Property Law Society was created to provide an avenue for students interested in Real Property issues to continue their interest within their time at the law school.  Student members build fellowship among other interested students.  They also provide real property service opportunities within the community, educational opportunities outside of the classroom, and networking opportunities by establishing relationships with attorneys and legal professionals in the region.

Our first meeting will be held Thursday, September 16, during Chapel Break and our first event will be on Saturday, September 18 where on the Day of Caring, we will help Housing Opportunities with property improvements.  Additionally, our Annual Charity Golf Outing (4-Man Scramble) will be Saturday, October 9 at Noon at “The Brassie” in Chesterton.  Costs per student are $40 and per attorney are $50 – sign ups begin September 20 during Chapel Break or you can contact valpopropertylawsociety@gmail.com for tickets or more information.

Seeking Justice With the Love of God-Luke 11:42

Greetings! It is with great pleasure and honor that I am writing this article. My name is Wilneeda Emmanuel and I am the president of the Christian Legal Society for the 2010-2011 academic year. This year CLS will be celebrating thirty-five years at Valparaiso University School of Law and next year the national chapter of CLS will be celebrating fifty years. The executive board has a lot of activities planned for the school year and we welcome and extend an invitation to everyone to attend our weekly bible studies and events. The weekly bible studies take place every Wednesday from 5-6pm in room 155 (Pelzer).

OUR PURPOSE

Seeking Justice with the Love of God- Luke 11:42

OUR VISION

A growing nationwide fellowship of Christian lawyers and law students
who act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

~ Micah 6:8; Matthew 23:23 ~

OUR MISSION

To inspire, encourage, and equip lawyers and law students,
both individually and in community,
to proclaim, love and serve Jesus Christ
through the study and practice of law,
the provision of legal assistance to the poor,
and the defense of religious freedom & sanctity of human life.

“Jus Vitae is Latin for “the Law of Life” or “the Right to Life.”  Jus Vitae is a national law reform organization founded at Valparaiso University.  Its members use their professional skills to protect the dependent and disabled against all forms of violence including abortion, infanticide, and the involuntary killing of the sick or aged.  Its ultimate aim is equal protection and civil rights for every human being.

As a group, Jus Vitae offers many opportunities for the individual to be effective in advancing the fundamental constitutional right to life and equal protection for all.  Many of these opportunities can be used towards the pro bono requirement and further prepare the student for an effective professional career in the service of justice.

VOX, Voices for Reproductive Freedom, promotes reproductive choice for women and men.  We advocate for comprehensive sexual education in the community, to ensure that all have access to resources to make informed choices.  This year, we plan to work with Planned Parenthood of Indiana to raise awareness on campus and in the Valparaiso community through a variety of new VOX events.  The 2010-2011 events will include a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood, a speaker on campus to discuss the current status of reproductive rights across the United States, and a few other interactive events.  VOX’s Executive Board this year comprises of: Nicole Cudiamat, Secretary; Jessica Whittamore, Treasurer; Brittany Heagney, Vice-President; and Heidi Duncan, President.  For more information or questions, please contact any member of the E-Board.

Christine Corral, Executive Director

Career Planning Center

It is my pleasure to welcome you back to the new academic year and a new recruiting season.  I am pleased to report that the CPC is now fully staffed and is even more committed to delivering high quality, personal service to our students.

By now most 2L and 3L students have received a personal telephone call from a CPC staff member.  The purpose of these calls has been to have direct contact with each student to ensure they were prepared for the 2010-2011 recruiting season.  Specifically to update Strategy recruiting profiles, job search documents, and answer any recruiting-related questions.  If you have not received your call yet, know that one is coming.  Our goal is to have the personal calls completed by mid-September.

To further assist our 2L and 3L students in preparing for the 2010-2011 recruiting season, the CPC staff has planned specific orientations for these groups. The schedule for these orientations along with a brief outline of their content follows:

2L Orientation: September 15^th – 11:40am – 12:30pm (Stride Courtroom)

Be sure to attend this career planning information session tailored specifically for second year law students.  Topic discussed during this interactive session will include utilizing Strategy in your job search, experiential education opportunities, career conferences that you do not want to miss, and important information regarding the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam and bar examination.  A 2L Career Strategy Timeline will be provided to those that attend this session.

