Announcements
Week of 17 March 2025
Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas Community Award
Nominations are now open for the Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas (VUC) Community Award, established to honor students who conduct and support programs that encourage an inclusive environment. Many events and activities have been conducted so far this year that will result in nominations. Congratulations to last year's honorees Kayla Martin and Gabriela Ontaneda. Here is a description of the VUC Award, please contact Kent Lollis if you have any questions:
- The Award honors individuals and affinity groups who support a belonging community. Prizes recognize students and organizations whose work and activities maintain and promote a diverse, equitable, and inclusive educational community. Individuals earn this award for: their respect for colleagues, commitment to supporting the community, attendance and planning of events, and other distinguished contributions of time, effort and passion for Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas.
- Nominations may be either individuals or groups from the Law School community. Members of the Villanova Law community can submit nominations for students and organizations, including themselves. Nominations should describe the nominee’s activities, actions, and outlook to aid in decision-makings, with a preference for particular examples.
- Submit nominations by March 24th using this webform.
Congrats to this Week’s Winner and Keep Voting in the Villanova Law Library’s Skirmish of the Services 2025!
Thanks to all who voted for their favorite library services in the first round of the Skirmish of Services 2025! And congratulations to Madison Graver, winner of this round's prize, a Villanova striped beanie. Voting continues this week in our A-List 8 round - remember each weekly vote gives you another chance to win the grand prize, a private room taco party for you and your friends during the reading period! Visit the game website each week to learn more and submit your votes!
Gazette Submissions
Please send items for next week’s Gavel Gazette to gavelgazette@law.villanova.edu by 3pm on Friday.
Moot Court ABA Team Success
During the first weekend of spring break, 3L Moot Court Board members Taylor Bellardino and Sam Rollick participated in the regional round of the ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition in Boston. The pair argued two complex Fourth Amendment issues against extremely competitive moot court programs from across the country and did so with great success!
After going undefeated in five rounds of competition, they were announced as one of FOUR teams out of THIRTY-SEVEN who are advancing to the National Finals in Chicago in April! Taylor was also named the Best Overall Preliminary Oralist out of over 75 advocates, with, to quote the competition directors, “an eye-watering preliminary round average score of 96.2/100 points!”
During the three preliminary rounds, the duo bested the University of South Carolina, the University of Houston, and the University of Miami. During the fourth and fifth rounds, the winners were determined by ballots. Taylor and Sam swept Michigan State 5-0 in the fourth round and beat Syracuse University 4-1 in the final round to secure their spot in the National Finals with a 9-1 record!
We are incredibly proud of these talented advocates and hope you will join us in congratulating them on this tremendous accomplishment and sending them well wishes for the National Finals!
We'd also like to thank Taylor and Sam’s coaches: 3Ls Elizabeth Henning and Jillian Updegraff, Professor Christine Mooney, and alumnus Eric Rotteveel.
Congratulations again to Taylor and Sam!
Villanova Law Review Announces the Publication of Volume 69, Issue 5
The Issue contains two Articles from the 2024 Norman J. Shacoy Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology, one Article from the 46th Annual Donald A. Giannella Memorial Lecture, and one Article from the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture. Below is a brief summary of each:
The first Article, Religious Freedom and the Status/Conduct Problem in Nondiscrimination Cases, written by Professor Helen Alvaré, argues that religious freedom problems arise when courts weigh whether to conflate status and conduct when determining if a status nondiscrimination law is possibly violated.
The second Article, Abolition, Dignity, and Amazing Grace, written by Professor Etienne Toussaint, explores the enduring legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s pursuit of racial justice and multicultural democracy in America through the lens of the author's grandmother's urban gardening practice.
The third Article, Gatekeeping Screen Time: Configuring the Regulation of Addictive Technologies and Kids’ Privacy Rights, written by Professor Bernstein, discusses legislative efforts to regulate addictive technologies and reduce kids’ screen time, analyzing how tech companies have used First Amendment arguments to challenge these laws.
