Around Syracuse Law

Growing Real-World Opportunities for Students at the Innovation Law Center

At the Innovation Law Center (ILC), creating student opportunities is the primary metric for measuring success, according to Executive Director and Professor of Practice, Brian J. Gerling, L’99 . ILC students prepare reports for entrepreneurs developing new technologies and assist with their commercialization goals. The ILC creates valuable experiential learning opportunities that lead to job success for graduates of the Center. Recently Bloomberg Law recognized this success by identifying the ILC as a top program for Innovation and Experience. This success creates opportunities for students and helps drive the ILC’s mission of not only providing its students with a well-rounded education but also local, regional, and national economic development through support for technological innovation.

ILC students visit NextCorps, a non-profit business incubator in Rochester NY.
ILC students visit NextCorps, a non-profit business incubator in Rochester NY. The students toured the NextCorps Center and presented to entrepreneurs on the services ILC can provide.

The Importance of the Innovation Law Center’s Mission

The ILC provides access to legal research and commercialization knowledge to entrepreneurial inventors in the community. The importance of this type of early-stage due diligence cannot be overstated. Students at the ILC research various intellectual property protections, market information, the regulatory landscape, and the corporate or legal structure of the entity on behalf of inventors. Generally, entrepreneurial inventors will develop their technologies over months or years before determining if they are capable of intellectual property protection or if the technology will have a market. The ILC process can help significantly speed up this timeframe. 

To receive a patent, an invention must be of eligible subject matter, useful, novel, and non-obvious. While the eligible subject matter and usefulness requirements are typically easy to meet, the novelty and non-obvious sections can often be difficult to satisfy because of, for instance, competitor patents in the field. These outcomes can sometimes turn on subtle technological differences. 

While the ILC does not practice law, an ILC report helps the entrepreneur decide early in the process if they want to continue developing their idea, or if they need to pivot because their invention has patent challenges. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the prior art—publicly available information that predates the client’s invention—to help the entrepreneur navigate such obstacles. It also helps the client decide if a patent is the appropriate goal for protecting their intellectual property. Perhaps other IP options like Copyright, Trademark, or Trade Secret protection are better avenues for protecting a particular technology. And if a particular technology is regulated, the report will outline the applicable regulatory process for the invention and also discuss possible licensing options. These determinations potentially save years of development time and money.  Equally important to the entrepreneur is that the report guides the early-stage inventor on how to bring an invention to the market. In addition to discussing a path for securing intellectual property protection for a given technology, the report provides a complete market research section that facilitates the best market strategies to commercialize the technology. 

For instance, Joe Caspar and Chris Nolan, co-founders of M3 Innovations, a lighting technology company, recently praised the ILC by saying,

“Working with the Innovation Law Center has really helped our company grow significantly. We struggled when we started. There are some challenges with intellectual property: it’s a slow process; it translates to a huge expense; and it can be difficult to defend.  [We partnered with the] ILC last summer, and we can’t say enough good things about it. It was a huge success. The students had a broader perspective that made filing the patent much faster. This is the most fast-track patent we ever filed, and it’s a stronger patent. We were able to secure a purchase order of $709,000 almost immediately because of the work of the Innovation Law Center.” Joe Caspar and Chris Nolan, co-founders of M3 Innovations

The Essential Work of the Innovation Law Center Is Recognized

Bloomberg Law recently recognized the College of Law’s ILC program as one of the top 10 legal programs for Innovation and Experience. This category identifies legal programs that advance new approaches to student instruction, legal technology, experiential learning, and advancing other areas of legal education. The ILC program competed with the likes of Stanford Law, Duke Law, and other peer schools, and was recognized for its innovative approach to law school pedagogy.  

“The College of Law is honored to be recognized by Bloomberg Law in the field of legal experiential education,” said College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise in acknowledging the accolades. “The Innovation Law Center pioneered the educational field of technology commercialization law 30 years ago and continues to expand educational options and opportunities for its students and deliver vital research to its clients.” 

More recognition comes from the success the ILC has in working with various partners. For example, the ILC is the only designated New York State Science & Technology Law Center (NYS STLC) for the Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology, and Innovation (NYSTAR).  The ILC is now in its fifth five-year grant cycle from NYSTAR indicating a long tradition of serving the innovation ecosystem in New York. These grants allow the ILC to serve as a state-wide resource to early-stage technology companies, and they, in turn, help fuel local and statewide growth of industry. The ILC further supports economic development in the community by publishing the Innovation Review, periodic newsletter, guidebooks, and by hosting and/or attending conferences promoting its customized research.  

