Alberto Bernabe Riefkohl

EDUCATION

• LL.M., Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1994
• J.D., Magna Cum Laude, Univ. of Puerto Rico Law School, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, 1987
• Rank 2/124; Assistant Editor, University of Puerto Rico Law Review; Editor in Chief, University of Puerto Rico Law Review Bulletin
• B.A., Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 1984

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• The University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law (Formerly The John Marshall Law School)
  Professor of Law 2001-2019
  Associate Professor of Law with tenure, 1997-2001
  Assistant Professor of Law, 1992-1997
• University of Lucerne School of Law
  Visiting Professor, Transnational Legal Studies Program, November 2011
• University of Puerto Rico Law School
  Visiting Professor for Accelerated Course, Spring 2009
  Visiting Professor for Accelerated Course, Fall 2007
  Visiting Professor, 2001-2002
  Visiting Professor, Summer 1997
• Temple University School of Law
  Graduate Fellow in Legal Education and Lecturer in Law, 1990-1992

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Rivera-Cestero & Marchand-Quintero, San Juan, Puerto Rico, January 1990-August 1990
  Litigation practice involving mass media law, libel, defamation, freedom of expression and freedom of the press
• Law Offices of Francisco M. Troncoso, San Juan, Puerto Rico, August 1988-December 1989
  Practice in mass disaster and personal injury litigation
• Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, September 1987-August 1988
  Judicial Law Clerk, Justice Federico Hernández-Denton

SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS

Articles in English

• Teaching at the Intersection of Torts, Race and Gender, 41 Quinnipiac Law Review 1 (2022)
• Guarding the Guardians: Should Guardians ad Litem Be Immune From Liability For Negligence?, 51 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 1001 (2020)
• A Tale of Two Cases: The Supreme Court’s Uneasy Position on the Proper Allocation of Authority to Decide Whether to Concede a Client’s Guilt in a Criminal
  Case, 43 Journal of the Legal Profession 53 (2018)
• Attorney-Client Matchmaking and For-Profit Referral Services: 21st Century Innovation Clashes with 20th Century Rules, 25 The Professional Lawyer 8 (2018)
• Do Colleges and Universities Have a Duty to Help?: California and Massachusetts Lead the Way, N.E. U. L. Rev. Extra Legal (Winter 2019)
• Ahead of his time: Cardozo and the Current Debates on Professional Responsibility, 34 Touro Law Review 101 (2018)
• Justice Gap vs. Core Values: The Common Themes in the Innovation Debate, 41 The Journal of the Legal Profession 1 (2016)
• Through the Looking Glass in Indiana: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and the
  Duty of Confidentiality, 92 Notre Dame L. Rev. Online 22 (2016)
• Avvo Joins the Legal Market; Should Lawyers Be Concerned?, 104 Georgetown L. J. Online 184 (2016)
• Do Black Lives Matter? Race as a measure of injury in tort law, 18 The Scholar: St. Mary’s Law Review on Race and Social Justice 41 (2016)
• Civil Liability for Injuries Caused by Dogs after Tracey v. Solesky: New Path to the Future or Back to the Past?, 40 Seton Hall Legislative Law Journal 29 (2016)
• Setting Parental Controls: Do Parents Have A Duty To Supervise Their Children’s
• Use Of The Internet?, 31 Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law 309 (2014)
• Waiving Goodbye to a Fundamental Right: Allocation of Authority Between
  Attorneys and Clients and the Right to a Public Trial, 38 J. of the Legal Profession 1 (2013)
• A Good Step in the Right Direction: Illinois Eliminates the Conflict Between Attorneys and Guardians, 38 J. of the Legal Profession 161 (2013)
• Giving Credit Where Credit is Due:  A Comment on the Theoretical Foundation and
  Historical Origin of the Tort Remedy for Invasion of Privacy, 29 John Marshall J. of Comp. & Info. Law 493 (2012)
• The Right to Counsel Denied: Confusing the Roles of Lawyers and Guardians, 43 Loy. U. Chi. L.J.  833 (2012)
• Recent Developments in the Law of Lawyering:  The New Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, 42 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 391 (2011)
• Coming Soon to a Law Practice Near You:  The New (and Improved?) Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, 39 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 691 (2008)
• Silence is Golden: The New Illinois Rules on Attorney Extrajudicial Speech, 33 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 323 (2002), reprinted in Devine, Fisch, Easton & Aronson, PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY: PROBLEMS, CASES, AND MATERIALS (3d ed. 2004)
• Another Attempt to Solve the Prior Restraint Mystery: Applying the Nebraska Press Standard to Media Disclosure of Attorney-Client Communications, 18 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 307 (2000)
• Government Advertising Placement and the First Amendment: Freedom of the Press
• Outweighs the Rights of the Government as Contractor, 22 Comm. & The Law 1 (2000)
• Freedom of the Press and the Business of Journalism: The Myth of Democratic Competition in the Marketplace of Ideas, 67 Rev. Jur. UPR 447 (1998)
• Prior Restraints on the Media and the Right to a Fair Trial:  A Proposal for a New Standard, 84 Kentucky L. J. 259 (1995-96)
• Tomorrow’s Law Schools: Globalization and Legal Education, 32 San Diego L. Rev. 137 (1995)
• To Dream the Impossible Dream:  Globalization and Harmonization of Environmental Laws, 20 North Carolina J. Of Int’l Law and Commercial Regulation 205 (1995)

