawyers standing up for the rights of others. �ese early experiences inspired a passion for advocacy—and a professional goal to return to Smith�eld as the community’s only African-American practicing attorney.

To pave the way, Whitley joined student organizations he believes gave him the best opportunity to a�ect the most

in�uence and change. As president of the Valparaiso Law Student Bar Association (SBA), he looks across all student organizations and programs to help make students feel included and empowered as law students and attorneys. He is working with the Career Planning Committee to help the school strengthen its alumni base and engage more alumni in helping graduates �nd employment. He is using his networking skills to raise funds to help student groups sponsor more community events. He even helped resurrect a venerable Valparaiso Law tradition—the Faculty Roast.

Valparaiso Law gives students many opportunities to cultivate and display their natural leadership qualities. Many �nd

their niche by participating in co-curricular activities. �ese organizations create platforms for students to engage in

legal issues, learn to support and encourage one another, cultivate essential time-management skills, and di�erentiate

themselves in the job market. In 2013-2014, student leaders worked to strengthen the school’s alumni base. �ey introduced

e�cient new processes and technologies to the Valparaiso Law Review. �ey helped fellow Moot Court competitors hone their

advocacy skills. And they broke new ground by creating a blog focused on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Students Take the Lead

Called to Excel


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“�is has been a great training and proving ground for real-time problem solving with real people,” he says. “SBA is a very accurate representation of life as a lawyer. �ere’s always work to be done and always a problem to tackle. I’m handed a �le and am expected to react on the spot and �nd a solution.”

Mark Kaylan Beard

As a double major in business management and computer management and information systems, Mark Kaylan Beard entered law school with a valuable skill set—and a solid work ethic. He has drawn on these attributes to emerge as a valuable student intern, a capable legal writer, and a strong Editor-in-Chief of the Valparaiso Law Review.

During his 2L year, Beard made his mark during an internship with the Sangamon State Attorney’s O�ce in Spring�eld, IL. When the o�ce decided to incorporate the iPad into its trial presentations, he introduced attorneys to this new technology and helped them prepare to use it in their initial cases.

Beard also joined the Law Review, which he considers “one of the most prestigious things a law student can accomplish.” As a 2L he published a note entitled “Simply Stunning: A Proposed Solution for Regulating the Use of Tasers by Law Enforcement in the Seventh Circuit.” Beard recognized that taser regulation varies widely by state and jurisdiction and studied states that have adopted speci�c statutes. His note proposes a uniform statute for all police stations in all states within the Seventh Circuit.

Now a 3L, Beard is coordinating the editorial board of six highly capable students responsible for publishing Volume 49 of the Valparaiso Law Review. His team streamlined the citation and source-checking process by directing student contributors to complete all citation and source checking for the entire volume during the �rst semester. At the suggestion of Assistant Dean for Students Steve Probst, the publication’s library liaison, the team is also introducing Perma.cc, a database that preserves citations of law review articles by storing screen shots of online sources.

“Law Review helped me improve my writing, citation, and research skills—all important skills lawyers need in the �eld,” Beard says. “But I also saw that dedication and hard work are critical to success. You need to put in the hours, and that’s not always fun, but it’s necessary to get the job done. Now I’m able to show others how to do that.”

“�is has been a great training and proving ground for real-time problem solving with real people,” he says. “SBA is a very accurate representation of life as a lawyer. �ere’s always work to be done and always a problem to tackle. I’m handed a �le and am expected to

As a double major in business management and computer management and information systems, Mark Kaylan Beard entered law school with a valuable skill set—and a solid work ethic. He has drawn on these attributes to emerge as a valuable student intern, a capable legal writer, and a strong Editor-in-Chief of the

During his 2L year, Beard made his mark during an internship with the Sangamon State Attorney’s O�ce in Spring�eld, IL. When the o�ce decided to incorporate the iPad into its trial presentations, he introduced attorneys to this new technology and helped them prepare to use it in their initial cases.