Nick Conn, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Casana, offered admiration for the ILC. “A resource like the ILC that provides early-stage research information and education to startups without charge is crucial research for early-stage companies seeking to commercialize a new technology in New York State. The faculty and students involved in the project exceeded our expectations, and the final research reports provided a good understanding of the prior art and regulatory landscapes.  I am happy to report that Casana has achieved a number of promising commercialization milestones, including raising a $30m Series B round of funding in January of 2022.” 

The Innovation Law Center is Growing Opportunities for Students

The ILC continues to add opportunities for students. The ILC has been developing a residency program for recently graduated law students to hone their knowledge of technology, law, and entrepreneurship. The residency program is designed to provide both academic opportunities and hands-on work experience. Further, Law 815, the primary class for students in the ILC, has more than doubled in size from 12 to 26 students. Additionally, the ILC hires many of its students into key ILC positions, such as Senior Research Associates, Special Project Consultants, and Summer Program positions, which further enhances the experiential learning students need to be successful.  

Recently, the ILC partnered with the Martin J. Whitman School of Management (pictured below) to launch the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Technology Law and Entrepreneurship (“CASTLE”) program. The CASTLE program is recognized by New York State as a stand-alone educational certificate and integrates business, entrepreneurship, and law in a transdisciplinary approach to technology, entrepreneurship, and commercialization. The program serves as the connective tissue between business, science, engineering, and legal studies.  It consists of a minimum of 12 credits, including a foundational course in entrepreneurship offered at the School of Management, while Law 815 is the capstone course at the College of Law. This CAS is another honor students can earn to better position themselves in the job market. Importantly, the opportunity is open not only to Law and Management students, but purposefully available to all graduate students and professional students at Syracuse University, State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and SUNY Upstate Medical University, who seek to master the basics of the technology commercialization process and/or translational research. 

The ILC is partnering with Syracuse University’s Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) to, among other things, develop a liaison program that will benefit law students and University faculty, alike. “Bringing the ILC and the OTT together will directly benefit the University by accelerating our technology transfer and commercialization processes and enabling law students to work with technologies and clients from within our campus,” says Duncan Brown, Vice President for Research at Syracuse University. The move allows Syracuse University to rely on the expertise, resources, and infrastructure of the ILC to more efficiently bring innovative technologies from development to the market. 

The Innovation Law Center Measures Success on Student Outcomes

Unlike other law school courses that focus on traditional doctrinal legal training, the ILC provides valuable experiential learning opportunities that lead to job success. The ILC program provides students with the opportunity to hone the practical skills they will need to carry with them into their practice. It has a history of placing an extremely high percentage of the students that come through its doors with employers. Such employers include some of the top innovative companies that have worked with the ILC such as Welch Allyn (now Baxter Healthcare) and Regeneron, venture capital-backed companies such as Orange Grove Biosciences, as well as institutes of higher education such as SUNY Upstate Medical University, Clarkson University, and Cornell University. Recent graduate Chris Henley L’22 says, “Because of the experiences that I had in the ILC, I was hired at the Harvard-affiliated Children’s Hospital in Boston. All the questions they asked me during the interview were things I had learned and done in the Center.” 

As a former student in the ILC program when it was the Technology Law Commercialization Program under its founder Professor Ted Hagelin, and now as the Executive Director, Professor Gerling can fondly remark,

“What is special about the ILC is two-fold. One, our clients benefit from important research and analysis that guides them through the critical early stages of the commercialization process and serves to mitigate risk.  Our services benefit so many people and organizations throughout the innovation economy in New York state and across the country. And two, our students receive vital practical experience working with real clients who are looking for real solutions, and that experience positions them for success in the job market. The ILC’s high placement rate, reflecting our track record of converting student experiences into employment successes, is one of our proudest measures.”  Professor of Practice, Brian J. Gerling, L’99

Nick Somers L’16, Patent Attorney and Partner at Lee & Hayes, visited with ILC students and faculty.
Nick Somers L’16, Patent Attorney and Partner at Lee & Hayes, visited with ILC students and faculty. Somers shared how he helps large technology companies protect their patents and how his time at the New York State Science & Technology Law Center at the College of Law helped shape his career path.

