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The Drexel Docket

October 2006

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.

  1. ABA President and Circuit Chief Judge Shine at Drexel Law Opening
  2. Students to Enjoy "Conversations with the Profession"
  3. Drexel Law Sponsors Festival to Benefit Veterans Center
  4. Drexel Law Reaches Out to Alumni
  5. Students Pursue Dual Degrees, Work Experience Before Law School
  6. Co-op Spotlight: Drinker Biddle's Intellectual Property Group
  7. Law Building Construction Progresses

ABA President and Circuit Chief Judge Shine at Drexel Law Opening

It was a stellar night at Behrakis Grand Hall on September 26, when the Trustees of Drexel University hosted a gala dinner to celebrate the official opening of Drexel Law.

Among the "stars" shining at the festivities were American Bar Association President Karen Mathis, who inspired guests with her insight into the ways law schools like Drexel can provide leadership in service to the community. The College of Law also welcomed Third Circuit Chief Judge Anthony Scirica, who spoke eloquently about the important role law schools play in preparing the next generation of lawyers. Visit the College of Law's website to view pictures and videos of the celebration.

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Students to Enjoy "Conversations with the Profession"

Series kicks off Oct. 18 with lawyer who saved man from death row

In 2003, John Thompson of New Orleans narrowly escaped execution for a murder he didn't commit when he was found not guilty in a new trial — one that only happened because of the work of two diligent attorneys, Michael L. Banks and J. Gordon Cooney of Morgan Lewis. The two spent 15 years — all pro bono — on Thompson's case and discovered blood evidence that the prosecution had hidden, leading to a new trial and acquittal.

Half of this all-star team, Michael Banks, along with Morgan Lewis attorney Mike Eagles, will be on campus October 18 for the first of several "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 events are being hosted by Lou Fryman, former managing partner of Fox Rothschild, with generous support from the firm.

"This should be a fun and informative way to help us create connections with lawyers in the community and let students know about the exciting things the lawyers are doing," says Drexel Law Acting Dean Jennifer Rosato.

Each session will feature a large-group presentation followed by small-group dinner discussions about career paths and advice. At the end of January (date yet to be determined), the second "Conversation" will take place with Pepper Hamilton's Stephen Harvey and Eric Rothschild (recently named a "Lawyer on the Fast Track" by The Legal Intelligencer), two of the lead plaintiff attorneys in the first-ever lawsuit challenging the teaching of intelligent design.

A third "Conversation" will be scheduled in the spring. Look for more information soon about these events, which are open to all Drexel Law students on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Drexel Law Sponsors Festival to Benefit Veterans Center

The third element of Drexel Law's mission, officium (professional duty), recognizes the lawyer's obligation to serve the public good — not just in the courtroom but in the community. To put that theory into action, the College of Law recently served as a Bronze Sponsor of the Philadelphia Doo Wop Festival, the proceeds of which are being donated to The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center.

The nonprofit organization, which provides critically needed services to the tri-state region's homeless, unemployed, disabled, and less fortunate veterans, is facing a potential loss of $500,000 in funding this year. Helping to reduce the impact of such cuts is one of many ways Drexel Law intends to make a difference in the community.

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Drexel Law Reaches Out to Alumni

Drexel University may have 181 new fans in the inaugural class of the College of Law, but no one is more loyal than the thousands and thousands of Dragons who fondly recall their days on campus. Some alumni may have gone on to law school elsewhere; some may be working in fields or companies that could use a Drexel Law intern; and some may be interested in applying to the College of Law for next year!

Now that classes are up and running, the administration is working with Drexel's Alumni Affairs and Institutional Advancement departments to bring together law students and alumni in ways that will benefit the entire community. According to Acting Dean Jennifer Rosato, Drexel Law and alumni representatives will be visiting selected alumni chapters to "talk up" the new law school and discuss cutting-edge issues in the law. Professor Chapin Cimino Cody, for instance, has been invited to speak about business law this spring at a suburban Philadelphia chapter, and Dean Rosato will travel to Boston in December.

