News Archive

Kramer, '11, Named Partner at Gast Johnson & Muffly PC

09 Jan 2019    

Gast Johnson & Muffly PC, a leading civil practice law firm, is pleased to announce that Benjamin D. Kramer, '11, has become a shareholder in the firm.

Kramer joined the firm in 2015. His practice focuses on business, real estate and estate planning matters. Kramer is co-chair of the Pro Bono Program and president of the Young Lawyers Division for the Larimer County Bar Association. Kramer emphasizes a practical approach to representing clients, focusing on their specific objectives and offering creative solutions. Prior to joining Gast Johnson & Muffly, PC, Kramer worked in Lincoln, Nebraska practicing general civil law. A Fort Collins native, it was not difficult to convince his wife to move back to Colorado.

“I am honored to become a partner with a talented group of attorneys,” said Kramer. “I look forward to adding to a great firm and giving back to the community.”

Gast Johnson & Muffly is an AV® preeminent peer rated law firm with Martindale Hubbell® and was recently recognized as a Tier 1 selection in the 2019 “Best Law Firms” for Colorado in Real Estate Law by U.S. News - Best Lawyers®, which recognizes the top law firms in the country for professional excellence.

Brown, '92, Received 2018 Nebraska Book Award

09 Jan 2019    

Amy Knox Brown's, '92, nonfiction book, What is Gone (Texas Tech University Press, 2017), received the 2018 Nebraska Book Award in the category of Memoir. 

Brown is an associate professor and program director of English at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha.

Schumacher, '15, Named Partner at Bruner Frank Schumacher, L.L.C.

09 Jan 2019    

La Grone, '16, Appointed to Nebraska Legislature

19 Dec 2018    

Story from Lincoln Journal Star.

Siminou, '07, Receives Pound Civil Justice Institute's 2018 Appellate Advocacy Award

03 Dec 2018    

The Officers and Trustees of the Pound Civil Justice Institute have bestowed the Institute’s 2018 Appellate Advocacy Award on Leslie Brueckner of Public Justice in Oakland, CA and Benjamin Siminou, '07, of Siminou Appeals in San Diego, CA. They were honored for their distinguished work resulting in the California Supreme Court’s landmark decision in T.H. v. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., 407 P.3d 18 (Cal. 2017). 

In T.H., a unanimous California Supreme Court held that, because brand-name prescription drug companies write the labels for all drugs, they may be sued for failing to warn of the dangers of mislabeled, generic versions of their drugs. A majority of the Court also held that even former brand-name manufacturers are subject to suit if their failure to update their labels to warn of their drug’s dangers foreseeably injure consumers of generic drugs. T.H. is the only standing decision of any appellate court granting consumers the right to seek compensation when they are injured by mislabeled generic drugs. More than 90 percent of all drugs sold in the U.S. are generic, and, under current federal law, generic drug manufacturers have complete immunity from suit because they do not write their products’ labels. Because there are no issues of federal law in T.H., it cannot be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ben brought the case from the trial level through to the California Court of Appeals. Once at the California Supreme Court, Leslie and Ben jointly wrote the appellate briefs for the plaintiff, and both argued orally. Their efforts were supported by an amicus curiae brief of Consumer Attorneys of California and the American Association for Justice, authored by Charles Dell’Ario, of Napa, California, and Jeffrey R. White of AAJ.

Leslie is a Senior Attorney at Public Justice, a national public interest law firm, where she has worked for 25 years. She specializes in cutting-edge appellate litigation in the state and federal courts, such as class actions, constitutional law, federal preemption, consumer rights, personal jurisdiction, food safety, and combating court secrecy. She has handled numerous appeals in the federal and state courts, including the Supreme Courts of California, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virgnia, and in the U.S. Supreme Court. Ben Siminou is the founder and principal of Siminou Appeals in San Diego, specializing in appeals of civil cases. Prior to establishing Siminou Appeals, Ben worked nearly a decade as a trial lawyer with the San Diego-based plaintiffs’ firm, Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire LLP, where he handled virtually every aspect of civil litigation. Ben has handled numerous civil and criminal appeals in the California Supreme Court, the California Court of Appeal, and the Ninth Circuit.

Leslie and Ben's dedication to the civil justice system, and their persuasive advocacy in T.H. v. Novartis, have had a significant impact on the right of access to justice in civil cases in the United States.

