Professor Rapping Gives Keynote Address at University of Iowa Law School

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Professor Jon Rapping was recently the keynote speaker at the University of Iowa Law School’s “Fifty Years of Gideon” symposium. Professor Rapping was chosen based to his work with Gideon’s Promise, his nonprofit organization that works to inspire, mobilize and train legal professionals to provide the highest quality defense representation to people unable to afford an attorney. Gideon’s Promise was later featured in an HBO documentary titled Gideon’s Army which aired July 1, 2013. The symposium commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision granting all indigent defendants the right to counsel, Gideon v. Wainwright. Following Professor Rapping’s keynote address, a renowned group of panelists discussed the history of Gideon, the current state of indigent defense, and future developments for the right to counsel. For more on Professor Rapping’s work with Gideon’s Promise, click here. To learn more about the University of Iowa Law School symposium, click here.

 

Professor Rapping Named the 2013 Public Interest Scholar in Residence at Touro Law School

Professor Jon Rapping was recently selected as the 2013 Public Interest Scholar in Residence at Touro Law School. Through the Distinguished Public Interest Lawyer in Residence Program, Touro Law Center recognizes attorneys who have made significant contributions to society by representation of individuals or groups historically denied access to justice. Honorees visit the Law Center to meet with students, guest teach classes and deliver a public lecture. The program attracts distinguished visitors who are active in the field of public interest who inspire and teach members of the Touro Law community. On behalf of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, congratulations Professor Rapping on another outstanding accomplishment. For the full story, click here.

Professor Van Detta Named the John E. Ryan Professor of International Business & Workplace Law

Dean Richardson Lynn is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, in recognition of Professor Jeffrey Van Detta’s distinguished service to the law school, his excellence as a teacher, and the breadth and depth of his scholarship, has conferred upon him a named Chair in Law:  The John E. Ryan Professor Of International Business & Workplace Law. Congratulations Professor Van Detta on this prestigious accomplishment.

Professor Rapping Interviewed by The Seattle Times in Indigent Defense Case

Jon Rapping, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School professor and founder and president of Gideon’s Promise, a national organization aimed at improving indigent defense, was recently interviewed by The Seattle Times regarding an ongoing indigent-defense case.

The Seattle Times reports:

Today, many in America’s legal and law-enforcement communities — from judges and prosecutors to defense lawyers — believe the promise of Gideon v. Wainwright, grounded in the Sixth Amendment, has mostly gone unfulfilled. To prove it, some point to Mount Vernon and Burlington.

The Skagit County towns are at the center of a groundbreaking class-action civil-rights lawsuit over indigent defense filed two years ago by the American Civil Liberties Union, alleging misdemeanor defendants were given little more than a “meet ’em, greet ’em and plead ’em” defense by a pair of public defenders expected to handle more than 2,000 cases a year.

Now, with a Seattle-based U.S. District Court judge set to rule on the case, Mount Vernon and Burlington may become part of an unprecedented solution — the first-ever federal-court takeover of a public-defender system.

The goal, Rapping said, should be that the indigent accused “receive the same kind of representation that you or I would pay for.” The reality at this point, however, is that most public-defender agencies — including the federal Public Defender’s Office — are struggling with budget cuts and a paucity of resources, he said. “It’s unfortunate, but over the years we have become accustomed to a lower standard of justice for poor people,” Rapping said.

To read the full article, click here.

Professor Mears Reappointed to the Post-Conviction Capital Representation Committee of the State Bar

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Professor Micheal Mears was recently reappointment to a very important State Bar of Georgia committee.  He has been honored to be appointed to the Post-Conviction Capital Representation Committee.  This committee of the State Bar deals with matters relating to the post conviction of defendants in death penalty cases and reports any recommendations to the Board of Governors.

In discussing his appointment, Professor Mears stated, “I know that we all serve the Bar in various ways and serve on important committees and task forces.” He went on to say, “I am especially proud of this Committee Assignment over these past years because it has given me such a great opportunity to continue the work of so many lawyers, both prosecutors and defense attorneys, in addressing the life and death issues of the death penalty.” Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School congratulates Professor Mears on his most recent appointment.

AJMLS Professor Joins Group of National Experts at the White House

Professor Rapping was among a group of national experts invited to the White House on June 5, 2013 to discuss Judicial Vacancies and the Importance of the Courts.  With five unfilled vacancies on the Eleventh Circuit and Northern District of Georgia, four of which are considered judicial emergencies, the situation is particularly pressing for Georgians.  Professor Rapping then joined a small Georgia delegation to meet with staff for Senators Isakson and Chambliss to discuss the problem of unfilled vacancies on Georgia’s federal courts and the risk it poses to the efficient functioning of our judicial system. Once again, another exciting accomplishment for our faculty.

