INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1720, 'Widener Law Commonwealth Marks Historic 25th Anniversary  With Reception and Golf Outing', '2015-03-25', '<p>Widener Law School Harrisburg is putting a new twist on the concept of a silver anniversary. It&rsquo;s throwing a big party to celebrate its past but has also announced a brand-new profile for its future.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;This year, the Harrisburg-based law school celebrates its <a title=\"25th Anniversary Event\" href=\"ipl://12//WyIzMDkwIl0=\">25<sup>th</sup> anniversary</a>. To mark the historic occasion and the successful conclusion of the <em>Taking the Lead</em> fundraising campaign, the law school plans a reception on Saturday April 18 2015, starting with a golf outing at <a href=\"http://www.manadagolfclub.com/\">Manada Golf Club</a> in Grantville in the morning and ending with a celebration on the Harrisburg campus later that evening.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The 5 p.m. celebration will take place in The Pit in the upper level of the Library building. Other activities include a wine tasting in the newly renovated law school library sponsored by Spring Gate Vineyard of Harrisburg and music provided by Wave Trio. The student honor groups will host tables at the event. There will be an iPad mini raffle and gift bags for all attendees. Alumni, students, faculty, administration and staff are encouraged to attend. To register, click <a href=\"http://lawalumni.widener.edu/s/1507/law/index.aspx?sid=1507&amp;gid=2&amp;pgid=655\">here</a>.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The golf outing starts at 7 a.m. with registration and a light breakfast. The event will feature a four-person scramble format, with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.&nbsp; To register, click <a href=\"http://lawalumni.widener.edu/s/1507/law/index.aspx?sid=1507&amp;gid=2&amp;pgid=655\">here</a>.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The celebration follows the announcement last week of an independent identity, new name and recent appointment of a dean for the school.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The American Bar Association last month approved the application to split the Widener University School of Law, which has campuses in Harrisburg, Pa. and Wilmington, Del., into separate law schools that will operate independently of each other, but remain part of the university.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The new name for the newly independent law school? <strong>Widener University Commonwealth Law School</strong>.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;And with its new identity comes a new dean.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<strong>Christian A. Johnson</strong> has been appointed to serve as dean of the Widener University Commonwealth School of Law. Johnson, is the Hugh B. Brown Presidential Endowed Chair in Law at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, where he has been on the faculty since 2008. He teaches and writes in the areas of business, banking and tax law.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The change in status and the new name will take effect July 1, the day Johnson begins his tenure as dean.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Widener Harrisburg alumni include United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab; Commonwealth Court Judge P. Kevin Brobson, Mifflin County Court of Common Pleas President Judge David W. Barron, former Congressman Patrick J. Murphy, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, Pennsylvania State Senator Richard Alloway, Pennsylvania Representative Mark Cohen, Pennsylvania Representative Peter J. Daley, II and many other familiar faces in Harrisburg and beyond.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The president of <a href=\"http://www.widener.edu/about/\">Widener University</a>, parent institution to the law school, <strong>Dr. James T. Harris III</strong>, will speak at the 25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary celebration, as will the law school&rsquo;s <strong>Interim Dean Robyn L. Meadows</strong> and <strong>Dean Designate Johnson</strong>.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/25thlogo.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1721, 'Widener Law Students Help Artists in Creative Collaboration', '2015-03-25', '<p>Providing <em>pro bono</em> services to a nonprofit Harrisburg theater company this year made third-year law student Sarah Pregler realize how many legal issues people deal with in their everyday lives.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We helped our clients review contracts for a space they planned to renovate to put on their shows and hold rehearsals and classes,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We dealt with contracts, insurance and local ordinances.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Pregler was among the first Widener law students to provide free legal services to artists as part of the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts program, which launched last fall.</p>\r\n<p>VLA is a collaboration between Widener University School of Law, Harrisburg and <a href=\"https://www.dcba-pa.org/\">Dauphin County Bar Association</a> and <a href=\"http://hbgmakespace.com/about/\">The MakeSpace Arts Collective</a> and is designed to pair artists in need with volunteer attorneys assisted by law students.</p>\r\n<p>The Dauphin County Bar Association, a professional organization with more than 1,450 lawyers actively engaged in various programs of public service, professional development and personal interaction, first came up with the idea of providing free legal services to income-qualified artists.</p>\r\n<p>Sandy Ballard, the Dauphin County Bar Association&rsquo;s public services coordinator, credits DCBA member Steven O&rsquo;Neill, who is an assistant counsel at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency in Harrisburg. She said that the DCBA saw the program as a &ldquo;win-win-win.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a win for the student who get much sought-after &lsquo;client contact.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s a win for the artists whom we hope to help. And it&rsquo;s a win for lawyers who want to do good works but just need the opportunity,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>When Widener <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIyMiJd\">Professor Juliet Moringiello</a> heard about VLA, she thought, \"Wow, what a great opportunity to get our students some transactional lawyering experience!\"</p>\r\n<p>Professor Moringiello points to the current expectation in the legal job market that law schools produce \"practice-ready\" lawyers. She and Widener <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNyJd\">Associate Professor Michael J. Hussey</a> immediately saw the value in the partnership.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;While the definition of practice-ready varies depending on the practice environment, we know that <em>every</em> lawyer needs to know how to interact with clients. We think that this program will help us train \"<em>client-ready</em>\" lawyers,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>Pregler agrees, saying that her matter gave her great experience in interviewing skills and with issue spotting.</p>\r\n<p>Fourth-year extended program student Victoria Beard said the VLA meant something even more personal and was well worth the extra time. Both of her parents were artists, she said.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;An artist may be a brilliant artist but as we all know,&nbsp;just being a good artist doesn\'t keep one out of needing business and legal advice,&rdquo; Beard explained. She said that providing services to artists through VLA allowed her to give back to the artistic community in a way she never thought possible.</p>\r\n<p>Beard said she would encourage law students &ndash;even busy, working students like her &ndash; to give VLA a try. She said while she works a full time job as an administrative law judge for the Department of Human Services, she was able to balance the VLA commitment and her studies.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I have very little time for myself or for other projects,&rdquo; Beard said. &ldquo;So what I do become involved in has to have a purpose.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Moringiello said that the Dauphin County VLA is the only legal-assistance program designed for artists between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello, who teaches municipal bankruptcy and is a leading expert on public finance, said that another positive aspect of the VLA collaboration is the impact it has on the city of Harrisburg. &ldquo;The arts community is deeply committed to making Harrisburg a fun and interesting place to live and visit,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;That\'s essential to Harrisburg\'s financial recovery, of course. And helping the arts community thrive fits in really well with Widener University\'s nationally-recognized focus on civic engagement.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Founding MakeSpace artist Liz Laribee agrees, saying that VLA will only help the City grow its creative community.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The potential impact on the artistic community here is huge,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Programs like this are crucial to helping a creative economies generate and sustain themselves.&nbsp; Artists have a valuable, risky vocation, and the headache of legal trouble can stop a project, or career, in its tracks. This is a great step forward to help, and I\'m so excited to be part of this initiative.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Pregler&rsquo;s matter was a case in point. &ldquo;It was great being able to help this non-profit group because they had gotten a space in an area where they were trying to revitalize the town,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It was also great to be able to help them because this was something that they were so passionate about.&rdquo;</p>', '', NULL, 'Widener Law Students Help Artists in Creative Collaboration', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1722, 'Jurist in Residence Discusses Civil Forfeiture in Pennsylvania ', '2015-03-05', '<p><a title=\"Email Brent Johnson\" href=\"mailto:bljohnson@widener.edu\">Brent Johnson</a></p>\r\n<p>On Thursday, January 22, Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court delivered her second lecture since becoming the jurist in residence at Widener Law Commonwealth one year ago.<br /><br />The lecture, hosted by Widener\'s<a href=\"ipl://391//W10=\"> Law and Government Institute</a>, focused on the current state of civil forfeiture law in Pennsylvania. Beginning with a brief recounting of the history of forfeiture laws, Leavitt explained to the audience that the concept of forfeiture began in biblical times, with criminal forfeiture dating to the Middle Ages and statutory forfeiture originating in admiralty law.<br /><br />In Pennsylvania, much of civil forfeiture arises from the war on drugs beginning in the 1970\'s. Currently, under the Controlled Substances Act, there does not need to be any property rights affected before authorities can initiate forfeiture proceedings, bringing up Constitutional questions about due process under the 5th Amendment and excessive fines under the 8th Amendment. Based on recent US Supreme Court decisions, the Pennsylvania courts have decided that civil forfeiture does in fact have limits, and the value of the forfeiture in question can trigger an 8th amendment analysis.<br /><br />The event was well-attended by law students, alumni, and members of the local bench and bar, and the tone of the presentation was kept light as Judge Leavitt inserted a clip from John Oliver\'s HBO series \'Last Week Tonight\' which poked fun at the sometimes ridiculous consequences of a government\'s civil forfeiture powers left unchecked.</p>', '', NULL, 'Civil Forfeiture in Pennsylvania', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1724, 'A Legal Leader', '2015-03-25', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth congratulates Professor Juliet M. Moringiello on two recent high-profile professional accomplishments.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello was elected in March to membership in the prestigious American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. The college describes itself as a professional organization dedicated to promoting the field of commercial finance law through education, legislative reform and the recognition of distinguished practitioners, jurists and academics.</p>\r\n<p>College fellows nominate new members. Nominees must be lawyers, academics or jurists who have achieved preeminence in commercial finance law and made repeated, substantial contributions to the promotion of learning and scholarship in commercial financial law through teaching, lecturing, publishing and continuing legal education.</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello was also appointed recently as a uniform law commissioner for Pennsylvania. The Uniform Law Commission, also known as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, provides states with nonpartisan, well-conceived and well-drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law. She has taught Uniform Commercial Code courses since she began in legal education and she has been involved in the enactment of several Uniform Law Commission projects in Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello is one of the country&rsquo;s leading municipal bankruptcy scholars. She has been a frequent commentator in the national and international news media about Detroit&rsquo;s historic bankruptcy and the dismissed bankruptcy filing and subsequent state receivership of Harrisburg. She is a versatile scholar who writes in the areas of bankruptcy, secured credit and electronic commerce, and her articles have been published or are forthcoming in some of the nation&rsquo;s top law reviews. She served as the Robert M. Zinman Resident Scholar at the American Bankruptcy Institute in 2010.<br /> <br /> At Widener Law Commonwealth, Moringiello teaches property, bankruptcy, sales, secured transactions, and payment systems, and she has taught seminars on cities in crisis, the mortgage crisis, and electronic commerce. The class of 2014 honored her with the Outstanding Faculty Award for excellence in teaching, and she has received the Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award twice.&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moringielloj_6931-2.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1725, 'The Professor on Capitol Hill', '2015-03-26', '<p>An important United States Senate subcommittee got a taste recently of the quality education Widener Law Commonwealth students are exposed to in the classroom, when Professor Jill E. Family shared her expertise in immigration law at a government hearing.</p>\r\n<p>Family, director of the Law &amp; Government Institute at Widener Law Commonwealth, was invited to testify March 19 before the Senate Judiciary&rsquo;s Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts subcommittee chaired by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. She was one of three experts who discussed the immigration policy President Obama announced recently that would have provided temporary relief from deportation for some undocumented immigrants &ndash; and the ensuing court challenge that resulted in a federal judge blocking the new policy last month.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It was an invaluable experience, where I was in deep discussion with policymakers who were focused on my area of immigration law,&rdquo; Family said. &ldquo;It was gratifying to know my work was making a difference, and contributing to an important discourse on Capitol Hill.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Family&rsquo;s contributions already enrich the discourse in Harrisburg classrooms. Third-year law student Marissa Mowery, who has taken Family&rsquo;s civil procedure and immigration law classes and served as her research assistant, felt compelled to travel to Washington for the hearing.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It really drove home for me what we talked about in class,&rdquo; Mowery said, recalling a lesson on the importance of government administrative agencies, which provide critical information for Congress and the American people. &ldquo;It was so cool to see her answering questions about something that is cutting edge in immigration law right now.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Family was one of four law professors in the United States who authored <a href=\"https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/_file/LAWPROFLTRHANENFINAL.pdf\">an open letter</a> &ndash; signed by 104 legal scholars and law professors &ndash; that decried U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen&rsquo;s <a href=\"http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/nlj/texas_immigration_20150216.pdf\">decision to block Obama&rsquo;s immigration policy</a>. The letter was made public shortly before U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, the ranking subcommittee Democrat, invited Family to testify at the hearing.</p>\r\n<p>The subcommittee also heard from two witnesses who were invited by Republicans: Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and David B. Rivkin Jr., partner at BakerHostetler in Washington.</p>\r\n<p>Family had three days to draft written testimony for the subcommittee, which she submitted in advance of the hearing. The preparation was intense. &ldquo;It was a challenge to respond to all of the senators&rsquo; questions quickly,&rdquo; she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Despite that, Mowery said she was impressed with Family&rsquo;s delivery. The professor talked to the Senators with the same pace, tone and attention to detail that Mowery said she appreciates as a student.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I really solidified for me that she&rsquo;s very genuine and honest in what she has to say,&rdquo; Mowery said.</p>\r\n<p>Click here to <a href=\"http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/reining-in-amnesty_texas-v-united-states-and-its-implications\">view</a> Professor Family&rsquo;s testimony.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/family.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1726, 'Meet the Incoming Dean, Christian A. Johnson', '2015-03-27', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth and its incoming dean, Christian A. Johnson, share an anniversary. Widener Law Commonwealth is celebrating the year-long silver anniversary of its founding with an event on April 18, the same day that Johnson is celebrating his 54<sup>th</sup> birthday.</p>\r\n<p>A coincidence? Certainly, but maybe fate, as well.</p>\r\n<p>Johnson, currently the Hugh B. Brown Presidential Endowed Chair in Law at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, was announced Friday as the first dean of the Widener University Commonwealth Law School effective July 1, the same day the Law School officially assumes its new moniker.</p>\r\n<p>What does seem to be fate is Johnson&rsquo;s legal career. He was born during his father&rsquo;s third year of law school. &ldquo;My father is a lawyer, one of my uncles was a lawyer, my father&rsquo;s friends were lawyers. I&rsquo;ve always been fascinated with the law since I was little,&rdquo; Johnson said.</p>\r\n<p>Johnson received his bachelor&rsquo;s and master&rsquo;s degrees in accounting from the University of Utah, and worked at Price Waterhouse as a CPA for a couple of years, becoming a lawyer was always his goal, he says.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I always believed that I would be a better lawyer if I understood accounting,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;I wanted to do business law and tax law. I was an accountant for a couple years and got some good training and then applied to law school. I quickly discovered that the 10 percent of what I liked about accounting, lawyers did 100 percent of the time.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Johnson attended Columbia University School of Law where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and executive editor of the <em>Columbia Law Review</em>. After graduating from law school, he worked as an associate for law firms in New York, Las Vegas and Chicago, focusing primarily on tax law, finance, bank lending and derivatives.</p>\r\n<p>After a few years of practice, Johnson decided to follow another passion &ndash; teaching.</p>\r\n<p>Working for Mayer, Brown and Platt in Chicago at the time, Johnson moved two miles up the road to Loyola University School of Law. As a member of the faculty at Loyola, he rose through the ranks to professor, and served as faculty director of the Corporate Law Center. While at Loyola, he also served as a consultant to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.</p>\r\n<p>After 13 years at Loyola, Johnson, a Utah native, was drawn back to his home state, receiving a professorship at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney School of Law. He has served on the faculty since 2008, and was the associate dean of academic affairs from 2012 to 2014.</p>\r\n<p>Johnson said he immediately perceived the opportunity at Widener Law Commonwealth as a good fit. He was attracted to the position by the collegial faculty, strong alumni base, and renowned programs in law and government and environmental law.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The opportunity at Widener is very unique because a very fine law school is already in place,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tremendous opportunity to help a fine faculty develop and strengthen the programs that they have, and the university is extremely supportive in helping the law school be successful. For someone who wants to be a dean, it is a very attractive situation.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/christianjohnson--high-resolution.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1727, 'A New Day', '2015-03-27', '<p>For a quarter century, Widener Law Commonwealth has built a solid reputation and unique identity in the Commonwealth and beyond with outstanding programs in government, environmental and business law, and the incomparable access students have to dedicated faculty. Today, Widener University announced that Widener Law Commonwealth will stand on that reputation and those strengths as its own law school.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<strong>The university today announced</strong> the American Bar Association has approved its application to split its School of Law, which has campuses in Harrisburg, Pa. and Wilmington, Del., into separate law schools that will operate independently of each other, but remain part of the university.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<strong>Christian A. Johnson</strong> will serve as dean of Widener University Commonwealth Law School, the name for the school in Harrisburg, Pa. The change in status and the new name will take effect July 1, the day Johnson begins his tenure as dean.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;This is an exciting time for Widener University and its law schools,&rdquo; University President James T. Harris III said. &ldquo;The campuses have grown with their own unique identities, and are ready to stand apart from each another and showcase their strengths and individuality. Christian Johnson is an outstanding leader, and I am confident he will help provide a world-class legal education that graduates practice-ready lawyers and supports Widener&rsquo;s commitment to the communities we serve.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Widener University Commonwealth Law School was chosen for Harrisburg as a reflection of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s status as one of only four commonwealths. The university community liked the name for its sense of history, distinction and its allusion to state government. It also complements Widener&rsquo;s strong program in government law, which is a key component to the Harrisburg location&rsquo;s identity.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Johnson, is the Hugh B. Brown Presidential Endowed Chair in Law at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, where he has been on the faculty since 2008. He teaches and writes in the areas of business, banking and tax law.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Johnson earned his law degree at Columbia University School of Law where he was executive editor of the <em>Columbia Law Review</em> and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He earned his bachelor&rsquo;s and master&rsquo;s degrees from the University of Utah.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;It is an absolute privilege for me to serve as dean of Widener Law Commonwealth. The school plays such an important role for Pennsylvania&rsquo;s capital with its programs, lectures and signature Law &amp; Government Institute,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;I look forward to sharing my vision for legal education with the school, including the importance of globalization and the need to balance legal theory with an education that prepares students for the practice of law. I am anxious to build on the positive relationships Widener has with the community and its many constituencies.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Widener University opened the law school campus in Harrisburg in 1989 and this year is celebrating 25 years of service the Commonwealth and beyond. The location is home to more than 240 law students pursuing Juris Doctor degrees in a three-year, full-time program, or part time in Widener&rsquo;s four-year, extended division.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/harrisburg-announcement-041.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1728, 'Widener Incubator Program Helps Launch New Lawyers in Harrisburg', '2015-04-02', '<p>Nerve wracking but exciting. This is how 2014 Widener Law Commonwealth graduate Mark Calore describes his first few months in the law school&rsquo;s innovative new incubator collaboration.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;My first few client interactions were intense,&rdquo; Calore said. &ldquo;I had experience in the civil clinic but this was different. There&rsquo;s no one watching over your shoulder here.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He said that he&rsquo;s already been to court a number of times for his clients, which is something he&rsquo;d always wanted to do.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s exhilarating to be in a court room,&rdquo; Calore said. &ldquo;People have been really nice to me. I am open about being new &ndash; they can probably tell. But I&rsquo;m representing my clients; they are more nervous than I am, honestly.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The incubator, a concept supported by the American Bar Association and created by Widener Law Commonwealth together with the Dauphin County Bar Association, opened in January 2015 with three students including Calore, John Sweet, and Patrick Daniels.</p>\r\n<p>Supervised by Widener Law Associate Clinical Professor <a href=\"https://law.widener.edu/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesHbg/LockardJPalmer.aspx\">J. Palmer Lockard II</a>&nbsp;, the program provides the new legal professionals with office space at the Dauphin County Bar Association on Front Street in Harrisburg. In addition, the participating attorneys are given computers, printers, training in the work of building a law practice, mentoring, and networking support.</p>\r\n<p>Calore has already handled a number of matters, including a change in paternity action, a custody dispute, a breach of contract claim, and a private criminal complaint.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of responsibility that comes along with these cases,&rdquo; Calore said. &ldquo;But we have Professor Lockard and the DCBA, which helps.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Calore, Sweet, and Daniels are required to pay for their own malpractice insurance and must commit to provide 100 hours of pro bono legal work while in the program. MidPenn Legal Services, which is also housed at the Dauphin County Bar Association, provides the pro bono work. In addition, the new lawyers are being encouraged to take on &ldquo;low bono&rdquo; work. But the bulk of the incubator cases come from the Dauphin County referral program, according to Lockard.</p>\r\n<p>The concept behind the incubator, according to Professor Lockard, is to provide skills training in the type of small or solo law practice that about 30% of Widener graduates start after graduation.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The incubator also supports the value placed on public service by both Widener University and Widener Law Commonwealth,&rdquo; said Professor Lockard. &ldquo;This is a great way to help clients who can&rsquo;t afford big firms or big legal bills. They get a hard working lawyer for a reasonable price.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>There are some fee structures in place for the &ldquo;low bono,&rdquo; or &ldquo;modest means&rdquo; matters that come through a service offered by Dauphin County Bar Association, but the Widener grads in the incubator program are mostly own their own when negotiating their hourly rates, retainer amounts and the timing of payment.</p>\r\n<p>Calore said his sales experience prior to law school comes in handy. &ldquo;Closing the sale really is the hardest part,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Asking my clients whether they are prepared to pay today is tough. I am always making judgment calls, deciding my worth and assessing the value of legal matters.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Widener hopes to expand the incubator program to other areas outside of downtown Harrisburg. &ldquo;We want more students to serve more clients in more places,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;d love to have a presence on Allison Hill, &ldquo;he said, referencing a low-income neighborhood east of downtown. &ldquo;We also know there is a need for low-cost services in places like Pottsville or Perry County.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>As for Calore, he hopes that his business just continues to grow. &ldquo;The wheels of justice turn slowly,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I am focused on ramping up my business and bringing more clients in,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But by far the most satisfying thing for me is that I&rsquo;m able to put my clients at ease. People fear the legal process, and I can help them with that.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/incubator.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1729, 'Annual John L. Gedid lecture considers scope of presidential authority', '2015-04-14', '<p>The ninth-annual John L. Gedid Lecture provided a history lesson and much thought-provoking comment on the amount of authority American presidents have when deciding whether and how to enforce U.S. laws.</p>\r\n<div>\r\n<div style=\"float: left; margin-right: 20px;\"><iframe src=\"//www.viddler.com/embed/f45bc578/?f=1&amp;autoplay=0&amp;player=full&amp;secret=97367537&amp;disablebackwardseek=false&amp;disableseek=false&amp;disableforwardseek=false&amp;make_responsive=false&amp;loop=false&amp;nologo=false&amp;hd=false\" width=\"437\" height=\"392\"></iframe></div>\r\n<p>Tara Leigh Grove, associate professor of law at William &amp; Mary Law School, delivered the lecture. An expert on Constitutional law, federal courts and statutory interpretation, Grove began her talk asking the audience to imagine a new president taking office in 2017. What if that person announced the individual health insurance mandate built into the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional &ndash; in the new president&rsquo;s view, at least &ndash; and would not be enforced.</p>\r\n<p>While such an action seems impossible, Grove said, &ldquo;the issue is actually not that clear.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Constitution says presidents shall take care that laws be faithfully executed, but what about laws presidents don&rsquo;t view as lawful, she asked. Grove pointed to Thomas Jefferson, who refused to uphold the Sedition Act of 1798, which made it illegal for citizens to speak against their elected officials. Or Abraham Lincoln who issued the Emancipation Proclamation granting freedom to slaves, six years after the U.S. Supreme Court declared slaves as property, not people, in Dred Scott v. Sandford. In 1968, Congress enacted a law that overturned the Miranda warning &ndash; which requires police to explain the right to an attorney at the time a person is being arrested. That law was still on the books in the 21<sup>st</sup> century, even though it was not enforced.</p>\r\n<p>There are ways to hold these authorities in check, Grove said. Congress could withhold funding from the executive branch if it viewed a president&rsquo;s discretionary authority moving out of line. Or, the public has opportunities to share its views with presidents through opinion polls, which presidents would be wise to watch. &ldquo;We the people ultimately judge whether a president did take care that the laws were faithfully executed,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>The Gedid Lecture is presented by Widener&rsquo;s <a title=\"Law &amp; Government Institute\" href=\"ipl://391//W10=\">Law &amp; Government Institute</a>, which Gedid founded. Grove joined the faculty at William &amp; Mary Law School in 2011.</p>\r\n</div>', '{staticroot}files/modules/gedidlecture2015cropped.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1730, 'Pizza and Policy in the Pit: Health Care Access and the Affordable Care Act', '2015-04-14', '<p><iframe src=\"//www.viddler.com/embed/376f355a/?f=1&amp;autoplay=0&amp;player=arpeggio&amp;secret=95257053&amp;disablebackwardseek=false&amp;disableseek=false&amp;disableforwardseek=false&amp;make_responsive=false&amp;loop=false&amp;nologo=false&amp;hd=false\" width=\"437\" height=\"315\"></iframe></p>\r\n<p>On Tuesday, April 7 the Widener Journal of Law Economics and Race and the Dean of Students Office presented the Pizza and Policy in the Pit discussion: &ldquo;Health Care Access and the Affordable Care Act.&rdquo; Alumni speakers John Logan, Director at Pinnacle Health, and John DeLorenzo, Esquire,&nbsp;Director of Legal Affairs, Pinnacle Health System, spoke about health care access and how things have changed since the adoption of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The discussion highlighted:&nbsp; <br />1) Major changes in health care because of the ACA; <br />2) How the ACA has affected a person\'s access to health care; <br />3) The ACA\'s effect on who can obtain health care services and <br />4) Legal careers in the healthcare field. &nbsp;</p>', '', NULL, 'Pizza &amp; Policy', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1731, 'Widener Harrisburg Offers Unique Environmental, Sustainability Opportunities', '2015-04-22', '<p>For third-year law student and Harrisburg resident Pia Aklian, presenting proposed sustainability ordinances to the Harrisburg City Council last year was more than a routine class assignment.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I actually live here. Helping Harrisburg increase its residential recycling rates is very personal to me. Not only did this class take me out of the library, it gave me a chance to make a difference.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Aklian did this work as part of the Sustainability Law and Practice Class she took in 2014 with <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxMSJd\">Distinguished Professor of Law John C. Dernbach, </a>a nationally-recognized environmental law expert and a prominent Pennsylvania legal theorist whose work has been cited by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a ground-breaking <a href=\"http://johndernbach.com/2013/12/pennsylvania-supreme-courts-robinson-township-decision-step-back-marcellus-shale-step-forward-environmental-rights-public-trust/\" target=\"_blank\">environmental and constitutional case</a>.</p>\r\n<p>To reflect this emphasis on sustainable development, Widener Harrisburg&rsquo;s Environmental Law Center is being renamed as the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center.&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;No other law school has our combination of environmental law, sustainability and climate change experience,&rdquo; said Interim Dean Robyn L. Meadows. &ldquo;And Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s location in the capital of the nation&rsquo;s sixth most populous state makes it an influential place for the development and implementation of environmental and sustainability laws.&rdquo; On July 1, Widener Harrisburg will be named Widener University Commonwealth Law School.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Dernbach has long been a vocal proponent of the concept of sustainable development, which, as he puts it, is a way of addressing environmental problems while also achieving social and economic goals.</p>\r\n<p>According to Dernbach, the principles of sustainability provide a framework for governments and companies to further development and environmental protection at the same time.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s entirely possible to consider the environment AND the economy,&rdquo; said Professor Dernbach. &ldquo;In fact, it&rsquo;s unacceptable NOT to consider them together.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Aklian praised Professor Dernbach&rsquo;s expertise and commitment to teaching.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;He makes sustainability and environmental law relevant; he&rsquo;s so far ahead of his time. In just that one class we presented sustainability regulations to Harrisburg City Council, we had guest speakers, we toured the City of Lancaster and even met with the mayor there to talk about sustainability and urban development,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>Aklian spoke proudly of her work for the City and the fact that she can count it among her clients.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Harrisburg has low rates of residential recycling,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I was able to present them not only with updated regulations but also with some creative education and outreach ideas like more visible recycling bins, re-routing trucks to incorporate more neighborhoods with multi-family housing units, and issuing more bins to families all over the City.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;This was more than handing in a paper. It was like moot court but on a much larger scale,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;This was important public policy work; I presented real regulations to powerful people and I had to get them to believe in what I was saying. It was a unique opportunity.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Remarkably, Professor Dernbach isn&rsquo;t the only environmental scholar of national note at Widener Harrisburg. The law school is also the academic home to one of the country&rsquo;s few environmental ethics experts, <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxMCJd\">Professor Donald A. Brown, Scholar in Residence for Sustainability Ethics and Law</a>.</p>\r\n<p>Professors Dernbach and Brown worked for many years at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources/Department of Environmental Protection, and have extensive experience drafting, implementing, and litigating environmental laws.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Brown has made it his life&rsquo;s work in both public and private law practice as well as his academic teaching and scholarship to demonstrate that it is impossible to think clearly about how a nation or state should respond to climate change until the government responds to the ethical and moral dimensions of this enormous threat.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;There are features of climate change that scream for attention as seeing it fundamentally as an ethics and justice problem,&rdquo; said Professor Brown.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Not talking about the ethics of climate change is like unilaterally taking the goalie out of a hockey game,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;This is true because the strongest arguments against those who oppose climate policies are ethical and moral responses. Yet the public discourse on climate change is ignoring the ethical and moral responses to opponents of climate change policies.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>At the invitation of the United Nations, Professor Brown will be heading to Paris in November to participate in the &ldquo;21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21/CMP11), otherwise known as &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en/cop21-cmp11\" target=\"_blank\">Paris 2015</a>.&rdquo; He is currently conducting a <a href=\"http://blogs.law.widener.edu/ncj/#sthash.xRyX89Sx.dpbs\" target=\"_blank\">research project</a> with the University of Auckland in New Zealand on the extent to which some two dozen countries are using ethical considerations in developing and implementing their climate policies.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Dernbach leads <a href=\"http://johndernbach.com/biography/\">Sustaining America</a>, the only national project assessing U.S. sustainable development efforts and making recommendations for future activities. The project involves approximately 50 experts from a variety of sustainability disciplines and has produced three books, all published by the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C.</p>\r\n<p>On Twitter, you can follow Professor Dernbach at <a href=\"https://twitter.com/johndernbach\" target=\"_blank\">@johndernbach</a>&nbsp;and Professor Brown at <a href=\"https://twitter.com/climateethics\" target=\"_blank\">@ClimateEthics</a>.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Dernbach&rsquo;s website offers a wealth of resources on the legal principles of environmental sustainability at <a href=\"http://johndernbach.com/\" target=\"_blank\">http://johndernbach.com/</a>.</p>\r\n<p>You can read more of Professor Brown&rsquo;s work on his <a href=\"http://blogs.law.widener.edu/climate/\" target=\"_blank\">Ethics and Climate</a> blog.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/earth-day.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1732, 'Widener Law Commonwealth Celebrates its Silver Anniversary ', '2015-04-18', '<p>Kenn Robinson, Class of 2009, traveled from his home in Templeton, Massachusetts, to celebrate Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary at a party that featured a live band, lots of food and a wine tasting in the library held by nearby Spring Gate Vineyard.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great that Widener has become such a force in Harrisburg,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It continues to produce leaders. I put so much of what I learned here to good use in my practice and my community service.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Robinson and about 100 other alumni, current students, faculty and staff gathered in the Pit to reconnect and remember their time in law school.</p>\r\n<p>Earlier in the day, 35 golfers kicked off the festivities at the Manada Golf Course in a shot gun format tournament. Prizes were awarded to Todd Rothermel, Class of 2009, for the longest drive, and Matthew Sembach, Class of 2010, for closest to the hole. The winning foursome consisted of Daniel Jameson, Corey Mowery, Todd Rothermel, and Adam Santucci, all from the Class of 2009.</p>\r\n<p>2009 graduate Jason Gottesman also praised his alma mater, saying that he thinks his Widener legal education made him more versatile, which helps him in his career as a legislative affairs expert and reporter.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Widener produces practical professionals,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We are ready to practice on day one, but can transition to other careers, too, as I did. Widener students come out not only with academic and professional skills but also with life skills that are useful in the real job landscape.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Gottesman also spoke about the extensive Widener alumni network. &ldquo;No matter where you go in Harrisburg, someone went to Widener. This places gives you &lsquo;street cred,&rsquo;&rdquo; he said.</p>\r\n<p>Widener University President James T. Harris, III spoke at the reception, recognizing the law school&rsquo;s impressive stats. It has graduated 3,334 students and there are 3,285 Widener Law Commonwealth alumni practicing in 45 states plus Washington, DC, and the Virgin Islands.</p>\r\n<p>Today, Widener Law Commonwealth has 245 students, 19 full-time faculty members, 30 adjunct professors, and three <em>emeriti</em> professors.</p>\r\n<p>President Harris warmly recognized the first vice dean of the Harrisburg campus, Professor <em>Emeritus</em> John L. Gedid, who was in attendance, calling him the &ldquo;Ben Franklin&rdquo; of the law school for his many years of visionary leadership during Widener&rsquo;s start-up phase. Among other innovations, Dean Gedid founded the Law &amp; Government Institute, now the Harrisburg campus&rsquo; signature program.</p>\r\n<p>Other notable programs at Widener Law Commonwealth include:</p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, which brings nationally recognized experts on environmental law and policy, climate change, and sustainability to central Pennsylvania. Participating students make real-world contributions working alongside faculty on projects ranging from developing a report card on Pennsylvania&rsquo;s performance on the 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the state&rsquo;s recycling law to drafting a series of ordinances promoting sustainability for the Harrisburg City Council.</li>\r\n<li>The Harrisburg Civil Clinic, which has has helped approximately 4,600 clients with the assistance of over 690 Widener Law students and three full-time faculty members since 1992. Students assist clients on a range of matters including divorce, bankruptcy, criminal defense, and veteran&rsquo;s assistance benefits.</li>\r\n<li>The Widener Incubator Program, a concept supported by the American Bar Association, was created by Widener Law Commonwealth together with the Dauphin County Bar Association and launched this year. The incubator provides skills training geared for small or solo law practice and participating attorneys are given office space, computers, printers, and mentoring and networking support.</li>\r\n<li>The Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts program, which debuted last fall as a collaboration between Widener, the Dauphin County Bar Association and the MakeSpace Arts Collective. This program, the only one of its kind between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, is designed to pair artists in need with volunteer attorneys assisted by law students.</li>\r\n<li>Many partnerships with influential organizations that support Widener&rsquo;s commitment to service, such as the tax preparation work done in conjunction with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, the Law &amp; Government Institute&rsquo;s sponsorship and hosting of the Pennsylvania Women&rsquo;s Forum, student volunteer efforts to support Pennsylvania&rsquo;s Wills For Heroes project, and student-founded Relay For Life charity walk events that have raised roughly $85,000.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>Last month, Widener Law Commonwealth announced a series of changes taking effect July 1.&nbsp; The law school will formally split from Widener University Law School&rsquo;s Delaware campus and change its name to the Widener University Commonwealth Law School. In addition<strong>, </strong><strong>Christian A. Johnson</strong> has been appointed to serve as dean.&nbsp; Johnson is currently the Hugh B. Brown Presidential Endowed Chair in Law at the University of Utah&rsquo;s S.J. Quinney College of Law.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Johnson, the dean designate, also attended Saturday&rsquo;s celebration and expressed his eagerness to move to Harrisburg and get started on his new job.</p>\r\n<p>University Provost and Senior Vice President Stephen Wilhite thanked Interim Dean Robyn L. Meadows. He joked that she paused &ldquo;only briefly&rdquo; before agreeing to serve as interim dean after the retirement of Dean Linda L. Ammons in 2014. He commended her in particular for her leadership in the negotiations with the American Bar Association for Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s independent status.</p>\r\n<p>Current SBA Secretary Nicole Danner manned the student governing body table during the celebration and was enthusiastic about Widener&rsquo;s future. &ldquo;I am excited to have a new dean and an independent Widener Law Commonwealth. I think we have a big opportunity here,&rdquo; she said as she campaigned for SBA president in advance of the April 22-23 election.</p>\r\n<p>State Senator Rob Teplitz, in whose senatorial district Widener is located, attended the reception with his wife, Randi Blackman-Teplitz, an adjunct professor at the law school in the legal methods program.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It is an honor to have an educational institution of this caliber in my district,&rdquo; said Senator Teplitz. &ldquo;I also work and interact with many Widener graduates at the Capitol. This school provides a personalized, hands-on, quality legal education, and I expect it will continue to be a fixture in our community for another 25 years.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Two current state legislators who are Widener Law Commonwealth alumni &ndash; Senator Richard Alloway, Class of 2002, and Representative Peter Daley, Class of 1993 &ndash; sponsored resolutions from their respective chambers recognizing Widener&rsquo;s many accomplishments. Senator Teplitz and Representative Sue Helm, whose district encompasses Widener&rsquo;s campus, were co-sponsors of those resolutions. &nbsp;Governor Tom Wolf also sent a proclamation to mark the school&rsquo;s milestone.</p>\r\n<p>Other Widener Law Commonwealth alumni of merit include United State Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab, former Congressman Patrick J. Murphy, Commonwealth Court Judge P. Kevin Brobson, Mifflin County Court of Common Pleas President Judge David W. Barron, Pennsylvania Representative Mark Cohen, Pennsylvania Senate Chief of Staff and Chief Counsel Drew Crompton, Pennsylvania Senate Secretary-Parliamentarian Megan Consedine Totino and Pennsylvania Supreme Court Prothonotary Irene Bizzoso</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/happy-birthday.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1733, 'WIDENER CIVIL LAW CLINIC: An Opportunity and an Institution', '2015-04-30', '<p>Recent Widener Law Commonwealth graduate Peter Kay thinks his experience representing clients in the school&rsquo;s civil law clinic helped him answers several questions on the essay portion of the bar exam.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Some students might question the value of the clinic beyond giving them a slight resume advantage,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Things I learned in the clinic and nowhere else likely gave me an extra 10 points on the essays that I wouldn\'t have scored if I was relying solely on the courses I took in law school and my Barbri class, and I can\'t place a point value on having the confidence to quickly answer those questions&nbsp;knowing that I was correct.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Started in 1992 for the first class of third-year law students at Widener Law Commonwealth, the <a href=\"ipl://263//W10=\">Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic</a> has helped approximately 4,600 clients with the assistance of over 690 Widener Law students and three fulltime faculty members.</p>\r\n<p>Clients are referred to the clinic from <a href=\"http://www.midpenn.org/\">Mid-Penn Legal Services</a>, the <a href=\"http://www.dauphincounty.org/government/Human-Services/area-agency-on-aging/Pages/default.aspx\">Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging</a>, the <a href=\"http://www.ywcahbg.org/programs/domestic-violence-legal-center#.VP3lM-FRJss\">YWCA Domestic Violence Legal Center</a> and the <a href=\"http://www.puc.state.pa.us/\">Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission</a>. Under Pennsylvania Supreme Court student practice rules, the clinic can only represent low income clients, who typically seek help on issues such as divorce, bankruptcy, criminal defense, and veterans assistance benefits.</p>\r\n<p>Headed by Widener Law Commonwealth <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIyMCJd\">Associate Professor and Clinic Director J. Palmer Lockard, II</a>, the Civil Clinic was founded with an emphasis on general practice to best serve the needs of both the students and the legal community.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Lockard is proud of the legal work his students do and the difference they make in the community. He says the hallmark of the clinic is that it allows students to do more than &ldquo;carry briefcases.&rdquo; &ldquo;They act like real lawyers,&rdquo; he said.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The supervising faculty is always there for our clinical students,&rdquo; said Professor Lockard. &ldquo;But our program is unique because it allows Widener Law students a great deal of latitude. It also imposes a great deal of responsibility.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Lockard recounts the clinic&rsquo;s highest profile cases, matters resulting from riots in 1989 at the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution, Camp Hill.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Judge Sylvia Rambo [of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania] called us and asked the Clinic to take three cases brought by prisoners who were not implicated in the riots themselves but who claimed injuries from the riot suppression by prison guards.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Two of these cases went all the way up to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and our students actually made those appellate arguments,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The judges and court personnel told us that we were the only law school to have had students making appearances up until that time.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>After one of the arguments, said Professor Lockard, the panel of judges thanked and commended the student lawyer, <a href=\"http://www.elliottgreenleaf.com/index.php/our-attorneys/melissa-murphy-weber/\">Melissa Murphy Weber</a>, Class of 1995. &ldquo;We won one and lost one, and that was pretty good.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Other Widener graduates of note who participated in the Civil Law Clinic include former <a href=\"http://www.foxrothschild.com/attorneys/patrick-murphy.html\">Congressman Patrick J. Murphy</a>, Class of 1999, and current Widener Law Adjunct Professor Ann Fruth.</p>\r\n<p>Click here for more information on the Widener Law <a href=\"ipl://263//W10=\">Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic</a>.</p>', '', NULL, 'Practical Learning Opportunity ', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1734, 'Widener Professor and Alumni Volunteer Their Time at Ask a Lawyer Event', '2015-05-05', '<p>On April 28, <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNiJd\">Professor Anna Hemingway</a>&nbsp;joined Widener alumni Patricia Romano and James Demmel to participate in the Dauphin County Bar Association&rsquo;s <em>Ask a Lawyer</em> event.