Category Archives: U.Miami

UMiami Law Students Doing Good

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Michael Froomkin

The Tampa Bay Times has a story about an “alternative spring break program” in which a group of UMiami Law students work in a mobile clinic to help undocumented long-time US residents get deferments from deportation. The story leads with my former Torts student and later research assistant:

Paulina Valanty arrived at the clinic for undocumented immigrants at St. Clement Catholic Church with more than a passing interest.

Valanty, 23, a law student at the University of Miami, used to live in the shadows, worrying about being deported.

“I was undocumented until I was 20. I was very afraid,” she said. “Any time I applied for anything and saw that little box that says ‘Social Security number,’ I was afraid. It was nerve-racking just looking at it.”

Valanty, who today is a citizen, regularly attends clinics like the one held at St. Clement on Tuesday to help young undocumented immigrants seek a change in their status.

Under a modification in federal laws last summer, undocumented immigrants who arrived here as children, brought by their parents, can apply for a deferment to avoid deportation.

Posted in Law: Everything Else, U.Miami | 15 Comments

Down Again (Resolved)

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Michael Froomkin

Law school faculty email is down … and so is the UM Law web site. They did a big server move Saturday night, and all was supposed to be well by Sunday.

But it isn’t.

Since most law school workstations are set up to rely heavily on the network, I hear they are not working either.

You can contact me at gmail.com using my firstname.lastname before the @. Or you can wait like the rest of us.

Update (3pm): Fixed at last.

Posted in U.Miami | Comments Off on Down Again (Resolved)

Innocence Project Handbook for Law Students

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Michael Froomkin

By Sarah MourerCongratulations to colleague Sarah A. Mourer who has just published her first book, Working in Innocence Programs: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Innocence Work But Were Afraid To Ask.

Here’s part of the synopsis:

This book is written for anyone interested in the innocence cause. The problem of wrongful convictions is moving more and more into the public’s eye every day. This book is specifically written to guide a student or participant through an innocence program step by step. It covers everything from how not to get too worried about the clients to how to conduct a client interview. It really is everything you need to know to participate in an innocence program. It is also a valuable resource for those directing innocence programs or hoping to start one. It provides templates for forms and suggestions for best practices for procedures necessary to run an exemplary innocence program. It is a must for any student enrolled in a law school innocence program. It will help the students hit the ground running and allow programs to get help to the clients more efficiently. No other book on the market is available that encompasses all of the major issues for effective innocence work in one convenient place.

Posted in Civil Liberties, U.Miami | Comments Off on Innocence Project Handbook for Law Students

Fight Procrastination on Taxes to Avoid ID Theft

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Michael Froomkin

This may be the first piece of advice the U has sent me on ID theft that I actually agree with: Tax Season Is Here; File Early to Avoid Scams:

As faculty and staff start receiving their W-2s and other tax documents, it is time to start thinking about filing income tax returns—early. This is also the season when identity thieves go into overdrive, attempting to file fraudulent tax returns. Tax fraud is now the third-largest theft of federal funds after Medicare/Medicaid and unemployment-insurance fraud. South Florida, already the leader in Medicare fraud, is also taking the lead in tax-identity theft. Florida has the highest rate of identity theft in the country, with 178 complaints per 100,000 residents in 2011. Tax-identity theft exploded to more than 1.1 million cases in 2011 from 51,700 in 2008.

Fraudulent tax returns can come in the form of tax-identity theft, refund fraud, or return-preparer fraud. With e-filing, evidence of fraud is difficult to find. There are no signed tax forms, envelopes or fingerprints, and e-filing promises quick refunds. For criminals to e-file in your name, they need your name and Social Security number, combined with a phony W-2 (wages) or fabricated Schedule C (business income). These ID thieves steal your personal information and then use it to file a fake tax return in your name, usually tweaking the numbers to get a large refund. The refund can be posted to an anonymous “Green Dot” prepaid Visa purchased at a drugstore, Wal-Mart, etc. The taxpayer whose ID has been stolen will not find out until he or she attempts to file the real return and then is informed by the IRS that the return has already been filed and the refund sent. That is the primary reason to file as early as possible, before a potential criminal attempts to do so on your behalf. To read the complete tip, including steps to protect your tax identity, please click here.

Interestingly (at least to me) the tip comes from the U’s Office of HIPAA Privacy & Security whose web site suggests it might be run by sensible people. This differentiates it from the junky and fearmongering advice I find strewn on a table at the front of our library at the start of every school year and which is issued by the campus police department.

Posted in ID Cards and Identification, U.Miami | Comments Off on Fight Procrastination on Taxes to Avoid ID Theft

Justices Sotomayor, Kennedy to Speak at UM

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Michael Froomkin

Justice Sotomayor will be speaking at UM next Friday as part of her book tour. She’ll be interviewed by President Donna Shalala.

And, on Feb. 11 Justice Anthony Kennedy will be speaking here as part of the Robert B. Cole Distinguished Jurist Lecture Series. I gather our own Patrick Gudridge will be his interlocutor, which should be something to see.

And oh yes, there’s also a pretty star-studded cast of other speakers coming our way in the next few weeks. Do you think it might have something to do with the weather?

Posted in U.Miami | Comments Off on Justices Sotomayor, Kennedy to Speak at UM

Mitt Romney to Visit U Miami on Wednesday

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

He’s coming. It looks like I have a scheduling conflict so I likely won’t be able to go.

Posted in U.Miami | Comments Off on Mitt Romney to Visit U Miami on Wednesday