Efforts are also being made to collaborate with the Biddle Law Society, a student organization founded years ago for undergraduates interested in a career in law. The society has developed strong relationships with Drexel alumni who went on to law school elsewhere and are working in law-related professions.

Drexel Law is communicating with alumni about exciting developments in several different ways. The College of Law was featured on the cover of the most recent issue of Drexel Blue & Gold, the University's alumni magazine. Within the accompanying article, alumni were encouraged to hire Drexel Law students for summer clerkships and to consider applying to the College of Law, which provides alumni scholarships. In addition, plans are in the works to keep the alumni and law school communities connected through inCircle, Drexel's online alumni networking tool.

"We're creating a larger community and getting alumni involved so they can contribute something of value to our students," says Dean Rosato. "When our students graduate, they will already have colleagues in the profession, and we hope they will want to join the Alumni Association and respective chapters so they can in turn help other students."

To learn more about the relationship between Drexel alumni and the College of Law, visit the alumni page.

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Students Pursue Dual Degrees, Work Experience Before Law School

While most Drexel Law students are enjoying their first-term classes and exploring the law, several have already zeroed in on their career focus by pursuing dual degrees — one of many ways to customize the learning experience and to enhance career options.

Jonathan Faust and Ken Dugan are each pursuing a JD/MBA degree. Faust, a Voorhees, NJ, native who earned his bachelor's degree in computer science from Johns Hopkins University, says he feels the dual degree will expand his job opportunities in technology or the computer industry. "I like the program because it gives me the opportunity to directly affect the curriculum," he says.

Dugan, a licensed psychologist who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his doctoral degree in counseling psychology from Michigan State University, has been living in Philadelphia since 2000. He says he chose Drexel Law for its high-quality education, stellar law faculty, and reputation among his colleagues. He hopes to found a consulting firm, for which he expects to develop a business plan during his studies and submit it to the competition operated by the LeBow College of Business' Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship.

"Because I intend to concentrate on entrepreneurial law, I believe the dual degree will help me acquire a much greater appreciation of business and business law," he says. "And pursuing the one-year MBA gives me the opportunity to meet business leaders and begin building a network of contacts that I can use as a base for landing clients upon graduation."

Another student, Marisa Barriere, is concurrently pursuing her law degree and her master's degree in public health (MPH). Barriere, a Flushing, NY, native who earned her bachelor's degree from St. Joseph's University, says graduating with the JD/MPH degree will enable her to focus on her interest in health care law and pursue a career in a wide variety of health care sectors.

Alison Debes, meanwhile, decided that she'd like to get some work experience under her belt BEFORE she begins law school — and Drexel Law is helping her do that. Debes graduated magna cum laude last year from Temple University with a psychology degree. Interested in criminal, environmental, and corporate law but unsure about her career objectives, Debes says she was attracted to the co-op program because it would enable her to try out different fields before taking the bar exam. She learned firsthand about the benefits of co-op from her uncle, a Drexel alumnus who was placed in a co-op at Lockheed Martin more than 25 years ago — and is still working there today.

When Drexel University Senior Vice President Carl "Tobey" Oxholm began contacting employers about the possibility of being co-op partners, several said they would be interested in hiring students for a year before the start of classes. Debes responded to the call and landed a job with Exelon Corporation, an electricity and gas company with 17,000 employees. (Both Exelon and Lockheed Martin, incidentally, made BusinessWeek's recent "Best Places to Launch a Career" ranking — Lockheed at #2, Exelon at #49.)

While Debes works primarily in Exelon's legal department regulatory group, she also has worked in the labor and employment group and hopes to get some exposure to the litigation group as well. "This opportunity is letting me see how real lawyers work while I can save some money for school next year," she says. "Dean Albertson-Ploucha and Tobey Oxholm have been very helpful in making this opportunity work for everyone."

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Co-op Spotlight: Drinker Biddle's Intellectual Property Group

Not long ago many lawyers practicing intellectual property (IP) law spent most of their time filing patents and litigating infringement claims. But over the last decade, patents and other forms of intellectual property have become some of the most valuable assets that clients have, and the practice of IP law has simply exploded. Now IP law reaches into such diverse areas as due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, legislative affairs, branding, licensing, and routine commercial litigation.

