News

Policy Analyst to Advocate: A JDi Story Rooted in Guam

August 11, 2026

Public Advocate Sarah Elmore-Hernandez L’26 Helps Combat Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

The documents that track the U.S. Territory of Guam’s legal history tell the story of a judicial system still coming into its own. Every statute, court opinion, and legal publication represents another chapter in the evolution of the Pacific island’s legal system. During the summers of 2025 and 2026, Sarah Elmore-Hernandez L’26 completed an externship at the Guam Compiler of Laws, gaining a deeper understanding of the legal foundation behind the advocacy work she conducts for the community that is her home.

Sarah Elmore-Hernandez at the Judiciary of Guam while she served as Director of Policy, Planning, and Community Relations. — Sarah Elmore-Hernandez L’16 at the Judiciary of Guam while she served as Director of Policy, Planning, and Community Relations.

Completed as a requirement for Syracuse University College of Law’s JDInteractive (JDi) program, the externship immersed her in the office responsible for publishing Guam’s statutes, opinions for the Supreme Court of Guam, and other legal resources relied upon by judges, attorneys, policymakers, and the public.

“Going through Supreme Court opinions gave me a greater appreciation for how much Guam’s legal system has developed in a relatively short period and for the responsibility we have to continue building on it,” Elmore-Hernandez says, noting that, just over 50 years ago, the Court Reorganization Act reshaped Guam’s court system and led to the establishment of an independent judiciary, which only achieved status equal to the legislative and executive branches in 2004.

A Career Dedicated to Public Policy, Helping Survivors

Elmore-Hernandez began her career as a policy analyst at the Guam Legislature before advancing to chief of staff for senators on both sides of the aisle. Through those roles, she became passionate about addressing gender-based violence and helped advance legislation to strengthen protections for survivors.

That mission carries particular importance on Guam, where geographic isolation, a limited pool of practicing attorneys, and constrained resources can create additional barriers for survivors seeking legal assistance or a safe path out of abuse.

By the time she entered law school in August 2023, Elmore-Hernandez was working for the Judiciary of Guam as the director of policy, planning, and community relations, as well as completing a Ph.D. in gender and politics. In February 2026, she was appointed director of Guam’s Bureau of Women’s Affairs, bringing her into the executive branch and completing a public service career spanning all three branches of Guam’s government. Today, she oversees grants from Guam’s Office on Violence Against Women and works to expand resources for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Elmore-Hernandez's shown on TV smiling and speaking into a microphone at a public hearing. — Elmore-Hernandez’s confirmation hearing as Director of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs.

“I have always believed policy is where I can have the greatest impact,” she says, noting that she hopes to one day establish a women’s law center on Guam “For me, earning a law degree was never simply about becoming a litigator, but a stronger policy advisor and advocate—being better equipped to turn ideas into protections that make a difference in people’s lives.”

JDi Program Flexibility Allowed Her to Stay With Her Island Community

“I knew for some time that I wanted to go to law school, but it didn’t always seem practical,” Elmore-Hernandez says.

With no law school on Guam and the nearest ABA-accredited school located 3,800 miles away in Hawaii, pursuing a residential degree required leaving the island. The JDi program presented her with an alternative option where she could remain in Guam and continue her public service career while simultaneously earning a law degree alongside a cohort of experienced professionals from around the world.

The 14-hour time difference between Guam and Syracuse actually worked in her favor, allowing her to log-on to online classes in the morning while continuing her professional responsibilities throughout the day.

Sarah sits at a table with 5 fellow ministers at the signing of their declaration, holding up their papers. — Elmore-Hernandez with fellow ministers at the Micronesian Ministers for Women Conference in Pohnpei following the signing of their declaration.

Staying on Top of the Storm

Elmore-Hernandez has certainly faced plenty of challenges juggling full-time work, studies, and community volunteering. However, one last challenge remained before she could complete her law degree: Super Typhoon Bavi.

