KU Law Brief

July 2009 - Printable edition
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Summer is flying by at Green Hall. May graduates are anxiously studying for bar exams next week. Summer starters in the Class of 2012 have already taken their first finals, and the rest of the 1Ls will arrive next month. Dean Gail Agrawal has visited with alumni at receptions in Salina, Wichita and Lindsborg. She’ll be in Washington, D.C., and Houston before the summer’s out. And planning is well under way for exciting fall events, such as the Homecoming Reception and Reunion Weekend. Stay tuned for more details, and have a great summer!

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Law school facilitating temporary employment for alumni

The lingering recession has led many legal employers who are reluctant to hire additional full-time attorneys to consider hiring temporary workers for short-term projects.  

To connect KU Law graduates who are seeking temporary work with legal employers in the market for skilled temporary workers, we have created a Temporary Employment resource on the Career Services section of the KU Law Web site.

Both employers and job seekers are invited to complete a brief enrollment form in order to be listed on our database.  An employer may then request a resume directly from a candidate or visit KU Law’s Symplicity Web site to review a Resume Book of all KU Law alumni interested in temporary assignments. 

Employers can gain access to the Resume Book by registering for an employer account on Symplicity. The Resume Book is accessible from Symplicity's "Resume Book" tab and is titled "Temp Job Seekers."

The Temporary Employment Resource serves only to introduce candidates to potential employers. The University of Kansas School of Law does not verify the accuracy of the information provided by either job seekers or potential employers.

If you have any questions or comments about this service, please e-mail Todd Rogers at tarogers@ku.edu.

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From students to alumni: Graduation 2009

The University of Kansas School of Law bid farewell to the Class of 2009 during the hooding ceremony on May 17. View a photo gallery and listen to podcasts of speeches by Dean Gail Agrawal and Judge Steve Leben, as well as the presentation of top student award winners.

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Study: Patent systems may not encourage invention of new technologies

A new study co-authored by a University of Kansas professor challenges the traditional view that patents foster innovation, suggesting instead that patents may harm new technology, economic activity and societal wealth.

The results, published in the Columbia Science and Technology Law Review, may have important policy implications because many countries count on patent systems to spur new technology and promote economic growth.

To test the hypothesis that patent systems promote technological innovation, Andrew Torrance of the KU School of Law and Bill Tomlinson of the University of California-Irvine’s Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences developed an online simulation game of the patent system, PatentSim. Their results suggest that a patent system underperforms a “commons,” in which no patent protection is available, on several important measures.

Although these surprising results call into question traditional justifications for patent systems, they do align with the increasingly well-supported notion that user and open innovation can succeed where patents may fail.

PatentSim uses an abstract model of the innovation process, a database of potential innovations, and a network over which users may interact with one another to license, assign, buy, infringe and enforce patents. PatentSim allows users to simulate the innovation process in one of three scenarios: a patent system, a “commons” system with no patents or a system with both patents and open source protection.

“In PatentSim, we found that the patent system did not work to spur innovation,” Tomlinson said. “In fact, participants were more likely to innovate when there was no intellectual property protection at all, or when they could open source their innovations and share them with other people.”

The researchers measured the efficacy of the patent system based on innovation — the number of unique inventions; productivity — a measure of economic activity; and societal wealth — the ability to generate money.

The subjects of the simulation game were first-year law students who had never had any intellectual property coursework. Torrance and Tomlinson plan to conduct further simulations with subjects of different backgrounds, including master’s of business administration students at Harvard University.

“Current patent laws are based on assumptions that patents spur technological progress that were considered settled more than a century ago, and that few have questioned since then,” Torrance said. “If it turns out that our laws are based upon misinformation and bad assumptions, society may be failing to promote beneficial new technologies that could improve potential quality of life.”

The full paper, “Patents and the Regress of Useful Arts,” is ranked in the top 10 recently uploaded publications in Law and Economics on the Social Science Research Network Web site, the leading social sciences scholarly publication database, and is available for free download at http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=1411328.

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Join KU Law on Facebook and Twitter

KU Law is on Facebook and Twitter, and we want to encourage you to become a fan and follow our tweets.

You can access the school’s official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kulawschool and its official Twitter page at www.twitter.com/kulawschool. Or just click on the Facebook and Twitter buttons on the left side of this page.

We hope you will share photos and videos from law school and alumni events, tag fellow alumni and the school, post comments, retweet KU Law posts and help keep the pages lively.

