Earle Mack School of Law Weekly Newsletter: April 16, 2012

Throughout the past two semesters, a committee of students and faculty have been working together to develop an Honor Code for EMSoL.  Students will be critical in helping the Honor Code come to life here at EMSoL.  In the upcoming weeks, students and faculty will be voting on the Honor Code.  Step one of this process involves spreading the word about the Honor Code and answering any questions or concerns that arise before voting. In order to assist in this process, the Honor Code Development Committee has set up several sessions to discuss the Honor Code draft.

The final session for students will be held on April 17, 1:00 p.m., Room 340. The session will last for about an hour and food will be provided.

The current Honor Code draft can be found here:  https://colleges.moss.drexel.edu/law/SitePages/Honor%20Code.aspx. 

If you cannot make the session, please feel free to reach out to any of the Honor Code Development Committee members. We will be happy to answer questions and address any concerns!

Thank you very much for your participation in this important process.

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Career Strategies

Upcoming CSO Programs
Please RSVP in Symplicity under "EVENTS".

• April 15, 12:15 p.m. – What To Know Before You Go – Overview of the On-Campus Interview process, which begins August 13 (student bidding starts in July). This is very important for 1Ls!!

• April 19, 12:45 p.m. - Understanding OSCAR – If you plan to apply for clerkships, you want to attend this session.
  

Job Fairs

• Registration is now open for the DuPont Minority Job Fair. The deadline is Monday, April 16, 2012. See Symplicity Job Postings for detailed instructions.
• Registration is also open for the Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair being held August 23-25. See Symplicity for additional information.
  
  

Recent Job Opportunities
See Symplicity for full details

• Volunteer Summer Internships with Metuchen Public Defender’s office in Edison, NJ. 
• 2012 Bloomberg Law Summer Internship
• Immediate Need for Law Clerk, strong in Civ Pro. See posting titled “Law Clerk-Immediate Need” in Symplicity.
• 2012 Summer Associate with Mellon Webster Shelly
• Summer Law Clerk, Raffaele & Puppio

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Dean Dennis' Office Hours

Have something on your mind you’d like to share with the Dean? Dean Dennis’ door is open! He’ll be holding office hours on the dates and times noted below. Please stop by to share an accomplishment or concern, or just to say hello and have a cup of coffee.

• Wednesday, 4/18 – 3:30-4:30 p.m.

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Legal Research Center Announcements

A New Face at the LRC Circulation Desk

Samuel Mukiibi, a 1L student here at the Earle Mack School of Law, is a new Circulation Assistant at the Legal Research Center.  This former Maryland Terp is originally from Uganda but grew up in Gaithersburg, MD, and in his spare time enjoys playing basketball and working on his car.  Sam says he looks forward to assisting you at the Circ desk!


Raising the Research Bar - Legal Research Training Program

Presented by the Legal Research Center Reference Librarians

Monday, May 7, 2012
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 pm
Light Lunch Provided
RSVP Today to Reserve Your Seat

Who should attend?
All law students with summer research, or practice positions.

Morning Sessions
Room 301

• Developing efficient and effective research strategies
• Locating and effectively using primary sources

Lunch
Noon to 1:00 p.m. | Room 301

Concurrent Afternoon Sessions*
Legal Research Center Study Rooms

1:00-2:00 p.m.:

• Civil litigation practice
• Criminal Law practice
• Pennsylvania Research
• Judicial Clerk Preparation

2:00-3:00 p.m.:

• Civil litigation practice
• Criminal Law practice
• Pennsylvania Research
• Judicial Clerk Preparation

*Afternoon sessions will be offered based on popular demand and will include hands-on research exercises.  Session topics may change based on survey results.

Please RSVP to lawref@drexel.edu if you plan to attend and complete this survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K2DN9ZL.

If you have any questions please e-mail Steven Thorpe at sthorpe@drexel.edu.

