Elisabeth Haub School of Law Alumni Magazine 2020

Haub Law ALUMNI MAGAZINE • SPRING 2020

SPRING 2020

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DEAN OF HAUB LAW

EDITOR & WRITER

Horace Anderson

Jessica Dubuss ’09

ASSISTANT DEAN FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Rex Bossert DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS

Jessica Dubuss ’09 DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

Arianne L. Andrusco

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Connor Hilbie Austin Southerland Alicia Stoklosa Mark Meeker, Esq. (Dec. ’09) Elyse Diamond Deborah Heller Elizabeth Rapuano Professor Bridget Crawford Professor Leslie Y. Garfield Tenzer Professor Smita Narula Professor Emily Gold Waldman

DESIGN

Tom Carling, Carling Design, Inc. PHOTOGRAPHY

Jörg Meyer Photography Don Hamerman Photography Liflander Photography Haub Law Faculty & Staff PRINTING

Lane Press

H A U B L AW A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E

The Haub Law Alumni Magazine is published annually under the auspices of the Dean, and is distributed free of charge to alumni and friends of Haub Law. PLEASE ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO:

Haub Law Alumni Communications 78 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603 plsalumni@law.pace.edu The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the magazine staff or of individuals enrolled at or employed by Pace University or of Pace University itself.

Pace University admits, and will continue to admit, students of any sex, gender or gender identity, race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not, and will not, discriminate on the basis of sex, gender or gender identity, race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

© Copyright 2020 by Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

Haub Law ALUMNI MAGAZINE • SPRING 2020

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Message from the Dean

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OF NOTE Horace Anderson named Dean of Haub Law The Public Interest Law Center

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Congratulations, Professor Pollans

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Philip Halpern ’80 to Serve on Federal Bench

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2019 Haub Visiting Scholars

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Haub Law Library Supports Alumni

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LULC Annual Conference

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GCELS Submits Motions to IUCN World Conservation Congress

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2019 Tucker Prize

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Meet Craig Hart

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Celebrating Justice Benefit Dinner

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Riverkeeper’s Fishermen’s Ball

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Reducing Academic Marketing Waste

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STUDENT PROFILES

• Oscar Basantes, JD Candidate 2020

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• Meet Flex JD Student Vanessa Cabrera Deleon 11 • Marissa Cohen, JD Candidate 2021

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• Mother, Judicial Assistant, 1L: Shira Krance

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• Thammasack Manokham Gatto, JD Candidate 2021

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E V E N T S 22 F A C U LT Y Haub Law Faculty Publications (2019)

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A Lifetime of Scholarship

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DigitalCommons@Pace 31 Article Excerpt: The Birth of a Nation

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F A C U LT Y P R O F I L E S

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• Professor John Nolon

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• Professor Emerita Ann Powers

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ALUMNI Haub LawDC Alumni Connection

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A Path-Breaking Victory

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Class Notes

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Letter from the Alumni Board President

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ALUMNI PROFILES

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• Neil Scherer ’87

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• Wendy Venoit ’96

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• Latrice Monique Walker ’06

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• Mani Tafari ’09

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• Elizabeth Bennett ’11

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• Alexis Thuau LLM ’12

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• Judson Siebert ’85

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• Eric Paulk ’16

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• Jérôme Orlhac LLM ’17

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MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

Dear Haub Law Alumni,

“I truly believe that a Haub Law degree transforms lives and families and prepares our students to make change in the world—and you, our alumni, are the proof of that.”

While I write to you in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please know that despite the fact that our community may not be together physically, now, more than ever, we are working together to ensure the health and safety of our law school community. I am happy to report that faculty, staff, and students so far have taken to remote learning and are getting the job done. This is truly commendable, and an indication of the cooperation and understanding that exists in our community. Notably, our alumni community has been extremely supportive, volunteering to help us reach out to admitted students in alternative ways, and working with us to arrange remote internship opportunities for the summer. We thank you for your continued support during these trying times.

For now, I am excited to be able to share some of Haub Law’s highlights from the past year here with you.

This past fall, we enrolled our first group of students in the Flex JD part-time scheduling option. Previously, we had spoken with many alumni who credit the law school’s evening program with making them the lawyers they are today. As that program demonstrated, the Law School has a long history of providing a high-quality legal education to non-traditional students. This is why we launched this part-time scheduling option available for our JD students. The new option has made law school more accessible to working professionals, allowing part-time law students a variety of scheduling options to complete the requirements for a JD. On page 14, you will read about Shira Krance, who enrolled as a Flex JD student this past fall. Shira is a mother of young children and also works full-time as a judicial assistant for a family court judge. On page 11, you will read about Vanessa Cabrera Deleon who also enrolled as a Flex JD student this past fall.

As many of you know from your time here, the work of our centers, clinics, and student lawyers continues to be second to none. On pages 5–7, you can read more about the Public Interest Law Center. The Public Interest Law Center nurtures student engagement in public service and pro bono work, and provides full and specific career and professional development services to students and graduates aspiring to build careers in public service law. Many of our recent graduates, now alumni, are leading successful and meaningful careers as public interest attorneys thanks to PILC. We are proud of the work our students and alumni do to advocate for those in our community and beyond.

We continue to attract top-notch students with a variety of backgrounds. For example, Oscar Basantes, a current student and 2020 JD Candidate, graduated from Harvard University and worked in the finance industry for several years be-

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fore choosing to attend law school. Oscar chose Haub Law, in part, because of the welcoming campus environment and the understanding that his prior work and life experience would be valued at the School..

Our dedicated faculty continue to prepare our students to become dynamic and skilled attorneys ready to hit the ground running, all the while conducting research and publishing scholarship on innovative and cutting edge topics.

Founding faculty member, Bennett L. Gershman, has been recognized for a lifetime of scholarly work and impact with a special dedicated issue of the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law. We at Haub Law know firsthand the tremendous impact that Professor Gershman’s work as a teacher, scholar, and practitioner has made on both students and alumni, along with the greater legal and scholarly community. Our faculty have always had a special connection with our students who then become you, our alumni, and the connection continues and grows. I hope you enjoy catching up with Professor John Nolon on page 26 and Professor Emerita Ann Powers on page 30.

For me, the 2019 calendar year ended on a personal high note, in December 2019, I was officially appointed the ninth dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Prior to my official appointment, I served as the Law School’s Interim Dean, and as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. For me, there is no better job than inspiring the future lawyers and leaders of tomorrow.

Every day I am honored to educate and guide our law students. I truly believe that a Haub Law degree transforms lives and families and prepares our students to make change in the world—and you, our alumni, are the proof of that.

As you read this year’s alumni magazine, please take note of the breadth and depth of our alumni successes. An assemblywoman. Criminal defense attorneys. A federal judge. Public interest attorneys. Partners at prominent law firms.

Entrepreneurs. Immigration attorneys. Environmental attorneys. Experts. Today and every day, we are proud to call you our alumni and remain grateful for the support you have shown to your School and today’s students.

When this storm has passed, I look forward to seeing you all at events and on campus in the future.

Sincerely,

Horace Anderson Dean

SPRING 2020

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Dean Horace Anderson

Horace E. Anderson Jr. Named Ninth Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

HORACE E. ANDERSON JR. has been appointed the ninth dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.

Prior to this appointment, Anderson had been serving as Haub Law’s interim dean. The School has been thriving under his leadership, with increased enrollment and application numbers and successful new programs, such as the expansion of its parttime JD program to include an evening and weekend option.

“Horace is the right person to lead Haub Law to a strong and successful future,” said Marvin Krislov, Pace’s president. “His vision for Haub Law has brought great successes during his time as interim dean. I know the faculty, staff, and students join me in congratulating him on this well-deserved new role.”

Anderson joined the Haub Law faculty in 2004, and served as the School’s academic dean from 2011 until his appointment last year as interim dean.

He received his JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a BS in Economics (with a concentration in finance) from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. His areas of legal expertise include intellectual property, internet privacy, law and technology, and communications law.

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“There is no better job than inspiring the future lawyers and leaders of tomorrow, and it all goes back to Pace’s mission of Opportunitas,” said Anderson. “My parents immigrated to this country from Jamaica 50 years ago. I was the first person in my family born in the United States, and the first to attend law school. Thankfully, I had role models and mentors who inspired and supported me. Every day I am honored to educate and guide our law students. A Haub Law degree transforms lives and families and prepares our students to make change in the world.’’

Anderson has a strong commitment to supporting underrepresented minorities in law and serves as the faculty advisor to the Black Law Student Association. During his time as interim dean and associate dean, he has also focused on students’ professional development and emotional health, emphasizing the importance of their cultivating a professional identity and learning to manage stress as they prepare to enter the legal profession.

Prior to joining Haub Law, Anderson worked at White & Case LLP. His practice there focused on intellectual property, privacy and data protection, the internet, and media and technology law. In addition to his law practice experience, Anderson advised companies in business strategy as a consultant at Monitor Group, and he worked as a systems integration consultant in the Financial Markets Division of Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). n

“There is no better job than inspiring the future lawyers and leaders of tomorrow, and it all goes back to Pace’s mission of Opportunitas.”

OF NOTE

The Public Interest Law Center THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAW CENTER (“PILC”), an arm of the Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD), was created in 2008 to unite and supplement the Law School’s public interest activities and programs, to nurture student engagement in public service and pro bono work, and to provide comprehensive targeted career and professional development services to students and graduates aspiring to build careers in public service law.

PILC’s multi-faceted approach to supporting and building the Law School’s public interest community includes:

• Providing public interest career programming and intensive individualized counseling Through advising, programming, and collaborations with our clinical programs and faculty and student groups, PILC has helped numerous students learn about public interest career paths, obtain internships in public service and, ultimately, find post-graduate employment in public service law. PILC coordinates student participation in several public interest-focused legal career fairs, and PILC’s Director, Elyse Diamond, and the CCPD’s advisors spend thousands of hours helping students prepare applications and interview for public interest internships and jobs. Recent graduates have obtained entry-level positions with leading public interest offices around the country, been selected for prestigious post-graduate public interest and government fellowships, and serve as federal and state judicial clerks.

• Managing the PILC Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program Through a coordinated effort between PILC and the University financial aid and administrative offices, and with some generous grants from alumni and supporters, many students who seek it can now receive PILC’s Public Interest Summer Fellowship funding for unpaid public interest internships. Each summer, as many as 150 students dedicate their summer to public interest internships, with placements spanning a wide range of practice areas and geographic locations from juvenile defense and eviction prevention in New York City, to environmental advocacy in Alabama and North Carolina, to state and local government in New Jersey and Connecticut, to labor law in Washington, DC, to disability rights and prosecution in Westchester, to human rights at the Hague.

• Coordinating the Law School’s Pro Bono Justice Program PILC’s Pro Bono Justice Program offers, identifies and publicizes opportunities for even our newest students to receive training and get off campus and into the community, where they provide assistance in legal practice areas ranging from immigration services, to domestic violence, to predatory lending and consumer debt, to community education. Our students are demonstrating their commitment to social justice and public service through summer and academic year internships and unprecedented hours of pro bono work.

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OF NOTE Continued from page 5

Meet PILC’s Director:

Elyse Diamond Elyse sees PILC’s overarching goal as “providing innovative, thoughtful and intensely personalized career and professional development support for all students who wish to explore public service law” and helping those who wish to, “not just obtain, but more importantly, to thrive, in public service law jobs.” She stresses this can’t be achieved by operating in a silo. “We can only do it by working seamlessly with the rest of the PILC’s outstanding leadership and staff, by collaborating with our clinical programs, faculty, and student groups, and by staying connected with our amazing and supportive alumni working in public service law. “ It’s working. Haub Law has become a go-to school for future lawyers interested in public service and Haub Law graduates are indeed going on to use their legal education to promote social justice and advance the public good through legal advocacy. They serve as public defenders and prosecutors, environmental lawyers, advocates for immigrants, the elderly and victims of domestic violence, and hold positions in wide-ranging government and nonprofit offices.

Meet some of our recent public interest law alumni:

Sarah Cinquemani ’18 Former New York State Excelsior Fellow, currently New York State Department Assistant Attorney, Division of Water, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in Albany “I can’t say enough about the dedication of Elyse Diamond with the PILC. She reviewed countless cover letters and iterations of my resume, helped me with interview preparation, checked in with me after interviews, and ultimately assisted me in making the decision about accepting the position as a NYS Excelsior Fellow.

Even after law school, Elyse has kept in contact, checking in on me in my new role.”

Lesly Santos ’19 Immigration Justice Corps Fellow “Being selected as an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow was a goal of mine since my first year at Pace. Seeing how excited Elyse Diamond and Professor Vanessa Merton were for me was priceless.

I feel like they went through the whole process with me and it was a team accomplishment. As an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow, I represent low-income immigrant New Yorkers in the lower Hudson Valley at Catholic Charities—which is where I interned as a student!”

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Ryan Koleda ’16 Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Practice Staff Attorney “Will you believe me if I say that all of my experiences at Pace prepared me for my career in public interest law? I went into law school knowing that I wanted to practice in the public interest field, so I tailored as many experiences as I could to that goal. The summer after my first year, I interned for a Nassau County Family Court judge who presided over custody and child protective cases. My second year, I participated in the year-long Federal Judicial Honors Program. The summer after my second year, I interned for a nonprofit organization that represents children in custody and visitation cases in family court. Through the PILC Public Interest Summer Fellowship, I obtained funding in order to pay for my expenses that summer. My last year of law school I participated in a civil rights externship and the Immigration Justice Clinic. During my 3L year, I participated in a mentorship program offered by Career Services. We were matched with alumni who practiced in the fields we were interested in post law school. My mentor not only practiced in family law representing children, but also worked for the organization I had my eyes set on. Also, throughout the application process for The Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Practice, during my 3L year, I went through rounds of application review with Career Services and prepared with them before each interview. I felt completely supported by PILC faculty and staff as I faced the daunting task of three rounds of interviews.”

Wilfredo Lopez ’17 New York City Council Legislative Director Once he started at Pace, Wilfredo immediately acquainted himself with the Public Interest Law Center.

He worked with them beginning in his first year to secure internships in public interest. “Throughout my time at Pace, I had the opportunity to work at FINRA, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, the US Attorney’s Office, and the Immigration Justice Clinic. While at the Brooklyn DA’s office I received a summer PILC grant that helped me to be able to accept a non-pay internship. That was instrumental in allowing me to continue my journey in public interest law.” After graduation, Wilfredo went to work at the Brooklyn Attorney’s office as an assistant district attorney. He spent 18 months at the DA’s office and successfully argued four trials. In November 2018, he was approached by a member of the New York City Council for a position as his legislative director. “Since joining the Council, I have passed numerous pieces of legislation ranging from campaign finance reform to food safety for kid’s meals.” Wilfredo recently helped to organize the legislative staff at the Council to form a union. The Association of Legislative Employees (ALE) is currently awaiting recognition by the Council, and will be the largest unaffiliated union of municipal employees in the Country. For his efforts, Wilfredo will be recognized as one of New York City’s Labor 40 under 40 by City and State Magazine in their April 2020 issue. Wilfredo continues to be an advocate for various issues such as affordable housing, criminal justice, and immigration reform. He credits his involvement in law school with the Public Interest Law Center as the catalyst for his continued fight on these and other issues. n

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STUDENT PROFILE

OF NOTE Oscar Basantes JD Candidate 2020

What brought you to law school?

When I first set foot on campus in 2007 as an undergraduate student at Harvard University, I knew that I wanted to go to law school. Due to family circumstances, however, I opted to work for a couple of years before going to law school, so I ended up in the finance industry. The problem was that a “couple of years” turned into 3, then 4, then 5 years! Then, I reached a crossroads in my professional career where I knew I wanted to get a higher degree, but my work experience was implicitly pushing me towards pursuing an MBA, which I was a bit hesitant about. However, when I had a very honest reflection with myself (and my wife!), it was clear that my lukewarm feelings behind pursuing an MBA were because I still strongly wanted to go to law school.

Additionally, my work experience in finance actually reinforced my decision to go to law school. A lot of my mentors at my latest company had JDs and working with lawyers and former lawyers was truly eye opening. It was as if the lawyers knew every bit of the business on the finance side, but had this whole other vast sea of knowledge that we did not! That fact made me very uneasy and confirmed my desire to go to law school with the hope of becoming a businessminded transactional attorney.

Why did you choose the Elisabeth Haub School of Law? When I decided to go to law school as a 27-year old, one of my top priorities was to graduate with as little debt as possible. Haub Law was extremely generous with the amount of scholarships—that was a huge motivating factor in my choice. However, my choice went well beyond the money. When I visited campus, all of the staff and students were incredibly welcoming and gave me

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“My experience with the Food and Beverage Law Clinic has been exceptional, particularly because it has exposed me to such a wide array of transactional issues.” the impression that the environment that Haub Law fosters is much different than the typical cutthroat, extremely high-stress environment that I had witnessed firsthand at other law schools.

Additionally, and in some ways most importantly, Haub Law gave me the impression that my previous work and life experience was going to be highly valued at the School. This was critical for

me because, as an older prospective law student, I was admittedly a bit apprehensive about going to school with so many students who were coming straight out of college and that the school would focus more of their efforts on these students. This has certainly not been the case at all during my time at Haub Law. I am incredibly thankful to the School for giving me the opportunity to receive a great law-school education, in such a positive environment, debt free.

Which areas of law have you focused on while in law school?

I have focused my efforts in the real estate practice area. Upon entering law school, I knew that I wanted to go into transactional real estate.