Hoesing, '12, Graduates from Nebraska Water Leaders Academy

20 Nov 2018    

Henderson, Klein and Page Advance to National Moot Court Competition Finals

19 Nov 2018    

3Ls Paul Henderson, Nathan Klein and Chris Page defeated a University of Kansas team to win to Region 9 competition of the New York City Bar Association’s National Moot Court Competition. The team, coached by alumnus Shannon Doering, ’99, will advance to the national competition finals to be held in New York City January 21-28, 2019.

A second Nebraska Law team comprised of Adam Kost, Maureen Larsen and David Shea also made an impressive showing at the competition, advancing to the semi-final round before they were defeated.

The following teams competed in the competition, which was hosted by Saint Louis University: University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, University of Arkansas – Little Rock, Creighton University, University of Kansas, University of Missouri – Kansas City, University of Missouri – Columbia, University of Nebraska, Oklahoma City University, University of Oklahoma, Saint Louis University, University of Tulsa, Washburn University, Washington University.

Nebraska Law to Host Commemoration of Seventieth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

14 Nov 2018    

The University of Nebraska College of Law will host a commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Monday, November 26 from noon to 1:30 pm in the Hamann Auditorium. The Universal Declaration, which proclaims human rights to which everyone is entitled, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948, seventy years ago. 

The theme of the commemoration will be “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at Seventy: Reflections on Its Relevance for Nebraskans.”  The commemoration is co-sponsored by the College of Law and the University of Nebraska’s Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs.

The keynote speaker at the commemoration will be Dr. Micheline Ishay, Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and a renowned expert on the history of human rights.  She is the author of a number of acclaimed books on human rights, including The History of Human Rights, from Ancient Times to the Globalization Era; The Human Rights Reader: Major Political Essays, Speeches and Documents from Ancient Times to the Present; and The Levant Express: The Arab Uprising and the Future of Human Rights (forthcoming).

Dr. Ishay will be joined by two other speakers.  The first will be Professor Anna Shavers, Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion and Cline Williams Professor of Citizenship Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law.  Professor Shavers is an internationally recognized expert on human trafficking and women’s rights.  The second will be Dr. David P. Forsythe, Emeritus University Professor and Charles J. Mach Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Forsythe is an eminent scholar of international human rights and is the founding benefactor of the Forsythe Family Program.

Professor Brian Lepard of the College of Law will introduce the speakers.  Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht, Director of the Forsythe Family Program and Samuel Clark Waugh Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science, will moderate the discussion among the panelists. 

The program is free and open to the public.

Dugan, '18, Joins Woods & Aitken LLP

05 Nov 2018    

Woods & Aitken LLP is delighted to announce that Ashley H. Dugan, '18, recently joined the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group. Ashley represents public and private employers in all areas of labor and employment law, focusing on preventative assistance and counseling. 

Ashley joins Woods & Aitken after clerking in the firm for two years. She also previously served as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable C. Arlen Beam of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  She received her J.D. with highest distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law, where she served as executive editor for the Nebraska Law Review and was named to the Order of the Coif. Ashley graduated summa cum laude from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.  

Since 1921, Woods & Aitken LLP has focused its practice of law on achieving long-term client success. This commitment to client service has also afforded Woods & Aitken LLP the opportunity to emerge as a regional and national leader in the practice of construction, telecommunications, labor & employment, real estate, and banking and finance law.

Nebraska Law duo raises bar for civic activism on Election Day

05 Nov 2018    

Building on a program launched by a Big Ten colleague, two Huskers have created an opportunity for Nebraska Law students to volunteer as poll watchers on Election Day.

Launched by Nebraska’s Josh Waltjer, '20, and Carter Reed, '20, the “Day of Civic Engagement” program includes a lunch discussion between state officials.

“The Day of Civic Engagement is an effort to support a fundamental and incredibly important principle of our democracy — free and fair elections,” said Waltjer. “Although I may disagree with some individuals on political and legal issues, our friends in the Federalist Society and I realize that the healthiest democracy is one where we encourage civil debate, protect our democratic process, and respect Constitutional principles. The Day of Civic Engagement gives law students a practical way to do just that.”

Inspiration for the event grew from a talk between Waltjer, Reed and a Northwestern University law student while the trio attended the American Constitution Society conference in Washington, D.C., in June.

