Professor Richard Painter was interviewed by Minnesota Lawyer for a recent article discussing the current push for ethical reform in the U.S. Supreme Court. Professor Painter asserted that when it comes the ethical accountability, the combination of self-policing with lifetime tenure is a recipe for failure. Amidst the calls for accountability, the Court released a joint statement where they asserted that they will voluntarily follow the regulations set for lower courts', even though they are not legally compelled to do so.
Alumni Q & A: Neil Fulton '97, Dean of the University of South Dakota Law School
Minnesota Law alum Neil Fulton '97 is the current dean of the University of South Dakota Law School. He recently took the time to answer a Q & A, where he reflects on challenges law schools are facing today and how Minnesota Law prepared him to become a lawyer-leader.
![Neil Fulton](/sites/law.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/2023-05/neil_fulton.jpeg?itok=TNtOP6HO)
Professor Alan Rozenshtein was quoted in Teknologic in an article discussing the Social Media Child Protection Act, and the impact it may have. The political popularity of the act, and others like it has risen dramatically in the past few years, as the impact of social media on the mental health of young Americans has become more widely researched and discussed. The constitutionality of such a law would largely depend on how it is written, with Professor Rozenshtein explaining that “the devil is very much in the details.”
Two Teams of Minnesota Law Faculty Are Inaugural Recipients of the Kommerstad Faculty Imagination Fund
Two teams of Minnesota Law professors are exploring how new technologies can help shape the future of legal education — in the classroom and in the field — as recipients of the inaugural grants from the Kommerstad Faculty Imagination Fund.
![Kommerstad Imagination Fund Winners: Choi, Monahan, Schwarcz, Greenwood, Roberts](/sites/law.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/2023-05/faculty-imagination-story.jpeg?itok=UOeFGxRf)
Professor Smith was interviewed by Bloomberg Tax about recently proposed Treasury Regulations that would effect millions of taxpayers, and including many low-income taxpayers. The proposed regulations concern when an IRS employee is required to get "supervisory approval" for asserting certain tax penalties. Professor Smith explained how the proposed regulations may fail to adequately protect low-income taxpayers, as low-income taxpayers are predominantly subject to fully automated audits that would be exempt from the supervisory approval safeguard.
Minnesota Law’s Moot Court Teams Excel in National Competition
On the national moot court stage, Minnesota Law teams have demonstrated that they are no one-act show.
![Faith Hemingway and Alex Screaton](/sites/law.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/2023-05/alex-faith-moot-ct-2023.jpeg?itok=dELxgk0Q)
Professor Liliana Zaragoza was quoted by the Star Tribune in an article covering a man accused of setting two Minneapolis mosques on fire being charged with a federal hate crime, as well as arson. Discussing whether the case has strong evidence that the crime was one of hate, Professor Zaragoza stated, "It's evidence that is not always available in these kinds of cases, adding it "shows a very specific aim that this person appears to have."
Professor Richard Painter was interviewed in Pro Publica in an article covering the significance of the news that Justice Clarence Thomas enrolled his grandnephew in a private school, which was paid for by Harlan Crow, a billionaire real estate magnate. The tuition did not appear in Justice Clarence Thomas' disclosure filing. Professor Painter commented, “This is way outside the norm. This is way in excess of anything I’ve seen."
On May 2 a new United Nations human rights mechanism focused on investigating systemic racism in law enforcement made an official visit to Minnesota as part of a larger 10-day visit to the United States. MPR's Cathy Wurzer interviewed Prof. Ni Aolain to help explain the origins and mandate of this unique U.N. body known informally as the "UN George Floyd Mechanism."
A May 1, 2023 Law360 article titled Questions Abound On EU Plan For New Essential Patent Rules discusses a draft regulation the European Commission released last week concerning standard-essential patents (SEPs) that are subject to a commitment to license on fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) terms. As proposed, the regulation which would require SEP owners to submit to a mandatory but nonbinding "FRAND determination" to be conducted under the auspice of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) before initiating patent infringement litigation befor