Around Syracuse Law

Gelb Triplets Represent Fourth Generation to Graduate from Syracuse Law

Nicole L’25, Robert L’25 and Matthew Gelb L’25 have the distinction of being triplets who graduated together from the Syracuse University College of Law in May. But that’s not the only unique thing about this close knit trio. They are also the fourth generation of their family to attend Syracuse Law and the only set of triplets to graduate together in the law school’s history.

Gelb triplets smile in their commencement regalia in front of a Syracuse Banner.


The legacy started with Robert Miller L’29 who enrolled at Syracuse Law nearly 100 years ago. After that, his son, the Hon. Michael J. Miller ’60 (MAX), L’63; and daughter, Joan Miller ’58 (SOE), attended Syracuse. Joan married Allan Wolk ’58 (WSM), L’60, who graduated from the Law School. The couple had a daughter, Sandra Wolk Gelb L’92, who also attended Syracuse Law and is a real estate attorney. And this spring, Sandra and her husband, Jay, watched proudly as their triplets, Nicole, Robert and Matthew, crossed the stage to receive their law degrees, continuing the family tradition.

The triplets have been achieving challenging goals since the day they were born at only 29 weeks gestation. Matthew weighed only 1.5 lbs., Nicole 2 lbs. and Robert 2.5 lbs. They were given less than a 50% chance of survival, but these feisty micro preemies fought hard and three months later emerged from the NICU at Rochester’s Golisano Children’s Hospital as thriving babies.


Growing up, all attended grade school together, and then each made their own decision to attend their mother’s undergraduate alma mater, The University of Rochester (U of R). Robert and Matthew studied business, while Nicole pursued psychology, and all three participated on the U of R swim team. The triplets had individual college experiences but remained close, so when all three decided to pursue law school, they jumped at the chance to continue the family legacy at Syracuse Law.

While they are sometimes lumped together as “the triplets,” each have their unique strengths and interests. Matthew is drawn to real estate law, and he has wanted to be a lawyer since his mother brought the children into her law firm to meet the partners years ago. Nicole describes her brother as “the kindest person I’ve ever met” and says he stands out among everyone they know.

Nicole has wanted to pursue law school since she was a high school student with a particular interest in elder law sparked from volunteering at a nursing home. “She’s the CEO of the group,” says Sandra. “Nicole was born in the middle, and she’s been in charge of both boys ever since.” Her brothers describe her as a “people person” who is very caring but likes to argue, a good quality in a lawyer. Nicole hopes to eventually pursue a career in family law/elder law.

Robert, the youngest of the triplets, is described by his siblings as “funny and a great storyteller,” something his family thinks will benefit him in his law career, as he is often able to diffuse a tense situation with his humor. Named after his great-grandfather Robert Miller, the original family member to attend Syracuse Law, he is known for his strict study schedule and intends to specialize in tax law. “Robert is the most studious of the three of us. He takes it to the next level,” says Matthew.

While they are always there for one another, the Gelbs did not live together as undergraduates or in law school, each taking different classes and pursuing various interests. Nicole was drawn to the law school’s newly established Housing Clinic, assisting low-income tenants with issues like eviction and rental housing conditions, and the new Syracuse Medical Legal Partnership, a collaboration between SUNY Upstate Medical University’s pediatrics department and the Law School that provides advocacy to vulnerable members of the community and works together with medical professionals for positive health outcomes. Matthew also participated in the Housing Clinic, enjoying the challenge of juggling multiple clients. Robert was interested in the Transactional Law Clinic, assisting clients with contracts, copyright protection and more. However, all three did participate in the College of Law’s Bankruptcy Clinic, helping individuals in need of financial relief, and they also joined an International Tax Law residency last summer in Switzerland led by former Dean Craig Boise.


“We all excel at different things while having our love of the law in common, but I think the experience at Syracuse Law has been outstanding for all of us, as we not only earned our law degrees but have honored our family legacy times three,” says Nicole.


Now that the triplets have graduated, they have wasted no time studying for the bar exam in both New York and Florida, giving them more flexibility in their career paths. Their first steps are to work for the family business , which operates in both states.

