As they have done for the past thirty-one years, Securities Law Program Alumni gathered for lunch this past Wednesday, November 4th, to reconnect, to celebrate some marvelous achievements, to catch up on developments in fiduciary duty regulation proposals, and to appreciate the fact that their Program makes CUA Law's name shine even brighter.

Sixty alumni filled a large ballroom at the downtown Army Navy Club. They were brought up to date by Program Director, Professor David Lipton, on the new faculty teaching in the Program - the Chief Counsel of Enforcement at the SEC and the former Deputy Executive Director of the MSRB. Also announced was the Program's new course on Securities Compliance, to be introduced this Spring and taught by Ernesto Lanza of Greenberg Traurig LLP. This course will be the Program's contribution to the School's effort to expand its offerings in "transition to practice" courses.

The finalists of the Program's Fall Moot Court Competition, who will represent the School at the National Moot Court Competition in the Spring in New York City were introduced - Chris Geissler (3L), Will Lane (2L), and Andriana VanderGriend (2L). And perhaps, most significantly, the alumni discovered who were the recipients of the Securities Law Program's Scholarship Fund were going to be this year - Yi Shen (2L), Will Lane (2L), Kimberly Thomasson (3L), and Dan O'Connell (3L), a second time winner, received their certificates.

Half way through the luncheon, Ira Hammerman, General Counsel of SIFMA, discussed how the Department of Labor's proposed new rule on fiduciary duties for investment advisers and broker dealers who engage in pension fund development, might well cause conflicts with the SEC's own, long tested rules, regarding the same subject. The luncheon was brought to an end with closing remarks by Dean Daniel F. Attridge. The Dean noted that the spirit of "community" which the Securities Program has historically advanced is one of those qualities which makes the Columbus School of Law a uniquely attractive institution at which to obtain ones legal degree.

L to R) Will Lane, Kimberly Thomasson, David Lipton, Yi Shen, and Dan O'Connell