Alumnus creates fund to sustain KU Law faculty excellence

James Riedy, L'77

Photo courtesy of McDermott Will & Emery law firm

James Riedy practices law in Washington, D.C. But as a Kansas native and 1977 graduate of KU Law, he’s committed to ensuring students from his home state have access to an outstanding legal education and local employment opportunities.

To that end, he created the James A. Riedy Fellowship with a $100,000 pledge to KU Endowment. The teaching fellowship will be awarded to KU Law faculty for three-year terms to cover salary support, travel and other costs.

“It is important that residents of Kansas are confident that they may remain in Kansas and obtain an excellent legal education,” said Riedy, L’77. “Financial support for KU Law faculty enables the school to hire and retain top-notch attorneys to teach, and that is one element of sending confidence to Kansas residents who want to enter the legal profession.”

Of course, top-notch faculty benefit all students. KU Law fills each year’s entering class with a mix of Kansans and nonresidents, and the school’s graduates live and work in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and 24 foreign countries. Riedy’s goal is to ensure that graduates leave Green Hall with a legal education that opens doors in the markets of their choice.

He is a partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Washington, D.C., where he focuses his practice on international tax matters. Prior to entering private practice, Riedy was a lawyer in the Appellate Section of the Tax Division at the Department of Justice in Washington D.C.

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Student Spotlight: Jacob Elberg’s legal experience crosses three state lines

The experience on 3L Jacob Elberg’s resume traverses state lines. So far in his career, Elberg has held legal positions in Kansas, Florida and New Jersey.

Before going to law school, Elberg spent a year as an intern for the Douglas County District Court in Lawrence. This summer, he split his time between Florida and New Jersey.

Elberg’s hometown is Weston, Florida. For the first half of the summer, Elberg was a summer law clerk at Thomas & LoCicero PL in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Thomas & LoCicero PL is a law firm focused on business litigation, media law and intellectual property law.

At Thomas & LoCicero PL, Elberg enjoyed being exposed to situations he has not encountered in law school, such as partner meetings for case strategy, extensive preparation for oral arguments and preparation for depositions or mediation. He said a rewarding aspect of his internship was seeing his work used by the attorneys at the firm to assist them in grasping or briefing high-profile cases.

As a summer law clerk, he researched various legal matters, drafted legal memoranda, attended civil legal proceedings and edited legal briefs.

Elberg hopes to pursue a career in media and intellectual property law litigation.

“Working at TLo provided me a great opportunity to work in the specific area of law I am interested in,” Elberg said.

After the first half of the summer was over, he headed to Trenton, New Jersey for the second consecutive summer to serve as a judicial intern for Judge Freda Wolfson at the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Jacob Elberg served as a judicial intern for Judge Freda Wolfson at the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

“I spent a majority of my formative legal experience over the last two years with Judge Wolfson,” Elberg said. “I experienced immense personal growth. My research skills, writing skills and academic achievements have dramatically improved.”

Elberg’s responsibilities as a judicial intern included drafting opinions, orders and legal memoranda, researching legal doctrines, completing various assignments, observing civil and criminal legal proceedings and observing settlement conferences.

“It seemed daunting at first, but Judge Wolfson and her law clerks are hands on in helping the interns in any way to comprehend an issue and complete an assignment,” Elberg said. “In that regard, the open-door policy in chambers was nice. So while there is pressure to meet high expectations with the work we turn out, there is plenty of comfort because we have the support of everyone in chambers to help improve our work product.”

Completing both of his summer internships helped Elberg gain confidence and become a more strategic legal thinker.

“My love and respect for the law has also been further solidified,” he said.

Elberg said the best professional advice he’s ever received is to use every internship and legal experience to foster meaningful relationships with those he meets.

“Whether it is other lawyers or legal assistants, that particular relationship could lead to a myriad of opportunities,” Elberg said. “So, in that regard, this could extend to being kind and humble with everyone you meet because you never know where it could lead you.”

Elberg received his undergraduate degree in communications studies from KU in 2016.

“After having a great experience as an undergrad, KU Law seemed like the right place for me,” Elberg said.

At KU Law, he is co-founder and director of communications for the Mindfulness in Law Society, co-founder and former president of the Jewish Legal Society and a member of the Student Intellectual Property Law Association.

Last semester, he co-authored a scholarly paper called, “Making @YourState ‘Friends’ With #Privacy: Rights and Wrongs In State Social Media Privacy Password Statutes” with Genelle Belmas, a media law scholar and associate professor of journalism at KU.

Professor Genelle Belmas, Jacob Elberg and Professor Clay Calvert from the University of Florida attend the 2018 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference. Belmas and Elberg co-authored a scholarly paper.

