May 18, 2012

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Rebecca Love Kourlis is 2012 Recipient of John Marshall Award

May 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

On Thursday, May 17, 2012, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) at the University of Denver announced that its Executive Director, Rebecca Love Kourlis, has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2012 John Marshall Award, presented by the American Bar Association Justice Center. Kourlis will formally accept the award in Chicago in August.

The ABA Justice Center established the John Marshall Award to recognize individuals who are dedicated to the improvement of the administration of justice. Recipients are chosen based on their work to promote justice system reform and public awareness about the justice system. Previous recipients include Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (AZ), Justice Anthony Kennedy (U. S. Supreme Court), Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye (NY), Senator Howell Heflin (AL), and Governor Tom Ridge (PA).

Kourlis is a graduate of Stanford University and Stanford University School of Law. She served as a trial court judge for seven years and was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court in 1995 where she served there for elevent years. She opened IAALS in 2006.

IAALS is a national, independent research center at the University of Denver dedicated to continuous improvement of the civil justice system. IAALS envisions a civil justice system that is accessible, efficient and accountable to the litigants it was designed to serve.

Kourlis has received numerous honors, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Legal Reform Organization of the Year Award (2007) and the ABA Judicial Division Robert B. Yegge Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Judicial Administration (2009). She is a Fellow of the Colorado Bar and American Bar Foundations. In 2010, she and husband Tom were named Citizens of the West by the National Western Stock Show.

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Wheels of Justice Leans into a New Season: June 6 Kick-Off Party at the Denver Athletic Club

May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It was just seven years ago that Wheels of Justice made its first appearance in the Courage Classic, a three-day bike tour that raises money for Children’s Hospital Colorado. Last year, it boasted 213 riders and raised $290,000, making it the ride’s top fundraising team for the second year in a row. In its first six years, the team has raised more than $1.3 million for Children’s Hospital Colorado.

On Wednesday, June 6, 2012, Wheels of Justice will kick off its seventh season in style on the rooftop of the Denver Athletic Club (DAC) with free food and drinks. Hear from patient families and doctors about the impact the team’s fundraising has on the Children’s Hospital Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

And:

  • All attendees will receive a free two-week pass to the DAC.
  • The first 23 people to RSVP will be invited to join a special rooftop spin class at the DAC during the summer.

Whether you’re a veteran Wheels of Justice teammate or a first-year rider, come out on June 6 for the camaraderie and leave with the inspiration and determination to make a big difference while riding your best ride yet!

Details

Pre-Party Team Ride: June 6, 2012, 5:00-6:00 pm (meet at DAC)

Kick-off Party: June 6, 2012, 6:00-8:00 pm

Where: Denver Athletic Club Rooftop, 1325 Glenarm Place, Denver CO

RSVP: Kate Schuster, kschuster@cobar.org

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February 2012 Colorado Bar Exam Results Released This Morning

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Bar exam results have been posted for the February 2012 exam. 309 applicants passed the most recent bar exam and, after months of anxious waiting (which I found to be much harder than actually studying), will finally join the ranks as Colorado attorneys. Take the day to revel in it, relax, and celebrate!

Click here for more info and stats from the February 2012 Colorado Bar Exam.

As agonizing as it is awaiting the results, can you imagine not even being able to learn your fate in the semi-comfort of your own home? Before bar exam results were posted online, anxious test-takers had to wait at the dreaded “wailing wall.” Results were posted on the doors of the Supreme Court building downtown – they may still be posted there, but at least the new system allows for a bit more privacy in what definitively seems like the most important morning of many of our lives.

We at CBA-CLE wish all of you the best of luck on the beginnings of your careers. We hope to meet you in our classroom soon. (Don’t forget: if you haven’t stopped by already, you are required to take our Practicing with Professionalism course. This is a mandatory program and is a condition of admission to the Colorado Bar. There are three offerings coming up before Swearing In on Tuesday, May 29: May 15,  May 17, and May 23)

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Tough Competition, Variety of Dance Marked Bar Stars Dance Off

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Three past DBA presidents and their spouses showed off their moves on the dance floor after months of dance lessons and fundraising for Metro Volunteer Lawyers at the Barristers Benefit Ball on Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Each performance took a different tone:

Mark and Pat Fogg were rock and roll, dancing to “Born to Be Wild.”

