Laptop Requirement

Mandatory Laptop Requirement

The Levin College of Law relies extensively on computing technologies and network communications in all aspects of student life. We believe it is imperative to prepare our students to be technologically sophisticated in the use of computers and computerized legal research.

Because of this major emphasis on access to network information, the Levin College of Law requires that all entering J.D. students own a laptop computer that is in good working order with the latest software and anti-virus updates.

A laptop in good working order is essential as computers are used at the law school and at residences in a variety of ways, such as the following:

E-mail messages are sent to students, some “LISTSERVs” are maintained for student/faculty interaction and distribution of course materials, some students use laptops for note-taking, video recording and a variety of writing requirements are produced on computer.
LEXIS and WESTLAW can be accessed on computers at the law school or from home with software distributed free to law students beginning with the Law School Orientation class during their first semester.
Academic advising and registration through the University of Florida’s ONE.UF program are available through law school and UF computers or by remote access.

Most classrooms are wired with AC power outlets to the seats, allowing students to use notebook computers for note-taking without reliance on battery power.

Some faculty members make use of computer-generated visual presentations such as PowerPoint in class. In many cases, these presentations are also available on the professor’s TWEN, Lexis Nexis, Canvas, or personal website for downloading by students.

Students may use laptops in the classroom for note taking and for class purposes as directed by the professor. Other uses are not permitted, including, but not limited to, email, chat rooms, instant messaging, ecommerce, game playing, etc.

Finally, laptops may also be used during the examination period to type exams through ExamSoft, TWEN, and/or LexisNexis. Thus, a laptop that a student can use which is in good condition and that a student can use during the entire examination period, is essential. If a student’s laptop crashes during an exam, he/she will be expected to continue the exam by handwriting and Technology Services would need to attempt to recover the information that was on the laptop prior to its failure.

The college maintains a limited number of computers providing free access to e-mail, the Internet, word processing, and other applications on the law school network. A GatorLink account, available after registration, is necessary to use any computer on campus, including wireless access from a personal computer. The GatorLink account will be your official University of Florida (UFL) e-mail address to which important administrative information will be sent to you.

The computer must meet the recommended laptop specifications.

Because of rapidly changing technologies and prices, the college does not recommend specific hardware manufacturers or software. However, Microsoft Office is standard and available on all public workstations. A letter-quality printer (ink-jet or laser) is highly recommended. For more information about printing at the law school visit Printing Services.

The law school’s student financial aid office budgets include funds to be used toward the cost of a portable computer. In providing access to funding for computer equipment, the Levin College of Law is not responsible for the maintenance, upgrade, or loss of equipment.

Laptop Specifications

The specifications below are intended to ensure you have adequate tools to successfully complete the curriculum. Although the portability of netbooks may make them look like a welcome addition to a new student’s supplies, these scaled down machines often lack the power or screen resolution to be useful learning tools.

Most netbooks also have a modified keyboard to allow them to be so small; these modified keyboards can have an adverse effect on typing in general. The smaller screen resolutions on these machines make navigating online content difficult. We advise that netbooks should not be considered as main computing hardware for students.

Feature	PC	Mac
Processor	Dual-core Intel Core i7 or higher (Suggested i9)	Dual-core Intel Core i7 or higher (Suggested M2)
Memory	16GB (Suggested 32GB)	16GB (Suggested 32GB)
Hard Drive	512GB or more	512GB or more
Display	13″ or larger	13″ or larger
Wireless Card	802.11 g/n	802.11 g/n
Optical Drive (optional)	CD-RW/DVD combo player	CD-RW/DVD combo player
Other Features	Webcam	Webcam
Operating System	Windows 10	Mac OS X 11 (Big Sur) or higher
Software	Microsoft Office O365, Adobe Reader	Microsoft Office O365 for Mac, Adobe Reader
Storage Device	USB Flash Drive	USB Flash Drive
Anti-virus	Microsoft Windows Defender	Avast is available at no cost to all students
Warranty	Vendor Warranty Plan (3-year)	AppleCare Protection Plan (3-year)

The Levin College of Law does not endorse any specific vendor but will post information regarding companies meeting its technical specifications at discount prices. Since the law school does not provide support for student computers, we recommend that students carefully investigate vendor support.

Microsoft Office for Students

Microsoft Office 365 is available free for all enrolled UF students. Please visit http://www.it.ufl.edu/gatorcloud/ for more information.

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.