Media Contact: Laurie Mellas Ramirez, 505-277-5915

Dec. 8, 2003 UNM SCHOOL OF LAW DEAN TO SPEAK AT FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT BENCH AND BAR CONFERENCE DEC. 12 IN CARLSBAD University of New Mexico School of Law Dean Suellyn Scarnecchia is a featured speaker at the daylong Eight Annual Fifth Judicial District Bench and Bar Conference at the Best Western Stevens Inn set for Friday Dec. 12. Appointed this past January, Scarnecchia will give a talk on "Access to Justice Ethics," from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. She will discuss the history and methods for providing civil legal services to the poor in the United States, with a special emphasis on related ethical issues for members of the bar. "I am pleased to have this opportunity to share an abbreviated form of my Access to Justice class with practicing lawyers and judges," Scarnecchia said. "Everywhere in the United States, there is a terrible shortage of available civil legal services for people of poor and even moderate means and it takes the creative energies of all members of the legal profession to attack this serious problem." Scarnecchia, who is the first woman and the eighth person to lead the UNM law school, will also attend a reception for participants hosted by the UNM School of Law from 4-6 p.m. in the Buffet Room. Other featured conference speakers include the Honorable Michael Vigil of the New Mexico Court of Appeals. His talk "History of the Court of Appeals" will be from 1:05-2:05 p.m. Former School of Law Dean Robert J. Desiderio will talk about "Restitution" from 2:15-3:45 p.m. ###

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