The fourth Article, Ending the AI Race: Regulatory Collaboration as Critical Counter-Narrative, written by Tiffany Li, challenges the prevailing AI Race and AI Ethics Race narratives, which frame artificial intelligence development and regulation as zero-sum competitions between states. Instead, it argues that true progress in AI governance requires regulatory collaboration, where nations work together rather than competing for dominance. Using AI as a case study, Li critiques existing international cooperation models and proposes a more inclusive framework for AI ethics governance—one that empowers all nations to shape the future of AI regulation.
Thank you very much to the entire Villanova Law community for your continued support. Also, thank you to the Law Review’s student writers and editors. No publication would be possible without every member of our journal.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Embedded Counselors at the Law School
Dr Allison Kosloff and Dr. Candice Post, counselors from University Counseling Center, will be at the Law School in Room 138 from 12:30-4:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays through spring semester for appointments with Law Students. Students should schedule an appointment in advance (in-person or telehealth) using the online appointment form on the Counseling Center’s website or by calling 610 519-4050.
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.
Constructed Movements
Monday, March 17, 12:30-1:30pm in the Minority Alumni Society Classroom (Room 103)
Please join us for a discussion with Professor Ragini Shah about her new book, Constructed Movements. Professor Shah will discuss her research with workers in Mexico whose lives were profoundly shaped by the labor and immigration policies of the US and Mexico. Professor Shah is a Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Immigrant Justice Clinic at Suffolk Law. Sponsored by the Immigration Law Society, Labor and Employment Law Society, the Lapage Center for History in the Public Interest, and the VU Strategic Initiative for Migrants and Refugees. Lunch will be provided.
JD/MBA Student Panel
Monday, March 17, at 12:20pm in the Martin G. McGuinn ’67 Ceremonial Courtroom (Room 201)
Join us on to hear from current JD/MBA students about their experiences in the joint degree program. Learn how the program can afford you flexibility in your career and provide you with the competitive advantage of understanding the relationship between law and business for today's corporate environment.
Application Deadline: April 30 │ Classes start May 12
Legal Bites: Female Foodie Founders Share Their Paths
Tuesday, March 18, 12:20-1:20pm in the Blank Rome LLP Classroom (Room 102)
Featuring:
- Anjali Gupta: Pinwheel Provisions
- Jill Weber: Sojourn, Jet Wine Club, Café Ynez
- Rosemarie Tran: Melograno, L’Anima
Lunch provided! Co-sponsored by the Women’s Law Caucus and the Entrepreneurship Law Society.
Vigil in Solidarity with Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Migrants
Tuesday, March 18 on main campus
4:30pm Gathering in Solidarity at the Peace Pole (St. Rita Hall)
4:45pm Sharing Stories, Taking Action at The SUITE (Corr Hall)
Sponsored by the VU Office of Mission and Ministry.
Weekly Mass and Worship Opportunities on Campus
Wednesdays at 12:30pm Chapel of Our Lady, Mirror of Justice, dedicated in memory of Helen A. O’Connor
Mass will be held at the Law School when classes are in session. Further details and other opportunities for worship can be found on the Campus Ministry website. For other information, you may contact Fr. Aldo Potencio, OSA at aldo.potencio@villanova.edu.
The Ethics and Empirics of Engineering Humanity Speaker Series
4:45–5:50pm in the Minority Alumni Society Classroom (Room 103)
Wednesday, March 19: AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference
Arvind Narayanan, Professor and Director of Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University
Wednesday, April 9: Towards Impartial Machines: Empiricist Moral Psychology for Machine Learning Research
Cameron Buckner, Professor and Donald F. Cronin Endowed Chair in the Humanities, University of Florida
This interdisciplinary speaker series will cover ethical, philosophical and empirical issues surrounding the engineering of artificial and human intelligence. Those include the dynamic interactions between AI and HI, how human-computer-interfaces affect humanity, how humans outsource thinking to computers and other related technologies, how digital technologies transform the production, dissemination and validation of knowledge and how ethical values translate into technological and social decisions that affect who we are and who we’re capable of being.