Elsa Martinez Tenreiro and her husband Steve Theis performed a sultry rumba.

Bill Walters and his wife Christy Cutler’s performance was a sort of evolution of dance, highlighting various genres but capping it off with a few steps from Beyoncé’s infamous video “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”

It was an addition the couple says was an idea from their daughter. It was a crowd pleaser, eliciting a roar of approval from the audience – Walters and Cutler walked away with the People’s Choice Award. The Foggs were the top fundraising couple, and together the three pairs raised more than $27,000 to benefit Metro Volunteer Lawyers.

This year’s competition marked the second time a group of attorneys took the dance floor for a “Dancing with the Stars”-esque competition. At the 2011 ball, four attorneys were paired with professional dancers. The winner, Cyndy Ciancio, stepped back on the dance floor on Saturday for an encore performance with her partner, Tim Edgar, and other dancers from Colorado Dancesport. This year, the twist in the competition came when the past DBA presidents asked to dance with their spouses rather than instructors. The couples trained with a pro for months before the competition.

The Denver Bar Association and Metro Volunteer Lawyers would like to thank all of the dancers, as well as all of our patron firms and guests, for supporting Barristers Benefit Ball, the proceeds of which are crucial in ensuring free and low-cost legal services in the Denver metro area.

(Photos by Jamie Cotten)

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Fourth Annual Sean May Memorial Run/Walk Set for May 12

April 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Sean May

The Fourth Annual Sean May Memorial Run/Walk will be held on May 12, 2012 at Barr Lake State Park. The run was created to honor May, a chief deputy district attorney with the Seventeenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office who was shot to death in his backyard when he was returning home from work.

During his seven years of service in Adams County, May volunteered for the Child Victim Unit, where he pursued justice for children who had been physically and/or sexually abused. At the time of his death, he was responsible for training and supervising new prosecutors.

May always stressed the importance of acting responsibly, including treating victims, the community, defendants and the courts with dignity and respect. Proceeds from the race will benefit Access to Justice programs and activities and May’s family.

The Self-Help Resource Center at the Adams County Justice Center was made possible in part by the proceeds from this event. The center provides computers, information and staff to help people with legal procedural questions. Since opening on January 5, 2011, it has served more than 3,000 people.

The race is organized by the Seventeenth J.D. Access to Justice Committee, the Adams/Broomfield Bar Association and the Colorado Bar Association. The race will be professionally timed by Hallucination Sports. To register or fundraise for the race, visit seanmaymemorialrun.org; a list of sponsors and sponsorship information is also available there. If you’re interested in sponsoring the race, please contact Loren Brown at lorenbrown@colo-law.com or Mariana Vielma or mvielma@da17.state.co.us.

Last year approximately 300 people participated in the race, and the event raised nearly $10,000. Please help us spread the word and consider creating a team with colleagues!

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Introducing the New Commission and Proclaiming October 2012 Legal Professionalism Month

April 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When I became Chief Justice in December 2010, I wanted to bring together the three major groups of the legal profession—the bar, the judiciary, and the legal academy—to better address the needs of the community in which we all serve. In the hopes of achieving this vision, in February 2011, I formed the Chief Justice’s Commission on the Legal Profession (Commission) to focus on four primary goals:

  1. improving the training of law students to help them better appreciate the vital role that attorneys play in our society;
  2. increasing the training of and providing more support for new lawyers;
  3. facilitating communication and cooperation between and among judges and attorneys; and
  4. encouraging the entire bar to recognize the broad legal needs of our community and improving public attitudes toward the profession through a renewed dedication to pro bono service.

Ultimately, I hope the Commission will serve as a forum for judges, attorneys, and legal educators to develop ideas that might eventually lead to legislation, rules, or substantive changes in law school curricula to better address the needs of the legal profession and our community as a whole.

The Commission, which meets quarterly, is comprised of practicing lawyers from various specialties, the deans of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law (DU) and University of Colorado Law School (CU), and appellate and trial judges from across the state. From this group, we formed four working groups to focus on each of the goals set forth above.

