Archive for 'Thomas E. Baker'

Photo Courtesy of Pensacola News Journal

J. Alistair McKenzie, a 2011 alumnus of FIU Law, practices law at a small firm in Pensacola, Florida, and was recently appointed Regional Vice President for the National Lawyers Guild. McKenzie, recently discussed his career path with us and his duties with the National Lawyers Guild.

Where are you working and what kind of law do you practice?

I am practicing law at a small firm in Pensacola, Florida.  I mostly practice civil rights law on behalf of people whose rights have been violated.  I have worked on First Amendment speech cases, police misconduct cases, prisoner rights cases, and am currently in the process of challenging some ordinances which criminalize homelessness.  Additionally, I work on personal injury, medical malpractice, and consumer rights cases.  As well, I handle all of my own appeals and have already been involved in appeals in the 1st DCA and the 11th Circuit.  I have been blessed with the freedom to practice law on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged, the people who don’t normally have a voice in our country or legal system.  As a result of this blessing, every day I am thankful that I have the opportunity to practice law that is meaningful and which gives my life and career a purpose.

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Professor Thomas E. Baker has published a review of retired Supreme Court Justice Stevens’ recent book — John Paul Stevens, Five Chiefs: A Supreme Court Memoir. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2011 — in the May issue of the Journal of Legal Education.

Professor Baker writes: “As a student of the Supreme Court, I found these memoirs overall to be a reassuring account of the man and the institution he served so long and so faithfully.”  Between 1985 and 1987, Baker worked at the Supreme Court, first as a Judicial Fellow to Chief Justice Burger and then as acting Administrative Assistant to Chief Justice Rehnquist.

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In a recent article, FIU Law Professor Thomas Baker is quoted on why the Supreme Court’s fall session begins without any direct First Amendment cases. He states the dearth of First Amendment cases could mean that the justices “are turning in other directions after having decided some important speech and religion cases the last couple of years. The idea is that they decide some big cases, like the ministerial-exemption case and then back away to allow the lower courts to work out the details.”

With over three decades of law teaching experience, Professor Baker is a nationally-recognized constitutionalist who has received numerous awards for his teaching, including the first-ever Pioneer Award for his commitment and dedication to students from the FIU Student Bar Association in 2004. Professor Baker publishes commentaries and is frequently quoted in the national media as an expert in constitutional law and the federal courts.

High court spotlight misses First Amendment

By Tony Mauro

The Supreme Court’s fall session begins without any direct First Amendment cases on the argument docket, signaling a possible respite from free-speech and religion cases for the near-to-middle future.

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Professor Thomas E. Baker has garnered another important honor and national recognition. Lauren K. Robel, the President of the Association of American Law Schools, appointed Professor Baker to the Advisory Committee of the Journal of Legal Education. He will serve three years on the editorial board of the Journal, the official publication of the legal academy with a readership of more than 10,000 law teachers and other subscribers.

“I have been reading the Journal for a long time and I have published there several times,” Baker said, “so I am looking forward to working inside the Journal.”

Dean Acosta observed, “This is a noteworthy and important service to the law teaching profession.  It recognizes Professor Baker’s scholarly reputation in the U.S. legal academy.”

FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg recognized more than two dozen distinguished members of the FIU academic community for their outstanding achievements in research and scholarship at the Top Scholars reception April 9.

“It is clear that you are reaching for the stars,” said  Rosenberg at the annual event held at the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential House. “You have set high goals and nd you have met them. The provost and I want to challenge you to keep it up.”

Former Florida Judge and FIU Associate Professor of law Phyllis Kotey – who was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach constitutional law and criminal procedure at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana – said she was proud to be nominated with such world-class scholars. “I think of myself as a practitioner, never as a scholar. It’s wonderful to be welcomed by this prestigious group.”

Honorees are nominated by their respective deans through the Office of the Provost. The following law faculty members were recognized this year.

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Professor Thomas E. Baker was selected as “Professor of the Year” for 2011-12 in recognition of his “excellence in teaching” and his “devoted commitment to the students of the FIU College of Law.” This is the second consecutive year Baker has won the award that is announced at the annual Barristers’ Ball.

After the awards ceremony, Professor Baker said “ I am humbled and grateful to receive this award. It means a great deal to me, coming from my students.”

Baker is a popular and respected teacher who also has been elected as the graduation Hooding Professor four times. This year, he was recognized with two additional university-wide awards: “FIU Book Author” and “FIU Top Scholar.” He is the author of 14 books and more than 200 articles.