Drexel Docket

Welcome to The Drexel Docket – Drexel Law's e-newsletter. The Docket brings you updates about the college; stories about what the faculty and students are doing; and news we think will be of interest to current and prospective students, pre-law advisors, co-op sponsors, alumni of the University, and friends of the law school. If you have comments or suggestions, please send them to us using the link at the end of this issue. We invite you to visit us at http://www.drexel.edu/law.

Co-op Spotlight: Judge Gregory Sleet

An invaluable asset of the co-op experience is the mentorship and supervision Drexel Law students will receive from the lawyers in their placements. Many of them, like United States District Court Judge Gregory Sleet, are exemplary lawyers with a comprehensive range of professional experiences over the course of their careers.

Judge Sleet serves as a district judge in the District of Delaware, a job that requires broad knowledge of federal practice and procedure, as well as the many subjects that these cases involve. Judge Sleet's career path has served him well for this position. He has been the U.S. Attorney for the State of Delaware, assistant public defender in Philadelphia, private practice attorney, and in-house counsel to Hercules, Inc., a large chemical manufacturer. With such a diverse background from which to draw, Judge Sleet is uniquely qualified to adjudicate cases in the District of Delaware, one of the most active judicial districts in America for intellectual property, antitrust, and securities law. The combination of Judge Sleet's background and the District of Delaware’s corporate law-focused jurisdiction promises an exceptionally rewarding experience for a Drexel Law student on co-op.

"All of these experiences have given me practical insight that I might not have otherwise had," he says. "I've gained the kind of broad perspective that a district judge needs as a generalist — something that I hope will in turn benefit students."

Second-year students will be fortunate to co-op with Judge Sleet, Delaware's first African-American lawyer to serve on the district court and as U.S. Attorney. "Judge Sleet is an excellent teacher whose clerks love his incredibly high standards," says Drexel University Senior Vice President Carl "Tobey" Oxholm. "Students will be exposed to a rich area of business as well as intellectual property issues, and will see precedent-setting cases litigated among international giants — all in a jurisdiction that has some of the most important business litigation in the country."

The judge's approach to supervising students is intensive. He does his best to involve students throughout the course of a case, including reviewing pleadings and briefs, attending conferences in the judge's chambers, viewing trials, and researching and writing about the legal issues involved in the case.

"We see litigation here that involves some of the world's largest multinational corporations and covers anything from complex chemistry, rocket science, and the human genome to design patents for bottle caps or bassinets," he says. "Drexel Law Co-op students will be exposed to a broad range of cases and a variety of subject matter such as securities, drug distribution, tax, bank fraud, appeal of Social Security disability benefit denials, ERISA, First Amendment, ADA, and prisoner civil rights litigation. There's no other place in this region where they're going to get that kind of intense exposure." He notes that this co-op experience is ideal for students interested in intellectual property law. With Delaware as a hotbed for the nation's patent filings, the District Court has a large docket that includes about 60 open patent cases at any given time.

Judge Sleet points out that the amount of hands-on work co-op students might do depends on their background and demonstrated level of skills. They might handle substantial research and be able to get into a record and write a draft opinion. If they have a particular background that could be of assistance, they may even get to work on some aspects of a ruling or help determine a dispute about the proper construction of a claim term. But the judge's primary emphasis is on education.

"My general attitude about students in chambers is that they get more from us than we get from them," he says. "They're not necessarily putting out finished opinion-quality work, but will often get the chance to participate or assist, depending on their background and interests."

Judge Sleet says it's equally important to him to spend time with students, mentoring and providing guidance and advice — sometimes unsolicited — to augment their legal education. "We talk about what's happening in the law, but we also talk about what's happening in the world and what's going on in their individual lives — what interests them, careers, next steps," he says. "I really want them to come away with a clear sense of the decision making that happens from this side of the bench, but if all they take away is some life lessons, I'd be OK with that, too."