Constitutional Law Book Owned by Robert E. Dineen L’1924 Donated to the College of Law

A Constitutional Law book owned by Robert E. Dineen L’1924 (the father of Robert E. Dineen Jr. L’66, Carolyn Dineen King, and Kathryn Dineen Wriston who made the naming gift of Dineen Hall in their parent’s honor) was recently donated to the College of Law’s Library. The book was purchased from a local bookseller by Tammy Alvarez, secretary to the Hon. Theodore H. Limpert L’88 who arranged for the donation through Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic Executive Director Beth Kubala.

“What an intriguing find!” says Law Library Director Jan Fleckenstein G’84, G’86, L’11.  “In the Law Library we often showcase particular alumni, and we try to include books that would have been in the library collection when those alumni were students, but so far as I know we’ve never been able to display a book that we know was owned and used by an alumnus of that era, almost 100 years ago.”

She continues, “Many thanks to Ms. Alvarez for discovering the volume and to Judge Limpert for noticing the name and coordinating the donation with Professor Kubala.”

The book is “The General Principles of Constitutional Law in the United States of America, Third Edition” by Thomas M. Cooley LL.D. and Andrew C. McLaughlin A.M., LL.B., printed in 1898.

The inscription on the front inside cover has Dineen’s name, address, and class year.

The book is housed in the Peter Herzog L’55 and Brigitte Herzog L’75 Special Collections room.

Clockwise from top left: inscription by Robert E. Dineen L’1924; the book’s title page; the Hon. Theodore Limpert L’88, Tammy Alvarez, Law Library Director Jan Fleckenstein G’84, G’86, L’11; Judge Limpert; Fleckenstein, JudgeLimpert, and Alvarez view Judge Limpert’s class composite.

Jeremy Gurgis L’23 wins SU Libraries Outstanding Student Employee Award

Jeremy Gurgis, a three-year student employee at the Law Library, has been awarded a Kathy and Stanley Walters Student Employee Scholarship for his outstanding service to the SU Libraries.  This award recognizes student employees who have demonstrated dedicated service over time and significant contributions that have made a lasting impact on the SU Libraries.

Gurgis joined the Law Library during his 1L year, working at the Circulation Desk, using his expertise to help his fellow law students access the Law Library’s collections and services.  “Jeremy exemplifies the value that student employees add to Law Library services,” says Law Library Director Jan Fleckenstein G’84, G’86, L’11.  “He has always gone ‘above and beyond’ to help his fellow law students and to support the work of our Law Librarians and staff.  We are delighted to see his dedication to the Law Library and the College of Law recognized across the campus.” 

The Kathy and Stanley Walters Student Employee Scholarship Awards are generously supported by Kathy and Stanley Walters, the family of Patricia Kutner Strait, and the many donors to the SU Libraries Dean’s Fund. 

College of Law Receives Major Gift to Name Low Income Taxpayer Clinic in Honor of Clinic Founder Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59

(Syracuse, NY | May 15, 2023) Syracuse University College of Law announced today it is receiving a major gift for which it will rename its Low Income Taxpayer Clinic the Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC).

Levey, who passed away in April 2018, is credited with establishing the LITC in 2002 while teaching at the College of Law.  As an adjunct professor at the College of Law and a full-time practicing lawyer in Rochester, NY he secured the clinic’s original funding.  Former colleague and now Emeritus Professor Martin L. Fried recalls conversations with Levey as the idea for the LITC was taking shape, in which they discussed the need to offer law students an alternative to the criminal law clinic that was popular at the time.  “We wanted to give students who were interested in business and the commercial sphere a chance to get some clinical experience in the real world and insight that could make them better lawyers,” says Fried.  “Sherm was the mover and shaker behind the LITC, seeing that it could help our students and people who would never have had a chance against the IRS.” Levey served as the co-director of the clinic for many years alongside current LITC director Professor Robert Nassau.

“My father always supported the underdog because he started as one,” says Lynn Levey G’94 L’94.  “He was entirely self-made.  He loved the practice of law and wanted the students to love the practice, to see there were all these different things you could do with it, that it was fun, and that you could serve others.”

Levey, who passed away in 2018, formed the tax law firm of Rubin and Levey in Rochester with Sydney R. Rubin after law school. The firm eventually merged with Harris, Beach and Wilcox to form Harris, Beach, Wilcox, Rubin and Levey.  Most recently he was Of Counsel at Boylan Code LLP.

