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UPCOMING EVENTS

Greetings,

This week we share the college's fundraising goals: supporting our students and the programs and people that support them.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

UA’s Giving Day Strengthens Programs, Supports Students

This Valentine’s Day, University of Arizona Law is asking the LawCat community #BearDownGiveBack and spread the love by participating in Giving Day, a 24-hour fundraising effort in support of students and the university. 

How you can help:

• Make a gift – of any amount – between 12pm on February 14 and 12pm on February 15
• Spread the word on social media and in your networks

Your generosity ensures that University of Arizona Law is able to train the next generation of leaders and lawyers and allows us to provide a modern, nimble legal education of the highest quality. A legal education is a life-changing experience, and with your support, we can give our students the resources they need to transform their passions and skills into fulfilling careers. 

Hear 3L Sean Aiken make the case for supporting Arizona Law:

This February 14, Arizona Law is asking for gifts to support: 

A New Day in Court 

Join us in a bold reconstruction of our Advocacy program.  

With the construction of two new state-of-the-art student courtrooms, an expansion of faculty support and new funds for experiential learning opportunities, Arizona Law is putting advocacy skills and the student experience front and center.  

"The advocacy program we have today stands on the shoulders of these and countless other incredible advocates who have long been leaders and key contributors in our community, as faculty, graduates and donors," said Barbara Bergman, director of the advocacy program. "It's exciting to continue expanding on their great work and carry this program into the modern era." 

Justice Advocates Coalition Fellowship Program

Empower law students pursuing unpaid summer positions in public interest work.  

The Justice Advocates Coalition (JAC) is a student-run organization that provides stipends to qualified students who accept unpaid summer positions with nonprofit law organizations. 

“Social justice work is underfunded, but JAC presents an avenue for students to pursue those dreams without the financial burden looming overhead,” said 2019 JAC Fellow Nathaniel Goodman. 

Students launched the Justice Advocates Coalition in 2017 with the dual goals of empowering marginalized communities and supporting Arizona Law students pursuing careers in public interest law. 

“Few things make me prouder of our students than this organization,” says JAC faculty advisor Dean Emerita Toni Massaro. “Those who began it and those who are sustaining it, their values, and their desire to apply their many gifts, intellectually and educationally to help others. They epitomize what professional ethics and practice can look like. The world needs them, so we need to help them.” 

All gifts made to support the Justice Advocates Coalition during the day of giving will be matched up to $6,000 by The Melody S. Robidoux Foundation Fund. When this challenge is met, four students will have a fellowship made possible for this summer! Thank you to Arizona Law alumna Melody S. Robidoux (‘83) for the generous challenge gift.

Dean’s Innovation Fund 

Arizona Law creates what’s next in legal education, from our groundbreaking push to accept the GRE to creating the nation’s first undergraduate law degree to establishing new educational pathways and support systems for students from underrepresented communities. When you contribute to the Dean’s Innovation Fund, my office to fund Arizona Law's most pressing needs and innovative projects. 

General Student Scholarships 

Over 80% of our JD students receive a scholarship, and we want to raise that number even higher, in order to make a high-quality legal education as accessible as possible. With your help, we can remove financial barriers and put the dream of a legal career within reach for every student. 

“We all have dreams, regardless of where we come from. We all face challenges. But this scholarship means a lot to me because it reminds me that there is somebody who believes in me," says Roberto Avila, a third-year University of Arizona Law student and recipient of The Los Abogados Foundation / Honorable Valdemar Cordova Scholarship. 

Barry Davis Trial Team Finishes High at Regionals

Six competing members of the Barry Davis Trial Team returned from the National Trial Team Regional Competition in Las Vegas last weekend having performed with distinction.

Team 1, with members Clarissa Todd, Neal Brubaker, and Sean Aiken advanced to the final round, losing to UC Berkeley. Team 2, with members Max Larnerd, Rachel Romaniuk, and Vincent Yesue, narrowly missed advancing to the finals and finished in 9^th place.

Other members of the popular mock trial team, who did not compete but assisted in practices, were: Haley Stewart, Derek Kilgore, Joey Ramos-Mata, Ke’Vion Pinckney, Roy Wang, and Sarah Gerstel.

"It means the world to me to see the profession Barry truly adored stewarded with such care at the Law School," said Brooke Davis (BFA '92), who created an endowment in honor of her late husband, Tucson trial lawyer Barry Davis, to benefit the team. Brooke attended one of the team's final practices, joining Dev Sethi ('97) and director of advocacy Barbara Bergman, who served as practice judges.

Earlier practice rounds were judged by a support network of alumni and friends, including: Matthew Ashton ('18), Raymond Bryant ('09), Joel Feinman ('07), Michael Harnden ('11), Michael Piccarreta, Joseph Ricks, Matt Schmidt ('10),Ted Schmidt ('74), and Micah Schmit.

Brian Chase ('11) and Travis McGivern, themselves former trial team members, coached this year's team. Robson Hauser ('14) helped organize the event, hosted at UNLV.

Twenty teams from Northern California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico constitute the region. Established in 1975, the National Trial Competition is the oldest and most widely respected law student trial competition in the country. Nationally, it attracts teams from more than 140 law schools in 15 different regions and involves more than 1,000 law students every year.

Class of 2020: Get Ready to Celebrate on March 5!

On March 5, graduates (and their guests) from all 2020 classes have a chance to participate in a special graduation ceremony and celebration:

Saturday, March 5, 2022

(optional) Ceremony starts at 1:30 pm, College of Law

Reception starts at 3:00 pm, Culinary Dropout, 2543 E. Grant Rd.

Alumni should receive a detailed email in the next day or two. If you graduated in August '19, December '19, or May '20 and do not receive an email by the end of this week, please contact Nancy Stanley.

Our community of alumni and friends gives throughout the year – gifts of money, time, advice and mentoring, networking, and more. Valentine’s Day (and Arizona statehood day!) is a good time to think about all those we care about, and how to make a difference.  

Last Friday we had our annual Board of Visitors meeting . The members of our Board of Visitors give in all of those ways. Many finish the annual meeting by doing invaluable mock interviews with our first year students.

My deepest thanks to all of our Board of Visitors – and to all of you who champion our students and become the foundation for their success, and are engaged partners and advocates as we navigate the challenges and changes in higher education and the legal profession.

Warmly,