Continuing a Legacy of Giving Back


Sandra and Jay could not be more grateful to the law school for their children’s success, and Sandra is especially proud to see the fourth generation graduate from Syracuse Law. The couple has also followed the family’s legacy of generosity to the Law School. Sandra’s father established a scholarship for deserving students in 1995. In 2000, Sandra and Jay decided to renew that gift with the establishment of the Robert Miller L’29, Joan ’57 and Allan Wolk ’58, L’60, Jay and Sandra Wolk Gelb L’92 Family Scholarship, providing financial assistance for students at the Law School with demonstrated financial need.

“Helping others succeed in the law is what we stand for,” says Jay. “The cost of any law school education is difficult for some to handle without outside support, so we like to give back to the Syracuse community and help others.”

Certainly, the Miller/Wolk/Gelb legacy is firmly cemented in the history of Syracuse University’s College of Law, as is the generosity and support of the family. “Our children are true miracles, and they are achieving goals beyond anything we could have ever expected on the day they were born,” says Sandra, who is a member of the College of Law’s board of advisors.

“The Law School has long been important to generations of my family, and today it is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility with everything a future lawyer could need. The Syracuse network, both the Law School’s and the University’s, extends far and wide, and now our children are a part of that, too. We are so appreciative of the many opportunities the Syracuse University College of Law has given four generations of my family over the past century, and we are especially excited to see how our three brand new lawyers will succeed in the future.”

Beyond Benefits: A Blueprint for Holistic Veteran Support

Last year, the College of Law and Syracuse University School of Social Work launched the Legal-Social Work Partnership Program to provide free, high-quality legal services for veterans, along with social work insight and guidance.

Established in 2023 with the help of Wendy Goidel ‘84, Esq., the partnership has worked to help reduce veteran homelessness and suicide rates while improving the lives of veterans and military families. The program provides Falk social work students who are interested in the intersection of law and social work with a Fellowship that allows them to conduct field work through Syracuse Law’s Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic (VLC).

“I hear the collaborative energy, and see the law and social work students learn from one another and contribute their unique skills to the cause, which is certainly inspiring,” Assistant Dean of Online and Distance Education, and Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Social Work, Ken Marfilius said. “That’s exactly what Wendy set out when she first wanted to bring this model to life in this capacity.”

Benetta Dousuah G’25, the program’s first Fellow, played a key role in bridging the gap between legal support and social services, creating stronger student-attorney/client relationships by providing the law students with a better understanding of the empathy and awareness needed for the bigger picture, rather than an individual legal problem. Law students began adopting more holistic approaches, realizing the need for non-legal services and recognizing when they should find a resource that is better suited to handle certain problems to create outcomes for veterans seeking support. As a result, more than 100 veterans were served through the 2023-24 Legal-Social Work Partnership Program.

“Sometimes the VLC might be able to get that veteran access to VA healthcare and VA compensation, but they’re still having challenges with their family or getting a job or with their landlord,” Executive Director of both the VLC and Syracuse Law’s Clinical Education, and Director of Veteran and Military Affairs, Elizabeth G. Kubala said. “As a lawyer you want to make sure that your impact is sustainable, and sometimes you realize for that impact to be lasting, there are a number of other things that need to fall into place as well.”

Treating the Whole Person

Building on its first year success, the Goidel Law Group Internship Fund expanded the Legal-Social Work Partnership program to include two Fellows for their second year, bringing in undergraduate Paige Esposito and graduate Margo Lance, to leverage their social work skills alongside the law school students tackling challenging legal issues for veterans. Realizing the various barriers and challenges it took for veterans to come to campus to receive support from the clinic, the team started travelling to Altamont, a local VA residential program in Syracuse, once a week to provide their services directly to clients.

“The legal process can be very overwhelming, confusing and frustrating,” Esposito said. “On top of having to navigate all the factors of homelessness, they’re getting a bunch of legal jargon and serious technical terms thrown at them, so we take a step back and touch on different things that the legal system does not, to focus on the person.”

The student-attorney’s main focus is on getting each veteran discharge upgrades that will lead to improved healthcare and financial support, but sometimes it takes a village to accomplish a simple step that is only one part of the overall legal process. While lawyers may not necessarily pick up a client and take them to a doctor’s appointment, for example, there are people who will, and understanding the different facets of a holistic veteran support team has only improved the VLC’s services. Getting client referrals directly from the Syracuse VA’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans program, Lance and Esposito have integrated themselves into the VA social work team as well, working with case managers and program directors that provide additional services to homeless veterans.