I had previously done a bit of personal investing in that sector and one of my priorities going into law school was to gather as much knowledge on the legal side of the sector. I think the legal knowledge that I have been able to acquire during my time at Haub Law, coupled with my previous experience on the investing and finance side, will serve me well as I embark on a career in commercial real estate.

How has your experience with the Food and Beverage Law Clinic assisted you during your time at Haub Law? My experience with the Food and Beverage Law Clinic has been exceptional, particularly because it has exposed me to such a wide array of transactional issues. During my semester with this Clinic, I was given such a diverse learning opportunity, from drafting an equity release agreement from scratch to drafting a no-action letter application to the state attorney general. My time with the Clinic has undoubtedly served to equip me with real-world transactional skills, from proper drafting to communicating clearly and effectively with clients, which will translate directly to challenges that I will face as a first-year associate upon graduation.

Which professors have helped you along the way?

I have had the pleasure of having such great professors during my time at Haub Law that it is actually very difficult to just name a few! That said, I certainly hold special affection for Professors Leslie Garfield Tenzer, Stacy Wallach, and Jane Shahmanesh. I have known Professor Tenzer since before law school, when I was a participant in a pre-law program for minority students run by the Judicial Institute, and strongly believe that you

would be hard-pressed to find a better professor for doctrinal courses than her. Her ability to use the Socratic method in such a way that makes you feel like she is working with you instead of trying to trick or harshly evaluate you is exceptional.

For upper-level courses, I have loved being a student for Professors Wallach and Shahmanesh, primarily because of their pragmatic and businessminded approach to teaching law school classes.

They both did such an incredible job of distilling particular legal issues that we are likely to face in the real-world from areas of law where it is easy to get bogged down in dense case law, and showed us how to view these issues through the lens of the client. I feel that I am much more prepared to enter into the transactional legal world after being a student in their classes.

Can you share a memorable experience during your first year of law school?

Definitely, my first experience on the receiving end of the Socratic method during my 1L fall. You would think that someone who has had pretty extensive work experience in the high-pressure finance industry would not be worried about being called on in class—not the case! What made matters worse is that my last name comes very early in the alphabet, so I was called on in the first few days of law school! In retrospect, however, I am glad that I got that first anxiety-producing experience out of the way very early on because it allowed me to settle down and not dread every morning that I walked into class thereafter!

What will you be doing after you graduate?

I have been fortunate enough to secure an offer as an associate at Blank Rome. I spent both summers after my 1L and 2L year as a summer associate with Blank Rome and am thrilled to be joining the firm full-time in the fall of 2020.

In your opinion, what makes a “good” lawyer?

To me, a “good” lawyer is someone who is able to anticipate the client’s potential problems, either legal or business-related, before the client has gotten a chance to identify them him/herself. The ability to think a few moves ahead on behalf of the client is the greatest way to add value for the client. While it goes without saying that promptly delivering a pristine work product or service to the client is a critical aspect of being a “good” lawyer, in my opinion, that is only the floor. The ceiling is anticipating the client’s potential legal and business needs. n

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OF NOTE Congratulations, Professor Pollans!

Margot J. Pollans Granted Tenure and Promoted to Full Professor of Law

PACE UNIVERSITY’S Board of Trustees approved tenure for Professor Margot J. Pollans. She was also promoted from associate to full professor of law. Professor Pollans joined Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law (“Haub Law”) faculty in 2015. The Board of Trustees made its decision at its December 11, 2019 meeting.

Professor Pollans teaches environmental law, food law, administrative law, and property law. She is also the faculty director of the Pace-NRDC Food Law Initiative, a collaborative venture between Haub Law and the Natural Resources Defense Council that

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seeks to promote transition to a just and sustainable food system by improving access to legal services for farmers and food businesses.

Her academic work has appeared in a variety of journals including in the New York University Law Review, the Harvard Environmental Law Review, and the Wake Forest Law Review. Recently, her article, The New Food Safety, (coauthored with Emily Broad Leib), was published in the California Law Review.

She is also the coauthor of a casebook on Food Law, the first of its kind.

“Since joining our faculty at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in 2015, Professor Margot Pollans has enriched our environmental law program immensely,” said Dean Horace Anderson. “She is at the forefront of research in food law and consistently published in top tier journals. Professor Pollans is a real asset to our law school, and she provides Haub Law students with a cutting edge academic and practical learning experience.”

“Professor Pollans’ path-breaking work teaching and reforming food law places the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University at the cutting edge of this growing field,” said Interim Associate Dean & Executive Director, Environmental Law Programs and Haub Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, Katrina Fischer Kuh. “We are proud and lucky to count Professor Pollans as a colleague.”

“I am thrilled and honored by the Haub Law faculty’s decision to grant me tenure,” said Professor Pollans. “It has been a pleasure to work with this incredible community over the last five years, and I am looking forward to many more years of collaboration to come. Haub Law is a very special place; its students, faculty, and staff create a unique community that I consider myself very lucky to be a part of.”

Before joining the Pace faculty, Professor Pollans was the inaugural academic fellow at UCLA School of Law’s Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy. She was also a staff attorney and clinical teaching fellow at Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Public Representation, where she worked on a range of environmental litigation and supervised student clinicians. Following law school, Pollans clerked for the Honorable David Tatel of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.

Pollans’s primary research interests lie in the areas of food and agriculture law, public interest environmental law, and land use and property law. n

STUDENT PROFILE

Meet Flex JD Student Vanessa Cabrera Deleon What brought you to law school?

I am from Yaguate, Dominican Republic. I came to the United States in 1995 and moved to the South Bronx with my mother, Cecilia. She has been my inspiration for choosing to pursue higher education and a law degree. Her resilience and perseverance —in working two jobs and raising three children in one of the most dangerous public housing developments in the South Bronx—has taught me the value of being a hardworking, vigorous, and courageous woman. Growing up in the South Bronx and living in public housing for most of my childhood, I have witnessed systemic issues that are incomparable to other communities, like lack of educational tools, clean water, and job preparedness. I refused to believe that there was nothing more than what I observed daily—drug violence, sexual misconduct, and gang fights. Early on, I understood that certain policies—related to education and criminal law—contributed to some of the struggles faced by members of my community. I always knew that I wanted to help change inequitable policies and that law school would be the gateway to understand how to do that. Even with completing my Master’s Degree and Public Policy Certificate at St. John’s University, I understood that having a theoretical understanding of how federal, state, and local laws are promulgated and enforced in our communities was important.

Can you talk about your favorite professors or classes so far?

I have been very fortunate with the professors I have had so far. For an aspiring lawyer, writing is an important skill and I appreciate that Professor Peter Widulski makes himself available to students whenever we have questions (including on Sundays). He has a wealth of knowledge and wants his students to learn and be engaged. I can say that Professor Widulski gave our section the confidence we needed to undergo the 1L Moot Court Competition. I would not have advanced to the final round without the tools he provided during his lectures. Also, Professor David Dorfman, who teaches our Criminal Law course, is a man with many stories and wisdom. He keeps the class very engaged with his unique sense of humor, which I appreciate!

Why did you choose Haub Law? I was attracted to Haub Law because of the School’s distinguished faculty who are not only scholars of the law but are also on the ground practicing in their respective fields. Just as important, I chose Haub Law because of their Flex JD part-time scheduling option, which fits perfectly with my schedule.

With this scheduling option, you can choose the number of classes you want to take along with the ability to graduate within the traditional three years if you complete summer classes. An added bonus is the School’s central location and I also find that the campus has a very calming effect after a long day at work.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I am a plant hoarder! I just gifted myself a Monstera Deliciosa plant. If there is something we need more of in this world, it is plants and the conservation of our planet. Whenever I have a few minutes to spare (which is rare), I enjoy visiting plant nurseries and learning about the different species of plants. I find it to be therapeutic and have made it a part of my stress-management program! n

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STUDENT PROFILE

OF NOTE

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Marissa Cohen JD Candidate 2021

EVER SINCE MARISSA COHEN was old enough to work a remote control, she found herself watching Law & Order and making sure she was in front of the TV to watch re-runs of Judging Amy. She has also always loved words. Marissa notes, “[t]he law is a stacking of words and a battle of interpretation, as is the study of literature, poetry, and philosophy. I knew my passion for words would lead me to love studying the law.” When it came time to choose a law school, admitted students day sealed her fate at Haub Law— she chose to participate in a simulated Torts course taught by Professor Leslie Garfield Tenzer. “She was dynamic, exhilarating, and accessible. I remember in the course of the class asking Professor Tenzer a question, in which she gave me a remarkably thoughtful response. I put down my deposit at Haub Law that day.”

Since starting at Haub Law, Marissa has found a number of professors who have helped her along the way. “I have to start with Professor Gershman who has employed me as his research assistant.

Helping him edit Thomson-West’s new edition of the Modern Constitutional Law casebook has been the most demanding work I have ever undertaken, but who I am as a scholar and writer is that of an entirely different person because of these new skills. Professor Gershman’s standard of excellence, knowledge of case law, and remarkable energy have changed how I look at the law. Also, Professor Bridget Crawford. She has answered every ridiculous tax question I have come up with at all hours via email. Not only does she want to push me further with my own law school related thinking, but she and I also engage in huge out of the box discussions. Those out of the box discussions push me further in my studies so I can use them as the foundation for my legal pursuits.”

Prior to law school, Marissa was involved in the healthcare industry. In 2016, she managed the first

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“After law school, I hope to continue bridging the gap between law and medicine by attending medical school.” medicinal cannabis dispensary on the Las Vegas strip. Now, as a law student, she is pursuing the advanced certificate in health law and policy. “My goal is to bridge the gap between lawyers and doctors.

My interest in cannabis law stems from the belief that it will affect every field of law at some point. I recently gave a presentation in my Federal Income Tax Class on the effects of IRS code 280E on the cannabis industry, and what I stressed to my classmates, regardless of what type of law you enter into, cannabis will come across your desk someday. Understanding the vocabulary used in the subject, even on the most basic levels will be very useful for any impending attorney.”

Interested in learning more about cannabis law, Marissa started signing up for mailing lists involving various cannabis industry networking events. She attended her first event on a Tuesday night in Jersey City. “I sat there with my head in my Contracts textbook because as a 1L of course I did not have time on a Tuesday to be doing anything but reading for a course, and an attorney came up to me and took my pencil out of my hand, tabbed the book, and closed it. He said, ‘Law student?’ I replied, ‘Yes. First year.’ He replied, ‘Figures.’ And from there on we discussed cannabis law. I gave him my resume, he gave it to everyone at the event that was sitting at our table. He gave me his card and told me to get in-touch with him if I wanted to get involved in cannabis law further. Turns out he was a partner at a huge firm in the industry. It was this gentleman who turned me onto the Cannabis Science Conference, which has both East and West Coast conferences. I initially volunteered to help with the East Coast event in Baltimore, but one of the emcees for a panel did not make it, so I was asked if I would quickly take-over. After that I was asked to host two panels for the Conference this past September in Portland. It was a great opportunity. I also help prepare comprehensive presentations on cannabis law for CLE’s with the Westchester County Bar Association, New York City Bar Association, the New Rochelle Bar Association, and others.”

Despite being involved in numerous offcampus organizations, on campus, Marissa has also helped reignite the LAMBDA law association and is a founding member of the Association for Civil Engagement. Marissa graduated Mount Holyoke College in 2016 with a degree in Music and English and can play fifteen instruments. “Sometimes I sit in the parking lot before class with my guitar and play.

It is a good way to ease into my day and helps me remember to always hang onto my creativity.”

Marissa does not have anything set in stone for after law school, but she has big ideas. “After law school, I hope to continue bridging the gap between law and medicine by attending medical school. In the interim, I have joined forces with the Law Office of Rosemarie Barnett, PLLC, to begin assisting cannabis clients through the minefield of licensing. With Ms. Barnett’s help and the great encouragement of Professor Crawford, I am now in the process of building an application for the firm’s first cannabis client. And, on a personal note, I recently became engaged to my girlfriend—she has been my support system during law school and I look forward to the rest of my life with her.” n

Philip Halpern ’80 to Serve on the Federal Bench for the SDNY PHILIP M. HALPERN, graduate of the class of 1980 from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, has been confirmed by the United States Senate to serve on the federal bench for the Southern District of New York. He was nominated

by President Trump. In a bipartisan vote, the Senate approved Halpern’s nomination.

Prior to his nomination, Mr. Halpern was the Managing Partner at Collier Halpern & Newberg, LLP in White Plains and has been a member of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s Board of Visitors for more than two decades. In 2006, he was presented with the Distinguished Service Award at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law’s annual Law Leadership Dinner.

“Congratulations to our alumnus, Phil Halpern,” said Horace Anderson, Dean of Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. “Phil is a shining example of how far you can go with a Haub Law degree and his steadfast leadership and support as a member of our Board of Visitors has been invaluable. We are tremendously proud of Phil and his appointment to serve as a federal judge in the Southern District of New York.”

Upon learning of his nomination, Professor Jay Carlisle noted: “Phil was an outstanding student in the first class I taught at Pace during the spring semester of 1978. He impressed me so much that I hired him as my first research assistant. Phil’s research and writing skills were superb and he worked harder than any assistant I have had in my 40 years at the Law School.

Phil will be an excellent federal district court judge.” n

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STUDENT PROFILE

OF NOTE MotherJudicial AssistantFirst Year JD Law Student

Shira Krance What brought you to law school?

My desire to make a difference in the world, on both a large and small scale, has always been a driving force in my life, and I have endeavored to do so in my prior careers as both a news producer and educator. However, it is through my work in the field of law over the last eight years that I have come to realize that the most productive way for me to personally effectuate the real change I seek, is as an attorney. Since I began working for the Hon. Sherri L. Eisenpress, Family Court Judge, Acting Supreme Court Judge, in January of 2012, my desire to become an attorney has grown exponentially which is in no small part due to the guidance and support of Judge Eisenpress.

Why did you choose Pace and the Flex JD parttime scheduling option in particular?

Over the last eight years, I have worked with many graduates of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and have found that these are some of the most skilled attorneys I have come across in the courthouse. I believe that Pace will equip me with the necessary tools to have a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand within the framework of the law, as well as the ability to effectively advocate on behalf of future clients.

The Flex JD part-time scheduling option in particular appealed to me as a mother of young children who also works full-time. I first took the LSAT a number of years ago, but did not immediately pursue my dream of attending law school, as there were no part-time law programs that would fit my schedule and provide the highquality education that I wanted. My options were

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“This schedule allows me to pursue my dreams without sacrificing quality time at home with my family and continue working at a job that I am passionate about...” limited by the fact that I have young children, and both need and want to work full-time during law school. As you can imagine, I was quite excited when I discovered last spring that

Haub Law was launching the Flex JD part-time scheduling option, which would allow me to attend law school two evenings a week and one weekend morning and graduate in four years.

This schedule allows me to pursue my dreams without sacrificing quality time at home with my family and continue working at a job that I am passionate about and provides me with much hands-on experience in different areas of law.

Which classes and professors have you enjoyed the most?

Thus far, I have enjoyed all of my professors and have learned a lot from each of them. However, I do have to say that Professor Randolph McLaughlin is one of my favorites. I had him for Civil Procedure and he was able to take, what I was warned could be a tough course, and make each and every class engaging and captivating. I truly looked forward to each and every Civil Procedure class where Professor McLaughlin would undoubtedly share stories from his fascinating career and relate it to the topic we were focusing on that class.

2019 Haub Visiting Scholars WHILE AT HAUB LAW, the Haub Visiting Scholars collaborated with faculty, guest lectured classes, and worked closely with students in the Environmental Law Program and others. Funding for the Haub Visiting Scholars was made possible by a gift from the Haub family in recognition of the essential role of environmental science, informatics and other technology and allied fields towards formulating environmental policy and law.

How has your law school experience been so far?

This is only my second semester in law school, however, so far I have loved every minute of it.

In addition to enjoying the subject matter, I truly appreciate the camaraderie that has developed among those in my cohort. Additionally, working in the courthouse has enhanced my law school experience, as it often enables me to experience what I learned the previous evening play out in a courtroom the following morning and learn about it from the perspective of the judiciary. Being able to integrate my experiences at work with what I am learning in the classroom has been truly enlightening. I think that holds true for many of the flex JD students too, as we are able to bring our real-life experiences into the classroom. Together each of us bring a unique perspective to the classroom which enriches us all.

MARTA ANDHOV Assistant Professor, Head of Education for LLM Program, Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen

BEN BOER Distinguished Professor at the Research Institute of Environmental Law at Wuhan University; Professor Emeritus, Sydney Law School

PAULO DE BESSA ANTUNES Associate Professor and Chair of Environmental Law, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; Partner, in the Rio de Janeiro and SĂŁo Paulo offices of Tauil & Chequer Advogados (in association with Mayer Brown)

VICTOR FLATT Professor, Dwight Olds Chair in Law, Faculty Director of the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources (EENR) Center, University of Houston; Distinguished Scholar of Carbon Markets, University of Houston’s Global Energy Management Institute

What are your goals after graduating?

At this point, I intend to continue working in the Family Court, Integrated Domestic Violence Court, and Matrimonial arenas. These are the areas of law that have always fascinated me and where I would like to effectuate change. I am still early into my law school career, and realize that my post-law school goals may change, but that is where I see myself right now! n

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STUDENT PROFILE

Thammasack Manokham Gatto JD Candidate 2021

What brought you to law school?

