| Juggling Act
Law student, father of three youngsters seamlessly manages
demands of family, law school
by Deidra Jackson  At 29, Ben McArthur has much more on his mind than most second-year UM law students. The father of three young children under the age of 4, he juggles parenting with the demanding academic rigors of law school. What would be daunting—if not impossible—to most is exhilarating to this Pensacola, Fla., native.
Those who know McArthur describe him as a sharp law student and a devoted family man. And even those who know him best, specifically his wife, Samantha Alexander McArthur, are in awe of his remarkable ability to stay focused on both fronts.
“I don’t see how he does it,” said the stay-at-home mom and ’97 UM political science graduate. “But I knew before we had children that he’d be a good daddy. I definitely couldn’t do it without him.”
The couple’s devotion to family is unmistakable. But even more remarkable is their commitment to McArthurs’s law school education. Samantha had originally been scheduled to deliver their twins on Dec. 1, 2003, the same day McArthur was to take his first-ever law school exam. The couple asked that the twins’ delivery date be moved to Dec. 3. When doctors recommended that his wife spend four months on bed rest prior to delivery, Ben juggled law school classes while taking care of their then 2-year-old daughter, Lillian Lee, with help from their parents and siblings.
The day the twins were due to come home was the same day McArthur was to have taken a labor law exam.
“Rather than complain about his predicament as others might have done, Ben merely asked for an additional day to prepare for the law exam and still was able to receive one of the top grades in the class,” said professor Paul Secunda. “Not only is he in the process of mastering the law, but he is also a long way into mastering the art of fatherhood.”
McArthur, who currently clerks part time at Markow Walker in Oxford, maintains a 3.39 GPA and is ranked 22 in a class of 217.
“He is able to find a good balance between family and schoolwork,” Secunda said. “It is amazing the ease with which he takes care of three children under the age of 4.”
At a rowdy preschool fund-raiser recently, 3-1/2-year-old Lillian Lee McArthur is perched high atop her father’s shoulders, noticeably relaxed amid the revelry she surveys around her. On this night, Western-themed decorations and creative ingenuity have transformed her school’s gymnasium into a lively indoor carnival, where dozens line up for a cakewalk, feast on barbecue sandwiches and cotton candy, and pull spoons out of a haystack for toy prizes.
Just as calm in the middle of the festivities is Lillian’s father. For the moment, Ben McArthur forgets the impassioned discourses on the U.S. Constitution, wills and estates, bankruptcy and civil courts from his law school classes; instead, he engages in the spontaneous playfulness he anticipates when he spends such cherished moments with his family. He looks over and smiles at his wife, who is sitting with their 11-month-old twins, Emily Addison and Frederick Simpson.
“It’s challenging for sure, but I
couldn’t think of a better time in my life to have young children,” McArthur said. “It’s a joint effort. In raising the kids, I like to think we split the pea.”
Despite the double-duty challenges of parenting and attending law school, he said he appreciates the days that he can come home early, play “tag team” and relieve his wife from caring for their young brood for a few hours.
“He has not ever been afraid to take all of the children at the same time,” Sam said. “He gives me the time I need for myself. He’s just a good dad.”
The perception that Ben McArthur is dedicated to both fatherhood and law school isn’t lost on his peers. Second-year law student Andy Segrest of Jackson said McArthur is someone who will succeed “no matter the circumstances.”
“If you met Ben for the first time, you would inevitably walk away thinking, ‘Man, that guy loves life in every way possible,’” Segrest said. “Ben has had some rough times during his years in law school, yet he always shows interest in the people around him. He is a great friend and an amazing person who inspires everyone to succeed no matter what.”
Classmate Kevin Perkins of Oxford described McArthur as “always upbeat, positive and amazingly calm.” Perkins also said that McArthur is savvy enough to get to the heart of issues quickly in class.
“I think Ben would be the first to tell you his secret weapon is his wife, Sam,” Perkins said. “He is a good family man and a sharp student, and I think the most telling compliment of all is that I would hire him as my lawyer someday.”
McArthur refers to his wife as “the rock of our family.”
Professor Matthew Hall, who taught McArthur’s constitutional law class last spring, also praises McArthur: “He prepared diligently despite the long reading assignments; he mastered the facts and practical mechanics of the cases; he understood the rules; and he appreciated theory.”
This year McArthur plans to work for two firms for which he has clerked in the past two years: Bradley Arant Rose and White in Huntsville, Ala., and the Tupelo office of Phelps Dunbar, a large regional firm headquartered in New Orleans.
