CUNYLAW a community of justice

alumni magazine SPRING 2006

Fellowship Recipients on the Path to Public Interest Careers

CUNY Law in Mississippi Delta Remembering Luis DeGraffe Haywood Burns Conferenc contents

features 4 Staff Profile 5 Faculty Profile 10 David Palmer 8 Student Profiles 10 Alum Profiles 12 Jaribu Hill 14 CLRN Receives Funding 20 Mississippi Project 30 Luis DeGraffe

columns 3 Dean 15 CLRN 23 Clinics 29 Alumni/ae

departments 28 LuisDeGraffe 6 Supreme Court Roundtable 12 Student News 16 Faculty Notes 19 Staff Notes 24 CUNY Views in Print 32 Class Notes CUNITY DAY 35 Donors

On the cover: Amanda Allen 1L, Christine Back 1L, Rebecca Brown 2L, Sumanth Bollepalli 1L, Eileen Choi 2L, Sina Choi 1L, Marjan Daftary 1L, Estelle Davis 1L, Rosalba Davis 2L, Annie DeChung 1L, Rebekah Fletcher 2L, Juliette Forstenzer 1L, Jennifer Ganata 2L, Ana Ghoreishian 2L, Ashley Grant 1L, Jodi Hawkins 1L, Jennifer Hope 2L, Stacy Hunt 2L, Ifeomasinachi Ike 1L, Paul Keefe 2L, Nayda Kuachusri 1L, Maxell Leighton 2L, Tracy Lawson 1L, Helen Lee 1L, Ruth Mantilla 1L, Erin Mears 2L, Sarah Mugford 1L, Heather Muwero 1L, Angelina Ongkeko 1L, Heather Parlier 2L, Tiane Patterson 1L, Willa Payne 1L, Dawn Philip 2L, Shelley-Ann Quilty 1L, 5 Natalie Gomez-Velez Elana Redfield 1L, Leisett Rodriguez 2L, Rosanna Roizin 1L, Bao Chau Ruland 2L, Randy Sinkler 2L, Jonathan Stonbely 2L.

This magazine, is published by the CUNY School of Law Please send these and any letters or comments to: Editor: Debbora Gerressu Alumni/ae Office Production: Sue Chang CUNY School of Law Staff writer: Tally Goldstein 65-21 Main St. Proofreaders: Dana Ramos, Audrey Raden Flushing, NY 11367-1358 Special thanks to: Demetrios Iliou, Paul Keefe, Greg Koster, Phone: (718) 340-4386 Natali Kun, Joanna Piepgrass, Carmen Rana, Frank Shih, Fax: (718) 340-4354 and all our student writers alumnioffi[email protected] Articles by or about alumni/ae are welcomed. Faculty and staff photos by: André Becklés

2 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine messagefromthedean

or almost a year • The level of students’ engagement with the now, I’ve had the academic program (including participation in class, inter- Fopportunity to actions with faculty members outside of class, and how often see CUNY School of students worked harder than they thought they could to meet Law from the Dean’s faculty members’ standards or expectations); chair—and the view • The design of the program to encourage and is spectacular! The support active, inclusive, collaborative learning panorama of the extended (including whether assignments required integrating ideas CUNY School of Law from various sources or different classes, the strength of the community in action is academic support programs, how often diverse perspectives so inspiring that it has were included in class discussions and writing assignments, been my dream to give how often students had serious conversations with students all of you a glimpse of of a different race or ethnicity, and whether the school that view. encouraged contact among diverse groups of student); Those of you who have been students here know that • How well the law school experience contributed there have been some changes here over time. But, one of to the acquisition of work-related knowledge and skills the things that remains constant is the remarkable energy (including working effectively with others, solving complex that overflows the classrooms into the halls and, at the end of real-world problems, and opportunities for supervised each year, propels our students into their summer internships practice and internships); and our graduates into their careers with a spirit of service and a passion for justice that sustains their aspirations. • How well the law school experience contributed I’ve come to understand that this energy is the result of the to the development of the values inherent in the best synergy created by choosing remarkable students who have tradition of the legal profession (including opportunities a commitment to public interest and public service, choosing for and encouragement of the development of a personal code faculty who have distinguished careers in public interest and of values and ethics, how often students did volunteer work public service, and imbedding in the curriculum the doctrine, or were involved in law school governance or law school theory and practical skills that students need to be excellent organizations, and whether the law school encouraged lawyers for the underserved and the marginalized. development of a sense of the importance of giving back to the community). I hope, as you read this magazine, you get a flavor for our students’ drive and excellence. The Profiles, as well as It’s heartening to have the value of a CUNY School of the Class Notes, reflect not only personal successes, but also Law education measured and validated. The school was the many ways in which they are changing the lives of their similarly buoyed by the results of a national questionnaire clients and their communities for the better. The faculty and detailing the career choices of law graduates. CUNY Law staff accomplishments are all the more impressive given the had the highest percentage of graduates in public interest— energy and time they devote daily to the academic program double the percentage of graduates doing public interest law and the needs of our students. at the number two school! I think it’s no coincidence that, more and more frequently, our students, alums, and faculty It’s too bad that energy and commitment to justice and members are finding each other in the public service sphere equality can’t be quantified. Or, so I thought until the Law at work, on listservs, in organization newsletters, at bar School participated in the Law School Survey of Student association and guild meetings, and in the press. Engagement (LSSSE), a national survey designed to measure the level of engagement of students and the quality I hope that you will join me in late April (when the of professional training of law students in their law school CUNY Board of Trustees makes its decision) in congratu- programs. Last year’s survey included CUNY School of lating our new Dean on having been chosen to lead the Law Law students along with more than 21,000 students from 53 School in its third decade. As I have said many times this different law schools. year, it will not be long before the world thinks of CUNY School of Law as the little law school that could…change CUNY law student responses to the survey indicated, the world. virtually across the board, a significantly higher level of engagement and satisfaction than the mean. Areas in which – Mary Lu Bilek CUNY Law students’ answers were well above the mean include:

Spring 2006 | 3 staffprofiles

Garnett Celebrates 10 Years with a Promotion

“In Academic Affairs, I was the first line of defense. If there was an issue, Mary Lu would handle it. But there’s no fall back now.”

ndrea Garnett was a little nervous at first. Who electronic student information management system. wouldn’t be? After nearly 10 years as a recep- The program, which will permit second- and third-year Ationist and assistant in the Dean’s Office and students to register on line, is likely to be up and running Academic Affairs Office, respectively, Garnett wasn’t in the fall, she said. offered a commemorative pen for her time at the School. Perhaps Garnett’s biggest challenge is that she is no She was offered a promotion. And a big one at that. longer only a go-between for students and former Academic In January, Garnett became the Director of Regis- Dean Mary Lu Bilek during difficult times. “In Academic tration and Student Records, which was an expansion of the Affairs, I was the first line of defense. If there was an issue, responsibilities previously overseen by Leslie Hayes, who Mary Lu would handle it. But there’s no fall back now. As retired last winter. “I knew it would be a challenge,” said Director, ‘the buck stops with me.’” the Jamaica, Queens native who received her Bachelors Garnett said that her direct contact with students has Degree in Business Administration from Baruch College enabled her to foster close working relationships with nearly in 1991. “But I realized I was capable.” everyone. But there is a downside to working within such “When Andrea worked with me in Academic Affairs, a small community. “It’s hard to say no!” Garnett quipped she quickly mastered every new task, she never shied away about students who seek assistance during her staff’s lunch from taking on more responsibility, and she remained hour or after the office is closed. organized and calm no matter how hectic things got,” said On a more serious note, however, Garnett said she former Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Mary Lu wished she was able to do more for students who come to Bilek, who also praised Garnett for her “wisdom, discretion, her in immediate need of transcripts, which are currently and good judgment.” Bilek considered her “a natural” for generated by Queens College. Reliance on Queens this new challenge that requires both meticulous attention College means that there is a 48-hour turnaround time on to detail and strong interpersonal skills. all transcript requests—not much help, for example, to Garnett and her team (full-time assistant Sheeja Pillai students who discover a scholarship opportunity only days and part-time assistant Jill Crosby) are intimately involved before the application deadline. “Unfortunately, there’s with the students from the moment they are accepted to nothing I can do in those situations,” she said, adding that the School to long after they have graduated. Garnett’s in-house transcript production is high on her list of future office is responsible for everything from compiling goals. demographics on the incoming class, registering students When she came to the Law School in 1995 as a part- for their courses, entering grades, and readying transcripts time receptionist, Garnett never imagined she would be to working as a liaison with CUNY Central and Queens an office director 10 years later. Just as she was initially College regarding student data, verifying that students have nervous to take the promotion, Garnett originally shied met the graduation requirements, and certifying students to away from the idea of being the subject of this article. take the Bar Examination. But as with everything she seems to do, Garnett faces her “I’m still learning the scope of the position,” Garnett opportunities and challenges head on. said, quickly adding—unaware of the irony—that she Congratulations, Andrea! already has ambitions to expand her office’s capabilities and efficiency with the implementation of the University’s – Tally Goldstein (3L)

4 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine facultyprofile A Call To Public Service t is a wonder that Natalie Gomez-Velez ever made it into year with the Judicial Independence Project at NYU’s Brennan public interest law. “I hated my first semester of law school,” Center for Justice. Of that experience, she said “to my surprise, Isaid CUNY Law’s newest Public Institutions professor, I found that I loved teaching law students and engaging with who graduated from New York University Law School in 1989, the law from an academic perspective.” but very nearly quit after her first semester. “It was like living Gomez-Velez had planned to stay with the Brennan Center in another dimension,” she said. “There was a lot of pressure to and later move into the law teaching market, when the organiza- do corporate law and most of the students were very privileged. tion’s Legal Director encouraged her to apply for a job in New I was really struggling financially and living York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s office as on peanut butter sandwiches.” But Gomez- an Assistant Deputy Attorney General for Public Velez said she decided to stick it out thanks to Advocacy—an opportunity too good to pass up. encouragement from a few persistent friends Gomez-Velez spent three years at the Attorney from the Latino and Black Law Student General’s office, where she helped supervise the Associations. Consumer, Antitrust, Internet, Telecommuni- The pressure, however, to go into corporate cations and Energy, and Health Care Bureaus. law was initially too intense to withstand. “I She also participated in the first state lawsuit felt very pushed into working at a ‘white shoe’ against gun manufacturers for contributing to a law firm,” she said about her second summer public nuisance by their failure to take action to internship. And by the time she graduated, stem the tide of crime guns entering New York she said, “I needed the money.” In an effort State. “It was a great experience,” she said. to find a balance, Gomez-Velez turned down “Eliot Spitzer is extremely smart and proactive. a full-time offer from that firm and, instead, He is a lawyer’s lawyer.” took a position at the smaller corporate firm of Family circumstances, however, required a Richards & O’Neil. “I liked them very much,” closer commute to her Bronx home. Fortunately, she said, adding that the firm gave her great experience and the Gomez-Velez learned of an opportunity to serve as Special opportunity to play key roles in major cases. Counsel to New York State Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan However, it only took one phone call from a friend to lure Lippman in nearby Westchester, working at the highest levels her into the public sector, which is where she had always wanted of the New York State Unified Court System. While with to be. Gomez-Velez joined the Department of Youth Services Judge Lippman, Gomez-Velez engaged in legislative work, as General Counsel and Agency Chief Contracting Officer. “It served as staff counsel to the Commission on Public Access to was an exciting time to be at DYS. A number of new youth Court Records, and assisted Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye during initiatives were being launched under Mayor Dinkins’ Safe her tenure as President of the Conference of Chief Justices. Streets, Safe Cities Plan, which required the drafting of several “Judge Lippman and Chief Judge Kaye are among the smartest, new requests for proposals and contracts.” hardest-working and warmest people I know. They are just After about two years at DYS, however, Gomez-Velez spectacular—it was a privilege and joy to work with them.” realized just how much she missed litigation. Another friend However, the desire to teach remained with her, and one steered her to the National Reproductive Freedom Project at day Gomez-Velez heard about yet another job opportunity. She the American Civil Liberties Union, where she helped battle began work at CUNY Law in August 2004 and now teaches against Medicaid restrictions on medically-necessary abortions the fall semester of Lawyering Seminar, in addition to Public for poor women in various states. Her clients included a mother Institutions. of two who had kidney disease, a woman suffering mental “We’ve got such talented and multi-dimensional students illness, and a woman carrying a fetus with anencephaly, which here. I’ve been extremely impressed with the combination of had no chance of survival. “It was the most emotionally—and real-world life experiences, analytic ability and enthusiasm for politically—challenging and rewarding work I’ve ever done,” learning this craft,” she said, adding that Lawyering Seminar she said. students are dealing with advanced Constitutional issues and But two-and-a-half-years later, Gomez-Velez’s telephone complex analysis in their first semester. “They really rise to the rang for a third time with a friend prompting her to consider occasion.” a new job opportunity. This time, the position was to teach at What will Gomez-Velez do the next time her telephone her alma mater, where, as a student, she had participated in rings? “I’m not taking any more calls,” she said, “I’m where protests against the under-representation of minorities on the I need to be.” law school faculty. “I figured I’d apply and let them say no,” Gomez-Velez said of her job application, which eventually led to three years as a Lawyering Seminar professor and one

Spring 2006 | 5 upreme Court Roundtable March 2006

SWe hope you enjoy these faculty summaries Guzek is not the only case with facially unconstitutional. It has previously of cases on the Supreme Court’s docket innocence issues that has gained the Court’s struck down abortion regulations that this spring. attention. In Holmes v. South Carolina, 605 impose a “substantial obstacle” in the path S.E.2d 19 (S.C. 2004), cert. granted, 126 of a woman seeking an abortion in a “large S. Ct. 34 (2005), the Court will address fraction of cases” in which the regulation Kansas v. Marsh, et. al. the issue of whether South Carolina rules is relevant. New Hampshire urged the - Professor Jeff Kirchmeier regarding the standard for evaluating Court to grant facial challenges only if the Several capital cases are before the claims of newly-discovered evidence that challengers can prove that there is “no set United States Supreme Court this term. another person committed a crime violate of circumstances” in which the law will be Three of these cases, two of them still Due Process. Similarly, in House v. Bell, constitutional. pending, evaluate how courts consider 386 F.3d 668 (6th Cir. 2004), cert. granted, On January 18th, the Court unanimously aggravating and mitigating evidence at 125 S. Ct. 2991, the Court will examine affirmed that abortion restrictions must capital sentencing hearings. the federal standards of proof for claims of contain medical emergency exceptions to innocence based upon newly-discovered protect a woman’s health and safety. The In Brown v. Sanders, 126 S. Ct. evidence. 884 (2006), decided in January, the Court sent the case back to the lower courts Court reinstated the death sentence and to determine whether the legislature would announced a new way of evaluating the Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern have wanted the law to contain a medical effect of invalid aggravating factors. The New England emergency exception. If it finds that the legislature did not, the Court would have Court explained that an invalid sentencing - Professor Julie Goldscheid factor will not invalidate a death sentence to strike the law in its entirety. The if one of the valid sentencing factors allows This case challenged the constitu- decision, therefore, appears to have left the the sentencer to consider the same facts. tionality of a New Hampshire law that scope of permissible abortion regulations requires a minor who seeks an abortion to undisturbed and has not precluded facial In Kansas v. Marsh, the Court will notify parents before she gets the abortion. challenges striking a statute in its entirety consider whether the Kansas death penalty It was the first abortion-related case to come if the statute unduly restricts access to statute is constitutional if it allows juries to before the Roberts Court, and it presented abortion. impose the death penalty when aggravating two questions for the Court. and mitigating evidence are of equal weight. See, 102 P.3d 445 (Kan. 2004), cert. First, the Court considered whether Marshall v. Marshall the law was facially invalid because it does granted, 125 S. Ct. 2517 (2005). Oregon - Professor Andrea McArdle v. Guzek, 86 P.3d 1106 (Or. 2004), cert. not provide an exception for minors whose granted, 125 S. Ct. 1929 (2005), involves health is threatened by serious medical Better known in the popular press as the issue of whether, under the Eighth and emergencies under which they could obtain the “Anna Nicole Smith” case, the Court Fourteenth Amendments, a defendant has a an immediate abortion without notifying in Marshall v. Marshall will consider the right to present evidence of innocence at a their parents or going to court. scope of the probate exception to federal capital sentencing hearing. The Court also considered the standard jurisdiction. The parties in this case are for striking down abortion regulations as Vickie Lynn Marshall (A.K.A. Anna Nicole Smith) and E. Pierce Marshall, son

Professors Jeff Kirchmeier, Julie Goldscheid, An- drea McArdle, and Joe Rosenberg.

