Syracuse University College of Law will hold its eighth annual Supreme Court Preview on Friday, November 1 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Gray Ceremonial Courtroom in Dineen Hall. Robert Parker, Chief of the Criminal Division’s Appellate Section at the U.S. Department of Justice, will deliver the Keynote Lecture “Supreme Court and Appellate Practice at the Department of Justice.”
The following panel discussion will examine key cases to be heard during the 2024-2025 Supreme Court term.
The Moderator will be Keith J. Bybee, Vice Dean and Paul E. and Hon. Joanne F. Alper ’72 Judiciary Studies Professor of Law.
George Boehme L’26 jokingly calls himself “the oldest law student in America.” At age 64, after a successful career as a newspaper publisher, he decided to enroll in Syracuse University College of Law’s JDinteractive (JDi) program with the intention of starting his next chapter doing pro bono work to help those in need.
“I thought going to law school was a lost opportunity for me. I had no idea a program like Syracuse’s JDi existed, but the time, effort and investment that the University has put into this program is much better and of higher quality than anything else I found. I would recommend it to anybody.” —George Boehme L’26
According to Boehme, he had an “ah-ha” moment a few years ago that made him feel that he had not taken the opportunity to make the world a better place. He looked to his wife, a physician, who has been able to make a true difference in other people’s lives and knew he wanted to reach out to those who had not been dealt an easy hand. Still, the idea of law school didn’t seem possible until he discovered Syracuse Law’s JDi program.
“I thought going to law school was a lost opportunity for me” says Boehme, who had explored law schools near his home in Houston. “I had no idea a program like Syracuse’s JDi existed, but the time, effort and investment that the University has put into this program is much better and of higher quality than anything else I found. I would recommend it to anybody.”
Boehme is currently an academic success fellow in civil procedure for Professor of Law Margaret Harding, helping other students with academic and study skills. He also is willing to share the wisdom that comes from starting something new later in life.
“Law school is tough and can be intimidating, but I’ve seen people who are scared of their shadow become confident after just a semester,” he explains. “Age can be comforting in that respect, and I think I’m good at encouraging those who might be struggling.”
When he completes his law degree, he intends to serve others as an attorney and maybe even teach law at some point. Boehme plans to stay in Texas working or volunteering with several organizations that cater to pro bono work in multidisciplinary areas.
“Blessedly, when I get my law degree, I won’t need to earn a living from it, and I won’t have any debt,” he explains. “But, I will be able to provide high quality civil legal representation to poor folks pro bono, particularly in the critical area of aggressive debt collection civil defense, more narrowly as it relates to the horrific pay-day lending industry.”
In the meantime, Boehme still has some work to do to earn his law degree. However, since he is retired, Boehme has the time to take a heavier load of classes and hopefully graduate early, eager and willing to reach his goal of helping others as a practicing attorney.
“If you want a fulfilled happy life, burst out of your bubble and improve the plight of those you would otherwise never meet,” he says of his choice to pursue law school through the JDi program. “I’m too old to endeavor to solve all the ills of society, but I have enough time left to focus on helping one person at a time.”
The recent ‘Cuse Vet Fest was attended by over fifty Central New York veterans who learned about VA benefits and other community resources available to them. The ‘Cuse Vet Fest was a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Syracuse VA Medical Center and Syracuse University College of Law’s Military and Veterans Law Society (MVLS).
“It is important that veterans know about all the benefits available to them and engage with VA professionals that can help them navigate the various processes needed to obtain their benefits. This was a helpful event that connected many veterans directly with the resources they earned and deserve.”
—Beth Kubala, Director of Veteran and Military Affairs for Syracuse Law
During this free event, attendees were able to enroll in VA Healthcare, file a claim with the Veterans Benefits Administration, obtain a Veteran Health ID Card, and learn how the PACT Act (Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxic Acts) expands healthcare benefits for Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras and were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. PACT Act also extends eligibility to survivors of these exposed Veterans.
Representatives from Syracuse University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, and the Office of Veteran Success were in attendance. MVLS students facilitated interactions with community partner organizations such as Clear Path for Veterans, Onondaga County Veterans Service Agency, and the New York State Department of Veterans’ Services.
