College of Law professor who is an expert on criminal court pretrial appearance is partnering with computer science faculty to see if artificial intelligence tools and optimized data analysis can improve fairness and efficiency in scheduling defendants’ court dates.
Lauryn Gouldin (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)
Lauryn Gouldin, Crandall Melvin Professor of Law and a 2022-25 Laura J. & L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence, is one of three researchers on the project, “End-to-End Learning of Fair and Explainable Schedules for Court Systems.” She and Fernando (Nando) Fioretto, assistant professor of computer science at the University of Virginia (formerly of Syracuse University) and William Yeoh, associate professor of computer science and engineering at Washington University in St. Louis received a $600,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for the research. They are examining three issues: the uniformity and fairness of criminal court-date scheduling processes, if individual circumstances are considered when setting court dates, and whether a “smarter” computerized system can produce more equity and efficiency in those processes.
Ensuring that defendants who are released before trial return to court as scheduled is one of the primary goals of the pretrial process, Gouldin says. “Fortunately, data across jurisdictions suggest that most defendants show up for court as required. With bail reform efforts in many jurisdictions leading to higher rates of pretrial release, courts are focused on ensuring that pretrial appearance rates remain high,” she says.
Scheduling court appearances on dates and at times that work for defendants will help keep pretrial appearance rates high and avoid court system inefficiencies, she believes. Many factors—often legitimate hardships—can influence whether a defendant appears in court when scheduled. Gouldin says those factors are not consistently considered by courts and there is little uniformity in how appearance dates are scheduled from court to court.
The researchers are working to produce a system that predicts dates and times when defendants are more likely to appear versus being assigned an arbitrary court date or time. They believe having that knowledge, along with more flexibility in scheduling court dates—such as setting evening or weekend appearance dates—could improve pretrial appearance rates and create a more equitable scheduling process overall.
Shannon Chamberlain L’24 wrote the Top Student Paper in the Law and Policy Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) competition and presented the paper at their recent conference.
Chamberlain’s paper is ESCAPING LIABILITY FOR THE “GRAVEST OF THREATS”: EXPANDING ARTICLE 1, SECTION 6 IMMUNITY AND NARROWING BRANDENBURG INCITEMENT.
“This was an exceptional paper on a novel and contemporary issue with a compelling legal analysis and argument. I know the judges were impressed, too,” says Professor Roy Gutterman L’00. “Congratulations to Shannon for this achievement in a very competitive media law scholarship competition.”
Angela R. Hamilton L’25 was selected as one of 25 women student veterans for a 2024 Focus Forward Fellowship, hosted by the Military and Family Research Institute at Purdue University.
The Fellowship connects Purdue faculty and women student veterans and service members from around the country to help the student veterans grow their professional network and reach their career and academic goals. The cohort of Fellows are provided with mentors and coaches whom they met at a recent four-day in-person residency at Purdue. The Fellows will continue to meet in an online community throughout the year. The mentors help the Fellows harness new skills, strengthen self-confidence, and facilitate community building.
Hamilton is a retired veteran of the U.S. Navy. At Syracuse Law, she participates in the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic and is a member of the Military and Veterans Law Society.
The ‘Cuse Vet Fest, 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), will be held on Friday, September 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Dineen Hall’s Levey Atrium.
The event is free and open to all Syracuse-area veterans, including Syracuse University student, faculty, and staff veterans who are not enrolled in VA health care and want to learn more about eligibility and how to sign up.
Attendees can:
Enroll in VA Healthcare (Please bring a copy of DD214 and Photo ID)
File a claim with VBA
Obtain a Veteran Health ID Card (Please bring a Photo ID)
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.
Engage with VA professionals
Visit with a variety of local community resources
Representatives from Syracuse University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs and the Office of Veteran Success will be in attendance. MVLS students will guide attendees and facilitate interactions with partner organizations.
“For me, the decision to pursue a career in law is deeply rooted in the desire to effect positive change, provide client advocacy and foster relationships and community support. For these reasons, there was no better place for me to begin my legal career than Syracuse Law.”
—Ryleigh Peterson L’26
A Central New York native, Ryleigh Peterson L’26 only applied to one law school—The Syracuse University College of Law. “For me, the decision to pursue a career in law is deeply rooted in the desire to effect positive change, provide client advocacy and foster relationships and community support,” she says. “For these reasons, there was no better place for me to begin my legal career than Syracuse Law.”
