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Seattle U Law hires first Alaska Native professor

Seattle University School of Law has selected Professor Nazune Menka to become the next faculty director of the Center for Indian Law & Policy. Menka, who will also serve as a tenure-track assistant professor of law, is Seattle U Law’s first Alaska Native faculty member.

February 8, 2024 | Announcements


Professor Honored with SALT 2024 Great Teacher Award

Seattle U Law Professor Steven Bender, an associate dean, is the recipient of the 2024 Society of American Law Teachers’ (SALT) Great Teacher Award for his significant contributions to teaching, legal education, and mentoring.

December 15, 2023


Brooke D. Coleman celebrated as Fredric C. Tausend Professor of Law

Seattle University School of Law celebrated the installation of Brooke D. Coleman as the Fredric C. Tausend Professor of Law. The title, named for a former Seattle U Law dean and professor, honors a Seattle U Law faculty member for their scholarly pursuits, teaching ability, and service work.

November 30, 2023 | Events


Seattle U Law launches TILE Program

Seattle U Law celebrated the launch of the new Technology, Innovation, Law, and Ethics (TILE) Program with a speech from nationally-renowned tech evangelist Gigi Sohn.

October 26, 2023


Seattle U Law welcomes member of Indian Parliament for Luminaries in Law

Seattle University School of Law, in collaboration with the RoundGlass India Center, welcomed Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a member of the Parliament of India and India's leading Supreme Court litigator, to give a lecture on the Supreme Court of India.

October 26, 2023 | Events


Nationally renowned author, Dahlia Lithwick visits Seattle U Law

New York Times bestselling author and legal journalist Dahlia Lithwick, whose journalism has appeared in Slate, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, CNN, and other prominent media outlets, kicked off Seattle U Law’s 2023-24 Dean’s Luminaries in Law Lecture & Conversation Series.

October 3, 2023 | Announcements


Seattle is at the forefront of gig worker protections

Fast Company

After the passage of a new Seattle City Council bill, Seattle U Law Professor Elizabeth Ford explained to Fast Company that Seattle is setting the bar for the rest of the nation when it comes to protections and rights for gig workers.

September 7, 2023


Seattle U Law professors publish impactful scholarship

Seattle University School of Law professors have been hard at work producing scholarship on a variety of important legal topics and issues.

August 25, 2023 | Announcements


Dean headlines event aimed at supporting legal scholars of color

Anthony E. Varona, dean of Seattle University School of Law, recently delivered the keynote address at the second annual Michael A. Olivas Writing Institute, a one-day international online event created to provide support and encouragement to junior and senior academic scholars of color in their writing projects.

August 14, 2023


Law professor’s new book examines Supreme Court of India

“Court on Trial,” co-authored by renowned India legal expert Sital Kalantry, is getting global media attention for shedding light on the inner workings of India’s highest court.

August 14, 2023


Ceremony honors law professor appointed to state appeals court bench

Professor from Practice Leonard J. Feldman’s appointment to the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division One, was recognized and celebrated last week during a swearing-in and robing ceremony that was hosted by Seattle University School of Law, his professional home for the past three years.

May 22, 2023


Move fast and build things

Seattle U Law prepares lawyers for opportunities, challenges in technology sector. (From the spring 2023 issue of Lawyer magazine.)

May 9, 2023


Going global

Dean Varona launches effort to internationalize Seattle U Law. (From the spring 2023 issue of Lawyer magazine.)

May 8, 2023


New program prepares law students to confront future tech challenges

A new Seattle University School of Law program aims to prepare a cadre of diverse legal professionals to help guide the development and implementation of current and future technologies in lawful and ethical ways.

May 2, 2023 | Announcements


WA transgender youth bill targeted in national culture war

Crosscut

Professor Deirdre Bowen reflects on the fear and outrage that resulted from misinformation about the bill.

May 1, 2023 | In the News


New Task Force Aims to Increase Latinx Representation in Law

Law.com

Dean Anthony Varona and Seattle U President Eduardo Peñalver discuss ways to increase representation in legal academia.

