SPRING 2012 SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM The Magazine of the SUNY Buffalo Law School The State University of New York

Charles Ogletree, E. Thomas Sullivan, Kent Syverud, Jim Chen, Pamela Davis the Jesse Climenko recently appointed dean and Ethan A.H. dean and professor at Heilman ’75, Professor at Harvard president of the University Shepley Distinguished the Louis D. Brandeis of counsel with Law School and of Vermont and a University Professor School of Law at the Hodgson Russ, chairman of former dean of the at the Washington University of representing the the panel University of Minnesota University School of Law, Louisville UB Council and DAC Law School in St. Louis

CHARTING A COURSE FOR THE FUTURE High-powered panel engages faculty, students, staff and alumni in Law School review On the cover, left to right: Charles Ogletree, the Jesse Climenko Professor at Harvard Law School and chairman of the panel E. Thomas Sullivan, recently appointed president of the University of Vermont and a former dean of the University of Minnesota Law School Kent Syverud, dean and Ethan A.H. Shepley Distinguished University Professor at the Washington University School of Law, in St. Louis Jim Chen, dean and professor at the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville Pamela Davis Heilman ’75, of counsel with Hodgson Russ, representing the UB Council and DAC

SUNY Buffalo Law Forum Editor: Follow us on: Ilene R. Fleischmann facebook.com/ublaw Designer: John Davis twitter.com/sunybuffalolaw Photographers: law.buffalo.edu/linkedin.asp Janet Charles, Donald Dannecker, K.C. Kratt, Doug Levere, youtube.com/ublawschool Mark Mulville and Nancy Parisi flickr.com/ublaw SUNY Buffalo Law Forum is Mailing address: mailed free to alumni, SUNY Buffalo Law Forum faculty, students and 310 O’Brian Hall friends of the Buffalo, NY 14260 SUNY Buffalo Law School. Send your © Copyright 2012 by comments or SUNY Buffalo Law School suggestions to Volume 25, Number 1. All Rights Reserved Ilene R. Fleischmann at fl[email protected]

Good lawyers available! Talented graduates are available for employment. If you’re in a position to discuss opportunities with them, please contact: Lisa Patterson Associate Dean, Career Services Office (716) 645-6262, [email protected] or Marc Davies Associate Director, Career Services Office (716) 645-3707, [email protected]

SUNY Buffalo Law School The State University of New York Visit us at www.law.buffalo.edu SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 Contents 1

SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM The Magazine of the SUNY Buffalo Law School • The State University of New York

15 29 38 Professor Professor Dean Kim Diana James Douglas Connolly Gardner Sylvester ’94

Message From the Dean 2 Facing challenges and accelerating our trajectory of excellence Cover Story 24 3 Panel to chart a course for the future Francis Alumni News Letro ’79 7 Justice Sam Green ’67 reflects on a distinguished career on the bench with wife 8 Lawyers lead the way to a better Buffalo Cindy Abbott Law School Report Letro 14 SUNY’s head trustee gets Law School grand tour 15 Experts from three areas bolster a course on pollution control law 16 Successful year marks Law Review Dinner 18 Survey results lead the way to a better student experience 19 Students of Color Dinner reminds all to “lift as we climb” 20 Criminal law practicum puts students to work on actual cases 21 Clinic project makes it easier for abused women to access care for themselves and their pets 22 Lippes Series speaker issues a bold challenge to “institutional corruption” 24 Francis Letro ’79, recipient of the Jaeckle Award, found his inspiration early Faculty 26 Visiting professor Amy Bach hopes book about ineffective courts will bring about reforms 27 New associate professor Michael Boucai has a childhood connection to Buffalo 28 New associate professor Meredith Lewis comes from half a world away 29 Professor James Gardner will head to Montreal on a Fulbright grant Alumni Association 30 50th annual Alumni Dinner honors six for excellence 32 Alumni connections across the nation Reunions 2010 34 Class Reunions: ’66, ’71, ’76, ’81, ’86, ’91 and ’01 22 37 Network the Nation Harvard Law School Profiles professor Three alumni who became deans: of law and 38 • Dean Sylvester ’94: Heads Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State ethicist 39 • Dean Holley ’70: Leads Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern Lawrence 40 • Dean Bobinski ’87: Serves at University of British Columbia Lessig SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 2 Message from the Dean Facing challenges And accelerating our trajectory of excellence

“Our collective e all know that Vermont; Charles Ogletree, law schools professor at Harvard Law goal is to further and the legal School; Jim Chen, the dean at enhance SUNY profession are the University of Louisville Law uWndergoing soul-searching. At School; and Kent Syverud, the Buffalo Law SUNY Buffalo Law School, we dean at Washington University are engaging in serious conver - School of Law in St. Louis. They School’s sations about how to respond to were joined by Pamela Davis excellence in the challenges facing our indus - Heilman ’75, UB Council try and profession. We have had member and member of the education, to reflect anew on what being a Law School Dean’s Advisory scholarship and lawyer means for you, us and Council. These nationally rec - our society. It is no secret that in ognized panelists met with key service to our the last several years, law schools stakeholders – including facul - and the legal profession have ty, staff, students, senior SUNY local and global come under severe attack. We Buffalo Law leadership, external communities.” have been heavily critiqued by constituents and key alumni. students, the public, our clients Our panel will prepare a for - – Dean Makau and even fellow lawyers. While Gov. Andrew Cuomo with Dean Makau W. Mutua ward-looking set of recommen - some of that critique is fair and dations for us to consider as we W. Mutua deserved, much of it is unfair and unfounded. advance our ambitious vision for the Law School. There are some things we can – as a profession – do bet - The panel led discussions on many issues, including the ter. We need to align tuition better with social and market recruitment of outstanding students in a climate of de - demands. We need to increase diversity in law schools and creasing law school applications nationwide; enhancing ca - in the profession. We need to do a better job with graduate reer opportunities for our current and future students in employment. We need to serve our clients better, and with light of an increasingly tight job market; recruiting and re - compassion and empathy. We need to adapt our curricula taining outstanding faculty; and increasing fundraising ca - to the changing global economy and the emerging and un - pacity to support the school’s objectives. We are grateful to met needs in society. We need to teach and practice law them for sharing their wisdom and expertise with our with a more robust social conscience. At SUNY Buffalo community. Law School, we are already doing most of these things. But In spite of the challenges we face, there is no doubt in we need to do more, and I promise you that we will. my mind that the legal profession is the most indispensable We are determined to face these challenges and acceler - calling in a democracy. We are a noble profession. The rule ate our trajectory of excellence. On May 8 and 9, UB Presi - of law – the difference between democracy and autocracy – dent Satish K. Tripathi and I convened a panel of distin - pivots on the legal profession. Lawyers work at the intersec - guished academics and lawyers to better understand these tion of power and powerlessness. It is our duty to reduce challenges and position ourselves to address them. As you powerlessness and hold power accountable. This is a high know, over the past four years, SUNY Buffalo Law School calling indeed. has made significant progress toward achieving its goal of I believe SUNY Buffalo Law School will emerge out of becoming a national leader in legal education and scholar - the current situation even stronger and more ready to serve ship. Looking to the future, our collective goal is to further our fellow citizens. With your help, the Law School will enhance SUNY Buffalo Law School’s excellence in educa - play its role in charting a new and better course for our tion, scholarship and service to our local and global com - profession. munities. Accomplishments over the last few years provide a strong foundation for us to continue to build our reputa - tion, serve as a unique resource to aspiring lawyers in New York State and around the world, and achieve our goal to be a “top 50” ranked law school. The distinguished panel was composed of Tom Sulli - van, the recently appointed president of the University of

Cover Story 3 LOOKING AHEAD As the Law School celebrates its 125th anniversary, a high-powered panel engages faculty, students, staff and alumni to chart a course for the future

o accelerate our trajectory of excel - lence” is Dean Makau W. Mutua’s Harvard Professor Charles Ogletree, left, and stated goal for an ambitious initiative to University of Vermont president E. Thomas Sullivan build on SUNY Buffalo Law School’s many assets, take stock of the rapidly changing environment for law practice and legal education, and move forward from our 125-year anniversary in a ‘‘ position of strength. That initiative – designed to draw on the wis - Tdom of faculty, staff, students and alumni of the school – got a major push on May 8 and 9 when four prominent experts in the field of legal educa - tion were on campus to meet with all of those stake - holders, report on their observations of the Law School’s current position, and sketch out some of the challenges facing law schools nationwide in the coming decades. “These sessions gave us good food for thought,” the dean said. “We could not have had a more knowledgeable and caring group visit our Law School to engage us on the most pressing issues fac - four highly respected educators who have thought “We need to balance ing legal education and the legal profession today. long and hard about the challenges facing law “I hope that this process will open pathways for a schools: theory and doctrine, community dialogue among faculty, staff, students E. Thomas Sullivan, recently appointed presi - and alumni about how SUNY Buffalo Law School dent of the University of Vermont and a former ethics, skills and can leverage its vantage point as the state’s law dean of the University of Minnesota Law School. practical application school. Central to this are two things – resources Charles Ogletree, the Jesse Climenko Professor and strategic planning. Every law school in the at Harvard Law School and chairman of the panel. of the law.” country is undertaking a similar exercise. All law Jim Chen, dean and professor at the Louis D. schools are faced with these turbulent headwinds Brandeis School of Law at the University of — E. Thomas Sullivan and are scrambling to best respond. I see the panel Louisville. as our launch of a community-wide response to the Kent Syverud, dean and Ethan A.H. Shepley Dis - challenges facing us.” tinguished University Professor at the Washington The study panel that met with stakeholders, in - University School of Law, in St. Louis. cluding an open forum for the Law School commu - nity on May 9 in UB’s Student Union, comprised Continued on Page 5 SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 4 Cover Story

Charles Ogletree, E. Thomas Sullivan, Kent Syverud, Jim Chen, “We have heard about “We need to balance theory and “You have an “SUNY Buffalo Law’s many good things doctrine, ethics, skills and integration into other return on investment is so that are going on in practical application of the law. ” disciplines that many much more favorable than this law school. ” schools should kill for.” at other schools, but it is still a tough row to hoe.”

5

Continued from Page 3 uated from law school we had a job, and sometimes multiple job offers. The panel gathered for an initial That has changed in every institution. dinner with Mutua; UB President Students no longer have a guarantee Satish K. Tripathi and interim Provost that there is a job.” Bruce McCombe; and Pamela Davis Pamela Davis Heilman ’75, Heilman ’75, representing the UB Council. On May 9, the panelists met art of what law schools need of counsel with Hodgson for breakfast with the dean and other to do, he said, is to “reorient Russ, representing the senior Law School administrators; Pstudents’ thinking” so they are UB Council and the spoke at the open forum; met private - not so focused on working in New Dean’s Advisory Council, ly with faculty members; met over York or Los Angeles, and help them lunch with key Law School alumni; imagine a legal career in lower-profile moderated the open forum met with a selection of current stu - areas of the United States, such as Ten - dents; and went through a debriefing nessee and Ohio, or even overseas, in and exit interview process. They are Asia, Africa and South America. expected to issue a final report to For his part, Sullivan addressed the summarize their experience and their limits of any law school curriculum. observations, including recommen - “We simply cannot produce the per - dations for steps the Law School can fect lawyer in three years,” he said, take to move forward. “and we need to be mindful of that. I About 50 members of the Law am a strong proponent that the best School community were on hand for we can do is produce well-educated, the open forum, moderated by Heil - well-read generalists, not focus on man. Each panelist spoke about his producing specialists in that three- initial impressions of the school and year period. We need to balance theo - sketched out some of the factors con - ry and doctrine, ethics, skills and prac - tributing to the difficult environment tical application of the law. That bal - facing both law schools and the legal ance in the curriculum is very key.” profession as a whole. Sullivan acknowledged the inter - “We are here to talk about this disciplinary scholarship that happens great university law school – what it at SUNY Buffalo Law as a signature has been doing, what it can do, what it strength, and said that approach “con - should do, and some of the financial tinues to be very important as we constraints involved,” began Ogletree. move toward the future. Research is “We have heard about many good about expanding knowledge and things that are going on in this law sharing that knowledge and making school. While there may be disagree - connections so students and the larger ment about how the administration is constituency will understand the im - carried out, there is no doubt about portance of ideas in making a better the success of the teaching in the class - society.” room, the students’ learning capacities He also said that, in response to the and the alumni enthusiasm.” scarcity of legal jobs, “it’s almost a But, he said, “things are very differ - moral imperative that law schools roll ent in the 21st century in terms of our back significantly in enrollment.” He student body than when I was a stu - also called for taking a hard look at the dent. Our students are smarter, more cost structure of legal education, with agile; they have great ideas, but they an eye to minimizing tuition increases have little sense of history. They know and reducing graduates’ debt load and a lot about the future and very little its attendant anxiety. Along those about the past. I’m hoping we can in - lines, he added that the top priority for fluence high schools and colleges so law school fund-raising should be to that if someone is considering a career make money available for financial in law, they have a sense of history.” aid. Another difference, he said, is that And he called for transparency and “for many of those in this room, and for those on this panel, when we grad - Continued on Page 6 SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 6 Cover Story