AJMLS Adjunct Professor Appointed Juvenile Court Judge

On May 21, 2013, Judge Willie J. Lovett, Jr. began serving as a Juvenile Court Judge for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit in Fulton County, Georgia.  Judge Lovett will preside over all juvenile matters originating in Fulton County and will provide leadership to the Juvenile Court as it prepares to implement Georgia’s new Juvenile Code, which will become law on January 1, 2014.  Judge Lovett also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, where he teaches Georgia Practice and Procedure and Local Government Law.  In 2012, Judge Lovett became certified by the American Bar Association and the National Association of Counsel for Children as a Child Welfare Law Specialist (“CWLS”).  Judge Lovett is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Association of Counsel for Children and the Georgia Association of Counsel for Children. 

 

Prior to this appointment as Juvenile Judge, Judge Lovett served as the Director of the Fulton County Child Attorney’s Office.  In that role, he managed the attorneys, investigators, social workers and administrative staff, ensuring that constitutional and statutory mandates are met utilizing the American Bar Association Standards of Practice for Lawyers Who Represent Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases, (NACC Revised Version).  Judge Lovett has also served as Deputy County Attorney for the Fulton County Attorney’s Office where he was lead litigation counsel for Fulton County in the Kenny A. v. Perdue litigation, originally filed in 2002.  Prior to joining the Fulton County Attorney’s Office, Judge Lovett clerked for the Honorable Joseph W. Hatchett, former Chief Judge of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Atlanta’s Law Department, and worked as an associate at several Atlanta law firms. 

 

In 1985, Judge Lovett earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, cum laude with Distinction in the major from Yale University, where he received the 1985 Roosevelt Thompson Prize for commitment to public service.  In 1988, Judge Lovett earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, where he served as a Comments Editor on the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, and in 1991, he earned his Master of Laws in Litigation from Emory Law School.  Judge Lovett is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, the Georgia Supreme Court and the Georgia Court of Appeals.

 

Judge Lovett is a native of Savannah, Georgia, currently resides in Fairburn, Georgia and is married to Seletha R. Butler, Esq.

 

 

AJMLS Dedicates Law Library to Esteemed Faculty Member

On April 29, 2013, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School dedicated its law library to Michael J. Lynch, Director of the Law Library and Professor. The dedication ceremony, attended by faculty, staff and students, was a fitting recognition of Professor Lynch’s work in expanding the library and library services, a key part of obtaining full ABA approval for the law school. 

His success with the library, given the resources he had to work with, could not have been duplicated by any other law librarian in the country,” said Dean Richardson Lynn.Professor Lynch has been important in the life of the law school in multiple roles, including his teaching of Contracts.  His support for our students and the way he roots for them is most inspiring.” Thank you Professor Lynch for your hard work and commitment to the John Marshall community. Congratulations!

AJMLS Professor Weighs in on Anti-Bullying Laws

Elizabeth Jaffe, Associate Professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School was a recent panelist at a daylong cyberbullying conference at Rutgers University in New Jersey where lawyers, scholars, educators, and others discussed the difficulties of drawing a legal line that determines if schools – or parents – are culpable. An excerpt from the article is below.

“I think New Jersey is on the right track,” said Elizabeth Jaffe, an associate professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School who has studied New Jersey’s anti-bullying law. “Nobody can jump in and get it right perfectly. It will take time to see how it plays out.”

Jaffe, also a panelist at the event, said afterward that questions arise as to whether the law is too vague and gives districts too much leeway in deciding what is cyberbullying.

“Is it too vague, is just saying ‘I don’t like your clothes’ amount to bullying,” she said. “You need to ask how pervasive it is, what is the extent of it.”

To read the full article, click here.

AJMLS Adjunct Professor Interviewed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Baptist preacher, a prosecutor, and an adjunct professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School – John Melvin has a full plate of duties, responsibilities, and obligations. In a recent article by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Professor Melvin was asked about how he seamlessly balances being a prosecutor and preacher. “Being a prosecutor isn’t that different from being a pastor in some ways,” Melvin says. Instead of teaching a congregation about the Bible, he instructs juries on Georgia law. Excerpts from the article are below.

To view the full article, click here. Congratulations Professor Melvin for receiving recognition for your years of service to the community and your congregation.

