| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
JAMES E. ROGERS COLLEGE OF LAW |
DECEMBER 13, 2023 | | |
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Greetings,
Mike Hennigan is an integral member of the University of Arizona Law alumni community. Now, with a generous gift of $1 million from Mike and his wife, Phyllis, to “A New Day in Court,” his mark on our school will be all the more indelible.
A sincere thanks to Mike and Phyllis for all they have done, and will continue to do, for his law school. We are honored to announce their gift to our community today.
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Until the footnotes,
Marc
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Alumnus J. Michael Hennigan and Family Contribute $1M in Support of ‘A New Day in Court’ Initiative at UArizona Law | |
Donning his signature bow tie, a nod to the late Dean Ares, Michael Hennigan celebrates his Lifetime Achievement Award with family and Dean Miller at the College of Law ceremony in 2017. | |
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University of Arizona alumnus J. Michael (Mike) Hennigan (JD ’70, BA ’66), a proud double Wildcat, and his wife Phyllis Hennigan, have generously donated $1 million to bolster the James E. Rogers College of Law’s advocacy program. Their impactful contribution fuels the initiative known as “A New Day in Court,” dedicated to enhancing student courtrooms, establishing an endowed faculty chair of advocacy and fostering student experiential learning.
Upon completion of the construction phase, the J. Michael Hennigan Courtroom will emerge as a modern space for students to practice their advocacy skills. For the Hennigans, this philanthropic gesture marks a poignant full-circle moment, evoking a profound sense of pride.
“The law school has always been a priority to Mike, because if it weren’t for the school, he would not have had the career he’s had,” noted Phyllis. “He has always felt that his professors should get the credit for inspiring him to be a lawyer with integrity for his clients. To support this project felt like a perfectly natural fit.”
Mike is a founding principal of McKool Smith Hennigan where he specialized in the litigation and trial of complex commercial cases. As lead counsel in more than 45 major jury trials in state and federal court, and lead trial counsel for plaintiffs, he has litigated judgments and settlements of more than $8 billion for his clients.
“My hope is that current students are able to share in the rich experience I gained at Arizona Law,” explained Mike. “While much of my own training occurred outside the law school and in the courtroom, I am enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing more comprehensive preparation into the classrooms at Arizona Law.”
University of Arizona Law will officially break ground on the “A New Day in Court” project in January of 2024 with an expected completion in the Fall of 2024.
For the full story, see here.
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Support University of Arizona Law with Year-End Giving
The University of Arizona will be closed campus-wide starting Friday, December 22 through Monday, January 1, and will reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
If you would like to make a year-end philanthropic contribution, here are some tips to ensure your gift is counted in 2023. These are meant to serve as a helpful guide— this isn’t legal advice, and individual situations may vary.
Gifts by check: All checks should be made payable to the Law College Association and mailed to:
The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
1201 E. Speedway Blvd.
PO Box 210176
Tucson, AZ 85721
Checks will be processed and receipted according to the postmark date on the envelope. Please allow extra time for USPS delays. To receive a charitable gift deduction in 2023, your envelope must be postmarked by December 30, 2023 (December 31 is a Sunday this year – no mail).
Gifts by credit card: Credit card gifts will be receipted on the date the charge hits (posts to) your credit card account. This means to receive a 2023 charitable gift deduction, the charges must be made with sufficient time before December 31, 2023 to allow the donation to post by December 31, 2023. You can make a gift securely at: https://givetoarizonalaw.org/
Gifts of stock: Stock gifts will be processed and receipted on the date the stocks are transferred into our account. To receive a 2023 charitable gift deduction, stock gifts must be received in the LCA’s brokerage account by December 29, 2023. If you are planning a stock gift please call 520-626-1330 by December 21 so that we can prepare for your gift.
If you would like to make a gift another way – wire transfer, qualified charitable distribution from an IRA, documenting through an estate plan, or something else – please contact Megan O’Leary at 520-626-1330 or moleary@arizona.edu.
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Register by January 2 for Winter Interview Program
Support from alumni and friends is crucial to the success of the Career Development Office’s recruiting events. In the spring semester, we are looking forward to a number of events that will offer potential employers the opportunity to interview University of Arizona Law students for summer and full-time positions.