3L Orientation: September 15^th – 10-10:50am (Pelzer)

Be sure to attend this career planning information session tailored specifically for third year law students.  Topic discussed during this interactive session will include utilizing Strategy in your job search, experiential education opportunities, career conferences that you do not want to miss, and important information regarding the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam and bar examination.  A 3L Career Strategy Timeline will be provided to those that attend this session.

The CPC team encourages your participation in these informative sessions to help give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace.  You may register for these orientation sessions via Strategy (http://myinterfase.com/valpolaw/students)

Upon completion of the personal telephone calls to 2L and 3L students in mid-September, the CPC staff will begin a round of personal telephone calls to 1L students.  These telephone calls will carry a similar message, making a personal connection and will follow-up on many of the career planning activities during pre-orientation and orientation in which 1Ls have been engaged.  We hope your Strategy recruiting profiles and initial job search documents will be completed as you begin scheduling your 1L career advising appointments.

The CPC team will be visiting 1L Legal Research classes on Friday, October 22 to review the job search documents assignment with an emphasis on cover letters and resumes.

One of many other updates that I am excited to share is the creation of CPC Atrium Days as suggested by the members of the CPC Student Advisory Committee.  A CPC staff member and a CPC Student Advisory Committee member will team together to manage a table in the atrium twice each month.  During a CPC Atrium Day, students are encouraged to ask general questions about any CPC programs and services as well as to receive an updated calendar of recruiting and networking activities.  The September 2010 Atrium Days are September 7^th and September 22 (10:50-11:30am).  We hope to see you there!

Should you have any questions about your job search or need assistance with your Strategy account, please contact the Career Planning Center staff at (219) 465-7814 or careerplanning.law@valpo.edu.

By Heidi A. Duncan

2010 Chile/Argentina Group

This past June, eleven Valparaiso law students and two from other schools crossed into the southern hemisphere for a month-long exploration into Chilean and Argentine law and culture, accompanied by Professor Elizabeth Bruch and Valparaiso’s Professor Alan White. The two-course program delved into national human rights issues and land reform systems in both countries, and other countries explored in the course, in addition to the role the international community and international courts played in resolving national accountability and pursuing resolutions that actuated justice.

For the duration of the program, students spent eight days along the coastal mountain communities of Viña del Mar and Valparaiso, Chile and the remainder of the time in Argentina. The sights, tastes, music, and historical richness of the communities are deeply nestled within a naval-based area affected in varying degrees by the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. The University of Viña del Mar law school invited internationally renowned Judge Juan Guzmán to present a film documenting his investigation that ultimately led to the criminal prosecution of Pinochet. In addition, visits to an area winery, Chilean constitutional and appellate courts, home stays with local families, fresh seafood, and hospitable Chilean law students warmed up the visiting students before they went deeper within the country for several days of tours and study at the University of the Andes in Santiago, Chile.

Buenos Aires, Argentina revealed a sophisticated and fast-paced metropolis, filled with tourists, tango, shopping, opulent food, art, and museums, yet the country has been healing from a tumultuous political history. Students examined the circumstances surrounding and following the Dirty War through study accompanied by visits to organizations and facilities involved with uncovering the truth of what happened to the thousands lost in the government’s systematic detention, torture, and murder against “subversives.” Students visited sites of clandestine detention centers and witnessed the weekly march of las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, with protesters still demanding answers of what happened to their missing relatives. Argentine Supreme Court Justice Elena Highton met with Valparaiso’s law students and others from Pontifica Catholic University of Argentina, answering questions in her chambers. To further explain Argentine law and present legal issues, several Argentine professors lectured throughout the two-week stay in Buenos Aires, including Professors Riviera and LeGarre, who are frequent visiting professors in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Time not spent in lectures, on tours, or studying was spent attempting to take advantage of the possibilities available in Buenos Aires. A Saturday spent at Professor LeGarre’s ranch entailed seeing 96,000 chickens, horseback riding, soccer, and giant slabs of beef. Throughout the two weeks, many students traveled to Uruguay for a day, a few took polo lessons, and others explored the Eva Peron museum or went to the theatre. Most students even attempted tango following a lesson, although none were able to keep up with the tango professional of the group. The Argentine students welcomed the U.S. students as warmly as the Viña del Mar students had done, and likewise establishing many friendships that will long outlast the duration of the trip.