Beard also joined the Law Review, which he considers “one of the most prestigious things a law student can accomplish.” As a 2L he published a note entitled “Simply Stunning: A Proposed Solution for Regulating the Use of Tasers by Law Enforcement in the Seventh Circuit.” Beard recognized that taser regulation varies widely by state and jurisdiction and studied states that have adopted speci�c statutes. His note proposes a uniform statute for all police stations in all states within

Now a 3L, Beard is coordinating the editorial board of six highly capable students responsible for

Valparaiso Law Review.His team streamlined the citation and source-checking process by directing student contributors to complete all citation and source checking for the entire volume during the �rst semester. At the suggestion of Assistant Dean for Students Steve Probst, the publication’s library liaison, the team is also introducing Perma.cc, a database that preserves citations of law review articles by storing screen shots of online sources.

“Law Review helped me improve my writing, citation, and research skills—all important skills lawyers need in the �eld,” Beard says. “But I also saw that dedication and hard work are critical to success. You need to put in the hours, and that’s not always fun, but it’s necessary to get the job done. Now I’m able to show

“ Valparaiso Law is the best place to learn the fundamentals of legal writing.”

–3L, Mark Kaylan Beard


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Elizabeth Perez

3L Elizabeth Perez believes that everyone is entitled to her day in court. And during her 2L year, she experienced many such days as a member of Valparaiso Law’s Moot Court Society. Today, as Chief Justice, she is paying that experience forward by helping a new group of 2L students learn to mold and craft great arguments.

Perez �rst discovered Moot Court during a legal writing course at the end of her 1L year. She developed an oral argument based on an appellate brief she drafted and enjoyed forming eloquent answers to questions posed by her peers and by local attorneys from Chicago and Indianapolis. �e following year she participated in the annual Luther M. Swygert Memorial intra-school competition, competing in front of three federal court judges from the surrounding area. Later that year,

she tested her oral advocacy skills at the nation’s largest Moot Court event—the Duberstein Competition in New York City. Perez and her partner made the semi�nals, placing among the top 15 out of 72 teams.

“Even if you are not a litigator in court it’s important to sharpen your skills and learn how to communicate with people, work with opposing counsel, and stand in front of others and say your piece with conviction,” she says. “Moot Court makes me feel stronger and more con�dent in every setting. As a young attorney it’s important to be strong and have a voice, and Moot Court helps me do that.”

Perez is privileged and honored to have participated in an activity she knows may not have been available to her at a larger law school. And as a 3L, Perez will help choose this year’s participants and mentor them along the way.

Julie Johnson

As a child in North Judson, Indiana, 3L Julie Johnson learned �rsthand that everyone needs an advocate to represent their interests and that knowledge of the law would enable her to support children and families—and help herself. As an undergraduate, she valued the global perspective she gained studying in Cambridge, England. So when she arrived at Valparaiso Law, International Moot Court emerged as a valuable way to explore the whole international law spectrum—and learn how relationships with other countries play into our own domestic law.

In 2014, Johnson and teammate Justin Ezell traveled to Mumbai, India, for an International Moot Court competition involving 24 teams from the U.S., Europe, and India. �e competition required Johnson and Ezell


Called to Excel

“International Moot Court allowed me to learn law in a di�erent way. �e skills I gained as an advocate made me more con�dent—and ready to practice law.”

–3L, Julie Johnson


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1. Elizabeth Perez, 3L 2. Kevin Hansen, 3L

1 2

to argue both sides of a complex case that transcended environmental and investment law as well as the law of war. �e team placed 7th overall and was the only non-Indian team to make the top eight, and both Johnson and Ezell ranked among the top 10 oralists.

“�is was a life-changing trip that made me think hard about life in the east compared to my own life here,” she says. “It also allowed me to learn law in a di�erent way. �e skills I gained as an advocate made me more con�dent—and ready to practice law.”

As the current president of the International Moot Court Team, she is committed to building on the strong foundation that last year’s president set. “I want this year’s members to know I am their biggest supporter and am behind them 100 percent in their achievements,” she says.

