Symposium Honors
Rehnquistâs Legacy | Seeking
Global Housing Solutions
| GW Law Team Wins Space Law Competition | Alumni
Offer Insight on Veterans Benefits Law | 'Islamaphobia' | Gregory
G. Garre, JD ’91 | Public
Interest Corner | Immigration Clinic Honored | Remembering John Cibinic Jr. | Symposium Honors Edward R. Cummings | Praise
for GW Law Faculty | GW Law Welcomes New Faculty Members | International
Update | GW
Law in History | Faculty
File
Symposium Honors Rehnquist’s Legacy
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Delivers
Keynote Address
Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered a moving
and personal keynote address at the symposium on the legacy of her
colleague, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, hosted by The George
Washington Law Review.
Julie Woodford
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The George Washington Law
Review in October
hosted a two-day, six-panel symposium honoring
the legacy of Supreme Court Chief Justice William
H. Rehnquist. Supreme Court Associate Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered a moving and personal
keynote address to a standing-room-only crowd.
Legal experts, scholars, judges, students, faculty
members, and alumni also helped to celebrate
Rehnquist’s life and career.
“This is a first-rate conference and it’s
been organized mainly by students,” noted
Dean Frederick M. Lawrence during his welcoming
remarks.
When Ginsburg first accepted the Law School’s
invitation to attend the event—extended
by her former clerk, professor Amanda Tyler—Ginsburg
looked forward to congratulating her colleague
on his 33 years with the court in person.
“Though he fought a dreaded disease bravely,
he was unable to complete the 20 years all his
colleagues hoped he would have at the Court’s
helm,” Ginsburg said. “Of all my
bosses … he was the fairest and most efficient.
Presiding over six prime dons and two prima donnas,
he kept us all in line and on time.”
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Justice Ruth
Bader Ginsburg stands between Dean
Frederick M. Lawrence and GW President
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. They are
joined by The George Washington Law
Review members Sonia Nath (back left),
notes and projects editor; Jennifer
Mascott, senior projects editor; and
Phil Warrick (third from left), editor
in chief; as well as professors Bradford
Clark and Amanda Tyler (center).
Claire Duggan
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Rehnquist’s intelligence, knowledge, and
sense of humor were also discussed by a panel
of speakers who have clerked for Rehnquist. The
panel was moderated by former GW Law dean (and
former Rehnquist clerk) Michael K. Young,
who is now president of the University of Utah.
Faculty members including Jonathan Turley, Paul
Butler, Stephen Saltzburg, Bradford Clark, and
Tyler assisted students in organizing the event
and served as panelists.
Tyler invited David Shapiro, her former professor
at Harvard Law, to speak. “I’m honored
to be part of such a significant event with so
many distinguished guests,” Shapiro said.
Panel topics included federalism, solicitors
general, criminal justice, media, and national
security. Papers written by panelists will be
published in a special upcoming issue of The
George Washington Law Review.
—Claire Duggan
Former Rehnquist clerks (from left) Gregory Garre, JD ’91;
Paul Zidlicky, JD ’93; Courtney Gilligan, JD ’02;
and Ann O’Connell, JD ’04, discuss the late chief
justice’s personality and career. |
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The solicitors general panel featured (from left) former Deputy
Solicitor General Maureen Mahoney, Latham & Watkins;
former Solicitor General Theodore Olson, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher;
Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Walter
E. Dellinger III, Duke Law School; Solicitor General of the
United States Paul Clement; and former Solicitor General
Seth Waxman, Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr.
Former Solicitor General Drew S. Days III of Yale Law School
also was a panelist. |
Photos by Claire Duggan
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Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times, Tony Mauro of Legal
Times, and David Savage of The Los Angeles Times speak on
the media panel moderated by professor Jonathan Turley (not
shown). |
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Hon. Carlos Lucero, JD ’64, of the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the 10th Circuit; Rachel of the Barkow of New York University;
Stephanos Bibas of the University of Iowa; and GW Law professors
Paul Butler and Stephen Saltzburg speak on the Criminal Justice
Panel. |
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Seeking Global Housing Solutions
U.N. Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Miloon Kothari led discussions
and interviews during the U.N.’s Regional Consultation on Women
and the Right to Housing in North America project, hosted by GW Law.
Claire Duggan
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From Oct. 17 to Oct. 20, GW Law hosted the U.N.’s
Regional Consultation on Women and the Right
to Housing in North America project. U.N. Special
Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Miloon Kothari
led the project, documenting testimony and listening
as more than 20 women—many of whom were
recommended to the panel by grassroots organizations—discuss
their experiences with housing in this region
of the world.
The experiences of the participants included
stories of violence, discrimination, harassment,
disempowerment, and homelessness, among other
hardships and traumas. Several women discussed
how a lack of adequate housing led to the state
taking away custody of their children. The goal
of the consultation was to gather testimonials
and ideas from women that will be included in
the “Women, Housing and Land Report” that
will be released by the U.N. in 2006.
