Thank You, Kevin Bowling, MSJA’78, for Your Dedicated Service!
May 17, 2012
Thank you, Kevin Bowling, for your dedicated service to the courts and congratulations on your election to the NACM presidency!
Current NACM President, Kevin Bowling, graduated from the Master of Science in Judicial Administration (MSJA) program in 1978 and has over 30 years of experience in the judicial system. Kevin is currently the Court Administrator for the 20th Judicial Circuit Court and Ottawa County Probate court, and also serves as an attorney referee for a juvenile court. Kevin’s career has taken some interesting and unexpected turns; he reflects on how the MSJA impacted his career, while imparting some pearls of wisdom to the new generation of MSLAs.
As an undergraduate, Kevin studied political science and public administration at Providence College and had envisioned himself beginning law school immediately thereafter. Kevin’s pre-law advisor informed him of a unique program out in Denver: the MSJA program which, at the time, was run by Harry Lawson. The advisor assured Kevin that if he could survive Harry Lawson, he was guaranteed a job following graduation. Kevin assumed the challenge and, needless to say, survived. He attests that while Harry was harsh, he was a great mentor and pushed him to discover things on his own.
Kevin’s initial intended career path was to defend juvenile delinquents. He planned on completing his JD and moving back to his home state of Rhode Island to do trial work in this area. Instead, after earning his MSJA at the University of Denver, followed by his JD at Cooley Law School in Michigan, Kevin went to work for the Michigan Supreme Court, beginning his 30 years of service to the courts. Since then, he has had experience at almost every court level, except federal. In fact, his diverse experience includes time in the National Center for State Courts, in Michigan as a state judicial educator, and in Nigeria doing international law work. Kevin agrees he has been fortunate to experience the judiciary from a number of different perspectives and he thanks the MSJA for preparing him to wear all of those different hats.
Kevin learned a number of things while earning his MSJA. First and foremost, Harry Lawson taught him that it does not work to be a dualistic thinker in the courts. “There is a lot of grey,” Kevin says, “and rarely black and white.” He further states, to be an effective administrator, “one must be able to work with people at all levels, and one must not be rigid. Flexibility is extremely important in administration. Help others when you can. Also, learn the skills associated with individual projects and jobs.” To all MSLAs and administrators, “do your homework, do it carefully, and always cover your bases.”
Kevin has faced a few challenges throughout his career and explains that the lessons learned in the MSJA were instrumental in helping to address and overcome these issues. Leadership in any organization is challenging, but in the courts there can be “a vacuum of leadership at the highest level.” Administratively, the repercussions from this can be difficult. Some court leaders are not as familiar with administration as others and this can be challenging to overcome. Leaders must be strategic thinkers and visionaries; “it is great leaders that make the courts a great place to work.” Limited resources are also a challenge. Kevin contends that if the courts are not properly funded, then justice is affected; ultimately affecting the individual freedoms of the public. The ability to think critically and strategically, communicate effectively and with purpose, and to be amenable to change is how he has overcome his greatest obstacles and adapted to challenges unforeseen. Kevin says, “all of my experiences kick back to my time in Denver.”
For the new generation of MSLA students: Kevin believes there are critical skills you will need to be successful in your administrative careers. You will need basic knowledge and an understanding of the courts and you should be eager and willing to learn. He emphasizes that communication skills are also vitally important and cannot be overstated. This includes speaking, writing, and the ability to listen and interact with others. Honed communication skills are absolutely crucial for your career to be successful. The legal landscape is changing; you must bring problem-solving skills and vast amounts of creativity to the table. Newer and older generations must adapt to the changes in the field, making these skills critical for the future of our courts. Finally, relationships are the crux of success. You should spend time developing your interpersonal and negotiation skills, as they will be put to good and frequent use.
For all current MSLA students, Kevin ended with this piece of advice:
“Be persistent and open to continuing your learning. Courts all over need bright, energetic MSLA students. Be flexible and appropriately aggressive. Don’t ever be afraid to get more experience.”