Kevin Hansen

Blogging is a natural activity for 3L Kevin Hansen. As an undergraduate at Saint Norbert College in De Pere, WI, his double major in communication and political science drew him to a variety of recreational, satirical, and legal blogs. Today, this natural leader and former starting quarterback is the founding editor of the new Valparaiso Law blog that provides unbiased legal analysis of current issues, cases, and all relevant topics pending within the Indiana Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

To launch the new blog, Hansen recruited a team consisting of a co-editor, �ve editors, and �fteen writers. He also found a faculty sponsor—Professor Jeremy Telman—who secured seven faculty editors who review posts for legal accuracy, structure, and writing. A majority of the bloggers also

participate in a class in legal journalism created and taught by Professor Faisal Kutty that helps students cultivate skills that reach beyond the blog itself. Founding and maintaining the blog has been a true team e�ort from the outset, and the team’s goal is for the blog to become a comprehensive one-stop shop for the Law School and lawyer community for Seventh Circuit Court information.

“We are currently the only student- run blog in the country that’s doing what we’re doing,” Hansen says, “and I don’t know if we could have done this anywhere else. We have the freedom to write about what we like and put our school’s name on it, and that’s refreshing and rewarding. We encourage you to visit our website at http://blogs.valpo.edu/law/.”


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Alumni Accomplishments

Called to Serve

The Honorable Kimberly Lewis, JD ‘99

As the daughter of an educator and an attorney, �e Honorable Kimberly D. Lewis learned the value of public service early in life. She was called to the law by a deep desire to serve her community, administer justice, and help the less fortunate members of society. At Valparaiso Law School she immersed herself in student activities that ful�lled this

purpose. In addition to other experiences, she served as an elected representative for the Student Bar Association and placed as a semi�nalist in a Moot Court competition. She also spent two semesters serving in the Juvenile Clinic. She visited the homes of foster and natural parents in her role as guardian ad litem, then translated her observations into written recommendations that helped judges determine the most suitable home environment for children.

Valparaiso Law boasts a vibrant network of more than 5,500 alumni who consistently prove to be leaders and di�erence

makers in their communities. �ey also demonstrate the versatility—and the value—of a Valparaiso Law education by

working across the legal continuum. Valparaiso Law alumni are called to the law as elected circuit court judges and

as law professors and active promoters of social justice. �ey are founders of start-up criminal defense law practices and share-

holders of large international law �rms. And they apply their skills to pursue such personal interests as sports law. Many also �nd

di�erent ways to engage with Valparaiso Law—by mentoring students, promoting the school, contributing to the Annual Fund,

and participating in continuing education opportunities.

In 2012, Kimberly Lewis was elected as a judge for the Circuit Court of Cook County in Illinois, where she currently presides over cases in the Child Protection Division of the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Department.

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She continued to nurture this passion for child advocacy after graduation, serving as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney in the Child Support Enforcement Division before moving to the Criminal Division. �en, in private practice, she worked in both family law and criminal defense while simultaneously serving as an administrative law judge for the City of Chicago, presiding over cases in the Consumer Fraud, Environmental, Municipal, and Parking Divisions.

In 2012, Lewis was elected as a judge for the Circuit Court of Cook County in Illinois, where she currently presides over cases in the Child Protection Division of the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Department, and she is scheduled to soon preside over child protection cases in the Juvenile Court Division. “�is has been the most ful�lling opportunity of my career, because it allows me to draw on all of my past legal experiences,” Judge Lewis says. “I feel that I have had the greatest impact when citizens enter my courtroom with the misconception that our legal system is only [composed] of kangaroo courts—but leave knowing that they had a fair opportunity to be heard and were treated with dignity and respect.”

“Over the years, I’ve learned to listen even more patiently and intently to make sure I hear all of the facts and the perspectives of both sides,” she says. “�ese elements of neutrality and open-mindedness can be honed and �ne-tuned, and they are essential to ensure that citizens receive their due process rights and that justice is administered fairly and equally.” �is approach has contributed to such professional appointments as chair of the new judges committee for the Illinois Judicial Council and to such awards as the Cook County Bar Association’s Judicial Award (2013) and the Geneva Scott Outreach Services’ Community Service Award (2014).

Judge Lewis sees many opportunities within the legal system to strengthen society at large. “From my vantage point within the court system, I think citizens would bene�t from more second-chance initiatives. Special probation, expungement summits, and other social programs provide a genuine opportunity to overcome past mistakes, gain employment, and integrate back into society.”