“You have very good faculty members. You have spectacular tenure-track hiring that promises a bright future. You have low tuition, almost half the tuition rate of an elite private law school, which translates into lower student debt at graduation.” – Kent Syverud

leadership is not hostile to law as a disci - beta investment. Your returns in ab - pline. You have no idea how wonderful solute amounts are very low relative to and rare this is. You have an integration what you could be doing with your into other disciplines that many schools time, and the risk that you bear is ex - should kill for. Those are potent tremely high. We are talking about 20- strengths in the challenging environ - to-25-year debt service schedules.” ment we are facing now.” And the practice of law itself, he The bad news for the profession, he said, is undergoing a dramatic change. said, is manifold: a difficult job market, Non-lawyers are performing many le - high student debt, diminishing de - gal tasks, many with the help of widely mand for legal education, scandals that available computer software. Some le - have tarnished the reputation of legal gal work is being outsourced to places education, and the declining prestige of like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. law as a profession. Perhaps most dispiriting, computer He called on faculty to make an atti - programs are doing some of the work tude adjustment. “Before I became a that lawyers used to do. “You can’t beat dean,” Syverud said, “my attitude was, software,” Chen said. “Software doesn’t ‘Leave me alone. I’m very good at what sleep. Software doesn’t have families. I do, I work very hard in the classroom Software doesn’t go on strike. And soft - and in research. Please just protect me ware catches things in document re - so my talents can flower in peace and view that human beings don’t catch. … you can get the benefits of it.’ The prob - We are being squeezed as a profession.” University of Vermont accountability in the way law schools lem with that is it sounds a lot to the A brief discussion period surfaced president E. Thomas report statistics for the annual U.S. outside world and to really good ad - issues such as the role of lawyers in eco - Sullivan, left, and News & World Report ranking, saying, ministrators like Après moi, le deluge. nomic development, the larger cultural Kent Syverud, dean and “This is about consumer protection. Like, gee, I don’t really care whether and economic forces at work, and the professor at the This is a professional graduate program we’re doing the right things institution - role of skills training in legal education. Washington University School of Law we are talking about, teaching young ally to be a great law school 25 years Sullivan ended the session on a high men and women to go into for the rest from now, as long as while I’m here note by saying, “President Tripathi is of their life, so if we can’t be ethical and everything is wonderful.” very enthusiastic and supportive of this be role models about that, we have to go Instead, he said, every professor law school. One of your very strong back to ground zero and start asking should help students with job place - competitive advantages is that you are questions about what we want to ment, embrace new teaching technolo - the only public law school in the SUNY achieve. We need to stop overpromising gies, be open to the best learning from system. What a fabulous brand to be and underdelivering.” other academic disciplines, and build able to extend to all the statements you relationships that enable effective fund- need to make. You have to be relentless raising. on the communication side of a posi - yverud addressed some issues Chen noted a paradox in the call for tive message, but I think you have a very around law school faculty, not - reducing law school enrollments: the bright future.” Sing about SUNY Buffalo, “You reduction in tuition income that would have some advantages here that I envy. result. “It’s not as if taxpayer support for You have very good faculty members. legal education or higher education in You have spectacular tenure-track hir - general is going up,” he said. “It is going ing that promises a bright future. You to be tuition [that is the main institu - have low tuition, almost half the tuition tional support]. The question has to be rate of an elite private law school, which about making it worth the while.” translates into lower student debt at SUNY Buffalo Law’s return on in - graduation. You are the only state uni - vestment, he said, is “so much more fa - versity in New York and the only law vorable than at other schools, but it is school in a three-hour radius, which is still a tough row to hoe. Legal educa - very unusual in the Eastern part of the tion right now is, in the terms of mod - United States. And your University ern portfolio theory, a low alpha/high

Q&A 7

Cellino & Barnes of civil prac - Summary judgment tice back in those days, but you couldn’t advertise.

Justice Sam Green ’67 reflects on You were in a mostly white, mostly male class at UB Law a distinguished career on the bench School. Did you feel welcome there? What was the social experience like? or him and for the Western New York legal community, it’s odd not having Samuel I enjoyed every minute of L. Green ’67 on the bench. Following five years in private practice, in 1973 Green was it because I wanted to become a lawyer. But I was the only appointed and then elected a judge on Buffalo City Court; in 1978 he was elected to black in the whole school. I F couldn’t get into any of the the state Supreme Court; and in 1983 Gov. Mario Cuomo appointed him to the Appellate Di - study groups. One of the pro - vision, Fourth Department, sitting in Rochester. He held that post for 38 years before his retire - fessors wound up finding a ment at the end of 2011. person for me. This guy was pretty much on the outs be - SUNY Buffalo Law Forum visited Justice Green in the well-appointed waterfront home he cause he was pretty far on the shares with his wife, Ernestine, and a much-loved dog named Precious. left politically and no one else wanted to deal with him. He became my study partner. One story about your time Court in 1978. I went to three you knew the law, that you in City Court said this: “He or four of the political agen - could compete. I felt that by You’ve maintained close quickly learned to tell the dif - cies and they were telling me doing that, that was going to ties with the Law School for a ference between a hardened not to put my pictures on speak a lot louder. Then when long time. Can you talk about criminal who will understand signs, not to go on television, they see that you are a minori - why, and about what you nothing but a jail cell and a and I’m thinking, how am I ty, that’s icing on the cake. think the Law School means to young offender whose life can going to get elected? You can’t You need the great mind, the legal community here and be righted by a judge’s enlight - sell someone something that’s but you also need people with elsewhere? ened decision.” How did you in a paper bag and you never human experiences. People The Law School means learn to do this? show what it is. I wound up who understand people, who everything to the community I was very concerned getting an agency person out care for people – those are the because most of the top about young people. I didn’t of Toronto who ran my cam - ones who make the best lawyers around here want to get them hung up in paign, and we went on televi - judges. went to SUNY Buffa - the system as repeat offenders. sion and I went to all these lo Law. We have oth - So I spent a lot of time trying places and I met all these peo - You’ve said you wanted to er lawyers who to figure out, No. 1, what got ple. I had to run in the eight be a lawyer because it was a went to some of them there, and then let’s see if counties of Western New way to become an FBI agent. the high-priced we can work to change it so York. And in 1978, there were Was there something that schools, and the this is a one-time experience 10 candidates running, five to happened in law school that Buffalo lawyers are with the system. You can actu - be elected, I ran No. 1 ahead of changed your career path? just as good or ally save that person’s life. all of them. At that time there were a even better. In fact, I didn’t ever want that few books coming out about we hire lots of law young person to get a taste of Some have called your how spectacular and daring students every year jail. For the average kid com - election to the Supreme Court the FBI was. But little did I at the appellate di - ing out of the inner city, it’s and your appointment to the know at the time that I vision. like old hometown week Appellate Division “historic” couldn’t become an FBI agent when they get there. Their in terms of racial achieve - anyway, because they didn’t What else do you buddies are there. I never ment. Did you have any sense have any black agents. When I want to say about this wanted them to get that expe - that you were paving the way came out of law school, I stage of your life? rience. So I worked hard to for other African-American wasn’t going to do criminal It’s been a great keep the fear of incarceration judges? work. But then some people I run. And I look for - in their mind. I’m sure subconsciously I knew were getting in trouble ward to some thought about that. To be suc - and I’d go over and appear for more good What were your cam - cessful in the legal profession, them, and pretty soon I start - years doing paigns for judgeships like? just like in the medical profes - ed getting good at it. I more or some media - You have to go out and sion, you have to be at the top less switched my area to the tion or what - meet the people. In fact, that of your trade. You had to criminal, and my partners ever else I do. was one of my problems work hard to make sure that could do the civil. I built up when I ran for the Supreme you understood the law, that quite a practice. We were the

For a full transcript of this interview with Justice Green, visit www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 8 Law School Report

2012 could be a turning point for the city and Western New York – and SUNY Buffalo Law School alumni, faculty and students are helping to make the difference LAWYERS LEAD THE WAY TO A BETTER BUFFALO 9

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DANIEL ZAKROCZEMSKI SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 10 Law School Report

“There’s no question that we are a major economic force in the region.” – UB President Satish K. Tripathi

he greatest gift is a portion rect outcome of our pursuit of research vate life in a democracy is about negoti - of thyself,”the Yankee and educational excellence, we have a ating conflicts – some deadly, for sure, philosopher Ralph Waldo profound impact in contributing to the but most are the routine work of eco - Emerson once wrote. social, cultural and economic vitality of nomic development, the functioning of That’s a piece of wisdom as our region. markets and claims of fault. Told as humanity –and as fresh as today. “There’s no question that we are a “In a region like Western New York ‘‘ Because increasingly the Law School’s major economic force in the region,” Tri - that’s undergoing soul-searching about alumni, faculty and students are giving pathi says. “We educate the majority of new models of doing business and re - of themselves in smart ideas, legal acu - licensed professionals in Western New building communities, lawyers are the men and boundless energy, to Western York – including eight out of 10 attor - linchpin. They can cut through the New York and Buffalo. In the process neys in the region. We are the region’s thicket of political fog and clarify choic - they are becoming an important catalyst second-largest employer, behind only es. They can exercise oversight for more for the area’s economic renaissance. the state government. Over 117,000 of accountability and transparency so that That town-gown connection has a our alumni live and work here. And our public monies are not squandered or long provenance. In its 125-year history, economic impact is substantial, current - stolen. This is what makes democracy the Law School has been a resource for ly measured at about $1.7 billion annu - less objectionable than other forms of its community in a thousand ways. But ally. government.” now, at what some see as a critical junc - “But economic development is not The dean says the Law School recog - ture for Western New York’s economic just about job creation and dollars in - nizes community service as an essential future, the legal and business expertise it vested in the region. We create the envi - part of the faculty’s work. “Service is one provides has never been more crucial. ronment for communities to thrive and of the pillars of faculty responsibility, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has an - prosper in a host of ways – through edu - along with scholarship and teaching,” he nounced that he is directing $1 billion in cating the next generation of leaders, says. “It is an important index for the economic development money to the through the problems we solve and solu - grant of tenure. Service is a requirement region, with hopes that this infusion of tions we develop, through the commer - – it’s not optional. Many of our faculty cash and tax credits will leverage $5 bil - cialization of our research, through the are engaged in service activities locally, lion in private investment. support we provide to local business and nationally and internationally. Many UB President Satish K. Tripathi says industry, and through our influence on who teach in the clinics, led by Professor economic engagement is “a logical ex - the development of public policy.” Kim Connolly, are deeply engaged in tension of our Law School Dean Makau W. Mutua providing legal services in afford - service and notes that lawyers bring distinct advan - able housing, community devel - outreach tages to the challenges of economic de - opment, domestic violence and mission as velopment. “Lawyers are trained to think the preservation of the environ - a public through complex problems to resolve ment. These include George research conflicts,” he says. “But lawyers Hezel, Tom Disare, Tony Szczy - universi - are also arbitrators and giel, Sue Tomkins, Lauren ty. As a di - bring parties together to a Breen and Nils common agreement. Olsen. Others, such as Much of public and pri - Jim Gardner, are en - 11

gaged with the democratic process on Professor George M. Hezel, has pro - economical and viable agriculture in the elections, Michael Halberstam on redis - duced more than 2,000 units of afford - county, promote access to local food by tricting, Athena Mutua on issues of able housing by leveraging more than county residents, ensure lasting food se - youth incarceration, Todd Brown with $165 million in federal, state and local curity in the county, and promote resi - the local bar on bankruptcy, Chuck Ew - government funds as well as equity dents’ overall health and wellness. ing on mental health – they are too nu - raised through the sale of low-income In terms of direct service to people in merous to name them all. Even after housing tax credits. Assistant Clinical need, the Law School’s inaugural Day of tenure, our faculty remain engaged in Professor Lauren Breen’s Community Service was held last spring, a tradition the community.” Economic Advocacy Clinic provides that will continue. Coordinated by law A survey of the work being done by transactional legal assistance to a variety student Adam Lynch ’13, the event pro - people affiliated with the Law School is of business entities serving low-income vided 80 UB Law students, faculty and necessarily incomplete. With about communities in Western New York, with alumni with an opportunity to assist 5,000 SUNY Buffalo Law alumni living particular emphasis on child care policy, several not-for-profit organizations in and working in the eight counties of business/tax training and general corpo - the Buffalo area. In the course of the day, Western New York, the influence of our rate representation. The Environmental the Law School volunteers sorted graduates is incalculable. And only the Law and Policy Clinic, directed by Pro - through boxes of donated clothing, re - faculty and students know how much fessor R. Nils Olsen, has represented nu - moved nails from repurposed building positive work they are doing for the fu - merous community-based, citizen envi - materials, sifted through donated goods, ture of the region. ronmental groups and several local mu - cleaned up a park and befriended the el - But a sampling of that work paints a nicipalities in environmental disputes, derly. fuller picture of the influence the Law ranging from the proposed siting of haz - School is wielding as Buffalo and West - ardous-waste incinerators to land-use LEVERAGING THE FACULTY ern New York grow into a better future. planning legislation. The Women, Chil - Professor John Henry Schlegel took dren, and Social Justice Clinic, directed over the school’s course in regional eco - STUDENTS IMPACT by Clinical Professor Suzanne E. nomic development from Professor THE COMMUNITY Tomkins ’92, works to improve the lives (and former UB President) William R. Through a widespread clinical edu - of victims of domestic violence. Greiner after Greiner’s death. Students in cation program, law students provide di - the fall term designed five pro - rect service to hundreds of clients in the posed projects for City of region. n March, eight UB students affili - Buffalo neighborhoods For example, ated with the School of Architec - in need of revitaliza - the Affordable ture and Planning – including tion, including pedes - Housing three from the Law School pur - trian zones, a micro- Clinic, led suing joint JD/MUP degrees, loan fund and a com - by Clinical IJonathan Falk, Taylor Hawes and Tama - munity land trust. ra Wright – presented to the Erie County Associate Profes - Industrial Development Agency an am - sor Michael Halber - bitious plan for strengthening the stam, whose research county’s $9.9 billion food sys - tem. The goal was to ensure Continued on Page 12 SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 12 Law School Report

“In a region like Western New York that’s undergoing soul-searching about new models of doing business and rebuilding communities, lawyers are the linchpin.” – Law School Dean Makau W. Mutua