Alumni in the News
May 09, 2012
Click here to read the article
Mother Jones magazine features Civil Rights Clinic solitary confinement case
May 01, 2012
Mother Jones magazine features Civil Rights Clinic solitary confinement case
Clinic Newsletter, Spring 2010
April 11, 2012
Clinic Newsletter, Spring 2010
Denver Post: Hitting “resset” with Russia’s Putin
April 03, 2012
University of Denver Water Law Review Symposium “2012: The Year of Water”
April 02, 2012
University of Denver Water Law Review Symposium “2012: The Year of Water”
Click HERE for additional information about this symposium
Prof. Walker Sterling on juvenile life without parole
March 20, 2012
Here’s the quote: “It’s wrong to make a final, irrevocable judgment that a teen will never be suited for release later in life. Because of the brain science we know better.”
Read the full story here.
Somali Piracy panel held at Denver Law
March 07, 2012
The Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, in collaboration with NGO Oceans Beyond Piracy, hosted an evening panel discussing the legal and policy implications of maritime piracy in Somalia and across the world’s oceans. The panel, “Somali Piracy: Legal and Policy Challenges,” featured expert panelists Sir James Burnell-Nugent, Former Commander-in-Chief Fleet of the Royal Navy; Ms. Donna Hopkins, Coordinator, Counter Piracy and Maritime Security, Bureau of Political Military Affairs, U.S. State Department; Dr. Swadesh Rana of Oceans Beyond Piracy- India, Program Adviser and Focal Point for South Asia; and Commander Kimberlie Young, Legal Advisor to the NATO’s Allied Command Transformation.
View video of this Panel
Denver Law students to compete in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
March 01, 2012
Denver Law students will argue in a simulated international commercial arbitration hearing in four cities worldwide this March. The students will compete over the course of two weeks in either Europe or Asia. One team of students competes in the Shanghai Vis “Pre-Moot” event which then leads to the official Vis Moot (East) in Hong Kong. Another team of students will travel to the Belgrade Open “Pre-Moot” before traveling to Vienna for the main Vis Moot event. The students will compete in four preliminary rounds in Hong Kong and Vienna. If they score high enough, they advance to head-to-head elimination rounds. The Vis Moot is considered the olympics of international trade law. It is one of the most prestigious student competitions in the world. Many conferences and events related to international trade law and dispute resolution take place during the event, and social networking is considered half of the Moot experience.
The Moot Shanghai takes place at the East China University of Political Science and Law from March 10 – 17, 2012.Various events take place in the area around the University, and some hearings are held at international law firms in Shanghai. The Hong Kong Moot takes place at City University of Hong Kong in Kowloon, Hong Kong from March 17 – 27, 2012. The Belgrade Open takes place at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law from March 23 – 25, 2012. The Vienna Moot primarily takes place at the University of Vienna law school from March 26 – April 7, 2012, with various events held around the city center. A number of hearings are held at the offices of international law firms in Vienna.
The 2011-2012 DU Vis Moot Team:
Asian Team: Maureen Weiland, Kaitlin Fox, Chris Rogers, Ken Hayes
Europe Team: Emily Bloedel, Stephanie Foote
Vis Team Coaches: Coren Hinkle, Matt Hofmeister, Kevin Walsh, Ted Gleason
Adjunct Professor/Head Coach: Todd A. Wells
Moot Shanghai
Willem C Vis (East) Moot (Hong Kong)
Belgrade Open
A look at International Commercial Arbitration Hearings
February 29, 2012
Estimates indicate that over 85% of all international deals require the resolution of disputes in arbitration. What does an arbitration hearing look like? Gain insight into the inner workings of the sometimes mysterious world of international arbitration. Join the World Trade Center Denver, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the North American Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), the United States Council for International Business Arbitration Committee ‘s Rocky Mountain Subcommittee (USCIB) and students from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law for an evening showcasing an international commercial arbitration hearing. Students from the University of Denver Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team will argue in a simulated hearing before three arbitrators from the CIArb. After the simulated one hour hearing, the arbitrators will offer advocacy feedback to the students, and open the floor to questions from the audience. A few weeks later, the DU students will head off to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Belgrade, and Vienna to argue the same case at the olympics of international trade law, the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. A case summary will be provided to registered participants prior to the hearing. Come look through a window on the workings of arbitration hearings, meet local international arbitration arbiters and practitioners, and help our local students on their way to representing Denver and Colorado overseas.
1625 Broadway, Suite 680 | Wednesday, February 29, 2012 | 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.