Apprehensive about social networking? The Office of Career Services shared the following Lawyerist.com blogs that address why lawyers and law students should use Facebook and how they can craft professional Facebook privacy settings. The two posts are "Facebook 101: Why lawyers should be on Facebook" and "Professional Facebook privacy settings in under 10 minutes." The ABA Journal published this piece on "Why Lawyers Should Use Twitter."

Please direct inquiries and suggestions about the KU Law Facebook and Twitter pages to Mindie Paget at mpaget@ku.edu. And please spread the word!

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Students complete first marathon, first year of law school

It has been said that law school is a marathon for the mind.

If that’s the case, then two KU Law students made the ultimate mind-body connection this spring by training for and running a 26-mile run in the midst of their first year of law school.

Lauren Kohn and Lisa McDermott completed the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City, Mich., over Memorial Day weekend, a few short weeks after finals exams. They finished in about 4 hours 30 minutes.

"I think for many people, running a marathon seems like such an accomplishment," said McDermott, a Lenexa native. "You go in with this mentality where you figure that if you can train yourself to run 26.2 miles nonstop, you can do anything so long as you put in time and preparation.

"I think the first year of law school was definitely more challenging than the marathon. I have been running for over 10 years, whereas I have never experienced anything close to law school. However, I really enjoyed both because they were both challenging, and it's always good to have challenges in our lives."

The pair answered a few questions about their experience.

KU Law: Do you have a running background?

Lauren: I played basketball in college at Ohio University, so my running background consisted of short sprints and agility training. We ran the mile once for basketball, and that was the longest race I had ever trained for.

Lisa: I ran cross country and track in high school, and I have continued to run a couple miles a day on my own since then. However, this was my first marathon.

KU Law: Describe your training regimen for the marathon.

Lauren: We got a training program online, which consisted of running three to four days a week Monday, Wednesday, occasionally Friday, and long runs on Saturdays. For example, a typical week would be 5 miles on Monday, 7 miles on Wednesday and 12 miles on Saturday. Our Saturday lengths increased every week all the way up to 20 miles and then tapered down. Our 20-mile day was supposed to be the day of our eight-hour Civil Procedure final, but we pushed it back a day. Towards the end, we were putting in six to seven hours a week in training.

KU Law: How did you balance your intense first-year law studies with that training?

Lauren: Balancing running and school was not as hard as one might imagine. There were a few days and weeks that we had to rearrange our schedule to accommodate papers being due or intense studying that needed to be done. This mainly happened closer to finals. Running was actually a great stress reliever for us. It was a healthy way to distract ourselves from our studies and gave us a couple hours a day to exercise and relax.

Lisa: I actually found that training was conducive to better study habits. It forced me to balance my study time with personal time. I also think that running kept us healthy, which is especially important around finals time. Additionally, it gave Lauren and me a chance to take a break from reading and to discuss any problems or concerns we had encountered while studying.

KU Law: What was the actual marathon like? Did you have a strategy? Were you able to stick to it? Was it harder than you thought it would be?

Lauren: The actual marathon was a lot harder than I had imagined. We trained at around a 9:30 pace and planned to run slower than that the first 10 miles or so, so that we did not burn ourselves out right away. When we trained we would always talk with each other, which made the time go by faster, so another part of our plan was to stick together the whole race and chat just like our training. We were able to stick to our strategy, but the last six miles were harder than I had anticipated.

Lisa: The marathon itself was perfect. The Bayshore Marathon course is incredibly flat, the scenery is gorgeous, and the weather was unbeatable. To be honest, going into it, I really didn't know what to expect besides the fact that I knew we were going to finish. I can tell you that it got almost boring near the end; I was definitely ready to be finished after running for over four hours.

KU Law: Do you have plans to run future marathons?

Lauren: Right now I am not planning on running another marathon anytime soon. I am planning on running a half marathon this fall and would love to run in any local 10K or 5K while I am at school.

Lisa: I would like to continue to run marathons. However, I'm not so sure I could ever train for it on my own.

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Alumni Notes

Items were received or collected between March 16 and July 7, 2009. Alumni news items may be submitted by e-mail to patti@ku.edu or by clicking here and filling out the form. We rely on our alumni for the accuracy of information submitted.