During the talk, the Northwestern U student outlined work to start a Day of Civic Service. The project — which started in 2016 at Northwestern — successfully encouraged student organizations, drawing representatives from various political ideologies to volunteer on Election Day.

When Waltjer and Reed proposed the idea to Nebraska Law colleagues, they received support from Justin McCully, '20, president of the Federalist Society chapter. They project was also endorsed by law school student government.

Along with working as poll watchers during midterm elections on Nov. 6, law professors have the option to reschedule classes to allow students to volunteer. The college will also hold a lunch panel with Wayne Bena, Nebraska’s deputy secretary of state for elections, and Danielle Conrad, executive director of American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, discussing election-related issues.

The panel discussion, which is noon to 1 p.m. in the Law School Auditorium, is free and open to the public.

Organizers at Nebraska and Northwestern hope their combined efforts inspire similar civil activism programming at universities and law schools nationwide.

Immigration Clinic Students Visit Omaha Immigration Court

02 Nov 2018    

 On Thursday, November 1, students in this year's Immigration Clinic visited the Omaha Immigration Court to learn more about the Court and visit with Court personnel.  The visit and tour were arranged by College of Law alum Spencer Shucard, '14, who is an attorney advisor with the Omaha Immigration Court.

Lenich Recognized by Association of Students of the University of Nebraska

30 Oct 2018    

Professor John Lenich was recognized with ASUN Government Bill 15, a bill which officially thanks and commends Professor Lenich for his assistance in revising the Student Code of Conduct. 

A complete recap of the Wednesday, Oct. 24 meeting, including legislation related to the Student Code of Conduct, ASUN outreach initiatives and the Committee for Fee Allocations is available from the Daily Nebraskan.

Neto to Deliver Presentation on Brazilian Tax Reform

26 Oct 2018    

Dr. Arthur Maria Ferreira Neto, Professor of Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), a major regional private law school in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and Vice-President of Brazil’s Institute of Tax Studies, will deliver a short presentation at noon on Nov. 14. 

Dr. Neto will discuss “The Current Debate on Brazilian Tax Reform and the Brazil Constitution: A Comparison with International and U.S. Approaches.” The talk, which is free and open to the public, is at the College of Law.

Dr. Neto will discuss the current debate on tax reform in Brazil in light of related debates about amending the Brazil Constitution, which was adopted in 1988. These debates will become even more important in the aftermath of the Brazil presidential election in October 2018. Brazilian leaders and policymakers are considering other tax reform approaches, including guidelines on value added taxes recently promulgated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) as well as the reforms made in U.S. tax law as part of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act. Dr. Neto’s talk will focus on the Brazilian experience while comparing it with approaches advocated by the OECD as well as those reflected in U.S. tax law reforms and tax policy debates. He will also touch on some differences and similarities between the Brazil Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.

Dr. Neto has a Master’s and Doctorate in Tax Law from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. He also has a Master’s and Doctorate in Philosophy from PUCRS. He is Coordinator of the Public Law Department at PUCRS Law School, and is Vice-President of the Institute of Tax Studies in Brazil. Dr. Neto has published numerous books and articles on the philosophy of law, human rights, Brazilian constitutional law, and tax law. Dr. Neto gave a talk at the Nebraska College of Law on the right to be forgotten in September 2017.

Honorable Raymond J. Lohier, Jr. to deliver Cline Williams Jurist-In-Residence Presentations

24 Oct 2018    

The Honorable Raymond J. Lohier, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit will deliver presentations to the College of Law community at noon on Oct. 29, and at noon on Oct 30. Judge Lohier’s presentations are part of the Cline Williams Jurist-In-Residence Program. Both programs will be held in the Hamann Auditorium at the College of Law and are free and open to the public. Each program is approved for 1.0 hours of Nebraska CLE credit.

On Oct. 29, the Honorable Joseph Bataillon, a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, will join Judge Lohier for a discussion of the U.S. Courts, with special focus on Federal and U.S. Circuit Courts.

On Oct. 30, Judge Lohier and Professor Maggie Wittlin will present “The Roles of Judges and Lawyers in Doing Justice: A Conversation.” In this conversation, Judge Lohier will address the role of judges in ensuring adequate defense representation, as well as the role of prosecutors in protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system. Professor Wittlin served as a law clerk for Judge Lohier in 2012-13.