“What’s evident in year two is expansion of collaboration, it’s grown in both scope and impact,” Marfilius said. “Expanding the focus beyond traditional legal advocacy to really include comprehensive trauma-informed assessments and case management.”

While the law students are working to connect veterans with benefits, the social work Fellows assist with the intake process, figuring out what they think each veteran needs alongside the requests made by the clients themselves. Using enhanced communication platforms like UniteUs and SyracuseServes, Lance and Esposito are able to streamline referrals and coordinate care across disciplines, ensuring the veterans’ needs are being met.

“My role is to serve them outside of everything that this student attorney is doing…I interpret how I think social work can play into all the things that they do,” Lance said. “I focus on treating the whole person and that can be anything from food stamps up to if they’re interested in joining a church or engaging in community events.”

By working with the social work Fellows, law students can recognize how this support system helps to alleviate certain needs of their clients, understanding that veterans often face a whole host of challenges that must be addressed to move forward. By holistically identifying the needs of each client, the student-attorneys are able to focus on the areas in which they are best equipped to serve.

“You see tangible improvements in veterans’ stability, not just from a legal standpoint with discharges and upgrades, but also well-being in that stability,” Marfilius said. “There’s interdisciplinary success, the integration of law and social work has resulted in more comprehensive care that addresses both legal and psycho-social challenges.”

Building Up the Community, One Person at a Time

The legal challenges veterans face are unique, typically related to the details of their service, and require a specialized legal background and understanding to solve. As veterans age, these barriers can worsen and begin to involve different areas of their physical, social, and emotional health. Without an appropriate discharge status, many are unable to access the very services designed to support them.

“My dad is a U.S Army veteran and he’s now 100% service-connected. These benefits were something he earned, and the Syracuse Veterans Legal Clinic played a huge part in helping him finally get them,” Lance said. “Watching these student attorneys just jump right in and take care of all the things my dad once had to handle alone is incredible. Now, I’m able to assist people in this process where he didn’t have assistance, helping other veterans access the support they deserve. It’s the most rewarding thing in the world.”

Since its creation, the Legal-Social Work Partnership program has helped a large number of homeless veterans move into permanent housing and access VA healthcare. Now, almost ten clients have achieved an 100% VA rating, meaning they receive $4,000 in disability compensation each month.

“You want to know how to make a difference in a homeless veteran’s life? Get them eligible for healthcare in the VA medical center right here in town and get them monthly steady income,” Kubala said. “That is the kind of impact we’ve seen. We’re impacting veteran homelessness right here in our community.”

Every veteran’s story is different, and the Legal-Social Work Partnership program has proven the need for empathy, patience, and a willingness to figure out what will actually help in each case. What began as an innovative collaboration between Syracuse Law and School of Social Work has evolved into a model for community-driven change, and by meeting veterans where they are, both physically and emotionally, the Legal-Social Work Partnership program is helping to rebuild lives piece by piece.

“We’re taking an underserved and deserving population, and setting them up for a successful life,” Lance said. “It feels like it’s building up the community one person at a time.”

S.J.D. Candidate Clarisse De La Cerda Moderates Discussion at the International Trademark Association’s Annual Meeting

Clarisse De La Cerda, a College of Law S.J.D. candidate focusing on intellectual property law, moderated a “Table Topic” discussion at the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) annual meeting. The topic was “IP Protection for Video-Games: How Can Trademarks Contribute for Better Enforcement of Rights?”

“A video game encompasses multiple potentially overlapping IP protection issues. The discussion covered the most efficient strategy for IP protection and licensing, according to the participants’ experience. In the area of enforcement, we discussed how litigation can serve as a powerful weapon,” says De La Cerda.

The session ended with a Who Am I? game covering trademarks related to video games.

INTA’s Table Topics sessions offer focused discussions on trending issues and critical questions that bring together global experts from all aspects of trademark enforcement.

De La Cerda is also a member of INTA’s Academic Committee, which provides law students and professors with educational services and support.

Her S.J.D. dissertation focuses on applying an antitrust solution to the enforcement of invalid intellectual property rights. Her advisor is Professor Shubha Ghosh.

Serving Those Who Served: The Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic

Thanks to the efforts of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic (VLC) within the College of Law, hundreds of area veterans have received their benefits or successfully upgraded their military discharge through the pro bono, student-offered legal services since its founding in 2015.

