Author: Beckie Schatschneider

In Mass., volunteers pack thousands of abortion pills destined for states with bans

Abortion advocates in states with so-called shield laws are finding ways to get mifepristone to pregnant people in states with abortion bans, which in turn are seeking ways to extradite and prosecute medication providers. As the stakes continue to rise, Dean Rebouché notes that “This is a conflict we might have expected to find ourselves in, because the abortion rate is higher now than before the Supreme Court overturned Roe.”

Who’s most likely to change (or hyphenate) their name after marriage?

With the SAVE Act before Congress, the Washington Post explored marriage-related name changes in America, finding that the feminist movement of the 1970s preceded a decline in women who followed traditional norms.”The way I would think about the mid-1980s is that law and culture traveled together,” says Prof. Craig Green. “By that time, a larger number of women- in many states – wanted to keep the ir unmarried names. Feminism, sex equality and ideas about modern progress made married- name defaults from the past seem outdated.”

Judge’s Order For More Changes Puts NCAA Deal In Jeopardy

The $2.78 billion settlement between the NCAA and college athletes seeking compensation has hit another roadblock – which the judge overseeing the case lays squarely at the feet of NCAA member schools. Prof. Ken Jacobsen agrees. “There was an easy fix – grandfather in existing players on current rosters for a year or two. They refused,” he said. Noting that even Judge Wilken suggested grandfathering as a solution at the approval hearing and in Wednesday’s order, Jacobsen called the lawyers defending the roster limits “incredibly arrogant.”

Most Black people who shoot white people and claim self-defense are convicted. One Montgomery County man was an exception.

A Montgomery County man claiming self-defense has been acquitted of homicide after 10 months in jail. Prof. Jules Epstein questions the DA’s charging decision in the case. “If self-defense is a gray area in a case, it may be reasonable to bring some criminal charges,” Epstein said. “But calling it first-degree murder? Putting a person at risk of life in jail? Making it harder to get bail? All of those seem to be wrong decisions.”

Fired EEOC Member’s Case Tests Trump Power Over Anti-Bias Agency

A federal judge in DC must decide whether EEOC commissioner Jocelyn Samuels was wrongly fired by President Trump. Prof. Jane Manners argues that in omitting removal criteria when it created the EEOC via Title VIl, Congress intended for the commissioners to have absolute protection.”To me, this is a tragedy, that this understanding has been lost, because you’ve got these agencies where independence is of critical importance, and this argument is not even being made that the statute means absolute independence, absolute unremovability,” she said.

A Roman Holiday for Trial Lawyers: Launching the LL.M. Capstone in Temple Rome

It began with a simple idea: what if we ended the Temple LL.M. in Trial Advocacy program not in a classroom, but in the Eternal City? What if we could connect the dots between Ancient Roman law and modern American litigation? What if the conclusion to a year of study in evidence, advocacy, and professional identity was not an exam, but an immersive global experience?  In May 2025, that vision became a reality. For the first time ever, the LL.M. in Trial Advocacy program launched a Capstone trip to Temple’s Rome campus, welcoming eleven graduates from the Class of 2025 to four unforgettable days of legal education, professional connection, and cultural exploration.  The group included seven trial lawyers sponsored by Temple University Health System (TUHS), who handle medical malpractice litigation at some of Philadelphia’s most prominent firms: Cozen O’Connor, Blank Rome, Buchanan Ingersoll, and the Tucker Law Group. Through the generosity and vision of John C. Ryan—Executive Vice President, Chief Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for TUHS, and Chair of the Board of Visitors at Temple …

Judge Tamara W. Ashford of the U.S. Tax Court: Spring 2025 Fogel Lecture

As we navigate through the many challenges that law school provides, it becomes increasingly easy to focus entirely on the immediate next step and lose sight of the opportunities that will come down the road. When it comes to thinking about post-graduation work, that often means preparing oneself for a rank-and-file “first job” and forgetting all about what amazing career opportunities await just a few years ahead. The annual Fogel Lecture is an incredible reminder of what a legal career has to offer when we remember to raise our sights and look past the next step to focus on the entire picture.  On February 26, the Honorable Tamara W. Ashford of the U.S. Tax Court delivered the 2025 Fogel Lecture, joining the long list of former and current government officials who have shared their views and career trajectories with the Temple Law community since 2011. Standing in front of nearly 200 law students, faculty, and other legal professionals, Judge Ashford discussed her journey in tax in a lecture titled “For the Love of Tax.”  Tax …