Judge Lohier was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit after being unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate in December 2010. Judge Lohier served as a law clerk for the Honorable Robert P. Patterson, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and was associated with the law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton in New York. Following this work, Judge Lohier served as a Senior Trial Attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, where he spearheaded employment discrimination-related litigation and worked on other civil rights matters. 

Judge Lohier thereafter served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he served, among other roles, as Senior Counsel to the United States Attorney, Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, and Chief of the Narcotics Unit. As Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, Judge Lohier was responsible for overseeing the Bernard Madoff prosecutions, the investigation and prosecution of Marc Dreier, the Galleon and other hedge fund-related insider trading cases, as well as several other high-profile fraud cases. Judge Lohier is the current Chairperson of the Defender Services Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. 

The Cline Williams Distinguished Lectureship began in 1972. Law firms Cline Williams and Nelson Harding were asked to sponsor the lectureships on an as-needed basis.  In 1988, the Cline Williams Distinguished Lectureship was converted to a Jurist-in-Residence program.  Past guests have included William Fletcher, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; Donald P. Lay, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit; Shirley S. Abrahamson, Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court; and most recently Judge David Ebel, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Lepard to Chair Panel at International Law Weekend

18 Oct 2018    

Professor Brian Lepard will chair a panel at International Law Weekend at Fordham Law School in New York City on Saturday, October 20. The theme of the panel is “How Customary International Law Matters in Protecting Human Rights.”

Professor Lepard is the Harold W. Conroy Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law and a recognized expert on international law. His most recent book is Reexamining Customary International Law, which he edited and to which he contributed several chapters. The book was published by Cambridge University Press in 2017.

The panel on October 20 will explore why and how customary international law matters in protecting human rights. In particular, it will empirically analyze the use of customary international law by national and international courts to safeguard human rights. It will critically examine recent judicial decisions involving attempts to hold business corporations accountable for violations of customary human rights law, including Jesner v. Arab Bank PLC, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in April 2018, and Araya v. Nevsun Resources Ltd., decided by the British Columbia Court of Appeal in November 2017. The panel will also investigate whether negotiations for a Global Compact on Refugees and other global standards on refugees may be contributing to the development of norms of customary international law relevant to the protection of refugees. Finally, the panel will also look at the practical role that customary international law has played in defining and protecting the right to religious freedom.

Other panelists include Niels Petersen, Professor of Public Law, International Law, and European Union Law at the University of Münster; Alan Franklin, Managing Director of Global Business Risk Management and Faculty, Athabasca University and Diplo Foundation; Dana Schmalz, Visiting Scholar at the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School; and Mark Janis, William F. Starr Professor of Law at the University of Connecticut.

Wright, ’70, Recognized with George H. Turner Award

18 Oct 2018    

Justice John F. Wright, ’70, has posthumously been awarded the George H. Turner Award. The Turner Award is presented to a member of the Nebraska State Bar Association who has demonstrated exemplary efforts in furthering public understanding of the legal system, the administration of justice and confidence in the legal profession. Justice Wright lead a life of service, both as a lawyer and as a Nebraska Supreme Court Justice. He was revered for his intelligence, humility, decisiveness, civility and leadership. The NSBA thanks him for his service to the courts, the profession and the citizens of Nebraska.

Mattoon, ’76, Elected 2020-2021 Nebraska State Bar Association President Elect

18 Oct 2018    

At the Nebraska State Bar Association Annual Meeting, Steve Mattoon, ‘76 and Jill Robb Ackerman assumed their posts as President Elect and President-Elect Designate of the Nebraska State Bar Association.

Steve Mattoon, of Sidney, will succeed J. Scott Paul as President-Elect and will serve as NSBA President from October 2019 to October 2020.

Mattoon is a partner with Matzke, Mattoon, Martens & Strommen, L.L.C. His representation in the oil and gas industry includes Title Opinion examinations in more than 20 counties in western and southwestern Nebraska, both for drilling purposes and for division order purposes, and extensive practice before the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.  His representation before the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission includes Applications for pooling, unitization and secondary recovery operations.  He is a frequent speaker regarding oil and gas law.  Furthermore, he has practiced extensively in the areas of real estate, estate planning, probate, corporate and commercial development. 