Guam is in the midst of “typhoon alley,” and while its 170,000 residents stay prepared, they could not avoid two typhoons that impacted the island this year. Just after recovering from Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April, the island was hit by Bavi in July. The storm left much of Guam without power, water, or internet services just days before Elmore-Hernandez’s final exams. In fact, internet service was only partially restored when she logged on for an oral final exam on national security with the Hon. James Baker. Still, she succeeded, completing her exams and degree in early August, as well as preparing to take the newly introduced NextGen bar exam.

Sarah wears a lei necklance and smiles standing between two men in front of the Guam seal and US flag. — Elmore-Hernandez at her swearing-in as Director, with Lt. Governor Tenorio and her husband, Dr. Ricky Hernandez.

Looking back, the experience with Syracuse Law’s JDi program was well worth all of her efforts, and she credits strict time management, encouragement from her mentors, and support from faculty and others in her cohort at Syracuse Law, her husband, and her three shih tzus for helping her reach her goals.

“Guam is my home. It always has been and I can’t imagine serving anywhere else. That, and our sunsets are the best in the world!” she says. “If I can use what I’ve learned to make life better for the people in my community, particularly women, then I’m exactly where I need to be. The Syracuse Law JDi program helped me make that happen.”

Externship in IP Law Puts Recent Grad in Copenhagen to Share Patent Research

August 4, 2026

Michigan firm gives “tech guy” a first-hand look at legal practice that combines science, technology and international law

When Austin Dewey L’26 found out his externship would take him to Copenhagen to present his patent research to the chief legal officer of an international corporation, he never expected his introduction to the city would include a last-minute dash to replace a suit the airline lost in his travels. But, Syracuse University College of Law taught him to think on his feet, and, in the end, he arrived dressed for success and well prepared to demonstrate the knowledge he had gained through his unique experiences in law school.

Combining Science, Technology and the Law

With an undergraduate degree in environmental science from Florida State University, Dewey thought he might be a marine biologist but changed his mind and headed to law school. He was particularly attracted to Syracuse Law for its Innovation Law Center (ILC), as well as the opportunity to pursue a career that touched on his interest in science and technology.

Austin Dewey and another extern and a supervisor standing together in a building.

Last spring as a 3L, Dewey accepted an externship with Willard Quinn PLLC, a Michigan-based firm specializing in intellectual property law (IP). Through that externship he discovered an area he never knew existed before law school: patent law.

“My externship provided invaluable hands-on experience in this area of law, strengthened my research and analytical skills, and offered a unique glimpse into the global practice of IP strategy,” he says.

Dewey was tasked with research for one of the firm’s clients, Bang & Olufsen, a Danish manufacturer of audio and home entertainment products, as it explored expansion in U.S. markets. He spent months digging through the client’s existing patents, identifying potential infringers, and uncovering licensing opportunities that led to a freedom to market analysis.

Working remotely five hours a day in addition to his coursework at Syracuse Law was challenging but well worth it. “The externship experience was awesome, and ultimately I was able to identify three potential infringement claims upon Bang & Olufsen’s intellectual property,” he explains. “After that, I worked with the firm’s partners to help develop the best legal strategies for the client.”

Dewey created a detailed presentation outlining his findings and recommendations. The firm flew Dewey, along with another extern, and partners Kevin Quinn and Mark C. Willard, to Copenhagen to present to its chief legal officer and legal team.

“It was so exciting to not only show my work to the client first-hand but also have the chance to see how this process works in actual practice,” says Dewey of the three-hour solo presentation. “I assumed their legal team had all of this information in hand but was surprised my research was able to make them aware of some additional potential infringement that was going on.”

The brand’s partners asked a lot of strategic questions, and his research helped him supply answers with confidence. “Millions of dollars were potentially at stake for Bang & Olufsen, and it really struck me that the work I did was contributing toward their decision making. It was such an opportunity for me to confirm my interest in IP law.”

One thing that left a real impression on him was Bang & Olufsen’s take on how European countries viewed their legal systems. “It opened my eyes to a lot of differences, particularly how Europeans tend to be less litigious than Americans,” Dewey says. ”It was interesting to get that global perspective on the law.”

