2021 Dean's Advisory Board Awards

University of Nebraska College of Law Author

04/15/2021 Added

35 Plays

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Nebraska Law alumni, students and faculty are leaders in their communities and their professions. The College of Law is proud to recognize their varied accomplishments by presenting the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Outstanding Service Award, the Woods Aitken Outstanding Student Award and the Distinguished Faculty Award at the annual Dean's Advisory Board Awards Ceremony.

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[00:00:11.060]Well, thank you all for being here.
[00:00:13.000]My name is Richard Moberly.
[00:00:14.340]I'm the Dean of the University of Nebraska College of Law.
[00:00:17.130]And I'm just thrilled to be able to welcome you
[00:00:20.010]to the 2021 Dean's Advisory Board Virtual Awards Ceremony.
[00:00:25.850]What a year we've had? (Dean Moberly chuckles)
[00:00:27.750]A year ago we thought we were weeks away
[00:00:30.780]from being able to have this event in person
[00:00:33.690]and then of course, as we all know,
[00:00:36.050]the world changed and exploded.
[00:00:38.630]And we've spent a year at the Law School
[00:00:41.130]and as a society, adapting everything we do
[00:00:44.950]to try and deal with the global pandemic
[00:00:47.070]and still facilitate and enhance our core mission
[00:00:51.300]of really developing inclusive leaders,
[00:00:54.420]educating great law students,
[00:00:56.700]doing research that changes our society and the world.
[00:01:01.060]And that work has continued
[00:01:04.790]and we feel like we've had some successes,
[00:01:06.760]but, wow, just like all of you, we are ready
[00:01:10.190]for something different at the end of the tunnel
[00:01:12.980]and we are starting to see some light.
[00:01:14.940]And this ceremony, I think, is one way that we can kind of
[00:01:18.540]work back towards some semblance of normalcy.
[00:01:22.150]Although, as I tell everyone here all the time,
[00:01:24.160]we don't plan on going back to the fall of 2019.
[00:01:27.360]We've learned a great deal about the Law School
[00:01:29.320]and ourselves over the last year.
[00:01:31.870]And we plan on making improvements and being better
[00:01:34.070]than we were even before this pandemic
[00:01:36.410]when we all come back in the fall.
[00:01:39.360]So we're here to celebrate some tremendous people
[00:01:42.400]that, a year in waiting to celebrate some of them,
[00:01:45.440]with one new award winner.
[00:01:47.770]And although we have to do it in this virtual format,
[00:01:50.670]we are very excited that all of you are here
[00:01:53.400]and that you are spending some time with us
[00:01:56.650]to celebrate these tremendous people and their commitments
[00:02:01.210]to the University of Nebraska College of Law.
[00:02:04.510]So without further ado,
[00:02:06.190]I'd like to start our awards ceremony.
[00:02:09.390]And we're doing this a little bit by video
[00:02:11.560]and after each one, we'll flash up the award winner
[00:02:14.980]and we can all kind of cheer silently,
[00:02:18.000]or you can turn on your mic and cheer.
[00:02:19.530]That might be nice too.
[00:02:20.930]I won't make you sing.
[00:02:22.110]I make everyone sing every once in a while.
[00:02:23.900]I won't do that during this presentation,
[00:02:26.300]but just let them know how appreciative you are
[00:02:29.460]of the work that they've done.
[00:02:31.030]I hope they know that and I hope they understand the format
[00:02:34.070]that we've had to be in this time.
[00:02:37.250]So, anyway, without further ado we'll get started.
[00:02:40.010]So, we start with our Distinguished Alumnus Award
[00:02:44.240]and I'm very pleased to introduce Robert Williams
[00:02:47.400]who will be introducing Senator Matt Williams.
[00:03:08.210]Hi, my name is Bob Williams.
[00:03:10.770]It's my honor to introduce my father, Matthew Williams,
[00:03:13.630]as this year's recipient of the University of Nebraska
[00:03:16.040]College of Law Dean's Advisory Board
[00:03:18.270]Distinguished Alumnus Award.
[00:03:20.730]Matt graduated from law school in Lincoln in 1974.
[00:03:24.610]Shortly thereafter he passed the bar exam
[00:03:26.590]and moved to Gothenburg, Nebraska, his hometown.
[00:03:30.200]Due to the passing of his father the previous year
[00:03:32.710]from a bout with cancer, Matt took over as vice president
[00:03:36.600]of the Gothenburg State Bank and Trust Company.
[00:03:39.420]For the next 47 years Matt blessed the community
[00:03:42.560]with his leadership skills and banking skills
[00:03:45.290]and also blessed the State in a national level
[00:03:47.970]with the same.
[00:03:49.720]Above and beyond all of Matt's professional accomplishments
[00:03:52.990]and his contributions to the communities
[00:03:55.090]on the State and local levels,
[00:03:56.720]it's his dedication and commitment to his family.
[00:03:59.970]Matt's famous words within our family are,
[00:04:01.977]"Always do the right thing regardless of the circumstances."
[00:04:06.830]Matt has instilled his core values to his family members
[00:04:10.910]including his strong belief in his faith,
[00:04:14.060]his family and his friends.
