Alaska Law Review’s Juneau visit engages local leaders, community on topics for upcoming issue
Five 3Ls were able to meet with political and legal officials in the state capital and explore the region’s stunning geography over spring break.
Sam MacDuffie ’24, Jake Sherman ’24, Alex Bartlow ’24, Flora Lipsky ’24, and Sarah Couillard ’24
This spring break, the Alaska Law Review (ALR) made its annual trip to Juneau, traveling nearly 4,000 miles for the opportunity to speak with elected officials, legal professionals, and the local community and gain a better understanding of relevant topics to highlight in an upcoming edition.
ALR editors travel to Alaska each fall and spring semester, with the latter trip affording this year’s group – Alex Bartlow ’24, Sarah Couillard ’24, Flora Lipsky ’24, Sam MacDuffie ’24, and Jake Sherman ’24 – the chance to meet with elected officials like Sen. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage, Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, and Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, during the legislative session.
Students stayed with host families while in Juneau, allowing them a look into everyday life in the city. MacDuffie, ALR’s managing editor, said conversations with the general public often proved as insightful as those with a city official or someone serving on a bench.
“The scholarship we think we should publish and the scholarship the local community wants us to publish doesn’t always match up,” MacDuffie said. “By speaking with the folks on the ground in Juneau, we were able to identify key legal issues that are top of mind for Alaskan lawyers.”
Lipsky, ALR’s editor-in-chief, agreed. “Chatting with local Juneau residents about the way law touches their lives was such a treat. When we stopped at Forbidden Peak Brewery in Auke Bay to unwind post-hike, we got to hear from the bartender about the differing regulations governing breweries and bars.”
Lipsky learned the legal challenges facing local business owners, for example, are often more grassroots and less likely to grab national attention. Regardless, she said, they can warrant writing about.
“We couldn’t have understood those types of challenges without an in-person trip,” Lipsky said.
Among the group’s scheduled visits were meetings with Alaska Supreme Court Justice Jude Pate, Alaska Superior Court Judges Amy Mead, Marianna Carpeneti, and Jack W. Smith, former Alaska Attorney General and four-term Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho, and City Attorney Rob Palmer.
MacDuffie said talks with Justice Pate and the Superior Court judges touched upon issues concerning the judiciary and current hot topics within Alaska’s courts system. “The issues in the state court system present a new set of questions that often differ from the sorts of things we encounter in a law school classroom,” he said.
Palmer spoke to the students about the unique challenges facing Juneau, such as issues arising from the city/borough’s ownership of the cruise docks, the ski resort, and the hospital. Conversations touched on the costs and benefits of Juneau’s position as a cruise-ship hub and destination, with a city population of more than 30,000 welcoming more than 1.5 million annual visitors to its docks each year. While tourism brings a substantial economic stimulus, it also places a considerable strain on local resources. Students learned the varying ways that Juneau’s attorneys and lawmakers approach these matters.
Couillard, lead editor at ALR, enjoyed the chance to speak directly with leading members of Alaska’s legal community. “By talking face-to-face, we were able to brainstorm ideas for new scholarship and establish personal connections with ALR’s readers and contributors,” she said.
The editors also spoke with the legal services division of the Legislative Affairs Agency, a nonpartisan body within the legislature that drafts bills and addresses legal questions for the legislators and attended a local school board meeting. There they learned about a municipal attorney’s role mediating ongoing disputes over budgetary shortcomings within the school system.
The group’s visit included meetings with Acting Juneau District Attorney Gregg M. Olsen, members of the Alaska Attorney General’s Office, and Duke Law alum Michael LeVine ’07, senior director of Alaska programs at Ocean Conservancy, as well.
As part of their Alaskan adventure, the ALR editors got to experience Juneau’s wildlife and geography, which is well-known for its glaciers, mountains, rainforests, and tidal waters. The students visited the Mendenhall Glacier, where they walked on the frozen Mendenhall Lake and explored ice caves and hiked at the National Shrine of St. Thérèse.
“Juneau's natural beauty is incredible,” Couillard said. “We enjoyed a snowy hike at Eagle Beach State Park, walked the tombolo out to Shaman Island at low tide. My favorite adventure was exploring the ice caves in Mendenhall Glacier – with a friendly local guide, of course."
Hiking along Boy Scout Beach Trail, located just north of Juneau, and the path out to Shaman Island, gave students a first-hand look at the region’s remarkable ever-changing and nature-driven landscape.
By trip’s end, the ALR editors gained a deeper appreciation for the land and its residents, including their host families: Larry and Sue Cotter, Kevin Gullufsen, and Joyanne Bloom. “We loved their stories about life in Juneau and beyond,” MacDuffie said.
For Lipsky, the spring break to Juneau may prove to be the first of many. “It’s a stunning place. Being there made me understand the spirit of Alaska and the great challenge of administering and practicing law there much better than I had before. This trip only whetted my appetite. I can’t wait to get back—and soon.”
To learn more about ALR and read the current issue, visit alr.law.duke.edu. Visit them on X and LinkedIn.
Read about previous ALR trips to Alaska:
In Photos: ALR in Juneau
