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    • The UF Law Career and Professional Development team looks forward to working with you to achieve your career goals. We offer advising, will help you strategize about your academic goals and job search, and will ultimately connect you with employers. We encourage you to reach out to careers@law.ufl.edu for guidance. We look forward to connecting with you!

    Janice Shaw
    Senior Assistant Dean for Students and Special Advisor to the Dean

    Janice Shaw received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and her undergraduate degree from Florida State University. Janice began her legal career as an associate for the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where her practice included representing large, multinational corporations in shareholder litigation that challenged complex mergers and acquisitions. Janice also worked as a litigator at the law firm of Loeb & Loeb LLP. After practicing law for a number of years, Janice transitioned to law school administration and worked in career development at Fordham Law School and Columbia Law School. Janice joined Columbia as an Assistant Director of Career Advising and was ultimately promoted to Senior Director of J.D. Career Advising. During Janice’s tenure at Columbia, the school was repeatedly recognized as the leader in private sector placement of graduates entering large law firms. Prior to joining the University of Florida, Janice served as the Assistant Dean of Career and Professional Development and an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law. Dean Shaw may be reached at shaw@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Joanna Auchettl
    Career and Professional Development Advisor, Director

    Joanna Auchettl joins UF Law from Clerkin, Sinclair & Mahfouz, LLP, in San Diego, California, where she specialized in insurance subrogation litigation. As a member of both the California and Florida bars, Joanna litigated cases in both states while overseeing the firm’s law clerk recruitment and development program. During her tenure at the firm, Joanna presented several webinars and podcasts sponsored by national organizations. She also presented for several years at conferences around the country where her focus was the intersection between technology-based transportation services and the insurance subrogation industry. Joanna graduated from California Western School of Law in 2013. Prior to attending law school, Joanna graduated from Florida State University, cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She may be reached at jauchettl@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Richard Blake
    Director of Student Life

    Richard Blake joins UF Law after over seven years of supporting first-generation undergraduate students through the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars (MFOS) Program at UF. Prior to MFOS, Richard worked as an academic advisor at UF’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, focusing on transfer and academically at-risk students. Throughout his professional career, he has been a strong advocate for students, providing guidance, support, and fostering a sense of community. As a graduate of the inaugural class of MFOS and a proud triple Gator, Richard earned his Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Master of Education, and Education Specialist in Counselor Education, specializing in Marriage and Family Counseling. Richard can be reached at blake@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Alisha Tabag
    Career and Professional Development Advisor, Associate Director

    Before joining UF Law, Alisha spent 28 years at UF Student Legal Services as an attorney, Assistant Director and Associate Director. She practiced in the areas of consumer, contract, landlord-tenant, traffic and criminal law. She was named the Assistant Director of UF Student Legal Services in 2001 and the Associate Director in 2017. In addition to providing legal services to UF students, Alisha helped implement and supervise the professional development opportunities in the office for law and prelaw students. Alisha has spent her career working with UF Students to educate them regarding their legal rights and responsibilities and to promote their professional development in the area of law. She is a proud double Gator, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. She may be reached at alishat@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Esteban Alvarez III
    Career and Professional Development Advisor, Assistant Director

    Esteban Alvarez III spent 11 years at the State Attorney’s Office prosecuting crimes ranging from misdemeanors to 2nd degree murder. During his time as an Assistant State Attorney, he acted as first-chair counsel in over 40 jury trials. He enjoyed working as a docket manager and mentoring new attorneys and law school interns. Before leaving the SAO, he was in the Special Victims Unit handling sex crimes and crimes against children. Prior to joining UF Law, Esteban had a brief stint in personal injury law working for Morgan & Morgan, PA. As a Double Gator, he graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English in 2007 and a Juris Doctor from UF Law in 2011.  You may contact Esteban at ealvarez@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Matthew D’Auria
    Career and Professional Development Advisor, Assistant Director

    Matt graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Middlebury College in Vermont. Prior to earning his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, Matt worked for several years as a corporate paralegal in the Banking and Credit department of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York City. After graduating from UVA Law, he clerked for a federal judge at the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico. Following his clerkship, Matt practiced as a transactional attorney in Manhattan for seven years specializing in debt finance and securities at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and subsequently in private credit at Proskauer Rose LLP. Immediately prior to joining OCPD, Matt served as an admissions officer at UF Law. He may be reached at dauria@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Sydney Ollar
    Career and Professional Development Advisor, Assistant Director

    Sydney Ollar joins UF Law from a boutique law firm in Dallas, Texas, where she specialized in corporate reorganizations and consumer bankruptcy filings. As a dedicated advocate, Sydney prioritized pro bono work and mentoring law students through her involvement in organizations such as the Dallas Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section and the State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Law Section. Sydney graduated from Barry University School of Law in 2021. Prior to attending law school, Sydney graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and English Literature. Sydney can be reached at ollar@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Andrea Cormier
    Assistant Director of Recruiting

    Andrea may be reached at andreacormier@law.ufl.edu.