Continued from Page 11 School, the Minority Bar Association of ty’s finances on an even footing. Western New York, and UB’s Millard Fill - Earlier this year, Dean Mutua was ap - interests include the challenges of politi - more College. “Fewer than 10 percent of pointed to the board of the Erie Canal cal redistricting, with his students pre - all attorneys are people of color,” Wiley- Harbor Development Corp., whose sented to the Erie County Legislature and Upshaw says, “and that’s certainly not charge is to develop a coherent public-use its Legislative Reapportionment Advisory representative of our country. As the State plan for one of Buffalo’s most underused Committee a non-partisan legislative re - of New York’s law school, we have a re - assets, its Lake Erie waterfront. districting plan. The plan by Halberstam sponsibility to help change that in our As a Buffalo City Court judge, Henry and his students, including then-student own region and community.” J. Nowak Jr. ’93 (now serving on the State Patrick Fitzgerald ’11, proposed a logical Supreme Court) transformed the Queen alternative to the politically motivated ALUMNI IN THE GOVERNMENT … City’s Housing Court. Once the court plans then in play. Many alumni are exercising the op - was run like a criminal court, with elderly And in 2010 Professor (and former tion for public service by serving directly or poor homeowners sometimes pun - Dean) R. Nils Olsen was named chair of in government. ished for neglecting to make repairs to the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority, then As deputy Erie County executive, their homes which they often could not a “hard” control board that reviewed sig - Richard Tobe ’74 is focusing on job cre - afford. Housing Court is now a problem- nificant contracts that the city entered ation and creating a streamlined, sustain - solving court in which the help of com - into and oversaw spending in the Buffalo able and efficient approach to economic munity organizations and advocates is Public Schools, the Municipal Housing development in Erie County. Tobe has brought to bear to assist well-meaning Authority and the Buffalo Urban Renew - more than 30 years of economic develop - but needy homeowners to make neces - al Agency. ment experience in the public and private sary improvements. Samuel L. Magavern, a Law School sectors as well as academia. clinical adjunct instructor, serves as co- Tobe is joined in Erie County Hall by … AND IN OTHER ARENAS director of the Partnership for the Public Christopher L. Jacobs ’99, who serves in Like many other Law School alumni, Good, a Buffalo think tank. The organi - the key post of Erie County clerk, in Christopher T. Greene ’74, a partner in zation’s stated goal is to “build a more charge of an office that processes over 2 the Buffalo law firm Damon Morey, has just, sustainable and culturally vibrant million transactions each year. Jacobs is invested his time and expertise in several community through action-oriented re - an advocate for the creation of charter boards, including the Hauptman-Wood - search, policy development and citizen schools and co-founded the BISON ward Medical Research Institute, Millard engagement.” Scholarship Fund (Buffalo Inner-City Fillmore Hospitals and the Alzheimer’s On the administrative side, Lil - Scholarship Opportunity Network). Association of Western New York. He lie Wiley-Upshaw, as part of her In Buffalo, Timothy A. Ball ’04 is serv - currently chairs the National Federation work as vice dean for admissions ing as corporation counsel, the city’s top and financial aid, has been a attorney. prime mover of the new UB Un - Daniel C. Oliverio ’82 is the immedi - dergraduate Scholars Program, ate past chair of the Erie County Fis - sponsored jointly by the Law cal Stability Authority – the “control board” that has put the coun -

13

for Just Communities of Western New Rights, Tasha E. Moore ’98 also heads a Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the York, which fights racism, bias and dis - Minority Bar Association of Western Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies. crimination, and serves on the board of New York committee focused on educa - David R. Pfalzgraf Jr. ’97 of Rupp, Kaleida Health. tional outreach, to get more students of Baase, Pfalzgraf, Cunningham & Cop - Also a partner at Damon Morey, color thinking about going to law pola, chairs the board of directors of the Barbara L. Schifeling ’84 a is member school. “We want to expose kids to what Kaleida Health Foundation, and serves and officer of the board of directors of a lawyer is,” Moore says, “and get them on the board of the Buffalo Renaissance the YWCA and serves as a board mem - thinking about civic responsibility.” Foundation, where he is a past presi - ber of the Kaleida Health Foundation. David F. Smith ’78, president and dent. The non-profit foundation seeks Brian D. Baird ’83, of counsel with CEO of National Fuel Gas Co., chairs “to help our future generations realize Kavinoky & Cook, also devotes consid - Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, a non-prof - the best opportunities to enjoy a high erable time to public service matters. He it, private business development and re - quality of life in Western New York.” is a trustee of the Cameron and Jane gional marketing organization. BNE Baird Foundation and has been active in helps new and existing companies do AN ONGOING PROCESS numerous local charities. business in Western New York, and has Many more stories of community Douglas W. Dimitroff ’89, a partner attracted more than $2.9 billion in new involvement and civic impact are play - with Phillips Lytle, serves on the board capital and helped create 36,000 since it ing out, all in service of a common goal: of Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, a non - began in 1999. a stronger economy and even better profit, private business development Carl J. Montante ’67 is president and quality of life in Buffalo and Western and regional marketing organization managing director of Uniland Develop - New York. pitching the idea that the Buffalo Nia - ment Co., a major Western New York Says President Tripathi: “We don’t gara region is the ideal place for busi - developer. His privately held company live in an ivory tower – we are an intrin - nesses to locate, grow and start up. built and owns more than130 commer - sic part of the fabric of our communi - Pamela Davis Heilman ’75, of coun - cial buildings in the area, totaling more ties, and we have a responsibility to play sel with Hodgson Russ, has served in a than 6 million square feet, including the a leadership role in this regard. Our variety of community roles, including Avant Building, a 16-level mixed-use commitment to civic engagement ex - serving for five years as board chair of hotel, office and condominium build - tends across the institution, and we are the United Way of Buffalo and Erie ing. fortunate to have a wide array of schools County, the first woman to hold this po - Gordon R. Gross ’55, a senior partner and units that lead exceptional pro - sition. She currently serves as vice chair in the Buffalo law firm Gross, Shuman, grams focused on the enrichment of our of the Board of Governors of the Shaw Brizdle & Gilfillan, has served most re - larger communities. The Law School Festival, one of the largest repertory the - cently as a founder of UB’s Institute for has long been a leader in advancing the ater companies in North America. Jewish Thought and Heritage. He was University’s commitment to civic en - Director of the Buffalo regional of - also a member of the State University of gagement, and many of its programs fice for the New York State New York Board of Trustees. His in - provide an excellent model of commu - Division of Human volvement with community service has nity outreach and impact.” included leadership positions with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, the Community SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 14 Law School Report H. Carl McCall pays a visit

Dean Makau W. Mutua, left, with H. Carl McCall, chairman of the State University of New York Board of Trustees

SUNY’s head trustee gets Law School grand tour

ew York State’s public law ing caliber of incoming classes of stu - the Law School’s newly renovated facili - school entertained a visitor dents, the school’s increased support for ty in John Lord O’Brian Hall, with im - Nwith deep roots in public faculty scholarship at the highest level, provements including a new student service to the state – and by all reports, and successful efforts aimed at lounge, a revamped and more welcom - he liked what he saw. fundraising and mobilizing the school’s ing first floor, and improved teaching H. Carl McCall, the former state 10,000 alumni across the nation and technology in classrooms. He also comptroller, current member of the worldwide. spoke with a number of students as state’s fiscal control board for the City of The dean also laid out for McCall they came near to semester-ending ex - Buffalo and chairman of the State Uni - some of the challenges facing law aminations, and interacted with senior versity of New York Board of Trustees, schools generally, and detailed a pro - Law School administrators and staff. toured SUNY Buffalo Law School on gram, Panel on Legal Education Excel - As chairman of the SUNY Board of May 2. He met with Dean Makau W. lence, that brought four nationally rec - Trustees, McCall leads an 18-member Mutua, who spoke at length to him ognized experts to UB on May 8 and 9. governing body for the 64-campus sys - about significant recent developments They met with key stakeholders to as - tem, the nation’s largest public higher that have moved the school toward aca - sess the school’s status and recommend education system. He was appointed to demic excellence. These include a large how best it can move forward. that post by New York Gov. Andrew M. cohort of excellent faculty hires, the ris - McCall’s visit also included a tour of Cuomo. 15

Practical perspectives Experts from three areas bolster a course on pollution control law

ground shale. Connolly says Tyler ad - vocated for the EPA to get involved with fracking on a national level, and Lippes and Walters also have worked on this is - sue – which invokes regulations on air and water quality and emissions of tox - ic substances – from different perspec - tives. The instructors explore why each statute was written, how it has been im - plemented by the agencies, how courts have interpreted it and how it works in practice. Students are learning about broader areas of authority under which agencies act (beyond just regulations and enforcement) and how the realities of clients and other stakeholders influ - ence how the laws are applied. Connolly provides the overall struc - ture for the course, taught one three- From top, week unit, sits in on every class and su - Environmental Law Program Director Kim Diana Connolly teaching in the clinic Richard J. pervises the students’ writing of “white Lippes ’69, papers” that will be posted on the Law Tom Tyler ariety is the spice, and diversi - J. Lippes & Associates. School’s Web site. and Adam ty of opinion is the goal, in a Tom Tyler, an official with the U.S. “We have these three people who Walters Vunique environmental law Environmental Protection Agency in have two things going for them that course offered this spring at SUNY Buf - Washington, D.C., and formerly a prin - students love,” she says – “deep exper - falo Law School. Rather than the tradi - cipal of a major trade association, who tise in their subject area and on-the- tional one-professor-one-viewpoint brings expertise in toxics and air quality ground daily practice experience. They format, the course is being taught by issues. can talk about statutes, regulations and three experts in the field of pollution Adam S. Walters, who leads the case law in a contextual way that is real. control, along with the lead instructor, Land, Environment & Energy Practice I’m able to add a little of the jurispru - Law School Professor Kim Diana Con - Group of Phillips Lytle. dence. nolly, who directs the school’s Environ - “We wanted to bring in experts who “Students say they’re excited about mental Law Program. would teach short units of the course the practical nature of what they’re The 21 second- and third-year law from a practical perspective and also hearing in the classroom and the fact students in the course on pollution share their outlook and experience that they’re hearing from people with control law are learning in three-week from having been environmental law real experience.” “units,” each taught by one of the four practitioners for decades,” Connolly Student Robert Grimaldi ’12 says of instructors. Subject areas include the says. “We’ve designed it to feature three the course: “Each of these professors Clean Water Act, the Resource Conser - really different perspectives that are not was an excellent resource, sharing per - vation and Recovery Act, the Compre - just the academic perspective.” sonal insight on working on environ - hensive Environmental Response, For example, she says, Walters dis - mental issues such as Love Canal and Compensation and Liability Act, the cussed working for the “regulated com - current controversies dealing with air Clean Air Act and the Toxic Substances munity” – such as companies that need and water pollution and the handling Control Act. an environmental permit or a manu - of hazardous materials. After taking this In addition to Connolly, the instruc - facturer who wants to build a road. And course, I can now confidently state that tors – all with extensive experience in all three experts touched on the hottest I am practice-ready in the field of pollu - environmental law – are: issue in New York environmental law tion control.” Well-known environmental law at - today: hydrofracturing to recover oil The course has been renewed for torney Richard J. Lippes ’69, of Richard and natural gas trapped in under - next year. SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 16 Law School Report

LAW REVIEW DINNER The Review in review 23rd annual dinner marks a successful year for journal

n good company and in the au - gust confines of the Buffalo Club, Ithe members of the Law School’s premier student-run legal journal gathered to celebrate a successful year of publication and scholarship, and to honor two of SUNY Buffalo Law’s most accomplished alumni. The April 17 Buffalo Law Review Dinner drew about 150 people and marked the end of a five-issue publi - cation year for the journal. “We have had an incredible year of hard work,” said Jonathan P. Cantil ’12, managing edi - tor. The Law Review’s out - going editor in chief, Cristin L. Murray ’12, cited several highlights of the year, including an April is - sue that reprinted U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson’s 1946 David E. Franasiak ’78 makes a point at the podium. address at the then-Univer - Jean C. Powers ’79, sity of Buffalo, summarizing his expe - right, with students rience as chief U.S. prosecutor at the Erin Kulesus ’13, Nuremberg war crimes trials follow - center, and Angelyn ing World War II. Delgato ’12, left For the year, Murray said, “Our goal was to carry on the tradition of quality and excellence that our alumni set for us, and our entire staff has much to be proud of in living up to those high standards. Our articles team gave priority to high-quality pieces, striving to maintain our posi - tion as a generalist journal. The quali - ty of our issues is a testament to the strength of our publications team.” Law Review editors chose to honor two alumni for their contributions to the legal profession and the Law School: Jean C. Powers ’79 and David E. Franasiak ’78. Powers, who practices real estate law with the Buffalo-based firm Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP,, told how she ended up studying law in the first place, saying her only David E. Franasiak ’78, Dean Mutua and Jean C. Powers ’79

For more photos visit: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp 17

Left, the Law Review’s outgoing editor in chief, Cristin L. Murray ’12 Far left, Jonathan P. Cantil ’12, managing editor

inkling of what lawyers did came from watching Perry Mason on televi - sion, and even as an undergraduate she knew that was far from realistic. So she majored in English, became a teacher, married and had a child – and then, when her husband was trans - ferred from New York City to Buffalo, decided to take the plunge into law school. “Before I finished unpacking our boxes, I registered for the LSAT,” Pow - ers said. “I applied to exactly one law school – UB – and I was very, very for - tunate, because I was accepted. They sent the letter out on a Friday, it ar - rived on Saturday, and I’m not exag - gerating to say that at 9 o’clock Mon - day morning I was at the registrar’s office with my deposit check. “One of my favorite parts of law school was the Law Review ,” Powers said. “My daughter loved to accompa - ny me to the Law Review offices as ground in history, economics and it’s going to be fun.” From left to right: well as to the library. She even attend - business, he said, “I always wanted to Also honored at the dinner were Kinsey Davidson ed two classes when her babysitter go to Law School to think like a the four Law Review associates whose ’13, Andrew R. wasn’t available. She was probably the lawyer. That was the real key. articles will be published in the com - Borelli ’13, Caitlin only 4-year-old who knew how to “The law is an extraordinarily im - ing year of the journal: Kenneth L. M. Higgins ’13, Karen M. Oddo Shepardize a case.” portant part of the United States,” said Bostick, for a piece about cloud com - ’12, Jennifer L. Franasiak, a principal with the Wash - puting; Stewart E. Forbes, on stateless Karnes ’12, owers also took the opportu - ington, D.C., firm Williams & Jensen, asylum seekers in the United States; Jennifer Yates ’13, nity to encourage the students “and the fact that you’re on Law Re - Eric T. Glynn, on the credit industry Amanda E. and alumni to help build a view and just starting your careers, and identity theft; and Joshua M. Tal - Dermady ’13, Pstronger Law School, such as you have a wonderful career ahead of lent, on hydraulic fracturing. Reg J. Miller ’13 by mentoring students, judging moot you. For one thing, the financial melt - The Justice Philip Halpern Award, court competitions and volunteering down has spawned a lot of statutes presented to a senior for excellence in with the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni and a lot of regulations that someone writing on the Law Review , went to Association or administrative com - is going to have to interpret and Nicole J. Ettlinger ’12 for an article ti - mittees. And she pointed to the con - someone is going to have to imple - tled “You Have the Right to Remain tinuing need for alumni contribu - ment.” 13.” And the Carlos C. Alden Award, tions, noting, “When I was in Law Furthering his career advice, presented to the senior making the School, our school got 90 percent of Franasiak said, “There’s more than greatest contribution to the Law Re - its funding from New York State. Now just law. There are intersects with oth - view , went to Cristin L. Murray ’12 for it’s closer to 30 percent. That means er interests that can open up new op - her tireless work as editor in chief. that we all have to help our Law portunities for you. You’ve got to real - Caitlin M. Higgins ’13is the in - School all the more.” ly do what you love. If you don’t do coming editor of the Law Review . In accepting his award, Franasiak what you love, you’re not going to be noted that he never served on the Law very good at it. But if you do, you will Review , and indeed never intended to end up being so invested in your work work in a law firm. With a back - that you don’t even realize it’s work – SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 18 Law School Report