Marie Failinger, JD ‘76

Marie Failinger is acutely aware of the structural inequalities that exist in our society. She observed early on that many low-income Americans face headwinds that keep them from reaching their full potential. And as a former law practitioner and a professor, she promotes social justice by shining the light on the big-picture issues facing disadvantaged minorities.

scheduled to soon preside over child protection cases in the Juvenile Court Division. “�is has been the most ful�lling opportunity of my career, because it allows me to draw on all of my past legal experiences,” Judge Lewis says. “I feel that I have had the greatest impact when citizens enter my courtroom with the misconception that our legal system is only [composed] of kangaroo courts—but leave knowing that they had a fair opportunity to be heard and were treated with dignity and respect.”

“Over the years, I’ve learned to listen even more patiently and intently to make sure I hear all of the facts and the perspectives of both sides,” she says. “�ese elements of neutrality and open-mindedness can be honed and �ne-tuned, and they are essential to ensure that citizens receive their due process rights and that justice is administered fairly and equally.” �is approach has contributed to such professional appointments as chair of the new judges committee for the Illinois Judicial Council and to such awards as the Cook County Bar Association’s Judicial Award (2013) and the Geneva Scott Outreach Services’ Community Service Award (2014).

Judge Lewis sees many opportunities within the legal system to strengthen society at large. “From my vantage point within the court system, I think citizens would bene�t from more second-chance initiatives. Special probation, expungement summits, and other social programs provide a genuine opportunity to overcome past mistakes, gain employment, and integrate back into society.”

Marie Failinger, JD ‘76

Marie Failinger is acutely aware of the structural inequalities that exist in our society. She observed early on that many low-income Americans face headwinds that keep them from reaching their full potential. And as a former law practitioner and a professor, she promotes social justice by shining the light on the big-picture issues facing

At Valparaiso Law, Failinger learned from mentors Ivan Bodensteiner and Sy Moskowitz that lawyers can work e�ectively as advocates for social justice. After graduating in 1976, she spent one year teaching in the Valparaiso Law Clinic and another �ve years directly representing low-income citizens and working closely with advocates of economic development in poor communities in rural Indiana. “It was heartening to see people who had been cast aside by society come into their own as advocates and �gure out solutions,” she says. “Our e�orts changed jurisprudence in Indiana for the better by getting courts to recognize both the needs and the dignity of poor people.”

In 1983, she continued her crusade for social justice when she began teaching law at Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, MN. Inside the classroom, she encourages students in the 1L classes she teaches on criminal law, property, and constitutional law to ask hard questions about how society can do a better job of providing equal respect and equal opportunity to disadvantaged citizens so they can employ their talents for the betterment of society. She also teaches a seminar on Law and Religion, Constitutional Law II, and Family Law.

20+law reviewarticlesPublished by Marie Failinger relating to poverty and disadvantaged populations.

Alumni Accomplishments

Called to Serve


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Failinger also explores social justice in her academic research. �e former editor of �e Journal of Law and Religion, she is co-editor of a recent book of essays entitled Feminism, Law, and Religion. �e essays aim to bridge the gap between secular feminists and religious women by showing readers how faith can inform and strengthen feminist perspectives. She is also co-editing a book on major Supreme Court decisions from the 1960s and 1970s that set the course for poverty law for decades to come. She has also published more than twenty law review articles relating to poverty and legal issues facing disadvantaged populations.

“To make changes in the law, it’s important to understand the values that in�uence the law,” she says. “�at’s why I counsel students that integrity and reputation will carry them through for the rest of their lives, and that there are no shortcuts on that. I also encourage students to make sure they balance

practical skills and knowledge with broader ethical and social learning so they understand how the law works in a broader perspective.”

Juan Pablo (J.P.) Roman-Lagunas, JD ‘09

As the son of two socially conscious liberal arts professors, J.P. Roman-Lagunas was encouraged to choose a career that would enable him to make a di�erence and that would require a terminal degree. After years of traveling and living abroad exposed him to the plights of underprivileged people, he chose law because it’s “the only profession where you can make a living rabble-rousing authority while also serving society and helping others.”