While earning a bachelor’s degree in media studies with a minor in legal studies at Hunter College in New York City, Peterson worked as a legal personnel intern at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. Her interest in being a paralegal led to a position as a collateral review intern with the firm. Upon graduation, Peterson accepted a corporate paralegal position at Cravath, where she assisted the banking and credits, and mergers and acquisitions practice groups. However, she eventually returned to her hometown of Skaneateles, New York, and went to work as a business paralegal at Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, in its Syracuse office. Not long after, she decided to pursue law school.
Since starting at Syracuse Law in Fall 2023, Peterson has been finding her way, making friends and figuring out what practice of the law she’d like to pursue. Returning to academia after three years of working professionally took some adjusting, but Peterson found comfort knowing she is where she belongs.
“As a 1L, I am passionate about learning, and I enjoy analysis and critical thinking,” she explains. “I like connecting the dots from my time as a paralegal to my current studies of the law.”
Already, she has learned some valuable lessons. “Law school has prepared me to get out of my comfort zone and learn new skill sets,” Peterson says. “I’m constantly pushing myself and doing things that I wouldn’t have done before I started here. Syracuse Law is preparing me to think critically, tackle difficult problems and shape myself into a future working professional.”
Peterson currently works as a law ambassador, giving tours of the school to prospective students, and also as a work-study student in the admission and financial aid office. She has also made a tight-knit group of friends who understand the pressures and expectations of law school.
“We’re all going through this process together. Law school is not easy but having a support system that understands what you’re going through makes it more manageable,” she says, noting that her parents, sisters and boyfriend have been “her rock” during the process.
Peterson is looking forward to returning to Bond, Schoeneck & King as a summer law clerk. “Right now, I think I’d like to work in corporate law because that’s the kind of experience I had as a paralegal, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it,” she says. “But, I still have a lot of learning to do, so who knows? I’m open to possibilities as I continue to take more classes.”
Peterson already has some advice to offer students just beginning the law school path. “Have confidence in yourself and be kind,” she says. “Law school is challenging, but you and your classmates are all going through this process for the first time. It’s a learning curve for everyone, and everyone learns differently. Stay true to yourself, and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. This experience is extremely rewarding in many ways, so embrace it!”
The Hon. James E. Baker recently chaired the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)/Federal Justice Center panel that examined the workplace practices across the Federal judiciary in a study of the workplace climate in the Article III judiciary.
The panel has issued its report “Enhancing Efforts to Coordinate Best Workplace Practices Across the Federal Judiciary.” Judge Baker was a guest on NAPA’s Management Matters podcast to discuss the key takeaways and lessons learned from the report that researched best workplace practices across the Judiciary.
According to Brooke Hasegawa-Nakaoka L’22, inclusivity resonates with her family. In her native Hawai’i, it is known as “’the aloha spirit,’ a celebration of kindness and compassion appreciating all things we are given and all those that surround us and, where we include everyone,” she explains. That sense of inclusivity extended to her experience in the JDinteractive (JDi) program at Syracuse University College of Law. “’Aloha’ is diversity, equity and inclusion, and finding a school, employer, social circle and community that appreciated and included ‘aloha’ in its mission was very important. Syracuse Law provided that to my ohana (family),” Hasegawa-Nakaoka says.
“’The aloha spirit,’ [is] a celebration of kindness and compassion appreciating all things we are given and all those that surround us and, where we include everyone.’Aloha’ is diversity, equity and inclusion, and finding a school, employer, social circle and community that appreciated and included ‘aloha’ in its mission was very important. Syracuse Law provided that to my ohana (family).”
—Brooke Hasegawa-Nakaoka L’22
Born and raised on the island of Oahu Hasegawa-Nakaoka earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (USC) and started her career as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley in Los Angeles. Later, she worked as a senior account executive in sales and marketing at Paradise Media Group, LLC, and a lecturer at the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. During this time, she also pursued an MBA and graduated cum laude from the University of Hawai’i in 2008.
Brooke Hasegawa-Nakaoka L’22 moderating a fireside chat with fellow alumna Melanie Gray L’81 at the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Residency.
In 2011, she had a family, and “life soon became filled with visits to the zoo, juice pouches, and cheese sticks,” according to Hasegawa-Nakaoka. For the next four years, she raised her family and continued as a lecturer in global management and organizational behavior. But, when her son started kindergarten, she decided it was time to pursue law, earning a master’s degree in the study of law (M.S.L.) from USC in 2019. With a preliminary legal foundation, she applied to the Syracuse University School of Law’s JDinteractive (JDI) program.