&nbsp; As part of the 2015 Dauphin County Bar Association&rsquo;s Law Week celebration, they volunteered their time to answer legal questions and concerns from the public at the <em>Ask a Lawyer</em> booth that was set-up in downtown Harrisburg&rsquo;s Strawberry Square Atrium. &nbsp;They offered free legal advice on custody issues, tax planning, and even getting ready for law school. &nbsp;Over 250 people stopped in at the event.&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/askalawyercropped1.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1735, '2015 Pizza &amp; Professors', '2015-05-11', '<p>On April 23, students, faculty, and staff gathered in The Pit for Pizza and Professors. Those in attendance found out the winners of the class-voted Professor Awards and heard a&nbsp;motivational speech by Professor Lee.&nbsp; The event was organized by the Yearbook Committee.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><iframe src=\"//www.viddler.com/embed/122670cd/?f=1&amp;autoplay=0&amp;player=full&amp;secret=23151208&amp;disablebackwardseek=false&amp;disableseek=false&amp;disableforwardseek=false&amp;make_responsive=false&amp;loop=false&amp;nologo=false&amp;hd=false\" width=\"437\" height=\"315\"></iframe></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Award Winners</strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Professor that is the best dressed:&nbsp; Professor Kearney</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Professor you spent the most time with during office hours:&nbsp; Professor Smith</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Professor you wish you knew better:&nbsp; Professor Robinette</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Professor you would most like to read their biography:&nbsp; Professor Diehm</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Professor that is most&nbsp;likely to retire because they are famous:&nbsp; Professor Dimino</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Biggest impact on your life:&nbsp; Professor Kearney</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Professor with the most intimidating cold call:&nbsp; Professor Evans</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Professor you would most like to have a drink with:&nbsp; Dean Barros</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Most helpful professor:&nbsp; Professor Anthon</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Most inspirational professor:&nbsp; Professor Lee</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/professorawardscropped2.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1736, 'Pomp and Circumstance', '2015-05-18', '<p>The 80 graduates who received their law degrees in a Sunday morning ceremony were advised to use their education and skills to make a better world.</p>\r\n<p>New Jersey lawyer, educator and social media influencer Glen Gilmore advised Widener Law Commonwealth graduates to never forget the people who helped them reach their graduation day, and to always try their best. Gilmore told a story of his decision years ago to leave law firm life and run for mayor of Hamilton, N.J. A firm colleague advised him there was more money in firm lawyering. But he chose differently, and found a fulfilling path.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">&ldquo;It is in the service of others that we as lawyers have the greatest ability to help our communities,&rdquo; he said.</p>\r\n<p>The <a title=\"2015 Harrisburg Commencement Flickr Album\" href=\"https://flic.kr/s/aHskbMWg7A\" target=\"_blank\">commencement ceremony</a>, held at The Forum in the Capitol Complex, also featured remarks from valedictorian Richard Sgrignoli. In remarks that were equal parts humor and sentiment, he said the class had Widener and its faculty &ldquo;to blame&rdquo; for everything from why the grass wasn&rsquo;t cut at his house, to how he went from a nervous 1L to a confident graduate.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The true value of this school falls on our professors,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We owe them a great deal of gratitude.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Graduate Thomas Russo, who served as president of the Student Bar Association, spoke briefly to announce the class gift, a stone monument marking the school name to be placed in front of the classroom building.</p>\r\n<p>Interim Dean Robyn Meadows gave the Outstanding Faculty Award to Professors D. Benjamin Barros and James W. Diehm. She gave the Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award to Professor Christopher J. Robinette.</p>\r\n<p>Widener University President James T. Harris III told the graduates they should use their degrees to confront injustice in society. He quoted a 1966 speech by then-Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in Cape Town, South Africa, where Kennedy said every time a person stands up for an inequality, it sends out a ripple of hope.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;You will be the next generation of attorneys who are ripples of hope,&rdquo; Harris said.</p>\r\n<p>Meadows told the graduates that the Widener Law tradition includes being passionate about service and she expressed pride at their level of civic engagement. She commended the class spirit, with 31 graduates donating 4,870 pro bono hours of service since the first year of law school.</p>\r\n<p>As the Harrisburg campus transitions toward a new future as its own, independent school that is still a part of Widener University, she thanked the students for choosing it and being part of its success.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Because of you, Widener Law Commonwealth is a better place,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;You are the foundation on which Widener Law Commonwealth will continue to grow and thrive.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<h5>Event Photos</h5>\r\n<p><a title=\"2015/05 Commencement\" href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157654058928328\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img src=\"https://farm1.staticflickr.com/494/18124794323_db26715786_z.jpg\" alt=\"2015/05 Commencement\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>\r\n<script src=\"//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js\"></script>\r\n</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/graduationcropped2015.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1737, 'Innovation, honored', '2015-05-15', '<p>A charitable affiliate of the Pennsylvania Bar Association has honored an innovative new program at Widener Law that benefits recent graduates and helps to fill an unmet legal need.</p>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"ipl://256//W10=\">law firm incubator project</a>, collaboration between the law school and the Dauphin County Bar Association, also based in Harrisburg, has been recognized with the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation Louis J. Goffman Award. The award honors people or organizations whose commitments to pro bono have enhanced the delivery of legal services to Pennsylvania&rsquo;s poor or disadvantaged, making a critical difference in the lives of those in need of legal representation.</p>\r\n<p>The award was presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Association awards luncheon in Philadelphia.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It was incredibly gratifying to see the incubator project get this recognition,&rdquo; said Interim Dean Robyn Meadows. &ldquo;It is an outstanding example of community collaboration that provides valuable opportunities to our graduates in a way that complements our institutional commitment to public service.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The program kicked off early this year as the first based entirely in Pennsylvania. It provides new legal professionals with Harrisburg office space, computer and printing equipment, training in the work of building a law practice, mentoring and networking support. Rent-free office space is located in the bar association building, which also provides furniture, utilities and services like internet access.</p>\r\n<p>The three inaugural participants are recent Widener Law Commonwealth graduates who, in exchange for their acceptance into the one-year program, agreed to pay for their malpractice insurance and commit to providing 100 hours of pro bono legal work through MidPenn Legal Services, a nonprofit firm that provides free civil legal assistance to low-income families in crisis. Participants are also encouraged to take on &ldquo;low bono&rdquo; clients.</p>\r\n<p>The law school wasn&rsquo;t the only award recipient at the luncheon. Alumna Kimberly K. Moraski received the Michael K. Smith Excellence in Service Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. It is given to a young lawyer who, through her exemplary personal and professional conduct, reminds lawyers of their professional and community responsibilities.</p>\r\n<p>Moraski is an associate attorney at The Chartwell Law Offices, LLP in Scranton, Pa. She graduated magna cum laude from Widener Law Commonwealth in 2007.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/palmeratpbaawardscropped.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1738, 'Persuasion in trial advocacy', '2015-05-28', '<p>Law students looking to build courtroom trial skills heard a valuable hour-long talk on the art of persuasion recently from one of the top prosecutors in central Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<p>Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. gave the E. John Wherry Jr. Trial Advocacy Lecture as part of the <a href=\"ipl://333//W10=\">Intensive Trial Advocacy Program</a>. Known as ITAP, the program is a two-week, boot-camp-style summer course that teaches law students skills they need to succeed in the courtroom, such as how to admit evidence, how to cross examine a witness and how to deliver a powerful closing argument.</p>\r\n<p>Marsico followed a theme of persuasion and offered useful advice &ndash; &ldquo;the more prepared you are, the more you&rsquo;re going to relax&rdquo; &ndash; from the jury selection process right through closing arguments. He touched on everything from how to move around a courtroom to get a witness to connect audibly with a jury, to when it is appropriate for a trial attorney to show emotion in court. He amplified his points with anecdotes from real cases in his career.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It was mind opening,&rdquo; student Dwight Quichua said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s strategy to everything.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Marsico lauded the students for enrolling in ITAP and working to build the skills necessary to succeed as trial attorneys.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;As someone who looks at resumes, cover letters and hires people, ITAP stands out. Widener has developed a great reputation with this program,&rdquo; Marsico said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to give you a leg up.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/itapwherrycropped2015.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1739, '2015 Staff Appreciation Award Winner Announced ', '2015-06-02', '<p><br />Congratulation to Stephanie Engerer, the winner of the 2015 Staff Appreciation Award. &nbsp;The award was presented by Interim-Dean Robyn Meadows on May 12th at the Staff Appreciation Luncheon</p>\r\n<p>Steph started at Widener in August 22, 2007 as a Library&nbsp;Technical Services Assistant.</p>\r\n<p>She worked on her Master in Library and Information Science through Wayne State University and received her M.L.I.S. degree in 2012.</p>\r\n<p>Steph is our problem solver for an array of computer issues. She helps everyone throughout the law school with their software and database questions.</p>\r\n<p>She is also an avid do it yourself crafter and a terrific cook, though she refuses to share the secret Engerer cookie recipe with us.</p>', '{wwwroot}files/modules/engererstephanieaward2015-2.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '<p><strong>Formatting Test</strong></p>\r\n<p>Paragraph</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu.edu\">Paragraph Link</a></p>\r\n<h1>H1</h1>\r\n<h1><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\">H1 Link</a></h1>\r\n<h2>H2</h2>\r\n<h2><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\">H2 Link</a></h2>\r\n<h3>H3</h3>\r\n<h3><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\">H3 Link</a></h3>\r\n<h4>H4</h4>\r\n<h4><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\">H4 Link</a></h4>\r\n<h5>H5</h5>\r\n<h5><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\">H5 Link</a></h5>\r\n<h6>H6</h6>\r\n<h6><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\">H6 Link</a></h6>\r\n<p><strong>Bold</strong></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\"><strong>Bold Link</strong></a></p>\r\n<p><em>Italics</em></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\"><em>Italics Link</em></a></p>\r\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Underline</span></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Underline Link</span></a></p>'),
(1740, 'Tax preparation makes an impact', '2015-06-08', '<p>Final tabulations on the number of people Widener Law students, alumni, faculty and staff assisted with pro bono tax preparation this year are in, and the results are impressive.</p>\r\n<p>The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, overseen by Associate Professor&nbsp;<a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNyJd\">Michael J. Hussey</a>, served 243 clients preparing federal, state and local 2014 tax returns. Clients who were seen through the law school received federal refunds totaling about $358,000.</p>\r\n<p>Hussey said the volunteer service saved those clients roughly $60,000 to $73,000 in preparer fees, at a rate of $250 to $300 a return.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;This is a tremendous public service,&rdquo; Hussey said. &ldquo;The clients we see qualify because they are income-eligible, so it means a great deal to them to obtain this service at no cost. It&rsquo;s an excellent way for the law school to give back to the community and our students who volunteer get an opportunity to build client-relations skills.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The program covers three counties and is coordinated by the Money in Your Pocket campaign, a coalition of social service agencies, financial institutions and Widener Law. Overall, with Widener Law&rsquo;s contributions, the VITA program prepared returns for about 5,200 clients and generated more than $5.2 million in federal refunds.</p>\r\n<p>Five student volunteers took part at the law school, along with eight alumni volunteers and seven community volunteers who connected with Widener Law through the United Way. Appointments were done on Saturdays during tax season. The students completed an intensive Internal Revenue Service certification before volunteering.</p>\r\n<p>Hussey said Widener Law staff and faculty also supported the effort, with everything from appointment scheduling assistance to technical support. The school hosted a statewide Pennsylvania tax law training in November attended by about 90 people and live-streamed to 95 sites in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, California, Washington, Washington D.C. and Ontario, Canada.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/husseycroppedpicture.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1741, 'Law professor headed to Scotland', '2015-06-09', '<p>The director of the <a href=\"ipl://391//W10=\">Law &amp; Government Institute</a>&nbsp;will travel to the United Kingdom this month to take part in an international festival that celebrates diversity in Scotland.</p>\r\n<p>Professor <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNSJd\">Jill E. Family</a>&nbsp;will speak June 18 at the Refugee Festival Scotland on &ldquo;The Power of Procedure and Moving Across Borders.&rdquo; Her talk, at the University of Glasgow, will focus on access to justice for refugees both in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as barriers to access in both countries and why access is so important. The talk is presented by the Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration Network.</p>\r\n<p>Family teaches and writes in the areas of immigration law and administrative law. The Law &amp; Government Institute she directs is dedicated to exploring law that defines the structure and operation of government and the relationship between individuals and government.</p>\r\n<p>The Refugee Festival Scotland is &ldquo;an annual celebration of the contribution refugees make to the richness and vibrancy of life in Scotland,&rdquo; according to program materials.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I am pleased to be a part of this culturally significant event,&rdquo; Family said. &ldquo;It will broaden my view of immigration issues in the United Kingdom, which will enhance my teaching at home. An international perspective on law is crucial today.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Family has had other speaking engagements in the UK. She lectured last year at an event in association with Birkbeck College School of Law, presented by the Migration and Law Network. She spent the spring 2012 semester in London serving as a visiting scholar at the Queen Mary School of Law.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/familycroppedpicture.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1742, 'Getting to know the dean', '2015-07-01', '<p><a title=\"View the Dean\'s faculty profile\" href=\"ipl://35//WyIxMTIiXQ==\">Dean Christian Johnson</a>&nbsp;officially takes the helm of Widener Law Commonwealth today.</p>\r\n<p>He comes to the school from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, where he was the Hugh B. Brown Presidential Endowed Chair in Law. He graduated from Columbia University School of Law, where he was executive director of the Columbia Law Review and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.</p>\r\n<p>Johnson is the author or co-author of eight books and portfolios and more than 50 legal publications, book chapters, book reviews and more. In an effort to get to know him better, we asked Johnson for 10 things we don&rsquo;t already know about him. Here are his responses:</p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>I was born in the last month of my father&rsquo;s third year of law school.</li>\r\n<li>I spent two years as a missionary in Ecuador.</li>\r\n<li>My wife and I just celebrated our 31<sup>st</sup>wedding anniversary, have three children and three grandchildren.</li>\r\n<li>I spent a week in Harrisburg when I was 12 years old, my last visit since interviewing with Widener Law Commonwealth.</li>\r\n<li>I have spoken on capital markets in more than 15 different countries including Brunei, Latvia, Sweden, Colombia, Australia and Saudi Arabia.</li>\r\n<li>I look at the Wall Street Journal before I get up in the morning.</li>\r\n<li>I spend a half hour in the evening reading or studying Spanish.</li>\r\n<li>I could live on calamari, sushi and brownies.</li>\r\n<li>I have taught Federal Income Tax more than 30 times.</li>\r\n<li>I am a huge fan of Bob Newhart, the Beatles and Roger Federer.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>Welcome, Dean Johnson.&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/img_8938croppednews.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1743, 'Widener University and Cabrini College Partner on Law School Early and Express Admissions Programs', '2015-07-27', '<p>Cabrini College students can now receive express admission to law school or earn their undergraduate and law degrees in just six years thanks to agreements Cabrini signed Wednesday with Widener University and its two law schools.</p>\r\n<p>Jeff Gingerich, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cabrini College, signed the agreements at a ceremony at Widener joined by Widener representatives Stephen C. Wilhite, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost; Christian Johnson, dean of Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg, Pa., and Rodney Smolla, dean of Widener University Delaware Law School in Wilmington, Del.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Cabrini and Widener share a common mission that is about civic engagement and social justice,&rdquo; Gingerich said. &ldquo;There is the justice system and there is social justice. A lot of the time, we may think that the justice system is not working for people. This partnership joins those two concepts.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The 3+3 Early Admission Program allows qualified Cabrini students to begin their studies at either Commonwealth Law School or Delaware Law School in what would normally be their senior year of undergraduate studies. Students must complete all major and core courses and 75 percent of their bachelor&rsquo;s degree with a 3.0 grade point average before enrolling at Widener. They must also fulfill all other admissions requirements.</p>\r\n<p>Through the Express Admission Program, Cabrini students with a 3.0 grade point average will be admitted to Widener upon completion of all undergraduate degree requirements. Students must also meet or exceed the median LSAT score of the current law school entering class and fulfill other admissions requirements.</p>\r\n<p>Johnson touted externship opportunities available to Cabrini students who come to Commonwealth Law School, and invited students and faculty to visit the law school when they come to Harrisburg. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited about this agreement,&rdquo; Johnson said.</p>\r\n<p>Smolla echoed Johnson&rsquo;s sentiment about the partnership with Cabrini and said he was looking forward to working with the college. He said Cabrini students who earn degrees from Delaware Law School will be &ldquo;entering a profession with enormous opportunities for meaningful lives.\"</p>\r\n<p>Since 2008, 19 Cabrini graduates have matriculated at Widener for law school. Cabrini also has articulation agreements with Widener for graduate studies in human sexuality and social work, and tourism and hospitality. Widener has similar articulation agreements for its law schools with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Elizabethtown College, and for its own undergraduate students. &nbsp;Find out more about these agreements <a title=\"Widener Law Commonwealth Partnership Programs\" href=\"ipl://111//W10=\">here</a>.&nbsp;</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1744, 'Federal Judge Cites Professor Juliet Moringiello in Electronic Contracting Decision', '2015-07-28', '<p>Professor Juliet Moringiello, a leading expert on electronic contracting, had four of her law review publications cited in an opinion authored by Judge Jack B. Weinstein of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.&nbsp; The case is <a href=\"http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCOURTS-nyed-1_14-cv-01199/USCOURTS-nyed-1_14-cv-01199-0\">Berkson v. Gogo LLC</a> which was decided in April and is now on appeal to the Second Circuit. &nbsp;The opinion addresses the question of assent to online terms of use and questions whether a person who simply clicks &ldquo;I agree&rdquo; when purchasing goods or services online truly agrees to terms presented via hyperlink.</p>\r\n<p>Judge Weinstein noted that the case raised several policy considerations for the court to consider, the first of which was&nbsp;how courts should deal with electronic contracts of adhesion that do not provide internet users with a compelling reason to examine terms favoring defendant.&nbsp; He recognized, as Professor Moringiello argued in two of her articles, <em>Signals, Assent, and Internet Contracting</em>, and <em>Notice, Assent, and Form in a 140 Character World, </em>that individuals may perceive electronic terms differently than they perceive paper terms, and that more studies are required to gauge whether the average internet user understands that she should read terms to which she clicks her agreement.</p>\r\n<p>In the opinion, Judge Weinstein discussed recommendations made by an ABA Working Group, in an article co-authored by Professor Moringiello, that recommended best practices for online agreements.&nbsp; The court noted that the best practices were still valid but often ignored.&nbsp; Professor Moringiello is currently the Chair of the Electronic Contracting Subcommittee of the Cyberspace Committee of the ABA Business Law Section, the successor to that initial working group. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moringielloj_cropped.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1745, 'White House Nominates Alumnus Patrick Murphy as Under Secretary of the Army', '2015-08-06', '<p><img style=\"float: left;\" src=\"{staticroot}files/resources/large_patrick-murphy-commencement.jpg\" alt=\"Murphy delivering the commencement address at The Forum at the Capitol Complex in May 2009. If confirmed, he will be the Army&rsquo;s second-highest civilian leader.\" width=\"250\" height=\"350\" />The White House on Wednesday nominated Widener University Commonwealth Law School alumnus Patrick J. Murphy as under secretary of the Army, its second highest-ranking civilian leader. The appointment adds to an already impressive list of public service accomplishments for the 1999 graduate.</p>\r\n<p>Murphy, 41, was the first Iraq war veteran to be elected to U.S. House of Representatives, serving Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 8<sup>th </sup>Congressional District for two terms from 2007 to 2011. During his time in Congress, Murphy served on the Armed Services Committee, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Appropriations Committee. In 2010, he was the author and chief sponsor of the bill to repeal the Department of Defense&rsquo;s Don&rsquo;t Ask, Don&rsquo;t Tell policy.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Patrick Murphy is an outstanding leader who is dedicated to public service,&rdquo; Widener Law Commonwealth Dean Christian Johnson said. &ldquo;We congratulate Patrick on this honor and know that he will represent Widener Law Commonwealth, the U.S. Army and the nation admirably in this role.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>If confirmed, Murphy will replace Erik Fanning who has served as acting under secretary since June. In this capacity, Murphy will be responsible for the Army\'s budget, diversity in the ranks, business transformation and energy efficiency initiatives.</p>\r\n<p>After serving in Congress, Murphy became a partner with the national law firm Fox Rothschild, LLP, serving as general counsel for small businesses, including several that are veteran-owned. He also serves as the anchor of <em>Taking the Hill</em>, the MSNBC show dedicated to leadership, public service and breaking down the civil-military divide in the country. In addition, he is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, an independent nonpartisan policy institute that is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans.</p>\r\n<p>Murphy served in the Army from 1993 to 2004. After September 11, 2001, he volunteered for deployment, serving in Bosnia in 2002 and in Baghdad during the Iraq War. While in Baghdad, he was a captain in the 82<sup>nd</sup> Airborne Division and earned a Bronze Star. He penned an autobiography about his life and experiences titled <em>Taking the Hill: From Philly to Bagdad to the United States Congress</em> which was published by Henry Holt and Company in 2008.</p>\r\n<p>An active alumnus, Murphy has served as an adjunct professor for the Widener Law Commonwealth and as a member of the law school&rsquo;s National Advisory Committee since 2007. He was the speaker for the 2009 commencement ceremony, during which he received an honorary doctor of law degree. As a law student, Murphy participated in the Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic and helped to revive the Widener chapter of the St. Thomas More Society, a national organization of Catholic lawyers dedicated to public service.</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1746, 'Widener Law Commonwealth Students Begin Journey to Becoming Lawyers', '2015-08-12', '<p>First year Widener University Commonwealth Law School student Cassie Semler wants to focus on advocacy, especially prisoner reform. Her husband, Tyler, has a passion for environmental issues. The husband and wife team chose to attend Widener Law Commonwealth after graduating from the University of West Virginia for the same reason &ndash; the school&rsquo;s focus on the common good.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It seemed like the right fit for us,&rdquo; said Cassie at Monday&rsquo;s Welcome to the Profession event, kicking off the 2015-16 academic year.&nbsp; The school welcomed 75 new students from nine different states and Jamaica. They hold degrees from 49 different colleges and universities and range in age from 21 to 40.</p>\r\n<p><img style=\"float: right;\" src=\"{staticroot}files/resources/large_welcometoprofessioncropped.jpg\" alt=\"Dean Johnson speaking at 2015 Welcome to the Profession event.\" width=\"500\" height=\"239\" />&ldquo;The word &lsquo;commonwealth&rsquo; in our name was chosen carefully. The name is symbolic of our historical connection with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,&rdquo; Dean Christian Johnson said.&nbsp; &ldquo;The word commonwealth is probably even more important because its historical meaning connotes individuals coming together for the common good of society. At Widener Law Commonwealth, students, faculty, staff, and alumni all come together united in serving the common good of our local community, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Eric Kniskern, director of admissions for the school, said he has a really good feeling about this class. &ldquo;The vibe is extraordinarily positive,&rdquo; Kniskern said. &ldquo;They are all very excited about what&rsquo;s coming.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Alumna Rachel Hadrick &rsquo;13, an associate with the Harrisburg-based law firm of McNees Wallace and Nurick, LLC, welcomed the class and imparted words of wisdom to the eager students. One of the most important suggestions was to take advantage of the opportunities the school has to offer.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I took every opportunity that was presented to me,&rdquo; Hadrick said &ldquo;The more opportunities you take, the more opportunities that will be presented to you in the future.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Hon. Susan E. Schwab, U.S. magistrate judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and a graduate of the first class of the school in 1992, administered the Affirmation of Professionalism to the class, and spoke about her own experiences as a law student at Widener. She pointed out several faculty members in the audience who were her professors as a student.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;When you graduate, you will leave this place feeling connected to the people in this room,&rdquo; Judge Schwab said, &ldquo;and you will be better lawyers for having known them.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<h5>Event Photos</h5>\r\n<p><a title=\"2015/08 Welcome to the Profession\" href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157656668686548\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img src=\"https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/20283420608_f69464633d_z.jpg\" alt=\"2015/08 Welcome to the Profession\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" /></a></p>\r\n<p>\r\n<script src=\"//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js\"></script>\r\n</p>', '', NULL, 'From Commonwealth to Common Good', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1747, 'Professor speaks at ABA Homeland Law Security Institute', '2015-09-16', '<p>In August, Professor Jill E. Family, Director of the Law and Government Institute at Widener Law Commonwealth, participated on a panel at the American Bar Association&rsquo;s Homeland Security Institute held in Washington D.C.</p>\r\n<p>The panel focused on President Obama&rsquo;s immigration initiatives. Specifically, Family spoke about the litigation over President Obama&rsquo;s proposal to exercise his prosecutorial discretion to grant a temporary reprieve from deportation to parents of American citizen children.</p>\r\n<p>Family, with several other attorneys and advocates, discussed the debate over the President&rsquo;s immigration proposal and what the public should expect as the administration enters its final year.</p>\r\n<p>Click <a href=\"http://www.c-span.org/video/?327824-4/us-immigration-agenda\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to view the full panel that was broadcast on CSPAN.</p>', '', NULL, 'The Future of Immigration', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1748, 'A New Dean For A New Day', '2015-09-17', '<p>On July 1, Dean Christian Johnson&rsquo;s first day on the job, the name Widener University Commonwealth Law School became official and its administration separated from the Delaware-based campus (now known as the Widener University Delaware Law School).</p>\r\n<p>A native of Utah, Johnson, 54, earned bachelor&rsquo;s and master&rsquo;s degrees in accounting from the University of Utah. He worked as a CPA for Price Waterhouse before attending Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and executive editor of the <em>Columbia Law Review</em>. After graduating from Columbia in 1990, he worked as an associate for law firms in New York, Las Vegas, and Chicago, focusing primarily on tax law, finance, bank lending, and derivatives.</p>\r\n<p>He began his teaching career in Chicago at Loyola University School of Law in 1995. As a member of the faculty at Loyola, he rose through the ranks to professor, and served as faculty director of the Corporate Law Center. After 13 years at Loyola, Johnson returned to his home state for a professorship at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney School of Law, where he was named the Hugh B. Brown Presidential Endowed Chair in Law.</p>\r\n<p>Johnson is a frequent commentator, consultant, and scholar focusing primarily on over-the-counter derivatives and global capital markets. He has coauthored five books and written more than three dozen articles on the derivative and repo capital markets and central banks. He has testified before the U.S. Congress on OTC derivative reforms and made presen&shy;tations to the staffs at the U.S. Commodity Future Trading Commission and the National Futures Association. In addition, Johnson has spoken and lectured at such institutions as the International Monetary Fund, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the London School of Economics, and the University of Oxford. His speeches on capital markets have taken him to Australia, the Caribbean, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Singapore, Sweden, and throughout Europe.</p>\r\n<p><img style=\"float: right;\" src=\"{staticroot}files/resources/medium_dean-qa-civitas.jpg\" alt=\"Dean Civitas\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" /></p>\r\n<p><strong><u>Question and Answer</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><strong>What is your highest priority as the new dean? </strong></p>\r\n<p>To continue to support and sustain the student-focused emphasis and environment at the law school while gradually and thoughtfully increasing student enrollment. We have an extraordinary record of placing teaching and student concerns first and that will continue to be the top priority.</p>\r\n<p><strong>What is a new initiative you plan to introduce? </strong></p>\r\n<p>We are very excited about a new online mentoring program for students that we will introduce this fall. It will enable our students to connect with alumni not only here in Harrisburg, but across the country. The new system will allow students to search for mentors based on the location of our participating alumni. It will also provide a concrete opportunity for alumni to help mentor students with career counsel and guidance.</p>\r\n<p><strong>What motivated you to develop an expertise in financial markets? </strong></p>\r\n<p>I have been fascinated since college by the ability of investment banks to raise billions of dollars through the under&shy;writing of stocks and bonds, derivatives, and repos. These transactions require extensive legal documentation and analysis. After law school, I worked on Wall Street where I was a first-year associate helping to analyze the tax consequences of very large debt offerings. In Chicago, I worked in the LaSalle Street &ldquo;canyon&rdquo; where I was an associate working on bank lending and on over-the-counter derivatives. As a law professor, I have had an opportunity to write about the documentation of these financial market transactions and speak before Congress and across the globe. I look forward to sharing what I&rsquo;ve learned about financial markets in Harrisburg and involving our students in these issues.</p>\r\n<p><strong>Tell us about your move to Harrisburg. </strong></p>\r\n<p>My wife, 16-year-old son, and I are very excited to come to Harrisburg. We live in Lower Paxton Township, about 10 minutes from the law school, which I guess makes me an East Shore person. We hope to host many law school events for both alumni and the school at our home. I also have a daughter who is starting college in Utah and an older daughter and son-in-law who have three wonderful children. I was excited to see that there is a tennis court on the law school campus.</p>\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s a favorite book and why? </strong></p>\r\n<p>One of my favorites is a small book by Jerzy Kosinski entitled <em>Being There </em>that was also made into a movie starring Peter Sellers, a favorite actor of mine. Besides being wonderfully entertaining, the book is a sophisticated satire on the role of television and the media in modern society. I am also a business junkie and regularly read the latest accounts of business misadventures, one of the best books probably being <em>When Genius Failed</em>, a story about the failure of Long- Term Capital Management hedge fund. Michael Lewis, Roger Lowenstein, and Paul Erdman (who writes fiction) are also favorite authors.</p>\r\n<p><strong>What do you like to do when you are not working? </strong></p>\r\n<p>My wife and I very much enjoy driving through the countryside and learning about the area. I am sure Harrisburg and the surrounding region will keep us busy visiting all of the historical sites and beautiful scenery. We look forward to sampling all types of local cuisine in the region.</p>\r\n<p>We also enjoy participating in commu&shy;nity organizations. Last year, my wife was the PTA president for my son&rsquo;s school and I was the faithful secretary. We also stay busy serving in our local church congregation and in the local community. I am sure that my new position at the law school will open up more opportunities for us to get involved.</p>', '', NULL, 'Question and Answer with Dean Johnson', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1749, 'Professor Publishes Property Law Textbook', '2015-09-18', '<p>Professor <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNiJd\">Anna Hemingway</a> and University of Toledo Law School Dean, D. Benjamin Barros have co-authored a book that provides students with a creative approach to presenting the major topics included in a first-year property course.</p>\r\n<p>The book, <em>Property Law,</em> presents concepts simply and builds the complexity of the material as students work through the publication. Also included in the text is a unique presentation of sidebars, illustrations and other creative designs to present material clearly.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We designed the book based on learning objectives. The book provides extensive context for students to help them grasp the material on their own, and then build upon their knowledge in the classroom&rdquo; Hemingway said. &ldquo;The feedback from the book has been overwhelmingly positive. Students stop me in the hall to tell me it is their favorite case book.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Included in the publication are problems and exercises that students can complete on their own and sample documents to help them understand core concepts.</p>\r\n<p>The book has been adopted by several law professors to be used as their 1L property course case book.</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1750, 'A Life or Death Case – With a Law Student by Her Side', '2015-09-18', '<p><strong>By Sam Starnes</strong></p>\r\n<p>The timid, young African woman in the yellow prison garb facing immediate deportation from the United States looked like a teenager. &ldquo;She was terrified,&rdquo; said Marissa Mowery, then a second-year law student on a class visit to observe federal immigration hearings. &ldquo;It was clear that she could have benefited from help.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Mowery was in Widener Law Commonwealth Professor Jill E. Family&rsquo;s immigration law survey course when she saw the young woman appear before the immigration court judge. &ldquo;She really made an impression on our class,&rdquo; said Mowery, a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Grove City College north of Pittsburgh.</p>\r\n<p>The young woman had escaped her home country after facing a life-threating situation involving a militant terrorist organization (the specific details of her story are being withheld to ensure her safety). She fled to South America, found her way to the U.S. border in Mexico where she presented her identification and asked for help. She was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency more commonly known as ICE.</p>\r\n<p>When Mowery first saw her on the class trip in November 2013, the young woman was being held behind bars in the York County Prison in Pennsylvania, awaiting a decision on whether she would get the opportunity for a political asylum hearing to stay in the United States or be sent back to her home country.</p>\r\n<p>The judge granted her right to a hearing that day. Mowery assumed she would never see her again.</p>\r\n<p>Mowery, an undergraduate Spanish major who before coming to law school in fall 2012 had taught English in the Dominican Republic, was cultivating an interest in immigration law. With Family&rsquo;s help, she started an internship the following semester in 2014 with the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center (PIRC) based in York.</p>\r\n<p>Family, a faculty member in Harrisburg for ten years who now directs the school&rsquo;s Law and Government Institute, is renown for her immigration law expertise. In March, she testified on Capitol Hill regarding immigration policy before a U.S. Senate subcom&shy;mittee. She also shares her insight on immigration law with her students, regularly taking classes to observe immigration court hearings. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s so hard to get a sense of a hearing unless you see it,&rdquo; said Family, who served as a board member for PIRC.</p>\r\n<p>The nonprofit agency based in York provides legal advocacy to immigrants fleeing persecution, to those challenged by mental health diagnoses, and to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. The agency, which has 11 staff members, attorneys, provides legal orientation and education to thousands of detained immigrants, and handles immigration cases. &ldquo;Our mission is to provide access to justice for vulnerable immigrants,&rdquo; said Mary Weaver, executive director of PIRC. Widener Law Commonwealth students from Harris&shy;burg frequently fulfill internships with PIRC.</p>\r\n<p>The agency offered Mowery the opportu&shy;nity to assist with a political asylum hearing. She jumped at the opportunity, not knowing whose case she would handle. She was in for a surprise. &ldquo;She came walking in the door and it was the same girl we had seen,&rdquo; Mowery said.</p>\r\n<p>Mowery began meeting with the young woman in the York County Prison, prepar&shy;ing to represent her in an asylum hearing scheduled for February 2014. &ldquo;A lot of it at first was basically establishing rapport,&rdquo; Mowery said.</p>\r\n<p>She took a detailed statement from the client and worked with PIRC staff to write a brief for the court. The young woman, who is in her early twenties, faced serious danger if she lost her asylum case and was returned to her African home. &ldquo;ICE detainees can be immediately deported,&rdquo; Mowery said. &ldquo;She could have been deported because she didn&rsquo;t have the means to be here.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Mowery said the young woman&rsquo;s case fits an insightful description of immigration cases she has heard: &ldquo;Every immigration case is like a death penalty case with the resources of traffic court.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Mowery helped her prepare for the polit&shy;ical asylum hearing, going over the details of her life and making sure there were no incon&shy;sistencies, a red flag for ICE attorneys. &ldquo;Her story was complete&mdash;and it was horrific,&rdquo; Mowery said.</p>\r\n<p>The hearing lasted 45 minutes, with the judge, Mowery, and the young woman exploring in detail her request for political asylum. &ldquo;It was the scariest thing I&rsquo;ve ever done,&rdquo; Mowery said.</p>\r\n<p>At the end, the judge granted the young woman political asylum in the United States. &ldquo;I was thrilled,&rdquo; Mowery said. &ldquo;I had put so much time and worry into this young woman&rsquo;s case.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The young woman was released that day. PIRC had arranged for a host family for her, and Mowery picked her up at the jail and drove her to the new home. &ldquo;She was in shock a little bit,&rdquo; Mowery said. &ldquo;She kept saying, &lsquo;I can&rsquo;t believe I&rsquo;m sitting in this car with you.&rsquo;&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Mowery, who later worked in the summer and then on a part-time basis at PIRC, remained in touch with the young woman. The young woman is trying to build a life in America and also trying to reconnect with family who are scattered in refugee camps. &ldquo;It was amazing to see the process all the way through,&rdquo; Mowery said.</p>\r\n<p>Mowery graduated with her juris doctorate in May and has relocated to San Diego with her husband, a Navy doctor. In July, she started a position with the American Bar Association&rsquo;s Immigration Justice Project.</p>\r\n<p>She plans on taking the bar in California and, inspired by her experience with the young woman and her coursework, hopes to work in immigration law, a field she finds to be very fulfilling.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;You can make a huge impact on some&shy;body&rsquo;s life,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It has global impact.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/wideneryork_immigration108resized.jpg', NULL, 'Harrisburg Law Student Aids Woman Facing Deportation in Dangerous Political Asylum Case', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1751, 'Clinic a &quot;Godsend&quot; in Grandparent Custody Case', '2015-09-18', '<p><strong>Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s Civil Law Clinics have been assisting Dauphin County residents and providing students with experience for more than two decades.</strong></p>\r\n<p><strong>By Sam Starnes</strong></p>\r\n<p>Faye Youmans didn&rsquo;t know where to turn.</p>\r\n<p>She wanted to file the legal paperwork to win custody of her 13-year-old grandson from a troubled daughter, but the attorneys she called were too expensive. &ldquo;One attorney wanted $1,000 up front just for paperwork, and then $95 an hour,&rdquo; said Youmans, a Halifax, Pennsylvania, resident who works in bill collection. &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t afford that.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>She worried about her grandson who had come to live with her being forced to return to a threatening environment of drug abuse he&rsquo;d survived while living with his mother. &ldquo;He came to me in 2013,&rdquo; Youmans said of an arrangement that initially was supposed to be only a few weeks. &ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t want to go back home. He told us about things that would make you cry.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Without custody, she could not get health insurance for him, enroll him in school, and tend to other matters that required a legal guardian.</p>\r\n<p>She also worried about her daughter coming to reclaim her son and insisting on taking him back into a perilous environ&shy;ment against his will. At one point Youmans considered taking her grandson and hiding him from her daughter. &ldquo;I wanted to protect my grandson any way I could,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>Instead of running away, however, she found the Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics, staffed by Harrisburg law students and faculty. Two students and a supervising attorney handled her case pro bono, helping her win full custody of her grandson. &ldquo;They were a godsend,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;They have no idea what they did for us.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><strong>More than Two Decades of Service</strong></p>\r\n<p>The Central Pennsylvania Civil Law Clinics, founded in 1991 by J. Palmer Lockard, an associate clinical professor who continues to direct the program, until recently were known collectively as the Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic. The clinics now consist of the Administrative Law Clinic, the Consumer Law Clinic, the Elder Law Clinic, and the Family Justice Clinic. The clinics serve two main purposes: providing free legal services to residents of Dauphin County in need of representation in civil cases and giving law students hands-on training and experience.</p>\r\n<p>Alexis Miloszewski, a 2008 graduate of Widener Law Harrisburg, said her experience as a student working in the clinic helped her to choose a career in family law. &ldquo;I was exposed to various areas of law, and I had an opportunity to get a sense of what I enjoyed,&rdquo; said Miloszewski, now a family law attorney for JSDC Law Offices in Hummelstown, near Hershey.</p>\r\n<p>She said her practical experience in the clinic gave her confidence when she began her career. &ldquo;When I started in a small firm, it was sink or swim,&rdquo; Miloszewski said. &ldquo;I already had experience handling cases at the clinic. It relieved my anxiety. That experience was invaluable.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Miloszewski said she also found the mission of helping those who could not afford legal services very rewarding. She said she often refers prospective clients who can&rsquo;t afford legal fees to the clinics. &ldquo;I know that they will be well represented,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeannine Turgeon, managing judge for Dauphin County&rsquo;s Family Law Court, said that about 80 percent of custody cases in her court involve people who don&rsquo;t have legal representation. The clinics, she said, help to offset this high number of unrepresented litigants. &ldquo;They provide a great service,&rdquo; said Turgeon, who also teaches at Widener Law Commonwealth as an adjunct faculty member. &ldquo;Their work is very important. It&rsquo;s certainly essential for us to meet the needs of those who can&rsquo;t afford attorneys.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><strong>Grandparent Custody Cases</strong></p>\r\n<p>The Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging and MidPenn Legal Services often refers those in need of legal services to the clinics. In the past year, the clinics have handled five cases involving grandparents seeking full custody of grandchildren. &ldquo;The need is there to help indigent clients with as many custody cases as we can,&rdquo; said Mary Catherine Scott, a supervising attorney for the clinics who also teaches as an adjunct faculty member. &ldquo;Grandparent cases are a rarity, but very rewarding to students when we can assist them.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Two law students who graduated in May 2015&mdash;Johelys Cecala of Frederick, Maryland, and Kosta Patsiopoulos of Harrisburg&mdash;helped Youmans file her request for custody and present it in the Dauphin County Family Law Court.</p>\r\n<p>The case began with Cecala, who met with Youmans in the fall 2014 semester and began preparing her paperwork. &ldquo;She really wanted to do this for her grandson,&rdquo; Cecala said. &ldquo;She wanted to give him a better life.&rdquo;<img style=\"float: right;\" src=\"{staticroot}files/resources/medium_youmansresized.jpg\" alt=\"youmans\" width=\"170\" height=\"200\" /></p>\r\n<p>She worked with Youmans until the case carried over to the spring semester, where it was picked up by Patsiopoulos. &ldquo;It was my first case,&rdquo; Patsiopoulos said. &ldquo;I realized how important this was&mdash;this is dealing with a young child that has been brought up in unimaginable circumstances.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He read through the inch-thick file, met with Youmans, and then successfully presented Youman&rsquo;s request for custody before a judge. &ldquo;It was an eye-opening experience,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;You can read so much about a case, but you see the human emotion in person.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Youmans was thrilled with the full custody result Patsiopoulos and Cecala achieved for her and her grandson in March. Her grandson now lives with her without fear of having to leave. He is enrolled in middle school and enjoys playing soccer, going fishing, and working on cars with his uncle, especially a 1995 Chevy S-10 pickup that they have been restoring. He also plays with his younger cousins who live next door to him and his grandmother.</p>\r\n<p>Youmans shudders at what might have happened to him had she not found the clinics. &ldquo;If I had to pay a regular lawyer, I could not have done it,&rdquo; she said.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/lawclinic.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1752, 'Student Chosen to Participate in Prestigious ABA Diversity Clerkship', '2015-10-05', '<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img src=\"irl://660//medium_\" alt=\"Ruby Liu and Juliet Moringiello\" height=\"200\" width=\"150\" />Zhao &ldquo;Ruby&rdquo; Liu, a 3L at Widener Law Commonwealth, was chosen for one of only nine highly-sought after spots for the Diversity Clerkship offered by the ABA Business Law Section. Liu is a student in the law school&rsquo;s Business Advising Certificate Program.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Liu was selected to participate in the Diversity Clerkship Program, and assigned to work over the summer under Vice Chancellor Donald Parsons in the Delaware Court of Chancery, the nation&rsquo;s preeminent business court.. Participants receive mentoring and guidance in the business law field and exposure to all types of business law that they may not see in the classroom.</p>\r\n<p>Liu said one of the main things she learned from her clerkship was the amount of attention and detail that must paid when writing and reading legal documents.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It is important to know how much to write and how much detail to include,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;You need to be careful about every word and look at it through the chancellor&rsquo;s eyes. I learned to really look at the detail and how things are written.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>As a participant in the Diversity Clerkship Program, Liu was invited to attend the ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting that was held in Chicago this year, which allowed her to participate in networking opportunities and substantive committee meetings.</p>\r\n<p>Liu said her clerkship and the experience at the conference really drove home the importance for students to be involved in professional organizations and to really get out into the market to learn more about professional opportunities.