[00:04:16.730]Whether we call you Matt, or Dad,
[00:04:20.730]or Grampy,
[00:04:22.950]we wanna thank you for all your years of dedication
[00:04:26.080]to your family, your unwavering support for all of us.
[00:04:31.680]We love you.
[00:04:32.860]We thank you for all the fun and interesting times
[00:04:35.530]that we will continue to share.
[00:04:38.160]And congratulations on your award.
[00:04:40.820]Hi.
[00:04:41.653]I'd like to thank the University of Nebraska
[00:04:43.540]College of Law for the special award and recognition.
[00:04:47.060]More importantly, I'd like to thank the College of Law
[00:04:50.020]for helping prepare me for a successful life.
[00:04:53.470]I've enjoyed a long-term career in banking.
[00:04:56.730]I also have worked politically
[00:04:59.220]with the Nebraska Bankers Association and as chairman,
[00:05:02.350]nationally, of the American Bankers Association.
[00:05:05.780]And today I'm serving as a State Senator
[00:05:08.120]right here in our Capitol,
[00:05:09.820]representing Legislative District 36.
[00:05:13.340]All of this is from the preparation I received
[00:05:16.620]from the Nebraska College of Law.
[00:05:19.350]I'd also like to say a special thank you today
[00:05:21.630]to Harvey Perlman.
[00:05:23.020]Harvey's receiving an award today also.
[00:05:26.280]50 Years ago Harvey was my torts teacher.
[00:05:29.154](object thudding in background)
[00:05:29.987]And during that time he helped me be successful
[00:05:32.150]in law school and he's helped me a lot since then.
[00:05:35.350]Thank you, Harvey.
[00:05:37.020]Faith, (voice echos is background)
[00:05:37.920]family and friends.
[00:05:40.010]Those are the most important things in my life.
[00:05:43.330]And from those things and my background in law school,
[00:05:46.670]I follow life with three main core values.
[00:05:50.630]Recognizing the importance of people in my success.
[00:05:53.980]Conducting myself with a sense of responsibility
[00:05:57.140]and striving to reach my potential.
[00:06:00.090]This university gave me those core values.
[00:06:04.030]I'm proud to be a graduate
[00:06:05.750]of the University of Nebraska College of Law.
[00:06:08.690]Thank you for this award and, Go Big Red!
[00:06:15.410]Thank you so much, (Dean Moberly claps hands)
[00:06:16.870]Senator Grampy.
[00:06:18.557]Can we call you that now?
[00:06:19.910]Senator Grampy? (attendee clears throat)
[00:06:21.580]That's great!
[00:06:22.413]I was actually thinking, if we call you Senator Grampy,
[00:06:25.720]what do we call Harvey Perlman?
[00:06:27.150]Who taught you?
[00:06:28.340]I don't even know.
[00:06:29.760]Well, we'll have to hear from him later, perhaps.
[00:06:32.330]Anyway, thank you very much, Senator Williams.
[00:06:35.760]We're just so proud to have you as an alumnus
[00:06:38.260]and keep on doing great things.
[00:06:40.590]Thank you.
[00:06:43.010]Next up, we have our Outstanding Service Award.
[00:06:46.540]And this award goes
[00:06:48.120]to the Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation
[00:06:51.770]and its Chair, Marty Davis.
[00:06:53.860]That award will be presented (notification pings)
[00:06:55.140]by former Associate Dean
[00:06:56.800]at the College of Law, Glenda Pierce.
[00:07:11.010]I am honored to introduce Marty Davis
[00:07:13.550]and the Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation,
[00:07:16.510]the recipients of the 2021 Outstanding Service Award.
[00:07:21.150]The Law College has benefited from the Schmid's generosity
[00:07:24.680]for over five decades.
[00:07:28.002]Marvin graduated from the Law College in 1935
[00:07:31.370]and Virginia from the Teacher's College in 1937.
[00:07:35.820]Marvin's career was in banking and business law in Omaha
[00:07:39.530]where he co-founded four suburban banks
[00:07:42.640]and was senior partner at the Schmid Ford Law Firm.
[00:07:46.620]The Schmid's had one son, Brian, also a lawyer,
[00:07:50.100]who sadly died of pancreatic cancer when he was only 43.
[00:07:55.100]Marvin died in 2002 and Virginia in 2015.
[00:08:00.490]Marty Davis, who we are also honoring today,
[00:08:03.010]is the Schmids' niece
[00:08:04.480]and has been with the foundation since 2004.
[00:08:08.290]She is currently president and chair of the board.
[00:08:11.940]The Schmids began supporting the Law College
[00:08:14.110]and university in 1969 individually
[00:08:17.500]and later through the Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation.
[00:08:21.430]As head of the foundation, Marty Davis has been a dedicated
[00:08:24.810]and unwavering supporter of the causes
[00:08:27.950]which were important to Marvin and Virginia.
[00:08:31.840]Law College students, faculty and alumni
[00:08:34.580]have benefited tremendously from the Schmids' generosity
[00:08:39.000]and I am sure there will be some virtual head-nodding
[00:08:42.000]when I highlight what their support has made possible.
