Joseph Patrick Jameson ’94 passed away May 24, 2025. He founded Jameson Family Law in Naples in 1998 where he worked for over 25 years. Read his obituary.
Author: mef21011
James Carolan ’89 Joins Crowell & Moring
James Carolan ’89 has joined as senior counsel at Crowell & Moring’s Corporate Group. Carolan has more than 35 years of experience as a lawyer, most recently as a partner at Steptoe LLP.
Alex Tsarkov ’16 Joins the CT Board of Pardons and Paroles
Alex Tsarkov ’16 was nominated by Governor Ned Lamont and approved by the legislature to join the CT Board of Pardons and Paroles. He most recently served as the Executive Director of the Connecticut Sentencing Commission since 2015.
Kristen S. Bonatz ’04 Named General Counsel and Vice Chancellor
Kristen S. Bonatz ’04 has been named Appalachian State University’s general counsel and vice chancellor of institutional integrity. She most recently served as deputy general counsel at UNC Greensboro, and has worked at UNC for nearly two decades.
Andrew Fink ’13 Joins Kirkland & Ellis
Andrew Fink ’13 has joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in the Investment Funds Group where he will focus on venture capital and growth equity funds. Fink was most recently a partner at Gunderson Dettmer. Read more here.
In Memoriam: Robert Wylie ’84
Robert Wylie ’84, who served as Vice President, Chief Tax Officer at Terex Corporation for sixteen years, passed away on May 15, 2025. Read his obituary.
In Conversation: Executive Power and the Rule of Law
This Roundtable will bring together two leading Constitutional Law scholars for a lively discussion of recent court cases challenging the exercise of executive authority. Speakers will debate issues relating to the scope of executive power, the separation of powers, and the judiciary’s role in upholding the rule of law in a democracy.
Roundtable Speakers:
Steven Calabresi, Clayton J. and Henry R. Barber Professor of Law, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
Cristina Rodriguez, Leighton Homer Surbeck Professor of Law, Yale Law School
Moderator:
Minor Myers, Professor of Law, UConn School of Law
Misuse of Insurance by Totalitarian Systems
Misuse of Insurance by Totalitarian Systems: A Cautionary Tale from Nazi Germany
Insurance is generally seen as a benefit to society as it allows people to safeguard against the financial consequences of all sorts of unfortunate events. But what happens if the state begins using the tools of insurance law to systematically deprive groups of citizens of any kind of financial security?
Special lecture given by Dr. Oliver Brand, Martin Flynn Global Law Faculty. He is the Chair of Private Law, Insurance Law, Business Law & Comparative Law at the University of Mannheim, Germany.
Roundtable on Executive Action Targeting Lawyers and Law Firms
In recent weeks, the Executive has directly threatened, attacked and penalized lawyers and law firms. The Administration has fired Department of Justice prosecutors who previously investigated the President or will not act in accordance with the Executive’s goals. The Administration has stripped some law firms of their security clearances, banned them from federal buildings, and threatened lawyers who litigate against the government. This Roundtable discussed these current developments, the implications of the Administration’s actions for the legal profession, and the legal profession’s responses to these actions.
This was a two-part event with two sets of speakers.
4/8 speakers included:
David Atkins, Visiting lecturer, Yale Law School
Professor Emeritus Paul Chill, UConn School of Law
Professor Leslie Levin, UConn School of Law
Thomas J. Murphy, Cowdery, Murphy & Healy
Professor Richard Wilson, UConn School of Law
4/14 speakers included:
Professor Emeritus Paul Chill, UConn School of Law
Dean Emeritus Timothy Fisher, UConn School of Law
Professor Leslie Levin, UConn School of Law
Professor Lisa Perkins, UConn School of Law
Earth Day Conference 2025 – A Planet Worth Fighting For
A Planet Worth Fighting For: Perils, Promise, and Partnerships in Uncertain Times
UConn Law’s Annual Earth Day Conference 2025 asked the question, “What is the future of environmental policy in a changing legal environment?” An array of legal, scientific, and policy experts discussed the future of climate science, federal and state policy, and, of course, the law. Where do we go from here on a planet worth fighting for?
The conference convened policymakers, regulators, scientists, scholars, and activists across disciplines, states, and nations to chart our course forward. The panels analyzed obstacles and emphasized opportunities for action and optimism in the coming years. The Conference featured a multi-media exhibit where students, artists, and other members of the community shared pieces that inspire them to action.
Welcome and Opening Remarks were done by Dean Eboni Nelson, Professor Joseph MacDougald and Brynn Furey.
Panel #1: Climate Change and Gun Policy: Hard Problems & the Law After Loper Bright. The experts on this panel tackled how climate change and gun policy represent two of the hardest problems that agencies and experts face and how recent Supreme Court cases, from Loper Bright to Cargill, have created doubt about the utility of agencies in dealing with challenging issues. Speakers included Jennifer Dineen, Michael Fitzpatrick, Josh Galperin, Douglas Letter, and Tanya Schardt. The moderator was Professor Joseph MacDougald.
Panel #2: International Environmental Policy in a Time of Political Change. This panel analyzed obstacles and opportunities for the United States to support international environmental policy. Speakers looked beyond the Paris Climate Agreement and explored ways we can stay involved in environmental policy across nations. Speakers included David Azoulay, Stacy VanDeveer, and Delta Merner. The moderator was Paschaline Poku.
Panel #3: State Responses to a Changing Federal Landscape. The final panel charted obstacles and opportunities at the state level, looking for a path forward. Speakers discussed policymaker and activist work in Connecticut and beyond. Speakers included Denise Stranko and Ethan Elkind. The moderator was Denise Stranko.
There were three keynote speakers for this event. First was Robert Percival, a leading scholar and professor in environmental law. He delivered his address entitled “Checks Without Balance: Can Environmental Law Survive the Trump Administration? Percival offered his perspective on the current moment in environmental policy, highlighted where we have been and shared a vision for the future. Second was Delta Merner, a lead scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She provided an update on current climate science and shared how this science affects policy and the law. She offered attendees a scientific and technical understanding of where we are and where we are headed. Lastly was Katie Dykes, the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. She shared her perspective on Connecticut policy and regulation in a changing legal environment.