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Law students feel relief at resignations, sadness at experiences of women
News of resignations by the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana dean and associate dean of students elicited “widespread relief” from many students Thursday, some sadness the situation had to reach a boiling point, but also hope for a fresh start. “There’s healing to be done,” said Kirsten Gerbatsch, a […]
Paul Kirgis steps down as dean of UM School of Law; Sally Weaver also to resign as associate dean
Paul Kirgis stepped down late Wednesday afternoon as dean of the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana. “I have come to the conclusion that the School of Law and its students would be best served by a change in leadership,” Kirgis said in a brief resignation letter. “Consequently, I have […]
Sidney law firm sues over vaccination prohibition
Asserting Montanans’ constitutional right to “a clean and healthful environment,” the Netzer Law Office is suing Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Commissioner of Labor and Industry Laurie Esau over House Bill 702, which prohibits discrimination based on vaccination status. “Netzer Law has a duty to provide a clean and healthy environment to its employees, potential […]
UPDATED: Law students say, ‘Pack it out, Paul’
Everett Johns stood on the steps of Main Hall on Tuesday at the University of Montana and called on President Seth Bodnar to ask for the resignations of Alexander Blewett III School of Law Dean Paul Kirgis and Associate Dean of Students Sally Weaver. “At best, they are incompetent leaders, and at worst, they have […]
Prominent lawyer, former faculty, had raised leadership questions at law school
A prominent Montana lawyer and former longtime faculty member at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana had raised concerns about its leadership in 2019 in a pointed six-page letter declining an offer to stay on board. Maylinn Smith, then co-director of the Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic, told […]
Intervenors: NorthWestern should reimburse costs for Laurel docket
NorthWestern Energy backed out of its request for regulatory approval of a new $250 million gas-fired plant in Laurel only after other parties had spent considerable time and money evaluating the project, according to documents filed with the Montana Public Service Commission. Therefore, the utility monopoly should reimburse taxpayers and intervenors for those costs, argued […]
UM law school students demand change, plan walk-out
Describing administrators as having failed students and faculty, a letter from concerned students of the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana is asking the law school leadership to stop threatening them and start providing support, such as accurate information about reporting sexual misconduct. “I’m not afraid to say that I […]
UM counts record number of graduate students, MSU hits high with incoming class
Montana State University reported this fall its largest incoming class in its 128-year history, and the University of Montana is heralding an all-time high in graduate students — and its first year-to-year uptick in overall enrollment in a decade. In Bozeman, MSU counted 3,871 new first-time students, including undergraduates, graduate students and Gallatin College MSU […]
No signatures to be gathered for nuclear safety petition – yet
A lead activist who wants to challenge the Montana’s Legislature’s decision to free nuclear power generation in the state from restrictions said the Secretary of State did not provide petitioners enough time to gather signatures. The group challenging the Republican-supported law is considering suing Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, who is also a Republican, over […]
Student: UM Title IX supportive, but no-contact order denied by Commissioner’s Office
Alicia Arant is director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX at the University of Montana. Some female law students from the Alexander Blewett III School of Law interviewed by the Daily Montanan about their experiences trying to report sexual assault, harassment and other complaints to administrators said Arant was responsive and tried […]
UM students: Title IX investigation ‘biggest waste of … time,’ ‘bulls—‘
Female law students and alumna of the University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law are calling into question a report from an outside firm that investigated a series of allegations related to the law school, including that two of its top leaders discouraged students from reporting sexual assaults. One student is appealing the […]
UM law students: Dean, associate dean discouraged reports of sexual misconduct
Three women from the University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law say the dean and associate dean of students deterred them from taking allegations of sexual harassment and assault to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, which handles sexual misconduct on campus. A fourth female law student told the Daily Montanan […]