Working Group A: Legal Education

For the past year, Working Group A has sought to address the development of professional identity, social responsibility, and practice skills in law students and to increase the involvement of judges and bar leadership within our two law schools. To this end, it has worked closely with CU and DU to develop an annual event that will introduce law students to the concepts of professionalism and social responsibility.

We are excited to announce that the inaugural event—entitled “For This We Stand”—will take place on September 22, 2012. This two-part event will bring firstyear law students together in Denver from both Colorado law schools. The students will congregate in the Denver Athletic Club’s Grand Ballroom for remarks about the profession of law and the importance of practicing with professionalism. Sharing with me the honor of addressing the students will be U.S. District Court Judge Marcia Krieger, Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Russell Carparelli, and CBA 2012–13 President Mark Fogg.

Following the presentations, the students will break into smaller groups and go to the Denver City and County Building, where they will meet in a courtroom with a judge, a lawyer, and a former client. There, they will hear stories about the positive impact the profession can have on the lives of clients and society.

The conclusion of the event will be interactive. The students will participate in discussions about the vital role that reputation and relationships play in achieving a successful and fulfilling career.

Working Group B: Newly Admitted Attorneys

When the Commission first met, it identified the mentoring of new lawyers as the most pressing need in the legal community. Working Group B, in partnership with the CBA and Denver Bar Association (DBA), have been addressing the development of professional identity and social responsibility for newly admitted attorneys through mentoring programs.

Statewide Mentoring Program

A pilot study was initiated and a model for a prospective statewide program was developed by the CBA to assist several local bar associations, the law schools, the Yasui Inn of Court, the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, and the Adams County District Attorney’s Office. Mentors and mentees earn fifteen CLE credits, including two ethics credits, for participating in the one-year program. The CBA has provided necessary staffing for the program.

The DBA’s mentoring program, which began more than two years ago and has more than seventy mentor and mentee pairings, has provided valuable background information for the pilot study. CU has a unique program that matches a mentor attorney, a mentee attorney, and a law student to jointly handle a pro bono case.

Working Group B and the mentor program standing committee will make recommendations to the Commission about funding and the hiring of an executive director. It is looking into expanding the program statewide.

Colorado Lawyers for Colorado Veterans

Working Group B, again in partnership with the CBA and local bar associations, also has worked to increase community outreach and opportunities for new and seasoned attorneys to engage in community service. The creation of Colorado Lawyers for Colorado Veterans, which the CBA has been instrumental in coordinating, is an outcome of this effort.

Colorado Lawyers for Colorado Veterans kicked off its efforts on Veterans Day 2011 with pro bono clinics in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins. At its Veterans Day event, the Denver clinic accepted fifty-five cases. It has taken nearly 100 additional cases since then. As a result of the success of the first event and the continued demand within the community, the Denver clinic has begun to hold an event on the second Tuesday of each month and plans to continue the tradition of holding a larger annual event on Veterans Day. Colorado Lawyers for Colorado Veterans also is planning to conduct clinics in Pueblo, Alamosa, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins, and at CU’s Boulder campus.

Finally, the group hopes to expand its efforts so it can provide monthly clinics at DU, as well as in Grand Junction and Durango. I am especially excited about this program, which provides our veteran heroes vital pro bono services while also increasing the opportunities for attorneys to engage with our community. If you are interested in supporting or participating in Colorado Lawyers for Colorado Veterans, please contact John Vaught at vaught@wtotrial.com or Ben Currier at benc@m-s-lawyers.com.

Working Group C: Bench and Bar Cooperation

The goal of Working Group C is to identify and implement strategies to facilitate communication and professionalism between and among judges and lawyers. Working Group C members have met with leaders of our many bar organizations and Inns of Court to explore ways to foster professional relationships and promote a collaborative culture of civility and respect.

As a result of this input, Working Group C has determined that one way to bring increased awareness to these vital issues is to establish an annual Legal Professionalism Month. Accordingly, CBA President David Masters, the Chief Justice’s Commission on the Legal Profession, and I proclaim the month of October 2012 to be Legal Professionalism Month.

As explained in the Proclamation (which appears at the end of this article), October 2012 will be a month for attorneys and judges to rededicate themselves to the importance of public service and community outreach. There will be professionalism events and pro bono activities throughout the month.