“Like so many JDi students that I meet, law school was something I always wanted to do,” she says. “I just had a few other things I needed to do first.”
“Like so many JDi students that I meet, law school was something I always wanted to do. I just had a few other things I needed to do first.”
—Brooke Hasegawa-Nakaoka L’22
Her experience was positive, as she participated in online classes all the way from Hawai’i. She remembers her initial visit to the Syracuse campus during her cohort’s first residency, led by Associate Dean for Online Education Shannon Gardner. “It was a warm welcome that empowered me to remain committed to the JDi program. Dean Gardner was my first introduction to Syracuse Law and the first person I thought to notify when I passed the bar exam three years later,” says Hasegawa-Nakaoka.
“Dean Gardner was my first introduction to Syracuse Law and the first person I thought to notify when I passed the bar exam three years later.”
—Brooke Hasegawa-Nakaoka L’22
On the day of her first residency at Syracuse Law, Hasegawa-Nakaoka chose a seat that serendipitously put her in front of her soon-to-be “law school bestie” Eliseo Arebalos L’22, who became her confidant over the next three years.
“Because of Syracuse Law, my son has Uncle Eli in his life, and my family and I are forever blessed with his friendship,” she says.
Brooke Hasegawa-Nakaoka L’22 giving back her time to current JDinteractive students at the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Residency
While pursuing her law degree, Hasegawa-Nakaoka had an externship that honored her Hawaiian roots and community when she worked 821 hours as a law clerk with the Legal Aid of Maui. (Her great grandfather, the Hon. George K. Hasegawa, was a magistrate of the District Court of Lahaina and Lanai. He retired from the bench after 11 years of service to the community. In addition, both her paternal grandparents and maternal grandfather were proud graduates of Lahainaluna High School and members of the Lahaina community that made headlines around the world when it was decimated by wildfires in August 2023.) Hasegawa-Nakaoka felt it was important to honor her roots and community by doing legal aid work for those who needed help. As a result of her commitment, she received the Arthur T. Ueoka Memorial Scholarship presented by the Maui County Bar Association in 2021 and was later awarded the 2022 Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award by Syracuse Law.
With her law degree in hand—Hasegawa-Nakaoka was the first female in the JDi program to pass the bar—she is currently working as an associate with the International Reproductive Law Group of Los Angeles, where her law school friend Arebalos is a managing partner. She also works as vice president and house counsel for Progressive Communications, LLC, based in Honolulu. Her family is located in both Los Angeles and Hawaii, as her son wanted to pursue opportunities on the mainland, while her husband’s business is still on the islands. “Our family has adopted the ‘Live with Aloha’ mindset, which has aided our transition to Los Angeles,” she explains.
“Syracuse Law gave me so much more than a law degree. Even though I was taking classes online from across the country, the ‘aloha spirit” at Syracuse Law made me feel right at home, and for that I am grateful.”
—Brooke Hasegawa-Nakaoka L’22
Her journey has been a long one, in time, effort and distance, but she is pleased that she can now practice law. Says Hasegawa-Nakaoka, “Syracuse Law gave me so much more than a law degree. Even though I was taking classes online from across the country, the ‘aloha spirit” at Syracuse Law made me feel right at home, and for that I am grateful.”
Kenneth W. Irvin L’92, Zabrina Jenkins G’97, L’00, and The Hon. Nazakhtar (Nazak) Nikakhtar G’02, L’02
Syracuse University College of Law has added Kenneth W. Irvin L’92, Partner, Energy, M&A, Securities Enforcement and Regulatory at Sidley Austin LLP; the Hon. Nazakhtar (Nazak) Nikakhtar G’02. L’02, Partner, Chair, National Security Practice and Co-Chair, Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. at Wiley Rein LLP; and Zabrina M. Jenkins G’97, L’00, Executive Advisor to the Office of the CEO at Starbucks to its Board of Advisors.
“As the legal world evolves at an unprecedented pace, we need the diverse expertise that Ken, Nazak, and Zabrina bring to the Board to help lead our College and students into the future,” says Acting Dean Keith J. Bybee, Paul E. and Hon. Joanne F. Alper ’72 Judiciary Studies Professor.