S URVEY Talking it through Survey results lead the way to a better student experience

nique among the 95 law ruary, open to all students, faculty and schools that took part in a staff, to present results from the survey Umassive national survey of and to strategize about how to improve the law student experience, SUNY Buf - the law school experience. falo Law School is using the results to Third-year student Frank Ewing, a strengthen its sense of community and member of the LSSSE Committee as make changes that yield great benefits well as president of the Student Bar As - for students’ everyday lives. sociation, noted that they were working 2011 was the second year in which with only two years of data, but even so, Buffalo took part in the Law School he said, “You can already see some Survey of Student Engagement Emily Dinsmore ’14, left, and Danielle trends. We just pore through the data (LSSSE), which surveyed more than Shaffer ’14 and make sense of what are we doing 33,000 students nationwide about all well, what are we doing not so well, and sorts of things: how students spend where are we on a par with other law their time; their relationships with schools.” peers, faculty and staff members; their For example, he said, the 2010 sur - sense of their school’s emphasis and vey surfaced the general opinion that how effectively they’ve learned; and de - Law School administrators were send - mographic information. ing too much e-mail to student inbox - “What’s unique in our use of this in - es. The solution was instituting a new formation is the extent to which we are Student Information Portal. “Now,” engaging the whole community, partic - Ewing says, “instead of receiving all ularly the students,” says James R. New - these e-mails, there’s a one-stop shop ton, vice dean for administration, who where everything gets uploaded. That co-chairs the Law School’s LSSSE Com - Left to right: Lizeth Castillo ’14, Sandra has made communication flow a lot mittee with Clinical Professor Suzanne Benyamin ’14 and Alexandra Lugo ’14 easier.” E. Tomkins. Similarly, students expressed resent - Indeed, SUNY Buffalo was high - ment that too many undergraduates lighted in the annual report produced were using the Charles B. Sears Law Li - by the survey’s sponsoring organiza - brary, crowding law students out of tion, the Indiana University Center for needed resources. In response, the Law Postsecondary Research. Under the title School added new seating with access “Creating a Shared Vision,” the report restricted to law students, and dedicat - detailed how Buffalo’s LSSSE Commit - ed computers and printers for law stu - tee “identified several themes on which dents’ use. “These are very small things,” to focus their work by drawing from Ewing says, “but they make a big differ - LSSSE data and other sources of infor - ence in the Law School experience.” mation in the school. These themes Matthew Scherer ’14, left, and Associate And in response to students’ ex - were then discussed with students, fac - Professor Rick Su pressed wish to interact more with ulty and staff in various settings, includ - Dean Makau W. Mutua, the popular ing all-school public forums and small Pizza With the Dean event was initiat - dinners at faculty homes; in this way, For us as a committee, it’s important to ed. the committee was able to foster a drill down and find out what’s behind “We have an administration that is meaningful dialogue among different the answers. If we identify a trend in the extremely open-minded and also open segments of Buffalo’s community. … data, we need to ask students, what does to their students’ feedback,” Ewing says. This method of using LSSSE data helps this mean to you? It helps us keep a fin - “The message is, We’re here for the stu - schools establish a culture of trans - ger on the pulse of what’s going on in dents and we actually care.” parency and shared vision.” students’ lives.” And the process continues: The Law “The incentive is that there’s a feed - The committee, which includes fac - School will participate in the 2012 itera - back loop,” Tomkins says. “The ques - ulty, administrators and students, spon - tion of the nationwide survey as well. tions are written in a fairly general way. sored two school-wide forums in Feb - 19 The color of success Students of Color Dinner reminds all to “lift as we climb” or more than a generation, as “make a conscious effort to contribute to SUNY Buffalo Law School has ad - the progress of generations to come.” mitted classes that increasingly Two SUNY Buffalo Law School alum - F Jonathan S. Beane ’98 Sada Man - look like America, the school’s students of ni – and color have gathered at year end to remind ickam ’96 – were honored with Distin - themselves, and those who will follow guished Alumni Awards. them, that nothing is beyond their reach. Beane, executive director of workforce That inspiring tradition continued diversity and inclusion for Time Warner, April 19 with the 23rd annual Students of asserted, “It is critical that we increase the Color Dinner. The event, held a stone’s number of students of color not only at throw from campus at the Buffalo Nia - SUNY Buffalo but at all law schools. As gara Marriott, celebrated the students the 2010 census has shown, the demo - who are graduating, passed the torch to graphics of our society have changed those continuing their Law School jour - rapidly and dramatically, but only 10 per - From left to right: Brenda W. McDuffie and ney, and honored several trailblazers in cent of all attorneys and judges in the Stephanie A. Saunders ’00, winner of the the legal profession. United States are people of color. The Law Trailblazer Award. See inside back cover for Chief among the latter was Hon. Rose School must take aggressive steps to make additional photos. Sconiers ’73, who since 2010 has served sure students of color are well represented on the Appellate Division, Fourth De - in the student body.” medical affairs for Kaleida Health. In brief partment, of New York State’s Supreme He encouraged the audience as well to remarks, she thanked her own mentors Court. Sconiers previously was a Buffalo take some chances in their careers. “Show and her family, and left the audience with City Court judge, executive attorney of me a lawyer that has taken a risk but failed “a pearl from my grandmother: Always the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, and as - and rebounded to achieve success, and I keep your mind open. If you come grace - sistant corporation counsel for the City of would say that’s greatness,” Beane said. fully, leave gracefully, because this is a very Buffalo. “So failure’s OK, taking risks is OK. You small community.” In her keynote address, Sconiers noted will get up and it will get better. Be bold, Lise Gelernter, SUNY Buffalo Law that “in 2012, the legal profession has be competent, and follow your passion School’s director of externship programs, changed greatly, especially since I began fully.” was honored with the Jacob D. Hyman my career. Before, it was with typewriter Professor Award. In her acceptance re - and carbon paper – there was no iPad, no isa M. Mueller ’93, assistant dean marks, she paid tribute to the Students of smart phones, no Twitter, no Instagram for alumni and communications, Color organization “for creating a com - and no Facebook. So we gather at a time Laccepted the award for Manick - munity that gives a minority students a of great challenge and opportunity for am, an immigaration litigator in the De - home, a place for networking, support the legal profession, and for you.” partment of Justice who had a schedule and socializing.” Encouraging her listeners to press on conflict and could not attend. His re - The organization also awarded “Lift as through the inevitable professional set - marks stressed the importance of build - We Climb” scholarships to Shantina Ad - backs, Sconiers spoke of several difficult ing and maintaining relationships with dison , a Buffalo high school senior, and elections, including two in which re - Law School professors and classmates, Dominique Johnson , a senior at Buffalo counts were necessary before she was de - and with colleagues in the legal profes - State College. The Monique E. Emdin clared the winner. sion. Scholarship Award went to Tamara “The pattern is all about challenges “Probably the most important thing Wright ’12 . And each of the three student and perseverance,” the judge said. “You I’ve learned as an adult is this: Your pro - groups that make up the Students of Col - cannot be turned back. You have to perse - fessional growth is a product of the con - or awarded its own President’s Award: the vere. You have to stand firm and say, this is nections you make,” Manickam wrote. Latin American Law Students Associa - what I want to do.” “Don’t spend all your time worrying tion, Lizeth Castillo ’14 ; the Black Law She spoke also in support of working about billable hours, but get out into the Students Association, Jasmine Paul ’12 ; in the public service, saying, “Giving back outside world. And if you’re passionate and the Asian-Pacific American Law Stu - to a community is a way of repaying the about an area of law, such as civil rights, dents Association, Tracy Liu ’12 . previous generations that paved the way look for mentors and take their lessons to The Students of Color Dinner was for our success.” In addition, she said, heart. It is time well spent.” chaired by Lizeth Castillo ’14 and Bibin people of color who serve the public pro - The recipient of the Trailblazer Award Mathew ’13. vide role models for young people and was Stephanie Saunders ’00, director of

For more photos visit: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 20 Law School Report

C LINICS Taking it to the courts Criminal law practicum puts students to work on actual cases

elected from an avalanche of applicants, six students are the Sfirst participants in a newly developed practicum course in criminal law this spring semester – a model that the Law School is looking to develop into a series of such combination practical skills/service learning courses. The criminal law practicum was created by Professor Kim Diana Con - nolly, who directs the Law School’s Stephanie Poray ’12 Andrew Kleehammer Patrick Reinikainen ’12 clinical programs, and SUNY Distin - “I jumped at the ’12 “It is critical that law guished Service Professor Charles opportunity to “It is one thing to have students apply what Patrick Ewing, vice dean for legal become involved with professors tell you how they have learned in skills. It’s co-taught by two adjunct the practicum, because the law works or even the first two years. The professors with deep experience in I wanted to get as to experience a criminal law criminal law – Robert N. Convissar much practical simulation like trial practicum provides ’77, a noted Buffalo defense attorney, experience as possible technique, but this that channel and and Leigh E. Anderson, also a long - while still in law cannot match the connects students with time Buffalo attorney. school.” experience of sitting seasoned criminal In contrast to the work that stu - down with an attorney defense practitioners.” dents do in the Law School’s clinics, and preparing for an where students are admitted to prac - actual trial. ” tice as student attorneys under direct faculty supervision, those in the crimi - nal law practicum spend about 10 input from Ewing, Convissar and An - “These students are serving as law hours a week observing and assisting derson. The final products will be clerks in actual legal offices, assisting practitioners who represent indigent published on the Law School’s Web with actual cases for real-life defen - defendants as assigned counsel in site, making them available to practic - dants. Lawyers who might not other - county, state and federal courts. ing attorneys and scholars worldwide, wise have interns can receive a law stu - “This is true service learning, and also demonstrating the students’ dent engaged in service learning, a bridging substantive academic class - analytical and legal writing skills. Top - process that also benefits the commu - room study with work with active ics, Connolly says, range from theories nity by focusing part of the work of a practitioners in the community,” Con - of sentencing to how the rules of evi - law school class as an aid to indigent nolly says. “It’s a true skills course as dence work. defendants.” well, because students are learning “SUNY Buffalo Law has developed skills from adjuncts partnered with this line of courses in part as a re - onvissar, a former president practitioners. It’s learning through ac - sponse to increasing demand for more of the Bar Association of Erie tual experience with an overlay of aca - practical courses,” Connolly says. “Stu - County and incoming head demic rigor.” dents are hungry to do things that Cof the bar association’s As - The course requirements, Connol - matter.” signed Counsel Program, says about ly says, include assigned reading, “We identified six practitioners of 40 students applied for the six spots weekly journaling to reflect on the stu - great experience who I believe would (future practicums may accept as dents’ experiences in practice, and an be excellent role models and teachers many as eight). “We were blessed with end-of-semester academic paper on a for the students,” says Convissar, who the initial enthusiasm for the program legal topic that grows from their work. previously has taught trial technique and were able to be highly selective,” he Connolly oversees these papers with at SUNY Buffalo Law for three years. says. “We have the support of the Law 21

