Associate Professor Steve Schmidt received a courtesy appointment as an Associate Professor of UNL's Forensic Science. His appointment has a five-year term and allows him to actively participate in teaching, research, and extension activities of the Forensic Science department.
Additionally, Schmidt spoke at the 2013 Educating Advocates: Teaching Advocacy Skills conference held at the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, FL. The annual conference is designed to help participants develop their teaching skills, learn new techniques and network with some of the most recognized names in advocacy teaching. Schmidt was part of a panel on Teaching Advocacy in an Overseas Environment, where he discussed his continuing experiences teaching trial advocacy in Mexico. He also returned to Mexico City over the summer to teach advocacy skills to judges and magistrates of the Superior Court of Justice in Mexico City.
http://www.stetson.edu/law/conferences/eats/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD0c6iklYD0&feature=youtu.be
Schmidt accompanied Prem Paul, UNL Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development to Mexico City on May 31st and signed a collaboration agreement between the College of Law and the Superior Court of Justice for the Federal District. The agreement calls for Schmidt to return with a team of instructors to provide two week-long trial advocacy courses for the family law judges and magistrates of the Superior Court. During the courses, the participants will learn every aspect of an oral adversarial trial - opening, closing, direct and cross-examination as well as the role of the judge. This agreement follows a prior partnership between the College of Law and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) to provide trial advocacy instruction in response to Mexico’s constitutionally mandated reform of their criminal justice system whereby criminal cases would be resolved by oral trials.
Schmidt also was voted to a seat on the national Board of Trustees for Inns of Court. We think he is the first Nebraska judge or attorney to be elected to this prestigious Board.