The Student Bar Association (SBA) hosted a Students Award Ceremony in Dineen Hall on April 20, highlighting the work of various students, organizations, staff, and faculty.
2022 Award Winners
Distinguished Service Awards
Gabby Kielbasinski
Abby Neuviller
Olivia Stevens
Kayla Wheeler
Outstanding Graduate Award
Christopher Martz
Paul Shipman Andrews Award
Mazaher Kaila
Unsung Hero Award
Kevin Casserino
Scott Ceurvels
Evan Groder
Joseph Hobika
Gabby Kielbasinski
Seth Owens
Omnia Shedid
Payton Sorci
Caroline Synakowski
Tia Thevenin
Student Organization of the Year Award
First Generations Law Students Association
Staff Award
Kyle Davis
Faculty Award
Professor Rakesh Anand
The SBA also welcomed newly elected SBA Officers for 2022 – 2023, who will play a critical role in developing a legacy of service, leadership, and excellence at the College of Law. Congratulations to all the award winners this year!
The paper lays out an indictment of numerous war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of aggression from February 24, 2022, to April 1, 2022, during the invasion of Ukraine. The report includes a sample draft (Appendix A, page 47) of a criminal indictment against President Vladimir Putin for his war crimes. The white paper was created by the Ukraine Task Force, comprised of law students and legal scholars, with the goal to create a non-partisan, high-quality analysis of open-source materials.
“Because of his aggressive acts and his intentional targeting of Ukrainian civilians, Vladimir Putin has lost all political legitimacy and has made Russia a pariah state. This white paper catalogs the horror he has unleashed and lays out a pathway for holding him accountable for aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity,” said David Crane L’80, the project leader of the white paper and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Syracuse University College of Law.
Crane is the founding chief prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, an international war crimes tribunal where he indicted Liberian President Charles Taylor, the first sitting African head of state in history to be held accountable in this way.
According to the report on Ukraine:
“Since the invasion, Ukrainian citizens have been forced to endure kidnappings, property destruction, starvation, terror, shellings, and murder at the hands of the Russian Federation. As is consistent with the complex and intricate history of Ukraine, Russia once again seeks to assert its dominance and control of the territory in wanton violation of international law and Ukrainian sovereignty. As of the writing of this document, President Zelenskyy continues to lead his country and seek peace for its citizens, while the Russian Federation continues its campaign of atrocities meant to terrorize Ukraine and strip it of its national identity.
There is no clearer violation of the laws of humanity. At its most basic elements, international law and the laws of humanity establish self-determination and self-expression of a people as fundamental rights free from infringement by foreign powers. President Putin, and the rest of his Russian Federation political and military command seek to upend these values and establish a new world order with authoritarianism, terror, and oppression at its center. The international community cannot remain silent, and the road does not end at sanctions — it begins.” (page 40)
The 276-page report lays out the history of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the legal framework of accountability, individuals who bear the responsibility for crimes, and the specific violations of international law.
“The Ukraine Task Force established by the Global Accountability Network (GAN) was an incredible and unique experience that allowed law students to take an active part in international legal discourse,” said Syracuse Law student 3L Christopher Martz, the task force director and one of the lead writers of the white paper. “The Ukraine Task Force encountered serious difficulties in documenting war crimes in real time, especially considering the fact that GAN pulled students from all across the country. However, the leadership of Professor Crane and the commitment of GAN volunteers helped overcome these difficulties, resulting in an important living document that creates a framework of accountability moving forward.”
Additionally, the appendix of the report offers exhaustive details of how the researchers documented their evidence:
Appendix B (page 68) is a crime narrative detailing by date and cities where crimes were committed and by the responsible party. Appendix B is a grim summary of the civilian deaths suffered during the invasion from bombings and attacks on residences, hospitals, schools, grocery stores, public buses, and many more.
Appendix C (page 102) expands on the crime narrative and provides a more detailed breakdown of the violations of International Humanitarian Law, as well as documenting violations of the Ukrainian Penal Code. Appendix C gives a day-by-day and detailed accounting of the atrocities and war crimes committed and the specific articles of the Rome Statute, Geneva Convention, and Ukrainian Penal Code they violate.
Appendix D (page 124) is a comprehensive profile detailing the command-and-control structure of the Russian political and military senior leadership. This “dossier” lists the individuals responsible for the atrocities in Ukraine, and documents relevant information surrounding their responsibility and complicity.
