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New York Times
06-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
A Law School's Award for a Racist Paper
To the Editor: Re 'Law Student Argued 'We the People' Meant Just White People. He Won an Award' (front page, June 22): I have been a lawyer for 50 years, and I was bemused to read how Judge John L. Badalamenti of Florida's most prestigious law school gave a student, Preston Damsky, an award for his essay claiming that the rights recognized in the Constitution apply only to white people, based on 'original intent.' From my own experience in law school, I know that papers are graded on merit based on the quality of writing and research, and not the political slant of the writer, which is as it should be. Still, I cannot understand how Judge Badalamenti could even give a passing grade for Mr. Damsky's paper, let alone declare it the best essay. I, personally, would give Mr. Damsky an F for the glaring omission in his argument. That, obviously, would be the 14th Amendment, which was specifically intended to confer all constitutional rights, privileges and immunities on people of color, in addition to 'all persons,' without qualification as to race or gender, born or naturalized in the United States. Yes, when the Constitution was created in 1787, and when the first 10 amendments were ratified in 1791, the framers were all white males, as was the electorate, but that was not graven in stone and is now wholly irrelevant. The Constitution created in 1787, at Article V, expressly provides for its amendment by 'we the people,' which was in fact done in 1868 when the 14th Amendment was ratified and thereby dispelled any notion, once and for all time, that the Constitution protects only white citizens. Richard LatimerFalmouth, Mass. To the Editor: Advocates of 'institutional neutrality' argue that a student's paper, however offensive its argument, must be judged on its scholarly merits, not its politics. As a former university professor, I agree. But judging a paper on academic criteria does not preclude a faculty member from commenting on the morality of its content. One of my undergraduate friends was perplexed by the comment his professor had written on his paper next to the grade. My friend had received an A, but the comment read, 'This paper is evil.' The paper gave a generally positive assessment of Niccolò Machiavelli, the 16th-century Florentine political theorist who advised princes and statesmen to be utterly ruthless in their pursuit of power. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNA
30-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
‘A pioneering figure': Former NUS law school dean Thio Su Mien dies at 86
SINGAPORE: Dr Thio Su Mien, the first female dean of the National University of Singapore (NUS) law faculty and co-founder of TSMP Law Corporation, died on Monday (Jun 30) at the age of 86. In a statement, TSMP called her a "pioneering figure" in Singapore's legal landscape and lauded her "trailblazing role" in legal academia. "The partners of TSMP Law Corporation are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our esteemed founder Dr Thio Su Mien. Dr Thio's contributions to the profession and society have left an indelible mark," said the boutique law firm. "Dr Thio's legacy as a legal educator, practitioner, and advocate will be remembered by colleagues, students and the broader legal community." Born in 1938, Dr Thio was among the first batch of law students at the University of Malaya, now known as NUS. She graduated in 1961 and later served as dean of the university's law school from 1969 to 1971. In a Facebook post on Monday, Minister for Law Edwin Tong paid tribute to Dr Thio, calling her a 'respected figure' in Singapore's legal profession. Expressing sadness over her death, Mr Tong noted that Dr Thio had "set the highest standard for excellence, integrity and dedication to the profession throughout her career". He pointed out that she was not just the first Singaporean female dean of NUS Law, but also the youngest to take on that role back then. "Dr Thio was a role model to many of us," wrote the minister. "She led by example, with an impeccable work ethic, leaving a legacy and a sterling example for many female lawyers after her, proving that both women and men can excel and contribute immensely and on equal terms in the legal field and to the society at large and beyond." Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam also said in an Instagram post that Dr Thio's death was "a sad day for the profession". CO-FOUNDER OF LAW FIRM TSMP After her time in academia, Dr Thio entered private practice. She joined Drew & Napier, heading its corporate department as senior partner and later became its managing partner. Lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean, who joined Drew & Napier in 1990, took to Facebook to express his condolences to her family. 'I will remember her as an extremely kind person and someone totally unafraid to wear her faith on her sleeve,' he wrote. In 1998, Dr Thio and Ms Tan Bee Lian co-founded Thio Su Mien & Partners, now known as TSMP Law Corporation. According to the firm, she seeded its pro bono initiatives, deciding early on that 10 per cent of the partnership's profits should be donated to the less privileged. Its lawyers also currently commit to 25 hours of pro bono work annually. She is survived by her son, senior counsel and TSMP joint managing director Thio Shen Yi, as well as two daughters, NUS law professor and former nominated Member of Parliament Thio Li Ann, and Ms Thio Chi Ann.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
Middle schoolers try out SVVSD pre-law program at summer camp
