Alum to Head Legal Aid Society of D.C.

Jonathan Smith, '84, is slated to become the next Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, a non-profit legal services organization that provides free legal representation to indigent individuals in family (custody, child support, domestic violence, adoption), landlord and tenant, public benefits (TANF, Medicaid, food stamps) and disability (SSI and SSDI) cases. The Legal Aid Society has a professional staff of 15, including eight attorneys, plus three Fellows, two volunteer attorneys, three loan associates and several interns.

Alum Brings Viatical Issue to the House; Speaks Out for Small Movie Houses

Stephen B. Mercer, '94, an adjunct professor at UDC-DCSL, testified on February 26, 2002 before the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Financial Services, at the invitation of its Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Professor Mercer's testimony addressed the need for federal regulation of viatical settlements - transactions in which persons with shortened life expectancies sell their life insurance policies to investors, typically through brokerage companies.

Professor Mercer, who is the co-author of the viatical settlements chapter of the AIDS Advocacy Manual published by the Whitman-Walker Clinic, Legal Services Clinic and the D.C. Bar Association, contended before the subcommittee that legislative action is necessary to overrule judicial decisions holding that viatical settlement transactions are not within the protective coverage of federal securities laws. Professor Mercer's views on viatical settlements were later reported in a business section column of The Washington Post, on March 10, 2002.

Professor Mercer was also prominently mentioned in an article that appeared in the January 21, 2002, edition of U.S. News & World Report. The article focused on the financial problems, often severe, faced by independently owned single-screen movie theatres as the result of the industry practice know as "clearing," which is employed by large megaplex" theater chains to prevent distributors from booking lucrative first-run films in locally owned theatres. When a theatre chain "clears" a nearby independent, the chain refuses to show a movie unless its own area screens receive exclusive access to the film. The article noted that Professor Mercer has represented local Maryland movie houses in lawsuits challenging the legality of "clearances," and quoted his opinion about the destructive and anticompetitive effects of the practice.

Don Ervin Becomes DC Hearing Examiner!

Congratulations to Don Ervin, '01, who was recently hired as a Hearing Examiner for the DC Bureau of Traffic Adjudication.

MADD About Stacy

Stacy Kurnot, '98, was recently appointed Executive Director of the Maryland Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. After volunteering for the organization, she was encouraged to apply, in large part, she maintains, because staff and Board members assumed that if she could handle law school, she could handle the Executive Director position! Stacy maintains that her UDC-DCSL J.D. made all the difference and provided excellent preparation for her legislatively-oriented job. She says she loves her work - and the feeling's mutual. Stacy also reports that she has recommended a fellow UDC-DCSL alum for the DC Director job - and that an announcement may be imminent. Keep your fingers crossed!

Letter from Dan Demora, '99

Ms. Canty:

Great to hear from you! Busy isn't the word, after leaving my government position and opening my own office in April of 2000 I have handled over 375 clients and probably half again as many matters (some clients get in trouble more than once:) Honestly, I never dreamed I would be this busy so soon, but I am not complaining.

I also took some time out as soon as I passed the bar to open my practice and to finish an LL.M. in Trial Advocacy at Temple in Philly. This also boosted my practice. When I applied to Temple, the director of the Trial Advocacy program was pleased to admit UDC-DCSL grads. He said he knows of the school and flat out stated that we work extremely hard!!!

As for the Bar Exam.....pass this along to our current 3L's......UDC-DCSL gives you everything you need to make it. You just have to be very focused, determined, and committed to passing. Hey look, I don't build rockets, and if I could get through the very first time so can they. I had nothing more going for me than they do. Being a small school that is constantly under the gun (for no legit. reason) isn't easy, but it turns out that UDC-DCSL was the very best school for me...

Now get back to work producing REAL LAWYERS, not those fancy schmancy fakes that come out of those so-called top schools.

Respectfully,

Dan
UDCSL '99

A Letter from Kuwait

Joe,

It's nice to hear from voices back in the states. As I mentioned in that other email, I'm currently deployed to Kuwait. I'm the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) for a coalition joint task force (CJTF). Basically, I'm the legal show in town. I do a little bit of civ-type law for our personnel, but mainly I'm the legal counsel to our commanding general for disciplinary issues and every aspect of operation law, ie, rules of engagement, UN Charter articles and resolutions, etc. It's a cool assignment and I'm lucky to have it. Meanwhile, I'm out here until 2003 or so.

Anyway, I would have liked to have joined the law review alums. Please give my regards and I hope you all have a great night. I'll try and do the DCSL name proud out here.

Semper Fidelis,

David Ashe
Captain, U.S. Marine Corps
DCSL 1997