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Office of Student Affairs


Fall Registration

The registration dates are as follows:

Rising third-year students (current 2Ls) priority day: Tuesday, April 17, 12:45 p.m. – 11:59 p.m.
All Continuing Students: Thursday, April 19, 12:00 p.m. through Sunday, August 26 (Note: There are breaks in registration during this period; see Registration page for exact dates.)

If this is your first time using web registration at the law school, please make sure to read the instructions carefully!!

Exam IDs and Practice Exams

Q: Have you gotten your Spring 2012 Exam ID?
Q: Have you completed an Exam4 Practice Exam using your new Spring 2012 Exam ID? 

If you answered “No” to either of these questions, please visit the Exam Center Student Page to obtain your Spring 2012 Exam ID.

** Reminder: To be eligible for technical support, you must complete a practice exam using your Exam ID before 5:00 p.m. on April 20, 2012. **


Volunteer to be an Orientation Leader!

We are looking for students to help us greet our incoming Class of 2015! A welcoming presence to our new students, student leaders offer tips, guidance, and a connection to the school. Orientation will run from Monday, August 13 through Thursday, August 16. If you are available during this time and would like to volunteer, please email Theresa Gallo at tg337@drexel.edu.


Attention 3L Health Concentrators!

Please be sure to submit your Health Writing Certification form (signed by Professor Furrow) by the end of the exam period. Note that this form indicates approval of the completed writing product for satisfaction of the concentration requirement.

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Office of Financial Aid

Scholarship Information and Financial Aid for 2012-13

All rising second and third-year students receiving EMSoL Merit Scholarships, as well as those students applying for financial aid, MUST submit an Institutional Financial Aid Form(http://drexel.edu/src/financialaid/forms/~/media/Files/src/financial-forms/institutional_fa_app.ashx).

This form requests the number of credits you are planning for the Fall Semester 2012 and for the Spring Semester 2013.   Please make a note of the information you submit and complete a revised form if your registration changes. Financial aid budgets, as well as per credit scholarships, are based on this information.  Incorrect forms can result in billing and financial aid issues later in the year.

All students interested in applying for Federal Financial Aid for the 2012-13 academic year should submit their FAFSA by May 1, 2012.  FAFSA on the web (www.fafsa.gov) now allows applicants to access their IRS tax information and have it automatically inserted into the FAFSA. There is a brief series of questions to determine  if you are eligible for this data retrieval service. 


Financial Aid for Summer

Students interested in receiving financial aid for the Summer Semester at the law school should note the following:

• The tuition charge this summer will be $996 per credit after the law school’s 20% discount is applied.  The General Fee will be $390.
• Law Merit Scholarships cannot be applied to summer tuition.
• Students taking at least 4.5 credits or half time enrollment can take out Federal Graduate Plus Loans to cover their expenses. You can start applying for summer loans the second week of April at www.studentloans.gov
• Living expenses for 3 months as well as tuition and fees are added to a summer student’s 2011-2012 budget.  Loan funds can then be used to cover these costs if needed.  Funds will be scheduled to disburse May 14, 2012 with refunds issued by the Bursar’s  Office over the following 2 weeks.
• There are no additional financial aid applications necessary as long as your FAFSA for 2011-12 is on file with the school.

Samuel F. and Sara G. Feinman Fund

The fund provides an interest-free loan of up to $5,000 to medical and law school students based on financial need.  Preference is given to students who live in the Greater Philadelphia region and of the Jewish faith who are enrolled in an accredited local Law or Medical school.  It is a requirement of this fund that loan repayments begin within five years after graduation, ensuring that future funds will continue to be available for students in need. Applications are available at http://www.jewishphilly.org/page.aspx?id=124638  and must be submitted by May 15, 2012.