Dewey stayed in Copenhagen for an extra day, exploring an ancient castle, taking in the unique Scandinavian design and architecture, sampling amazing street food, and walking around the city’s historic canal systems — making the experience even more memorable.

Austin Dewey with 2 other people standing in front of statue in Copenhagen

Law School “on a Whim” Opened His Mind to IP

Dewey admits that he started law school “on a whim with an open mind to see what it could offer me.” He credits Brian Gerling L’99, executive director of the Innovation Law Center and professor of practice, as well as Distinguished Lecturer Dan Traficonte, for showing him ways to combine science and technology with the law.

Professor Traficonte is a “tech guy” like me and really helped me discover IP law, and Professor Gerling’s guidance at Syracuse Law’s ILC, where I was able to help real inventors protect their ideas, allowed me to see technologies I didn’t even know existed,” says Dewey, who spent two years of law school involved at the ILC and became a senior research associate.

Director of Alumni Relations Adrienne Lutz connected him with several alumni as career resources, which eventually led to the Willard Quinn opportunity. “It all added up to an outstanding experience, and I am grateful for the guidance I received.”

“Science and technology are some of the most competitive areas of the legal field right now,” Dewey adds.

“Syracuse Law understands that learning about the law in the classroom is only one aspect of a legal education, and seeing what’s done in actual practice adds another level. My externship at Willard Quinn was so impactful and proved to me how much I enjoyed this kind of day-to-day work. And I’ll never forget my visit to Denmark. IP, patents, and technology are an evolving area of the legal field that are going to be extremely important in the future.”

Where in the World is Syracuse Law this Summer? – Milena De Avila

July 28, 2026

This summer, Syracuse Law students are gaining hands-on experience at firms, courts, and organizations across the country. Over the coming weeks, we’re spotlighting where a few students are spending their summer, and how their Syracuse Law coursework prepared them for the work.

Next stop: Milena De Avila, 2L (2028), Taft Law Firm, Cleveland, OH

What does a typical day look like for you, and what’s one thing that surprised you about it?

Receiving new assignments from partners in different practice areas, sitting in on client calls, hearing oral arguments, and going out to lunch!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I have enjoyed my labor and employment projects

What made you choose this organization for your internship or externship?

Being from Ohio, I gravitated towards Taft’s reputation in the Midwest. I also was interested in seeing what a big firm was like..

How has Syracuse Law prepared you for this experience?

Syracuse Law provided me with professors who helped me navigate the summer associate recruitment process. Additionally, Civil Procedure helped prepare me for working in litigation this summer!

Where in the World is Syracuse Law this Summer? – Abigael Gress

July 28, 2026

Next stop: Abigael Gress, 3L (2027), Take Two Interactive Software, New York, NY

What does a typical day look like for you, and what’s one thing that surprised you about it?

A typical day for me at T2, consists of projects centered around contractual agreements with companies, artists, manufacturers, brands, and athletes. On a typical day, I work on projects that involve tasks like redlining contracts, NDAs, talent and service agreements, researching for lawyers, meeting with department teams to discuss what they have been working on and understanding how certain agreements work in law and business. I work with teams within 2K, Rockstar, and Zynga on a daily basis. Some of the most exciting have been: entertainment contracts with Rockstar for the upcoming GTA launch, contracts with 2K and their athletes, and working on goals for Zynga’s new game productions. It has been so interesting, yet exciting all at the same time. I think what has surprised me is the excitement of the environment! GTA-VI is coming out in November and it’s been over a decade since the last launch. Everyone is working so hard to get this game out and it has been such an amazing experience to be at the heart of it all and being able to participate and help out where I can. In addition, I am surrounded by such

amazing people, including my fellow interns and the amazing lawyers and legal assistants who have gone out of their way to make connections with us.

What made you choose this organization for your internship or externship?