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Juliet Moringiello, of Widener Law Commonwealth, a long-time leader in the ABA Business Law Section, also attended the Section Meeting and had strongly encouraged Liu to apply for the Diversity Clerkship.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The Business Law Section members are eager to get the students involved and leadership feels very strongly about getting law students engaged in Section activities because such involvement provides tremendous professional development opportunities,&rdquo; said Moringiello.</p>\r\n<p>Events at the annual meeting included a speed networking event and a panel that addressed the topic of how young lawyers can balance their work and professional lives. This topic was especially interesting to Liu, who owns a business and is the primary financial support of her family.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1753, 'Widener Law Commonwealth Hosts Two Days of Judicial Debates', '2015-10-19', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth was the proud host of two days of debates between candidates for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and also the Superior and Commonwealth Courts.</p>\r\n<p>All seven of the candidates vying for the three open seats on the PA Supreme Court, the highest court in the state, answered questions on hot topics ranging from current and past scandals to campaign funding and ethics. Three seats are open on the PA Supreme Court, with two of the seats open because the judges left in disgrace.</p>\r\n<p>The candidates were questioned over 90-mintes by a panel of three journalists, and moderated by Lynn Marks, of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts.</p>\r\n<p>On the second day of debates three candidates for the PA Superior Court and Commonwealth Court were asked questions by a three journalists and several Widener law Commonwealth students.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Democratic nominee for the Commonwealth Court, Michael Wojcik, was not able to attend the forum due to scheduling conflict. There is one seat open on both the PA Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court.</p>\r\n<p>The candidates answered questions pertaining to various topics including campaign funding conflicts, politics in the courtroom and ethics.</p>\r\n<p>Click <a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157659937977591\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to view pictures from the PA Supreme Court Debate.</p>\r\n<p>Click <a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157659520149660\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to view pictures from the PA Appellate Court Debate.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/debate29.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1754, 'Professor from Madrid visits Widener Law Commonwealth', '2015-11-05', '<p>Dr. Ana F. Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez, from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, is visiting Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s campus through the end of the semester.&nbsp; A professor since 1992 in several universities and currently at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos since 1998, Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez, who lives in Madrid, Spain, will be working on her stock market research and hopes to do some teaching while here.</p>\r\n<p>Along with her teaching duties at the university in Spain, Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez also collaborates with law firms and provides opinions in the area of company law and the stock market.</p>\r\n<p>During her time on campus, Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez hopes to learn more about how the American higher education is structured.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited to be here and have the chance to interact with students and professors to learn how the American (education) system works,&rdquo; Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez said. &ldquo;Because it is a smaller campus it is a perfect opportunity to get in touch and to be involved.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Also, while here she plans to do research about stock market issues, in particular in REPO agreements, an area of knowledge in which Dean Christian Johnson has recently published a book.</p>\r\n<p>Also her plan includes in short time research how the American Stock Market could be a model to improve the European <a href=\"http://ec.europa.eu/finance/capital-markets-union/index_en.htm\">Capital Market Union</a> (CMU) Currently, she has organized a group of individuals in Europe from different fields to analyze how a CMU may benefit the economy and make it stronger. Her hope is to also organize a similar team of individuals in America to exchange ideas and thoughts with the European counterpart of professionals.</p>\r\n<p>Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez believes that a CMU would be beneficial for European markets, but there may be hesitancy to change how the market has been run historically. She emphasizes that in everything balance is the key.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I like to think of it like a tree. For a tree to live you need the balance between the roots, the trunk and the leaves&rdquo; said Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez. &ldquo;If the roots get to be too large, you can fall out of balance. In general, in Europe may be resistant to the change because they have such large roots in tradition.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Originally from La Mancha, an area in central Spain, Mu&ntilde;oz P&eacute;rez has four children and lives in Madrid with her husband. She hopes to enjoy some traveling while she is here and has plans to hike the mountains around the area and visit large surrounding cities as Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/munoz-perez.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1755, 'Vince DeLiberato honored at Evening at the Capitol', '2015-11-19', '<p>This year Widener Law Commonwealth honored Vince DeLiberato, director of the Legislative Reference Bureau at the annual Evening at the Capitol. DeLiberato, who also serves as an adjunct faculty member for the law school, earned the Government Leadership Award for his dedication to students who wish to pursue a career in state government. The award, which was presented by Rep. Ron Marsico &ndash; R, was the first of its kind to ever be given.</p>\r\n<p>Each year the annual Evening at the Capitol event brings students, faculty, alumni and friends together for a night of networking and conversation.</p>\r\n<p>Dean Christian Johnson thanked DeLiberato for his dedication to helping Widener Law Commonwealth students study for the Bar, as well as for the excellent job he does when teaching the legislative drafting courses that are an important for students seeking the certificate in Law and Government from the school.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are very thankful for all of the help and guidance that Vince provides to our students,&rdquo; Dean Johnson said. &ldquo;He dedicates his own time and resources to helping our students succeed and we see the results of that by looking at our graduates who have gone on to successful jobs in government.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<h5>Event Photos</h5>\r\n<p><a title=\"2015/11  Evening at the Capital\" href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157659084576864\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img src=\"https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5742/22731665848_d6ca18d8c1_z.jpg\" alt=\"2015/11  Evening at the Capital\" width=\"640\" height=\"424\" /></a></p>\r\n<script src=\"//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js\"></script>', '{staticroot}files/modules/night5.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1756, 'Professor and Scholar in Residence attend UN Climate Conference', '2015-12-09', '<p>Professor John Dernbach and Scholar in Residence Don Brown attended the UN Climate Talks in Paris, France held November 30 - December 11, 2015. Both Dernbach and Brown presented research and moderated discussions that were held at the event.</p>\r\n<p>Presented at the conference was research that was conducted in conjunction with the University of Auckland and Widener Law Commonwealth which concluded that when most nations have formulated national climate change policies not only the nations, but also the NGOs and media in most nations, have failed to seriously consider the equity, ethical, and justice considerations that should guide national climate change policy.</p>\r\n<p>The \"lessons learned\" from this research are the basis for 21 recommendations on how national climate commitments under the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change should be reformed. The project\'s \'lessons learned\" and \"recommendations\"&nbsp;are&nbsp;summarized on Brown&rsquo;s blog <a href=\"http://ethicsandclimte.org/\">ethicsandclimate.org</a>.</p>\r\n<p>The reports on the 26 countries involved in the research, as well as the \"lessons learned\" and \"recommendations\'&nbsp;can also be found on the project website <a href=\"http://nationalclimatejustice.org/\">nationalclimatejustice.org. <br /> </a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/paris-climate-change-conference.png', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1757, 'Law student wins writing contest', '2015-12-09', '<p>Marc Prokopchak, a third year law student, from Elizabethtown, Pa. won the Texas A&amp;M Journal of Property Law 2015 National Writing Contest Student Edition.</p>\r\n<p>His submission titled &ldquo;Renewing Respect for Record Notice: Cleaning up the Pennsylvania Title Wash&rdquo; was the winning entry and will be published in the Texas A&amp;M Journal of Property Law.</p>\r\n<p>Prokopchak became interested in the topic when he was interning at the US Middle District Court for Chief Judge Christopher Conner and a case with a quiet title action raised a title wash argument. &ldquo;The concept immediately grabbed my interest because it is so peculiar and also seems anathema to modern property law concepts,&rdquo; Prokopchak said.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/marc2.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1758, 'Alumnus confirmed as under secretary of the US Army', '2015-12-22', '<p>Patrick Murphy, 1999 alumnus of Widener Law Commonwealth, was confirmed as under secretary of the Army. The nomination was confirmed by a voice vote of the Senate late Friday and is the second-highest ranking civilian leader position.</p>\r\n<p>Murphy, 42, was nominated by President Barack Obama in August for the under secretary position, which is responsible for the Army&rsquo;s budget, diversity in the ranks, business transformation and energy efficiency initiatives. Murphy will replace Eric Fanning who has served as acting under secretary since June.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Patrick Murphy is an exemplary leader, and he will do an outstanding job in his new role as under secretary,&rdquo; Widener Law Commonwealth Dean Christian Johnson, said. &ldquo;We are very proud of his accomplishments and the leadership he has displayed as an alum, a veteran and in his civic roles. He will have great success in his new appointment as under secretary of the U.S. Army.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Murphy was the first veteran from the second Iraq war to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 8<sup>th</sup> Congressional District for two terms from 2007-2011. During his time in congress, he was the author and chief sponsor of the bill to repeal the Department of Defense&rsquo;s Don&rsquo;t Ask Don&rsquo;t Tell Policy. After 2011, Murphy became a partner with the national law firm Fox Rothschild LLP, serving as general counsel for small businesses, including several that are veteran-owned. He also served as an anchor on the former MSNBC show, <em>Taking the Hill.</em></p>\r\n<p>His military resume includes service from 1993 to 2004, when after the events of September 11, 2001 he volunteered for deployment, serving in Bosnia in 2002 and Baghdad during the second Iraq War. Murphy earned a bronze star for his service while in Baghdad <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">serving</span> as Captain in the 82<sup>nd</sup> Airborne Division.</p>\r\n<p>As an alumnus, Murphy has been an adjunct professor for the Widener University Commonwealth Law School and has served on the law school&rsquo;s National Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2015.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/patrick-murphy-commencement.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1759, 'Widener Law Commonwealth faculty and staff ring in the holidays ', '2015-12-22', '<p>We all know that familiar sound of the bell ringing can only mean one thing. The holidays are here. And members of our faculty and staff made sure to spread holiday cheer as they raised money for local families ringing the bell for The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region.</p>\r\n<p>This year our bell ringers raised $1,335.09 in The Salvation Army kettle. The funds raised roughly translate into 534 hot breakfasts for people or a new set of school clothes for 66 kids. All of the funds raised will stay local to help families of the mid-state.</p>\r\n<p>Ten members of the law school&rsquo;s faculty and staff helped to raise the funds that can be applied to numerous programs provided by The Salvation Army, which include food subsistence, educational programs for children, toys at Christmas and services for the elderly. Last year the organization helped more than 22,236 people.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Christopher Robinette has served on the advisory board of The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region for more than 10 years, including two years as the chair.</p>\r\n<p>Bell Ringers from our faculty and staff for the 2015 season are: Pat Fox, Karen Durkin, Mike Dimino, Tiffany Depaoli, Sandy Graeff, Juliet Moringiello, Anna Hemingway, Palmer Lockard, Amanda Smith, and Chris Robinette.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/anna-hemmingway.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1760, 'Faculty to Participate at Annual AALS Meeting', '2016-01-04', '<p>The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) will hold the 2016 Annual Meeting in New York City in January. Several members of the Widener Law Commonwealth faculty will be presenting, moderating discussions or have helped to organize sessions at the meeting.</p>\r\n<p>This year the following faculty will be participating in the annual meeting:</p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Associate Professor Anna Hemingway will be part of a panel presentation titled \"Impossible Realities,&nbsp;Infinite Loops and Movable Staircases: &nbsp;The Impact of Institutional Marginalization on the Tricky, Unpredictable, and Inconsistent Trajectory of the Non-Tenured Track Career.\" &nbsp;The presentation is part of the new ARC of Career Programs at this year\'s meeting. She will be discussing the different professional development needs of professors&nbsp;at different stages of their careers.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Professor Jill Family, Director of the Law and Government Center, organized the panel &ldquo;Is Immigration Law Administrative Law.&rdquo; Professor Family will also be moderating the panel that will be held on January 7. The panel will focus on the most recent executive actions of President Obama to establish a process for certain immigrant populations to apply for deferred action and the legal challenges of those actions that has renewed interest in the intersection of immigration law and administrative law.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Professor Christopher Robinette acted as the chair elect of the Torts and Compensation Systems section of the event.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Professor John Capowski served as chair of the American Association of Law School\'s Evidence Section, organized and will moderate for the section\'s AALS annual meeting program.&nbsp; At the annual meeting, he will&nbsp;host a joint luncheon of the Evidence and Criminal Justice Sections. The Evidence Section\'s program will focus on reform of the hearsay rule and its exceptions.&nbsp; While the&nbsp;rule against admitting hearsay and the hearsay exceptions have been evolving for hundreds of years,&nbsp;the area is one of continuing controversy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>For more information about the AALS Annual Meeting and presentations please click here: <a href=\"https://www.aals.org/am2016/\">https://www.aals.org/am2016/</a></p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', NULL, '110th Annual Meeting of AALS', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1761, 'Getting to Know Us: Meet the Team', '2015-12-28', '<p>One of the many strengths of Widener Law Commonwealth is the amazing faculty and staff who are dedicated to the education of our students in and out of the classroom. After officially becoming Widener Law Commonwealth in July 2015, we added a few new members to our Widener team and want to get to know them a little better.</p>\r\n<p>For the first installment, we turned the tables and interviewed Julie Massing, who serves as the law school&rsquo;s Communications Manager. Massing joined the Widener Law Commonwealth team in September.&nbsp; Originally from Edinboro, Massing received a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in English Writing and a master&rsquo;s degree in Communications Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<div><img style=\"float: right;\" src=\"{staticroot}files/resources/massingjulienews.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n<h5>TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOB AT WIDENER LAW COMMONWEALTH.</h5>\r\n<p>I am responsible for the public and media relations at the school, as well as the creation and management of social media posts. Part of my job is to also work with faculty and staff to&nbsp;find the news stories on campus and promote them to our local and national media contacts. I also help oversee the law school&rsquo;s website, including posting news and events.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<h5>WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT WIDENER LAW COMMONWEALTH?</h5>\r\n<p>I love all of the people I have met! Everybody has been so nice, and willing to help with any questions that I have when I am developing stories, social media posts and media pitches. I also enjoy the fact that there are so many different aspects to my job that there is always something fun and interesting to do or write about.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<h5>DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MUSICIAN OR BAND?</h5>\r\n<p>Chris Cornell</p>\r\n<h5>WHAT BOOK ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?</h5>\r\n<p>I am currently reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman.</p>\r\n<h5>TELL US ABOUT SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES.</h5>\r\n<p>I&rsquo;ve been riding horses since I was about six, and currently compete in low level dressage and trail ride all over the state with my Percheron mare, Rosie. &nbsp;My other passion is music, and I love to attend concerts and music festivals.</p>\r\n<h5>SHARE ONE FUN FACT ABOUT YOURSELF WITH US.</h5>\r\n<p>I have competed at the PA Farm Show in the draft horse driving and riding competitions.</p>\r\n<p>We are thrilled to have Julie as part of our Widener team.</p>\r\n<p><a title=\"Rough Coat Photography\" href=\"http://roughcoatphoto.smugmug.com\" target=\"_blank\">Photo Credit</a></p>', '', NULL, 'Meet Julie Massing', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1762, 'Jurist in Residence gives final lecture', '2016-02-25', '<p>Jurist in Residence Hon. Mary H. Leavitt gave her last of three lectures as Jurist in Residence in January. She has served as the Jurist in Residence since January 2014 and will finish out her post in June.</p>\r\n<p>Her lecture in January focused on the unique aspects of appellate judging in Pennsylvania as compared to other states and the federal appellate system.</p>\r\n<p>Judge Leavitt also spoke about her personal experience as an appellate judge and said, &ldquo;The cases are much closer than I realized. I have described the judicial conference after a panel argument as a group of dedicated, hardworking, intelligent people arguing over whether the color teal is really the color blue or the color green - and there is no exact right answer. And, you would be amazed at how fired up people can get about these questions. Personally, I think teal is green.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Judge Leavitt was recently elected as the president judge of the Commonwealth Court.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/leavitt-pose-_65_robe_5x7.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1763, 'Alumnus sworn in as 32nd Under Secretary of the Army', '2016-02-29', '<p>The Honorable Patrick Murphy, 1999 alumnus of Widener Law Commonwealth, was sworn in as the 32<sup>nd</sup>&nbsp;Under Secretary of the U.S. Army. The position is the second-highest ranking civilian leadership position.</p>\r\n<p>In his comments at the ceremony, Murphy thanked his family, especially his parents, for all of their support and for being role models as he was growing up. He also noted that now is a very defining moment in our nation&rsquo;s history, and to be asked back to be on the leadership team of the Army is not only an incredible responsibility, but also an honor.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are asking much of our soldiers,&rdquo; Murphy said. &ldquo;And, I am so grateful to be on the Army team and to do what I can to fight for them, because they are doing so much for all of us.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Murphy, 42, was nominated in August by President Barack Obama for the Under Secretary position and confirmed in December.&nbsp; The position is responsible for the Army&rsquo;s budget, diversity in the ranks, business transformation and energy efficiency initiatives. Murphy replaces Eric Fanning, Acting Under Secretary since June.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The leadership and service that Patrick has given to the country is truly commendable, and we are proud to call him an alum,&rdquo; Dean Christian Johnson said. &ldquo;I know that Patrick will be an effective and transformative leader for the Army. We all look forward to watching his service unfold.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Murphy was the first veteran from the second Iraq war to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 8<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Congressional District for two terms from 2007-2011. During his time in Congress, he was the author and chief sponsor of the bill to repeal the Department of Defense&rsquo;s Don&rsquo;t Ask Don&rsquo;t Tell Policy. After 2011, Murphy became a partner with the national law firm Fox Rothschild LLP, serving as general counsel for small businesses, including several that are veteran-owned. He also served as an anchor on the former MSNBC show,&nbsp;<em>Taking the Hill.</em></p>\r\n<p>His military resume includes service from 1993 to 2004<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">,</span> when, after the events of September 11, 2001, he volunteered for deployment, serving in Bosnia and Baghdad. Murphy earned a bronze star for his service while in Baghdad, serving as Captain in the 82<sup>nd</sup>&nbsp;Airborne Division.</p>\r\n<p>As an alumnus, Murphy has been an adjunct professor at Widener University Commonwealth Law School and has served on the law school&rsquo;s National Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2015.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/under_secretary_of_the_army_patrick_murphy.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1764, 'Transaction Team Wins Regional Best Draft Award', '2016-03-01', '<p>The Widener Law Commonwealth Transactional LawMeets team returned to Harrisburg with an award for Best Draft at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Transactional LawMeet, held at the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law in Philadelphia, on February 26.</p>\r\n<p>The Transactional LawMeet is a live, interactive, educational competition designed to give law students a hands-on experience in developing and honing transactional lawyering skills.</p>\r\n<p><img src=\"irl://1311//\" alt=\"\" style=\"float: right;\" height=\"200\" width=\"283\" /></p>\r\n<p>This year, Widener Law Commonwealth 3Ls Bridget Hendrick, James Kane, Zhao (Ruby) Liu, and Nick Marinelli, &ldquo;represented&rdquo; an emerging technology company in a joint venture with a subsidiary of a large corporate conglomerate. All four students are in the Widener Commonwealth Business Advising Certificate Program.</p>\r\n<p>Twelve teams compete in each of the seven regional competitions, and each team was required to write and negotiate a Term Sheet for the deal. One team for each side in each region was recognized with a Best Draft Award.</p>\r\n<p>The other competitors in the Mid-Atlantic Regional LawMeet were teams from American University Washington College of Law, Brooklyn Law School, Duke University School of Law, New York Law School, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, the University of Richmond School of Law, the University of Virginia Law School, Villanova University School of Law, Western New England University School of Law, and the Delaware Law School of Widener University.</p>\r\n<p>The University of Virginia won the Best Draft award for the opposing side. This is the second time in three years that a team from Widener Commonwealth was recognized for superior drafting.</p>\r\n<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School is grateful for Mid Penn Bank&rsquo;s generous sponsorship of the Transactional LawMeets team. Rory Ritrievi (&rsquo;97), the President and CEO of Mid Penn Bank, is a member of the Advisory Board for Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s Business Advising Certificate Program.</p>\r\n<p>Top Photo from left: Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Michael Hussey; Zhao (Ruby) Liu; James Kane; Prof. Juliet Moringiello; Nick Marinelli. Prof. Moringiello and Assoc. Dean Hussey served as the faculty advisers for the team.</p>\r\n<p>Bottom photo from left: Nick Marinelli; James Kane; Zhao (Ruby) Liu, members of the Transactional LawMeets team.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/transactional-teamcropped.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1765, 'Widener Law Commonwealth only law school in Pennsylvania to earn Top 20 ranking for Government Law', '2016-03-07', '<p>When <em>preLaw</em> magazine &ldquo;sought to identify law schools that do the best job of preparing students for careers in public service,&rdquo; Widener Law Commonwealth was the only school from Pennsylvania making the list of the nation&rsquo;s top 20 schools for government law.</p>\r\n<p>The magazine, a publication of the <em>National Jurist</em>, a leading news source about issues in legal education released the rankings in its winter issue. Widener Law Commonwealth placed 17<sup>th</sup> nationwide on the government list.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s rewarding that our 27-year history of offering superb legal education in the state capitol is being recognized,&rdquo; said Jill Family, a professor and director of the school&rsquo;s Law and Government Institute. &ldquo;Our commitment to excellence in government law is a foundation of the legal education we provide.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The list, which comes out every two years, is based on curriculum, employment placement, student debt, salary, and loan repayment assistance programs offered by the school.</p>\r\n<p>Widener Law Commonwealth received an A grade from the magazine in the employment category, which is based on the percentage of alumni who have landed jobs in government.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/national-jurist-logo.png', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1766, 'Widener Law Journal hosts annual symposium', '2016-03-09', '<p>Recently the Widener Law Journal held the annual Law Journal Symposium, <em>Ruling the Courts: The Future of Local Rules of Civil Procedure in Pennsylvania</em>. Each year, the Widener Law Journal chooses a timely topic for discussion at the Symposium, which serves as an opportunity for students to learn about real-world issues in the legal profession.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The program sought to bring stakeholders together to understand the history of the local county rules, their current role in Pennsylvania&rsquo;s unified judicial system, and to question whether local rules should remain a prominent feature,&rdquo; said Prof. Tonya Evans, who served as a faculty advisor for the Symposium.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>The all-day event featured a panel of legal academics, practitioners and government attorneys.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The Symposium provides legal professionals the opportunity to raise awareness about the chosen issue and hopefully, find a path for change, &ldquo;said Editor-in-Chief of the Widener Law Journal, Bridget Hendrick.</p>\r\n<p>The event also offers many benefits to students, including the opportunity to learn more about timely legal issues and the chance to network with practitioners and judges from different areas of the state.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The Widener Law Journal strives each year to choose a Symposium topic that is timely and contentious,&rdquo; said Hendrick. &ldquo;The Symposium provides an educational forum for students to become aware of current \"real world\" legal issues, and proposed solutions.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Prof. Jill Family, Director of the Law and Government Institute, added that one of the main take away messages this year was that procedure is important and fair procedure matter.</p>\r\n<p>\"The symposium highlighted an important message:&nbsp; that the transparency of rules is essential.&nbsp; If the rules are unknown or not known to all, the game is not fair,\" said Prof. Family</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/law-journal-photo.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1767, 'Law students visit maximum security prison as part of Legal Methods III class', '2016-03-14', '<p>Most law school students will learn about the incarceration process, but few actually get to experience it first hand and have an understanding from both an inmate and a guard&rsquo;s perspective. Prof. Amanda Smith wanted her Legal Methods III class to have the real-life experience and learn first-hand about inmates and correctional guards. &nbsp;So, she took them to prison.</p>\r\n<p>Seven students from the Legal Methods III class participated in a tour of the State Correctional Institution in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The prison visit dovetailed with an assignment that Prof. Smith gave to her students, which was to write a legal brief based on a hypothetical case they were working on in which a prison guard is their client. In the scenario, the prison guard is being sued by an inmate.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I got a sense that a lot of students went in to the tour feeling sympathetic to the inmate, said Prof. Smith. &ldquo;But in the case I gave them in class, the prison guard was their client. I think when they were finished with the tour their eyes were open to the correctional side and the dangers and risks that correctional officers take each day to keep the community safe.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>She added that the main purpose of the trip was to help students understand the views of both correctional guards and inmates and learn the importance of understanding all positions when representing clients.</p>\r\n<p>The SCI Camp Hill prison holds approximately 5,500 inmates and is a maximum security facility. Some of the inmates are permanent residents of the facility, while others are there for a short amount of time before being sent to their permanent prison location.</p>\r\n<p>The tour was conducted by Lt. Robert Williams and Unit Manager Chris Srebro. During the tour the students visited various building on the prison campus complex including the housing cell block, psychiatric unit, and the central processing area. While on the tour Williams and Srebro explained the many different tasks that are required by all of the prison personnel to make sure things run smoothly, including organizing individual inmate schedules every day.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Having read many cases in which the term prison official and inmate are used frequently, the tour provided a human element to it,&rdquo; said Vipul Patel, a 3L law student. &ldquo;Between the stories of keeping the community safe, and stories told by the lieutenant and the psychiatrist, we do not fully appreciate how difficult their jobs are.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Other students noticed the relationship that the guards built with the inmates to help build trust and diffuse a crisis situation before it happens.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;I learned a lot about the prisoner&rsquo;s interactions with each other and the guards. In addition, I noted all of the precautions and safety measures that the guards need to be concerned about in order to protect themselves and the public,&rdquo; Jason Caplan, 2L law student, said. &ldquo;Included in this are the quality and upkeep of the facilities that are used to keep in the inmates incarcerated.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Based on the reflection papers students were required to write after the tour, each student seemed to take something different away from the experience. Some focused on the civil rights of the prisoners, while others mentioned that they were surprised how inmates lived and the relationships they had with other inmates and guards.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I honestly don&rsquo;t know specifically what I was expecting from this experience. But it wasn&rsquo;t what I expected at all,&rdquo; said Andrea Fitzsimmons in her paper. &ldquo;So many people only know about prison from what they hear or what they see on TV, and it was nice to get the chance to either prove or disprove much of that.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1768, 'Sustainability and the City: Taking Lessons Learned on Maintaining and Improving Quality of Life from the Classroom into the Real World ', '2016-03-15', '<p>By John C. Dernbach Distinguished Professor of Law</p>\r\n<p>Sustainable development is the internationally and nationally recognized framework for reconciling environmental protection with economic and social development. Most of us tend to think that we have to choose between development and environment&mdash;as if we were picking which team to cheer for&mdash;development or environment. Sustainable development offers another alternative&mdash;development and environment. Its overall objective is maintaining and improving human quality of life for this and future generations.</p>\r\n<p>In the United States, sustainability has been embraced in a growing number of contexts. These include green building, local and organic food, sustainable forestry, and energy efficiency. Colleges and universities, local governments, and corporations (Microsoft aims to make its operations carbon neutral) are among the most active practitioners.</p>\r\n<p>They all understand that the global economy, population, and environmental degradation are growing, and that there are huge unmet human needs throughout the world. They all see that we have no choice but to make economic development, job creation, and environmental protection work together rather than against each other. And they seek to translate those basic realities into reduced risks and greater opportunities.</p>\r\n<p>Sustainable development will be enormously important to the careers of students now in law school, regardless of where they practice law or what kind of legal work they do. As the July 30, 2015 Final Report of the Sustainable Development Task Force of the American Bar Association states: \"Going forward, lawyers will need to become involved in a broad range of sustainability issues. Younger lawyers, who represent the future of the legal profession, often understand these issues better than the lawyers who would hire them. The transition to sustainability in both governmental and private sector decision making is inevitable and will profoundly affect the legal profession.\"</p>\r\n<p>Sustainable development is a growing part of law practice in nearly every practice area and involves many different skills. As corporate, governmental, and nongovernmental clients embrace sustainability, they expect their attorneys to have the necessary knowledge and skills, including, of course, an understanding of what sustainability means. As the ABA Task Force stated:</p>\r\n<p>Sustainability is affecting, or will affect, tax law, insurance, banking, finance, real estate development, environmental and energy law, among other fields. It also involves a wide range of knowledge and skills, including commercial transactions, client counseling, litigation, advocacy before governmental agencies and other bodies, and legislative drafting.</p>\r\n<p>As clients increasingly demand legal work that addresses sustainable development issues, lawyers are responding to that demand. Law schools are increasingly doing the same&mdash;across the entire range of their activities, including courses, scholarship, facilities, and community service.</p>\r\n<p><strong>In the Real World</strong></p>\r\n<p>My Sustainability Law and Practice class provides students with skills they will need to help clients meet their sustainability goals. These skills include application of the principles of sustainable development in specific contexts; researching local government law; legislative/ordinance drafting; giving short presentations; and client counseling. Many of these skills are essential to the practice of law in general. I adapted the class from one taught by Professor Jonathan Rosenbloom at Drake Law School in Des Moines, Iowa.</p>\r\n<p>Each year, the class focuses on a local government client. Communities are an excellent place to study and practice sustainability. In addition to the reality that they already provide a rich source of experience on sustainability, the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of issues are easier to identify and experience at the local level.</p>\r\n<p>In the fall of 2014, our client was the city of Harrisburg, in no small part because Mayor Eric Papenfuse campaigned on a sustainability platform. Students drafted proposed amendments to city ordinances, as well as justifications for their proposals. This gave them the opportunity to translate the conceptual framework of sustainability into a real-world proposal that might actually become law.</p>\r\n<p>Their proposals were based on topics chosen by the city. At the end of the semester, they presented their proposals at a special meeting of City Council. &ldquo;This is a wonderful idea to incorporate what you are learning in class in such a real world way,&rdquo; Papenfuse said. &ldquo;You now have the ears of the city&rsquo;s movers and shakers.&rdquo; Since that time, Harrisburg has upgraded its recycling program and adopted a new food truck ordinance that is similar in scope, emphasis, and administration to that proposed by Matt Fine \'15, a student in the class. In fall 2015, the primary client of the class was the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, which has more than 1,400 member municipalities representing more than five million people and covering 95 percent of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s land area. The class researched and drafted model sustainability ordinances and wrote a narrative explaining and justifying them. The topics, chosen by the association after consultation with its members, were blight, community housing, walkability, natural gas pipeline setbacks, stormwater mitigation, rain gardens, permeable paving, and green roofs.</p>\r\n<p>Before Thanksgiving, the students presented their draft model ordinances to two dozen municipal solicitors at the association&rsquo;s Fall Solicitors Seminar. The solicitors were uniformly positive in their praise of the professionalism and thoughtfulness of the student presentations. Many had specific suggestions for how the students could improve their ordinances.</p>\r\n<p>The association plans to post the final narratives and model ordinances on its website, so that they can be considered and adopted by any of its member municipalities. In addition, the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs and the Pennsylvania Municipalities League have expressed an interest in doing so.</p>\r\n<p>The plan is to use this and future classes to create a bank of model sustainability ordinances that municipalities can consider and adopt.</p>\r\n<p>For the students, this is a law skills class, but it is much more than that. It is a course that gives them the opportunity to make a contribution, and to see themselves as lawyers capable of continuing to make a contribution after they graduate.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1769, 'Writing the City Financial Crisis Playbook ', '2016-03-15', '<p><em>Professor Juliet Moringiello, a widely recognized expert on municipal bankruptcy, is a frequent commentator on the topic in the national and international news media. She developed and teaches a Cities in Crisis seminar and has published several law review articles on the role of the state in the Chapter 9 process.</em></p>\r\n<p><br /> By Juliet Moringiello, Professor of Law</p>\r\n<p>The eyes of Pennsylvania are often on Harrisburg, the seat of government for the Commonwealth, but five years ago the world turned its attention to this capital city&mdash;and not for a good reason.</p>\r\n<p>Cited by CNN Money as one of &ldquo;America&rsquo;s 7 Junkiest Cities,&rdquo; and featured in Britain&rsquo;s Economist for its &ldquo;hellish financial state,&rdquo; the city of Harrisburg was suffocating under $400 million in debt, much of it incurred to retrofit a trash-to-energy incinerator that had fallen out of compliance with federal environmental regulations.</p>\r\n<p>The incinerator transactions had the hallmarks of a juicy story: an untested contractor who filed for bankruptcy without having provided a performance bond to the city; financial and legal maneuvers designed to evade statutory limits on municipal debt; and a complicated debt structure that included multiple interest rate swaps. Late in the evening of October 11, 2011, the city took a step that a minuscule number of cities had ever taken: It filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code.</p>\r\n<p><br /> Although the incinerator financing grabbed most of the headlines, Harrisburg&rsquo;s financial distress was precipitated by many of the typical pressures on urban areas. Municipalities provide necessary services to their residents and fund these services by collecting property and other taxes. Harrisburg is a small city with about 50,000 residents, 32 percent of whom live below the poverty line. As the state capital, almost 50 percent of the land in Harrisburg is tax exempt, much of it occupied by government buildings. Like many core cities, Harrisburg is surrounded by relatively prosperous suburbs, yet the city and its suburbs do not share municipal services and their costs. Pennsylvania, with more than 2,500 municipalities, is notable for the extent of its municipal fragmentation.</p>\r\n<p>Harrisburg is now on the mend. After the bankruptcy court dismissed the city&rsquo;s petition for lack of state authorization, Harrisburg began the painful process of negotiating with its creditors under state supervision. Those efforts produced the &ldquo;Harrisburg Strong Plan,&rdquo; which restructured the city&rsquo;s debts and stabilized its budget by selling the incinerator and monetizing the city&rsquo;s parking system.</p>\r\n<p><br /> Harrisburg&rsquo;s downfall and ongoing recovery provide several lessons to policymakers working to address municipal financial distress around the country. In Pennsylvania alone, 20 cities are designated as &ldquo;distressed&rdquo; by the state pursuant to the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act, known as &ldquo;Act 47.&rdquo; Chester and Scranton have been in the Act 47 program for more than two decades. Outside the state&rsquo;s borders, Atlantic City, New Jersey, is reeling from the collapse of its tourism base, Chicago struggles with its pension obligations, and Puerto Rico and its public entities owe more than $70 billion to creditors.</p>\r\n<p><strong>Lesson No. 1</strong>: Authorizing Chapter 9 can speed the recovery process.</p>\r\n<p>Before the 1930s, there was no federal municipal bankruptcy law. Because municipalities are creations of their states, any federal debt adjustment process raises the specter of unconstitutional interference in state affairs. Under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, all powers &ldquo;not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the States are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>This limits the extent to which the federal government can interfere in state affairs. To alleviate constitutional concerns, the Bankruptcy Code prohibits a municipality from filing for bankruptcy unless its state authorizes it to do so. Anticipating that the city of Harrisburg might file for bankruptcy and fearing the effect of such a filing on the credit ratings of other cities in the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania General Assembly prohibited certain cities from filing for bankruptcy in June 2011. Six weeks after Harrisburg filed for bankruptcy, the court rejected the City Council&rsquo;s challenge to this prohibition and dismissed the city&rsquo;s petition.</p>\r\n<p>A state can choose whether to authorize its municipalities to file for bankruptcy and only about half of the states grant this permission. Cities that cannot file for bankruptcy lack an important tool to force creditors to the negotiating table. The Contracts Clause of the Constitution prohibits a state from impairing contracts, and Chapter 9 preempts state laws that purport to bind non-consenting creditors to a collective debt adjustment proceeding. Seventeen months after prohibiting Pennsylvania cities from filing for Chapter 9, the legislature restored authorization. By all accounts, this was key to the acceptance of the Harrisburg Strong Plan.</p>\r\n<p>It is often hard to obtain Harrisburg&rsquo;s downfall and ongoing recovery provide several lessons to policymakers working to address municipal financial distress around the country. Consensus without the threat of compulsion, and Chapter 9 bankruptcy provides a city with the ability to force creditors to take less than what they are owed. If the state had not restored Harrisburg&rsquo;s ability to file for bankruptcy, the creditors might still be holding out for more money.</p>\r\n<p><br /> <strong>Lesson No. 2</strong>: It is necessary to strike the right balance between strong state<br /> supervision and democracy.</p>\r\n<p>When a city is in financial distress, someone must make difficult choices about how to resolve that distress. Sometimes a state finds it necessary to step in to make those choices. In Pennsylvania, the state does so through Act 47. Passed in the 1980s to address the hardships faced by cities and towns after the collapse of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s steel industry, Act 47 allows the state to exercise varying levels of oversight over municipal finances. Harrisburg entered the Act 47 program in December 2010 and the Department of Community and Economic Development appointed a coordinator to develop a plan to assist the city in managing its financial distress. The law provided that once the city adopted the plan, the coordinator would be responsible for implementing it. It was not so simple in Harrisburg. The majority of the City Council was at war with the mayor, making it impossible for the city&rsquo;s leaders to agree on anything. As a result, the city never accepted the plan. Because the architects of Act 47 had never anticipated that a city would refuse to adopt a plan, the law contained no mechanism to deal with such a refusal.</p>\r\n<p><br /> Nine days after Harrisburg filed for bankruptcy, Gov. Tom Corbett signed a bill amending Act 47 to provide for the appointment of a receiver to manage a distressed city&rsquo;s finances. A week after the dismissal of Harrisburg&rsquo;s bankruptcy petition, bond lawyer David Unkovic was appointed as the first receiver for any Pennsylvania city.</p>\r\n<p>He and his successor, Gen. William Lynch, remain the only municipal receivers ever appointed in Pennsylvania. Receiverships are often denounced as state takeovers of cities. The reality is more nuanced than that. A Pennsylvania constitutional provision prohibits the legislature from appointing any special commission to &ldquo;perform any municipal function whatsoever.&rdquo; This &ldquo;Ripper Clause&rdquo; likely prohibits a state-appointed receiver from usurping the authority of a municipality&rsquo;s elected officials. As a result, neither Harrisburg receiver had the power to force the mayor or City Council to do anything, necessitating a collaborative approach to address the city&rsquo;s financial problems.</p>\r\n<p><br /> In other states, such as Michigan, a state appointed receiver like the emergency manager appointed for Detroit displaces the city&rsquo;s elected officials. As states decide how to assist their distressed cities, the powers and even the name assigned to the person appointed to help the city get on firm financial footing matter. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ignited a firestorm when he appointed an &ldquo;emergency manager&rdquo; for Atlantic City. New Jersey has long been known for its robust oversight of its municipalities, and no municipality in New Jersey has ever filed for bankruptcy. By giving his appointee the title emergency manager (a title absent from New Jersey&rsquo;s oversight statute), Gov. Christie sent a signal to the bond markets that Atlantic City might follow in Detroit&rsquo;s footsteps and file for Chapter 9, an impression reinforced by the emergency manager&rsquo;s appointment of Kevyn Orr, the emergency manager for Detroit, as an adviser.</p>\r\n<p><br /> Harrisburg and its creditors were able to agree to the Strong Plan because both receivers worked hard to gain the trust of the city&rsquo;s elected officials and residents. This was no small feat, having been appointed by a white Republican governor to<br /> manage the finances of a predominantly minority Democratic city. The fact that the receivers did not displace elected officials may have been a blessing.<br /> <br /> <strong>Lesson No. 3:</strong> There is no true recovery without addressing the underlying causes of distress Debt adjustment alone cannot revive a city.</p>\r\n<p>Shrinking cities nationwide are being crushed by pension obligations incurred at a time when their populations and workforces were much larger. Many of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s municipalities provide their own police protection and other public services. Municipal elected officials around the country tend to serve on a volunteer or part-time basis and are often unsophisticated in financial matters yet they sometimes enter into the kind of complex financial transactions more typical of large corporations.</p>\r\n<p><br /> These structural problems are more difficult to address. Most municipal pensions are not large, and retirees depend on them to sustain a minimum standard of living. Although the most recent amendments to Act 47 allow the state to dissolve a non-viable municipality, the law cannot compel municipalities to merge or share responsibility for services. As a result, distressed core cities will remain so unless they can somehow attract development. The state legislature is considering several proposals to restrict the kinds of debt that can be incurred by a municipality and only time will tell whether they become law. Harrisburg&rsquo;s story illustrates that multiple factors drive a municipality into financial distress and that a multifaceted approach to preventing and alleviating such distress is imperative. Harrisburg&rsquo;s problems revealed flaws in the Act 47 program, which the legislature moved to correct.</p>\r\n<p><br /> As Puerto Rico, Atlantic City, and 20 distressed Pennsylvania municipalities deal with their financial problems, all eyes are on Harrisburg again&mdash;this time to learn how Pennsylvania worked with the city of Harrisburg to pull it from the brink of bankruptcy and how state lawmakers continue to work to address shortcomings in its laws governing pensions, local government debt, and municipal financial distress generally.</p>', '', NULL, 'How Harrisburg Has Influenced Discussions about Municipal Insolvency Nationwide', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1770, 'U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Schwab to speak at Widener Law Commonwealth Commencement', '2016-03-28', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced today that alumna and Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania will serve as speaker for the school&rsquo;s 25<sup>th</sup> commencement.</p>\r\n<p>Judge Schwab will address approximately 50 graduates at the 11 a.m. ceremony set for May 22 at The Forum in the Harrisburg State Capitol Complex. She will also be presented with an honorary doctor of law degree.</p>\r\n<p>Judge Schwab was appointed to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in 2012, after serving 11 years with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as Deputy Chief Counsel for the Auditor General, Deputy Chief Counsel, and Deputy State Treasurer for Administration for Treasury and Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration and Deputy Chief Counsel for the Democratic Caucus of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Judge Schwab was also in private law practice with Rhoads &amp; Sinon, LLP in Harrisburg and Semanoff, Orsmby, Greenberg and Torchia, LLC in Huntingdon Valley. A member of the Board of Overseers of Widener University School of Law and Chair of the Widener University School of Law Harrisburg Campus Diversity Advisory Board, Judge Schwab also served as Chair of Wilkes University&rsquo;s Law School Planning Initiative. She is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association&rsquo;s Commission on Women in the Profession.</p>\r\n<p>A native of Wilkes-Barre, Judge Schwab graduated <em>summa cum laude</em> from Wilkes College. She is a member of the inaugural class of Widener University School of Law. As a law student, she served as Internal Editor of the Widener Journal of Public Law. Judge Schwab graduated <em>magna cum laude</em> and was the law school&rsquo;s first valedictorian in 1992.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are delighted Judge Schwab has agreed to speak at our commencement this May,&rdquo; Law Dean Christian Johnson said. &ldquo;We are honored as a law school to welcome such a successful alumna to speak about her successes and provide words of wisdom and guidance at such an important event for our graduates.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/schwab-headshotcropped.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1772, 'Auditor General and legislators comment on state of Pennsylvania government', '2016-04-07', '<p>Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, &lsquo;02 gave a keynote address titled The State of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s Government at Widener Law Commonwealth last week.</p>\r\n<p>The Auditor General spoke about the good aspects of Pennsylvania government, but also about the improvements that could be made to make processes more efficient and our government more effective.