Legal Studies Faculty

Ramona Atkins teaches a variety of legal courses at Purdue Global, with an emphasis in business law and ethics, and serves as advisor to the Purdue Global Law Society and course lead for the business law and ethics courses. She has worked with the county of Santa Barbara, county of San Luis Obispo, and the Department of Labor. Atkins taught business law at Allan Hancock College for 11 years and received a grant to implement critical thinking in the classroom. Additionally, she has authored study guides, tests banks, and courses on business Law.

Education: JD, Western State College of Law; BS, Michigan Technological University

Publications: Pittsburgh Paralegal Association Parascope Newsletter

Honors and Achievements: Excellence in Teaching Award

Memberships: Pittsburgh Paralegal Association, National Federation of Paralegal Associations

John Berube began working for Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan University) in 1999. He has played a variety of roles and has been a full-time faculty member since 2005. Berube teaches various undergraduate courses in legal studies at the University, such as business law, legal research, and interviewing and investigation, and is involved in a number of University committees. Prior to joining the Purdue Global faculty, he worked for law firms in Manhattan and Maine.

Education: JD, University of Maine School of Law; BA, Bowdoin College

Honors and Achievements: 2015 Best Veteran Presenter (KU Village Conference), presentation at Florida Political Science Association, additional teaching and research honors

Timothy Carlin teaches various undergraduate courses in legal studies, continually seeking ways to innovate in the classroom. He became an adjunct faculty member with Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan University) in 2010, joining full time in 2015. He is also the course lead for the civil litigation course. Prior to joining the Purdue Global faculty, Carlin litigated both criminal and civil cases for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He then entered private practice and focused on veterans’ needs. In 2010, Carlin worked closely with his local courts and state Supreme Court, seeking the creation of the first local Veterans Court.

Education: JD, University of Dayton School of Law; BS, Troy University

Brian Craig teaches various undergraduate legal courses about topics such as legal research, legal writing, and civil litigation. He started teaching at Purdue Global (now Kaplan University) in 2007 and became a full-time adjunct instructor in 2015. Craig previously taught at the University of Minnesota Law School and served as an attorney for Thomson-Reuters, a judicial law clerk in Idaho, and a full-time legislative aide in the California Legislature.

Education: JD, University of Idaho; BA, Brigham Young University

Publications: Cyberlaw: The Law of the Internet and Information Technology, Real Estate Law Journal, North Dakota Law Review

John Gray is a faculty member for Purdue Global’s undergraduate legal studies program and has also taught various graduate legal studies courses. He began his academic career teaching at Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky. Prior to first being licensed to practice law almost 20 years ago, he worked for various nonprofit organizations for several years. Gray also conducted a live radio program for 7 years and a taped television program for 2 years.

Education: JD, Jones School of Law; LLM, Samford University; MA, Lipscomb University; BA, Heritage Christian University; BBA, University of North Alabama

Jeffrey Gulley joined Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan University) as an adjunct faculty member in 2007. He now serves as a full-time adjunct faculty member teaching undergraduate legal studies courses and as a course lead. Gulley has been a licensed attorney for 30 years, with practice experience in civil litigation, employment law, and criminal law. He also has more than 12 years of public service as a Superior Court judge and magistrate judge. In addition, Gulley established a business that has provided specialized training and consulting services in the area of domestic violence prevention and intervention.

Education: JD, Maurer School of Law at Indiana University Bloomington; Judicial Studies Program, National Judicial College

Honors and Achievements: 2016 Outstanding Professor of Legal Studies (Kaplan University)

Research Interests: Advocacy work on domestic violence issues

Jane McElligott is a full-time faculty member in Purdue Global’s legal studies and legal support and services programs, where she serves as a course lead and teaches courses on legal philosophy, law and society, constitutional law, and business law. Before joining Purdue Global, McElligott practiced family law and Social Security disability law and served as an adjunct faculty member for University of Massachusetts Lowell, Massachusetts School of Law, and Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts.

Education: JD, Suffolk University Law School; MS, Kaplan University (now Purdue University Global); BA, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Honors and Achievements: Presentations on topics relating to criminal justice, education, and animal law at the Southern Criminal Justice Association and Western Criminal Justice Association conferences

Memberships: Purdue Global Library Committee, Faculty Curriculum Committee, and Institutional Review Board

Patricia Merck teaches various undergraduate courses in the legal studies and legal support and services programs. She joined Purdue Global first as a faculty member and later as a department chair for the Des Moines location. Previously, Merck practiced corporate and securities law and served as general counsel for a large health care system in Denver. She has lectured in ethics for medical students and master's students at a local medical school.

Education: JD, University of Denver College of Law

Honors and Achievements: 2015 Faculty Excellence Award (Kaplan University, Des Moines), additional teaching and community service honors

Memberships: Multiculturalism and Diversity Committee (Des Moines location), Purdue Global Academic Governance Committee, Academic Board of Appeals (Des Moines location)

Research Interests: Multiculturalism and diversity in higher education

Cristina Nolan joined Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan University) as an adjunct faculty member, becoming a full-time adjunct faculty member after teaching for 10 years. She has taught a wide spectrum of courses, specializing in the legal support and services curriculum. Before joining Purdue Global, Nolan worked as an attorney for several years. She has presented on a variety of topics related to distance learning, and written several articles on finance and investing.

Education: JD, Saint Louis University School of Law; BA, DePaul University

Honors and Achievements: 2016 Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Adjunct Award (Kaplan University)

Memberships: Purdue Global Faculty Curriculum Committee and Communications GEL Committee

Sait Tarhan joined Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan University) in 2009 and is a full-time adjunct faculty member in the paralegal studies program. Before joining Purdue Global, Tarhan had a private law practice for 10 years, primarily in the areas of family law and bankruptcy, before going into higher education full time. He started his academic career at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, where he created the school's first online business law course as well as other Internet/distance learning courses. He later moved on to full-time distance teaching with various universities including the University of Phoenix, Texas A&M University, the University of Louisville, and Cincinnati State.

Education: JD, University of Kentucky; BA, University of Kentucky

Honors and Achievements: 2017 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Legal Studies Outstanding Teacher of the Year (Kaplan University), KU Village and other presentations

Memberships: Purdue Global Academic Administrative Council

Heather Valdes began teaching as an adjunct faculty member at Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan University) in 2004 and joined the legal studies full-time faculty team in 2015. She teaches various undergraduate courses in legal studies including legal research and writing, family law, and business law. Valdes has worked in immigration practice and child advocacy, and currently has a private practice centered on smaller issues such as contract construction, real estate leases, small business issues, immigration, divorce, and child custody.

Education: JD, St. Thomas University School of Law; MS, Kaplan University (now Purdue University Global)

Honors and Achievements: 2016 Outstanding Course Lead for the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences (KU Village), Best Delivery and Presentation (KU Village)