As a Baptist preacher, John Melvin is patient with sinners. As a prosecutor, he has earned a reputation for doggedly pursuing them.

Over the past 18 years, Melvin has worked as a prosecutor in Gwinnett, DeKalb and Cobb counties and has become one of the state’s most experienced prosecutors of corrupt public figures. Not only that, Melvin has spent the last 15 years pastoring a congregation of about 75 souls at Camp Creek Primitive Baptist Church in Lilburn.

Like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, the worship services are held in a small, white country church where the congregation sits in maplewood pews and sings without instrumental accompaniment from an old-timey hymnal.

European Law Journal Appoints Associate Dean Van Detta to Permanent Board of Peer-Review Referees

Merkourios, Utrecht Journal of International and European Law, has appointed Jeffrey Van Detta, Associate Dean for Scholarship and Professor of Law at AJMLS, to its Permanent Board of Referees. 

Merkourios is an Open Access, peer-reviewed, student-led law journal, which focuses on international and European law.  The Journal provides immediate, open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the community of scholars and to a wider public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

Merkourios is affiliated with Utrecht University and Urios.  Utrecht University, located in Utrecht, Netherlands, is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe.  See  http://www.uu.nl/EN/Pages/default.aspx    Urios is the Utrecht Study Association for International and European Law.   Founded in 1981, Urios has a membership of 250 students, which includes both Utrecht students and exchange students.   The mission of Urios is to introduce students to International and European law on a more practical level, as explained on its webpage at http://www.urios.org/1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69&Itemid=55

The Referee Board is a new initiative that the 2012-2013 Board of Editors of Merkourios has inaugurated.  By establishing the Permanent Board of Referees, Merkourios aims to further develop the Journal by achieving higher standards of academic quality and by enhancing cooperation within its network of referees and authors.

Members of the Permanent Board of Referees report their professional opinions on the academic quality of articles that the student Editors have previously reviewed and identified as worthy of further consideration for publication.   Rendered on the basis of anonymous peer review, the reports from the Journal’s Referees are a determinative factor in the Journal’s final publication decisions.

Merkourios appointed Associate Dean Van Detta as a member of the Permanent Board of Referees based on his expertise and scholarly publications in the areas of Trans-National Commercial Law, International Business Transactions, International Civil Litigation, Private International Law, Employment and Labour Law, and Jurisprudence.   Associate Dean Van Detta teaches courses encompassing those areas in AJMLS’s J.D. Program, American Legal Studies LL.M. Program, and Employment Law LL.M. Program.

“I believe very passionately in the kind of scholarly work carried on by Merkourios, in which both law students and experienced faculty collaborate in evaluating and publishing scholarship of the highest calibre,” Associate Dean Van Detta commented.  In his view, “that is an ideal combination of talents, perspectives, and expertise for the dynamic areas of legal scholarship which Merkourios embraces.”

The most recent issue of Merkourios—the General Issue 2013 (Vol 29, No 76)— may be viewed at http://www.merkourios.org/index.php/mj/issue/current

Associate Dean Van Detta also has three articles of his own in the publication process thus far this year:   Some Legal Considerations For EU-Based MNEs Contemplating High-Risk Foreign Direct Investments In The Energy Sector, 9 South Carolina  J.  Int’l  L. & Bus. __ (Issue 2, Spring 2013); Transnational Legal Services In Globalized Economies: American Leadership, Not Mere Compliance, With GATS Through Qualifying LL.M. Degree Programs For Foreign-Educated Lawyers Seeking State-Bar Admissions, 12 Hofstra J. Int’l Bus. & L. ___ (Spring 2013); and Politics And Legal Regulation In The International Business Environment: An FDI Case Study Of Alstom, S.A., In Israel, 21 U. Miami Bus. L. Rev. 301 (Spring 2013).

AJMLS Professor Publishes Book on New Georgia Evidence Code

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School adjunct professor Michael Carlson has recently released a highly anticipated, first-of-its-kind book on Georgia’s new evidence code.

Carlson on Evidence: Comparing the Georgia and Federal Rules by Ronald L. Carlson and Michael Scott Carlson was published in December 2012 by the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia. It is a rule-by-rule comparison of the new and former Georgia, as well as the federal evidence rules.

Michael Carlson serves as Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney and head of the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Gang Prosecution Unit. He teaches advanced evidence and advanced criminal procedure at John Marshall. His father, co-author Ronald Carlson, is the Fuller E. Callaway Chair of Law Emeritus at the University of Georgia Law School and has authored numerous leading publications on evidence, trial practice and criminal law.