The paper evaluates the legal landscape of social media privacy in terms of vintage communication laws, cases and state statutes, and makes recommendations for crafting new statutes. Elberg and Belmas were inspired to write the paper after talking about hot topics in media law over coffee.

The paper was selected by the Law and Policy Division of the 2018 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference. Elberg and Belmas presented it at the conference on Aug. 8, 2018 in Washington, D.C.

“A donor sponsored me to go to the conference, and I am thankful to Dean Stephen Mazza and Dean Crystal Mai for their help in sorting everything out,” Elberg said.

In addition to editing and preparing the paper for publication this fall, Elberg will be taking classes for his third year of law school and working at Legal Services for Students as a legal intern. After he graduates and takes the bar exam, Elberg plans to apply for judicial clerkships and other legal opportunities.

— By Ashley Hocking

This post is the eleventh and final in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates were engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain, James Hampton, Malika Baker, Lindsay Strong, Arturo Garcia, Jessie Pringle, Madeline Heeren, Miranda Luster, Becky Howlett and Caroline Kastor. 

Student Spotlight: Caroline Kastor balances law school, athletics and family

Caroline Kastor is a woman who wears many hats.

She is an aspiring legal professional, a former professional soccer player, an academic, a wife and a mom.

Kastor is working towards the trifecta of higher education at the University of Kansas. She already has an undergraduate and a graduate degree from KU under her belt. In a few years, Kastor will have her third degree — this time in law.

Caroline Kastor (center) used to play professional soccer for the FC Kansas City Blues.

“KU Law is so reputable and well-loved that deciding to apply was a no-brainer,” Kastor said.

A second-year law student and Wichita native, Kastor spent the summer doing legal research as a law clerk at Stevens & Brand LLP in Lawrence.

“I was able to work on a variety of projects for different attorneys at the firm and learned a ton because of the array of projects that were assigned,” she said. “I was also given opportunities for hands-on experience, like the option to attend client meetings or sit in on client phone calls. It was invaluable.”

Kastor said she gained a better understanding of the practical side of law, learned about the workings of a firm and created valuable relationships with attorneys and staff through her position at Stevens & Brand. The most rewarding part of her role was helping solve problems that arose.

Caroline Kastor celebrates her baby shower with her husband Bobby and stepdaughters, Tess and Maeve.

“Being able to find answers that can help a client and really feeling like you made a difference — especially when there is an observable outcome of the work you contributed on someone’s behalf,” Kastor said.

In addition to her work at the law firm this summer, Kastor is also very involved with Kansas Athletics. During her first year of law school, she balanced her classes with a position as a graduate assistant for the women’s soccer team. Kastor’s history as a student athlete at KU and a professional soccer player for the FC Kansas City Blues made her an excellent candidate to work with the athletics department. She enjoys helping student athletes and making a positive impact on the soccer program.

“I know from experience how hard it can be to balance both school and sports,” Kastor said.

Shortly after finishing her summer clerkship at Stevens & Brand, Kastor gave birth to a baby boy. Kastor anticipates that balancing law school and a newborn will be challenging, but she has a great support system.

This summer, Caroline Kastor gave birth to Robert “Bobby” Kastor shortly after finishing up her legal clerkship.

“I imagine the advice ‘sleep when they sleep’ will be more like ‘read when they sleep’ for a law student,” Kastor joked. “Luckily, I have great immediate support from my amazing husband and two stepdaughters — as well as great support from the community at the law school and where I work.”

For the remainder of her time in law school, Kastor plans to continue working at Kansas Athletics and searching for opportunities to get more legal experience. She is also exploring her interests in the fields of estate planning, elder law and family law.

Kastor hopes to one day practice law in an area that makes a difference as well as energizes and excites her.

— By Ashley Hocking 

This post is the tenth in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates were engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain, James Hampton, Malika Baker, Lindsay Strong, Arturo Garcia, Jessie Pringle, Madeline Heeren, Miranda Luster and Becky Howlett. 

Recent Graduate Spotlight: Becky Howlett advocates for Navajo Nation

Earning a certificate in tribal law was pivotal in Becky Howlett’s legal education.

“Ultimately, my experiences in KU Law’s Tribal Law and Government Center were part of the underlying reason I chose to dedicate my legal career to advocating on behalf of tribal governments and indigenous peoples,” Howlett said.

A member of the Navajo Nation Bar Association, Howlett serves as outside counsel at the tribe’s Department of Justice in Window Rock, Arizona. She assists with public safety priorities, manages a working group undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the Nation’s criminal code, and drafts tribal codes, rules and procedures.