C LINICS Companions in safety Clinic project makes it easier for abused women

School, the students and the bar.” to access care for themselves and their pets As for the students, they are finding it helpful to get out of O’Brian Hall each week and take some first steps to - he story repeats itself ward practicing the craft of lawyering. often: A woman in an Clinical Professor “I jumped at the opportunity to be - abusive relationship Suzanne E. T Tomkins with come involved with the practicum, be - stays in the home, often at se - three therapy cause I wanted to get as much practical vere risk to her own well-being, dogs experience as possible while still in law because she can’t bear to leave school,” says Stephanie Poray, a third- behind a beloved pet when she year student in the course. “I have seeks shelter. found that there is nothing more valu - Pet owners will recognize able to me than this practical experi - the feeling – people are deeply ence, and I learn best in such an at - attached to their dogs and cats mosphere. (and all sorts of other crea - “Real-world experiences and situa - tures), finding in them the af - tions create competent attorneys. firmation and affection that These experiences take what we have every human being needs. Fur - learned in the classroom for the last ther, research shows that in vio - 2½ years and transform it into some - lent homes, the abuser may thing real, something that matters.” threaten to harm the pet as a tactic of control. For example, some domestic violence shel - Says her classmate Andrew Klee - Enter SUNY Buffalo Law School’s Women, ters have a dedicated area for pets, either a room hammer: “It is one thing to have pro - Children, and Social Justice Clinic, which has or a separate facility. Other programs have fessors tell you how the law works or begun a project to make it easier for women to agreements with local animal shelters to house even to experience a simulation like seek safety by helping them to access caregiving clients’ pets temporarily, or even place them in trial technique, but this cannot match for their pets as well. foster care for a time. the experience of sitting down with an The project has resulted in an online data - “We want to help them build capacity and attorney and preparing for an actual base, available at http://law.buffalo.edu/family assist them with legal issues that might arise,” trial. To see how an attorney works violence/petProject.asp. Organized by county, it Tomkins says. The legal issues are myriad, and through a case and to be able to collab - lists programs for victims of violence that can this is the focus of the clinic students’ work on orate on forming questions for cross house both victim and pet, and agencies that the project, she says. For example, liability issues examination or closing arguments is will accept pets for sheltering. arise when pets are housed in shelters for do - truly unique.” Says Clinical Professor Suzanne E. Tomkins, mestic violence victims. It’s also not well-known, And student Patrick Reinikainen who directs the clinic: “We know Tomkins says, that pets can be included in an or - says: “My experiences included meet - firsthand from catastrophes like Katrina that in - der of protection sought by the target of domes - ing with clients, interacting with dividuals will not seek safety if they have to leave tic violence. judges, drafting motions, and gleaning their pets behind. Our goal is to reduce a very The initiative grew out of three regional sem - the pragmatic skills that will carry over real barrier for abused individuals seeking safety inars hosted by the New York State Department to my career. It is critical that law stu - by knowing their pets are cared for and safe.” of Criminal Justice Services. The Law School dents apply what they have learned in Second-year law student Karalyn Rossi is clinic was commissioned to survey domestic vi - the first two years. The criminal law working on the project through the clinic. She olence agencies and animal shelters across the practicum provides that channel and has created a PowerPoint presentation that de - state and develop the database. The continuing connects students with seasoned crim - tails the challenges faced by targets of domestic project is supported by a grant from the Verizon inal defense practitioners.” violence who own pets, and some available solu - Foundation. Future law school practica will fol - tions. Rossi is presenting this information to task Says Rossi: “This clinic project allows me to low a similar model in other subject forces on domestic violence in all eight counties work in two areas of law that excite me – animal matter areas. of the 8th Judicial District of Western New York. rights and domestic violence. I have two dogs I The goal is to make prosecutors, domestic vio - would have a hard time leaving. It is so reward - lence agencies and court representatives aware of ing to know that my research is being applied di - the problem so that they can help targets of such rectly to help victims with pets as they seek shel - violence find safety for themselves and their ter.” pets. SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 22 Law School Report Curing what ails democracy

Harvard Law School ethicist with harsh words for the way ACongress does its work brought those ideas to SUNY Buffalo Law School in a provocative, high- profile address. Lawrence Lessig, who also directs the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University, spoke April 19 in O’Brian Hall. Lessig’s address, co- sponsored by the Law School and UB’s School of Management, was part of the Gerald S. Lippes Speaker Series, one of the university’s highest-profile m u r

lecture series. o F

w

The speaker, whose most recent a L

o l

book is Republic, Lost: How Money a f f u B

Corrupts Congress – and a Plan to Stop Y

It, was introduced by Law School As - N U S

sociate Professor S. Todd Brown as a r o f

e l l

“rock star” in the field of legal ethics. i v l And his lecture, “Institutional Cor - u M

k ruption and the Financial Crisis,” r a

raised as many emotions as ideas, as M Lessig took on some systemic prob - lems in politics and economics that, he said, threaten the very foundations Harvard Law School professor of law and ethicist Lawrence Lessig of the American experiment in democracy. ruption, saying the phrase refers not to renew it. Why hasn’t this tax credit Lessig began by noting the Found - to bribery or any other illegal activity, been made permanent? Because, ing Fathers’ “obsession” with indepen - but rather to a corruption of the pur - Lessig said, members of Congress get dence, and said that trust is a function pose of the institution, steering it in lots of campaign contributions from of independence. For example, he the wrong direction “especially by industry lobbyists seeking to ensure said, people place less trust in an in - weakening the public trust of the in - the law is renewed. “This dynamic is dustry-funded study of the safety of a stitution.” central to how Washington works,” he chemical than in an independent says. “We architect tax policy not only study – “All of us psychologically will o, for example, a tax credit for to make it easier for the Treasury to process the recognition of money in companies’ research and devel - raise money, but to make it easier for the wrong place.” opment expenses was passed campaign treasuries to raise money. He then went on to define his cur - Sunder President Ronald Rea - We regulate in part to facilitate the rent field of study, institutional cor - gan, and instituted temporarily, to test raising of money for campaigns.” its effectiveness. It worked – on that, The 2008 financial crisis, he said, Lessig said, all sides agree. And yet the came about through a mixture of too credit continues on a temporary basis, little government on the one hand – requiring a periodic vote by Congress financial-industry deregulation that led to an explosion in the use of risky financial instruments called deriva - tives – and, on the other hand, too 23

Lippes Series speaker issues a bold challenge to “institutional corruption”

much government – “the suggestion quire campaigns to be funded by that a bailout would await on the oth - small contributions. As a model, Ari - er side when bubble burst. We have zona, Maine and Connecticut have had socialized risk but privatized ben - systems under which candidates can efit. This is insanely stupid as a way to receive such contributions and have architect a financial system.” them matched by the state. But, he said, as Congress debated Though fixing the problems will reforms to prevent another such melt - be difficult, Lessig acknowledged, down, “Wall Street still had the power it’s up to smart people of good con - to blackmail both the Democrats and science to tackle the issues. “We face the Republicans to get basically a get- these critical problems in our soci - out-of-jail-free card and to pass finan - ety that need serious attention, but cial reform that does not address the we have these institutions incapable structural problem that produced the of giving them attention,” he said. catastrophe.” In 2010, he noted, the “They’re distracted, these institu - banking sector was the largest contrib - tions, unable to focus, like a pilot utor to congressional campaigns. playing on a laptop rather than fly - ing an airplane, a surgeon flirting ecause of situations like this, during surgery, half of you with Lessig said, “Americans be - your cell phones while driving. lieve that money buys results “And who is to blame for that? Bin Congress” – an opinion Who is responsible? It’s too simple held by 75 percent of the respondents to blame just the evil people. Evil in some surveys. And thus the propor - people play their role, but as well as tion of Americans who trust Congress the evil people, there is us. We, the is very small, around 9 percent. “There most privileged, have the responsi - were certainly a bigger percentage of bility to fix this problem. Because Americans who believed in the Crown the most outrageous part here is not at the time of our Revolution than be - just that the corruptions were lieve in Congress,” Lessig said. primed by the most privileged, it’s “The Framers,” he said, “gave us a that they have been permitted by representative democracy. Our gov - SUNY Buffalo Law Associate Professor S. Todd Brown, left, the passivity of the most privileged, ernment would have a branch that brought Harvard Law School Professor Lawrence Lessig to too.” would be dependent on the people Buffalo for the Lippes Speakers Series. The Lippes Speaker Series is alone. But Congress has developed a funded by the support of Gerald S. different dependence: It’s increasingly de - members of Congress are in some sense be - Lippes ’64, a founding and senior partner pendent on the funders.” Members, he holden to a very small segment of the elec - in the Buffalo law firm Lippes, Mathias, said, spend up to 70 percent of their time torate. Only one-quarter of 1 percent of Wexler and Friedman. on fund-raising. “They develop a sixth Americans, he said, have given more than sense, a constant awareness on how what $200 to a congressional campaign. And 80 they do might affect their ability to raise percent of the money spent by “super money.” PACs” in the current presidential campaign As a result, he said, though every citi - has been supplied by only 196 Americans. zen’s vote is supposed to count the same, “This is corruption,” Lessig said, “because it’s a dependence that conflicts with the de - pendence that the Framers intended.” One remedy, he said, would be to re -

Multimedia: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 24 Law School Report From the beginning

Francis Letro ’79, recipient of the Jaeckle Award, found his inspiration early well-known Buffalo trial at - torney, whose attitudes about A“the nobility of the law” were born when he was a child and his fami - ly faced tough times, accepted the 2012 Edwin F. Jaeckle Award with an emo - Francis M. Letro ’79 Left to right: UB President Satish K. Tripathi, tional recounting of his story. Francis M. Letro ’79 and Dean Makau W. Mutua Francis M. Letro ’79 accepted the award, the highest honor bestowed by SUNY Buffalo Law School and its Law Alumni Association, at a Jan. 27 lun - cheon in New York City’s elegant Union League Club. The presentation was held in conjunction with the annu - al meeting of the Law School’s New York City alumni chapter, one of its strongest and most active alumni co - horts. After words of welcome by Dennis R. McCoy ’77, chair of the luncheon committee, and Brian Melber ’96, pres - ident-elect of the Law Alumni Associa - tion, Dean Makau W. Mutua gave an update on progress at the Law School. “We have invested in the indexes of academic excellence,” said the dean, pointing to 14 new faculty hires in the Left to right: Kamlish Tripathi, Cindy Abbott Letro, Paul A. Equale ’77 and past four years, plus two this year, and Donald H. Vogelman ’76 the improving quality of each entering class of students, noting that this year’s incoming class had the highest GPA in the history of the Law School at every critical juncture and in every possible way. His School. altruism, his service to the Law School and the legal commu - UB President Satish K. Tripathi, introduced by Dean’s Ad - nity are simply extraordinary.” visory Council Chairman Thomas R. Black Jr. ’79, said the He went on to cite “two African sayings which I think de - Law School is a key component of the University’s long-range scribe Fran as a community person, as a professional and as a plan. “We already have a very strong institution, and we have true friend. First, the Africans of old used to say, if you want to much to take pride in. The Law School is a key part of that kill a flea, remember that you can’t do so with one fingernail. strength and pride,” Tripathi said. You need to put two fingernails together to kill a flea. That’s In introducing the honoree, Dean Mutua noted that “over about cooperation. The second one says that if you want to the last decade, Fran has provided leadership to the Law walk fast, walk alone, but if you want to walk far, walk togeth -

Multimedia: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp 25

er. Fran, in my view, symbolizes the kernel of truth in each of those ancient sayings. He’s a collaborator, he’s a leader, he’s a fellow human being, he’s a loving person.” Gift bolsters etro used the occasion to look back on his life and ca - reer, starting with when his family was thrown into scholarship aid turmoil when his father, a railroad worker, lost a leg Lin a work-related accident. “My father never returned to students to work,” he said. “It was my mother, a homemaker, who left the home to walk to the closest place where she could find a job, selling in a retail store. My oldest sister had to drop out of couple who met as students at SUNY Buffalo nursing school, returned home, and she went to work to help Law School, and in the intervening years have support the family.” been substantial supporters of the school in The railroad, he said, disavowed any responsibility for the A time, energy and dollars, have stepped forward with a accident, and “my family turned to a small-town lawyer, a major gift in furtherance of the Law School’s mission. sole practitioner, to take our side. I learned at that age that a Kenneth B. and Ellen C. Forrest, both members of lawyer present in our family during our times of hardship the Class of 1976, have specified that their gift is to en - gave us tremendous hope and confidence. I clearly remem - dow scholarships for deserving law students. “We ber him coming to our thought about different alternatives for giving,” says apartment after work, Ken Forrest. “Law schools are very aggressive in pro - wearing a suit and carry - viding scholarships to students, and we wanted to help ing a briefcase. He would SUNY Buffalo Law be in the position to do the same stop by the house to up - thing. We just felt this is what the Law School needs, date my parents on the and hopefully over the years the amount will accumu - status of case and to re - late so it will provide for confirm to them his com - meaningful scholarship mitment to seeking justice money. “It is our hope that other on behalf of my family. He “In the past, we have giv - showed us the potential en annual gifts which have Law School alumni will nobility of the law. been used for scholarships consider making gifts for “It was during those and have been gratified to visits, when I was 7 years learn that very well qualified this purpose.” old, that I watched the law students have received the in action. How this lawyer benefit of these,” he said. “We — Kenneth B. Forrest ’76 showed great compassion wanted to do something and showed great love for along those lines on an en - and Ellen C. Forrest ’76 his work and told my dowed basis. It is our hope family that the rule of law Thomas E. Black ’79 that other Law School alum - would prevail. After he ni will consider making gifts for this purpose, because would leave the house, my ultimately, if there were several large scholarship en - parents’ spirits were buoyed. They had a sense of hope, a dowments available to the Law School, it would be sense of opportunity and a sense that we would have another certainly advance the Law School’s ability to attract top chance.” students with financial needs.” After a long battle, the case was settled, his family’s eco - Forrest is a partner in the New York City law firm nomic well-being was secured – and Letro had found his Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, concentrating his calling. “After having seen that,” he said, “I wanted a chance to practice in the area of commercial litigation. be that guy, who could step in, save families, restore their dig - The gift comes as a capstone to the couple’s long in - nity the way I saw it done in my family.” volvement with SUNY Buffalo Law. Forrest was a founding member of the school’s Dean’s Advisory e also said the UB was the only law school that ac - Council and has worked with four deans in helping to cepted him, and that it took him seven years to chart the Law School’s strategic direction. He has re - graduate. “I knew what it meant to be a lawyer, ceived Distinguished Alumnus Awards from the UB Hbut I didn’t know what it took to be a lawyer,” Alumni Association as well as from the SUNY Buffalo Letro said. “Professor Bill Greiner took me under his wing to Law Alumni Association. In 2010 he received the Ed - make a lawyer out of me. With his guidance, we walked far win F. Jaeckle Award, the Law School’s highest honor. and we walked together. And I learned a lot about life and I Ellen Forrest serves as board chair of the Vincent learned about the law that way. Smith School, a private school in Port Washington, “If the Jaeckle Award would allow me one wish and one N.Y., and has volunteered extensively with charitable wish only, that wish would be that we all walk far together, organizations that relate to people with learning dis - that we continue our love for the law and each other and for abilities and autism spectrum disorders. our alma mater.” The couple have two grown children, Kimberly and Craig. SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 26 Faculty The next step