McArthur, the former co-owner of an Oxford film-processing business, also received a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance from UM in 1997.
“Ben consistently comes to class prepared and willing to participate in discussion,” said professor Michael Waterstone. “His real-life experience as a small-business owner helps bring legal concepts to life.”
McArthur said it’s his pragmatic role as parent that drives his desire to excel in law school.
“I love it,” McArthur said. “I like everything about the practice of law. It definitely re-affirms what I’m doing.”
As he interviews with law firms in hopes of landing other prime clerkships, he is already eyeing his spring 2006 graduation with a heavy heart. When he passes the bar and begins work as an attorney, he knows the opportunities to spend time with his family won’t be as numerous.
“I look forward to graduating, but it’s going to be bittersweet,” he said. “I’ll cherish the times I’ve been able to spend with my family.”
But Sam said she is prepared for those times. “He has to miss out on family time. We knew that going into this. The sacrifices will help us in the future.”
Another source of strength, which the McArthurs consider supreme, is their unabashed faith in God.
“We glorify God for his blessings upon blessings,” McArthur said.
Deidra Jackson is a communications specialist in the UM Office of Media and Public Relations.
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Lighting a Pathway
Keishunna Randall is ready to paint Mississippi with her golden touch
by Joe Thompson
 Before stepping into law school, Keishunna Randall already knew what it took to influence social change. From Jackson to Washington, D.C., to California, Randall has left an impressive trail of successful community- and minority-based initiatives. She plans to translate that experience, and her legal education from the UM Law School, into positive changes for her home state.
“My role as a woman of color is to promote leadership development and the achievement of educational parity for those generations to come,” said Randall, a second-year law student.
A native of Jackson, Randall received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Belhaven College in 1997 and a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Jackson State University in 2000.
While attending Jackson State, Randall worked in the Office of the Mayor of Jackson, where she served as a public relations liaison between city officials and community organizations, led collaborations with public agencies and community groups, and organized public events.
“In each of her tasks, Keishunna used her considerable skill in interpersonal relations to gain access in a short period of time and to build the relationships needed to gather information and effectively facilitate meetings,” said Karen Quay, director of policy and intergovernmental relations in the mayor’s office.
Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. credited Randall with creating a biweekly newsletter for the City Council.
“This required her to quickly acquire knowledge sufficient to create a succinct, intelligible and creative presentation,” Johnson said.
Randall was also responsible for policy research on a number of critical issues, including the impact on city finance of federal action related to e-commerce. And she researched the guidelines for the development of a nonprofit public access cable corporation.
“Throughout her work, Ms. Randall displayed strong management and leadership skills, seeking new challenges and tenaciously pursuing them to completion,” Johnson said. “She organized tasks and colleagues to accomplish important work, and built a high-spirited team in doing so.”
Quay said Randall’s warmth and positive attitude promoted teamwork among the staff. “She brought enthusiasm and commitment to each project, even when the bureaucracy of a city caused seemingly endless rewrites and next steps.”
During her final year of graduate school, Randall worked with the National Congress of Community Economic Development in Washington, D.C.
As an assistant for the organization, Randall created an individual account for a community development credit union to help low-income families achieve economic self-sufficiency through enterprise development, home ownership and higher education. She also helped provide such support services as business-plan development, solicitation of financial backing and marketing for small businesses.
That experience landed her a job with the Greenlining Institute in San Francisco, where she managed a $159 million partnership with Merrill Lynch. The partnership focused on minority business development and economic empowerment.
Randall worked closely with the California State Legislature and the California Public Utilities Commission to devise legislation to allocate $200 million for energy conservation and efficiency programs.
“During the California energy crisis, we were instrumental in helping poor families keep the lights on,” Randall said. “We empowered and educated about 20,000 low-income families in San Francisco alone.”
Randall’s work did not go unnoticed.
“She was able to sign up more people than the state representative for the project had signed up,” said Paul Turner, program director for Claiming Our Democracy, a campaign finance-reform program of the Greenlining Institute. “Keishunna is very energetic, hardworking and knowledgeable. “It makes her a very potent force wherever she goes.”
Randall helped develop programs to assist minority business women compete for corporate procurement contracts. She managed the 21st Century Leadership Partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The partnership advocated consumer protection and education, supplier and workforce diversity, and corporate philanthropy initiatives.
Before returning to Mississippi, Randall managed the public relations activities for corporate and governmental clients, including Wells Fargo Bank and the city of Pasadena, as the principal consultant for VXR Enterprises in Los Angeles.