[00:08:45.650]The Marvin and Virginia Schmid Law Library,
[00:08:48.710]the beautiful Brian Schmid Reading Room
[00:08:51.270]and additional updates to the library to keep it relevant
[00:08:54.290]and useful to today's students.
[00:08:56.970]The Marvin and Virginia Schmid Clinic Building,
[00:09:00.400]the Schmid's Scholarships for the Nebraska Law Review Editor
[00:09:03.620]and the Nebraska Moot Court Board Chair.
[00:09:07.059](paper rustling) The Schmid Honor Law Scholarships
[00:09:09.410]for high achieving students
[00:09:11.750]and support for the annual water law trip,
[00:09:14.610]the Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund.
[00:09:17.410]The Harvey & Susan Perlman Alumni Professorship,
[00:09:21.130]the Rural Law Opportunities Program
[00:09:23.720]and the Agriculture and Law 3-3 Program with CASNR.
[00:09:28.290]We all have many reasons to be grateful
[00:09:31.190]for the Schmids and Marty Davis.
[00:09:33.810]During my time at the Law College,
[00:09:35.910]I worked closely with Marty
[00:09:37.500]when the Honor Law Scholarships were established
[00:09:40.380]and the Law Review and Moot Court Scholarship funds
[00:09:43.140]were increased to keep pace with tuition.
[00:09:47.080]Marty has always been generous with her time
[00:09:49.640]and responsive to the Law College's priorities,
[00:09:53.153]activities and needs.
[00:09:55.430]We are grateful for her work in helping the Law College
[00:09:58.800]grow and thrive.
[00:10:00.940]Please join me in congratulating Marty Davis
[00:10:03.770]and the Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation,
[00:10:06.780]the 2021 recipients of the Outstanding Service Award.
[00:10:11.510]Thank you Glenda, for the kind words.
[00:10:14.440]On behalf of the Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation
[00:10:17.350]board members, it is an honor to receive this award.
[00:10:21.390]The Nebraska College of Law certainly is at the core
[00:10:24.630]of each board member and the visions Marv and Virginia held
[00:10:28.480]when they established their foundation
[00:10:30.100]in the early 2000s.
[00:10:32.110]I truly believe Marv and Virginia would be extremely proud
[00:10:35.850]to see how the College of Law has blossomed and prospered.
[00:10:40.030]The amazing growth of the University Law College
[00:10:42.540]certainly is due to many foresighted individuals.
[00:10:45.730]It has been a distinctive pleasure
[00:10:47.460]for the Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation
[00:10:49.790]to be a part of this growth.
[00:10:51.850]We congratulate the college and look forward
[00:10:54.070]to continued program expansions.
[00:10:56.860]Marv was a farm boy from Nebraska.
[00:10:59.400]As he matured he learned to respect the natural aspects
[00:11:02.700]of Nebraska beyond a personal perspective.
[00:11:05.810]He learned to appreciate the value of water
[00:11:08.450]and its relationship to the success of all aspects
[00:11:12.250]of development within the state.
[00:11:14.620]It truly has been a privilege for the Schmid Foundation
[00:11:18.010]to partner with the College of Agricultural Sciences
[00:11:21.080]and Natural Resources in the development
[00:11:24.170]of the 3-3 Program.
[00:11:27.050]This agreement between CASNR programs
[00:11:29.430]and the Law School programs (paper rustling)
[00:11:31.040]is an exciting venture making possible the opportunity
[00:11:34.450]for fourth-year CASNR students to cooperatively
[00:11:37.300]and simultaneously complete year one of law school.
[00:11:41.240]The Foundation certainly thanks everyone who was responsible
[00:11:44.730]for the development and implementation
[00:11:47.030]of the tremendous opportunity
[00:11:50.010]the 3-3 Program offers CASNR students.
[00:11:54.070]Marv and Virginia's first collective effort
[00:11:56.110]was with the Law College
[00:11:57.630]and the naming of the Schmid Library.
[00:12:00.170]The Schmids truly felt access to an exemplary library
[00:12:04.560]to be the foundation of any person's education
[00:12:08.730]and ensuing life, professional, or personal.
[00:12:13.100]Being a part of the renovation of the Schmid Library
[00:12:15.580]is an extreme honor the Schmid Foundation Board
[00:12:18.380]holds very near and dear to the heart.
[00:12:21.180]The Board is extremely appreciative to have been asked
[00:12:24.200]to participate in reviewing some of the plans.
[00:12:27.880]One of the very first projects the Schmid Foundation
[00:12:30.310]embarked upon after the library was established
[00:12:33.000]was to honor key law students.
[00:12:35.340]Glenda Pierce was the very first Schmid Honor Scholar.
[00:12:40.200]What big shoes each future recipient must feel.
[00:12:44.350]A most sincere thank you to the University of Nebraska
[00:12:47.090]College of Law for the honor bestowed
[00:12:49.200]upon the Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation.
[00:12:53.210]Well, thank you so much, Marty and Glenda
[00:12:57.250]for that tremendous,
[00:12:59.480]just warmth (Dean Moberly claps hands)
[00:13:00.610]and all of the giving and the contributions and the service
[00:13:05.180]that you have provided this law school.