“We have done this once before and we can do it again with the International Criminal Court prosecuting the alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity and a United Nations-backed Special Court for Ukraine, the world’s second hybrid international war crimes tribunal, the Special Court for Ukraine the crime of aggression”, according to Crane. “Its mandate will be to prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibility for the aggression against Ukraine must include President Vladimir Putin,”
Members of the media, please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, executive director of media relations at Syracuse University, at 412-496-0551 or ejmbuqe@syr.edu, for interviews.
More about David Crane and Syracuse University
David Crane was a professor of practice at Syracuse University College of Law from 2006 until his retirement in 2018. During that time, he taught international criminal law, international humanitarian law, military law, and national security law. While at Syracuse Law, Crane founded Impunity Watch, an online student-run law review, and public service blog, and the Syrian Accountability Project (SAP), an internationally-recognized effort among students, activists, journalists, and non-governmental organizations to document war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Syrian Civil War. Crane later returned to the College of Law as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence.
In 2014, Crane co-authored the “Caesar Report” that detailed the systematic killing of thousands of people in Syria and testified about the report at the UN Security Council. Crane also has testified to the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and its Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations on the Syria crisis and related human security and humanitarian issues. In 2016, Crane helped to draft a UN resolution “to establish a special team to ‘collect, consolidate, preserve and analyze evidence” as well as to prepare cases on war crimes and human rights abuses committed during the conflict in Syria.” Subsequently, he assisted the UN in setting up the independent justice mechanism mandated by the resolution.
When he was chief prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Crane was the first American to be a Chief Prosecutor of an international war crimes tribunal since 1945 when Justice Robert Jackson and Telford Taylor were prosecutors at the Nuremberg Trials.
Third-year students Bradley Ace and Robert Rose prevailed over finalist 2Ls Meghan Ellsworth and Jessica Johnson in the Entertainment and Sports Law Negotiation Competition. Rose was named Best Advocate.
Final round judges were Professor John Wolohan, Daniel Greene L’16, Associate at Newman and Lickstein, and Erin Phillips L’15, Associate at Newman and Lickstein.
The Syracuse Law Review celebrated the annual award winners for Volume 72 in a ceremony at the Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom on April 7, 2022.
As the first in-person Law Review Banquet to occur since the onset of the pandemic, it was a night to remember. Dean Craig M. Boise offered opening remarks to students, faculty, and alumni, celebrating the achievements of the Law Review staff and winners soon to be announced.
Hilda Frimpong, Syracuse Law Review Editor-in Chief, gave the welcome speech for the ceremony. Frimpong is the first Black Editor-in-Chief in the history of the Syracuse Law Review, a proud accomplishment celebrated on the same day that Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed as the first Black woman to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court.
2022 Award Winners
2L of the Year: Emilie R. Cullen
3L of the Year: Hilda Frimpong
Samuel J. M. Donnelly Award: Niloofar Abedzadeh
Faculty & Staff Award: Kyle Davis
Most Dedicated Award: Emilie M. Pascale
Volume 73 Student Notes Selected for Publication
Emilie Cullen
Paul Dipadua
Emily Pascale
Penny Quinteros
Tim Walsh
Robert M. Anderson Publication Award Winners
William J. Cost
Shannon K. Cox
Elisabeth Dannan
Hilda A. Frimpong
Hannah T. Hapeman
Kathryn Morris
Leita Powers
Immediately following the awards ceremony, attendees enjoyed a reception in the David M. Levy Atrium. John Powers L’96, Partner, Hancock Estabrook LLP, delivered the keynote speech for the night as this year’s Alumni Achievement Award recipient. To wrap up the festivities, Raymond Scarlata provided a “look ahead toast” as the Editor-in-Chief-elect for Volume 73.
3L Jackson Somes, the Hon. Rodney Thompson, the Hon. Bernadette Romano Clark, the Hon. Glenn T. Suddaby, 3L Morgan Steele
The team of 3Ls Morgan Steele and Jackson Somes won the 44th Annual Lionel O. Grossman Trial Competition. Somes also received the Best Advocate award.
They prevailed over finalists 2L Giovanni Antonucci and LL.M. student Dessi-Ann Yetman.
The Hon. Glenn T. Suddaby L’85, Chief U.S. District Court Judge, Northern District of New York served as the presiding judge. The evaluators were the Hon. Bernadette Romano Clark L’89, Oneida County Supreme Court Judge and the Hon. Rodney Thompson L’93, Presiding Judge, Family Division, Superior Court of New Jersey.
The Black Law Student Association (BLSA) Mock Trial Team has advanced to the national round of the Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition. This is the third year in a row the BLSA Mock Trial Team has advanced to the finals
The team consists of 3Ls Abigail Neuviller, Alexis Eka, Randi Gray, and 2Ls Autumn Burgin and Kendall Anderson. Burgin won the award for Best Cross-Examination and Neuviller won the award for Best Direct Examination.
