Rutgers Law Alumni News

Rutgers Law Alumni News Volume 1, Issue 5 | January 2017 Letter from the President Dear Alumni & Friends, Happy New Year to all. Now that the holiday season is behind us, and the roadmap to 2017 stretches out ahead, I am reminded about the opportunity that a new year brings. As always, there are the standard new year’s resolutions of health and wellness, but this new year, I also Osato Chitou ‘10 ask that we add purposeful engagement and dialogue to that resolution. President Engagement and dialogue in our communities, engagement and dialogue Alumni Association in our schools, engagement and dialogue in our places of worship, and most importantly, engagement and dialogue with people who are different than us. This is especially necessary in this current time, as the Board Meeting Dates 2016-2017 vitriol that pervades the public sphere limits the ability for us to all move Board meetings begin at 6:30 ahead. I also encourage everyone to walk in the mission of our law school p.m. and to give back to those who need it. With this I am reminded of the Law School, Room 292 saying, “Charity begins at home.” My home, is Rutgers Law School. If there Thursday, February 16th are alumni that wish to “come home” and become more engaged in the Monday, March 20th Alumni Association, we are currently in the process of appointing new Wednesday, April 12th Monday, June 19th Trustees. If you are interested, please forward your resume to [email protected]. Again, I wish you all a happy and prosperous 2017! Sincerely, Inside this issue: Osato F. Chitou Judge Mary Catherine 2 Cuff ’73 Retires Young Alumni Non- 3 Alumni Reunions Profit Meet Some Recent Grads 4 Mark your calendars! Based on the success of this past year’s 50th and 25th reunions, the law school will be holding a reunion on April 28, 2017 for the Working for Diversity 5 classes of 10 (1957, 1962, 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007). The schedule for the Student Wins Intellectual 6 day will include: 2 CLE courses (including 1 Ethics, and will be made fun so that Property Prize non-lawyer guests can enjoy them as well), lunch, a panel discussion with current students, a tour of the new law school, and a cocktail reception in the Great Hall Due Process Returns to 7 Rutgers Law at the "old law school" at 15 Washington. After the cocktail reception, everyone will split into their individual classes for dinner. More information will be Alumni Updates 9 available in the coming months. Upcoming Events 10 Rutgers Law Alumni News Volume 1, Issue 5 | January 2017 Judge Mary Catherine Cuff ’73 Retires After Almost 29 Years on the Bench In her judicial career, Mary reversal of the Catherine Cuff has dealt with conviction of the everything from public pensions to anti-Vietnam child custody to medical Chicago Seven. “It malpractice. was such an electric day,” Cuff Cuff, who retired October 1, 2016 recalled. after almost 29 years on the bench, served in the trial and appellate After law school, divisions of Superior Court and, Cuff worked as a temporarily, on the Supreme Court deputy attorney of New Jersey. general, an assistant U.S. After serving 18 years in the Attorney and also Appellate Division, Chief Justice at the law firm of Stuart Rabner temporarily Waters, assigned Cuff to the Supreme Court McPherson, in September 2012, where she McNeill before served until Justice Walter F. being nominated Timpone was confirmed in 2016. to the bench in The court considered cases during 1987 by former that period involving the Council Gov. Thomas H. on Affordable Housing, the funding Kean. She served Judge Mary Catherine Cuff ’73 of the public pension systems, and on the New Jersey After serving in the Superior termination of alimony upon Superior Court in Monmouth cohabitation with a new partner. Court’s trial divisions, Cuff was County and was assigned first to elevated to the Appellate Division Cuff reflected on how the Supreme the civil division and later to family in 1994, nearly 20 years after she Court goes about its work, “(t)he court, where she became the had been a clerk there. She said Court has a tradition of collegiality presiding judge. serving as part of a three-person that is jealously guarded. Cuff said serving as a judge in panel was a much different Sometimes there are family court was a different path experience than sitting alone as a disagreements but they are never than she thought she’d take. She trial judge. personal. Everyone treats each aspired in law school to pursue other with respect.” Over the years, Cuff has trained public service and worked in many judges and was the Cuff grew up in Union County, commercial litigation while in chairperson of the Supreme Court graduated from Rosemont College private