Despite the cruel reality of the history of political development in Chile and Argentina, and the difficulties both nations face in coming to terms with and healing from the past, these two beautiful countries yield adventures far beyond this brief recounting of our experiences. My advice is to book your next vacation in Chile and Argentina, and allow yourself to be immersed in an unforgettable adventure.

Photo: (back row) Brian Frankenberg, Desiree Allen, Professor Elizabeth Bruch, Jacob Salazar, Luis Vasquez, Sonny Hodgin, Professor White, Monica Jones, Allie Wallace (Chicago Kent Law), Heidi Duncan

(front row): Jessica Levitt, Ian McInnis, Maggie Acuna, Ana Paula Bastian (Thomas Jefferson Law), Elizabeth Hollingsworth

By Columnist:  Caitlin Broo

Hello, allow me to introduce myself; I am the confused person walking with one heavy backpack. I am the scrambling person trying to make it Professor Lind’s class on time and yes, I am terrified of being late. I try and look like I know what I am doing but I really don’t. I don’t get the Long-Arm Statue test. I don’t know how to phrase a holding in my case brief. Sometimes, I don’t get what I am doing here and I am paranoid about being called on. Mostly, I am just your average, typical, confused, and fabulous 1L.

Here, I have decided to chronicle my first year misadventure. What does this mean? It means that this lovely column is a confession booth. It is where I hope I can articulate my feelings, and maybe your feelings as well, about this whole process called law school. And if I have a lot of one thing right now, it is these jumbled up emotions.

After nearly two full weeks of class, I have only one major thought: if this was how anyone imagined law school, then I think they have a fudged up imagination. When I decided to take the plunge and become a lawyer, I had some thoughts about what it would be like. I pictured something a little closer to my undergraduate experiences. But this, this is madness.

Classes were a major surprise. I have never been in a setting where there is not always an answer. The “what if” is beginning to make my head spin. Don’t even get me started on Contracts. If I had a clue in this class, then I would probably have one clue. Damage, breaches, restitution formulas, the UCC… Arrrrg! There is so much and it seems too little time in the day. Needless to say, I am still waiting for my “ah ha” moment in Contracts. Two weeks into the semester, I am beginning to worry.

Sometimes, I lie awake with the never-ending guilt that I went to bed too early and left too much undone. Currently, I am tied up in knots about writing an outline. I don’t even know where to start. When do I need to do it? Where do I need do it?  How do I make one? Most importantly, what is an outline? My fellow 1Ls, if you know, than either you’re a liar or you have a lawyer in the family. But, I hold out hope these mythical study tools will reveal themselves in a golden glow or at least through the kindness of 2L or 3L.

So, I am overwhelmed and wondering what I got myself into. Do I belong here? I think it is safe to say, I think I do and I hope the rest of my fellow 1Ls feel the same about themselves. But do I miss my old life? Maybe a little, at least I never had to think about things like when is it ok to breach a contract or whether I can sue a New York company for my car exploding in Oklahoma.

But, I can safely say that it hasn’t all been highlighters and laptops at VU Law thus far. I’ve made a friend or two and discovered a few gems of the Valparaiso Community. Like the Blackbird Café, they have one heck of a sandwich.

Currently the most elusive thing about law school? The study group. I need one, preferably in Contracts.

Until Next time,

Kate.