[00:13:07.360]I wasn't fortunate enough to know Marvin and Virginia,
[00:13:09.760]but I have been very fortunate to get to know you, Marty,
[00:13:12.410]during my five years as dean
[00:13:13.880]and just know how appreciative we are.
[00:13:16.440]And we're excited about this new renovation
[00:13:18.850]that you have been such an important part of
[00:13:21.230]for the library for the next century.
[00:13:23.670]Thank you all very much.
[00:13:25.590]Thank you, Richard.
[00:13:26.660]Thanks.
[00:13:28.300]Our next award is someone whose name somehow,
[00:13:30.910]you've already heard twice in the two other awards.
[00:13:33.260]I'm not quite sure how Harvey has put himself
[00:13:35.490]in every single award so far,
[00:13:37.580]but the Distinguished Faculty Award is going
[00:13:40.690]to Professor Harvey Perlman and will be introduced
[00:13:44.210]by our friend, Earl Scudder.
[00:13:55.120]Hi, everybody.
[00:13:56.730]Harvey Perlman and I started law school together in 1963
[00:14:00.970]and we both joined the Phi Delta Phi fraternity.
[00:14:04.510]Now, that's only relevant because Phi Delta Phi
[00:14:07.370]would hold parties out of the Air National Guard
[00:14:10.380]Officer's Club where fraternity brother Howard Vest
[00:14:15.309]had been an air force pilot and was a guard member.
[00:14:18.640]Howard flew a jet to Boston each month
[00:14:22.240]and returned with a load of live lobsters and clams.
[00:14:26.030]This was such a popular party, it was attended
[00:14:28.240]by at least one faculty member, John Gradwell,
[00:14:31.480]who was only about 10 years our senior.
[00:14:34.540]We had lobster races and I think
[00:14:36.240]the always competitive Perlman, picked the winning lobster.
[00:14:40.810]Harvey had been an okay undergraduate student,
[00:14:43.340]although he would have been better if academic recognition
[00:14:46.150]had been given for wild partying and alcohol consumption.
[00:14:52.500]His claim to fame was becoming engaged to Susan Unthank
[00:14:56.290]during our One L year, as she was a straight-A student,
[00:15:00.280]still enrolled as an undergrad and she insisted
[00:15:03.260]that their dates be devoted strictly to study.
[00:15:06.570]Harvey prospered under that discipline
[00:15:09.120]and in spite of a lackluster midterm performance,
[00:15:12.400]set a new One L record for the highest GPA
[00:15:15.040]in the history of the Law School.
[00:15:17.910]Our freshman year, when his study group
[00:15:20.250]was preparing for Larry Berger's property midterm,
[00:15:23.400]Harvey bought a four by eight piece of plywood,
[00:15:26.580]painted it black and put it on an easel
[00:15:29.860]in his apartment living room
[00:15:31.670]and diagrammed real estate transfers to explain them
[00:15:34.800]to, what one study group member described as, "Us dolts."
[00:15:40.590]He was destined to teach.
[00:15:42.920]During our senior year our classmate, Don Burt,
[00:15:45.940]enrolled in John Gradwell's estate planning class
[00:15:49.470]and then never attended class all year,
[00:15:51.700]but showed up for the final.
[00:15:54.060]Professor Gradwell confronted him and asked,
[00:15:56.447]"What are you doing here, Burt?
[00:15:57.587]"You're not in this class."
[00:15:59.470]Don responded, "Yes, I am.
[00:16:00.987]"I enrolled prior to the start of the semester."
[00:16:04.450]Gradwell growled, "Well, you never attended class,
[00:16:07.327]"so you're not taking the final."
[00:16:09.670]Don said, "But I studied Perlman's notes."
[00:16:13.070]Gradwell said, "Well, Perlman's notes.
[00:16:14.957]"I guess you can take the final."
[00:16:17.630]The bottom line was Burt got a nine and Harvey got an eight.
[00:16:22.810]At the time Perlman's GPA was threatening to pass
[00:16:25.410]Gradwell's record GPA that had stood
[00:16:27.970]since his days as a student in the early 1950s.
[00:16:31.990]And in spite of receiving a mere eight in estate planning,
[00:16:34.700]Perlman set the new GPA record and was the sole one
[00:16:38.090]to graduate with highest distinction.
[00:16:40.740]I remember after having taken the Arizona Bar in 2005,
[00:16:45.130]I told Harvey that I had studied so hard for that exam,
[00:16:48.970]having taken two bar preparation courses,
[00:16:52.770]that if I'd studied that hard in law school
[00:16:54.650]I'd have been number one.
[00:16:56.170]And he said, "No," he said, "I'd just studied harder."
[00:17:00.670]Harvey never stopped excelling.
[00:17:02.520]Whether in his career as professor, law school dean,
[00:17:05.990]or Chancellor of the University of Nebraska,
[00:17:08.600]he richly deserves receiving
[00:17:10.460]the Distinguished Faculty Award.
[00:17:13.110]Please give a hand to Harvey Perlman.
[00:17:15.536](Mr. Scudder applauds)
[00:17:18.400]This is difficult for me trying to come after
[00:17:21.730]Earl Scudder's introduction 'cause
[00:17:24.570]Earl and I had been friends since law school
[00:17:26.717]and he knows an awful lot about me.