I came to the United States when I was threeyears old as a political refugee. When I was three, I crossed the Mekong River in order to get to a refugee camp in Nong Khai, Thailand. It was a long, frightening, and treacherous journey, but we eventually settled in a very diverse community in Southern California. Being a refugee was difficult and our problems did not disappear once we moved to America. Despite all of the struggles and where I was perceived I should be—in the home and in the kitchen—I knew that I wanted to pursue an education. In high school, I was encouraged to apply to local community colleges, which were great, but I had my sights set elsewhere. I went to and graduated from Occidental College instead. I also attended graduate school at the University of Michigan, receiving a Master of Arts in Asian Studies. Before I applied to law school, I also worked as an investment banker for almost fifteen years. Then, in 2016, the new administration’s policies on immigration made me want to be an advocate for immigrants’ rights, so I applied to law school.

What was it about Haub Law that appealed to you?

Haub Law provided me with the flexibility to be a full-time law student and an involved parent. As a busy mother of four children ranging from 11-14 years old, I am able to attend after-school games and family dinner.

Also, I aspire to assist indigent immigrants in handling their legal issues. I want to advocate for those without adequate representation. I live near some sanctuaries cities in the area and I have deep ties with the Laotian communities in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Haub Law is home to the highly ranked Immigration Justice Clinic, which, upon graduation, will allow me to tackle real-life immigration legal problems head on.

How do you balance a family and law school?

In the beginning, I struggled to adjust and achieve a balance. Luckily, I have been able to speak openly to the professors and administration at the law school. Everyone has been very accommodating, understanding, and helpful in guiding me to find

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“...I aspire to assist indigent immigrants in handling their legal issues. I want to advocate for those without adequate representation.” success and confidence throughout my second year. My family has helped by pitching in with the household responsibilities, and my husband makes dinner when I am studying or have late classes.

Which professors have helped you find your way during law school?

Professors Bridget Crawford, Linda Fentiman, and Peter Widulski. They truly want the students to succeed and give you the confidence and help to make that happen. Professor Crawford made it known to me that my success is about more than just my grades, it is about who I am as a person as well.

What do you think makes a good advocate?

You have to love your work. If you love what you do, you will naturally excel at it. n

OF NOTE Haub Law Library Supports Alumni THE ELISABETH HAUB School of Law at Pace University Law Library offers support to Haub Law alumni throughout their professional careers. Haub Law Library is staffed by librarians, most of whom have JD and MLS degrees. Alumni seeking access to the Law Library who don’t have an alumni ID card are initially issued a patron information card to access materials including reserve items from the Circulation Desk. Your permanent ID card will be issued in exchange for your patron information card. Please contact the ID office on the first floor of Aloysia Hall (914) 422-4032 to confirm their current hours.

Library Resources, Including Databases There are a number of subscription databases available from all the computers in the Library. A public access version of Lexis, including Shepard’s, is available for use by our alumni; it is available at one computer opposite the Reference Desk. The reference librarians are available to assist you in accessing and using these resources.

The Law Library can support your research through our collection of New York materials, including McKinney’s statutes, the NYCRR, and records and briefs for the New York State Court of Appeals, 1956 to date. Whether at your office or on campus, you have access to the research guides developed by our reference librarians; they cover a range of topics such as a guide to free and low-cost resources, which includes information on online legal research as well as low-cost alternatives for research.

Other Services The six public access computers across from the Reference Desk provide access to the Library catalog, Microsoft Office, and the internet. If a Law School graduate comes to the Law Library and we can confirm in our database that he/she is a Haub Law graduate, the Library staff will issue the graduate a green Patron Information Card. This card serves as a pass that will give the graduate access to the Law Library on the day of the visit, and enable him/her

to get started on his/her research right away. The graduate can bring the Patron Information Card to the Registrar to begin the process of creating a Law School photo ID. Alumni can print from any of the library computers at a cost of 6 cents per page. A color printer is available at a cost of 30 cents per page. Alumni can also scan at a machine behind the Reference Desk at no charge. Photocopying is available at a cost of 10 cents per page.

Please visit https://law.pace.edu/library for additional information. n #AlumniAccess @pacelawlibrary

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OF NOTE LULC Holds Annual Conference

The annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference was held on December 5, 2019

ON DECEMBER 5, 2019, the Land Use Law Center held their annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference.

This year’s conference theme was Building the Infrastructure for Our Sustainable Future. This year’s luncheon keynote presenter was Tom Murphy, Urban Land Institute Senior Resident and Canizaro/Klingbeil Families Chair for Urban Development. The opening keynote speaker was Thomas W. Smith, III, the executive director of the American Society of Civil Engineers. In addition to these two speakers, there were many panelists and experts that participated throughout the conference. Additionally, on Wednesday, December 4, the Center hosted a dinner to allow local leaders and sponsors an opportunity to add to their conference experience and network with conference presenters and to honor Founder’s Award recipient Lester D. Steinman, Esq., Partner, McCarthy Fingar, LLP and former Director of the Edwin G. Michaelian Municipal Law Resource Center of Pace University, Distinguished Young Attorney award recipient 2007 Haub Law alumna, Victoria L. Polidoro, Esq., Rodenhausen Chale & Polidoro LLP, and Ground Breaker’s Award recipients Kenneth Kearney and Sean Kearney, Kearney Realty, & Development Group. n

GCELS Submits Motions to IUCN World Conservation Congress THE ELISABETH HAUB School of Law at Pace University’s Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies further cements its global impact by submitting and negotiating multiple motions for consideration at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress. Haub Law is one of only two law schools in the United States that is a member of the IUCN and therefore has full voting rights on motions submitted to the conference.

Decisions made at the conference have wide-

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reaching implications for environmental law and policy around the globe.

“Our environmental law program has a long history of preparing students to act both locally and globally,” said Haub Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law and Interim Associate Dean & Executive Director of the Environmental Law Program Katrina Fischer Kuh. “We are proud to present these motions on the international stage and work with the IUCN to develop solutions to the global environmental challenges we are facing.”

The 2019 Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence was bestowed on Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez

Tucker Prize Awarded to District Attorney Eric Gonzalez THE ELISABETH HAUB School of Law at Pace University bestowed the 2019 Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence on Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of criminal prosecution and excellence in prosecutorial practice. The ceremony was held at Pace University’s New York City campus on November 25.

“As Brooklyn’s District Attorney, Eric Gonzalez has worked to ensure the criminal justice system is fair and earns the respect and trust of the community it serves,” said Robert S. Tucker. “It is our privilege to recognize him with this award for his many professional accomplishments, dedication to the legal profession, and his inspiring example to others both in and out of the legal profession.”

The Robert S. Tucker Prize for prosecutorial excellence is awarded annually and is selected by a jury comprised of former prosecutors and faculty members from Haub Law. Prior recipients include Acting New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood and Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. The prize is made possible by the generous support of 1996 Haub Law alumnus and Pace University Board of Trustees member Robert S. Tucker. n

Since Spring 2019, Haub Law faculty members and students have worked closely to draft and negotiate motions on the following topics, among others: • Promoting sustainable and ethical mining practices in Africa; • Deploying emergent technologies for nature conservation; • Rediscovering care of Mother Earth through denouncing the “Doctrine of Discovery”; • Asian-Pacific Regional Agreement on transboundary environmental impact assessment; • A paramount call to save the vaquita porpoise; • Protecting Biodiversity by Implementing the UN Declaration on Peasants’ Rights;

• Restoring a peaceful and quiet ocean; • Adding Mitigation of Energy Causes of Climate Change to the Programme 2021-24; and • Promoting Biodiversity Preservation through Energy Transformation Measures.

The Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies also co-sponsored more than twenty motions with other IUCN Members.

Held once every four years, the IUCN World Conservation Congress aims to improve how we manage our natural environment for human, social and economic development. It brings together several thousand leaders and decision-makers from government, civil society, indigenous peoples, business, and academia, with the goal of conserving the environment and harnessing solutions to global challenges. n

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OF NOTE Meet Craig Hart Executive Director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center CRAIG A. HART has been named the new Executive Director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center (PECC), effective November 15, 2019. Dr. Hart is a practitioner and scholar, with more than 15 years of applied experience leading projects and advising governments and project developers in energy infrastructure finance and implementing decarbonization technologies. He has advised governments on policies and regulation supporting renewables, energy efficiency, grid modernization and microgrids, and low carbon technologies for the fossil-fuel power generation

Celebrating Justice Benefit Dinner PROFESSOR GRETCHEN FLINT and the Dobkin Family Foundation were honored at the Pace Women’s Justice Center’s annual gala, the Celebrating Justice Benefit Dinner, held on October 17, 2019. Also celebrated at the gala was the 20th anniversary of the Pace Women Justice Center’s (PWJC) Family Court Legal Program.

The support of the Dobkin Family Foundation has been critical to allowing PWJC to expand their work in Northern Westchester. As the Executive Director of Clinical Education and Programs at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Professor Gretchen Flint has worked with PWJC for two decades to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of women and children in Westchester and beyond.

“The Family Court Legal Program is one of our flagship programs,” said PWJC Executive Director Cindy Kanusher. “Our experience with FCLP has taught us that accessibility to legal services is critical for victims of domestic violence. We were thrilled to celebrate 20 years of this critical legal service in Westchester County.”

PWJC serves more than 3,500 clients annually and is the leading civil legal services and training provider addressing domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse in Westchester and Putnam counties, providing free legal counsel to victims. For over 28 years, PWJC has helped thousands who would otherwise not be able to afford legal representation through its programs. n

sector. He has worked in the United States and with developing countries on climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. In addition, he has extensive teaching experience as a lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University Energy Policy and Climate Program and at Temple University’s China Rule of Law program in Beijing. Dr. Hart earned a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology researching decarbonization paths with the aim of preventing dangerous climate change, a bachelor’s and law degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and a master’s in economics from New York University. n

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Pace President Marvin Krislov, Professor Gretchen Flint, and PWJC Executive Director Cindy Kanusher

Riverkeeper’s Fishermen’s Ball THE ELISABETH HAUB SCHOOL OF LAW at Pace University’s Environmental Law Program received the 2019 Hudson Hero Award at Riverkeeper’s Annual Fishermen’s Ball on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Riverkeeper honored the Environmental Law Program for fostering the next generation of environmental leaders committed to using the law to guarantee a safe, clean, and healthy natural world. Also honored at the event was Debbie Harry. n

Reducing Academic Marketing Waste IN 2019, HAUB LAW signed the Pledge to Reduce Academic Marketing Waste, which seeks to address the routine and indiscriminate use of paper-based flyers, newsletters, offprints and postcards by law professors and law schools. Haub Law is partnering with the University of Missouri School of Law on this effort.

“Signing the pledge is the latest move by our law school to reduce waste and promote sustainability practices. We were proud to have led the effort two years ago to nearly eliminate plastic use on our campus and promote other campuses to do the same.

We are proud to lead the way again today to eliminate paper marketing waste,” said Horace Anderson, Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law. “We are pleased to sign the Pledge to Reduce Academic Marketing Waste,” said Haub Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law and Interim Associate Dean & Executive Director of the Environmental Law Program Katrina Fischer Kuh. “Better

and more thoughtful consumption decisions, like reducing paper marketing waste, support the transition to a low-carbon future.”

The Pledge reads as follows: We, the undersigned, hereby pledge to reduce academic marketing waste, individually and institutionally, by limiting or eliminating the production and transmission of paper-based marketing materials and/or by encouraging the relevant decision makers at our institutions to adopt actions and polices consistent with that goal. Reducing academic marketing waste can take a variety of forms, including but not limited to: (1) reducing the size of paper-based marketing materials (e.g, replacing newsletters with postcards); (2) reducing the frequency of paper-based marketing initiatives; (3) adopting an opt-in rather than opt-out approach to paper-based mailing initiatives; (4) replacing some or all paper-based marketing with electronic or other forms of marketing. n

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EVENTS Hopkins Lecture On February 6, 2019, Professor Bridget Crawford gave her Hopkins Lecture, “Democracy, Termites and Trust(s).” The lecture was standing room only and attended by faculty, staff, and current and former students—many alumni returned to see their former professor speak. During her lecture, Professor Crawford encouraged all of us to build bridges, strengthen our communities, democracy and our country. Pictured at the lecture with Professor Bridget Crawford are alumni Kevin Page, Alak Shah, and John Durante—all members of the Class of 2007.

Robinson Award On Thursday, June 27, 2019, the NYC Environmental Law Alumni Event was held at the NYC Bar Association.

Alumna Janice Dean ’05 was honored with the Nicholas Robinson Award for Distinguished Environmental Achievement.

Tax Alumni Come Back to the Classroom On Monday, November 4, 2019, Professor Bridget Crawford hosted three alumni in her Federal Tax Class for the third-ever “Tax Alumni Come Back to the Classroom” day. The classroom guests were Kenneth Fila ’09, Christina Kozachek ’15, and Kevin Sylvester ’14. Students prepared for the special class with specific readings. The alumni participated in a roundtable discussion, a Q&A with students, and made time for informal conversations with students.

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P.L.A.N. The Pace Law Alumni Network (P.L.A.N.) is an independent group of alumni dedicated to helping other alumni by creating networking opportunities. P.L.A.N. was launched by Mark Meeker (Dec. ’09) and has been hosting quarterly networking events since 2011 and currently alternates between venues in Manhattan and White Plains.

2019 Annual Law Leadership Awards Dinner The 2019 Law Leadership Awards Dinner, held on March 7, 2019, was a wonderful evening which celebrated the accomplishments of our honorees, Christopher B. Fisher, Esq. ’94, Managing Partner of Cuddy & Feder LLP and Dennis J. Kenny, Esq., Law School Board of Visitors member and Senior Vice President and General Counsel (Retired) Transamerica Leasing, Inc.

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EVENTS

41st Annual Commencement 2019 Haub Law held it’s 41st annual Commencement on May 13, 2019. Benjamin Tucker, First Deputy Commissioner, NYPD, was the 2019 Commencement speaker and he was also awarded an honorary degree. Liliane Haub was also awarded an honorary degree from Haub Law. Congratulations to the Class of 2019!

T&E Alumni Come Back to the Classroom On November 12, 2019, Professor Bridget Crawford’s Wills, Trusts & Estates class welcomed alumni Susan Taxin Baer ’85, Michelle Robinson ’15, Dina Aversano DiBlasi ’07, and Christina Ciaramella D’Elia ’05.

Students heard from the alumni speakers about importance of ethical representation, unique issues faced by immigrants in estate planning, and valuable skills for junior attorneys to cultivate.

Gavel Gala The inaugural Gavel Gala was held on April 12, 2019.

The event was very well attended by faculty, staff, alumni, and students and featured several awards with proceeds from the event benefiting Haub Law’s nationally recognized Advocacy Program.

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Boston Alumni Networking Mixer On Wednesday, September 11, 2019, a networking mixer was held in Boston.

The event was attended by faculty, staff, alumni, and students, and it was a great opportunity for all of the groups to connect and network.

Additionally, the election of alumna Karen Mignone’s ’89 as the Chair of ABA SEER was celebrated!

2019 Alumni Reunion Held on Friday, November 1, 2019, the classes of 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019 celebrated with classmates, faculty, and friends.

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F A C U LT Y P R O F I L E

FACULTY Professor John Nolon John R. Nolon is Distinguished Professor of Law at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University where he teaches property, land use, dispute resolution, and sustainable development law courses and is Counsel to the Law School’s Land Use Law Center, which he founded in 1993.

Professor Nolon is coauthor of the nation’s oldest casebook on land use law: Land Use and Sustainable Development Law: Cases and Materials. He is coauthor of Thomson-West’s Land Use in a Nutshell and Climate Change and Sustainable Development Law in a Nutshell.

You founded the Land Use Law Center in 1993, how did that evolve?

We were tasked by President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development to assess the sustainability of economic development in the Hudson Valley over the coming half century. We concluded that, under the land use plans and regulations of the local governments in the Hudson River Valley, the region would be transformed. Open space, for example, would decline from 70% to 30% over that time. Sprawl would pollute and destroy natural resources and create uneconomic development patterns. We declared that unsustainable. The Council asked us what could be done about it. We said that local governments needed technical assistance and training in land use planning and regulation and were encouraged to organize a Land Use Law Center to tackle the task.

Was being a law professor always on your radar?

No, but caring for the land was. I was always interested in how change happens, studied the diffusion of innovation (a field of social science), and realized that educating future lawyers and respected local leaders on how to solve societal problems is one of the indispensable factors needed for positive change.

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“We have developed a unique academic model—a learning environment—that adds value to the education of our students.”

What brought you specifically to Pace?

A Pace student, a former HUD official with whom I had worked, advocated for the law school to have a real estate and land use professor and curriculum. I offered to teach a couple of courses, was appointed as an adjunct, taught them for a few years, and then Jay Carlisle, the head of the faculty appointments committee, recruited me as a full-time professor.

What do you wish students would realize sooner rather than later?

Two things. First that productive settlement of disputes is accomplished by learning negotiation and mediation skills and crafting mutually beneficial solutions. Second that the subjects they learn, particularly in the first year, are all interrelated. In my Property Law class, we constantly pull out and examine the torts and contracts threads and the procedural posture of the cases.

What sets the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University apart?

The students and our law school community that works with them. Most Pace students have solid values, are willing to work hard, come prepared to class, and are client-centered. I know that the

investment of faculty and staff time in them will pay off over their long careers. I have taught over 4,000 of them and, as a result, feel that I am making a contribution to the resolution of conflicts and problem solving in society. Many of our faculty and staff feel the same; this makes us special.

