Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Patrick Holkins ventured east to attend Harvard University, majoring in government. While there, he was awarded a year-long public service fellowship to promote hearing health in rural South Africa. In 2010, he returned to the US to begin law school.

"Like many of my classmates, I chose Arizona Law for its small size, amazing faculty, and reputation for academic excellence. But I won't deny that after eight New England winters the desert lifestyle was very appealing. I could not be happier with my choice."

During law school, Patrick took courses in employment and disability law and served as an Articles Editor for the Arizona Law Review. In addition to interning with the Civil Rights Division of the Arizona Attorney General and Pima County Juvenile Court, Patrick worked in Washington, D.C. as a summer associate at Relman, Dane & Colfax and as an extern at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission- Office of General Counsel.

In August, he will begin a one-year clerkship with Justice John Pelander ('76) at the Arizona Supreme Court, after which he hopes to pursue a career as a civil rights litigator in Washington, DC. Currently, Patrick spends much of his free time preparing to take the Virginia Bar Exam in July.

Patrick's also committed to another passion in his life. "Reflecting on my personal experience with hearing loss, I am active as an advocate in the hard of hearing community, both in the US and abroad. In addition to founding community groups for hard of hearing young adults in Boston and Tucson, before law school I started a non-profit organization - Hear Now South Africa- to promote hearing loss detection and intervention services in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. I hope to build on these efforts in the future."

For more information on Patrick, visit his LinkedIn Profile.

Lawyers in Pima County are likely very familiar with this week's featured alumnus:   James (Jim)  Stroud. Late last month, Jim became the second recipient of the Peter Economidis Lifetime Achievement Award.   The award, named in honor of alumnus Peter Economidis ('65) , was created by the family law attorney community to recognize an attorney who has dedicated his/her career to family law and made significant contributions to the advancement of family law practice. 

Jim certainly fits the bill. Jim began practicing law in 1975. Very early on, he discovered a passion for Family Law. According to Jim, "Family law provided an opportunity to do right by people and what is best for children." 

In 1988 he was selected as a Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.  Jim is a former chair of the family section of the State Bar and a former co-chair of the family law section of the Pima County Bar Association.

Jim regularly served on court and bar committees. He served on the governor's committee that drafted the Arizona Child Support Guidelines, as well as the Arizona Supreme Court committee to review and revise those guidelines. 

Jim's practice came to an end in 2010 after he suffered a massive stroke. However, Jim is still an integral part of the family law community. These days, Jim meets with friends and practitioners once a week at the "Friends of Jim Club" started by Professor Barbara Atwood ('76) where a group of attorneys get together to talk with Jim about legal issues.

Jim studied speech communication as a graduate student at the University of Southern California after receiving his bachelor of arts degree at the University of Arizona. He and his wife Betty Jo, also a lawyer, have one child.

Graduation

Last Friday evening, I had the pleasure of awarding 148 JDs, 13 LLMs, and 3 SJDs.

Graduates and their family and friends were charmed by student graduation speakers Jonay Foster and Caylin Barter, and touched by the impressive life story of graduation speaker and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals judge Mary Murguia.

We also honored three distinguished alumni-Anil Kankani ('95), Mike King ('79), and Sharon Marcus-Kurn ('86), and gave an honorary alumna award to our long-time former Assistant Dean of Career Services Mary Birmingham. In these four distinguish representatives and friends of the college, graduates saw their own paths unfolding into the future.

Movers and Shakers

Is there something new or interesting going on in your life or your career? Do you have updated contact information or generally want to be more in touch with the college? You can always email us your latest news at alumni@law.arizona.edu.

Also, the Wildcat Wednesday - Letter of the Law is available every week for any colleague, family member, or friend who would like to keep track of life at the College. Anyone can sign up here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CLE - Drafting Wills in Indian Country - May 29

The Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program is partnering with the State Bar to offer a series of CLEs focused on navigating Indian Law. On Wednesday, May 29 from 12pm - 1pm, this month's topic, Drafting Wills in Indian Country, will feature speaker Mary Guss, an IPLP Staff Attorney. The event will take place at the State Bar office, on 270 N. Church Avenue in Tucson. For more information, please contact Melissa Tatum.

13th Annual Himelic Memorial Dinner and Golf Classic, May 31 - June 1

This Tucson event raises funds for ALS Research at the UA College of Medicine. Since it began in 2001, the dinner and golf classic has raised more than $832,000 to benefit ALS research at the University. Golf enthusiasts can experience the Westin La Paloma Resort's private Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, while non-golfers can enjoy dinner, auctions, and dancing to live music.

The weekend's events were established to honor Jim Himelic ('73), a former Pima County Juvenile Court judge who lost his battle with ALS in 2000. Now, his daughter, Ana ('05), continues to help raise funds in search of a cure for the disease. For more information on the event, including how to register, click here.

Battle of the Bands - June 20

The State Bar of Arizona is again sponsoring a Battle of the Bands at this year's annual convention. Hosted at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, this year's battle will take place on Thursday, June 20 from 5pm - 7:30pm. It will feature The Gotes featuring Professor Susie Salmon trying to unseat the 2011 champions, Los Big Grandes - featuring Judge Philip Espinosa ('83). For more information, click here.

Warmly, 

  

 Interim Dean & Ralph W. Bilby Professor of Law