| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
JAMES E. ROGERS COLLEGE OF LAW |
SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 | | |
|
Greetings,
This week, we feature a new interdisciplinary initiative exploring ways to use artificial intelligence to not only write, but also to help execute, wills. The University of Arizona College of Law is collaborating with the School of Information and the Department of Computer Science to create accountable software that can adapt wills to life changes and identify potential probate issues.
This new initiative joins offerings such as our range of degree programs and community legal services clinics that have consistently put our law school at the forefront of making the law and legal services more readily accessible.
| |
|
Until the footnotes,
Marc
| |
University of Arizona Legal and Computer Science Experts Join Forces to Make Writing Wills Easier | |
|
A team of University of Arizona researchers made up of experts in artificial intelligence, law and computer science, have an idea to make creating and executing wills easier: Let software do it.
Clayton Morrison, an associate professor in the School of Information in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, is principal investigator of a new project designed to make that possible. The project also includes Derek Bambauer, a professor in the James E. Rogers College of Law, and professor Saumya Debray and associate professor Mihai Surdeanu, both from the Department of Computer Science in the College of Science.
The effort is being funded by $750,000 from the National Science Foundation’s Designing Accountable Software Systems program.
“If we can build systems that can help people plan their own affairs more accurately and give them certainty and comfort that when they're gone, the things that they’ve gathered over a lifetime will go to the people and places that they want, that seems like an enormous achievement for technology,” Derek said of the project.
To learn more, see the full story here.
| |
$50,000 Gift from Alumnus Patrick McGroder Made to ‘A New Day in Court’ Initiative | |
|
University of Arizona Law alumnus Patrick J. McGroder III (’70) has contributed $50,000 to the “A New Day in Court” fundraising initiative in support of University of Arizona Law’s Advocacy program.
“I strongly believe that advocacy at any level – courtroom, or elsewhere – is an enormous skill and talent that must be developed if you are going to represent clients,” said Pat. “This project is a great opportunity to provide space to learn skills in real-time in a setting that emulates a real courtroom experience. It is vitally important for law students who aspire to learn the art of advocacy.”
Pat is a member of Beus Gilbert McGroder PLLC, a premier boutique law firm specializing in high stakes litigation. For more than 45 years, he has tried cases ranging from murder to malpractice. An active member of the University of Arizona Law community, in 1995, Pat established an endowed scholarship named in honor of his family which supports academically talented students. He has also been generous with his time and expertise over the years, delivering the Peter Chase Neumann Lecture on Civil Justice in the spring of 2015 and serving on the Board of Visitors.
“University of Arizona Law took a chance on me, and in doing so gave me an opportunity to find a profession which I consider a calling,” said Pat. “This profession has allowed me to help people, to provide a voice for the voiceless, to help victims and to hopefully make the world a better place. I loved the school while I was there, and it is important for me to give back.”
See here for the full story.
For more information, including fundraising goals and how to donate, visit law.arizona.edu/court or contact Senior Director of Development Megan O’Leary at moleary@arizona.edu or 520-626-1330.
| |
Lett Named Top Pro Bono Attorney for 2022 | |
|
Associate Clinical Professor of Law Sylvia Lett has been recognized by the Arizona Bar Foundation as a Top Pro Bono Attorney in the state of Arizona. Nominated by the Foundation’s Approved Legal Service entities, these awards honor 50 attorneys who have provided numerous hours to help ensure access to justice.
Congratulations, Sylvia!
| |
Kudos to Faculty Award Winners! | |
|
On August 26, we recognized the winners of the 2021-22 Faculty and Staff Awards. The winners are:
Norma J. Kelly Staff Excellence Award: Library Circulation Manager Tim Blackburn and Assistant Director of Financial Aid Tia Smith
Leslie F. and Patricia Bell Faculty Service Award: Associate Dean, Legal Information Innovation, Director of the Law Library, and Professor of Law Teresa Miguel-Stearns
John W. Strong Teaching Award: Director of Empirical & Policy Research and Research Professor Christopher Griffin, who also received this award, which is chosen by students, in 2021
Administrator of the Year: Senior Director of Student Resources and Professor of Practice Chris Gast (’13)
Staff Person of the Year: Assistant Director of the Career Development Office Lisa Queen (’13)
Professor of Practice of the Year: Jordan Malka
During the awards ceremony, SBA President Sarah Gerstel read some student comments about the winners, including:
| |
|
“Professor Griffin alone, is a reason to tell anyone looking to attend law school, to attend James E. Rogers because that law school has Professor Griffin, who is beyond stellar [as] a professor and human being.”
“Professor Malka makes learning fun. He takes an interest in his students and their plans for the future. He is always available to help.”
| |  |
|
“Lisa Queen truly is a queen. She’s always ready and willing to help and has such a calming and cheerful disposition.”
“Chris Gast is a blessing. For so many of us, Chris became our go-to person in the law school administration. In conversations among 3Ls this past year, we talked about Chris as someone who could magically fix almost anything.”
| | |
Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all members of our faculty and staff for their work throughout the year. | |
|
This week’s Wildcat Wednesday – Letter of the Law reflects the breadth, depth and commitment of our Wildcat community.
The cutting edge, cross-disciplinary and concrete funded research by Derek Bambauer and colleagues in the School of Information and College of Science illuminates our strength and engagement as part of a great, science-based land grant research university. This work can benefit many people while, along the way, we as scholars develop new tools, methods and insights.
The commitment, leadership and character of our alumni are represented by the generous gift from Pat McGroder, who has remained a steadfast champion of his clients, and his college of law, as one of the premier litigators of our times.
The recognition of staff and faculty colleagues with awards and honors reminds us that it takes a village. It reminds us, too, how important it is for us to stop and take a breath, now and again, and to recognize extraordinary contributions, and express appreciation for the many, many people – inside and outside the law school – that make this one of the great places in the world to work and study.
| | | | |
.gif){kind=small}
