News for alumni and friends of Indiana Law
March 2021
In this issue:
- From the Dean
- Singing for Summer Salaries fundraiser set for March 11, 6:00
- Join us April 9 for Academy of Law Alumni Fellows induction
- (Belated) Valentine's Day greetings!
- Latinx Law Student Association honored
- Student teams excel in virtual competitions
- Journals, Advocacy Board appoint new leaders
- Coming events
- Class notes
From the Dean
Spring has come early to Bloomington, and as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available, we're seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. The university has announced resumption of in-person instruction this fall, and all of us at the Law School are looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2024.
Meanwhile, our students and faculty continue to excel despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. In fact, the current online environment is making it possible for you to attend two signature events that you might not be able to attend under normal circumstances: Singing for Summer Salaries, our annual fundraiser for public interest internship stipends on March 11, and the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows induction on April 9. I hope you'll register to join us on Zoom, and I look forward to seeing you then.
Austen Parrish
Dean and James H. Rudy Professor of Law
Singing for Summer Salaries fundraiser Thursday, March 11, 6:00.
This annual fundraiser supports summer funding for students in public interest internships. This year we invite all alumni to join this entertaining event, in which faculty members perform musical selections before the Law School community. For the first time, alumni are participating: Kimberly Richardson,'06, Libby Baney, '07, Jordan Couch, '15, and Alex Thibodeau, '18. Also on deck are Deans Anne McFadden and Ryan Scott and Profs. Asaf Lubin and Shana Wallace. The faculty member and alum who have raised the most funds will each have the honor of performing.
The Law School is matching up to $2,000 of this week's alumni donations to Singing for Summer Salaries. Follow this link to make your gift by 5 pm Thursday, and register here to join the fun.
Join us April 9 for Academy of Law Alumni Fellows induction
You are cordially invited to join the Indiana Law community at noon EDT on Friday, April 9 for the induction of four distinguished alumni into the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows. This year's ceremony will be held via Zoom and will include the Law School's Board of Visitors, faculty, students, and other honored guests. To attend this event, please register here.
Four alumni are being inducted this year: Bonnie Gibson, '78, Randy Lebedoff, '75, R. Anthony (Tony) Prather, '83, and Randy Seger, '72.
Gibson is a retired partner in the Phoenix office Fragomen Worldwide. She practiced immigration and employment law for more than 30 years. While in law school, she was elected to Order of the Coif in law school and served on the Indiana Law Journal, and she served on the school’s Law Alumni Board from 2012–2016. She currently serves on the Indiana University Foundation's Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council and is vice chair of its grants committee.
Lebedoff is senior vice president and general counsel and secretary for the Star Tribune Media Company LLC in Minneapolis. She has served on the boards of several nonprofits, including the Minnesota Newspaper Association and Milkweed Editions, the YWCA of Minneapolis, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, the Fund for the Legal Aid Society, and the Downtown Council, among others. Lebedoff is a 2016 recipient of the Law School’s Distinguished Service Award.
Prather is a partner in the Indianapolis office of Barnes & Thornburg, where he represents management interests in all aspects of labor and employment law and litigation. He also represents judges, lawyers, and other professionals in disciplinary and licensing issues and other matters of professional responsibility. Prather is a member of the Law School’s BLSA Advisory Board and former member of the Law Alumni Board and Board of Visitors. He received the Distinguished Service Award in 2015.
Seger is a partner in the Indianapolis office of Dentons Bingham Greenebaum, practicing in Indiana for 49 years in public utilities, energy, and agribusiness. His practice includes renewable energy clients in wind and solar, investor owned and municipal utilities, and agri-business in food production. Seger is a member of the Law School’s Board of Visitors and the IU Foundation board of directors. He and his family are also longtime supporters of the Kelley School of Business and the IU Varsity Club.
Established in 1985, the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers through personal achievements and dedication to the highest standards of the profession. It is the highest honor that the Law School bestows upon its graduates.
(Belated) Valentine's Day greetings!
Did you and your spouse meet each other while you were in law school? If so, we'd like to hear about it! Share the story of how you met—along with photos if you have them—and we'll include it in the summer print issue of ergo. Submit your info to lawalum@indiana.edu by April 1.