Articles in Spanish

• En Defensa de los Daños Punitivos [In Defense of Punitive Damages], In Rev (Rev. Jur. UPR online) ___ (2022)
• El profesionalismo y los retos futuros a la profesión legal [Professionalism and the future challenges for the legal profession], 16 Revista Jurídica de la Academia Puertorriqueña de Jurisprudencia y Legislación (2020)
• Comentarios sobre la propuesta revisión del Código Civil: Responsabilidad Civil Extracontractual [Comments on the Proposed Revision of the Torts Sections of the Civil Code], 88 Rev. Jur. UPR 342 (2019)
• Crítica a una resolución anunciada: Reglamentación del procedimiento disciplinario y la defensa de prescripción [A Critique of the use of a Statute of Limitations in the Disciplinary Process], 85 Rev. Jur. Dig. UPR 16 (2016)
• Debates recientes sobre la reglamentación de la conducta profesional [Recent Debates on the Regulation of the Legal Profession],  84 Rev. Jur. UPR 955 (2015)
• Introducción a una discusión sobre el futuro de la reglamentación de la profesión en Puerto Rico [Introduction to a Debate on the Future of the Regulation of the Legal Profession],  84 Rev. Jur. UPR 947 (2015)
• Apuntes sobre Aponte y la necesidad de actualizar el Código de Ética Profesional [Notes on Aponte and the Need to Adopt a New Ethics Code], 84 Rev. Jur. UPR 49 (2014)
• La tradición jurídica puertorriqueña: ¿civil o anglosajona? [The Puerto Rican Law Tradition: Civil or Anglo-Saxon?], 83 Rev. Jur. Dig. UPR 182 (2014)
• Colón Santos v. Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples y el aparente conflicto entre las doctrinas de la solidaridad y la inmunidad [Colón Santos v. Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples and the Apparent Conflict Between the Joint and Several Liability and Immunity Doctrines], 79 Rev. Jur. UPR 1091 (2010)
• En defensa de la solidaridad: Comentarios sobre la propuesta eliminación de la responsabilidad solidaria en la relación extracontractual [In Defense of Solidarity: Comments to the Proposal to Abandon Joint and Several Liability], with José Julián Álvarez González, 78 Rev. Jur. UPR 745 (2009)
• Comentarios sobre la profesión y el profesionalismo [Comments on the Profession and Professionalism], 69 Rev.  Jur.  Col.  Abog.  P.R. 359 (2008)
• Comentarios a una propuesta anunciada: El derecho civil extracontractual y el borrador de la Comisión de Revisión del Código Civil [Tort Law and the Proposed Revision of the Civil Code], 40 Rev. Jur. Univ. Inter. P.R. 529 (2006)
• Castigo por conducta antisocial extracontractual en Puerto Rico: Es hora de adoptar el concepto de los daños punitivos [Punishment for Antisocial Behavior: It is Time to Recognize Punitive Damages], 40 Rev. Jur. Univ. Inter. P.R. 225 (2006)
• Revisión del Código Civil y la responsabilidad civil extracontractual (Parte II):  Una propuesta alterna al informe de la Comisión de Revisión [The Proposed Revision of the Civil Code and Tort Law (Part II): An Alternative Proposal], 74 Rev. Jur. UPR 1 (2005)
• La revisión del Código Civil y la responsabilidad civil extracontractual: ¿Contradicción en los términos? [The Proposed Revision of the Civil Code and Tort Law: A Contradiction in Terms?], 73 Rev. Jur. UPR 981 (2004)
• ¡Hasta la vista, baby!: Es hora de decir adiós a la ley de libelo y calumnia de 1902 [Hasta La Vista, Baby: It is Time to Say Goodbye to the Libel Law of 1902], 73 Rev. Jur. UPR 59 (2004)
• Los Procedimientos de Divorcio y el Derecho de Acceso a los Tribunales:  La Constitucionalidad de la Regla 62.2 de Procedimiento Civil [Divorce Proceedings and the Right to Access to Courts: The Constitutionality of Civil Procedure Rule 62.2], 72 Rev. Jur. UPR 163 (2003)
• Que Descanse en Paz: La Causa de Acción por Difamación de Personas Fallecidas [May it Rest in Peace: Causes of Action for Defamatory Comments on the Dead], 70 Rev. Jur. UPR 917 (2001)
• Perdón si es que te he faltado: retractaciones en casos de difamación [Retractions and the Law of Defamation], 68 Rev. Jur. UPR 635 (1999)
• Prueba de referencia, el derecho a confrontación y el abuso sexual de menores: Algunas consideraciones constitucionales [Hearsay and the Right to Confront and Accuser in Sexual Abuse of Minors Cases], 56 Rev. Jur. UPR 373 (1987)