In 2011, the Georgia General Assembly voted to comprehensively rewrite the state’s 150-year old evidence code to model the Federal Rules of Evidence. The new evidence code became effective Jan. 1, 2013.

Carlson on Evidence is a user-friendly book that identifies the differences between the state’s new and old evidence code with the federal rules. This comprehensive break-down of the evidence code is essential to practicing law in Georgia,” John Marshall Dean of Academics Kevin Cieply said. “We are honored to have our students learning from one of the premier scholars on Georgia’s new evidence code.”

The Carlsons have taught various continuing judicial and legal education programs on the new evidence code to numerous members of Georgia’s bench and bar. In December, they hosted the Carlson on Evidence seminar, which served as the formal launch of the book. That program was a sold-out event at the Georgia State Bar headquarters and was simulcast live to other State Bar satellite offices. The event was attended by numerous John Marshall alumni, faculty and students.

For more information or to purchase the Carlson on Evidence book, visit http://www.iclega.org/.

AJMLS Professor and Staff Member Elected to the Board of Directors of the ACLU of Georgia

Michael Oeser, Associate Professor and Bridgett Ortega, Assistant Director of the Office of Pro Bono and Experiential Learning were elected to the ACLU of Georgia’s Board of Directors at the November 10th Annual Meeting.

Professor Oeser and Mrs. Ortega join Professor Kathleen Burch who has served on the ACLU Board for the past two years and is Co-Chair of the Legal Committee. The law school also partners with the ACLU of Georgia in the Civil Liberties Seminar where students work on ACLU cases.

Founded in 1920 as a response to the Palmer Raids, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that seeks to defend the principles and freedoms embodied in the Bill of Rights. To accomplish this goal, the ACLU advocates for civil liberties in courts, legislatures, and communities all over the United States at both the federal and state level. As a result of its dedication, there is no non-governmental organization that has more frequently argued in front of the Supreme Court of the United States than the ACLU.

AJMLS is extremely proud of Professor Oeser and Mrs. Ortega and thank them for their continuous commitment to impacting the lives of others through service.

AJMLS Professor Appointed Magistrate Judge in Fulton County

Last week, AJMLS professor Renata Turner was appointed as a part-time magistrate judge of the Fulton County State Court.  Professor Turner teaches Domestic Violence and is the Director of the Office of Pro Bono and Experiential Learning.

Magistrate judges conduct first appearances and preliminary examinations of felony charges and hear felony arraignments. They also can authorize search warrants, set bond on criminal defendants and handle criminal misdemeanors, traffic infractions, traffic misdemeanors, cigarette and tobacco infractions, and fish and game violations.

On the civil side, they are authorized to handle limited actions seeking judgment for some unsecured debt; evictions; replevin; small claims; all probate proceedings, including treatment of the mentally ill, substance abusers, guardianships and conservatorships; protection from abuse and stalking; making temporary orders in domestic relations cases; performing marriages; and child support enforcement.

They also may handle any juvenile proceedings, including children in need of care, juvenile offenders and adoptions. As a rotating part-time magistrate Judge Turner will more than likely handle a variety of matters.

Professor Turner has a wealth of experience serving the people of Atlanta and will make an excellent magistrate judge for the Fulton County State Court.

Professor Rapping Appointed to the Board of Directors for the Federal Defender Program

AJMLS’s own Professor Jonathan Rapping was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the Federal Defender Program, Incorporated (FDP) by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The FDP provides representation for all the indigent defendants in the Atlanta, Newnan, and Gainesville Divisions of the Northern District, that is not precluded by a conflict of interest.

On behalf of the entire AJMLS community, congratulations Professor Rapping on another outstanding honor!

AJMLS Staff Member Elected as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the NJDC

AJMLS’ Assistant Director of Pro Bono Outreach and Externships, Bridgett Ortega, was recently elected as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) in Washington D.C. The mission of the NJDC is to ensure excellence in juvenile defense and promote justice for all children.The organization was created in 1999 to respond to the critical need to build the capacity of the juvenile defense bar and to improve access to counsel and quality of representation for children in the justice system. They also give juvenile defense attorneys a more permanent capacity to address practice issues, improve advocacy skills, build partnerships, exchange information, and participate in the national debate over juvenile crime.AJMLS congratulates you on your accomplishments and all that you do for the school!

AJMLS Professor Appointed to the Joint Commission’s PTAC

Noted AJMLS faculty member, Lisa Tripp was recently appointed as a representative for the Joint Commission’s Professional & Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC).

