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CLE: Perspectives on Mentoring and Supervising the Next Generation of Lawyers (while they are still law students)

Hosted by University of North Dakota School of Law Advance Externship Students

Friday, April 13th, 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.
UND Law School, Teaching Courtroom

The CLE is free to attend. Registration is encouraged but not required. Click on the "register here" button below to sign-up to attend. You can also attend online via Zoom. Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/230386312 (Note: Zoom requires device to have camera, microphone and speakers.)

4.5 hours of ND CLE approved /NDCJE preliminarily approved and MN CLE pending

REGISTER HERE


Scheduled Speakers

12:30 – 12:55 p.m. Brad Myers, Associate Dean
Welcome and brief overview of the curricular mission established by the faculty
PowerPoint presentation

1:00 – 1:20 p.m. Trish Hodny, Externship Program Director
Introduction to UND’s Externship Program at UND (Statistics, Participants, and ABA/UND Guidelines/Requirement) externship handbook
Fall 2016-17 placement, Hours in placement, students by year, total students and credit, change in total credits

1:25 – 1:55 p.m. Michael McGinniss, Associate Professor
Professional Identity Formation Throughout the Three Years - discussing how the externship program fits into the progressively-structured curriculum from 1L (Professional Foundations) through the 2L/3L years (Professional Responsibility and the externship programs). Discussion on the critically important role that externship supervisors play in forming law students in their professional development and impact their futures as lawyers.
PowerPoint presentation

2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Donna Smith, Attorney
Title IV and Understanding Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Powerpoint presentation

2:35 – 3:05 p.m. Brad Parrish, Assistant Dean
How the Field Placement Experience Can Directly Improve Student Success on the Multi-state Performance Test.

3:10 – 3:40 p.m. Monty Mertz, Attorney
The role of effective feedback in the student learning process, and how I prepared a second year law student to argue in front of the ND Supreme Court.
Presentation handout

3:45 – 4:25 p.m. Site Supervisor Panel
Insights and tips for managing your everyday practice and successfully supervise and mentor student externs or interns (Sam Gereszek, Jessica Ahrendt, Tara Vavrosky Iversen and Tamara Yon, Moderated by Monty Mertz)

4:30 – 4:55 p.m. Sam Gereszek, Attorney
The benefit of an externship in the path from law student to attorney to externship site supervisor – a personal perspective.

5:00 – 5:30 p.m. Externship III Student Panel
What the experiential learning meant for me, and suggestions for supervising attorneys from the law student view.

Speaker Information:

***IMAGE REMOVED***Bradley Myers, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs & Research; Randy H. Lee Professor of Law
Professor Myers received both a B.S. and a M.S. from the University of California, Los Angeles, a J.D. from the University of Oregon and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University. While in law school Professor Myers served on the editorial staff of the Oregon law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After law school Professor Myers practiced for three years with Hale Lane Peek Dennison and Howard in Reno, Nevada and for three years with Weiss, Jensen, Ellis and Howard in Portland, Oregon. His practice focused primarily in business and estate planning with a special focus on the issues surrounding the development of low-income housing. Professor Myers is admitted to the State Bar of North Dakota, the State Bar of Nevada and the State Bar of California and is an inactive member of the Oregon State Bar. Professor Myers serves as one of North Dakota’s commissioners to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform States Laws and is also an Academic Fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel. Professor Myers joined the faculty in 2001, became Associate Dean in 2012, and teaches Trusts & Estates, Income Taxation, Business Planning, and Estate Planning.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Bradley W. Parrish, Assistant Dean for Student Life
Originally from Stanwood, Washington, Mr. Parrish graduated from Washington State University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice/Sociology and from Oklahoma State University in 1997 with a Master of Science in Counseling and Student Personnel. Mr. Parrish earned his Juris Doctor, with distinction, from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2005. He was named to the Order of the Coif and the Order of the Barristers. Additionally, Mr. Parrish served as a member of the University of North Dakota School of Law Moot Court Board. Mr. Parrish is a member of North Dakota Association for Justice, the Randy H. Lee American Inn of Court, North Dakota State Bar Association and the Greater Grand Forks County Bar Association.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Sam Gereszek, Attorney at Law at Hammarback & Scheving, P.L.C.
Sam is an associate at Hammarback & Scheving, P.L.C. Sam graduated with distinction from the University Of North Dakota School of Law. He was also a member of the Order of the Barristers, Moot Court Board, and participated in many organizations within the law school including President of the Criminal Law Association and Student Trial Lawyers Association. Upon graduating from law school, Sam re-entered the military via a full-time position with the North Dakota Army National Guard recruiting and training future military officers through the Reserve Officer Training Course on the University of North Dakota Campus. After serving a three year contracted tour, Sam decided to forego the military way of life and pursue his passion, the law. Sam is a member of the State Bar Association of North Dakota, a member of the Randy H. Lee Inns of Court, and the Greater Grand Forks County Bar Association. Sam's primary field of practice is criminal defense and appellate work.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Michael S. McGinniss, Associate Professor of Law
Michael S. McGinniss is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of North Dakota School of Law, where he joined the faculty in 2010 and teaches courses on Professional Responsibility, Evidence, Conflict of Laws, and Advanced Legal Ethics. He also served for three years as a founding co-coordinator for the UND School of Law’s team-taught first-year course, Professional Foundations. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English (summa cum laude and first in his class) at Washington College. He received his legal education at the College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law, where he graduated third in his class and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. Upon graduation from law school, he served as the law clerk for Honorable Randy J. Holland of the Supreme Court of Delaware. He then was associated for four years with the Delaware law firm Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP, where his practice focused on intellectual property litigation in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. At the UND School of Law, Professor McGinniss has been honored annually with the J. Philip Johnson Faculty Fellow Award, given to promote professional responsibility, leadership and ethics, both in the legal profession and in the community. In 2012, Chief Justice VandeWalle of the North Dakota Supreme Court appointed him to serve a three-year term as a member of the Joint Committee on Attorney Standards, and in 2015 re-appointed him to serve a second three-year term. He currently serves as the President of the Randy H. Lee American Inn of Court, and is a member of the Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies, including its Professional Responsibility, Religious Liberties, and Free Speech and Election Law practice groups. He recently authored and published A Tribute to Justice Antonin Scalia, 92 N.D. L. Rev. 1 (2016), based on his remarks originally presented at the School of Law in April 2016. Additional bio information for Professor McGinniss[BROKEN LINK].