Lynn Levey, along with brother Ted, sister Amy, and Sherm’s cousin Edith D. Warner, decided to honor Levey’s life and legacy of service and learning with a significant gift to the College of Law.

Learning is the primary goal of the clinic, says Nassau. “We ask ourselves: Did the student attorney learn a new and important body of tax knowledge and how to implement and deploy it in real-life situations? Did the student attorney help to resolve a taxpayer’s legal controversies and experience the joy and professional satisfaction that flows from such work?” says Nassau, “in most cases, I can see knowledge and empathy and excitement blossoming in the brains and hearts of our student attorneys.” 

“As a former tax attorney, I can certainly appreciate the need for the kind of assistance provided by the students in the LITC and the role it plays in our community,” says College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise.  “It also plays a vital role in legal education.  Sherm Levey was a visionary.  He understood the importance of law students gaining practical skills and was a key player in the evolution of clinical programs that make Syracuse College of Law both distinctive and relevant. The College of Law community is thankful for his dedication to the College and his family’s generosity.”

The LITC offers legal assistance to lower-income taxpayers who have controversies with the Internal Revenue Service. The controversies may include collection, examination, and appeals matters.

Students represent clients in administrative proceedings before the I.R.S., and in judicial proceedings before the United States Tax Court or Federal District Courts. Read more about the Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic in our 2023 Stories Book.

VLC Students Deliver Oral Arguments Before U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Students walking down a street in Washington, D.C.

While many law school students learn about appellate advocacy in the classroom or on a mock trial competition team, seven College of Law students recently traveled to Washington, D.C., for an oral argument before a federal court. The students seized the opportunity to apply the skills they learned in their law school experience before a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 

The Executive Director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic (VLC), Professor Beth Kubala, supervised the students along the way and applauded their efforts. 

“Participating in a clinic during law school not only affords students an opportunity to work directly with actual clients on important issues, it also gives them invaluable real-world legal experience. The students learned how to navigate a complex appellate process and did so while zealously representing their client.” 

Elizabeth G. Kubala, Executive Director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic

Student attorneys in the VLC represented the widow of an Army veteran in her pursuit of survivor benefits. The students initially assisted the widow in appealing this matter through the Army’s administrative process, then through the federal court system. 

As the students learned, effective appellate advocacy requires a cohesive litigation team to conduct legal analysis, writing, and advocacy simultaneously. Several students contributed to the litigation team through various roles and tasks. 

Students and faculty standing in a line in front of a brick wall
Ben Emmi L’23, Emily Pascale L’23, Professor Beth Kubala, 2L Milana Casillas, 2L Cody Nagel, and Bill Rielly L’23.

Last summer, VLC student Mike Poggi L’22 took the lead in drafting the appellant’s opening brief. Bill Rielly L’23 and 2L Milana Casillas helped with research, responding to motions, and brief writing and editing. During the summer, as part of clinic case rounds, all students collaborated in reviewing the draft brief, providing feedback, and helping to shape the final submission. Leveraging clinic students for this purpose brought fresh perspectives, objectivity, and ideas for new approaches to challenging issues. 

“Under the leadership of Professor Kubala, we cultivated a dynamic work environment that promoted collaboration and efficiency. Her guidance and support were instrumental in helping us navigate the complexities of our case, and she always went above and beyond to ensure that we had the resources and support we needed to succeed. It has been rewarding to work towards our goal with full confidence in one another and with the support of the Syracuse Law.”

2L Milana Casillas

“In the Veterans Legal Clinic, I had the privilege to work with online JDinteractive and residential J.D. students from across the US, collaborating on research, editing, and motion filing for an important case on behalf of a veteran’s widow. This experience culminated in an awesome morning at the United States Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit in Washington D.C., where our lead Syracuse student attorney persuasively argued before the Court,” says Rielly. 

In the fall, after receiving the government’s response brief, Ben Emmi L’23 volunteered to draft the appellant’s reply brief to counter matters raised by the Department of Justice. Again, the team mobilized to analyze the government’s approach, refute opposing arguments, and respond appropriately to convince the court that the law supported a finding for the client. 

With more than 80 percent of federal appeals decided solely based on written briefs, it came as a bit of a surprise in the spring when the clinic received notice that the Federal Circuit requested an oral argument. Emmi rose to the challenge, narrowing the issues and determining the strongest arguments. 