6 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine of deceased Texas billionaire J. Howard because she was a former Playboy centerfold, to the injured plaintiff and various federal Marshall. reality TV star and TrimSpa spokesperson. Medicaid laws that limit the right to recover The jurisdictional issue is based on E. from third parties only to the extent that the Pierce’s argument that a Texas probate court third party is liable for payment of medical Arkansas Dept. of Human Services v. expenses provided by Medicaid. had exclusive jurisdiction over claims to J. Ahlborn Howard’s estate, thereby ousting federal The case will determine whether injured bankruptcy courts of jurisdiction to hear - Professor Joe Rosenberg plaintiffs who receive Medicaid and subse- claims related to estate assets. This case addresses whether a quently obtain a settlement or an award Vickie Lynn, who was 26 years old Medicaid lien can attach to the full amount from a tortfeaser will be made whole for when she married the then-89-year-old of a Medicaid recipient’s personal injury their non-medical damages, or whether the J. Howard, began a proceeding in a Texas award or only to the portion of the award scope of Medicaid’s right to recover will be probate court claiming that E. Pierce had that represents payment for past medical enlarged and take priority over the compen- tortiously interfered with J. Howard’s intent expenses. This case has significant conse- sation of the injured Medicaid recipient. to give her an inter vivos trust worth many quences for people who suffer personal This case might serve as a bellwether for millions of dollars. injuries as a result of another’s negligence the direction of the Roberts Court, the Court and qualify for Medicaid, pending the could either interpret the plain meaning of In the interim, J. Howard died and resolution of their lawsuit. Vickie Lynn filed a bankruptcy petition in the statute and find for the plaintiff or take California. The bankruptcy court rejected E. The Court will interpret the relationship an activist position in favor of a government Pierce’s jurisdictional argument and found between an Arkansas statute that gives the agency. that J. Howard had intended to give Vickie state the right to recover from a tortfeaser Lynn a catchall trust. The Texas probate the full amount of Medicaid payments made court, meanwhile, rendered a judgment that Vickie Lynn was not entitled to any distri- bution from J. Howard’s estate and declared that it had exclusive jurisdiction over all Former Dean Returns to the Judiciary claims and counterclaims to the estate. Kristin Booth Glen was inducted as the Judge of the Surrogate’s Court, County E. Pierce appealed the bankruptcy court of New York on January 3, 2006. The ceremony was held at Borough of Manhattan judgment to the federal district court in Community College. Judge Glen was the Dean of CUNY School of Law from 1995– California. Hearing the claim de novo, the 2005. district court found in Vickie Lynn’s favor Participating in the robing ceremony, from left to right, Hon. Robert Carter, and awarded her $88 million in compen- Senior United States District Judge and 1999 Haywood Burns Chair in Civil Rights satory and punitive damages. Appealing at CUNY School of Law; Hon. Kristin Booth Glen; Hon. Eve Preminger, former this judgment to the Ninth Circuit, E. Pierce Judge of the Surrogate’s Court; and Hon. Juanita Bing-Newton, NYS Deputy Admin- found a more receptive audience for his istrative Judge for Justice Initiatives and a member of CUNY School of Law Board jurisdictional claim. of Visitors. The Court held that the exercise of federal bankruptcy jurisdiction in this case interfered with the state court’s probate juris- diction. The federal courts were bound by the state court’s holding that it had exclusive jurisdiction over all matters related to estates, including gift, tax, debt, and tort claims. It can only be assumed that the Supreme Court granted Vickie Lynn’s certiorari petition because it credited her argument that there was a split in the Circuits about the scope of the probate exception, with the Ninth Circuit taking the broadest view, thus requiring the Court’s clarification— and not

Spring 2006 | 7 studentprofiles

Philadelphia Landlords Beware hird-year CUNY pro-landlord; a single missed rent payment can lead Law student Jeni to eviction in 10 days! TWright’s entire In a full day spent at Philadelphia’s civil world changed in just housing court, Wright witnessed only one case in under a week this fall after which a tenant won a motion; not coincidentally, spotting a Career Planning Office announcement that tenant was the only one who had legal repre- about a Philadelphia-based Independence sentation. “To say the judge was pro-landlord is an Foundation Fellowship with the Senior Law Center. understatement,” said Wright, who heard the judge “I had never even considered a fellowship,” Wright tell two unrepresented female tenants to “shut up.” said. “They seemed so competitive, I never thought Wright added that many tenants never even make it I’d get one.” to court because of pressure to meet with arbitrators Wright’s insecurity, however, was overcome by to resolve their disputes. her desire for two things: to help protect a uniquely Not only will Wright represent senior citizens vulnerable population and to work in a smaller city defending against eviction, but she will also with a tightly-knit community of public interest pursue their affirmative claims against landlords advocates. who ignore requests for household repairs, do not Wright submitted her fellowship application to provide adequate utilities, and take retaliatory the Senior Law Center one Friday in mid-October. measures against elderly tenants who seek to protect By that Monday she had landed an interview and themselves. two days later she was offered the position. Wright’s position is funded by the Independence Wright, who is the first CUNY Law student to Foundation, which invites Pennsylvania-based win the two-year fellowship, will represent senior organizations to apply for its grants and requires citizens living in both public and private housing the recipient of its public interest fellowship to with landlord-tenant matters, as well as develop a provide direct representation to clients in an area cadre of pro bono attorneys trained to assist clients of need that usually has not yet been addressed in in the area. The Center has a large pro bono base, that community. She will be reporting to Karen C. Wright explained, but landlord-tenant cases deal Buck, executive director of the Senior Law Center with a specialized area of law and often arise on and Angel Recchia, managing attorney and CUNY short notice. Law alumna. “Philadelphia has the highest percentage Wright, who grew up in Massachusetts, feels of adults over 60 of any city in the country and, very fortunate to find a school where not only has she although the Center has an active program to protect been able, as a black lesbian, to “slip comfortably elderly homeowners, it does not yet have a program into place,” but where she is constantly inspired in place for elderly renters,” Wright said. Elderly and reenergized by the dedication and passion for renters, however, are more than twice as likely to be equality and justice of her colleagues. living in low-income households than their home- A warning to Philadelphian landlords: Wright owning counterparts. “They don’t know how the is on the way. system works,” Wright said of her future clients, adding that housing laws in the city are egregiously – Tally Goldstein (3L)

8 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine A Safer Future for NYC School Children

hird-year CUNY Law student David Palmer, a to draft state and city 30-year-old white male with short dark hair and no legislation to close the Tvisible piercings or tattoos, probably looked much gap resulting from the like any other businessman during his recent meetings at current interpretation Morgan Stanley. But he wasn’t there to discuss mergers of the law. In addition, and acquisitions: Palmer was there to talk about environ- he will, as necessary, mental injustices facing New York City neighborhoods use litigation to that are primarily populated by low-income people of overturn bad law, to color. force school officials “I’m passionate about racial justice issues, and I have to comply with safety always been outraged by the environmental problems that regulations, and to disproportionately burden communities of color,” said seek compensation for the native of Rockland County, New York, who credits school children with tort claims resulting from problems his parents’ socially-conscious spirit for opening his that would have been uncovered in a site investigation. eyes to the inequities around him and moving him to do Palmer got his professional start in environmental something about them. justice activism with the New York Public Interest Palmer made two trips to the investment bank last fall Research Group (NYPIRG), where he spent six years as part of his successful effort to win funding for an Equal after college as a community organizer and, eventually, Justice Works Fellowship with New York Lawyers for the a lobbyist. There, Palmer worked on a number of Public Interest, where he will lead a three-part campaign government reform and environmental justice efforts, to address loopholes in state and city laws governing including a campaign to pass a bill to protect children the new use of pre-existing buildings for public schools. from lead poisoning. “My legislative advocacy work The two-year fellowship, which begins in September, is inspired me to go to law school,” he said. “I saw how sponsored by Equal Justice Works and partially funded useful a lawsuit could be when we weren’t able to win a by Morgan Stanley. battle or to just really help move the process along.” Palmer explained that when a new school is built NYPIRG’s Community Mapping Assistance Project in New York City, there are statutory and regulatory confirmed Palmer’s sense that certain communities— requirements in place to ensure the location has been primarily low-income areas whose residents were properly investigated and deemed environmentally safe, predominantly people of color—were much less environ- and that the communities nearby must also be given the mentally safe than some other communities—wealthier, opportunity to be heard about the plan. However, no such predominantly white neighborhoods. The Project’s maps precautions or opportunity for community involvement illustrated the phenomenon using bold colors to identify exist when the city seeks to lease an existing building as a the neighborhoods where children with the highest rates new school site. “School officials seeking to build a new of asthma and lead poisoning lived. school must meet requirements that mandate public notice, This visual representation of the disproportionate an opportunity for communities to be heard, environ- impact of environmental hazards on poor communities mental review, and even a separate approval process by of color made an indelible impression on Palmer. “It has the City Council inapplicable to the leasing program,” he inspired me to do what I can to tip the balance of law said. “As a result, school officials have avoided account- toward equality,” he said. ability to both communities and elected representatives – Tally Goldstein (3L) when they choose to lease a building.” Thus, over the next two years, Palmer plans to organize communities where the New York City Department of Education has proposed lease sites for future schools and

Spring 2006 | 9 alumprofiles

CUNY Law Selects First Alumna as Dean’s Medal Recipient

CUNY Law has selected alumna Jaribu Hill to receive the 2006 Dean’s Medal, which honors an individual whose lifework exemplifies the Law School’s mission and serves as a model for its graduates.

UNY Law has selected alumna Jaribu Hill, ’95, as taken to a city jail, but later moved to a county jail infamous the first CUNY Law graduate to receive the Dean’s for mistreating African American detainees.” CMedal, which has been awarded at graduation for the past 10 years to individuals whose commitment to public Hill was so affected by the injustice and tragedy of what service or public interest serves as a model for graduates happened to Jones that she called an attorney she knew who and who have lent support to the School. “Jaribu has spent was working on the case and volunteered to go down and every minute since graduation passionately and skillfully help. advocating for society’s most vulnerable and margin- Classmates Camille Massey, Desiree Hopkins- alized people and represents everything we stand for,” said Hosannah and Robert Rose joined Hill in persuading 17 of Mary Lu Bilek, Interim Dean of CUNY Law. “She meets their classmates to spend 2 weeks of their winter break in seemingly hopeless causes head on, with a lawyer’s mind Mississippi. On the first of what was to become an annual and an activist’s heart.” sojourn to the Deep South by CUNY Law students, they The former union organizer and adult-education teacher conducted legal research, wrote memoranda of law and was a 42-year-old single mother with two children when interviewed parties involved in the case. she decided to attend law school in 1992. “I saw the law Hill won a Skadden Fellowship upon graduation in as another vehicle to chip away at the structures confining 1995, which enabled her return to the state on a full-time people of color from the equal opportunity to have a quality basis. The one-time New Yorker, who was born in Indiana, life,” she said. but raised in Ohio, had found her new home. As a Fellow, Hill, however, didn’t even plan to apply to CUNY Law. she first worked with North Mississippi Legal Services and, “I didn’t think I’d be able to get a job,” she said, explaining her later, with the ACLU. When Hill completed her fellowship, concern that as an “untraditional” student, it was especially she launched the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human risky for her to graduate from a new and different—and still Rights, the only non-profit organization in the Mississippi only provisionally-accredited—law school. Delta dedicated to protecting the human rights of low-wage workers. The staff of six focuses on advocacy, education and One fateful night, though, Hill ran into an old friend at organizing. a fundraiser who helped change her mind. “Haywood and I went way back,” Hill said of former CUNY Law Dean “People will sometimes ask me, ‘Jaribu, why are you Haywood Burns. “We had been friends forever.” When always so angry?’ I tell them it hasn’t changed. It’s not that Burns found out that Hill was planning to attend law school, different,” she said about the racial and misogynistic hatred he made her promise to visit CUNY. “By the time I left, I that continues to infect the state, the south and, in fact, the was hoping I’d get in,” she said. “I felt privileged to be country at large. “It’s going on right now, as we speak. And accepted.” when the best and brightest are in denial, that’s when we’re really in trouble.” A few months after she started law school, Hill read a Mississippi newspaper article that documented the story of To illustrate her point, Hill said that 65 people in a black teenage boy who was arrested for stealing a car and Mississippi suffered a fate similar to Andre Jones’ between found a few hours later hanging by a pair of shoelaces from 1987 and 1991, all of whom were poor and a dispropor- his jail cell ceiling. “The boy was 19-year-old Andre Jones,” tionately high number of whom were black. Originally, these Hill said. “[He] had taken his girlfriend out in her uncle’s deaths were deemed suicides, but later they were reclassified borrowed truck to celebrate leaving the next day for college as “unknown.” “Even though no murder charges have ever on a scholarship. Jones had permission to use the truck, but been brought,” she said, “I call them lynchings.” he was arrested nonetheless.” Hill added that “he was first continued on page 11

10 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine Skadden Grant Makes Dream Come True

f there is such a thing as professional fate, it certainly The context of the smiled on CUNY Law graduate Hollis Pfitsch, ’05, final stage of her project Iwho learned this winter that she has been awarded will emerge from an a Skadden Fellowship that will enable her to pursue her assessment of the needs dream job. of women immigrant In September, Pfitsch will join the Legal Aid Society’s workers during the first Civil Division in Brooklyn, where she will spend two two stages of her work. years working on a three-part project on behalf of female After identifying a specific immigrant workers’ rights. “This is exactly what I envisioned target of advocacy related doing after law school,” she said. “It’s my ideal job, and it’s to the enforcement of employment laws, she will develop a huge privilege.” and implement a plan for change. Although she will seek input from established community-based worker centers, Pfitsch was first exposed as a child to what she described she is, however, already aware of two pressing issues: long as “solidarity work” through her parents’ involvement in delays in addressing workers’ claims filed at the Department Latin America. She followed their lead after college and of Labor and a culture of hostility in small claims courts moved to Guatemala as a human rights observer, where she toward immigrant workers. heard first-hand stories about what life was like for undocu- mented immigrant workers in the United States. “It was Before she jumps into her fellowship project, Pfitsch an eye-opening experience to hear how they were treated,” will first finish her one-year clerkship with United States the Wisconsin-born Pfitsch said. “I guess I was somewhat Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis, who was a long-time naïve.” civil rights litigator with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. before becoming a judge. “I never Upon her return from Guatemala, Pfitsch pursued full- imagined I’d do a clerkship. I wanted to get right back to time work with immigrant communities in Washington non-profit work after graduation,” she said. “But it’s been State before entering CUNY Law, where she joined the amazing to learn from someone who is both an experienced Immigrant and Refugee Rights Clinic and volunteered at judge and public interest litigator.” The Workplace Project, a Long Island-based group that organizes low-wage Latino immigrants to fight for better – Tally Goldstein (3L) working and living conditions. At Legal Aid, Pfitsch will litigate cases on behalf of unpaid employees and employees who have suffered discrimination on the job. She will also develop community outreach programs that will include information about where workers can file complaints against employers who have withheld their pay and how best to navigate the layers of bureaucracy in the system.

continued from page 10 determination, eloquent advocacy, and boundless appetite for the pursuit of justice provide them with inspiration, a Not only has Hill’s work made a difference in the lives benchmark, and proof that—even in 2006—it is possible to of the hundreds of clients she and the Workers’ Center have live a life dedicated to ensuring that the law means justice served over the years, but through the Mississippi Project for all. she has supported the dreams of dozens of CUNY Law students. Each year, she welcomes the students who give up “There was a reason why I was sent to Mississippi,” two weeks of their break between semesters to work with Hill said. “Your passion can save your life.” the Mississippi Project. She helps them find meaningful work, orients them to the communities they will serve, and – Tally Goldstein (3L) supervises their efforts. Her unflagging energy, steadfast

Spring 2006 | 11 studentnews LALSA Hosts ‘Emmett Till’ ‘Latinos in Judiciary’ Panel Director Packs BLSA Event panel of three Latino state The panelists spoke forthrightly and municipal judges spoke about their early legal careers and ore than 100 people turned out A to CUNY Law students in the challenges they encountered as for the Black Law Students October at the first Café con Leche they made the transition from being MAssociation (BLSA)’s annual (“Coffee with Milk”) event hosted by practicing attorneys to life on the bench. fall “meet and greet” party on September the Law School’s Latina/o American A congenial and lively group, they 8, which featured first-time documentary Law Students Association (LALSA). shared insights into the judicial election film director and producer Keith Beauchamp. The panel, “Latinos in the Judiciary,” and selection process in New York and included Hon. Carmen Beauchamp answered students’ questions on a range Beauchamp had recently screened Ciparick, Associate Judge, New York of topics – from how to find a mentor The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till, a Court of Appeals; Hon. Gilbert Badillo, to whether an LGBT Latina/o would be film that documents the story of a 14-year- Civil Judge, Queens County Civil Court; welcome on the bench. old black boy who was kidnapped and and Hon. Faviola Soto, Civil Judge, LALSA leaders created the Café murdered in Mississippi after whistling at New York County Supreme Court. con Leche series in the summer of a white woman. Public outrage over the James Castro-Blanco, from the Mayor’s 2005 with the goal of initiating public 1955 crime helped launch the civil rights Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, dialogue about the growing presence of movement, and the documentary helped also joined the panel to provide insight Latinos in the legal profession, drawing reopen investigations into Till’s murder. into the judicial nomination process. attention to the diverse roles Latinos The movie features Till’s mother, Mamie The panelists, who first met informally play in legal advocacy, and introducing Till-Mobley, his cousins and others who with students, faculty and alumni/ae in students to the range of job opportu- witnessed the events surrounding Till’s the CUNY garden, were introduced by nities available to them. “Latinos in death. LALSA president Katsi Colon, (2L). the Judiciary” coincided with Hispanic The documentary suggests that there Professor Jenny Rivera moderated the Heritage Month and the day on which were several people—other than the two event. the Supreme Court reconvened. white men who were acquitted by an all- – Maria Salazar (3L) white jury in just 67 minutes, although they later confessed to the crimes—who were involved in Till’s kidnapping and murder and are still alive today. The Justice Department decided to reopen the case in May 2004 after Beauchamp uncovered new information about the murder. Meanwhile, the FBI has since completed an investigation of the crime and submitted its files to a district attorney in Mississippi, who has the power to pursue charges against new suspects. Beauchamp grew up in Louisiana and financed the movie with money his parents had saved for him to attend law school. He said he was inspired not to let racial injustice go unresolved and unnoticed after he was beaten up by police officers for taking a white girl to a high school dance. “The whole goal of this film was to get the case reopened,” Left to right: Professor Jenny Rivera, Mayra Rodriguez (2L), Maria Salazar (3L), Rosalba Davis (2L), James Beauchamp told the audience. “We’re Castro-Blanco (2L), Clarissa Gomez (2L). Front: Katsi Colon (2L), Hon. Faviola Soto, Hon. Gilbert Badillo, and Hon. Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick. waiting for indictments, but regardless of the outcome we’ve brought awareness of the case to a new generation.”