section of criminal law to about 70 first- Visiting professor year students. “I’m extremely impressed with the caliber of the students,” she says. Amy Bach hopes her “They’re so turned on, and they work so hard, and they’re so willing to do the ex - crusading book about tra work and follow a difficult hypothet - ical situation.” The variety of their life experiences, too, enriches the class dis - ineffective courts will cussion, Bach says, such as students who have children and some who know bring about reforms about guns. As well, she says, the process of teaching and preparation has jogged her ight years. That’s how long creative process. “Creativity happens lawyer and journalist Amy Bach when they’re asking the basic ques - spent watching the wheels of tions,” Bach says. “ ‘Why do we need in - Ejustice turn in county courts tent?’ ‘Why do we give a break to people across America, from small-town Geor - who are provoked and fly off the han - gia to upstate New York, Mississippi to dle?’ It’s helpful to revisit those questions Chicago. She was drawn by a curiosity with fresh eyes, and teaching helps me about how justice was meted out not in do that.” the white-columned upper reaches of One recent acknowledgment of the system, but at the most local level, in Bach’s work comes from the Public De - the courts of the more than 3,000 coun - fender’s Office in Palm Beach County, ties in the United States. the problem to help look for the solu - Fla., which chose her to receive the 2012 What she found, again and again, tion. With her organization Measures Gideon Award, presented to those who were overburdened courts resorting to for Justice (www.measuresforjustice. “have manifested an honorable, consis - assembly-line tactics in which due org), she is developing and refining per - tent and recognizable effort to ensure process is casually violated, advocacy is formance measures that can be applied equal justice for the indigent in our tepid, and a clubby legal culture com - to criminal courts – an objective yard - community.” The award, named for the promises the quality of representation stick by which to hold individual courts plaintiff in the landmark Supreme by public defenders. Not that these were accountable for the quality of their Court ruling Gideon v. Wainwright, ill-intentioned or incompetent people, work. which guaranteed the right to counsel she stresses, but their very closeness to “These measures are based on some for indigent defendants, reflects the the legal system in which they were en - of the types of dysfunction found in the challenge to do better presented in Ordi - trenched made it impossible for them to book,” Bach says. For example, she says, nary Injustice . Past recipients have in - see the ways that the rule of law was be - the presumption is that criminal cluded Barry Scheck, co-director of the ing subverted in the midst of their work. charges should be adjudicated effective - Innocence Project (and a member of The result of this grand investigation ly and in a timely way; so tallying how O.J. Simpson’s defense team), and Bryan was Ordinary Injustice: How America long defendants spend in pretrial cus - Stevenson, executive director of the Holds Court (Metropolitan Books, tody for certain crimes measures Equal Justice Initiative. 2009). No less a personage than Doris whether people are being held for Kearns Goodwin, author of the Lincoln longer than they should be because of biography Team of Rivals , called it “a too high bails or bond or other reasons. crusading call for reform in the tradi - tion of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring or he next step will be to run pilot Ralph Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed . … programs to test the perfor - Amy Bach provides a fascinating range mance standards in everyday of individual stories to reveal the sys - Tuse. The goal, Bach says, is “to temic, everyday problems in our courts develop best practices, find ways these that must be addressed if justice is truly counties compare and get them talking to be served.” to each other.” Now Bach, who is at SUNY Buffalo Bach is commuting to Buffalo from Law School this semester as a visiting Rochester, where she lives with her hus - professor under the auspices of the band and their 4-year-old son. In addi - Baldy Center, is going beyond stating tion to her research, she is teaching a 27 A return, with portfolio New associate professor Michael Boucai has a childhood connection to Buffalo work for the organization related pri - marily to American death penalty cases. Since 2009, Boucai has been a law teaching fellow at the Williams Institute, a think tank housed at UCLA School of Law that studies law and policy relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. “It’s been wonderful to get my start in le - gal academia teaching the subjects I love most,” Boucai says. “And as a scholar, I’ve benefited from interactions with some of the most astute and experienced people in the field.” Boucai’s current research deals with the first same-sex marriage cases (from the early 1970s) and with the relation - ship between same-sex marriage and sexual liberty. He appreciates the Univer - sity’s openness toward same-sex couples, even before the state passed legislation last year to recognize same-sex unions, and particularly its recognition of de fac - to domestic partnerships. “As an unmar - ried person with a longtime partner, it s a child, Michael Boucai trav - venturous. There’s an openness to sub - makes a big difference that my relation - eled every summer from Long stantive and methodological innovation, ship, whether married or not, will be rec - AIsland to Buffalo to visit his ma - and the faculty is genuinely interdiscipli - ognized by the school,” Boucai says. ternal parents, immigrants from eastern nary. All these qualities make it an excel - “Also, New York provides such a rich case Europe. “I always had a lot of fun,” he lent fit.” study on the law and politics of same-sex says. One attraction: the dinosaur bones Boucai was a history major as an un - marriage that I’m thinking of making it at the Museum of Science. dergraduate at Yale, where he edited the the centerpiece of seminar.” Now Boucai is returning for good as Yale Journal of Human Rights . From there Boucai brings to Buffalo an ambi - he joins the SUNY Buffalo Law School he went to law school at Georgetown tious roster of research interests, includ - faculty this fall. He will teach criminal University Law Center, where he was a ing projects on the non-enforcement of law and sexuality law. His research focus - Public Interest Law Scholar. “I wanted to obscenity law; sexual age-of-consent es on the latter. Boucai’s scholarship ex - be an impact litigator, particularly in the laws and their role in the cultural con - plores how the law treats various forms field of LGBT rights. But I soon discov - struction of childhood; the “erasure” of of sexuality and intimacy, and how this ered that the things that most interested bisexuals in gay rights efforts; and a cri - treatment relates to social, moral and po - me were more critical, more academic tique, grounded in the Establishment litical norms and ideologies. and oftentimes more historical. I recog - Clause, of marriage solemnization “Law and sexuality intersect primari - nized that there are many wonderful liti - statute. He also is considering a book- ly in the fields of criminal law, family law gators in the world, and that, if I had length project on the 19th century An - and constitutional law. Each of those something unique to contribute, it glo-Irish writer Oscar Wilde, whom he fields is strongly represented on Buffalo’s would be from a scholarly perspective.” studied at Cambridge. faculty,” Boucai says, “but at the same After clerking in Miami for 11th Cir - Beyond the work (“and my work is time, the school lacks someone with my cuit Judge Rosemary Barkett and then fun,” he says), Boucai is an opera fan, particular focus. So there’s a place for me, spending two years practicing commer - plays tennis and does yoga, and, he says, in terms of what’s already here and also cial and bankruptcy law in New York is cultivating an interest in film. what’s not. City, Boucai pursued a master’s degree in “Buffalo has a well-deserved reputa - history at the University of Cambridge. tion as a home to serious scholars. It’s in - While in England, he volunteered with tellectually rigorous, engaged and ad- Lawyers Without Borders; ironically, his SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 28 Faculty Going the distance New associate professor Meredith Lewis comes from half a world away

o many people have said, ‘I Court in New Jersey and resulted, she can’t believe you moved to says, in the sixth-biggest jury verdict in “S New Zealand,’ ” says the country that year (fortunately her Meredith Kolsky Lewis. “ ‘I could never firm’s clients were the plaintiffs). “The do that.’ But it was a very attractive (Italy-based) clients were so happy they thing to do, from my perspective.” took the entire trial team to Italy to cele - Lewis, who joins the SUNY Buffalo brate.” Law faculty next spring, has taught The move to academia, she says, was since 2005 at Victoria University of part decision and part happenstance. “I Wellington Law School, in Wellington, had always been interested in teaching New Zealand, where she co-founded and had always liked the opportunities and is currently associate director of the I had to tutor or teach more informal - New Zealand Centre of International ly,” Lewis said, “but it was difficult to fo - Economic Law. She teaches and writes cus on making a change while working in the area of international trade law. long law firm hours.” But during her As in much of the world, law is an stay in Tokyo she became eligible for a undergraduate course of study in New one-month sabbatical and decided to Zealand, and Lewis says many of her visit at a law school and do some re - law students there double-majored in search. She spent the month at the Vic - another subject. “For most New toria University of Wellington law Zealand students,” she says, “going to school, and the die was cast. Three law school is not a momentous deci - at Northwestern University, and took years later when the school was looking sion because if they don’t like it or aren’t three years of Japanese language train - to hire, Lewis leapt at the opportunity good at it, they can just focus on their ing as well. She went on to earn a mas - and never looked back. other degree. ” ter’s degree at Georgetown University’s By comparison, she says, “American School of Foreign Service, as part of a rofessor Lewis has been very students are more invested in their legal four-year program in which she also active in promoting the inter - study, because if you go to law school in earned her law degree from George - national economic law disci - the United States, there is a real oppor - town’s law school. “I’m not good at Ppline internationally. In addi - tunity cost to doing so. You could get a picking a single focus ,” she says. “I tion to co-founding the New Zealand job doing something else, but instead wanted to go to law school but I also re - Centre of International Economic Law you are assuming a fair amount of debt ally liked the political science research I in Wellington, she is also a founding to do this course of study, and if you did in college, so I thought, maybe I can member and currently co-head of the were to stop in the middle there is no do both.” Society of International Economic Law, perceived gain in credentials. . For that She then worked for eight years at an organization founded in 2007 that reason and because American law stu - the Washington, D.C., office of the New now has approximately 800 members. dents are on average older, I think U.S. York law firm Shearman & Sterling In her scholarship, Lewis has exam - law students on the whole are more LLP, practicing in the areas of interna - ined the applicability of economic prin - concerned with studying hard and do - tional trade and commercial litigation. ciples to international trade law issues; ing well.” In 1999 she put that Japanese language conducted broad-ranging examina - At SUNY Buffalo Law, Lewis will training to good use, spending six tions of the effects of free trade agree - teach classes on public international months in the firm’s Tokyo office advis - ments; and engaged in empirical and law – “laws that affect states rather than ing the Japanese Ministry of Interna - theoretical work concerning dissent in private business behavior” – and on tional Trade and Industry on interna - WTO dispute settlement. private international law, involving tional trade issues. She primarily repre - Lewis and her husband, Kent Lewis, commercial matters that cross borders. sented foreign companies, both in liti - met at Georgetown Law. They have a Regular courses will likely include In - gation and international trade matters, 10-year-old son, Owen, and an 8-year- ternational Business Transactions and including clients based in Germany, old daughter, Claudia. International Trade Law. Japan, Italy, Mexico and Great Britain. . A Washington, D.C., native, Lewis Another highlight: a litigation matter studied economics and political science that went to trial in federal District 29 Northern exposure

complaints by western provinces such as Alberta about inadequate influence on national policy making.” This line of inquiry builds on work he has previ - ously done in looking at the Catalan and Basque regions of Spain. The second part of the project ex - amines the role of political parties in the interplay between federal and provincial lawmakers. “In order to act autonomously, subnational govern - ments have to be autonomous and make policy decisions independently of the federal government,” Gardner says. “I’m looking at the operation of an in - stitution that I think thwarts that au - tonomy, and that is national political parties and the back-channel way in which states influence federal policy.” It is often observed, he says, that state and provincial public servants in - Fulbright grants, including Professors fluence the agendas of national political Professor James Rebecca French, Isabel Marcus and Er - parties. But it’s also true that the influ - rol Meidinger. ence goes from national to local as well, Gardner will Being in Montreal, government seat what he calls a “national colonization of of the fractious Canadian province of state politics.” The result, Gardner sus - Quebec, will enable him to interview pects, is a “convergence” of political head to and observe provincial lawmakers thought – “the way questions are there, as well as federal officials in Ot - framed, the way they are pressed, and Montreal on a tawa. “There is a tension built into the what counts as a good solution” – that system by design, and it is that tension compromises the autonomy of the state that is supposed to protect liberty,” or province and subverts healthy con - Fulbright grant Gardner says. “It’s a competitive flict between governments on different arrangement – subnational and nation - levels. al governments are competing to do a ension and resolution – those better job for their boss, the people. ardner’s research interests in - are the key elements of the What interests me is asking, where has clude the theoretical founda - Tscholarly work that SUNY there been conflict and how has it been tions of the constitutional Distinguished Professor James Gardner resolved?” Gstructure of politics, the insti - will do as he spends the fall semester in His Fulbright project comes in two tutionalization through law of princi - Montreal on a prestigious Fulbright parts, likely to result in two substantive ples of democracy, constitutional struc - U.S. Scholar grant. law journal articles. tures of federalism, and subnational Gardner will hold the Fulbright Vis - The first looks at both the legal constitutional law. He is a frequent iting Research Chair in the Theory and framework for how powers are allocat - commentator in state and national me - Practice of Constitutionalism and Fed - ed to the federal and provincial govern - dia on constitutionalism and elections eralism, at McGill University. His pro - ments, and the more informal, extrale - law. ject, called “Intergovernmental Contes - gal ways that legislation gets passed. The core Fulbright Scholar Program tation in Federal Systems,” will build on “I want to look at the concrete, on- sends 800 U.S. faculty and professionals his interest in how governments of dif - the-ground techniques by which Cana - abroad each year. The Fulbright U.S. fering levels, such as Canada’s federal dian provinces influence – and, in par - Scholar Program offers U.S. faculty, ad - government and its provincial govern - ticular, attempt to resist or thwart – na - ministrators and professionals grants to ments, influence each other, resolve tional policy initiatives by which they lecture, conduct research in a wide vari - conflicts and get things done. feel threatened or with which they ety of academic and professional fields, Gardner, who is completing his merely disagree,” Gardner says. “I have or to participate in seminars. The Ful - tenure as vice dean for academic affairs, in mind not merely high-profile, ethni - bright program is sponsored by the joins the list of other SUNY Buffalo cally fraught clashes between Quebec U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Edu - Law faculty who have been awarded and the national government, but also cational and Cultural Affairs. SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 30 Alumni Association A milestone celebration 50th annual Alumni Dinner honors six for excellence