     

    Christina Delgado
    Career Services Coordinator

    Christina may be reached at delgado@law.ufl.edu.

     

     

    Contact us:
    Fredric G. Levin College of Law
    Center for Career and Professional Development
    147 Bruton-Geer Hall
    309 Village Drive
    P.O. Box 117630
    Gainesville, FL 32611-7630
    Email: careers@law.ufl.edu
    Phone: (352) 273-0860
    Fax: (352) 392-4640

    University of Florida Levin College of Law
    309 Village Drive
    PO Box 117620
    Gainesville, FL 32611
    (352) 273-0804
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    The Florida Constitutional Law Endowment in memory of Justice Ben F. Overton was created by Judge Karen Miller in 2013. This fund supports lectures and presentations by Justices of the Florida Supreme Court at the Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

    HISTORY

    Justice Overton, who earned his B.S. in 1951 and his Juris Doctor in 1952 from the University of Florida, was the first merit appointment to the Florida Supreme Court. Throughout his career he was active in legal education and served as an Adjunct Professor at the Levin College of Law through December 2012, the month of his death. Although he resided at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, a continuing care retirement community developed in cooperation with UF, he also considered the Florida Supreme Court “home.” Among the high points of his later years was hosting Justices of the Florida Supreme Court in Gainesville and taking his class to Tallahassee to hear oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court.
    Judge Miller, who earned her B.S. cum laude from New York University in 1974 and her Juris Doctor from New York Law School in 1977, served as Chief Administrative Law Judge of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, New York City’s business regulatory agency, before she retired to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. Having accompanied Justice Overton on his excursions to Tallahassee and joined him in welcoming guests to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, she created the endowment in memory of Justice Overton to ensure that the Levin College of Law continues to have the funding necessary to continue and enhance the interaction between its students and the Florida Supreme Court.

     

    Judge Miller remembered the event that motivated the endowment.

     

    Prior to a dinner at the home of Dean Robert Jerry and Lisa Jerry shortly after Justice Overton’s death, Justice Barbara Pariente and I were discussing a suitable memorial. Justice Pariente, who had been Justice Overton’s colleague on the Florida Supreme Court and who understood the importance to him of the interaction between his students and the Court, suggested the outline of what has become the Overton lectures. Dean Jerry, who has since retired, as has Dean Emeritus Jon Mills, who assumed responsibility for implementing the Overton lectures, were very supportive from the beginning. Since Dean Mills’ retirement, Professor Timothy McClendon, who assisted both Justice Overton and Dean Mills teaching Florida Constitutional Law and who co-authored the recent Florida Constitutional Law casebook, has continued the Overton lectures with the support of Interim Dean Merritt McAlister and CGR director, Professor Danaya Wright.

    Justice Overton was a devoted jurist, educator, and ethical leader of the Florida legal profession. The Overton Lecture Series brings Florida Supreme Court Justices to the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, and serves to introduce students to the inner workings of the Court. CGR and the students of the College of Law extend our deepest gratitude to Judge Karen Miller for making the Overton Lectures possible in perpetuity.

    You can watch an interview for the Florida Historical Society by Mary Adkins, professor emeritus of the UF Levin College of Law, with Justice Overton here.

    Justice Overton was also interviewed for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Project and a transcript of his interview is available at the Smathers Library, and here.
    Justice Overton sat on the Constitution Revision Commission of 1977-78 that proposed a right to privacy in the Florida Constitution. Although it failed as part of the Constitution Revision Commission recommendations, it passed in 1980 when proposed by the legislature. The bill was co-sponsored by our very own Jon Mills. The privacy provision prevailed by greater than 60%. Justice Overton then wrote a concurrence in a critical reproductive rights case in 1989 affirming that the privacy provision of the Florida Constitution included the right to obtain an abortion. That decision was overruled in Planned Parenthood of SW and Central Florida v. Florida. You can read about the role of Justice Overton, Jon Mills – director emeritus of CGR, and the history of the 1989 case here.