“I would like to welcome Ken, Nazak, and Zabrina to the Board of Advisors,” says College of Law Board of Advisors Chair Melanie Gray L’81. “These impressive alumni bring extensive experiences from law firms, government, and consumer businesses to the Board that will benefit our students and College as we deliver a legal education for today’s ever-changing world.”
Kenneth W. Irvin L’92 is a co-leader of Sidley’s global Energy practice area team, and represents clients on a variety of regulatory, enforcement, compliance, and transactional matters involving the U.S. wholesale electricity and natural gas markets, as well as with respect to the energy transition. Irvin has extensive experience representing clients in regulatory and investigations proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and multiple state energy regulatory agencies, which includes handling FERC enforcement matters and self-reports. Irvin graduated from the College of Law, magna cum laude in 1992 and from Clarkson University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1987.
The Hon. Nazakhtar (Nazak) Nikakhtar G’02, L’02 is an international trade and national security attorney at Wiley Rein LLP where she is the Chair of Wiley’s national security practice and Co-Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U. S. practice. From 2018 to 2021, with unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Nikakhtar served as the Department of Commerce’s Assistant Secretary for Industry & Analysis at the International Trade Administration. She also fulfilled the duties of the Under Secretary for Industry and Security at Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. Nikakhtar earned Juris Doctor and Master of Economics degrees from Syracuse University, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Syracuse Journal of International Law and Commerce, and a B. A. degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Zabrina Jenkins G’97, L’00 is executive advisor to the Office of the Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks. She is a member of CEO Laxman Narasimhan’s extended executive leadership team providing strategic counsel and support in several key areas including corporate strategy, public affairs, talent development, inclusion and diversity, and legal and stakeholder engagement. Previously, she was acting executive vice president and general counsel for Starbucks, leading legal and regulatory affairs, global security, and ethics and compliance for the company. Additionally, Jenkins serves as an executive champion to the Starbucks Black Partner Network and an advisor to the diversity committee for the Law & Corporate Affairs department. Zabrina received a B. S. in business administration from Central Washington University, an M. S. from Syracuse University School of Education, and a J. D. cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law.
Originally from Chicago, IL, Alexandra Stolfe L’25 has always pictured her post-graduate life beginning in New York City. She loves roaming the art galleries, reading books in Central Park, and trying as many new restaurants as she possibly can.
Stolfe came to Syracuse Law as a part of the 3+3 partnership with the Syracuse University Martin J. Whitman School of Management, where she graduated with a degree in finance and accounting. At law school, she was elected as Senior Notes Editor for the Syracuse Law Review. She is also involved with the Alternative Dispute Resolution team of the Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society and tutoring 1Ls as an Academic Success Fellow. She is interested in working in transactional law, something that has been solidified for her through her current externship with the asset finance group at Holland & Knight.
Thanks in part to the Externship Opportunity Fund, Stolfe could make connections, study, and begin to set up a life for herself in New York City. She is also learning a great deal about what her future work will be, already sitting in on client negotiations, drafting sale and purchase agreements, and even supporting her firm at the Airline Economics Conference.
Overall, she loved working with the people at Holland & Knight the most. “The associates and partners were patient with my questions and eager to teach me,” she explains. “The partners always created time to give me feedback and share stories about their impressive careers and the associates took the time to give extra instruction when I needed it. This made me feel like an integrated member of the office. I received incredible mentorship.”
While the office operates with a high level of professionalism, Stolfe appreciated the warmth and friendliness of her coworkers. The welcoming and supportive environment helped her feel more confident asking questions and contributing her own opinions and thoughts on work products.
Stolfe credits the guidance of Richard Furey L’94, Partner, Holland & Knight, with shaping her externship experience. She believes that working with him and observing how he leads the practice truly showed her what it means to be a leader, in both the office and in his field.
Richard Furey L’94, Partner, Holland & Knight
“I have always greatly admired and appreciated the Syracuse alumni network,” she says. “They are always ready to provide help when you need it. I would not be where I am today if not for these connections.”
Stolfe plans on building upon the lessons and skills she learned at Holland & Knight to her summer associate position this summer. This includes not only technical skills related to asset finance, contract drafting, and aviation law but also the interpersonal skills that define what it means to be an attorney.
When Craig Boise went to law school in the 1980s, there wasn’t much talk of a value proposition. He received a rigorous legal education at the University of Chicago and, of course, intensive study. Still, says Boise, “There was a real disconnect between the doctrine we were learning and how to use it. We had large stacks of books and no real sense of how it all would apply in practice. That’s the gulf I’ve tried hard to span.”
