ergo, December 2022

News for alumni and friends of Indiana Law

December 2022

In this issue:

From the Dean

With the holiday season now upon us, I want to take a moment to thank you for all of your wonderful support over the course of the past year.

In my very short time as the dean of this terrific Law School, I am amazed by the generosity of the Indiana Law community. Your gifts of time and treasure help make the Maurer School of Law the special place it is. We all have an opportunity to make our school even better.

Every gift, whether big or small, makes a difference in our community. If you've already given, I want to thank you. If you haven't, but would like to, now is the perfect time to show your support for the Maurer School of Law.*

I hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season, and I look forward to seeing you soon, either here in Bloomington or at one of our many upcoming alumni gatherings.

Christiana Ochoa
Dean and Class of 1950 Herman B Wells Endowed Professor

Hoffmann, Robel honored at retirement ceremony

Two legendary members of the Indiana Law community were honored at a retirement ceremony November 16 in the Indiana Memorial Union. Friends, family, and colleagues gathered to celebrate the remarkable careers of Professor Joe Hoffmann and Provost Emerita Lauren Robel. While both have retired from the Law School, Dean Christiana Ochoa said she is grateful that both continue to be deeply involved in various projects.

Hear from Hoffmann and Robel's colleagues

Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic connects to IU Ventures, strengthens reach in venture capital

The Indiana University Maurer School of Law’s Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic has strengthened its connection with a university affiliate designed to help students, faculty, staff, and alumni advance startups and new companies.

Professor Mark E. Need, director of the Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, has been appointed a Venture Legal Analyst-in-Residence with IU Ventures. Through the Executive in Residence Program, which IU Ventures launched last year, experts in a variety of startup areas help accelerate the development of new ventures by sharing insights and real-world experience with the founders and leaders of companies in the IU Ventures portfolio. They also work directly with IU Ventures staff in evaluating new investment opportunities.

The Law School will also serve as a new sponsor of the IU Ventures Fellows program, a unique 12-month immersive experience for an exclusive group of graduate students chosen from across the Bloomington campus. Through the fellows program, students are given opportunities to gain experience sourcing, evaluating, structuring, and investing in new ventures through course work, internships, and on-campus experiences.

Pryor makes history on the Seventh Circuit

The United States Senate on Dec. 5 confirmed a Maurer School of Law alumna to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The confirmation of the Hon. Doris L. Pryor, who earned her law degree from the Law School in 2003, was historic.

“With over a decade of experience in public service, Judge Pryor is now making history as the first woman of color from Indiana to ever sit on the Seventh Circuit,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

2L earns prestigious DC fellowship

La’Kendra Deitche, a 2L from Fort Wayne, has been selected as one of eight Karen Hastie Williams Leadership Fellows. These prestigious positions are awarded by the D.C. Bar. Deitche was the only Fellow selected from outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

She will complete a leadership orientation session followed by a six-month fellowship, from January through June 2023, as part of the D.C. Bar’s Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources community. The D.C. Bar includes 20 communities that help members develop expertise in specific practice areas.

November/December in photos

The Indiana Law community gathered in November to recognize the retirements of Professors Joe Hoffmann and Lauren Robel. A number of colleagues and friends spoke of the innumerable contributions Hoffmann and Robel have made to the Law School over the course of their careers. Both retirees have taken emeritus status at the school.

Senior Lecturer in Law Seth Lahn retired earlier in the year, but attended the retirement ceremony, where his official portrait was unveiled.

Lauren Robel '83, reacts as speakers recall her remarkable achievements as a colleague, administrator, and friend. Robel served as dean of the Maurer School of Law from 2003-2011, and as provost of the IU Bloomington campus and executive vice president of Indiana University from 2012-21.

The Hon. Damon Leicthy '99, United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Indiana, spoke to a group of students about the power of determination and grit prior to the final round of the Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition.

The Hon. Sara Ellis, of the United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, and the Hon. Thomas Kirsch II, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, joined Judge Leichty for the discussion. The three all served as judges for the Sherman Minton Moot Court competition final round, and all three have ties to IU: Ellis and Kirsch both earned undergraduate degrees from the Bloomington campus, while Leichty earned his law degree from the Maurer School of Law.

The four finalists of the Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition posed for a photograph before final arguments. John Witczak, Zion Miller, Wayne Tuckson, and John Vastag (from left) argued before a panel of three distinguished judges, with Miller and Tuckson crowned the eventual champions.

The four finalists surround the three presiding judges of this year's competition.

Rafael Sanchez '02, Stephanie Coffey, Leah Seigel '14, and Dean Christy Ochoa at an Indianapolis alumni event held at Barnes & Thornburg in mid-December.

Daniel Long '96, Randy Kaltenmark '96, Glenn Scolnik '78, and Lisa Hosey.

New additions to The Maurer Shop

The Maurer Shop has high-quality apparel, accessories, drinkware, and more, with new products arriving monthly. Orders are processed and shipped from the Law School. Please share the link to the shop with anyone who might be interested in purchasing Maurer merch.

Faculty news

Read In the media for faculty quotes and op-eds in state and national media.

Prof. Rob Fischman delivered a lecture, "Current Legal Issues in U.S. Protected Areas Management," yesterday as part of the China University of Political Science and Law's "Public Law and Governance" speaker series.
Prof. David Gamage joined a group of law professors in filing an amicus brief in support of Washington's capital gains tax. Gamage also ranked fifth in SSRN's monthly tax professor rankings.
Professors Norm Hedges and Mark Janis presented "Engineering and Patent Law" at Purdue University.
Prof. Aneil Kovvali's "Stakeholderism Silo Busting" was posted to SSRN and is forthcoming in the University of Chicago Law Review.
Prof. Leandra Lederman announced the Spring 2023 Tax Policy Colloquium.
Prof. Asaf Lubin was a participant in "Sovereign Identity Crisis: State, Self, and Collective in a Digital Age Event," a symposium hosted by the Temple Law Review and Temple University's Institute for Law, Innovation & Technology. Lubin's "The Law and Politics of Ransomware" was also published in the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law.
Prof. Jody Madeira presented "Being a Researcher and an Advocate" for the IU Center on Bioethics at the IU School of Medicine.
Prof. Jeff Stake's "Trusts and Estates, Second Edition" is now available from West Academic.
Visiting Professor Cynthia Williams and Oxford University's Robert G. Eccles posted a "Review of Comments on SEC Climate Rulemaking" to the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.
3L Ethan Dawson took home second place honors in the If/When/How 17th annual Writing Prize for New Student Scholarship in Reproductive Rights & Justice.
2Ls Zion Miller and Wayne Tuckson were declared winners of the 2022 Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition. Thank you to all of our alumni and community members who volunteered their time to assist with this year's competition!
Eight students participated in the Conservation Law Clinic's fall seminar program, earning practical training with clients and becoming better advocates and attorneys while making a positive impact on the environment.

Class notes

Keep up with your classmates and submit your own news at our class notes page.

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