ot all that glitters is gold, it’s said. But as SUNY Buffalo Law hard-working lawyer. His colleague Keith Sipprelle describes him as a alumni gathered May 3 for their golden-anniversary 50th an - lawyer’s lawyer, a person who will never put the interests of his firm or nual Alumni Dinner, there was plenty of glitter in evidence. his own interests before the interests N of the client. I want the young lawyers Most of the sparkle emanated from the six honorees – five Law School alum - in the room to hear that. He puts the client first. That is the nobility of our ni and a non-alumnus – who received Distinguished Alumni Awards at the profession.” Vincent E. Doyle III ’89 , partner in event, held at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. the Buffalo law firm Connors & Vilar - do, was honored for his community Richard F. DiGiacomo ’76, outgo - “You are the difference makers.” service. Doyle has served as president ing president of the SUNY Buffalo Winner of the Distinguished of the New York State Bar Association Law Alumni Association, noted the Alumnus Award for the judiciary was since June 2011. He also served in the 50-year milestone and also another Hon. Cynthia M. Rufe ’77 , U.S. Dis - bar association’s House of Delegates major one, an observance of the Law trict Court judge for the Eastern Dis - and on the Executive Committee, and School’s 125th anniversary that will trict of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. chaired its Criminal Justice Section. begin Sept. 28 with a kickoff at the A Philadelphia native, Rufe joined the Said presenter James W. Grable Jr. newly renovated Hotel @ the Lafayette court in 2002 after being nominated ’96, vice president of the Law Alumni in downtown Buffalo. by President George W. Bush. She be - Association: “I can’t think of a better Dean Makau Mutua updated the gan her legal career as a public de - way to enhance the image and reputa - attendees about progress in several ar - fender and in private practice, before tion of our Law School and our pro - eas at the Law School. “What I said to being elected to the Bucks County fession, and I can’t think of a better you four years ago is that we at SUNY Court of Common Pleas, where she way for a lawyer to improve his or her Buffalo Law were not content to be an served for eight years. community, than by tireless efforts to OK law school, we were not content to Laurie Styka Bloom ’83, immedi - serve the underserved, represent the be a good law school, we want to be - ate past president of the Law Alumni unrepresented, and remember the come a great law school,” Mutua said. Association, presented the award, sometimes forgotten participants in “Before I made that promise, I did not sharing the jurist’s long resume of our justice system. Vince dedicated his contemplate what was coming our professional and civic accomplish - presidency and stewardship of our way. The great recession, of course, hit ments. The reach of her service in - state bar association to the theme ‘Jus - us. We were hit with turbulent head - cludes coordinating volunteer com - tice for All.’ It was a rally to action and winds. But I say to you again that this mittee to rebuild a covered bridge and a reminder of the good all of us as law school will not be victimized by founding a suicide-prevention orga - lawyers can accomplish with the edu - small dreams, no matter what the nization. “I’m tired just telling you cation we received from our Law challenges are. We have risen to those about everything she’s done,” Bloom School.” challenges, we have overcome the quipped. William J. Hochul Jr. ’84 , U.S. At - headwinds, and we have accom - Mark K. Suzumoto ’82 was hon - torney for the Western District of plished things that were not thinkable ored for his work in private practice. New York, in Buffalo, received the Dis - four years ago.” Suzumoto, who practices corporate tinguished Alumnus Award for public He cited the hiring of 16 new litigation as a partner in the Los Ange - service. Hochul has served with the tenure-track faculty members; the les law firm Van Etten Suzumoto & U.S. Attorney’s office since 1991; he academic quality of this year’s enter - Sipprelle, is a longtime supporter of has been chief of the office’s anti-ter - ing class, whose median GPA is a best- the Law School. Since 2004 he has rorism unit, as anti-terrorism adviso - ever 3.57; building renovations and been a member of the Dean’s Adviso - ry council coordinator, as chief of the new teaching technologies; and signif - ry Council, which advises Dean Mu - national security division and as con - icant efforts to reach out to area attor - tua on curricular and other matters. fidential human source coordinator. neys and judges. These improve - “People who have worked with He also has prosecuted some of the ments, the dean said, come with the Mark call him a character guy,” the biggest federal cases in Western New support of UB President Satish K. Tri - dean said in presenting the award. York. pathi and the Law School’s alumni: “They say you will never find a more In presenting the award, Mary Pat

Multimedia: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp 31

“You are the difference makers.” – Dean Makau W. Mutua

Left to right, front row: Vincent E. Doyle III ’89, Mark K. Suzumoto ’82, Cynthia M. Rufe ’77 and William J. Hochul Jr. ’84 Back row: Jill M. Bond ’85 and Michael S. Taheri

Enright Fleming ’85 said, “Bill is a tire - that Bond started with Rich Products mo said that Taheri calls St. Luke’s his less and energetic public servant who as corporate counsel and, in just eight “second home” and noted that several has dedicated himself to improving years, rose to become general counsel of the students he has mentored were the safety and well-being of the West - of this $2.8 billion global company. present at the dinner. “This award ern New York community.” Besides “She’s handled her success with grace tonight is especially noteworthy be - his prosecutorial work, she said, and humility, which is a wonderful cause Mike is an example to all of us Hochul is actively involved in a group trait to have,” he said. lawyers of how a busy, well-recog - called Bridges, which works to foster Finally, Michael S. Taheri, partner nized, excellent and successful lawyer positive relations between the Muslim in the Buffalo firm Taheri & Todoro, can devote a major part of his life to a community and law enforcement. He received the award for outstanding not-for-profit cause, the cause of also, she said, is the holder of a martial service to the University and commu - helping underprivileged young peo - arts black belt, “which has certainly nity by a non-alumnus. Taheri is a ple on Buffalo’s East Side,” DiGiaco - enhanced his management skills in longtime adjunct instructor at the mo said. “The award shows all of us the office.” Law School, teaching courses in DWI that in addition to assisting our Jill M. Bond ’85 , senior vice presi - law, white-collar crime and law firm clients, we can find a way to help peo - dent and general counsel for Rich management. He also is a thoroughly ple in need.” Products Corp. in Buffalo, received involved volunteer at St. Luke’s Mis - Co-chairs of the 50th annual the award for her performance in the sion of Mercy, on Buffalo’s East Side, Alumni Dinner were Alan J. Bozer ’84, business world. She is also a former where he teaches and mentors high Mary Pat Enright Fleming ’85 and member of the Law School’s Dean’s school and college students and helps Brian D. Gwitt ’98. Brian M. Melber Advisory Council. them prepare for a career. ’96 is the president-elect of the SUNY Presenter Brian D. Gwitt ’98 noted In presenting the award, DiGiaco - Buffalo Law Alumni Association. SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 32 National Law Alumni THE WIDE ANGLE Alumni connections NEW Y Alumn ORK C across the nation i Lunch ITY Unio eon at t n Leag he ue Club herever you work or live, Left t you can connect with your o right: Vice De SUNY Buffalo Law R an Jam . Newt es classmates and friends by V on, LAA ice Pres fWriending the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Pie ident t ra G. Le Association on Facebook. Visit ’01, M ttieri elissa A http://law.buffalo.edu/facebookLAA.asp to Foti ’03 . P and LA get connected today! residen A Br t-Elect ian M. ’96 Melber

ON, D.C. t ASHINGT Restauran W at Urbana WASHING Reception TON, D .C. Reception at U rbana Restaurant INGTON, D.C. WASH nt rbana Restaura Reception at U

7 and ri Talente ’9 ristopher to right: Ba K. Trynosky ’05, Ch Left ’98 ft to right: Stephen ook and y L. Duvall Le or David A. Westbr Am . Moran ’11, Profess R tua Dean Makau W. Mu lly ’00 6 and David Ke le M. Radecki ’9 to right: Michel R Left OCHESTE R R HESTE Rocheste ROC at Cha r r Social pter’s CLE ocheste on R ’s Law Not-for- Murphy Profit B oards Hon. to right: Left ofrio Left to ri A. Don W ght: Gail J. Knapp ende J. Kna Wende ’10, A pp ’85, chester nita Pellet and Ro ier ’10 o-Chair and Clinica hapter C Profess l C K. or Thomas ennifer J m ’10 F. Disare Meldru

For more photos visit: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp 33

RK CITY NEW YO NEW YO at St. Bart’s RK CITY Join your Inside Park Reception Reception at at Mintz Levin Annual Fund Law Alumni o-Chair and C st reception ho ichael A. Association M t, Battle ’81, lef and Allan D. Mantel ’76 today! No matter where you live or work, your Law Alumni Association can help you meet other alumni in your area, organize events or develop your professional network. Left to right: Jeremy M We have chapters in the and Fran . Saland ’00 cis J. Earley ’98, following areas: the NYC A chair of lumni Chapter CEN Albany TRAL NEW YORK Committee me Matthew R. Coseo ’05 eting at Hancock E stabrook, Syracuse [email protected] Central New York Samuel M. Tamburo ’68 [email protected] Chicago Daniel A. Sikka ’07 [email protected] New York City Francis M. Earley ’98 [email protected] Rochester Jennifer K. Meldrum ’10 [email protected] Washington, D.C. Left to right: Ja mes J. O’Shea ’09, D Leslie P. Machado ’96 Tamburo ’68, H aniel K. Mannion ’1 on. Michael L. Hanu 1, Robert Whitaker Craig M. Atlas ’86 szczak ’84, Mary M ’05, Samuel M. [email protected] , Paul J. Avery ’05 an . Miner ’10, Nancy L d Daniel J. Pautz ’08 . Caple ’81, If you are interested in organizing a LC chapter in your area, contact: HICAGO Gossett PL C at Dykema Reception Lisa M. Mueller ’93 Assistant Dean for Alumni and AGO Communications CHIC [email protected] Reception at Dykema Gossett PLLC Renew for 2012-13 Take advantage of our brand new membership benefit – unlimited online CLE at a significantly reduced cost for paid LAA members. Sign up today at: an egel ’76, De t: Ruth V. Si n ’01, , left to righ Fleischman Above , Simon A. n Liu ’11 www.law.buffalo.edu/alumni u W. Mutua n and Etha Maka Fleischman ean Ilene reception Vice D nnual Fund Co-Chair and A 5, left, and host Richard E. Gottlieb ’8 Dean Makau W. Mutua SUNY BUFFALOLAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 34 Reunions 2011 966 ass of 1 l n o C Reuni 45th 011 ct. 28, 2 riday, O aware F on Del ansion d): The M (seate nt row Sr., ght, fro Grable ft to ri es W. lker, rom le its, Jam M. Vo F . Kiris , Dale issel, ames J J. Bolm as Wh J obert Thom rury R thy J. D . Timo : Hon nding) ow (sta n, Back r Jackso ard G. rd, o, Rich M. Wa Cirand homas ller, hn A. llee, T t W. Ke Jo . LaVa Rober wart tland R oian, hael S Cour . Koosh Mic Peter M Class of 1971 40th Reunion Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 Park Club From left to right, back row (standing): Robert M. Goldstein, Gerald Chiari, Thomas A. Palmer, Hon. Leonard G. Tilney, Jr., Richard J. Rosche, James L. Kennedy, Gregory Stamm, James A. Ullman Front Row (Seated): John F. Collins, Hon. Joseph R. Glownia, Paul V. Hurley, Anthony M. Nosek, Gerald B. Cohen Class of 19 76 35th Reunion Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 Saturn Club From left to right, front row: Lynn D. Gates, Beaufort N. Willbern, Bari J. Schulman, Stephen P. Gleit, Florence V. Dean, Cheryl Smith Fisher, Eileen J. Katz 2nd Row: John J. Fargo, Karen B. Leeds, J. Carlton Howard, Jr., Dennis E. Ward, Lawrence F. Cataldi, Robert J. Feldman, Thomas R. Lochner, Margaret W. Wong, William A. Gersten 3rd Row: Howard S. Rosenhoch, Lawrence M. Meckler, Gabriel J. Ferber, Jeffrey L. Tanenbaum, Ruth V. Siegel, Gary K. Norgaard, Carol M. Matorin, Ellen Katz Forrest, Kenneth B. Forrest, Francis M. Letro Back Row: John Hartje, Mark R. Hellerer, David E. Leibowitz, Randolph M. Paul, Diane F. Bosse, Hon. Kenneth I. Krigstein, Richard F. DiGiacomo, For more photos: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp Eric H. Green, Donald H. Vogelman, Paul A. Equale 35 Class of 1981

30th Reunion Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 Albright-Knox Art Gallery From left to right, Row 1: James S. Kraus, Mark J. Weinstein, Jay H. Marlin, Arthur A. Marrapese III Row 2: Barbara L. Wagner, John A. DiCaro, Jeremy L. Nowak, Larry P. Malfitano, Mitchell S. Lustig, Elyse L. Gilman, Anna Marie Cellino, Edward C. Northwood, Hon. Lawrence Friedman Row 3: Neil E. Botwinoff, Jeffrey L. Taylor, Nancy L. Caple Johnston, Hon. Melanie L. Cyganowski, Markus Ian Berkovits, Ronald S. Zarowitz, Leslie Wolffe Berkovits, Dale J. Clark, Erik D. Lindauer Row 4: Gary R. Gaffney, M. Margaret Fabic, Michael I. Chakansky, Therese Rahill Wincott, Clifford N. Barry Row 5: Patricia M. Jayne, Ronald J. Winter Class of 1986 25th Reunion Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 Park Club

From left to right, back row (standing): Craig M. Atlas , Melinda R. Saran, Robert D. Lipman, Roy A. Mura, Mark A. Baehre, Hon. Diane Y. Devlin, Nels M. Johnson, Shari Jo Reich, Gina M. Peca, Gayle T. Murphy, Michelle A. Missry, Robert A. Schwartz, Karen H. DuWaldt, Timothy A. Farley, Leslie A. Stroth, Brenda J. Joyce, Michael G. Whelan, James M. Joyce From left to right, front row (seated): Jeffrey H. Katz, Lionel Samuel Rigler, Karen M. McMahon, Paul J. Korniczky, Victor R. Siclari, William P. Daly Jr.