At Pace, you teach property and land use courses and much of your scholarship focuses on these areas—what is it about them that you find most interesting?

Land use law concerns the development and conservation of the land and its natural resources.

Real property is subject to land use regulation.

Environmental sustainability depends upon the proper management of the landscape. Respected jurists teach us that the law evolves to meet societal needs. Lawmakers adopt new legislation to respond to new problems. In my time here, this changing fabric of land use and property law has allowed me to study and teach land development, local environmental law, smart growth, sustainable development, and, now, climate change mitigation and resilience. What could be more interesting…and challenging?

How would you briefly explain sustainable development?

It is development that promotes job creation, housing opportunity, and economic growth for all income groups, while protecting environmental resources and preserving them for future generations.

housing, to name a few. In our classes and externships, students conduct research on best practices for addressing such problems and help us provide technical assistance to municipalities. So, in addition to what they learn in the regular law school curriculum, students working at the Center learn practical solutions to problems that practicing attorneys are addressing. When they apply for jobs, they provide examples of the practical work they have done to show the interviewing attorneys the value they will add if hired.

You host an annual poker game with alumni— how did that tradition begin?

To support the Public Interest Law Student Organization, I started contributing a poker game, with Dominican food, to its auction. A group of five students successfully bid on it as 1Ls, then again as 2Ls, and finally as 3Ls. We had a great time. They continued bidding successfully as graduates and now—fifteen years hence—they still leave their growing families one night a year for an annual reunion.

Outside of Pace and land use law, what keeps you busy?

When I started as a professor, I ran marathons.

Today, I’m doing diddly-squats, which allows me time for reading novels and history, listening to jazz, curating a whiskey collection, grandbaby sitting, and enjoying my family. n

The Land Use Law Center just finished its 26th year—can you talk about what students gain from the Center?

We have developed a unique academic model—a learning environment—that adds value to the education of our students. All of our staff and managing attorneys teach courses and work under contracts or grants with local, state, and federal agencies and other partners. They engage with cutting edge problems: resilience, solar farms on ag land, stormwater management, flooding, watershed conservation, transit oriented development, affordable and fair

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Haub Law Faculty Publications (2019) Professor Noa Ben-Asher articles

Of Trauma and Power: Celebrity Sexual Misconduct Tribunals, 6 Critical Analysis of L. 145 (2019) Talking About Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, 32 Wis. J.L. Gender & Soc’y 1 (2019) (with Linda S. Greene et al.)

Professor John A. Humbach

book chapter

Do Criminal Minds Cause Crime? Neuroscience and the Physicalism Dilemma, 12 Wash. U. Jur. Rev. 1 (2019)

Human Rights and the Taxation of Menstrual Hygiene Products in an Unequal World, in Tax, Inequality, and Human Rights (Philip G. Alston & Nikki Reisch eds.) (2019) (with Carla Spivack) Professor Jason J. Czarnezki

book chapter

book chapters

Laws of Sex, Changed, in Oxford Handbook of L. & Humanities (Del Mar et al. eds.) (2019)

EU and US Discretion in Public Procurement Law: The Role of Eco-Labels and Life-Cycle Costing, in Discretion in EU Public Procurement Law (Sanja Bogojevic et al. eds.) (2019)

Professor David N. Cassuto article

You Don’t Need Lungs to Suffer: Fish Suffering in the Age of Climate Change with a Call for Regulatory Reform, 5 Can. J. Comp. & Contemp.

L. 1 (2019) (with Amy O’Brien) Professor Karl S. Coplan book

Live Sustainably Now: A Low-Carbon Vision of the Good Life (2019) Professor Bridget J. Crawford book

Federal Income Taxes: Cases, Problems & Materials (7th ed. 2019) (with Joel S. Newman & Dorothy A. Brown) articles

Wills Formalities in the Twenty-First Century, 2019 Wisc. L. Rev. 269 (2019) Tax Talk and Reproductive Technology, 99 B. U. L. Rev. 1757 (2019) The Unconstitutional Tampon Tax, 53 U. Rich. L. Rev. 439 (2019) (with Emily Gold Waldman) Magical Thinking and Trusts, 50 Seton Hall L. Rev. 239 (2019) Talking About Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, 32 Wis. J.L. Gender & Soc’y 1 (2019) (with Linda S. Greene et al.)

Why Women: Judging Transnational Courts and Tribunals, 34 Conn. J. Int’l L. 319 (2019) (with Kathryn N. Stanchi & Linda L. Berger) The Critical Tax Project, Feminist Theory, and Rewriting Judicial Opinions, 16 Pitt. Tax. Rev. 115 (2019) (with Anthony C. Infanti) The Supreme Court, Due Process and State Income Taxation of Trusts, 67 UCLA L. Rev. Disc. 2 (2019) (with Michelle S. Simon) Ministerial Magic: Tax-Free Housing and Religious Employers, 22 U. PA. J. Const. L. Online (2019) (with Emily Gold Waldman) Less Trust Means More Trusts, 75 Wash. & Lee L. Rev. Online 74 (2019) The Common Law as Silver Slippers, 114 NW. U. L. Rev. Online 131 (2019) Learning from Feminist Judgments: Lessons in Language and Advocacy, 98 Tex. L. Rev. Online

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40 (2019) (with Linda L. Berger & Kathryn M. Stanchi)

articles

Neuroscience, Justice and the “Mental Causation” Fallacy, 11 Wash. U. Jur. Rev. 191 (2019) Professor Katrina Fischer Kuh article

Judicial Climate Engagement, 46 Ecology L.Q. 731 (2019) Professor Thomas M. McDonnell

Eco-Labelling, in Oxford Handbook of Comparative Environmental Law (Emma Lees & Jorge E. Viñuales eds.) (2019) (with Margot J. Pollans & Sarah Main)

article

What is Life Cycle Costing?, in Cost and EU Public Procurement Law: Life-Cycle Costing for Sustainability (Marta Andhov et al. eds.) (2019) (with Steven Van Garsse)

Professor Randolph M. McLaughlin

Professor Bennett L. Gershman articles

Between Brady Discretion and Brady Misconduct, 123 Dick. L. Rev. 661 (2019) Judging Judges Fifty Years After—Was Judge Julius Hoffman’s Conduct so Different?, 50 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 839 (2019) Rudolph Giuliani and the Ethics of Bullshit, 57 Duq. L. Rev. 293 (2019) u p dat e s & n e w e d i t i o n s

Prosecutorial Misconduct (2d ed. 2019-2020) 2018-2019 Supplement, Criminal Trial Error and Misconduct (3d ed.)

Professor Shelby D. Green article

Ex Situ Preservation of Historic Monuments in the Era of Climate Change, 18 Conn. Pub. Interest L. J. 221 (2019) Professor Lissa Griffin article

Judging During Crises: Can Judges Protect the Facts?, 50 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 857 (2019) Professor Jill I. Gross article

Bargaining in the (Murky) Shadow of Arbitration, 24 Harv. Negot. L. Rev. 185 (2019) book chapter

Negotiating in the Shadow of Adhesive Arbitration, in Negotiation Essentials for Lawyers (Chris Honeyman & Andrea Kupfer Schneider eds.) (2019) ot h e r w r i t i n g s

Dispute Resolution Themes in “Hamilton: An American Musical”, Disp. Resol. Mag., Summer 2019, at 30

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Enter at Your Own Risk: Criminalizing AsylumSeekers, 51 Colum. Hum. Rts. L. Rev. 1 (2019) (with Vanessa H. Merton)

article

The Birth of a Nation: A Study of Slavery in Seventeenth-Century Virginia, 16 Hastings Race & Poverty L.J. 1 (2019) Professor Vanessa H. Merton article

Enter at Your Own Risk: Criminalizing AsylumSeekers, 51 Colum. Hum. Rts. L. Rev. 1 (2019) (with Thomas M. McDonnell) Professor Margot J. Pollans article

The New Food Safety, 107 Cal. L. Rev. 1173 (2019) (with Emily M. Broad Leib) book chapter

Eco-Labelling, in Oxford Handbook of Comparative Environmental Law (Emma Lees & Jorge E. Viñuales eds. (2019) (with Jason J. Czarnezki & Sarah Main) Professor Nicholas A. Robinson articles

Transnational Perspectives on the Paris Climate Agreement Beyond Paris: Redressing American Defaults in Caring for Earth’s Biosphere, 34 Md. J. Int’l L. 301 (2019) The Most Fundamental Right, Envtl. F. Jan.-Feb. 2019, at 46 book chapters

Earth Law into the Anthropocene, in The Crisis in Global Ethics and the Future of Global Governance Fulfilling the Promise of the Earth Charter (Peter Burdon et al. eds.) (2019) Establishing the Legal Groundwork for Environmental Rights in Sustainable Development: The Pioneering Work of Charles Okidi, in Blazing The Trail - Professor Charles Okidi’s Enduring Legacy in the Development of Environmental Law (Patricia Kameri-Mbote & Collins Odote eds.) (2019) (with Jamie Benidickson) ot h e r w r i t i n g s

Foreword to Maria Antonia Tigre, Gaps in

International Environmental Law: Toward a Global Pact for the Environment (2019) (with Scott Fulton)

A Lifetime of Scholarship

Professor Darren Rosenblum articles

California Dreaming, 99 B. U. L. Rev. 1435 (2019) The Futility of Walls: How Traveling Corporations Threaten State Sovereignty, 93 Tul. L. Rev. 645 (2019) Board Diversity By Term Limits?, 71 Ala. L. Rev. 211 (2019) (with Yaron Nili) book chapters

Emerging Global Giants: The Legal Infrastructure and Structural Causes of Economic Monopoly: Samsung, in Global Private International Law: Adjudication without Frontiers (Horatia Muir Watt et al., eds.) (2019) (with Calixto Salomão Filho & Vitor Henrique Pinto Ido) Sex Quotas and Burkini Bans, 92 Tulane L. Rev. 469 (2017), in Governance Feminism: Notes from the Field (Janet Halley et al. eds.) (2019) Dean Emerita & Michelle S. Simon articles

Walking Out: Schools, Students and Civil Disobedience, 69 Syracuse L. Rev. 309 (2019) The Supreme Court, Due Process and State Income Taxation of Trusts, 67 UCLA L. Rev. Disc. 2 (2019) (with Bridget J. Crawford) Professor Merril Sobie article

Representing the Child in Child Protective Proceedings: Toward A New Paradigm, 28 Widener Commw. L. Rev. 169 (2019) u p dat e s & n e w e d i t i o n s

McKinney’s Commentaries to the New York Family Court Act and portions of the Domestic Relations Law (2019) 2019 Supplement, New York Family Court Practice (with Gary Solomon) ot h e r w r i t i n g s

The Juvenile Justice Miranda Trap, 25 Juv. Just.

Update, Summer 2019, at 3 Professor Leslie Y. Garfield Tenzer articles

#MeToo, Statutory Rape Laws, and the Persistence of Gender Stereotypes, 2019 Utah L. Rev. 117 (2019) Social Media, Venue, and the Right to a Fair Trial, 71 Baylor L. Rev. 420 (2019) Professor Emily Gold Waldman articles

Ministerial Magic: Tax-Free Housing and Religious Employers, 22 U. Pa. J. Const. L. Online (2019) (with Bridget J. Crawford) The Unconstitutional Tampon Tax, 53 U. Rich. L. Rev. 439 (2019) (with Bridget J. Crawford)

THE ELISABETH HAUB School of Law at Pace University is proud that one of its founding faculty members, Bennett L. Gershman, has been recognized for a lifetime of scholarly work and impact with a special dedicated issue of the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, an honor typically given posthumously.

Professor Gershman’s work as a teacher, scholar, and practitioner has made a tremendous impact on the thousands of students who he has taught over his four decades at the Law School.

“Professor Gershman is a leader on the Law School’s faculty and we are tremendously proud of the impact his work has had over his decades of service to the Law School and our students,” said Horace Anderson, Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. “Ben is the author of four books and hundreds of articles on criminal law and prosecutorial ethics.

His contributions to the field and his expertise are second to none. Haub Law congratulates Ben on this incredibly well-deserved honor.”

In the Journal’s foreword, guest editors and respected legal experts and professors, Bruce Green, Peter Joy and Ellen Yarsoshefsky note that “Professor Gershman’s writings have had an essential role in establishing the subject of prosecutorial conduct—a subject at the crossroads of criminal procedure and professional ethics—as one deserving serious academic study and discussion.” They further note that through his prolific writing and scholarship, Professor Gershman “has lifted the veil from prosecutor’s work, has demonstrated its complexity and importance, and has sparked a lively decades-long academic conversation about how prosecutors should behave and how they should be regulated.”

Professor Gershman is one of the original faculty members at Pace University’s law school and has taught as a visiting professor at Cornell Law School and Syracuse Law School. While in private practice he specialized in criminal defense litigation. A former prosecutor with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office for six years, he is the author of numerous articles as well as several books on prosecutorial and judicial ethics. He served for four years with the Special State Prosecutor investigating corruption in the judicial system. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on prosecutorial misconduct. He is active on several Bar Association committees, and is a frequent pro bono litigator. n

Inclusion Riders and Diversity Mandates, 6 Belmont L. Rev. 229 (2019)

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F A C U LT Y P R O F I L E

FACULTY Professor Emerita Ann Powers Professor Ann Powers is an emerita faculty member of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She has taught a range of environmental courses, including the law of oceans and coasts, international environmental law, UN diplomacy, and water quality. Her scholarship includes articles on emerging ocean issues, water pollution trading programs, and other subjects.

Can you talk about the beginnings of your legal career?

I feel fortunate to have started my environmental legal career at a time when so much of our current environmental law structure was being established. Right after law school, I was chosen for a federal district clerkship followed by several years as an Assistant US Attorney, handling mostly criminal cases. After that, I went to the Department of Justice’s environmental division where I had to learn about new things, like wetlands and hazardous waste. Many of our laws had just been enacted or revised, and we were learning on the job. It was a pretty heady experience, with lots of cases with interesting new issues, and lots of litigation. Like a number of my colleagues in the government, the next stop was an environmental nonprofit, for me the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. That provided new opportunities, as vice president and general counsel, helping to manage the advocacy program and oversee both the environmental and corporate legal work. It was a special time, getting to know the Bay and its people, but after eleven years it was time to move on. Up to that point teaching had not been on my radar screen, but again, a number of my compatriots had moved from the government and NGOs to academia, and the opportunity to share my experience and continue the development of environmental law was appealing.

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And how did you land at Pace?

Fortuitously, Professor Jeffrey Miller called to interest me in the joys of teaching at Pace. It meant leaving Annapolis, where I had been happily living, but the chance to work with such talented people as Jeff, Nick Robinson, David Sive, Karl Coplan and others was too strong a draw. I had already done some international work at the Bay Foundation, and was eager to do more. What better place than Pace. It has given me the opportunity to work at the United Nations, and to participate in some of the most important efforts to protect the environment today, especially focused on oceans and climate.

Once you came to Pace, what did you teach?

Over the course of twenty years at the law school, I taught a broad range of courses and was especially proud of our Environmental Skills class, which absolutely prepares students for environmental and administrative practice. And the UN Diplomacy Continued on page 33

DigitalCommons@Pace The Law School’s Digital Commons is an open-access repository that collects our faculty scholarship as well as all issues of all three Pace Law Reviews. It can be accessed at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/law.

90,000 168,000 3,688,000

In 2019, Haub Law faculty articles were downloaded over 990,000 times from the Law School’s Digital Commons Articles from the three Pace Law reviews were downloaded over 168,000 times Total downloads for the Law School collections surpassed 3,688,000 in 2019

The top three most downloaded faculty writings in 2019 were: Sample Forms, in Estate Planning Law and Taxation, 4th ed. (2003) (Professor Bridget J. Crawford) Prosecutorial Ethics and Victims’ Rights: The Prosecutor’s Duty of Neutrality, 9 Lewis & Clark L. Rev. 559 (2005) (Professor Bennett L. Gershman) Students’ Fourth Amendment Rights in Schools: Strip Searches, Drug Tests, and More, 26 Touro L. Rev. 1131 (2011) (Professor Emily Gold Waldman)

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FACULTY

The Birth of a Nation: A Study of Slavery in Seventeenth-Century Virginia*

BY PROFESSOR RANDOLPH M. MCLAUGHLIN

The following excerpt is from Professor Randolph M. McLaughlin’s 2019 article, The Birth of a Nation: A Study of Slavery in Seventeenth-Century Virginia, which was published in the Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal.**

CONCLUSION When the first Africans arrived in Jamestown, the institution of slavery, as it later developed, was unknown. These Africans were placed into the existing labor system—indentured servitude. However, by 1705, the African worker in the Virginia colony had been dehumanized to the level of property. Whereas in 1619 the position of Africans approximated that of the English servant, by 1705 a labyrinth of legislation and case law was enacted that would alter the status of black servants to that of slaves. After the 1705 statute, there were no longer any avenues by which an African could seek his or her freedom from bondage. They were all slaves for life. The institution would later spread to the other English colonies in North American and culminated in the Civil War in 1861 that resulted in the end of formal slavery for African Americans.

In addition to the use of race to establish the slavery institution in Virginia, race was also used to divide white and black workers. The analysis of the cases and statutes enacted in Virginia during the seventeenth century paint a graphic picture of the use of race to divide and separate black and white workers who had the same or a very similar relationship to the means of production—the plantations that produced what was then the cash crop—tobacco.