***IMAGE REMOVED***Monty Grant Mertz, Attorney at Law at Fargo Public Defender’s Office
Monty was born in Bismarck, graduated from high school in Park River, ND, and attended UND. He graduated with a B.S. in Social Work, and was commissioned as an Army Officer. Monty attended UND law on a delay from active duty. In law school, Monty worked for Central Legal Research and was the Case Comment Editor on the Law Review Board of Editors. Monty entered the Army JAGC after graduation in 1981. After school in Virginia, he was stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. While at Ft. Hood, Monty was a Trial Counsel (prosecutor), Chief of the Legal Assistance Office, and Senior Defense Counsel. Monty left active duty after four years and moved back to North Dakota, settling in Fargo in 1985. He stayed in the Army Reserves, in the Trial Defense Service, until 1999. From 1985 until 2008, Monty was in private practice, concentrating in civil litigation, family law, and criminal law. Monty was also a Contract Public Defender from 1999 until becoming the Supervising Attorney in the Fargo Public Defender Office in November, 2008. Monty is widowed, has two married children and six grandchildren. Monty’s interests include shooting, hunting, camping, hiking, canoeing, and historical re-enacting.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Jessica Johanna Ahrendt, Attorney at Law at the Grand Forks Public Defender’s Office
Jessica Ahrendt is currently an attorney with the Grand Forks Public Defender’s Office. Prior to joining the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in 2012, she worked for a small general practice law firm, was an adjunct professor with the Turtle Mountain Community College, and clerked for Judges with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in Belcourt, ND, Cass County District Court in Fargo, ND, and the Ninth Judicial District in Warren, MN. In law school, Jessica was in the externship program and enjoys continuing to work with the program by supervising the student externs at the public defender’s office.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Patricia Ann Hodny, Interim Director of Externship Program
Trish Hodny currently serves as the Interim Director of Externships and teaches the externship class at the University of North Dakota School of Law. Prior to her recent appointment as Interim Director, Trish served as the Director of Career Development at the UND School of Law since January 2009. She received her law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. She has over twenty years of combined higher education administrator experience. Trish is licensed to practice law by the State Bar of North Dakota and the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and she was certified to practice law in the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa’s Tribal Court. Besides the number of years spent in higher education, Trish’s legal experience includes her previous work as a Special Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant State’s Attorney with the Department of Human Services Child Support Enforcement Unit and Municipal Court Judge for the City of Lakota. Prior to practicing law, Trish served as the Nelson County Veteran Service Officer and as a United States Marine. Trish is active in many legal and veteran organization to include her role as a council member (board of director) for the International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi and member of the North Dakota’s Administrative Committee on Veterans Affairs.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Tara Vavrosky Iversen, Assistant United States Attorney for District of North Dakota at United States Department of Justice
Tara Vavrosky Iversen is an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota. She represents the United States, its agencies, and employees in all areas of civil litigation involving the United States within the District of North Dakota. Tara also serves as the Externship Coordinator and Civil Rights Coordinator for her office. Before joining the United States Attorney’s Office, Tara practised with the law firm of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly in Minneapolis in the Business Litigation and Labor & Employment departments. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School and Concordia College. She is a fifth-generation North Dakotan, born and raised in Grafton.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Donna Smith, Attorney at Law & Director, EEO Affirmative Action, University of North Dakota
Donna Smith is the Director of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action at the University of North Dakota. She also serves as the University’s Title IX Coordinator and ADA/504 Coordinator. In these roles, Donna provides leadership to the University on all equal opportunity and affirmative action compliance matters, and oversees the University’s compliance with civil rights laws including Title IX, Title VII, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Donna is a graduate of the University of North Dakota and the University of North Dakota School of Law. Prior to joining UND as the Director of EEO/AA position at UND in 2014, she was an attorney in private practice in Grand Forks.

***IMAGE REMOVED***Tamara L. Yon, Assistant Chief Judge of Polk County, Ninth Judicial District
Assistant Chief Judge Tamara Yon was appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty on April 7, 2006 then was elected in 2008 and 2014. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College in Moorhead then her J.D. from University of North Dakota Law School. Judge Yon worked in private practice for 12 years at Johannson, Rust, Yon, Stock and Rasmussen as well as being a Chapter 7 Trustee - U.S. Department of Justice from 2003 to 2006 before her appointment. She is a member of American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association, North Dakota State Bar Association, Minnesota Women Lawyers, President- Fourteenth District Bar Association, 2004-2005, and Board of Directors- Northwest Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. Judge Yon is also involved in the community. She is a Volunteer Attorney for Crookston Area Habitat for Humanity, Sunday School Teacher, Piano Accompanist at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Director for Crookston Education Foundation, Treasurer for Friends of the Library, Inc., and Director for Sunrise Center. Judge Yon has been an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota-Crookston since 1999.

[BROKEN LINK]

UND School of Law
215 Centennial Drive, Stop 9003
Grand Forks, N.D. 58202
701.777.2104

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School of Law

215 Centennial Dr Stop 9003
Grand Forks, ND 58202

701.777.2104

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