Roman-Lagunas entered Valparaiso Law in 2006 as a self-described “adverb— and adjective —friendly guy” whose career bene�ted greatly from the

school’s legal writing program. He places equally high value on everything he learned in evidence class, which “hands down contributed more than anything else to [his] ability as a lawyer.” As a certi�ed legal intern working for the Merrillville, IN �rm �iros & Stracci, PC, he served as second chair on two jury trials, and participated in the Valparaiso Law Criminal Clinic—an experience he believes every law school student should have.

Following graduation, Roman-Lagunas spent four years sharpening his trial skills as a lawyer for the Marion County Public Defender agency in Indianapolis. In this capacity he handled thousands of cases and hundreds of trials. He earned a reputation as a strong litigator and compassionate advocate for indigent persons facing major felony charges. As part of his work in the major felony narcotics division, he and his colleagues helped compile information and worked with lobbyists and attorneys to contribute to the recent overhaul of the Criminal Code’s drug sentencing laws.

On January 1, 2014, Roman-Lagunas left the public sector to start his own �rm. His rapidly growing practice has quickly expanded from a criminal defense boutique to a multifaceted �rm that practices in various areas of the law. Remaining true to his social consciousness, he still takes on major felony drug cases for the indigent as a contractor for the Marion County Public Defender Agency.

Roman-Lagunas and his wife Rachel have one son and live in Indianapolis. He enjoys networking with young Valparaiso Law alumni and is also receptive to interviewing current students for internships or graduates for a position at his �rm.

Valparaiso Law Alumnus Juan Pablo (J.P.) Roman-Lagunas, JD ‘09 enjoys private practice


Called to Serve


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Samantha Ahuja, JD ‘04

What do you do when the business phones suddenly stop ringing? Samantha Ahuja faced this dilemma at a pivotal time in her career, and her response speaks volumes about the value of focus and perseverance. She had recently left her associate position at regional �rm Womble Carlyle for a new opportunity with Greenberg Traurig, LLP, a large international real estate practice with more than 1,800 lawyers worldwide. �e �rm had recruited her to help its strong and growing real estate group support hotel, resort, and casino owners and developers worldwide in their strategies to buy, lease, license, brand, manage, and sell properties.

Not long after changing jobs, the real estate bubble popped. �e phones literally stopped ringing, and Ahuja and

her colleagues had no idea where the next deal would come from. Even as she struggled emotionally, she spent her time productively, working on business development, building relationships with senior partners, learning to play golf, and taking on pro bono work. During this period, and over the course of several years, she helped the DC Housing Cooperative, which nearly went bankrupt around 2008, get back on solid �nancial footing. “I always try to have at least one active pro bono project that I really enjoy,” she says.

Surviving and excelling during the extended market downturn left her with a great perspective on her business. “I learned that our clients don’t want a lawyer; they want a trusted advisor to consult on the totality of the deal—not just the document,” she says. “We can add value by helping them weigh bene�ts

with legal risks and think through where risks are acceptable and where clients can mitigate them.”

Ahuja has some compelling advice for current Valparaiso students and recent graduates. “Firms are looking for leaders—those who have and continue to distinguish themselves and can lead by example. You need to �nd the time to take initiative to assume leadership roles in law school and in the community. So �nd a passion of great interest and dive into it.”

Now a shareholder with Greenberg Traurig, LLP, she shared this perspective with many current students during the spring semester, when she visited campus as an Alumni in Residence. “It’s great to see Valpo reaching out to alumni who are currently practicing law. Students want to know how to get somewhere, and as practitioners we have all found a way to succeed. I spoke to a lot of students who

Samantha Ahuja supports hotel, resort, and casino owners and developers worldwide in their strategies to buy, lease, license, brand, manage, and sell properties.


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Stephen Starks, JD views strong networking as an important driver of success

stopped by my o�ce. I was inspired to put together a curriculum for the DC area, where I practice, for a real estate transaction course that gives students the opportunity to actually put together a deal.”