1950s

J. Eugene Balloun, L’54, received the Alliance for Children and Families’ National Family Week Advocacy Award in May 2009. The award is presented to individuals who significantly contribute to state and local advocacy efforts on behalf of vulnerable children and families. In honoring Balloun, the organization recognized his more than 10-year commitment to supporting TLC, as well as his more than 20-year commitment to helping foster families throughout the Kansas City area. Balloun is a partner in the Kansas City, Mo., office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLC.

1960s

Morgan Metcalf, L’65, became the 35th Paul Harris Fellow in the El Dorado Rotary Club at its June 24, 2009, meeting. The Paul Harris Fellowship honors service to Rotary, profession, community service and military service. Metcalf served three years in the U.S. Naval Reserves from 1965 to 1968 and served as a lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) division. He served as Butler County attorney during his legal career and later became a district court judge. Metcalf continues to be active in his community, where he is a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church, president of the Friends of Bradford Memorial Library, and serves on the boards of the El Dorado Community Concert Association and the El Dorado branch of the YMCA. He is also a life member of the KU Alumni Association. Metcalf is the only Rotarian to serve two terms as president of the El Dorado club, with his most recent term being from 2006 to 2007. He has participated in numerous Rotary projects and regularly attends the meetings.

Douglas Lancaster, L’66, is of counsel at the Overland Park law firm of Gates, Shields & Ferguson PA.

1970s

Thomas G. Kokoruda, L’72, was selected by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association to receive a 2009 Deans of the Trial Bar Award at the 36th Annual Bench-Bar & Boardroom Conference held in April at the Tan-Tar-A Resort. This award spotlights individuals whose superb litigation skills and professional demeanor are viewed as exemplary by their peers. Recipients of the honor must have practiced for at least 30 years or have reached age 60. Kokoruda practices with Polsinelli Shughart PC and is chair of the firm’s trial department and the health care litigation group.

Lawrence E. (Larry) Meyers, L’73, is the longest serving judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. He was elected to the court in 1992, and was the first Republican and court of appeals justice to be elected to the court, having previously served as an associate justice on the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth from 1989 to 1992. During his 20 years on the bench, Meyers has authored the second most appellate opinions in Texas, including Elizondo v. State of Texas, which recognizes for the first time in non-death penalty cases the concept of “actual innocence.” Meyers has announced that he will run for re-election again in the Republican primary election in March 2010. If successful, he would stand for re-election in the November 2010 general election. He is board certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and currently serves as the board’s director and test commissioner in criminal law. He is also a court liaison to the State Bar of Texas’ board of directors.

Sen. John Yoder, L’75, was elected circuit court judge in Division 2 of West Virginia’s 23rd Judicial Circuit in November 2008. Yoder is completing his second term in the state Senate, which ends in 2008. He began his legal career as a district court judge in the Ninth Judicial District in Kansas in 1976. In 1980 he was selected in a national competition as a Supreme Court Fellow to work at the U.S. Supreme Court. He continued as a special assistant to the chief justice until 1983, when he became a federal prosecutor.

Ross Hollander, L’76, has been selected as one of the country’s most outstanding labor and employment lawyers by Chambers USA 2009. Inclusion in Chambers USA is based on the publication’s independent interviews with both lawyers and clients—with greater emphasis given to client evaluations. Hollander enters the 2009 list “due to his excellent track record and commendable feedback from clients,” according to Chambers USA. Hollander is a partner and shareholder in the Wichita, Kan., firm of Joseph & Hollander, PA, where his practice focuses primarily on employment law, acting for either plaintiff or defense in discrimination and unlawful discharge cases.

Ronald M. Johnson, L’76, has joined the Washington, D.C., office of Jones Day as a partner in the firm’s labor and employment practice. Johnson is a nationally prominent labor and employment lawyer representing railroads in litigation and regulatory matters, and is one of the leading Railway Labor Act practitioners in the country.

Robert M. Fillmore, L’77, has been appointed justice of the 5th Court of Appeals by Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Fillmore’s term will expire at the next general election. The court presides over Hunt, Kaufman, Dallas, Colin, Rockwall and Grayson counties and handles appeals in all civil, family and criminal cases.

Norene D. Jacobs (formerly Norene J. Thomas), L’77, has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in health care law for the 18th consecutive year. Jacobs is a senior partner in the Des Moines, Iowa, office of Kutak Rock LLP.