By:  Dean Conison

From the Dean—National Standards for Law Schools

The Valparaiso University School of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association.  As an accredited school, we must comply with the ABA Standards for Approval (http://www.abanet.org/legaled/standards/standards.html).  These Standards deal with fundamental subjects important to ensure law school quality, including faculty, library, financial resources, curriculum, and facilities.  The Standards are currently undergoing a comprehensive review and there are likely to be changes adopted within the next two years.  I wish to describe some of the changes that are being considered, but before doing so, I will first explain how law school accreditation is overseen.

The Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is the part of the ABA with authority over accreditation.  That authority comes from the United States Department of Education and legally it must reside in the Section, not the ABA as a whole.  The governing body of the Section is the Council, and it is the Council that has ultimate authority for promulgating accreditation criteria.  Another committee, the Standards Review Committee, is charged with drafting and proposing Standards for Council consideration.  A third committee, the Accreditation Committee, is responsible for enforcing the Standards and does this by, among other things, evaluating each law school every seven years.  (I am currently the Chair of this committee.)  We were last evaluated in 2006 and came through the process very well.

At this time, the Standards Review Committee is considering drafts of possible changes in the Standards.  This review process is very transparent, meetings are open, and you can see the various drafts of proposed changes at http://www.abanet.org/legaled/committees/comstandards.html.

One set of possible changes under consideration deal with curriculum. The centerpiece of these revisions would require that:  ”A law school shall identify, define, and disseminate each of the learning outcomes it seeks for its graduating students and for its program of legal education… The learning outcomes shall include competency as an entry-level practitioner…”

And that:  ”A law school shall offer a curriculum that is designed to produce graduates who have attained competency in the learning outcomes identified [above].”

These revisions would involve a shift in the curricular requirements for law schools.  They would move the Standards from emphasizing specific subjects or types of subjects that must be taught to requiring outcomes—competencies that the program of education must be designed to develop.  It is too early to say whether these changes will be adopted or precisely what impact they would have on curriculum.

Another set of proposed changes relate to consumer information.  There is a strong view among the ABA committees which oversee accreditation that students and prospective students should be provided with full and accurate information to allow them to make the best decisions possible about what law school to attend (or whether to attend law school at all).  Specific proposals have not yet been put forward, although they should be soon.  It is widely agreed that the Standards should give more attention to information law schools provide students.

Yet another set of possible changes relate to law school admissions.  One of the most interesting proposals would eliminate the requirement that every applicant to law school take an admissions test.  If this change is adopted then, although a law school could require applicants to take the LSAT, it would not have to do so.  The rationales for this proposed change are that the LSAT is not necessary for schools being able to assess the likelihood of an applicant’s succeeding in the program; that the LSAT has an adverse impact on law school diversity; and that the LSAT is widely misused.

There are many other proposals under consideration.  They are motivated by the goals of ensuring that law schools provide a sound program of legal education; they continue to have the flexibility to adapt to changes in the legal profession, the legal environment, and the economy; and that students and prospective students are properly and fairly served.  I hope you will continue to follow developments, as the various proposals are refined and debated, and as some of them are adopted and implemented.

Welcome to another year of law school!  The summer proved to be a very busy one for the members of the Valparaiso University Law Review.  Under the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Josh Reece, the Law Review’s group of editors worked tirelessly over the past several months to admit a new class of Notewriters into the Law Review.

Each individual participated in the annual case comment competition following their May final exams.  The Notewriters had only three weeks to thoroughly research and write a twelve-page comment on a recent Supreme Court decision.  The editors of the Law Review evaluated each submission and, through a combination of their writing scores and grades, the top submissions have been selected to participate in the review.  Additionally, congratulations to Arie Lipinski who received the highest score on his case comment.

The Notewriters, after deciding upon topics, are in the process of writing their Notes.  Since the new members will write on their chosen topics for the next seven months, the selection of their specific areas of law was an intimidating one.  However, these individuals have dedicated themselves to the Law Review and we congratulate them on their success and commitment to the school.