For more photos: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp SUNY BUFFALOLAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 36 Reunions 2011

20th Reunion Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 Buffalo Club From left to right, seated: Margot L. Watt, Lizabeth M. Ritter, Joy Feldman, Mushiya M. Kabemba-Warren ’92 First Row (standing): Francis C. Amendola, Mark S. Aquino, Marybeth Cullinan, Michael D. Braisted, Kevin S. Doyle, Charles A. LoFaso, Robert P. Heary, Moses Mark Howden, Modesto A. Argenio, Laurice A. Ghougasian, Bernard L. Salamone, Samuel R. Miserendino Jr. Middle Row (between first row standing and staircase bannister): Jonathan G. Hager, Mary Ellen A. Gianturco, Regina M. Ryan, Sally B. Logan Staircase: Dilek B. Babakurban, Mary Ellen Kresse-Rutowksi, Sebastian W. Fasanello, Kathleen M. Reilly, Hon. John S. Wiencek, Elizabeth Bergen, Joseph R. Bergen, Rodger P. Doyle, Karen Cook Serotte, Christopher D. Thomas, Class of 1991 Deeanna M. Galla, Michele R. Driscoll, Anthony L. Eugeni, Eric J. Braun, Mark A. Doane

10th Reunion Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 Pearl Street Class of 2001

Seated: David L. Allen, Pietra G. Lettieri, Lori A. Robb Monaghan, Andrea Ruta Kozlowski, Anita Cristina Butera, Kevin J. Graff Standing: Michael D. O’Keefe, Norman M. Bennett, Nicholas L. Rossi, Hugh Reid, Jonathan E. Staehr, Sheldon Keith Smith, Frank Bogulski, Gabriel S. DiMaio

For more photos: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp 37

ith eldon Ke Sh , mith ’01 S Nixon right, of Network the body, Pea ffalo, Bu is iscusses h d e corporat litigation Nation ice. pract Friday, Oct. 28, 2011 As part of Reunion Weekend, alumni from across the country shared insights into the practice of law and non-traditional careers with law students. A reception followed. Victor R. Siclari ’86, left, Senior Managing Counsel – Asset Management at Bank of New York Mellon, answers questions about wealth management.

Mushiya M. Kabemba-Warren ’92, left, a solo practioner from Dallas, Georgia, talks about hanging out your own shingle.

Dennis R. Black ’81, Vice President for Student Affairs, University at Buffalo, talks about his academic position.

J ames A. Ullman ’71, right, of Q uarles & Brady, Phoenix, shares his thoughts about franchi etired se um ’76, left, r law. ey L. Tanenba New Jeffr al & Manges, m Weil Gotsh about fro ers questions ork City, answ e. Y uptcy practic big law bankr

For more photos: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 38 Profiles

THREE ALUMNI WHO BECAME DEANS Dean Sylvester ’94 Heads Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State

around the world. “They were dynamic ward the day when it will be supported conferences,” Sylvester says, “but they entirely by tuition, alumni giving, grants were also a way of letting people know of and other revenue. “You look around the the amazing work we do here, and it has university and you realize there is only so really worked. The national profile of this much money to support an institution s r

e faculty has grown by leaps and bounds of this size and vibrancy,” Sylvester says. d n

a over the past decade –and so have the “State support of the University has just S

d i

v number of conferences and events we dropped too far to allow every unit to re - a D continue to host. The weather in winter, tain past levels of tuition support. Every of course, makes that last part easy!” unit on campus is looking hard at itself Such moves have paid off not only in to determine how best to handle this ouglas Sylvester ’94, whose le - helping faculty to make scholarly con - new economic reality. At the College of gal research has included the nections, but in raising the school’s pro - Law, we’ve decided that the best way for Dstudy of nanotechnology, the file nationally. The most recent U.S. News us to move forward is to reduce our smallest machines ever built, is thinking & World Report ranking puts the school state-funding to zero but, to make that a whole lot bigger as a law school dean. at 26th nationwide among all law work, we need to be very creative about Sylvester, who has taught at Arizona schools, eighth among public law how we replace those dollars. We’ve had State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor schools. to raise tuition –but we remain one of College of Law for 10 years, was named “Although we don’t define ourselves the least expensive schools in the coun - the school’s permanent dean in March, by our ranking and, like many, view its try. In addition, we need to do a far better after serving for nearly a year as interim value with skepticism, we are extremely job of engaging our alumni to make the dean. proud of ways in which this law school case that they need to give back to sup - The new role follows upon his tenure has dramatically improved over the past port the next generation of lawyers. That as associate dean for faculty research and few years,” Sylvester says. Improvements is a big job –but it’s one I happily accept.” development, a position in which he were noted in the caliber of students the As at SUNY Buffalo Law School, the worked to foster faculty scholarship, or - school attracts, the quality of education dean says, there is a sense that you will ganized speaker series, mentored junior students receive, its reputation among most likely end up working with your faculty and tried to increase the visibility academic peers, the recognition among classmates someday. “We have been the of the law school’s faculty. judges and lawyers around the country, only major law school within 100 miles “We’ve always known we were an and its employment track record. of Phoenix for 40-plus years,” Sylvester amazing law school –with fantastic fac - Now Sylvester is in position to move says. “The local community is greatly ulty, staff and students, but it became the Sandra Day O’Connor College of populated by lawyers who graduated clear that the geographic distance be - Law further forward. Founded in 1967, from ASU. So the vast majority of people tween us and some other law schools was the law school has about 600 students who go to law school with you are people affecting perceptions about us,” Sylvester and 117 full- and part-time faculty. It was you will know for the rest of your career. says. “One consequence was that our fac - renamed in honor of O’Connor, who “At Buffalo, you had a sense of com - ulty was not, in the past, invited to as was raised in Arizona and the first female munity among the students. I also felt a many conferences and events as was war - justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, in sense of connection with many of my ranted by their work and reputation. So 2006. professors. I had faculty reach out to me. we decided that we would become a des - As he settles into his new role, That is definitely the way it feels here.” tination for conferences and events.” Sylvester says he has discovered a few Another parallel, he says, is the shared For example, the law school hosted things about himself. “I’ve enjoyed get - role of the public law school: “It’s a sense major national conferences on the future ting out into the city and country, meet - of public service for the community in of legal education, involving law firm ing alums; I didn’t expect that would be which you’re embedded. Our students partners, federal and state judges, and one of my favorite parts of the job. ” gave over 100,000 hours last year in free academics, and on the recommended re - Even fund raising, every dean’s con - legal services to the community. That’s a vamping of the use of forensic science, stant burden, has come naturally, he says. $10 million free economic gift to this drawing crime lab experts, police detec - Facing the reality of a hard-pressed state community.” tives and researchers in the field from budget, the school is moving rapidly to - 39

THREE ALUMNI WHO BECAME DEANS Dean Holley ’70 Leads Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern

annye Holley ’70 has been a But Holley worked on budget plan - law professor, a scholar, an ning a decade ago when he served as administrator – and, of associate dean, and says he depends Dcourse, a student. He brings on the current associate dean for fi - the lessons of all of those experiences nance as he asks “what if” questions: to his work as dean of Texas Southern “What if we do this? What would re - University’s Thurgood Marshall sult in additional revenue, and how School of Law, a job that holds him much of it is limited because it has to accountable to faculty, staff, alumni, be spent on certain things and not on students and the university. others, and is there a way of loosening Those skills began in his native those restrictions if you move the Buffalo, where he was a UB under - money from one category to anoth - graduate before entering SUNY Buf - er?” falo Law School. After earning a mas - But he still teaches – criminal law ter of laws degree at the University of for the first-years, evidence for the 2Ls California, Berkeley, Holley returned and criminal law procedure for the to Buffalo and taught at the Law 3Ls – as is the tradition for the School for five years, principally in his school’s deans and associate deans. specialty area of criminal law. He also And he makes a point of getting face ran summer programs for incoming time with the students, meeting with law students and traveled widely, es - student leadership often and, once pecially in the South, “telling the Buf - every semester, meeting with each falo story” and recruiting minority class – “just talking about current is - applicants to help diversify a then applications recently, Holley says. sues and concerns, upcoming events, mostly white student body. “Whenever the pendulum swings what our plans are.” Now he is nearly two years into his down, it is going to affect us as well as It is that sense of responsibility to permanent deanship at Thurgood everybody else,” he says. “People don’t multiple constituencies that Holley Marshall, after a one-year interim see a clear likelihood that they will says is the defining characteristic of posting, leading a Houston law school economically benefit from the three life in the dean’s office. But, he says, it whose 600 students are mostly years they spend in law school. I think is gratifying to be able to set the tone African-American and of Hispanic the profession as a whole is going to for the school and help others to share origin. have to pay a lot more attention to this in the mission. “We have a unique national niche,” issue.” “If you have an investment in the Holley says, “because we are one of And the deanship, he acknowl - institution’s welfare and some vision the few schools that is predominantly edges, is in large part a game of num - for manageable institutional progress minority. In the U.S. News & World bers. Like SUNY Buffalo Law, Thur - that drives what you’re doing, that is Report diversity index, we rank No. 1 good Marshall is part of a public uni - my way of thinking that the job is re - or 2 or 3 every year as the most diverse versity, a fact that introduces into the warding,” he says. “You don’t have to law school in the country. For the budgeting equation an element of po - see it as a status position; it is some - most part, our students are not stu - litical uncertainty. “You have to figure thing you’re doing hopefully for the dents whose mom or dad or uncle are out what you can control and what greater good and with an endgame in connected with the legal profession. you can’t,” Holley notes. Then there mind. You have to communicate to So we have a lot of teaching initiatives. are the continuing challenges of other people specific things that you One of my challenges is to make sure fundraising from donations and ne - think are the most important issues we have enough academic support to gotiating with the university on the that the institution should be concen - give our students the chance to suc - proportion of tuition money that the trating on, and get other folks to at ceed.” law school can retain for its programs. least accept that those are worthy Like law schools nationally, Thur - It is a different skill set from, say, goals.” good Marshall has seen a decrease in understanding the rules of evidence. SUNY BUFFALO LAW FORUM • SPRING 2012 40 Profiles

THREE ALUMNI WHO BECAME DEANS Dean Bobinski ’87 Serves at University of British Columbia

“The program rom her office at the University about the sources of Canadian law con - at Buffalo was of British Columbia, where she cepts that correspond to landmark U.S. Fserves as dean of the Faculty of cases. “A lot of the issues would sound incredibly Law, Mary Anne Bobinski ’87 regularly familiar,” she says, “but Canadian stu - sees bald eagles in flight against the dents learn about them through a differ - strong. It backdrop of forest, mountains and ent legal system that uses different cases prepared me ocean. and different legislation.” It is one of the small rewards of her And the issues that law school ad - very well.” law school’s newly completed building, ministrators worry about, she says, are Allard Hall, which replaces a Brutalist the same in both countries: how to raise – Mary Anne concrete building that, Bobinski says, funds, how to set tuition, how to make was “misplaced on our campus as it was law school affordable enough for people Bobinski ’87 pretty much devoid of usable windows.” of all economic backgrounds, and how Like many law schools, the Faculty of to strike the balance between legal theo - Law at UBC was established to serve the ry and practice. While the Canadian veterans returning from World War II. It market for legal employment remains has grown to comprise 45 full-time fac - strong, Bobinski also travels widely – ulty members, about 580 J.D. students across Canada and to Hong Kong, Lon - and about 120 graduate students study - don and New York – making the case to ing for the master of laws and Ph.D. de - employers for her students. grees. (Bobinski points out that Canadi - Like SUNY Buffalo Law School, her an law students interested in teaching at fairly heavy travel schedule I have as school’s student culture is a supportive the university level typically pursue a dean.” She also continues to publish, and one. “In addition to their outstanding graduate degree.) is working on a major revision of the GPAs and LSAT scores, our students At SUNY Buffalo Law School, U.S. casebook Health Care Law and bring a broad range of life experiences; Bobinski was in a joint J.D./Ph.D. pro - Ethics , for which she is one of three co- we welcome everyone, from first-gener - gram, but left with the J.D. to serve a ju - authors. ation immigrant families or even people dicial clerkship before going on to earn a Serving as dean of a law school, who’ve immigrated themselves, to peo - master of laws at Harvard Law School. Bobinski says, is “among the best jobs ple who have many judges and famous “The program at Buffalo was incredibly you can have. You work with fantastical - lawyers in their family,” she says. “There’s strong,” she remembers. “It prepared me ly smart people in a higher education a wide range of students who all have in - very well. I still draw on the knowledge environment, people who are all com - credible academic records and potential, and perspective that I acquired in Buffa - mitted to the students and the future of so we try to create an environment that’s lo decades ago. I really believe that the the legal profession; you’re looking at re - welcoming to all of those backgrounds.” law school provided the kind of founda - search that’s making a difference; and Overall, she says, the deanship is a tion that allows people to follow their you’re in a position to work with a won - chance to share a vision. “You have a key dreams.” derful group of people to make great role where you can bring your own vi - Before moving to Vancouver, Bobin - things happen. I go from one meeting to sion and ideas about legal education and ski – whose specialty is health law – was the next talking to people who have in - can work with others to make a differ - the John and Rebecca Moores Professor teresting ideas, and my job is to help find ence ,” Bobinski says. “It’s really an in - of Law and director of the Health Law a way to support those ideas and make credible honor and privilege to be able and Policy Institute at the University of them happen.” to do that.” Houston Law Center. She joined the The UBC law school, she says, is UBC Faculty of Law in 2003 as dean and known for particular strengths in busi - professor, and she still teaches whenever ness law, Asian legal studies, environ - she can. mental law and indigenous legal studies. “Being dean is a pretty intensive job The Canadian and U.S. models of legal from the administrative standpoint,” she education are very similar, Bobinski says. “I try to structure the times that I says, but the sources of law are quite dif - teach in ways that are consistent with the ferent. She has had to research and learn The traditional candlelighting ceremony. Story on Page 19. The Students of Color pass on the legacy

From left to right: Hon. Rose H. Sconiers ’73 and From left to right: Jasmine Paul ’12, Paulette D. From left to right: Jonathan S. Beane ’98, winner Vice Dean Lillie Wiley-Upshaw. Cooke ’12, Jasmine Monica Liverpool ’14. of the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Nathnael Yohannes ’12.

For more photos: www.law.buffalo.edu/forum/extra.asp SUNY Buffalo L aw School Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage John Lord O’Brian Hall PAID Buffalo, NY 14260-1100 Buffalo NY Permit No. 311 Address service requested

SUNY Buffalo Law School Join us to celebrate our The State University of New York quasquicentennial DON’T {quasqui what? } MISS THE FUN! A cool party FRIDAY, like this happens SEPT. 28 No black tie, no long speeches and lots of only once every surprises. Join fellow alumni, faculty, 125 years ... students and friends for a memorable 125th anniversary party at the beautifully restored and historic Hotel @ the Lafayette in downtown Buffalo. It is also 2012 Reunion Weekend – so the party will continue to rock on throughout the weekend.

For more information, go to law.buffalo.edu/125.asp