[00:17:29.850]So, I hope that you understand that most of what he said
[00:17:34.360]is probably either an exaggeration, or untrue.
[00:17:39.050]Nonetheless, of
[00:17:41.530]many gracious and generous introductions
[00:17:45.140]that I've had over the course of my career,
[00:17:49.120]Earl's was clearly the most recent.
[00:17:53.370]I'm honored to be here to accept this award.
[00:17:57.710]When Dean Moberly asked me to come to his office
[00:18:01.450]to say that he had an award for me,
[00:18:04.920]I thought it would probably be a watch
[00:18:07.850]and then he'd asked for my keys.
[00:18:10.670]I'm at that age, you know?
[00:18:12.980]But it is I'm pleased to be here.
[00:18:15.320]I'm particularly pleased to be honored with
[00:18:19.200]the two students who I know in a general way.
[00:18:22.540]And they've made many contributions to the Law School.
[00:18:26.360]I know Matt Williams better and he was a student of mine.
[00:18:30.890]An extraordinary gifted lawyer
[00:18:34.530]who understood that you could use legal education
[00:18:37.170]in something other than practicing law.
[00:18:40.760]And to be recognized at the same time with the
[00:18:45.230]Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation.
[00:18:48.520]They have made such an extraordinary contribution
[00:18:51.360]for the Law School.
[00:18:53.110]I remember the lunch I had with Marvin
[00:18:57.940]at the Marriott Hotel in Regency in Omaha.
[00:19:02.670]He had already given a significant amount of money
[00:19:05.450]for scholarships for students,
[00:19:08.350]but he said you know, he said,
[00:19:09.747]"I wanna do something really big."
[00:19:12.860]And the result of that, of course, was his gift,
[00:19:16.810]his and Virginia's gift to the library,
[00:19:20.940]which at the time was the largest gift
[00:19:23.490]we'd ever received from an alumnus.
[00:19:26.530]And of course, it's hard to imagine
[00:19:28.440]what this Law School would be like,
[00:19:30.810]had it not been for their support over so many years.
[00:19:35.110]So again, I'm honored to get the award.
[00:19:38.060]I suspect it's more for persistence than productivity
[00:19:42.780]at this point.
[00:19:45.583]I was away from the Law School for 16 years.
[00:19:49.680]When I came back the most noticeable thing
[00:19:52.060]was the
[00:19:53.750]extraordinary quality
[00:19:57.420]and productivity of the faculty.
[00:20:01.170]My old colleagues who I knew already had
[00:20:05.610]been energized more than they had when I left.
[00:20:09.470]The younger faculty are just such extraordinary people
[00:20:13.960]with fascinating interest in scholarship,
[00:20:17.510]a commitment to teaching.
[00:20:19.820]The Environmental Law School is really just
[00:20:23.348]what you would envision of an academic enterprise.
[00:20:26.790]And to receive this award in comparison with them
[00:20:31.090]seems almost silly to me, but nonetheless, I'm pleased.
[00:20:36.300]So I wanna thank the Dean's Advisory Council
[00:20:40.570]for this award.
[00:20:42.230]It really is a meaningful reward for me.
[00:20:45.230]So thank you very much.
[00:20:49.910]Harvey, congratulations.
[00:20:51.490]What a wonderful speech.
[00:20:52.820]And Earl (Dean Moberly applauding)
[00:20:54.320]I'm so glad you introduced him.
[00:20:56.230]That was tremendous.
[00:20:58.550]We always learn new things about Harvey
[00:21:00.890]every time Earl speaks.
[00:21:02.840]So, I don't know, Harvey, thank you very much
[00:21:04.970]for everything you have done.
[00:21:06.140]You're humble.
[00:21:07.390]Way too humble in your speech.
[00:21:09.810]You've had just a tremendous impact on this place in,
[00:21:14.260]I guess 50 years of students, right?
[00:21:16.340]So, you have been (Dean Moberly chuckles)
[00:21:18.780]a great citizen of the Law School
[00:21:20.487]and this university in this state, so thank you very much.
[00:21:24.136]Thank you.
[00:21:25.131]Thanks.
[00:21:26.880]So, now we move to
[00:21:29.810]some tremendous awards to recognize current students.
[00:21:32.610]And I think you'll be amazed by these
[00:21:34.590]two groups of students.
[00:21:35.916]Sorry, these two students
[00:21:36.749]that we're about to introduce to you.
[00:21:38.560]We'll start with the one that we wanted to do last year
[00:21:41.810]who graduated in the Spring of 2020.
[00:21:45.420]So, Maddie Huber
[00:21:47.500]is our graduate from 2020,
[00:21:50.050]who won the Woods & Aitken Outstanding Student Award.
[00:21:53.080]And she will be introduced by Assistant Dean, Mark Pierce.
[00:22:07.180]What is most important in your life?
[00:22:10.260]We should hesitate, I think, to take anything for granted,
[00:22:13.890]but let's assume we're not wanting for the basics.
[00:22:16.940]Food, water, shelter, air, good health.
[00:22:20.620]Those aside, what is most important?
[00:22:24.480]I would not presume to read your minds.
[00:22:26.550]For some it will be individual accomplishments
[00:22:29.540]and the accolades that attend them.