When he became Dean of the College of Law in 2016, Boise was determined to redefine the value proposition of law school. “We are focused on ensuring our students attain the kinds of jobs they dream about. Certainly, they receive an excellent education, but they also get the support they need to pass the bar, the connections to externships and the clinical work that positions them to excel when they graduate. Law school is an investment. We make it worth their while.”
Those who worked closely with Boise during his tenure as Dean—as advisors, colleagues, faculty and staff—and students who obtained their law degrees over the last eight years say they have reaped the benefits of his vision and determination.
“During my first trial assignment, one of the senior attorneys said to me ‘I had no idea you were so well trained.’ I didn’t have to be taught how to do a direct exam or develop a strategy for cross-examination. The core was all there and it shocked some of my colleagues. I can hold my ground because of the training I received at Syracuse University College of Law.”
Tyler Jefferies L’21, Deputy Attorney General, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Tyler Jefferies L’21 is testimony to the value proposition Boise envisioned. Now Deputy Attorney General at the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Jefferies says she’s the youngest in the office by far. “During my first trial assignment, one of the senior attorneys said to me ‘I had no idea you were so well trained.’ I didn’t have to be taught how to do a direct exam or develop a strategy for cross-examination. The core was all there and it shocked some of my colleagues. I can hold my ground because of the training I received at Syracuse University College of Law.”
Jefferies’ advocacy skills were honed through the many trial competitions and advocacy classes that bring distinction to the College. “I consider us an elite program,” says Professor Todd Berger, Director of Advocacy Programs. “We do things that are more creative and more innovative than any other law school in the advocacy space.” Berger credits Boise for targeting areas of distinction, such as advocacy, and providing the resources to expand and strengthen those programs.
“Dean Boise never turned down a new idea to innovate,” says Jefferies. “When Professor Berger proposed the idea of a 14-week competition that operates like professional sports playoffs, the Dean said ‘Great. Let’s hammer out the logistics and just try it!’ We have been a trailblazer in the competition world and other schools are trying to do similar things. Dean Boise’s ability to see the bigger picture and support it was really important to the growth of the program.”
Brian Gerling L’99 meets with students at a table in the Innovation Law Center
“Craig had a forward-thinking attitude toward growing the law school and providing students with the most well-rounded education possible and practical learning experiences and opportunities to make them more marketable and more successful graduates.”
Brian Gerling L’99, Executive Director of the Innovation Law Center
Trailblazer and innovator are words often used to describe Boise. “Craig had a forward-thinking attitude toward growing the law school and providing students with the most well-rounded education possible and practical learning experiences and opportunities to make them more marketable and more successful graduates,” says Brian Gerling L’99, Professor of Practice and Executive Director of the Innovation Law Center (ILC). Today, more than 97% of graduates are employed or enrolled in another graduate program within 10 months of graduation, an impressive achievement for law schools and just one of many measures of success realized during Boise’s tenure.
Gerling recalls that as a law student at Syracuse Law in the ‘90s, he was aware of professors and courses that were considered ahead of their time. But he credits Boise with investing in and structuring comprehensive programs that would bring new distinction to the College and success to students. “He infused enthusiasm and capital and leadership, engaging alumni and donors in supporting programs that are nationally recognized.”
“We knew we needed a visionary leader with innovative ideas and a diversity of life experiences, who was also a team player and bold in vision and action,” says Melanie Gray L’81, who served on the University Board of Trustees and the College of Law Board of Advisors when Boise was hired. At the time, the College was running a multi-million dollar deficit and putting a drain on the university.
Melanie Gray L’81 standing outside of the Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom.
“We knew we needed a visionary leader with innovative ideas and a diversity of life experiences, who was also a team player and bold in vision and action.”
Melanie Gray L’81, College of Law Board of Advisors, University Trustee
Chancellor Kent Syverud, himself an attorney and former law school dean, believed that Boise could turn things around with his bold vision and commitment to academic excellence. When Boise was appointed Dean in 2016, Syverud said “He is the ideal person to lead the College of Law into a new era.”
Craig Boise and Chancellor Syverud meet with students in Dineen Hall.
“Dean Boise’s creativity and drive helped the College of Law launch one of the first and one of the best online law degree programs in the nation. He has embraced and advanced priorities of the university, including disability advocacy and advocacy for veterans and military-connected students.”