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We need to not worry about who we are going to blame, but how we ourselves are going to make it better,&rdquo; DePasquale said.</p>\r\n<p>He added that the job of a democracy is to ask hard questions and hold leaders accountable for their actions.</p>\r\n<p>He cited several challenges facing Pennsylvania&rsquo;s government, including the gerrymandering of the legislative districts, campaign funding and different sides not working together to resolve issues.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We the voters elect those who serve,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So all of us have to take a look in the mirror and see what each of us can do to improve the situation.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He added that another hurdle is that too much emphasis is put on what each side is doing wrong, and not trying to work as a whole for the common good of the constituents in the Commonwealth.</p>\r\n<p>After Auditor General DePasquale concluded his keynote address, a panel of legislators provided commentary about the topics addressed in the speech, including campaign fundraising, gerrymandering of districts, electing a part-time legislature, and the limit set on gifts.</p>\r\n<p>The following legislators participated on the panel: Senator Daylin Leach, 17th District; Senator Rob Teplitz, 15th District; Senator Patricia H. Vance, 31st District; Representative Bryan Cutler, 100th Legislative District; and Representative Patty Kim, 103rd Legislative District. Professor Jill E. Family, Director of Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s Law and Government Institute, served as the moderator for the panel discussion.</p>\r\n<p>The legislators shared the sentiments of the auditor general and agreed that change is needed. When Professor Family asked the legislators what they believe to be the biggest challenge to state government several topics bubbled to the top, including voter apathy, budget troubles, and the dying breed of moderates.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Everybody thinks all of us are bad,&rdquo; said Sen. Vance. &ldquo;And, that is absolutely not true. However, we do have legislators who posture, or say one thing and do another, and that is affecting us all.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Rep. Kim noted that it could be helpful to have more female lawmakers in the Capitol, and it could have an effect on the outcomes and efficiency of the process.</p>\r\n<p>\"The top leaders from all of the chambers are all males and I like to think if more women were at the table we be able to get this done a little faster. But, I don&rsquo;t have proof of that,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I think we need more women in elected office. Men, when they look at success, they look at it like climbing a ladder, women look at it as linking arms, working together and pushing forward; and are not really into getting the credit.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<hr />\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/o1aM1Rdmls4?rel=0\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\"></iframe></p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<hr />', '{staticroot}files/modules/depasquale1-2.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1773, 'Lecture addresses the relationship between law and technology', '2016-04-11', '<p><img style=\"float: left;\" src=\"{staticroot}files/resources/gedid-lecture.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"393\" />&nbsp;&ldquo;Is all law technology law?&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>This was a question recently posed by Professor Joshua Fairfield, a speaker at the John Gedid Lecture Series at Widener Law Commonwealth. Professor Fairfield, of Washington and Lee University School of Law, presented <em>DELTA: The Law of Technological Change</em>.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Fairfield noted that the law has a complicated relationship with technology, since technology can make some laws seem obsolete, or even at odds with modern society.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We still use the oldest rules to determine the newest cases,&rdquo; Fairfield said. &ldquo;What law is, is adapting human behavior to technology change.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Fairfield used the term delta, or a mathematical concept for the rate of change, to describe that law is not just a system for the past, but one that grows and is flexible to help guide technological change for the future.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The law is a system for guiding legal change,&rdquo; said Fairfield. &ldquo;Sometimes we think that law is supposed to slow down technology but not really, it is supposed to keep it on the rails,&rdquo; he said.</p>\r\n<p>He added that older case laws are well positioned to determine the outcome of recent cases involving technology, because the core legal issues translate.&nbsp; Professor Fairfield compared good law with building a solid Lego system.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;A good Lego structure will be solid, but you will be able to replace a piece if needed, since the new piece is interchangeable with the other piece,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;A good legal structure is interactive. It repeats and improves over time.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><em>***This lecture series honors John Gedid, one of the founders of Widener Law Commonwealth, the school&rsquo;s first Vice Dean and the founder of the Law and Government Institute. Prof. Gedid has served as a wonderful mentor to every faculty member the school has hired. The series showcases the work of nationally recognized young scholars much the same way Professor Gedid has fostered, encouraged and applauded the work of those who joined the school he helped to found.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/HEtErdcA-kA?rel=0\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\"></iframe></p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1774, 'Widener Law Commonwealth only law school in PA to achieve 100% bar pass', '2016-04-12', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s first-time bar test takers recently earned a 100 percent bar passage rate on the bar exam that was given in February. The law school was the only Pennsylvania law school to achieve this success rate among first-time test takers.</p>\r\n<p>\"We&nbsp;are very&nbsp;excited about the perfect&nbsp;bar pass rate for first-time&nbsp;takers, as well as the overall bar pass rate,&rdquo; said Anna Hemingway, associate professor of law and director of the legal methods program. &nbsp;&ldquo;This achievement&nbsp;reflects our school\'s&nbsp;commitment to help our law students do their very&nbsp;best.\"&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>The Pennsylvania Bar Exam is given twice a year in February and July. The state average bar pass for first-time test takers in February was 74.14%.</p>\r\n<p>The law school also had an overall bar passage rate of 67.74%. The state bar passage rate for February was 56. 39%.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/mocklsat2015cropped-3.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1775, 'Law Students Observe Immigration Court Hearings', '2016-04-18', '<p>The federal immigration court is located in a large cinder block building tucked away on a side road, in a quiet industrial park off Route 30 in York, PA.&nbsp; A person looking at the building would have a hard time distinguishing it from the York County Prison.&nbsp; The immigration court is housed, in fact, in the York County Prison.</p>\r\n<p>Inside the cinder block walls of the prison, immigrants are detained and federal immigration judges make decisions that will change the course of an immigrant&rsquo;s life.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Jill Family regularly takes her immigration law class to sessions at the court to help them gain a real-life perspective about immigration court proceedings.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Visiting an immigration detention center is often a transformative experience for my students,&rdquo; Professor Family said. &ldquo;Seeing the reality of immigration detention- that it really is no different than criminal incarceration- informs my students that representing detained foreign nationals provides for a lifetime of meaningful work.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The students watched a handful of cases where the U.S. government has charged a foreign national as removable (deportable) from the United States.&nbsp; The students saw &ldquo;master calendar hearings,&rdquo; which are shorter, preliminary hearings when the immigration judge decides what issues in the case need more in depth attention and whether a foreign national will be detained while he or she waits for a longer &ldquo;individual hearing.&rdquo; &nbsp;The students watched the proceedings from an observation room in the court. The observation room is separated from the court room by a glass partition and seats in the observation room face the judge&rsquo;s bench. The detained foreign nationals appeared in court in orange prison jumpsuits, often without an attorney.&nbsp; Immigration Judge Walter Durling presided over the docket and an attorney from the Department of Homeland Security represented the government. &nbsp;.</p>\r\n<p>Judge Durling&rsquo;s legal assistant, who is a law student at Widener Law Commonwealth, is Dwight Quichua.&nbsp; Quichua is an extended division student who attends law school in the evenings, and is a candidate for graduation in the spring.</p>\r\n<p>Quichua said that he does have an interest in pursuing immigration law after graduation, and his experiences as a legal assistant in the immigration court have helped him to focus his interests and to gain a greater understanding of immigration law.&nbsp; &ldquo;I have a passion for immigration law,&rdquo; he said. &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>For some of the law students, this was their first experience with immigration court, and it proved to be an eye-opening and moving experience.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It was surprising and somewhat difficult to watch some of the more sympathetic deportation proceedings, one of which stuck with me even on the drive home.&nbsp; This case&nbsp;involved a young lady&nbsp;who was ordered to be deported and had come to&nbsp;America&nbsp;for opportunity, as her family back home was very poor and opportunity was limited,&rdquo; said 2L law student Gregory Seiders. &ldquo;The judge was sympathetic and even told her he wished there was something he could do.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Margaret Nollau, a 2L law student, found that observing the immigration proceedings helped the material she was studying in class come to life.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I understand the material better now because I have seen the proceedings play out in court. Instead of visualizing what the process looks like, I now have memories to attach to the information,&rdquo; said Nollau. &nbsp;&ldquo;It will help me in the future as a lawyer because I will know exactly what to expect in an immigration proceeding and can prepare accordingly.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Family makes it a point to remind her students that law is more than just theory; that it also makes huge real-world impacts.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Immigration law is all about people, so it is important to inject humanity into the course,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp; &ldquo;Part of that happens in the classroom, where we consistently discuss the law&rsquo;s effect on individuals, but a field trip to immigration court is an even more powerful way to observe the interaction between law and people&rsquo;s lives.&rdquo;</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1776, 'Widener Law Commonwealth Law Fraternity Raises $2,200 for Legal Aid Organizations', '2016-04-22', '<p>More than 85 runners recently took to the pavement for the inaugural Speedy Trial 5k held on the Widener Law Commonwealth campus.&nbsp; The event was organized by the Phi Alpha Delta &ndash; Pepper Chapter, a law fraternity.</p>\r\n<p>The beneficiary of the race proceeds was MidPenn Legal Services and the Volunteer Income Tax Programs (VITA). The race raised $2,200 that will be donated to the organizations.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We know that the organizations take on a great financial burden when helping individuals in our community that can&rsquo;t afford legal aid that they so desperately need,&rdquo; said Landa Porter, a member of Phi Alpha Delta and a 3L at Widener Law Commonwealth. &ldquo;This was the way we felt we could help the organizations as much as they help the community.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The course was designed by the law fraternity, which started and ended on the campus. Runners and walkers started at the campus book store and ran through several neighborhoods around the law school, before finishing the 3-mile race. A one-mile fun run was also held.</p>\r\n<p>The race was sponsored by the following individuals and organizations: Berks County Bar Association, Widener Law Commonwealth Alumni Association, Metzger Wickersham, McNees, Gavin P. Holihan Law Firm, Dauphin County Bar Association, Society for the Prevention of Conviction, LexisNexis, Themis Bar Review, Bagel Lover&rsquo;s, Starbucks, Ruby&rsquo;s Massage Therapy, and Mind&rsquo;s Eye Tattoo.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157667218669425\" target=\"_blank\">View the photo album on Flickr.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/26438189646_acdf2e9b85_z.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1777, 'Attorney General Candidates debate issues at Widener Law Commonwealth', '2016-04-25', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth hosted a forum organized by the Pennsylvania Women&rsquo;s Forum featuring all five of the candidates running for the office of Attorney General. &nbsp;The office will be open because current Attorney General Kathleen Kane has decided not to run for re-election.&nbsp; The two Republican candidates appearing at Widener Law Commonwealth were Senator John C. Rafferty and Joe Peters.&nbsp; The three Democratic candidates were John Morganelli, Josh Shapiro, and Stephen Zappala.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Corinna Wilson, President of Wilson500, Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Women&rsquo;s Forum, moderated the debate. The candidates fielded questions from the following journalists:&nbsp; Brad Bumstead, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; John Micek, Patriot News; and Angela Couloumbis, Philadelphia Inquirer.</p>\r\n<p>Questions asked by the panel of journalists included inquiries about the experience of the candidates and what they could offer if elected to the position, changes they would like to make to the office of attorney general, and if any of them had hopes of becoming the state&rsquo;s governor in the future.</p>\r\n<p>This event was covered live by <a href=\"https://pcntv.com/\">PCN TV</a>.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/ag-debate.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1778, 'Law Students go to the Dogs (and Cat) During Final Exams', '2016-05-05', '<p>Boots, the therapy cat, lounged casually between two students as they studied for final exams on Monday in the Pit.</p>\r\n<p>Other dogs mingled with law students and faculty making sure to position themselves at the best vantage points for ear scratches and tummy rubs.</p>\r\n<p>Law school is tough. So, to help make final exams a little more bearable, 10 dogs and a cat from Caring Hearts Pet Therapy spent time with law students during the first day of final exams providing some much-needed stress relief and a study break.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Dogs are always happy to see you. They are energetic and upbeat and that energy rubs off on you,&rdquo; said Tiffany Raker, a third-year law student from Northumberland. &ldquo;When you are tired and spending hours studying, having the dogs here is calming.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Landa Porter, of Allentown, who plans to graduate this year, agreed that having the animals come provides respite from her studies.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I just like seeing their unconditionally loving faces,&rdquo; Porter said as she was petting Boots. &ldquo;They make it all OK and are a happy reminder that there are other things in life.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Mary Catherine Scott, Director of Student Organizations, added that each time the dogs come for a visit on campus she can see the positive effect they have on the students.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The therapy dogs came on campus for the first time several weeks ago for the Mental Health Awareness Day sponsored by the American Bar Association and the feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive,&rdquo; Scott said. &ldquo;We knew that having the dogs on campus several times during final exams would help the students get through this stressful period at the end of the semester.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Caring Hearts Pet Therapy will be on the law school campus <a href=\"ipl://12//WyIzMjA2Il0=\">May 9</a> and <a href=\"ipl://12//WyIzMjA3Il0=\">May 14</a> to visit with students.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157667653556562\">Click to view the Flickr album from this event.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/puppies.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1779, 'Military Law Symposium Tackles Critical Veteran’s Issues', '2016-05-16', '<p>Nearly 100 active duty soldiers, veterans and lawyers gathered at Widener Law Commonwealth to discuss critical military law issues affecting soldiers and veterans.</p>\r\n<p>Panel participants included high-ranking military leaders, renowned military law experts and administrators of organizations offering services to veterans.</p>\r\n<p>The symposium, titled <em>The Military, the Law and the Constitution</em>, featured three panels: <em>Ethics in Military Law</em>; <em>Constitution and the War on Terror</em> and <em>Taking Care of Our Servicemembers and Veterans.</em></p>\r\n<p>The<a href=\"ipl://13//WyIxNzgwIl0=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> keynote address of the symposium was given by the Honorable Patrick J. Murphy, Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army</a>. Murphy is a 1999 alumnus of Widener Law Commonwealth and the first veteran from the second Iraq war to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 8<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Congressional District from 2007-2011.&nbsp;<a id=\"videos\"></a>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<h4>Military Symposium Videos</h4>\r\n<p>Click on the links below to watch the panel presentations.</p>\r\n<p><strong>Panel 1: </strong><a href=\"http://www.viddler.com/v/700a5e53\"><strong>Ethics in Military La</strong>w</a><br /> <strong>Panelists</strong>: Dr. Lance Betros, Provost, U.S. Army War College; James W. Houck, VADM, JAGC,USN (Ret.), Interim Dean, Penn State Law; Kerry E. Maloney, Lt. Col., Command Judge Advocate, U.S. Army War College<br /> <strong><br /> Panel 2: </strong><a href=\"http://www.viddler.com/v/75558fa9\"><strong>Constitution and the War on Terror</strong></a><br /> <strong>Panelists:</strong> Victor M. Hansen, Professor of Law, New England Law; Harrold J. McCracken, Col., Faculty Instructor, U.S. Army War College; The Honorable Alissa Starzak, General Counsel, U.S. Army; Hina Shamsi, Director, National Security Project, American Civil Liberties Union<br /> <br /> <strong>Panel 3: </strong><a href=\"http://www.viddler.com/v/df1010f\"><strong>Taking Care of Our Servicemembers and Veterans</strong></a><br /> <strong>Panelists:</strong> David McLenachen, Deputy Under Secretary for Disability Assistance, Veterans Benefits Administration; Hollister Petraeus, Assistant Director<br /> for Servicemember Affairs, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Jeremiah J. Underhill, Esq., Disabled Veterans Law Referral Service</p>\r\n<p><strong>Keynote Address: <a href=\"http://www.viddler.com/v/77effcb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Patrick J. Murphy</a></strong></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157667543800080\">View photos from the Military Law Symposium</a>.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/symposiumcroppedlee.jpg', 'Photo of speakers at a symposium', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1780, 'Acting Army Secretary Patrick Murphy ’99 Praises Soldiers, Veterans at Military Law Symposium', '2016-05-16', '<p>Passion. Dedication. Perseverance.</p>\r\n<p>These are the values the Honorable Patrick J. Murphy used to describe today&rsquo;s soldiers and veterans at the Military Law Symposium held at the Commonwealth Law School.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;If you want to look at something good in America, look at the American soldier,&rdquo; said Murphy, who currently serves as the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army. &ldquo;You look at the American soldier who is going out into harm&rsquo;s way on our behalf. Look at the American soldier who believes in core values like duty, honor and country.&rdquo; &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Murphy, a 1999 alumnus of Widener Law Commonwealth, spoke on a variety of topics during his keynote address at the Military Law Symposium, but the take-away message was one of pride and support for American servicemembers.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The American veteran is a civil asset in our country,&rdquo; Murphy said. &ldquo;The American veteran is more likely to be employed than civilians. The American veteran is more likely to vote in any election, no matter their political persuasion. The American veteran is more likely to start a small business, and for that business to be successful. The American veteran is more likely to be the head of a Fortune 500 company and a C-suite executive. We have a lot to be proud of as veterans.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Murphy joined the Army at the age of 19 because he felt the need to serve and make a difference. He volunteered for deployment after the events of September 11, 2001 and was deployed to both Bosnia and Baghdad, serving as a captain in the 82nd Airborne Division.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are America&rsquo;s varsity team,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We are the ones that will put ourselves in harm&rsquo;s way,&rdquo; Murphy said in speaking about why he joined the US Army.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Murphy was the first veteran from the Iraq War to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 8<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Congressional District. After serving two terms from 2007 to 2011, he became a partner with the national law firm Fox Rothschild, LLP, serving as general counsel to small businesses, including several veteran owned businesses. He also served as an anchor on the former MSNBC show <em>Taking the Hill</em>.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http://www.viddler.com/v/77effcb\">Watch the keynote address.</a></p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/26899102636_b4c5989a69_z.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1781, 'Law Students Graduate at 25th Annual Commencement Ceremony', '2016-05-24', '<p>Twenty-five years ago, Judge Susan E. Schwab stood on the stage of the Forum in the Capitol Complex for the first time and gave her valedictorian speech to the inaugural graduating class of the Widener University Law School Harrisburg Campus.</p>\r\n<p>On Sunday, a quarter-century later, as the Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, she took the stage again as commencement speaker for her alma mater. The accomplished alumna left the 53 graduating law students with solid advice based on her time as a judge, lawyer, breast cancer survivor, mother and wife.</p>\r\n<p>She encouraged the graduates to never quit, never stop learning, and to trust themselves and their skills. She also counseled them to seek balance in their careers and family lives.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I had recently recovered from breast cancer and gave birth to our son. My husband was working out of town and my life was filled with taking care of an infant and managing a fast-paced litigation caseload. It struck me that making a career move to state government, while perhaps resulting in a salary decrease, may be just what I needed to achieve some balance in my life, so I applied and got the job&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;And, for a while it was exactly what I needed: a welcomed change of pace that gave me meaningful opportunity to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. And, that move also turned out to be a pivotal step in my personal journey. Without that public service experience, it is less likely that I would be where I am today.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Marc Prokopchak, the 2016 class valedictorian, echoed the advice of Judge Schwab in his address and asked the graduates to take time to reflect on the opportunities law school provided.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Being mindful of our good fortune is just the first step.&nbsp; We must also take action.&nbsp; We must use our education and our talents to help those who cannot help themselves,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We all have a responsibility to use our legal education for more than just creating a comfortable lifestyle.&nbsp; Each one of us must find a way to give back from the abundance we&rsquo;ve been given.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Widener University President Julie E. Wollman, presiding over her first Widener Law Commonwealth commencement, gave the students one more assignment to complete after graduation.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Do more. Challenge yourself. Ask the hard questions and continue showing the same grit and determination you&rsquo;ve already demonstrated,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>During the ceremony, Dean Christian Johnson presented the annual awards to faculty. Professor Christopher Robinette was given the Outstanding Faculty Award, and Distinguished Professor John Dernbach was presented with the Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award.</p>\r\n<p>In his closing remarks to the graduates, Dean Johnson expressed the importance of becoming lawyers, and filling a critical role in maintaining government and society.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Let me say that no profession is more honorable than that of the law,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Lawyers champion the rights of the weak and the powerless, they protect the rule of law that is a cornerstone of our democracy, they guide citizens through the legal process that can seem byzantine to the layperson, they draft laws, and they advise businesses large and small. They represent the rich and the poor, the innocent and the guilty, because no one else can. It is really a noble profession.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157668028217140\" target=\"_blank\">View the Flickr album from Commencement.<br /></a></p>\r\n<hr />\r\n<h4>Commencement Ceremony Video</h4>\r\n<p><iframe src=\"//www.viddler.com/embed/8cbe1e11/?f=1&amp;autoplay=0&amp;player=full&amp;secret=27808272&amp;disablebackwardseek=false&amp;disableseek=false&amp;disableforwardseek=false&amp;make_responsive=false&amp;loop=false&amp;nologo=false&amp;hd=false\" width=\"800\" height=\"492\"></iframe></p>\r\n<p>You may also view this video directly on <a href=\"http://www.viddler.com/v/8cbe1e11\" target=\"_blank\">Widener Law Commonwealth\'s Viddler page</a>.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/forum-w-grads.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1782, 'Students gain valuable experience in hands-on trial advocacy program   ', '2016-06-15', '<p>Mark Smith, a second-year law student, admits that he is no Tom Cruise.</p>\r\n<p>During his time in the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP) he failed to get his witness to tell him he couldn&rsquo;t handle the truth, like in the famous trial scene in &ldquo;A Few Good Men.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>But Smith added that the hands-on training he received in the ITAP program was invaluable to him and an experience every law student should have.</p>\r\n<p>ITAP is a seven-day course held on campus each summer that provides students with the chance to learn about trial proceedings by participating in a mock trial as a prosecuting or defending attorney. The three-credit elective course is offered to second-year law students. This year, 22 students signed up for the experience.</p>\r\n<p>Several weeks before the class starts, students choose to participate in either a civil or criminal case. The fictional cases used in the program are patterned after cases that have been used in other intensive trial programs across the country. The program is presented in a mixed format of lectures and hands-on trial work.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;This class gave&nbsp;me the chance to act as an attorney and put into practice what I have been learning from reading and writing legal documents. I had to be the attorney in the room,&rdquo; Smith said. &ldquo;It was a fantastic way to walk the walk rather than just talk the talk.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Associate clinical professor Palmer Lockard has been the program director of ITAP since 2000. He organizes the materials for each case and recruits the volunteers who serve as the &ldquo;judges&rdquo; and teachers during the trials, many of them Widener Law Commonwealth alumni.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;There are always a number of students who come back after the program or even after they have graduated and tell me it was the best experience they had in law school,&rdquo; Lockard said. &ldquo;And, that happens repeatedly.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Smith said his biggest take away from the class was the importance of knowing your theory of the case and being able to tell your client&rsquo;s story effectively to the jury.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The legal foundation is important and necessary, but you must also be able to communicate the client\'s story because people relate to the personal events in other people&rsquo;s lives,&rdquo; he said.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/itap.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1784, 'Law and Government Institute Year in Review 2015-2016', '2016-07-01', '<p>The Law and Government Institute had a wonderful year.&nbsp; Because of the efforts of our alumni, students and faculty, Widener Law Commonwealth was recognized as a top twenty school for public service by preLaw magazine.&nbsp; We were the only law school in Pennsylvania to receive this recognition.</p>\r\n<h3><a href=\"ipl://568//W10=\">Read more on the L&amp;G Year in Review page</a>.</h3>', '{staticroot}files/modules/capitoleventspic.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1785, 'Recent graduate wins award for copyright law article', '2016-07-21', '<p>Jessica L. Santiago, a May 2016 graduate, recently won an award for her article examining a legal question getting under people&rsquo;s skin &ndash; whether or not tattoos should be subject to copyright law.</p>\r\n<p>Her article &ldquo;Tattoos: Meaning of Tangible Medium in 21<sup>st</sup> Century&rdquo; earned third place in the 2016 Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) International Property Law Writing Competition, and will be published on the PBA website in the International Property Law Section.</p>\r\n<p>The PBA Intellectual Property Law Section Writing Contest was established in 2004 and calls for law students to submit articles expressing their insight and knowledge in the areas of patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets or trade dress.</p>\r\n<p>Santiago became interested in the issue while researching topics related to entertainment, copyright and trademark law to present in her international property law class with Associate Professor Tonya Evans. &nbsp;After her presentation, Santiago worked with Evans to develop the topic for her article.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The selection of my topic was a process. I was also writing this topic for my seminar paper, but at the same time I needed it to satisfy my writing requirement for the Widener Journal of Law, Economics, and Race,&rdquo; Santiago said. &ldquo;Professor Evans and I started bouncing ideas back and forth about how I could incorporate race and economics. I knew that this was what my article was going to be about. I looked for books, cases, news articles, statutes, and just wrote my little heart out.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In her article, Santiago argued that tattoos are copyrightable; however, as a matter of public policy a person should not allow for another person to have rights to their body. She concluded that tattoos should be included as a tenth category of specially commissioned work in the work-for-hire doctrine.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/santiago.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1786, 'Law student completes select internship with Navy JAG Corps', '2016-08-08', '<p>Courtney Bassani, a third-year law student at Widener Law Commonwealth, was one of five law students nationwide to be chosen for a summer internship at the largest naval base in the world in Norfolk, Va.</p>\r\n<p>Bassani was selected for an eight week summer internship with the Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps at the Region Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic at the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. The JAG Corps is the legal arm of the United States Navy.</p>\r\n<p>The majority of her time was spent working in the Legal Assistance Office, but she also had the opportunity to observe trials. &nbsp;She also spent a week helping with the legal workload at the Ocean Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, Va.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;When I reported for my internship the office was drafting and executing wills and providing other services for the strike groups that were deploying,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I was taught how to write wills and spent a lot of my time drafting wills and various legal documents for the attorneys to look over. I provided research as needed and drafted client letters for the attorneys.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In addition to teaching her skills that will serve her in the final year of law school, she gained valuable experienced for her professional career.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;They entrusted me with completing countless projects and tasks and taught me valuable legal skills,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I was given work that was very similar to what the first tour JAG\'s were doing.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Bassani intends to apply for a commission in the Navy JAG Corps after she graduates in May 2017.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I have no doubt in my mind that the Navy JAG Corps is where I belong,&rdquo; said Bassani. &ldquo;My entire experience interning with the JAG Corps was amazing. It was an incredibly unique experience.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/courtney-bassanicropped.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1787, 'Widener Law Commonwealth welcomes 108 first-year law students', '2016-08-24', '<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Mikhaeil &ldquo;Michael&rdquo; Awad, an incoming first-year law student, understands the magnitude of what he is about to take on as a law student, because he is already a lawyer.</p>\r\n<p>Awad was one of 108 students who took the oath of professionalism in a ceremony welcoming new students to the legal profession.</p>\r\n<p>Originally from Syria, Awad completed his legal studies at Tishreen University before leaving his country due to the ongoing war. First, Awad and his twin brother went first to Russia and then came to America in 2014 to stay with family in New Jersey.</p>\r\n<p>Awad didn&rsquo;t know any English when he came to the United States, but knew that his dream was to attend law school so he could practice law again.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;As a child I had always wanted to be a lawyer. I know that sounds cliche, however this was my reality. As a child, my friends would call on me to resolve their issues,&rdquo; said Awad. &ldquo;They would each present their argument, I would listen and after careful deliberation I would have my \"decision\". Most of the time both parties loved my proposal and went with it, resulting in everyone being happy. This appealed to me. I wanted to take this and make it my life.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s good reputation, small class size and the proximity to family made the law school the right choice for him to continue on the path of practicing law in America.</p>\r\n<p>Katherine Riggleman-Thomas, Esq., a 2014 alumna, encouraged the students to be kind to one another and to guard their reputation as they go through their studies. Other bits of advice she provided was to ask questions, talk to professors, find a study group and take advantage of all networking opportunities.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;One of the best decisions you could have made, was the decision to come to Widener, &ldquo;she said to the students, who represent more than 63 undergraduate institutions.</p>\r\n<p>The Honorable John E. Jones, III, United States Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, administered the oath of professionalism to the incoming students and also provided words of advice that encouraged the students to seek a balance in their lives and to find a routine.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It is important for you to set a schedule and work hard,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It starts today. Today you become professionals. &ldquo;</p>\r\n<p>Click <a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157671719965461\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to view the pictures from the &ldquo;Welcome to the Profession&rdquo; event.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/classgroup-2016-edited.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1788, 'Environmental law program receives A grade from preLaw magazine', '2016-09-01', '<p><em>preLaw</em> magazine has given the environmental law program at Widener Law Commonwealth a grade of A. Widener Law Commonwealth is the only school in Pennsylvania to earn this recognition for its environmental law program.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We have worked hard to make the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center one of the most recognized centers for environmental legal education and scholarship,&rdquo; said Professor John Dernbach, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center. &ldquo;No other law school can offer the combination of sustainability and climate chance experience that we have at Widener Law Commonwealth. The Center is known nationally and internationally for its scholarship and advocacy on sustainable development and climate change.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The magazine, a publication of the <em>National Jurist</em>, a leading news source about issues in legal education released the rankings in its winter issue.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cypress/prelaw_2016winter/#/48\">To view the rankings click here.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/p5130073.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1789, 'Law professors present at annual SEALS meeting', '2016-09-09', '<p>Recently two Widener Law Commonwealth professors presented at the annual Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) conference. &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Both Professor Juliet Moringiello and Professor Michael Dimino presented and served on panels at the conference which offers legal educators the opportunity to participate in panels about legal teaching, learn about emerging issues in scholarly work, and receive feedback from mentors and peers at the New Scholars Workshop.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Juliet Moringiello participated in the panel, &ldquo;Teaching Secured Transactions: Integrating Ethical/Professionalism Issues, Drafting Assignments, and Learning Outcomes/Assessments.&rdquo; Professor Moringiello discussed the research assignments given to her students that help to reinforce the point that the Uniform Commercial Code is not in fact &ldquo;uniform&rdquo; because it has to go through the legislative enactment process in every state.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Because I am a Uniform Law Commissioner for Pennsylvania, I have a lot of experience in the enactment process, and sharing this knowledge with the students is important for two reasons,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;First, to be a competent lawyer, a lawyer needs to know what law applies to the issues at hand &ndash; all too often, students come out of law school not appreciating the differences among the enacted versions of the Uniform Commercial Code. Second, law students need to know about the various things that lawyers do, and here in a state capital, lawyers are often asked to weigh in on the merits of proposed legislation.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Michael Dimino presented on Justice Antonin Scalia&rsquo;s legacy and the first twenty-five years of Justice Clarence Thomas&rsquo;s tenure on the Supreme Court. Professor Dimino&rsquo;s presentation about Justice Scalia focused on Justice Scalia\'s frequent claims that his colleagues decided cases based on their own preferences, rather than on the law.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;As a result of Justice Scalia\'s memorable and colorful way of showing that the emperor has no clothes, people -- both on the left and on the right -- now recognize the Supreme Court\'s decisions as political, to a much greater degree than they did when Justice Scalia joined the Court,&rdquo;&nbsp; Dimino said.</p>\r\n<p>In his second presentation Professor Dimino argued that Justice Thomas&rsquo;s influence, especially outside the legal profession, will be much less than Justice Scalia&rsquo;s because of the difference in their writing style.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Justice Thomas\'s writing is methodical and often relies on history.&nbsp; He does not tend to use memorable phrases and is not as biting in his criticism of his colleagues, so his opinions get much less popular attention.&nbsp; As a result, he will be much less effective than Justice Scalia in convincing the public that the Constitution should be interpreted as it was originally understood.&rdquo;</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1790, 'Third-year law student completes internship with US Senator, finds passion', '2016-09-09', '<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Cara Phillips, a third-year law student, has a passion for working in legislation. So, when the opportunity to intern in the office of United States Sen. Bob Casey, she jumped at the opportunity.</p>\r\n<p>The six-week internship position focused on three main areas including foreign relations, national defense and veterans affairs. During the first three weeks of the internship the National Defense Authorization Act was being debated and Phillips was able to get a front row seat for the action.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;You have all of the big name senators and the up- and-coming junior senators presenting amendments and it was amazing to see everybody working to have their voice heard,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;A few of the amendments came into the office I worked in and I was able to see from the beginning how we take the ideas of the Senator and write them into legislation.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Phillips added that the internship allowed her to see first-hand the fast-paced professional federal environment and learn more about the legislative process.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We were constantly going,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;This experience will help me as I go into my 3L year because it will only get busier, and I learned a lot about multi-tasking, prioritizing and moving quickly and accurately, which is essential for a law student and a lawyer.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The experience also gave Philips the opportunity to participate in events that focused on topics such as Foreign Service and immigration.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The internship made me even more passionate about legislation,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It opened my eyes to a lot of the action issues that are not reported by the media. Sometimes law students may overlook the influence they have since we are so focused on our education, but there are a lot of action items out there that need legal advocates.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/cara.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1791, 'Law professor named associate dean of inclusion and equity', '2016-09-21', '<p>Associate Professor Tonya M. Evans will join the law school&rsquo;s senior leadership team as the Associate Dean of Inclusion and Equity.</p>\r\n<p>Dean Evans&rsquo; new role includes overseeing the law school&rsquo;s implementation of its strategic plan, practices, and policies related to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the classroom and legal profession. Her goal is to inspire and sustain a law school community that champions a culture of respect, civility, professionalism, and inclusivity in and outside of the classroom. She will continue to teach in the areas of intellectual property, property, wills and trusts and entertainment law.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are preparing our students for success in a diverse and global society,&rdquo; said Widener Law Commonwealth Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;I know that Associate Dean Evans will work to create and sustain a campus environment that will promote access, equity and success for underrepresented students, faculty, staff and administration as well as the greater legal community.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Dean Evans will focus on programming for students and faculty in particular that promotes cultural competence, a key component of competence to practice law ethically. &ldquo;Cultural competence,&rdquo; explains Dean Evans, &ldquo;is integral to the duty of lawyers to be professionally competent to practice law in our multicultural and diverse society.&rdquo; Dean Evans believes that to be practice-ready, law students must be trained to appreciate and anticipate the legal needs of clients who may be of a different race or ethnicity, or who hold different religious or ethical values systems and political beliefs. She will work to align and advance Widener University&rsquo;s overall mission and vision of diversity and inclusion, as set forth by President Julie Wollman, on the law school campus and mid-state community.</p>\r\n<p>Evans, who joined the faculty in 2007 and received tenure in 2014, is faculty advisor for the <em>Widener Law Journal</em>. She received her B.S. from Northwestern University and J.D. from Howard University School of Law, where she graduated <em>cum laude</em> and served as Editor-in-Chief of the <em>Howard Law Journal</em>.</p>', '', 'Picture of Professor Evans.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1792, 'Sustainable Election 2016', '2016-10-04', '<h4>This project&nbsp;is&nbsp;based on a simple but powerful premise: Sustainable development would make the United States more livable, healthy, secure, and prosperous. &nbsp;</h4>\r\n<p>Policies that promote sustainability would help grow our economy, create jobs, improve quality of life in our communities, make us healthier, reduce risks to our national security, and improve the lives of the poorest among us. They would achieve these things while protecting and restoring the environment for our generation and those that follow.</p>\r\n<p>Because our elected officials make and implement laws, the views of the major party candidates for President of the United States and United States Senator from&nbsp;Pennsylvania on a range of sustainability issues are thus essential information on Election Day. Working under its motto &ldquo;Law for Sustainability,&rdquo; Widener Law Commonwealth\'s <a href=\"ipl://401//W10=\">Environmental Law and Sustainability Center</a> provides this information on the candidates&rsquo; sustainability positions in the spirit of public service, to help voters make informed decisions.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Voters will choose the next President of the United States in addition to&nbsp;candidates for other federal, state and local offices. For more information on how to find your polling place in Pennsylvania, visit the <a href=\"https://www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us/pages/pollingplaceinfo.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">PA Voter Services webpage</a>. &nbsp;For more information on how to register to vote in other states, visit the <a href=\"http://www.rockthevote.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock the Vote website</a>.</p>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"ipl://585//W10=\">Sustainable America Election 2016</a></h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">This page lists the views of the 2016 candidates for President of the United States on various sustainability issues.</p>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"ipl://586//W10=\">Sustainable Pennsylvania Election 2016</a></h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">This page lists the views of the 2016 candidates for&nbsp;United States Senator from Pennsylvania on various sustainability issues.<br /><br /></p>\r\n<hr />\r\n<p>The Center does not endorse any particular candidates, and no endorsement should be implied. &nbsp;In addition, the Center does not endorse or affirm the accuracy of any statements made by any candidate about matters of fact. &nbsp;Research and writing for the candidates&rsquo; positions was done by Bo Bucher, Matthew Konya, Daniel Schramm, and Mark Bogush, students at Widener Law Commonwealth.&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/electionvoteicon.png', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1793, 'Professors integrate Commonwealth Court oral arguments into classroom', '2016-10-04', '<p>Sarah Rothermel was glued to her seat when the <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court/\">Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania</a> heard arguments at <a href=\"{staticroot}\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a>.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;A first-year law student, Rothermel said the snapshot she observed while listening to the judges hear arguments helped to solidify all of her hours in the classroom.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;As with anything, there is a distinction between theory and practice. Reading about how the court functions in theory and actually participating in the courtroom setting, even in a limited capacity as observers, are two separate entities,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It is easy to think you understand something in theory, but easier still and longer lasting to learn by doing. Though the experience was only a snapshot, I certainly got more out of how a courtroom actually functions by observing it than I would have by reading about the process.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In September, three judges from the <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court/\">Commonwealth Court</a> sat at <a href=\"{staticroot}\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a> to hear a dozen cases. <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court-judges/judge-mary-hannah-leavitt\">Hon. Mary Hanna Leavitt</a>, <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court-judges/judge-p-kevin-brobson\">Hon. P. Kevin Brobson</a>,&rsquo;95 (Harrisburg Campus) and <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court-judges/judge-anne-e-covey\">Hon. Anne E. Covey</a> &rsquo;85 (Delaware Campus) relocated to the law school for a morning of oral argument.</p>\r\n<p>Several professors required their students to observe the <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court/\">Commonwealth Court</a> oral arguments. After the arguments were finished <a href=\"{staticroot}\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a> students had the opportunity to talk with the judges during a question and answer session over lunch.</p>\r\n<p>Students asked questions about career paths, civil procedure and professionalism.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The student experience is so important to all of us at <a href=\"{staticroot}\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a>,&rdquo; said <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNSJd\">Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government Jill Family</a>.&nbsp; &ldquo;I\'m so pleased we were able to bring the court to our students and integrate the cases into our courses.\"</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/commonwealth-court.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1794, 'Public Interest Law Society recognizes need for legal aid', '2016-11-03', '<p>Cheri Sparacino, a second-year law student, had one reason she wanted to become a lawyer.</p>\r\n<p>She wanted to help people.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"{staticroot}current-students/student-organizations/interest-organizations/#public\">The Public Interest Law Society</a> at Widener Law Commonwealth is a student group on campus that aims to bridge the gap between law students and those seeking legal advice or advocacy in the community.&nbsp; The group hosts events on campus such as Wills for Heroes, expungement clinics and other services connecting people who may not be able to afford legal services with legal advice and services.</p>\r\n<p>In October, PILS celebrated <a href=\"https://www.probono.net/celebrateprobono/\">National Pro-Bono Week</a> by collecting new items for the local YWCA Women&rsquo;s Shelter, and having guest speaker, Steve Turner, <a href=\"https://www.dcba-pa.org/\">Dauphin County Bar Association&rsquo;s</a> Pro-Bono Lawyer of the Year, speak to students about his experiences in the community providing pro-bono legal services to victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;ProBono is like salve for the soul,&rdquo; Turner said when speaking to a room of law students about his career. &ldquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Also in recognition of National Pro-Bono Week, a round-table discussion about the current art exhibit on campus &ldquo;Painting Invisible People&rdquo; by Mary Lapos was held. The talk focused on the need for legal representation of underprivileged and misunderstood groups of people.</p>\r\n<p>In addition to the activities during National Pro-Bono Week, PILS is currently scheduling a Will for Heroes event. The Wills for Heroes clinic provides will writing services for emergency first responders. An expungement clinic is in the works for the spring, too. PILS also works with the Dauphin County Bar Association on many of their legal aid events.