Announcements
Week of 11 November 2024
Holy Semi-Quincentennial! Lunch & Learn: How Young Lawyers can get Involved with 2026 in Philly
Tuesday, November 12, 12:20pm in the Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Classroom (Room 202)
Featuring:
- Thomas Young, President and CEO of The World Trade Center Greater Philadelphia
- Johnny Sneh, Entrepreneur in Residence, Chief Executive Officer of SNS Company
Hosted by the Entrepreneurship Law Society, Sports Law Society, and Corporate Law Society.
Monumental Events in 2026 include: 250th Anniversary of America, FIFA World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field, MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, NCAA’s March Madness at the Wells Fargo Center, 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, TED Democracy series, special exhibits at the Museum of the American Revolution, and more!
Villanova Law Alumni Awards Ceremony and Reception
Tuesday, November 12, 5-8pm at the Ritz Carlton Philadelphia
This year's honorees are:
Gerald Abraham Alumni Award for Service to Villanova Law
Honorable G. Michael Green '80
Delaware County Court of Common Pleas
Villanova Law Alumni Association Award for Public Service
Deborah L. Culhane '03
Assistant to General Counsel, Numisma Bank
The Villanova Law Alumni Association hosts a reception every year to recognize alumni who have contributed significantly to the legal community or Villanova Law. It’s a great opportunity for alumni, students, faculty and staff to come together in celebration, and we hope you can join us. Registration is complimentary.
Attention 1Ls: JD/MBA Informational Session
Wednesday, November 13, 12:20pm in the Blank Rome LLP Classroom (Room 102)
1L’s please join us to learn more about how you can earn both a JD and an MBA degree in your three years here at Villanova. This program will afford you flexibility in your career, while educating you to be an ethical lawyer and leader in your chosen field, as well as the competitive advantage in understanding the relationship between law and business for today's corporate environment. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please use the QR code on the right to register. Free pizza will be available to those who attend!
Reimagining Justice: A Discussion of Prison Reform in the United States
Wednesday, November 13, 12:20pm in the Martin G. McGuinn ’67 Ceremonial Courtroom (Room 201)
Join the Girard-diCarlo Center for Ethics, Integrity and Compliance and the Criminal Law Society for a discussion on the future of dignity in prisons in Pennsylvania and beyond, focused on the recently published book, Excessive Punishment: How the Justice System Creates Mass Incarceration. Lunch will be provided and complimentary copies of Excessive Punishment will be available in limited quantities.
Law School Series 101: Applying to Internships
Wednesday, November 13, 12:30pm in the Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Classroom (Room 202)
1Ls, come learn about how to approach applying to summer internships in Big Law! Attorneys from Richards, Layton & Finger will hold a panel discussing internship applications, opportunities available in Delaware, and more! Lunch will be provided. Please register at https://forms.office.com/r/MnMMeFtEwt. Co-sponsored by Villanova’s Black Law Students Association.
APALSA 1L Check-in
Thursday, November 14, 12:30pm in the Daniel L. Thistle ’70 Classroom (Room 203)
- Exam Advice
- Outlining Tips
- Any other questions you have!
Implicit Bias Series Session 2
Thursday, November 14, 3-4:30pm in Room 301A
Implicit Bias is one of the most challenging areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our first session introduced the sources and contents of implicit biases. The relationship between implicit bias and other forms of offensive behavior, including explicit biases and microaggressions, and the importance of avoiding, reducing, and eliminating forms of bias will be explained. Every session will also focus on how these activities impact the practice of law.
Our workshop will be led by Kristina M. Marshall, a nationally recognized lawyer and the Director of DEI at Oakland Community College. In addition to her live sessions, Ms. Marshall has prepared supplementary materials that will further enrich your learning experience. The CWSL DEI Office will provide links to any of the relevant materials. Refreshments will be served.
65th Annual Theodore L. Reimel Moot Court Competition
Semifinal Round: Tuesday, November 19 | Final round: Thursday, November 21
5pm in the Martin G. McGuinn ’67 Ceremonial Courtroom (Room 201)
Join us for the semifinal and final rounds of the 65th Annual Theodore L. Reimel ’24 CLAS Moot Court Competition on November 19 and 21 beginning at 5:00pm. Both rounds are open to the public; the final round will be live-streamed. An awards ceremony and reception will be held in the Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Commons following the final round.
The judges who will preside over this year’s semifinal round are:
- The Honorable James Gardner Colins ’71, Judge for the Pennsylvania Superior Court
- The Honorable Chad F. Kennedy ’76 CLAS, Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- The Honorable Kay Walcott-Henderson ’96, Judge for the New Jersey Superior Court
The judges who will preside over this year’s final round are:
- The Honorable Arianna Freeman, Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- The Honorable N. Christopher Griffiths ’08, Justice for the Supreme Court of Delaware
- The Honorable Kimberly A. Moore, Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
The Theodore L. Reimel Moot Court Competition is an annual intra-school tournament and a hallowed tradition at Villanova Law. Named in honor of the late Theodore L. Reimel, Judge for the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas from 1953 to 1973, the competition is designed to foster student development in written and oral advocacy through simulated appellate argument.
Blood Drive
Monday, November 25, 12-5pm at the Law School
Or visit redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code: villanova
Or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)
Veterans Day – November 11th
In honor of the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces, the U.S. Post Office, many government offices, and banks are closed on Monday, November 11.