In the earliest periods in Jamestown, there appears to have been few distinctions drawn by the whites and blacks who labored in the same fields, tilling the same soil, and laboring in the hot Virginia sun for the elite planter class. Over time, race was used to divide

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this group of workers and to elevate one group and debase the other. It is unclear whether the motivation for this divide and conquer strategy was the racist ideology of the planters or their perceived self-interest. Regardless of the intent behind these draconian measures, the result was the same—black workers were reduced to property, whereas white workers were provided protections against the depredations that had been their lot under the indentured servitude system.

The use of race to separate similarly situated workers did not end in seventeenth-century Virginia.

Throughout American history race has been a potent dividing line. W.E.B. Dubois, in his seminal work, The Souls of Black Folk, stated that the problem of the twentieth century was the color line. History has proven his statement correct regarding the past century. However, it would have been more accurate for Dubois to state that the problem of the color line is an American phenomenon that had its antecedents in the seventeenth century. As demonstrated above, race was used as the litmus test for freedom in the mid-to-late seventeenth century. Race continues to be used throughout American history to elevate one class of worker over another. After the end of the Reconstruction in 1876, federal troops were removed from the Southern states, and America’s version of apartheid (segregation) reinforced the separation of the workers along race lines. By giving white workers a perceived elevated status over black workers, the Southern gentry were able to maintain their power and privilege. Of course, race continues to mask the class nature of American society.

As race was used to maintain power and status throughout American history, whites and blacks were sometimes able to recognize their common humanity and interests. During the post Reconstruction period, a coalition of white and black farmers formed the Populist movement and challenged white supremacy.

Unfortunately, race was again used to divide the workers by the enactment of segregation laws that benefited one group and debased another. That effort had its culmination in the “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896).

A similar effort to unite across race lines was evident during the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. White and black students united to combat white supremacy and American apartheid. Massive groups of protesters marched across the south and challenged the status quo. In Mississippi in 1964, three civil rights workers (James

Continued from page 30 practicum is another innovative course which gives the students solid experience in a fascinating setting.

You are officially retired, where has that brought you?

Since taking emerita status I’ve moved back to Annapolis and done a lot of sailboat racing, but Pace is still a very important part of my life. I just graded a stack of National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition (“NELMCC”) briefs. In addition to Pace, I stay involved with current environmental

Chaney, a black Mississippian, and Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, two white men from New York City) were murdered for their work in Neshoba County. The effort of the civil rights coalition of whites and blacks was defeated by appealing to the racism of white Southerners. The defeat of this coalition culminated in Richard Nixon’s use of a Southern Strategy to appeal to racist white Southerners to vote for Republicans and to abandon the Democratic Party.

While Dubois believed that the color line was the problem of the twentieth century, other lines have emerged during twenty-first century. As evident in the 2016 presidential election, race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual identity have risen to the forefront of the effort to maintain power and privilege. Once again, as in the earlier periods of American history, wedge issues were used to destroy coalitions across these lines. During the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, coalitions were formed across these divides to elect the first African-American president. The backlash against that coalition during 2016 led to the election of the current president, who used these issues to mobilize a divisive base.

It remains to be seen whether the use of race and other identifiers will continue to be an effective strategy to maintain political, economic, and social control and dominance. From the history of Virginia and the later periods of the United States, at various moments, coalitions of workers across race lines have been able to rise above the issues that divided them and to see their common interests. Whether the forces that unite us as opposed to those who seek to divide us will continue their success depends greatly on the hard work we must all do to reach out across racial and other lines to see our common humanity. n *For purposes of this excerpt, footnotes have been omitted. **The full version of the article was published in Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal Volume 16, Issue 1, Winter 2019. Please note that the copyright in Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal is held by UC Hastings College of the Law, and that the copyright in the article is held by the author.

issues, especially ocean related, through organizations like the Environmental Law Institute. I recently participated in a two-day conference sponsored by ELI and George Washington Law School on reimagining the next 50 years of environmental law, and blogged for ELI on the past 50 years of law and policy protecting the oceans. I do miss the regular interaction with students, and with my faculty colleagues. FaceTime and Skype are helpful, but not the same as the personal contact, so each year I look forward to February’s NELMCC, and seeing students, faculty and alumni at the Moot. n

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ALUMNI

Haub Law  DC Alumni Connection Christopher Psihoules ’12 Chris is an Associate in Norton Rose Fulbright’s Energy Group in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Norton Rose Fulbright Chris had several stops. Chris started his career as a law clerk for the Honorable Harry G. Carroll in the New Jersey Appellate Division. He then began practicing energy law at the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office. While there, the Director of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Administrative Litigation called to ask if he would come in for an interview. “I discussed it with my wife and we decided to go for it. About a month later we were living in DC! In 2017, I started as a trial attorney with FERC and then in November 2019, I joined Norton Rose Fulbright. DC has been great to us. It’s also very easy to feel the Pace alumni presence in DC. That said, it is vital to connect our current students to our ever expanding DC alumni base. Encouraging our students to intern, extern, and summer down in DC will further both the students and our great law school.” As far as Chris’s time at Pace, he notes that his greatest law school experience was meeting his wife, Jennette Wiser (now Psihoules). “I had a grade-school crush on her from orientation until the day she finally agreed to go out with me. I am sure she knows, I still have that crush.”

Jennette (Wiser) Psihoules ’12 Jennette is an Associate Attorney at Nixon Peabody LLP. She is in the Intellectual Property Practice Group and focuses her practice on trademark and copyright protection, enforcement and litigation. “I am originally from North Carolina. My husband and I were living in New York City and we decided to move down to DC to be closer to family. We were both lucky enough to get job opportunities that we couldn’t pass up so we made the move down. Plus we love DC—you get the best of both worlds here. It’s a big city, while still having a neighborhood feel. There is a large network of Haub Law alumni in the DC area.”

Spencer Phillips ’19 Spencer is an attorney-advisor for the US Coast Guard, in the Office of Regulation and Administrative Law at Coast Guard Headquarters in DC. “In undergraduate school, I was an environmental science major and too often the result of our classes was that we knew what the problem was and we knew how to fix it, but we couldn’t get it done for whatever legal, financial, or political reason. I decided to go to law school to study environmental law so that I could actually have some teeth in

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the fight to preserve the environment. I was born and raised between DC and Baltimore, so I knew that after law school I preferred to end up back in the DC area. Government practice has given me the opportunity to take on such a breadth of legal assignments. At the Coast Guard, I am challenged to help produce a work product that will be published in the federal register during Coast Guard rulemaking. Helping the Coast Guard achieve its important missions is the most rewarding part of my job.” Spencer notes that he felt lucky to be a student in the DC summer externship program and met and received advice from many Pace alumni excelling in different areas of the law. “Public sector, private sector, nonprofits, Capitol Hill, Pace was represented everywhere.”

Ian Shavitz ’96 Ian is a partner with Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP, and also serves as Team Leader for the firm’s Environment and Energy Practice. During his time at Pace, Ian served as Editor-in-Chief of Pace Law Review, participated in the Environmental Litigation Clinic, and met his future wife, Jeannine Feneran ’95. After graduating from law school with honors, Ian began practicing at Sullivan and Cromwell in New York City. “After five years, my wife and I decided we wanted to start a family and raise our kids in a “lower stress” environment. While DC is by no means slow, it is slower than NYC, and it is an area where my wife and I could continue and advance our legal practices. I was also interested in lobbying, so being in DC allows me to lobby members of Congress and Executive Agency officials and decision-makers at the Headquarters level. From a personal perspective, we live just outside of DC (in Bethesda, MD) where there are excellent schools, lots of amenities, and not a terrible commute to DC.” Ian keeps in touch with other Pace-DC alumni through attending the summer DC externship event each year and other Pace-DC alumni events when they occur.

“I would love to continue to see more Haub Law students start and continue their careers in DC and further strengthen the Pace alumni DC connection.” Ian is trying to help make that happen, by hiring the Firm’s first ever summer associate from Pace.

Anne Carpenter ’09 Anne is a partner with the law firm Baker Botts LLP, where she focuses her practice on environmental white collar matters. She routinely represents energy sector clients in environmental enforcement matters, internal investigations, compliance counseling, and actions involving suspension or debarment from federal government contracts or business. As far as her DC connection, Anne is originally from Richmond, Virginia and always had her mind set on establishing her career close to family. “During law school, one of the best experiences I had was the summer I participated in Pace’s Washington, DC summer externship program. I was a legal intern with The White House Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ”). At the CEQ, I worked on the development of national environmental initiatives and policies at the executive level. It was another opportunity to apply learned skills practically, while also talking through issues with other externs at various agencies and other organizations during the weekly class.” Today, Anne lives in DC with her husband and two young daughters, she keeps in touch with other law school alumni through the Pace externship and in attending PaceDC happy hours. “Every year, I attend the DC externship event hosted in DC by Haub Law for externs, their mentors, and alumni. The Pace-DC network is great, due in large part to the externship program.”

Continued on page 36

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ALUMNI Continued from page 35

Adrienne (Fortin) Trivedi ’08 Adrienne is an attorney at the US Environmental Protection Agency, working in the Office of Civil Enforcement mainly on pesticides matters. “I enjoy developing an expertise in something.

When people reach out to me with complicated questions because they believe I can give them reliable advice, I feel valued. And as the industry and regulatory issues evolve, there’s always plenty to keep me interested and learning.” Adrienne was hired by the EPA’s Office of Administrative Law Judges as her first job out of law school. “I jumped at the opportunity to join the EPA. Clerking for the ALJs was a fantastic start to my legal career, with built-in mentors, diverse and challenging work, and a chance to engage directly in the resolution of claims brought by federal regulators.” As for her time at Pace, she says, “[l]ooking back, what a boon it was—there were so many opportunities to learn, practice, and make lasting relationships. I met my husband, Shamik, but also many of my closest friends today, who inspire me by the great work they do and the lives they’ve built.”

Shamik Trivedi ’08 Shamik is a senior manager in the Washington National Tax Office of Grant Thornton LLP, where he advises clients on IRS tax procedure and controversy matters. “I enjoy the challenge of tax law. It is constantly changing, and involves a unique intersection of finance and accounting, corporate governance and risk, and administrative practice,” Shamik said. “As a tax lawyer, you have an obligation to zealously advocate for your client, the taxpayer, while maintaining the standards of tax practice before regulators like the IRS, as well as bar and accounting associations. That’s a balancing act that takes skill.” Shamik studied finance at George Washington University, and was interested in moving back to Washington after law school. He studied at Northwestern University School of Law and earned an LLM in Taxation after graduating from Pace, where he developed an interest in tax while taking Professor Crawford’s Federal Income Tax course. He notes, “[w]hen my then-girlfriend and now-wife moved to DC to work as an attorney for the EPA, it was an easy decision to return. DC is an international city, obviously, with great restaurants, museums, and opportunities, but it is also a small town in many ways. Professionally, there’s no better place in the country for a tax lawyer, in my opinion. You can easily have weekly interactions with policy makers on Capitol Hill and at Treasury, and tax administrators at the IRS. Everyone knows each other, so it’s also a small world, and everyone is pretty nice to each other. I would encourage students to strongly consider their first legal job to be in Washington. Your experiences here will take you anywhere.” n

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A Path-Breaking Victory IN 2019, HAUB LAW graduates Craig Relles ’12 and Steven Haskos ’11 won a path-breaking decision challenging indefinite detention of asylum-seekers without a hearing. This victory is only one of several recently that highlight the outstanding work of students and alumni of the Pace Immigration Justice Clinic. For more than a dozen years the Immigration Justice Clinic has provided free representation to indigent immigrants who are facing deportation or seeking to regularize their legal status.

Mr. Relles and Mr. Haskos’ client, Adou Kouadio, a citizen of the Ivory Coast, asked for asylum at the Texas border in early 2016. For almost three years, his request has remained in limbo while Mr. Kouadio has been detained with no judicial review of the rationale for keeping him in jail. In August 2018, Craig Relles filed a habeas corpus petition in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. In December, a federal judge ruled that ICE had violated his due process rights. As a result of this ruling, Mr. Kouadio finally received a bond hearing, which was successful and he will now be released.

“Haub Law’s Immigration Justice Clinic provides vital services to immigrants in Westchester and beyond,” said Dean Horace Anderson. “The work this clinic does, along with that of our nationally recognized immigration faculty experts, is second to none.

We are proud of the work alumni such as Craig and Steven are doing to ensure that the rights of all those in our society are protected.”

Professor Vanessa Merton, Faculty Supervisor of the Immigration Justice Clinic at Haub Law commented, “Once again, the Law Office of Craig Relles has demonstrated that topnotch advocates can make justice happen, perhaps saving their client’s life in the process. Haub Law has reason to be proud of the work of Craig Relles and Steven Haskos in securing minimum due process rights for detained immigrants.”

“We are very happy with Judge Hellerstein’s decision and we hope that courts will continue to closely scrutinize the lengthy detention of asylum applicants without a bond hearing. While their rights may be statutorily limited, the Judge sent a clear message with this decision: that due process under the Constitution protects nonresident immigrants arriving at the border,” noted attorney Steven Haskos.

“Securing Mr. Kouadio’s release on bond is a just conclusion to his detention saga. Judge Hellerstein recognized that Mr. Kouadio’s detention violated due process, and that the remedy was a bond hearing wherein the Government had the burden of establish-

“While their rights may be statutorily limited, the Judge sent a clear message with this decision: that due process under the Constitution protects nonresident immigrants arriving at the border.” ing that Mr. Kouadio was a danger to the community and a flight risk. While the Immigration Court ordered a bond amount greater than we requested, we are happy that he will be able to enjoy freedom while his asylum appeal is adjudicated” explained Mr. Kouadio’s attorney, Craig Relles.

Craig graduated from Haub Law cum laude in 2012. During his time at the law school, Craig was a Student Attorney in the John Jay Legal Services Immigration Justice Clinic. At graduation, Craig received the Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Student Award. After graduation, Craig was selected as a fellow at the Pace Community Law Practice, a post-graduate program to develop competent, ethical immigration lawyers, where he worked on a variety of legal issues and cases and also learned the ins and outs of successfully opening your own law practice.

Steven Haskos graduated from Haub Law cum laude in 2011. He was a member of the Pace International Law Review in 2010 and 2011, serving in 2011 as the Case Note and Comment Editor. He began working with Craig in 2014, primarily handling habeas corpus petitions and appellate proceedings at the Board of Immigration Appeals, as well as Petitions for Review in the Second Circuit. Steven works closely with young immigrants seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and other avenues to legal residence and citizenship.

In 2013, Craig launched the Law Office of Craig Relles with one focus in mind: justice for immigrants.

The firm is based in White Plains. Working together with Craig and Steven at the firm is Christina Romano, another Haub Law graduate, 2016 cum laude. n

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ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNI Neil Scherer ’87 Austin Southerland, a 3L law student at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, met 1987 alumnus Neil Scherer at his sports exhibition - titled “HOME PLATE: A Celebration of the Polo Grounds” at the Morris-Jumel Mansion. Neil, a selfdescribed “attorney who deals in art and sports,” is passionate about sports and art and has made a career out of the intersection of the two. He has owned his own gallery, The Scherer Gallery, since 1990, but has been a sports and art aficionado since he can remember.

AS: How would you describe what you do professionally?

NS: I am an attorney who is an art and vintage sports dealer. My love for sports began at an early age. My father embraced all of them, and passed this passion on to me. My father also happened to be an art dealer, as well as a collector of antiques.

My early exposure to antiques, grew into an overall interest in the history of the decorative arts. I graduated from law school in 1987, and since 1990 I have owned my own gallery.

AS: How did you go from law school to becoming an art and sports dealer?

NS: When I came out of law school I actually worked for Tom Carvel of Carvel Ice Cream, as one of his personal attorneys. I applied through the New York Law Journal (I don’t know if one still does that). I remember the listing read “Corporate Law.” I thought I was going to a big corporate law office. Instead, the address led me to a building in Yonkers and out front was this humongous ice cream cone! I began to wonder if there was actually a law firm in the building.

In fact, at the front desk when I asked, is there a law firm in here? The response I received was “Oh, no.” I then asked if there was a man by the name of Caviar who I was supposed to meet on

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the premises. This time I heard, “Oh yes, he’s the head of the legal team.” I found this amusing as Caviar is an expensive and exotic food choice as opposed to the ice cream. So, that’s when I knew I had an interview with the legal staff of Carvel!

Eventually things got sorted out, and I learned that I was to work for a legal team, rather than a firm. I liked the work because I not only got to do legal work and franchise law, but also to do business. I fully intended to continue in the legal world. However, one day, I offered to give my dad a hand. He was still dealing in art, you see. I took one of his paintings down to a NYC gallery and sold it immediately. The sale took under five minutes. I said, “Dad, this is the easiest business in the world. You should be a billionaire in no time!”

Whether or not billionaire status is in my stars, I had caught the bug. I realized that I kind-of liked being entrepreneurial, and my law license has only added to my satisfaction in working in the art world especially when I work with estates. I’ve worked with paintings from Bierstadt to Basquiat, some very expensive paintings. I’ve worked with Madison Avenue galleries, as well as museums around the country, and, as they all know I’m an attorney, too, I sometimes feel like I’m doing pro-bono work for them—maybe I shouldn’t have brought that up so much!

AS: You also curate exhibits. Can you talk a bit about that?

NS: Sure. Most recently, I curated the sports exhibition titled “HOME PLATE: A Celebration of the Polo Grounds” at the Morris-Jumel Mansion.