Stephen Starks, JD ‘06

As a full-scholarship basketball athlete at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Stephen Starks recognized enough opportunity on the court to win the American East scoring title in 2001 and earn a stint in the NBA Development League and roster spots on professional teams in Mexico and the Dominican

Republic. He entered law school hoping to gain practical legal experience that would lead him to a career in sports. Fortunately, while he was in law school, Valparaiso’s Sports Law clinic was developed, and the new clinic helped Starks reach his goal.

As a member of the Sports Law clinic, Starks represented an athlete in arbitration against the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after his client tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. After a one-year clerkship with Indiana Supreme Court Justice �eodore Boehm and seven months at the Indianapolis law �rm Bose, McKinney & Evans, he

accepted a position as Legal A�airs Director at the USDA in Colorado Springs. Approximately four years later, he moved back to Indianapolis, joining the Indianapolis-based law �rm Kroger Gardis & Regas, home to USADA’s General Counsel, Bill Bock. �ere, Starks continued working on USADA matters, handled business services litigation and transactional matters, and built a sports law practice. After gaining certi�cation as a sports agent, he represented players during the NFL draft, represented teams and leagues in professional soccer and motorsports, and negotiated a co-promotion deal that brought a match involving two elite European soccer teams to Indianapolis, among other sports-related work.

In 2014 Starks joined Hulman & Company, the parent company of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Clabber Girl Baking Powder. As Deputy General Counsel and Senior Director of Legal A�airs, he works on a variety of complex legal issues, including those associated with operating a venue and a racing league. �ese include negotiating sponsorship agreements; addressing broadcasting, concessions, and catering issues; and managing a host of insurance and liability concerns related to the Speedway and INDYCAR.

While Starks admits that being a former high-pro�le athlete has helped his career, he credits strong networking as an important driver of his success. “Valparaiso’s reputation is strong in the Indianapolis area, but you also need people who take an interest in you and are willing to help you get to where you want to be,” he says. “Sometimes, that’s a function of being in the right place at the right time and being prepared to accept the right challenges that come your way.”


Called to Serve

24 · VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL

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Bruce Berner entered Valparaiso Law in 1964 and graduated as part of a class composed of 61 men and one woman. Four years later he returned to Valparaiso Law, joining a faculty that consisted of nine

white men. Berner taught generations of students the nuances of Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, and Torts. He also welcomed the many changes that have made Valparaiso Law the diverse school it is today. Berner’s legacy at Valparaiso Law will be as a highly e�ective teacher. “My most satisfying moments have come when I walk students through something and I hear the light bulbs go on in their heads, he says. “In those moments, something they found confusing becomes something they have control over.”

Richard Stith arrived at Valparaiso Law in 1973 with a law degree and a doctorate in ethics from Yale University. He also earned degrees in political theory from Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley. He taught Comparative Law and Legal Philosophy and published extensively in these areas, focusing speci�cally on German, Spain, India, China, Ukraine, Chile and Mexico. In recognition of this scholarship, he was named the �rst Swygert Research Fellow. In 2001 he also became the �rst U.S. professor to be designated by the European Commission to teach a Jean Monnet Module (on the law of the European Union). He currently serves on the Advisory Council of the National Lawyers Association and on the Board of Editors of the American Journal of Comparative Law.

At the end of the 2013-14 academic year, two venerable Valparaiso Law professors retired after distinguished research and teaching careers that spanned decades.

Bruce Berner and Richard Stith Embrace Retirement

24 · VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL

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VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL

WESEMANN HALL

656 S. GREENWICH STREET

VALPARAISO, INDIANA 46383

www.valpo.edu/law

Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture Thursday, January 22, 2015 4:00 p.m.Wesemann Hall

Monsanto LectureThursday, February 5, 2015 4:00 p.m.Wesemann Hall

Tabor Institute on Legal Ethics LecturesThursday, March 19, 2015 2:30 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.Wesemann Hall

Justice Robert Rucker Lecture Thursday, March 26, 2015 4:00 p.m. Wesemann Hall

Upcoming Events

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Called to the Law - 2014 Annual Review

Documents

Transcript of Called to the Law - 2014 Annual Review