April 28, 2023 | In the News


Jury deliberating seditious conspiracy case against Proud Boys

KING 5

Professor Danieli Evans says seditious conspiracy is rarely used and can be hard to prove.

April 27, 2023 | In the News


Fact check: False claims about Washington bill, gender surgery

USA Today

Professor Deirdre Bowen explains that parental custody rights remain intact.

April 26, 2023 | In the News


Building belonging with brunch

Dean Anthony E. Varona hosts a series of gatherings to cultivate community for underrepresented law students.

April 24, 2023


Varona to lead national task force on Hispanic representation

HNBA President Mariana Bravo announced the formation of the National Task Force on Hispanic Law Faculty and Deans on Monday and will elaborate on the task force’s mission at a reception hosted by Seattle University School of Law on Tuesday, April 25.

April 24, 2023


New Seattle University campaign hopes to help violence survivors

KING 5

Professor Deirdre Bowen explains how protection orders help survivors of domestic violence.

April 20, 2023 | In the News


Posts distort Washington estranged minors law

Associated Press

“It is not remotely what this bill says," according to Professor Deirdre Bowen.

April 20, 2023 | In the News


Fact Check: Bill Does NOT Allow Government To Take Minor Children Away

Lead Stories

The bill actually encourages family reunification, says Professor Deirdre Bowen.

April 18, 2023 | In the News


Dueling abortion-pill rulings show expanding role of judiciary

The Spokesman-Review

Professor Deidre Bowen predicts "a trend towards destabilization of what the three branches of the government are."

April 13, 2023 | In the News


Who is Thomas Rice, the Washington judge who ruled mifepristone is safe?

The Washington Post

Professor Deirdre Bowen says different legal strategies led to opposite rulings on abortion medication mifepristone.

April 8, 2023 | In the News


Ferry captain lost 'situational awareness' before vessel's landing

KING 5

Professor Elizabeth Ford explains that criminal charges aren't likely when actions are related to workplace negligence.

March 30, 2023 | In the News


New campaign aims to help sexual assault/DV survivors

For the first time, campus community can obtain protection order filing assistance from Seattle U Law’s Family Law Center.

March 30, 2023 | Announcements


Trying to count unhoused people is 'like nailing water to the wall'

KUOW

Professor Sara Rankin says the counts miss thousands of people and that point-in-time counts are especially inaccurate.

March 29, 2023 | In the News


Jury selection begins in trial for suspect in Everett police shooting

KING 5 News

Professor Deborah Ahrens comments on the challenges of defending someone charged with killing a police officer.

March 14, 2023 | In the News


Restraining orders can 'create a false sense of security'

KING 5 News

Professor Deirdre Bowen discusses the limitations of protection orders.

March 10, 2023 | In the News


Washington lawmakers are trying to protect abortion patients

The Spokesman-Review

Professor Deirdre Bowen discusses the legal challenges yet to come for out-of-state abortion care.

March 6, 2023 | In the News


Professor, multiple alumni earn recognition at Pierce Co. awards banquet

Seattle University School of Law alumni and a longtime professor earned nearly every honor at the 115th Annual Lincoln Day Awards Banquet, held by the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association at the Tacoma Convention Center earlier this month.

February 22, 2023


Law school welcomes five new teacher-scholars to career faculty

The new professors, whose positions begin July 1, 2023, are Erin Carr (legal writing), Jeremiah Chin (constitutional law), Elizabeth Ford (law clinic), Kip Hustace (civil procedure), and Luke Maher (tax law).

February 6, 2023


Seattle U Law suspends participation in U.S. News law school rankings

Seattle University School of Law remains committed to providing prospective students with the information necessary to make an informed decision about where to undertake their law studies.

January 24, 2023


Jeff Bezos wants the world to know he’s a philanthropist

Vox

Professor Sara Rankin says the most sympathetic homeless population gets more money than the population most in need.