The Law Review is publishing four issues this year, and we are currently in the process of preparing Issues One and Two for publication.  In addition to articles submitted by outside authors and professionals, the Volume 45 issues will include Notes by the following Law Review members: David Marusarz, Josh Reece, Candy Kilpinen, Billy Horvath, Leah Provost, Erica Hoodhood, Gabriela Brizuela, Brian Borchert, Ross Brennan, Nicholas Cronauer, Joey Hoflander, Nick Hood, Brittany Smith, and Bradley Turflinger.  Congratulations to these diligent writers for achieving the publishable standard!

If you have any questions about the Law Review or if you want to learn more about the organization, feel free to stop by the Law Review office or contact Erica Hoodhood at Erica.Hoodhood@gmail.com.

Congratulations!  Volume 45 – Law Review Notewriters

Michelle Alyea, Brenda Ambrosius, David Bogaerts, Melissa Croom, Nicole Cudiamat, Cheryl Evans, Mark Frantz, Benjamin Geelan, Paul Gehm, Dylan Grady, Sonny Hodgin, Jamie Kauther, Dustin Klein, Jessica Levitt, Arie Lipinski, Shea Maliszewski, Matthew Passalacqua, Katie Patrick, Alex Planeto, Ryan Powers, Jonathan Sichtermann, Preston Sisler, Travis Stegemoller, and Anne Zygadlo.

By Tim Billick (1L)

Staff Reporter

Students from a myriad of different cultures and nationalities filled the Harre Ballroom to help celebrate the twenty fifth day of Ramadan with the Muslim Student Alliance (MSA).  The student group provided delicious food and an open forum for any and all questions relating to Islam.

Opening remarks were made by the officers of MSA. Waseem Mateen (3L) acts as the group’s treasurer and explained what Ramadan means to him in the form of a familiar acronym, VALPO, which stands for Vigilance, Abstinence, Love, Patience, and Observance. For Mateen, these components must be present for the fruitful celebration of Ramadan.

Answering the questions posed by the crowd was Faisal Kutty, assistant professor of law at Valpo. Kutty serves as the advisor for MSA and teaches Comparative Law, Islamic Law, and International Law among many other classes.  Kutty began his speech with an Islamic blessing, promptly followed by an explanation: “Bismillahi Rahamani Raheem.  In the name of God, the most merciful, the most compassionate.  I figured I should translate that quickly so people didn’t think I was going to blow up or something.”  This cleared the air of any tension that would have been present that evening.  He made certain that no one in the room felt uncomfortable about asking any question at all about Islam or Islamic Law.  Kutty’s depth to his answers prevented him from addressing the volume of questions he received, but it was a necessary tradeoff, given the format of the evening.  He expressed his frustration with the fact that the entire nation of Islam will always have to answer for the radical acts committed by the overwhelming minority of Muslims on “the fringe” of Islam.

The Sunnah, the sayings and the living habits of the prophet Muhammed, and the Qur’an partially make up the Shari’a, which is essentially the law of Islam. But according to Kutty, the majority of Islamic Law comes from secondary sources, and is therefore open to very dynamic and flexible interpretation.  With nearly every question received, he clarified that the Qur’an is not to blame for the horrific acts of some Islamic states.  There isn’t even anything written in the Qur’an promoting the use of an Islamic form of government, according to Kutty.  “There’s a quote in the Qur’an that essentially says, ‘I made you into nations and tribes to know one another, not to despise one another,’” Kutty said.  Unfortunately, what we know about Islam is fed to us by what the media reports on violence in the Middle East.  Kutty cautioned against believing reports on Islamic violence, for those are the acts of states who misinterpret the Qur’an and Islamic Law, not the acts from the Qur’an itself.

For more information on Faisal Kutty’s works and essays, consult his blog at www.faisalkutty.com or his faculty profile on www.valpo.edu/law/faculty/fkutty.  For more information on joining MSA, talk to Professor Kutty or MSA website at www.valpo.edu/student/msa/about.html.

For any comments or concerns about this article, email Tim Billick at Tim.Billick@valpo.edu