A few weeks ago, the Wisconsin Law Journal awarded my colleague Andrea Kupfer Schneider the prestigious Women in the Law Award for 2009.  Professor Schneider was one of 21 outstanding women who were selected this year by the Journal for their work with Wisconsin’s legal community.  In its tribute to Professor Schneider, the Journal traces her passion for the law back to her grandfather’s practice, and describes her love for Marquette Law School and our first-class Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.

As a woman in the law, I am thrilled with Professor Schneider’s award! Nobody more than Andrea Schneider deserves this recognition for her tireless work, service, and leadership at Marquette University Law School and in so many other institutional and noninstitutional organizations.   Since I have known Andrea Schneider, she has been a primary source of inspiration and example, and I know she is a guide and example for all of our students and colleagues.  I admire Professor Schneider as a teacher, a great scholar, and one of the most outstanding leaders in committees and programs I have ever met in my career. As a mother, I also tremendously admire Andrea Schneider’s ability to balance work and family, multitask, and get everything done, always impeccably.

Congratulations again, Professor Schneider, and thanks so much for the wonderful role model you are for all of us women in the law!

Congratulations to the Marquette National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) team!  On Saturday, our students distinguished themselves at the Boston regional NAAC competition.  Stephen Boyett, Carrie Devitt, and Jessie Franklin won each of their five rounds of competition, and they will be advancing to the National Finals in April.  Elizabeth Champeau and Thomas Worsfold advanced to the semifinal round.  The students also distinguished themselves in obtaining high scores on their briefs. 

Approximately 190 teams entered the competition and are participating in six regional competitions.  Only the top four teams from each regional round advance to the National Finals in Chicago.

Both teams have worked hard to prepare for competition.  The students put many hours into preparing their briefs and oral arguments.  We appreciate the assistance that many local practitioners and law faculty gave us in preparing for the oral arguments.  We are especially grateful to Attorney Michael Cerjak, a 2008 law alum and former NAAC competitor, who organized and attended numerous practice rounds.  Michael surprised the team by flying out for the final rounds on Saturday. 

Congratulations, Team!  I’m proud of you!!

I was happy to be asked by Michael O’Hear to be the Alum Blogger for March. I hope to avoid “Beware the Ides of March,” but will be happy with “March Madness,” especially if Marquette does well in the Big East tournament and beyond.

I graduated from the Law School in 1967, a tumultuous time for our society that did not exempt the Law School. I had a chance to look back at that period when Gordon Hylton asked me to participate in the Centennial Celebration at the Law School last semester. That caused me to reflect some more on the role of Robert Boden as Dean of the Law School. On one hand, Bob Boden has come to be a generally revered figure by members of the Law School community — students, alumni, faculty and staff. On the other, I, and I think many of my classmates, have viewed him differently, quite negatively. Can these two views be squared?