[00:22:32.020]These might run the gamut from collecting academic awards
[00:22:35.460]to chasing records in the breakaway.
[00:22:38.160]For others it might be professional success.
[00:22:41.830]Some might want only for time to set aside
[00:22:45.070]for their favorite show.
[00:22:46.800]I hear, "The Bachelor," is pretty good.
[00:22:49.570]But a person might achieve personal goals
[00:22:53.050]and even be driven to achieve personal goals
[00:22:56.970]without affording them the highest importance.
[00:23:00.360]A person can accomplish much,
[00:23:02.510]while striving for something more.
[00:23:04.960]Something higher.
[00:23:06.670]And these accolades are in truth, a by-product
[00:23:10.140]of a striving for a grander ideal.
[00:23:13.250]Madison Huber has only just embarked
[00:23:16.150]on her professional career
[00:23:17.810]and already she's achieved remarkable things.
[00:23:21.190]She graduated at the top of her class
[00:23:23.230]and amassed all the academic awards we have to offer
[00:23:26.120]at the College of Law along with first place recognition
[00:23:29.600]in Moot Court Competition.
[00:23:31.700]At Black Hills State she was instrumental in implementing
[00:23:34.780]the Thompson Diversion Program,
[00:23:36.890]which has given countless young people an opportunity
[00:23:39.960]to recover from mistakes without enduring the damning stigma
[00:23:44.090]and other impacts left by the criminal justice system.
[00:23:48.420]Before that, at age nine, nine, she led a campaign
[00:23:53.140]for the construction of a new middle school.
[00:23:56.130]She loves learning for learning's sake
[00:23:58.400]and those close to her say consistently
[00:24:00.770]that she is one of the most competitive people they know,
[00:24:03.700]whether in school, hockey, or rodeo competition.
[00:24:08.140]But I believe as impressive as these accomplishments are,
[00:24:11.690]they are mere by-products of a pursuit of something more.
[00:24:16.740]What is most (paper rustling)
[00:24:17.573]important in life?
[00:24:19.270]I think Maddie has the answer and I know those of us
[00:24:22.290]who've had the privilege of spending time in her orbit,
[00:24:25.370]including her mother, Ellen, her friend, Keeley,
[00:24:28.250]and her mentor, Pam, can see it.
[00:24:31.620]Madison is driven to make a difference.
[00:24:34.290]A meaningful, positive difference
[00:24:36.950]for the people in her community.
[00:24:39.490]She did not nearly just propose
[00:24:42.540]that a new middle school be built,
[00:24:44.640]she worked to convince officials that the school was needed.
[00:24:47.850]Even leading tours through the aging school.
[00:24:51.910]She did not merely research restorative justice principles
[00:24:56.210]and help design a diversion program,
[00:24:58.830]she persuaded university officials, regions, local police,
[00:25:03.830]the state's attorney and a magistrate judge
[00:25:07.030]that the program was needed.
[00:25:08.690]And then she took shifts prosecuting and defending cases,
[00:25:12.530]organizing volunteers and recruiting jurors
[00:25:16.230]to ensure that the program worked and made a difference.
[00:25:20.680]She did not merely excel in law school,
[00:25:23.630]she volunteered her time to counsel students
[00:25:26.540]who are struggling and support them through difficult times.
[00:25:31.030]She's driven by a passion to help people
[00:25:33.640]and she is an inspiration to us.
[00:25:36.750]Our recognition of Maddie has been delayed
[00:25:39.070]by the global emergency, but we need not let that delay
[00:25:42.450]diminish her well-earned recognition.
[00:25:45.400]Indeed, I think the pandemic gives us new perspective
[00:25:48.410]that helps us see that perhaps,
[00:25:50.450]what is most important in life
[00:25:52.550]is our relationship with others.
[00:25:55.150]Our connection with them and the positive impact
[00:25:58.480]we can have on one another's lives.
[00:26:01.020]I'm deeply honored to introduce to you Madison Huber,
[00:26:05.200]the 2020 Woods & Aitken Outstanding Student
[00:26:08.068]at the University of Nebraska College of Law.
[00:26:11.000]Hello, my name is Madison Huber.
[00:26:13.963]As I was thinking about what I wanted to say
[00:26:15.720]here briefly today, I was reminded that it was
[00:26:18.290]nearly a year ago when I was sitting in Civil Clinic
[00:26:21.920]and I received a phone call from a number
[00:26:24.750]I didn't recognize.
[00:26:26.350]Now, normally I would let a phone call like that
[00:26:27.940]go to voicemail, but for some reason I answered it.
[00:26:30.510]And to my surprise, the person on the other end
[00:26:32.950]was Dean Moberly of all people.
[00:26:35.810]Now, mind you, this was the time when
[00:26:38.470]the world was beginning to shut down,
[00:26:41.070]so Dean Moberly had a on his plate.
[00:26:44.820]But despite an ongoing pandemic he took the time
[00:26:47.900]to personally call me and apologize
[00:26:49.700]that this very banquet would have to be postponed.
[00:26:54.220]When I think back on that phone call,
[00:26:55.810]it's one of the reasons I love Nebraska Law.