Chancellor Syverud
“Dean Boise brought innovation to a discipline steeped in tradition,” says Chancellor Syverud. “Dean Boise’s creativity and drive helped the College of Law launch one of the first and one of the best online law degree programs in the nation. He has embraced and advanced priorities of the university, including disability advocacy and advocacy for veterans and military-connected students. I am so grateful to Dean Boise for his outstanding and entrepreneurial leadership over the last eight years and thank him for his distinguished service to Syracuse University.”
Boise says he was drawn to the opportunity because he knew the Chancellor truly appreciated the value of a top-notch legal education and describes Syverud as a mentor. “Still, it was a bit daunting,” he admits. And he had a lot more questions than answers. “How am I going to distinguish myself as a dean? What am I going to bring that is both important and instrumental in moving the institution forward?”
What Boise brought to the College was an incredibly diverse background of life experiences that uniquely qualified him to manage transition and lead through transformation. Raised in a small town in Missouri by Southern Baptist parents, he worked summers on a family farm in Nebraska and, at first, envisioned a career as a farmer or rancher. But his musical talent as a classical pianist earned him a scholarship to a conservatory and a new vision for his future. Then, economic realities set in and Boise left college for the workforce. He worked in a warehouse for a while, as a messenger in a law firm, and enrolled in the police academy. He still sips from his POLICE KCMO mug, a souvenir from his five years as an officer in Kansas City. That’s where he became interested in the law and a different vision for his future and enrolled at University of Chicago Law School. With his J.D. and later an LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law, he worked as a corporate lawyer, then switched to academia, eventually becoming dean at Cleveland State University’s law school.
Mark Neporent L’82 and Craig Boise pose for a photo after the fireside chat at the Denver JDinteractive Residency.
“Perhaps it was the police training, but like a good officer, Craig recognizes points of tension and embraces them. He knows how to deescalate situations and calm things down and bring people along to see his point of view. I’m a big fan and very appreciative of what’s he’s done for the law school and the University.”
Mark Neporent L’82, College of Law Board of Advisors, University Trustee
“There’s a force and energy within his lived experiences that stood out and differentiated him from all other candidates,” say Gray, who was on the Syracuse University search committee that recommended him for the position. Like Gray, Mark Neporent L’82 served on the Board of Advisors and was a University trustee. “Perhaps it was the police training, but like a good officer, Craig recognizes points of tension and embraces them,” says Neporent. “He knows how to deescalate situations and calm things down and bring people along to see his point of view. I’m a big fan and very appreciative of what’s he’s done for the law school and the University.”
In his first year as Dean, Boise launched an assessment of the law school’s assets to better understand what could distinguish it from the other 200+ law schools in the country. Four areas stood out: the Advocacy Program, Disability Law and Policy Program, Innovation Law Center, and the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (now known as the Institute for Security Policy and Law). “When we looked at the genesis of these programs, they were big innovations from the start,” says Boise. In fact, these programs provided a foundation for defining and securing the law school’s distinctive brand as an innovative law school. “We have a history of innovation that we could point to, which made it possible to tie the past to where we are going in the future.”
Craig Boise (middle front) and Sophie Dagenais (middle front) pose with colleagues at the College of Law at Kyung Hee University.
“Craig was steadfast in his determination to build on this history of innovation. To him, that was the brand and brand was mission critical. That meant providing the resources needed to deepen expertise, bringing in new faculty, expanding experiential learning opportunities in each area, engaging alumni, and telling the story of these assets and attributes more effectively to attract new students and drive philanthropic support.”
Sophie Dagenais, Former Assistant Dean for Advancement and External Affairs.
“Craig was steadfast in his determination to build on this history of innovation. To him, that was the brand and brand was mission critical,” says Sophie Dagenais, who served as Boise’s Assistant Dean for Advancement and External Affairs. “That meant providing the resources needed to deepen expertise, bringing in new faculty, expanding experiential learning opportunities in each area, engaging alumni, and telling the story of these assets and attributes more effectively to attract new students and drive philanthropic support.”
“We have a responsibility to our students to be at the forefront of legal innovation. When we are, we not only better prepare them for the future, but we also shape the future.”
Craig Boise, Dean
“There’s nothing I love better than new ideas and fresh ways of thinking about things, whether it’s curricular—what we are teaching our students—or new ways of teaching or innovation in operations. These things get me excited,” says Boise. “We have a responsibility to our students to be at the forefront of legal innovation. When we are, we not only better prepare them for the future, but we also shape the future.”