GW Law’s International Human Rights Clinic
and the Human Rights Law Society sponsored the
event. Students from these groups transcribed
the testimony and will go back to tapes and other
interviews to compile all of the statements.
They also will be involved in writing the final
report.
“It was compelling to hear all the different
testimony and to have real women here talking
about what they’ve experienced,” says
3L Rebekah Matter.
The event ended with an Enrichment Series Lecture
by Kothari, where he discussed the project’s
progress and reviewed findings from East Africa,
Latin America, and the Middle East, among other
regions. Kothari said the U.N. estimates that
worldwide, 1.6 billion people live in inadequate
housing with another 100 million completely homeless.
He said one of the most striking figures is that
75 percent of all private land is owned by just
2.5 percent of landowners. “That is startling,” Kothari
says. “What is the impact of this?”
Kothari concluded with thoughts on possible
remedies; participants were encouraged by his
efforts.
“It’s been a very encouraging experience,” said
participant Eleanor Hill of Kentucky. “You
finally feel like not only is someone listening,
but they’re putting action behind it and
looking for solutions.”
—CD
GW Law Team Wins Space Law Competition
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Claire Duggan
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Kristie Blase, 3L, and Olivia Hussey,
JD ’05, won the world championship
of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court
held in October in Fukuoka, Japan. The
team was coached by Henry Hertzfeld of
GW’s Elliott School of International
Affairs and Steve Mirmina, a senior attorney
with NASA’s Office of the General
Counsel’s commercial and international
law practice team. Hussey and Blase previously
bested teams in the North American Round
of the Competition and the European Round
team from Cambridge to make it to the finals.
Both worked as interns at NASA’s
OGC in the summer of 2004. |
Alumni Offer Insight on Veterans Benefits Law
Several alumni shared expertise with GW Law
students when the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans
Claims heard oral arguments on Ramsey v. Nicholson
in the Burns Moot Court Room Sept. 22. Judge
Mary J. Schoelen, JD ’93, presided over
the case with Chief Judge William P. Greene Jr.
and Judge William A. Moorman. Two other veterans
claims judges, Lawrence Hagel, LLM ’83,
and Robert Davis, attended the proceedings.
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Judges William A. Moorman,
William P. Greene Jr., and
Mary J. Schoelen, JD ’93, heard oral arguments in Ramsey v. Nicholson
at GW Law in September.
Claire Duggan
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The court holds similar events at other law
schools to educate the public about its work
and impact.
Michelle Bernstein, JD ’94, presented an
overview of veterans benefits law before arguments
began. The arguments lasted about an hour. The
case involved tinnitus, a ringing sensation in
the ear. Ronald L. Smith of Disabled American
Veterans represented the petitioners, John R.
Ramsey and Robert C. Johnson. The secretary of
Veterans Affairs was represented by R. Randall
Campbell. There is no set time for the court
to return its verdict. The judges then participated
in a question-and-answer session with students
in the audience. Schoelen said she first became
interested in veterans affairs law as a student
at GW Law, where she worked on several related
pro bono cases and emphasized the importance
of such efforts.
“Your work is rewarded with actual practice
and experience,” Schoelen said. “You
interact with your clients and actually argue
the cases. The work is incredibly important to
them and the experience you get is invaluable.”
Todd M. Wesche, LLM ’04, senior law clerk
to Judge Bruce E. Kasold of the court, discussed
the specialized court in depth during a post-event
luncheon.
Several local attorneys who represent veterans
on a pro bono basis attended the event. Brian
Robertson of the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono
Program provided students with information on
what his group does and how students can become
involved. He also talked about the unique procedure
the court allows to advocates for its appellants—one
does not have to be an attorney to argue in front
of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
—CD
Abdul el-Tayef
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‘Islamaphobia’
As its first sponsored event this academic
year, the Muslim Law Students Association presented “Islamaphobia.” The
featured speaker was University Professor of
Islamic Studies Seyyed Hossein Nasr, who discussed
past, present, and future images of Islam.
Nasr delivered the same lecture to the United
Nations.
Gregory
G. Garre, JD ’91
In
September, professorial lecturer Gregory
G. Garre, JD ’91, was named
principal deputy solicitor general of
the United States. Previously, he served
as an assistant in the office. He formerly
was head of the appellate section at
Hogan & Hartson’s Washington
office.
Garre clerked for the late Supreme Court
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and
served as a pallbearer at his funeral.
At a symposium on Rehnquist’s legacy
held at GW Law in October, Garre served
as a panelist alongside fellow former
clerks. |
Claire Duggan
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Immigration Clinic Honored
In October, Professor Alberto Benitez accepted
on behalf of GW Law’s Immigration Clinic
the Hispanic Bar Association of the District
of Columbia’s Hugh A. Johnson Jr. Memorial
Award. The clinic, established in 1979, was
recognized for its commitment to public service
and social justice. He was joined by Clinics
Executive Assistant Milagros Tudela (center)
and HBA-DC President-Elect Christina Guerola
Sarchio, JD ’95.