Rising seventh grader Owen Lere took on the role of both a lawyer and a witness as he and his team tried to convince a jury to award damages in a fictitious case of a boy who was burned during a school marshmallow melting experiment. While his side didn't prevail — the defense had a legal edge — the experience only increased his enthusiasm for learning about the legal system with a goal of becoming an actual lawyer. 'I love arguing,' said Owen, who attends Erie's Soaring Heights PK-8. 'Fighting for justice is cool. One hundred percent I love this.' Dave Elchoness teaches a middle school pre-law summer camp Wednesday at St. Vrain Valley's Career Elevation and Technology Center.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer) The mock trial was the culmination of a recent four-day pre-law camp held at St. Vrain Valley's Career Elevation and Technology Center. The new pre-law camp was one of eight June camps designed to give middle school students a preview of the classes they can take in high school, including advanced manufacturing, health careers and culinary arts. St. Vrain started the pre-law program in 2022 with two classes, introduction to law and criminal law. District officials said it was the state's first career and technical education pre-law program. Since then, the program has grown from 80 students to more than 200 students and now includes four main classes, with civil rights law and business law both added to the roster. Students have the opportunity to join the classes remotely, from their home high schools, through the district's AGILE, or Advanced Global Interactive Learning Environments, initiative. There's also an opportunity for students to complete a senior capstone project. Izzy Renk, who will be a senior at Niwot High, worked with teacher David Elchoness to create the middle school summer camp's curriculum and teach the camp. Izzy, who wants to practice law and is taking paralegal classes at Front Range Community College, said the pre-law camps she attended in middle school in another school district encouraged her to continue studying law in high school. Developing a St. Vrain camp gives other middle schoolers the same opportunity, she said. 'Even if you don't want to be a lawyer, law classes can help you with your other classes,' she said. Rising Erie High junior Sienna Torres agreed, saying the pre-law classes improved her critical thinking and helped her write better argumentative essays for Advanced Placement classes. 'I love a good argument,' she said. 'This class taught me how to look beyond what is in front of you. I like that law isn't always black or white. It's always changing.' The high school classes are taught by Elchoness and his wife, lawyer Evelyn Bonn. Elchoness, also a lawyer, said he decided to switch careers and become a teacher for the program, which he modeled after his law school experience. Two years ago, he started a district high school mock trial team to give students more opportunities to practice what they learned. Last school year, the team made it to state and won the professionalism award at the competition. While he's teaching students the same legal concepts they would learn in high school, he said, he works to make sure the classes are fun and engaging. He creates fictitious cases students can relate to, holds frequent mock trials and debates and, for the business law class, has students create a company. 'It's fun to teach kids something new,' he said. 'Students are very interested in the law. We're using law to teach critical thinking, reading and writing skills, and oral advocacy. These are universal skills.' At the middle school camp, high school students joined on Thursday to help students prepare for the mock trial and serve as jurors. Along with rendering their verdicts, they judged the performances and feedback. While the defense was the clear legal winner, the high schoolers split on which side performed best and complimented all the students. Elchoness added his praise, saying he was surprised by how quickly the students learned legal concepts and how well they argued their sides as lawyers and responded to questions as witnesses. 'I thought you prepared the case as well as most of my high school students,' he said. 'You came up with great arguments and great questions. I was extremely impressed. You far exceeded my expectations.' When asked if they want to enroll in the pre-law program in high school, all eight students in the morning session raised their hands. Greylyn Garvin, who will be a seventh grader at Mead Middle School, said she enjoyed the chance to be 'so mean' in her cross examinations and would like to learn more about the law in high school. 'You never know what will happen (in a mock trial),' she said. 'It was exciting.'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Celebration held for KC program eliminating school-to-prison pipeline
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Natasha Scruggs started JustUs when she was still in law school. 'I was working at a juvenile justice court, and I started to see eight-year-olds in handcuffs, and I'm like, 'We got to do something a little bit better than this,'' she said. She says the program has two separate goals, using the legal field to reach two different audiences. 46-year-old woman struck, killed on I-35 Saturday night 'It's a pipeline to help kids who either, if they're in the justice system, get out. If they're not in the justice system, help them become attorneys. So it's kind of a two-pronged approach.' The program has helped hundreds of students over its 10-year history. Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church held their 10-year celebration on Sunday, where students were given certificates of achievement for their hard work and given scholarships as well. One of the recipients is William Workcuff, who's been with JustUs for three years. 'I see myself, God willing, as a criminal attorney, and hopefully in ten years, ten or 15 years, hopefully, I have my own firm,' he said. He said that he's already using some of his experiences in his classwork. He's a sophomore at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. 