Baylor Law Hosts 9th Annual Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition

Philip Pasquarello of Drexel University Kline School of Law was declared the winner of Baylor Law's 2018 Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition, one of the nation's most prestigious, invitation-only mock trial tournaments. Pasquarello persuaded a jury of experienced trial attorneys to return a verdict in his favor at the end of the competition's intense final round, beating out runner-up, Eric Fleddermann of University of Michigan Law School. . . Full Story

Baylor Law Hosts Business Law Boot Camp and Criminal Law Boot Camp

Baylor Law hosted the Business Law Boot Camp and the Criminal Law Boot Camp between the spring and summer quarters.

Now in its third year, the Business Law Boot Camp is an intensive, week-long course directed by Professor Elizabeth Miller, JD '85, and taught by practicing transactional attorneys. Specifically created for Baylor Law students interested in business transactions, the course offers a practical perspective on multiple aspects of business and its legal requirements and implications. Course material includes forming a business, commercial borrowing, raising capital, trademark and advertising issues, succession planning, selling a business, basic accounting, contract drafting, and negotiation skills. Participating students take part in networking events and supplemental opportunities for professional development and mentoring.

A special thank you to the Business Law Boot Camp underwriters, Kim and Bill (JD '77) Shaddock, and to the sponsors, Beard Kultgen Brophy Bostwick & Dickson; Haynes and Boone; and Greg Looser (JD '94) of Clarion Ventures, LLC.

The Criminal Law Boot Camp, directed by Professors James Wren, JD '80, and Elizabeth Fraley, JD '88, launched this year between the spring and summer quarters. The three-day course exposed students to a real-world view of the practice of criminal law. The faculty included prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges. Throughout the course, students participated in lectures, panel discussions, and trial exercises. The trial exercises used the mock case Statesville vs. Everly, and students were assigned to the state or the defense. The breakout sessions were divided into state and defense and were designed to aid students in developing trial strategies for their respective side. The course also provided mentoring sessions from the distinguished faculty.

The Seventh Court of Appeals Convenes at Baylor Law

Three justices of the Seventh Court of Appeals, Amarillo, visited Baylor Law to hear oral arguments in three cases. The hearings, which were open to students and the general public, were held in the Jim Kronzer Appellate Advocacy Classroom and Courtroom in the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center on the Baylor University campus. . . Full Story

Baylor Law's Legal Mapmaker 2018 Teaches Law Grads How to Start a Law Firm and Reach Underserved Communities

An effective solution to combat the access-to-justice gap, Legal Mapmaker is a collaborative program sponsored by every law school in the state of Texas as well as various other organizations in the legal profession. Designed by Baylor Law, Legal Mapmaker is a three-day series of workshops and seminars that instructs lawyers and recent law school graduates how to start their own law firms with overhead that is far less expensive than the norm. These newly-created firms have the ability to offer affordable legal services to traditionally underserved communities.

Legal Mapmaker 2018 will be held at Baylor Law and will feature more than 25 experts, 19 sessions, workshops, and personalized one-on-one coaching. An estimated 15-17 hours of CLE credit is also anticipated for the seminar.

Dean Teague Among Founders of The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Leadership

Over the past few years, Dean Leah Teague has been instrumental in the creation of the AALS Section on Leadership. This section promotes scholarship, teaching, and related activities that help prepare lawyers and law students to serve in leadership roles in their communities. Dean Teague currently serves as the Chair-Elect of the section. . .

Baylor Law Welcomes Jay D. Rao to the Faculty as a Legal Writing Lecturer

Jay D. Rao is a graduate of Columbia Law School where he served as a research assistant to professors of contracts and mergers and acquisitions. He graduated with honors from the University of Texas, (the McCombs School of Business) with a B.B.A. Rao practiced corporate law at two firms in New York City. He also worked in investment banking at Credit Suisse. Most recently, Rao has served as an adjunct professor of law at UNT Dallas College of Law while also representing two start-up organizations in Dallas.

Rao's primary area of responsibility at Baylor Law will be teaching transactional drafting in the LARC 5 course. We look forward to Rao's arrival this August.

Register today to participate in 2018's Fall On-Campus Interview program, taking place August 9-17 and October 5-9. Regardless of whether you attend in person, via Skype, or just collect resumes, there are exceptional Baylor Law students and graduates ready to meet your needs.

Join the deans, faculty, staff, and fellow Baylor Lawyers for a tailgate on the lawn of the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center prior to the Baylor vs. Kansas football game.

For more information, please visit baylor.edu/law/alumni/weekend, e-mail Barbara_Lindsay@baylor.edu, or call 254.710.8357.