 

COLUMNS, MAGAZINE ARTICLES, AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS

In English

• Is it Ethical for an Attorney to Record Phone Conversations?, The UIC John Marshall Law School Law Review Forum (September 19, 2019)
• Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and the Duty of Confidentiality, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals (Spring 2018)
• Should Attorneys be Concerned About Avvo’s Legal Services? – An Update, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals (Winter 2017)
• Injured Spectator vs The Chicago Cubs; Will This Be the Case That Establishes a New Rule?, J. Marshall L. Rev. Forum (October 16, 2017)
• Should Attorneys Be Concerned About Avvo’s Legal Services?, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals (Summer 2017)
• Ethical Issues Related to Flat Fees, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals (Spring 2017)
• Flat Fees: Earned, Unearned or Both?, Ohio Lawyer, Vol. 30, No. 4, page 14 (July/August 2016)
• Is it ethical to use  “crowdfunding” to finance the practice of law?, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals (Summer 2016)
• My Cousin Vinny and the Future of Legal Eduction, The NALS Docket, (Spring 2016)
• Puerto Rico considers adopting new Code of Ethics, AALS Section of Professional Responsibility Newsletter (May 2015)
• Cloudy with a chance of ethical problems: Cloud computing and the practice of law, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals (Winter 2014-15)
• Do the rules of professional conduct apply to non-lawyer professionals?, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals (Fall 2014)
• Lawyers Guardians: A Conflict of Interest, AALS Section of Professional Responsibility Newsletter (November 2013)
• Confusing the Roles of Lawyers and Guardians: A System of Juvenile Injustice, @Law, The Magazine of the Association of Legal Professionals, (Winter 2013-14)
• Play Ball!…and Change the Approach to Baseball Torts, TortsProf Blog (March 29, 2013)
• Abnormal Interviews: Law Professor Alberto Bernabe, Abnormal Use Blog, (November 3, 2010)
• Legal Education in the United States: The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same, 3(1) Barco de Papel 15 (2005)
• Attorney-Client Relationship in American Legal Ethics, Conference Papers on Professional Ethics, Acta Universitatis Brunensis 47 (1996)
• Some Thoughts on Media Ethics, Conference Papers on Professional Ethics, Acta Universitatis Brunensis 111 (1996)