Students and faculty in front of the Capitol building

Syracuse Law community members mobilized to hold moot court proceedings to emulate the experience of arguing a case at the appellate level. Professors Shannon Gardner, Courtney Abbot Hill L’09, Kelly Curtis, and Adjunct Professor Dean DiPilato from Mackenzie Hughes donned judicial robes and held two separate moot court sessions where they replicated real court proceedings by asking numerous questions to force Emmi to think on his feet and practice engaging with the bench. During the first moot court session, the entire proceeding was filmed for later use in one of the College’s Appellate Advocacy classes. 

Each moot court session helped Emmi refine his knowledge of the facts of the case, practice his opening statement, and expertly frame the issues consistently. The students provided feedback, discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments, and continued to predict the questions the judges would pose. 

In early April, a team of students gathered in Washington D.C. for the oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Prepared and composed, Emmi confidently appeared before the three-judge panel to emphasize arguments made in the briefs and respond to pointed questions from the judges. The oral argument represented the culmination of 24 months of effort from the entire clinic. 

“We were able to put on two moot arguments with the help of Professors Abbott-Hill, Curtis, and Gardner, and Mackenzie Hughes partner, Dean Dipilato. I owe them a huge thank you. They were incredibly dedicated to learning the subject matter and providing me with the most realistic experience possible, not once but twice. As a testament to their judicial prowess, many of their questions during practice came up during the actual argument. I can sum up my argument in front of the Federal Circuit by saying that I wouldn’t have even had such an incredible experience without the support of my peers and Syracuse Law faculty,” says Emmi. 

Students and faculty in front of the U.S. Supreme Court

After an outstanding morning in federal court, the students enjoyed engaging with alumni and partners across the nation’s capital. The Marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court gave the students an insider’s view of the courtroom and other historic portions of the building. Bill Van Saun L’19 provided the students with current perspectives from the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, where he serves as Legal Counsel. The next day, 2L Cody Nagel hosted students for a tour of the White House, where she currently is interning with the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Bill, Ben and Cody at the White House

1L D’Andre Gordon Named One of Eight Federal Magistrate Judges Association Fellows

1L D’Andre Gordon was named a Federal Magistrate Judges Association (FMJA) Fellow for the 2023-2024 academic year. He is one of eight law students nationwide to be named a FMJA Fellow. Gordon will be interning for the Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York.

According to the FMJA, “The FMJA is committed to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and the courts. For this reason, FMJA, in collaboration with Just the Beginning – A Pipeline Organization, created the fellowships to support and promote the placement of diverse and underrepresented law students in judicial internships with U.S. Magistrate Judges. Each FMJA Fellow will also have the opportunity to participate in FMJA programs advising students about the application process for federal clerkships and the various career pathways to the bench.”

Gordon says, “As someone who identifies strongly with Black people’s struggle for liberation, the FMJA fellowship is necessary for increasing diversity in the judiciary. Because the intersection of race and class permeates every aspect of our lives, the federal judiciary must strive to reflect the demographic makeup of the U.S. population. Otherwise, there is a real risk that federal courts will cause more significant public harm, and public trust will erode. Working with a magistrate judge will allow me to better understand how federal judges decide cases of great importance while also learning about multiple areas of law. Using the skills I’ll gain working in a judge’s chambers, I hope to become a stronger and more effective advocate for individuals and groups lacking access to the legal system.”  

Transactional Law Clinic Students Present on Key Legal Business Topics to Newhouse Students

Transactional Law Clinic (TLC) 3Ls Brian Harrison and Alexis Telga recently spoke to a group of Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communication students on “Creating Your Own Media: Legal Considerations When in Business for Yourself.” Harrison and Telga, along with TLC Director Professor Jessica Murray, covered legal topics for students considering setting up their own business or freelancing, in fields such as photography, graphic design, and writing. This included an overview of the different business entities, how to set up your entity, and copyright and trademark considerations.

The TLC was invited by J Elliott Lewis, Newhouse Professor of Practice, Graduate Program Director, Broadcast and Digital Journalism.

Two men and two women standing together
Brian Harrison, Alexis Telga, Jessica Murray, and J Elliott Lewis
A classroom

Christopher (Martz) Arima L’22 was Named a “2023 Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award” Winner by the Burton Awards

Christopher (Martz) Arima L’22 was named a “2023 Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award” winner by the Burton Awards. His note “Domestic Violence in Iraq: Legal Barriers to Survivors in Pursuit of Justice” was published in the Journal of Global Rights and Organizations Annual Review – Volume 12. Aliza Milner, Director of Legal Communication and Research, reviewed notes from the College’s academic journals to select one paper for submission.

