U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals to hear arguments at Akron Law

Akron law school Brennan Courtroom to host Army Court of Appeals.jpg

In 2019 three appellate judges hear oral arguments at the McDowell Law Center Brennan Courtroom.

The University of Akron School of Law will host the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals for an oral argument, followed by a question-and-answer session with students on Friday, September 24, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the McDowell Law Center Brennan Courtroom.

The visit is part of the Court’s outreach program to provide law students with an opportunity to observe military court proceedings and get a glimpse of what it is like to be an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. Students will mingle with the officers at a reception following the hearing.

This will be the first time the Court has visited a law school in Northeast Ohio. Law students at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University are also invited to attend.

Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps officers will argue a real-world case involving a soldier convicted of two specifications of assault and one specification of domestic violence. A military panel (jury) sentenced the appellant to be confined for 180 days and to be discharged from the Army with a bad-conduct discharge. The appellant raised multiple issues (assignments of error) before the Army Court of Criminal Appeals. The two issues the parties will argue are:

  1. Whether the military judge abused his discretion by failing to excuse a biased panel member.
  2. Whether the search authorization for appellant’s phone was unlawfully broad and the good faith doctrine should not have applied.

Law students and others may register for the event here. Parking and directions information will be provided.

Akron law school Brennan Courtroom to host Army Court of Appeals.jpg

JAG and the Army Court of Criminal Appeals

The Judge Advocate General Corps is the oldest law firm in the nation—as old as the United States itself. The Continental Congress appointed William Tudor as the first Judge Advocate on July 29, 1775, with Tudor providing legal counsel to George Washington. Congress created the Judge Advocate General’s Department in 1884. That department evolved into the modern-day JAG Corps.

JAG Corps members include both commissioned and noncommissioned officers, as well as soldiers and civilians. They include lawyers, legal administrators, paralegals, and court reporters. Corps members are involved in military justice, operational law, and civil law. They may also provide legal services to soldiers and their families. 

The Army Court of Criminal Appeals reviews courts-martial convictions. Tracing its history back to a 1920 amendment to the Articles of War, it is the Army’s highest court.

Students can explore JAG careers here.

Fingerprint Cards

For those preparing their Application to Register as a Candidate for the Ohio Bar Exam, fingerprint cards can be picked up from Shannon Aupperle in Student Affairs in the Dean’s Suite. For evening students, fingerprint cards will be available at the Law Library Circulation Desk until 6:30, M – Th.

Post-grad associate opening

Cleveland, OH – Entry-Level Associate – Waldheger Coyne

AkronLawJobs No. 12972: We are a general business law from serving closely held businesses and their owners. Our services include business formation, tax planning, contract negotiations, sales and acquisitions, employment law, and estate planning. New associates will be exposed to many or all of these areas of practice. Our goal as a firm is to provide a collegial environment in which to practice law, where attorneys are given opportunities for client contact early in their careers. We want all of our attorneys to be lifelong learners truly enjoy practicing law.

Qualifications: 3L

Requested Materials: Resume, Transcript, and Writing Sample

To Apply: upload materials on Symplicity (see Job No. 12972)

Deadline: October 14, 2021

Extended Bar Prep study sessions

Akron Law offers bar prep study sessions from September/October through the July bar exam. They are two hours sessions in which we tackle actual bar exam questions and construct an answer that would earn a 6/6 on the bar exam.

If the bar exam is right around the corner (February or July), they are excellent practice for you! Attending as few as 3 sessions strongly correlates with a higher chance of passing the bar exam. They are also good early practice, even for 1L students, when we tackle the 1L subjects!

If you think you might be interested in attending, vote here to help choose the days and times for the sessions between now and December. (Priority will be given to the preferences for those graduating in December.)

Questions? Contact Nancy Reeves, assistant dean for academic success (nlr22@uakron.edu)

Institutional Review Board is recruiting members

The University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) seeks additional members.  The Board is seeking a graduate student or law student representative.

The University of Akron IRB for the Protection of Human Subjects is an administrative body established to protect the rights and welfare of individuals recruited for participation in research conducted under the auspices of the university or its affiliates. Its mission is to advance an organizational culture and infrastructure that supports the highest ethical standards in the review and implementation of research with human participants. The University of Akron gives the IRB ultimate authority for approval of research with human participants. Student participants would gain experience in regulatory compliance, research compliance, advocacy, and research ethics.

Applications will be accepted through Sept 30. Interested applicants should submit a brief letter detailing their interest and qualifications along with their resume or curriculum vitae to Katie Watkins, director in the Office of Research Administration and IRB administrator, at kwatkin@uakron.edu. Please call 330-972-6764 for additional information.