The PTACs are an integral part of the Joint Commission’s advisory structure. By representing the views of a diverse group of professional associations and other interests and by providing expert advice, Professor Tripp and other representatives will assist The Joint Commission in the development and refinement of standards and elements of performance. In addition, each PTAC provides observations regarding environmental trends, educational needs, and other important issues facing each of the fields in which The Joint Commission offers accreditation services.

The value of the PTACs stems from the diversity of perspectives and the discussion and debate that occurs at the PTAC meetings. In the final analysis, PTAC representatives are expected to be proponents of their respective bodies of knowledge to The Joint Commission, and proponents of The Joint Commission to their constituents.

Congratulations Professor Tripp on your outstanding accomplishment!

Dean Cieply Appointed to the NIMJ Board of Advisors

AJMLS Associate Dean of Academics and associate professor, Kevin Cieply has an extensive military and legal background. His dedication and skills have recently positioned him for a prestigious honor. The National Institute of Military Justice (NIMJ) have appointed Dean Cieply to their Board of Advisors.

The NIMJ is a District of Columbia non-profit corporation organized in 1991. NIMJ’s mission is to advance the fair administration of military justice and foster improved public understanding of the military justice system by educating the public, press, and Congress about the military justice system. NIMJ’s directors and advisors are law professors, former military lawyers, or both.

On behalf of AJMLS, congratulations Dean Cieply on your newest accomplishment!

AJMLS Professor Elizabeth Jaffe Adds Insight to Revamped Bullying Laws (Audio)

The bullying epidemic has been present in schools across the nation for decades. However, incidents of bullying have become more frequent and fatal in recent years. To raise awareness and combat this issue, forty-seven states have passed anti-bullying legislation. AJMLS professor and former family law practitioner, Elizabeth Jaffe was recently called on by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) to add insight to this growing problem in Georgia schools.An excerpt from Professor Jaffe’s interview is below.

But increased attention raises more unanswered questions. Elizabeth Jaffe of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School says one involves what happens when students’ free speech rights collide with other students’ right not to be bullied.

Jaffe notes that existing case law allows schools to limit students’ speech to protect the safe environment of the school.

“However, with the litigiousness of our society, I think we’re going to see more and more lawsuits about incidents that occur,” Jaffe says. “For me the question goes back to prevention.”

So the question becomes not just how to respond to and punish bullying when it happens, but how to prevent it from happening at all.

To read or listen to audio of the full article, click here.

Attorney General Eric Holder Acknowledges AJMLS Professor Jon Rapping During Speech

Attorney General Eric Holder praised AJMLS professor Jon Rapping for his dedication to improving indigent defense and for his efforts to effect meaningful reform of the criminal justice system in a speech given earlier this month.

He also talked extensively about a ground-breaking training program that was recently launched by Rapping’s non-profit, the Southern Public Defender Training Center. To read Attorney General Holder’s speech, click here. His comments regarding our esteemed faculty member begin on page 3.

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Appoints Three New Administrators

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) – Georgia’s only fully accredited, stand-alone law school – has appointed a new Chief Financial Officer, an Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and an Associate Dean of Recruitment and Marketing.

New administrators include:

Kevin Cieply, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Prior to joining AJMLS in 2008, Cieply served more than 22 years in the Army and Wyoming Army National Guard as a helicopter pilot and a Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) Officer. His wide range of military legal experience includes prosecuting courts martial cases, prosecuting criminal procurement fraud cases in federal courts as a full-time Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, and serving as the Senior Legal Advisor on all military matters for the Wyoming Army National Guard. Cieply’s last military assignment was as the Chief, Land Operations Law, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), concentrating on counterterrorism and Defense Support of Civilian Authorities. He retired from the military with the rank of Colonel.

Cieply graduated from Notre Dame Law School and holds an LL.M in Military Law, Specialization in Criminal Law.

Allan Brezel, Chief Financial Officer

As Chief Financial Officer, Brezel directs and manages the school’s financial investments. Before joining AJMLS, Brezel served as Chief Financial Officer of various companies.

In 1978, Brezel started his career as a Senior Accountant at Deloitte and then moved on to work in private industry. He is a graduate of the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in Atlanta.

Alan Boyer, Associate Dean of Recruitment and Marketing

As Associate Dean of Recruitment and Marketing, Boyer oversees the admissions, recruitment and marketing functions of the law school. Before joining AJMLS, he most recently was Managing Partner of the Marketing Lab and a tenure-track professor of communications at Georgia Highlands College. Boyer has held various executive marketing and communications positions, including Chief Marketing Officer at Atlanta Life Financial Group, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at Equifax. Other experiences include positions at The Coca-Cola Co., SBC Communications, First Data and the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

Boyer holds a certificate in brand communication strategy from Northwestern University and a certificate in marketing strategy from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He earned a Master of Science in Mass Communications from Kansas State University and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass Communications from Lincoln University of Missouri.