It can be difficult, she said, coordinating with people across departments and divisions.

“Improving public safety on the Nation is a multidisciplinary effort, and getting all the necessary stakeholders together in one place on a regular basis to communicate and collaborate can be a challenge,” Howlett said. “For example, many participants may be located hundreds of miles away from the meeting location or simply be unable to attend due to a general lack of staff and resources.”

Howlett said the most rewarding part of her job is developing long-term relationships and building trust among Navajo partners.

“I have been coming out to the Navajo Reservation for a couple of years now, and there is nothing better than feeling like a member of the community when I travel into Window Rock,” she said. “It warms my heart to be recognized and greeted by not only Navajo Nation Department of Justice staff, but also local hotel and restaurant workers. This small community, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, has truly become like my second home.”

Howlett was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 2011 with bachelor’s degrees in English and journalism. She earned a KU Law degree in 2014. During law school, Howlett worked as a summer associate at two different law firms in Seattle, as well as an intern at the Kansas Native American Affairs Office in Topeka. She was also involved in KU’s Native American Law Students Association, Women in Law and the Environmental Law Society.

Howlett maintains fond memories of participating in the National Native American Law Students Association Moot Court Competition — despite almost being stranded in an ice storm on the first night of the competition.

“We somehow were able to get a ride back with some other competitors as opposed to calling Professor Elizabeth Kronk Warner at 2 a.m. to come get us,” Howlett said. “I think we would have walked rather than take the second option, to be honest.”

During her time in Green Hall, Howlett also gained practical experience through her involvement with the Kansas Law Review and the Tribal Judicial Support Clinic.

“During the clinic we drafted laws for a local tribe to enact the Tribal Law and Order Act and the Violence Against Women Act,” she said. “I have drawn upon my familiarity with these two federal laws at all of my jobs since graduation, including a nonprofit organization and a big law firm. Much of my current role is drafting tribal code amendments, so my KU Law experience is directly relevant to the work I do today.”

— By Ashley Hocking 

This post is the ninth in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates were engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain, James Hampton, Malika Baker, Lindsay Strong, Arturo Garcia, Jessie Pringle, Madeline Heeren and Miranda Luster. 

Student Spotlight: Miranda Luster finds reward in helping others

This summer was a balancing act for 3L Miranda Luster.

From Monday through Wednesday, she was a legal intern at the Shawnee County Public Defender’s Office and the Capital Appeals and Conflicts Office in Topeka.

On Thursdays and Fridays, she interned for solo practitioner Betsy Mellor in Kansas City, Kansas. Mellor, L’97, practices family, criminal and municipal law in Kansas and Missouri.

At the Public Defender’s Office, Luster wrote motions and did jail intakes. She went to the jail to meet with clients and record their basic information, including health history and whether they are able to make bond.

Through this position, she found the most reward in helping others.

“I know public defenders get a bad rap, but this job is really important,” Luster said. “We help people who don’t have the money to hire an attorney get through a complicated legal system and come out with a result that’s best for rehabilitating the client and the community.”

At her internship with Mellor, she attended court, researched nuanced areas of law, attended client meetings, wrote notices of hearing and appeared in court, if necessary.

“I’m helping people through the complicated court process during a time in their life that’s normally quite a low point,” Luster said.

Miranda Luster and solo practitioner Betsy Mellor, L’97, attend the Wyandotte County Bar Association golf tournament.

Through both of her positions, her goal was to gain confidence in her abilities and become comfortable in court.

“I can learn how to write a motion or research at school, but getting comfortable with the real-world practice can only occur outside of school,” she said.

The most challenging part of each of her positions was time management.

“I’m still very new to this field, so I don’t always understand how long something will take,” Luster said. “As I gain more skills, I will be able to help more clients more quickly. But in the meantime, learning that balance has been important but difficult — and often frustrating — when I unknowingly take on too much.”

Luster is originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. She stayed in her hometown to earn undergraduate degrees in political science and French from Oklahoma State University.

During her junior year of college, she visited Lawrence with a group of friends and fell in love with the community. She sat in on Professor Stephen McAllister’s Torts class.

“I can honestly say that when I walked out of the doors of the law school, I knew in my bones KU was where I was supposed to go,” Luster said. “It probably sounds cheesy, but I believe that what is meant to be will happen.”

Luster was so confident in her decision to go to KU Law that she did not apply to any other law schools.

“I knew KU was where I was meant to be,” she said. “So I rolled the dice and it worked out just fine.”

