University of Pittsburgh School of Law Faculty Blog

New Scholarship from Pitt Law Faculty

Mike Madison — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:34:25 +0000

The newest update to Pitt Law’s SSRN Research Paper Series includes the following:

The Last Male Bastion – Gender and the CEO Suite at America’s Public Companies
Douglas M. Branson, University of Pittsburgh School of Law

The Death of Islamic Law
Haider Ala Hamoudi, University of Pittsburgh – School of Law

Book Review: ‘Let’s Get Free: A Hip-Hop Theory of Justice,’ by Paul Butler (The New Press, 2009)
David A. Harris, University of Pittsburgh – School of Law

View the entire contents of Pitt Law’s Research Paper Series here.

Lawrence Frolik and Tony Infanti Receive Chancellor’s Distinguished Awards

Mike Madison — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:33:30 +0000

Professor Lawrence Frolik is receiving a 2010 Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award from the University of Pittsburgh. In making the award, the selection committee noted his outstanding public service contributions to both persons with disabilities and older adults, which have flowed from his teaching and scholarship, and noted that Professor Frolik is considered to be one of the founders of the field of Elder Law.

Professor Anthony Infanti is receiving a 2010 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Pittsburgh. In making the award, the selection committee noted his innovation in developing teaching methods appropriate to different course contexts and aligned with the professional goals of his students, as well as his significant work with students on moot court competitions and the Pittsburgh Tax Review.

A complete list of Pitt Law recipients of the Chanceller’s Distinguished Awards for Teaching, Public Service, and Research can be found online here.

Rhonda Wasserman at ALI for the Restatement of the Law of International Commercial Arbitration

Mike Madison — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:27:08 +0000

Professor Rhonda Wasserman attended a meeting of the Members’ Consultative Group of the American Law Institute for the Restatement (Third) of the United States Law of International Commercial Arbitration. The meeting was held at the ALI headquarters in Philadelphia.

John Burkoff on the PA Supreme Court

Mike Madison — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:25:19 +0000

Professor John Burkoff is quoted in this morning’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in connection with two opinions issued by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a case involving the Commonwealth’s Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice. The majority opinion by Chief Justice Ronald Castille used strong language in disagreeing with a concurring and dissenting opinion filed by Justice Joan Orie Melvin.

“The tone of the chief justice’s opinion was extraordinarily pointed and blunt. He attacked Justice Orie Melvin’s opinion with a verbal sledgehammer. Appellate judges rarely do that,” said John M. Burkoff, professor at University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law.

Link

Everyday Law for Seniors by Lawrence Frolik

Mike Madison — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:56:45 +0000

Paradigm Publishers announced the release of the new book, Everyday Law for Seniors by Professor Lawrence A. Frolik and Professor Linda S. Whitton of Valparaiso University School of Law. Part of the Everyday Law Series, the book, written for nonlawyers, explains the various ways in which the law impacts the lives of older Americans. The book is the twelfth book authored, co-authored or edited by Professor Frolik.

Pitt Law Faculty at the AALS Annual Meeting

Mike Madison — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:00:43 +0000

At the recent meeting of the Association of American Law Schools,

Professor George Pike participated in the AALS Library Committee’s “Roundtable: The Electronification of Law Libraries and its Implications for the Legal Academy.” There were 5 issues presented as part of the roundtable, with committee members introducing the issue, then responding to questions and comments. Professor Pike presented introductory remarks and responses to questions on the specific topic of Open Access in the Electronic Library World, commenting, among other things, on substantive and logistical issues associated with open access publication, integrity of content including who should perform the “gatekeeper” role that publication editors have traditionally performed (and should there be a “gatekeeper”), indexing, authenticity, version control, and authority control, SSRN and repositories like D-Scholarship, rights issues, funding issues and any related implications, among others.

Professor Lu-in Wang spoke from the perspective of an Associate Dean on a panel presented by the Section for the Law School Dean titled, “Deaning: Myths and Realities,” with current and former deans. The other panelists were Deans Peter Alexander (who also served as moderator), Judith Areen (former Dean of Georgetown Law, and soon to become Interim Dean at Georgetown), Maureen O’Rourke, and Kent Syverud.

Lawrence Frolik Elected to AALS Section Post

Mike Madison — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:53:40 +0000

During the January, 2010 AALS Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Professor Lawrence A. Frolik was elected Chair-Elect of the AALS Aging and the Law Section.

His term of office will begin after the AALS annual meeting in San Francisco in January, 2011.

Elena Baylis on International Law Compliance

Mike Madison — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:45:35 +0000

On January 8, Elena Baylis participated in a Workshop on International Law Compliance and Human Rights Indicators co-organized by Sally Merry of New York University and Laura Dickinson of Arizona State University and hosted by ASU’s Center for Transnational Law and Regulatory Governance.

This workshop is the second in a series of workshops on the use of socio-legal methods to study international law; the first conference was organized by Professor Baylis and held at the Univ. of Pittsburgh Law School last year. This year’s conference addressed questions of the methods, purposes, and effects of measuring compliance with international human rights obligations through the use of human rights indicators. Professor Baylis facilitated the final session.

Link

John Burkoff on Jury Selection in Trial of Accused Police Murderer

Mike Madison — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:28:12 +0000

Professor John Burkoff was interviewed in connection with a local judge’s ruling on jury selection in the case of Richard Poplawski, accused of murdering Pittsburgh police officers. The interview was broadcastd on local TV station WTAE.

Link

Alan Meisel on End-of-Life Law

Mike Madison — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:25:04 +0000

Professor Alan Meisel delivered the 18th Annual Wilhelm S. Albrink Lecture in Bioethics at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University. He spoke on the topic of “Where is End-of-Life Law Heading: Physician Assisted Suicide and Futility.”