He points out that the co-op experience also presents a true teaching opportunity for his law clerks, who have typically distinguished themselves academically and are already accomplished in their respective professions. "One of our clerks is a biochemist near the top of her class at Villanova Law; another is a Georgia Tech engineering grad and Penn law student working in patents," he says. "They're usually closer in age to the students and are more than happy to share their experiences and insights. It's a good place to be."

Dan Filler: Scholar, Professor, International Expert on Megan's Law, and ... Socratic Geek?

So what do you do when it's well after midnight and you're worked up over the Supreme Court's 1944 decision on Mitsuye Endo's internment appeal, but you can't wake up your friends to argue with them because they screen your calls? Drexel Law professor Dan Filler blogs.

Over the past several years, online technologies such as blogging have greatly enhanced the development of virtual communities. In the legal arena, blogging has served as a powerful forum for debate over contentious and difficult legal issues such as the violation of civil rights, defamation, and invasion of privacy.

Filler has emerged as a leading expert on Megan's Law and has published extensively in the field of criminal law. As the United States Supreme Court's membership changes and technology becomes ever more significant in the evolution of criminal law, he is increasingly troubled by privacy issues. "As a result of technology, it has become easier and easier for the government to track every aspect of our lives. We live in a fearful time, with a heightened anxiety over terrorism. It appears that our elected officials cannot stop themselves from using this technology to monitor citizens — whether by tracking heat emissions from our homes, by intercepting cell phone communications, or by monitoring our Internet use. This Supreme Court will have to decide what, if any, limits will be placed on the use of new invasive technology."

Blogging provides him with a forum to probe these questions with others. A recent entry, "Teaching Away the Right to Privacy," describes the Supreme Court's decisions in the Vernonia School District cases, authorizing public schools to conduct random drug testing of students participating in extracurricular activities.

His entry reads, "Why don't I like these schemes? A few reasons. The first one is related to the right of privacy. I don't think the government should be in the business of searching people in any fashion — let alone sorting through their urine — without suspicion of misconduct." ... and later, "Watching the privacy debates of the last few weeks — domestic spying, Google subpoenas, etc. — I've come upon yet another reason to dislike Vernonia. I suspect that suspicionless testing programs train children to believe they don't have a right to personal privacy."

Filler recently commented that, "The views of our newest Justices on these issues remain almost entirely unknown. While this will surely have huge implications for those involved in criminal justice, the issues have much broader implications for us all, and prove why all law students need to understand criminal law, and the intended limits of those laws, even if they never practice it."

Professor Filler believes blogging is becoming an essential tool for him in fulfilling his educational mission because it provides a public venue for him, his colleagues, and his students to discuss and debate the legal issues of the day in a way which goes beyond the academic confines of the classroom. By adding this public element to the Socratic method, he hopes to increase the scope and number of participants in these academic discussions and thereby advance the state of legal knowledge.

First in "Conversations" Series: Morgan Lewis Lawyers Gain Praise

In our previous issue of the Docket, we promoted the first of three "Conversations with the Profession," a series of interactive talks designed to give Drexel Law students a behind-the-scenes look at lawyers who have impacted the profession or worked on landmark cases. The first in the series exceeded all expectations. On October 18, Morgan Lewis lawyers Michael Banks and Mike Eagles presented a critical case in which the defendant had been convicted of murder, re-tried, and acquitted based on the discovery of blood evidence the prosecution had hidden. The clincher? The re-trial defense work was all pro bono.

The event invigorated the Drexel Law students, who were reminded, in the midst of substantive coursework and exams, that the legal profession offers valuable goals to be aspired to, as well as meaning to their hard work.

"Both attorneys adamantly believe that their clients are more than files and cases. They are real people who face very difficult challenges, who have individual stories," said first-year student Jerome Aquino. "It's a very ethical and just treatment of people whom society sometimes consider unworthy of such individual attention. I will surely do my best to remember throughout my own career the attorneys' principles in representing their clients."

