Environmental Law Paper Earns Recognition

This past semester, the Environmental Law Section of the Wisconsin State Bar sponsored a competition for the best student paper in environmental law. To be eligible, students had to submit a 7,500-10,000 word paper based on original research.

Ryann Beck — who just graduated in May — won this year’s competition with her article entitled “Farmers’ Rights and Open Source Licensing.” Michael O’Hear blogged here about Ryann’s article, which will be published in the Arizona Journal of Environmental Law and Policy.

Ryann received a cash prize for winning the competition, and her article will also be published by the Environmental Law Section on its website. Congratulations, Ryann!

Continue ReadingEnvironmental Law Paper Earns Recognition

Five Students Weigh in on the Daunting Challenge That Is 1L

If my Academic Support Program (ASP) orientation meeting was any indicator, new law students have a lot of questions, especially for rising second and third year law students, about what the first year will be like and what they can do to make it successful.

This summer, I have had the opportunity to work alongside five very bright, hardworking student interns and was able to ask them about their first year experience.  What is great about this group is that they come from a varied set of backgrounds, ages, sociopolitical views, and attend a variety of law schools—one at Franklin Pierce, one at University of Michigan, one at Harvard, and two at Chicago-Kent.  I asked that they share their answers to a number of questions that I recalled were asked in my ASP orientation session.  Those questions and a selection of their answers are below:

Continue ReadingFive Students Weigh in on the Daunting Challenge That Is 1L

Memories of Sensenbrenner Hall (Part 4)

In 1973 and at the age of 24, I walked into Sensenbrenner Hall for the first time, hoping I could transfer from Chicago Kent to Marquette. My husband had been offered a teaching position at Menomonee Falls East High School and I was happy to return to my home state. I met with Dean Bob Boden who could not have been more gracious in telling me that Marquette would be happy to let me enroll as a 2L.  So in the fall of 1973 I began classes with the 2Ls (except that I had to take Professor Aiken’s first year civil procedure year long course…an experience in and of itself).  In part, it was like starting law school all over again.

There was no orientation or introduction to anything at the law school. My first memory of meeting a student occurred when, on that first day, I was standing next to Barbara Berman. As many of you may recall, we lived, sat and interacted in alphabetical order. My last name at the time was also Berman. After Barbara found that out she said, “I hope you are smarter than me so if we get mixed up, I can benefit from it.”  That was the beginning of our life long friendship.

Continue ReadingMemories of Sensenbrenner Hall (Part 4)