practice. Committee on Judicial Education in Philadelphia, and earned her law She said in the family division, she for eight years. Since retiring, Cuff degree at Rutgers Law in Newark encountered a cross-section of has participated in scholarly in 1973. residents that included the very panels, conducted Continuing Legal Education courses, including She vividly remembers the spring wealthy and the disadvantaged and a trial and appellate brief writing of 1972 when civil rights leader they all presented with many of the seminar, and tackled some long Professor Arthur Kinoy taught her same issues, such as domestic overdue home projects. federal courts class and learned his violence or custody and visitation defense had led to the successful of their children. Page 2 Rutgers Law Alumni News Volume 1, Issue 5 | January 2017 David Lehman '15 Opened Non-Profit to Help Children Around the World When David Lehman graduated Cultural Center in Nairobi this past volunteers with Legal Aid when he from Rutgers Law School in 2015, Spring. Lehman expanded the is not running his non-profit he combined his law degree with program to Nairobi’s infamous organization. By the end of 2016, his passion for photography. Kibera Slum, working with dozens he has worked with 450 young of children from the Inua Mimi people and their families. Lehman, a New York native, who Rescue Center, a local organization warmly remembers participating He credits Professors Gary that takes in children subject to in the Street Law program during Francione, Fadi Shaheen, and Alan domestic violence, female genital law school, used his legal skills to Hyde, with inspiring him during mutilation, and AIDS form a 501(c)3 non-profit law school, and former Dean Andy discrimination. foundation called Photo Start. Rothman for helping him get Photo Start is based in New York Lehman is quick to point out that through it all. “It’s great to be City and uses photography as a he isn’t just teaching photography versatile,” he said of his legal vehicle to teach life and business to the residents of Nairobi, his goal interests. “I was able to apply [my skills children around the world is to provide young people with knowledge] to business. It goes who are at risk from street gangs practical skills that will enable together perfectly. I am grateful for and terrorist groups. them to get work and better their my time at Rutgers - it certainly circumstances. had a strong impact on me - and Lehman’s first stop was the I’m excited to continue using my Mathare Slum in Nairobi, Kenya, Lehman divides his time between legal and business acumen to serve where he began holding Nairobi, Jacmel, Haiti and his home and advocate for others.” photography classes for children base in New York City, where he aged 6 -16. “Working with the kids was a gift. They were so talented, and curious. We worked with them every day on a small roof in Mathare. A highlight was taking them to Nairobi National Park, a game park and heritage site just outside of the city. Most had never been in a motor vehicle or left the slum before, and we were visited at a very significant time. Nobody will forget that day.” he said. The students took photographs of people, wild animals, nature - themselves - and their daily lives. Lehman printed the photographs which were exhibited at the Kenya David Lehman '15 Page 3 Rutgers Law Alumni News Volume 1, Issue 5 | January 2017 Meet Some of Rutgers Law School's Winter Graduates Victoria M. Saraiva said it was her interest in the criminal justice system that inspired her to go to law school. Though she was a part-time student, Saraiva said, “I took advantage of every possible opportunity afforded to me by the law school.” To that end, she interned for both United States District Judge Jose Linares and United States Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre. She also worked at the American Civil Liberties Union and the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Newark. Because of her experience with the ACLU, Saraiva said she is interested in becoming involved in juvenile justice reform later in her career. She also served as a Marsha Wenk Fellow, was the student leader for the Morris Stern Bankruptcy Pro Bono Project, a participant in the Public Interest Committee, the Courtroom Advocates Project, and the Education and Health Law Clinic. She said of her experience at Rutgers Law, “I always had someone – my family, my peers, Dean Yvette Bravo-Weber, my MSP family, Rutgers Alumni, my supervising attorneys who are now my confidantes – giving me a shove in the right direction, upward, or extending their hand to lift me up. And because of that, I have and will forever continue to do the same.” Victoria M.

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