About AJMLS
Founded in 1933 and fully accredited by the American Bar Association, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is Georgia’s only stand-alone law school focused on preparing talented students for legal careers in the public and private sectors. AJMLS students matriculate in a learning environment that includes exceptional faculty, accelerated externships and intelligent learning collaboration. AJMLS academic programs include a Juris Doctorate, J.D. Honors Program in Criminal Justice and a LL.M in Employment Law. AJMLS serves as a strategic resource for legal talent for small, mid-size and large law firms, corporations and public service organizations throughout the country. For more information about AJMLS, please visit us at www.johnmarshall.edu.

AJMLS Professor Michael Mears Gives Thoughts on Troy Davis Execution

Gaining national and international attention, the scheduled execution of Troy Davis for the killing of Savannah police officer, Mark MacPhail has created a media frenzy and raised many ethical, moral, and legal questions.

In the two decades since Davis was condemned for fatally shooting MacPhail, seven of the nine witnesses who testified against Davis at his trial have recanted their testimony.

Based on his vast experience with death penalty cases and trials, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School professor Michael Mears was sought out by Georgia Public BroadcastingThe Atlanta Journal Constitution, and The Washington Post to give his expert opinion on the Troy Davis execution.

An excerpt from the GPB article quoting Mears states:

If the death sentence is carried out, Michael Mears of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School says, it will be because the courts aren’t well-equipped to deal justly with recanted testimony.

 

“The courts want finality in these trials,” Mears says. “They don’t want these trials going on forever and ever. And that’s understandable. The problem in a death penalty case is if you don’t get it right, then someone’s going to die. And they’re going to die for a crime they might not have committed.”

Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Adds Impressive Roster of Tenured and Visiting Professors

Standing firmly behind our mission to prepare highly competent and professional lawyers who are committed to the improvement of the legal system and society, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is excited about the recent addition to our growing institution.

AJMLS has hired seven tenured/tenure-track professors and seven visiting professors to bolster its commitment to marry real-world experience with classroom academics. “Coupled with the faculty already on staff, we believe our new personnel offer our students a brilliant mix of expertise and enable us to maintain our 13-to-1 student-faculty ratio.” said Richardson Lynn, dean and professor of law at the Law School.

The tenured/tenure-track professors include: 

Anthony Baker
Professor Baker brings a broad range of legal teaching experience to AJMLS, having previously taught criminal and constitutional law, history of law, ethics, mediation and research at Campbell University School of Law, Pepperdine University School of Law, University of Maine School of Law, and University of Wisconsin Law School. He is a graduate of the University Of North Carolina School of Law. 

Robert Brown
Professor Brown’s extensive real-world legal experience began as Chief Legal Counsel to the City Council of Philadelphia, where he led a team of lawyers in the drafting of zoning and tax ordinances. He then practiced real estate and finance law at Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg & Ellers in Philadelphia. From 2004 – 2009, he worked in Atlanta focusing his practice on affordable housing, capital markets and real estate law. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. 

Christine Cerniglia
A 2003 graduate of the Loyola University School of Law, Cerniglia’s legal teaching background dates back to 2004. Having served as a staff lawyer for the State of Florida, Sixth Judicial Court, she brings a wealth of real-world experience to the classroom.

Rebecca Godbey Cummings
A graduate of William and Mary Law School, this is Cummings’ second experience teaching at AJMLS. She also served as an adjunct professor teaching Wills, Trusts and Estates and a writing-intensive Advanced Estate Planning Seminar from 2005 – 2008. She was highly ranked by students each semester, and her classes were routinely filled to capacity.

James Gelin
A graduate of Duke University Law School, Professor Gelin is an experienced trial attorney who represented defendants as an Assistant Public Defender with the Office of the DeKalb County Public Defender from 1991 – 2010. Before joining the Public Defender’s office, he practiced corporate law, first at Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston, and then at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP in Atlanta. Professor Gelin previously taught criminal law at AJMLS as an adjunct professor from 1994 – 1995.

Michael Oeser
Oeser holds a Master of Laws from the University of Wisconsin and is a member of several state and tribal bar associations, including Texas State Bar, Wisconsin State Bar, Cherokee Nation Bar and Ho-Chunk Nation Bar. His experience also includes academic appointments dating back to 2006 and an extensive time in private practice. 

