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Greetings,
It's a Grand week at Arizona Law.
In this issue we spotlight
Richard D. Grand ('58) and
Marcia Grand and their commitment to the College of Law.
On February 20, we gathered at the newly named Grand Staircase -- a central feature of our law library -- to celebrate a new gift by Marcia that permanently endows the Richard Grand Damages Argument Competition and the Richard Grand Legal Writing Competition.
Learn more about the Grands as well as the results of the most recent Grand Legal Writing Competition, also announced this week.
We will cap off our week this Friday evening at the Annual LCA Awards Ceremony, honoring Justice
Scott Bales,
William Ridenour ('70),
James S. Burling ('83), and
James H. Lundy
('74).
There is still time to register. Join us!
Until the footnotes,
Marc
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Marcia Grand (left) and her daughter, Cindy Grand, cut the ribbon to formally dedicate Richard Grand Staircase in the University of Arizona Law library. Photo by Kristin Gray
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Arizona Law Receives Gift to Support Legal Skills Competitions
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law students are getting a major boost toward participation in legal skills competitions, thanks to a gift from UA alumna
Marcia Grand
.
Grand's late husband,
Richard Grand, was a 1958 graduate of the college and a famously successful plaintiffs' attorney who won more than 100 judgments of $1 million or more throughout his career.
The gift permanently endows the Richard Grand Damages Argument Competition (started at Arizona Law in 1995) and the Richard Grand Legal Writing Competition (started at Arizona Law in 2000), both of which award monetary prizes to finalists and are judged by distinguished panels of lawyers and judges.
In honor of the gift and the Grands' long history of support, the college's staircase connecting the first and second floors of the library has been named the Richard Grand Staircase. A display case celebrating Grand's career now resides on the library's lower level.
The college celebrated the gift with a ceremony Feb. 20. Guests included the Grand family, UA President
Robert Robbins, UA Foundation President
John-Paul Roczniak, many of Richard Grand's friends and colleagues, and members of the Arizona Law community.
Two-time Grand Legal Writing Competition winner
Kate Hollist ('16) says the competition allowed her to bring to life the skills she learned in the classroom.
"While my classes helped me learn the mechanics and nuances of legal writing, the Richard Grand Competition taught me to use those skills to tell my readers a story," says Hollist, now an associate at Gallagher & Kennedy in Phoenix. "That is why one of my favorite parts of the competition was hearing selections from other students' entries -- every voice was unique!"
And, "Now that I'm a practicing attorney, so much of what I do involves telling my client's story. The competition helped me discover how to do that while employing the legal writing skills that are essential to day-to-day practice."
Legal skills competitions like those endowed by the Grand gift are a crucial component of Arizona Law's offerings in practical training, for which the college is
ranked fourth in the nation.
"For decades, Marcia and Richard Grand's generosity has allowed Arizona Law students to hone their writing and oral argument skills -- areas in which Richard was exceedingly talented,"
says Dean Marc Miller. "We're thrilled that for generations to come, our students will know who Richard Grand was and continue to have this important outlet that helps them become practice-ready."
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Marcia Grand and family friend Richard Imwalle, former president
of the UA foundation,
unveil a bust of Richard Grand.
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"The $7 Million Man"
Born in Poland in 1930, Richard Grand and his family fled the Nazi regime in 1939, and he arrived in the United States not knowing a word of English. He would later become a gifted voice in the courtroom who could sway juries to deliver multi-million-dollar settlements in wrongful death and personal injury cases.
In 1972, he won a case that resulted in a $3.5 million award, at that time the largest settlement ever in the U.S. for a single injury. That same year he founded the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only organization reserved for plaintiffs' attorneys who earned at least one million-dollar verdict and who had completed at least 50 personal injury cases.
A 1980 National Law Journal article dubbed Grand "the $7 million man" after he won three settlements in one week for a total of more than $7 million.
He was known for his boldness and deep commitment to the law and was a generous supporter of higher education. In 2002, the University of Arizona Alumni Association presented him with the University of Arizona's Professional Achievement Award. In 2001, Richard and Marcia Grand shared the College of Law's Alumnus of the Year Award. Richard Grand passed away in 2013.
Marcia Grand studied business and public administration at the UA. She and Richard married in 1952. A strong proponent of the arts, Marcia is an avid art collector, and in 2000, a sculpture competition was established in her name at the College of Fine Arts. She has served as chair of the Board of Fellows for the UA Center for Creative Photography, was on the University Public Art Advisory Committee, and was on the UA Foundation Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1987.
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2018 Grand Legal Writing Competition Results
Professor
Susan Salmon
, Director of Legal Writing, and Professor
Tessa Dysart
, Assistant Director of Legal Writing, announced the top finishers in the 17th Annual Richard Grand Legal Writing Competition at an awards ceremony at the college on February 20.
Congratulations go to:
Mika Galilee-Belfer (1L) -- First Place
Karen Donderwicz (1L) -- Second Place
Laura Stump-Kennedy (1L) -- Third Place
Rosa Meguerian-Faria (SJD) -- Honorable Mention
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From l-r: Rosa Meguerian-Faria, Laura Stump-Kennedy,
Mika Galilee-Belfer, and Karen Donderwicz
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The finalists were selected from 40 entries, and the order of awards was determined from our judging panel. This year's distinguished outside judges were:
The Hon.