Arima is currently a law clerk at Herbert Smith Freehills New York LLP, specializing in disputes, international arbitration, and international investment.

The Burton Awards, established in 1999, is funded by the Burton Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and academic effort devoted to recognizing and rewarding excellence in the legal profession. The Burton Awards were established to honor the finest accomplishments in law, including writing, reform, public service and interest, regulatory innovation, and lifetime achievements in the profession.  

Law360 is the lead sponsor of the awards and the American Bar Association is the co-sponsor.

Christopher (Martz) Arima

College of Law Honors Student Rohan Bhattacharjee with the IAPP Annual Westin Scholar Award

Rohan Bhattacharjee

Syracuse, NY – 04/4/23 – Syracuse University College of Law is pleased to announce the 2023 IAPP Westin Scholar Award honoree as 2L Rohan Bhattacharjee.  With the growing need for well-qualified privacy and data protection professionals, the annual Westin Scholar Awards were created by the International Association of Privacy Professionals to support students who are identified as future leaders in the field of privacy and data protection.

As a participating Westin Scholar Award school, Syracuse University College of Law’s 2023 Kurt Wimmer IAPP Westin Scholar Award Committee (Prof. Lauryn Gouldin, Prof. Keli Perrin, Assistant Dean Sophie Dagenais, Assistant Dean Lily Hughes, and Amber Lawyer L’17, Deputy Chair, Bond, Schoeneck & King Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice) have selected second-year law student Rohan Bhattacharjee to receive this year’s award in recognition of his passion and path that he has already forged for himself for a career in privacy law.  

“The industry of privacy is fast growing and constantly evolving. We’ve created this award to put the privacy profession at the forefront of student’s minds as they explore potential career opportunities,” said J. Trevor Hughes, IAPP President and CEO. “Congratulations Rohan. We look forward to seeing the good work you will bring to the field of privacy.”

Rohan will be awarded the following:

  • A $1,000 cash award
  • 2 years of membership with the IAPP
  • 3 complimentary exams for IAPP certifications (CIPP, CIPM, CIPT)
  • Unlimited access to online training for recipient’s selected IAPP certification exams

Bhattacharjee is currently a Privacy Law Extern at Trillium Health, a Research Associate in the College of Law’s Innovation Law Center, helping clients with technology commercialization research, and a candidate to receive a Masters in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.  He is planning to take the IAPP CIPM, CIPP/U.S, and CIPP/E certifications.  “Thank you to the Kurt Wimmer IAPP Westin Award Committee,” said Bhattacharjee.  “It is an honor to be selected, and I look forward to obtaining the IAPP certifications and contributing to the field of privacy.”

About the Westin Scholar Award and Kurt Wimmer

The Westin Scholar Awards pay homage to the late Dr. Alan Westin, a foundational voice in the field of privacy and data protection. Throughout his life, Dr. Westin researched and wrote about privacy, data protection, digital identity, and the future of how societies will deal with issues at the intersection of law and technology. He is the namesake for the IAPP Westin Research Center and Fellowship Program, which was founded in 2013 and serves as a pathway for future leaders in the community. More information on the Award can be found at: Westin Scholar Award.

Proud Syracuse Law alumnus Kurt Wimmer was an international leader in privacy, cybersecurity, technology and media law, whose career at Covington & Burling spanned more than three decades, including as co-chair of the firm’s global data privacy and cybersecurity practice in Washington, D.C.

As a privacy and technology lawyer, Wimmer worked closely with clients including Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung and other multinational organizations, in addition to non-traditional clients such as the National Football League and National Hockey League.

Student Profile: 3L Cecily Capo

A third-year law student draws on her STEM training to help entrepreneurs bring ideas to market.

Some people spend years deciding what to do with their lives. Cecily Capo L’23, a third-year student in Syracuse University’s College of Law, knew in an instant.

It was the spring of 2021, and, like most college students at the time, Capo was making the most of remote learning. Truth be told, she felt listless, disconnected from her law studies.

Salvation came in the form of a virtual open house for Syracuse’s Innovation Law Center (ILC), an experiential learning program for students interested in technology commercialization. One of the presenters was a silver-tongued attorney named Jack Rudnick L’73, the face of the 30-year-old center for more than a decade.

Read the full article here.

Class of ’23 Cecily Capo pictured at Dineen Hall in the Innovation Law Center.