Legal Professionalism Month will culminate in “The Assembly of Lawyers” on the afternoon of October 29, 2012, at the Boettcher Concert Hall. This event, which will immediately precede the swearing-in ceremony for new attorneys, is intended to bring together lawyers from across the state to reflect on the importance of service in our profession. Although this event is still in the planning stages, we intend to grant CLE credit for attendance and expect to include an influential speaker on the subject of legal professionalism. Afterward, the assembled attorneys in Boettcher Hall will be joined by the newly admitted attorneys for a special session of the Colorado Supreme Court to administer the Attorney’s Oath. By their presence, the assembled lawyers will make visible the fact that we welcome the new attorneys into our great profession.

Working Group D: Outreach to the Community

Working Group D has focused its efforts on supporting the profession’s culture of service and increasing access to justice. To this end, Working Group D has reached out to and begun to collaborate with organizations such as the Colorado Access to Justice Commission, Colorado Legal Services, and Make History Colorado. This group has recognized that pro bono opportunities serve to benefit the community at large and provide fertile training ground for new lawyers to obtain trial experience. Collaboration in pro bono activities also could serve as a way to bond mentors and mentees through joint participation and representation.

Consistent with the recommendations of the Colorado Access to Justice Commission, Working Group D has focused on encouraging members of the private bar, government attorneys, in-house counsel, and newly licensed lawyers to increase their participation in pro bono representation. The members of this group plan to meet with the managing partners of metro area law firms to discuss how to remove existing barriers to pro bono service and to explore the viability of collecting pro bono data as an incentive to increase participation. Additionally, Working Group D will continue to publicize and advance the efforts of Make History Colorado and to collaborate with the CBA on its work with pro bono and unbundled legal services. Finally, following the successful model of the Adams County pro se Self-Help Center,1 Working Group D plans to identify additional sources of funding to establish self-help centers across the state.

Galvanizing Professionalism

After a productive and inspiring inaugural year, several prominent themes have emerged from the Commission’s work. I believe our profession has been and continues to be a positive force for society. However, at times—in the face of economic and professional pressures, for example—we have lost our way.

Accordingly, I believe that now is the time for each of us to renew our efforts to the legal profession through increased civility toward one another and by instilling these values in law students and new lawyers. Finally, we must rededicate ourselves to the service of society, including the most vulnerable among us. To galvanize and focus these efforts, CBA President David Masters, the Chief Justice’s Commission on the Legal Profession, and I proclaim the month of October 2012 to be Legal Professionalism Month.

Note

1. The Self Help Resource Center at the Adams County Justice Center is available at www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/District/Custom.cfm?District_ID=17&Page_ID=335. See also “Online Pro Se Resources” at www.courts.state.co.us./Self_Help/proSeResources.cfm.
Proclamation: Declaring October 2012 Legal Professionalism Month In the State of Colorado

The Colorado Lawyer, the official publication of the Colorado Bar Association, serves as an informational and educational resource to improve the practice of law. When you see the logo, you’re reading an article from The Colorado Lawyer. CBA members can also still read the full issue online at cobar.org/tcl.

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Upcoming Solo/Small Firm Monthly Networking Meetings: May 2012

April 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Solo/Small Firm Section networking meetings are a great opportunity to connect with your peers, as well as a practice management and technology discussion forum. The meetings are open to all CBA members, not just members of the Solo/Small Firm Section, the sponsoring entity. Some offer CLE credits, although sometimes there is no formal agenda, and no RSVP is required to attend any of the meetings.  You are encouraged to think about and prepare questions or ideas to present to the group.  Don’t hesitate to e-mail a meeting coordinator to suggest a CLE topic and/or speaker!

