Professor Karin Mika presented at the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) Biennial Conference held at the University of Memphis Law School June 3-5th.  Her presentation was titled, “The Times are a Changing … and they’re not changing back anytime soon — meeting students where they are, not where we would like them to be.”. The presentation discussed the growing perception (and frustration) that students are ill-prepared to be attending law school and are difficult to teach.  The presentation discussed how the world we live in (information overload, helicopter parenting, increased stress, technology, over-scheduling, standardized testing formats in primary schools, etc….) has changed the nature of how students grow up and how they are educated prior to attending law school.  The presentation asserted that most students are not ill-equipped to learn, but learn differently and/or at different paces.  Professor Mika concluded that we must figure out how best to connect with our students (or revamping curriculum appropriately) rather than spending most of our time lamenting what students are not.

Professor Milena Sterio with a newly published copy of “Prosecuting Maritime Piracy” at the Cambridge University Press stand at the Law and Society Annual Meeting 2015 in Seattle.

Cambridge University Press published “Prosecuting Maritime Piracy: Domestic Solutions to International Crimes” (edited by Michael P. Scharf, Michael Newton, and Milena Sterio).  In addition to her role as editor on this collected volume, Professor and Associate Dean Milena Sterio contributed two chapters: “Incorporating International Law to Establish Jurisdiction over Piracy Offenses: A Comparative Examination of the Laws of the Netherlands, South Korea, Tanzania, India, and Kenya,” and “Pirates’ Right to a Speedy Trial.”

Three professors from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law presented at the Law and Society Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington, from May 28-31.

Professor Browne Lewis

Professor Browne Lewis presented her paper entitled “The Equitable and Legal Consequences of Human Oocyte Cryopreservation,” on a panel focused on the discussion of “Sexuality in the 21st Century: Law and Gender Equality Norms.”

Professor Brian Ray

Professor Brian Ray presented his paper entitled “Anti-Land Invasion Units and South Africa’s Third-Generation Eviction Cases” as part of a panel on “Courts, Human rights Institutions and Rights Enforcement in South Africa- Recent Developments and Reform Proposals.”  Professor Ray also served as Chair of this panel.

Professor Milena Sterio

Professor and Associate Dean Milena Sterio presented her paper entitled “The Covert Use of Drones: How Secrecy Undermines Oversight and Accountability” on a panel focused on “Terrorism, Security, and Counter-Terrorism: Narratives, Decisions and Responses.

Deborah Epstein Henry, Geralyn Presti, Deborah Read and Craig Boise at the ‘Innovations for Today’s Legal Market’ hosted by Thompson Hine law firm. Photo available on Crain Cleveland Business at http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150528/NEWS/150529819/thompson-hine-hosts-forum-focusing-on-issues-facing-firms-adapting.

Dear Craig Boise participated as a panelist in a forum focusing on issues facing firms adapting to the new legal landscape on May 28.  The forum took place at the offices of Thompson Hine in downtown Cleveland, and it was entitled “Innovations for the Legal Market.”  Other participants, in addition to Dean Boise, included Deborah Epstein Henry, Geralyn Presti, Deborah Read.  The panel was moderated by the Cleveland City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop, and additional details about the panel are available here.

Professor Jonathan Witmer-Rich’s op-ed entitled “Brelo verdict’s legal flaw” was published by the Plain Dealer on May 29.  In this op-ed, Professor Witmer-Rich discusses the recent Brelo verdict and argues that the judge  applied the wrong but-for causation test in order to determine that the accused officer Brelo was not guilty.  Professor Witmer-Rich’s op-ed is available here.

Professor David Forte‘s essay, “Barack Obama’s Yalta” has been published on the Online Library of Law and Liberty website.  Professor Forte’s essay can be accessed here.

Dean Craig M. Boise

Dean and Joseph C. Hostetler – BakerHostetler Chair in Law, Craig Boise, participated as a panelist in a WCPN/90.3 radio program, The Sound of Ideas, on May 27.  The program focused on the recently negotiated consent decree on policing reform between the City of Cleveland and the Department of Justice.  In addition to Dean Boise, other panelists included Subodh Chandra, former Cleveland law director, Julia Shearson, Collaborative for a Safe, Fair and Just Cleveland, and Mark Urycki, ideastream reporter.  The archived show is available for listening here.

On May 27, 2015, Professor Jonathan Witmer-Rich was quoted on NPR’s Morning Edition, explaining some of the details of the consent decree announced on Tuesday between the U.S. Department of Justice and the City of Cleveland.  A DOJ investigation previously found that the Cleveland Division of Police engaged in a pattern and practice of unconstitutional uses of force.  The consent decree is designed to put an end to abuses, create new guidelines for the use of force, and strengthen oversight and accountability within the police department.  The Morning Edition program is available here.

Professor and Associate Dean Milena Sterio’s article, “Self-Determination and Secession Under International Law: The New Framework,” was published in the Spring 2015, volume 21, number 2 issue of the ILSA Journal of International and Comparative Law.  Professor Sterio had presented a version of this article at the International Law Weekend conference in New York City in October 2014.

In addition, Professor Sterio’s article, “Humanitarian Intervention Post Syria: Legitimate and Legal?” was published by the Brooklyn Journal of International Law, in volume 40, issue 1 (2014).