Paula C. Johnson, a Visiting Professor at the Law School who is teaching Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, serves as co-director of the Cold Case Justice Initiative (CCJI). While she is visiting at UA Law, she is conducting investigations on unsolved racially motivated murder cases from the Civil Rights Era.

The Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. Roberts, has committed to present our Albritton Lecture in 2010. Justice Clarence Thomas will give this same lecture in fall 2009, which will mark the second time he has spoken to our law students. We are honored to welcome Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, of the Supreme Court of Canada, to the Law School where she will present the Albritton Lecture on March 9, 2009.

Cheryl Little, Executive Director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, has been named the 2008 Morris Dees Justice Award Winner. The Selection Committee recognized Ms. Little, who is considered one of the country’s leading experts on immigration law, for her dedication to upholding the rights of immigrants throughout her professional career, which spans more than two decades.

The Law School’s Career Services Office is happy to report that the number of employers interviewing our students on-campus this fall has increased by more than 20% over fall 2007. It is not too late for employers to set a date to interview 2L and 3L students on campus this fall. If you are interested, please contact Linda Carden at lcarden@law.ua.edu.

U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, today announced that the Department of Justice will award $268,305 to the University of Alabama School of Law. This grant is awarded through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which helps local communities improve local justice systems.