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Claire Duggan
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Remembering John Cibinic Jr.
John Cibinic Jr., professor emeritus and one
of the founders of the Law School’s internationally
recognized Government Procurement Law Program,
passed away Aug. 1. He taught at GW Law for
30 years and was the author of many of the
leading texts in the government contracts field.
He was honored by 250 family members, friends,
former students, and colleagues Sept. 12 in
GW’s Marvin Center. Among many who offered
remarks were Dean Frederick M. Lawrence and
Professor Emeritus Ralph Nash. Family members
have established a fund in Cibinic’s
name at the Law School. For more information,
contact the Office of Advancement at (202)
994-6117.
Symposium Honors Edward R. Cummings
Alumnus Receives Fulbright Award for Distinguished
Public Service
Following a daylong symposium in honor of the
work of Ret. Lt. Col. Edward R. Cummings, JD ’75,
Dean Frederick M. Lawrence presented Cummings
with the J. William Fulbright Award for Distinguished
Public Service Sept. 30. Cummings was recognized
for his distinguished service to the Department
of State—where he served as a legal adviser
for nearly 30 years—and the Judge Advocate
General’s War Crimes and Prisoners of War
Branch. From 2000 to the present, he has served
as the U.S. head of the delegation to negotiations
relating to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
The symposium, “Lawyers and Wars,” brought
together scholars and practitioners who are associated
with Cummings and his career.
Ret. Lt. Col. Edward R. Cummings,
JD ’75 (right) received the J.
William Fulbright Award for Distinguished
Public Service in September. Judge
Thomas Buergenthal of the International
Court of Justice (center) delivered
the keynote address. They are joined
by professor Dinah L. Shelton.
Claire Duggan
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“Today we’re celebrating the accomplishments
of a remarkable man and his commitment to the
development of international law,” said
Susan Karamanian, associate dean for international
and comparative legal studies. “We’re
so grateful to Ed’s enormous contribution
to this field and to our school.”
The symposium explored various deeply rooted
questions that have been central to Cummings’ career,
such as the balance of humanitarian requirements
and military necessity; the definition and redefinition
of lawful combatancy; and the intersection of
human rights law and international humanitarian
law. Panel topics were: “Continuity and
Change in the Law of War: 1975 to 2005,” “New
Dilemmas and Confusions,” and “The
Role of the Lawyer in Warfare.”
“The theme of this symposium is that all
of the participants are truly aware of how important
it is to work closely together,” Cummings
said. “Defense, state, military, everyone
has been working closely in this field for decades,
and that’s not true in all areas of law.”
Judge Thomas Buergenthal of the International
Court of Justice (and GW Law’s Professor
Emeritus of Comparative Law and Jurisprudence)
began the symposium with a keynote address on
recent ICJ decisions and its decision-making
processes. Buergenthal spoke about Cummings’ dedication
to his work, calling him a “pillar in his
field.” To illustrate that point he told
a story of how Cummings took an important phone
call from him—on an icy cliff as he was
mountain climbing in Switzerland in August.
Sir Frank Berman of the Essex Court of Chambers
delivered the luncheon address, “What Do
We Expect of Lawyers and Law in Armed Conflict?” The
former legal adviser to the United Kingdom began
his speech with some thoughts on his colleague
and friend: “[Cummings] sees the law as
an honorable and above all principled profession,” Berman
said. “It’s a welcome and refreshing
world view, and one worth often reminding ourselves
of.”
Closing the day was the 2005 Susan N. and Augustus
diZerega Jr. Lecture, given by Theodor Meron,
judge and president of the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Meron’s
lecture was entitled, “Leaders, Courtiers,
and Command Responsibility in Shakespeare,” and
he spoke to the audience about the role of the
adviser and responsibility of those in power
using examples like the relationship between
Caesar and Pompey and discussed such topics as
the medieval code of chivalry.
On Cummings’ place in the history of international
law, Meron said, “To me and to many others,
he has been a mentor and a model of professional
and ethical responsibility.”
—CD
Praise
for GW Law Faculty
GW Law’s faculty ranked 16th out
of the top 30 law schools in the category “faculty
quality based on scholarly impact” in
a 2005 survey published in the fall by
Leiter’s Law School Rankings. Jerome
Barron, Paul Butler, Charles Craver,
Jack Friedenthal, William Kovacic, Ira
C. Lupu, Lawrence Mitchell, Thomas Morgan,
Sean Murphy, Richard Pierce Jr., Jeffrey
Rosen, Stephen Saltzburg, Michael L.
Selmi, Dinah Shelton, Louis Sohn, Lewis
Solomon, and Jonathan Turley were specifically
mentioned in the rankings.
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