Mattoon has been actively involved in the Nebraska State Bar Association serving as Chairman of the House of Delegates in 2013.  He has served two terms on the Executive Council from 2002 to 2008 and from 2012 to 2015, and was a member of the House of Delegates for over 20 years. Mattoon also previously served as Trustee to the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation and served as Secretary of the Natural Resources Section of the Nebraska State Bar Association.

Mattoon is a graduate of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and also a Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska College of Law.  In law school he was selected to the Order of the Barristers and was the Junior Round Moot Court Supervisor. Steve and his wife Cathy have two daughters: Kendra Rignenberg, who is a partner with Dvorak Law Group, LLC, and Stephanie Mattoon, who is a partner with Baird Holm, LLP.

McCarthy,'75, Langan Mach, 95, and Sapp, '89, Assume NSBA Leadership Roles

18 Oct 2018    

Mike McCarthy, ’75, took over as Nebraska State Bar Association House of Delegates Chair and Jane Langan Mach, ‘95, began her term on the NSBA Executive Council this week at the NSBA’s Annual Meeting in La Vista.   

Mike is a partner in the North Platte law firm of McCarthy & Moore, LLP. He earned his undergraduate degree in 1972, and his law degree in 1975, both from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Immediately following his graduation he joined his father in the private practice of law in North Platte. Mike practices primarily in the areas of estate planning and probate, real estate, and corporate & business planning.

Mike is married to Janie McCarthy who is a retired speech and language teacher with North Platte Public Schools. Mike has four children and eight grandchildren. Mike has served on the North Platte Board of Education, and served as the Board’s President, the Great Plains Health Board of Directors, where he also served as the Board’s Chair, the Board of Directors of the North Platte Area Chamber of Commerce and Development Corporation, where he served as Chair, the Nebraska Commission on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, where he served as Chair from 2008 to 2012, the Nebraska State Bar Association House of Delegates, and he served as the Sixth District Representative on the Executive Council of the Nebraska State Bar Association, from 2013 to 2016.

Jane Langan Mach also began her term on the NSBA Executive Council representing the First Judicial District. 

Langan Mach is a partner at Rembolt Ludtke LLP where she has been practicing since 1995. She focuses primarily on family law issues, particularly complex divorce, paternity, custody, child support, and adoption matters including both trial and appellate work. Jane is a Certified Parenting Act Mediator. She also works with the rehabilitation or liquidation of insurance companies. Langan Mach teaches Pretrial Litigation Skills and Family Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law and has been a regular speaker at the Family Law Section’s annual seminar. 

Langan Mach is listed in Great Plains Super Lawyers and in Nebraska’s 10 Best in client satisfaction with the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys. She is active in the Nebraska State Bar Association. She has served: as Chair of the House of Delegate (2018); on the Ad Hoc Committee on Parenting Time (2013); Legislation Committee (2011-present); Budget and Planning (2011-2012); Annual Meeting Committee Chair (2002-2003); and was on the Executive Committee and Chair (2000-2001) of the Young Lawyers Section.

A lifelong Nebraskan, Jane lives in Lincoln with her husband Jeff and their five children. 

Also becoming NSBA officers are the Hon. Tricia Freeman and Susan Sapp, ‘89.  Judge Freeman of the Sarpy County Court took office as Chair-Elect. Susan Sapp with Cline Williams Wright Johnson and Oldfather, LLP in Lincoln took office as Chair-Elect Designate.

Immigration Clinic Students Participate in Attorney Of The Day Program

11 Oct 2018    

Kaplan, '18, Joins Perry, Guthery, Haase & Gessford

08 Oct 2018    

Daniel K. Kaplan, '18, has joined the Lincoln law firm of Perry, Guthery, Haase & Gessford, P.C., L.L.O. as an associate attorney.

Kaplan received his bachelor's degree in 2015 from the University of Nebraska where he studied History. He received his law degree with distinction in 2018 from the University of Nebraska College of Law. While in law school, Kaplan served as the executive editor of the Nebraska Law Review. Kaplan is admitted to practice in Nebraska and is a member of the Nebraska State Bar Association.

Perry, Guthery, Haase & Gessford, P.C., L.L.O. is a general practice law firm located in Lincoln with emphasis in the areas of civil litigation, school law, employment law, commercial and transactional law, estate planning and probate and banking law.