Julie Levin, L’77, of Legal Aid of Western Missouri in Kansas City has been named the 2009 Kutak-Dodds Prize winner by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association. The award goes to one legal aid attorney nationally each year whose work has promoted the enhancement of human dignity and quality of life for people unable to afford legal representation. Levin was awarded the prize for her groundbreaking work in transforming public housing in Kansas City, Mo.

Joe McKeever, L’77, serves as general counsel of Granite Investment Group, Irvine, Calif. Granite is a real estate syndicator specializing in skilled nursing and assisted living portfolio acquisitions and operations in Texas and Illinois.

Jan Sheldon, L’77, professor of applied behavioral science and courtesy professor of law, received a KU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ J. Michael Young Academic Advisor Award. The award honors exemplary advising by a faculty member in each of the three divisions of the college: humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.

David L. Wing, L’78, as been elected as a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Election as a fellow is the highest recognition by one’s colleagues of sustained outstanding performance in the profession, exemplifying integrity, dedication and excellence. Wing is a partner at Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP in Kansas City, Mo.

Jim Flory, L’79, a former Douglas County, Kan., district attorney and retired federal prosecutor, was elected to the Douglas County Commission in November 2008. Flory took office in January 2009.

1980s

Jim Eggleston, L’80, is founding partner of Eggleston Flowers & King LLP, a nine-lawyer firm based in Weatherford, Texas. Eggleston is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in commercial real estate law and farm and ranch real estate law. He is the exam coordinator for the TBLS for all real estate certification exams. Eggleston is also a committee member of the Real Estate Legislative Affairs Council for the State Bar of Texas. His oldest son serves with the U.S. Army in Iraq, his youngest son has joined the law firm in the transactions group, and his daughter is a senior at Texas A&M. Eggleston and his wife raise cattle and horses on their ranch west of Weatherford.

Irma Russell, L’80, a professor at the University of Tulsa College of Law and a legal scholar and national leader in environmental and energy law and professional responsibility, became the first female dean at the University of Montana School of Law on July 1, 2009. Russell was a visiting professor at KU Law during the spring 2009 semester.

Bill Colby, L’82, has become general counsel of Truman Medical Center. He was previously a senior fellow at the Center for Practical Bioethics. Colby represented the family of Nancy Cruzan, who lapsed into a persistent vegetative state after a car accident in January 1983. Four years later, her parents sought to have the feeding tubes that kept her alive removed. The case eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court. After evidence was offered that Cruzan would not have wanted to live “like a vegetable,” the tubes were removed and she died 11 days later. Colby wrote a book about the case and another that addresses end-of-life issues. Colby’s plea before the court ultimately led to the federal constitutional right by patients to refuse unwanted medical treatment.

Kimberly D. Baker, L’83, has been elected secretary-treasurer of DRI—the Voice of the Defense Bar. DRI is an international organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation. DRI provides numerous educational and informational resources to members and offers many opportunities for liaison among defense trial lawyers, corporate America, and state and local legal defense organizations. Baker is an attorney in the Seattle office of Williams Kastner. Her practice emphasizes health care law, employment law, tribal practice (including health care reimbursement and housing), drug and medical device, and general product liability defense litigation.

U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, L’83, received Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award. Brownback earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from K-State in 1979. He has been actively engaged in re-opening U.S. beef trade in Asia and increasing markets for Kansas agriculture products. He is also encouraging measures to protect American farmers and food supplies, promoting new energy sources and biotechnologies, and working to revitalize the rural heartland with tax incentives and job creation.

Jeffery A. Mason, L’83, was appointed to the Kansas Bar Association Board of Governors from District 10 in October 2008. Mason is in his second year as a member of the Kansas Commission on Judicial Qualifications.

Michele Ticknor Gildner, L’84, and Gary Gildner were married in May 2009. They make their home in Idaho’s Clearwater Mountains.  

David J. Adkins, L’86, has been named CEO of The Council of State Governments (CSG), headquartered in Lexington, Ky., with offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Sacramento, New York City and Washington, D.C. CSG is a nonpartisan organization whose membership includes all elected and appointed officials of the three branches of government in all 50 states. Adkins previously served as vice chancellor for external affairs at the Kansas University Medical Center.

Martin R. Brown, L’86, Byron Center, Mich., was recently promoted to vice president within the Farmers Insurance Group Corporate Legal Department, and general counsel and secretary of Foremost Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Farmers.

