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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Center for Consumer Law and Education at the West Virginia University College of Law presents its third Consumer Law Summit on March 26 beginning at noon.

The summit explores the latest developments in consumer law in West Virginia and surrounding states. Due to the pandemic, it is being held online.

Co-hosted by West Virginia Continuing Legal Education, the Consumer Law Summit is open to lawyers and law students. Cost for attendance is $10 for students and $75 for attorneys seeking CLE credit. Registration is required with WVCLE at https://wvcle.org/product/consumer-law/.

A cornerstone of the summit is the state and federal Regulator Panel.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Attorney Andrea Johnson has been named the inaugural fellow of the Fitzsimmons Center for Litigation and Advocacy at the West Virginia University College of Law.  

Johnson will help to develop and implement the Center’s initiatives, which include offering specialized courses and training for students and creating a concentration in litigation and advocacy. She will collaborate with Jessica Haught, director of the Fitzsimmons Center, teaching professor and interim associate dean of administration. 

“We are so excited to have Andrea on board as the inaugural fellow for the Fitzsimmons Center for Litigation and Advocacy,” Haught said. “Her exceptional advocacy skills and 10 years of litigation experience will assist the Center as we develop opportunities for our students to advance their litigation and advocacy training as they prepare for practice.” 

Johnson earned her J.D. from WVU Law in 2010 and she clerked for Judge Victoria Roberts in the U.S. District Court in Detroit after graduation. She has practiced civil rights and employment law at global and regional law firms in Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She most recently worked as an attorney in the Pittsburgh office of Ogletree Deakins.  

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In the final round of WVU Law’s Lugar Cup trial competition last month, 3L Austin Tomlinson found himself in a tricky situation: he was without a teammate.

To win the prized trophy, Tomlinson would have to argue alone against classmates Jenni Kenel and Tori Rinaldi before federal judges John Preston Bailey and Thomas S. Kleeh.

Tomlinson competed alone against the team of two — and he won the 45-year old in-house competition.

This year, 11 teams competed virtually for the Lugar Cup. The case involved a murder and whether it should be classified as first-degree or voluntary manslaughter committed in the “heat of passion.” Tomlinson argued successfully for the lesser charge.

UPDATE 3/12/21: Congratulations to the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law (Natalie Beal and Stephanie Hanawalt, coached by Nate Mitchell) for winning the 11th annual National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition. The runner-up was St. John’s University School of Law (Molly Sheehan and Stephanie Lamerce, coached by Ashley Williams and Danielle Ullo). This was the first all-woman final in the competition's history.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Law students from across the country are participating virtually in the 11th annual National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition, hosted March 10-13 by the West Virginia University College of Law

A record 36 teams from 26 law schools are arguing in this year’s competition, which is organized by the  Center for Energy and Sustainable Development at WVU Law.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The annual auction at the West Virginia University College of Law that supports students who work in the public interest is online this year due to the pandemic.

The Public Interest Advocates Spring Auction begins on March 15 at 9 a.m. and ends on March 19 at 5 p.m. Proceeds help pay for students who work for low-income and at-risk clients at legal agencies in West Virginia.

To participate in the auction, bidders must register at 32auctions.com/piaauction2021.

Last year’s PIA auction helped fund 28 law students working at organizations such as Legal Aid of West Virginia, ChildLaw Services, Senior Legal Aid and Mountain State Justice.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As Artificial Intelligence becomes more commonplace in society, it is having an impact on the law.

On February 25 and 26, the West Virginia Law Review will explore topics at the intersection of AI and the law with a range of experts in a virtual symposium hosted by the West Virginia University College of Law.

Artificial Intelligence and the Law starts at 10 a.m. on February 25 and 9:30 a.m. on February 26. Panelists and speakers will explore AI in legal ethics, intellectual property, access to justice, consumer protection, technology and social media.

Admission is free for the public and $125 for attorneys seeking continuing legal education credit. All symposium attendees must register at West Virginia Continuing Legal Education.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A $9,000 gift from the West Virginia Bar Foundation is benefiting the Black Law Students Association and the Meredith Career Services Center at the West Virginia University College of Law.

The Bar Foundation recently raised the funds at its annual Lunch and Laughs with Legal Legends. The virtual event honored Edwin (J.D. ’54) and Ellie Flowers (’54). 

Ed is a former WVU vice president, federal bankruptcy judge and justice on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Ellie is a former journalist and higher education administrator who led the career services office at WVU Law for 20 years.

The Flowers selected the gift recipients, who will share the funds equally.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Amy Cyphert, a lecturer at the West Virginia University College of Law, has won a national award for a legal article on machine-learning algorithms and online surveillance.

Cyphert received the Privacy Papers for Policymakers Award from the Future of Privacy Forum for “Tinker-ing with Machine Learning: The Legality and Consequences of Online Surveillance of Students,” which was published in the Nevada Law Journal in 2020.

In her article, Cyphert discusses what First and Fourth Amendment legal challenges to third-party surveillance might look like, as well as the likelihood of success of those arguments.

The Privacy Papers for Policymakers Award recognizes research relevant to Congress, federal agencies and data protection authorities around the world. Recommended to policymakers as the “must-read” privacy scholarship of the year, winning papers highlight work that analyzes current and emerging privacy issues and proposes solutions that could lead to real-world policy solutions.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Every spring semester, a group of WVU Law students face each other in the George C. Baker Cup Moot Court Competition. Their goal: reach the final round argued before the Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and hoist the Baker Cup trophy in victory.

Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Blake Humphrey and Makeia Jonese from competing in the Baker Cup final round. On their way to the final, however, Humphrey won Best Brief and Jonese earned Best Oralist honors. 

And while they were to be rivals in the Baker Cup final, Humphrey and Jonese were also teammates on WVU Law's 2020 National Moot Court Team, which advanced to the regional competition final rounds.  

These were extraordinary circumstance in the history of the Baker Cup, which dates to 1968. Because of their performance as teammates on the national team and their individual success in reaching the final round, Humphrey and Jonese are being recognized as Baker Cup “co-champions” for 2020. They will split the winnings and their names will be engraved on the trophy.  

MORGTANTOWN, W.Va.— West Virginia University alumnus George R. Farmer Jr. was a successful attorney who devoted his career to carrying on the giving tradition of one of West Virginia’s most celebrated benefactors. In doing so, he helped transform his alma mater and the Morgantown community through impactful philanthropic giving that will be remembered long beyond his passing Monday, at the age of 92.

Farmer was a longtime attorney, advisor and friend of Hazel Ruby McQuain, who donated millions of dollars to WVU and other charitable causes in the greater Morgantown area during her lifetime. Following her death in 2002, he continued to build upon her legacy as chairman of the board for the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust and J.W. Ruby Foundation. Largely via the Trust, Farmer provided many generous gifts to support education, healthcare, athletics and more at WVU.

A native of Morgantown, Farmer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from WVU’s  Eberly College of Arts and Sciences in 1953 and his J.D. from the  College of Law in 1956. He practiced law with the Morgantown firms Farmer & Farmer – founded by his late father – and Jackson Kelly, specializing in litigation, banking, business and corporate law, real estate and estate planning.

“George Farmer has been a dear friend of mine for more than 40 years,” WVU  President E. Gordon Gee said. “I met him when I was the dean of the College of Law, and we became fast friends. He was always a strong advocate of the University, as well as the College of Law, and I respected and admired him immensely. He and his beloved family have continued to support the University with both time and treasure. His vision for our University and the State of West Virginia was always forward thinking and his love for both ran deep. He had a great wisdom about him, and I will deeply miss my friend.”