In Spanish

• Los problemas en cuanto al derecho civil extracontractual en el nuevo Código Civil[The problems with the chapter on torts in the new Puerto Rico Civil Code], Microjuris, May 23, 2020
• Alternativa a la propuesta revisión del Código Civil en cuanto al derecho civil extracontractual [An alternative proposal to the revision of the Puerto Rico Civil Code as it relates to Torts], Microjuris, June 10, 2019
• El derecho civil extracontractual en la propuesta revisión del Código Civil de Puerto Rico [Torts and the proposed revision of the Puerto Rico Civil Code], Microjuris, May 6, 2019
• Los perros pitbull y la propuesta revisión del Código Civil [Pitbull dogs and the proposed revision of the Civil Code], Microjuris, August 17, 2018
• Quílez Velar v. Ox Bodies, Inc: Oportunidad perdida para corregir la doctrina de la solidaridad en casos de inmunidad [Quílez Velar v. Ox Bodies, Inc.: A Missed Opportunity to Fix the Joint and Several Liability Doctrine in Cases of Immunity], Microjuris, January 16, 2018
• La falta de lógica del nuevo término prescriptivo para acciones disciplinarias [TheLack of Logic of the New Statute of Limitations for Disciplinary Actions], Microjuris, May 19, 2016
• Comentarios sobre la profesión y el profesionalismo [Comments on the profession and the concept of professionalism], Ley y Foro, No. 2, 2009, p. 1
• Responsabilidad civil extracontractual y el borrador de la Comisión de Revisión del Código Civil [Tort law and the new draft of the Civil Code of Puerto Rico], Ley y Foro, No. 2, 2007, p. 4
• Profesión, una entrevista [The Profession: An Interview], Ley y Foro, No. 2, 2007, p. 1
• Observaciones sobre la educación jurídica en la Universidad de Puerto Rico [Some thoughts on legal education at the University of Puerto Rico], Acción de Clase, Dec. 2001, p. 7
• Libertad de prensa y divorcio [Freedom of the press and divorce law], El Nuevo Dia, August 10, 2001

 

