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Congratulations to Nicola Boothe Perry (’95), who was appointed interim dean of the Florida A&M University College of Law in April. Perry is the first FSU Law graduate to serve as dean of a U.S. law school. She previously served as associate dean for academic affairs and has taught at the law school since 2004. Perry is recognized for her scholarship in professionalism and ethics in the legal profession, and has taught Torts, Professional Responsibility, an Ethics & Professionalism Seminar, FAMU’s Guardian Ad Litem Clinic, and Florida Practice. She is a fellow of the National Institute for Teaching Ethics and Professionalism and a member of the Florida Supreme Court Special Committee on Professionalism, The Florida Bar Professionalism Committee, the Orange County Bar Association Professionalism Committee and the American Bar Association Civil Rights Litigation Committee. Perry practiced in the area of defense litigation for 10 years before joining the FAMU law faculty. - Dean Erin O'Connor
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“I am honored to serve in a role that allows me to continue to advance my passion for legal education,” Perry said. “I plan to utilize the many skill sets I’ve acquired over the years to help FAMU College of Law produce more legal professionals who are committed to positively impacting their respective communities.”
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Students Earn Legal Research Certificates
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Students were honored in April at a reception for legal research certificate recipients. | |
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In April, we recognized students who earned legal research certificates during the academic year through our Research Center. The certificates are awarded to students who attend research workshops presented by our research librarians. Workshops allow students to hone their research skills and make themselves more marketable to employers. Librarians design the workshops with input from practicing attorneys to ensure that the skills students learn are applicable to current law practice. Students report that the workshops are very beneficial when searching for jobs and clerking/interning during law school. This year, two first-year students earned Gold Certificates after attending all 20 legal research workshops offered during the year. In addition, 25 students earned the Practice-Ready Research Certificate, attending six or more workshops focused on practical legal research. Seven students earned certificates in Advanced Searching and nine earned the certificate in Florida Research.
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Professor Morley Testifies Before U.S. House Judiciary Committee
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Professor Michael T. Morley, an expert in the areas of election law, constitutional law, remedies and the federal courts, was invited to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. On Friday, May 3, Morley was a witness at a field hearing in Houston on “Enforcement of the Voting Rights Act in the State of Texas.” In his testimony, Morley provided a history of the bipartisan support for the Voting Rights Act and called it one of the nation’s most important laws. The Act "provides a model for modern-day reforms because it sought to fully protect all aspects of the right to vote for African-Americans and other voters,” he said.
Morley discussed Congress’ power to prevent racial discrimination in voting and the U.S. Supreme Court’s historical decisions regarding that power. He testified about the Voting Rights Act's coverage formula for preclearance and gave recommendations for developing a new coverage formula. Morley also spoke about Voting Rights Act litigation in Texas concerning congressional redistricting following the 2000 census and 2010 census, as well as Texas’ voter identification law. You can find the full written testimony of Morley and other witnesses on the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary website.
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Student Profile: 2019 Grad Alexander Bowen
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Desired Practice Location: Central Florida, South Florida, Tampa/St. Petersburg or Jacksonville areas
Field of Law Sought: Business law—litigation and/or transactional firms; also open to general litigation firms
Originally from Orlando, Alexander Bowen is a double ’Nole. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in business from FSU. Earlier this month, he graduated cum laude from FSU Law, earning the Business Law Certificate with high honors. Last fall, Bowen clerked at the Mowrey Law Firm, a commercial litigation firm in Tallahassee. There, Bowen was responsible for cases from intake through the drafting of complaints and motions in discovery. He drafted multiple complaints, motions and memoranda involving complex commercial litigation, contracts, landlord-tenant matters, community association matters, property law, constitutional matters and employment law. The summer after his 2L year, Bowen split his summer between business law firm Winderweedle, Haines, Ward & Woodman in Winter Park and statewide defense firm Kubicki Draper in Orlando. At Winderweedle, Bowen researched and drafted dozens of memoranda, transactional documents, motions and appellate brief arguments on complex business litigation matters and business transactional work involving contracts, employment law, creditor-side bankruptcy matters, real estate, corporate national and international compliance, class actions and novel evidentiary issues. As a summer associate at Kubicki Draper, Bowen handled litigation work in state court, federal court and at the appellate level. He drafted complaints, motions to dismiss, responses to motions for summary judgment, deposition summaries and memoranda involving personal injury matters, premises liability, first-party insurance coverage, auto accident, environmental law, property, contracts and bailment issues. The summer after his 1L year, Bowen clerked for the Tallahassee office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., where he researched complex legal issues, wrote memoranda, pleadings and motions, and briefed attorneys in matters involving employment law, personal injury, contracts, construction, premises liability, workers' compensation, commercial real estate and leases, and community associations. Last fall, Bowen also spearheaded the first annual Entrepreneurship Day at FSU Law. This was the feature event on the last day of Tallahassee Startup Week and brought together many entrepreneurs to gain advice from a panel of distinguished business professionals and legal experts. Bowen also co-founded the Florida State Law Entrepreneurship Initiative, which brought together law students and business law attorneys to aid local small business owners and entrepreneurs who otherwise would have been unable to obtain necessary legal services for their businesses. Additionally, he helped entrepreneurs through the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities and helped FSU student, faculty and staff entrepreneurs in FSU Law's Business Law Clinic. Bowen, the proud son of alumna Anne-Marie L. Bowen (’87), was also treasurer of the Transfer Student Organization. If you are interested in hiring Bowen, visit his LinkedIn profile.
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“I am an extremely diligent, loyal, analytical and creative problem solver. I am a team player who possesses the hardworking skills of a quality ‘grinder.’ I have the business-generating and interpersonal skills of a great ‘finder,’ and I plan to be a rainmaker for my future firm.”
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