Sexism, racism and classism in American society running through the Duke lacrosse case, says criminal procedure expert

Bracey”In the Duke Lacrosse rape case, we have a story of a horrifying gang rape, taking place against the backdrop of the most vulgar aspects of sexism, racism and classism in American society,” says Christopher Bracey, J.D., criminal procedure expert and associate professor of law and of African & African American studies at Washington University in St. Louis. “This is why it is so important for District Attorney Michael Nifong to get a handle on this case, and soon.” More…

Leading law expert says reform of legal immigration criteria needed before illegal border crossing can be curbed

Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photo”Beefing up enforcement will never put a serious dent in illegal immigration unless it goes hand in hand with major reforms of our legal immigration criteria,” says Stephen Legomsky, an internationally renowned immigration law expert at Washington University in St. Louis. He gets frustrated when he hears people suggest that undocumented immigrants are “jumping the queue,” or that undocumented immigrants “should just wait their turns like everyone else.” More…

Washington University named one of best places to work

Washington University in St. Louis was named one of the top three Best Places to Work in the St. Louis Business Journal’s annual survey of area employees. At a dinner and reception April 20 at The Westin Hotel, Washington University was named the best workplace in the large employer category.

Washington University School of Law presents six Distinguished Alumni Awards

The School of Law will celebrate the outstanding achievements of six individuals on April 21 at its annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner at The Ritz-Carlton. Presenting the awards will be Dean Kent Syverud, J.D., the Ethan A.H. Shepley University Professor. Distinguished Law Alumni Award recipients are Dave L. Cornfeld, Judge Orion L. Douglass, Norman S. London and Charles A. Newman. Judge Raymond W. Gruender and Susan Nell Rowe will receive Distinguished Young Law Alumni Awards.

High profile patent cases like those against eBay and Blackberry important for encouraging innovation

David Kilper / WUSTL PhotoThreat of injunctions can be beneficial in cases like eBay and BlackBerry, says WUSTL expert F. Scott Kieff.The threat of an injunction to protect patented technology, as seen in eBay v. MercExchange, is what drives infringers and patentees to strike deals — sometimes on the steps of the courthouse — because shutting down the business would lose money for both sides, says F. Scott Kieff, J.D., an associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. These deals, he points out, are what drive innovation. More…

Rankings of WUSTL by News Media

Below is a link to the Washington University news release about the U.S. News & World Report undergraduate rankings for 2004-05: http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/3627.html To view a full listing of U.S. News magazine, book and Web-only rankings for 2004-05, please visit the U.S. News & World Report site: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex_brief.php

Combating biopiracy: Use existing IP systems

Concerns over biopiracy have fueled urgent calls for a new system of legal protection for indigenous biological materials and knowledge. Detractors of the current patent systems say that the knowledge of traditional cultures and communities does not readily fit into the industrialized world’s definition of intellectual property (IT); critics argue that existing laws basically promote the interests of the industrialized world. However, intellectual property and technology law expert Charles McManis, J.D., disagrees. More…
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