January 24, 2023 | In the News


Kohberger attorney represented parent of victim in Moscow homicides

Idaho Statesman

Professor Robert C. Boruchowitz says lawyers must consult state ethics codes and other attorneys to decide conflicts of interest.

January 23, 2023 | In the News


Law school faculty share expertise, insight at U.S. law schools meeting

Seattle University School of Law faculty scholars and administrators provided valuable leadership and academic insight at the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) annual meeting in San Diego, California, last week.

January 10, 2023


A dynamic new dean: Anthony E. Varona

With abundant enthusiasm and a bold strategic vision, Anthony E. Varona looks to take Seattle U Law to new heights of achievement. (From fall 2022 Lawyer magazine)

October 11, 2022


Seattle U Law partners with O.P. Jindal Global University in India

On September 22, 2022, Dean Anthony Varona, Seattle University School of Law, and Vice-Chancellor Prof. C. Raj Kumar, O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), signed two key agreements creating new opportunities for law students in India and the United States to pursue a global education.

September 22, 2022


Workshop promotes diverse leaders in legal education

The workshop assembles law school deans and executive university leaders from across the country to serve as presenters and panelists, providing a venue for them to share advice, wisdom, and mentorship with the attendees. Workshop attendees are primarily current law faculty members and assistant or associate deans who aspire to apply for deanship positions in the future.

September 16, 2022


Railway strike averted after tentative agreement reached

KOMO News

Professor Elizabeth Ford says she sees a pent-up demand for more voice in the workplace.

September 15, 2022 | In the News


Seattle Pacific University trustees sued by students and faculty

KUOW

Professor Elizabeth Ford says this is an unusual case because it's a school.

September 13, 2022 | In the News


Brooke Coleman named Fredric C. Tausend professor

This professorship is named for Dean Tausend, who led the law school from 1980 to 1986 and is widely credited with strengthening the school’s commitment to social justice, academic excellence, and access to legal education, as well as diversity in education and the profession.

September 7, 2022


The invisible side of abuse: Inside the mind of a manipulator

Q13 FOX

Emotional abuse has always been part of domestic violence, Prof. Deirdre Bowen says. But now it has a name - coercive control - and victims have legal protection.

September 6, 2022 | In the News


Seattle Children's nurses would get $10 per hour raise

KING 5

Professor Elizabeth Ford says the negotiations included measures that could become trends in the future.

August 30, 2022 | In the News


Starbucks says labor board helping pro-union workers in Seattle

The Seattle Times

Professor Elizabeth Ford explains the role of the National Labor Relations Board in union votes.

August 16, 2022 | In the News


Bar Studies and ATJI receive grant to study bar exam interventions

Isabel Freitas Peres, director of Bar Studies, and Lily Su, associate director of the Access to Justice Institute, were awarded an 18-month grant to study the effectiveness of bar exam interventions as part of the Professionals in Legal Education Developing Greater Equity (PLEDGE) Fellowship.

July 20, 2022


Acclaimed legal scholars and professors return to Seattle U Law

Acclaimed law professors Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic will return to Seattle University School of Law’s faculty as distinguished professors this year. As leading authors and theorists on race and social change in the United States, they have published numerous books and articles over their distinguished careers that have explored groundbreaking legal frameworks, including critical race theory.

June 21, 2022


Singing scholar: David Skover retires from teaching, legal scholarship

'My experience as a teacher of bright, dedicated, and hard-working students is quintessential to my role as a professor. It has been a pleasure and privilege to work with so many young men and women who graduated from this institution and became distinguished leaders in their respective fields,' Skover said.

May 18, 2022


Lisa Brodoff’s righteous legacy of mentorship and advocacy

Lisa Brodoff considers herself lucky. That's because for the past 25 years, she's held her dream job as a professor and director of Seattle University School of Law's nationally ranked Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic. Alongside her academic career, Brodoff has been a fierce advocate for laws and policies to protect the state's most vulnerable populations.

April 21, 2022


Highly accomplished new faculty join Seattle U Law

The law school welcomes an accomplished cohort of new tenure-track faculty members, each of whom brings a wealth of teaching, practical, and scholarly expertise.

