UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

JAMES E. ROGERS COLLEGE OF LAW

MAY 17, 2023

Greetings,

Last weekend marked the official end of the academic year. And what a weekend it was, with University Commencement on Friday, College of Law Convocation on Saturday and many other events. We will share photo highlights in the weeks ahead.

One of the highlights of a memorable weekend was presenting an honorary Doctor of Laws degree to Bob Mundheim. For more than a decade, Bob has been a trusted professor and mentor to students, including many in the Class of 2023.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

FEATURE

Internationally Renowned Attorney Robert Mundheim Receives Honorary Degree

The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law presented an honorary Doctor of Laws degree to long-time professor and corporate governance expert Robert H. Mundheim during the University of Arizona commencement ceremony on May 12.

Bob has been a leader across the worlds of law and business, building an astonishing career that spans more than six decades. Among his many influential roles, he has served as the University Professor of Law and Finance and Dean at the University of Pennsylvania Law School; as general counsel of the U.S. Treasury Department, where he played a lead role in successfully negotiating the release of the U.S. hostages in Iran; as special counsel to the Securities and Exchange Commission; as the Vice Chair of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; and as executive vice president and general counsel for Salomon Inc. Since 1999, he has been of counsel to the global law firm of Shearman & Sterling.

Deeply committed to education and advancing the legal profession, he has influenced countless law students and legal peers as a professor, Dean and colleague. Throughout his career he also organized and participated in numerous continuing legal education programs and symposia that helped to advance the understanding of complex topics in the field of business law and provided essential instruction to the profession. In 2022, to commemorate his commitment to education, a group of his closest colleagues and friends worked with University of Arizona Law to establish the Robert H. Mundheim Professorship of Law and Business.

Bob fled Nazi Germany with his parents and brother when he was 5 years old. His experience created a sense that he had much to be thankful for and that he had an obligation to give back. He has given substantial time to a variety of public service organizations and activities.

“This country took us in when we needed to be taken in and that always left me with the notion that you’ve got to give back for the gift of safety and opportunity. I’ve tried to do that in the course of my career,” noted Bob. “I’m very lucky to have had parents who gave me a good grounding and emphasized to me that my values should guide me personally and professionally. Meeting your values is what’s important, not the financial results.”

For the full story, see here.

AROUND THE COLLEGE

Students Visit Mexican Consulate in Tucson

Left to Right: Marcelo Rodríguez, Elizabeth Hannah, Kate O'Donnell, Mexican Consul Rafael Barceló Durazo, Devin Arredondo, Isaí Estévez and Vicente Ríos Velasco

On May 8, Professor and Librarian Marcelo Rodríguez led a visit of several Mexican Public Law and Policy students to the Mexican Consulate in Tucson.

Elizabeth Hannah, Kate O’Donnell, Devin Arrendondo, Isaí Estévez and Vicente Ríos Velasco, who have recently completed some of the four courses that make up the certificate program, had a conversation about what they’ve learned in the program regarding Mexican law, border issues, Latin America and the Inter-American legal system with Consul Rafael Barceló Durazo. The students also toured the consulate facility and Consul Barceló explained the historical importance of the Consulate in Tucson and Southern Arizona, which continues until today.

The Diplomado in Mexican Public Law and Policy is open to University of Arizona students and working professionals. The program, offered by the University of Arizona and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), gives students access to renowned scholars in Mexican constitutional law. If you are interested in learning more about our Diplomado in Mexican Public Law and Policy, please contact Prof. Rodríguez and/or Prof. Teresa Miguel-Stearns.

Bublick Organizes Great Tort Cases Symposium

University of Arizona Law hosted the recent symposium, “Reinventing the Canon: Great Torts Cases of the 21st Century,” coordinated by Dan B. Dobbs Professor of Law Ellen Bublick.

The symposium posed questions like: Are canonical tort decisions a thing of the past? Or are contemporary judges continuing to play an important role in shaping new common law? In addition to Arizona Law, the symposium was co-sponsored by Harvard University, Oxford University and the American Law Institute, and focused on great torts cases of the 21st century.

Prof. Tsosie Discusses Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Adaption

Regents Professor Rebecca Tsosie recently spoke alongside University of Washington Bothell Earth Sciences professor Margaret H. Redsteer at an event hosted by Harvard University’s Mahindra Humanities Center. The professors discussed the role of Indigenous knowledge in climate adaptation. An audio recording of the discussion is available here.

IN THE NEWS

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Graduations are among life’s unambiguously happy events. They represent both an end – to years of hard work by students and with the critical support of family and friends – and a beginning to the career and professional opportunities ahead.

All of that joy was readily visible – and audible – at all of our graduation events over the past week.

Warmly,