College of Law Celebrates the Class of 2025 Commencement

Syracuse University College of Law recently held Commencement exercises for the Class of 2025. The Class of 2025 includes 208 recipients of the J.D. degree and 24 LL.M. graduates.

Frank Ryan speaks to the graduates from a podium at Law Commencement 2025, wearing regalia with his hands on the podium
Commencement Speaker Frank Ryan, Americas Chair, Global Co-Chair, and Co-CEO of DLA Piper and a Member of the Syracuse College of Law Board of Advisors.

Frank Ryan IV ’90, L’94, the Class of 2025 Commencement Speaker, emphasized the need for resilience as graduates step into the legal profession amid a time of complexity and uncertainty. “The finest and greatest professionals, who often are those who seem to be the happiest and most fulfilled in their professional lives,” he explained, “have three core characteristics: (1) they have a growth mindset, (2) they are anti-fragile, and (3) they understand the power of time.”

Dean Terence Lau addresses the Class of 2025.

In his first Commencement address, Dean Terence Lau reminded the Class of 2025 that above the main entrance of the Supreme Court of the United States are the words “equal justice under law.” And yet carved on the back, just as commanding, are the words “justice, the guardian of liberty.”

“These words remind us that liberty is not passive,” he said. “It doesn’t endure on its own. It’s protected and upheld every day by people like you. People who are called to serve justice with fairness, with wisdom, and with compassion. That’s the role of a lawyer. Not just to interpret the law, but to help make it work for everyone and ensure it is accessible and just. And in doing so, you help strengthen the public’s trust in the very foundation of our democracy.”

During Commencement, the J.D. Class of 2025 awarded Associate Professor of Law Laura Lape the Res Ipsa Loquitor Award (voted upon by the graduating class in recognition of a faculty member who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and service to the College of Law).

Associate Professor of Law Laura Lape carries the mace to begin the Commencement Ceremony, a symbol of tradition and academic excellence.

Associate Director of Academic and Bar Success Lou Lou Delmarsh was awarded the Staff Award (voted upon by the graduating class in recognition of a College of Law staff member in recognition of their support of students and faculty, and their accomplishments that make the College run day-to-day).

 Lou Lou Delmarsh receives the Staff Award.

The LL.M. Class of 2024 awarded Teaching Professor of Law Richard Risman the Lucet Lex Mundum Award (voted upon by the graduating LL.M. class, it recognizes the professor who has made a significant impact on the success and experiences of LL.M. students during their studies).

Service Is at the Core of the Kubala Family

Some families ski or hike together. Others volunteer in their religious communities or participate in local service projects. The Kubala family, however, serves their country together. In honor of Military Appreciation Month this May, we recognize the extraordinary dedication of the Kubala family, Elizabeth and Michael and their children Zachary, Josh, and Lindsey, who embody the spirit of service across generations. Their decades of commitment were recently honored as they were named the 2024 Onondaga County Military Family of the Year, the first time a military family received this distinction at a ceremony held at the Onondaga County War Memorial.

Beth Kubala and her husband and daughter stand with their military service award in front of an American flag mural.


The Kubala family has close ties to the military, but it also has a long-term connection to Syracuse University and the College of Law. Teaching Professor Elizabeth (Beth) Kubala joined the faculty of the College of Law in 2020 and is currently the executive director of the Office of Clinical Education and the director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, where she oversees law students assisting local veterans applying for military benefits. She is also the director of Veteran and Military Affairs for the College of Law.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Beth received her commission as a military intelligence officer. Later, she was selected for the U.S. Army’s Funded Legal Education Program, where she earned a J.D. and an LL.M. in military law from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She transitioned into the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, where she served in a number of critical roles, including at the Pentagon. On active duty for 22 years with the Army, her last post was at Fort Drum, north of Syracuse in Watertown, New York, where she served as a JAG officer and then a military judge, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Beth Kubala smiles in front of a window with the main building of Syracuse University blurred out i the background.


But it was Beth’s husband, Michael Kubala, who first brought his family to Syracuse University. After being an Army aviation officer for 25 years, he took a position in 2011 as a professor and chair at Syracuse University’s Department of Military Science, where he was an advisor, mentor, and instructor for the more than 120 students enrolled in ROTC at the University. When he separated from the Army with the rank of lieutenant colonel, he became the compliance coordinator for the Syracuse University Office of Athletics and today is a civilian administrative officer for research and development services at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).