12 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine OUTLaws Protest JAG with BLSA members invited Beauchamp to speak at CUNY Law after Professor Frank Deale made viewing the film an extra credit ‘FAIR’ Lawyer assignment for his Constitutional Structures class. Beauchamp’s appearance garnered press t was standing room only for about FAIR’s First Amendment arguments, attention by the New York Law Journal in its 100 CUNY Law students, faculty and described the deliberations that September 12, 2005 edition, and prompted Iand alumni/ae who gathered on resulted in the strategy chosen by the BLSAs from several other law schools to October 6 to hear Jean-David Barnea, team of lawyers who represented the seek out Beauchamp as a featured speaker. Esq., plaintiffs’ attorney in FAIR v. plaintiffs. Following his presentation, – Tahesha Gilpin (3L) Rumsfeld, the Supreme Court case students peppered him with questions involving military recruitment at law about the law, about advocacy choices schools that prohibit discrimination and about his predictions for the on the basis of sexual orientation. The outcome of the case in the Supreme event was held the day before JAG Court. representatives were scheduled to The event was organized by conduct on-campus recruiting at the OUTLAWS, CUNY Law’s lesbian, Law School. gay, bisexual and transgender law Academic institutions that students association. OUTLAWS accept financial funds from certain has organized protests against JAG’s government departments are required annual on-campus recruitment because to allow military recruiters to use of the military’s longstanding tradition their career services offices under of open and aggressive discrimination the Solomon Amendment to the against individuals based on their National Defense Authorization Act. sexual orientation, a practice that The Solomon Amendment enables violates both the Law School’s own the government to withhold federal non-discrimination policies and ABA Standing behind the seated Director Keith Beauchamp, funding from any academic institution and AALS Standards on non-discrimi- from left to right are second year BLSA officers Joyce that does not provide military recruiters nation. Sallah, Tahesha Gilpin, Stephanie Jean, Martine Joseph, “equal access” to the same career Tajuana Johnson, Nicole Young, Randy Sinkler, and Sara – Caitlin Daniel-McCarter (2L) Peloquin. service facilities that other potential employers use. FAIR is an association of law schools, law professors and law Editor’s Note: On Monday, students who took the position that March 6, the Supreme Court ruled that the Solomon Amendment violated the universities that receive federal funds First Amendment. must allow military recruiters equal Buoyed by a victory in the Third access to on-campus recruiting. Circuit, Barnea energetically detailed

Students listen to Director Keith Beauchamp (at podium).

Left to right: Outlaw members Sally Curran (1L), Caitlin Daniel-McCarter (2L), and Kelly Kuterback (3L) rais- ing awareness on “Coming Out Day.”

Spring 2006 | 13 CLRN Receives $50,000 in City Financing

ith a check for $50,000, the New Queens Councilman LeRoy Comrie to be elected to the State Assembly and York City Council has more than was one of the key officials behind the City City Council, respectively. Wtripled “Since I its funding for took office, many the Community constituents have Legal Resource come to me in Network (CLRN) need of legal in a powerful show services. However, of support for the reality is that the CUNY-based many people network of lawyers, [do not have] whose members are access to the civil encouraged to help justice system, increase access and one possible to civil justice reason is that in underserved they often cannot communities. afford represen- “I think tation,” Meng City Council said. “Immigrants members realized and low-income it was a ‘win-win’ populations are situation,” said Fred Fred Rooney, ’86, Director of the Community Legal Resource Network at CUNY School of Law; Shelly Singh, Outreach often the ones who Coordinator, Redeemer Lutheran Church, and Pastor Sarah Geddada; Attorney Roberta Chambers, ’98; Councilman Rooney, CLRN David Weprin; CUNY Law Interim Dean Mary Lu Bilek; and Attorney Katya Plotnik, ’94. are most in need Director. “The of legal represen- inaccessibility of Council’s decision this June to increase its tation because civil justice to moderate- and low-income grant from its first-time financing of $15,000 they face immediate crises, such as losing New Yorkers does not make headlines, but last year, Rooney said. CLRN has also their homes. I am so delighted that I can City Council members deal with its effect received $5,000 grants from Assemblyman collaborate with the Community Legal on a daily basis. Elected officials can Jimmy Meng and Councilman John Liu, Resource Network to bring this critical better serve their constituents by increasing enabling outreach into Flushing, which service to my community.” the opportunities for attorneys to connect has large immigrant Chinese, Vietnamese, – Tally Goldstein (3L) with clients who might not otherwise have Cambodian and Korean communities. accessccess to legal representation.”representation. MeMengng aandnd LLiuiu aarere thethe firstfirst AsianAsian AmericansAmericans

CUNITY At our first CUNITY Party this fall, coordinated by Student Government, 3Ls and 2Ls hosted a reception for 1Ls to welcome them to the community and make sure they know the upper class students could be called upon for support. We hope this will become an annual tradition at CUNY.

Carly Meyer, Eileen Choi, and Pooja Galliara. Tajuana Johnson and Stephanie Jean.

Zoe Rawson, Valmiki Reyes, and Andrew Sta. Ana. 14 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine CLRNcolumn

The Community Legal Resource As a member of the Referral through Network (CLRN) at the CUNY School of Service, I have had the opportunity partnerships with Law helps alumni/ae establish and maintain to tailor my fee schedule to meet local elected successful solo or small-firm practices the needs of low- and moderate- officials. The that provide affordable legal services to income level individuals, who Community working poor, lower-middle income and may not otherwise qualify for Legal Education historically underserved communities. Legal Aid services. If it were program places Organized in 1998, the network connects not for the resources of CLRN, CLRN members CUNY attorneys with mentors, experts and many of us who are small-firm in community other attorneys in similar practice areas, practitioners would have greater centers— as well as enabling access to lawyers who difficulty being of service to such churches, senior specialize in other areas and can provide individuals. (Linda Dardis, ’98) centers, libraries—to provide information advice or service when clients’ needs In 2005, CLRN’s CLE programs and counseling in areas such as immigration extend beyond their lawyers’ expertise. In attracted over 700 participants in 46 different law, landlord/tenant law, elder law, estate addition to client referrals and professional courses. These very low-cost courses ($10) planning law and real estate law. City support and encouragement, CLRN offers focus on legal problems faced by low- and Council members and state legislators have advice on practice management and office moderate-income clients, as well as cost- been enthusiastic about identifying venues technology and regularly offers Continuing effective ways to deliver service to these and funding this program. Legal Education (CLE) courses on topics clients. For instance, CLEs for the labor The Institute for Legal Awareness specifically selected as relevant to CLRN and employment group have included is being established to provide law-related members. CLRN currently offers its free Early Stage Representation in Employment education to City Council and NYS support services to members throughout Discrimination Cases, Workplace Rights of Legislative staffers the tri-state area in general practice, family Survivors of Domestic Violence, and Basics in areas that are of CLRN can law, labor and employment, immigration, in Fair Labor Standards Act. Upcoming frequent concern to make a landlord/tenant, elder law and issues facing family law topics include enforcement of their constituents, the LGBT communities. attorneys’ fees, trial techniques, adoption and including housing, difference I have been doing immigration relocation, and immigration and family law. consumer protection, for you—as cases since I started practicing, CLRN has also created a Contem- public benefits, you make a employment but with CLRN support I have plative Practice program (CCULP) for its difference been able to handle cases for members and the CUNY Law community. issues (discrimi- clients in other areas such as CCULP, described as the most advanced nation and workers’ for others. family, divorce, criminal and real program of its kind in any American law compensation) estate. CLRN has helped shorten school, provides for members and students and small business the learning curve for breaking free yoga and meditation classes designed development. Training for staffers— into these areas of law. The time I to reduce stress, to enhance focus and provided by CLRN members—will make save on research is a savings that concentration, and to teach participants it possible for them to answer simple is passed on to the client. (Katya how to achieve a better sense of balance questions and to make appropriate referrals. Plotnik, ’94) in the everyday demands of life. An article Through the Institute, CLRN leverages its members’ knowledge, and provides yet In addition to regularly-scheduled featuring this program appeared in the another framework for meeting the legal practice group meetings, CLRN members March 2006 issue of the National Jurist. needs of the City’s communities. communicate on a more frequent basis CLRN connects back to the Law School through CLRN’s 260-member listserv. by providing summer internship oppor- CLRN is a member of a consortium This e-network enables members to tunities for CUNY Law students in CLRN of law schools with similar programs, increase their fee-generating client base members’ small firms or solo practices. including New York University, North- through referrals from other members, to Students have an opportunity to learn how eastern, Touro, Rutgers, Syracuse and the receive virtually immediate advice and attorneys in private practice can make a University of Michigan. The CLRN office support—a real boon to the small-firm and real difference in underserved communities is located in Room 200B at the CUNY solo practitioners who comprise CLRN’s and members appreciate the helping hands School of Law. For further information membership—and to develop meaningful that interns lend. Given the success of past about CLRN membership and services, professional relationships. Recently, internships, CUNY Law’s Office of Career contact Fred Rooney, (718) 340-4451. relationships with organizations such as Planning recently instituted a year-round CLRN can make a difference for the Queens Bar, Queens Legal Services and internship program. you—as you make a difference for others. the offices of elected officials, have greatly increased referral opportunities for CLRN CLRN has recently launched two – Fred Rooney, ’86 members. new initiatives that are increasing legal awareness in underserved communities

Spring 2006 | 15 facultynotes

Professor Penny Andrews has had quite AALS Clinical Education Conference also organized a a year. Perhaps it was the fact that she and his speech at Washington University conference this spent the last year (January to December on “Community Advocacy, Community- year – “Indigenous 2005) as the Ariel F. Sallows Professor of Based Lawyering and Community Peoples Under Human Rights Law at the University of Development as it Relates to Immigrant International Law: Saskatchewan in Canada which enabled Workers.” Land, Liberty her to write four law review articles, a and Legacy,” and book review, and a chapter in a book about Professor Paula Berg, who has the proceedings poverty and rights in sub-Saharan Africa, developed a new specialty in teaching will be published including an article in the New York Law Torts to first-year students in addition by the American School Law Review, “Perspectives on to her continuing work with the Health Journal of Law. Brown: The South African Experience,” Law Concentration, has a chapter on She and a colleague and her article forthcoming this spring in health care forthcoming in Rights of have written the University of Tulsa Law Review, “Some Persons with Disabilities. a book called, Middle-Aged Spread, A Few Mood Swings Transboundary Professor Beryl Blaustone continues and Growing Exhaustion: The Human Harm in Inter- her scholarship and work on both Rights Movement at Middle Age.” national Law: Lessons from the Trail evidence and mediation. After presenting Smelter Arbitration. She is currently at at a UCLA conference last year, her article, In addition to her written scholarship, work on a book titled, Progress in Inter- “Teaching Law Students to Self-Critique Professor Andrews participated in the national Institutions. In addition she and to Develop Critical Clinical Self Feminist Legal Theory Workshop at has written a book review, two treatise Awareness in Performance,” was selected Thomas Jefferson Law School and was entries and three articles in the past year. for publication this fall. In December, she the organizer of two Comparative Consti- lectured at the Administrative Law Judge tutionalism Conferences—one in Durban, Professor Susan Bryant has also had a Training Institute on the subject of hearsay South Africa and one at the University busy year. In addition to her responsibilities and she is about to start a three-year term of Saskatchewan. Last, but not least, the as Director of Main Street Legal Services as Co-Chair of the AALS Clinical Legal University of KwaZulu–Natal instituted and her participation in the Immigrant and Education ADR Committee. Her work in the Penelope E. Andrews Human Rights Refugee Rights Clinic, Professor Bryant the Mediation Clinic will be expanding Award in her honor, and she was a short- has done two CLE presentations for CLRN, to include a project on housing discrimi- list candidate for the South African Consti- been a speaker at the National Legal Aid nation, as well as a project on disability tutional Court. and Defender Association meeting, and discrimination in which she will partner a speaker at the Association of the Bar of Professor Sameer Ashar continues to work with the Mayor’s Office for People with the City of New York, as well as speaking on his scholarship on the rights of immigrant Disabilities. at the AALS Annual Meeting. While and marginal workers, including an article she continues to develop her interest and currently titled, “The Law Clinic as a Site of Professor Caitlin Borgmann, who joined scholarship on the ethics and practice of Radical Democratic Resistance.” (Perhaps the faculty in September 2004, has spoken working with interpreters, she keeps alive it was his at three conferences on topics related to her work on cross-cultural lawyering and experience this her areas of specialty – reproductive rights looks forward to the publication this year year supervising and religious refusal clauses. Her article, of a chapter that connects these two areas students in the “Legislative Arrogance and Constitutional through a discussion of working with inter- Immigrant and Accountability,” is forthcoming in the preters as a way of connecting with clients Refugee Rights University of Southern California Law across culture. In addition, she continues Clinic and their Review. In addition, she continues her her service as a member of the Board of victories in two service on the Board of Trustees of the Governance of the Society of American significant wage ACLU of New Jersey. Law Teachers and discrimi- Professor Rebecca Bratspies, who also and the Board of nation cases joined the faculty in September 2004, made Legal Services on behalf of numerous presentations in her areas of of New York. immigrant workers that inspires him in expertise – environmental constitutionalism this work.) In addition, Professor Ashar and the regulatory challenges posed by Professor has been a speaker or facilitator at 14 genetic engineering. She organized a Angela Burton different conferences since last January, conference last year entitled “Progress in has continued ranging from his appearance as a speaker International Organization” with Russell to balance in a series sponsored by the UCLA School Miller of the University of Idaho. The her two areas of Law called “Cause Lawyers and Social proceedings from the conference will be of scholarly Movements” to his presentation at the published by Martinus Nijhoff Press. She interest. Her

16 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine work in the area of children’s rights was on international law and the claim of fetal in Teaching Award” from Columbia Law reflected in her speech at the International rights in the fall of this year. She also School this year during the AALS Annual Congress on Law and Mental Health in published a treatise entry and a conference Meeting in Washington, D.C., where she Paris, where her topic was “Responding to publication on violence against women and spoke on “Alternatives to the Bar Exam” Black Children’s Mental Health Needs in rape in war and conflict. and was a panelist at the AALS Clinical the Juvenile Justice System: A Reparations Workshop in Chicago last April at a Perspective.” She continues her service as She continues her service as a board member program entitled, “Transforming Legal a member of the Board of Directors of the at the Center for Constitutional Rights, Education, Act II: Clinicians Take on the Clinical Law Review. as a member of the Advisory Council on Bar Exam.” Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice Professor Janet Calvo, who has recently at the Hague, and as a board member for Professor Julie Goldscheid, who joined developed a new Civil Pre-Trial Practice the National Economic and Social Rights the faculty in September 2004, continues Lawyering Seminar, continues her focus on Initiative her responsibilities with the Commission on health law and citizenship and immigration Domestic Violence, but has still found time law, both in her teaching and scholarship. Professor Frank Deale, who this year to make three presentations on “Equality in She made presentations this year in Durban, expanded his Violence Against Women Law Reform,” South Africa and at the University of teaching portfolio locally and at Thomas Jefferson School of Saskatchewan on “Constitutionalism and to include our Law. In addition, she was the co-author of the Security State” (exploring restrictions required second- an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case on non-citizens that have arisen since year course, of Ayotte v. New Hampshire on behalf of September 11th). She is currently working Constitutional the National Coalition Against Domestic on an article on proposed immigration Structures, was Violence (arguing the unconstitutionality law reforms that restrict or prevent family a panelist at the of the parental notification provision in the unification for legal permanent residents. AALS Annual New Hampshire State abortion law) and Meeting in has published two articles in legal news Professor John Cicero still takes the Washington, D.C. publications on violence against women. management position in his simulated on the topic of She continues her service as the co-chair labor disputes with his Labor Law students “Human Rights and Economic Theory.” of the Commission on Domestic Violence and continues to develop his scholarship Workplace Committee and as a member of Professor Pamela Edwards, who has on sexual harassment on the picket line and the ABA Section on Individual Rights and assumed the title of Acting Associate Dean the relevance of the crime fraud exception Responsibilities. in determinations related to good faith for Academic Affairs in addition to a nearly collective bargaining. full teaching load, found time to moderate Professor Natalie Gomez-Velez, who two panels on “US News and World Reports, also joined the faculty in September 2004, Professor Rhonda Copelon’s scholarship the LSAT, and Law School Admissions,” continues her pioneering work in the continues to coincide with her work in one at the AALS Annual Meeting in San emerging field created by the intersection the International Women’s Human Rights Francisco last January and the other at St. of public access to judicial records and Clinic, which prepared an amicus curiae John’s School of Law last fall. She has a technology. She presented on this topic brief in the City of Castle Rock v. Gonzalez publication forthcoming in the St. John’s on both coasts last year (San Francisco and on behalf of human rights organizations Law Review entitled, “The Shell Game: Albany), and has an article forthcoming in (arguing federal obligation and 1983 Who is Responsible for the Overuse of the the Loyola Law Review—“Internet Access remedy for failure to protect against gender LSAT in Law School Admissions.” to Court Records: Addressing the Balance violence under international law). Professor Between Public Access and Privacy.” Copelon’s numerous presentations in Professor John Farago continues his this past year included a judicial training work as a Special Education Impartial Professor Victor Goode concluded a seminar on gender crimes and procedures Decision Writer, as a member of the four-year term as Chair of the New York for the Special Court for Sierra Leone, editorial board of the Center for Computer- City Open Housing Center this year. In a presentation in Malaysia on gender in Assisted Legal Instruction, as a consultant addition, he presented at the national human rights treaty practice, and a presen- for the Practicing Law Institute Program Clinical Teachers Conference last spring tation in Switzerland on due diligence and on Education Law and as a member of the and was a keynote speaker at the Midwest violence against women, as well as presen- Executive Committee of New York State Clinical Teachers Conference, speaking on tations closer to home at SUNY Buffalo Administrative Law Judges. His works-in- “The Legacy of Brown and Its Message for Law School and the United Nations. In progress include his multi-media simulation Clinical Teaching.” In addition, along with addition, Professor Copelon was a plenary packages, as well as articles on law teaching Jeanne Anselmo, he presented a workshop speaker at the U.S. Human Rights Network and progressive legal education. at the AALS Annual Meeting this past Organizing Conference in November 2005. January, entitled “Connection to Purpose,” Dean Emerita Kristin Booth Glen With three co-authors (two of whom are in which they described the Law School’s received the “Distinguished Columbian CUNY alums), she published an article trailblazing work on the integration of