I want to work within Sports and Entertainment, specifically for a company that I am passionate about and align with the work they produce. In addition, I am extremely interested in Intellectual property and there is absolutely NO better place than T2 to experience the power of IP and how it interacts with entertainment and sports. It is the most successful, innovative, and powerful video game company in the world, there is no better place that I could have chosen to be this summer. In addition to pursuing my MBA, my internship sits within the business affairs department at T2. This provides me with a front row seat to the intersection of law and business. This experience has illuminated just how vital this synergy is, and how essential skilled lawyers are to its success.

What’s one project or task you’ve worked on that you’re proud of, and what did you learn from it?

(I unfortunately cannot answer this one in detail or in depth due to NDA and confidential information.) However, I am very proud of myself for learning every day and adapting quickly to new information and new tasks. I have never said no to a project, even if that means learning along the way (at home or in the office). I have completed projects that have taught me necessary skills, tools, and information that will be extremely useful for working in big firms. I have also learned that Entertainment and Sports and Intellectual property is exactly what I want to pursue. By the end of this summer, I will research and prepare a presentation for senior lawyers on a topic that I find could better the company and the work they do. We have not finalized a topic yet but I am excited to work on that with my fellow legal intern!

Do you see yourself practicing in this area of law after graduation? What’s drawing you toward this field?

Absolutely I see myself practicing here! I would love to even work at T2. They treat their employees so well and they are all so valued. I 100% know I want to work in-house eventually, but valuable work experience is required beforehand!

How has Syracuse Law prepared you for this experience?

Syracuse has helped me tremendously! I use my education and knowledge of Contract law, Intellectual Property law, litigation, Constitutional law, and more every day. Further, the advisors helped me tremendously to get here. They edited and approved my cover letter, resume, and provided me with interview preparation and materials. I truly relied on their help to get here!

JDinteractive Grad Achieves Top Score on Maine Bar Exam

July 24, 2026

To provide better access to justice, Melissa Palzewicz L’25 overcomes big challenges to earn law degree

Every law student stresses about passing the bar exam. Melissa Palzewicz L’25 was no exception when she sat for the Maine bar exam earlier this year. But she needn’t have worried. Not only did Palzewicz pass, but she also received the Kenneth R. Clegg Award for Excellence from the Maine Board of Bar Examiners for achieving the highest combined score on the February 2026 exam.

“I know how much effort everyone puts into the bar exam, so to get the highest score in Maine is surprising and humbling,” she says, giving credit to the preparation she received through the Syracuse University College of Law’s JDinteractive (JDi) program.

Helping Those in Need Get Better Access to Justice

Palzewicz had always considered going to law school, but, for years, her life took a different path. Living with her family in Bangor, Maine, she built a successful career in the tech field as a senior software development manager at IDEXX, a leader in pet healthcare innovation. However, in 2021, she decided the time was right to pursue a law degree. Doing so was not intended to replace her current career, but to add another dimension to her life, one that would put her in a position to help others “get better access to justice.”

According to Palzewicz, Maine does not have a strong public defender system, so legal assistance is handled primarily by court-appointed attorneys or through nonprofit legal aid organizations.

“Rural Maine is especially underserved in many ways, including access to legal assistance,” she explains. “I knew a law degree would allow me to help others in my community.”

While Palzewicz was accepted into a residential law program in Maine, she couldn’t make the in-person course requirements work around her job and family. Fortunately, she discovered Syracuse Law’s JDi program and thought the rigorous online course work, highly regarded faculty, and in-person residencies built around specific topics and skills would be a great fit.

Melissa Palzewicz L’26 along with two classmates at their JDinteractive Residency at the European Union Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Family Encouraged Her to Keep Going Through Tragedy

Unfortunately, attending law school did not turn out to be her biggest challenge. Just months before she was set to begin at Syracuse Law, her husband died suddenly. This tragic turn of events made her question whether she should go through with her plans.

“The idea of starting law school was an extra level of stress as I was processing my grief, but it was my kids who encouraged me to make it happen,” says Palzewicz. “It ended up that all four of my kids were in college while I was in law school, so we all rallied around each other. We’re very close because of what we’ve been through together.”

Palzewicz credits having a regimented schedule for her ability to juggle career, family, and law school demands. “Every minute of each day was essentially blocked out for something I had to do,” she says.

