On Thursday, March 11, 2010, Professor J. Herbie DiFonzo presented a paper, “The Children of Baby M: Can Functional Norms Resolve Surrogacy’s Core Question?” at a panel dealing with the Impact of Assisted Reproduction on Families, at the Sixth Annual Wells Conference on Adoption Law, at Capital University Law School, Columbus, Ohio.

Professor Hillary L. Burgess co-edited and published the AALS Section of Academic Support Newsletter, The Learning Curve, with Professor Corie Rosen (ASU). Professor Burgess was invited to restore the publication after the publication was on hiatus for several years. Initial response to the call for articles was so overwhelming that Professors Burgess and Rosen were able to accept enough articles to create the first two editions. In the Fall edition, Professor Susan H. Joffe contributed a pivotal piece in the article about incorporating Academic Success and Legal Writing principles into doctrinal courses. The Spring edition, which focuses on providing effective feedback to students, will feature an article by Hofstra’s Professor J. Herbie DiFonzo.

Generally, The Learning Curve focuses on providing timely advice about counseling and advising students about legal analysis and the study of law. The publication also focuses on creating and developing successful Academic Success Programs. The edition was published in time for distribution at AALS with an enormous demand for and positive feedback about the newsletter.

Professors J. Herbie DiFonzo and Andrew Schepard were recognized by Lexis/Nexis and their peers for leading the transformation of legal education for the 21st Century.

On Friday, December 4th, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., Professor J. Herbie DiFonzo will be running a panel discussion entitled Family Law Careers for Law Students in connection with the AFCC-NY (Association of Family and Conciliation Courts – NY Chapter) 2009 Annual Conference. The program will take place at the New York City Bar, 42 West 44th Street. Law students may attend the program for free.

We recognize that this panel discussion takes place during final exams, however, we wanted to make you aware of this program and Professor DiFonzo’s involvement in case you are interested in a career in family law and have time to attend this highly informative program.

If you have any questions about the program, you may contact Professor DiFonzo at lawjhd@hofstra.edu.

On Saturday, October 17, 2009, law students and social work students engaged in a cross-disciplinary trial skills program led by faculty from Hofstra Law School and Hunter College School of Social Work, at Hunter’s School of Social Work. Hofstra Law students played the role of attorneys in a child dependency case, and Hunter students acted as expert social worker witnesses, in a full-day trial preparation workshop. The project, part of the Family Law with Skills Course taught by Professors Andrew Schepard and J. Herbie DiFonzo, is designed to teach the skills of case theory development, witness preparation and witness examination that lawyers and social workers must use in real cases. Theo Liebmann, Professor of Clinical Law and Attorney-In-Charge at the Hofstra Child Advocacy Clinic, led the workshop, which he had designed with experts from New York and around the country. Professors Schepard and DiFonzo participated, along with volunteer experts in law and social work.