6
B R I E F S
THE SEARCH FOR A NEW COLLEGE OF
LAW DEAN IS UNDERWAY
B Y E X E C U T I V E V I C E P R E S I D E N T A N D P ROVOST N O E L PA I N T E R , P H . D .
The recent successes of the College of Law positions us
well to attract strong candidates in the search for our next
dean. As of July, the university has engaged senior partner
Lucy Leske, senior partner Werner Boel, and associate Veena
Abraham of Witt/Kieffer to assist in running the search process.
These are exceptional partners for Stetson in this search, particularly
because of Leske’s prior engagement in the search for Stetson’s
provost in 2009, and both Boel’s and Abraham’s background in
legal education (Werner holds two LL.M. degrees and serves as
the firm’s legal services practice leader and Veena received her J.D.
from the University of Miami).
Witt/Kieffer has significant experience in running law searches,
having recently been engaged in law dean searches across the
country at the University of North Carolina, Elon University,
Fordham University, University of Houston, University of New
Hampshire, University of Connecticut, University of Richmond,
Northern Illinois University, University of Cincinnati, Northeastern
University and Villanova University.
Professor Rebecca Morgan and I will co-chair the search committee,
which will include more than a dozen dedicated students, staff and
faculty from the Gulfport and DeLand campuses, as well as several
members of the current Board of Overseers. With appropriate
input from the Stetson community, the committee will determine
the fundamental qualifications for a new dean, provisions for
tenure, search methodology, timing and an advertising/engagement
plan for prospective candidates. The public face of the
search process will be launched early in the fall semester and be
completed in early spring.
The search for the next visionary leader and dean at the College
of Law is one of several searches for deans at Stetson that are
currently shaping Stetson’s future. While deans come to us to lead,
facilitate, communicate and organize the work of the institution,
it is the collective effort of our passionate alumni, expert staff,
dedicated faculty and motivated students which will move this
institution forward. I look forward to our work together both
to find the next leader for the college, as well as our supportive,
united efforts to work with the new dean toward excellence in
education and experience for our students.
VICTORIA SAN PEDRO MADANI J.D. ’14 WINS 7TH ANNUAL
LEGAL EAGLE CLOSING ARGUMENT COMPETITION
Victoria San Pedro Madani J.D. ’14 won
the 7th Annual Legal Eagle Closing
Argument Competition held at Florida
International University College of Law. This
prestigious competition is open to attorneys
in Miami-Dade County who have been practicing
for seven years or less. Facts and materials
for the competition are released 72 hours
in advance and the competition consists of
several rounds of arguing both the plaintiff’s
and the defendant’s positions. More than 30
attorneys under 40 years of age participated
in the competition and argued before a panel
of private practitioners and sitting judges. The
proceeds from the competition assist Legal
Services of Greater Miami.
At Stetson Law, Madani was a member of
the Trial Team, Moot Court Board, and
was a senior associate of the Stetson Law
Review. On top of that, Victoria successfully
won the National Moot Court
Competition and the Chester Bedell
Mock Trial Competition. Victoria graduated
summa cum laude from Stetson
University College of Law in 2014 and
scored one of the highest scores on the
July 2014 Florida Bar Exam. Currently,
she is an associate in the Miami office of
Shutts & Bowen LLP and is a member
of the Class Action & Mass Litigation
Practice Group.
B Y J U L I E M C H A F F I E
Victoria San Pedro Madani