(Syracuse, NY | Feb. 16, 2022) Syracuse University College of Law has appointed four new Board of Advisors members: Peter Carmen L’91; Prashanth (PJ) Jayachandran G’98 L’98; Benita Miller L’96, and David Wales L’95. These appointments reflect the heft of the College of Law’s alumni and underscore the College’s commitment to project on its board the diverse talent and leadership represented by its alumni community.
“The College of Law benefits greatly from our dynamic, engaged Advisors who provide essential guidance in support of our mission and our students,” says Dean Craig M. Boise. “Peter, PJ, Benita, and David bring varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to our distinguished Board. I look forward to working with them closely as we continue to advance our mission and prepare our students for their careers in law.”
“Law schools must anticipate and respond to a rapidly changing legal profession, with innovative educational offerings and opportunities for students,” says Board of Advisors Chair Robert M. Hallenbeck L’83. “These four highly regarded lawyers and community leaders will help provide insight into the future of the profession that will ensure that the College of Law is well-positioned to meet the needs of our students and build a bench of influential and practice-ready Orange lawyers.”
Syracuse Law’s new Advisors bring to the boardroom business acumen, corporate and non-profit leadership, and expertise in antitrust, ESG, labor relations, social welfare, and children’s rights law.
Peter Carmen
Pete Carmen is the Chief Operating Officer of the Oneida Indian Nation and its enterprises.
In this role, Pete works closely with Oneida Indian Nation leadership to oversee the daily operations and administration for Oneida Nation Enterprises LLC, which includes Turning Stone Resort Casino, YBR Casino & Sports Book, Point Place Casino, Oneida Innovations Group, The Lake House at Sylvan Beach, The Cove at Sylvan Beach, SavOn Stores, Maple Leaf Markets, The Preserve hunting grounds, Salmon Acres fishing lodge, five golf courses, three marinas, two spas, and dozens of restaurants. Pete’s role also includes oversight of Oneida’s administration, including Legal, Finance, IT, Human Resources, Governmental Affairs, Security, Marketing, and Supply Chain, and he works with the Oneida leadership in overseeing the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department.
Since Pete joined the Oneida Indian Nation in 2006, he has played an integral role in the Nation’s growth. Over the last 15 years, Oneida has developed its gaming, hospitality, entertainment, technology, and government contracting footprints exponentially. Today, Oneida Nation Enterprises is the No. 1 largest employer in its two home counties—Madison and Oneida—and among the largest employers in the 18-county Central New York region. Oneida Nation Enterprises has become one of the most awarded companies regionally and is now routinely recognized among industry leaders nationally. It partners with a broad range of national gaming, real estate, and retail companies, among others.
Pete was born and raised in Syracuse and has spent most of his life in the Empire State. Before stepping into his current role in 2008, Pete served as the Oneida Indian Nation’s general counsel, chief legal officer, and senior vice president. Previously, Pete was a partner, department chair, and a member of the executive committee at Mackenzie Hughes LLP, a law firm in Syracuse, and he served a federal judicial clerkship with Chief Judge Neal P. McCurn of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. Pete graduated from Brandeis University and received a law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1991.
Prashanth (PJ) Jayachandran
Prashanth Jayachandran is Chief Supply Chain Counsel for Colgate-Palmolive Company. As lead counsel for the Global Supply Chain, Jayachandran oversees global commercial contracting, labor relations, and legal issues related to logistics, transportation, trade, manufacturing, and product distribution. Jayachandran also addresses key global policy issues related to human rights, environmental impact, and sustainability. In his prior roles for Colgate, Jayachandran served as Chief Human Resources and Benefits Counsel, and Division General Counsel for Colgate Asia.
Jayachandran serves as Distinguished Lecturer for the College of Law’s JDinteractive program, teaching a course related to corporate sustainability (“The Corporate Lawyer in a Sustainable World”).
In addition, Jayachandran serves on several non-profit boards in various leadership roles. He is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Princeton, NJ YMCA; co-founder of the New Jersey Youth Civics Coalition; and a member of the Board of Advisors for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Student Affairs. Jayachandran also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Paul, Weiss ESG & Law Institute.
Jayachandran received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Economics and Political Science) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received a Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law and a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Benita Miller
Benita R. Miller is currently the Executive Director of Powerful Families Powerful Communities and an Executive on Loan to the State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families overseeing a five-year demonstration project to re-imagine New Jersey’s child welfare system through a human-centered design process that leverages the voice of community members as co-designers. She previously served as the President and CEO of Children’s Aid and Family Services in New Jersey. Prior to her work in New Jersey, Miller served as the Executive Director of Brooklyn Kindergarten Society where she expanded the agency’s early childhood education footprint from five to seven centers as well as built the first sensory gym co-located in New York City Housing Authority development.
