February 2007
Welcome to UT Law News, our monthly electronic newsletter. The News is sent to help keep you informed about current events at the University of Texas School of Law.
- UT Law Professors Featured in PBS Documentary The Supreme Court
Described as the first major television series to trace the story and influence of America's highest court, The Supreme Court will premiere Wednesday evening, January 31, 2007. Four UT Law professors—Lucas A. Powe, Jr., William Forbath, Louise Weinberg, and Ernest Young—contributed to the documentary. In Austin, the program will air on KLRU, Channel 18, at 8pm. To check air times in other areas:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/Full story:
http://www.utexas.edu/law/news/2007/012607_pbs.html - UT Law at SCOTUS
Quite a number of UT Law clinic students have been in Washington DC lately, observing their cases argued at the United States Supreme Court. The Capital Punishment Clinic argued three cases before the nation's highest court, one of which (Smith v. Texas) was granted a petition of certiorari. (Full story: http://www.utexas.edu/law/news/2007/011807_supremecourt.html) And, mere months after its inception, the Supreme Court Clinic was also granted a petition of certiorari for a case (Altadis USA Inc. v. Sea Star Line LLC) that will be argued in late March. "This isn't Bush versus Gore or one of the other sexy cases," said Professor Michael Sturley, one of the founders of the Supreme Court Clinic. "But this affects over a trillion dollars in trade." (Full story: http://www.utexas.edu/law/news/2007/011007_supremecourt.html)
- Professors Hu and Black's Research Featured in Front Page Story in the Wall
Street Journal
Professors Henry Hu and Bernard Black's research was featured in the lead front-page story of the Friday, January 26, 2007 edition of the Wall Street Journal. The story was on the phenomenon of "empty voting" in corporate governance—e.g. hedge funds having more votes than economic interest—and credits Hu and Black with coining the term. An example of empty voting would be if a hedge fund had no economic interest in a company and yet was the biggest vote holder. The WSJ story cites their research repeatedly. In addition, based on interviews with Professor Hu, the WSJ quoted Hu as saying, among other things: "You have this whole superstructure built on this notion that there is this coupling of economic interest and voting power. With these financial innovations, you're screwing around with the foundation."
Full story:
http://www.utexas.edu/law/news/2007/012607_wsj2.html
Upcoming Events
- Conference: The Future of the Welfare State
February 1–3, 2007What are the practical and moral challenges of reinventing the welfare state in the 21st century? The School of Law, together with the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, will present a three-day conference that brings together internationally renowned scholars to address those questions. Keynote speakers include: Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, former head of President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisors and chief economist of the World Bank, who will speak on "Distributive Justice and the Global Economy," and Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne who will speak on "Religion, Social Justice, and the Welfare State." The conference is free and open to the University community and the general public. (Please note that the February 1 keynote is fully subscribed.)
- Symposium: Capital Representation in Transition
February 8, 2007"Participants in capital litigation—prosecutors, defense counsel, and judges—are united in their determination to improve representation," said Professor Jordan Steiker. To that end, the Capital Punishment Center and the American Journal of Criminal Law will host a symposium on efforts to improve legal representation in capital cases. "Capital Representation in Transition: Emerging Standards and Effective Enforcement," will be held in the School of Law's Eidman Courtroom on Thursday, February 8th from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Full story:
http://www.utexas.edu/law/news/2007/010807_symp.html - Rare Book Lecture: The Literature of Witchcraft Trials
February 15, 2007The Tarlton Law Library presents its Third Annual Rare Book Lecture, "The Literature of Witchcraft Trials," on Thursday, February 15th at 3:30 p.m. in the Sheffield Room at the School of Law. Scott Pagel, Director of the Jacob Burns Law Library at the George Washington University Law School, will discuss the witchcraft craze that swept through Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries using specific examples of manuscripts and rare books to illustrate early writers' rationale for the trials, the procedures used in courts, and the influence of church-state relations.
Full story:
http://www.utexas.edu/law/news/2007/013007_rarebooks.html - Student Seminar: What All Good Law Firms Have in Common
February 17, 2007Thanks to the leadership of Eduardo R. Rodriguez '68, past president of the State Bar of Texas and senior partner in Rodriguez, Colvin, Chaney & Saenz of Brownsville, Texas, and our own Professor David Robertson, the Law School's Continuing Legal Education department is joining with the Texas State Bar Association to present a day-long program for UT Law students on "What All Good Law Firms Have in Common: The Basics of Establishing, Organizing, and Operating a Successful Law Practice." This program will bring together distinguished Texas attorneys from around the State to discuss the culture, challenges, rewards, and practical aspects of successful law firm practice. For more information on this program, please contact UT CLE at utcle@mail.law.utexas.edu or (512) 475-6700.
- Texas Exes: Annual Longhorn Business Forum
March 1, 2007The Dallas Chapter of the Texas Exes is hosting the Third Annual Longhorn Business Forum in Dallas. This half-day event offers both CLE and CPE credits, as well as the chance to network with other UT alumni. Speakers include noted creativity trainer Maxine Shapiro and Peter Elkind, co-author of The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron.
- Save the Date: Reunion 2007
April 21, 2007Make plans now to return to UT Law for Reunion 2007.
To see what's happening:
http://www.utexas.edu/law/depts/alumni/reunion/
Quick Links
- Update your e-mail and home address
- Make a gift to the Annual Fund
- Join the Non-Practicing Alumni Advisory Council
- Alumni directory
- Continuing Legal Education
- Alumni calendar
Comments? Suggestions? Please email Kirston Fortune, assistant dean for communications at kfortune@law.utexas.edu.
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