      • Colorado Springs
        • May 2 (First Wednesday of every month)
          • Luncheon at 11:30 am, CLE at 11:45
        • Ritz Grill, 15 S. Tejon, Colorado Springs, CO, (719) 635-8484
        • Contact Jim Duve, (719) 578-5800, JCD@DuveLaw.com, or John Holcomb, (719) 548-8968, jholco@gmail.com
      • Downtown Denver
        • May 8 (Second Tuesday of every month)
          • Happy Hour at 5:30 pm
        • Stoney’s Bar and Grill, 1111 Lincoln St., Denver, CO (303) 830-6839
        • Contact Jennifer D. McGinn, (720) 362-3000, Jennifer@mcginnlawoffice.com.
        • There is no parking at the bar but there is free 2-hour parking up one block on Sherman St. and there is a garage directly across the street from the bar on Lincoln St.  There is also plenty of metered parking on Lincoln.
      • Downtown Denver
        • May 3 (First Thursday of every month)
          • Breakfast at 7:30 am
        • Tavern Restaurant inside the Denver Athletic Club, 1325 Glenarm Place, Denver, CO (303) 534-1211 – Reservation under D.A. Bertram
        • Contact Frank P. Slaninger, (303) 617-4446, slaninger@comcast.net.
      • Denver Tech Center Area
        • May 11 (Second Friday of every month)
          • Brown Bag Lunch at noon
        • Law Offices of Julian Izbiky, 7400 E. Caley Ave., Suite 300, Centennial, CO (303) 850-7080
        • Contact Phil Shuey, (303) 680-2595, shuey_p@comcast.net.
        • Exit I-25 and go west on Orchard and turn south on Quebec (or exit I-25 and go west on Arapahoe and turn north on Quebec).  From Quebec, turn east on E. Caley Ave.  The building is on the right, not far from Quebec.
        • West Denver Metro Area (Jefferson County)
          • May 9 (Second Wednesday in odd months)
            • Breakfast at 7:30 am
          • Mimi’s Café, 14265 West Colfax Ave., Golden, CO, 303-384-9350
          • Contact Dayle Anderson, (303) 980-7990, d.l.anderson@comcast.net.

        Dates are subject to change; however, they will occur as scheduled unless prior notice has been sent to the Section membership via e-mail.  Please check this website on a regular basis.

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Paper Shredding and Electronics Recycling Day Coming in June

April 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Join the Denver Bar Association for their annual paper shredding and electronic recycling day on June 6, 2012, from 3:30 – 5:30 pm. Dispose of your sensitive client and case information at this free event in the parking lot east of the DBA offices, located at 1900 Grant Street in Denver.

A donation of one food item or $2.00 is requested per box or electronic item. All contributions benefit Metro CareRing, a hunger relief organization that operates one of the largest food pantries in Denver.

There is a limit of 20 boxes (no 3-ring binders) and five electronic items per vehicle. Click here for more information on acceptable items for recycling. Make sure all hard drives are wiped clean before you recycle them.

Click here for more information.

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First Class Set to Graduate from the Eighteenth Judicial District Mental Health Court

April 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

According to Colorado State Judicial, the two-and-a-half-year-old Eighteenth Judicial District Mental Health Court will mark a milestone on Friday, April 13, when four participants are scheduled to graduate from the program.

There are currently more than forty participants in the Eighteenth Judicial District Mental Health Court. This is the first class of participants to graduate since the Court’s inception. The graduating participants have been in the program for 20 to 24 months. Magistrate Laura Findorff presides over the Court’s docket.

In addition to the Eighteenth Judicial District, the Mental Health Court is supported by the district attorney’s office, public defender’s office, probation department, and Arapahoe Douglas Mental Health Network (ADMHN).

Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael L. Bender, who is slated to attend the graduation ceremony, lauded the Court for its progress.

“In just a very short amount of time this Court has made great strides in offering a comprehensive and collaborative treatment approach,” Chief Justice Bender said. “I am hopeful we will see more courts of this nature take form throughout Colorado.”

The graduation celebration is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am, following the Court’s regular 9:00 am docket in Courthouse One, Courtroom 201 of the Arapahoe County Justice Center (7325 S. Potomac Street, Centennial, CO 80112). The Court’s docket and graduation celebration are open to the public. Following the graduation, refreshments will be served in the jury assembly room.

The mission of the Mental Health Court is to reduce recidivism of offenders with mental illness in the criminal justice system, promote public safety, and improve quality of life for participants and their families with a cost effective, integrated continuum of care through community resources. The Mental Health Court holds defendants accountable and assists offenders to achieve long-term stability to become law-abiding citizens, and successful family and community members.

