Thursday, October 29, 2009

U of L students buy golf hat for $1,040

There are at least two things that are hard to come by for first-year law students: time and money. Nonetheless, I'm really pleased with the results of an informal project that a bunch of us organized in our very first semester here in Louisville. A few weeks back, our torts professor, David Leibson, offered to sell us one of his favorite golf hats. The offer was sort of made in jest, since he uses the hat in class as a prop to talk about various legal theories. But while law students may be starved for time and money, we have plenty of ambition. We formed a group on Facebook, held a few discussions, and decided to pool our money - $10 each - and make an offer to Leibson. A couple of weeks later, we have an accepted offer, and a deal with our professor that will send at least $1,040 to the school for future law scholarships. Check out the details below in a copy of our final contract. Also, it's not too late to participate in the effort. Send an email to acdavi07@louisville.edu for details.

Offer

On October 23, 2009, the students of Leibson’s Section 1 Torts class (“Students”), at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law (“School”) offer Professor David J. Leibson (“Leibson”), the sum of $1,040 and 24 12-ounce cans of Dr. Brown’s Diet Cream Soda (“Soda”), in exchange for Leibson’s golf hat signed by Byron Nelson (“Hat”) and a presentation of stories from Leibson’s career.

The following terms apply to this offer.

1. Alex Davis and Nancy Vinsel are each authorized representatives of Students.

2. Students shall present the $1,040 and Soda within 30 days of acceptance of this offer by Leibson.

3. Leibson shall present Hat to Alex Davis or Nancy Vinsel no later than 10 business days after Students present the $1,040 and Soda to Leibson.

4. Students shall retain ownership of Hat, but will transfer Hat immediately to School with the express intention that Hat be displayed in a glass case outside School’s law library along with Leibson’s scholarly works. Students shall include in the display a brief explanation of the story behind Students’ gift. If this location is not amenable to Leibson or to School, Leibson and Students shall exercise good faith in selecting an alternative location in a timely manner. If Leibson and Students are not able to select an alternate location, Hat will reside in Leibson’s School office until his retirement.

5. Leibson may retrieve Hat and use it for educational purposes during future law classes at School.

6. Leibson shall participate in a one-hour lunch for Students at School during the 2009-2010 school year, on a date selected by Students.

7. At the lunch, Leibson shall regale the Students with stories from his legal and scholarly career. Food may be provided by a third party, and is not in any way a part of Leibson’s obligation.

8. Students suggest that Leibson use the full cash proceeds from the sale of Hat to support a charity of his choice. Students may write a check or checks directly to the charity as a part of this provision if Leibson so desires. This provision is a suggestion only. Leibson is not bound to do so. This suggestion does not apply to Soda.

9. Hat shall remain in glass case until Leibson is no longer employed at School, at which time possession of the hat reverts to Leibson.

10. In the event of a dispute over this Offer or the status of the Hat, Students and Leibson agree to resolve any disputes exclusively through binding arbitration. The arbitrator shall be the School’s current Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the time the dispute is to be heard and resolved.

11. Students creating this offer (“2009 Offer”) agree to sell Hat to any future class of first-year law students (“Future Students”) at School that makes a valid future offer (“Future Offer”) for Hat meeting conditions 11-18 of this Offer.

12. Future Students making a valid Future Offer must agree to allow Hat to remain at School until Leibson is no longer employed by School, at which time ownership reverts to Leibson.

13. Future Offer must be in excess of $1,040.

14. Future Offer must contain more terms than this Offer, which contains 18 terms.

15. Future Offer must be directed to Leibson, who will have sole authority to determine validity of offer and make acceptance on behalf of Future Students.

16. If Leibson accepts offer by Future Students, Future Students shall place a brief explanation of the story behind this offer with Hat.

17. At least half of the proceeds from any Future Offer made by Future Students must be reserved for a suggested charitable contribution to be made by Leibson. Any remaining proceeds will be used by Leibson in accordance with the terms set out by Future Students.

18. Future Students must agree to transfer ownership of Hat to future classes of law students at School in the event that Leibson approves a valid offer from a subsequent future class that exceeds the cash value of their offer and contains more terms than their offer.



To accept this offer, please sign on the designated line below the statement of acceptance and deliver this document in person to Mr. Alex Davis or Ms. Nancy Vinsel.

Signed,


THE STUDENTS OF LEIBSON’S SECTION 1 TORTS CLASS


By ______________________________________
Alexander C. Davis
Class Representative

______________________________________
Nancy J. Vinsel
Class Representative



_________________________________________________


I, David J. Leibson, accept the above offer.



_________________________

David J. Leibson

Date: ________________________

3 comments:

  1. Glad I stumbled upon your blog. As a recent UofL Law graduate, I already know one thing about the legal community: we could use more writers like you. Keep up the great work.

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  2. Wow! Takes me back to my first year. As to contract complexity, this one may well out-do the simple two-page hand-written contract that served The Boeing Company and the US Government ~80 years ago when Boeing first sold an airplane to the US Government... You can see that contract in a frame displayed in Boeing's Prologue Room at the Headquarters for their St Louis operations. My how far we have come...or have we? I salute all who participated in this project. You are off to a great start in serving others.

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