The couple met at Fort Wachau in Kansas and have been married for 31 years. While both serving in the Army, they had three children, all born in different states. Being a military family meant they were separated from their extended family, but it also meant they operated as a tight-knit team as they moved from place to place.

“Military kids are resilient,” Beth says. “I think our kids saw the importance of military life and how rewarding it can be, and I am proud that my husband and my service has left a positive impression on them. I don’t think any of us would trade the time or adventures we’ve had as a military family for anything.”


The Kubala children respected the sacrifices their parents made and came to see the military as an extension of their own family, no matter where they lived. They learned the importance of helping others, both through their parents’ service and as some of the thousands of family members around the world who support the U.S. military in countless ways. The Kubala children grew up with those values instilled in them, and it is something they continue to live by today.

Beth Kubala stands with her three children and husband on the Syracuse University football field. Her son is wearing a football uniform as a player on the team.


Oldest son Zachary Kubala ’21 recently completed four years as a battalion supply officer in the Army at Fort Riley Kansas. Zachary attended Syracuse University on a scholarship through the Army’s ROTC program, earning a bachelor’s degree from the College of Engineering and Computer Science in aerospace engineering.


Josh Kubala ’26 is currently a junior majoring in political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with a minor in business through the Whitman School of Management. He is also a member of the Syracuse University football team and enrolled in the Army’s ROTC, from which he received a full scholarship.


“It felt natural for me to pick up ROTC, as I grew up in a home of teamwork, discipline, and hard work,” says Josh. “I wanted the challenge of someday becoming an Army officer. Hopefully, I can branch out into aviation one day and fly helicopters like my father, but I’m also considering military intelligence.”


The youngest, Lindsey Kubala ’28 (VPA), is  in her first year at Syracuse University, studying environmental and interior design at the College of Visual and Performing Arts. While Lindsey may not serve in uniform, she is able to attend Syracuse University through her parents’ GI Bill benefits and serves as a VA work study student in the Office of Veteran Success.


Beth and Mike Kubala are proud to have served their country and see how their family has grown together to respect the work of the military and continue actively helping veterans. As for the award, the entire family is proud but takes it in stride.

“The award is obviously wonderful, but, more importantly, it speaks to how our parents raised us,” says Josh. “Today they are both working in the civilian world but doing so in ways that are still giving back to the military community. They’ve led us by example, and my hope is that this award will inspire others to do the same.”

Advocacy Program Achieves Team and Individual Success at Regional and National Competitions

This academic year, the College of Law’s Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society (AHS) advocacy teams frequently advanced to the semi-final round, or better, in more than a dozen regional and national competitions held in-person and virtually. Several students were also recognized for their advocacy skills.

“This academic year was one of the most successful in terms of team and individual accomplishments,’ says Professor Todd Berger, Director of Advocacy Programs at the College of Law. “I am proud of our students who tirelessly prepare for the competitions and continually deliver at the biggest advocacy events against the best students from other law schools.”

AHS hosts five intercollegiate competitions and six intracollegiate competitions throughout the year. In addition, the College of Law offers the only joint J.D./LL.M. in Advocacy and Litigation along with numerous academic offerings and skills-based courses that prepare graduates to be ready for the courtroom. The program is supported by a select group of Advocacy Fellows, experts with many years of experience in advocacy and litigation, who coach many of the competition teams.

“I also want to acknowledge the coaches who prepare and encourage our students, spending countless hours helping the teams be amazing advocates. We couldn’t achieve these results without them,” says Berger.

The College of Law is ranked #8 in Trial Advocacy in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Fall Competitions

The College of Law team of 2L Haethyr Johnson, 3L Ethan Leonard, 3L Megan Qualters, 2L Skylar Swart, and 3L Lu Weierbach reached the semifinals of the Quinnipiac Criminal Justice Competition. The team was coached by Peter Hakes and Carly Zakaria L’24. 

At the Buffalo-Niagara Trial Competition, 3L George Saad won best cross-examination. George’s cross-examination was deemed the best of the 96 cross-examinations during the competition’s preliminary rounds. The team of JDinteractive students finished fifth overall in the 24-team competition. In addition to Saad, the team members were 2L Dannah Henderson, 2L Lisa Musto, 3L Tania Rivera Bullard, 3L Kaylee Searcy, and 3L Taylor Shawver. The team was coached by Tyler Jefferies L’21. 