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Academic Skills


Dean's Scholar Office Hours

Constitutional Law (Professor Cohen):

Krysten Connon: Friday from 12:00-2:00, Room 221
Jim Wise:             Wednesday from 4:00-6:00, Room 221

Constitutional Law (Professor Abu El-Haj):

Nate Howard:    Monday from 12:15-2:25, Room 222
Peter McCall:     Tuesday from 9:30-10:30, Room 221 | Thursday from 4:00-5:00, Room 221

Criminal Law (Professor Tibbs):

JJ Luff:                 Monday from 2:00-4:00, Room 221
Ted Kopec:         Monday from 1:15-2:00 & 5:15-6:15, Room 221**

Criminal Law (Professor Kalhan):

Tanishka Cruz:   Tuesday from 3:30-5:00, Room 221 | Thursday from 3:30-5:00, Room 222


Dean's Scholar Sessions for Constitutional Law and Criminal Law

The Dean's Scholar Sessions for Constitutional Law and Criminal Law begin this week. Here is the schedule for the semester.

Criminal Law- Prof. Kalhan 
Dean’s Scholars- Nicole Allen and Tanishka Cruz
Monday: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Room 240
Wednesday: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Room 240

Criminal Law-Prof. Tibbs
Dean’s Scholars-Ted Kopec and JJ Luff
Monday: 12:15-1:15 p.m. | Room 240
Tuesday: 12:00–12:45 p.m. | Room 112 ISB

Constitutional Law- Prof. Cohen
Dean’s Scholars-Krysten Connon and Jim Wise
Tuesday: 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. | Room 112 ISB
 Thursday: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Room 112 ISB

Constitutional Law-Prof. Abu El-Haj
Dean’s Scholars-Nate Howard and Peter McCall
Tuesday: 3:50 – 4:50 p.m. | Room 140
Thursday: 12:45 – 1:45 p.m. | Room 250

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Law Review Write-On Competition

The Law Review Write-On Competition will begin on May 14, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. Interested 1L and 2L students will receive the competition packet on that date and will have until May 28, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. to submit their completed materials. Those who are accepted to Law Review should be available to attend new member training sessions sometime in late July. We encourage all interested students to keep these dates in mind when making summer plans.

If you are interested in writing on to Law Review, you must do the following:

First, add the "Law Review Write-On Competition 2012" page on TWEN.  All material (including the packet) for the write-on competition will be posted on TWEN. You will also turn in your submission on TWEN.

Second, you need to request an anonymous ID number for the competition. You can request a number between April 4, 2012 and May 10, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.To request a number, please e-mail Dana Duggan (dmd82@drexel.edu) from your Drexel email account with the following information:

• Name
• Rising Class Year (rising 2L or rising 3L)
• E-mail address
• Phone number

If you do not request an anonymous number by May 10th at 5:00 p.m., you cannot participate in the write-on competition.

If you have any questions or problems before the competition, please e-mail Editor of Membership: Sadyhe` Bradley at DLRwriteon2012@gmail.com.

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Barristers' Ball

The Earle Mack School of Law presents
The Sixth Annual Barristers' Ball!

Final Price = $55 for 1Ls, 2Ls, and Guests ($45 for 3Ls)
Final balance payments open NOW and MUST be made by April 20 at midnight!

• FIVE hours of celebrating at the Top Floor of 1717 Arch Street
• Hors d’oeuvres and larger meals at several stations with plenty of table seating
• Featuring TWO Dance Floors including a DJ and Lima Bean Riot!
• Several bars serving liquor, beer, wine, and soft drinks – open the ENTIRE time.

Dress is semi-formal; masquerade/black-tie encouraged (You are not required to wear a costume)
 One guest per student!
Payment is done online at https://deptapp.drexel.edu/barristerball.

*If you did not reserve a ticket with deposit by the deadline and are interested in going, please email Megan Young at mnyoung88@gmail.com. No guarantees can be made that we will have extra tickets but a first-come first-serve list exists and extra tickets will go to those on the list. If you reserved an extra ticket or will be unable to go, please email Megan Young at mnyoung88@gmail.com for leads on selling your deposit to someone who wants to go but did not deposit.

