Pitt Law eDocket: Volume 5, Issue 13 - November 16, 2009
CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL LEGAL EDUCATION
UCIS Opportunities for Pitt Law Students including FLAS Fellowships
Gina Huggins, Program Administrator
Tuesday, November 17, 1:00-2:00 p.m., Room 107
CILE will hold an information session on the Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships where representatives from the University Center for International Studies (UCIS) centers will be there to answer your questions. They will also provide students with information about Area Studies Certificates.
CAREER SERVICES
Pamela Day, Assistant Dean for Career Services
2L/3L Job Search Workshop: Creating Your Action Plan
Focus: Small and Midsize Firms Outside of the Pittsburgh Area
RSVP Required--Tuesday, November 17, 1:00-1:45 p.m., Room 113
If you are feeling frustrated and your job search needs some energy and direction, then this workshop is for you. This hands-on workshop will take you through the process of developing a Job Search Action Plan. This session is designed for 2L and 3L students who are searching for summer or post-graduate employment with small and mid-size firms outside of the Pittsburgh region. Please note that the CSO will be holding additional job search workshops focusing on different practice sectors/regions throughout the year. If you would like to attend this workshop, please RSVP to Pam Day (pday@pitt.edu) ASAP with your name, class year, and any cities/practice areas you are focusing on. Because this is a hands-on workshop, students should bring their laptops to the program.
2L and 3L Volunteers Needed For January 19th Program--"The Inside Scoop"
We are working to create a new program in January which will allow students to better connect with one another about their past job experiences. "The Inside Scoop" program will provide an opportunity for students to hear from their peers about working in different environments. The program is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19 from 1:00-2:15 p.m. At this point we are reaching out to the 2L and 3L classes to get students to volunteer to share their work experiences at this event. This program will be structured in similar fashion as our Attorney Expo/Table Talk Event. 2L and 3L student volunteers will sit at tables in the lobby based upon their practice areas and 1Ls and all other students will be able to talk with them informally about where they worked, how they found their jobs, what they did and how it impacted their future job searching. We are hoping to have a large number of 2L and 3L students volunteer to talk with their peers about a wide range of experiences, including law firm positions, judicial clerkships, government jobs and externships, research assistantships, public interest positions and more. If you would like to volunteer, please e-mail Pam Day pday@pitt.edu with your name, class year, where you worked during your 1L and/or 2L summers and any school year positions you have had. We thank you in advance for your support of this program.
REGISTRAR'S OFFICE
Beth Liberatore, Registrar
Exam Period
The exam period for the Fall Term is December 7-18. Exam information can be found on the Registrar's Page at the following link: http://www.law.pitt.edu/registrar/exams. All students are responsible for downloading the Exam Rules & Procedures. The in-class exam schedule and the take-home exam schedules will be posted on the page by the beginning of December. All first-year students, and any other student who will be using a laptop to take their exams for the first time, must follow the procedures outlined in the "Exam Laptop Information" found on the same page. You must meet all requirements listed in order to take your exams on a laptop, including attending the mandatory training session. Detailed information will be forthcoming directly from the IT department regarding the exam software and training schedule.
Students who have a direct exam conflict as indicated in the Exam Rules & Procedures that allows them to reschedule an exam can do so from November 16-December 2 at the Registrar's Window.
May 2010 Graduation
Students who are scheduled to graduate in May 2010 must submit graduation applications to the Registrar's Office. The deadline for submitting applications without penalty is Wednesday, December 9.
All May graduates (JD, LLM, and MSL) must complete an Application for Graduation. This form is required by the University for any student to graduate. If you are a certificate student, you must write which Certificate Program you are in at the top of the Application for Graduation Form in order to graduate with the certificate. Joint degree students must indicate their joint degree at the top of the form. Joint Degree students must also apply for graduation at the other school where they are pursuing their joint degree in order to be awarded the degree from that school in addition to the JD degree. If you do not apply at both schools, you will not graduate.
All JD students are also required to download the Graduation Requirements Checklist from the Registrar's web page, complete it and submit it with your Application for Graduation. Graduation Requirements and the Graduation Requirements Checklist are on the Registrar's web page. There is also a link on our Registrar's page that will take you to the University's website. That is where you will find the Graduation Application (in the menu under Forms located on the left side of the screen) which you will also need to download, complete and submit to the Registrar's Office: http://www.law.pitt.edu/registrar/graduation/requirements.
