April 2003
In this issue of Law@Stanford:

NEWS
FEATURES FROM THE SPRING 2003 "STANFORD LAWYER"

FACULTY ON THE RECORD

UPCOMING LAW SCHOOL EVENTS
UPCOMING REGIONAL EVENTS

NEWS

"US NEWS" RANKS STANFORD LAW #2 FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
"US News & World Report" has issued its annual assessment of professional schools and has once again ranked Stanford Law #2, topped only by Yale Law. Among the top law schools, SLS is identified as the most diverse. SLS programs in the areas of dispute resolution, intellectual property, and tax all ranked among the top ten in the nation. <http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/brief/lawrank_brief.php>

KARLAN TO SERVE ON STATE FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION
Professor Pamela Karlan, Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law, has been appointed to California's Fair Political Practices Commission by State Controller Steve Westly. The commission regulates campaign financing, conflicts of interest, and other issues under the Political Reform Act of 1974. <http://www.sco.ca.gov/eo/pressbox/2003/04/fppc0403.pdf>

COMMUNITY WARMLY WELCOMES NEW LAW CLINIC IN EAST PALO ALTO
Throngs of local residents and Stanford faculty, staff, and students were on hand on April 2 as Stanford President John Hennessy, Dean Kathleen Sullivan, East Palo Alto Mayor Patricia Foster, and Menlo Park Mayor Nicholas Jellins joined together to cut the ceremonial ribbons and officially launch the Stanford Community Law Clinic in its new East Palo Alto location. That day, a "San Jose Mercury News" article featured the clinic, which had been been serving clients at a temporary location since November. Likewise, the clinic was the subject of a story in "Stanford Report." <http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2003/march19/lawcenter-319.html>


FEATURES

HAIL TO THE CHIEF
New Zealand's court system is breaking away from its colonial traditions, and the nation's Chief Justice, alumna Sian Elias, JSM '72, is playing a critical role.

COMPELLING EVIDENCE
Two-time Hurlbut teaching excellence award winner George Fisher discusses his new Evidence casebook and how he uses clips from Hollywood classics such as Anne Bancroft's and Dustin Hoffman's performances in the "The Graduate" to teach hearsay, 404(b), and other evidentiary rules.

CATCHING UP WITH CLASSMATES
Nadia Bermudez '01 scored a victory in a pro bono prisoners' rights case. Robert Cochran '74 won an Emmy. Jim Johnston '67 served as president of Anchorage Opera. And Jane Goldman '90 has started a magazine called "Chow."


FACULTY ON THE RECORD

Recent opinion pieces by Stanford Law School faculty:

"How Much Do We Give Up for Security?" "San Jose Mercury News," March 27, 2003. Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, Assistant Professor of Law, on the measures the government is allowed to take under the USA Patriot Act and whether those measures are justified, if they are the price of security.
<http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/5493286.htm>

"Professor of Desire," "National Law Journal," March 5, 2003. Deborah Rhode, Ernest W. McFarland Professor of Law, on the sexual harassment of students and her belief that, while Title IX addresses some of the issues, the problem is far from solved.
<http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1046678420670>

"U.S. Apes Nazi Rationale," "San Francisco Chronicle," March 16, 2003. George Fisher, Stanford Professor of Law, and Allison Marston Danner '97, Vanderbilt Assistant Professor of Law, suggesting that, when President Bush "invoked the doctrine of 'pre-emptive' self-defense, . . . he dismissed a centuries-old principle of international law and opened the door to a world of unknown dangers and grave moral challenges."
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/03/16/IN225844.DTL>


UPCOMING LAW SCHOOL EVENTS

LAW SCHOOL AND PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT HOST INAUGURAL EVENT
On Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, 2003, Stanford Law School and the Center for Psychiatry and the Law will cosponsor "Brain Injuries and Impairments in Civil and Criminal Cases." Among the speakers at the event will be Robert Weisberg '79, Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. Professor of Law. (MCLE credit available) <http://psychiatry.stanford.edu/law>

DIRECTORS' COLLEGE
Sunday through Tuesday, June 1 through 3, 2003, Crown Quadrangle, Stanford Law School A Stanford Law School Executive Education program featuring keynote speakers William Donaldson, Nominated Chairman, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; John Chambers, Cisco Systems President and CEO; and Phil Angelides, California State Treasurer. <http://directorscollege.stanford.edu>

RESCHEDULED: MEDIATION AND MEDIATION ADVOCACY TRAINING PROGRAM
Tuesday through Saturday, June 10 through 14, 2003, Martin Daniel Gould Center for Conflict Resolution Programs, Stanford Law School A Stanford Law School Executive Education program for mediators and legal practitioners. <http://mediationtraining.stanford.edu>

STANFORD/HARVARD JOIN FORCES TO PRESENT INTERNET LAW PROGRAM
On Monday through Friday, June 30 through July 4, 2003, Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society and Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society will offer an Internet law course at Stanford. Topics to be discussed: reforms in intellectual-property systems, privacy versus security on the Net, the changing role of ICANN, "open" versus "proprietary" software systems, regulating pornography, jurisdictional issues, cybercrime, the digital divide, and more. <http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/ilaw2003>

DIRECTORS' CONSORTIUM
Wednesday through Friday, August 20 through 22, 2003, Crown Quadrangle, Stanford Law School Offered by Stanford Law School Executive Education in collaboration with the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. <http://www.directorsconsortium.net/directorsconsortium.nsf>

ALUMNI WEEKEND 2003
Friday through Sunday, October 17 through 19, 2003, Crown Quadrangle, Stanford Law School


UPCOMING REGIONAL EVENTS

DALLAS, TEXAS
"The Trials of the Century: Corporate Executives on the 'Perp Walk'" Featuring Robert Weisberg '79, Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. Professor of Law Thursday, May 1, 2003, 6:00 p.m. reception, 7:00 p.m. discussion The Women's Museum, 3800 Parry Avenue <http://www.thewomensmuseum.org> Sponsored by Stanford Law School, the Stanford Alumni Association, and the Dallas/Ft. Worth Stanford Club. Contact alumni.relations@law.stanford.edu for information.

This newsletter was prepared by Stanford Law School Communications.