Perhaps nowhere is this innovative spirit and impact more apparent than in JDinteractive, the first hybrid online J.D. program of its kind in the nation, combining virtual class sessions with self-paced online instruction, short courses, in-person residencies and a legal externship. The concept of an online program was under development when Boise was hired, but there were questions about its viability. Boise worked closely with faculty to design a program that would get American Bar Association (ABA) support, bring new revenue to the law school, attract and expand a diverse pool of students, and enhance the law school’s reputation. “I was fortunate to work with faculty who were willing to help build the plane while we were flying it,” says Boise.
“It was like a field of dreams. We built it and they came,” says Nina Kohn, David M. Levy L’48 Professor of Law. Kohn who was Associate Dean for Research and Online Education when Boise was appointed dean, admits that she and other faculty members were skeptical at first, because online education was often perceived as low-quality by academicians. “One thing that the launch of a program like this offers is the chance to talk seriously with all constituents—our students, alumni and faculty—about who we are as a college of law and why what we do matters. Our goal was to offer the best possible legal education that meets the needs of the profession. We created a space for those individuals for whom the residential program was not an option: people who have jobs and are not living near excellent night programs; people who have caregiving responsibilities; people who are in the military and don’t live in one place for very long. The people we built this for are now our graduates, and many of them serve in communities that are historically underserved. So we are not only helping students get the legal education they dreamed of, we’re helping communities as well.”
“When Craig came on board, it was his passion that helped push the program forward,” says Shannon Gardner, Teaching Professor and Associate Dean for Online Education. “He’s leading for the future, committed to innovation and 22nd century lawyering.” Gardner teaches the first five-day on-campus residency course for the JDi students. “I just fell in love with the students. Most have wanted to go to law school for so long, but thought it was an unattainable dream. They have so much gratitude and it’s gratifying for us to see them be able to join the legal profession.”
“When Craig came on board, it was his passion that helped push the [JDinteractive] program forward. He’s leading for the future, committed to innovation and 22nd century lawyering.”
Shannon Gardner, Teaching Professor and Associate Dean for Online Education
“I went to Zoom school before it was cool,” says Tiffany Love ’22, who was in the first cohort of JDi students. A military spouse, she had put her law school dreams on hold. But while stationed in Germany, she was accepted into the JDi program. “I was literally in class from midnight to 4 am, and then worked full time as a paralegal for the Army JAG.” Though she was concerned at first about how her credentials would be perceived by potential employers, she says the quality of a Syracuse law degree was an asset, no matter how it was attained. Now, Love is a second year associate at Phelps Dunbar LLP in Tampa.
“The JDi program single-handedly changed the trajectory of my life; it made a law degree accessible with the reputation of a national security powerhouse. Along with other College of Law visionaries, Dean Boise created this future for me. I know my legal contributions made a difference. I am forever grateful.”
Meghan Steenburgh G’97, L’23, Assistant General Counsel with the Department of Defense
Meghan Steenburgh G’97, L’23 is also living her dream, thanks to JDi. Now Assistant General Counsel with the Department of Defense, she said the program allowed her to pursue a law degree while caring for her children and helping her parents while living in three different states. “The JDi program single-handedly changed the trajectory of my life; it made a law degree accessible with the reputation of a national security powerhouse,” says Steenburgh. “Along with other College of Law visionaries, Dean Boise created this future for me. I know my legal contributions made a difference. I am forever grateful.”
The popularity and success of JDi also changed the fiscal trajectory of the law school. Further, concerns about quality are a thing of the past, with increased LSAT scores among applicants and impressive bar passage rates. JDi’s success has had ripple effects throughout the university, with the creation of the nation’s only online joint J.D./MBA program, a significant expansion of the Center for Online and Digital Learning to provide support for other degree programs, and, the inclusion of JDi students in other stellar programs like Advocacy and Syracuse Law Review. For example, JDi students are included in virtual trial competitions, preparing students for more virtual practice in the real world. “They have a leg up,” says Jefferies, noting that she recently had three court cases in which she appeared virtually. She now coaches JDi students for virtual advocacy competitions.
A pilot program with JDi students will contribute to a significant expansion in enrollment in the ILC, says Gerling. Gerling also credits Boise with bringing the University’s tech transfer office into the ILC, giving law students the chance to do real-world work on commercializing new technology generated by researchers across the campus. “That’s a real feather in Craig’s cap,” says Gerling. “His vision and leadership led to a productive working relationship between the Office of Research and the law school. We’ve also developed internships with the Office of the General Counsel. Our students not only learn how to think like lawyers but practice the skills necessary for the practice of law.”
