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UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

JAMES E. ROGERS COLLEGE OF LAW


JANUARY 15, 2025

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 27

Faculty Book Talk Series with Diana Simon

January 30

The Future of the Second Amendment after Bruen and Rahimi

February 7

Legal Paraprofessional Summit

Greetings,


It is an honor to address you for the first time as Interim Dean in this edition of Letter of the Law. As the semester begins and I step into this new role, I am inspired by the vibrant community we share—one that reflects a deep commitment to innovation, excellence and the transformative power of legal education.


This week, we feature a member of that vibrant community: recent graduate Sofia Urias. In 2020, Sofia was a member of the first-ever cohort of the Lawtina Mentoring Program. Read below about how the program has helped Sofia and others achieve their law school goals.

Onward!


Jason Kreag

Interim Dean

FEATURE

From Lawtina to Lawyer: Sofia Urias (’24) Reflects on the Impact of Arizona Law’s Lawtina Mentoring Program

When Sofia Urias (’24) was sworn-in during her attorney admissions ceremony this fall it was by Pima County Superior Court Commissioner Helena Seymour (’99), a full circle moment for them both. 

 

Sofia first met Helena in the spring of 2020 as part of the inaugural cohort of the Lawtina Mentoring Program, when she was paired with the commissioner as a mentor while pursuing her BA in Law at the University of Arizona.


“It’s influenced every aspect of my life,” says Sofia of Lawtina. “My relationships, my career and overall goals. It’s been great.” 


Building on the success of the BA in Law program, which provides undergraduates with strong training in core legal subjects, and the University of Arizona’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, the Lawtina Mentoring Program was created to support Latina BA in Law students interested in pursuing a legal education.

The semester-long program pairs students with mentors—all women of color who work in Tucson as attorneys, judges and other legal professionals. Mentors in the program get to know students through weekly communication, shadowing and networking events.  


“I feel honored to have been able to remain involved with Sofia from her journey as an undergrad to her swearing in as a lawyer,” says Helena. “Sofia has had an amazing journey. I can still recall our first meeting discussing her future plans to attend law school.” 

What is Lawtina?


Four years ago, Arizona Law introduced the Lawtina Mentoring Program with the goal of diversifying the legal field. The program provides guidance and mentorship to Latina students in the BA in Law program—who make up 25% of the major—interested in pursuing legal careers. 


The Lawtina Mentoring Program aligns with the University of Arizona’s broader efforts to support Hispanic students. The University of Arizona has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), a federal designation that acknowledges colleges and universities with 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent student enrollment.  


This year, the Lawtina Mentoring Program was identified as an effective program in moving the needle towards greater college access, persistence, retention, transfer and degree attainment for Latinx students in Arizona. Lawtina was recognized by two organizations on this front: the 2023 Programs to Watch by Excelencia in Education and an Arizona HSI Evidence Based Practice by the Arizona HSI Consortium. 


Lawtina is generously supported by alumna Melody Robidoux (’83) and received funding by the AccessLex Institute during its first year.  

Make a Gift to Lawtina

AROUND THE COLLEGE

Dean Emerita Massaro Speaks on “Courage in Action”

Melanie Wilson, Rebecca Hanner White, Toni Massaro, Kellye Testy. Photo courtesy AALS.

During the recent Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Annual Meeting, Regents Professor and Dean Emerita Toni Massaro spoke alongside other pathbreaking lawyers and law school leaders at the keynote panel on “Courage in Action.”


The program recognized Toni’s role as the first female dean of University of Arizona Law, and one of only around 14 female law school deans in the country in the late 1990s.


Toni spoke alongside Elizabeth B. Prelogar, the 48th Solicitor General of the United States (appearing via video), and Rebecca Hanner White, dean of the University of Georgia law school from 2003 to 2015. The discussion, moderated by AALS President Melanie Wilson, explored how the speakers summoned the courage necessary to pave a path for future generations of exceptional women professors, deans and advocates.

LawCats Go Global

Over the past few months, members of our faculty have lent their expertise to important discussions around the world.


In November, Ralph W. Bilby Professor of Law Marc Miller attended Jindal Global University’s (GCU) National Convention on the Constitution of India. The conference coincided with the inauguration of India’s first Constitution Museum & the Rights and Freedoms Academy established at JGU on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India. Marc was a speaker for a session titled “Global Constitutionalism: Comparative Reflections on the Role of Constitution in Building Democratic Institutions.”  


Also during the month of November, Associate Professor of Law Oren Tamir presented a paper at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia as part of a roundtable hosted by the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at the Faculty of Law of UNSW. In December, Oren co-hosted a workshop in Sydney for a new edited collection in the Cambridge Handbook on Comparative Statutory Interpretation in Common Law (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2026). In addition to moderating and hosting the workshop, Oren presented a new paper titled, “The Stakes of Deference,” to be included as a chapter in the Cambridge Handbook. 


Finally, in December, Oren participated in a Comparative Administrative Law Workshop hosted by the Institutum Iurisprudentia of Academia Sinica (IIAS) in Taipei, Taiwan. He presented a new paper and attended discussions with scholars from across the globe. 


Read more about our faculty news in the latest For the Record newsletter.

IN THE NEWS

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.

Share Your News Here

X, @uarizonalaw

As the semester begins, I’m grateful for the opportunity to support the college’s work and share the exciting projects happening here. It’s a privilege to work alongside such a dynamic and dedicated community, and together, we have the opportunity to continue advancing our mission of excellence in legal education and shaping the future of the field. I look forward to sharing updates and staying connected with you all in the months ahead.


Here’s to a great start to the semester!

Warmly,

Jason

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