Spring 2006 | 17 habits of mindful practice into our program sentencing, on which she made a presen- academic support for students, as well of clinical legal education. tation this year. as ongoing assistance to teachers on best practices and effective teaching. In Professor Sidney Harring continues Professor Steve Loffredo continues addition, he was a presenter at the AALS his prolific publication record in the area to direct the Economic Justice Project Annual Meeting this past January on of the law of indigenous peoples with (EJP). This year he has been working with “Critical Reading in Law School.” two publications in the past year: a book Professor Mimi Abramowitz of the Hunter chapter on “Canadian Law and the Plains School of Social Work and colleagues Professor Jenny Rivera, who has written Indian Nations” and the entry on Native from the Welfare Rights Initiative (WRI) three entries in the Encyclopedia of American Law in the Oxford Companion on a quantitative study that examines the Latinos/Latinas in to the Supreme Court of the United States. effect of evolving welfare reform policies the United States on low-income CUNY undergraduates published by Professor Dinesh Khosla, in addition to and attempts to measure the impact over Oxford University developing a new course in Lawyering the past nine years of advocacy efforts by Press this year, was for Non-Profits, was a moderator on a WRI and EJP to secure and expand access also a presenter panel at the New York City Law Review’s to higher education for people receiving at the AALS symposium on non-profit organi- welfare. Annual Meeting zations, “The Regulatory Scheme and its last January on Enforcement.” Professor Shirley Lung, who serves “Feminism and on the Board of Directors of the Asian Domestic Violence Professor Judith Kimerling, whom we American Legal Defense and Education in the Latino Community.” In addition, share with Queens College where she is Fund and the Chinese Staff and Workers’ this past year, Professor Rivera received jointly-appointed in the Political Science Association Advisory Board, continues the Puerto Rican Bar Association Women’s Department, continues her work on her research and Committee Flor de Maga Award and was sustainable development and the interests scholarship at the included in the list of “80 Elite Women” by of indigenous peoples. In addition to other intersection of Hispanic Business Magazine. presentations, Professor Kimerling (with immigration law Moi Enomenga, an indigenous Huarani and employment Professor Ruthann Robson has continued leader from the Amazon Rain Forest) law. She was her work as a faculty scholarship mentor gave keynote addresses at conferences at a presenter at and advisor of our Law Review. In the Harvard and Yale on “Oil and the Amazon: the Break the past year, Professor Robson has published Corporate Accountability, Legal Struggles Chains Alliance two articles in the Legal Studies Forum, and Community Organizing.” Conference in as well as an article on the questions of Chicago in May judicial review and sexual freedom in the Professor Jeffrey Kirchmeier, who has and her article, “Overwork and Overtime,” symposium publication of the Fifth Annual just completed his term as Chair of the was published by the Indiana Law Review Women and the Law Conference. She is Capital Punishment Committee of the this year. also awaiting the forthcoming publication Association of the Bar of the City of New of a chapter, “Reinscribing Heterosex- York, has also completed an article on Professor Andrea McArdle, the Director uality?” in Transgender Rights: History, assessing the accuracy and fairness of New of our Legal Writing Program, was awarded Politics and Law. York State’s death penalty system (to be tenure by the Board of Trustees of CUNY published this year), as well as two entries this year. In addition to giving the keynote Professor Joe Rosenberg continues in the Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties on address at the third annual Legal Rhetoric teaching in the Elder Law Clinic, as well capital punishment. Professor Kirchmeier Symposium in Washington, D.C., she has as first-year Lawyering Seminar, and the has also been the key organizing and completed three articles this year. She Wills, Trusts and Estates elective. Joe’s motivating force behind the student-run has also co-written the introduction and a writing included the annual update for moot court organization which this year chapter in the forthcoming book, Uniform the elder law practice treatise he co- mounted nine teams in six regional and Behavior: Police Localism and National authors, New York Guide to Tax, Estate & national moot court competitions. Politics, as well as a chapter, “Legal Texts Financial Planning for the Elderly, and as Cultural Narratives of Postwar Suburbia: continuing work on an article examining Professor Donna Lee, who joined the Gender, Power and Consumer Protection” online teaching and learning based on faculty in September 2004, is now teaching in a forthcoming book, Redefining his experience teaching his Lawyering in the Battered Women’s Clinic and Suburban Studies: Searching for a New Seminar as a “hybrid” online course. Joe continues her work as General Counsel Paradigm. also continues to serve on the board of the of the New York Asian Women’s Center. Community Living Corporation, Inc., a In addition, she continues her research The Director of the Special Skills Center, not-for-profit organization which provides on proportionality in non-capital criminal David Nadvorney, continues to provide

18 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine staffnotes housing and other services to adults with Congratulations to Patricia York City investigate activities involving KennedyK in the Student Affairs Office First Amendment advocacy. The court developmental disabilities. whow just became a grandmother! Pat’s is expected to rule in early spring on the Professor Rick Rossein is working on daughter,d Julie, and her partner, George, question of whether the police department area the proud parents of Keira Elizabeth may photograph and videotape lawful the 33rd update of his three-volume book, Kiladitis,K who was born on March 14. public gatherings without restriction. Employment Discrimination Law and Litigation, which has achieved recognition Fatai Lawal, one of the Law School’s Prince Adeboye B. Subuloy, a as a “National Legal Title of Distinction” ppeace officers, practiced law in Nigeria College Security Assistant at CUNY bbefore coming to the United States. He Law School, received the Humanitarian and been called “one of the leading wwas admitted to practice in NY this year, Award from The Nigerian-American treatises in employment discrimination.” rrecently left the Law School to become Community Association (U.S.A.), Inc. at He continues to serve as a member of both a legal advisor at Rikers Island, where its 2005 Award Dinner Dance on October the Executive Committee and the ADR hhe will help the inmates research their 22. He was recognized for organizing and Committee of the New York State Bar ccases, file appeals, and prepare for court providing support for an orphanage and Association, Section on Employment and aappearances. the physically disabled in Nigeria. Labor Law. He was honored last year by Latoya Matthew, a member of the the U.S. EEOC New York District Office ssupport staff in the clinic, earned her for his role as a leading scholar and practi- MMasters in Public Administration from tioner in developing equal employment RRutgers University. Latoya’s not finished opportunity law. wwith school yet, though—she hopes to go tto law school. Professor Debbie Zalesne continues her In October, Frank Shih was service as a board member of Beyond the aawarded the “Fight for Justice Award” th 11 (a charitable foundation dedicated to bby the Organization of Chinese helping Afghan widows affected by war AAmericans’ Long Island Chapter at its and terrorism). In addition, this past year, 224th Anniversary Gala “in Recognition she has published two law review articles oof Outstanding Contribution in the in her field of teaching expertise, contract PPursuit of Social Justice.” The award was law. One explores the boundary between ppresented by James Yee, the former Army CCaptain and Muslim Chaplain at the US Left to right: Adeboye Subuloy accepts the award from private contract law and the public interest. the Nigerian-American Community Association Vice The other, which she co-authored, was NNaval Base Guantanamo Bay who was President Wunmi Green and President Olu A. Ajayi. published in the Syracuse Law Review and ffalsely accused of espionage. is entitled “A Unifying Theory of Contract The longstanding civil liberties case, In February, Professor Andrea Damage Rules.” In addition, she has HHandschu v. Special Services Division, McArdle and the CUNY Law Writing written three entries for the Encyclopedia iin which Franklin Siegel, counsel to the Center staff—Writing Fellows Fritz of American Civil Liberties. DDean and Adjunct Professor of Law, is one McDonald, Audrey Raden, Sergio oof four lawyers to the plaintiff-class, has Gallegos, and former Fellow and now Professor Steve Zeidman, in addition bbeen in the public eye since the holiday Writing Center Associate Lori Wallach— to his work in the Defender Clinic, has sseason. Three front-page New York Times participated on a panel at the Southeastern Writing Center Association Conference published three articles this year: one on aarticles by Jim Dwyer discussed possible vviolations of the court-ordered Handschu in Chapel Hill, NC. judicial politics in the Albany Law Review; rrules which apply when police in New a co-authored article on jury reform in Judicature; and an article, “Policing the Police: The Role of the Courts and the Staff Development Committee Workshops Prosecution” in the Fordham Urban Law On October 19, 2005 a Stress Management Workshop was held for staff. Journal. He also serves as a member of DC 37’s Health and Security Plan sent two social workers, Beatrice Rivera and the Advisory Committee of the Jury Trial Andree-Maryse Duvalsaint, to conduct the workshop. Project and as a member of the New York The Transgender Awareness Workshop on January 11, 2006 was a huge County Lawyers Association, Criminal success. Dean Spade, staff attorney at the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, was the Justice Section Task Force. He has facilitator. The focus of the workshop was how to make services welcoming and made three presentations in the last year, accessible to transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming people, and how including a presentation at the University of to spot and properly address gender identity-related issues in legal/educational Saskatchewan on “Judges and the Consti- situations. tution: Separation of Powers, Judicial Independence and Judicial Training” and a The Task and Project Management Workshop, facilitated by Tony Lu, a presentation on the recent developments in faculty member in the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Clinic, was held on March criminal law at the New York State Appellate 1st. Based on the book, Getting Things Done by David Allen, Tony presented Judges Seminar. valuable techniques and tools for “getting things done.”

Spring 2006 | 19 The Mississippi Project 2005-2006 Following tradition, sixteen committed students went to Mississippi and Louisiana during their winter break to work with organizations fighting for civil rights.

he Mississippi Project has been organized and run country to obtain temporary restraining orders designed, in the entirely by students for the past eight years and this words of one judge, to stop the “shockingly unconscionable” year all the participants were first year students! treatment of local residents. Typically, students who participate in the Project The Delegation also traveled to the coastal regions of Twork with the Mississippi Center for Workers and Mississippi—to Biloxi and Gulfport—to reach out to those most Human Rights (MCWHR) and the Innocence Project in New affected by Hurricane Katrina. Students interviewed residents in Orleans. The MCWHR, founded by one or our alums, Jaribu the poorest communities to learn about their immediate problems Hill, ’95, provides organizing support, legal representation and challenges, ranging “from insurance issues, immigration and training for low wage, non-union workers in the state of issues, tenant rights issues, as well as the plethora of issues Mississippi. Students at the Innocence Project provide inves- arising from the inadequacy of governmental response.” tigative and research assistance to improve access within the This Project was and continues to be a transformative criminal justice system by representing inmates in appellate cases experience for students who come to CUNY School of Law to where there is substantial evidence that they were wrongfully make a difference. Our law school attracts students who want convicted and where private or public defender services are not to use their legal education to empower the marginalized and available. underserved, and this Project is one of many which embody This year, however, was anything but typical: the largest the commitment and vision of our past and present students. natural disaster in the history of the U.S. left the poor in the This year’s students, with barely three months of training, Delta in need of urgent legal assistance. In the words of Shelley- were energized by “the opportunity to put into practice, their Ann Quilty, one of the participants of the 2005-06 Delegation: knowledge and skills so early in their law school careers.” In One day we were picking through the remnants of the spirit of community, upon their return to NYC, they began peoples’ homes and lives in the lower 9th Ward, building coordinating a much needed summer internship with MCWHR. a record for their claims for compensation. The next, The Project was made possible this year by students’ own we were picketing to prevent the illegal eviction of some fundraising efforts and the support of one of the members of of the displaced residents of that same neighborhood our Board of Visitors—Stephen Freidus. Stephen and his wife, from a Quality Inn. Helen, generously took this project on and held a fundraiser in Students worked with local attorneys, grass root organizers, January. Their guests heard stirring presentations by the student community activists and other law students from across the participants. Guests found both the project and the students’

Left to right first year students: Shelly-Anne Quilty, Yasmin Davis, Sina Choi, Ju- lia Busetti, Ashley Grant, Roxy Trudeau, Matt Monroe, Sean Malley and Nicole Lichtman; Bottom row: Leslie Sultan and Lyandra Retacco. Rally organized in response to the eviction of displaced residents from hotels.

20 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine Homes our students were inventorying. experiences so compelling that they are still Ann Quilty, Lyandra Retacco, Andrea sending the school donations. Siebert, Leslie Sultan and Roxy Trudeau. The Law School is happy to announce an endowment plan to ensure that CUNY Law students continue to have the opportunity to participate in the Project. Stephen and Helen Freidus, together with the rest of the Board of Visitors, have taken on a leadership role in raising the $100,000 necessary to endow the Project. If you are interested in contributing to this effort, please contact the Alumni/ae & Development Office at (718) 340-4386. The following students participated in the Mississippi Project 2005-2006: Christine Back, Julia Busetti, Sina Choi, Kiersten Daniel, Yasmin Davis, Ashley Grant, Denver Matthew Monroe rallying with other community organizers. Latimer, Nicole Lichtman, Sean Malley, Shelley-Ann Quilty interviewing clients to build records for Megan McDaniel, Matt Monroe, Shelley- compensation claims.

Spring 2006 | 21 Student Internships and Honors Summer 2006

Since September, CUNY Law students have Law Office of Richard Obiol Pride Law Fund Tom Steel Fellows, LGBT received the following fellowships/grants/ Legal Aid Society-Prisoners’ Rights Division Elder Law Project awards: Legal Service for the Elderly Davim Horowitz, ’05, Soros Community Make the Road by Walking (five students) Development Fellow, Sylvia Rivera Law Three Association of the Bar of the City of Mental Hygiene Legal Services Project New York Fellowships Natural Resources Defense Council David Mickenberg, ’05, Dorot Fellowship, Six C. Bainbridge Smith Committee Grants Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem Judicial Selection Project with the Alliance Haywood Burns Fellowship New York City Council Legal Department for Justice, Washington DC Konofsky Award from Brooklyn College New York City Department of Investigation Michael Oppenheimer, ’06, Prettyman Legal Aid Society 2005 Pro Bono Award New York City Law Department-Summer Fellowship, Georgetown University, New York County Lawyers Association Honors Program (two students) Criminal Defense Clinic Minority Judicial Fellowship New York State Defenders Association- Seventeen Revson Fellowships Immigrant Defense Project Prudential Financial Student Publications: Semel, Young and Norum (two students) South Brooklyn Legal Services Anna Boksenbaum, Note, Shedding Your Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, LLP Soul at the Schoolhouse Gate: The Urban Justice Center-Street Vendor Project Chilling of Student Artistic Speech in (two students) the Post-Columbine Era, 8 N.Y. CITY U.S. Department of Justice (three students) L. REV. 123 (2005) U.S. District Court (SDNY), Pro Se Office Jota Borgmann, Article, Hunting U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Expeditions: Perverting Substantive Commission (two students) Due Process and Undermining Sexual Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Privacy in the Pursuit of Moral Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs Trophy Game, 15 UCLA WOMEN’S L.J. (forthcoming 2006) CUNY Graduate Fellowships: Revson Fellowship Recipients - front row, left to Erin Lloyd, Article, From the Hospital to right: Rosanna Roizin (1L), Dawn Philip (2L), Jennifer David Palmer, 3L, Jeni Wright, 3L, and the Court Room: A Statutory Proposal Ganata (2L), Jessica Reed (2L), Elana Redfield (1L); for Recognizing and Protecting the second row, Annie DeChung (1L), Pat Tynan, Career Hollis Pfitsch, ’05, (featured in the Student Planning Office Manager, Sam Sue, Director of Career and Alumni/ae profiles) join other CUNY Legal Rights of Intersex Children, 12 Planning, Yasmin Tabi (2L), Stephanie McGregor, As- graduates who started their legal careers CARDOZO WOMEN’S L.J. (forthcoming sociate Director of Career Planning; third row: Shelly- with a fellowship that enabled them to tailor 2006) Ann Quilty (1L), Annie Syed (1L), Jodi Hawkins (1L), their practice to the needs of the community Ellen Ruth Magid, Note, Will There be Rebecca Greenberg (1L), Gurpal Singh (1L), Angelina they hoped to serve. (This list contains only a Freeze on Cold Hits? Safeguarding Ongkeko (1L), Amanda Allen (1L) Joshua Esptein (2L), those fellowships awarded since 2000.) Ashley Grant (1L), and Tiane Patterson (1L). the Constitutionality of DNA Ann Cammet, ’00, at Women’s Law & Public Collection Statutes, 8 N.Y. CITY L. Among the employers for our students’ Policy Fellowship Program, Domestic REV. 185 (2005) Summer 2006 internships/jobs are: Violence Clinic, Georgetown University law Center Hollis Pfitsch, Article, Homosexuality Administration for Children’s Services Paul Garlinghouse, ’00, Equal Justice Works in Constitutional and Asylum Law: AFL-CIO Fellow, Connecticut Legal Services Rhetoric of Acts and Identity, 15 L. & AIDS Center of Queens County Keith Miller, ’00, Equal Justice Works Fellow, SEXUALITY ( 2005) Asian American Legal Defense and Education Legal Aid Society, Bronx Neighborhood Katerina Semyonova, Note, In the Fund Office Big House with the Good Book: An Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Lisa Winter, ’00, Equal Justice Works Fellow, Examination of the Constitutionality Carter Ledyard & Milburn Center for Disability Advocacy Rights, Inc. of Faith-Based Prisons, 8 N.Y. CITY L. Center for Death Penalty Litigation Heather Betz, ’01, Echoing Green Fellow, REV. 209 (2005) Children’s Law Center Lesbian and Gay Refugee Advocacy Project Nasoan Sheftel-Gomez, Article, Your CONNECT-Legal Advocacy Program (NYC) Sandra Munoz, ’01, Equal Justice Works Revolution: The Federal Communi- CUNY Office of General Counsel Fellow, InMotion cations Commission, Obscenity and DC 37 Anya Mukarji-Connolly, ’02, Equal Justice the Chilling of Artistic Expression on D.C. Public Defender Works Fellow, Urban Justice Center, Radio Airwaves, CARDOZO ARTS & ENT. HIV Law Project Lesbian and Gay Youth Project L.J. (forthcoming 2006) Human Rights First Andrea Rodriquez, ’02, Equal Justice Works Innocence Project Fellow, Northern Manhattan Improvement Rita J. Verga, Article, An Advocate’s Judge Ronald Ellis, U.S. District Court (SDNY) Corporation Toolkit: Using Criminal “Theft of Judge Margaret Parisi-McGowan, Housing Kavita Pawria, ’03, Soros Community Service” Laws to Enforce Workers’ Court, Queens County Development Fellow, DRUM Rights to be Paid, 8 N.Y. CITY L. REV. Judge Sterling Johnson, U.S. District Court Natasha Johnson-Lashley, ’04, Equal Justice 283 (2005) (EDNY) Works Fellow, Sanctuary for Families Sanja Zgonjanin, Article, No Child Left Kings County District Attorney’s Office (two Carrie Miller, ’04, Equal Justice Works students) (Behind) Unrecruited, CONN. PUB. INT. Fellow, South Brooklyn Legal Services L.J. (forthcoming Spring 2006) LAMBDA-GLBT Legal Defense Fund Alexis Danzig, ’05, and Megan Dorton, ’05,

22 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine clinicscolumn Main Street Legal Services Docket

Life goes on…even during spring break. The clinics are busy working on cases for clients whose lives do not neatly fit the semester timeline.

ne case, pending in Immigration Court, dismiss, argued many sophisticated points including involved a client seeking a suspension a cause of action based on tortious interference of Oof deportation based upon special rules a right to an education where their client, a woman developed for victims of domestic violence. This who was trafficked to the U.S., was not allowed to client has been represented by eight students over go to school. four years: the first group of students did research and documentation; another group of interns filed What goes around comes around…one of the and won a motion to reopen the case after new legal rewards of being a clinical teacher is the opportunity provisions created a remedy; and current clinic to meet our alumni/ae practicing in New York City students prepared the case for hearing. When the courts. For example, recently, I ran into Evelyn judge granted the suspension of deportation, the Tucker, ’90, and Lisa Reiner, ’90, in Immigration client cried tears of joy and gratitude. This year’s Court. Lisa was able to give us some advice about the students accepted her hugs and thanks on behalf of judge we were about to appear before. Evelyn, who all the clinic students who have worked on this case recently left GMHC to open a firm with Shoshanna over the years. Malett, ’90, agreed to come to a clinic class and talk to us about HIV-positive and LGBT clients whom Spring break also found the Battered Women’s they are representing on asylum claims. It is always Right Clinic students working on a complicated a pleasure to introduce the current students to our custody and support case involving multiple juris- grads who are successfully living the Law School’s dictions. They prepared their client for a deposition mission. that occurred via a telephone hook-up in the clinic. Immigrant and Refugee Rights students were So, as we wind down the work of the semester here filing briefs and a motion to the Bureau of and this year’s clinic students prepare to graduate, Immigration Appeals and working late into the I look forward to meeting them in court next year night on TRO papers for a Fair Labor Standards Act and introducing them to the new group of clinic case. The International Women’s Human Rights students. students were appreciating the lull that comes after – Sue Bryant filing a significant brief in a case and waiting for the reply. The brief, a 45-page response to a motion to

A Special ‘Thanks’ to the Class of 2005

The faculty, staff, and interns of Main Street Legal Services wish to thank the Class of 2005 for their generous class gift. We purchased three Fujitsu scanners, so we are now able to electronically file court papers, upload course materials to the clinic web course on Lexis, and scan closed case files for archiving. Through your generosity and support, the Clinic is operating more efficiently and effectively. Thank you!