"I thought it was amazing how one person, the DA for New Orleans, could control so many important factors in justice," said Mike Lee, another first-year student. "The presentation affirmed my belief that the legal system can be set up against people, while at the same time it gave me hope that justice finds a way. In this case a rotten DA skewed the system against a man who couldn't take the stand in his own defense. It took 18 years, but eventually the truth was told. It is very easy to see when the legal system doesn't work, but this was an example of justice and extraordinary circumstances working to free an innocent man."

Drexel Law student Shira Katz said, "After learning about cases in class it's really nice to actually meet the attorney that worked on such an amazing case and hear his perspective, as opposed to the court's. I think, as a student, it's really helpful just to meet professionals, and hear how they apply in their careers everything we are learning about in class. Especially around finals, it's really nice as a little encouragement that we'll get through it all!"

Visit the College of Law website to download the presentation and view photographs from the event.

Drexel Law's second event in the "Conversations" series will take place in January, with Pepper Hamilton's Stephen Harvey and Eric Rothschild, who was recently named a "Lawyer on the Fast Track" by The Legal Intelligencer. Mr. Harvey and Mr. Rothschild have received numerous accolades for their roles as lead plaintiffs' attorneys in the first-ever lawsuit challenging the teaching of intelligent design. The series will conclude in the spring.

The events are being hosted by Lou Fryman, former managing partner of Fox Rothschild, with generous support from the firm.

Pre-Law Advisors Get an Up-Close Look at Drexel Law

On Friday, October 27, Drexel Law welcomed regional pre-law advisors at the college's inaugural Drexel Law Pre-Law Advisors Conference. In addition to breakfast and subsequent information session, advisors met with Drexel Law students, faculty, and administrators to learn firsthand the rigors, challenges, and excitement of creating a new law school. Hard hats securely in place, advisors even braved a visit through Drexel's new College of Law building, which is slated to open next month, with classes starting in January.

A tour of the city — including City Hall, Jenkins Law Library, and the Federal Courthouse — served as a preview of where Drexel students might well study or serve on their co-op assignments, part of each Drexel Law student's curricular requirements for the JD degree. Drexel Law has lined up two-quarter placements in nonprofits and area corporations, law firms, judicial offices, and public interest organizations and government agencies. With this model, our students will learn not only what it means to be a lawyer, but also obtain the "vertical knowledge" about the business and industry that their employer is in. They will integrate this learning when they are back in their classrooms.

During lunch, Acting Dean Jennifer Rosato talked to the pre-law advisors about the unique aspects of a Drexel Law education. In addition to the co-op placement, those aspects include a strong legal methods program to teach students skills from the beginning; initial concentrations in cutting-edge areas of the law; an integration of professionalism throughout the students' education; and various opportunities for students to be involved in the Philadelphia legal community. Dean Rosato encouraged the pre-law advisors to consider the "Drexel difference" when counseling their students on where to go to law school.

Upcoming Events at Drexel

On-Campus Information Sessions
November 21, 2006	4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	Register Online
December 7, 2006	4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	Register Online
December 19, 2006	4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	Register Online
December 30, 2006	10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Register Online

Wednesday Information Hours
November 29, 2006	3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Register Online
December 13, 2006	3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Register Online
December 27, 2006	3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Register Online

LSAT Registration Deadlines

If you plan to take the LSAT on February 10, remember to register by January 9. Sign up as soon as possible to guarantee a spot at your preferred testing center.

You can register online, by phone, or by mail. Visit http://www.lsac.org for more information.

If you have comments, questions, or suggestions about The Drexel Docket, please contact us.

Drexel University is fully informed as to the Standards and Rules of Procedure for the Approval of Law Schools by the American Bar Association and is committed to devoting all necessary resources and taking all necessary steps to present a program of legal education that will qualify for approval by the American Bar Association at the earliest permissible time. Visit http://www.drexel.edu/law/accreditation.asp for more information about the ABA accreditation process.