Her methods helped her thrive in the JDi program. She was not only able to succeed in her course work but also participate in various activities offered by Syracuse Law, including serving as a class senator and being president of the Women’s Law Student Association. Palzewicz also was an executive on the Virtual Advocacy Division of the Advocacy Honor Society, participated on trial teams, and took on an externship with the Volunteer Lawyers Project in Maine.

Surprised, Humbled, and Grateful for Support in Rewriting Her Life

Palzewicz completed her law degree in December 2025. True to her nature, she started studying for the bar exam early in the process and credits Syracuse Law’s faculty and the robust legal education for helping her prepare. After graduating, she stuck to a strict four-nights-on, one-night-off study schedule, but, with only two weeks to go, she took a much needed break knowing she had prepared the best she could.

“Until the results come in, you’re never certain how you did,” says Palzewicz of taking the bar exam last February. In April, she learned she had passed. But two months later, she was “surprised and humbled” to be notified that she had received the highest score in the state.

“I started law school at 46 and passed the bar at 51,” she says of her accomplishments. “The people I met and the lifelong friends I made through the JDi program kept me from burning out in my grief as I was rewriting my life. The experience made it possible for me to achieve my goal, and achieving the highest score on the Maine bar exam was an added bonus. I’m very grateful for all of it and excited to see what’s next.”

2L Mira Lan Gaitanis Attends 17th Annual International Disability Law Summer School at the University of Galway

July 23, 2026

2L Mira Lan Gaitanis recently attended the 17th Annual International Disability Law Summer School held by the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at the University of Galway. The theme was “The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) Twenty Years On: New Horizons and Emerging Challenges.”

The three-day conference covered the Convention’s drafting history through the gaps and emerging challenges now testing it, to its future and a participatory exercise imagining a revised treaty.

The College of Law and the Disability Law and Policy Program sponsored Gaitanis’ participation in the conference.

Gaitanis, a research assistant at the Burton Blatt Institute, noted that the Conference provided “an honest reckoning with what the UNCRPD has and has not changed in disabled people’s lives; a reframing of the Convention as one tool among many rather than the endpoint, with ableism understood alongside capitalism and colonialism; and a clear sense that the next wave of leadership will come from the minds of young disabled people, working in collaboration with earlier generations who are living testaments to disability history and the current movement.”

She also presented a poster, Presence Is Practice: Music, Independent Living and the Law as a Form of Advocacy. The poster argued that advocacy does not only happen in courtrooms and legislatures. It happens every time a disabled person walks into a room that was not built for them and stays. It showed the multi-dimensional aspects of advocacy through her music, as a member of the Recording Artists and Musicians with Disabilities who has released three albums with the band Flat Moon Theory, with songs such as “See Me As I Am” and “Sparrow,” each illustrating her journey as a micropreemie with low vision and chronic pain. It also traced her advocacy journey from her first IEP meeting in fifth grade, her participation in the Florida Youth Leadership Forum, her involvement with Disability Rights Florida, and her internships with AAPD and The Harkin Institute. It then illustrates her journey to Galway for the conference and her goal of serving as U.S. Special Advisor on International Disability Rights.

At the conclusion of the conference, participants were challenged with drafting new articles for the UNCRPD. Gaitanis served as her group’s envoy, coordinating with the other groups’ envoys in the exercise’s private Discord channel so that, where ideas overlapped, each group could carry forward a distinct proposal. The group proposed adding intersectionality as a general principle and amending Article 34 to seat a youth representative and create a youth subcommittee.

As part of the Craftivism portion of the conference, Gaitanis created a zine titled Reflections and Musings, with the cover titled Nothing About Us Without Us, that combined collage, printmaking, and handwritten notes from the week.

“There were so many incredible speakers, and my favorite part was the participatory exercise that let us imagine the improvements we would make to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” said Gaitanis. “My idea was to add a youth representative to the main board and create a subcommittee dedicated to youth and disability. I also deeply valued the panel The Road Ahead: Bringing the UNCRPD into a New Era. We are at a turning point in disability rights history, and youth are the ones who can bring in the next wave through activism, community, and collective action.”