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Student Organizations

American Constitution Society

​ACS Happy Hour
April 19, 2012 | 6:00-9:00 p.m. | Third Floor Gallery
Join the Philadelphia ACS chapters for an end of the year Happy hour.


Black Law Students Association

BLSA Tea Program
- 25 ¢ for plain tea (black tea/ fruit tea/ herbal tea)
- 50 ¢ for tea w/ extras (sugar, cinnamon, sweetener)
- OR donate $1 for each bag of tea.
Proceeds will go to Black Law Students Association charities.
-- Bring your own mug--
Contact Maanda Makwarela for info.


Business Law Society

General Meeting
April 18 | 12:15 p.m. | Room 340
Final Meeting of the Year! Election Will Be Held!
For details, please email drexelbusinesslaworg@gmail.com.


Criminal Law Society

End of the Year Event
April 18 | 6:00 p.m. | McGillin's, 1310 Drury Street in Center City
?The Criminal Law Society will be holding their end of the year event at McGillin's. CLS will be providing the food and McGillin's has graciously offered free drinks for the first hour. So come out and have your last drink before you spend the next two weeks in the library!!


Intellectual Property Society

Benjamin Franklin American Inn of Court's April Meeting
April 18 | 6:00 p.m. | Room 140 | Reception to follow in 3rd Floor Gallery
You are cordially invited to the April Meeting of the Benjamin Franklin American Inn of Court (topic: "Patent Reform: Tragedy, Comedy, or Both").

This meeting is free to members. Non-members are welcome to attend as guests and will be charged a $15 guest fee. Either business attire or business casual will be appropriate.

Hon. Paul R. Michel, retired Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit, will lead a discussion after each act of our presentation based on "Romeo & Juliet." In this spirited interpretation of the politics and policies surrounding the America Invents Act of 2011, Prince Escalus plans a new patent reform law in Verona, at the bidding of lobbyists. We see the results unfold through the starry eyes of two young lovers: Romeo is the CEO of Montague Technologies, and Juliet is the CEO of Capulet Pharmaceuticals. With the advice of patent counsel, can the star-crossed lovers’ companies survive? Or has the prince unwittingly prepared a gift of poison, and in the tragic end, will industry and innovation lie dead?

RSVP Deadline: Today!, April 16, 2012 - BenFranklinInn@gmail.com.


International Law Society

Bake Sale
April 17-20 | 1st floor Lobby
Come, treat yourself, and support two great causes: Partners for a Greater Voice and KIVA.  This event is sponsored by International Law Society, Drexel Business Law organization, and Sports and Entertainment Law Society.


Jewish Law Students Association

"Bringin' Back the Bread" Bake Sale | April 16 | First Floor Lobby
Help your Jewish friends celebrate the end of Passover with JLSA's "Bringin' Back the Bread" Bake Sale!  Look for our table on Monday, April 16 on the first floor lobby.  All proceeds will benefit the Philly Friendship Circle, an organization that serves families of children with special needs, toddlers through young adults, offering them a full range of social experiences.  Please go to www.phillyfriendship.com for more information.


Mental Health Law Society

Panel Discussion: The Mentally Ill in  the Criminal Caseload
April 17 | 5:30 p.m. | Room 340
Dinner will be provided - Reception to follow
Representatives from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and other local organizations will join us for a discussion of challenges and triumphs in working with mentally ill defendants in the municipal courts. Join us for dinner during the panel discussion and a reception following the panel.

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Events on Campus and Around Town

EMSoL Professors Lead a Town Hall on Trayvon Martin 

Today! April 16 | 4:00 p.m. | Room 340
Come join this open forum discussion about the Stand Your Ground Statute and the Trayvon Martin tragedy in Florida. Professors Tibbs, Furrows, Kalhan, Benforado, and Woodson will each give their view on the matter. Students are invited to ask questions and analyze the legal and social ramifications of the Stand Your Ground statute. This is an open dialogue, where everyone can have a say. THERE WILL BE FOOD!!!


Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Presents Workshops for Entrepreneurs

Protecting Your Website
Thursday, April 19, 2012
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Laurence A. Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship
3225 Arch Street, Room G-55

Learn the best ways to protect your business website at this interactive workshop. Specific topics will include privacy policies, terms of use and cloud agreements.

Presenters:

• Nicole Allen, 3L and clinic student
• Nathan Howard, 3L and clinic student
• Frederic Wilf, Esq., a leading practitioner, speaker and author in the fields of technology, intellectual property, business and commercial law and partner in the law firm of Baer Crossey
• Steven Rosard, Esq., director of the law school's Entrepreneurial Law Clinic. The event is co-sponsored and hosted by the Laurence A. Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship at the LeBow College of Business.

Register here.


Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor Sitting with Third Circuit Court of Appeals - April 19-20

Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (Ret.), will be sitting by designation with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on April 19-20, 2012.

Oral arguments will be held in the Ceremonial Courtroom (601 Market Street, United States Courthouse – First Floor, Philadelphia, PA) and will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. on each day. Oral arguments are open to the public, and may be of particular interest to students and faculty. The Court is honored to have Justice O’Connor sitting on a panel with Chief Judge McKee and Judge Sloviter, and hopes that some of your faculty and students will be able to share in this experience.

All attendees will have to clear standard security screening prior to entering the courthouse, so a 9:00 a.m. arrival time is recommended. An hour should provide sufficient time for all attendees to clear security and obtain a seat in the courtroom. If you have any questions, please contact Bill Bradley, Court Sessions Coordinator, at 267-299-4935.


ABA Citizen Amicus Project

Have the Supreme Court hear your voice about the Constitution.  Win $500!  Join a discussion about the tensions between liberty and law enforcement.

The American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section is continuing the “Citizen Amicus Project” in an effort to get law students to contribute to the national dialogue about the Fourth Amendment.

The Spring 2012 Project focuses on the Fourth Amendment issues raised by law enforcement's warrantless use of trained narcotics dogs to detect narcotics from the outside of a home.  This term the Supreme Court will hear Florida v. Jardines, a case that questions whether law enforcement's use of narcotic detection dogs in front of a home, without a warrant, violates the homeowner's Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches.

For additional information, please visit http://www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice/citizen_amicus.html.


Lavner Day Camps for Children

Any students, faculty, or staff members looking for day camps for their child/children between the ages 6-14, check out www.lavnercamps.com or contact Michael Lavner (mll65@drexel.edu) for more information. Lavner Camps offers 9 different day camps ranging from Sports, Technology, and Arts at 5 convenient PA locations.

Mid-Atlantic Law and Society Association Inaugural Conference - October 19-20

Call for Participation - Proposal Due Date: August 1, 2012
Submissions (via email): malsa@drexel.edu

The Mid-Atlantic Law and Society Association will host its Inaugural Conference at the Earle Mack School of Law, Drexel University, in Philadelphia, PA, on October 19-20, 2012. Please make plans to attend and encourage others to join us! Proposals for Individual Papers and Fully-Formed Sessions are welcome.

The DEADLINE for submission of paper proposals and other forms of participation is August 1, 2012.
THEME: Law, Society and the Social Good
Additional information can be found at http://earlemacklaw.drexel.edu/docket/enewsletter/041612/MALSA-2012.pdf.

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Call for LGBT Bar Association Award Nominations

National LGBT Bar Association’s Student Leadership Award - Deadline for Nominations: May 20, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.lgbtbar.org/assets/2012-Student-Leadership-Award.pdf.