Miller was the founding Executive Director of the NYC Children’s Cabinet in the Office of the Mayor and served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Family Permanency Services in the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). Before joining ACS, Miller served as Director of Scholarships at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where among other responsibilities she implemented programs for undergraduate and law student scholars. She is the founder and former executive director of the Brooklyn Young Mother’s Collective and is the recipient of the Union Square Award and Petra Fellowship on behalf of her advocacy work with young parents. She was also recognized by the American Civil Liberties Union as one of the top nine advocates to influence Title IX implementation. She previously represented children and young people in child protective, delinquency, and PINS proceedings in Brooklyn Family Court as a staff lawyer with the Legal Aid Society.
Miller earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Print Journalism from Wayne State University where she was a Rosa Parks Scholar at The Detroit News and received her Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law. She serves as a board member for many nonprofit organizations including Strategies for Youth and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
David Wales
David P. Wales is Partner, Antitrust/Competition at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s Washington, D.C. office. He is recognized as a leading antitrust lawyer and has over 25 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. His practice focuses on providing antitrust advice to U.S. and international clients in a wide range of industries on all aspects of antitrust, including mergers and acquisitions, alliances, criminal grand jury investigations, dominant firm conduct, distribution arrangements, licensing, and competitor collaborations.
Wales has the distinctive experience of serving as a senior official in both U.S. antitrust agencies. Most recently, he served as acting director of the Bureau of Competition (2008-09) during a three-year tenure at the Federal Trade Commission, where he oversaw all of the agency’s antitrust enforcement activity, including in the health care, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, technology, chemical, defense, retail, and consumer product industries. He also served as counsel to the assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division (2001-03), where he was part of the small front-office team managing all of the agency’s merger and conduct matters.
Wales earned his Bachelor of Arts from the Pennsylvania State University and his Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law. He regularly speaks and writes on antitrust issues and has held various leadership positions in the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Section. Recognized as a leading antitrust practitioner, he is consistently ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Legal 500, The Best Lawyers in America, The International Who’s Who of Competition Lawyers & Economists, and Best Lawyers.
Peter Carmen L’91, Prashanth (PJ) Jayachandran G’98, L’98, Benita Miller L’96, David Wales L’95
Christian Oko, Ahmad Riaz, Francisco De la Parra Villanueva, Noel Omeji, Dessi-Ann Yetman, Lotta Lampela
In January 2022, the College of Law welcomed a new cohort of seven international students enrolled in the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program.
“Despite the continued barriers and uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, this new spring cohort includes foreign lawyers representing the legal systems of six countries,” says Assistant Dean of International Programs Andrew S. Horsfall L’10. “These students come from very diverse backgrounds and expanses and have wide-ranging professional interests.”
The LL.M. cohort will maintain its wide reach across time zones and locations with students from Ethiopia, Finland, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan. These new students will join the 34 returning LL.M. students who began their studies this past fall and spring along with four
S.J.D. students, and five Visiting Scholars.
In addition, the LL.M. students and visiting scholars will receive advising support from International Programs Academic Coordinator Kate Shannon and LL.M. student mentors Marisol Estrada Cruz, Mazaher Kaila, Anthony Levitskiy, Carlos Negron, and Tia Thevenin.
LL.M. Spring 2022 Cohort
Francisco De la Parra Villanueva (Mexico): De la Parra completed his LL.B. at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in 2021. As an undergraduate, he participated in two clinics: the Sustainable Development and Environmental Law Clinic, and the Clinic for the Improvement of Labor Justice. De la Parra also held several internships that focused on corporate and banking law.
Lotta Lampela (Finland): Lampela holds both a Bachelor’s and Master of Arts in History from Oulu University in Finland. She also holds an LL.M. in International Law from Helsinki University. She was the chief superintendent of the Finnish Security Intelligence Service and an intelligence advisor for the EU Intelligence Analysis Centre. Before recently moving to the U.S., Lampela served as a policy advisor for the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organizations in Vienna where she represented the EU and its member states at the UN Office of Drugs and Crime and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. She plans to enroll in courses that will prepare her for the New York Bar Exam.
Christian Oko (Nigeria): Oko received an LL.B. from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2019. Since graduating, he has worked as a legal consultant for the Sunset Football Club and an intern at the Nigerian Football Association where he focused on alternative dispute resolution. Oko plans to enroll in courses that will prepare him for the New York Bar Exam.