James Lee Burke, L’87, has joined as of counsel in the Phoenix, Ariz., office of the national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP. Burke is in the firm’s commercial bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights practice. His practice focuses primarily on commercial litigation and creditors’ rights.

Bob Harris, L’87, was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2009 in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor-debtor rights law. Best Lawyers compiles an annual list of outstanding attorneys by conducting peer-review surveys, which include more than 29,000 attorneys in 78 specialties, covering all 50 states. Harris practices in the Phoenix, Ariz., office of Quarles & Brady LLP.

Debra Lumpkins, L’87, left Gateway Legal Services, where she was the managing attorney of the consumer unit, to become assistant attorney general, consumer protection division, Office of Missouri Attorney General. She will be prosecuting, civilly and criminally, the perpetrators of consumer fraud.

Katherine J. Bailes, L’88, of 5th Generation Legal Advisors, Overland Park, Kan., has written a chapter for the Estate Administration Missouri Bar Deskbook, titled “Will and Trust Construction,” to be published in the 2009 edition.

Mark Bannister, L’88, has become dean of the College of Business at Fort Hays State University. He remains a senior policy fellow at the Docking Institute of Public Affairs and teaches and writes on technology and telecommunications legal issues. For the last 10 years, he has been chair of the department of information networking and telecommunications at Fort Hays State University.

Kathy Greenlee, L’88, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 24, 2009, to be the new U.S. assistant secretary for aging at the Department of Health and Human Services. She will work closely with Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services and the former governor of Kansas, who appointed Greenlee to head the Kansas Department of Aging in 2006. Sebelius said of Greenlee: “I am pleased the Senate has confirmed her today as assistant secretary of aging. She will be an outstanding advocate for older Americans across the country and a valued leader at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.” 

1990s

Mark A. Ferguson, L’90, joined the Overland Park law firm of Gates, Shields & Ferguson PA as partner. Ferguson brings nearly 20 years of experience in employment, education, business litigation and insurance subrogation law to the firm.

Kyle Elliott, L’93, was appointed chairman of the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. at its June 2009 board of directors meeting. Elliott is with the law firm of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP in Kansas City, Mo.

Susan Weigers Kannarr, L’94, Topeka, Kan., was appointed chief clerk of the House of Representatives in January 2009.

John L. Snyder, L’94, received the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s 2008 Outstanding CLE Contributor Award in December at the KCBMA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Mo. This honor goes to an individual whose exemplary efforts produced outstanding CLE programs for the Bar. Snyder is a partner at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP.

Mark Haug, L’98, has been appointed a School of Business Teaching Fellow at the University of Kansas. The Teaching Fellows program was established in the spring of 2007 and honors outstanding teaching by nontenure track faculty members who have terminal degrees. During the fall 2008 semester, Haug taught a statistics course and a supply chain management course.

Patrick Johnson, L’99, and wife, Kristan Bina, are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Seth Patrick Johnson, in September 2008. They make their home in Austin, Texas.

2000s

Heather Jones, L’00, has been recognized as a 2009 Rising Legal Leader by a Kansas City legal newspaper. Kansas City Legal Leaders are a devoted cadre of lawyers, judges, public officials, legal scholars and law students who put their communities first. Jones is a shareholder in the law firm Seigfreid, Bingham, Levy, Selzer & Gee. She was nominated for taking on numerous leadership roles and committee positions at the firm. She is also active in the community and serves in various capacities for the Lawyers Association of Kansas City, including being a president of the Young Lawyers Section. She also chairs the Liberty Arts Commission and participates in the Leadership Northland class.

Jarod Goff, L’01, has been named a member of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC, Kansas City, Mo. Goff practices in the areas of aviation, toxic tort, product liability defense, trucking defense, premises liability, civil litigation and complex commercial litigation.

Diane Forge Bauersfeld, L’02, has been named a law librarian fellow at the University of Denver, where she will earn her master’s degree in library and information science with a law specialization. Bauersfeld and her husband, Reid, welcomed their son, Reid Egan, in 2005 and their daughter, Ellory Anne, in 2007. They reside in Loveland, Colo.

Timothy Glassco, L’02, returned to the private sector as a principal at the Podesta Group, a government relations and public affairs firm in Washington, D.C., after working on Barack Obama’s campaign and inaugural committee.

