Johnny Buckles’ most recent article, When Charitable Gifts Soar Above Twin Towers: A Federal Income Tax Solution to the Problem of Publicly Solicited Surplus Donations Raised for a Designated Charitable Purpose, was published in 71 Fordham Law Review 1827 (2003).

Leslie Griffin spoke at the West University Rotary Club on Thursday, May 8, about “The Whistleblowers.” She also presented a paper on the “Declaration on Religious Freedom” on June 9 at Washington (D.C.) Theological Union and she will give the Annual Professionalism Lecture at the North Carolina Bar Association in Asheville, North Carolina on June 21.

Lonny Hoffman accepted an offer of publication from the University of Pennsylvania Law Review for his article, At the Crossroads of Substance and Procedure: Building the Case Against Vicarious Jurisdiction. Professor Hoffman also assisted respondent’s counsel, on a pro bono basis, in drafting its brief in Breuer v. Jim’s Concrete. The case, which concerned a question of statutory removal, was argued before the US Supreme Court in April 2003. The Court subsequently ruled 9-0 in favor of Repondent, upholding the right of removal. Professor Hoffman also represented a contested divorce and custody petitioner in a Houston Volunteer Lawyer’s Program (HVLP) case.

Craig Joyce hosted the 2003 IPIL/Houston Santa Fe Conference in Santa Fe, NM. The proceedings, featuring an essay by Judge Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, will be published in a forthcoming issue of Houston Law Review.

Joan Krause spoke on June 6 on “Government Regulation of Health Care” as part of a plenary session at the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics Health Law Teachers Conference in Wilmington, Delaware. Professor Krause also was elected to the Houston Bar Association’s Health Law Council filling the position formerly held by Professor Mary Anne Bobinski.

Bryan A. Liang published an article, Layman and Physician Perceptions of the Malpractice System: Implications for Patient Safety at 57(1) Social Science & Medicine 147 (2003). He was also invited to speak at the Iowa Society of Hearing Association Annual Meeting on issues associated with ethics and professional screenings, the American College of Surgeons Annual Conference on legal issues and creation of a patient safety culture as well as being asked to serve on a plenary panel session on issues facing providers in patient safety, and the Missouri Academy of Audiology on HIPAA issues in audiologist-physician collaborations. All of these meetings will occur in Fall 2003. Professor Liang was asked to comment upon pharmaceutical pricing litigation in Allergan and Syntex, Inc. v. Novex and Apotex Inc., U.S. Federal District Court, Northern District of California, San Francisco, CA.  Professor Liang, after a public hearing of the Big Horn County (Wyoming) Board of County Commissioners, was appointed to the Big Horn County Airport Board. The Big Horn County Airport Board is responsible for overseeing all airport activities including supervision of two airports and its facilities and interfacing with state and federal agencies in managing a $6 million budget.

Ellen Marrus’ article, Best Interests Equals Zealous Advocacy: A Not So Radical View of Holistic Representation for Children Accused of Crime, was published at 62 Md. L. Rev. 288 (2003) and another article, Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Wonderland of “Kiddie Court”—Why the Queen of Hearts Trumps Strickland is forthcoming in the Criminal Law Bulletin.  Additionally, the Southwest Juvenile Defender Center will be presenting the second annual Juvenile Defender Conference on June 18-June 20 at the Law Center, where Professor Marrus and Frank Birchak will be presenters. The Center has received a $16,000 contract to cover the majority of the costs of the conference. The SWJDC has also received new grants from the National Juvenile Defender Center/American Bar Association and the Appleseed Foundation to improve the representation offered to juveniles.

Ray Nimmer’s newest book and second to be published this year, The Law of Electronic Commercial Transactions, was published by AS Pratt. Additionally, his article on Secured Financing of Intellectual Property was chosen as one of the best articles on intellectual property law of the last year and will be reprinted in the Intellectual Property Law Review. Separately, Professor Nimmer was chosen as the first featured person in PLI’s new series on leading names and ideas in law (actually, the true title is more embarrassing and will not be repeated here at Professor Nimmer’s request). During the summer, Professor Nimmer will be teaching a graduate course at the University of Sydney in Australia.

Tom Oldham was invited to be a distinguished visitor at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia during the week of May 25-30. He also spoke at the Australian Institute of Family Studies in Melbourne on June 5.

Nancy Rapoport taught at the ABA New Deans’ Conference (a/k/a Velvet Boot Camp) in Jackson Hole, WY held May 30-June 1. The following weekend she attended the Vinson & Elkins’s Women’s Initiative Advisory Board Meeting.

Richard Saver presented “Gainsharing and Health Care Quality Improvement” at the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics’ 27th Annual Health Law Teachers Conference on June 6 in Wilmington, Delaware.

Joseph Vail will assist in the making of a training video on immigration court proceedings through the ABA in Philadelphia on June 30 and July 1. He has also given a presentation on the “ Violence Against Women Act” (VAWA) to pro bono attorneys and community members on June 7 at Catholic Charities in Houston.