“It is important that veterans know about all the benefits available to them and engage with VA professionals that can help them navigate the various processes needed to obtain their benefits. This was a helpful event that connected many veterans directly with the resources they earned and deserve,” said Professor Beth Kubala, Director of Veteran and Military Affairs for Syracuse Law.
Central New York veterans with questions about their VA benefits can call 315.425.4400.
3L Brandon J. Bryant was named the 2024 recipient of the Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association Hon. Norman A. Mordue ’66, L’71 Law Scholarship. Bryant is a U.S. Army combat veteran.
The Northern District of New York (NDNY) Federal Court Bar Association (FCBA) Hon. Norman A. Mordue ’66, L’71 Law Scholarship provides a Syracuse University College of Law student with the means to pursue a legal education and follow in the footsteps of Judge Mordue, a decorated war hero who served as chief judge for the NDNY and taught trial practice at the College of Law as an adjunct professor. The NDNY FCBA established the scholarship after the passing of Judge Mordue in December 2022.
Bryant is also pursuing an MBA at the Whitman School of Management. At Syracuse Law, Bryant is the Communications Director and member of the Trial Division of the Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society; a Research Assistant and Student Attorney at the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic; Lead Articles Editor for the Journal of Science and Technology; President of the Military & Veterans Law Society; and a coach for the Syracuse University Mock Trial team.
“I am truly honored to be selected as the recipient of the NDNY FCBA Hon. Norman A. Mordue Law Scholarship. It means a great deal to me, not only because of its financial support but also because of the connection to Judge Mordue, whose service and legacy I deeply admire,” says Bryant. “I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association for establishing this scholarship in Judge Mordue’s memory. I look forward to learning more about how I can represent his legacy.”
Earlier this year, Syracuse University College of Law launched its Housing Clinic to bring much-needed free legal services to low-income Syracuse residents facing profound living conditions issues. Student attorneys provide a wide range of legal services, including representation in court, under the supervision of Housing Clinic Director Gary Pieples.
In a news story on Spectrum News, Syracuse Law students D’Andre Gordon L’25 and Connor Hamilton L’25 discussed their experiences in the clinic and their impact on the community.
“Some of the cases we cover are eviction defense – you’re getting evicted, you need legal counsel, for non-payment of rent. We work on conditions cases [like] you’re suing your landlord because there are code violations that are impacting your quality of life,” said Gordon.
The student lawyers are gaining more than important advocacy skills. For Hamilton, a Syracuse native, it means giving back to his hometown. He said the clinic is enabling him to “connect more with my community and feeling like I’m actually being a part of something a little bit bigger than myself and making a difference in someone’s life that is from my area, that has a lot of special meaning to me personally.”
Nina Kohn, the David M. Levy Professor of Law, recently delivered the keynote address at the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) Annual Conference. The conference, organized by the National Center for State Courts, brought together the chief justices of the nation’s state courts and top court administrators. This year, the conference focused its educational programming on guardianship and conservatorship. Kohn’s keynote called attention to major problems in guardianship systems and urged the Chief Judges and Court Administrators to make guardianship a priority for their court systems and how court leadership can make a difference.
Kohn’s talk focused on the key civil rights concerns raised by current guardianship practice, and what courts can—and should—do about it. Kohn explained that guardianship continues to be treated as a go-to intervention for individuals with cognitive and intellectual disabilities, not the last resort option it’s legally designed to be. In addition, she explained that, despite reforms requiring courts to consider less restrictive alternatives, courts continue to order guardianships that strip individuals of all rights permitted under state law even when less restrictive arrangements would meet the needs of most respondents.
Kohn then outlined a series of steps court leaders could take to not only reduce unnecessary and overbroad guardianships but also reduce the risk of abuse and exploitation by unscrupulous guardians.
After the talk, Kohn observed “I was impressed by the warm reception my remarks received. Many of the participants expressed serious concern about the patterns of practice I described and expressed interest in making changes in their systems. I look forward to supporting those efforts in the coming months and years.”