Spring 2006 | 23 cunyviewsinprint

We hope “CUNY Views in Print” becomes a regular feature where we will reprint published opinion pieces by CUNY Law faculty, students and alums. If you have published an opinion piece that you would like to see reprinted here, please send us a copy. Military Matters Professor Ruthann Robson

Reprinted with permission from the November 2005 issue of OUT Magazine (c) 2005 LPI Media. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited.

Legal expert Ruthann Robson explains the surprising implications of the gay rights case that comes before the Supreme Court next month.

arguing that the case is about the which had little compunction about telling military and the government’s power of African-American, female, or Jewish the purse, and the challengers arguing candidates that they might not “fit in” or that this case is a classic infringement of “be compatible with clients” despite those the freedoms of speech and association. candidates’ stellar law school academic Even understanding the case’s basics, records. never mind arguing its details with friends, requires a road map. You might be able to imagine a country in which the military homosexual exclusion The starting point is the military’s policy and a law school prohibition of he United States Supreme Court is prohibition against homosexuality. It’s the discrimination policy might coexist. But set to deliver another judgment on infamous “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the United States is not that country. The Tthe issue of gay rights. With oral which provides that homosexuality is government argues that an all-volunteer arguments in Rumsfeld v. FAIR set for the incompatible with military service. The military must actively recruit, including at beginning of December, a decision could military code also criminalizes sodomy, law schools. The military needs lawyers. come anytime after that. If the past is any both same-sex and opposite-sex. The And not just to prosecute service members indication, the court will probably wait original defendant is Donald Rumsfeld, the for violating its prohibitions against sodomy for Gay Pride Month in June to make its secretary of Defense, but Rumsfeld v. FAIR (including heterosexual) and homosexuality pronouncement. is not a direct challenge to the military’s (including marrying a person of the same But is this complex case really about policy, which has been upheld by the lower sex). The military’s lawyers have even gay rights? And what rights, exactly? courts, ruling that deference to the military represented “unlawful enemy combatants” trumps claims of privacy. The Supreme against the military itself, and won. Maybe you’ve heard that the case is Court has never reviewed those decisions. about gays in the military, or about law From the law schools’ perspective, schools, or about free speech, or about Now turn left into the land of univer- if any other potential employer said “We discrimination, or even about the congres- sities, and more specifically, law schools. won’t hire your graduates if we do not sional “power of the purse.” If you’ve Most academic institutions. as well as the like their sexual orientation,” it would be heard all those things, you’ve heard right. Association of American Law Schools banned from the placement facilities. It But trying to figure out how a gay rights (which is not a party to this case), have seemed only fair to apply the same policy case is about all those issues is daunting. policies that prohibit discrimination on the to the military, as many queer activists on The FAIR case is no Lawrence v. Texas, in basis of race, sex, and other categories, campuses throughout the country pointed which the court declared unconstitutional including sexual orientation. These policies out. Texas’s sodomy law that criminalized apply to the admissions process, as well as same-sex sexual expression. Instead, FAIR to career counseling and placement. As a The path taken by many law schools seems to have more kinds of laws involved result, employers who discriminate are not did not please the military and reportedly than there are ways of being “queer.” permitted to recruit on campus. In fact, the infuriated some members of Congress. military was not the original focus of these When the federal government is not pleased, Further, there are disputes about what policies. Rather, they were aimed at law laws should apply, with the government firms like “White, Male, and Protestant,” continued on page 26

24 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine To Profit or Not to Profit Tally Goldstein (3L)

Reprinted with permission from the Summer 2005 edition of the Minority Law Journal (c) 2005 ALM Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited.

Irina Rodriguez is black, Puerto Meanwhile, the percentage of minority Rican, and the first person in her family to graduates going into private practice grew pursue a post-high school education She from 43.5 percent to 50.2 percent. decided to attend City University of New More than 20 years ago, Jeh Charles York School of Law to become a public Johnson faced the same choice that defender, motivated by the experience of Rodriquez faces today. “I was of two witnessing security guards harass black minds,” says Johnson, 47, of his choice to friends and family members. “It’s such a enter private practice. Johnson, an African huge contribution to the community. It’s American, now a partner at Paul, Weiss, a noble thing.” Rodriguez says of lawyers Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, entered who commit themselves to careers in public Columbia Law School in 1979 with the interest law. intention of joining the nonprofit sector but But last summer Rodriquez, 28, found he could not resist the temptation interned at an antitrust boutique in New of the white-shoe life. “It’s a big suction York. Afterward the firm offered her a cup,” he says. A group of fellow minority permanent position as an associate once she students, he notes, had planned on “working graduates and a starting salary she would for the public good,” but also ended up in probably never see as a nonprofit attorney. traditional corporate positions. The inner The ideology and culture of corporate law (On average, law school graduates who conflict doesn’t end even after the choice can be intimidating and alien to minorities, take public interest jobs make $37,500 is made, Jeh Johnson says: “As successful Andrews says, because “minorities haven’t starting out, compared to $80,000 in African Americans, we all want to feel like habitually engaged with that world in a private practice, according to the National we haven’t sold out.” positive way. And racism, of course is the Association for Law Placement.) But James Johnson, a black lawyer who subtext.” Corporate law offers the lure of With family obligations on her mind, was undersecretary of the U.S. Department money, status, and power, but minorities Rodriguez says she is likely to take the of the Treasury before becoming a partner must also consider their opportunities for job after she graduates next year. She is, at New York’s Debevoise & Plimpton, advancement in an environment notorious however, clearly uncomfortable admitting says that any position of power, whether for its lack of racial diversity. it. Her conflict is not unique. On the basis private or public interest, can strain an In the nonprofit sector, Andrews says, of their experience as people of color, many attorney’s ties to the minority community. minority attorneys may feel a significantly minority attorneys feel a strong, personal “People may question your authenticity larger emotional comfort zone, as well as motivation to do public interest work. Yet because of the position you’ve risen to,” he larger personal connection to the issues. the also feel pressure—which, ironically, says. “They may question whether you’re However, they must also contend with the often comes from within the minority still connected to the community and to widespread, unstated belief that nonprofit community—to “make it” by taking more the issues that affect people who are less work “isn’t real lawyering, and that the lucrative work in the private sector. successful.” Johnson, who is 44 says that mark of a successful lawyer is measured Overall, minority law school graduates he tries to maintain that connection through by the amount of money he or she makes,” are more likely to take jobs in the public serving on the board of nonprofits such as she says. the Brennan Center for Justice at New York interest sector or government than white “Ironically, minorities in top corporate University School of Law and Hale House graduates, according to NALP research. positions in the white world are often Center, Inc., a New York-based center for Over the past 20 years, however, the the ones held up as role models in their children in need. (Jeh Johnson and James percentage of minority graduates who go respective communities,” Jeh Johnson Johnson are not related.) into public interest or government jobs has says, “while the talented minority lawyer declined. In 1982, 7.4 percent of newly No matter which path minority lawyers who devotes herself to the community does minted minority lawyers took public interest choose, they often face an uneasy trade- not receive the attention and praise that is jobs, and 21 percent took government jobs. off, says CUNY associate professor Penny deserved.” By 2003, those percentages had slid to 4.8 Andrews, a South African human rights percent and 15.3 percent, respectively. expert who identifies herself as “colored.” continued on page 27

Spring 2006 | 25 continued from page 24 Law schools, understandably, yielded court in times of war and national security to such pressure, although there were concerns has been conservative when it it has many ways to express its displeasure, many confabs, conferences, and calls comes to individual rights, including free the chief way being money. The power discussing the ramifications and contours speech. In this case, the end of the road of the purse includes the ability to attach of the various incarnations of the statutes will likely lead to the military’s wishes. strings. Basically, the federal government and policies, as well as much lobbying of The end of the road might lead to the court says: If you want some of my money, you Congress. Yet, law schools being full of interpreting the military’s wishes as the must do as I say—but, of course, it’s your lawyers, a lawsuit was inevitable. FAIR, final say. choice. If you got an allowance at age the Forum for Academic and Institutional 12, you understand the basic idea. And if Rights (an association of some law schools Yet, even with the mantra of deference you’re 15 now and enduring abstinence- and law faculty; individual students and to the military, the court risks declaring until-marriage sex education, or 19 now faculty members; and other organizations), that the message of antihomosexuality is and cannot legally consume alcoholic brought an action arguing their First entitled to more protection than the message beverages, or now a lesbian mother on Amendment rights to free speech and free of equality and tolerance. What’s good for welfare who is being enrolled in classes to association were being violated. the Boy Scouts and the St. Patrick’s Day help you learn how to “keep a man,” you parade organizers should be good for the are experiencing the effects of Congress’s Enter the Boy Scouts, and clear the law schools. power to pull the strings on purses full of streets for the St Patrick’s Day parade. You Win or lose, however, it is important funds for education, highway maintenance, might recall those cases (from 2000 and to remember that litigation is only one and the amelioration of children’s poverty, 1995, respectively), in which the Supreme strategy of activism. As Professor Porier respectively. Court held that the Boy Scouts could exclude a gay scoutmaster and Boston’s notes, a benefit of the FAIR suit has been So, the government decided to impose St Patrick’s Day parade organizers could to stimulate organizing support for LGBT a cost for disagreeing with it. It wasn’t exclude the city’s Irish LGBT group, issues at law schools, including drawing the first time Congress had to defend the despite state laws that prohibited discrimi- attention to the military’s policy of banning military against campus radicals: During nation on the basis of sexual orientation. homosexuality. Another strategy, advocated the Vietnam War the government curtailed The Boy Scouts had a message of clean by law professor Diane Mazur, is to promote funds to colleges and universities if their living, and the St Patrick’s Day parade had constructive engagement with the military, antiwar activism included being less a message of Irishness, and the organi- rather than seeking to exclude it, in order to than hospitable to military presence or zations had a First Amendment right to exert necessary civilian control. recruiting. Congress followed the same determine that having gay people in their If you’re seeking to infuse your strategy to combat gay rights activism, midst compromised those messages. activism with a little fun, there is always passing an amendment to the Defense the spectacle of the LGBT students lining Appropriations Bill of 1995. Known as You can probably imagine the up for their appointments during military the Solomon Amendment for its sponsor argument on behalf of FAIR: Law schools recruitment on campus (dressed for high (Gerald Solomon, then a Republican have a message of equality, justice, and drama, if not success), complete with representative from New York), there is antidiscrimination, and we have a First buttons or T-shirts emblazoned I AM A GAY nothing Solomonic, in the sense of wise Amendment right to determine that having AMERICAN and offering invitations to the compromise, in its provisions. At its most the military, with its ban on homo sexuality, local queer bar. draconian, the law requires the withholding compromises our message. of all federal funds (including federally The path to the courthouse was clear. We might as well enjoy our journey to guaranteed student loans and grants, FAIR’s argument failed to convince the liberation. although this was later changed) to all trial court but swayed the appellate court, parts of any university should any “sub- which rendered a decision in favor of element” of a university, such as a law FAIR. The fact that the Supreme Court school, fail to provide equal treatment to took review may not be a good sign: Many military recruiters. For example, say a law court watchers and constitutional scholars school allows the military to interview only think FAIR’s chances of success are not at the offices of the university’s veteran’s high, whether or not a new justice or two association, not the placement office at the is sitting on the court. Seton Hall law law school where other potential employers professor Marc Porier, who has been active interview. It’s then possible that other parts in combating the Solomon Amendment, of the university would be penalized—the fears the court will defer to the military. medical school, for example, could forfeit Certainly in the present climate this fear all of its federal grants for researching is more than justified; the history of the AIDS, cancer, and heart disease.

26 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine continued from page 25 States, in which the U.S. Supreme Court but it’s real.” Asian Americans may be upheld a law that sanctioned the impris- considered, “the model minority,” but they Sin Yen Ling, a staff attorney with onment of citizens and residents based hit the same glass ceilings in corporate the Asian American Legal Defense and solely on their race. law, just as African Americans and Latinos Education Fund (AALDEF), said her “CUNY gave me insight and access do, he says. Choi adds that he was also parents did not initially support her decision motivated by the notable lack of Korean to pursue a public interest career. In Asian to a place like AALDEF,” Ling said. “And when I finally got access, the light bulb lawyers doing community-based public American communities, says Ling, “there interest work and found that, for once, is a pressure to go into for-profit, a pressure clicked on.” That same light bulb also clicked on for Ling’s parents, who are now his minority status actually worked to his to make money, and a pressure to do all that advantage. is conventionally expected of an attorney.” “very supportive” of her career in nonprofit Many Asian immigrants come to the United law. “They began to realize why I chose the Melanca Clark, an African American States for its economic opportunities and career I chose,” she said. “They came full attorney who is also a Skadden Fellow, says want to see their children excel financially, circle.” that her parents job that every time she gets she says—and parents will ask themselves By contrast, Korean American Steven a new job, she cuts her salary in half. In the where they went wrong if their children Choi, 29, had his parents’ blessing to three years since she graduated from law decide to pursue a career in nonprofit law. pursue a career in nonprofit law—largely school, Clark, 30, has worked for a private because they were delighted he graduated firm, a judge, and now the NAACP Legal But Ling felt strongly drawn to a Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. career in public interest law. Growing up, from Harvard Law School. He is currently she worked behind the cash register at her a Skadden Fellow and advocate for Korean “It can be particularly hard for a parents’ Chinese restaurant and regularly workers’ rights with AALDEF and the minority to walk away from six figures,” heard customers grumble, “I don’t YKASEC-Empowering the Korean- she says. “At the same time, minority understand why they’re here. They don’t American Community. students often have a strong sense to do speak English.” At CUNY Law School she “My identity as an Asian American something related to social and racial became interested in the history of World and a Korean American [is] why I’m doing justice.” Following through on that desire, War II Japanese internment camps and what I’m doing,” he says. “The discrimi- Clark says “is almost a gift to myself.” such famous cases as Korematsu v. United nation against Asian Americans is subtle, – Tally Goldstein (3L)

New York City Law Review Symposium—“Who Profits from Non-Profits?” On March 3, 2006, the New York City Law Review hosted an all-day symposium which focused on the major legal topics that affect non-profit organi- zations: “The Regulatory Scheme and its Enforcement;” “‘Privatizing’ the Public Sector;” and “Regulation for the Future.” Speakers included Robert Pigott of the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, Commissioner Jeanne Mullgrave of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, Cliff Perlman, ’87, Karen Goldstein of the Vera Institute for Justice, Rebekah Diller of the Brennan Institute, CUNY’s own Professor Julie Goldscheid, and Kathleen McCarthy from the Center of Philanthropy and Civil Society. In addition, Dana Neasu, Eduardo Capulong, ’91, and CUNY Professor Natalie Gomez-Velez presented their papers—to be included in the symposium issue—on critical government theory, unionization of non-profit organization workers and government contract procurement. Professor Jim Fishman of Pace Law gave a lively talk on the myths and realities of the non-profit sector from a historical perspective in his keynote address. Interim Dean Bilek gave the opening remarks and Professors Dinesh Khosla, Debbie Zalesne and Jenny Rivera each moderated a panel. The Law Review Board anticipates publication of the symposium issue this summer. The event was sponsored in part by the CUNY School of Law Foundation.

Spring 2006 | 27 Photo Gallery: Reunion for the classes of 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2004.

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.

10. 11. 12.

Class of ’90: 1. Cynthia LaCaprucia and Helen Fried. 2. Group photo. 3. Lisa Reiner Sotelo and her husband. Class of ’95: 4. Theresa Hughes, Norma Francullo and Donna Axel. 5. Group photo. Class of ’00: 6. Professor Frank Deale, Brenda Okasi and Steve Okasi. 7. Hallie Rubin-Gaines and her husband. 8. Paula Bosco and Profesor Rosaria Vigorito. 9. Group photo. Class of ’04: 10. Edwin Acosta-Diaz and Profesor Rick Rossein. 11. Chris McEvilley, Adam Meyer, guest, Farhid Sedaghat-pour, Jennifer Bai and Natasha Johnson-Lashley. 12. Elisa Fischer, David Nadvorney, ’86, and Sosimo Fabian. 13. Group photo 13. 14. 14. Carrie Miller, Dana Northcraft and Dawn Barker.