April 12, 2022 | Announcements


Signing (off) on the dotted line

Professor Sidney DeLong retires after 37 years of teaching.

April 10, 2022 | Announcements


Law students help Ukrainian refugees start asylum applications

Seattle University School of Law has partnered with Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest to provide legal assistance to more than 30 Ukrainian refugees fleeing their war-torn home country. Thirteen student volunteers, overseen by professors and licensed attorneys, will help the refugees complete the initial paperwork required to seek asylum in the United States.

March 29, 2022 | Announcements


A tale of forks and torts: Janet Ainsworth reflects on her career

As Ainsworth prepares to retire after 34 years of teaching, first at University of Puget Sound School of Law and then at Seattle University School of Law when the law school moved north, she reflected on the forks in the road that led her to what she calls “the best job in the world.”

March 29, 2022 | Announcements


A student’s favorite tax master

Diane Lourdes Dick receives Oltman award for excellence in teaching.

February 24, 2022 | Announcements


Seattle University selects new dean to lead law school

Former Miami Law dean Anthony E. Varona brings strong legal background, leadership experience to position

February 17, 2022 | Announcements


Dean Annette Clark receives Passing the Torch Award

Washington Women Lawyers (WWL) selected Dean Annette Clark '89 as the 2021 recipient of the Justice Mary Fairhurst Passing the Torch Award, which recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond in mentoring women lawyers and making a difference in the legal community.

October 8, 2021


President Peñalver welcomes law students to Seattle University

In his first address to students since becoming Seattle University’s leader in July, President Eduardo Peñalver welcomed the School of Law’s incoming students with an inspiring reminder about the role lawyers play in society.

August 19, 2021


Seattle U Law dean announces departure

Annette Clark ’89 will leave her position next June after almost a decade at the helm

August 16, 2021 | Announcements


Halliburton granted emeritus status

Christian Halliburton joined the faculty in 2002 and served as the faculty director of the law school's Alaska Program from 2015 to 2020.

July 1, 2021


Bannai, now retiring, combined teaching skills with zealous advocacy

As a professor of lawyering skills and director of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality, Lorraine Bannai spent 25 of her 41 teaching years at Seattle University School of Law. As a lawyer, she helped reopen the case of Fred Korematsu and often speaks on the atrocity of Japanese American incarceration during World War II.

June 14, 2021


Lawmakers Look to Spruce Up Gig Work Rather Than Replace It

Bloomberg

Professor Charlotte Garden says the compromise measure in Connecticut has serious shortcomings.

March 18, 2021 | In the News


New attorneys join Incubator Program

Seattle U Law's innovative Incubator Program, which supports alumni as they build solo or small law practices, entered its eighth year with a new group of entrepreneurial attorneys.

March 18, 2021


Seattle U Law welcomes two new professors

Seattle University School of Law is pleased to announce the addition of two Ivy League law professors to its faculty.

January 29, 2021


Seattle U Law welcomes Nikkita Oliver

Racial justice will be a prominent theme of the course, since prison incarceration disproportionately affects Black, brown, and indigenous communities, as well as queer and trans communities of color. Oliver said the 30-person class will encourage students to engage in deep political and social analysis of the law and its impact on communities.

January 11, 2021


New course explores what's next for restorative justice

Seattle University School of Law has added a new one-week course during the winter intersession that will help students imagine a restorative, rather than punitive, justice system.

December 3, 2020


Human Rights Clinic petitions U.N. for COVID-19 protections

Arguing that detained immigrants are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle University School of Law students recently succeeded in petitioning the United Nations for better health protections for detainees.

April 9, 2020


Seattle U Law faculty quickly pivot to online teaching

In early March, as the spread of the coronavirus was beginning to accelerate, Seattle University made a difficult yet necessary decision: to protect the health and safety of students, classes would no longer meet in person, and all instruction would take place exclusively online. Practically overnight, the Seattle U Law faculty found themselves having to adapt their courses to the virtual world.

April 3, 2020