Post-Election Resources
Law students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in Villanova’s post-election co-curricular events, programming and resources. More info found here: https://www1.villanova.edu/university/student-life/about-us-vice-president/election-resources.html
Writing Competition Guide
If you are interested in participating in one of the many annual law student writing competitions, check out the Writing Competitions Guide: http://libguides.law.villanova.edu/writingcompetitions. There is information in the Guide regarding the mechanics of writing for publication, as well as lists of open competitions.
Fall Bird Migration is Underway!
Please close blinds and turn off office lights at the end of each day. Small efforts on our part make a big difference to traveling birds by helping them to avoid window collisions and reducing other hazards such as the disorientation caused by reflective light. For those interested in reading more about this problem, please visit: https://www.birdsafephilly.org/lights-out
If you find an injured or dead bird, email birds@law.villanova.edu.
If you see a bird hit a window or door at the Law School during the weekend or after 5pm during the weekday, and it does not fly away within a few minutes, it may be dazed, injured, or deceased. If the bird is alive, it is important to protect it from predators. Place the bird in a ventilated box with a lid and place the box in a warm, quiet place away from humans or predatory animals. Boxes are available at the lobby desk. After 30 minutes, release the bird back into the wild, unless it still remains dazed or appears injured, then you may contact the Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center in King of Prussia at 267-416-9453 or the Tri-State Bird Rescue at (302) 737-9543. If you find a deceased bird, please email birds@law.villanova.edu so that the bird can be transferred to the Biology department for documentation. Thank you for your help.
Gazette Submissions
Please send items for next week’s Gavel Gazette to gavelgazette@law.villanova.edu by 3pm on Friday.
Environmental Law Journal Publications
The Villanova Environmental Law Journal congratulates the following Staff Writers whose Case Notes were selected for publication in Volume 36, Issue 2:
- Marina Campo—Pressure in the Pipeline? Hidden Tensions Beneath the Surface in the D.C. Circuit's Analysis of Alabama Municipal Distributors Group v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Benjamin Levy—A Monumental Tug of War: The Clash Over Presidential Authority and National Monuments in Murphy Co. v. Biden
- Naseem Memari—A Beacon Trying to Signal Heading: The Ninth Circuit Interprets California Whistleblower Protection Act in Killgore v. SpecPro Professional Services, LLC
- Julia Snyder—A Modern Moby Dick: The First Circuit Reveals How Man's Unchecked Fixations Still Impact Nantucket's North Atlantic Right Whale in Nantucket Residents Against Turbines v. U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Mgmt.
Many thanks to all the Staff Writers for their thoughtful submissions. We would also like to recognize our Managing Editors of Student Works – Sarah Hofgesang, Alison Moyer, Caroline Nelson, and Kevin Walsh – for their hard work throughout the writing process.
Counseling Center YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@Villanovacounseling
These contain ‘self-serve’ advice and guidance with titles such as: • Resilience Skills for transition to college • Coping with Academic Disappointment • Progressive Relaxation and Body Scan • Mindfulness Playlists: https://www1.villanova.edu/university/health-services/counseling-center.html
Absence Reporting Form
If you have missed or know you will miss a class session and believe the absence may be excused, please use this form to record the absence and have it excused where applicable. Please note that individual faculty members DO NOT receive submitted forms, so you must still notify your professors independently of any absences.
Embedded Counselor at the Law School
Dr. Allison Kosloff, counselor from University Counseling Center, will be at the Law School in Room 138 from 12:30-4:30pm on Mondays throughout the fall semester for appointments with Law Students. Students should schedule an appointment in advance (in-person or telehealth). To make an appointment or for more information about groups and other counseling information, see the form on the Counseling Center’s website or call 610 519-4050.
DEI LibGuide
The DEI LibGuide includes information about the law school and university Offices of DEI, the DEI Committee list, processing DEI environmental complaints, student organizations, and affinity groups, a glossary of DEI terms, and details about the Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas Community Award. Refer any questions, suggestions, and recommendations about the LibGuide content to the Office of DEI.
Wellness Resources for Students
Villanova University School of Law faculty and staff care about you. We remind all law students to prioritize your physical, emotional, and mental health. It is important to reach out if you are going through a challenge, feeling overwhelmed, need to talk or want to find ways to maintain balance in your life.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers: LCL is fully operational during this time of uncertainty. They have one staff rotating in the office each day to ensure every helpline call will be thoroughly handled. Their volunteer base of 295 law students, attorneys, and judges are ready, willing, and able to assist any student, staff or faculty member that may be struggling LCL’s 24/7 helpline is 888-999-1941 and their website is also a wealth of information www.lclpa.org
University Counseling Center: Please see the Counseling Center’s website regarding their message for continuity of care, on-line appointment request form, local referrals or prescription refill if you have been seeing the University psychiatrist. Law Students have full access to the University Counseling center M-F, 9-5 610 519- 4050 and UWill 24/7 Telehealth Counseling
Villanova’s Health and Well-Being website
Nancy Whalen, Director of Student Affairs and Wellbeing can help you if you need to connect to resources, want a wellness check-in or need to discuss a specific concern. Email her at whalen@law.villanova.edu or schedule a time to meet with Nancy.
In an emergency, call Villanova Public Safety at 610-519-4444.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 160 crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.