“My opportunities in California required me to assume an unprecedented degree of responsibility, but my skills are more valuable at home,” Randall said. “I have always wanted to pursue a law degree.”
Randall said she returned to her home state to be trained by some of the South’s most accomplished and well-respected lawyers.
“Being trained by the best will allow me to be an effective and prudent attorney,” she said, making special mention of her mentor La’Verne Edney, an attorney with Brunini, Grantham, Gower & Hewes in Jackson.
“I have been fortunate to have generous people in my life who have provided opportunities that encouraged my growth as a visionary, an activist and a leader,” Randall said. “I must return the favor by providing the same opportunity to someone else.”
Even as a law student, Randall is working to ensure her classmates are on a level playing field. As a member of the American Bar Association Student Division, Randall serves as the lieutenant governor for diversity for the 5th Circuit.
“Increasing diversity in the legal profession is quite critical,” Randall said. “My role as lieutenant governor for diversity is to increase minority participation in organizations like the American Bar Association. I want to enhance and expand opportunities for students. And I am particularly committed to ensuring that minority students are well-informed about available networking opportunities and mentoring programs.”
Joe Thompson is a senior history major from Holly Springs, Miss.
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A Match Made
in the Heavens
Student’s interests
converge in space law
program
by Camille Breland
 Lori Moorman thought she wanted to solve the mysteries of the universe, so as an undergraduate at the University of Arizona, she pursued degrees in physics and astronomy. When she graduated in 2002, Moorman decided to follow a different path.
“I thought, ‘No, this isn’t me,’” said the third-year law student from Charlottesville, Va. At the UM Law School, Moorman has found a program that draws on her science background while giving her the change she needed.
Moorman said her father was researching space law programs on the Internet and discovered that UM had a top-notch program.
“I wanted to be working more with people and projects,” Moorman said about her decision to go to law school. “I thought the legal profession would be a good way to do that and when I saw there was a space law field, I thought that would be too perfect.”
Moorman came to Ole Miss for the National Remote Sensing and Space Law Center, where she has flourished academically and socially.
Last summer, Moorman interned at the U.S. Department of Commerce National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, which she says is best-known for providing the weather maps used on television.
Although Moorman said she had to apply for the internship and participate in a phone interview, she said it was her law professors who “got the ball rolling.”
“When I first got to Washington, D.C., they put me in a cubicle in the middle of the office,” Moorman said. “Three weeks later I had my own office with a window.”
Moorman’s internship included more than making coffee. She worked on three major projects over the
summer.
She updated and revised a brief on government termination of private satellite operations in relation to First Amendment rights. That brief, Moorman said, was the government’s response on how to handle news satellites orbiting the earth.
Moorman wrote a memo on the “sensed state” provision of the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, which addressed the fact that under international law each country is supposed to give copies of pictures taken by their satellites of other countries to those respective countries. There is debate, however, over whether this law can be skirted if giving the pictures to a certain country would jeopardize U.S. national security.
Moorman’s third project involved writing the procedure for collecting penalties from NOAA licensees who are in violation of established policy.
“If a satellite isn’t complying with the terms established, NOAA is allowed to fine them $10,000 per day,” she said.
Joanne Gabrynowicz, space law professor and director of the National Remote Sensing and Space Law Center, encouraged Moorman to pursue the internship.
“Lori will be able to draw upon this experience as a lawyer,” Gabrynowicz said. “I am sure this internship will enhance her already considerable potential to be an excellent lawyer.”
In Washington, Moorman rubbed shoulders with the secretary of commerce and some of the “Washington bigwigs.”
“[The internship] really opened my eyes in a lot of ways to the breadth of the field,” Moorman said. “I didn’t realize all the issues and political tensions that must come into play.”
Moorman hasn’t decided where she will work after graduating in May.
“I’m trying to keep an open mind because space law is kind of a small area,” she said.
Camille Breland is a junior marketing communications major from Columbia, Miss.
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Master of His
Universe
With knowledge of space law, student is ready to take on the world
by Camille Breland
 Third-year law student Robert Kelley has studied in Russia and conducted space law research for the U.S. State Department, all in preparation for a career in international law.
“Law school is so much more than just the law—it’s about retraining yourself, making yourself a real academic,” said the Chicago native.
Kelley has been raising the bar since he enrolled at UM in 2002.
“The respect I’ve gotten from Harvard, Yale and Georgetown law grads is phenomenal,” said Kelley, a University of Kansas Russian and history graduate.