28 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine alumni/aecolumn Missing Alums Can you please help us reconnect with our missing Alums? If you know where any of these people are, or even if you have a lead as to how we can find them, please get in touch Many of my classmates used to tease with the Alumni/ae Office at 718-340-4386 or me, saying they knew I wouldn’t be alumnioffi[email protected]. Thanks! able to leave CUNY School of Law Class of 1986 upon graduation. Well, I guess they Danielle Baechle were right! Naomi Barchas Price Alvin Barksdale Jane Berger fter graduating in the fall of our supportive environment—which Frank Cocozzilli ’04, I accepted an interim sets us apart from so many other law Susan Fink Aposition at the law school schools. Every time I attend student Angela Greene as the Acting Alumni/ae Director. events, I am floored by the quality Gregory Lenert Almost two years later, I find myself of the guests, the students’ engaging John Merola still at the law school maintaining questions and, most of all, their Nancy Perlman our alumni/ae connections and unwillingness to accept the status working on fundraising projects quo. I can’t wait for them to go out Class of 1991 while keeping track of past successes in the world and make a difference. John Beloch Stephen Chan and brainstorming for the years No longer a student, now an Martin Cohen ahead. The most challenging aspect administrator, I constantly run into Fidelina Escoto of this position is that there is always alums who tell me how excited they Barbara Goux so much more that could be done, are when they meet other CUNY William Jacobs but only 24 hours in a day! Many alums in courts, bar association Mary Kronenberger of my classmates used to tease me, meetings, and networking events. Michael Lockworth saying they knew I wouldn’t be able It’s heartening to see that the Norman Newman to leave CUNY Law School upon supportive environment nurtured by Rocco Tricarico graduation. Well, I guess they were the law school is carried with us as Angela Vaughan right! alums. It is a pleasure and joy to be Although I take great pride in able to connect present students with Class of 1996 our accomplishments these past two alums and, even more so, to hear Robert Di Padova years, and the service I’ve been able stories from recent graduates who Stephen Kyprianides to provide the law school, I will be find mentors in our alums. Anthony Mansfield leaving this position in August when I hope you all stay connected! Peter Padovano I begin my clerkship for Magistrate Julie Pozza Judge James Francis. I will miss the – Debbora Gerressu, ’04 Roland Stokes law school’s environment—with our Jessica Toussaint incredible students with their vision, Barbara Wainwright enthusiasm, and drive, our inspiring and committed faculty members, and Class of 2001 John Majowka Shantel Rodriguez

stay connected. keep in touch. we want to hear from you.

Spring 2006 | 29 Remembering Luis DeGraffe: Law Professor, Mentor to Aspiring Attorneys of Color: 1949-2005 Reprinted from SALT Equalizer, December 2005.

uis Jorge DeGraffe, Professor of honors on the CUNY Law faculty, including a Reginald Heber Smith Community Law at the City University of New a William Fulbright Fellowship to teach Lawyer Fellowship to work as a lawyer LYork School of Law (CUNY), U.S. Constitutional Law in El Salvador at Brooklyn Legal Services in East New died suddenly on the early evening of in 1994, and the Distinguished Professor York, a community-based legal services August 8th. He was 56 years old. Professor Award for Excellence in Teaching from program in one of the nation’s poorest DeGraffe had spent the day teaching at the CUNY School of Law graduating neighborhoods. His romance with Third World Orientation, an academic classes of 1999 and 2002. He published teaching began during this period, when empowerment skills program he founded articles in the Seton Hall Law School he conducted workshops on tenants’ rights for students of color entering the first year Legislative Journal, the New England for several community groups. He later He was of study at the school. Law School Journal on Criminal and Civil taught at the College for Human Services the kind He had organized the Confinement, and the Syracuse Law Review. and the Urban Legal Studies Program of of lawyer program for seventeen Professor DeGraffe was also an institution the City College of New York where he that I want consecutive years. builder within the law school, establishing was a Charles H. Revson Fellow. Prior to to be and Professor the Academic Empowerment Program joining the CUNY Law faculty, Professor the kind of DeGraffe had taught known to generations of students as Third DeGraffe served as Director of Education friend that at CUNY Law since World Orientation, and the Interamerican at the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and everyone 1984, the school’s Comparative Law Program, the first Education Fund. should be. second year, and was academic exchange program for students Jocelyn Greene, CUNY Law Class an ideal fit for the between a U.S. law school and Cuba’s law of 2006, captured the essence of students’ only ABA-accredited school at the University of Havana. impressions of Professor DeGraffe. “He law school with the organizational mission Professor DeGraffe’s special passion was a caring and kind human being. He to train public interest and public service was for mentoring and empowering students was the kind of lawyer that I want to be lawyers. Michael Olivas, Director of the of color who aspire to careers in the law. At and the kind of friend that everyone should Institute for Higher Education Law at the the time of his death, Professor DeGraffe be. In any of his classes, you could, have University of Houston, noted that Professor was not only leading the CUNY Law mistaken him for a Lamaze coach with his DeGraffe was one of the senior Latino law students who were running the week-long ‘C’mon people, stay with me, just, a little professors in the United States, and among Third World Orientation, but he was simul- more!’” the first of Puerto Rican and African- taneously organizing the first “LawBound Professor DeGraffe’s early leading American descent. Summer Academy” for the Puerto Rican role in mentoring aspiring law students “Professor DeGraffe was an inspired Legal Defense and Education Fund of color was honored at the Ninth Annual and inspiring teacher,” commented CUNY (PRLDEF) to take place the next week. National Latina/o Law Student Association Law Interim Dean Mary Lu Bilek. “He LawBound’s goal is to identify, motivate Conference held at American University in was a mentor to hundreds of students over and prepare Latino college students for a Washington, D.C. on October 22nd. the years, treating them with unequivocal career in the legal profession by becoming competitive law school applicants. Professor DeGraffe lived in Brooklyn. respect, unwavering faith in their ability He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth to succeed, unquestioning support, and LawBound Summer Academy was a “next step” in Professor DeGraffe’s mentoring Dickinson, and two young sons, Jamaal unflagging insistence on excellence. His and Khalil. Jamaal and Khalil joined their professionalism and generosity, as well work at PRLDEF, where he had launched an annual Law Day, held each year since father when he taught at the Council on as his steadfast efforts to bring students Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) from communities underrepresented in 1983, and where he regularly volunteered his time helping students of color develop “Attitude is Essential” Summer Law the profession into law school and to the Institute in Atlanta this summer and, as bar; not only benefited the law school, but their personal essay, a critical component of law school application packages. often was the case, were both planning scores of clients who otherwise would not their future college and basketball careers have had access to justice who are now Professor DeGraffe was a member with their Pop the day before he passed being served by the students he taught and of Antioch Law School’s founding class away. Also surviving Professor DeGraffe encouraged.” in 1975, an institutional forerunner to are four siblings and his mother. Professor DeGraffe attained academic CUNY Law. Upon graduation he received

30 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine First Biennial Haywood Burns Conference on Law and Policy n Friday, March 24, 2006 over 250 practitioners and students attended the conference on Critical Consequences of Criminalization on Communities of Color at the Law OSchool. Burns Chair Paula Johnson delivered the keynote address. The day also included special tributes to Dean Haywood Burns, Professor Shanara Gilbert and Professor Luis DeGraffe. Speakers included: Jeffrion Aubrey, New York State Assembly Member, 35th AD of Queens County Raquel Batista, Director, Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigration Rights Angela Burton, Professor, Juvenile Rights, CUNY School of Law Ann Cammett, ’00, Reentry Policy Fellow, New Jersey Public Policy Institute Juan Cartagena, General Counsel, Community Service Society Annette Dickinson, Director, Prison Telephone Justice Campaign Hon. Ronald Ellis, United States Magistrate Judge, SDNY Davim Horowitz, ’05, Social Justice Fellow, Research Center for Leadership in Action-NYU/Wagner, Sylvia Rivera Law Project Donna Hae Kyun Lee, CUNY School of Law Haywood Burns Rickke Mananzala, Campaign Coordinator, FIERCE Glenn Martin, Co-Director, Legal Action Network, National H.I.R.E Network Florence Morgan, Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society Vivian Nixon, Soros Fellow, Project ReEnter Grace Kathy O’Boyle, Deputy Director, Center for Community Alternatives Anthony Papa, Author, Fifteen Years to Life, Rockefeller Drug Laws Katya Plotnik, ’94, Lawyer, Immigration & Criminal Convictions Jaya Vasadani, Associate Director, Women’s Prison Project Christina Voight, Prison Expansion/Sentencing Reform, Soros Foundation Marsha Weissman, Executive Director, Center for Community Alternatives

The workshops included: (1) Ethics and Discretion in the Criminal Justice System: Focusing on ethical considerations of authority and discretionary decision making by judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys, facilitated by Professor Gail Gray. Left to right: 2005-06 Haywood Burns Chairholder in Civil Rights Paula (2) State and National Consequences of the Prison Industrial Complex: Johnson, Michael Oppenheimer (3L), Professor Gail Gray, Professor Focusing on the growth and conditions of adult and juvenile prisons Donna Lee, Professor Jeffrey Kirchmeier, and Maggie Williams, Direc- in the U.S., as well as the impact of the Rockefeller Drug Laws and its tor, Voter Enfranchisement Project, Bronx Defenders. current state of law, facilitated by Professor Jeffrey Kirchmeier. (3) Diversity, Intersectionality and Effects of the CJS on Communities of Color: Focusing on concerns of women, youth, members of disability communities, and LGBT communities with regard to their experiences in the criminal justice system, facilitated by Professor David Nadvorney. 4) Consequences on Families, Spouses/Significant Others and Support Systems: Focusing on impact of criminalization on incarcerated persons and their families, including custody issues, social services and economic needs/concerns, facilitated by Professor Maria Arias. (5) Civil Liberties and International Human Rights: Focusing on the national and international consequences of the PATRIOT Act and related legislation, facilitated by Professor Penelope Andrews. (6) Social Services and Community-Based Activism: Focusing on the social justice activism of community-based organizations and the responsibilities of social services agencies, facilitated by Professor Shirley Lung.

Left to right: Burns Chairholder Paula Johnson, NYS As- The Law School would like to thank all our faculty, staff, and students (particularly sembly Member Jeffrion Aubrey, and Interim Dean Mary members of Law Equality and Policy and the student speakers) for making this Lu Bilek. conference a huge success.

Spring 2006 | 31 Class of 1986 the electronic surveillance program that Hudson Valley (LSHV) for the last 2 ½ husband had this third child in honor of has been in place since 2002, following years, lives in Cornwall, NY with his their sons, Harry and Hector, who were Don’t forget your reunion! an order by President Bush to monitor wife of 15 years, Rhonda Shary, and killed in the Dominican Republic on th notes Details on page 39. the telephone and email communi- their daughter, Sylvie, who is now a the 4 of July, 2004. Diana is currently cations of people inside the U.S. with freshman in high school. the Director of Administration at Pico Ben-Amotz is the supervisor persons abroad. The lawsuit was filed Manhattan Legal Services. She works of the General Labor Section of the on behalf of a group of prominent Jerrice Duckette Epps, formerly two days in its Harlem office and two NYS Attorney General’s Office Labor journalists, scholars, attorneys, and Miller, was appointed Deputy Director days in its John Street office. Although Bureau. His ties to CUNY Law are class non-profit organizations. of the Westchester County Human very busy, those who know Diana may renewed every fall when he supervises Rights Commission in fall 2005. To remember that she thrives on multi- several of our Equality Concentration Carol Turowski, who relocated to find out more about the Commission, tasking! students. Charlotte, NC in late 2004, is the please visit www.westchestergov.com. Director of the Consumer Protection Class of 1991 When Susan M. Jones died suddenly Program at Legal Services of Southern Cindy Hounsell, founder of Women’s less than a year after graduation, Piedmont, Inc. Combating predatory Institute for a Secure Retirement Don’t forget your reunion! Russ Haven established a Fellowship lending and other scams designed to (WISER), will be honored in New York Details on page 39. Fund in her honor to benefit students bilk low-income families out of their City on May 16 as one of Women’s who (like Susan) have a commitment st Clare D. Cortez has been working homes requires a range of lawyering eNews “21 Leaders for the 21 Century to women’s civil, constitutional and as a history teacher at Humanities skills: litigation (both defending - 2006.” international human rights. Lara High School in Manhattan. She has against foreclosure and prosecuting); Rabiee (3L), who received the 2005 Cynthia B. Knox recently two children, Gabriel, 14, and Yuri, 7 community outreach; including Jones Fellowship, spent last summer resigned after eight years as the months. She remarried on December 3, financial literacy seminars; and working in Iran with an NGO, Women Director of the Bronx AIDS Service 2004, and, with her husband, is in the networking with other agencies to Living Under Muslim Law, doing Legal Advocacy Program to assume process of buying a music school that advocate for systemic change. research on issues arising from Iran’s the position of Deputy Director of has been in Brooklyn since 1947. recent reforms of marriage and divorce the People Living with HIV/AIDS Class of 1988 Kim Knowles is now the Water Policy law. (PLWHA) Law Project. She is now Cate Dolan was recently appointed working with Tracy Welsh, ’91, and a Coordinator for the Missouri Coalition Suzanne Sangree is the Appellate President of the Backstretch Employee dedicated team of advocates to address for the Environment in St. Louis, Advocacy Director of the Public Service Team (B.E.S.T), a non-profit direct legal advocacy needs of PLWHA Missouri. Justice Center (PJC), a civil rights, organization serving barn area workers as well as impact litigation and policy Rita A. Marcus, who has worked anti-poverty, non-profit law firm in at Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga initiatives. at Legal Services of Northwest New Baltimore, MD. She works closely Springs racetracks. B.E.S.T. provides Jersey since 1990, received the Donna with Ricardo Flores, ’99, who is the Careen Shannon is Of Counsel to social services, including: health Hildreth Award in November “for PJC’s Director of Public Policy. You the law firm of Fragomen, Del Rey, insurance; substance abuse, alcohol outstanding contributions to statewide can learn more about their work at Bernsen & Loewy, the world’s largest and mental health counseling; on-site training. . .for the expertise and skill www.publicjustice.org. primary care clinics; and recreational law firm specializing in immigration law. She is also an Adjunct Professor of [she brought] to Family Law training… Class of 1987 programs for some 3,000 grooms, and for inspiring others to achieve hot-walkers and others working in the Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she teaches an upper-level excellence in their work.” In May, Frank Alberti will be handling backstretch. Many are recent immigrants elective in immigration law. Careen child abuse and neglect proceedings who work seven-day weeks for low Rebecca A. Sheehan is Legislative travels frequently around the globe but for the Family Court Bureau of the wages, caretaking the thoroughbred Counsel to New York City Council otherwise is still happily living in the Suffolk County Attorney’s Office. horses that are the backbone of New Member Tony Avella, who was York’s $16 billion racing industry. The Park Slope section of Brooklyn. reelected for the next four-year term. Bryan Frankel, who is relocating to program management and fundraising Class of 1990 Council Member Avella represents the Vermont in the summer, is looking for skills Cate developed in her prior jobs 19th Council District covering northeast someone to take over his elder law at The First Amendment Center, The Irene Baldwin and her husband, Mike Queens; he is the Chair of the Zoning & and estate planning practice in Suffolk September 11th Fund, and the United McGrath, have two little girls—Grace, Franchises Committee. County. If you are interested, call Way of New York City will, no doubt, age 6, and Lucy, age 2. Irene is the Douglas LeRose at 631-777-2358. all come in handy. Executive Director of the Association Class of 1992 for Neighborhood & Housing Vineet Kohli, who works in the Natalia Antrobus is working as a James Lawrence, Nassau County Development (ANHD), a membership General Counsel’s Office of Merck & staff attorney in the Immigration Police Commissioner, is one of six organization of 90 NYC neigh- Co., Inc. (NJ), was recently promoted Department at 32B-J Legal Fund. She’s police chiefs from across the country borhood housing groups that promotes to Assistant Patent Counsel. He happy when her caseload is under 200! chosen to help rebuild New Orleans’ progressive housing policies and continues to teach Patent Law as an Natalie has two children—Olivia who Police Department. programs, with a special emphasis on Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall Law is in the third grade and Adrian who is poor and working class communities. School. Jeffrey Malkan’s article, “What is a in kindergarten. Copy?,” appeared in the Fall 2005 issue ANHD has just released a study called, For the past eight years, Ruth Lippin of the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment “The Making of A Movement…Trans- Daniel Belardinelli was recently has been in private practice as a Law Journal. Jeff is the Director of the forming Housing in New York City.” A interviewed for the A&E documentary, therapist on the Upper West Side, Legal Research & Writing program at copy of this study can be downloaded “I Missed Flight 93,” which is based on using a cognitive-behavorial approach SUNY Buffalo. from its website at www.anhd.org. events surrounding United Flight 93, to treat both children and adults with the plane that crashed in Shanksville, Shoshanna Malett recently left her anxiety disorders. Ruth reports that James Miskiewicz, who has been Pennsylvania on 9/11. His uncle, job with the Department of Homeland she “enjoyed being a lawyer but loves an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the William Cashman, was unfortunately Security, Citizenship and Immigration being a therapist.” Eastern District of New York since aboard the flight. Daniel was supposed 1997, was recently promoted to Senior Services (CIS), New York Asylum to be on the flight that day, but canceled Beth S. Lyons just finished working Trial Counsel. In his new post, Jim Office, in order to permit her to spend a week before. as co-counsel on a defense team at the is responsible for the prosecution of more time with her children Noah, International Criminal Tribunal for complex cases, including bid-rigging, 7, and Sophie, 2. She has joined Daniel, who is a partner at McGlone, Rwanda (ICTR). organized crime, and securities and classmate, Evelyn Tossas Tucker, in McGlone & Belardinelli, LLC, in bank fraud. her immigration practice. Boonton, NJ, specializes in civil and Kary L. Moss, Executive Director of criminal litigation. In addition to his the American Civil Liberties Union Class of 1989 In 2005, Matthew Ryan was elected work as an attorney, Daniel is involved (ACLU), is co-counsel in a first-of- Mayor of Binghamton. in “outsider” art--a form of art created its-kind lawsuit against the National Lewis Creekmore, who has been Diana Sanabria gave birth to a girl, by self-taught artists. You can see his Security Agency (NSA) seeking to stop the Director of Legal Services of the Hallie, on May 15th. She and her work at www.beladinelli.com.