[00:26:59.410]People here are so generous with their time,
[00:27:02.830]no matter how busy they are.
[00:27:05.820]That's been true of my professors, my classmates, alumni.
[00:27:11.030]All are willing to put aside
[00:27:13.030]whatever is going on in their lives, to help others
[00:27:15.790]and to show compassion and thoughtfulness.
[00:27:19.820]I'm very proud to be a part of a community like this.
[00:27:23.460]And I'm so honored that perhaps this community thought
[00:27:25.920]that I have some of those qualities.
[00:27:28.460]And I'm honored to have received
[00:27:29.990]the Woods Aitken Outstanding Student Award.
[00:27:37.729]Now, Maddie, congratulations.
[00:27:39.870]A year delayed, (Dean claps hands)
[00:27:41.370]but we are so proud of you
[00:27:43.460]and all that you've accomplished and done.
[00:27:45.260]And thanks, Dean Pierce, for a tremendous introduction.
[00:27:49.150]So, thanks so much, Maddie.
[00:27:50.360]I hope you're doing well.
[00:27:51.350]Good to see you.
[00:27:53.530]Our next Woods & Aitken, and in between these
[00:27:55.680]I add to pause and just say thank you to Woods & Aitken
[00:27:58.760]for every year, sponsoring this tremendous award.
[00:28:01.950]As much as I love all of the other recipients,
[00:28:04.480]I think it is great for alumni to see
[00:28:07.320]the amazing things that our current students are doing.
[00:28:10.160]These people will soon become your colleagues
[00:28:12.160]in the practice of law and I love that we get to highlight
[00:28:16.140]some of our best and brightest.
[00:28:18.130]So thanks to Woods & Aitken for sponsoring the award.
[00:28:21.680]The 2021 Award will now be presented by Professor of Law
[00:28:26.487]and the Weibling Director of the Entrepreneurship Clinic,
[00:28:28.930]Brett Stohs and the recipient is Curtis Fuller.
[00:28:42.330]My name is Brett Stohs
[00:28:43.720]and I am honored to introduce you to this year's winner
[00:28:46.330]of the Woods Aitken Outstanding Student Award,
[00:28:49.460]Curtis Fuller.
[00:28:50.680]Curtis embodies, "In word and deed,"
[00:28:53.400]the very best of the Law College's values.
[00:28:55.900]And I can think of no one more deserving for this award
[00:28:58.270]than Curtis.
[00:28:59.830]I had the privilege to get to know Curtis last summer
[00:29:02.660]as a student attorney
[00:29:03.790]in the Weibling Entrepreneurship Clinic, which I direct.
[00:29:07.120]In the E-Clinic students provide free legal services
[00:29:09.810]to Nebraska startup businesses.
[00:29:12.220]Though denied an in-person clinic experience due to COVID-19
[00:29:16.260]Curtis cut through the barriers,
[00:29:17.780]presented by remote communication tools
[00:29:20.820]to meaningfully connect with and serve his clients
[00:29:23.500]in a way that helped them achieve their goals.
[00:29:26.040]Curtis builds bridges with empathy and patience.
[00:29:30.562]He communicates with clarity and concern for others.
[00:29:34.110]And in the E-Clinic he demonstrated client-centered skills
[00:29:37.050]that rivaled the most experienced practitioners.
[00:29:40.320]It was with great pride that I watched Curtis
[00:29:42.470]and his fellow classmate, Olivia Edoff,
[00:29:45.170]compete in our Client Counseling Competition,
[00:29:48.080]applying those client-centered lawyering skills
[00:29:50.790]to succeed and earn a chance to represent the Law College
[00:29:54.380]at a regional competition sponsored
[00:29:55.990]by the American Bar Association.
[00:29:57.283](paper rustling)
[00:29:58.730]Curtis's leadership amidst the pandemic
[00:30:00.910]has also been commendable.
[00:30:02.820]As President of the Nebraska Law Student Bar Association,
[00:30:06.080]he has led through consensus,
[00:30:08.170]during a particularly turbulent year
[00:30:10.210]in the life of the Law College.
[00:30:12.190]Among other things, he worked with our administration
[00:30:14.710]to advance student interests during the pandemic,
[00:30:17.180]drafted statements responding to national events,
[00:30:19.550]such as the Black Lives Matter protests
[00:30:21.720]and the January 6th insurrection.
[00:30:23.880]And organized a beautiful vigil to mourn and celebrate
[00:30:27.330]the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
[00:30:30.240]Curtis embodies a central tenant
[00:30:32.700]of our Law College's mission statement,
[00:30:35.210]which is to develop inclusive leaders.
[00:30:38.170]As a leader, colleague and friend to so many
[00:30:41.590]over the last three years, he has used his unique strengths
[00:30:45.280]and talents to help us do exactly that.
[00:30:48.940]And on behalf of the entire Law College community,
[00:30:51.290]thank you, Curtis, for your collaborative leadership
[00:30:55.356]and congratulations on this well-deserved award.
[00:30:57.950]Thank you, Professor Stohs for the kind introduction.
[00:31:00.700]And thank you to my nominators and to the Board
[00:31:02.900]for honoring me with the 2021 Woods Aitken
[00:31:06.110]Outstanding Student Award.