By the time he graduates from law school this year, Kelley, an avid long-distance biker, will own a resume that can compete with that of any Ivy League law school graduate.
The summer after he graduated from Kansas, Kelley spent three months in Ukraine enrolled in a graduate study program. There, he said, he gained the kind of life experience that can’t be taught.
After his summer in Ukraine, Kelley enrolled in the UM Law School. The following summer, he traveled to St. Petersburg, to take courses in Russian literature, pop culture and language.
“In Russia, they didn’t want to know about me as much as they wanted me to know about them,” he said. Kelley said one of the most difficult aspects of living in Russia was learning to live with the round-the-clock sunshine.
In the fall of 2003, Kelley returned to another year of law school at UM, where he met professors Matthew Hall and Joanne Gabrynowicz. He credits them with helping him with take his next big step—an internship with the U.S. State Department.
“Professor Hall asked if I would be interested in a different approach to practicing law,” Kelley said about his decision to study space law. “Three years ago I never would have thought about this at all.”
During his summer internship at the State Department, Kelley worked with the legal adviser’s office for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. The bureau creates international agreements and treaties involving space technology, such as satellites and the global positioning system.
“If you want to mine an asteroid, you have to acquire a certain amount of rights to make the venture worthwhile,” Kelley said. “No company would drill for oil if it couldn’t own the land or product that was obtained.”
Kelley’s work with the bureau involved researching and drafting opinions on current treaty obligations, and lunar and celestial property rights.
One of Kelley’s crowning achievements during his internship was contributing research to a treaty among the United States, Canada, Russia, Japan and Mexico dealing with migratory birds.
“There was a problem with the old treaty with migratory birds because it didn’t talk about native and non-native species,” Kelley said. He said the Department of Interior wanted to destroy the birds, but as a result of his research, officials agreed that the idea was not well-thought-out at the time the first treaty was written.
“Robert was working on leading-edge space law issues as they were developing—where they were developing,” said Gabrynowicz, director of the National Remote Sensing and Space Law Center at UM. “It was a fantas-
tic opportunity to gain real-world
experience.”
For now, Kelley said he is focusing on graduation and finding a job.
Kelley has been interviewing for various positions, including one with the U.S. Department of Justice. As for space law as a career, Kelley said it is “absolutely an emerging market,” as there are thousands of satellites, and commercial space flight is beginning to take effect.
“Ole Miss has taught me how to think and analyze, view logic, debate and research,” he said. “I don’t care if you come from Alaska or Tula, Miss., Ole Miss is a great law school.”
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Patent Pending
Student beats odds to pass patent bar exam
by Kezia Pigford
 Christyn Baldwin is not afraid of a challenge. The third-year law student passed the dreaded patent bar exam during her second year of law school, making her one of 15 patent agents in Mississippi.
Baldwin studied for nearly four months preparing for the challenging exam, which is administered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
“It was definitely an answered prayer,” said the Brandon native. “I spent many hours studying, but I knew that the odds were against me based on the passage rate.”
The exam had a passage rate of 45 percent in 2003.
“It is recommended that [applicants] study for at least 200 hours and still attend their law classes, keep up in class and do their notes,” said Joyce Whittington, the law school’s career services director. “When you look at the passage rate of this extremely difficult exam, it just goes to show how very bright and dedicated our law students are.”
Even before taking the exam, Baldwin had to meet certain requirements. Applicants do not have to be attorneys to sit for the exam but must have a bachelor’s degree in a specified field of science or engineering. Baldwin’s undergraduate degree in biological engineering from Mississippi State University got her past that first hurdle.
The one-day exam is administered in two three-hour sessions of 50 multiple-choice questions each. It tests applicants’ knowledge of patent law; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rules, practice and procedure; and claim drafting. It examines their knowledge of ethical and professional standards applicable to registered patent attorneys and agents. A score of 70 percent is needed to pass the exam.
Although Baldwin passed the patent bar, she still has to pass the Mississippi Bar exam to become a full-fledged
attorney.
“If you are not an attorney and you pass the exam, you are a patent agent,” Baldwin said. “Once I pass the Mississippi Bar exam and become an attorney, my status will change to patent attorney.”
Baldwin is looking ahead to graduation in May, after which she’ll join the firm of Bradley Arant Rose & White in Jackson.
While many attorneys wait until they’re well into their careers to sit for the patent bar, Baldwin encourages other law students who meet the requirements to take the exam.
“Even if you have no plans to practice patent law, it is a good license to have,” Baldwin said. “There are very few patent attorneys in Mississippi, and you never know when you may need it.”
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