05 Oct 2015
Professor Sandra Zellmer
Professor Sandra Zellmer spoke on Involuntary Payments for Watershed Services and Habitat, with an emphasis on Fifth Amendment Takings, at the National Workshop on Water Quality Markets, sponsored by the U.S. EPA, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, and the University of Nebraska's Water for Food Institute. The Workshop, which took place on September 16 at the University's Innovation Campus, highlighted recent initiatives in market-based approaches to water quality and streamflow improvements. In particular, it focused on markets that reduce costs of cleaning up waterways by allowing sources with high costs to purchase credits from sources that have lower costs of making the same water quality improvement.
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Professor Matthew Schaefer
Professor Schaefer was one of fifteen participants in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Space Commerce Roundtable to discuss best methods and approaches for regulating space activities, including new space activities such as space tourism, asteroid mining, on-orbit satellite servicing and similar activities. The discussion included coverage of the recent bills passed by the House (HR2262) and Senate (S1297) that will soon be discussed by a conference committee. Professor Schaefer’s recommended approach in 33 Berkeley J. Int’l L. 223-273 (2015) to third-party liability is included in both bills and his recommended approach to space flight participant liability issues is included in the House bill. Professor Schaefer has also participated in the drafting and co-signed two letters in May and September to Congressional leaders in support of the property rights provisions in the House bill.
Professor Matthew Schaefer also spoke on the legal and regulatory panel at the Space Foundation’s inaugural Space Technology and Investment Forum on Oct. 1, 2015 in San Francisco. The conference was attended by start-up space companies as well as established ones, and by the venture capital and angel investor community. The discussion included coverage of the recent bills passed by the House (HR2262) and Senate (S1297) that will soon be discussed by a conference committee. Professor Schaefer’s recommended approach in 33 Berkeley J. Int’l L. 223-273 (2015) to third-party liability is included in both bills and his recommended approach to space flight participant liability issues is included in the House bill. Professor Schaefer has also participated in the drafting and co-signed two letters in May and September to Congressional leaders in support of the property rights provisions in the House bill.
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Professor Richard Moberly
On September 17 and 18, Professor Richard Moberly participated in a conference about whistleblowing in the Czech Republic, which is considering passing new legislation to protect whistleblowers. The conference, “A Challenge for Czech Republic: Whistleblowing - the Way to Protect the Financial Interests of the EU,” was sponsored by Oziveni, a Czech anticorruption advocacy group, and OLAF, the European Union Anti-Fraud Office, and being provided support by the City of Prague and the British Embassy in Prague. Professor Moberly spoke on “External and Internal ’Safety’ Methods of Reporting,” and participated on a Grand Panel Discussion on “Implementing Whistleblowers Protection into National Laws.” More information on the conference can be found here.
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Professor Colleen Medill
Professor Colleen Medill was selected to participate in an invitation-only national workshop on the financial future of retirement systems for public employees from September 17-20, 2015, in Palo Alto, California. The workshop, sponsored by George Mason University’s Law and Economics Center, was designed to educate law professors concerning the financial and structural crises facing state retirement systems with the goal of stimulating additional research in the field. Workshop topics included the core concepts of public pension reform, including financial economics for public policy, pensions and the public employee labor market, measuring pension liabilities, the challenges and opportunities of public pension reform, retiree health benefits for public employees, and a case study on attempted reforms to the Illinois pension system.
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Professor Richard Duncan
Professor Richard Duncan traveled to Indiana University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Michigan in September to discuss Kermit Gosnell, Planned Parenthood and the Masks of the Law (of Roe v. Wade). Professor Duncan’s visit to Indiana University was discussed in the campus newspaper. Read the story here.
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Assistant Professor Kristen Blankley
Assistant Professor Kristen Blankley gave a presentation on Ethics and Collaborative Law at the 11th Annual Civil Collaborative Law Conference in Dallas, Texas. The conference is one of the preeminent conferences in the field of collaborative law.