The exhibit focuses on the history of the stadium at the Polo Grounds and all of the sports teams to which the Grounds served as home—including the New York Giants baseball and football teams, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and other professional sports teams and athletic events.

The exhibition explores those teams and players and how the stadium became a New York icon. It displays rare autographs, tickets, photos,

programs, and other memorabilia that serve to commemorate all that once was in this legendary stadium.

I like to affectionately refer to these exhibits as sports conversation art assemblages.

AS: What is your favorite sport and team?

NS: You know, my favorites have changed over the years. Originally, it was probably baseball because my father and I would go to games together quite often. But then it changed to basketball because my hometown, Mount Vernon, New York, produced eleven NBA players. Scooter and Rodney McCray were in my class, and later Ben Gordon, who went to Connecticut.

I wasn’t good enough to make the team, but I became scorekeeper for the 1978 state champions. I went to University of Wisconsin, partly because they accepted me, but also because I loved being where great sports are being played.

Wisconsin, as part of the Big 10, gave me the chance to watch Magic Johnson who was attending Michigan State, and Isiah Thomas who was at Indiana. As a college student, I got to watch the greatest of the ball players. Magic Johnson’s last loss in college basketball occurred against Wisconsin on a half-court shot

by Wes Matthews and I was there! Every day we live history in our own way and many sporting events I attend seem to be history making—like being at Yankee Stadium when Aaron Boone hit his dramatic home run putting the Yanks into the World Series.

AS: Shifting gears a bit to law school, what were some of your favorite courses?

NS: I liked contracts. I took a real estate course and I thought that was interesting. I also took a course on international law, which I enjoyed.

WHY? I think, in a way, I was trying to figure out the foresight of what would be beneficial to me in the future. I tried to get an overview. The contracts course has certainly helped me with agreements and art and business deals. One of the great things about law school is you are taught how to do research, and now what I do all the time is research.

I think research practices are the most valuable tools that I gained from law school.

AS: Which professors had an impact on you during your time at Pace?

NS: Professor Jay Carlisle. He was really good. I took civil procedure with him. I also enjoyed the late Ralph Stein who was my Torts professor. I also participated in Pace’s London Law Program, spending a semester learning law in a foreign country—which was exciting.

AS: As someone with an alternative career to law, what is some advice you would give law students today?

NS: Have passion, have interest, find a niche that you’re really excited about because as much as you will likely be working, you need to find a way to also enjoy every minute. Oh, and there will be frustrations, no question about it—I may make possible deals that fall apart—there will be negative moments, but if you’re doing what you love, you will find…that will make all the difference—I know that’s cliché a little bit, but it is true.

Austin Southerland is a current law student at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and is expected to receive his JD in May 2020. He is interested in the areas of corporate and in-house law, as well as litigation finance and financial compliance. As a participant in Pace’s corporate externship program he worked at Connett P.C., which performs in-house legal services to start-up and Series A funded businesses.

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ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNI Wendy Venoit ’96 We asked Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University student Alicia Stoklosa to interview alumna Wendy Venoit. Wendy was the valedictorian of her graduating law school class from Pace in 1996.

Wendy is a Partner in the Construction & Public Contracts Group of Hinckley Allen. An experienced trial attorney, her practice focuses on the litigation and arbitration of domestic and international construction disputes, including litigation in state and federal forums, and mediation and arbitration.

AS: Why did you choose to attend the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University?

WV: From the time I was in seventh grade, I aspired to be a lawyer. I primarily applied to law schools in the Northeast. Pace was close to home and fit all my academic and extracurricular requirements.

Additionally, I was offered a generous scholarship, which made attending law school economically feasible. While in law school, I was the Chair of the International Law Committee, served as a Pace Law Review editor, and graduated as the class of 1996 valedictorian.

AS: Wow! That is impressive. From law school, what was your path into construction law?

WV: My first introduction to construction law was as a summer associate for a firm in Manhattan that handled insurance coverage issues relating to construction projects. After graduation, I worked for three years at that firm, which eventually became known as Melito & Adolfsen P.C. At Melito & Adolfsen, I had the opportunity to argue several appeals in front of the First Department, Appellate Division as a second-year associate and caught the bug. I eventually moved back to Connecticut and joined a law firm in Hartford, Connecticut with a large construction practice, Pepe & Hazard LLP. Soon after I began work at Pepe & Hazard, a partner joined the firm who had been in charge of litigation for one

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of the largest construction firms in the world. He asked if I was interested in trying cases across the globe, and I jumped at the opportunity. I had the opportunity to second chair large international arbitrations both domestically and abroad, involving construction projects throughout the world. I was elevated to partner at Pepe & Hazard in 2003 and remained there until 2015. (Pepe & Hazard merged with McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP in 2012).

In 2015, Suffolk Construction Company in Boston (a $4+ billion/year construction firm) asked me to be their general counsel, a position I held for two years. However, missing the practice of law, I left Suffolk in late 2016 and became a partner in Hinckley Allen’s Boston office.

AS: What are some of your more memorable projects and cases?

WV: Though I have worked on countless projects, several are memorable. Because construction law is document extensive, extremely technical, and often too confusing for a jury, they are mostly resolved through arbitration. One of my first international

AS: Is there ever a normal or routine day as a construction attorney?

WV: No day is ever routine. In the last six months I have had three trials, so my “normal” day lately has consisted mostly of trial preparation, including preparing witnesses, lines of inquiry, and exhibits.

Despite the chaos, I genuinely enjoy the attention to detail and preparation that trial requires.

When I am not preparing for a trial or arbitration, I act as project counsel and give legal advice for ongoing construction projects. Additionally, if disputes arise regarding a project after construction is complete, I stay on for the dispute resolution phase.

In addition to serving as a legal advocate, I also regularly sit as an arbitrator for domestic and international construction disputes, which I thoroughly enjoy. In fact, I am one of the few female construction arbitrators in the Northeast.

The ability to observe what works and is helpful for advocates informs my own advocacy.

AS: What are the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of your current position?

WV: There is no greater high for a trial attorney than cross examining a witness. However, in general, I enjoy construction law because it is intellectually challenging. Also, I am a detail oriented individual, which is well suited for construction. The variety of projects that you come across as a construction attorney requires you to constantly learn about different issues and technical concepts. The opportunity to travel all over the world and learn about diverse cultures is unparalleled. Additionally, construction law allows you to see a tangible finished product, which is unique from other areas of the law.

ALUMNI PROFILE

arbitrations involved the construction of an Oil Terminal Project in Butinges, Lithuania shortly after Lithuania gained its independence from the U.S.S.R. That arbitration, which was venued in London, England and governed by the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) rules, involved a number of complex geopolitical and economic issues that went well beyond your typical construction contract dispute.

Another interesting case involved the construction of an oil upgrader facility in Venezuela during the Chavez regime. I served first as project counsel (providing legal guidance to the project team during construction of the project) and then as arbitration counsel. That arbitration was venued in New York City and involved over $1 billion in claims for force majeure, change in law, differing site conditions, and project labor agreement impacts.

Then, from 2009-2013, I worked the construction of a 550-megawatt offshore wind farm in the North Sea. I served as project counsel during the 2+ year construction, and then as arbitration counsel. That case was arbitrated under the rules of the London Court of International Arbitration in London, England. That project was particularly fascinating because of the complexity of the project and the very technical nature of the disputes at issue.

AS: Do you have any advice for current law students?

WV: My biggest advice is to start looking for niche areas in the law that interest you and sell that interest when interviewing. Having an interest in a new and upcoming practice area will grab the attention of hiring partners at interview time.

I also cannot stress enough the importance of beginning to network as soon as possible. While it may be awkward at first, networking is crucial in developing yourself professionally and generating business.

AS: What types of activities do you enjoy outside of the law?

WV: I am an avid snow skier and try to ski as much as possible throughout the winter months. In the summer, my family and I enjoy boating, sailing, and water skiing and try to spend as much time on the water as possible.

Alicia Stoklosa is a current law student and expected to receive her JD in May 2021. So far during her time at Haub Law, she was a law clerk at Midwest Environmental Advocates, a nonprofit law center in Madison, Wisconsin that focuses on protecting natural resources and ensuring government transparency.

She also participated in a semester externship with the National Resources Defense Council, and will be a summer associate at an upstate regional law firm, Harter Secrest & Emery. She is a junior associate on the Pace Environmental Law Review, and participated in the National Energy & Sustainability Moot Court Competition on behalf of Haub Law. Her interest in law lies primarily in the intersection of the environment and construction law.

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ALUMNI Class Notes 1980 Philip M. Halpern has been confirmed by the United States Senate to serve on the federal bench for the Southern District of New York.

1983

Harold E. Kaplan, BBA ’72, JD ’83 , a Florida Board Certified Health Law Attorney, also admitted in New York, was granted Pro Bono out of state lawyer status by the North Carolina State Bar enabling him to practice pro bono for Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville, NC Harold was also recently elected President of Blue Heron Point Property Owners Association, Inc. located in Lake Lure, NC He continues to be the principal with Kaplan Dispute Resolution located in Fairview, North Carolina, which focuses exclusively on nationwide arbitration of health care and contract disputes and arbitration case consultation.

1984

Hon. William J. Giacomo was elected to his second 14-year term as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court.

Jeanette (Herrmann) Gilbert has been promoted to senior counsel at national plaintiffs’ law firm Motley Rice LLC.

Lisa Linsky was selected by the NYC Bar as the 2019 Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award honoree.

Following his retirement from the law firm of Lipman & Booth in 2003,

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Noah Lipman ’84 , began a career in education as a university professor and high school teacher. He works for College Board as a year round consultant for Advance Placement courses. In 2018 he relocated to San Antonio, Texas to continue his work with Urban District High Schools in pursuit of increasing participation in Advance Placement courses.

Joseph Wooley passed away on Wednesday, December 4. He was a 1984 graduate of the law school and had his own private practice.

1985

John P. Cahill (JD ’85, LLM ’92) was appointed to the newly created position of chief of staff and special counsel to the Archbishop of New York.

Elder law attorney, Anthony J. Enea , member of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP in White Plains and Somers, NY, has been elected chair of the Senior Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA). Mr. Enea will provide strategic direction for the section for a one-year term.

1986

Charles DeStefano w as appointed by the Mayor of the City of New York as Chair of the Mayors City Marshal Committee. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Board of Directors of The Richmond County Bar Association, as well as First Vice President of the Staten Island Trial Lawyers Association. On November 1, 2019, he was appointed to serve as Law Chair of the Democratic Party of Richmond County. In addition, he serves as a member of the board of directors of the JM Tibetan Museum of Art, LA COLMENA (an organization that serves immigrants in the community), and ICF (not for profit that provides housing and jobs to developmentally disabled persons).

Salvatore DiMario h as been honored with the Dominic Frinzi Person of the Year award by Harness Horseman International.

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1987 Gail A. Matthews i s now Associate General Counsel with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) effective September 30, 2019. She joins ANSI from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), where she served as the Deputy Chief of its Civil Division since 2003.

1989

Nancy Grasso Barry was named the Chief of Operations of the Unified Court System.

1991

Richard Austin has been promoted to head the new family division established by Integrated Financial Partners (IFP). He will serve as the Executive Director of the new office.

Terrence P. Dwyer w as named a Distinguished Connecticut State University Professor at Western Connecticut State University

where he teaches in the Legal Studies program. His second text book “Business Law: Foundations for the 21st Century” was released in February 2018. Terry continues to maintain his law practice in Poughkeepsie and New York City where he focuses on public sector labor and employment law.

1992

Bruce McDermott (LLM ’92) , Murtha Cullina LLP partner, was recently chosen to serve a five year term on the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Board.

Carla Vogel was named Chief Compliance Officer with Sycamore Partners (“Sycamore”), a private equity firm based in New York specializing in consumer and retail investments, with responsibility for overseeing Sycamore’s compliance program.

1993

RedRidge Diligence Services has appointed Tom McClay t o its New York office as Director.

Alumni Association Board of Directors OFFICERS Mark Meeker, Dec. ’09 Alumni Association President Lisa E. Gladwell ’10 Alumni Association Vice President Leanne Shofi ’94 Alumni Association Secretary Jackie Parker ’95 Alumni Association Treasurer MEMBERS Patricia Bisesto ’92 Michael A. Calandra Jr. ’05 Adam Ciffone ’11 Jonathan Engel ’09 Jeremy Farrington ’11 Hon. Sandra A. Forster ’79 Michael A. Frankel ’03 James A. Garvey III ’80 Michael G. Gilberg ’07

Michael T. Goldstein ’06 Jennifer L. Gray ’06 George Haddad ’15 Adele Lerman Janow ’90 James M. Lenihan ’91 Hon. Carole Levy ’83 Director Emerita Caesar Lopez ’12 Joseph M. Martin ’91 Director Emeritus Joseph W. Mazel ’97 Joseph Moravec ’17 Gail Mulligan ’09 Diana Neeves ’16 Nicholas Pasalides ’11 Raymond Perez ’00 Thomas Persico ’18 Christopher M. Psihoules ’12 Judson K. Siebert ’85 Andrew Teodorescu ’13

ALUMNI PROFILE

Latrice Monique Walker ’06 New York State Assembly Member We spoke with New York State Assembly Member Latrice Monique Walker of the 55th Assembly District who has dedicated her career to public service. Assemblywoman Walker graduated from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in 2006. Over the course of her legal career, Assemblywoman Walker has practiced personal injury law, entertainment law, election law, environmental law and served as Chief Counsel to US Representative Yvette D. Clarke. She was also an attorney at several prominent law firms.

What made you decide to go to law school?

I have wanted to go to law school since I was a little girl. As a teenager, my best friend and I made a pact to go to law school and then to come back and represent the community we were born and raised in. I grew up in a NYCHA development called Prospect Plaza, which was torn down by a federal Hope VI grant. I went to law school to prevent an atrocity like that from happening again to hundreds of families, devastating an entire community and economy for a generation. I went to law school straight from SUNY Purchase College. While in college I was an intern to a County Judge who encouraged me to submit my application and begin law school right away.

What was one of your most memorable experiences during law school and who were some of your favorite professors?

My most memorable experience from law school was getting the opportunity to study abroad in Brazil, which solidified my environmental law passion. As far as favorite professors, there were many, but especially the late Professor Gary A. Munneke, Professor Shirley Thebaud, and Professor Shelby Green.

You are a New York State Assembly Member in the 55th Assembly District—what does that entail?

I represent the areas of Brownsville, Ocean HillBrownsville, East Flatbush, East New York, parts of Bedford Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Cypress Hills, Crown Heights and East Flatbush. As a Member of the New York State Legislature I serve on the following committees: Codes, Correction, Elec-

tion Law, Housing, and Judiciary. I also serve as Chair of the Legislative Commission on Science and Technology. Additionally, I now serve on the Energy Committee and am chair of the subcommittee on renewable energy. I launched a successful solar program called Solarize Brownsville where we helped low-income homeowners get solar panels installed for no money down. A typical day for me includes waking up my daughter and getting her prepared for elementary school. That is usually followed by conference calls and then meetings in my Brooklyn office or traveling to Albany for Legislative Session.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

I represent the community that raised me. No one day is exactly like the other. My constituents are extremely passionate and have entrusted me with our community, which has been beaten down by government for decades.

Do you have any advice for current students?

My advice to current students is to play hard and work harder.

What are some of your hobbies?

I love roller-skating, dancing, and karaoke. n

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ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNI Mani Tafari ’09 We asked Professor Leslie Garfield Tenzer to interview her former student, Mani Tafari, a 2009 graduate from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in 2009. After graduating from law school, Mani worked as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society. Currently, he is a criminal defense lawyer at his own firm handling cases mainly in Queens and also a public defender with Queens Defenders. Mani is also on the board of It Could Happen To You—a criminal justice reform group. As a new attorney, Mani found himself in the middle of a very personal legal fight. Police in upstate New York charged one of his closest friends with murder.

The case was of such import and interest that it is became the subject of the HBO documentary, Who Killed Garrett Phillips?, released in 2019.

What made you decide to attend law school?

I wanted to make a difference. I saw good people get bad outcomes in the legal system over and over again. I wanted to stop that. I thought the best way to do that would be to go to law school and become a lawyer. Looking back, it was actually a goal in the back of my mind forever. After I graduated from college, I worked in a bank as a fund accountant—which is also where I met my wife, who also became a lawyer! Once I decided to attend law school, I had to wrap up my job, take the LSAT, and apply to schools.

What was one of the most memorable experiences you had during law school?

I was fortunate enough to go to Sierra Leone while attending law school through the School’s international program. It was the experience of my life—I never had a greater experience than going to Africa and working at the International Criminal Court at Sierra Leone. It really opened my eyes to international law and how important it is—I ended up focusing on international law during law school.

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“The professors are just so connected to their students—that was huge for me. There was an open door policy.”

The experience was also a homecoming for me. It was a beautiful feeling to go there as an African—it was like nothing else. Once I went there and saw the issues there and the kind of people who were being prosecuted—it really showed me that in the legal field everything is not always fair. It gave me an extra drive to go out there and do whatever I could to make things fairer.

What differentiates the professors at Haub Law? The professors are just so connected to their students—that was huge for me. There was an open

door policy. For me, especially, Professors Westerman, Gershman, McLaughlin, Tenzer, and Dean Horace Anderson. We would talk about law school and non-law school related issues. Every single professor there was very invested in seeing me succeed. I had not one mentor, but several.

What was your goal upon graduating?

