The Law Activity Fee Allocation Committee

Written by: Marisa Ewing J.D. Candidate, Class of 2026

On Saturday, September 6th, 2025, members of the Military and Veteran Law Student Association (MVLSA) gathered at the “U” statue at 6am to honor and remember the heroes and victims of September 11th. As a part of the University of Miami Army ROTC Program’s 6th Annual 9/11 Ruck to Remember, law students rucked 9.11 miles from the Coral Gables campus to Regatta Park in Coconut Grove and back. A ruck is a low-impact exercise that involves walking with a weighted backpack or rucksack on your back to build strength and improve cardiovascular fitness. Many law students carried rucks with anywhere from five to thirty-five pounds of weight.

While some MVLSA members participated in the ruck march, others volunteered to ensure the ruck was safe and participants were hydrated. Volunteers handed out water and Gatorade to participants around the 5.5-mile mark. This point of the ruck served as a well-deserved rest stop and a fun photo opportunity by Biscayne Bay.

Thanks to L.A.F.A.C., MVLSA, formerly known as the Veteran Law Student Society (VLSS), was able to purchase military challenge coins for ruck participants and volunteers. Challenge coins are small medallions that represent an achievement, membership, or affiliation to a specific group. They are a longstanding tradition in the military and veteran community and serve as a symbol of pride and excellence. MVLSA was excited to share the tradition with several law students and awarded coins to all participants and volunteers at the ruck.

The event was a success and MVLSA is grateful for the support of L.A.F.A.C. and to all law students who took on the early morning challenge!

Written by: Juliana Monroy J.D. Candidate Class of 2026

The UM Law Mental Health Collective recently hosted a Write a Letter to Your Future Self event on the Bricks, inviting students to pause, reflect, and connect through handwritten letters of encouragement. Participants were able to write a personal note to themselves or a message to another member of the UM community, offering support, motivation, or kindness to be received during finals week.

We were thrilled by the turnout, with over 100 letters collected, each filled with thoughtful reflections and words of care. This initiative aimed to promote mindfulness, self-compassion, and connection across campus, reminding students that even small acts of encouragement can make a meaningful difference.

Students who participated will receive an email closer to finals week with details about when and where they can pick up their letters. As the semester comes to a close, we hope these messages serve as a powerful reminder to slow down, take care of your mental health, and believe in your ability to finish strong.

Written by: Gian Ray J.D. Candidate, Class of 2026

I had the pleasure of attending and volunteering at the Black Entertainment & Sports Lawyers Association (BESLA) 45th Annual Conference in Puerto Rico. Throughout the week, I connected with attorneys and law students from across the country and gained valuable insight from panels on the intersection of law, sports, entertainment, and business. 

While at the conference, I was able to reconnect with fellow Miami Law alumni and celebrate the incredible work they’re doing in the industry - Kennedy Byrd, J.D. '25 & EASL L.L.M. '25, Dominique Davillier, J.D. '24 & EASL L.L.M. '24, Marissa John, EASL L.L.M. '21, Charles Harrington, J.D. '19, and David Moreno, J.D. '11.

Highlights included Fireside Chat & Sip with Carmelo Anthony & Asani Swann, and C. Anthony Mulrain, discussing athlete entrepreneurship, The Black Women Leading Legal Strategy in the NFL panel featuring Miami's Marissa John, Esq EASL L.L.M. 21 (VP, General Counsel, Seattle Seahawks), The Business of Play: Law, Investment, and Policy in Sports and Entertainment panel, featuring Miami's David Moreno JD 11(Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright), and Fireside Chat with DeMaurice Smith, former head of the NFL Players Association (Miami Law EASL Advisory Board Member/Adjunct Professor).

Thank you to the University of Miami School of Law and L.A.F.A.C. for generously supporting my travel to the conference. Your belief in me truly opens doors I wouldn’t be able to walk through otherwise. I left Puerto Rico feeling deeply inspired, motivated, and energized for the path ahead, and I’m already looking forward to returning to next year’s BESLA Conference.

Written by: Jackson Gillespie J.D. Candidate, Class of 2026

The fellows for the University of Miami Investor Rights Clinic traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with regulators from FINRA, the self-regulatory organization that oversees customer disputes with their broker-dealers. We had the opportunity to meet with representatives from FINRA’s Office of Dispute Resolution and learned more about the trends that FINRA is seeing in customer disputes. We heard from the Financial Intelligence division about the push to coordinate with the SEC’s enforcement division and FBI and target third-party fraud and pump-and-dump investment schemes that have arisen in the last few years. We discussed recent challenges to FINRA’s authority to expel members and member firms.

