Announcements
Week of 20 March 2023
EVENTS
The Ethics and Empirics of Engineering Humanity Speaker Series
4-6pm in the Blank Rome LLP Classroom (Room 102)
This interdisciplinary speaker series will cover ethical, philosophical, and empirical issues surrounding the engineering of artificial and human intelligence. These 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 are capable of being.
March 20: “The Influencer Industry”
Emily Hund, PhD, Author, The Influencer Industry: The Quest for Authenticity on Social Media (Princeton University Press, forthcoming); Research Affiliate, Center on Digital Culture and Society, University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication
The first 50 attendees will receive a complimentary copy of “The Influencer Industry.” A book signing will follow the program.
March 27: “Moral Robots? How to Make Autonomous Robots Fit for Human Societies”
Matthias Scheutz, PhD, Professor of Computer Science, Director of the Human-Robot Interaction Laboratory and Director of the Human-Robot Interaction Degree Programs, Tufts University
April 3rd: “What AI Can Do, and What It Will Never Be Able To Do”
Barry Smith, PhD, FACMI, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Julian Park Chair, Department of Philosophy and Director, National Center for Ontological Research, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo
Please visit the Villanova Law website for additional information about this event. This speaker series has been made possible by a grant for cross-college teaching from the Office of the Provost for Teaching and Learning and is co-sponsored by the Department of Philosophy.
Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tuesday, March 21 at 4pm in the Martin G. McGuinn ’67 Ceremonial Courtroom (Room 201)
Villanova Law welcomes Reggie Shuford, Executive Director of the North Carolina Justice Center, for its annual keynote lecture honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The lecture will be followed by a reception in the Arthur M. Goldberg '66 Commons.
Grad and Law Student Faith Sharing
Every Tuesday, 5-6pm
Campus Ministry offers a weekly virtual faith sharing opportunity for graduate and law students to gather and build community. We will use poetry, nature, art, and sacred texts to help us reflect upon and share our experiences, beliefs, and questions with one another. Students of all programs, religious backgrounds, and/or ethical traditions are most welcome and encouraged to join us. Use this link to join. Contact Brian McCabe to express interest or get more information.
Weekly Mass at the Law School
Thursdays at 12:30pm in the Chapel of Our Lady, Mirror of Justice, dedicated in memory of Helen A. O’Connor
Mass is 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.
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
As the Season of Lent is typically a time of repentance, fasting and prayer in preparation for Easter, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessions) will be every Wednesday during Lent from 12:00pm to 1:00pm in the Law School Chapel. Also, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, and every Thursday from 8:00pm-9:00pm in the Campus Church.
Women’s History Month Networking Opportunity
Thursday, March 23, 5-6:30pm in the Scarpa Center
Join the Entrepreneurship Law Society and SBA Diversity & Inclusion as they host Sherrill Mosee, founder and CEO of Minkeeblue. Raffle to win a Minkeeblue bag!
CARES Symposium
Friday, March 24 25, 9:30-1pm in the Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Commons
Immigrant Justice: Building Sanctuary in Philadelphia
This year’s symposium will center on The Road to Sanctuary: Building Power and Community in Philadelphia by Amanda Armenta, Caitlin Barry and Abel Rodríguez. It will explore sanctuary in its various forms, including sanctuary city policies, organizing for sanctuary, and sanctuary within the context of the criminal justice system.
The Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board has approved this symposium for 2 Substantive CLE credits. Please note registration for this event is required. The cost of attendance is covered by a generous gift from Joseph Azrack '69 VSB. For more information and to register, visit the event page.
26th Annual Public Interest Auction
Saturday, March 25
Join the Walter A. Lucas '88 Public Interest Fellowship Program (PIFP) for our 26th Annual Public Interest Auction, benefitting Villanova Law students who dedicate their summers to public interest and public service legal work. Over the past 26 years, PIFP has funded 260 law students working at over 140 public interest law organizations, raising over $1,000,000 for Villanova Law’s public interest community. We are celebrating these accomplishments in person at the law school, with virtual options to participate available. For more information, visit the event page.
Spring Employer Fair
Tuesday, March 28, 3:00-5:30 pm, Arthur M. Goldberg Commons (In-person)
Come meet lawyers and recruiters from organizations that interview students in the fall and throughout the year, including large and small law firms, government agencies, public interest organizations and corporations. For 1Ls, this is your first opportunity to get in front of the employers that will be recruiting next year for 2L summer positions. If you attend one networking event this spring, this should be it! For 2Ls and 3Ls, your attendance at this event fulfills your professional networking event requirement for this semester’s Professional Development.
Montgomery County’s Bench and Bar Meet & Greet
Thursday, March 30, 5:30-7:30pm at the Montgomery Bar Building, 100 W. Airy Street, Norristown, PA
The Montgomery Bar Association’s DEI Committee is sponsoring this unique networking event and information session for area law students and members of Montgomery County’s Bench and Bar. Students will be able to meet with Judges, prospective employers, and Bar Association leaders; learn about opportunities and DEI initiatives at the MBA, and network with local practicing attorneys and fellow law students and alumni. Bring your resume to circulate to committee members. This event is free and open to all area law students. Register at www.montgomerybar.org.
Matthew J. Ryan Law and Public Policy Forum
Friday, March 31, 8:30-12:30pm in the Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Commons
Title IX: The Past, Present and the Future
The 50th anniversary of Title IX has been much celebrated over the past year. What have been the successes and failures of the past 50 years? What issues do we face in the present? What challenges in interpreting and enforcing Title IX will arise in the future?