Once I graduated I went into the law first and foremost to help make the system fair—to punch racism in the face, to go to the frontlines of injustice. I started as a staff attorney at The Legal Aid Society, specifically in the parole unit. I was at Riker’s Island nearly every single day. I gained a lot of great experience in cross examining police offers and also trial experience. It was during my time at Legal Aid that I received a call from my friend, Nick Hillary, telling me he was at the police station and being accused of murder.

Let’s talk about the Hillary case a bit.

Sure. I met Nick Hillary in 1996. He helped recruit me to play college soccer, we won a national championship together at St. Lawrence University. He became a soccer coach. I became an attorney. As soon as he called me and told me what was going on, I knew immediately he was being set up to be framed for murder. In the eight years that followed, I was immersed in the legal defense of my friend.

During that time, I also started my own law firm, focusing on criminal defense and was working as a public defender with Queens Defenders. The Hillary case was of such import and interest that it became the subject of an HBO documentary, Who Killed Garrett Phillips?, which aired on HBO.

I would have gone into politics or something that would bring attention to injustice and help people who need help—maybe a youth counselor. Living a life with meaning is important—that has always been what matters most to me.

What advice do you have for current law students?

Broaden your horizons and the classes you take— Haub Law is a great school in many areas, criminal law, environmental law, international law and more.

If you understand the problems, you can also help to come up with solutions. Sit in an arraignment room if you are interested in criminal law—see what it is really like. Listen to bail applications. Talk to some lawyers. Get that practical experience.

Mani, you are everything a professor wants to see in a law student when we send students into practice.

It is thrilling to see a student use the skills and law we teach with such success.

Thank you. You and all the other professors train us with a plan for the future. Haub Law is putting out good lawyers.

Professor Leslie Y. Garfield Tenzer was named the 2019-2021 James D. Hopkins Professor of Law. Professor Tenzer’s most recent scholarship focuses on issues concerning emotional harm and the impact of the Internet on the law. She is widely published and regularly lectures nationally, most often on issues concerning Affirmative Action and Social Media Law. In addition to her regular teaching at Pace, Professor Tenzer is the host of Law to Fact, a podcast talking all things law school: studying, career advice, and more. The podcast recently surpassed 200,000 downloads. You can learn more at lawtofact.com.

How did your involvement in this case change you?

I went to law school because I knew the system was corrupt. After my experience with the Hillary case, I know that even more. Hundreds and thousands of innocent people are in jail. It is a terrible system we have when the people in power are those who care more about a win than doing the right thing.

We need young lawyers and people who really care about justice to fight and become district attorneys and get the people out who are corrupt. And, become defense attorneys and fight for your clients.

Go into a prosecutor’s office with ethics and justice as your top concern—that will create change. So, the case discouraged me, but also inspired me.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a lawyer?

Hopefully being a professional soccer player, but I am getting old so I would have to retire! Maybe

Alumnus Mani Tafari with Nick Hillary

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Elizabeth Bennett ’11 We asked student Connor Hilbie to interview alumna Elizabeth Bennett ’11. Elizabeth is a partner with Fox Rothschild LLP. She focuses her practice on zoning and land use, representing New York City developers, property owners, purchasers, architects and nonprofits. Elizabeth has been selected to the “Super Lawyers - Rising Stars” list for Land Use and Zoning in New York (2014-2018) and also named to the “Super Lawyers - Rising Stars: Women’s Edition” list for Land Use and Zoning in New York (2018, 2019).

CH: What made you decide to go to law school, and how did this shape your career path?

EB: From a young age I always wanted to become a lawyer. I went to Fordham for undergrad, and after I graduated, I decided to work as a paralegal to see what it was like to work in a law firm. I wanted another year to figure things out before getting into law school and I knew I wanted to work in the city after college. I focused my initial search on environmental law firms, or jobs that had environmental law practices, but stumbled upon the boutique land use and zoning firm of Sheldon Lobel P.C. I worked there for a year as a paralegal, learning about land use and zoning, and then decided to attend Pace as I was still interested in environmental law. Following law school, I returned to Sheldon Lobel P.C., and began to love the niche practice area of zoning and land use law. This ended up being a great career choice, as I am currently working in the Zoning and Land Use Group of the Real Estate Department at Fox Rothschild LLP. CH: Can you speak to your experience with Fox Rothschild generally, and what your day-to-day consists of there?

EB: Fox Rothschild has 950 attorneys in 27 offices across the United States. Although Fox is a nationwide firm, most of my work is within the New York City Zoning and Land Use Group.

So, I have the benefits of both a tight-knit team and the resources of a large firm with access to programming, document services, production, marketing, and many colleagues in a wide variety of practice areas. As far as the day-to-day goes, I handle everything from representing clients in

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discretionary approvals from the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals, which usually includes special permits or variances, to seeking rezonings, text amendments, and special permits from the City Planning Commission. I also advise developers and other companies, nonprofits, and institutional groups on development potential, conduct zoning analyses, and represent clients in zoning determinations from the Department of Buildings. Certain applications with the City Planning Commission are subject to the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, which includes a mandatory public review process to give public officials and community members the opportunity to weigh in on land use applications. Appearing before various City agencies and community boards is one of the more interesting and exciting aspects of my job because it is political, unpredictable, and there is never a dull moment.

CH: Is there anything in particular that stood out to you from your time at Pace that has helped you in your career?

EB: I was on Pace’s Environmental Law Review, and this proved valuable throughout my career, especially as a new attorney, because I was often tasked with a lot of drafting and research. I also participated in the Environmental Litigation

Clinic, and I thought that was particularly helpful because it is actual real-life, hands-on legal experience. I think that both of these experiences really contributed to my ability to hit the ground running after graduating. For current students at Pace, I would say to be confident in yourself.

Understand that everyone is not always 100% sure of what they are doing, of what they’re going to end up doing, or if they did well on that last exam. I know this is easier said than done!

There are going to be many situations where you are going to feel like you’re thrown into the deep end, but that is your opportunity to rise to the occasion and do your best. Everyone has been there at one point or another and you’ll grow from the experience.

CH: What are some of your legal or non-legal hobbies and interests?

EB: I am on the New York City Bar Association Animal Law Committee, and I find my work with the Committee very fulfilling. It is great to be able to work on issues that impact animals and the environment, and it is surprising how many animal law issues come up in New York City. I am also involved with the Pace Environmental Law Alumni Association, and I am an active member of Fox Rothschild’s Women’s Initiative. I plan a monthly New York Women’s Initiative Power Lunch, together with other female attorneys here in our office. It’s a great group and I highly recommend that new attorneys get involved in firm groups and activities. I also enjoy running, and have recently run in a few half marathons. I love scuba diving and I recently went on a 3-day liveaboard scuba diving excursion in Australia on the Great Barrier Reef, which was amazing. Experiences like that make all of the hard work worth it!

Connor Hilbie is a current student at Haub Law with an expected graduation date of May 2021. He is a junior associate on the Pace Environmental Law Review, and a member of the Federal Judicial Honors Program, through which he has the opportunity to intern at the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York. He has had the opportunity to work for NYSDEC in the Bureau of Energy and Climate Change, and recently accepted an offer to work as a summer associate at Yankwitt LLP, a trial and litigation firm located in White Plains, NY.

ALUMNI 1994 Barbara Gionta was named 1st District Attorney by Rockland DA Tom Walsh Mark Starkman was sworn in as the President of the Orange County (NY) Bar Association in May 2019.

In addition, he was elected Vice President, 9th Judicial District of the New York State Bar Association and took office on June 1, 2019.

R. Nadine Fontaine is First Assistant Counsel to the Governor at the Office of the Governor—State of New York.

1995

Lisa Jakob was promoted to Managing Counsel of the Trademarks & Copyright group at Merck & Co., Inc. She has been with Merck (and formerly Schering-Plough) for nearly 15 years since leaving private practice.

Additionally, she is the proud cofounder of the Women in IP Network (WIN), which is a network dedicated to the support and promotion of women in the IP field.

1998

Nancy Letendre w as appointed as Westerly town planner.

Jonathan N. Provoost ’98 h as joined Tris Pharma, Inc. as General Counsel.

1999

Mary DiPalma has been named first vice president of human resources at Ulster Savings Bank She will oversee the bank’s human resources department with key responsibilities that include recruitment, career development, bank training, and chairing of the organization’s Community Service Program.

Keep In Touch!

Have you recently changed firms, careers, or made partner? What is your practice area? Do you want to connect with other alumni colleagues within your practice area? Do you have personal information you want to share— a marriage or birth? Where are you living? We want to receive these updates and help connect with you and connect you with others.

Submit your update to plsalumni@law.pace.edu.

Please include your name, year of graduation, and any relevant information. High quality photos are welcome!

You can also update your information online by visiting www.law.pace.edu/alumni-update-form.

SPRING 2020

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ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNI Alexis Thuau LLM ’12 We spoke with Alexis Thuau about his experience at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and his current career. Alexis received his LLM in Environmental Law in 2012. He is a dual French/ Belgian national, raised in France and relocating to Belgium for work. Currently, Alexis works for EUROFER, the European Steel Association.

Let’s jump right in, can you talk about your current position and what it entails?

I work as “manager process emissions” for EUROFER, the European Steel Association, an international not-for-profit organization under Belgian law, based in Brussels. It represents the interests of steelmakers at the EU level, mostly targeting policymakers in the European Commission, the European Parliament and EU Member States. We are a team of 20, mostly working on trade, energy and environment issues. My job consists of ensuring that EU requirements for the steel sector are sufficiently protecting the environment without putting the European steel industry at risk. As such, I strive to understand the different processes and constraints of the sector, and then I have to explain them to the regulators, who are not steel specialists. What I enjoy most in my job is that it is situated at the crossroads of legal analysis and lobbying. Also, I love the diplomacy side of the job necessary, on the one hand, to reconcile the positions of our members and, on the other hand, to broker the best compromises with EU decisionmakers. Even though I don’t practice as a lawyer, my current job allows me to deal a lot with EU environmental legislation in general, and industrial emissions legislation in particular.

What was your path to law school?

It was not straightforward! I prepared for the French engineering schools at first, but after a year could no longer sustain 20 hours a week of math/

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“The UN Environmental Diplomacy Practicum was among the highlights of my year at Pace.” physics classes and realized I was much more at ease with words rather than equations. I turned to law school rather by default in the beginning.

Why did you choose to pursue an LLM at Pace?

It has become increasingly typical in Europe to study for a year abroad through the Erasmus exchange programme. As I had not yet had such experience at the end of my French Master studies, I considered other options, including one year outside of the EU. Also, I was finishing an internship in a law firm specializing in environmental

law, where I realized that my appetite for environmental science and legal reasoning allowed me to perform well and enjoy my work. I decided to apply for and enroll in Pace’s LLM in environmental law program.

Do you remember your first days at Pace?

I remember how easy my first day was thanks to all the preliminary help provided by the international affairs and graduate studies staff assistant, Deborah Zipf, who is truly an all-knowing guide for international students. Then what struck me most was how accessible the professors were and how I was encouraged to take part in various projects, internships, etc. This was a major contrast to me coming from the French university system.

What is one of your more memorable experiences during your LLM studies?

The UN Environmental Diplomacy Practicum was among the highlights of my year at Pace. It was quite a privilege, as a student, to intern within this prestigious organization and, in particular, provide some help to the Permanent Missions of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which are often dealing with key issues (e.g. development, environment, security, etc.) with limited resources.

What would be your advice for current students?

University is great to learn more about subjects that would not have crossed your mind in the first place. Take advantage of the diversity of the subjects taught and the openness to discussion of professors to progressively refine your career choices. Also, prepare yourself for a professional career through the many internship opportunities that are available at Pace. Finally, 40+ years of work are waiting for you after your studies and it would be a pity not to keep some spare time to enjoy life outside of school too!

What are some of your passions aside from the law?

I read a lot, enjoy a good movie from time to time and practice tennis. Oh, and I have a strong passion for East Coast rap, which largely influenced French rap. So if ever I’m back on your soil, expect to meet me in some confidential underground place listening to the latest!

Had you not become a lawyer, what do you think you would be doing?

Since I’m quite tech savvy, in another life I would have probably become either a software developer or a network architect! n

2001

tor at the Queens DA’s office and also an attorney at the Administration for Children’s Services working on abuse/neglect cases.

Diana Bunin Kolev joined DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr LLP as partner in the Land Use Practice Group.

Jeffrey M. Casaletto , a member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., presented “Remedial Action Permit Applications and Response Action Outcomes: Preparations 10 Years Since the Enactment of SRRA.” It was presented by the Continuing Professional Education Services, LLC at Montclair State University.

2003

Kevin Wilson is quoted in the article— “Harvey Weinstein sexual assault case can move forward, judge rules.”

John Dillon (LLM 2003) h as been appointed as vice president and division general counsel for Kentucky American Water, specifically American Water’s Southeast Division.

2004

Adrian Baron is featured in the article “New Britain Lawyer Adrian Baron’s Pivotal Role in Transforming Little Poland.”

Siobhan Teresa O’Grady s tarted working as an associate attorney at Miller Zeiderman & Wiederkehr LLP.

2005

Elizabeth Sara Dank recently lead and coordinated the efforts of the NYC Mayor’s Office to expand from the Office to Combat Domestic Violence to the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, which broadened our mission to now focus on domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, stalking and other forms of GBV. In her role as Deputy Commissioner/General Counsel, she oversees the operations for the Office (legal, contracts, budget and intergov/leg). Prior to the Mayor’s Office, she was a domestic violence prosecu-

Kelly A. Bray Snyder j oined the Board of Directors of North Branch Land Trust (NBLT).

Jenny Slocum has been elected a member in Dickinson Wright’s Washington, DC office.

She works on a variety of trademark and copyright matters including trademark clearance, prosecution, international portfolio management and licensing, counterfeit monitoring and enforcement, and copyright protection strategies. She also practices before the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, as well as trademark infringement and unfair competition suits. She is a member of the International Trademark Association, and has Bar membership in the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and State of New York.

2006

On June 12, 2019, Jennifer Gray was installed as Vice President of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association. Jennifer also serves as co-chair of the WWBA’s Environmental & Land Use Committee and its Lawyering & Parenting Committee.

Chris McNerney is retiring as Chief of Police of the Town of Greenburgh and now works at the Westchester DA’s office as Chief Criminal Investigator.

SPRING 2020

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ALUMNI Judson Siebert ’85:

Why I Give

GROWING UP IN THE MIDWEST, Judson Siebert ’85 was drawn to what was then called Pace Law School by the lure of the “big city”—the New York metro area—as he was wrapping up his undergraduate years.

“Pace provided me an opportunity to make that move.

When I chose Pace, I recognized it was for the long term and that I would likely end up practicing near the Law School. This has certainly been the case. I have spent my professional career in White Plains and can see the Law School campus from my office window.”

Jud came to Pace immediately after college. “In many ways, my law school experience was a continuation of those years. I made great friends while at Pace and tried to enjoy law school as much as law school can be made fun. Some of the best times were the Thursday night gatherings at Patrick’s Pub, which was then the only “go to” spot for law students locally.

The best legacy of those years is that my law school roommate, to whom I was randomly assigned when I moved into Dannat Hall as an incoming first year student, remains a good friend and, more importantly, is my wife’s cousin. I not only earned a law degree, but Pace is indirectly responsible for my marriage. My wife and I celebrate our thirtieth anniversary this year.”

Jud has stayed very active and involved with the law school as a member of the Alumni Association Board, by attending alumni functions, by taking part in Pace-sponsored CLE programs, and by working with and hiring law school alumni. “The Law School

“The Law School is an important asset where I practice. In the Hudson Valley region, you routinely interact with fellow alumni.”

is an important asset where I practice. In the Hudson Valley region, you routinely interact with fellow alumni. In addition, the Law School, the Pace Women’s Justice Center and the Land Use Law Center render invaluable service to both attorneys and Hudson Valley residents and communities. During law school, I had Jay Carlisle as a professor, who was terrific in the classroom and had a genuine interest in his students

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and the welfare of the Law School as a whole. I’m fortunate that we are still in touch, and for years I was a regular attendee at Jay’s annual CPLR update CLE program. I also was fortunate to have Donald Stever, an early member of the Law School’s environmental faculty, as a professor and to have assisted him as a research assistant.”

It is for these reasons and more that Jud regularly donates to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. “It is my way to give back. The motto of Pace University is Opportunitas and, in my case, my experience at the Law School lived up to this promise. I see giving back as a way of providing similar opportunity to students who follow.”

Since graduating from Pace, Jud’s career path has been very straightforward. “I was hired by Ed Beane and Tom Keane, the founding members of Keane & Beane, P.C., and went to work there as an associate immediately after taking the bar exam in 1985.

“That was thirty-five years ago and I remain with the firm. The office was a bit smaller when I was first hired, but Keane & Beane has grown over the years and is now a twenty-eight attorney practice. Despite this growth, Keane & Beane maintains the culture of a small firm. I’m fortunate to have colleagues who care for one another and value working as a team. I am now Managing Member, and enjoy the challenge of balancing the demands of serving clients and directing the operation of a business.” n

2007

2008

Deborah R. Brancato w as made partner at Carmody Torrance Sadak Hennessey LLP.

Jennifer S. Echevarria has been named senior counsel with the firm Jacobowitz and Gubits.

Christopher H. Feldman a nd Omar Nasar, were elected to partnership at Harris Beach PLLC. Chris serves as a member of the firm’s Business and Commercial Litigation Group while Omar is a member of the firm’s Mass Tort and IndustryWide Litigation Group.