Crystal Nesheim Johnson, L’02, and husband Chad welcomed daughter, Sydney Marie, in October 2008.
Johnson is a deputy state’s attorney for Minnehaha County in Sioux Falls, S.D.

James P. Wolf, L’03, has been named a shareholder in the Kansas City, Mo., office of McAnany, Van Cleave
& Phillips PA. Wolf is a member of the firm’s workers’ compensation defense practice group.

Muneer Ahmad, L’04, is an associate with Riling, Burkhead & Nitcher Chtd. in Lawrence, Kan.

Marcos Barbosa, L’04, has been named a member of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC, Kansas City, Mo. Barbosa practices in the areas of product liability, general civil and commercial litigation, and toxic tort litigation.

Betsy Blake, L’05, received a Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s YLS President’s Award in December at the KCBMA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Mo. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the KCMBA Young Lawyers Section during the bar year. Blake is an associate at Williams & Campo PC.

Brooke Robinson Yoder, L’05, completed her work with the John McCain 2008 campaign in June 2009. She served as the lead advance representative for Cindy McCain. Yoder traveled with the campaign, organized and executed political and financial events for the senator and Mrs. McCain, and served as a liaison to congressional surrogates, state and local party officials and senior staff. She played a role in major events such as the presidential debates, foreign travel, and the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Mark Dodd, L’06, accepted a position as general counsel/tribal attorney for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Mayetta, Kan. Dodd and his wife, Nicole, had their fourth child, Jack Austin Dodd, in February 2009. He joins Caraline, 4, Logan, 3, and Luke, 18 months.

Xiaomeng Zhang, L’06, recently graduated from the University of Michigan School of Information and is now a reference librarian at the University of Michigan Law Library.

Rusty Glenn, L’07, joined the Shuman Law Firm, a boutique securities litigation firm in Boulder, Colo. Glenn was also elected to the board of directors of Hep-C Connection, one of the largest hepatitis C-focused advocacy organizations in the country and the only one of its kind in Colorado. Hep-C provides community education and testing, patient support and disease prevention strategies.

Dustin Bradley, L’08, Lawrence, Kan., is a staff attorney with the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Katie Cheney, L’08, joined the firm of Frasier & Johnson LLP in Beloit, Kan., in January 2009.

Adam S. Davis, L’08, and wife, Carrie, are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Brendan Thomas Davis, in October 2008.

Carol J. Toland, L’08, began working as a legislative attorney for the American Law Division of the Congressional
Research Service in Washington, D.C., in September 2008.

Cheri Whiteside, L’08, joined Thompson & Knight LLP in the firm’s tax practice group in Dallas.

Brian Hardouin, L’09, Broomfield, Colo., and Kim Duensing are pleased to announce their engagement. They met while attending graduate school at KU and will return to the Broomfield area following their wedding in August 2009.

Daniel Moskowitz, L’09, accepted a position at Schulman, Treem, Kamikow and Gilden PC in Baltimore. 

In Memoriam

Thomas E. Allen, L’55, La Quinta, Calif., June 15, 2009
John W. Brookens, L’41, Marion and Westmoreland, Kan., March 16, 2009
Charles A. Chartier, L’63, Denver, Colo., June 17, 2009
Marc D. Conklin, L’91, Kansas City, Kan., March 25, 2009
Catherine Anderson Crittenden, member, Class of 1985, Wichita, Kan., April 20, 2009
Jason B. Harper Sr., L’86, Germantown, Md./New York, N.Y., February 16, 2009
Elmer E. Harvey, L’48, Duluth, Minn., May 28, 2009
Walter Hiersteiner, Shawnee Mission, Kan., May 2, 2009
Bill House, L’39, Arkansas City/Cedar Vale, Kan., March 8, 2009
John E. Hurley Jr., San Francisco, Calif., July 4, 2009
Norman W. Jeter, L’37, Hays, Kan., April 16, 2009
Ervin G. Johnston, L’51, Overland Park, Kan., February 16, 2009
Robert B. Lester, L’77, Rocklin, Calif., January 7, 2009
Richard “Rick” Liby, L’93, Denver, Colo., April 23, 2009
The Hon. Harold B. “Hal”  Malone, L’58, Wichita, Kan., May 5, 2009
Max C. Opperman, L’89, Topeka, Kan., May 17, 2009
Cliff W. Ratner, L’54, Wichita, Kan., April 19, 2009
Robert C. Wooton, L’66, Kansas City, Kan., February 13, 2009