Each co-op cycle, Drexel Law students can apply for an opportunity to work in the IP practice group at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. A student's work in the IP practice group can range from helping prepare patent applications for companies in the pharmaceutical and electronics industries to advising clients involved in computer technology and cutting-edge stem-cell research. The group also counsels major corporations on business strategies involving branding, Internet marketing, and portfolio management, in addition to claims involving issues such as false advertising and trademark infringement.

"One of the great strengths of our IP practice is the diversity of services our lawyers can provide to clients," says Kathryn R. Doyle, a partner in the IP Group. "This means we are always looking for good lawyers with diverse interests and backgrounds."

Group leader Gregory J. Lavorgna agrees. "IP is everywhere: patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, technology licenses, e-commerce legislation, antitrust, Internet domain names, advertising, charitable donations, asset due diligence, property transfers... A good law firm needs to cover it all," he points out.

Doyle says she anticipates students will have no problem finding subjects that intrigue them. "We see Drexel Law's co-op program as a great way to give students an in-depth introduction to the ever-burgeoning area of intellectual property law," she says. "Once you get hooked on this area of the law, there's no going back. I love what I do."

Drinker Biddle's IP practice group has grown from a single lawyer 10 years ago to nearly 60 lawyers today. While the firm has become national in scope with 10 offices, it remains committed to its Philadelphia roots, as evidenced by its participation in Drexel Law's co-op program.

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Law Building Construction Progresses

The Drexel Law building is starting to really take shape, with drywall going up in classrooms and offices. At this point, work is expected to be completed by the end of November, and almost everything will be moved in and ready to go by early January 2007.

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Upcoming Events

Information Sessions

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 — Register Online

Saturday, November 4, 2006 — Register Online

Virtual Chats

Thursday, October 19, 2006 — Register Online

Graduate and Professional Fairs

Look for us at a campus near you:

Date Location Event, School, or Area Time
10/9/2006 San Francisco, CA University of San Francisco 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/9/2006 Notre Dame, IN Notre Dame 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/10/2006 Berkeley, CA UC Berkeley 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/11/2006 Minneapolis, MN University of Minnesota 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/11/2006 Waltham, MA Brandeis 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/11/2006 Boston, MA Tufts 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
10/11/2006 Newark, NJ Rutgers Newark 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/12/2006 Harrisonburg, VA James Madison University 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/12/2006 Chicago, IL Chicago State 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/16/2006 Pittsburgh, PA University of Pittsburgh 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/16/2006 Chicago, IL University of Chicago 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
10/17/2006 State College, PA Penn State 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
10/17/2006 Chicago, IL Chicago Grad/Prof Fair UIC 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
10/18/2006 Indiana, PA Indiana University of Pennsylvania 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
10/18/2006 Gainsesville, FL University of Florida 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/18/2006 Tallahassee, FL Florida A&M 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/18/2006 Montclair, NJ Montclair State 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/18/2006 Atlanta, GA AUC 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/19/2006 Jacksonville, FL University of North Florida 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/19/2006 Jersey City, NJ New Jersey City University 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
10/19/2006 Atlanta, GA Emory University 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/20/2006 Atlanta, GA Mercer University 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
10/23/2006 Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia Law Fair 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/23/2006 New York, NY John Jay School of CJ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/24/2006 Waterville, ME Colby 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
10/24/2006 Scranton, PA University of Scranton 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
10/24/2006 New Orleans, LA Tulane/Loyola 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
10/24/2006 Washington, DC University of DC 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/25/2006 Lewiston, ME Bates 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
10/25/2006 Amherst, MA U Mass 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/25/2006 Bethlehem, PA Lehigh University 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
10/25/2006 Norfolk, VA Norfolk State University 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/26/2006 Hampton, VA Hampton University 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/27/2006 New Orleans, LA Xavier University 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/27/2006 Baltimore, MD Morgan State University 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
10/30/2006 Wilmington, NC UNC Wilmington 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10/30/2006 Cincinnati, OH University of Cincinnati 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
10/31/2006 Raleigh, NC NC State University 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

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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.