Noel Omeji (Nigeria): Omeji completed his LL.B. at Kogi State University in 2014 and graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 2016. He also completed an LL.M. in Private and Commercial Law at Bayero University. He has been a prosecutor with the Nigerian Police Force since 2017. Omeji will study tax law, ADR, and coursework that will prepare him for the New York State Bar Exam.
Ahmad Riaz (Pakistan): Riaz holds an LL.B. from the University of Punjab, Lahore. Since graduating in 2015, he has worked as a legal associate at a private law firm. He intends to study family law, criminal procedure, and civil procedure.
Savior Welu (Ethiopia): Welu holds an LL.B. from Mekelle University and an LL.M. in Public International Law from Addis Ababa University. As an undergraduate, he interned at the Mekelle University Legal Aid Center where he drafted pleadings on criminal and civil cases. Most recently, Welu has served as a law lecturer at Aksum University in Ethiopia where he teaches international law, refugee law, African Union and human rights law, and business law.
Dessi-Ann Yetman (Jamaica): Yetman obtained her LL.B. from the University of the West Indies in 2018. She plans to study family law and immigration law.
Spring 2022 Visiting Researchers
Carlos Higino Ribeiro de Alencar (Brazi): Professor de Alencar works as a Tax Auditor for Brazil’s Internal Revenue Service under its Ministry of Economics. He is also pursuing a Ph.D. through a joint degree program with the University of Brasilia and the University of Paris, Paris 1, at the Sorbonne. During his visit, he is pursuing comparative research on the evolution of anti- corruption legislation using the American model and other sources, under the guidance of Professor Antonio Gidi.
Natalia Chernicharo Guimaraes (Brazil): Professor Guimaraes teaches civil procedure at University of Juiz de Fora. She is researching comparative civil procedure and class actions, under the guidance of Professor Antonio Gidi.
Satoshi Kawashima (Japan): Professor Kawashima teaches at Okayama University of Science and Kanagawa University’s Graduate School of Law. During his visit, he will pursue the study and research of U.S. disability rights laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act under the supervision of Professor Arlene Kanter.
Kihan Lee (South Korea): Professor Lee teaches at Dankook University’s Faculty of Law. He is also Chair of the Korea Social Service Policy Institute. He will engage in the study and research of comparative environmental regulation, with specific focus on the United States and South Korea, and economic and legal efforts to combat climate change under the guidance of Professor David Driesen.
Levan Nanobashvili (Georgia): Nanobashvili is a Fulbright Teaching Scholar and a practicing intellectual property lawyer in Georgia. He plans to engage in the study and research of intellectual property law, internet law, and the teaching methods and pedagogy of these subjects under the guidance of Professor Shubha Ghosh.
Patricia Pizzol (Brazil): Professor Pizzol teaches class actions and civil procedure at Pontificia Universidade Catolica de São Paulo. She will undertake a comparative study of class actions and methods of standardizing judicial decisions, under the guidance of Professor Antonio Gidi.
Congratulations to Mikayla Barrett who won the 12th Annual Hancock Estabrook LLP 1L Oral Advocacy Competition! She triumphed over finalist Nikita Norman in the final round on Feb. 8, 2022. Overall, 38 1L students competed.
Barrett is from Rotterdam Junction, NY, and has a B.S. in Political Science from SUNY Plattsburgh. Although she hasn’t finalized her career path, Barrett is interested in criminal justice and medical/health law.
Norman is from Eagle Bridge, NY, and has a B.S. in Criminal Justice from SUNY Oneonta. She is a Law Ambassador for the Office of Admissions and a member of the First Generation Law Students Association. Norman is interested in civil litigation and family law.
Barrett argued for the Petitioner and Norman for the Respondent in Theresa Vanderpump v. Bravo Quick Care, Inc. The case problem concerned Vanderpump losing her job after receiving a text message from the medical clinic Bravo Quick Care that revealed her failure to comply with pandemic-related policies. Competition Director 3L Gabriella Kielbasinski introduced this state law tort claim for invasion of privacy and statutory claim under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act case problem.
The final round was judged by Hon. Andrew T. Baxter, US Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York; Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91, US Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York; Hon. Ramón E. Rivera L’94, New York State Court of Claims Judge; Hon, Brenda K. Sannes, US District Judge for the Northern District of New York; and College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise.
The College of Law thanks Hancock Estabrook LLP, who since 2013 has generously sponsored this important opportunity to introduce basic oral argument skills and the art of preparing and delivering an argument.
All photos by Mike Roy Media.
Mikayla Barrett and Nikita NormanMelanie Gray Ceremonial CourtroomNikita NormanMikayla Barrett