John R. Lopez, IV, Justice, Arizona Supreme Court
The Hon.
Rebecca White Berch, Retired Justice, Arizona Supreme Court
The Hon.
Jennifer M. Perkins, Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals, Div. 1
The Hon.
John C. Gemmill ('76), Retired Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals, Div. 1
Timothy Eigo, Editor, Arizona Attorney magazine
Professors Salmon and Dysart expressed their gratitude to Marcia Grand for continuing to inspire and fund the Richard Grand Legal Writing Competition in honor of her late husband Richard Grand.
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Alumni Invited to Register for Depositions Mini Course
 Our high-quality skills training is not limited to current students.
On March 16-18 and April 13-15, 2018, alumni and other practitioners have the chance to hone their skills in an interactive weekend course called, "Taking and Defending Depositions." The course is led by Professor
Barbara Bergman
.
Whether you are new to depositions or want to refresh your skills, this two-weekend "learn-by-doing" course will give you the tools you need to succeed. In it, you will learn how to:
Effectively prepare your witnesses
Defend the deposition
Deal with obstreperous counsel
Get the answers within time constraints
Optimize information from expert witnesses
Test theories
Close off avenues of escape
The class is limited to ten practicing attorneys and 22 law students, and may be eligible for CLE credit. The cost for the class is $1,095, and you will find the
syllabus here (PDF).
If you have questions or would like more information about this course, email Professor Barbara Bergman or call her at (520) 621-3984.
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Wildcats in Las Vegas
There are several opportunities to meet up with fellow Arizona Law alums and other Wildcat fans during next week's Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas.
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UAAA Wildcats in Las Vegas
Welcome Party
The University of Arizona Alumni Association (UAAA) will be at PBR Rock Bar and Grill again this year to kick off the Pac-12 Tournament. Join Wilbur, cheerleaders, and UA alumni from across the country. No cover and open to everyone. 21 and over after 9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 7,
7:30 p.m.
PBR Rock Bar and Grill
3663 S. Las Vegas Blvd. #730
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UAAA Wildcat Hangout
Thursday, March 8,
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
PBR Rock Bar and Grill, 3663 S. Law Vegas Blvd. #730
No cover and open to everyone!
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Arizona Law Alumni Reception
Join Dean Miller and fellow alumni for drinks and appetizers hosted by
Arizona Law at a happy hour at Tom's Urban. Alumni in attendance will get a "COURT IS IN SESSION" t-shirt. Tom's Urban is located in the New York
New York Hotel right next to the T-Mobile Arena, where the Pac-12 tournament
will take place.
Friday, March 9,
4-6 p.m.
Tom's Urban, New York New York Casino, 3790 S Las Vegas Blvd
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Susan Saladoff to Deliver Peter Chase Neumann Lecture
Attorney and filmmaker of the HBO documentary "Hot Coffee"
Susan Saladoff
will deliver this year's Peter Chase Neumann Lecture on Civil Justice at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. A viewing of the documentary will be held earlier in the day, with lunch provided.
Saladoff outlines the case of the infamous lawsuit brought by a McDonald's customer in detail and uses the legal battle as a springboard into understanding our civil justice system. By following four people whose lives were altered by the larger tort reform campaign, the film challenges the assumptions Americans hold about "jackpot justice."
When:
Thursday, March 15, 2018. Documentary screening and lunch: 12-1:30 p.m. Lecture 5-6 p.m.
Where:
The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, 1201 E. Speedway Blvd., lunch in Room 160, lecture in Room 164 (Ares Auditorium).
Who may attend:
Both events are free and open to the public.
About Susan Saladoff
Susan Saladoff spent 25 years practicing law in the civil justice system, representing injured victims of individual and corporate negligence. She stopped practicing law in 2009 to make the documentary, "Hot Coffee," her first feature-length film, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and had its broadcast premiere on HBO in June 2011.
The Washington Post called the film a "stunning debut" and added that the film "sends audiences out of the theater thinking in a brand new way." The Hollywood Reporter called the film "entertaining, informative," and "vividly illuminating."
About the Peter Chase Neumann Lecture
The Peter Chase Neumann Lecture on Civil Justice is part of Arizona Law's
Civil Justice Initiative, which seeks to elevate the American civil justice system and train the next generation of great trial lawyers.
The lecture series began in 2013, with past speakers including Thomas Girardi, Patrick J. McGroder, Richard Fried, and Randi McGinn. University of Arizona Law alumnus Peter Chase Neumann ('64) endowed the lecture in 2016.
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UA News
, Professor Jane Bambauer's lecture re-cap from the College of Science Lecture Series Humans, Data and Machines
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AZ Big Media,
Professor Barbara Atwood and the Child and Family Law Clinic filed amicus briefs in support of Suzan's rights as a legal parent.
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We wish all of our bar-takers well this week in Phoenix. Remember that many thousands of accomplished Arizona Law alumni have sat where you are today. We believe in you.
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