The 2023 Matthew J. Ryan Law and Public Policy Forum will bring together attorneys, experts, and government officials to discuss the wide range of matters covered by Title IX, from athletics to STEM, pregnancy to gender identity, and sexual misconduct to due process.
The Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board has approved this symposium for 3 Substantive CLE credits. Please note registration for this event is required. For more information and to register, please visit the event page.
Jeffery S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium
Friday, March 31, 1-5pm in the Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Commons
Sports Leagues: Challenges to Enter, Maintain and Remain
What are the legal implications of starting a league that features a growing sport? How do leagues continue to adapt to the challenges of maintaining player safety and wellness during and outside competition? How will leagues combat evolving media deals and collective bargaining agreements? The 2023 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium will offer commentary on these issues and more as their top hosts and panelists examine the present and future effects of creating new sports leagues.
The Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board has approved this event for 3 Substantive CLE credits. Please note registration for this event is required but is open for general admission. For more information and to register, please visit the event page.
Sports Law Negotiation Team Results
At the end of February, the Villanova Professional Basketball Negotiation Team participated in the 2023 Tulane Pro Basketball Negotiation Competition. The team competed against 44 teams from across the country and negotiated real contract scenarios in front of NBA agents, executives, and league representatives.
With a competitive field featuring the returning champions and championship competitors from last year, Team 1, featuring Dante Camilli, Ross Sutton, and Sid Green narrowly missed a championship bid and finished in FIFTH PLACE after going undefeated in their negotiations, as the top six teams were reportedly separated by less than five points. Team 2, featuring Hunter Parsons and James McCauley, also finished in the TOP TEN, after their own strong showing and defeating one of the championship competing teams in their head-to-head matchup.
The past weekend, Villanova Hockey Negotiation Team members Alannah Binotto (2L) and Veronica Sansone (2L) competed in the 12th annual Hockey Arbitration Competition of Canada. The competition gives students the opportunity to practice arbitration skills utilized in professional hockey in determining arbitration-eligible players salaries. The two represented Villanova well in the competition by scoring high in multiple rounds!
Congratulations to all our negotiation teams for their incredible performances and for proudly representing Villanova’s Charles Widger School of Law.
Round 16 Winner and Reminder: Vote in the Villanova Law Library’s Skirmish of the Services
Thanks to all who voted for their favorite Law Library Services in our Round of 16 competition last week. Congratulations to Haley Norwillo, winner of the Julia VU Julia Gash Coffee Mug. You have three more chances to vote. Vote each week, now through April 11th and be entered to win fabulous weekly prizes. Enter each week and you’ll have even more chances to win the grand prize drawing: a private room party for you and your friends during the reading period! Up this week is the A-List Eight and one voter will go home with a VU Basketball cap. No need to create a bracket and voting takes less than a minute--just check off which library service you want to win each faceoff! Visit the game website each week to learn more and submit your votes!
2023 McCullen Center Summer Fellowship Program
The Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy is now accepting applications for its annual Summer Fellowship Program. Villanova University law students, graduate students, and undergraduate students are invited to apply. The McCullen Center will sponsor up to 15 student summer fellowships at up to $5000 each.
The Summer Fellowship Program seeks to support student internship placements or research assistantships in the areas of constitutional studies (particularly freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and economic liberty), the role of religion in civil society, and the promotion of human dignity and the common good.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and should be submitted through the form available here.
If you have any questions, please contact Michael Moreland, Director of the McCullen Center or Melanie Dudley, Assistant Director and Program Manager of the McCullen Center.
Spring 2023 LCL Virtual Student Hours
PA Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers will again host OPEN virtual student hours for law students to provide additional for students experiencing problems with stress, anxiety, alcohol or other substance use, depression, or mental health concerns. Spring student hours will be on the following dates:
Monday, March 27th
Thursday, April 13th
LCL Student Hours meetings will be scheduled from 9:30 am until 6:00 pm. Interested students should email Laurie Besden, Executive Director of LCL directly at laurie@lclpa.org and she will send you a link for your confidential zoom meeting. All meetings are completely confidential (and free). You do not have to wait until these dedicated student hours. LCL resources are available 24/7/365, call their Helpline (1-888-999-1941, www.lclpa.org).
New Student Absence Reporting Form
If you have missed or know you will miss a class session and believe the absence may be excused, you may 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.
Working Wednesdays
Do you want a quiet and regular space to study or work with other graduate students? How about some coffee and a donut? St. Mary’s Hall Room 110 is reserved every Wednesday, 9am-5pm, for graduate and law students, and breakfast goodies and snacks will be provided. No registration required.
Reporting DEI and Other Climate Concerns
Climate concerns may be reported anonymously via a central link run by the University diversity office at https://www1.villanova.edu/university/diversity-inclusion/report-climate-concern.html. Any reports involving people from the law school community are reported back to the law school administration.
The link also has details about the process and procedure. You must log in to submit your document, but your login remains anonymous and is not tied to your report.
If you need any assistance understanding the process, please contact Kent Lollis, Director for Diverisity, Equity, and Inclusion.
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, scheduling an appointment, 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.
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.
Gazette Submissions
Please send items for next week’s Gavel Gazette to gavelgazette@law.villanova.edu by 3pm on Friday.