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;The most important part about volunteering is that law students get to practice skills they learn,&rdquo; Sparacino, president of PILS said. &ldquo;You are not just helping people, but you are applying the legal skills you have learned as a law student. It makes you feel good to be able to help.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Jo-Anne Thompson, a second-year law student, originally from Kingston, Jamaica, added that PILS works to understand the needs of the community and creates legal clinics and events that address those needs.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;There sometimes isn&rsquo;t a lot of emphasis on legal aid and public service law,&rdquo; said Thompson. &ldquo;It can be an under represented area. The goal of PILS is to bring more people together to make them aware of the legal needs in the community. Pro-Bono Week is one week out of the year, but our goal is to provide support to those in need year-round.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', '', 'Celebrate National Pro Bono Week', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1795, 'Widener Law Commonwealth provides more than 3,000 hours of service to community', '2016-11-04', '<p>The students at Widener Law Commonwealth contributed an estimated 3,700 hours to pro-bono, clinic or through volunteer activities in the community in the 2015-2016 academic year. The Harrisburg community and greater Central Pennsylvania area are the primary beneficiary of all of the community service and pro-bono legal services provided by the law school.</p>\r\n<p>Widener Law Commonwealth is home to the Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics where students have the opportunity to work on civil cases such as bankruptcy, custody and divorce cases through legal services that are provided to low income individuals at no cost. &nbsp;The clinics are comprised of the Administrative Law Clinic, the Consumer Law Clinic, the Elder Law Clinic, and the Family Justice Clinic.&nbsp; In the 2015-16 year students in the clinic provided more than 3,000 hours of pro-bono legal services to the Harrisburg community. Clients of the clinic are referred by local agencies such as Legal Services, YWCA, and the Dauphin County Department of the Aging.</p>\r\n<p>Our other student&rsquo;s organizations contribute approximately 270 hours through our VITA program, which provides tax preparation services to low-income individuals free of charge. The Public Interest Law Society and other student organizations provided approximately 430 hours of services to the community in the form of will preparation for first responders and expungement clinics. Other organizations on campus held Relay for Life events, volunteered at homeless shelters and organized food and clothing drives. Other events included a Blood Drive, School Supply Drive, and a 5K race with proceeds benefiting organizations that provide free legal services in the Harrisburg area.</p>\r\n<p>A total of eight student organizations worked to promote civic activities and serve mainly the low-moderate income population in the Dauphin and Cumberland County areas of Pennsylvania.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/cvr1.jpg', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1796, 'Fallen alum honored at Veterans Day Ceremony', '2016-11-15', '<p>Capt. Shane Mahaffee gave the ultimate sacrifice to his country, but his memory will forever live on.</p>\r\n<p>On Veterans Day, the 1994 alum was honored at Widener Law Commonwealth when the Shane R. M. Mahaffee Scholarship for Excellence was dedicated in his name. Mahaffee was died as a result of injuries sustained when a roadside bomb&nbsp;struck his&nbsp;vehicle&nbsp;in Iraq in 2006.</p>\r\n<p>The scholarship was made possible by a donation from Widener University Trustee Vito Verne. The first recipient of the scholarship will be James Nixon, a first-year law student and Army veteran. The scholarship is designed to be given to a deserving law student who has served or who is currently serving in the military.</p>\r\n<p>Capt. Mahaffee&rsquo;s family including his wife, Jennifer and their two children, were able to attend the ceremony. Also in attendance at the ceremony where Shane&rsquo;s parents and his sister and brother-in-law and children.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Shane was the real deal,&rdquo; said his brother-in-law and Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett. &ldquo;He embodied heroism that is out of sight. He loved life and loved being in the thick of it, and he lived it full throttle.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The General Carl E. Mundy, Jr., USMC (Ret) and Linda Sloan Mundy Marine Scholarship was also announced at the ceremony. The scholarship is made possible by a generous donation from Widener University trustee Tom Bown and his wife Bonnie. The Bown&rsquo;s chose to name the scholarship for General and Mrs. Mundy, in honor of their distinguished service to the country and their deep commitment to those who served. Eric Williams, a first-year law student, is the recipient of the Mundy Scholarship and is in the Army.</p>\r\n<p>Lt. Governor Mike Stack also spoke at the ceremony and expressed his thanks to all veterans, especially those in the Pennsylvania, which has the fourth largest veterans population in the nation. Stack recently created the Veterans Task Force to identify and improve services including housing, healthcare and legal aid to veterans in the state.&nbsp; Dean Christian Johnson is a member of the task force and will lead the area that examines legal services available to veterans.</p>\r\n<p>Dean Johnson added that the scholarships presented on Veterans Day are one part of the law school&rsquo;s Veterans Initiative, which was launched this Fall.&nbsp; The Veterans Initiative will establish the school as one of the most veteran friendly law schools in the country. The law school is currently working to raise funds for a veteran&rsquo;s law clinic anticipated to open in late 2017.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Our veterans are our greatest asset,&rdquo; said Johnson. &ldquo;We are humbled by their service and dedication to our country.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Special thanks to other speakers at the event which included, Col. Robert DeSousa, Pennsylvania National Guard State Judge Advocate; and Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Debra McCloskey Todd.</p>\r\n<p>Sponsors of the event included: Eckert Seamans Attorneys at Law, McNees, Wallace and Nurick, LLC, Saul Ewing, LLP, Rawle &amp;Henderson, LLP, Dean Christian and Cori Johnson and Schmidt Kramer Law Firm.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157674912695642\">Click here to view photos from the event.</a></p>\r\n<h5>&nbsp;ABC27 News Report about the Event and Scholarship</h5>\r\n<p><iframe src=\"http://up.anv.bz/latest/anvload.html?key=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\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\"></iframe></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/mahaffee2.jpg', 'Dean Johnson speaking.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1797, 'Attorney general candidates debate at Widener Law Commonwealth', '2016-10-24', '<p>The two candidates vying for the position of attorney general faced off in a debate at Widener Law Commonwealth. &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Commissioner Josh Shapiro and Sen. John Rafferty debated on topics that included the constitutionality of laws, gun regulation, eliminating corruption and repairing the reputation of the Office of Attorney General.</p>\r\n<p>Commissioner Shapiro focused on his goal of restoring trust to the Office of the Attorney General after recent scandal.</p>\r\n<p>\"I think we\'ve got to be real about our experience, and real about who has a serious track record of turning government around and making it work again,&rdquo; he said.</p>\r\n<p>Sen. Rafferty agreed stating that the voters needed to have confidence that the candidate who is elected has the experience to take on the challenges of rebuilding the office and addressing tough issues such as corruption.</p>\r\n<p>\"Those things still exist in the halls of the capitol,\" Rafferty said. \"It has to stop.\"</p>\r\n<p>The debate was open to the public and sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund, Pennsylvania Women&rsquo;s Forum, Widener University Commonwealth Law School - Law and Government Institute, the Center for Children&rsquo;s Justice and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR).</p>\r\n<p>The forum was moderated by Corinna Wilson from Wilson500 and candidates were asked questions by a panel of journalists consisting of &nbsp;John Baer (Philadelphia Daily News), Steve Esack (Allentown Morning Call) and Karen Langley (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).</p>\r\n<p>The new attorney general will be elected on Nov. 8.</p>', '', NULL, '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1798, 'Law School recognized as top school for Bar Exam Prep', '2016-11-22', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth has been recognized by National Jurist magazine as one of the &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/best-schools-bar-exam-preparation-announced\">Best Law Schools for Bar Exam Preparation</a>.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The list, which included 40 schools, only included four law schools from Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<p>In July, graduates who were first-time test takers earned an overall average pass rate of 78.5 percent, which was more than three percentage points higher than the first-time test taker average for other alumni of Pennsylvania-based schools.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are so proud to be recognized as one of the Best Schools for Bar Exam Preparation, &ldquo;said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;From the first day our students sit in the classroom through the time they take the Bar Exam, we are working to make sure that they have the knowledge and skills to be successful when taking the Bar Exam and through their legal career.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The magazine compiled the list by reviewing exam pass rates and also looking at the average student LSAT scores, then identified schools that performed better than expected. There are approximately 200 law schools across the nation.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/study-2resized.jpg', 'Picture of student highlighting a book.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1799, 'Widener Law Commonwealth alum announced as White House counsel', '2016-11-28', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth graduates have a history of making an impact on a national level.</p>\r\n<p>Donald F. McGahn II, a 1994 alum, is the most recent to take on a national, high-ranking role in his career.</p>\r\n<p>The law school alum was recently appointed by president-elect Donald Trump to serve as White House counsel under the Trump Administration.</p>\r\n<p>McGahn, who is a partner with Jones Day in Washington D.C., specializes in representing elected officials, candidates, national state parties, political consultants. He also previously served as a commissioner and chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC).</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;This is a tremendous accomplishment for Mr. McGahn and we are proud of our alumnus who is making an impact on a national level,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;We wish him great success in his new role.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>McGahn is one of several Widener Law Commonwealth alums who have gone on to have success on the national level.</p>\r\n<p>A key program at Widener Law Commonwealth that leads law students into the study of government is the certificate program offered by the Law &amp; Government Institute. The institute focuses on teaching students how government works and the roles that lawyers play in making and implementing law. Law students working towards a Law and Government Institute certificate have the opportunity to connect with government leaders and lawmakers on both a state and national level.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Students who earn the certificate from the Law and Government Institute come away with a comprehensive understanding of government policies, procedures and the way laws are written,&rdquo; said Dean Johnson. &ldquo;This knowledge gives them a strategic advantage throughout their legal career.&rdquo;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1800, 'Holiday tradition of helping at Widener Law Commonwealth', '2016-12-21', '<p><span style=\"font-family: \'Calibri\',sans-serif; color: black;\">For faculty and staff ringing in the holiday season by collecting for the Salvation Army is a tradition at Widener Law Commonwealth.</span></p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-family: \'Calibri\',sans-serif; color: black;\">Since 2007 the faculty and staff have been ringing the bells at the red kettle for the Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital Region to support families in need. Giving back is a key focus of the law schools, and students, faculty and staff are encouraged to help organizations in the community throughout the year.</span></p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-family: \'Calibri\',sans-serif; color: black;\">This year, our bell ringers raised $488.18, which is the equivalent of 195 hot breakfasts, or two new school uniforms each for 24 kids in need. The Salvation Army provides food assistance, educational programs for children, toys at Christmas and services for the elderly.</span></p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-family: \'Calibri\',sans-serif; color: black;\">Our bell ringers this year were: Professor Anna Hemingway, Sandy Graeff, Professor Mary Kate Kearney, Commonwealth Professor of Business Law Juliet Moringiello, and Professor Chris Robinette. &nbsp;</span></p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-family: \'Calibri\',sans-serif; color: black;\">Professor Robinette has served on the local Salvation Army Corp Advisory Board since 2005. He was the chair from 2010-2012.</span></p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1801, 'Widener Law Commonwealth ranked in top five for bar exam preparation', '2017-01-12', '<p>&nbsp;Law school is a marathon and not a sprint.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;That is why Widener Law Commonwealth faculty works continuously with faculty to develop programs that support bar exam preparations for students from the first day they walk into classes at Widener Law Commonwealth.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Recently, Widener Law Commonwealth was ranked number five on <em>The National Jurist</em> magazine list of &ldquo;Best Schools for Bar Exam Preparation&rdquo; out of more than 200 nationally-ranked law schools.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp; &ldquo;We know that making sure our students are ready to take the bar exam is a process that starts on the first day of class,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;Our faculty work year-round to develop programs that provide the best benefit for the law students and work one-on-one with them to ensure they are set up for success when they take the Bar Exam.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Widener Law Commonwealth earned the top five spot by having first-time bar exam test takers at the law school perform 10 percent better than predicted on the exam. The law school was the highest-ranking Pennsylvania law school on the list compiled by the magazine. &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;The law school provides resources to law students including access to bar prep courses, meeting opportunities with faculty and group study sessions with faculty and students before the bar exam.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Faculty work with students on the fundamentals of the bar exam, which includes a pre-bar review, skills-development course offered to graduating students in their final fall or spring semester.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Through repeated exposure to bar examination materials, students learn the basic techniques for answering the multiple choice, essay, and performance test questions found on the bar examination. Students are required to work collaboratively in class and have regular homework assignments to complete.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Students need to be practice-ready when they graduate,&rdquo; said Johnson. &ldquo;And, that includes being prepared to successfully take the bar exam. To keep our students, engaged our faculty are always working to provide innovative and creative ways that will help students with the bar exam material.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/wl_102714_0073.jpg', 'Two students studying in library.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1802, 'Second Widener Law Commonwealth alum announced to White House legal team', '2017-01-24', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth alumnus James Schultz has been announced by the Trump administration as associate White House counsel and special assistant to the President.</p>\r\n<p>Schultz, a 1998 graduate, is the second Widener Law Commonwealth alum to be appointed to a White House counsel position under the current presidential administration. In November, Donald F. McGahn II, a 1994 graduate, was announced as White House counsel.</p>\r\n<p>Schultz previously served as a partner at the Philadelphia-based law firm, Cozen O&rsquo;Connor. He has also worked as general counsel to the Commonwealth under the administration of Gov. Tom Corbett from July 2012 through November 2014.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are thrilled to have two Widener Law Commonwealth alums serving in high-ranking positions on the White House legal team,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;Our alumni have a history of making a national impact and we wish Mr. Shultz great success in his new role.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In April 2013, Schultz spoke at an event sponsored by the law school&rsquo;s Law &amp; Government Institute.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Jim is dedicated to public service,&rdquo; said Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government and director of the Law &amp;Government Institute Jill Family. &ldquo;While he was General Counsel for Gov. Tom Corbett, he shared advice and insights when visiting the law school and by mentoring students and alumni.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Law &amp; Government Institute continually produces quality professionals for key government positions. The institute focuses on teaching students how government works and the roles that lawyers play in making and implementing law. Law students working towards a Law and Government Institute certificate have the opportunity to connect with government leaders and lawmakers on both a state and national level.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The certificate that law students can earn from the Law &amp; Government Institute allows them to come away with a deep understanding of government policies, procedures and the way laws are written,&rdquo; said Dean Johnson.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/scultz.jpg', 'James Schultz presents at Widener Law Commonwealth in 2013.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1803, 'Lawyers and Cybersecurity – Navigating the Thicket of 21st Century Technologies, Law, Government Agencies and Public/Private Sector Partnerships', '2017-01-20', '<p>Bryan Earl, a supervisory special agent and assistant general counsel, Operational Technology Law Unit at the Federal Bureau of Investigation presented, &ldquo;Lawyers and Cybersecurity &ndash; Navigating the Thicket of 21<sup>st</sup>Century Technologies, Law, Government Agencies and Public/Private Sector Partnerships&rdquo; at Widener Law Commonwealth on January 19, 2017.</p>\r\n<p>Mr. Earl serves as a supervisory special agent and assistant general counsel in the Operational Technology Law Unit at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is a compliance attorney with experience advising on the legal use of the latest investigative technologies in the United States and abroad. Mr. Earl has worked closely with law enforcement and intelligence service representatives in countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and US and foreign embassy officers in those same countries. He is an expert in the areas of criminal, intelligence, and cyber threats emanating from the former Soviet Union and Europe to businesses, governments and individuals.</p>\r\n<h5><a title=\"View photos from the event on Flickr.\" href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157675734922773\" target=\"_blank\">Event Photos<br /><br /></a></h5>\r\n<h5><a title=\"View the slideshow via Google Drive.\" href=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CAAsqEb9bV9HlO-OqGc8lDtl2aLftweO5Z43dfniG98/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\">Event Slideshow</a></h5>\r\n<p><iframe src=\"https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CAAsqEb9bV9HlO-OqGc8lDtl2aLftweO5Z43dfniG98/embed?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=10000\" width=\"1280\" height=\"749\"></iframe></p>\r\n<p>The event was sponsored by the Law and Government Institute and the Business Advising Program at the law school. The Business Advising Program aims to provide students with a firm foundation in the legal doctrines and lawyering skills necessary to advise businesses small and large.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/cybersecurityevent-2.jpg', 'Picture of Professors, Dean, and the guest speaker. ', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1804, 'Commonwealth Court judge gives first lecture as Jurist in Residence', '2017-02-23', '<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>The goal of the Right to Know law is to hold government agencies accountable.</p>\r\n<p>Pennsylvania <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/commonwealth-court/\">Commonwealth Court</a> Judge P. Kevin Brobson stressed this idea in his first lecture as the Jurist in Residence at Widener Law Commonwealth.</p>\r\n<p>The lecture, <em>A Reasonable Expectation of Transparency&mdash;Where the Rights to Know and to Privacy Intersect,</em> focused on Pennsylvania&rsquo;s Right to Know law and the sometimes competing interests of privacy and access to public information.</p>\r\n<p>The Pennsylvania <a href=\"http://www.openrecords.pa.gov/RTKL/About.cfm\">Right to Know law</a> was signed into law and the Pennsylvania <a href=\"http://www.openrecords.pa.gov/index.cfm\">Office of Open Records</a> was created by legislation in 2008. &nbsp;Judge Brobson discussed the origins of the various types of privacy interests recognized in the law, spanning a period of over 100 years.&nbsp; He then discussed how those rights are sometimes implicated in requests for information under the Right to Know Law, with specific reference to major cases interpreting the law.&nbsp; He also addressed what he perceived to be a major factor motivating requests under the law.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;There is a general lack of confidence government. &nbsp;As confidence in government goes down, the demand and desire for transparency in government goes up.&nbsp; People want to know everything now,&rdquo; Judge Brobson said. &ldquo;It used to be that nobody wanted to know how the sausage was made. Now, with confidence in the gutter, everybody wants to know what is going in the sausage, because they are afraid something is in there that shouldn&rsquo;t be.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Transparency for transparency&rsquo;s sake is just an endless road,&rdquo; Judge Brobson said. &ldquo;The goal of the Right to Know law is not transparency &ndash; the goal of the Right to Know law is <em>accountability</em>. &nbsp;&nbsp;Transparency is a tool to reach that goal. &nbsp;We must balance the duty to hold government accountable against the privacy rights of our citizens.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Judge Brobson is a 1995 alum of Widener Law Commonwealth, and will serve as the Jurist in Residence for two years. As part of his appointment at Widener Law Commonwealth, he will present public lectures, teach classes, and discuss current judicial issues. &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157677113695894\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to view photos from the event.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/brobson.jpg', 'Pa Commonwealth Court Judge P. Kevin Brobson', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1805, 'Widener Law Commonwealth listed as a top law school by U.S. News &amp; World Report', '2017-03-14', '<p>For the first time, Widener Law Commonwealth has been ranked among the top law schools by U.S. News &amp; World Report in the &ldquo;Best Graduate Schools 2018&rdquo; guidebook in the law school category.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Being included as a ranked law school by U.S. News and World Report enforces all of the positive things we have happening at the law school,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;The <a href=\"ipl://245//W10=////\">specialized areas of legal study</a>, the individual support for students and the remarkable <a href=\"ipl://267//W10=////\">faculty</a> who work to <a href=\"ipl://13//WyIxODAxIl0=////\">prepare our students for the bar</a> and legal practice make Widener Law Commonwealth a top-pick for someone looking into a law degree.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The methodology used to determine placement on the list includes information from statistical and reputational surveys sent to administrators and professionals. Peer assessment data is also used when tabulating the rankings of the school to be included on the list</p>\r\n<p>Specialized areas of study include the Law and Government Institute, Business Advising Program and the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center.&nbsp; Law students also have the opportunity to earn practical experience in Pennsylvania legal practices at the Central Pennsylvania Civil Law Clinics.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I am proud to see that U.S. News &amp; World Report has recognized Widener Law Commonwealth in its ranking of top law schools,&rdquo; said Widener President Dr. Julie E. Wollman. &ldquo;This distinction highlights what we know &ndash; Widener&rsquo;s talented faculty and their commitment to student achievement and success make Widener Law Commonwealth a top choice for legal education.&rdquo;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1806, 'Transactional LawMeet competition: Valuable experiential learning opportunity in business law', '2017-03-16', '<p>The annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Transactional LawMeet competition provides law students with real-life transactional experience.</p>\r\n<p>Recently, the Widener Law Commonwealth Transaction team had the opportunity to put their legal skills to work at the Regional Transactional LawMeet competition in Philadelphia. The team was made up of second-year students Jo-Anne Thompson and Michael Rosen and fourth-year student Angela Lucci.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;All students who competed are enrolled in the law school&rsquo;s Business Advising Program.</p>\r\n<p>The Mid-Atlantic Regional Transactional LawMeet is a live, interactive, educational competition designed to give law students a hands-on experience in developing and honing transactional lawyering skills.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;This year the team was tasked with \"representing\" a beverage conglomerate in its purchase of a kombucha microbrewer. The team receive their assignment in December and worked diligently on drafting an Asset Acquisition Agreement that they negotiated in Philadelphia at the competition.\"</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Lucci, who was competing on the team for the first time, said the experience she gained from a hands-on legal learning opportunity guided her to the type of law she would like to practice after graduation.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;As a graduating student, I am making decisions about what types of law I want to practice. By having the opportunity to draft a merger and acquisition agreement, interview a client, and negotiate the details of the agreement, I have been able to solidify that I would like to practice transactional law in the future,&rdquo; said Lucci. &ldquo;Through this experience, I learned that there are many different styles of negotiating and that depending on the situation presented, you may have to employ several different styles throughout the course of one negotiation.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Many alumni and friends of the law school worked behind the scenes and provided guidance and support to the team before they participated in the competition. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Michael Hussey and Commonwealth Professor of Business Law Juliet Moringiello serve as the faculty advisers for the team.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;\"The competition is rewarding for students on so many levels,&rdquo; said Moringiello. &ldquo;First, they learn that lawyers add important value to business transactions. Second, the experience of negotiating a transaction illustrates to the students that while a lawyer is an advocate, the role of an advocate is not always adversarial. Third, the students get to learn from practicing lawyers and business people who donate their valuable time to our students\' preparation. The students did a great job and represented the law school well!\"</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Widener University Commonwealth Law School is grateful for<a href=\"https://midpennbank.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Mid Penn Bank</a>&rsquo;s generous sponsorship of the Transactional LawMeets team. Rory Ritrievi (&rsquo;97), the President and CEO of Mid Penn Bank, is a member of the Advisory Board for Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s Business Advising Certificate Program.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1807, 'Law professor appointed as distinguished visiting professor at Georgia State University College of Law', '2017-03-24', '<p>Commonwealth Professor of Business Law Juliet Moringiello has been appointed as the 2017 Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute (SBLI) Visiting Distinguished Professor at Georgia State University College of Law.</p>\r\n<p>In her role, Professor Moringiello, a prominent legal scholar on bankruptcy, will present lectures with a focus on bankruptcy and business law to faculty, students and the legal community. She will also visit classes and consult with faculty on research projects.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great honor to be chosen as the SBLI Visiting Distinguished Professor, and I look forward to the opportunity to meet and collaborate with the terrific scholars at Georgia State and the bankruptcy lawyers and judges in Atlanta,&rdquo; said Professor Moringiello.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Moringiello is an accomplished scholar who writes in the areas of bankruptcy, secured credit and electronic commerce. Her articles have been published in several top law reviews.&nbsp; In 2010, she had the honor of serving as the Robert M. Zinman Resident Scholar at the American Bankruptcy Institute.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are so proud of the amazing work that Professor Moringiello has done in the area of bankruptcy,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;We admire her dedication to legal scholarship and her continued commitment to teaching students about business and bankruptcy laws and congratulate her on her appointment as SBLI Visiting Distinguished Professor.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moringielloj_6931-4.jpg', 'Picture of Professor Juliet Moringiello', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1809, 'Lawyers and leaders gather to combat opioid epidemic', '2017-04-25', '<p>In an effort to understand and educate, Pennsylvania leaders, lawmakers, and lawyers came together to exchange ideas about opioid addiction law and policy, and to support services that combat the opioid epidemic.</p>\r\n<p>The Law and Government Institute at Widener Law Commonwealth, along with the Dauphin County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS), organized the discussion, entitled <em>Opioid Epidemic: Law and Policy.</em></p>\r\n<p>The program focused on three areas: the scope of the problem; the government&rsquo;s response; and legal challenges. Topics addressed included the use of medical marijuana as an alternative treatment for pain, who is affected by the epidemic, and how changes to law and public policy could help stop the spread of the opioid epidemic.</p>\r\n<p>WITF reporter Ben Allen, who sat on one panel, asked the question, &ldquo;Who does this impact?&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The answer is - everybody. The opioid epidemic affects people ranging from newborn babies to grandparents with custody of children who have lost parents to the epidemic.</p>\r\n<p>Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, a 2002 alumnus of Widener Law Commonwealth, called the issue of opioid addiction one of the most bipartisan issues he has ever seen. His office is studying government programs and policies to gauge their effectiveness in combating the epidemic.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not just the money we spend, but the effectiveness of it,&rdquo; said DePasquale.</p>\r\n<p>Other panelists included Graham Hetrick, Coroner, Dauphin County, Ed Marsico, District Attorney, Dauphin County, and David Spotts &lsquo;93, Director of Public Safety, Lower Paxton Township.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157678713764673\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to view pictures from the event.</a></p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1810, 'Law school earns impressive grade for environmental law program', '2017-05-03', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth has been recognized by <em>preLaw Magazine</em> for their environmental law programs.</p>\r\n<p>The law school was named to the magazine&rsquo;s list of Top Schools for Environmental Law. Widener Law Commonwealth received an A- grade. The magazine, a publication of National Jurist, is a leading news source about issues in legal education. The grades were based on the breadth of curriculum offerings in environmental law.</p>\r\n<p>Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s campus is home to the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center. The Center helps students engage in environmental law and creates opportunities to engage them in the complex and critical problems that face our society today in the areas of the environment and sustainability.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It is an honor to be included at the top of the list by prelaw Magazine for our environmental law program,&rdquo; said Prof. John Dernbach, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center. &ldquo;Our students and their efforts have made an incredible impact in pushing forward the importance of suitability and environmental law.&rdquo;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1811, 'Law school participates in Senate Democratic Policy Committee Round Table', '2016-11-01', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth Law and Government Institute hosted a Senate Democratic Policy Committee round table discussion focusing on how to improve government and prevent gridlock in Pennsylvania legislature.</p>\r\n<p>The round table was organized by Sen. Rob Teplitz (D- Dauphin/Perry County). The discussion addressed redistricting reform.&nbsp; Sen. Lisa M. Boscola (D-Northampton) discussed her proposed legislation that would change the way Pennsylvania draws legislative boundaries in each district. &nbsp;The proposed bill would establish an 11 member independent citizen&rsquo;s commission to draw state and congressional district boundaries.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Jill Family, Director of the Law and Government Institute at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, stressed the need to address redistricting reform now, as the next federal Census takes place in 2020, followed by legislative and Congressional redistricting.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Reforms to the redistricting process would require an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution, which need approval in the legislature in two consecutive legislative sessions,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>Other issues discussed during the roundtable included campaign finance reform, voting access, budget negotiations, and pay to play.</p>\r\n<p>Additional participants included: Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny); Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna); Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny); David Thornburgh, President and C.E.O., Committee of Seventy; Suzanne Almeida, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania; Barry Kauffman, Senior Advisor, Common Cause of PA; Brinda Carroll Penyak, Deputy Director, County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania; and Anne Gingerich, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157683367565155\">Click here to view the photos of the event.</a></p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1812, 'Annual lecture looks at new idea of administrative constitutionalism', '2017-04-25', '<p>The 11<sup>th</sup> annual John Gedid Lecture, delivered by Professor Sophia Z. Lee, provided insight around the relatively new area of administrative constitutionalism. Lee is Professor of Law and History and Deputy Dean at the University of Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<p>Lee is a legal historian whose scholarship joins constitutionalism and administrative law. Her lecture focused on administrative constitutionalism and the role of administrative agencies in shaping constitutional law.</p>\r\n<p>Lee coined the term administrative constitutionalism as she was researching her book, <em>The Workplace Constitution from the New Deal to the New Right</em>, when she began to see a pattern of agencies adopting equal employment policies based on agency interpretation of the constitution and judicial doctrine.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I coined this term to try and understand what these agencies were doing, so we could begin to talk about the research systematically and give it a history,&rdquo; Lee said.</p>\r\n<p>In her overview of the history of administrative constitutionalism, Lee explained the shift in how agencies and courts interpreted the constitution and applied the meanings to government policy over time. She added that it is difficult to fully understand the history of the constitution unless you understand the history of administrative constitutionalism.</p>\r\n<p>The Gedid Lecture is presented by the Law and Government Institute at Widener Law Commonwealth. The director of the institute is Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government Jill Family.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157681913131376\">Click here to view pictures from this event.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/hi-res-photo_lee.jpg', 'Professor Sophia Z. Lee', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1813, 'Widener University trustee to speak at Widener Law Commonwealth Commencement', '2017-05-11', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced today that Douglas M. Wolfberg, a member of the Board of Trustees of Widener University and a 1996 alum of Widener Law Commonwealth, will serve as speaker for the school&rsquo;s 26<sup>th</sup> commencement.</p>\r\n<p>Wolfberg will address approximately 60 graduates at the 11 a.m. ceremony set for May 21 at The Forum in the Harrisburg State Capitol Complex.</p>\r\n<p>Wolfberg is a founding partner of Page, Wolfberg &amp;Wirth, a national healthcare law firm representing the Emergency Medical Services Industry. He has given lectures around the country and is the author of several books and hundreds of articles published in numerous journals. He became an emergency medical technician (EMT) at 16 and has worked in the emergency medical services (EMS) profession since then.</p>\r\n<p>Prior to law school he worked for the US Department of Health and Human Services doing EMS and trauma care planning at the federal level.&nbsp; In addition to his law firm, he is a partner in two other companies that provide educational and media services to the EMS industry.</p>\r\n<p>Wolfberg is a graduate of Penn State University and Widener Law Commonwealth. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for Widener Law Commonwealth.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are delighted Mr. Wolfberg has agreed to speak at our commencement this May,&rdquo; Law Dean Christian Johnson said. &ldquo;He has dedicated his life to serving the medical services industry and providing education to individuals in the emergency health care field. We are honored to welcome such a committed alum to provide words of guidance and wisdom to our graduates at this important event.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/doug-2013.jpg', 'Doug Wolfberg', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1814, 'Widener Commonwealth legal methods professors awarded grants', '2017-05-17', '<p><span style=\"color: black;\">Two Widener Law Commonwealth legal methods professors received grants for proposals submitted earlier this year to professional organizations. Submissions for the grants were open to legal methods faculty from across the globe.</span></p>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\">Legal Writing Professor Amanda Smith was awarded a $5,000 scholarship&nbsp;grant from the Legal Writing Institute/Association of Legal Writing Directors. The grant is for the article she is writing titled </span><em><span style=\"color: #212121;\">&ldquo;Say What?&rdquo;: A How-To Guide on Providing Formative Assessment to Law Students Through Live Critique.\" &nbsp;</span></em></p>\r\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #212121;\">&nbsp;</span></em><span style=\"color: #212121;\">Additionally, Professor Anna Hemingway received a $2,000 teaching&nbsp;grant from the Association of Legal Writing Directors for her work on \"Incorporating Lessons of Diversity in the Legal Writing Classroom.\" &nbsp;Her work will result in lesson plans that will be presented to the legal writing community and incorporated into legal methods programs at other law schools.</span></p>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1815, 'Commencement 2017 message encourages law school grads to live a full life', '2017-05-22', '<p>The message given at Widener University Commonwealth Law School&rsquo;s Commencement was clear: Take time to live a full life.</p>\r\n<p>Commencement speaker <a href=\"https://www.pwwemslaw.com/team/professional-staff/dwolfberg\">Douglas Wolfberg</a>, a 1996 alum and a member of the Board of Trustees, left the graduates with advice from <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon\">John Lennon</a>.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Lennon said, &lsquo;Life is what happens while you&rsquo;re busy making over plans&rsquo;.&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So, by all means, plan your career, plan your professional journey. But don&rsquo;t forget to make those non-billable hours count. Leave time to live your life. Time for your family, time for your significant other, time for your children. Time to be spontaneous. Time to love. Time to take care of yourself. Exercise. Find balance.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He emphasized that the real world is a busy place, but it is important to not let a career be consuming.</p>\r\n<p>These thoughts were echoed by an emotional and touching speech from the class valedictorian, Zachary DuGan, who recently lost his father in April. He credited his family around him for giving him the strength to continue through finals and speak at commencement.</p>\r\n<p>He encouraged his fellow graduates to &lsquo;remember your why&rsquo; as they set out on their legal career paths.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Why have you done everything up to this moment and why are you willing to work for what you want in the future?&rdquo; he asked. &ldquo;I know that every graduate here has his or her &ldquo;why,&rdquo; but I want everyone to remember it when life becomes difficult. As my father always said, &ldquo;If it were easy, everyone would do it.&rdquo; And I am confident we all will.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Dean Christian Johnson encouraged the importance of being civically engaged and continuing to make a difference in the world.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;As educated professionals and soon to be lawyers, you leader,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;Successful leaders understand that the true measure of success is not how much money you will make, but the difference you make in society and helping others. The privilege of being a part of this fraternity requires that you invest your time and talent in making the world a better place.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>During the ceremony, Dean Johnson presented the annual awards to faculty. Professor James Diehm was given the Outstanding Faculty Award, and Distinguished Professor Michael Dimino was presented with the Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award.</p>\r\n<p>And, Widener University president, Dr. Julie Wollman had one last assignment for the graduating class. She challenged them to do more, continue to solve problems and achieve great success.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Be ambitious, keep your aspirations alive, and keep working toward them,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Your legal education gave you the tools to be a game changer not only in your profession, but in your community, across the country, and around the world.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157684132030795\" target=\"_blank\">&nbsp;Click here to view Commencement 2017 photos.</a></p>\r\n<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/body-copy-media--bassani.jpg', 'Student holds diploma over head', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1816, 'Professor Moringiello elected Chair of PBA Business Law Section', '2017-06-05', '<p>Juliet Moringiello, Commonwealth Professor of Business Law and Director of the Business Advising Certificate Program became Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association&rsquo;s (PBA) Business Law Section at the PBA Annual Meeting on May 11.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Moringiello, a prominent scholar on bankruptcy and secured credit, has been involved with the PBA Business Law Section for almost two decades. She has served as chair of the Section&rsquo;s Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Committee and played a key role in the enactment in Pennsylvania of every amended UCC article since the late 1990s. In 2007, the PBA recognized her work in business law reform with a Special Achievement Award.</p>\r\n<p>The Business Law Section of the PBA has approximately 890 members who practice in a wide range of business law areas. The Section plays an active role in business law reform and was recently responsible for the enactment of a comprehensive bill to modernize the law of unincorporated business associations in Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello said her goals as Chair are to increase membership outreach, specifically to lawyers who work with small businesses and to young lawyers just starting their careers.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The Business Law Section plays an important role in providing useful practice tools and important networking opportunities to lawyers throughout the state, and I look forward helping the Section expand its reach in these areas&rdquo; Moringiello said.</p>\r\n<p>The Section is also studying the feasibility of establishing specialized business courts in Pennsylvania. &ldquo;We want Pennsylvania to be a destination for business,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;And it is important that business law disputes are resolved in an expert manner.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Moringiello is looking forward to promoting the Business Law Section to law students throughout the Commonwealth. The Section has recently launched an externship program that allows a law student to receive law school credit for working with the Business Law Section Council on the Section&rsquo;s law reform and education initiatives. Professor Moringiello was invited to give a presentation about this program to business bar leaders from across the country as part of an Innovative Projects panel at the recent American Bar Association Business Bar Leaders Conference in Chicago.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Moringiello will serve a one-year term as Chair of the section.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moringielloj_6931-5.jpg', 'Photo of Professor Moringiello', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1817, 'Law school forges agreement with Wilson College that allows students to earn JD in six years', '2017-08-16', '<p>Wilson College in Chambersburg and Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg today signed an articulation agreement that guarantees qualified Wilson student admission to Widener&rsquo;s law program and allows them to complete both degrees in six years rather than the usual minimum of seven years.</p>\r\n<p>A five-year agreement to create the new &ldquo;3+3&rdquo; program was signed today by Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick and Widener Law Commonwealth Dean Christian A. Johnson. It takes effect immediately. Successful students would earn a bachelor&rsquo;s degree from Wilson College and a juris doctor degree&mdash;otherwise known as a law degree&mdash;from Widener.</p>\r\n<p>Under the new program, students would complete the first three years of college at Wilson and three years at Widener, where they would complete the requirement for their Wilson bachelor&rsquo;s degree while also completing courses for their law degree.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;(Widener) believes that the 3+3 agreement can be a huge benefit to undergraduate students who intend to go to law school,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;The most important reason is that the program enables students to reduce the total educational time commitment from seven years to six years. This results in students effectively saving a year in tuition costs, as well.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In addition to the savings in time and money, qualifying Wilson students would be guaranteed admission to Widener Law Commonwealth, under the agreement.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The fact that Wilson can offer graduates who qualify guaranteed admission to a highly regarded law school like Widener provides an incredible opportunity and value for our students,&rdquo; said Elissa Heil, Wilson&rsquo;s vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.</p>\r\n<p>The Wilson-Widener pact offers students other advantages, as well, according to Heil. &ldquo;This innovative program also focuses students on choosing an undergraduate curriculum that will best prepare them for their graduate work, enabling them to be more fully ready for the demands of law school,&rdquo; said Heil.</p>\r\n<p>Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor&rsquo;s degrees in 35 majors and graduate degrees in education, healthcare, business and the arts and humanities. In fall 2016, 1,098 students were enrolled across all programs. In the 2018 &ldquo;Best Colleges&rdquo; guide from&nbsp;<em>U.S News &amp; World Report</em>, Wilson is ranked fourth in the best value category for regional colleges in the North and 13th overall in the same group. Visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.wilson.edu/\">www.wilson.edu</a>&nbsp;for more information.</p>\r\n<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School was founded in 1989 and is accredited by the American Bar Association, which gave Widener its Outstanding School of the Year Award in 1994. Widener was named one of the top 20 law schools for government law in 2016 by&nbsp;<em>preLaw</em>&nbsp;magazine and has been recognized by&nbsp;<em>National Jurist</em>&nbsp;as the fifth-best law school in the nation for bar exam preparation. More information can be found at&nbsp;<a href=\"{staticroot}\">commonwealthlaw.widener.edu</a>.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/signingcompressed.jpg', 'Deans from schools sign agreement.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1818, 'Law students participate in MLK Internship Program', '2017-08-16', '<p>Supriya Philips and John Harris have one common goal &ndash; to make sure that legal social justice is available to everybody.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>This year the two third-year law students had the opportunity to participate in the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network&rsquo;s Martin Luther King, Jr. Summer Internship Program. The program, designed for second and third-year law students offers internships for students who are social justice oriented and desire an opportunity to make a difference.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>During the internship law students work with clients in unique situations to help them better understand the special legal issues of those living in poverty and low income communities. The MLK Internship Program also works as a way to expose law students to the importance of providing legal services to the community, regardless of the clients&rsquo; ability to pay.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The skills that our law students learn during the internship will serve them not only in law school, but throughout their careers,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;We are grateful to have wonderful organizations like the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network that show our students the need for social justice and the difference a lawyer can have in the lives of individuals.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Harris said one of the most valuable aspects of the internship was the ability to participate in hearings, gaining experience with formal proceedings and working with clients.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The PA Legal Aid ensures their interns will have the opportunity to see the courtroom, draft legal documents, conduct client interviews, and manage their own cases,&rdquo; Harris said. &ldquo;I was able to aid in a family law clinic. During the family law clinic, I helped a staff attorney to teach citizens of the community file for custody and custody modifications. In addition, I attended protection from abuse (PFA) hearings. PFA court was eye-opening because I didn&rsquo;t know how big of a problem domestic violence caused in communities.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Harris completed his internship at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Phillips&rsquo; completed her internship at located Mid-Penn Legal Services in Harrisburg, Pa. Both locations are part of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/mlk-interngroupcropped.jpg', 'Group photo of internship participants.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1819, ' Law school keeps Bar Exam prep interesting', '2017-07-01', '<p>Keeping recent law school grads engaged and motivated for the biggest test before starting their career is the main focus after graduation.