Charles W. McMellon served nine years as in-house counsel for the nonprofit Community Access, Inc., whose mission is to provide housing and services for people with psychiatric disabilities. He is now serving the City of New York as a building’s department enforcement attorney for Brooklyn and Staten Island to protect the health, welfare and safety of New Yorkers.

Michael Gilberg i s featured in the article “A Special Ed Lawyer Who’s Walked In His Clients’ Shoes.” He was also quoted in the article “For lawyers with autism, the work often pairs up with things they do well.”

Jason Kaplan has joined O’Melveny as an aviation finance partner.

Sandra Brown Langolf b ecame a partner at Kaufman Borgeest and Ryan LLP. Anna Linne s tarted a new position as Associate General Counsel Intellectual Property & Innovation at S&P Global.

Cherie Phoenix-Sharpe was named Chief Legal Advisor to Connecticut Lt. Gov-elect Susan Bysiewicz. Previously, Ms. Phoenix-Sharpe was Deputy Corporation Counsel for the City of New Haven. Prior to that, she was an associate with Murtha Cullia, LLP. Chris Tumulty was recently named to the New York City Bar Association’s 2019 Cooperative & Condominium Law Committee, which addresses issues pertaining to cooperative and condominium housing law in a variety of areas, including changes in the policies of lenders with respect to loans and underlying mortgages, co-op and condo discrimination and accommodations between boards and apartment owners. During Chris’s three-year term, he will help shape law and public policy, comment and testify on legislation, submit briefs and participate in public service projects. He is counsel at Tarter Krinsky & Drogin.

Milana Tepermayster w as the recipient of the 2019 Outstanding New Lawyer Award presented by the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties (“WBAOSC”) at its annual Installation Dinner held on June 26 at The Eagle’s Nest in Bloomingburg.

Shamik Trivedi was a recipient of the 2019-2020 John S. Nolan Fellowship from the American Bar Association Section of Taxation.

2009

Sharon Berger has joined Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, P.C., as vice president and project executive of the Construction Services Business Line.

Jonathan Engel joined the law firm of Finkelstein & Partners as a personal injury trial attorney. Jonathan and his family donated property where the Engel family conducted its business, Engel Funeral Home, Inc., for four decades. The property was donated to Access: Supports for Living.

Alumnus Judson Siebert with Dean Horace Anderson

SPRING 2020

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ALUMNI PROFILE 52

Eric Paulk ’16 Eric Paulk graduated from Morehouse College in 2003. From there, though he was pretty sure he ultimately wanted to attend law school, he spent time in the private sector to gain experience in the business world and build upon his undergraduate training.

“I knew that law school was a big commitment in every sense of the word. I wanted to make sure that I was ready to commit so I spent some time working in a variety of positions. Then in my last role before I went to law school, I was managing director of a performing arts center and in that position I oversaw every aspect of the center—which included contract negotiations and the legal department. It reignited my desire to attend law school.”

Eric started at Pace in 2013. “I really immersed myself in law school. I joined student groups. I participated in clinics. I spoke with professors outside of class. I took advantage of a wonderful learning experience.” While at Pace, Eric was involved in the Black Law Students Association, LAMBDA Law Student Association, and participated with moot court.

“One of the most practical learning experiences that I had was as a civil rights extern working with the law firm Newman Ferrara with Professors Cohen and McLaughlin. This provided me with experience in research, writing, discovery, trial preparation, and client contact. I also learned how to prepare legal documents and petitions. It was an invaluable experience.”

After graduating from law school, Eric was the Tyron Garner Fellow at Lambda Legal in Atlanta.

“In the fellowship role, I worked on policy issues, I worked to move along local and regional legislative efforts, I was an advocate, I spoke at forums, panels, meetings, and events, and I also did legal research. I became an expert on LGBTQ issues and HIV criminal justice reform which allowed me the opportunity to engage in real grassroots efforts for equality. Additionally, this role allowed me to really be a leader both regionally and nationally around HIV-related legal issues. It was an amazing experience.” From there, Eric moved on to the Equality Foundation of Georgia as an HIV Policy Organizer and then was promoted in April 2019 to Deputy Executive Director of the Organization. “In my role as Deputy Executive Director, I oversee all day-to-day operations and develop and manage our advocacy activities. I also work with the executive director and the board to develop and implement the organization’s strategic

H A U B L AW A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E

“My law school experience and Pace in particular has played such a critical role in my leadership development and also in helping to carve out the work that I’m doing. I am definitely a proud alumnus.” plan. I help to drive up support and also build relationships in the community.”

Recently, Eric was selected as one of Georgia’s Top 40 Leaders Under 40. In the article about Eric’s selection it was noted that Eric has dedicated his career to fighting for equality for all Georgians. Eric himself notes that “It is an important time in our state and our country to protect LGBTQ people, immigrants, and people of color. I am part of a movement creating equality for these communities. My law school experience and Pace in particular has played such a critical role in my leadership development and also in helping to carve out the work that I’m doing. I am definitely a proud alumnus.” n

ALUMNI Paul K. Humphreys was elected partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP. Elaine (Lan Yin) Hsiao completed a PhD in Resource Management & Environmental Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability (IRES) and started a post-doc at the University of Sheffield’s Institute for International Development (SIID) as a Global Challenges Fellow.

Najia S. Khalid w as elected as a 2019 Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation (CBF) James W. Cooper Fellows Program. She is a partner and the Immigration Practice CoChair at Wiggin and Dana LLP. Erin Flannery Keith and Brent Keith welcomed their first baby, Conor Martin Keith, on May 1, 2018.

After nine years at EPA Headquarters in DC, Erin started a new position at EPA’s Region 1 Office of Regional Counsel in Boston in September 2018.

Brent is the Senior Policy Advisor for Lands at The Nature Conservancy.

Stephanie Melowsky h as been named to the Westchester Business Council 2019 40 Under 40 Rising Star list. She is a VP and Commercial Loan Officer at the PCSB Bank.

Amanda Marshall o pened the doors to her own law office, the Law Office of Amanda J. Marshall, LLC, as a solo practitioner. She will get to work in the areas she has always dreamed of, including: juvenile law, mental health law, family law, and probate. Her firm is based in Oregon City, Oregon.

Rockefeller Capital Management announced that Carissa Morganstein will join as a senior vice president and client advisor in the Rockefeller Global Family Office.

Alumna Malaika Scott-McLaughlin was inducted as Judge of the Housing Part of the Civil Court of the City of New York on September 5, 2019.

Donato Palumbo has joined his wife Jessica (Jessica Rhodes-Knowlton, Class of 2009) in Palumbo Law LLC. Jessica founded the firm in 2018 and provides services to clients appealing immigration and criminal matters.

Donato’s practice focuses on divorce,

family law, traffic infractions, DUI, and criminal defense. Both remain admitted to practice in New York, as well as all courts in Georgia. Palumbo Law LLC is based in metropolitan Atlanta, but represents clients statewide. Learn more at www.palumbolawga.com.

Ben Sosne was named the new executive director of the Berkshire Innovation Center.

Kristen A. Wagner was featured in a Q&A write-up in the December NYSBA journal.

2010

Board of Visitors OFFICERS

The Honorable Alexander Hunter

Kathleen Donelli ’85

The Honorable Linda Jamieson ’79

Board of Visitors Co-Chair

Dennis J. Kenny

Alfred E. Donnellan ’81

Diana B. Kolev ’05

Board of Visitors Co-Chair

The Honorable Nita Lowey Senator Shelley Mayer

MEMBERS

The Honorable Sondra Miller

Peter N. Bassano ’87

William M. Mooney III ’92

Vernon J. Brown ’96

Leslie Morioka ’93

Christopher Carnicelli ’93

Richard L. O’Rourke ’81

Steven J. Chananie ’83

Joseph Pastore III ’91

V. Gerard Comizio ’80

Anthony Pirrotti Jr. ’90

Lisa M. Denig ’09

John J. Rapisardi ’82

Anthony J. Enea ’85

Jerold R. Ruderman

Christopher B. Fisher ’94

The Honorable Anthony A. Scarpino Jr.

John Flannery Peter S. Goodman ’86

The Honorable Alan D. Scheinkman

Philip M. Halpern ’80

Russell M. Yankowitt

Alexander Viderman was recently hired as an associate at Cantor Colburn, the fourth largest patent law firm in the Country.

Ben Wilkinson has joined the law firm Barclay Damon. He is a member of the Labor & Employment Practice Area and health care controversies team.

2011

Michael Angstadt e arned his PhD in Environmental Politics from Colorado State University. Beginning this past fall, he is Assistant Professor of Environmental Politics (Law & Policy) at Colorado College.

’12 regarding their major immigrant rights victory.

Banking/Commercial Lending Practice Group at Certilman Balin.

Stephen Veneruso has been named as General Counsel to the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce.

He has also joined the Board of the Fuller Center for Housing of Greater New York City.

Meghan Quinn h as joined Downey Brand’s well-established statewide natural resources, land use, and environmental practice.

2013

Patrick Frawley w as named Chief District Attorney by Rockland DA Tom Walsh.

Leslie A. Jaluria was promoted to General Counsel for Potrero Medical, a medical device company with a mission to help predict critical illnesses before they happen.

2012

J. Porter DeVries i s president of DeVries & Associates PC. His firm was recognized by Law Firm 500 as the 9th fastest growing firm in the US. News12 Westchester featured alumni, Steven Haskos ’11 & Craig Relles

Kimberly A. Klein w as named to the 2019 Rising New York Metro Stars list. She is an associate in the

Chartwell Law recently named Nicholas R. Switach as an associate with the firm, focusing on workers’ compensation litigation.

2014

Kristen Carroll transitioned from the Kings County DA’s Office in the appeals bureau to private practice.

She is an associate at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith in their General Liability group, specifically in the appellate practice group. In May of 2018 Kristen received the Best Buddies Community Hero Award from Best Buddies Long Island for my efforts in organizing a 5K fun run to coincide with our annual Best Buddies Friendship Walk, which raises money for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities.

SPRING 2020

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Jérôme Orlhac LLM ’17 Jérôme Orlhac received his LLM in Comparative Law from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in 2017, graduating magna cum laude. He is originally from the suburbs of Paris, France and speaks French and English. Currently, he is an associate attorney at Milber Makris Plousadis & Seiden, LLP. Can you talk a bit about your background?

Sure. I am from the suburbs of Paris, France near Versailles. I speak English and French and in addition to my degree from Pace, I have an LLM in Law and Environment from McGill University and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Law from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. I have always been interested in political science, however I felt that law school would provide me with job prospects closer to my career goals.

Why did you choose to pursue an LLM at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law? I enrolled in the LLM in Comparative Legal Studies because I believed it would provide me with the best opportunity to prepare for the bar examination. I also appreciated the School’s leadership in environmental law. I had studied environmental law in France and Canada. Therefore, Haub Law was the perfect fit for my LLM studies in the United States and allowed me to sit for the bar in New York State.

What stuck out to you during your time at Haub Law? The feeling of being part of a community and many positive interactions between myself and my classmates and professors. Also, the numerous conferences and opportunities available to students on pretty much any and every aspect of the law.

What type of law are you currently practicing?

I am an associate attorney at Milber Makris Plousadis & Seiden, LLP (MMP&S). I focus my practice on general liability insurance defense cases, including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability and labor law (construction accident) matters. If I don’t have an appearance in court, such as a discovery conference or an appearance on a motion, or a deposition then I am in the office drafting and reviewing documents to move my cases forward. Starting my legal career at MMP&S has been a great experience. Early on after starting at MMP&S, I was offered the opportunity

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“...Haub Law was the perfect fit for my LLM studies in the United States and allowed me to sit for the bar in New York State.” to substantially handle cases and was encouraged to appear in court immediately after being admitted to the Bar, while being able to always rely on the knowledge and experience of the more senior attorneys in the firm. I am thankful to Haub Law for helping me obtain this position as I would have never known about it otherwise.

What would your advice be for current students?

Approach each law school assignment not only with the short-term goal of passing the course, but also with the bar examination in mind as well as your future prospective career.

What are some of your passions aside from the law?

Reading, bike riding, hiking, cooking, and spending time with my family. n

ALUMNI Miriam Lacroix was interviewed by 2013 alumna and adjunct professor Keriann Stout in an Above the Law article focusing on her practice of immigration law, specifically under the current administration.

Barbara Michelle Santisteban moved to Colorado and joined a firm in Denver—Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. Marie Antonia Tigre (LLM 2014) is extensively featured in the article “LatAm in Focus: Can International Law Save the Amazon?”. Her upcoming book “Gaps in International Environmental Law: Toward a Global Pact for the Environment” was published. She also did a TED talk about cooperation in Amazonia.

2015

Joshua Berliner j oined the firm McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC. Ossining Police Chief Kevin Sylvester was recognized with the prestigious 40 Under 40 award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

2016

Lauren C. Enea an associate at Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP in White Plains and Somers, NY, was honored at Westfair Communications’ 2019 Millennial Awards. The awards celebrate a new era in the workforce, recognizing individuals who are leaving their footprints in the local business community.

Albert Vetere is featured in the Journal News article—“Esports on the rise in New Rochelle.”

2017

Heena Arora was featured in a recent NPR article. During her time at Haub Law, Heena was involved in the Immigration Justice Clinic.

Benjamin Campos w as promoted to Sergeant with the Montclair Police Department.

Jonathan W. Campozano is Associate Counsel with the New York State Senate in Albany. While at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, Jonathan was a student attorney with the Immigration Justice Clinic. After graduating, Jonathan was an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow with Empire Justice Center. He was also honored at a Gala of the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester.

Elen Krut’s book, “Summer On a Poultry Farm”, was published.

Logan O’Reilly was featured on Above the Law in an article titled “Lawyering While Legally Blind.”

The article was written by alumna and adjunct professor Kerriann Stout ’13.

On October 24, 2019, Stephanie Tunic received the 2019 Orange County Rising Star award presented by the Junior League of Orange County, which honors outstanding leaders between the ages of 21 and 40 from the public, private, nonprofit and volunteer sector.

Stephanie is an attorney in Goshen, NY with Blustein, Shapiro, Rich & Barone, LLP.

In December of 2019, Tarini Mehta was awarded her Doctor of Juridical Science from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Tarini’s thesis was entitled: Environmental Governance of the Himalayan Region: Regional Cooperation as the Way Forward.

Pictured above are: Professor Katrina Fischer Kuh, Tarini Mehta, Professor Shelby Green, and Professor Nicholas Robinson.

after a year as an Excelsior Service Fellow with the DEC.

2018

Michael Calabrese joined the law firm of Gordon & Rees. He will be a member of the commercial litigation group.

Christopher Zamlout is featured on his firm’s website in the article “Associate Christopher Zamlout Reflects on his Time at Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law and Beyond.” Christopher is an associate at Genova Burns.

Trevor Cardo joined Cassin & Cassin LLP as an associate.

2019

Sarah Cinquemani was hired as a permanent NYS Department of Environmental Conservation employee

Jeffrey Deskovic i s featured in the article “Leading expert explains why you would falsely confess to a crime you did not commit” and in the Daily News article “Now friends

for life, exonerated accused killer Jeffrey Deskovic and his Innocence Project angel celebrate earning their law degrees.” “WCBS” featured him in “Stories From Main Street: Exonerated Man Becomes Lawyer To Fight Wrongful Convictions.” He was also quoted in the article—“From convicted murderer to exonerated to law grad.” His op-ed “What Melinda Katz must know: Two men wronged by the criminal justice system offer advice to the presumptive Queens DA” was published in the Daily News. He was also a guest on the podcast Evolving with Kory Castle. Additionally, Jeffrey spoke to students at Stetson Law. Caitlin Ens won second place in the NYSBA 2019 Writing Competition for her paper entitled, “Finding a Middle Ground: Can We Maximize the Welfare of Captive Animals Without Abolishing Zoos and Aquariums?”.

Monica Lindsay r eceived second place in the New York State Bar Business Law Section student writing competition.

SPRING 2020

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LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT

Dear Fellow Alumni, I write to you as I am completing my third year as President of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors.

Over the course of the last year, the Board has maintained its increased visibility and accessibility by continuing to publicize the dates and times of board meetings in advance, inviting and encouraging the Law School community to attend, and posting meeting minutes on the Law School’s website for all alumni to access.

These transparency efforts have been successful, and several alumni have attended the meetings as guests.

Additionally, we added seven new Directors to the Board this year. With additional members comes increased opportunities to do more. For example, we have added the office of treasurer this year, which has been filled by Jackie Parker, a new Director on the Board and a 1995 alumna. As the treasurer, Jackie also chaired the Fundraising Committee, which meets periodically and prioritizes goals.

All of the five standing committees have taken on increased roles. For example, the Social Committee is becoming more involved in organizing the Pace Law Alumni Network (“PLAN”) events. In January, PLAN held their annual reception with Haub Law during the New York State Bar Association’s annual meetings. At this very successful event a large alumni turnout celebrated the appointment of Dean Horace Anderson.

Though I write to you in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we are very excited that we have another group of alumni who have expressed interest in joining the Board. The Nominating Committee will put together candidate bios for the Board to review and from there candidates will be nominated to join the Board. New members means new resources and fresh ideas!

As always, I welcome any suggestions that you may have regarding the Alumni Association. The best way to reach me is via email at mjmeeker311@gmail.com. I look forward to continuing to serve as the Association President.

Sincerely, Mark Meeker, Esq. (Dec. ’09)

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The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University congratulates the Class of 2020