You should use the information in PeopleSoft to help you complete the graduation requirements checklist. You will notice that a lot of detail is on the system for both the JD requirements as well as the certificate programs. However, we are still in the process of developing and testing Graduate Advisement in PeopleSoft and that is not yet completed. You may find things that you have questions about that may appear to be a discrepancy. In order to develop and test this functionality, we had to do it in the PeopleSoft production environment. The information on the Law School website for graduation is what you should use to determine that you have met the requirements. If you have any questions, please contact the Law School Registrar's Office. If you are enrolled in a certificate program, you can also use the requirements information that is now in PeopleSoft to assist you in determining if your certificate program requirements have been met.
There is no charge to apply for graduation. However, if you do not submit the necessary paperwork by the deadline, the University will assess escalating fees to apply for graduation after the deadline has passed.
STUDENT NOTICES
Christian Legal Society
Emma Finney, Co-President
"At the End of Slavery: The Battle for Justice in Our Time"
The International Justice Mission's Documentary on Human Trafficking
Tuesday, November 17, 4:30 p.m., Room 111
On Tuesday, November 17, at 4:30 p.m. in Room 111, the Black Law Students Association, the Christian Legal Society, the Hispanic Law Society, the International Law Society, and the Jewish Law Students Association will be hosting a screening of "At the End of Slavery" a 30 minute documentary about Human Trafficking. Today 27 million people in the world live in slavery, come find out how the rule of law can contribute to a solution. Wes Rist will be having a Question and Answer session after the movie. There will be light refreshments! If you have any questions feel free to contact Emma Finney (ejf26@pitt.edu).
Pitt Law's National Health Law Moot Court Team is No. 2!
Professors Mannix & Smetanka--Coaches
<<FLASH>> Pitt Law Team, Vinnie Lichvar and Joy Sadaly, advances to Final Round and achieves Second Place in National Competition, with Joy Sadaly as Best Overall Oralist out of 56 participants!!! Their Brief places 6th out of 28!!!
Last weekend at Southern Illinois University School of Law in Carbondale, Illinois, the 18th National Health Law Moot Court Competition was held with William "Vinnie" Lichvar, 3L, and Joy Sadaly, 2L, representing us. The topic concerned a "medical deportation" case with a critically ill patient, an illegal alien, being transported back to her country of origin by the hospital, which was an agency of the state. Her guardian sought legal redress in state court to stop the transport, alleging a violation of her civil rights. When the hospital and doctor removed the case to federal court, the plaintiff added a count under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), to which the state argued 11th amendment immunity. Vinnie and Joy now know more than they ever thought possible about 11th amendment immunity of states and the EMTALA statute. They were required to be proficient on both sides of the issue, although they wrote their brief for the Respondent.
They argued the case six times in a two-day period beating teams from the University of Oklahoma, Suffolk, South Texas, Seton Hall and Loyola Chicago schools of law. It was a second team from Loyola Chicago that prevailed in the final round. But from all reports, it was a very close fought battle of skill. Joy and Vinnie were told by one of the judges that they were like "fire and ice" as a team, with Joy as the cool, calm persuader, and Vinnie coming up after that with force and heat. However they are described, their oral and written advocacy demonstrated a successful combination.
The second place showing carries with it a $750 scholarship grant and Joy will receive a $500 scholarship grant. Joy and Vinnie worked very hard on their brief, and participated in numerous practice rounds which were judged by generous, insightful professors and attorneys. Join us in congratulating this talented team for their well-deserved recognition!
Time Sheets for December
Kimberly A. Carson, Administrative Coordinator
The time sheet deadline for the month of December (hours accumulated between Monday, November 9-Friday, November 20) is no later than noon on Monday, November 23. You may turn in your time sheets to the front desk receptionist in Room 202. Paychecks will be ready for pick up after 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16 in Room 202.
As a reminder, time sheets MUST have your supervisor's signature and be turned in by the designated due date. Hours turned in after the designated due date will be paid the following month.
U.S. Supreme Court Reporter Visit
Professor Hibbitts
Thursday, November 19, 12:00-1:00 p.m., Room G12
Frank Wagner, the official Reporter of Decisions for the Supreme Court of the United States, will give a talk in Room G12 from 12:00-1:00 p.m., Thursday, November 19, about his work editing and publishing the Court's opinions over the past 22 years. Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear his "inside story" of life and law in the hallways of the nation's top tribunal!
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Jewish Law Student Association
Jordan Segall, President
Wednesday, November 18, 5:30 p.m., Room 111
The Jewish Law Student Association will be sponsoring, Right to Light: Public Display of Menorahs, featuring Charles Saul, Esquire on Wednesday November 18, at 5:30 p.m. in Room 111. Mr. Saul will speak on the display of menorahs in the public square (similar to the First Amendment Establishment Clause issues surrounding crosses). Mr. Saul argued such an issue before both the Third Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case of Allegheny County v. ACLU. All are welcome. Potato pancakes and donuts will be provided.
