April 2005 News
Read Professor Jennifer Bard's op-ed, "Greatest tragedy of Terri Schiavo case? A piece of paper could have avoided it" in the April 3, 2005 edition of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal.
Professor Larry Cunningham writes in favor of a bill pending in the Connecticut General Assembly that would ban the denial of homeowners' insurance to families based on their dog's breed. Professor Cunningham, the only law professor in the country who is an expert on this practice, writes, "Insurance companies - which operate at the pleasure of the states that regulate them - should not deny people the benefits of homeownership and pet ownership based on faulty premises, speculation and cost figures that are taken out of context." He argues that the scientific community has been unable to determine whether certain breeds of dog are inherently more dangerous than others. "[S]ome breeds seem to bite more often only because there are more of them in the dog population," Cunningham writes. The full op-ed can be found here.
Professor Bruce M. Kramer will be speaking at a conference on the Rule of Capture sponsored by the Oregon Law Institute and Lewis and Clark School of Law in Portland, Oregon on April 7-8, 2005.
In the April 3, 2005, edition of the Hartford Courant (the largest circulating paper in Connecticut), Professor Larry Cunningham writes in favor of a bill pending in the Connecticut General Assembly that would ban the denial of homeowners' insurance to families based on their dog's breed. Professor Cunningham, the only law professor in the country who is an expert on this practice, writes, "Insurance companies - which operate at the pleasure of the states that regulate them - should not deny people the benefits of homeownership and pet ownership based on faulty premises, speculation and cost figures that are taken out of context." He argues that the scientific community has been unable to determine whether certain breeds of dog are inherently more dangerous than others. "[S]ome breeds seem to bite more often only because there are more of them in the dog population," Cunningham writes. The full op-ed can be found here.
Professor Jennifer Bard was officially appointed by Dean Huffman to the position of Director of the Texas Tech University School of Law Health Law Program. Professor Bard was hired in 2003 from the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and has since made excellent progress towards strengthening our Health Law program and developing cooperative efforts between Tech Law and the TTU Health Sciences Center.
Chris Peirson, Class of '77, is a nationally renowned speaker, successful Real Estate Lawyer, and entrepreneur. Ms. Peirson will be speaking at the Texas Tech School of Law on Tuesday, April 5, 2005, at 3:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Women's Caucus and will take place in the Law School Forum.
Professor Bill Casto speaks at "The Alien Tort Claims Act: Recent Events and Implications for Multinational Corporations" symposium co-sponsored by The Berger International Speaker Series, Cornell Law School, and the Suter-Staley Program for Global Business Education, The Johnson Graduate School of Management. Last summer, in Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, the Supreme Court arguably opened the door to suits against multinational corporations under the Alien Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. ยง1350. The potential liability of U.S. multinationals under the ATCA is enormous. Speakers in this exciting conference are: Professor Beth Stephens, Rutgers School of Law-Camden, Nicholas Mitrokostas, Goodwin Procter LLP, Professor George Fletcher, Columbia Law School, Professor William Casto, Texas Tech University School of Law -- a legal historian and an expert on the federal judicial system, Professor Casto specializes in the federal courts, foreign policy, and Calvinism in the Founding Era. His groundbreaking research on the Alien Tort Claims Act was adopted last summer by the Supreme Court in Sosa.
Associate Dean Nancy Soonpaa spoke at the Rocky Mountain Regional Legal Writing Conference on March 12, 2005. Her topic was "Yield Not Unto Temptations: Choices You Should Never Make as a Legal Writing Professor."
Professor Vaughn James to speak at "The Legal Rights and Responsibilities of the First Amendment's Religious Liberty Clauses" CLE workshop. Professor James will be presenting "The History a Lawyer Needs to Know: Religious Liberty and Religious Conflict in the United States from the 17th to the 21st Centuries" and "Current Legal Doctrine Under the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses." Profs. Derek Davis of Baylor, Douglas Laycock of University of Texas, and Christopher Lund of University of Houston will also take part in these two presentations.
Professor Bryan T. Camp has been appointed Vice-Chair of the Individual Income Tax Committee of the American Bar Association's Section of Taxation for a two year term starting in January 2005. This appointment represents a recognition by Professor Camp's peers of his abilities and contributions to the work of the Tax Section. More
As Vice-Chair of the Committee, Professor Camp is responsible for (a) creating and staffing CLE panel presentations at each of the three Tax Section meetings per year, (b) coordinating the Committee's comments on proposed legislation and regulations that come with the Committee's jurisdiction, and (c) leading the Committee's participation in special projects of the Tax Section. For example, Professor Camp was the lead writer for the Tax Section's brochure about tax benefits for education, published in February.
The NALP Foundation selected Susan Fortney, George H. Mahon Professor of Law, as the lead Research Partner for the NALP Foundation study on work-life issues and initiatives in the legal profession. In Phase One of the study, 7,000 questionnaires were sent to employed and managing attorneys in law firms, in house, and the government. Starting in March, Professor Fortney launched Phase Two of the study, convening focus groups in select cities around the country. Study results and recommendations will be published in July 2005.
Amy Hardberger, Tech Law 3L, has been invited to present her work on "International Implications of Groundwater Planning in the Southwestern United States" at the National Ground Water Association's Ground Water Summit, which will be held in San Antonio April 17-20. She has also been invited to present her thesis work for her Master Degree in Geology at the same conference.
ROTARACT And Latin American and Iberian Studies
Presents a lecture by Professor Ann Graham , Associate Professor of Law,
Texas Tech University
"Women in Public Office"
Thursday, March 24th,
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Qualia Room, Basement of the Foreign Languages Building
For information, contact Mara Vaughn, President of Rotaract : mara.j.vaughn@ttu.edu
Professor Ramirez receives College of Education "Above and Beyond" Award. Professor Jorge Ramirez was honored for teaching excellence at the Texas Tech College of Education Tribute to Teachers Awards Banquet April 2nd. The awards recognize teachers at all levels who go above and beyond the expected level of performance and serve as role models for their students, peers and community. Professor Ramirez was cited for his teaching excellence, commitment, and dedicated service to education.