[00:31:08.560]If I stand out at all, it's because I'm surrounded by people
[00:31:12.260]who love and support and encourage me.
[00:31:15.660]Friends and family, people I've worked with
[00:31:18.860]before and during law school and faculty and leaders
[00:31:22.830]turned friends and mentors like Dean Brummond
[00:31:26.190]and Dean Moberly, Professor Stohs, Professor Blankley
[00:31:30.580]and Professor Stefanie Pearlman.
[00:31:33.520]Above everyone, however, I have to thank my boyfriend, Alex,
[00:31:37.370]who has stood by me and gracefully endured
[00:31:40.430]the other side of law school, dating a law student.
[00:31:45.140]I came to law school as a non-traditional student,
[00:31:48.200]with an open mind, but a defined approach,
[00:31:52.480]determined to work hard without beating myself up,
[00:31:57.260]to forge new relationships without neglecting old ones
[00:32:01.610]and to become a better person, but not a different person.
[00:32:06.700]At Nebraska I've been able to adhere to my vision
[00:32:09.640]and achieve, as this award symbolizes,
[00:32:12.740]pretty remarkable success.
[00:32:15.390]I tell One Ls and prospective students all the time
[00:32:18.510]that I'm proof you don't have to be in the top 10%,
[00:32:21.750]or land the highest paying internships,
[00:32:24.530]or work at the most prestigious law firms to be successful.
[00:32:28.730]As a matter of fact, I've done none of those things.
[00:32:32.280]To paraphrase Maya Angelou, people forget what you say
[00:32:35.780]and what you do, but people never forget
[00:32:38.190]how you make them feel.
[00:32:40.350]I tell them of course, to do all of their readings
[00:32:42.710]and to attend all of their classes
[00:32:44.800]and try not to cut corners,
[00:32:46.920]but remember that it is our relationships
[00:32:49.220]that make or break us.
[00:32:51.310]Where you end up depends on how you treat others.
[00:32:54.860]And you should always make time for people.
[00:32:59.320]I'm honored to accept this award and grateful
[00:33:01.380]for the opportunities Nebraska Law has created for me.
[00:33:05.370]For the doors Nebraska has opened
[00:33:07.750]and for the world-class education that I've received
[00:33:10.340]over the last three years.
[00:33:12.770]Most of all, I treasure the people
[00:33:14.290]whom Nebraska Law brought into my life,
[00:33:16.520]including each of you.
[00:33:18.650]I hope that in the years to come I have the chance
[00:33:21.110]to work with each of you and to get to know you
[00:33:24.600]as we steer Nebraska Law ever closer to its vision.
[00:33:28.160]I'm proud to be a Husker
[00:33:29.420]and to represent this community wherever I go.
[00:33:32.660]Thank you.
[00:33:39.990]Thank you, Curtis, for all that you have done.
[00:33:43.130]Congratulations. (Dean Moberly applauds)
[00:33:45.130]I still remember you coming here on Admitted Students Day
[00:33:49.192]and us getting to know each other over these three years.
[00:33:51.950]And I'm just so thankful that you were at the helm
[00:33:55.480]of the Student Bar Association over this last year.
[00:33:58.350]This year has tested everybody,
[00:34:00.380]but it certainly tested leaders of organizations
[00:34:02.840]and you, not just passed, but you excelled.
[00:34:05.620]You made this a tremendous year for your colleagues
[00:34:08.620]and for all of us.
[00:34:09.770]So thank you and congratulations, Curtis.
[00:34:14.050]So, that is our award ceremony.
[00:34:16.850]For those of you who've attended this
[00:34:18.300]in its live iterations in previous years,
[00:34:21.130]you might be amazed to see that we are only five minutes
[00:34:24.270]behind the schedule that we had set out for you.
[00:34:26.760]This has got to be some sort of record
[00:34:28.820]for the Dean's Advisory Board Awards Luncheon.
[00:34:32.680]Maybe it's 'cause we're not eating, or perhaps because
[00:34:35.320]I'm not talking nearly as much as I normally do.
[00:34:38.480]Yeah, Brett's nodding.
[00:34:39.420]Thank you, Brett.
[00:34:40.253]I appreciate that.
[00:34:41.840]So, with that, I will just thank.
[00:34:44.300]Please join me once again in thanking
[00:34:46.140]all of the award winners.
[00:34:47.954](Dean Moberly applauding) Give them a round of applause.
[00:34:49.500]And I'd like to thank the people
[00:34:50.750]who gave those tremendous introduction speeches for them.
[00:34:55.470]We so appreciate all that you have done for this Law School.
[00:35:00.490]We send you on your way.
[00:35:02.580]I hope, just feeling a little bit better about this place,
[00:35:05.770]or about what the future holds, 'cause as you can see,
[00:35:09.190]particularly for our last two students,
[00:35:10.860]the future is really bright at Nebraska Law
[00:35:15.641]and the practice of law.
[00:35:16.990]So anyway, thank you all very much
[00:35:19.460]for taking the time out today and attending this.
[00:35:22.980]Next year we hope to be live and we welcome you back
[00:35:26.870]and we'll see you then.

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2021 Dean's Advisory Board Awards

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