In the Clinic, we focus primarily on helping investors pursue arbitration against their brokers, but it was eye-opening to see all of the other work that FINRA does and its important role in creating a fair securities market than investors can meaningfully participate in. It helped us understand how the FINRA Rules have impacted results, and we had the opportunity to contribute to the conversation of how FINRA can improve its oversight and better protect investors. This allows us to better serve the clients of the Clinic and help them protect themselves from future scams or fraud. Overall, the experience deepened our knowledge of the important role that FINRA plays in the investment marketplace. With LAFAC’s support, we were able to make this trip possible, and it was an amazing experience for the clinical fellows who are now able to pass this knowledge along to the current student interns.

Written by: Emma Rice J.D. Candidate, Class of 2026

Thanks to the generous funding from LAFAC, the University of Miami School of Law was able to welcome back Professor Barnes, the founding faculty advisor of the Race & Social Justice Law Review, as part of our 15th Anniversary Celebration. His visit was a special opportunity to honor the Law Review’s legacy and reflect on its continued impact in promoting equity, inclusion, and critical dialogue within the legal community.

Professor Barnes’ presentation centered on the origins of the Race & Social Justice Law Review and the importance of amplifying diverse voices in legal scholarship. He shared stories from the journal’s founding, discussed how student editors helped shape its mission, and reflected on the ways it has grown to influence conversations on race, policy, and justice over the years. During his remarks, Professor Barnes shared a reflection that "sometimes you don't get to enjoy the shade of the trees you plant." As Professor Barnes was part of the foundation of RSJLR in 2008, he finally got to enjoy the shade of the trees he planted and witness how the Journal has flourished and continues to make an impact. His remarks reminded current members of the Law Review that their work continues a meaningful tradition of advocacy and academic excellence.

The event brought together current and former members of the Race & Social Justice Law Review, faculty, alumni, and students interested in public interest law and social justice. It served as both a celebration of the Law Review’s history and an inspiration for its future. Attendees shared how hearing directly from Professor Barnes deepened their understanding of the publication’s founding vision and renewed their commitment to its mission.

LAFAC’s support made this memorable and meaningful event possible, allowing the Miami Law community to engage with one of its foundational figures and reflect on the importance of centering justice in legal scholarship. We are deeply grateful for this funding, which helped foster connection, learning, and pride across generations of Miami Law students and faculty.

Written by: Cradler Volmar J.D. Candidate, Class of 2027

Members of the RPPTL Real Estate Society recently had the chance to enjoy an exclusive look at Tula Residences, a 21-story luxury waterfront condominium rising in North Bay Village. Overlooking the bay, Tula will feature a limited collection of spacious corner residences with sweeping glass terraces and resort-style amenities designed to highlight Miami’s indoor–outdoor lifestyle. From the stunning bayfront pool deck and wellness center to the residents’ lounge and waterfront promenade, the project reflects

Our group was hosted by Madison Napoles of Brown Harris Stevens, who did a phenomenal job bringing the project to life for us. She walked us through detailed floor plans, helped us visualize how future residents will live in the space, and guided us through the concrete skeleton of the building, where we captured the vision to picture finished kitchens, bedrooms, and common areas. Madison also took time to show us the surrounding neighborhood, explaining how much North Bay Village is poised to transform, what new projects are coming, and how this area is steadily unraveling into one of Miami’s most exciting pockets for waterfront development. A highlight of the visit was looking out west onto the waters and watching dolphins swim through the bay right in front of us, an unforgettable reminder of how special this location is.

From a RPPTL perspective, this visit was more than just a building tour; it was a real-time lesson in how law, development, and community intersect. For students interested in real estate, having hands-on exposure to projects like Tula Residences is crucial. Being on-site turns abstract concepts, like condominium governance, disclosures, and risk allocation, into something tangible you can see, touch, and walk through. It also grounds our legal education in what is happening in our own backyard, as Miami continues to transform through vertical growth, neighborhood revitalization, and waterfront development. 

We are truly grateful to LAFAC for generously funding a charter bus, which made it possible for students from across campus to attend. We are also grateful to Madison and her team for opening the doors to Tula Residences and for giving RPPTL members a front-row seat to the evolution of our city’s skyline.