At KU Law, Luster is a Dean’s Fellow, the staff articles editor for the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy and a student member of the Academic Affairs Committee. She also serves as chief justice of the Student Senate Court of Appeals and is a member of both the Student Conduct and the Sexual Harassment hearing panels run through the Student Affairs office.

Luster hopes to use the experience and knowledge she gained from her internships and extracurricular involvement to launch her career.

“My goal is to join a state public defender’s office in Kansas or Missouri, so I can continue fighting the good fight,” she said.

 — By Ashley Hocking 

This post is the eighth in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates were engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain, James Hampton, Malika Baker, Lindsay Strong, Arturo Garcia, Jessie Pringle and Madeline Heeren.  

KU Law professor shares renewable energy law, policy expertise in India

Professors Uday Shankar and Uma Outka co-taught a two-week course about renewable energy law and policy in May at the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law in Kharagpur, India.

Climate change is a global problem. A University of Kansas energy law scholar recently traveled to India to explore solutions rooted in renewable energy law and policy with Indian students and faculty.

KU Law Professor Uma Outka co-taught a two-week course about renewable energy law and policy in May at the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law in Kharagpur, India. She taught the course alongside Professor Uday Shankar.

“Collaborating on the course deepened our understanding of the context for scaling up renewable energy in the U.S. and India,” Outka said. “Climate change is a global issue, and every country has to approach climate mitigation in ways that work for its unique circumstances.”

The course was funded by the Global Initiative for Academic Networks, an effort by the Indian government to foster international connections through its higher education system. Shankar invited Outka to provide international context for India’s renewable energy law policies and to offer comparative legal perspectives.

The Technology Guest House is designed to house visiting faculty at the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law.

“This is a really interesting time for energy law. Virtually every country in the world shares a goal to decarbonize the electricity system and shift to low-carbon sources,” Outka said. “Energy law is an emerging field in India, and Uday Shankar is one of the few professors beginning to regularly teach the subject in Indian law schools. It is exciting to see the field begin to expand in India.”

Outka and Shankar taught their course in an interdisciplinary manner to a mix of students studying law and engineering.

“Some students had never taken a class related to public policy and others were well-versed in legal concepts, so we structured the course to meet the students’ spectrum of preparation,” Outka said. “The feedback from students who had not been exposed previously to law and policy was really enthusiastic.”

One highlight of Outka’s trip was connecting with Dr. Gon Chaudhuri, an Indian expert on renewable energy. “He was instrumental in launching solar energy policy in India,” she said. “He has worked on climate change negotiations and was one of the lecturers in our course.”

Professor Uma Outka met Dr. Gon Chaudhuri, an Indian expert on renewable energy.

Outka appreciated the opportunity to experience higher education in a different county. She stayed in the institute’s guesthouse for visiting faculty during her visit. “I enjoyed being part of university life,” she said. “There, the faculty and staff all live on campus.”

Outka urges students and faculty alike to pursue international exchanges because they enhance understanding of others’ experiences in an increasingly globalized world.

“I think it’s important, whenever anyone has a chance, to visit a country like India,” she said. “It is a strong emerging economy with over a billion people. I plan to maintain these connections and hope to return. Engaging in this kind of cross-cultural work is a great opportunity.”

The University of Kansas School of Law has strong and growing ties to India.

  • KU Law Professors Raj Bhala, Uma Outka and John Peck have visited India, delivering major presentations and offering their scholarship and teaching expertise.
  • KU Law has hosted several Overseas Visiting Scholars from India, and a number of Indian students have graduated from KU Law’s S.J.D. and Two-Year J.D. programs.
  • KU Law has memoranda of understanding (MOU) with four Indian universities. These partnerships encourage interaction, program development and cross-marketing of degree programs:
    • National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Hyderabad.
    • Government Law College, Mumbai.
    • Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat.
    • Indian Law Institute, New Delhi.
  • During recent Indian Society of International Law elections, several friends of KU Law won senior leadership positions. The following new officers are now or have been law professors at schools with which KU Law has an MOU or have visited KU Law as scholars:
    • Anupam Jha, professor of law, University of Delhi, former KU Law Visiting Scholar, elected executive council member.
    • J.L. Kaul, professor of law, University of Delhi, elected executive council member.
    • Y.S.R. Murthy, professor of law, Jindal Global Law School, elected vice president.
    • Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, professor, Jindal Global Law School, elected treasurer.
    • Manoj Kumar Sinha, director, Indian Law Institute, New Delhi, elected vice president.
  • KU Law Professor Raj Bhala authors “On Point,” a monthly column in India’s BloombergQuint focusing on international legal and economic affairs.

— By Ashley Hocking