The Eighteenth Judicial District Mental Health Court is one of more than 60 problem-solving courts operating in 17 of Colorado’s 22 judicial districts.  Colorado’s problem-solving courts include adult and juvenile drug courts, family/dependency and neglect drug courts, DUI courts, adult and juvenile mental health courts, a veteran trauma court, and truancy courts.

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Help Plant Trees for Earth Day Celebration

April 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In honor of Earth Day 2012, lawyers will plant trees on April 21 in the hundreds of acres burned by the Fourmile Canyon Fire in Boulder County. To help purchase trees, individuals are asked to donate $100 and law firms to donate $500.

To make your tax-deductable donation online go to boulder-bar.org, click on the calendar, and go to April 1. If you would like to volunteer to plant trees on April 21, please contact David Perlick.

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Colorado Bar Association Sending Lawyer Delegation to Cuba in October 2012

April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Colorado Bar Association is announcing the opportunity to join a delegation of attorneys to visit Cuba for the purpose of researching the country’s legal system.  As President of the Colorado Bar Association, I am honored to have been selected to lead this delegation and invite you to join me in this unique opportunity.

Our delegation will undertake a comprehensive study of the Cuban legal system, from the teaching of law, to the criminal justice and judicial systems; civil and family code; business and commercial rights; and resolving domestic and international commercial conflicts.

Travel to Cuba is restricted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Treasury Department.  This delegation will be travelling under OFAC regulation 31 CFR §515.564 General license for professional research.  This license supports our access to the highest level professionals in Cuba.

Each member of the delegation must be in compliance with the General License issued by OFAC authorizing full-time professionals to conduct a full-time schedule of research activities in Cuba with the likelihood that this research will be publicly disseminated. To ensure compliance, each participant in the program will be required to provide a resume and sign an affidavit attesting to his or her status as a full-time professional, paid or unpaid, in the field of research.

Travel arrangements will be made through our cooperation with Professionals Abroad, a division of Academic Travel Abroad.  The 60-year-old organization handles the logistical arrangements for prestigious organizations, such as National Geographic, The Smithsonian, The American Museum of Natural History and many top professional associations and universities. Academic Travel Abroad is licensed by the OFAC as a Travel Services Provider for US travel to Cuba, and has also arranged travel for members of the Minnesota, Illinois, New Mexico, and Washington bars.

This delegation will convene in Miami, Florida on October 7, 2012 at which time we will depart for Cuba.  We will return to the United States on October 12, 2012.  Delegates will participate in professional meetings and site visits each day; the specific meetings and topics for discussion will be determined by the research interests and composition of the team.

The estimated cost per delegation member is $4,595 U.S.D. This cost includes roundtrip international air arrangements between Miami and Havana; group transportation, meetings, accommodations in double-occupancy rooms, most meals, and essentially all other costs associated with participation, as outlined in the final schedule of activities.

For U.S. citizens, expenses associated with this program may be tax deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense.  We suggest that you consult with a tax advisor to determine if tax deductibility is applicable to you.

Due to the extensive planning and communication involved in coordinating a program of this nature, please respond with your intentions regarding this invitation as soon as possible. Please RSVP to Professionals Abroad at 1-877-298-9677 or via the web at www.professionalsabroad.org and search for the CBA program by name: Colorado Bar Association.   A $500 deposit is required to secure your place on the team. I look forward to hearing from you regarding your participation.

If you have questions regarding the delegation, contact our Program Representative at Professionals Abroad, at 1-877-298-9677. For additional program details, please visit www.professionalsabroad.org.

I am pleased to be involved in this exciting opportunity and hope that you will strongly consider participating in the delegation to Cuba.

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DU to Host Emerging Issues in International Law in the Americas

March 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Denver Journal of International Law and Policy (DJILP) at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law offers a leading voice in the discussion of cutting edge issues in international law.  On Saturday April 14th, in conjunction with a celebration of its 40th anniversary, the DJILP will host an all-day symposium covering Emerging Issues in International Law with a Special Focus on the Americas.  Prominent scholars, practitioners and dignitaries – including the current Attorney General of Peru and former United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Legal Affairs – will share their insights regarding topics such as prosecution of international war criminals, international corporate social responsibility, and other topics critical to the current state of international law.