Westlaw Training
Thursday March 20, 12:30-1:15pm
Join Westlaw and CoCounsel for lunch, Wawa, and tips on finishing your brief and semester strong. Every attendee will receive lunch and a $5 Wawa gift card. Bring your burning research questions and your appetite!
MLK Keynote Lecture
Thursday, March 20, 4pm in the Blank Rome LLP Classroom (Room 102)
Villanova Law welcomes Madiba K. Dennie, author of The Originalism Trap, for its annual keynote lecture honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Following the keynote lecture, a reception will be held in the Ambassador David F. Girard-diCarlo ’73 and Constance B. Girard-diCarlo ’74 Student Lounge.
American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation – and Could Again
Monday, March 24, 4-5pm in the Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Commons
The Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy with support from the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation welcomes Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural and Constitutional Studies and Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy with the American Enterprise Institute for a discussion on his most recent book. The founder and editor of National Affairs, Yuval Levin is also a senior editor at The New Atlantis, a contributing editor at National Review, and a contributing opinion writer at the New York Times.
A reception and book signing will take place immediately following the lecture in the Ambassador David F. Girard-diCarlo ’73 and Constance B. Girard-diCarlo ’74 Student Lounge. For more information and to register, visit the event page.
Pennsylvania Superior Court Panel Sitting at Villanova Law
Tuesday, March 25, 9:30am-3:00pm in the Martin G. McGuinn ’67 Ceremonial Courtroom (Room 201)
On Tuesday, March 25, Villanova Law will host a select panel of the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Attendees are welcome to listen to arguments addressing various issues of law, including civil, criminal, family court and dependency court. All are invited to observe this oral argument session of the Superior Court. The Appellate Panel:
The Hon. Ann E. Lazarus, President Judge (Philadelphia)
The Hon. Maria McLaughlin (Philadelphia)
The Hon. Megan Sullivan (Chester County)
An Introduction to Cape Town Externship Sites
Tuesday, March 25 at 12 noon virtually
Please join us for a virtual meeting with Professor Ada Ordor, an expert in Comparative Business Law and Director of the Comparative Law Center (CCLA) and Director Vanja Karth of the Democratic Rights and Governance Unity (RDGU). Hosted by The International Entrepreneurship Program in South Africa. To receive the Zoom link for the event please register here.
A Founder’s Playbook: Law, Leadership, & Lessons
Tuesday, March 25, 12:20-1:20pm in the Blank Rome LLP Classroom (Room 102)
Please join us for a panel discussion featuring industry experts:
- Peter Toolan, Founder and CEO of Benebone
- Sherill Mosee, Founder and CEO of MinkeeBlue
- Justin Rosenberg, Founder and CEO of Honeygrow
Moderated by Student Founder Brett Mastrangelo, CPA ’26 Law Student and Entrepreneur. Sponsored by the Entrepreneurship Law Society. Food will be served!
Community Conversation: Athletics, Sports and Identity
Wednesday, March 26, 12-1pm, West Lounge of Dougherty Hall
Join the Nance Center for Dialogue in partnership with UNITAS in Athletics in a conversation on how your identities influence your engagement or disengagement with athletics and sports. Come reflect and share experiences through the lens of power and identity while we build community.
2025 CARES Symposium
Friday, March 28, 9am-1pm in the Laurence E. Hirsch ’71 Classroom (Room 101)
This year’s annual symposium hosted by the Clinic for Asylum, Refugee and Emigrant Services (CARES) will focus on maximizing pro bono efforts and fostering meaningful community involvement in supporting immigrants facing complex legal challenges. This event will feature immigration attorneys, non-profit leaders and advocates, who will share practical insights on how attorneys can navigate the unique aspects of immigration law and provide crucial support through pro bono work. The symposium will also address the current immigration landscape, highlighting the specific legal needs of immigrant populations and the critical role legal professionals play in advancing justice. For more information and to register, visit the event page.