</p>\r\n<p>And, it doesn&rsquo;t hurt when the studying resembles a fun round of Trivial Pursuit with friends.</p>\r\n<p>This year, Professor Anna Hemingway put on her thinking cap to come up with hands-on learning activities that would help students retain and review the most important facts before taking the Bar Exam.</p>\r\n<p>Pass the Bar Trivia, one of several review opportunities for recent grads, was spread over several weeks. Each week alums studying for the bar would work in teams to come up with the right answers for law-based trivia. At the end of the multi-week competition, one team emerges as the champion of Pass the Bar Trivia.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Retention of the information is better for the students and this makes the review fun,&rdquo; Hemingway said. &ldquo;We run it like a traditional trivia night. We also have speed rounds of questions, which gets everybody excited.&nbsp; They enjoy working in teams and talking about the answers before they lock one in. They really do learn from each other.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The professors also came together to help students at the Pass the Bar Breakfast and Pass the Bar Pizza events held weekly throughout the summer. At each event, students were invited to sit down with professors to discuss specific topics, ask questions, and review law topics that appear on the multi-day bar exam.</p>\r\n<p>Law school graduates are required to take the Bar Exam and receive a passing score before they are able to practice law in any state. The Pennsylvania Bar Exam is given each year in July and February.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1820, 'Widener Law Commonwealth welcomes 130 in 2017 incoming class', '2017-08-23', '<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>First-year law student Katie Paradise first found the love for international business and helping people when she was a volunteer in the Peace Corps after graduating from Temple University.</p>\r\n<p>Paradise spent two years in Senegal, West Africa helping local entrepreneurs grow their business and establishing a scholarship and camp for girls in the area.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I worked a lot with youth development,&rdquo; said Paradise. &ldquo;Premature marriage happens a lot, so we started a scholarship and camp for the girls that focused on education empowerment. We wanted to encourage studying and health education in the community. This is what I was most passionate about.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Her experience in the Peace Corps helped to cement the passion to go to law school and possibly focus on international or immigration law.</p>\r\n<p>Paradise&rsquo;s story is just one of the many of passion and experience that the incoming class of 130 students in 2017 brings to the law school.</p>\r\n<p>The incoming class of first-year law students at Widener Law Commonwealth is one of the most diverse to enter the law school. Representing 18 states and two countries, the age of students&rsquo; ranges from 20 through 61 and more than thirty percent of the class identifies as a person of color.</p>\r\n<p>In his address welcoming students to the profession, the Hon. P. Kevin Brobson &rsquo;95 told incoming law students that the legal profession was one people look to for comfort.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;People don&rsquo;t go to architects, they go to the courts,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;People look to us to protect their rights.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He added that being a lawyer and being in the legal profession means that a person needs to be able to see the path and have the ability to look at situations with a clear view and different perspective.</p>\r\n<p>Inder Deep Paul &rsquo;16 addressed the incoming students from the perspective of a recent graduate. His advice encouraged law students to experiment with all different types of law and to be &ldquo;the best law student&rdquo; over the next three or four years.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I have three pieces of advice,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There is no alternative to hard work. You are not always banned from having fun. Always focus on the big picture of the ultimate goal.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/oath-2017compressed.jpg', 'Photo of students taking oath', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1821, 'Professor presents about US immigration law in Spain', '2017-08-28', '<p>This summer, Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government Jill E. Family, Director of the Law and Government Institute, presented on the topic of US immigration law in Spain.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Family spoke in Madrid and San Sebastian. In Madrid, she presented to the law faculties of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and Universidad Complutense De Madrid.</p>\r\n<p>In San Sebastian, Professor Family spoke at a summer course organized by universities and the Basque government. The course was about European human rights law, including the legal dynamics between European Union law and the legal systems of the individual EU member states.&nbsp; Professor Family&rsquo;s presentation focused on providing an American perspective by examining the role of the US Constitution in immigration law.&nbsp; Other professors presenting were from Italy, France and Spain. Professor Family was the only American to present during the course.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It was an honor to visit with outstanding European law professors and to have the opportunity to share knowledge about some complicated legal questions,&rdquo; said Professor Family.&nbsp; &ldquo;I not only had the chance to inform them about US law, but also about Widener Law Commonwealth and our Law and Government Institute.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/jill-spain.jpg', 'Photo of Professor Family', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1822, 'Law students participate in Legislative Fellowship Program', '2017-08-30', '<p>For the first time in the history of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Legislative Fellowship program, law students were allowed to participate.</p>\r\n<p>This summer, two of the six Fellows in the 13-week program were Widener Law Commonwealth students.</p>\r\n<p>Sarah Holloway and Dan Noon, both second-year law students, had the opportunity to learn about the legislative process in a hands-on Fellowship program at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>The Legislative Fellowship Program, created by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1982, is open to undergraduate juniors and seniors, graduate students and law school students attending public or private colleges in Pennsylvania. The fellowship requires that students work on drafting bill analyses, constituent letters and press releases; interview with a Member of the General Assembly; develop a professional portfolio and participate in weekly workshops that explore the process of state government. At the conclusion of the Fellowship, students must present a piece of legislation to complete the requirements of the Fellowship.</p>\r\n<p>Noon said one of the most valuable things he learned was the behind the scenes process of the operations of the legislature. His project included amending the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code when it pertains to the zoning hearing boards notice proceedings leading up to a hearing.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I applied for the Fellowship because of the program&rsquo;s excellent reputation,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I was fortunate enough to be placed in the Democratic Office of the Chief Counsel where I improved upon my legal research and writing skills. The fellowship also honed in on personal and professional development for a career in the legal setting.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>During the Fellowship, Noon and Holloway had 10 weeks to research, draft, and prepare a presentation of an original piece of legislation.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Holloway, whose proposed legislation called for the reporting of neonatal abstinence syndrome to the Department of Health, said the Fellowship provided her with experience and knowledge of how to create legislation.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The hands on experience Fellows receive is second to none,&rdquo; said Holloway. &ldquo;I started with a vague idea and ended up with a formalized piece of legislation, and it really was&nbsp;remarkable. I&nbsp;worked with the research staff and legislative reference bureau to draft my bill. I met with and sought feedback from multiple key stakeholders. The process was extremely informative and the fellows truly own&nbsp;their own piece of legislation by the end&nbsp;of the program.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>On the final day of the program Fellows present their original piece of legislation in the majority caucus room in the Harrisburg State Capitol Building to staff, legislators, and stakeholders.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/capitolcroppedmodules.jpg', 'Photo of Capitol', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1823, 'Widener Law and PBA launch new business law externship program', '2017-09-06', '<p>Beginning this fall, students at Widener Law Commonwealth will have the unique opportunity to participate in the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) - Widener Law Commonwealth Business Law Externship Program.</p>\r\n<p>The externship is designed to give students the opportunity to work with the PBA Business Law Section Executive Council under the supervision of Commonwealth Professor of Business Law Juliet Moringiello, who is currently Chair of the PBA Business Law Section..</p>\r\n<p>Professor Moringiello stressed that the internship will provide valuable experiential learning experiences for law students outside of the classroom. These experiences will include legal writing and research, statutory drafting and working closely with business law leaders throughout Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The externship will help students get a good inside view of what business lawyers do and how involvement with a professional organization can help them in their career,&rdquo; said Moringiello.</p>\r\n<p>The externship gives students the opportunity to assist Section committees in reviewing business law statutes promulgated by the Uniform Law Commission to assess their feasibility for enactment in Pennsylvania. Externship students will assist with the preparation of the Business Law Section&rsquo;s newsletter by researching and summarizing Pennsylvania&rsquo;s judicial decisions in business law disputes. Students in the externship will also work with the Section&rsquo;s Young Lawyer Engagement Committee to develop strategies for providing relevant practice tools to young lawyers embarking on a career in business law.</p>\r\n<p>Each semester one student will be chosen for the two-credit externship, which is open to both regular and evening division students. Students who apply for the externship must meet the prerequisite of at least one semester of coursework towards the Business Advising Certificate.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1824, 'Law and Government fellowship established at Commonwealth Law School', '2017-11-09', '<p>A gift from 1999 Widener Law Commonwealth alum <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Murphy_(Pennsylvania_politician)\">Patrick J. Murphy</a> will create a new fellowship that will provide financial support to two <a href=\"{staticroot}\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a> students each year.</p>\r\n<p>The Patrick J. Murphy Law and Government Fellowship is made possible by the commitment of $25,000 by Murphy, who is also a member of the board of trustees of Widener University.&nbsp; Murphy served as the 32nd Under Secretary of the United States Army, the second highest ranging civilian leadership position.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Murphy&rsquo;s gift is the largest contribution to the <a href=\"ipl://391//W10=\">Widener Law Commonwealth Law and Government Institute</a> by an individual.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;This generous gift continues Patrick&rsquo;s long-time commitment to Widener Law Commonwealth and its students,&rdquo; said Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government and director of the Law and Government Institute, <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNSJd\">Jill Family</a>. &ldquo;The experience serving as a Murphy Fellow will be invaluable for students.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Sia Georgakopoulos, a third &ndash;year law student, and Lindsay Eichinger, a second-year, are the first recipients of the fellowship.&nbsp; Both students are working towards a certificate in Law and Government.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I have always had an interest in law and government and wanted to become more involved in what the Law and Government Institute offered, said Eichinger. &ldquo;I hope to gain a better understanding of the work available to attorneys that work in law and government. I want to be exposed to the work that government attorneys do so I can see which I could see myself doing.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Law students who apply for the fellowship must have completed at least one year of law school and can be enrolled in the day or evening division.&nbsp; The fellows are selected by a committee which reviews the submitted resumes and a short personal statement from the student. Fellows receive a $1,250 stipend each semester.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Through the fellowship, I hope to gain exposure to other areas of government and law that I may not have exposure to otherwise,&rdquo; said Sia Georgakopoulos. &ldquo;Additionally, I hope to establish meaningful connections with alumni who work in the public sector.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>During the fellowship the students will have the opportunity to receive mentoring from Murphy, as well as additional experiential learning experiences in the area of law and government.</p>\r\n<p>After serving as Under Secretary of the Army until January 2017, Murphy is now executive chairman of <a href=\"https://workshopmercantile.com/\">Workshop Mercantile</a> and is Distinguished Chair of Innovation at the <a href=\"http://www.usma.edu/SitePages/Home.aspx\">United States Military Academy</a> at West Point.&nbsp; Murphy was the first veteran from the Iraq War to be elected to the <a href=\"https://www.house.gov/\">U.S. House of Representatives</a>, serving Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 8<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Congressional District. After serving two terms from 2007 to 2011, he became a partner with the national law firm Fox Rothschild, LLP, serving as general counsel to small businesses, including several veteran owned businesses. He also served as an anchor on the former MSNBC show <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_the_Hill\">Taking the Hill.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/pmurphy.jpg', 'Photo of Patrick Murphy', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1825, 'Widener Law Commonwealth to observe National Pro-Bono Week', '2017-10-16', '<p>National Pro-Bono week will kick off on October 23 on the Widener Law Commonwealth campus.</p>\r\n<p>The law school&rsquo;s Public Interest Law Society has a full week of activities planned to bring awareness to the importance of providing legal aid to the communities we live in.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"{staticroot}current-students/student-organizations/interest-organizations/#public\">The Public Interest Law Society</a> at Widener Law Commonwealth is a student group on campus that aims to bridge the gap between law students and those seeking legal advice or advocacy in the community.&nbsp; The group hosts events on campus such as <a href=\"http://www.willsforheroes.org/\">Wills for Heroes</a>, expungement clinics and other services connecting people who may not be able to afford legal services with legal advice and services.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;National Pro Bono week brings awareness to the need for services in the community,&rdquo; Cheri Sparacino, president of PILS, said. &ldquo;You are not just helping people when you provide services and support - you are also applying the skills you have learned as a law student.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>A lunch and learn presentation by Widener Commonwealth student La Tasha Williams and Giovanni Reid titled The School to Prison Pipeline: How You Can Make a Difference is also planned for the week.&nbsp; Reid served 26 years in state prison after being sentenced to life in prison as a juvenile.&nbsp; After meeting in a criminal justice course, Williams began advocating on Giovanni\'s behalf after he lost his appeal.&nbsp; Reid was recently released as a result of the Supreme Court\'s decision that life sentences for juveniles is unconstitutional.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.probono.net/celebrateprobono/\">National Pro-Bono Week</a> is held each October, and this year the list of events includes a bake sale to raise money for the <a href=\"http://www.ywcahbg.org/\">Harrisburg YWCA</a>, a lecture from the <a href=\"http://www.cor.pa.gov/Pages/Secretary-BIO-page.aspx\">Sec. John Wetzel of the PA Department of Corrections</a> about criminal justice reform, and a donation drive for the Bethesda Mission.</p>\r\n<p>Additional law school organizations participating in National Pro Bono Week include the Black Law Students Association and Women&rsquo;s Law Caucus.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We encourage all of our student organizations to embrace pro bono work and to give back to the community not just during the national observance, but throughout the entire year,&rdquo; said Mary Catherine Scott, director of Student Organizations and interim director of the <a href=\"ipl://263//W10=\">Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics</a>. &ldquo;Participating in pro bono activities allows students to use their skills and fill a vital need in the community.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"ipl://1//W10=\">Click here to see a full list of events.</a></p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1826, 'Law students present with medical students at orthopaedic conference', '2017-11-09', '<p>At the annual Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society Conference, held in State College, law students had the opportunity to present with resident physicians from Penn State Hershey Medical Center on the <em>Medicine vs. Law</em>, panel which addressed two medical malpractice liability cases.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Widener Law Commonwealth students Alexandra Sholley, Alexender Beale, MaryGrace Sempa, and Lindsay Eichinger presented the legal arguments of the cases and explained the justifications for the court rulings in each case.&nbsp; &nbsp;The residents looked at the cases from the medical perspective of physicians and patient care.</p>\r\n<p>The presentation led to a policy discussion among the student panelists and doctors in the audience about a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision establishing a new standard for physicians obtaining informed consent from their patients. The students and residents plan to continue the conversation and collaboration to propose and advocate for legislative solutions to the physicians&rsquo; concerns over the new informed consent requirement.</p>\r\n<p>The law students were assisted in preparation by alumnus Scott Cooper, a leading personal injury attorney, and law professors Christopher Robinette and Jill Family.&nbsp; Alumnus Jonathan Bigley recommended that the panel include Widener Law Commonwealth students.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are so grateful to Jonathan Bigley for seizing this opportunity for our students, and to Scott Cooper for taking time out of his schedule to mentor the students.&nbsp; The students did an amazing job.&nbsp; Many conference attendees told me the students&rsquo; panel was their favorite,&rdquo; said Professor Family.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/orthoresized.jpg', 'photo of law students and medical students', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1827, 'Widener Law Commonwealth alumni honored', '2017-11-17', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth recently honored alumni at the annual Evening at the Capitol reception.</p>\r\n<p>The event, which is held each fall, honors successful alumni for their dedication and contributions to the legal community.</p>\r\n<p>Michelle Henry, a 1994 graduate of Widener Law Commonwealth, was presented with the Excellence in Public Service Alumni Award. Henry, who is the First Deputy Attorney General in the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General, was nominated by other alumni for the award.</p>\r\n<p>In her role, she is responsible for overseeing all legal, criminal and civil matters in the Office of Attorney General. In her twenty years as a prosecutor she has tried the most serious offenders including murderers, rapists, armed robbers, drug dealers and child abusers. In 2007, after Richard Laird&rsquo;s twenty (20) year old murder conviction and death sentence were overturned on appeal, Ms. Henry successfully retried Richard Laird for First Degree Murder and returned him to death row.</p>\r\n<p>Also honored at the Evening at the Capitol was 1998 alum, James D. Schultz, who currently serves as the Senior Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President of the United States and as an ethics official for the White House Office.&nbsp; Schultz received the Dean&rsquo;s Alumni Achievement Award.</p>\r\n<p>In these roles, he has the responsibility of providing counsel on matters involving the Ethics Act, Hatch Act, Stock Act, gift rules and financial conflicts of interest.&nbsp; He also provides counsel to the White House Office on matters involving government contracting, procurement, trade, and transportation/infrastructure and has liaison responsibilities to the Department of Transportation and General Services Administration.&nbsp; He plays a significant role in the formulation, drafting and review of Executive Orders and is involved in the interview and selection process for United States Attorneys and Federal District and Circuit Court Judges.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are so very proud of our alumni and all of their achievements,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;Our alumni have a track record of going out into the world after graduation and making a difference for all of the communities they serve.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Hon. Patrick J. Murphy &rsquo;99, who is also a member of the board of trustees of Widener University, was recognized at the ceremony for this contribution to the Widener Law Commonwealth Law and Government Institute. His contribution was the single largest contribution to the Law and Government Institute, and helped to establish the Secretary Patrick J. Murphy Law and Government Fellowship.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157690671916546\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view photos from the event.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/evening-at-cap.jpg', 'Evening at the Capitol group photo.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1828, 'Presentation provides insight about constitutional law and electoral process', '2017-11-30', '<p>The Pennsylvania Bar Association&rsquo;s Government Lawyers Committee and the Law and Government Institute partnered to present <em>&ldquo;Hackers, Selfies, and Fraud! Oh, my!&rdquo; </em>The program featured Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Robert Torres, Jonathan M. Marks, Commissioner, Bureau of Commissions, Elections, and Legislation, and Michael Dimino, Professor of Law, Widener University Commonwealth Law School.&nbsp; The presentation provided insight on security and constitutional law issues that often arise in the electoral process and in the voting booth.</p>\r\n<p>Secretary Torres discussed how the Commonwealth combats potential cyber threats to voting security.&nbsp; Secretary Torres indicated that the Commonwealth has adopted industry best practices, including participating in a network of federal and state government partners.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Commissioner Marks focused on the status of voting mechanisms as critical infrastructure, as recognized under the USA Patriot Act. He also discussed the role of social media in the 2016 election, including evidence of Russian uses of social media.&nbsp; He examined how those uses of social media are eroding public trust in elections.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Dimino discussed the complex issues implicated by &ldquo;ballot selfies,&rdquo; which include a picture of an individual&rsquo;s ballot taken on Election Day in a voting booth or a picture of an absentee ballot taken prior to Election Day. Although a ballot selfie may seem harmless, Professor Dimino explained that if pictures of ballots are permitted, there is some risk that such proof of voting could facilitate voter intimidation and vote buying. &nbsp;However, a broad prohibition on ballot photographs may impinge a voter&rsquo;s first amendment right to free speech.&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/dimino-speaking-selfies.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1829, 'Law school hosts redistricting reform forum', '2017-11-30', '<p>The Law and Government Institute hosted a conversation about redistricting reform.&nbsp; Redistricting reform addresses the issue of gerrymandering (when the political party in power draws voting districts to their advantage.)&nbsp; The speakers addressed legal questions about gerrymandering, including discussion of several ongoing lawsuits challenging the practice, and alternative methods to draw districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>John Capowski, Emeritus Professor of Law at Widener Law Commonwealth, spoke about his experiences as a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit challenging the process used to draw Pennsylvania&rsquo;s U.S. congressional districts.&nbsp;Dr. Wes Leckrone, Associate Professor of Political Science at Widener University, explored political science research on redistricting reform and alternative primary voting systems.&nbsp; Widener Law Commonwealth Professor of Law Michael Dimino discussed legal issues involved in a gerrymandering case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.&nbsp; Mimi McKenzie, Legal Director of the Philadelphia-based Public Interest Law Center, explained some of the legal issues involved in challenges to Pennsylvania&rsquo;s current redistricting process.&nbsp; Also, Carol Kuniholm, Chair, Fair Districts PA, explained negative repercussions of gerrymandering and her organization&rsquo;s grass roots efforts to reform redistricting in Pennsylvania.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Redistricting reform is a pressing issue in Pennsylvania.&nbsp; The Law and Government Institute wants to thank these speakers for taking the time to educate our law school and the greater legal community about these ongoing legal and policy challenges,&rdquo; said Professor Jill Family, Director of the Law and Government Institute.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1830, 'Racing to raise funds for legal aid', '2018-02-12', '<p>Alumni and friends of Widener Law Commonwealth will be dashing for the finish line this spring.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http://www.pad.org/home\">Phi Alpha Delta</a>- Pepper Chapter law fraternity is partnering with the Widener Law Commonwealth Student Bar Association (SBA) to host the Speedy Trial 5K on April 21. Funds raised will go to support <a href=\"http://www.midpenn.org/\">MidPenn Legal Services</a> and the <a href=\"https://www.uwcr.org/top-stories/589-free-tax-prep-for-working-families\">Volunteer Income Tax Program (VITA)</a>.</p>\r\n<p>The three-mile race course will wind through campus and a picturesque adjoining neighborhood. A one-mile fun run will also be held. Participants are welcome to walk or run the route.</p>\r\n<p>The week prior to the race a silent auction will be held with items donated from law professors that students can bid on. A raffle will be held the morning of the race and will feature items donated by local businesses, students and student organizations.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;VITA and MidPenn Legal Services provide valuable legal support and resources to needy individuals in the community,&rdquo; said Genna Moscato, SBA president.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Organizing and participating in this event allows our students, alumni, faculty and friends of the law school the opportunity to show their gratitude and thanks for all of the services the organizations provide. It&rsquo;s a great feeling to be able to help and be a part of something bigger.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Food trucks are also planned for the event, which will give race participants and supporters the opportunity to network and socialize after the race.</p>\r\n<p>Civic engagement is a pillar of the mission at Widener Law Commonwealth, said Mary Catherine Scott, director of student organizations. Each year student organizations across campus hold events to raise funds or donate services to assist non-profit organizations.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Our primary goal when engaging with service organizations is to encourage our students to give back to the community,&rdquo; Scott said. &ldquo;We want to impress upon them the importance of supporting organizations that serve those in need.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In 2016, the 5k race raised more than $2,200 for MidPenn Legal Services and VITA when it was held in 2015. MidPenn Legal Services is a nonprofit, public interest law firm providing legal services to low-income residents and survivors of domestic violence with legal advice and representation.&nbsp; VITA provides free tax preparation services to needy individuals and families.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The law school works hard to encourage their students to participate in pro bono work in order to support our community,&rdquo; said Sarah Stigerwalt, president of Phi Alpha Delta &ndash;Pepper Chapter. &ldquo;By coming together with various law firms and local businesses, we have been able to lay the ground work for a great event to ensure that we can continue to support those who are in need of the assistance that MidPenn and VITA provide.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><strong>Speedy Trial 5K Race and 1- Mile Fun Run Race Information:<br /></strong></p>\r\n<p><strong>When:</strong> April 21, 2018<br /> <strong>Where:</strong> Race starts at Widener Law Commonwealth, 3800 Vartan Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110<br /> <strong>Time:</strong> Fun Run starts at 9:30 a.m.; 5K starts at 10 a.m.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.pretzelcitysports.com/onlineform1.php?id=1354\">Click here to register.</a></p>\r\n<p><strong>Details:</strong></p>\r\n<p>The first 300 registrants will receive a race shirt. The price to register will increase on March 9, so be sure to register early.&nbsp; Please be advised that this event is a walk and/or run which will take place rain or shine. We encourage you to bring your family and children to the event as well!&nbsp; Friendly dogs are welcome at the event if you would like to run with your four-legged friend.</p>\r\n<p><strong>Contribution information: </strong></p>\r\n<p>If you would like to donate but not participate in the 5K, here is how:</p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>Cash or check made out to Widener University, donations can be given to Dorothy Koncar in the Administrative Building at Widener Law Commonwealth in Harrisburg.</li>\r\n<li>You may register online for the 5K and include a donation amount of your choosing. By registering for the 5K you are eligible to receive a free long-sleeved shirt.</li>\r\n</ol>', '{staticroot}files/modules/speedy-trial-5kweb.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1831, 'Law student earns scholarship', '2018-02-12', '<p>Erin Alleman is dedicated to public service. It&rsquo;s why she chose to come to law school.</p>\r\n<p>As a second-year law student at Widener Law Commonwealth, Alleman was recently awarded the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation&rsquo;s 2017 James W. Stoudt Memorial Scholarship Award. The scholarship is given to law students who show the potential for making a contribution to society and the legal profession.</p>\r\n<p>Each year three scholarships for $3,000 each are awarded to law students in Pennsylvania. Additional requirements to be considered for the scholarship include good academic standing and demonstrated financial need. Two of the three scholarships given each year are earmarked for minority students.</p>\r\n<p>Applicants are asked to submit a resume, letter of recommendation and an essay.</p>\r\n<p>Dean Christian Johnson said that scholarships like the one that Alleman was awarded are crucial for law students and help encourage them in areas of legal interest and help offset the costs of legal education.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are so proud of Erin for earning such a prestigious scholarship and her commitment to public service,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;She is a true example of dedication to helping others, which is a key part of the legal profession.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>After law school, Alleman, originally from Shippensburg, plans to practice law in the area of public service and wants to become a US Attorney.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always been driven by public service,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Being able to make a difference and helping others has always been a big focus for me and I hope to continue that after law school.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>She is currently an Academic Success Fellow for Commonwealth Professor of Environmental Law John Dernbach where she coaches first-year students about how to achieve success. She is also is active in the American Bar Association and has volunteered at activities on campus such as Wills for Hero&rsquo;s.</p>\r\n<p>Alleman said the scholarship will go towards the cost of tuition and books.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/wuw-erin-alleman-web.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1832, 'Agricultural law group sprouts on campus', '2018-02-12', '<p>One of the newest groups to sprout on the Widener Law Commonwealth campus is the <a href=\"https:{staticroot}current-students/student-organizations/interest-organizations/#agriculture\">American Agricultural Law Association (AALA).</a></p>\r\n<p>The mission of the AALA chapter at the law school is to promote awareness for the need of legal services in agriculture and encourage students to pursue careers in agriculturally-related&nbsp;fields. The organization also addresses the growing needs of the farming community, which can include sustainable energy, engineering, pathology/, pathology/pharmaceuticals,&nbsp;insurance, and finance.</p>\r\n<p>The AALA at Widener Law Commonwealth, which was formed about a year ago, also has the distinction of being one of only nine <a href=\"https://www.aglaw-assn.org/\">AALS accredited chapters in the nation</a>.</p>\r\n<p>According to statistics provided by the <a href=\"https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=PENNSYLVANIA\">United States Department of Agriculture</a>, in 2016 there were approximately 58,200 farms in the State of Pennsylvania covering more than 7,630,000 acres of the state. The state of Pennsylvania farming has an impact of nearly&nbsp;$7.4 billion per year. By 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture expects there to be nearly 75,000 openings in agriculture and food industry related jobs.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Any law student who would get involved with our chapter would become part of unique group and be a more well-rounded attorney,&rdquo; said Jessica Lehman, past president and founding member of AALS Harrisburg Chapter. &ldquo;You no longer need to be in a small town or rural setting to be a part of agriculture law, so becoming well-versed in Ag Law during law school is a skill that is both marketable and unique for our student entering the workforce.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>While many officers in the AALA chapter at the Law school have ties to agriculture, it is not necessary for students to have experience in agriculture to join. Students can become involved in the organization by attending meetings, following the organization on Facebook or joining the group on TWEN. Along with learning about the legal needs of the agriculture community, the group also plans outings to manufacturers and processors in the local area.</p>\r\n<p>Data Sources:</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.farmflavor.com/pennsylvania-agriculture/\">Farm Flavor</a></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Encourage/Documents/Fast%20Facts%20on%20Agriculture%20and%20Food%20Careers%20in%20Pennsylvania%20(revised).pdf\">PA Department of Agriculture</a></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=PENNSYLVANIA\">United States Department of Agriculture</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/agriculture-story-web.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1833, 'Business law professor co-authors problem method case book', '2018-02-28', '<p>Commonwealth Professor of Business Law Juliet Moringiello is the co-author of a newly released problem method case book, <em>Essential UCC Concepts: A Survey of Commercial Transactions</em>. The book was co-authored by Candace Zierdt and Kristen David Adams, both professors of law at Stetson University.</p>\r\n<p>The publication covers the Uniform Commercial Code articles commonly taught in law schools and is broken down into three sections: sales, payment systems and secured transactions. Moringiello is the author of the secured transactions section of the text.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The reason we wrote this book is because a lot of states have adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and the UBE has more extensive Uniform Commercial Code coverage than some of the other state bars,&rdquo; said Moringiello. &ldquo;At schools in states that have the UBE, this book is really helpful for a universal and comprehensive commercial law course.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>She added that the book is one of the few legal texts that is both problem-based and provides comprehensive coverage of both the Uniform Commercial Code and related laws that are used in the practice of commercial law.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Problem solving is an essential skill for lawyers because no matter what area of law you practice you are solving a problem,&rdquo; said Moringiello. &ldquo;An innovation of this book is it focuses a lot on the transactional aspect and gives examples of agreements lawyers enter into. There is also a heavy focus on statutory interpretation because statutory interpretation is an important practice skill regardless of a lawyer&rsquo;s practice area.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello is a well-known scholar and law professor who writes in the areas of bankruptcy, secured credit and electronic commerce. She currently serves as the chair of the Business Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.</p>\r\n<p>She played a key role in the enactment in Pennsylvania of several revised articles of the Uniform Commercial Code. Moringiello is an elected member of the American Law Institute and the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. &nbsp;In 2015, she was appointed as a Uniform Law Commissioner for Pennsylvania.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moringielloj_6931-6.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1834, 'Law school honors two for promoting diversity in legal community', '2018-02-28', '<p>Two words are often used to describe the late Professor Starla Williams: accountability and service.</p>\r\n<p>Each year in memory of Williams, the <a href=\"ipl://217//W10=////YmxzYQ==\">Black Law Students Association (BLSA)</a> honors a student and an alum in an effort to recognize their efforts to promote diversity within the legal community.</p>\r\n<p>This year <a href=\"https://www.mcneeslaw.com/people/rachel-r-hadrick/\">Rachel Hadrick</a> &rsquo;13 and John Harris, a third-year law student, were chosen to receive the Starla J Williams Service Award.</p>\r\n<p>Hadrick, currently an associate at <a href=\"https://www.mcneeslaw.com/\">McNees, Wallace and Nurick, LLC</a> in the litigation and insurance group, has displayed a passion for service both while she was in law school and in her professional career.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I want to challenge all of the lawyers and law students to use this profession to make an impact on the world,&rdquo; Hadrick said. &ldquo;I think given the time we are living in right now lawyers can play a critical role and that is what I have tried to do. I feel so honored to be a part of this profession.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Harris, who plans to graduate in May, also serves as the president of BLSA, and is a pupil in the <a href=\"https://www.dcba-pa.org/about-us/lipsitt-inn-of-court.aspx\">Lipsitt Inn of Court</a> and <a href=\"http://inns.innsofcourt.org/for-members/inns/the-james-s-bowman-american-inn-of-court.aspx\">James S. Bowman Inn of Court.</a> He also volunteers as a mentor at the Nativity School in Harrisburg.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It is important for law students to engage in the community to build trust,&rdquo; said Harris. &ldquo;In impoverished and urban communities there is a stigma that lawyers are detached and are only interested in financial gain. Lawyers are considered one of the oldest profession, which is inspiring. Being active in furthering the community will inspire others to maximize their potential.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxOCJd////\">Professor Mary Kate Kearney</a> added that since BLSA was established more than 25 years ago on the Widener Law Commonwealth campus the student organization has played a significant role both academically and in service life.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;On the academic side the organization boasts members who have graduated at the top of their class and service in positions of distinction in every one of our honor societies,&rdquo; Kearney said. &ldquo;On the service side there probably has not been another organization that has done more community outreach than BLSA.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/hadrick-and-harris-award.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1835, 'Jurist in Residence lectures about judicial conduct', '2018-03-09', '<p>Judges are always on duty.</p>\r\n<p>Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge P. Kevin Brobson stressed this fact during his final lecture as Jurist in Residence at Widener Law Commonwealth.</p>\r\n<p>In his lecture,<em> Judging Judges: The State of Judicial Discipline</em> <em>in Pennsylvania,</em> Brobson talked about the high standards of integrity judges in the Commonwealth must exhibit.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Judges must uphold the dignity of office at all times. I am a judge 24/7. All judges have to approach their jobs that way,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Judges are held to the highest standard of conduct at all times -&nbsp; no matter if they are in the courtroom or on the baseball field.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Judges are held to a Code of Judicial Conduct which includes four canons that address judicial image, judicial behavior, off bench activities, and political and campaign activity. If a complaint about a judge is received it is reviewed by the Judicial Conduct Board. The mission of the board is to preserve the honor, dignity, independence and integrity of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s judiciary by promptly dismissing unfounded complaints and prosecuting founded complaints.&nbsp; Judge Brobson is a member of the Judicial Conduct Board.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>The Judicial Conduct Board receives about 800 complains a year and each complaint is researched and investigated thoroughly. If a complaint is unfounded it is dismissed.</p>\r\n<p>The board consists of twelve members.&nbsp; Six are appointed by the governor and six are appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.&nbsp; Six of the board&rsquo;s members are not lawyers.&nbsp; The other six are lawyers and judges.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t break the laws or the canons,&rdquo; Brobson said. &ldquo;If a judge is responsible for enforcing the laws, then they should also comply with the laws.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/kevin-brobson.jpg', 'Judge Kevin Brobson speaks at podium.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1836, 'Widener Law Commonwealth listed as a top law school by U.S. News &amp; World Report', '2018-03-20', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School has been named a top law school in the &ldquo;Best Graduate Schools 2019&rdquo; guidebook published today by U.S. News &amp; World Report.</p>\r\n<p>The school moved up five places from last year and is now ranked 143rd on the list compiled by U.S. News and World Report in the Law School category.&nbsp;&nbsp; In 2017, the school was ranked 148<sup>th</sup> on the list. The methodology used to determine placement on the list included information from statistical and reputational surveys sent to administrators and professionals. Peer assessment data was also used when tabulating the rankings of the school to be included on the list.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an honor to be included as a ranked law school by U.S. News &amp; World Report. The ranking emphasizes the specialized areas of study, certificate programs and experiential learning opportunities we provide to the students at Widener Law Commonwealth,&rdquo; said Dean Johnson. &ldquo;Our passion lies in providing students with a high-quality legal education to ensure they are practice-ready upon graduation.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I am proud to see that U.S. News &amp; World Report has once again recognized Widener Law Commonwealth in its ranking of top law schools, and has strengthened its ranking over last year,&rdquo; said Widener President Julie E. Wollman. &ldquo;This distinction confirms what we already know about the law school &ndash; that its commitment to student achievement and success make Widener Law Commonwealth a top choice for legal education.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Specialized areas of study include the <a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/current-students/academics/law-and-government-institute/\">Law and Government Institute</a>, <a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/current-students/academics/certificate-programs/business-advising/\">Business Advising Program</a> and the <a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/current-students/academics/environmental-law-and-sustainability-center-2/\">Environmental Law and Sustainability Center</a>.&nbsp; Law students also have the opportunity to earn practical experience in Pennsylvania legal practices at the <a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/current-students/academics/practical-learning-opportunities/civil-law-clinic/\">Central Pennsylvania Civil Law Clinics</a>.</p>\r\n<p>Widener University is a metropolitan university that connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention, applied leadership, and experiential learning are key components of the Widener experience. Widener University Commonwealth Law School is the Pennsylvania capital&rsquo;s only law school, with three specialized centers of legal scholarship through its Law &amp; Government Institute, Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, and Business Advising Program. Widener Law Commonwealth offers an exceptional learning experience that is personal, practical, and professional. Visit <a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/\">commonwealthlaw.widener.edu</a> for more information.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1837, 'Law school earns A- in Enivonmental Law program', '2018-03-26', '<p style=\"margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 20.25pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Arial\',sans-serif; color: #3c4b6b;\">Widener Law Commonwealth has again been recognized by&nbsp;<em><span style=\"font-family: \'Arial\',sans-serif;\">preLaw Magazine</span></em>&nbsp;for their environmental law programs.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: 20.25pt;\">&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p style=\"line-height: 20.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Arial\',sans-serif; color: #3c4b6b;\">The law school was named to the magazine&rsquo;s list of Top Schools for Environmental Law. Widener Law Commonwealth received an A- grade. preLaw Magazine is a leading source of information about issues in legal education and is a publication of National Jurist.</span><span style=\"font-family: \'Arial\',sans-serif; color: #3c4b6b;\">The grades were based on the curriculum each school offered in the area of environmental law.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"line-height: 20.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt 0in;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Arial\',sans-serif; color: #3c4b6b;\">Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s campus is home to the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center. The Center helps students engage in environmental law and creates opportunities to engage them in the complex and critical problems that face our society today in the areas of the environment and sustainability.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"line-height: 20.25pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Arial\',sans-serif; color: #3c4b6b;\">&ldquo;It is an honor to be named to this list again for such a great distinction,&rdquo; said Prof. John Dernbach, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center and commonwealth professor of environmental law. &ldquo;Our goal is to have our students and their efforts make a significant impact in sustainability and environmental law. I think that we have done just that and I am proud of the progress we have made at the law school.&rdquo;</span></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/file000250093397-2.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1838, 'Annual lecture addresses DACA, immigration issues', '2018-04-11', '<p>Each year, the annual John Gedid Lecture addresses a hot topic related to government law.</p>\r\n<p>This year, Muneer I. Ahmad, clinical professor of law and deputy dean for experiential education at Yale Law School, presented <em>Immigration Race and Rights in the Trump ERA: Lessons from the Muslim Ban and DACA Termination.</em></p>\r\n<p>His lecture addressed the Trump Administration&rsquo;s termination of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and work with his law students challenging President Trump&rsquo;s implementation of a travel ban affecting mostly Muslim-majority nations.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The current moment of contentious immigration debate is hugely consequential for the future of the country, Professor Ahmad said.&nbsp; &ldquo;But, I think our history both negative and positive can help us to navigate these challenges.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Ahmad has represented immigrants in a range of labor, immigration and trafficking cases.&nbsp; Additionally, for three years he represented a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Professor Ahmad is on the cutting edge of experiential education.&nbsp; His work in immigration law deeply involves his students in creative and sophisticated litigation,&rdquo; said Jill Family, Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government and director of the Law and Government Institute.&nbsp; &ldquo;Professor Ahmad is dedicated to protecting individual rights through his work.&nbsp; We are excited to engage with him on one of the most prominent government law topics of the time.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Gedid Lecture honors the Widener Law Commonwealth Law and Government Institute&rsquo;s founder, Professor Emeritus John L. Gedid. The institute is dedicated to the study of government law and allows law students to learn how government works and the roles that lawyers play in making and implementing law.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The Gedid Lecture is an opportunity for our legal community to dig deeper into issues effecting people around the world,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;We are honored to be able to have legal experts in their field speak.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/muneer.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1839, '  Attorney General Josh Shapiro to speak at Widener Law Commonwealth Commencement', '2018-04-20', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced today that Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro will serve as speaker for the school&rsquo;s 27<sup>th</sup> commencement.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Attorney General Shapiro will address graduates at the 11 a.m. ceremony set for Sunday, May 20 at The Forum in the Harrisburg State Capitol Complex. He will be presented with an honorary doctor of law degree.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;Attorney General Shapiro was elected as the sixth individual to serve as the attorney general of Pennsylvania and was sworn in on January 17, 2017. He appointed Michelle Henry, a 1994 Widener Law Commonwealth grad and veteran prosecutor as the first deputy attorney general. Henry is also the first woman to hold this position.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Attorney General Shapiro&rsquo;s role is to combat crime, uphold individual rights and protect consumers. Previously, he served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. Attorney General Shapiro is a former state representative for Pennsylvania&rsquo;s 153<sup>rd</sup> House District and also practiced law in private practice for more than a decade.</p>\r\n<p>A native of Montgomery County, he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rochester and earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He resides in Montgomery County with his wife Lori, and their four children.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are delighted Attorney General Shapiro has agreed to speak at our commencement this May,&rdquo; Dean Christian Johnson said. &ldquo;We are honored as a law school to welcome such a successful individual to speak about his accomplishments and provide words of wisdom and guidance at such an important event for our graduates.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/ag_josh_shapiro-resize2.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1840, 'Law students hold will workshops', '2018-05-11', '<p>Many of the residents at <a href=\"http://www.jldmgtgroup.com/about.html\">B&rsquo;nai B&rsquo;rith</a> have no written will.