Syracuse Law reached the semifinals of the National Civil Trial Competition. The team of 3L Gary Loope, 3L Charlotte McKeon, 2LJonathan Newsome, and 2L Tatiana Whitehorn was coached by Andrew Umanzor L’24 and Joanne Van Dyke L’87.

At the Judge Paul Joseph Kelly, Jr. Invitational Trial Competition, the College of Law reached the semifinals and 2L Jade Argueta won the award for Best Closing Argument. The team of Argueta, 2L Grace Hoffman, and 3L John Rutecki was coached by Gabrielle Groman L’23, Jimmy Lawler L’23, and Joanne Van Dyke L’87

2L Allison Carlos was selected as the National Trial League MVP (Best Advocate). The National Trial League is a College of Law-hosted bi-weekly virtual competition with fast-paced head-to-head trials in a sports league format. The National Trial League features some of the most competitive trial advocacy programs in the country.

Spring Competitions

The College of Law’s Black Law Student Association team finished in third place at the Northeast Regional of the Constance Baker Motely Mock Trial Competition, held by the National Black Law Student Association. The team of 3L Dachie Belony, 3L James Cameron III, 3L Suzan Elzawahry, and 3L Tatiana Vaz was coached by John F. Boyd II L’16 and William M.X. Wolfe L’20. Under the guidance of Boyd, the team has advanced to the national round of the competition in eight out of the last nine years. 

AHS hosted a regional round of the National Trial Competition with 21 teams competing. This involved securing 122 evaluators and filling 156 witness positions. Hosting the competition was a success, owing in large part to the herculean efforts of Joanne Van Dyke L’ 87, 3L Katie Raumann, 3L Jacob Samoray, Vicki Donella, and many AHS students who played the role of witnesses and bailiffs. In addition, the teams of 3L John Rutecki and 2L Jade Argueta and 3L Gary Loope and 3L Charlotte McKeon reached the semifinals, with Loope and McKeon advancing to nationals. The teams were coached by Gabriella Groman L’23, Peter Hakes, and Joanne Van Dyke L’87. 

The AHStrial team advanced to the national round of the American Association of Justice (AAJ) Trial Competition. AAJ is one of the largest trial competitions in the country and the College of Law’s region is one of the most competitive. The team consisted of 3L Brandon Bryant, 2L Allison Carlos, 2L Jonathan Newsome, and 2L Matt Reimann. The team was coached by Andrew Umanzor L’24 and Joanne Van Dyke L’87.

The AHS trial team also reached the finals of the Trials and Tribulations Trial Competition, one of the most competitive invite-only competitions in the country. It is also one of the most unique competitions because it features a third-party defendant. 3L Katie Raumann won the competition’s Best Advocate Award.  The team members were 3L Garrison Funk, 2L Haethyr Johnson, 3L Terrence Kane, 2L Greg Patrick, 3L Megan Qualters, and Raumann. The team was coached by Peter Hakes, Jeff Leibo L’03, and Carly Zakaria L’24.

First Syracuse Law Student from Papua New Guinea Travels Across the Globe to Study International Law, Earn LL.M. Degree

Ansca Pakop LL.M.’25 is proud to be the first person from Papua New Guinea to attend the Syracuse University College of Law, and he plans to make the most of his time here. Almost 9,000 miles away from his island home in the Oceania region, Pakop is looking forward to spending the next year in Syracuse on a Fulbright grant to expand his already extensive legal knowledge by earning a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree with a particular interest in international law and national security.

Ansca Pakop smiles for the camera in the law library, wearing a suit

A working attorney for over a decade, Pakop has a LL.B., MBA and a master’s degree in economics and public policy from the University of Papua New Guinea. After holding a number of positions in many areas of the law, he is currently the legal counsel for the Climate Change & Development Authority in Papua New Guinea. His work is key to protecting the environmentally vulnerable island, and he has been involved in drafting, advising and interpreting climate change-related legislation and regulations, including Papua New Guinea’s Climate Change (Management) Act and the U.N. Paris Agreement Implementation Act.

Papua New Guinea became independent from Australia in 1975. With 13 million people speaking more than 800 languages, it is both the most populated Pacific island state and the most linguistically diverse in the world. Its large supply of minerals, particularly copper and gold, as well as petroleum and natural gas, both spur the economy and contribute to some of the major environmental issues that the island faces, including deforestation, erosion, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, natural disasters and flooding.