Writing Competitions

Pennsylvania Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Section Writing Competition - Deadline: April 16, 2012
This competition is open to all second and third year students enrolled in Pennsylvania law schools, writing papers in the areas of patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, or trade dress. There is a maximum word count of 3500 words, including footnotes. Entries must be submitted not later than April 16, 2012.  The winner will receive a cash award of $2,500.  The second place prize is $1,500.   The winning entries will be published in the PBA-IPLS Newsletter and on the PBA website.   Submit entries to the Section Relations Coordinator, Michael T. Shatto, Michael.Shatto@pabar.org.

Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition - Deadline: April 27, 2012
For details, please visit http://nd.edu/~ndlaw/writing_competitions/smith-doheny.pdf.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Pursuit of Justice Legal Writing Competition - Deadline: May 9, 2012
For details, please visit http://earlemacklaw.drexel.edu/docket/enewsletter/022712/Ginsberg2012.pdf.

New! The Catherine Albiston Prize for Recent Developments on Gender, Law & Justice - Deadline: May 15, 2012
For details, please visit http://library.wcl.american.edu/writing/flyers/albiston_prize.pdf.

International Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Contest - Deadline: May 18, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.iadclaw.org/publications/contest.aspx.

Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition - Deadline: May 20, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.lgbtbar.org/assets/2012-Michael-Greenberg-Student-Writing-Competition.pdf.

International Association of LGBT Judges Student Writing Competition - Deadline: May 20, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.lgbtbar.org/assets/2012-Judges-Writing-Competition.pdf.

ACEBC Employee Benefits Writing Competition - Deadline: June 1, 2012
For details, please visit http://earlemacklaw.drexel.edu/docket/enewsletter/012312/ACEBC-Competition-2012.pdf.

The Mary Moers Wenig 2012 Student Writing Competition - Deadline: June 1, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.actec.org/public/WenigCompetition.asp.

2012 Warren E. Burger Prize (Writing Competition) - Deadline: June 1, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.innsofcourt.org/Content/Default.aspx?Id=309.

New! Adam A. Milani Disability Law Writing Competition - Deadline: June 4, 2012
For details, please visit http://law.mercer.edu/academics/legalwriting/milani.

University of Connecticut School of Law Student Legal Writing Competition - Deadline: June 1, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.law.uconn.edu/node/9541.

American Intellectual Property Law Association Robert C. Watson Competition- Deadline: June 30, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.aipla.org/resources/programs/Pages/default.aspx.


Scholarships

Hazing Awareness Scholarship - Deadline: Several. Check website for details.
Please visit http://www.collegegreekbooks.com/cashaward.html.

Hudson County Bar Foundation Scholarship - Deadline: April 30, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.hcbalaw.com/Foundation.aspx.

Hispanic Bar Association of NJ 2012 Scholarship - Deadline: May 1, 2012
The Hispanic Bar Association of NJ will award scholarships of up to $3,000 to Hispanic American students (including at least one Hispanic American parent) who are or have been residents of the State of New Jersey. The scholarship is available to students currently in their first, second, or third year of law school. For details, please visit http://www.njhba.org/.

Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office – Richard L. Barbour, Jr. Scholarship - Deadline: May 3, 2012
Applicant must be a New Jersey resident attending or accepted for admission to a law school and seeking a career as a prosecuting attorney. Amount of the scholarship is $5,000; Application must be submitted by May 3, 2012. An application packet is available in the Law School’s Financial Aid Office or through the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Mt. Holly, NJ

Mike Eidson Scholarship - Deadline: May 31, 2012
For details, please visit http://www.justice.org/cps/rde/xchg/justice/hs.xsl/8514.htm. The application has been posted on Symplicity.

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Submissions for the Weekly Newsletter
Submissions for the "EMSoL Weekly Newsletter" are approved by Kevin Oates, Senior Associate Dean of Students and Associate Professor of Law.

End of EMSoL Weekly Newsletter - April 16, 2012