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Chase Faculty Approves Creation of "Semester in Practice" Externship Program

May 18, 2012 - The Chase College of Law faculty has approved the creation of a Semester in Practice externship program that will provide students the opportunity to devote up to an entire semester toward learning professional skills in an actual practice setting. The law school expects to launch the program in time for the spring 2013 semester. "This new program will enable Chase students to gain invaluable experience in the locations they want to practice such as in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other cities throughout the country," said Lawrence Rosenthal, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Judge Robert P. Ruwe '70 Receives Award

Judge Robert P. Ruwe '70

May 18, 2012 - On April 27, 2012, Judge Robert P. Ruwe '70 received the J. Edgar Murdock Award for distinguished service to the United States Tax Court.

Judge Ruwe graduated from Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1963. He received his J.D. from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 1970, graduating first in his class.

Judge Ruwe served as a Special Agent, Intelligence Division, for the Internal Revenue Service from 1963 to 1970. He joined the Office of Chief Counsel,Internal Revenue Service, in 1970, and, over the course of his time there, held the following positions: Trial Attorney (Indianapolis); Assistant to the Deputy Chief Counsel; Director, Criminal Tax Division; Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (Litigation); and Director, Tax Litigation Division. He was appointed a Charter member of the Senior Executive Services of the United States on July 13, 1979.

Judge Ruwe was appointed to the United States Tax Court by President Ronald Reagan on November 20, 1987. Although Judge Ruwe retired on November 19, 2002, he continues to perform judicial duties as a Senior Judge on recall.

Chase Student Honored at Northern Kentucky Volunteer Lawyers Luncheon

Ryan Smither '12

May 11, 2012 - On May 10, the Northern Kentucky Volunteer Lawyers (NKVL) gave special recognition to local attorneys and law students who donated their time to the nonprofit organization at the annual pro bono luncheon held at Summit Hills Country Club.

Ryan Smither '11 received the Law Student Award for his work as a law clerk with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass. As a Chase student, Ryan worked as a summer fellow with Louisville's Legal Aid Society, presided over Chase's Public Interest Group, and, after helping this past fall to organize the start-up of NKU Chase's Children's Law Center Clinic, he advocated for Kenton County juveniles as a student attorney this spring. The majority of Ryan's work with clients has related to housing law, an area in which he co-authored an article set to be published this spring in the Northern Kentucky Law Review.

The NKVL has been representing low-income residents of Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton counties in non-criminal legal disputes for 34 years.

Chase Graduates Excel on Ohio Bar Exam

2011 Graduation Ceremony

May 11, 2012 - Chase College of Law graduates excelled on the February 2012 Ohio Bar Examination with an 87% pass rate for first-time takers as compared to the state average of only 79%! As a result, Chase grads bested their counterparts at seven of the nine Ohio-based law schools. Congratulations to our Ohio-bound graduates!

Chase Students are Runners-up at National Transactional Law Competition

Joseph Gillis and Annette Redmon

May 09, 2012 - Chase students Joseph Gillis and Annette Redmon placed first on the executive's side in the National Transactional Lawyering Meet at Drexel University's Earle Mack School of Law in Philadelphia this week. After four victories in the preliminary rounds, the Chase team advanced to the final round where they met a team from the University of Pennsylvania, who had placed first on the company's side. The teams had to negotiate a term sheet for an employment agreement between an executive and a company. Penn's team ultimately won the overall national championship but the Chase team did an outstanding job in the final competition and brought home a first place award for representing the executive.

Joseph and Annette won the regional competition held at the University of Georgia in February to advance to the national competition in Philadelphia. The teams drafted a term sheet, exchanged it with a team representing the other party, marked it up, and then negotiated the open issues at the competition. After winning the regional competition, the facts were changed which necessitated revisions to the term sheet and new negotiations at the national competition.

The team is coached by Professor Sherry Porter, director of Chase's Transactional Law Practice Center and Small Business and Nonprofit Law Clinic.

Chase Alum Honored at Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards Luncheon

Judge Michelle M. Keller '90

Apr 23, 2012 - Judge Michelle M. Keller '90 was honored Friday, April 20 at the Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards luncheon in Erlanger. The awards were initiated in 1984 by the late Nancy Boothe, wife of then-NKU President Leon E. Boothe. Judge Keller joins a long line of outstanding local women recognized for blazing trails, opening doors or demonstrating leadership in their homes, their professions, their communities or their state. The event was sponsored by Toyota and Northern Kentucky Magazine.

Judge Keller was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals in November 2006 to serve as judge for Division 1 of the 6th Appellate District. Additionally, she was elected by her peers to serve as the Court of Appeals representative on the Judicial Conduct Commission which she did from 2007 through February 2012. She is the current chair of the Court Technology Governance Committee.

Prior to her election, Judge Keller practiced law for 17 years. She has served both as an assistant county prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. Judge Keller's practice concentrated in the areas of family law, personal injury, and medical negligence defense. She is also experienced in administrative law, representing numerous clients before state regulatory and licensure boards, and has served as a member of, and hearing officer for, the Kentucky Personnel Board. Judge Keller is Chairwoman Emeritus of that board. She is licensed to practice law in Kentucky, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the United States Supreme Court. Judge Keller served as a Special Justice to the Kentucky Supreme Court and has been commended twice by the Kentucky House of Representatives for her service to the Commonwealth.

While working as a licensed registered nurse in critical care since 1982, Judge Keller went on to earn her J.D. from Northern Kentucky University's Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 1990. As a student at Chase, Judge Keller was an IOLTA Scholar. In 2007, she received the Chase Excellence Award and was the recipient of the Chase Exceptional Service Award in 2011.

Judge Keller has served in various positions for both the Northern Kentucky and Kentucky Bar Associations. In 2009, she received the KBA's Donated Legal Services Award. She is a Master in the Salmon P. Chase Inn of Court and formerly chaired the Program/Awards Committee for the Inn.

Judge Keller has served her community through various volunteer and board positions. Among those served are the Diocesan Catholic Children's Home, the Northern Kentucky Children's Advocacy Center, Villa Madonna Academy, Centre College, NKU Salmon P. Chase College of Law and the St. Thomas More Society.

She was recently appointed by American Bar Association President Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III to serve on the ABA Ethics and Professional Responsibility Judges Advisory Committee.

A life-long Kentuckian, Judge Keller and her husband, Jim, a physician, are the proud parents of two daughters.

Ambulance Chase 5K Race Raises Money for Chase SBA

Race participants and volunteers

Apr 23, 2012 - Chase held its second annual NKU Chase College of Law Ambulance Chase 5K on Sunday, April 15. Participants actually chased an ambulance at the start of the race, which began in Lot K next to Kenton Garage and wound through campus. Thirty-four runners participated, including Chase students, faculty, friends, and family. The top finishers were: Brian Dugan, 2L Brad Andress, Andrew Griesser, 2L Pat Hogan, and 2L Abel Contreras (male participants); and 3L Ashley Moore, Lisa Crabtree, Devyn Griesser, Mary Jankovsky, and Lori Sullivan (female participants).

The race was sponsored by the Cincinnati Bar Association and Kroger. Approximately $1,000 was raised, and the funds will benefit students of Chase College of Law via the Student Bar Association.