Tim Saviello
Saviello comes to AJMLS with a rich background in criminal defense, having been the principal of his own criminal law practice representing individuals facing criminal investigation and prosecution by the United States in the Northern District of Georgia. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School, Saviello has practiced law throughout the southeastern United States.

Visiting professors also have a wide range of legal expertise. The visiting professors joining Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School include: Lovita Tandy; Allison Kort; Victoria Carlton-Sadler; Rose Anne Nespica; LaTisha Faulks; Scott Boone; and David Hricik.

For a full list of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Faculty, click here.

Dean Mears Participates in Transnational Law Program

Professor Michael Mears, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, was recently a guest a Bahcesehir Universitesi, Turkey where he taught six courses on scientific evidence in their Transnational Law Program. He enjoyed a warm welcome from faculty, students and staff at this modern, highly technological law school on the Bosporus River in Istanbul. Dean Mears’ visit continues the partnership between the two law schools which brought Professor Feridun Yenisey to JMLS in the Fall 2010 when he taught a 3-week seminar on Comparative Criminal Procedure Law.

Professor Jonathan Rapping Receives a Federal Grant to Launch National Public Defender Fellowship Initiative

The Southern Public Defender Training Center (SPDTC), founded and run by Professor Rapping, was awarded $700,000.00 to partner with Equal Justice Works to develop the Public Defender Corps (PDC), a national fellowship program for public defenders based on the SPDTC model. The PDC will place its inaugural class of Fellows in public defender offices throughout the U.S. beginning Summer 2011. In a highly competitive process, approximately 500 applicants have applied for 18 Fellowship positions. Read more about this initiative in the Daily Report. Professor Rapping’s work is also highlighted in a recent article on the national state of indigent defense in The American Prospect.

Professor Jonathan Rapping Receives a Federal Grant to Launch National Public Defender Fellowship Initiative

The Southern Public Defender Training Center (SPDTC), founded and run by Professor Rapping, was awarded $700,000.00 to partner with Equal Justice Works to develop the Public Defender Corps (PDC), a national fellowship program for public defenders based on the SPDTC model. The PDC will place its inaugural class of Fellows in public defender offices throughout the U.S. beginning Summer 2011. In a highly competitive process, approximately 500 applicants have applied for 18 Fellowship positions.

Read more about this initiative in the Daily Report. Professor Rapping’s work is also highlighted in a recent article on the national state of indigent defense in The American Prospect.

Professor Tripp to Serve as Panelist on MedPAC Panel on LTCH Quality Measures

Ms. Lisa Tripp, Assistant Professor of Health Care Law at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, has been selected to take part in a panel discussion that will advise the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) on quality meassures for long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). The Panel will discuss and identify prevalent quality of care issues in LTCHs and identify existing process and outcome measures that could provide information about the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries in LTCHs. Recommendations from the panel meeting will be incorporated into MedPAC’s annual report to Congress. Professor Tripp practiced health care law and commercial litigation prior to joining the faculty of John Marshall Law School in 2006. As an attorney for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Professor Tripp focused primarily on elder abuse. She litigated many cases against nursing homes involving physical and sexual abuse, neglect and substandard care.

Professor Tripp to Serve on National Health Care Standards Committee

Ms. Lisa Tripp, Assistant Professor of Health Care Law at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, has been selected to be part of the Steering Committee for the National Quality Forum’s National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Homes project. The Steering Committee is responsible for selecting the standard metrics used to evaluate, assess and improve the quality of care provided by chronic and post-acute care nursing facilities. Professor Tripp practiced health care law and commercial litigation prior to joining the faculty of John Marshall Law School in 2006. As an attorney for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Professor Tripp focused primarily on elder abuse. She litigated many cases against nursing homes involving physical and sexual abuse, neglect and substandard care. To read more about the National Quality Forum and the National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Homes, please visit: http://www.qualityforum.org/Home.aspx.

Professor Tripp to Serve on National Health Care Standards Committee

Ms. Lisa Tripp, Assistant Professor of Health Care Law at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, has been selected to be part of the Steering Committee for the National Quality Forum’s National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Homes project. The Steering Committee is responsible for selecting the standard metrics used to evaluate, assess and improve the quality of care provided by chronic and post-acute care nursing facilities.

Professor Tripp practiced health care law and commercial litigation prior to joining the faculty of John Marshall Law School in 2006. As an attorney for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Professor Tripp focused primarily on elder abuse. She litigated many cases against nursing homes involving physical and sexual abuse, neglect and substandard care.