'I feel like it's really a blessing that this program has been to me, not only through the experiences that I've gotten, but the training that I got that I was able to implement in UMKC Mock trial.' Gladstone home explosion leaves one dead, cause still unknown He also says the skills he's learned are applicable everywhere, not just the legal field. 'Come do this simply not because it's just for lawyers, because it's not. It helps you build communication skills, critical thinking skills that you need that in any industry.' Students have been able to connect with leaders of professional sports franchises, like the Royals and the Chicago Bears. They've been to appellate courts and courtrooms all over the country, making invaluable connections. Scruggs says it's the opportunities she wishes she had as an aspiring attorney. 'The success that I've seen is kind of like my dream, what I would have wished I had when I wanted to be a lawyer,' she said. We asked Scruggs about what the next ten years of JustUs might look like. 'I'm trying to see some more like full-time jobs,' she said. 'So, I'm just wanting to make more opportunities, more students, some more cities involved, more attorneys.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Don LeDuc, who worked to 'remove barriers' for law students and his family, dies at 83
LANSING — Framed on the walls of judicial offices and law firms across Michigan and the country are diplomas that bear Don LeDuc's signature. LeDuc, the former longtime dean and president of Cooley Law School, died on Saturday, May 24. He was 83 years old. Laura LeDuc, his daughter, told the State Journal that her father was deeply committed to providing legal education for people from all walks of life and felt that the law should not be an elitist profession. Helping Cooley to bring weekend classes, after night classes had been allowed, was one of his proudest achievements. "He really wanted to continue the original vision for this school," she said. LeDuc grew up in Lapeer and earned varsity letters in baseball, football, track and wrestling at Kalamazoo College. He was an avid birder and outdoorsman, his family said. He also served on the board of various charities and organizations like Sparky Anderson's CATCH Charity for Children, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership and Capital Area United Way. And despite the busy job and other responsibilities, his son Alex LeDuc said his father still found time to coach youth teams he and his sister played on. "He still showed up," Alex said. "That meant a lot to me. … We did all kinds of sports together. We went Up North and went fishing. I really remember that fondly." Lawrence Nolan, a Cooley grad who's currently the chairman of the college's board of directors, said LeDuc's legacy in the Mid-Michigan legal community is "second to none." "I think he's signed more people's diplomas than anyone," he said. Nolan then told a story from days after LeDuc's death. Nolan was in a northern Michigan courtroom and a judge asked to see him. Back in chambers, the judge pointed to the Cooley diploma on the wall with pride. The judge hadn't yet heard the news of LeDuc's death, Nolan said. "Don guided the law school through some of the most successful years and some of the most difficult years," Nolan said. "He was very well respected." LeDuc arrived at Cooley as a professor in 1975 and served as dean from 1982 until he was asked to resign in 1987. In 1996, a majority of faculty supported LeDuc's bid to become dean once again. He became Cooley's second president in 2002, succeeding founder Thomas Brennan. In 1995, the year before LeDuc became dean for the second time, the school's enrollment was about 1,700 students. By 2010, that number had climbed to nearly 4,000, according to data from the American Bar Association. Cooley also expanded its reach under LeDuc's leadership, opening campuses in Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and Tampa Bay, Florida. LeDuc retired from Cooley in 2018. By 2022, the school's enrollment had reached a new low and it now has campuses in Tampa Bay and Lansing. Nolan said LeDuc was also influential in the previous naming rights deal for the Lugnuts' stadium, now called Jackson Field but for years was called Cooley Law School Stadium. "He was involved in many, many things in the community," Nolan said. "Not necessary as a leader in those things, but as a supporter of things in Lansing. A great supporter of the arts." LeDuc and his wife were longtime patrons of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and the Wharton Center, the family said. And both were lawyers who met through their jobs when LeDuc worked on the Michigan Corrections Commission in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His wife Susan Coley worked for the Michigan Department of Corrections. "I think my dad was a really generous guy," Alex LeDuc said. "And he wanted us to do well. He had a strong personality but didn't really try to push us in any direction." And that included law school. Both Alex and Laura said neither parent pushed them into the "family business" of law. But Laura eventually followed her parents' path and got a law degree. Today she's the assistant athletic director for administration at Western Michigan University. Growing up during the early years after Title IX's passage she said there still weren't as many opportunities for girls to play youth sports as there are today. But her father found ways to help her play. "I think what he did was remove barriers in some ways," she said. "He didn't say, 'Accept these options.' He was very happy to have me play on a boys team if I needed to. He understood that I was driven in some ways that he was." LeDuc did not want a funeral or memorial service. The family recommended Stoneleigh Residence and Hospice of Lansing and the Lansing Symphony Orchestra for anyone wishing to make a memorial donation. Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at mjmencarini@ This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Don LeDuc, former Cooley Law School president, dies at 83