Professor Katherine Macfarlane’s Forthcoming Ohio State Law Journal Essay Tackles “Debating Accommodations”

July 21, 2026

Professor of Law Katherine Macfarlane, Director of the Disability Law and Policy Program at Syracuse Law, has posted a draft of her forthcoming Ohio State Law Journal essay Debating Accommodations.

The essay describes the legal standards that control the decision to grant or deny a postsecondary reasonable accommodation request, and how the development of law that prohibits disability discrimination may have led to an increase in the number of accommodated students with disabilities. It also confronts the concerns articulated by recent articles and scholarship, including The Atlantic piece “Accommodation Nation,” describing the increased volume of accommodations. It considers the accuracy of the pieces’ legal arguments, as well as conclusions regarding misdiagnoses and malingering. Finally, it proposes a framework for debating the validity of reasonable accommodations that applies relevant legal standards and considers both the lived experience of disability and the current civil rights retrenchment.

Macfarlane concludes, “At a minimum, if the accommodations debate persists, it must focus on what the law actually requires and cannot continue to demonize the students that accommodations serve. It is fair to debate accommodations, but it is harmful to debate the increased presence of students with disabilities themselves.”

Professor Shubha Ghosh Provides Legal Perspective on the State AG’s Lawsuit to Block the Paramount-Warner Bros. Takeover

July 17, 2026

Crandall Melivn Professor of Law Shubha Ghosh spoke with several news outlets on the State AG’s lawsuit to block the Paramount-Warner Bros. takeover.

At Variety, Ghosh said, “I’m not 100% sure this will be successful.” Generally, he said, courts have been deferential in allowing mergers across the board to proceed. In addition, a judge might find that the AGs’ case too narrowly defines the markets in question. A court’s analysis might consider factors like streaming and AI, and how they play into the competitive dynamics in the industry. Distribution of entertainment content “isn’t limited to just movie theaters or basic cable.” Ghosh said it’s also on YouTube and other streaming platforms. “The courts could push back and say there’s still competition from that.”

At the LA Times, Ghosh spoke to the state’s case that it bypasses streaming in its market definition. “It’s not uncommon to try to define the market as narrowly as possible,” said Ghosh. “But courts have been a bit more sensitive to this issue, and sometimes judges question whether [plaintiffs] have the right definition of the market,” Ghosh said.

Speaking with The National News, Ghosh noted that, “It all depends upon how well Paramount and Warner make their case for how the market is functioning. I do think there are other platforms other than theatre [and] theatrical distribution.”

Where in the World is Syracuse Law this Summer? – Rachel Jung

July 16, 2026

Next stop: Rachel Jung, 3L (2027), JDR Sullivan & Worcester LLP, New York, NY

What does a typical day look like for you, and what’s one thing that surprised you about it?

Every day is a little different depending on how many assignments I have going on. On busy days, I’m at my desk the whole day reviewing documents, conducting legal research, and attending Zoom meetings. On lighter days, I have the chance to grab coffee or lunch with my colleagues. One thing that surprised me most was how accessible the attorneys here are; they are always willing to teach and answer questions.

What made you choose this organization for your internship or externship?

As a mid-sized firm in Manhattan with a robust corporate practice, Sullivan & Worcester felt like the perfect place for me to gain hands-on experience in the M&A practice area.

What’s one project or task you’ve worked on that you’re proud of, and what did you learn from it?

I helped a client get their unemployment benefits as part of a pro bono project. It taught me that even small contributions can have a meaningful impact on someone’s life.

Do you see yourself practicing in this area of law after graduation? What’s drawing you toward this field?

For sure. I’m interested in corporate law, particularly mergers and acquisitions because I like the collaborative, problem-solving nature of corporate transactions.

How has Syracuse Law prepared you for this experience?

Working as a research associate at the Innovation Law Center and serving as a student attorney in the Housing Clinic gave me valuable experience with legal research, writing, and client counseling. Those programs helped me feel more confident stepping into a professional legal environment.