College of Law to Present Alumni, Faculty, Student Awards

Lincoln, Neb., May 3rd, 2004 — P>The University of Nebraska College of Law has announced the four winners of its most significant annual awards. The awards are made each year by the college's Alumni Council. They will be presented at the college's annual banquet May 7 at the Lincoln Country Club. The banquet is sponsored by Credit Advisors Foundation and TierOne Bank.

Distinguished Alumni Award: D. Nick Caporale of Omaha. The award is given to a graduate of the college for rare distinction in professional achievement. Caporale entered law school at Nebraska after receiving the Bronze Star for his service in Korea. After graduating with distinction in 1957, he practiced law in Omaha from 1957 until 1979. After three years as a District Court judge in Omaha, he was appointed to the Nebraska Supreme Court in 1982 and served with distinction for 16 years. Still active, Caporale has served as a Kauffman legal writing fellow at the College of Law and is "of counsel" to Omaha law firm Baird, Holm, McEahen, Pedersen, Hamann and Strasheim LLP. Ted Sorensen and Duane Acklie are prior winners of this award.

Outstanding Service Award: The children of Harold W. Kauffman, a 1934 graduate of the college who had a distinguished legal career in Omaha. Harold was especially well known for his brief writing and wrote dozens, perhaps hundreds, of briefs at every appellate level, in both state and federal courts, all of the highest quality. This award is made to his five children, Fred, Carole, Tom, Marty, and Gary. The children have made significant contributions to the college in support of the Harold W. Kauffman Suite in the newly remodeled Law College building and in support of the college's outstanding legal writing program. One of his children, Fred, is also a graduate of the college who has had a distinguished legal career in Lincoln, including a year as president of the Nebraska State Bar Association. Fred is also a member of the college's Alumni Council. Richard C. and Catherine Stuart Schmoker won this award in 2002; Marvin and Virginia Schmid won the award in 2003.

Distinguished Faculty Award: Roger Kirst, who joined the faculty in 1976 and is the Henry M. Grether professor of law. Kirst is one of the nation's leading scholars on the Sixth Amendment and his scholarship on that topic was recently cited by the U.S. Supreme Court. He has also been active with the bench and bar. His activities have included a leading role in the recent transition to a new set of rules of civil procedure in Nebraska. Rob Denicola and Jo Potuto were prior winners of this award.

Woods & Aitken Outstanding Service Award: David J.A. Bargen, a third-year student. He was the president of his law school class all three years in law school, has been a member and editor of the Nebraska Law Review, and was recipient of one of the college's most distinguished fellowships, the Ted Sorensen Fellowship. After graduation, Bargen will be a judicial clerk for the Hon. C. Arlen Beam of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. The Lincoln law firm Woods & Aitken is a generous supporter of this award. Prior winners of the award were Anthony Shutz and Paula Lyon.

CONTACT: Glenda Pierce, Assoc. Dean, Law, (402) 472-2161