Latinx Law Student Association honored
The Law School's Latinx Law Student Association (LLSA) was named National Chapter of the Year at the National Latinx Law Student Association Conference. The award is presented to the LLSA chapter with the best overall programming that aligns with the NLLSA's mission of addressing legal issues affecting Latinx people nationwide. Congratulations!
Student teams excel in virtual competitions
The pandemic has required student advocacy and drafting competitions to shift to online channels this year, and the Law School's student teams have more than risen to the occasion.
On March 6, the Center for Intellectual Property Research sent two teams to the National Patent Drafting Competition, sponsored by the US Patent and Trademark Office: 2Ls Richa Patel, Matthew Spegele, and Allison Strong in the Eastern regional and Zoe Bae, Nick Ciulla, and John Grasty in the Texas regional. Each team finished second in their respective regionals. Prof. Norm Hedges, Alyssa Eckerley, '18, and Evan Glass,'18 coached the teams, and Brett Bostrom, '17 and Jonathan Yates, '01 served as guest judges.
The school's team in the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition came in third in the overall preliminary rounds, besting such schools such as the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, and the University of Texas. Three of its members, Dakota Coates, '21, Rachel Myers, '20, and Olivia Potter, '22, were among the top 50 oralists in the region. The team ultimately lost to NYU in the semi-finals, but because of this year's online format, all registered teams have been invited to compete in the global rounds beginning this week. Profs. Asaf Lubin and Lane McFadden coached and coordinated the teams.
Two teams from the Law School competed in American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition on March 5: Daniel Schumick, Melanie Grossman, Monica McCoskey, and Kelsey Daugherty; and Erica Gbur, Natalia Rivera, Autumn Murphy, and Willow Thomas. All of the competitors are 3Ls, excpet Schumick, who is a 2L. Prof. Seth Lahn coached the teams.
3L Kacey Cook received oral advocacy honors in the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition at Pace University on February 19. She was joined by her 2L teammates Eli Schank and Phil Stephenson and coach Prof. Lane McFadden.
Journals, Advocacy Board appoint new leaders
Preston Michelson, '22, will serve as editor-in-chief of the Indiana Law Journal in 2021-22. Founded in 1925, the journal is a general-interest academic legal journal that publishes original articles by a distinguished and diverse selection of authors, including Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Justice Hugo Black, former U.S. Solicitor General Seth P. Waxman, and Prof. Cass Sunstein.
Madeline Blaney, '22, is the new editor-in-chief of the Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies. The journalpublishes articles by distinguished legal scholars focusing on issues of globalization and international law. Each issue generally contains articles by authors from many different countries, along with articles written by students. It was co-founded by Professor Emeritus and former Dean Alfred C. Aman, Jr.
Raeanna Carrell, '22, has been named editor-in-chief of the Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality. This online journal serves as an interdisciplinary academic forum for scholars, practitioners, policy-makers, and students to contribute to society's understanding of legal and policy issues concerning race, religion, gender, and class.
Seila Ibrulj, '22, has been elected chief justice of the Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition Executive Advocacy Board. The Executive Board, along with the Competition Board, organizes and conducts the annual Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition, Indiana Law's school-wide appellate advocacy competiton, and the Trial Team. Members of the board also compete in national interscholastic trial and moot court competitions. The rest of the executive board will be elected this month.
Coming events (all times Eastern)
- Tuesday, March 16, 6:00-7:00 p.m., and continuing weekly through April 20: Big 10 Law School Speaker Series: "New Court, New Administration, New Congress." Visit the Law School events calendar to register.
- Thursday, March 18, 10:00-noon: Tax Policy Colloquium, featuring a series of scholars from throughout the country every other week through April 22. Two hours' Indiana CLE available. Visit the Law School events calendar to register.
- Be sure to check the Law School events calendar for other CLE events as they're planned this semester.
Class notes
Be sure to follow the Law School on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date news on the Law School community. For more information about your classmates, and to submit your own news, visit our class notes page.
Read In the mediafor faculty quotes and op-eds in state and national media.