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES

• Commentator/Reviewer, Junior Scholars Works in Progress Summer Series, AALS Section on Professional Responsibility, June 29, 2022; Reviewed Jennifer Brobst’s article The Intersection of Citizen Enforcement and Professional Responsibility
• Speaker, The Great debates: revisiting recent listserv topics, Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers Mid-year meeting, March 6, 2021
• Speaker, Bright Ideas and Best Practices for Online Teaching in Professional Responsibility Courses, AALS Annual Meeting, January 5, 2021
• Speaker, Recent Developments in Professional Responsibility in the United States, Second Conference on Judicial and Professional Ethics, University of Puerto Rico Law School, December 4, 2020
• Speaker, Tort Law Through an Intersectional Lens, National Lawyers Guild University of Michigan, October 28, 2020
• Speaker, Excellence in Teaching Professional Responsibility Online, Program for the Advancement of Legal Ethics at Texas A&M University School of Law, August 4, 2020
• Speaker, The Common Law System, Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina, October 22, 2018
• Speaker, Online Attorney Client Matchmaking and For-Profit Referral Services: 21st Century Innovation Clashes with 20th Century Rules, ABA National Conference on Professional Responsibility, May 31, 2018
• Moderator, Innovation and the Practice of Law, VII International Legal Ethics Conference, Fordham University Law School, New York, July 2016
• Moderator, Discrimination and the Practice of Law, VII International Legal Ethics Conference, Fordham University Law School, New York, July 2016
• Speaker, “Innovation” and the Future of Legal Services, CLE program on Recent Developments in the Law of Professional Responsibility, McAndrews, Held and
• Malloy, August 13, 2015
• Speaker, Current Debates Regarding the Regulation of the Legal Profession, Conference on Judicial and Professional Ethics, University of Puerto Rico Law School, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, March 2015
• Moderator, Panel on the proposed new Code of Ethics in Puerto Rico, Conference on Judicial and Professional Ethics, University of Puerto Rico Law School, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, March 2015
• Speaker, VI International Legal Ethics Conference, London, England, July 2014
• Speaker, CLE program on Ethical Issues related to Cloud Computing, American Immigration Lawyers Association, June 2, 2014
• Speaker, CLE program on Recent Developments in the law of Professional Responsibility, McAndrews, Held and Malloy, April 17, 2014
• Speaker and Moderator, ABA Center for Professional Development CLE Program Dangerous Dogs: Regulation, Civil Litigation and Criminal Prosecution, July 2013
• Speaker, Belle and Joseph Braun Symposium, The John Marshall Law School, September 2012
• Speaker, The Right to Counsel Ignored: Confusing the Roles of Lawyers and Guardians in Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings, The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, June 2012
• Speaker, CLE program on the Duty of Confidentiality, McAndrews, Held and Malloy, October 27, 2011
• Speaker, CLE program on the New Rules of Professional Conduct in Illinois, McAndrews, Held and Malloy, June 8, 2010
• Visiting Editor in Chief, The Puerto Rico Bar Association Law Review, 2007-2008
• Speaker, CLE program on Metadata and the Ethical Implications of Exchange of Digital Documents, McAndrews, Held and Malloy, November 29, 2007
• Speaker, CLE program on the Proposed New Rules of Professional Conduct in Illinois, McAndrews, Held and Malloy, November 8, 2007
• Speaker, Conference on Gun Violence Torts, University of Puerto Rico Law School, October 10, 2007
• Speaker, Conference on the Proposed Revision of the Puerto Rico Civil Code, University of Puerto Rico Law School, October 2005
• Speaker, Career Day Program, Morton West High School, Berwyn, IL, November, 2004
• Speaker, Annual Meeting of the Research Committee for Sociology of Law, International Sociological Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico, August 2004
• Speaker, First Congress on Access to Justice, San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 2002
• Speaker on Legal Education, High Schools’ Law Day, University of Puerto Rico, Spring 2002
• Speaker on Access to Judicial Proceedings and the First Amendment on Radio Show sponsored by the Puerto Rico Journalists’ Association, Fall 2001
• Speaker and Moderator, Media Law Conference, The John Marshall Law School, November 2000
• Hispanic National Bar Association Amicus Curiae Committee, 1999-2000
• Pro-bono counsel to the Overseas Press Club of Puerto Rico, 1998
• Speaker, The Constitutional Rights Foundation, Law in My Life Program; program for seventh and eight grade students of the Sawyer School, Chicago,1998 to 2001
• Speaker and Moderator, Media Law Conference, The John Marshall Law School, November 1997
• Speaker, Legal Ethics and Media Ethics, Conference on Professional Ethics, Faculty of Law, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, March 1996
• Speaker on Recent Developments in Tort Law and Legal Ethics, CLE Program for American Attorneys Practicing in the Czech Republic, March 1996
• Speaker, Globalization and Legal Education, Congress of Caribbean Legal Studies, San Juan, PR, April 1994
• Speaker, Harmonization of Environmental Laws, Congress of Caribbean Legal Studies, San Juan, PR, April 1994
• Speaker, History of American Legal Education for  Faculty of Law, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, John Marshall Law School, Spring 1994
• Speaker, Courts and the Media: Can Justice be Jeopardized?, Seminars for Scholars Program, Niles Township High Schools, December 1994

LAW SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

• Faculty Legal Scholarship Award, The John Marshall Law School, June 2012
• Team Coach, Kenneth Kandaras Intraschool Mock Trial Competition, 2008-2011
• Moderator, Media Law Forum on Reporters’ Privilege and Confidentiality of Sources, November 2005
• Team Coach, Products Liability Moot Court Team, 1999-2003
• Selected as “Professor of the Year” by students, 2000-2001
• Judge for Herzog Moot Court Competition Finals, The John Marshall Law School, April 2001
• Chair and speaker, Orientation for new students, 1998-2000
• Chair of the John Marshall Centennial Movie Series Committee, 1998
• Speaker on Examination Techniques for Faculty Colloquium, 1996
• Speaker on Introduction to the Legal System and Legal Education, The John Marshall
  Law School Summer Pre-Law Institute,  Summer 1994
• Team Coach, LALSA Moot Court Team, 1993-1995
• Judge, JMLS National Moot Court Competition in Information and Privacy Law, 1993-1995
• Organizing Committee, The John Marshall Law School Media & the Law
  Conference, 1992-2000

 

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES

• American Bar Association’s Center for Professional Responsibility
• Association of American Law Schools, Section on Professional Responsibility
• Puerto Rico Bar Association
• Academia Puertorriqueña de Jurisprudencia y Legislación
• BYS Wrestling Club
  Assistant Coach, 2012-2013
• Wauconda Jr. Lady Bulldogs Basketball
  Assistant Coach, 2016-2018
  Head Coach, 2018-2020