Employer registration is open until January 2 for the Winter Private Sector Interview Program. Law firms and legal departments of all sizes can interview current 1Ls and 2Ls for 2024 summer positions.
Other upcoming events include the Sonoran Desert Public Sector Career Fair, with employer registration open until January 16, and the Arizona Law Grads Interview Program, open for employer registration until February 29.
To learn more about upcoming recruiting events and how employers can register, see here.
If you have any questions, please contact the Career Development Office at law-careers@arizona.edu.
Thank you for supporting the next generation of LawCats!
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University of Arizona Law to Host Second-Annual Legal Paraprofessional Summit February 9 | |
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The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law is gearing up to host its highly anticipated second-annual Legal Paraprofessional Summit on February 9, 2024. This event promises to connect both licensed and aspiring Legal Paraprofessionals with exceptional opportunities for continuing legal education and a platform for engaging in meaningful professional discussions. Attendees will have the chance to accumulate up to five Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits, including three ethics CLE credits.
In January 2023, the inaugural summit saw a remarkable turnout, with 130 eager participants. Held at the UA Chandler campus, it featured distinguished speakers such as Justice John R. Lopez IV and Judge Maria Elena Cruz.
This year’s summit will offer both in-person and virtual attendance options, providing flexibility for participants. The central theme for this year’s summit is “Access to Justice in Action.” It will encompass breakout sessions that delve into crucial topics, including ethical practice and legal community standards, access to justice initiatives across the state, spousal maintenance, misdemeanor downstream effects, and real-life experiences shared by licensed legal paraprofessionals from the past year working in the field.
The line-up of speakers includes:
- Vice Chief Justice Ann Timmer, Arizona Supreme Court
- Judge Maria Elena Cruz and Judge Samuel Thumma, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One
- Judge Bruce Cohen, Presiding Family Law Judge, Maricopa County
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Roberta Tepper, Arizona State Bar
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Stacy Jane, University of Arizona College of Law Professor
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Keith Swisher, University of Arizona College of Law Professor
- Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts
To secure your attendance, tickets are a requirement. Take advantage of our early bird pricing of $50 available until December 31. A special student rate will also be offered during this time. Prices will increase in January.
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Campus panel on free speech draws scholars, students and University leaders | |
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What is free speech, how does it work and what responsibility do universities have to protect it?
Those questions were addressed at “Free Speech on Campus,” a public event at the University of Arizona featuring a panel of First Amendment scholars, presented as universities across the country continue to respond to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas against Israel.
The event was organized by the Arizona Student Chapter of the Federalist Society and faculty of the James E. Rogers College of Law and sponsored by the Center for the Philosophy of Freedom.
Assistant Director of Legal Writing & Clinical Professor of Law Tessa L. Dysart led the event. Featured scholars included Toni M. Massaro, Regents Professor of law; Eugene Volokh, professor of law at UCLA; and Dean Miller as moderator.
Tessa said a goal of the event was “to show students that you can have a respectful, challenging conversation about complex subjects.”
Prof. Volokh described the First Amendment as the tax law of the Constitution, complex with many categories and subcategories. He also noted that free speech is broader than the First Amendment and can be affected by state laws.
“The government cannot suppress, criminalize or exclude viewpoints,” he said. “Pro-Israel, pro-Palestine, pro-communist, pro-terrorist, racist, sexist, antisemitic, anti-police and anti-American viewpoints are protected.”
See here for the full story.
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Do You Have News?
Your success is the college’s success and we want to celebrate with you! If you have landed a new job, received an award or recognition, stepped into a leadership role or have good news in general, let us know.
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I first had dinner with Mike and Phyllis Hennigan in Tucson more than a decade ago – though as a California lawyer and from my father (a Los Angeles resident and lawyer) I had been aware of Mike’s stellar reputation for years. That conversation led to many others with Mike and Phyllis, every one memorable.
Strong advocacy skills can be learned, and the new J. Michael Hennigan Courtroom will be a brilliant place to learn them. But it is also clear that some lawyers amplify strong training with profound natural gifts, and then enhance those skills through years of craft. As a lawyer and professor, I revel in the gift of hearing Mike make an argument or give a speech – and he is one of the lawyers I often talk with students about when they ask me to describe what makes a great advocate.
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