32 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine c l ass Marianne Henry practices workers’ bring an under-resourced pre-school Class of 1995 since 2000, is hoping to find ways to compensation in Philadelphia for up to standard. In her free time, she coordinate the efforts of NELA/NY and Sylvia Alexander is happily back in

Willig, Williams & Davidson, the raises her three young children and is the CLRN Labor & Employment Group, notes largest union-side labor law firm in the a freelance photographer who has New York City and reports that she as they each seek to help lawyers assist state of Pennsylvania. Marianne lives won a Bronze Medal in the National is “enjoying an interesting job search low-income workers. just outside the city and reports that she Photography competition. Classmate (thanks to Sam Sue for brilliant resume “spends too much time working on her Kathryn Malwitz has visited several and cover letter edits!).” She keeps her Stephen Scott, who has been in private 1920’s bungalow.” times and recently sent her approxi- sanity by birding in Central Park and practice since 1997, works in the areas mately 1000(!!!) children’s books for playing chamber music. of criminal defense and, more recently, Daniel Thomas is co-producing a film distribution to needy public school immigration. Judith Flamenbaum continues to called, “Perfect Stranger,” an internet children in Kingston. murder mystery thriller, featuring, serve as Director of the Matrimonial Mark Willimann, who lives in among others, Halle Berry and Bruce Vickie Neilson and her partner, Pam Program at the City Bar—an odd Tucson, AZ, was a Yavapai County Willis. Dan successfully pitched the Papish, are delighted to announce the choice of practice for someone who prosecutor until June 2001. Now in idea for the film to his wife’s company, birth of their first child, Clara Rose will be married to the same man for 43 private practice, focusing primarily Revolution Studios. Filming began Neilson-Papish, on January 13, 2006. years this coming August! (She was, on criminal defense work, Mark was in January and should be completed Vickie reports that “when she’s not she reports, “a child bride.”) Judith accepted to the Federal Public Defense in early April. Because he impressed staring at her baby,” she works as the also sits on the Legal Advisory Board panel of attorneys to represent illegal Director James Foley (“The Chamber,” Legal Director of Immigration Equality, for Sanctuary for Families and is a reentrants—a designation he earned “Fear,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” and Inc., which advocates for equality under member of the Matrimonial Committee after traveling to Costa Rica to learn “At Close Range”) during a reading of U.S. immigration law for lesbian, gay, at the City Bar. Her goal, before she Spanish. As of last fall, he had already th the script, Dan wears three hats on this bisexual, transgender, and HIV-positive retires, is to help set up a program that filed two appeals in the 9 Circuit. Mark production: producer; actor (he will individuals. An article co-written by will provide pro bono counsel for pro- and his wife, Diane, have a daughter, play an Assistant District Attorney); Vickie, “The Gay Bar: The Effect of the se, low-income and indigent contested Sarah, who is now in the seventh grade. and real-life lawyer for the production. One-Year Filing Deadline on Lesbian, divorce litigants. She expects her third His classmates should all remember Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and HIV- grandchild shortly, and reports that her Sarah who was born in December of Dan will continue to actively practice Positive Foreign Nationals Seeking grandson, Milo, 31-months-old and her their first year of Law School; Mark law throughout the film. Juggling a law Asylum or Withholding of Removal” granddaughter, Lola, 28- months-old is still grateful for the support he and career and a film career is nothing new was published in the New York City Law “are, of course, the most wonderful and Diane received back in 1992. for him. He did both when he produced Review in the Summer 2005 edition. brilliant grandchildren in the world.” “Queens Supreme,” a television series Class of 1996 for CBS, which aired in 2003. Dan’s Karl Jacob Ruppert moved from New Meryl Guzman, formerly Gorelick, Don’t forget your reunion! practice focuses on plaintiff’s medical York City to New Orleans in the fall of is the mother of two beautiful girls, Details on page 39. malpractice, and has recently been 2004 to care for his mother and disabled Anabelle Luz, 5-years-old, and Sara fighting for rights of amputees. He brother and to play more of an active Ivalese, 17-months-old. After spending Bruce Biggins and Christine Choi won a decision against the State of role in his family’s commercial and the first seven years of her legal career have built a thriving practice in Connecticut, which tried to deny a one- residential real estate holding company. as a commercial litigator, in 2004, Minnesota and a cabin on the Rainy year-old congenital amputee (missing Now displaced by Katrina and separated she began working as a Family Court River overlooking the Canadian border the lower third of her left arm and from his family, he lives and works in Attorney for the Honorable Gayle P. that they treasure as a place to do hand) a myoelectric prosthetic. Dan northern Louisiana as clerk for District Roberts in Bronx Family Court. In research and writing without phones was also recently interviewed for an Court Judge Stephen B. Beasley. Jacob 2005, she was transferred to Kings or interruptions. They exhort everyone article which is in the current issue of In recently wrote a two-part article for The County Family Court and is currently to “remain true to CUNY’s original Motion Magazine. New York County Lawyer (Oct. & Nov. the Court Attorney to the Honorable mission.” 2005) on the NYCLA’s role in the repeal Bryanne Hamill, ’90. Class of 1993 of Prohibition. He is still passionate For the past 10 years, Anne Greenberg Jedd Hall, in his fifth year with the about pre-war Yankee baseball history has worked as a human rights commu- Rebecca Baehr, who works as a staff Berkshire County District Attorney’s and German American New York nication expert for more than 300 NGOs attorney at the Support Center for Child Office, is currently the Juvenile City history. He was interviewed for both in the U.S. and abroad. Since Advocates, is also active on the School Court A.D.A. His partner, Sandra, the upcoming Discovery Channel 2005, she has worked at the United Board of Independence Charter School. is a Certified Spanish/English Court documentary, “Germans to America,” Nations for the annual Indigenous Daughters, Sarah, 10, and Lilah, 9, Interpreter. They have put their “roots” and one of his historical preservation Peoples Forum and at the Association continue to thrive. Her husband, down in MA, and he told us that he is 0th efforts was covered in a recent New York of Women in Development’s 1 Forum classmate Roger Schrading, continues looking forward to seeing everyone at Times article. His new life in Louisiana in Bangkok, Thailand. Anne recently to work in the Special Defense Unit the upcoming 15th year reunion. has reunited him with another CUNY presented a paper at the annual meeting at the Defender Association of Phila- of the International Studies Association Law grad, John Cucci, ’92, who is a In addition to being chosen as the delphia. Rebecca, Roger, and their in Hawaii about the role of law schools litigator in the Natchitoches, LA area. recipient for both the Dean’s Medal daughters, live in the Mt. Airy section in human rights advocacy. Her son this year and the PILA award for her of Philadelphia. Todd M. Turner was elected to the graduated from college this June with a commitment to public service (see seven-member City Council of Bowie, degree in acoustic engineering, and her On January 19, 2006, Stephen article in the Alumni Profile section), Maryland last November, receiving over daughter is a junior at Wesleyan. Bergstein and his law partner won a Jaribu Hill will receive the Gloria 70% of the vote. He is the youngest jury verdict in federal court (White Award from the Ms. Foundation for member of the Council in Bowie, Meryl Levy is in her third year at the Plains, N.Y.) on behalf of a woman who Women on May 25th in New York which, with a population of over 55,000 Legal Aid Society in Orange County, was fired from her job because she has City. residents, is the third largest munici- New York. She is engaged and planning a disability. a fall 2007 wedding. pality in Maryland. Margaret McIntyre was recently Class of 1994 elected to serve on the Executive In 2005, Jeanne M. Walsh was an In summer 2005, Jose L. Orengo, Board of the New York Chapter of Jessica Carrigan-Broda has been living instructor at two paralegal seminars— Executive Director of Advancement at the National Employment Lawyers in Kingston, Jamaica for three years New Jersey Institute for Continuing LaGuardia Community College, was Association (NELA/NY), a civil now. Although she is not Jamaican, Legal Education’s 4th Annual Litigation appointed to the board of directors of the rights bar association that advances she loves living there and has put down Forum for Paralegals and the Garden New York City Industrial Development and encourages the professional roots with her volunteer work as leader State Alliance of Paralegal Associa- Agency (NYC IDA), a public benefit development of its members and of a prison ministry and a volunteer tion’s 12th Annual Statewide Paralegal corporation that helps small businesses promotes the workplace rights of at a pre-school and an orphanage for Convention. and NGOs expand by providing access individual employees. Margaret, who severely disabled children. Jessica is a to triple tax-exempt bond financing or has served as co-chair of the NELA/ co-founder of Random Acts of Kindness tax benefits. Orengo hopes to “increase NY Sexual Harassment Committee (RAOK), a charity whose mission is to

Spring 2006 | 33 the organization’s allocations to He lives in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn pharmaceutical, chemical and biotech alum Yunjae Kim ’04, who is also community based organizations.” with his wife and two children, Michael fields. working in Korea. who is two-years-old and Nicholas, Matthew Schneider and his wife, Haeyoung Yoon is co-counsel in Class of 2003

notes who is nine-months old. Rebecca, have been living in Las Vegas a lawsuit brought by an Egyptian for two years. Matthew has recently Christina Roberts married Philip who was among dozens of Muslim After working for two years at the started a solo practice specializing in Easton, ’00, on November 12, 2005 in men arrested in the New York area Neighborhood Defender Service of child advocacy, representing children Las Vegas. They live in Valley Stream, after 9/11. The federal government Harlem as an Equal Justice Works with special education and disability NY, where Phil has opened a solo agreed to pay $300,000 to settle the Fellow, Michele Davila has accepted a class issues before the federal court and at practice specializing in elder law. Tina lawsuit. This settlement is the first position as a Court Attorney to a Bronx administrative hearings. He is also a is employed with IBM as a program the government has made in a number Civil Court Judge. She tells us that “it court-appointed attorney for children in manager for Global Equal Opportunity. of lawsuits charging that non-citizens is a challenging position” but that she is the foster care system and an Adjunct were abused and their constitutional “learning a lot!” Zibilla Wolfe Sylvia was married Professor at the Boyd School of Law at rights violated in detention centers after Barry Klopfer is working in the New the University of Nevada. Rebecca is a in 2004. She moved from Hawaii to 9/11. Yoon is quoted in a February 28, Vermont, where she is an associate at Mexico Public Defender’s Office, Professor at the Law School. 2006 New York Times article, “U.S. is defending the indigent against felony Boylan Associates, P.C. Settling Detainee’s Suit in 9/11 Sweep Class of 1997 and misdemeanor criminal charges. Class of 1999 -- Egyptian Cited Abuse at Center in Peter G. Buchenholz is Adjudication Brooklyn.” Savina P. Playter is currently Court After taking a year off to stay at home Attorney to the Honorable La Tia W. Counsel and Director of the Order Class of 2001 Preparation Unit for the New York with her son, Gabriel, Rachel Haynes Martin at the Bronx Supreme Court, State Division of Human Rights. Pinsker is returning to work as a part- Don’t forget your reunion! Matrimonial Part. Savina, who is a time attorney with the Harrisburg (PA) Details on page 39. Ph.D. candidate at Walden University, Barbara Hebel, Assistant District Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, repre- will begin teaching Labor Law at Counsel for the U.S. Army Corps senting victims of domestic violence in Yash Aggarwal is serving a six-year Marymount Manhattan College this of Engineers, New York District, is family law matters. term on the Board of Directors of AARP, spring. headed to Iraq in August 2006 to handle which advocates on behalf of older government procurement matters Eliezer Rodriguez and Fiordaliza Americans. Yash was selected from a Joelle Zero-Matuszewski and Marcela related to the reconstruction effort. Rodriguez and Project Club Clemente, slate of more than 700 applicants. Sabani Reglis have recently opened the Inc. helped realize a 33-year-old doors of their new practice located at 65- On July 1, 2005, Geoffrey T. Raicht promise made by baseball player and Midori Hills is currently Legal 17 Grand Avenue, Maspeth (Queens), was made partner with Sidley Austin humanitarian Roberto Clemente. On Director at the Immigrants’ Center at New York. They practice in the areas of LLP in the Corporate Reorganization December 31, 2005, the Bronx-based City College. real estate, wills, trusts/estates and elder and Bankruptcy group of the firm’s non-profit delivered food and aid to law. On November 15, 2005, Marcela New York office. Most recently, he has Nicaragua in a chartered “Flight for Congratulations to Alba Rodriguez- and her husband, Peter, welcomed their represented the Dormitory Authority Humanity.” Eliezer and Fiordaliza Betances who is expecting her second first son, Stephanos Peter Reglis. of the State of New York in several also got engaged on New Year’s Day child. Class of 2004 Chapter 11 cases involving not-for- 2006. Their children, Cristian Marin, Class of 2002 profit hospital systems in the New York 14 months, and Miguel Clemente, 3 Jeremy Davis is an associate at the area. ½, will serve as ring bearers in the Leroy Gadsen is an Adjunct Professor Law Offices of Emmanuel Kossaris, wedding, which is scheduled for this at Monroe College in the Bronx, where Esq. in Astoria, Queens. Shannon Seidenstein (formerly summer. he teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Englebrecht) recently moved to Procedure and the American Legal Jason Douglas Hoge has left Legal London, England with her husband and Peggy Roman-Jacobson works in System. Aid Services of Mid-New York, Inc. in two children (four-year-old Lindsey the Pasadena office of Schonbrun, Binghamton to oversee a pilot Re-Entry and two-year-old Lucas) when her DeSimone, Seplow, Harris & Hoffman, Congratulations to Thomas E. Harris, Project at the Monroe County Legal husband was transferred to Lehman LLP, where she handles plaintiffs’ Jr., who got engaged on New Year’s Assistance Center in Rochester. The Brothers’ London office. She works employment discrimination and Eve to Jennifer Gradski. A wedding is Project serves individuals re-entering (from abroad) for a small private firm in police misconduct cases. Peggy also planned for October 6, 2007. society after incarceration and addresses Long Island specializing in commercial volunteers for Clean Needles Now, an issues that cause recidivism, such as litigation. Shannon and her family plan organization that seeks to end the trans- Mordechai Pelta lives in San Francisco with his wife, Sarah, and their two housing, employment discrimination to stay in London for the next three to mission of blood-born illnesses through and access to services and benefits. five years. She would like to hear from the use of dirty needles. children, Micheala Lauren, who is now any CUNY alums who are also living or two-years-old, and Akiva Aron, who Nicole Mandarano and John Salois visiting abroad. Contact her at saseid@ Class of 2000 is one. Mordechai works at the Office report that they are “still happily of Protection of Human Subjects at yahoo.com. Ann Cammett will be a teaching fellow unmarried and childless, living in the University of California, Berkeley, Hoboken, NJ.” Nicole is a family law Tito Sinha and his wife, Madhu Patel, in the Domestic Violence Clinic at the where he ensures that human subjects’ Georgetown University Law Center. clerk for Judge Miguel de la Carrera welcomed a baby girl, Arya Sinha, on rights are protected under federal and in Paterson, NJ. She also continues to June 10, 2005. After several years with a large law state laws. write grants for the Patterson YMCA. Class of 1998 firm in San Francisco, Matt Hawkins In February, Edwin E. Pieters, John is a Legal Services attorney in moved to Oakland. He now works in a completed his LL.M. in Criminal Sussex County, NJ, handling a variety Lisa Eulau married Joseph DeTrano on small firm on the water at Jack London Law at the University of Buffalo Law of cases in family, consumer and April 9, 2005. She has been working Square with two other attorneys, School. landlord-tenant law. as a matrimonial attorney with District specializing in the representation of Council 37 Municipal Employees Legal contractors, design professionals, home Mira Sun reports that she is “happily Christopher McEvilley has his own Services for the past five years. owners’ associations and owners. and safely back in Seoul.” Since practice focusing primarily on real March 2005, she has been working in estate and estate planning. He is Congratulations to Jennifer Jefferson Ululy Rafael Martinez has been the Office of the President as Secretary grateful to his family and friends who whose novel Defending Violet will be appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to New for Overseas Communication. She was helped him make it happen. published in 2007. York City Council Speaker Christine in D.C. in June to cover the Korea- Quinn. Shaun K.C. Mollica got married in Giovanni C. Merlino is practicing at U.S. summit and in New York City in February 2005 and moved with her the firm of Brecher Fishman, et. al., Martha Rumore is an associate in September to accompany the President husband from Queens to Henderson, concentrating in estate planning, estate the Intellectual Property Department to the United Nations General Assembly NV, a suburb of Las Vegas. One reason administration and litigation for union of Katten Muchin Rosenman in meeting. Sun runs into Koreans who for the move was the “recent rapid members, their families and the public. Manhattan, with a concentration in the know CUNY Law “better than New growth [which] has increased the need Yorkers do.” She often sees CUNY