&nbsp; And, most of them have never been to a lawyer.</p>\r\n<p>But, law students from the <a href=\"ipl://263//W10=////\">Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics</a> at <a href=\"ipl://263//W10=////\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a> (WLC) are working to change that fact.</p>\r\n<p>For the past several years, students working in the law clinic have teamed up with the management at B&rsquo;nai B&rsquo;rith to offer residents the opportunity to receive free legal services related to the drafting of wills.&nbsp; B&rsquo;nai B&rsquo;rith is a housing complex in Dauphin County that provides affordable housing to seniors and adults with disabilities.</p>\r\n<p>This year about 10 students from the clinic went to the housing complex to hold &ldquo;Will Workshops.&rdquo; Each workshop starts with a presentation given by a student or one of the attorneys at the law clinic. The information in the presentation includes general information about simple wills, powers of attorney and advanced health care directives (living wills).&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Students then meet with residents separately and gather information to draft the requested documents.&nbsp; After the students have completed the requested documents, they are reviewed by an attorney in the law clinic and returned to the client to finalized and sign.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Not only does this&nbsp;relationship with the residents in the complex enhance the student\'s experiential learning while in law school, but the Harrisburg community benefits from WLC students who provide this service to&nbsp;the elderly who really need the&nbsp;peace of mind that some of their legal affairs are in order,&rdquo; said Mary Catherine Scott, clinical faculty and interim director of the Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics.</p>\r\n<p>Andy Webber, a second-year law student, said that going to the center allowed him the opportunity to practice his interpersonal work skills with clients that may be dealing with complicated issues.</p>\r\n<p>\"Matters are rarely ever simple, even if you are drafting a \"simple\" will.&nbsp; Clients can have a myriad of goals they wish to accomplish, and trying to ascertain what I client really wants, and what would be in their best interest, is a skill that requires a great deal of practice to master,\" he said.</p>\r\n<p>Gregory Neff, service coordinator at B&rsquo;nai B&rsquo;rith, estimated that about 10 residents take advantage of the services from law students each semester.&nbsp; He anticipates that number to increase as residency approaches full capacity in the next year at the center.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I believe the biggest drive for me having these events is knowing the importance behind having your affairs in order. I have experienced these situations first hand and the difficulties of not having legal affairs in order can cause on a family as well as the stress on the individual,&rdquo; Neff said. &ldquo;The tenants who currently reside at B&rsquo;nai B&rsquo;rith are living on a very fixed income and do not have the resources to work with a private attorney to draw and explain the necessary documents and WLC is able to meet this need.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1841, 'PA Supreme Court Candidates debate ', '2017-10-31', '<p>The two candidates seeking a full term on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court met at a debate at Widener Law Commonwealth.</p>\r\n<p>Both of the candidates said they were in favor of more transparency and improved ethics by the judiciary, but have different opinions on the issue of letting judges accept gifts.</p>\r\n<p>Democratic candidate Dwayne Woodruff and Republican Sallie Mundy answered questions on judicial ethics that were presented by a panel of journalists from across the state.</p>\r\n<p>Woodruff currently serves as a family court judge in Pittsburgh and is in favor of a gift ban.</p>\r\n<p>Mundy, who was appointed to the high court, says she\'s never been offered or accepted a gift while serving on appellate courts.</p>\r\n<p>The forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Widener Law Commonwealth Law and Government Institute.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1842, ' Law graduates encouraged to \'Seize the Day\'', '2018-05-22', '<p>Carpe Diem. Seize the Day.</p>\r\n<p>These were the words of advice given by <a href=\"https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/taking-action/\">Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro</a> to the class of 2018 that graduated from <a href=\"https://commonwealthlaw.widener.edu\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a> on Sunday.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The only limitation on you is your own capacity to imagine. Your own capacity to dream. You have the tools and you have the know-how,&rdquo; Shapiro said. &ldquo;You could be next and for the sake of your profession and the sake of our society I hope you are ready to lead.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Shapiro served as the speaker for the 27<sup>th</sup> commencement ceremony of Widener Law Commonwealth, held at the Forum Building in Harrisburg. He encouraged students to exhibit superior leadership and to provide service in both their professional and personal lives.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Today you are one step closer to joining the legal profession as stewards of our justice system,&rdquo; Shapiro said. &ldquo;You will put your knowledge to use serving your clients and most importantly the higher ideals of justice.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<div style=\"float: right;\"><iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/OOYug-pYIzg?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen=\"\"></iframe></div>\r\n<p>Nathan Berry, 2018 class valedictorian, echoed the importance of living every day to the fullest, and reminded his peers that time was their most valuable asset, to use it wisely and to find their true purpose in life.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;There will be always be competing interests for your time, from family, to friends, to bosses, to clients. This is because you are valuable,&rdquo; Berry said. &ldquo;Keep a balanced approach and find your purpose in life. Once you find your purpose, everything else will fall into place.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Widener University President Dr. Julie Wollman praised the graduating class for their hard work learning legal doctrine and applying knowledge and legal skills in practical ways to benefit their clients.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;But what great lawyers are honored for is their judgement and empathy, not what they memorized out of a law book.&nbsp; Knowing something doesn&rsquo;t teach you how to use it,&rdquo; Wollman said.</p>\r\n<p>Dean Christian Johnson said he saw it as the duty of the class of 2018 to use the training they have received to administer justice and make their communities, country and the world a better place.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;No profession is more honorable than that of the law, he said. &ldquo;Lawyers champion the rights of the weak and powerless. Protect the rule of law that is the cornerstone of our democracy.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157696457051044/with/41353271865/\">Click here to view the photo album on Flickr.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/shapiro.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1843, 'Law school names director of Career Development Office', '2018-06-12', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced today that Eden L. Mandrell, Esq. has been named the director of the Career Development Office.</p>\r\n<p>In this role, Mandrell will be providing the necessary career-related skills, training and education so the students may develop and refine the skills necessary to find employment as a legal professional.&nbsp; Additionally, she will provide ongoing counseling to students and alumni and market their skills to potential employers, as well as develop an engaging program designed to expand job opportunities at all levels by developing and maintaining robust relationships with law firms, judges and their staffs, in-house counsel, government attorneys and officials, nonprofits, and public interest organizations.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The service that the Career Development Office offers is an important piece to helping students and alumni achieve their career goals,&rdquo; said Mandrell. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking forward to using my experience to partner with students and provide them with the necessary support and guidance as they begin to explore career options in the legal field.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Prior to joining Widener Law Commonwealth, Mandrell was a Partner with Major, Lindsey &amp; Africa, a preeminent global legal search firm, and a Principal at ELM Legal Search, LLC., where she represented partners and associates considering lateral opportunities and law firms seeking mergers and group acquisitions.&nbsp; Her client base included top-tier national, regional and boutique law firms and corporations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Mandrell has a particular interest in promoting and retaining diversity in the legal profession and previously served on the Advisory Board for the Women in Law Empowerment Foundation (WILEF). She is a volunteer with Junior Achievement of Central Pennsylvania and USA Swimming.</p>\r\n<p>Mandrell received her undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona and her law degree from California Western School of Law. She lives in Lancaster, Pa. with her husband and three children.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/eden-headshot.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1845, 'U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Schwab named Widener Law Commonwealth’s Jurist in Residence ', '2018-07-16', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced today that Chief Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania will serve a two-year appointment as the Jurist in Residence at the law school.</p>\r\n<p>During her tenure as Jurist in Residence, Judge Schwab, who graduated from the law school in 1992, will teach the Government Law Colloquium and present several public lectures, as well as mentor students and discuss current judicial issues with law school faculty and students.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are thrilled to welcome Judge Schwab back to campus as our Jurist in Residence,&rdquo; said Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government and director of the Law and Government Institute Jill Family. &ldquo;She is an excellent resource for our students and she will enhance their legal studies in many ways, including by providing practical insights from the judge&rsquo;s side of the bench.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Judge Schwab was appointed to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in 2012, after 11 years of public service and career in private law practice. Immediately prior to taking the bench, Judge Schwab was Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration and Deputy Chief Counsel for the Democratic Caucus of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She also served as counsel to United States Senator Bob Casey when he was Pennsylvania State Treasurer and Auditor General. Before that she was a partner at Harrisburg-based Rhoads &amp; Sinon, LLP and also practiced with Semanoff, Orsmby, Greenberg and Torchia, LLC in Huntingdon Valley.</p>\r\n<p>Judge Schwab has the distinction of being a member of the inaugural class of Widener University School of Law, serving as the school&rsquo;s first valedictorian after graduating <em>magna cum laude. </em>She was Internal Editor of the Widener Journal of Public Law.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/dsc_02301-web.jpg', 'Photo of Judge Schwab', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1846, 'Law professor named associate dean of research and faculty development', '2018-07-19', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced today that Commonwealth Professor of Business Law Juliet Moringiello has been named Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development.</p>\r\n<p>In her new role, Dean Moringiello is responsible for helping to raise the academic and external profile of the law school and its faculty. She will establish strategic goals and objectives to institute and maintain recognition for the achievements of the faculty and law school. Dean Moringiello will also assist in the promotion of special program activities and help faculty members in finding opportunities to present and publish their work. She will continue to teach business law.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Our Widener Law Commonwealth faculty members make a tremendous impact with their scholarship on topics of current importance, such as election law, immigration procedure, and environmental sustainability, and so many of them are involved in law reform every level &ndash; cross-border harmonization of laws, federal policy, uniform state laws, and local ordinances. Our faculty members are not only committed teachers, but they produce important scholarship on legal education. I&rsquo;m looking forward to working closely with my colleagues to maximize the impact of their work.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Dean Moringiello studies the relationship between federal and state law in bankruptcy as well as the impact of electronic transactions on commercial law. Her work has been published in several top law reviews, including the <em>Fordham Law Review, the University of Illinois Law Review, </em>and the <em>Wisconsin Law Review</em>.&nbsp; She is the immediate past chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Business Law Section, an elected member of the American Law Institute, a fellow of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers, and a Uniform Law Commissioner for Pennsylvania.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Juliet brings experience and inside track knowledge of the faculty and specialized programs at the law school to her new position,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;She will play a key role in raising the awareness of faculty scholarship and law school programming to the legal community on both a local and national level.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moringielloj_6931-7.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1847, ' Former Widener Commonwealth dean to receive Zealous Advocate Award', '2018-08-21', '<p>Liz Simcox works tirelessly to connect law students, recent graduates and members of the legal community with the right connections to help them grow their careers.</p>\r\n<p>In recognition of her accomplishments, she will be will be honored with the Zealous Advocate Award at a reception during Alumni Weekend on September 21. The award was named for the <a href=\"https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/model_rules_of_professional_conduct_preamble_scope.html\">American Bar Association Rules of Professional Conduct: Preamble and Scope</a>, which speaks about being a zealous advocate for clients and assuring that justice is achieved.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I am honored to be the recipient of this award.&nbsp; Widener has played a big role in my life and in my career and I am pleased to be recognized,&rdquo; she said.</p>\r\n<p>Simcox currently serves as the Executive Director of the Dauphin County Bar Association (DCBA), but she has also served in numerous roles at Widener Law Commonwealth. In 1999, she joined the law school as a staff attorney for the Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic and from 2002-2007 served as Dean of Students and Director of Externships. She also served as coordinator of Bar Prep Programs and developed the first for-credit bar program at the law school.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I think my greatest career accomplishment has been to help law students become good lawyers in our legal community,&rdquo; she said. &nbsp;&ldquo;I have had the opportunity to watch students I worked with at Widener&nbsp;a number of years ago assume positions of leadership, present CLE&rsquo;s, become partners in local firms, hold state offices and do good work for our community.&nbsp; I am so proud of all they have accomplished.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Simcox plans to retire from her position with the DCBA at the end of 2018 and will relocate to Belmont, North Carolina with her husband, John, to be closer to family. She plans to remain connected to the law school and Central PA legal community.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The law school is lucky to have such a strong advocate for our students and alumni in the legal community,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;She continually shows her dedication and commitment with her tireless work in helping students achieve success.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Please join fellow alumni, faculty and friends at the Alumni Awards Reception as we honor and celebrate Rhodia Thomas &rsquo;97 and Liz Simcox. The event will be held September 21, 6-9 p.m. at the Country Club of Harrisburg, 401 Fishing Creek Valley Road, Harrisburg, Pa., 17112. <a href=\"ipl://12//WyIzMzM4Il0=////\">Click here to register</a> or call the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement at 717-541-3974.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/simcox-elizabeth-web.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1848, 'Alumna honored for her public service', '2018-08-21', '<p>Rhodia Thomas, a 1997 alumna, has dedicated her legal career to public service.</p>\r\n<p>In recognition of her dedication, she will be presented with the Outstanding Service Award at the Alumni Weekend on September 21. She was nominated by Paul Edger &lsquo;11, who was previously honored with the Outstanding Service Award.</p>\r\n<p>Thomas serves as the executive director of MidPenn Legal Services. She has also held the positions of staff attorney and managing attorney at the organization, which provides free or low-cost legal services to those in need.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I am grateful for the ability to work on behalf of those who are less fortunate and I consider that to be my greatest honor and achievement,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I only ever wanted to work in public service, in particular legal aid, because I believe in the mission of equal access to justice for everyone.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Outstanding Service Award recognizes and honors members of the alumni association who have given outstanding service to the law school as a whole, a particular concentration within the law school or to the legal profession. Recipients of the award are selected by the Alumni Association Board as well as the Dean and the Associate Dean of the law school.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Rhodia has dedicated her career to ensuring people have access to legal services,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;We are honored to have her as an alumna and commend her for her great contribution and commitment to the legal community.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Please join fellow alumni, faculty and friends at the Alumni Awards Reception as we honor and celebrate Rhodia Thomas &rsquo;97 and Liz Simcox. The event will be held September 21, 6-9 p.m. at the Country Club of Harrisburg, 401 Fishing Creek Valley Road, Harrisburg, Pa., 17112. <a href=\"ipl://12//WyIzMzM4Il0=////\">Click here to register</a> or call the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement at 717-541-3974.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/rhodia-thomas.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1849, 'Widener Commonwealth welcomes incoming class of 2018', '2018-08-21', '<p>Michael Cooper, a first-year law student, has been to far corners of the globe, but knew someday he would trade jumping out of planes for legal books.</p>\r\n<p>Cooper served in Special Operations in the Army for 10 years, with much of his career focused on working in intelligence and gathering data that drove daily operations on the battlefield. &nbsp;With his goal to become a defense attorney, he knew law school was the next stop in his travels.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m kind of a patriot if you will,&rdquo; said Cooper about his legal focus. &ldquo;And, the primary job of the legal profession is to defend the constitutional rights of people.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>But, Cooper isn&rsquo;t the only student with a unique background. &nbsp;Several incoming students immigrated to the United States with their families at young ages, one student holds dual citizenship with the United States and France, and another was a walk-on for the Temple University football team.</p>\r\n<p>The incoming class of 2018 is filled with diverse backgrounds and represents 76 undergraduate universities and 17 different states. The class is represented by 56 percent of females and 44 percent male population, with 26 percent of the class identifying as a person of color.</p>\r\n<p>During the Welcome to the Profession ceremony, Widener University trustee, Douglas Wolfberg \'96, of Page, Wolfberg and Wirth, LLC, reminded students that their legacy is built upon the character that they display each day.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Look to your left and look to your right and you will see people who will become lifelong friends and colleagues. You will see helpful and supportive peers. You will see future distinguished leaders of our profession,&rdquo; said Wolfberg. &nbsp;&ldquo;You will see judges, chief counsel for government agencies, elected officials and successful law firm partners. You will see defenders of the poor and of the accused, and others who will selflessly serve the public interest. When you look to your left and then to your right, you will see the best of our profession today and in the years to come.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In her welcoming address, 1992 alumna Chief Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania opened the floor for questions from the incoming class and provided her best advice.</p>\r\n<p>After administering the Affirmation of Professionalism to the class, she had each student take a selfie.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Now, before the end of the night, I want you to text that to yourself with a wish,&rdquo; Schwab told students. &ldquo;I want you to say what you wish for yourself for the next three years. Then, I hope in three years I see you again, maybe at graduation. We can take another picture, because I would like to know if you fulfilled your wish of what you would have done different and how it all turned out.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157670252697237\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view pictures from the ceremony.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/2018-class.jpg', 'Group photo of the incoming class of 2018.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1850, 'Law Professor Christopher Robinette recognized with 2018 Lindback Award', '2018-09-04', '<p>Christopher Robinette, a professor of law at Widener University Commonwealth Law School and a Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania resident, has received the 2018 Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http://www.lindbackfoundation.org/programs.html\">The Lindback Award</a> is given to a faculty member who has demonstrated a history of teaching at the highest level. It is endowed by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, a Philadelphia-based foundation that provides grants to institutions of higher education for the promotion of excellence in teaching. The honor is bestowed annually to a member of Widener\'s faculty.</p>\r\n<p>\"I am very proud of this award,&rdquo; said Robinette.&nbsp;&ldquo;I accept it as a representative of the Commonwealth Law faculty.&nbsp;I have learned from each of them.\"</p>\r\n<p>While announcing the award winner to the campus community, Provost Fred Akl said Robinette anchors his teaching with the knowledge that the subject matter is going to be applied, not just understood.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Professor Robinette recognizes that students learn better when they are engaged in the material, and that keeping them interested requires a variety of teaching methods,&rdquo; Akl said. &ldquo;Professor Robinette genuinely cares about students and their success.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Robinette supplements the traditional Socratic Method often used in law school with a number of other procedures, such as collaborative group work, role playing, negotiation exercises, short video clips, discussion of current events, and other tools.&nbsp; He recognizes that variety in assessment is also helpful to keep students engaged and helps both the students and him to evaluate the extent to which they are learning.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Professor Robinette&rsquo;s teaching philosophy and practices are exemplary and worthy of recognition,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;He also consistently uses and integrates his scholarship into his courses as a way to make his teaching current and relevant for students.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He has received both the Outstanding Faculty Award (2018, 2016, 2013, 2011) and the Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award (2009, 2015) on multiple occasions.</p>\r\n<p>Robinette writes in the areas of tort law and theory, and is recognized as a highly accomplished scholar both in the United States and abroad. He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Tort Law, the only peer-reviewed journal dedicated to tort law in the United States.</p>\r\n<p>His scholarship focuses on the justifications for tort liability and the conditions which would make an alternative compensation program preferable. Robinette was elected in 2012 to the American Law Institute, the most prestigious organization in the country dedicated to producing scholarly work to clarify, modernize and improve the law. He has been actively involved in supporting the institute&rsquo;s mission.</p>\r\n<p>This year, he was selected to be the deputy to the United States\' representative to the European Group on Tort Law.&nbsp; The group is dedicated to reporting and harmonizing tort laws of European countries.&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/robinettec_6962-2.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1851, 'Law students participate in MLK Jr. Fellowship Program', '2018-09-07', '<p>Supriya Philips has a goal when she becomes a lawyer &mdash; to help those in her community.</p>\r\n<p>Philips, a third-year law student, was one of four Widener Law Commonwealth students chosen to participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Fellowship Program through the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN).</p>\r\n<p>The program was established in 1991 to promote cultural and ethnic diversity in legal services and to honor Dr. King. The MLK program offered by PA Legal Aid offers summer internships throughout the organization&rsquo;s network for second-year and third-year law students. The students must be social justice oriented and desire an opportunity to make a difference.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The best part of the internship program was meeting other like-minded students and attorneys interested in making a difference in their community,&rdquo; Philips said. &ldquo;The most important thing that I learned in my time over the summer is that anyone can make a difference in another person&rsquo;s life.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>This is the second summer that Philips has participated in the program. Last year she worked at MidPenn Legal Services in Harrisburg and practiced family law. Her internship this summer was working at the Philadelphia Institutional Law Project and assisting with prisoners&rsquo; civil rights litigation, where she worked remotely and gained trial experience.</p>\r\n<p>Second-year student Glory Brown worked at the Regional Housing Legal Services in Harrisburg, while Queenette Echefu, a fourth-year law student, worked at MidPenn Legal Services in Harrisburg. Cykhira Walton, a second-year student, was located at Philadelphia Legal Assistance.</p>\r\n<p>The program offers law students the experience to have interactions with clients, participate in court and administrative hearings, and conduct legal research and writing on cases under the supervision of legal aid attorneys.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1852, 'Law School Holds Annual Alumni Weekend', '2018-10-05', '<p>Family. Friends. Food. Laughter.</p>\r\n<p>All were a part of the second annual Alumni Weekend hosted by Widener Law Commonwealth.</p>\r\n<p>The weekend included an alumni awards reception, a 5K race, continuing legal education lectures, and the Dean&rsquo;s Picnic.</p>\r\n<p>The Alumni Awards Reception was held at the Country Club of Harrisburg and honored Rhodia Thomas, a 1997 alumna, and Liz Simcox.</p>\r\n<p>Thomas, executive director of <a href=\"http://www.ccharrisburg.com/\">MidPenn Legal Services</a>, was the recipient of the Alumni Association Outstanding Service Award for her years of dedication and service in providing legal services to individuals in the community who cannot afford representation. She was nominated for the award by Paul Edger, a 2011 alum who is now the managing attorney at MidPenn Legal Services in Cumberland County. Edger received the award in 2015.</p>\r\n<p>\"What a wonderful honor to receive the Outstanding Service Award from my beloved law school, where i was trained, supported and guided by my professors, all of which helped me to realized my childhood dream of becoming at attorney,\" said Thomas.\"</p>\r\n<p>Liz Simcox, executive director of the <a href=\"https://www.dcba-pa.org/\">Dauphin County Bar Association</a> (DCBA), was presented with the Zealous Advocate award. The award is given to an individual who tirelessly advocates for students and alumni of the law school, working to connect them with influential leaders in the community. Simcox has held numerous positions with the law school including dean of students, and she is currently the director of externships here in part-time capacity. Simcox plans to retire from her position with the DCBA at the end of 2018.</p>\r\n<p>\"The event was a wonderful opportunity for Widener alumni, faculty, current students and friends of the law school to come together to share in celebrating the wonderful achievements of both Rhodia and Liz, and all they have done on behalf of the law school,\" said Edger said.</p>\r\n<p>A silent auction was held at the reception raising more than $1,800 for the law school&rsquo;s interscholastic competitions, such as <a href=\"ipl://224//W10=////\">Moot Court</a> and <a href=\"ipl://220//W10=////\">Trial Advocacy</a>. All of the auction items were donated by alumni, students, faculty, or friends of the law school.</p>\r\n<p>On Saturday, the day kicked off with the Breakfast with the Dean event, followed by three continuing legal education lectures. The sessions were given by Professors Randy Lee, Jim Diehm, and Emeritus Professor Michael Cozzillio. The Speedy Trial 5K was also held on Saturday and was organized by the law fraternity <a href=\"ipl://217//W10=////cGFk\">Phi Alpha Delta - Pepper Chapter</a>. The race raised more than $1,000 that will benefit MidPenn Legal Services and <a href=\"https://www.uwp.org/sites/uwp.org/files/VITA%20%28pdf%29_1.pdf\">VITA</a>.&nbsp; MidPenn Legal Services is a nonprofit, public interest law firm providing legal services to low-income residents and survivors of domestic violence with legal advice and representation. VITA provides free tax preparation services to needy individuals and families.</p>\r\n<p>The final event of the weekend was the annual Dean&rsquo;s Picnic, which was attended by about 150 guests. Alumni and friends participated in challenging games of giant Jenga and a cornhole tournament. Tickets were sold during the picnic for the chance to win prize baskets assembled by various student organizations. The ticket sales for the auction baskets raised an additional $359 for MidPenn Legal Services and VITA.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157701691716455\">Click here to see pictures from the Dean&rsquo;s Picnic.</a></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157673774563318\">Click here to see pictures from the Alumni Awards Reception.</a></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157673774563318\">Click here to see pictures from the Speedy Trial 5K Race.</a></p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1853, 'Former police officer, now law student, receives scholarship', '2018-10-15', '<p>The day Derek Hartman decided to change the course of his future is one he will never forget.</p>\r\n<p>Hartman was working as a police officer and was dispatched to a house fire. He arrived on the scene to find the house fully engulfed in flames. He was able to save one occupant, but sadly the other person in the house died.</p>\r\n<p>After reflecting on the incident, Hartman decided that life is too short to not pursue his dream of working as a lawyer.</p>\r\n<p>As a first-year law student, Hartman has been awarded the Page, Wolfberg &amp; Wirth Emergency Services Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to an incoming or returning Widener Law Commonwealth Student who prior to attending law school was employed in emergency services.</p>\r\n<p>Hartman received $1,250 in the fall semester and will receive an additional $1,250 in the spring, for a total of $2,500.</p>\r\n<p>Page, Wolfberg &amp; Wirth is widely regarded as the nation&rsquo;s leading EMS law firm. Douglas Wolfberg, a founding partner of the firm, is a Widener Law Commonwealth alumnus and a member of the Widener University Board of Trustees.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are proud to be able to offer scholarships to those who have selflessly dedicated their lives to serving the public,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;And very thankful to our scholarship donors for their generosity in supporting first responders.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Hartman began his criminal justice career as a security guard and in 2014 accepted a position as a deputy sheriff. It was in this position that he made connections with prosecutors and defense attorneys and began to think about becoming an attorney. But he lacked his bachelor&rsquo;s degree.</p>\r\n<p>In 2015 he enrolled in courses and began working toward his degree, but he felt the dream to become an attorney was unreachable until the fire in February 2016.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The night of the fire, something changed in me, encouraging me to chase a once far-fetched dream of mine,&rdquo; Hartman said. &ldquo;Life is short and you should do what you want with it.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/hartman_web.jpg', 'Photo of Derek Hartman', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1854, 'Sustainable Pennsylvania Election 2018', '2018-10-17', '<h4>This project&nbsp;is&nbsp;based on a simple but powerful premise: Sustainable development would make the United States more livable, healthy, secure, and prosperous. &nbsp;</h4>\r\n<p>Policies that promote sustainability would help grow our economy, create jobs, improve quality of life in our communities, make us healthier, reduce risks to our national security, and improve the lives of the poorest among us. They would achieve these things while protecting and restoring the environment for our generation and those that follow.</p>\r\n<p>Because our elected officials make and implement laws, the views of the major party candidates on a range of sustainability issues are essential information on Election Day. Working under its motto &ldquo;Law for Sustainability,&rdquo; Widener Law Commonwealth\'s&nbsp;<u><a href=\"ipl://401//W10=////\">Environmental Law and Sustainability Center</a></u>&nbsp;provides this information on the candidates&rsquo; sustainability positions in the spirit of public service, to help voters make informed decisions.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Voters will choose the next governor of Pennsylvania in addition to&nbsp;candidates for other federal, state and local offices. For more information on how to find your polling place in Pennsylvania, visit the&nbsp;<u><a href=\"https://www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us/pages/pollingplaceinfo.aspx\">PA Voter Services webpage</a></u>.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/current-students/academics/environmental-law-and-sustainability-center-2/sustainable-2018-senate/\"><strong><u>Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Race </u></strong></a><br />This page lists the views of Bob Casey and Lou Barletta on various sustainability issues.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/current-students/academics/environmental-law-and-sustainability-center-2/sustainable-2018-governor/\"><strong><u>Pennsylvania Governor&rsquo;s Race</u></strong></a><br />This page lists the views of Tom Wolf and Scott Wagner on various sustainability issues.</p>\r\n<hr />\r\n<p><br />The Center does not endorse any particular candidates, and no endorsement should be implied. &nbsp;In addition, the Center does not endorse or affirm the accuracy of any statements made by any candidate about matters of fact. &nbsp;Research and writing for the candidates&rsquo; positions was done by Leah Bobula, Ronea Fowler, Richard Marcil, Brittany Warwick, and Shangjun Zhang, students at Widener Law Commonwealth.&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/votegraphic.png', 'outline of United States with the word \'vote\' inside', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1855, 'Law school holds lecture to educate legal community about veterans treatment courts', '2018-10-25', '<p>Now an employee in the court where he was once a defendant, Timothy Wynn is grateful for every opportunity he has been given because of his successful completion of a veterans treatment court program.</p>\r\n<p>Wynn, a certified peer specialist in the <a href=\"https://www.courts.phila.gov/veteranscourt/mentorprogram.asp\">Philadelphia Veterans Treatment court</a>, is a former US Marine Corps sergeant who had multiple brushes with the law and suffered from drug addiction prior to his time in veterans treatment court. Wynn spoke as a graduate of the program during a half-day seminar held at the law school<em>. </em></p>\r\n<p>The event, <em>Veterans Courts in Pennsylvania: Ensuring Success for the Veteran</em>, included three panel discussions with experts. It educated the legal community about the needs of veterans and the services provided by veterans treatment courts.</p>\r\n<p>Veterans treatment court assists veterans charged with crimes, who are struggling with addiction, and mental illness. The program requires participants to make regular court appearances and attend drug treatment sessions.</p>\r\n<p>The keynote speaker at the event, <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Fitzgerald\">Melissa Fitzgerald</a>, is director of the <a href=\"https://advancejustice.org/\">Advancing Justice Initiative</a>, and a nationally-known advocate for veterans courts. Fitzgerald was also an actress on the <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_West_Wing\">West Wing</a> television series. In her remarks, she expressed the pressing need for funding and services to meet the needs of veterans in the court system.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are in the moment where we need to double down on programs that have been proven to work,&rdquo; said Fitzgerald. &ldquo;Veterans fight for our freedom every day and now it is time for us to fight for theirs.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Advancing Justice Initiative was launched by <a href=\"https://justiceforvets.org/about-us/\">Justice for Vets</a>, which has helped to establish more than 200 veterans treatment courts and trained more than 3,000 court staff. Justice for Vets is a division of the <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Association_of_Drug_Court_Professionals\">National Association of Drug Court Professionals</a>.</p>\r\n<p>Dean Christian Johnson, who was appointed to the <a href=\"https://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/new-veteran-task-force-created/539070230\">Veterans Task Force</a> by <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Stack\">Lt. Gov. Michael Stack</a>, added that he is proud of the support the law school is able to provide to veterans.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The men and women who serve our country are some of the bravest I have had the privilege of knowing,&rdquo; said Johnson. &ldquo;And, sometimes they need a little bit of help. Veterans courts are a needed resource in our community to help those who have fought for our freedom to regain their own.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157695986352330\">Click here to view the photos from the event.</a></p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/timothy-wynn.jpg', 'Timothy Wynn speaking to audience.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1856, 'Lecture tackles use of artificial intelligence in the legal field', '2018-11-05', '<p>Warren Agin, senior consultant and director of professional development at LexPredict, LLC, is certain that machines won&rsquo;t replace humans in all tasks.&nbsp; But, they will transform how lawyers provide professional services in the future.</p>\r\n<p>Agin, founder and chair of the American Bar Association Business Law Section Legal Analytics Committee, presented the Business Advising Program&rsquo;s annual Fall Lecture, <em>Artificial Intelligence and Modern Legal Practice: A Vision of the Law in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century</em> at Widener Law Commonwealth. In his lecture, he discussed what artificial intelligence is and gave a history of how machine learning has changed since the 1940s, when it began.</p>\r\n<p>He explained that machine learning, or artificial intelligence, is math techniques and algorithms put together and then programmed into a machine that is able to complete a task.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Machine learning has been around about 80 years, but when it was introduced to the public it didn&rsquo;t have a large impact on how lawyers practiced because of the prohibitive cost and time it took to build the machines. As technology developed, machines became smaller, cheaper, more efficient, and easily accessible, and they gradually changed the way the legal process was conducted, such as sorting large amounts of data and making legal research faster.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;But machines can&rsquo;t do everything,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They need to be designed and trained for each task and someone must build the system to do that. It&rsquo;s just up to our imagination how we can build them.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He added that lawyers&rsquo; jobs continue to change because of the advancements of artificial intelligence.</p>\r\n<p>The lecture was presented by Widener Law Commonwealth Business Advising Program and sponsored by <a href=\"https://www.members1st.org/member-branches/linglestown-giant/\">Members 1st Federal Credit Union</a> and <a href=\"https://www.eckertseamans.com/\">Eckert Seamans Attorneys at Law</a>.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/img_8630-2web.jpg', 'photo of Warren Agin', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1857, 'Alumnus to be honored with Excellence in Public Service Award', '2018-11-05', '<p>David Sunday &rsquo;07 carries principles he learned while serving in the U.S. Navy with him each day when he reports to work as district attorney of York County.</p>\r\n<p>Those principles -- honor, commitment, and courage -- guided him on his path to becoming a lawyer. They now serve him as he leads the York County District Attorney&rsquo;s Office.</p>\r\n<p>Sunday&rsquo;s history of serving and giving back to the community have earned him the honor of being chosen to receive the 2018 Excellence in Public Service Award. The award is presented each fall to a graduate or friend of the law school for dedication and contributions to the legal community.</p>\r\n<p>Sunday will be honored at the Evening at the Capitol event on Nov. 13, in the State Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are proud to be honoring David for his efforts and accomplishments as district attorney of York County,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;He has worked hard to get to this place in his career and he continually shows compassion and dedication to the community he serves. He is an example of excellence and what it means to combine a career in law with public service.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The York County District Attorney&rsquo;s Office prosecutes more than 10,000 criminal cases a year. Sunday has been a prosecutor with the office since 2009 and has supervised major crime cases and the Felony Narcotics Unit. He has also served as the legal advisor to the district attorney&rsquo;s Drug Task Force and York County Quick Response Team. Sunday is a Navy veteran, serving in the Persian Gulf where he participated in Operation Desert Strike.</p>\r\n<p>York County voters elected him to the role of top prosecutor in November 2017, and he was sworn in as district attorney in January.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Every day I go in to work and I am grateful,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I love what I do, and I love knowing that what I do, and what my team does, makes a difference in the lives of people every day.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The Evening at the Capitol will be held Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 5-7 p.m. The event will be held in the Main Rotunda of the Pennsylvania State Capitol. If you would like to attend, please <a href=\"ipl://12//WyIzMzQ5Il0=////\">click here</a> to RSVP or call 717-541-3974.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1858, 'York County District Attorney Honored with Excellence in Public Service Award', '2018-11-21', '<p><a href=\"https://www.yorkda.com/\">David W. Sunday, Jr., York County district attorney</a>, has always felt the call to serve.</p>\r\n<p>The 2007 alumnus was recently recognized during the Evening at the Capitol event and honored with the 2018 Excellence in Public Service Award from the law school. The award is presented each fall to a graduate of the law school for dedication and contributions to government law.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I love knowing that what I do makes a difference in the lives of people every day,&rdquo; said Sunday.</p>\r\n<p>York County voters elected Sunday to serve as the district attorney of York County last November, and he was sworn into the role in January. His election to the role of top prosecutor caps a 10-year career at the office. He has supervised major crime cases and the Felony Narcotics Unit. He also served as the legal advisor to the district attorney&rsquo;s <a href=\"http://pasenategop.com/urbanaffairs/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2013/06/SUNDAY.pdf\">Drug Task Force</a> and York County Quick Response Team.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are so proud of the dedication David has shown and the public service he has provided,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;He continually shows compassion and excellence in his position as the York County district attorney, and we couldn&rsquo;t be more honored to call him an alumnus of Widener Law Commonwealth.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Sunday was presented with the award by <a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxNSJd////\">Widener Law Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government Jill Family</a>. Family is also the director of the Law and Government Institute.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Awarding the Excellence in Public Service Award is one of my favorite tasks at Widener Law Commonwealth,\" said Family.&nbsp; \"While we specifically recognize one individual each year, the award also serves as a reminder of all of our alumni&rsquo;s contributions.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The event was co-hosted by <a href=\"https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/senate/senate_nonMbr.cfm?officer=13&amp;office=Secretary-Parliamentarian\">Megan Martin &rsquo;94, secretary and parliamentarian for the Pennsylvania Senate</a>, <a href=\"https://www.senatoralloway.com/\">Sen. Richard L. Alloway II &rsquo;02, state senator for the 33<sup>rd</sup> district</a>, and <a href=\"https://www.paauditor.gov/about-the-auditor-general\">Eugene A. DePasquale &rsquo;02, auditor general of Pennsylvania</a>.</p>\r\n<p>Prior to the Evening at the Capitol event, the annual bar pass swearing in ceremony was held at the <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/\">Supreme Court of Pennsylvania</a>. The <a href=\"http://www.pamb.uscourts.gov/content/judge-henry-w-van-eck\">Hon. Henry Van Eck &rsquo;98 of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania</a>, performed the ceremonial induction for graduates who passed the most recent bar exam.</p>\r\n<p>About a dozen alumni participated in the ceremony.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157675644044668\">Click here to view photos from Evening at the Capitol</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157703587974845\">Click here to view photos from the bar passers ceremony.</a></p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/eveningatcap.jpg', 'photo of Professor Jill Family and Dave Sunday', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1859, 'Law students participate in panel discussion at PA Orthopaedic Society Conference', '2018-11-21', '<p>Four law students participated in a panel with resident physicians of <a href=\"https://hmc.pennstatehealth.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Penn State Hershey Medical Center</a> in a panel discussion at the annual <a href=\"https://www.paorthosociety.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society</a> Conference and the result was a robust conversation about the intersection of law and health care.</p>\r\n<p>The panel focused on a discussion about Mitchell v. Shikora, which was heard before the <a href=\"http://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Supreme Court of Pennsylvania</a>. The case raised questions about whether evidence of medical procedure&nbsp;risks and complications can be used in a medical negligence trial.</p>\r\n<p>Third-year law students Lindsay Eichinger, Sarah Rothermel, and Erin Alleman, along with second-year student Michael Joyce, presented the legal arguments made in the case, and its outcome. The medical residents looked at the case from the perspective of physicians, and with an eye for patient care.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The collaboration between law students and med students allows us not only to collaborate between professions, but also allows us to learn from each other by agreeing and disagreeing on a medical/legal issue from our different perspectives,&rdquo; Eichinger said.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>She added that the reward and challenge of the experience involved trying to get the medical residents to see a malpractice or negligence case through the eyes of a lawyer, and for law students to appreciate how case law and policies can make it difficult for medical professionals to effectively do their jobs.</p>\r\n<p>The law students were assisted in preparation by alumnus Scott Cooper &lsquo;93, a leading personal injury attorney, and by law Professors Christopher Robinette and Jill Family.&nbsp; Alumnus Jonathan Bigley &rsquo;94, of Harrisburg-based lobby firm <a href=\"https://www.bigleyandblikle.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bigley and Blikle</a>&nbsp;assisted with organizing the panel.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/ortho-conferenceresized.jpg', 'photo of students at the event', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1860, 'Annual veterans ceremony includes scholarship announcements for two law students', '2018-11-30', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth awarded scholarships to two veteran law students and welcomed multiple speakers, including the Pennsylvania lieutenant governor, at its annual ceremony honoring the dedication and sacrifice of those who have served in the armed forces.</p>\r\n<p>Stephanie Patton, a second-year law student, was presented the Captain Shane Mahaffee Scholarship for Excellence during the 2018 Veterans Day ceremony. The scholarship is awarded to a worthy incoming or returning active duty student or student veteran.</p>\r\n<p>Salvatore Sciacca, also a second-year law student, received the second scholarship at the ceremony. He was named the recipient of the General Carl E. Mundy Jr, USM (Ret.) and Linda Sloan Mundy Marine Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is presented to an incoming or returning student who demonstrates an outstanding academic record and financial need.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We are thankful for the service, skill, and dedication that our veterans have provided,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;Being able to give support to veterans as they pursue a law degree is an honor that the law school is proud to be able to offer.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Lt. Gov. Mike Stack remarked about the positive impact that the law school&rsquo;s Veterans Initiative has had on the community and on local veterans. The initiative strives to provide law students who are veterans with academic, career, and financial support tailored to their individual needs and experiences.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;We need to continue to encourage veterans to get involved in public service and help people combine a career in law with a career in public service,&rdquo; he said.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Howard Taylor of the U.S. Army War College was the keynote speaker and presented &ldquo;Working with the Law in the Battle for Cyberspace.&rdquo; In his lecture he examined the role of strategic leaders in cyberspace and the issues that affect joint and multinational operations. He also explained cyberspace threats and how technological, social, and cultural factors influence the internet.</p>\r\n<p>The event included the posting and retiring of the colors by Col. Robert J. DeSousa and the Cedar Cliff High School National Junior ROTC Color Guard.&nbsp; DeSousa is the state director for U.S. Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and serves in the State Judge Advocate General Corps of the Pennsylvania National Guard. He also led the Pledge of Allegiance during the ceremony. DeSousa served in Operation Iraqi Freedom where he earned, the Bronze Medal Star.</p>\r\n<p>Music, including the Armed Services Medley, was provided by the Susquehanna High School Saxophone Quartet, directed by Eric Hartranft.</p>\r\n<p>A special art presentation on loan from the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center will be on display in the Gallery through the month of November. The exhibit features drawings that were done by Korean War veteran John A. Cook, who served as sergeant in Company G, 5<sup>th</sup> Cavalry, 1<sup>st</sup> Cavalry Division.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157701879851851\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view the pictures from the event.</a></p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1861, 'Law student interns at White House', '2018-12-03', '<p>Brittany Misitano never expected that her law school studies would lead her to the White House. But in the fall of 2017, she was accepted as a legal intern for the Office of Cabinet Affairs.</p>\r\n<p>Misitano, who will graduate in December, was one of four interns working in the office located in the Eisenhower Building in Washington D.C., directly across from the White House.</p>\r\n<p>The Office of Cabinet Affairs serves as the primary contact between the President of the United States and his Cabinet. The office coordinates communications, policy, and logistics between the White House and the Cabinet, as well as managing issues that affect multiple Federal agencies.</p>\r\n<p>During the 12-week internship, Misitano&rsquo;s duties included drafting policy and legal memos and facilitating meetings with members of the cabinet and senior officials.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The networking and connections were incredible, as were the exposure to so many different situations,&rdquo; said Misitano. &ldquo;The experience has made me feel like I can get through anything.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Misitano applied to the internship through the encouragement of the Hon. Anne E. Covey of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, for whom she was a law clerk in 2017. Misitano knew that if she was accepted, the internship would mean delaying her graduation for one semester, but she decided the experience the internship offered would be immeasurable.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The internship definitely taught me to be prepared and be on my toes because anything can happen,&rdquo; Misitano said.</p>\r\n<p>After graduation, Misitano hopes to focus on business law. She plans to take the Pennsylvania Bar Exam in February 2019.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The experience that Brittany gained from her internship highlights the opportunities that are open to law students through a legal education at Widener Law Commonwealth,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;Brittany&rsquo;s first internship experience will serve to put her on the inside track in the job market and ultimately to a successful career.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/bmisitanoweb.jpg', 'photo of Brittany', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1862, 'Alumna awarded fellowship in immigration law', '2018-12-11', '<p>Marissa Mowery &rsquo;15 knew that she wanted to practice immigration law even before starting law school.</p>\r\n<p>Her dedication to help those without a voice has paid off.</p>\r\n<p>In June, Mowery was awarded a two-year fellowship with Equal Justice Works hosted by the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice in Los Angeles, Calif. The fellowship allows her to help immigrant survivors of human trafficking</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It can be a challenging area because it&rsquo;s difficult to find the survivors,&rdquo; said Mowery. &ldquo;They often don&rsquo;t identify as survivors, so when I am able to help someone it is very rewarding.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In her role as a fellow, she will provide free, culturally responsive, and language accessible legal services to immigrant survivors of human trafficking. The specific population of survivors Mowery is working with are more vulnerable because of language barriers, cultural misinterpretations, and their legal status in the United States.</p>\r\n<p>Mowery&rsquo;s interest in immigration law began when she was volunteering at a refugee resettlement center as a language teacher in Erie, Pa. She noticed that the center did not have an immigration attorney on staff, which always left it seeking outside counsel for the clients. The desperate need for legal representation in the area of immigration law is what pushed her to apply to law school.</p>\r\n<p>She added that her education at Widener prepared her for the fellowship by providing a curriculum that placed emphasis on practical experiences, taught by faculty who were supportive of her learning style.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I would encourage students looking to practice immigration law to gain as much practical experience as they can before they graduate,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;A lot of places that are hiring are not equipped to train someone, so any types of internships or externships they can do in law school are beneficial.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>After the fellowship concludes, Mowery would like to continue working to further the rights of survivors of crime.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Marissa is making a difference in the lives of those who may not have had legal representation without her help,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;The law school is proud to be able to provide the education, skills, resources, and experiences that alumni put to use when helping others.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/marissaweb.jpg', 'Photo of Marissa', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