Kohn is a nationally recognized leader on guardianship and elder law. Her remarks built on her scholarship around guardianship, as well as her work as Reporter for the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act.
Professor Suzette Meléndez was featured in Syracuse University’s Latine Heritage Month story, “Latine Voices Shape Campus Culture.” Her work in family law, domestic violence law, and the delivery of legal services to women and children have helped put the University on the multicultural map while giving a voice to marginalized communities.
Meléndez insists that the U.S. Latine community is a mosaic, not a monolith. “We must learn to appreciate the multiple representations of how we live and what we contribute,” says Meléndez, who recently concluded a faculty fellowship in the Office of the Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
A common thread of her work is the interplay between law and familia. “Family is a tremendous influencer, supporter, teacher and builder of community in Latine cultures,” Meléndez says. “Family law illustrates how parenting and familial bonding across cultures is complex, nuanced and emblematic of the human experience.”
Syracuse University College of Law recently welcomed the incoming class of J.D., LL.M., Exchange, and Advanced-Standing J.D. students during orientation and Convocation.
Dean Terence Lau L’98, presiding over his first Convocation as dean, shared with the students, “Over the coming months and years, we will challenge you. We will push you to your limits. But we will also nurture your intellectual curiosity, bolster your confidence, and help you unlock your full potential. This is our solemn commitment to you.”
Dean Terence Lau L’98 delivers a speech at the podium inside the Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom.
James L. Kelly L’99, Partner, Chair, New York Private Equity at DLA Piper was the convocation speaker. Amongst his advice to the incoming students was “Long-term success is not so much about all the things you do right but more so your ability to continue onward in the face of a major setback. Stay calm when things don’t go well. But here is a bit of a twist to this. Stay calm when things go well, too – this is often more important. Being calm in these times will bring forth your virtue, make you someone that others want to be around, and eventually turn you into a leader.”
James Kelly L’99 delivers remarks to the 2024 incoming J.D. and LL.M. students
Syracuse Law welcomed 137 on-campus J.D. students from 22 states and seven countries and 106 students in the hybrid online J.D. program (JDinteractive) representing 25 states and two countries. In the J.D. class, 10% are veterans or military-connected and 24% are first-generation higher education students.
The 20 LL.M. students hail from Afghanistan, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, and Taiwan with 12 holding advanced degrees. The class features Federal Attorneys, Federal Judges, human rights activists, and police investigators among other professions.
Incoming students stand and recite the Oath of Professional Education.
The eight Advanced Standing J.D. students come from three states and five countries. Syracuse Law also welcomes two exchange students from the University of Rome’s Tor Vergata in Italy and a Visiting Scholar from the University of Bialystok.
“This diversity enriches our community and enhances the collaborative learning environment that defines Syracuse Law, setting the stage for an extraordinary journey ahead,” says Dean Lau.
Syracuse Law recently held a swearing-in ceremony for on-campus and hybrid student attorneys participating in one of the six law clinics this fall.
The Hon. Kevin P. Kuehner L’99, New York State Supreme Court Judge in Onondaga County, was the guest speaker and administered the Student Attorney Oath, and Vice Dean Keith Bybee and Executive Director of Clinical Education Beth Kubala also spoke to the students.
The Office of Clinical Legal Education provides a practical educational experience to second and third-year student attorneys while delivering much-needed, otherwise unavailable legal resources to the communities and people of Central New York.
The clinics are:
Bankruptcy Clinic
Betty & Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic*
Criminal Defense Clinic
Disability Rights Clinic
Housing Clinic
Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic*
Transactional Law Clinic
*Clinic is offered online for the Fall 2024 semester.
The Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law (SPL) recently hosted a New York State Board of Elections Election Security Workshop and Tabletop Exercises in Dineen Hall. The purpose of the event was to ensure readiness by all entities as the general election approaches, offering a collaborative opportunity for government authorities, election administrators, law enforcement, and information technology experts, alike.
The County Boards of Elections, the Cyber & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the New York State Executive Chamber, the New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services (DHSES), the New York State Police (NYSP), and the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) participated in the event.
SPL faculty observed the exercises and networked with participants to generate future collaborations and opportunities for SPL students.