And it was Boise’s outreach to alumni that made it possible for students to develop so many new skills. “Craig engaged alumni in unique ways,” says Dagenais. “Our alumni stepped up and delivered content for JDi residencies, teaching short courses for a weekend or several days and enabling our students to do a deep dive into specialized sectors of the law.”
Boise’s ability to articulate the vision engaged alumni in ways that will benefit the law school for years to come. “He’s an impressive guy,” says Frank Ryan L’94, DLA Piper’s Global Co- Chair, Global Co-CEO and Americas Chair. Ryan rejoined the Board of Advisors in 2017 after Boise met with him in New York City and persuaded him to get re-engaged with his alma mater. “Craig’s ideas on how to transform legal education connected with me. He read the tea leaves and offered an understanding of how to compete against other law schools and how we as alumni could help.”
Now, Syracuse Law has the highest rate of alumni engagement of all twelve University schools and colleges, along with the highest alumni giving participation, exceeding its goals for the Forever Orange Campaign a year ahead of schedule. Ryan calls Boise an “exceptional team builder. He empowers people and then lets them go and do their jobs.”
Benita Miller L’96
“Craig just has a way about him. He was willing to hear the hard stuff and discuss the pain points shared by Black alumni from the 1990s like myself. He created space for diversity that did not alienate the traditions that were so important to the institution.”
Benita Miller L’96, Vice President of U.S. Programs for the Center for Reproductive Rights
Benita Miller L’96 credits Boise’s for engaging alumni in meaningful ways by “creating space for everyone at the table.” Now Vice President of U.S. Programs for the Center for Reproductive Rights, Miller says she had not felt “at home” at the law school until Boise reached out, painted the vision, listened to her concerns and ignited her passion to serve the students. Today, she is on the Board of Advisors and mentors JDi students. “Craig just has a way about him. He was willing to hear the hard stuff and discuss the pain points shared by Black alumni from the 1990s like myself. He created space for diversity that did not alienate the traditions that were so important to the institution.” Miller cites JDi and the Orange Advance pipeline program with HBCU institutions as innovations that “are really important to our profession. We’re contributing to a more expansive legal community.”
“Craig focused the value proposition of law school on opening the aperture for our students to have more career opportunities and reach life goals,” says Lily Yan Hughes, Assistant Dean of Career Services and Student Experience. Having had a prolific career in corporate law, Hughes was intrigued when Boise approached her in 2021 to help him reimagine career services. “My team’s ‘tagline’ is that we are not just resume readers or a job bank. We are here to help students think more strategically and to be CEO of their own careers.”
Lily Yan Hughes, Assistant Dean of Career Services and Student Experience and team at the Syracuse Law Career Expo.
“Craig focused the value proposition of law school on opening the aperture for our students to have more career opportunities and reach life goals.”
Lily Yan Hughes, Assistant Dean of Career Services and Student Experience
Evidence of the value proposition at work: The last four years have seen a 55% increase in overall student externship placements. Last year, 195 students were placed in externships in 29 states, many of them made possible because of the Orange alumni network. The rate of employment ten months after graduation jumped 21% from 2018 to 2023.
As graduates fan out into careers in the courtroom or the boardroom, in public service or private equity, and use their degrees to practice law or bring a different way of thinking to other industries, they are the living legacy of the tenure of a dean dedicated to innovation and bringing a new value proposition to their education.
The Board of Advisors recognized that legacy in creating a new scholarship in his name, to be awarded to a student who has demonstrated an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit. With emotion in his voice as the scholarship plaque was presented to him, Boise expressed his gratitude. “This was such a perfect gift because it reflects what I value most—opportunities for our students to pursue meaningful careers in a world that requires their vision, integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice.”
As Boise prepares to take his first sabbatical in 21 years, he’s looking forward to contributing to further innovations in legal education. He plans to teach a JDi course and work with the Center for Online Design and Learning to integrate new technologies into course design. But first, he says, he’ll focus on other passions. He’ll play more piano, especially the works of Rachmaninoff and Chopin who were both considered innovators in their time. He also plans to set sail, steering a boat through whatever turbulence he might encounter to find peace and calm in the expanse of the seas.