INSERT INTO `news` (`id`, `headline`, `date`, `body`, `image`, `image_alt`, `blue-box-text`, `link`, `is_featured`, `alumni`, `faculty`, `box_content`) VALUES
(1863, 'Law school partners with PBA on “Starting Your Own Firm” class', '2019-01-03', '<p>Beginning this year, Widener Law Commonwealth will partner with the Solo and Small Firm Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association on a &ldquo;Starting Your Own Firm&rdquo; class.</p>\r\n<p>PBA lawyers will give additional lectures in the class, share their unique experiences, and provide first-hand expertise about running a solo or small practice. The class covers topics that include what to look for in office space, deciding on a specialized area of law, how to use practice management software, and managing cash flow in a solo practice.</p>\r\n<p>While the class focuses on how to run a solo or small firm practice, Dean Christian Johnson feels the lectures are beneficial to all students regardless of the size of the firm where they will work.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The class provides an overview of how to run a solo legal practice, but there are many topics that are relatable to those who work in large firms, such as knowing how to market to an audience, business development, and bookkeeping,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;This class addresses all of the aspects of not only running a solo practice, but it gives the next generation of legal professionals knowledge of what goes into being in the business of law.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Sara Austin, chair of the PBA Solo and Small Firm Section and an adjunct professor at the law school, worked with Dean Johnson to develop the additional sessions for the course.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great benefit to be able to learn from those who are doing what it takes, from soup to nuts,&rdquo; Austin said. &ldquo;Learn from our mistakes and our successes. Learn alternatives. Learn how to make it work, how to do what you enjoy while making a living at it. Learn about the benefits of PBA and Section membership and how both are crucial to a solo or small firm practice.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Robert Moran &rsquo;17 took the course while he was a student at Widener Law Commonwealth. Moran practices law with his father and brother in a family firm.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;From cost-effective marketing and advertising to&nbsp;finances&nbsp;and bookkeeping, the class offered real-world practical advice to students,&rdquo; Moran said. &ldquo;Legal professionals from a wide breadth of&nbsp;disciplines spoke to and interacted with our class, offering unique&nbsp;first-person accounting of the operations, successes, and pitfalls of running/owning small or solo practices.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Giving our students this kind of access to lawyers with the Pennsylvania Bar Association, where they hear these very practical words of wisdom, is a tremendous benefit,&rdquo; Johnson added. &ldquo;Widener Law Commonwealth is able to harness our strong relationship with the legal community in a way that it helps prepare our students for career success.&rdquo;</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1864, 'From the classroom to the courtroom', '2019-01-10', '<p>Jake Gilboy isn&rsquo;t a traditional law student.</p>\r\n<p>He&rsquo;s 39. A husband and father to three daughters. And a high school social studies teacher for the past 16 years.</p>\r\n<p>But he was ready to try something different. He wanted a challenge - so he enrolled in law school.</p>\r\n<p>As a full time teacher, husband, and father, his time is a delicate balance between studying, making time for his family, and working his job as an educator.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;My tenure in education has provided a wonderful career, but I have always been interested in the law,&rdquo; Gilboy said. &ldquo;I have great appreciation and respect for the legal profession.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Gilboy, who lives in Clarks Summit, is a third-year extended division law student and will graduate in 2020. After graduation, he plans to practice civil law and litigation. With a two-hour commute to the law school each way, Gilboy has to compartmentalize his time and tasks. As a non-traditional student, he learned that time management is an important skill.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I was somewhat surprised by the various challenges of law school,&rdquo; said Gilboy. &ldquo;As a professional for more than 15 years, I&rsquo;ve been a department head at the high school, worked closely with administration, written curriculum, and achieved professional accolades. But the depth and volume of study, along with the competitive nature in law school, was not something I was fully prepared for.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>He added that establishing strong study habits and skills, connecting with mentors, and creating a network of colleagues at the law school have all contributed to his success.</p>\r\n<p>Widener Law Commonwealth offers both full and part-time evening and day programs so students can have the opportunity to attend law school, even if they hold a full-time job and have a family.</p>\r\n<p>Eden Mandrell, director of the Career Development Office, added that while the path for a non-traditional student may differ from a day student&rsquo;s path, all students share a common passion for the law.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Our campus serves a very diverse student population, and we have career and internship opportunities that fit each unique situation to help ensure the personal and professional success of the student,&rdquo; she said.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/gilboy-headshot.jpg', 'Jacob Gilboy Headshot', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1865, 'Law school names assistant dean of students', '2019-01-10', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced that Randi Teplitz has been named the assistant dean of students.</p>\r\n<p>In the role, she will lead the Office of Student Affairs and develop and oversee the application of policies for students that relate to ongoing assessment. Teplitz will work closely with students and student groups to enrich the law school experience, including advising and counseling students on a variety of academic issues.</p>\r\n<p>Teplitz will be responsible for reporting to regulatory organizations and ensuring that the law school is compliant with educational requirements at the federal, state, and local levels.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;The Office of Student Affairs plays an important role in guiding students along the path to success during their time in law school,&rdquo; Teplitz said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking forward to using my experience to work with students and provide them with support and opportunities at Widener Law Commonwealth.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Prior to joining the law school, Teplitz taught in the legal studies division at Central Penn College. She also served as an academic advisor and internship coordinator at the college. Since 2003, Teplitz has been an adjunct faculty member at the law school teaching legal methods, which she will continue to teach in addition to her role as assistant dean of students.</p>\r\n<p>Teplitz was appointed as the chair of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women by Gov. Tom Wolf in 2015. In this role, she serves as a volunteer leader for a 34-member statewide commission that provides advocacy on public policy issues affecting women and girls. She has played an instrumental role in programs that include eliminating sexual violence on college campuses, honoring female veterans and glass ceiling breakers, and empowering young women through leadership and STEM initiatives.</p>\r\n<p>Teplitz received her juris doctorate degree from Widener University Delaware Law School and her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Temple University.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/teplitz-headshot1.jpg', 'Randi Teplitz headshot', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1867, 'Faculty Spotlight: Professor Jill Family elected as chair of AALS Section on Immigration Law', '2019-01-16', '<p>In 2019, Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government Jill Family will serve in leadership positions for two professional legal organizations.</p>\r\n<p>Family, who is the director of the Widener Law Commonwealth Law and Government Institute, will serve as the chair of the Immigration Law Section of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), a national organization that provides professional development opportunities for more than 9,000 law faculty. She will also serve as the chair of the Government Lawyers Committee of the Dauphin County Bar Association (DCBA).</p>\r\n<p>She will hold the positions for one year.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Family has studied extensively the U.S. immigration court system, and the relationships between the branches of government in setting, implementing and interpreting immigration law. She testified before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee about the administrative law implications of President Obama&rsquo;s immigration proposals. Professor Family has presented her work at many conferences both in the United States and abroad, most recently at a December 2018 conference on comparative perspectives on immigration controls and criminal law at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain. At Widener Law Commonwealth, Family teaches courses on civil procedure, administrative law, and immigration law.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Family&rsquo;s peers in immigration law selected her for the leadership position at the AALS.&nbsp; As the chair of the Immigration Law Section, she will lead the section as it continues to serve as a resource for immigration law professors across the country.&nbsp; As a part of her duties, she will develop content for the AALS annual meeting in 2020.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m honored to be selected to fill this national position.&nbsp; The community of immigration law professors is a dynamic group made up of individuals who go out of their way to support each other,&rdquo; Family said.&nbsp; &ldquo;That positive energy spills over to the section and leads to invaluable opportunities to learn and interact.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>As the chair of the DCBA Government Lawyers Committee, Family will bring together lawyers whose work involves a variety of government regulation. She will lend her extensive legal knowledge to allow the committee to continue to serve as a professional resource for government lawyers. &nbsp;Dauphin County is the site of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s state capital.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>\"The DCBA Government Lawyers Committee has been a great partner for the Law and Government Institute and has worked in many ways to help our students,&rdquo; Family said. &ldquo;I am very pleased to have the opportunity to lead the committee and expand the institute\'s cooperation with the committee.\"</p>\r\n<p>Family continues a tradition of Widener Law Commonwealth leadership in the AALS. Emeritus Professor John Capowski served as chair of the AALS Section on Evidence for 2015-2016, and Professor Christopher Robinette served as chair of the AALS Section on Torts and Compensation Systems for 2017-2018.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{wwwroot}files/modules/familyj_6999-2.jpg', '', '', 'ipl://35//WyIxNSJd////', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1868, 'Law student works with national organization to reform drug laws', '2019-02-05', '<p>Jamie Cook watched as the opioid epidemic hit her small town in Tioga County. She watched as safe parks became places where people dealt drugs. She watched classmates go down the dark spiral of addiction.</p>\r\n<p>It&rsquo;s what lit a fire in her to go to law school.</p>\r\n<p>In August, she was selected for an externship with the <a href=\"http://www.namsdl.org/\">National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws</a>. The externship has given her the opportunity to pair the legal writing and research skills she has learned in the classroom with her passion to reform drug laws and make communities safer.</p>\r\n<p>NAMSDL was founded in 1993 and is responsible for creating a model code of laws to help states effectively address alcohol and drug abuse. The organization, located in downtown Harrisburg, works with state leaders across the country to develop and implement drug and alcohol policies and regulations.</p>\r\n<p>Her main focus at the externship is researching and cataloging drug prescribing laws in each state. She is also researching laws related to drug deliveries that result in death. She will work with the organization through the spring semester.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Students receive practical, hands-on experiences through externships,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;The work Jamie is doing allows her to develop connections with mentors, refine her legal skills, and apply the information she learns in the classroom.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>In December, Cook, who is a second-year law student, was asked to present her research at a convention held in Utah. The convention brought together the state&rsquo;s lawmakers to analyze laws surrounding drug deliveries that result in death. Roundtable discussions and presentations examined how the state could improve the prosecution process.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Jamie has skillfully undertaken and summarized national 50-state research that will positively impact drug and alcohol policy across the nation,\" Gary Tennis, president of NAMSDL, said.&nbsp; \"She&rsquo;s quickly become a valuable member of the NAMSDL team.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I enjoyed being part of the conversations at the convention,&rdquo; Cook said. &ldquo;The organization (NAMSDL) really wants their interns and externs to succeed, so they want to hear opinions and input. It has been a very positive experience.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/jamie-cook-2.jpg', 'Photo of Jamie Cook.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1869, 'Law students draft sustainability ordinances for local municipality', '2019-02-13', '<p>For the fifth year, law students stood in front of local lawmakers at a municipal meeting and presented ordinances that would help the community promote sustainability.</p>\r\n<p>Over the years, students have presented ordinances about urban bee and chicken keeping, food trucks, and safe street design.</p>\r\n<p>Commonwealth Professor of Environmental Law and Sustainability John Dernbach works with local municipalities and organizations over the summer to create the list of potential ordinance topics, which are then assembled into a list for students to choose. This past fall, the project was done in conjunction with Susquehanna Township, the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and the Tri-County Planning Commission. &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>In the class Professor Dernbach teaches each fall, law students work in pairs to write an ordinance that addresses a pre-chosen topic in the area of sustainability law. Each project also includes a narrative that explains and justifies the ordinance.&nbsp; Each project paper is about 40 pages in length.</p>\r\n<p>Paige Parker, a third-year law student, was surprised by the number of sustainability issues that were right in her own backyard.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Many people aren&rsquo;t fully aware of their environmental rights. I gained such a broad knowledge on certain environmental bills and proposals,&rdquo; said Parker. &ldquo;I will be able to take away from this class the importance of being informed on environmental topics because they have such a great impact on our everyday lives.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>The practicum course serves to give law students the hands-on experience of drafting an ordinance. Students must also apply all of the aspects of legal research, writing, and learning while working with local government to successfully complete the project. This past fall, seven proposals were presented to Susquehanna Township Board of Supervisors for consideration.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Sustainability is so important on the local level,&rdquo; said Dernbach. &ldquo;It is about making economic development and environmental protection and job creation work together for higher quality of life.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/sustainbaility-web.jpg', 'Student group photo.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1870, 'Faculty Spotlight: Professor Amanda Sholtis to present live critique method at High Impact Practices Fair', '2019-02-28', '<p>Professor Amanda Sholtis knows the best way to keep students engaged is to use innovative teaching techniques.</p>\r\n<p>This year, Sholtis was selected to present her method of live critique at the High Impact Practices Fair held at Widener University. The event showcases student projects, service-learning activities, research, study abroad opportunities, and pre-professional experiences from all fields of study. Engaging students in high impact practices is a priority for Widener University and the law schools. The unique learning opportunity allows students to have an immersive experience in their field of study, while gaining hands-on experience. <a href=\"http://calendar.widener.edu/calendar/event/showEventMore.rdo\">The High Impact Practices Fair is scheduled for March 28 on the Widener University main campus.</a></p>\r\n<p>The live critique method that will be presented by Sholtis is teacher feedback delivered to a student on the student&rsquo;s work while the teacher reads it for the first time. This live feedback is given in the presence of the student. The professor does not evaluate the work in advance of the meeting. During the critique, the professor reads the student&rsquo;s work out loud, pausing to make comments. Students are encouraged to ask the professor questions to clarify the feedback.</p>\r\n<p>After the paper has been read, the student and professor discuss ways the writing can be improved before the resubmission of the assignment.</p>\r\n<p>In her presentation, Sholtis will explain that using live critique with her law students in their first-year legal writing classes is much more effective than writing comments on an assignment. Her presentation is based on her article that will be published in Stetson Law Review in the fall of 2019 titled, <em>Say What?: A How-to Guide on Providing Formative Assessment to Law Students Through Live Critique</em>.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Live critique allows professors to give individual feedback and meet the student where they are in the writing process, which helps them to improve their writing skills,&rdquo; Sholtis said.</p>\r\n<p>Sarah Rothermel, a third-year law student, has experienced the live critique method in Sholtis&rsquo;s legal writing courses.&nbsp; She feels that it has allowed her to have breakthroughs in her writing and has built her confidence.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Live critique helped me strengthen my writing skills and helped me to establish and understand the expectations of legal writing,&rdquo; Rothermel said. &ldquo;Rather than reviewing comments that a professor had written on my paper days before, I got an honest, first impression of my writing.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Sholtis is also the director of the Academic Success Program, where she assists students in building their academic skills to ensure success in the classroom. Her legal scholarship focuses on how to best prepare students for the practice of law. She has been awarded several grants by the Legal Writing Institute to study effective teaching practices in law school.&nbsp; She has presented her innovative teaching techniques at conferences across the country.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/smitha_6876-2.jpg', 'Photo of Amanda Sholtis', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1871, 'Widener Law Commonwealth hosts transaction competition', '2019-03-07', '<p>Law students from Widener Law Commonwealth and Penn State Dickinson Law School got a chance to show off their transactional law skills on February 22 in the Mid Penn Invitational Transactional Law Competition.</p>\r\n<p>The competition, hosted by the Business Advising Program at Widener Law Commonwealth, was the last stage in a two-month simulation designed to give law students a hands-on experience developing and honing transactional legal skills.</p>\r\n<p>Each law school was represented by two teams that drafted and prepared documents negotiating the purchase of a fictional bottle company. The students drafted portions of an asset purchase agreement based on facts given to them by their fictional client. On February 22, the teams met to negotiate their final deal. Lawyers in Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre donated their time to give feedback on the documents and judge the final negotiations.</p>\r\n<p>The competition was generously sponsored by <a href=\"https://midpennbank.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mid Penn Bank</a>. Rory Ritrievi &rsquo;98, the president and CEO of Mid Penn Bank, is a member of the advisory board for Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s Business Advising Program.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The competition gave me the opportunity to learn how a merger and acquisitions attorney drafts an asset purchase agreement and how to negotiate one on the terms in the agreement,&rdquo; said Jerry Kincel, a third-year student on the team.</p>\r\n<p>All of the Widener Law Commonwealth students participating in the competition are enrolled in the Business Advising Program. The program allows students to work toward earning a certificate that equips them to advise small and midsize businesses, as well as entrepreneurs starting businesses.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;The most valuable thing I learned during the drafting and judging process was how important every word choice in a legal document is,&rdquo; said Nicholas Platt, a fourth-year evening division student. &ldquo;Ambiguities, whether intentional or unintentional,&nbsp;make huge differences and have lasting impacts.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Members of one Widener Law Commonwealth transaction team included Kara Kuntz and Nicholas Platt, both fourth-year evening students, and Sarah Rothermel, a third-year day student. The other team was comprised of Thomas Lopez and Natalie Potter, both second-year day students, and Seth Perago, a third-year evening student and Jerry Kincel, a third-year day student.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Transactional skills are a key element of our Business Advising Program,&rdquo; said Professor Juliet Moringiello, associate dean for research and faculty development and director of the Business Advising Program. &ldquo;The competition showed students how the legal doctrine that they have been learning throughout law school is essential to good drafting.\"</p>\r\n<p>Widener Law Commonwealth students were coached by Julia Coelho &rsquo;08. Coelho is a practicing attorney at McNees Wallace and Nurick with a focus in healthcare and corporate law.</p>\r\n<p>Students from both law schools received one academic credit for participating in the competition.</p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157703580518042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view more photos.</a></p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/wuw-transaction-law-comp-1.jpg', 'Students on Transactional Law Team', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1872, 'Widener Law Commonwealth earns A grade for Environmental Law Program', '2019-03-12', '<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>\r\n<p><a href=\"http://commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/\">Widener University Commonwealth Law School</a> has received an A grade from <a href=\"https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/frame.php?i=562351&amp;p=&amp;pn=&amp;ver=html5\"><em>preLaw</em></a> magazine for its environmental law program. The law school was one of 22 from across the country to earn an A grade.</p>\r\n<p><em>preLaw</em> magazine is a leading source of information about issues in legal education and is a publication of National Jurist. The magazine considers a school&rsquo;s breadth of curricular offerings, including concentrations, clinics, centers, externships, and more. Widener Law Commonwealth improved from a grade of A- last year.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s campus is home to the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, which is known nationally and internationally for its work in environmental law, sustainability, and climate change. The center creates opportunities to engage students in the complex and critical problems that face our society today in the areas of sustainability and the environment.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an honor to be named to the list again,&rdquo; said John Dernbach, Commonwealth professor of environmental law and director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center. &ldquo;Our students are making a real impact in the areas of environmental law and sustainability. I&rsquo;m proud of the work we do at the law school and the progress we have made in this area of the law.&rdquo;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/forrest.jpg', 'Trees on a hill.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1873, 'Sharon R. López to speak at Widener Law Commonwealth Commencement', '2019-03-14', '<p>Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced today that Sharon R. L&oacute;pez &rsquo;93 and immediate president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), will serve as the speaker for the school&rsquo;s 28<sup>th</sup> commencement.</p>\r\n<p>L&oacute;pez will address graduates at the 11 a.m. ceremony that is slated for Sunday, May 19 at The Forum in the Harrisburg State Capitol Complex. She will be presented with the degree Doctor of Laws, <em>honoris causa.</em></p>\r\n<p>She is the managing partner at Triquetra Law, a boutique law firm that represents plaintiffs in employment civil rights matters and employee rights cases and proceedings. L&oacute;pez recently served as special counsel for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, where she prosecuted discrimination complaints before the commission at public hearings. L&oacute;pez presently serves as a Hearing Committee member for the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court where she serves as a factfinder and adjudicator involving lawyer disciplinary complaints.</p>\r\n<p>L&oacute;pez is dedicated to serving the professional legal community and is active in the PBA. In 2014, she was nominated to serve as vice president of the PBA and in 2015 she was elected vice president of the association. In May of 2017, was elected president of the PBA. She was the first Latina, the first mother lawyer, the first legal services attorney, the fourth women, and first Widener Commonwealth alumna to serve as president of the largest Pennsylvania voluntary bar association.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>L&oacute;pez focused her year as PBA president on attorneys that the legal profession wanted to engage in and support the PBA and the profession: millennials, minorities and mothers. This past year, she served as the Minority Bar Committee co-chair, where she introduced video-conferencing to the monthly meetings, added a special speaker for each meeting, which included Sharon Dietrich of Community Legal Services regarding the new Clean Slate Act, Rep. Joanna McClinton, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, and Kristen Gibbons Feden, who prosecuted Bill Cosby and worked to develop and expand the reach of the committee members impact on the legal community.</p>\r\n<p>L&oacute;pez is an active member of the Civil and Equal Rights Committee, Women in the Profession, Gay and Lesbian Rights Committee and the Civil Litigation Section of the association. She was recently nominated to serve on the board for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers. Previously, she served on the legal advisory board of the Mazzoni Center, an agency that serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in southeast Pennsylvania. L&oacute;pez and her law partner frequently accept pro bono referrals from the Mazzoni Center, as well as from local legal service offices in Lancaster.</p>\r\n<p>In 2008, L&oacute;pez was awarded the Alumni Outstanding Services Award from Widener Law Commonwealth for her work in promoting diversity and mentoring law students and new lawyers. She also received the designation of Super Lawyer for employee plaintiff&rsquo;s litigation in 2013 and every subsequent year.</p>\r\n<p>L&oacute;pez lives in Philadelphia with her domestic partner, Alan Gross. In her free time, she enjoys city life, running, cooking, salsa dancing, and spending time with her family and friends.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Sharon is a dedicated advocate and mentor to our Widener Law Commonwealth students,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson. &ldquo;We are honored as a law school to welcome back an accomplished alumna to speak about her success and provide words of wisdom and guidance at such an important event for our graduates.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/sharon-lopez.jpg', 'Sharon R. Lopez head shot.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1874, 'Law Student Selected for Prestigious ABA Business Law Diversity Clerkship', '2019-03-22', '<p>For the second time in four years, a <a href=\"ipl://403//W10=////\">Widener Law Commonwealth</a> student has been chosen as a recipient of the <a href=\"https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/initiatives_awards/diversity/\">American Bar Association&rsquo;s (ABA) Business Law Diversity Clerkship</a> to clerk on the prestigious <a href=\"https://courts.delaware.gov/chancery/\">Delaware Court of Chancery</a>.</p>\r\n<p>Waleisha Moat, a second-year law student from Schuylkill County, will begin her eight-week clerkship for <a href=\"https://courts.delaware.gov/chancery/judges.aspx\">Vice Chancellor Joseph R. Slights</a> in July. Moat was one of four students selected for the clerkship out of 50 applicants. She was the only law student from Pennsylvania to be selected and the only one that will clerk with the Delaware Court of Chancery.</p>\r\n<p>The Delaware Court of Chancery is the nation&rsquo;s preeminent business court. It is a non-jury trial court that serves as Delaware\'s court of original and exclusive equity jurisdiction. The court adjudicates a wide variety of cases involving trusts, real property, guardianships, civil rights, and commercial litigation.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Participants in the ABA Diversity Clerkship Program receive mentoring and guidance in the business law field and exposure to all types of business law they may not see in the classroom. The program also provides students with networking and professional development opportunities. Participants are invited to attend the <a href=\"https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/events_cle/annual_2019/\">ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting</a> which will be held in Washington D.C.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;The clerkship will give me a better understanding of all aspects of business law,&rdquo; Moat said. &ldquo;It will also help me strengthen my writing to be able to communicate more effectively and give me a better understanding of the legal process and how decisions are made in a case.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>Moat is working toward earning the Business Advising Certificate, through the <a href=\"ipl://403//W10=////\">Business Advising Program</a> at Widener Law Commonwealth. The program provides students with a real-world approach to learning business law, with courses focusing on business organization and structure, taxation, financing transactions, employment relationships and intellectual property.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;I\'m so proud of Waleisha,&rdquo; said&nbsp; Juliet Moringiello, associate dean of research and faculty development and professor of business law. \"The fact that we have had two students chosen for this honor in the past four years shows our students\' commitment to engagement with the profession, and I know that Waleisha will represent Widener Law Commonwealth very well.\"</p>\r\n<p>Moat added that while she is nervous about the clerkship, since it will take her away from her family, she is looking forward to learning more about business law and applying the legal skills she has developed in the classroom.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moat-headshot-1-small.jpg', 'Waleisha Moat head shot.', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1875, 'Faculty Spotlight: John Dernbach co-edits book on deep decarbonization', '2019-03-25', '<p>In 2015, the leaders at the Paris climate talks issued a challenge to 200 countries to drastically reduce their production of greenhouse gases by 2050.</p>\r\n<p>Since then, Prof. John Dernbach, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, has been assembling a &ldquo;playbook&rdquo; for enabling the United States to address decarbonization.</p>\r\n<p>The new book<a href=\"https://www.eli.org/eli-press-books/legal-pathways-deep-decarbonization-united-states\">, <em>Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States</em></a>, provides more than 1,000 legal recommendations, contributed by 59 experts, on 35 topics about achieving deep decarbonization in the Unites States. The legal options outlined in the book apply to the federal, state, and local levels, and to private actors.&nbsp; They convey the simple message that deep decarbonization is achievable in the Unites States using laws that exist or that could be enacted. The book is co-edited by Michael B. Gerrard, professor of professional practice at Columbia Law School.</p>\r\n<p>The book is based on two reports by the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) that explain technical and policy pathways for reducing the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Our book fills an important gap by describing and analyzing what laws are needed to accomplish significant level of decarbonization,&rdquo; said Dernbach. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s geared for lawyers, policymakers, and anybody who has an interest in &nbsp;decarbonization.&nbsp; It contains an index of recommendations so that local governments, public utility commissions, and other actors can easily find all of the recommendations relevant to them regardless of what chapter in the book those recommendations are made.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>A second, shortened version of the book is also available. The <a href=\"https://www.eli.org/legal-pathways-deep-decarbonization-united-states-summary-and-key-recommendations\"><em>Summary and Key Recommendations</em></a> includes a thumbnail summary of each chapter, key recommendations by chapter, and a separate listing of recommendations organized by actor.&nbsp; &nbsp;There are more than 500 key recommendations in the summary version of the book.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Dernbach is a nationally recognized authority on sustainable development, climate change, and environmental law. He is also the director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, and teaches courses on property, environmental law, and sustainability. He writes and lectures on sustainable development, climate change, and environmental law.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/dernbach.jpg', 'Headshot of John Dernbach', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1876, 'FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Juliet Moringiello appointed to Joint Study Committee on the UCC and Emerging Technologies', '2019-05-06', '<p>Widener Law Commonwealth Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development Juliet Moringiello has been appointed by the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) to the joint ULC/American Law Institute Study Commission on the Uniform Commercial Code and Emerging Technologies.</p>\r\n<p>The committee will consider the desirability of revising the Uniform Commercial Code to accommodate new technologies such as distributed ledger technology, virtual currency, and other digital assets.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tremendous honor to be named to a ULC/ALI study committee for the Uniform Commercial Code. The UCC is the most successful product of those organizations, and it is exciting to serve on this committee with some of the country&rsquo;s leaders in commercial law. I have been studying the fit between the UCC and intangible assets for 15 years, and I look forward to putting that work to use in improving commercial law.&rdquo;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello writes in the areas of bankruptcy, secured credit, and electronic commerce. She has written extensively on the implications of electronic means of doing business on commercial law and the challenges posed to commercial law by new forms of electronic assets. Her articles on those topics have been published in the <em>Florida Law Review</em>, the <em>Florida State Law Review, </em>the <em>Tulane Law Review</em>, the <em>Business Lawyer</em>, and several other law reviews.</p>\r\n<p>The ULC began in 1892, and is a nonprofit organization made up of state commissions on uniform laws from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. &nbsp;The purpose of the ULC is to study and review the law of the states to determine which areas of the law should be uniform. Commissioners draft and propose specific statutes in areas of the law where uniformity of the law is desirable.</p>\r\n<p>Moringiello was appointed as a Uniform Law Commissioner for Pennsylvania in 2015. She is also the immediate past chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Business Law Section, and an elected member of the American Law Institute and the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/moringielloj_6931-8.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1877, 'Congratulations graduates: Commencement celebrated in Harrisburg ', '2019-05-19', '<p class=\"p1\">The&nbsp;76&nbsp;graduates who received degrees in&nbsp;the Widener Law Commonwealth&nbsp;commencement ceremony on May 19 were advised to&nbsp;use their skills and experiences to improve the world.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Alumna and former Pennsylvania Bar Association President Sharon L&oacute;pez, who was given an honorary&nbsp;Doctor of Laws&nbsp;degree,&nbsp;highlighted her message with three Cs:&nbsp;&ldquo;Competency, compassion and connectedness.&rdquo;&nbsp;Competency requires attorneys to prioritize and do their due diligence, while compassion requires the emotional intelligence to appreciate a client&rsquo;s experience, and connecting cultivates networks of contacts&nbsp;who&nbsp;can help&nbsp;reach goals, she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">&ldquo;If you remember and practice these you will be successful as a lawyer, no matter how you use your JD,&rdquo;L&oacute;pez said.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The commencement ceremony, held&nbsp;at The Forum&nbsp;in the Capitol Complex, also featured remarks by valedictorian&nbsp;Lindsay Eichinger of Harrisburg, a U.S. Navy veteran.&nbsp;Eichinger recalled being a 12-year-old girl, watching her mother give a similar speech as she graduated from nursing school. With her own son watching in the audience, Eichinger&nbsp;chose&nbsp;the same Nelson Mandela quote her mother&nbsp;had&nbsp;cited as she summed up the challenge of her law school experience,&nbsp;&ldquo;It always seems impossible until it&rsquo;s done.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">&ldquo;We now have the opportunity - and the privilege - to give back to our communities wherever we go in new and meaningful ways,&rdquo; Eichinger&nbsp;added.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxMTIiXQ==////\">Law Dean Christian Johnson</a></span>&nbsp;gave the outstanding faculty award &ndash; decided by a vote of the graduating class &ndash; to&nbsp;Professor&nbsp;<a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxMiJd////\"><span class=\"s1\">James&nbsp;Diehm</span></a>.&nbsp;Prior to the ceremony, the dean gave the Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award to&nbsp;Commonwealth&nbsp;Professor of Law and Sustainability&nbsp;<a href=\"ipl://35//WyIxMSJd////\"><span class=\"s1\">John Dernbach</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Johnson&nbsp;told the graduates they should be proud to take on the critical role lawyers play in society.&nbsp;He commended the&nbsp;graduates&rsquo; spirit of public service, reflected in&nbsp;their pro bono work while in school.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">&ldquo;Successful leaders understand that the true measure of success is not how much money you make, but the difference you make in society and helping others. The privilege of being part of this fraternity requires that you invest your time and talent in making the world a better place,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<hr />\r\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/widenerlawcommonwealth/albums/72157705197606562\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view the commencement photos on Flickr.</a></h3>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">2019 Commencement Recording</h3>\r\n<p>\r\n<script type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"//static.cdn-ec.viddler.com/js/arpeggio/v3/build/main-built.js\"></script>\r\n</p>\r\n<div class=\"viddler-auto-embed\" data-embed-id=\"DHT6mZ7iwJ\" data-video-id=\"b979b38a\" data-width=\"100%\">&nbsp;</div>', '{staticroot}files/modules/46975489975_bb94d8d546_z.jpg', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1878, 'FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Professor Christopher Robinette named as U.S. Representative to the European Group on Tort Law', '2019-06-10', '<p>On April 25 at its meeting in Vienna, Austria, the European Group on Tort Law (EGTL) named <a href=\"//commonwealthlaw.widener.edu/faculty/detail/26/\">Professor Christopher Robinette</a> as the United States Representative to the organization. The EGTL was established in 1992 and its membership includes 30 scholars from throughout Europe. The EGTL aims to contribute to the enhancement and harmonization of tort law in Europe and has recently been working on advising the European Union on liability issues raised by autonomous vehicles.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Professor Robinette&rsquo;s appointment to the European Group on Tort Law is evidence of the respect and influence that Professor Robinette enjoys on the international stage as well as in the United States,&rdquo; said Dean Christian Johnson.&nbsp;Dean Johnson added that &ldquo;the law school is fortunate to have a scholar on its faculty of Professor Robinette&rsquo;s caliber.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Professor Robinette joined the law school in 2005 and teaches Torts, Professional Responsibility, Evidence, Insurance Law and Contracts. His articles on torts and tort theory have been published in numerous top law reviews, including the <em>Indiana Law Journal, </em>the <em>University of Illinois Law Review</em>, and the <em>Iowa Law Review</em> and he is a co-author of a leading torts treatise, <em>Harper, James, and Gray on Torts</em>. He has been selected by the students for the Outstanding Faculty Award several times, and in 2018 Professor Robinette received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, a university-wide honor.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/robinettec_6962web.jpg', 'photo of Professor Robinette', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1879, 'Faculty Impact: four Widener Law Commonwealth faculty members recently cited by courts', '2019-06-13', '<p>Since March 2019 five courts, including the highest courts of Iowa, Oklahoma, and West Virginia, have cited the work of four Widener Law Commonwealth faculty members: Professors James Diehm, Michael Dimino, Juliet Moringiello, and Christopher Robinette. Two opinions addressed criminal procedure issues, one addressed tort damages, and two dealt with electronic contract formation issues.</p>\r\n<p>In <em>State v. Christensen</em>, 2019 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 74 (June 7, 2019) the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the denial of a motion for a new trial filed by a defendant convicted of murder. One of the grounds for the motion was the trial court&rsquo;s failure to disqualify a juror who allegedly made out of court statements regarding the defendant&rsquo;s guilt. In evaluating whether reversible jury misconduct was present in the case, the court relied on Professor Diehm&rsquo;s article, <em>Impeachment of Jury Verdicts: Tanner v. United States and Beyond, </em>65 St. John&rsquo;s Law Review 389 (1991).</p>\r\n<p>The Utah Court of Appeals, in <em>State v. Smith</em>, 2019 UT App. 75 (May 2, 2019), addressed the Fourth Amendment\'s community caretaking doctrine, which recognizes that sometimes police take actions, such as welfare checks, that are unrelated to a criminal investigation. In <em>State v. Smith</em>, the court applied the community-caretaking doctrine in upholding a police seizure of a motorist who had fallen asleep in his vehicle while the vehicle was parked (but running) in a McDonald\'s parking lot. The dissenting opinion relied on Professor Dimino&rsquo;s article, <em>Police Paternalism: Community Caretaking, Assistance Searches, and Fourth Amendment Reasonableness, </em>66 Washington &amp; Lee Law Review 1485 (2009) in recognizing that while it is desirable for the police to check on the safety of individuals, such checks should not be used as as a ruse to evade the Fourth Amendment\'s requirement that police obtain search warrants based on probable cause before engaging in searches or seizures.</p>\r\n<p>In <em>Scotti v. Tough Mudder Inc.</em>, 2019 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1525 (March 29, 2019) the Supreme Court of New York, Kings County, determined that two participants who had been injured in a Tough Mudder competition were not bound by the arbitration clause in the online Tough Mudder Participant Waiver and Course Rules. In holding that the arbitration clause was unenforceable against the plaintiffs because they did not have adequate notice of the clause, the court relied on Professor Moringiello&rsquo;s article, <em>From Lord Coke to Internet Privacy: The Past, Present, and Future of Electronic Contracting</em>, 72 Maryland Law Review 452 (2013) (co-authored with William L. Reynolds). On June 3, 2019, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia cited the same article in <em>Employee Resource Group LLC v. Collins</em>, 2019 W. Va. LEXIS 262.</p>\r\n<p>On April 23, 2019, the Oklahoma Supreme Court held in <em>Beason v. I.E. Miller Services</em>, 2019 OK 28, that a $350,000 cap on non-economic damages in most tort cases was unconstitutional. The dissent relied on Professor Robinette&rsquo;s article, <em>The Role of Compensation in Personal Injury Tort Law: A Response to the Opposite Concerns of Gary Schwartz and Patrick Atiyah</em>, 32 Connecticut Law Review 137 (1999) (co-authored with Jeffrey O&rsquo;Connell) in which he described&nbsp;the merits of an early offer tort reform that would arguably compensate plaintiffs more swiftly and with fewer transaction costs.&nbsp; The court cited the article for the proposition that, in general,&nbsp;legislatures have control over state tort law and how injury victims are compensated.</p>', '', '', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, ''),
(1880, 'DeLiberato to be given Zealous Advocate Award', '2019-08-01', '<p>Long-time adjunct professor Vincent C. DeLiberato Jr., will be honored with Widener Law Commonwealth&rsquo;s prestigious Zealous Advocate Award during the upcoming alumni awards reception at the Colonial Country Club in Harrisburg on Friday, September 27 at 5:30 p.m.</p>\r\n<p>The award is given to an individual who tirelessly advocates for students and alumni of the law school, working to connect them with influential leaders in the community.&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>DeLiberato has taught at the law school for 28 years in classes that have included state constitutional law, legislative drafting, and legislation. He is the director of the Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau, the state agency responsible for drafting bills and resolutions and researching legislative matters for lawmakers and their staffs and for government agencies. He has served with the bureau for more than 40 years.</p>\r\n<p>Professor Juliet M. Moringiello, associate&nbsp;dean&nbsp;for research and faculty development, said DeLiberato has earned the award many times over. &ldquo;Vince has hired dozens of our students as externs and lawyers. He is passionate about ensuring that our students succeed on the bar exam,&rdquo; she said. She noted that DeLiberato takes a special interest in the school&rsquo;s evening students who have full-time jobs with Commonwealth agencies, frequently working with them on bar exam study plans.</p>\r\n<p>&ldquo;Vince is a key part of the Law and Government Institute,&rdquo; said Professor Jill E. Family, director of the institute and commonwealth professor of law and government. &ldquo;He has taught countless students the value of public service. He has done this by teaching the necessary skills and by leading by example. Vince is an exemplary public official.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Please join fellow alumni, faculty and friends at the Alumni Awards Reception and Silent Auction as we honor and celebrate Vince DeLiberato. The event will be held September 27, 2019, 6-9 p.m. at Colonial Golf and Tennis Club, 4901 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112.&nbsp;<a href=\"https://commonwealthlawalumni.widener.edu/events/alumni-awards-reception\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to register</a> or call the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement at 717-541-3974.</p>', '{staticroot}files/modules/vinceweb.jpg', 'Photo of Vince DeLiberato', '', '', 0, NULL, NULL, '');