34 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine donors

for social programs.” She is currently Child Abuse Prevention Program Coordinator for a non-profit organization, which provides child Our Supporters abuse prevention services statewide to profes- sionals, children, parents and the community- at-large, and also provides advocacy, support and outreach to agencies and organizations that We wish to express out deepest and Steven and Robin Edwards provide direct services to children and families. most sincere gratitude to our donors and Finkelstein & Virga, P.C. Farhid Sedaghat-pour is enrolled in the LL.M supporters whose generosity and contri- Elisa Fischer, ’04 program at Cardozo Law School, concentrating butions* make it possible for the Law Future Funds in International Law and Corporate Law. She School to do the work that we do. Laura Gentile, ’87 expects to graduate this spring. The Gould-Shefield Family Foundation Class of 2005 $10,000-$24,999 Daniel L. Greenberg Don’t forget your reunion! Anonymous Dinesh Khosla Details on page 39. Marlene Fowler Carolyn Kubitschek and David Lansner Michele Andrews has taken a job with Local Hon. Bryanne A. Hamill, ’90 Mr. and Mrs. Jack P. Levin 5 of UNITE-HERE in Honolulu as its political/ The Kyle D. Jewel Family Jonathan D. Libby, ’96 community organizer, working on passing worker-friendly legislation and representing Camille Massey, ’95 hotel housekeeping employees in arbitrations. $5,000-$9,999 Pieper Bar Review, LTD Congratulations to Anthony Falcone and his Covington & Burling Yvonne and Leslie Pollack wife, Agnes, who are expecting their first child O’Dwyer & Bernstien William B. Pollard III in May. Anthony has “a great elder law job” Susan Bryant Queensborough Community College at Genser, Dubow, Genser & Cona, LLP in Melville, NY, a firm that specializes in Medicaid, Steven P. Salsberg, ’89 Schram & Crew, P.C. guardianships, and estate planning. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel W. Seymour Amanda Gray is an associate at the immigration $2,500-$4,999 Frank H. Shih law firm Bretz & Coven, LLP, located at 305 Stephenand Helen Freidus Ms. Audrey Strauss and Mr. John Wing Broadway, NYC. Peter and Nancy Rabinowitz Hon. Frank Torres Nicole Hardin and her husband “welcomed a Steven B. Rosenfeld Wolf Haldenstein Adles Freeman & Herz LLP healthy and beautiful daughter [Zoey] to the world on August 6, 2005.” $1,000-$2,499 $250-$499 Ranse W. Howell is an LL.M candidate at George B. Adams Robert Bank, ’86 Pepperdine University’s Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution. He reports that Erin Bijan Amini and Marcie Goldstein Hon. Deborah A. Batts Gleason, ’00, is a classmate in the program. Marnie Berk, ’96 Jonathan R. Bell Kimberly Tate-Brown is an associate at Kopff, Mary Lu Bilek and Aaron Marcu Hon. Juanita Bing Newton Nardelli & Dopf, handling medical malpractice The City University of New York Elizabeth R. Campbell, ’90 and construction defense cases. Mr. and Mrs. Alan M. Cohen Crowley, Crowley & Kaufman LLP Francisco M. Ugarte is an associate at Leonard Cohen Lans LLP Bruce M. Di Cicco, Esq. Carder, LLP, which he describes as a “progressive Lawrence Fox Bill Dimos, ’04 union-side labor law firm,” with offices in San Francisco and Oakland. He lives in Berkeley, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP Freedman Fish & Grimaldi LLP which he finds a “bit too lah-dee-dah for me after The Goldie Anna Charitable Trust Charlotte and Jeffrey Fischman the craziness of NYC,” but is trying to make the Kenneth Greenstein Ellen Fried best of it. He met up with several CUNY folks at the Portland, OR, National Lawyers’ Guild Mr. Jeffrey Kindler and Ms. Sharon Raquel Gabriel Conference in the fall of 2005. He wishes his Sullivan Gair Gair Conason Steigman & Mackauf CUNY colleagues the very best and asks that David Klafter and Nancy Kestenbaum Jeffrey Glen they “keep the CUNY spirit alive!” Jimmy Lawrence, ’88 Goldfarb Abrandt Salzman & Kutzin LLP Robert Layton Victor Goode IN MEMORIAM Mr. and Mrs. John Savarese Graubard Miller We present this list as a service to our Scott Smith and Nancy Brown Jeff L. Greenup Alumni/ae community. These names George and Christine Stonbely Philip K. Howard have come to our attention, since the last Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jacob memorial notice was published in spring 2005. $500-$999 Jennifer Jefferson, ’98 Arthur Aidala, ’92 Hon. Nathaniel R. Jones Mark Gremse 1987 Avi Azuolau Kent Karlsson Joseph Ramaci 1990 Bentley Meeker Lighting & Staging Inc. Douglas Karp Charles Pringle 1999 David Brodsky and Ronni Mann Gregory E. Koster Antonia Godsey 2000 Patricia L. Buchanan, ’90 Thomas Lakritz, ’92 Lawrence T. de Angelis 2004 The City College of New York Howard Lesnick Angelo DiGangi, ’86 Robert MacCrate Pamela Edwards MacKay, Wrynn & Brady LLP

Spring 2006 | 35 Robert and Diana Mattson Jeffrey Galant and Dana Mark Hon. Edwina G. Richardson, ’88 Andrea McArdle Katherine Gallagher, ’00 Frederick Rooney, ’86 Diahn McGrath Theresa Gerardi, ’88 Margarita Rosa Monte Bros Sound Systems, Inc. Beth Ginsberg Miller, ’92 Robert Rose, ’94 Cheryl J. Moran, ’95 Jerry Goldfeder and Alice Yaker Joseph A. Rosenberg, ’86 Godfrey H. Murrain Alan Goldman Joy S. Rosenthal, ’96 Steve N. Okasi, ’02 and Brenda P. Okasi, ’02 Julie Goldscheid Merrick Rossein Outten & Golden LLP Cathy Gottschalk, ’95 John Russel, ’99 Michael Patrick and Carol Sedwick Donald Graham, ’99 Miriam Salmanson, ’89 Sam Sue Linda Greenhouse Amy Saltzman, ’88 Morton L. Price Charles and Susan Halpern Carol and Theodore Sattler Paul Regan, ’92 Sidney Harring Susan M. Scharbach, ’88 Jonathan P. Rosen Beatrice Havranek, ’93 Stephen Scott, ’95 Schlesinger Gannon & Lazetera LLP Rachel Haynes Pinsker, ’99 Steven J. Sico, Esq., ’97 Franklin Siegel Heidi Henle, ’99 Joseph Spiezio III, ’87 Moses Silverman M. Christie Hind, ’96 Kenneth Spole, ’96 M. Cindy Hounsell, ’89 Marybeth Stafford, ’05 $100-$249 Jacob S. Ivry Ruth Stern, ’86 Edwin R. Acosta, ’04 Andre R. Jaglom Stacy-Ann E. Suckoo, ’04 Yash Aggarwal, ’01 Brenda A. Joyner, ’00 Rosina Taffuri, ’95 Elisabeth Ames, ’96 Barbara E. Katz, ’92 Michael C. Taglieri, ’90 Anonymous, ’97 Richard and Jane Katzman Thomas Tam Jennifer Bai, ’04 Carol Kautzman, ’90 Marie A. Tatro, ’91 Arnold H. Bank, M.D., ’05 Lucian Matej Susan Tipograph Laurie Beck, ’91 and David Crook Krainin & McKenzie Dennis Torreggiani, ’00 Myron Beldock and Karen Dippold Maris and Jesse Krasnow Michael Van Itallie, ’91 Nicole Bingham, ’98 Jacqueline Lee, ’86 David Weinraub, ’88 and Meryl Schwartz, ’87 Nancy and Jan Brumm Jeffrey F. Levine Rosemary Weintraub, Esq., ’86 Osvaldo Caban, Jr., ’87 Linda R. Levine, Ph.D. Julian White, ’98 and Talene Dadian Janet Calvo Judith Levy White, ’97 Alan R. Carena, ’05 Gary Lippman, ’86 and Cathey Velez John B. Whitlow, ’03 James Caseley Lippman, ’86 Kari Caulfield, ’89 Ruhua Liu, ’99 Also, we sincerely thank those of you who Deborah Chan, ’90 Stephen Loffredo supported the 2006 PILA Auction, including Yvonne Cherena Pacheco, ’86 Sally and Alan Lubell all the student organizers, volunteers, and William J. Chriss Mina MacFarlane, ’96 staff who made the event possible. Jack W. Chung, ’01 Jeanne and David Martowski In future editions of the newsletter we hope Bryan J. Coakley, ’86 Daniel May, ’95 to list all our ‘gift-in-kind’ donors and our Emily Barnes Cole, ’96 Michael and Elizabeth Mayers alums who continue to volunteer their time Grace Colson, ’97 Frank P. McCarney, ’88 and services. Jane M. Conlon-Muller, ’90 Lisa T. Mevorach, ’04 Patricia Crown and Anthony Radice Mootze Michel Roache, ’88 We apologize if we have inadvertently Pat Cuillo Carrie Miller, ’04 omitted a donor. Please contact Barbara Hon. Lawrence V. Cullen, ’91 Jolynne Miller, ’91 Kopp (718-340-4320, [email protected]. Frank E. Deale Therese Molloy, ’91 cuny.edu ) if you believe we have made an Christy and Greg DeLuca, ’00 Katherine A. Moloney, ’90 error. Cate Dolan, ’88 Herb Moses, ’91 * Listing reflects contributions, donations Roger Doty Alizabeth Newman-Henriquez, ’91 and pledges received from July 1, 2005 William Driscoll, ’88 Kieran M. Pape Murphree, ’95 through March 6, 2006. Sheila Dugan, ’87 Hon. Sondra Pardes, ’86 Fanning and Hughes, ’96 Allen G. Payne Lee Farrow, ’95 Regina S. Peruggi Denise Fenton, ’98 Donald Preate and Patricia De Gennaro Thomas Fleming Bruce and Harriet Rabb William Fox Morton Rappaport and Karen Bonn Gillian Frasier, ’02 Martha Rayner, ’86 Lucille L. Frumin Prevete, ’87 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Restler

36 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine Many CUNY Law Alumni/ae Are Working In Academia: Michelle Adams, ’89, Seton Hall Law Adjunct Professor; Vincent Maher, ’86, Innocence Project; Leslie Thrope, ’94, School, Professor of Law; Donna Axel, Iona College, Department of Health Care Cardozo School of Law, Director, Center ’95, New School University, Assistant Programs, Professor & Department Chair; for Public Service; and Stephanie Wilson, Chair, Social Sciences Department; Paris Jeffrey Malkan, ’88, State University of ’91, Seattle University Law School, Baldacci, ’87, Cardozo School of Law, New York at Buffalo, Clinical Associate Librarian. Clinical Professor of Law & Supervising Professor and Director-Research & Attorney; Kitty Bateman, ’91, Queens- Writing; Gregorio Mayers, ’94, Medgar borough Community College, Assistant Evers College, Chair of the Public Admin- * Did we miss you? Please contact Professor, Basic Educational Skills; Laurie istration Department; Joseph McCahery, Office of Alumni/ae Affairs, (718) 340- Beck, ’91, Teachers College, Education ’88, University of Amsterdam, Professor, 4386, alumnioffi[email protected]. Equity Communications Director; William Corporate Governance & Innovation; Boone, ’89, Medgar Evers College, Concetta Mennella, ’89, New York Special Assistant to the Dean, Institu- City College of Technology, Associate CUNY Law Judges tional Advancement; Aslihan Bulut, ’05, Professor, Legal Assistant Studies; David Congratulations to the following alums Columbia University School of Law, Law Nadvorney, ’86, CUNY School of Law, who have been elected or appointed Library; William Calathes, ’86, New Jersey Faculty; Lori A. Nessel, ’92, Seton Hall within the past year: City University, Department of Criminal Law School, Associate Professor of Law; Justice, Associate Professor; Eduardo Alizabeth Newman, ’91, CUNY School Judge Sharon Aarons, ’89, New York Capulong, ’91, NYU Law School, Acting of Law, Director, Immigrant Initiatives; City Civil Court, Bronx County; Justice Assistant Professor of Lawyering; Christi Jose Orengo, ’96, LaGuardia Community Lawrence Cullen, ’91, New York Charpentier, ’91, Temple Law School, College, Executive Director, External Court of Claims, Civil Term; Judge Director of Trial Advocacy Program; Relations/Advancement; Viki Ortiz, ’88, Shlomo Hagler, ’91, New York City Yvonne Cherena-Pacheco, ’86, CUNY Boalt Hall School of Law, Assistant Dean, Civil Court, New York County; Judge School of Law, Director of Admissions; Student Services; Maria Osorio, ’00, Nelida Malave, ’91, Supreme Court Jennifer Crisp, ’95, Syracuse University California State University, Long Beach, Judge, Family Court of the City of New College of Law, Assistant Director of Employment Relations Coordinator; York, Bronx County; Judge Katherine Career Services; Ana Davila, ’86, CUNY Mordecai Pelta, ’02, University of Moloney, ’90, Poughkeepsie City Court, School of Law, Adjunct Professor, Clinic; California Berkeley, Office of Protection Ninth Judicial District; Judge Sondra Cambrea Ezell, ’95, Seattle University of Human Subjects; Martha Rayner, Pardes, ’86, Nassau County District Law School, Adjunct Professor; Hector ’86, Fordham University School of Law, Court, First District; Court Commis- Fernandez, ’02, LaGuardia Community Associate Clinical Professor of Law; sioner Amy Pellman, ’87, Superior College, Professor; Carol Fine, ’90, Angela Redman, ’92, New York Career Court of Los Angeles; and Judge Toko Rutgers University, Administration of Institute, Professor; Philip Robinson, ’87, Serita, ’89, New York City Criminal Justice Program, Director, Internship & University of South Carolina/Beaufort Court, Kings County. Pre-Law Advisor; Leroy Gadsen, ’02, Campus, Professor, Sociology Department; Monroe College, Adjunct Professor; Frederick Rooney, ’86, CUNY School The new members of the bench listed Meredith Hamler, ’86, SUNY College of Law, Acting Director of CLRN and above join our other CUNY Law judges: at Old Westbury, Judicial Officer, Student Community Relations; Joseph Rosenberg, Judge Bryanne Hamill, ’90, Family Affairs; Midori Hills, ’01, City College, ’86, CUNY School of Law, Associate Court of the City of New York, Kings Immigrants’ Center, Legal Director; Professor, Clinic; Matthew Schneider, County; Judge Pam Jackman Brown, Theresa Hughes, ’95, St. John’s University ’95 Boyd School of Law at the University ’86, Housing Court, Civil Court of the School of Law, Assistant Professor of of Nevada, Adjunct Professor; Paula City of New York, Queens County; Clinical Education & Assistant Director of Sciabarrasi, ’89, Harvard University, Judge Margaret Parisi McGowan, ’87, the Child Advocacy Clinic; Martha Jones, Office for Sponsored Research, Assistant Housing Court, Civil Court of the City ’87, University of Michigan, Assistant Director, Awards Management; Gnoleba of New York, Queens County; Judge Professor, Department of History; Seri, ’01, City College, Immigrants’ Pineda Kirwan Diccia, ’86, New York Elizabeth Kane, ’86, Brooklyn Law Center, Director; Careen Shannon, ’89, City Civil Court, Queens County; and School, Career Services, Director, Public Cardozo School of Law, Adjunct Professor Judge Edwina Richardson Thomas, Service Programs; Harlene Katzman, of Immigration Law; Belinda Sifford, ’86, ’88, Family Court of the City of New ’95, Columbia University School of Law, Vermont Law School, Professor; Kathy York, Queens County. Dean of the Center for Public Interest Law; Swedlow, ’93, Thomas M. Cooley Law Vineet Kohli, ’87, Seton Hall Law School, School, Associate Professor & Co-Director,

Spring 2006 | 37 A final glimpse…

The Law School hosted a community celebration for the Asian Lunar New Year at the East Buffet and Restaurant in Flushing on Wednesday, February 8. With nearly 250 guests, the event honored Jimmy K. Meng, New York State Assembly Member 22nd District, Betty A. Letterese, Direc- tor of Community Affairs, New York Hospital Queens, and, Gladys Yan, President, Organization of Chinese Americans’ Long Island Chapter.

Muslim Law Students Association recruiting students at the Students Organizations Fair - left to right: Isabel Bucaram (2L), Afreen Rizwan (2L), Maryam Sayar (3L), and Ivan Pantoja (3L). Left to right: Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Dean of Students Frank Shih, NYHQ Vice President for Public Affairs and Marketing Cam- ela Morrissey, Interim Dean Mary Lu Bilek, Gladys Yan, Flushing Chinese The Jewish Law Students Association with the Brandeis Associa- Business Association President Peter Koo, Cathay Bank Regional Vice President Veronica Tsang, Betty Letterese, Assembly Member Meng, City tion, Inc., presented a session entitled: A Discussion and Network- Council Member John Liu, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Doris Ling-Co- ing Event with Judges and Practitioners on March 21, 2006. The han, and Associate Dean Bill Fox. event brought together panelists who talked about their career ex- periences and provided insight and advice for law students.

Standing from left to right: Sonia Zobdeh (1L), Peter Thomas,’92, Erica Rosen- garten, Assistant District Attorney, Queens, Hon. Darrell Gavrin, Acting Supreme Court Justice, Queens, Edward A. Schachter, President of Brandeis Association - Law Secretary, Debra Wolf (1L). Seated from left to right: David L. Cohen, Susan L. Beberfall, Associate Court Attorney, NYS Supreme Court, and Hon. Irish Law Students Association organized a luncheon to raise funds for the Joe Doherty Bernice D. Siegal, Civil Court Judge, Queens. Fellowship and invited Step Dancers from P.S. 59 in the Bronx. Leading the group is teacher Caroline Duggan.

38 | CUNY School of Law Alumni Magazine Î

GRADUATION May 19, 2006 at noon

Dean’s Medal: Jaribu Hill Founder and Director, Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights Proposed Honorary Degree recipients: Norma Cantu Former Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights

save Friday, May 19 Bob Herbert Op-Ed Columnist, The New York Times Judge Navanethem Pillay Judge, International Criminal Court the Former President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Alums are always welcome at Graduation. This year we extend a special invitation to members of the dates class of 1986 as we celebrate their 20th Anniversary.

Email Carol Kozo at [email protected] for tickets. Î Î CUNY School of Law invites its graduates to participate in its next GROUP ADMISSION TO THE BAR OF THE CUNY 2006 REUNION CRUISE! UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE CLASSES OF Tuesday, June 13th 2006 10 a.m. 1986 1991 1996 Professor Victor Goode will move the 2001 2005 admission of CUNY Law alumni/ae to the Bar of the United States District Court for On Board the Southern District of New York. THE QUEEN OF HEARTS Tuesday, June 13 Pier 40 Please send your name and address to: alumnioffi[email protected]. Westside Highway and West Houston Street

Saturday, September 30, 2006 7:00 – 11:00 P.M. Cocktails, buffet dinner, dancing… Saturday, September 30 and four-hour open bar!!! More details to follow…

Spring 2006 | 39 Stay connected through our new website at www.law.cuny.edu.

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