To read more about the National Quality Forum and the National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Homes, please visit: http://www.qualityforum.org/Home.aspx.

Professor Tripp to Serve as Panelist on MedPAC Panel on LTCH Quality Measures

Ms. Lisa Tripp, Assistant Professor of Health Care Law at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, has been selected to take part in a panel discussion that will advise the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) on quality meassures for long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). The Panel will discuss and identify prevalent quality of care issues in LTCHs and identify existing process and outcome measures that could provide information about the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries in LTCHs. Recommendations from the panel meeting will be incorporated into MedPAC’s annual report to Congress.

Professor Tripp practiced health care law and commercial litigation prior to joining the faculty of John Marshall Law School in 2006. As an attorney for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Professor Tripp focused primarily on elder abuse. She litigated many cases against nursing homes involving physical and sexual abuse, neglect and substandard care.

Professor Jonathan Rapping Wasserstein Public Interest Fellowship

Professor Rapping has been honored as a 2009-2010 Fellow in the Wasserstein Public Interest Fellows Program at Harvard Law School for his work as Founder and Executive Director of the Southern Public Defender Training Center (SPDTC) where he is in charge of training, recruiting, and placing new public defenders in the South. Prior to joining the Faculty at JMLS, Professor Rapping was the Director for training and recruitment at the Orleans Public Defenders in New Orleans, LA, where he led the overhaul of the public defender’s office in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Earlier, he was the Training Director for the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, where he designed and implemented a state-wide public defender system, and a Staff Attorney and Training Director with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. For information on the Wasserstein Fellowship, visit: Law Harvard.

Professor Jonathan Rapping Wasserstein Public Interest Fellowship

Professor Rapping has been honored as a 2009-2010 Fellow in the Wasserstein Public Interest Fellows Program at Harvard Law School for his work as Founder and Executive Director of the Southern Public Defender Training Center (SPDTC) where he is in charge of training, recruiting, and placing new public defenders in the South. Prior to joining the Faculty at JMLS, Professor Rapping was the Director for training and recruitment at the Orleans Public Defenders in New Orleans, LA, where he led the overhaul of the public defender’s office in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Earlier, he was the Training Director for the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, where he designed and implemented a state-wide public defender system, and a Staff Attorney and Training Director with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.

For information on the Wasserstein Fellowship, visit: Law Harvard.

Professor Kathleen M. Burch ACLU of Georgia 2009 Volunteer Attorney Award

At a luncheon on October 8, 2009, the ACLU of Georgia honored Professor Burch with the 2009 Volunteer Attorney Award for her vision and initiative in creating the two Civil Liberties seminars at the law school. Civil Liberties: Litigation engages students in the litigation of an actual ACLU case; Civil Liberties: Legislation has students working on live legal issues being addressed by the Georgia General Assembly. Professor Burch taught both classes last year. She and her students were lauded for their contributions to the ACLU’s efforts to defend civil liberties.

Professor Kathleen M. Burch ACLU of Georgia 2009 Volunteer Attorney Award

At a luncheon on October 8, 2009, the ACLU of Georgia honored Professor Burch with the 2009 Volunteer Attorney Award for her vision and initiative in creating the two Civil Liberties seminars at the law school. Civil Liberties: Litigation engages students in the litigation of an actual ACLU case; Civil Liberties: Legislation has students working on live legal issues being addressed by the Georgia General Assembly. Professor Burch taught both classes last year. She and her students were lauded for their contributions to the ACLU’s efforts to defend civil liberties.

Dean Michael Mears Shares High-Profile Trial Expertise with NPR

In a recent national NPR segment, Dean Michael Mears, the law school’s Associate Dean for Academics explained why the Brian Nichols trial is costing taxpayers millions. Nichols is the gunman accused of killing four people including the presiding judge for his 2005 rape trial, the court reporter and a sheriff’s deputy. Many people thought his case should have been wrapped up long ago. But Georgia’s defense fund ran out of money — making the trial run into a number of delays. Listen to segment.

Dean Michael Mears Shares High-Profile Trial Expertise with NPR

In a recent national NPR segment, Dean Michael Mears, the law school’s Associate Dean for Academics explained why the Brian Nichols trial is costing taxpayers millions. Nichols is the gunman accused of killing four people including the presiding judge for his 2005 rape trial, the court reporter and a sheriff’s deputy. Many people thought his case should have been wrapped up long ago. But Georgia’s defense fund ran out of money — making the trial run into a number of delays.
Listen to segment.