The symposium will begin with a focus on the Prosecution of Mass Atrocities in the Americas.  This discussion will feature Dr. Jose Antonio Peláez Bardales, current Attorney General of Peru, who served as lead prosecutor in the ground-breaking prosecution of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori. Fujimori was tried for corruption and human rights abuses that occurred during his presidency.  His conviction is the first conviction by a domestic court of a democratically elected president for crimes against humanity.  According to Human Rights Watch the trial would “go down in history as a model of what we want to see in terms of rule of law and justice … in Latin America.” Mr. Peláez Bardales will share his observations about the Fujimori trial and its legacy.

Ms. Katie Doyle, Senior Analyst with the National Security Archive, will discuss her observations of the current landmark Guatemalan prosecutions of mass atrocities – including last year’s important Dos Erres Massacres convictions – and the lessons learned about witnesses and evidence in historical prosecutions.  The National Security Archive was founded to declassify government documents.  Since 1992, Doyle has worked with Latin American human rights organizations and truth commissions – in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras – to obtain the declassification of U.S. government archives in support of their investigations.

The morning session also features Mr. Robert Petit, Counsel with the War Crimes Section of Canada’s Federal Department of Justice and Former Co-Prosecutor of the Khmer Rouge prosecutions in the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia.  A lunch session will highlight the work of Professor Larry Johnson, Adjunct Professor at Columbia Law School, who share his extensive experience with the United Nations as former United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Legal Affairs, and former legal adviser to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The afternoon discussion will focus on “hot topics” in international law that have been published in DJILP’s 40th Anniversary book, Perspectives on International Law in an Era of Change.  Three eminent scholars and authors featured in the book will discuss cutting edge issues applicable to international law today.  Professor David Aronofsky from the University of Montana School of Law will address the “War on Terror: Where We Have Been, Are, and Should Be Going.”  As described in his written piece, “the greatest casualty of [the war on terror] is a loss of the core rule of law focus which differentiated the U.S. from so many other countries on the global stage decades before this war began.”  Among other topics, he will discuss how the war on terror has recently shaped the rule of law in the U.S.

Professor Jennifer Moore from the University of New Mexico School of Law will speak on the topic of humanitarian law and transitional justice in Africa within the context of the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect, as outlined by the United Nations Millennium Goals.  She describes her written piece as a “peaceful call to arms” based on a belief that ending human rights abuses will entail a non-military understanding of humanitarian intervention and the use of force.

Dr. Daniel Warner, Assistant Director for International Affairs at the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, will address “Establishing Norms for Private Military and Security Companies.”  As described in his written piece, “the subject of the intersection [of public and private military], and of private military and security companies, is of the highest importance as violence is no longer limited to interstate conflicts.”  Dr. Warner will expound on the connections between these sectors as a means of correcting abuses of the law.  This panel discussion will be led by Professor Ved P. Nanda.

The symposium will also cover Emerging Issues in Corporate Social Responsibility, including conversations regarding Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Human Rights.  Distinguished panelists include: Mr. Bart Alexander, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, MolsonCoors; Professor John Cerone, Director, Center of International Law and Policy, New England School of Law; Ms. Luella D’Angelo, CEO, Western Union Foundation (invited); Mr. Stephen Gottesfeld, General Counsel, Newmont Mining Company; Mr. Mark Wielga, Nomogaia Human Rights; Professor Edward H. Ziegler, University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

The Emerging Issues Symposium is part of a larger celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy.  The celebration weekend includes events for students, staff, alumni, scholars and community members.  The kickoff event for the weekend is an inaugural dinner lecture beginning at 5:00 pm on Friday, April 13.  The dinner will honor Sturm College of Law alumna and international environmental law expert, Sheila Slocum Hollis, JD’73, of Duane Morris, LLP. This inaugural dinner is followed by the symposium and concludes with a champagne reception honoring Professor Ved P. Nanda, founder of both the DJILP and the International Legal Studies Program, and official book launch of the 40th Anniversary Book published in Professor Nanda’s honor.

For more information and to register for the Symposium or Alumni Dinner, please click here.   Additional questions can be directed to Karlyn Shorb at kshorb@law.du.edu or (303) 871-6655.

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