Pakop’s interest in adding national security and international law to his resumé comes from Papua New Guinea’s urgent need to update its outdated national security policies, legislation and international intelligence operations, which date back to when the island was still an Australian colony. Its resources, economic potential and geographic location make Papua New Guinea of interest to world powers like Australia, China and the United States. In fact, the U.S. is currently investing a great deal there, including the renovation of a naval base to be used by the U.S. Navy, as a strategic location in close proximity to China.

Pakop is eager to learn as much as he can through the LL.M. program in order to bring that knowledge back home. He is pleased with his experience so far, calling it “quite intense and competitive.”

“I’m enjoying my classes, the diversity and the academic environment here,” he says. “We have such excellent and renowned faculty at Syracuse Law, many of whom have insights into things like NATO and cybersecurity that interest me. I’m learning such quality information through lectures and enriching classes.”

three students work at a desk in the library with papers on the table in front of them

In addition to his studies, Pakop has also joined the Student Bar Association (SBA), as well as the African Graduate Students Network.

Once he has earned his LL.M., he plans to return to Papua New Guinea’s Climate Change & Development Authority. He would also be open to working with his government’s defense or security agencies in the future.

“An LL.M. degree from Syracuse Law in the United States will be very helpful and prestigious for me when I return to Papua New Guinea,” Pakop says. “I am certain that the things I’m learning about international law will help my work and further my career. And, I will also have the strength of the Syracuse Law network behind me, even when I’m back on the other side of the world.”

Dreams of the Court of Law and Basketball Court Brought Taiwanese Law Student to Syracuse to Pursue LL.M.

When Yu-Shiuan “Carr” Lin L’25 LL.M. decided to pursue a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in the United States, his thoughts weren’t only on the court of law but also on the basketball court. Since middle school, Lin has been a big fan of “the famous Carmelo Anthony,” who played for Syracuse University’s Men’s Basketball in 2002-03, leading the team to its first NCAA Championship.

Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) at National Chengchi University College of Law in Taipei, Taiwan, Lin discovered that his home school had a partnership with Syracuse University College of Law that would allow him to pursue an LL.M. as part of his studies. “Not only can I go to the school where Carmelo Anthony played, but Syracuse Law’s LL.M. program will help me get my master’s degree as soon as possible.”

Carr Lin stands in the Syracuse Law library looking at the camera, surrounded by study desks

Lin’s interest is in environmental law, and he comes to Syracuse Law with a number of internships where he conducted research on urban planning, food security and environmental impact assessment. Recently, he had the opportunity to attend The Asian American Bar Association of New York’s: Navigating OCI with Corporate Attorneys in New York City, where he was able to network with partners from several 20 top law firms of Vault Law 100. There, he met a partner who had worked on various projects surrounding financing energy and infrastructure development in Asia, and they discussed how there are not enough attorneys practicing in areas like energy or the environment in that part of the world. This experience encouraged Lin’s interest in eventually returning to his home to help contribute to environmental law efforts. Although, since joining the LL.M. program, he says he can also see himself rolling his environmental law knowledge into international law, as well.

He is enjoying the LL.M. program in Syracuse and has met others from countries all over the world with different levels of professional experience. “It’s amazing to discuss the U.S. legal system with other students who are already practicing at big law firms and are high level professionals with a lot of experience in their own countries, while I am still earning my law degree,” he says. “So far, it’s just what I imagined it would be here, though, and I find the workload very accommodating and more collaborative. Of course, the curriculum is pretty intense, but I like that I have some space to explore other interests.”

Some of those interests include participation in the General Counsel Symposium held at Syracuse Law in September; the 2024 Fall Conference of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, which he attended as part of the Law School’s Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association; and the 2024 International Law Association Weekend organized by the American branch of the International Law Association (ABILA) that he attended in New York City with the Syracuse Law’s International Law Society.

After Lin completes his LL.M. next year, he will return to Taiwan for mandatory military service. After he completes that requirement, he plans to come back to the U.S. to take the New York State Bar Exam.

“Taking the bar in New York State has many advantages for me, as it is the biggest bar association in the United States,” he explains. “Passing the New York State Bar will give me eligibility to handle foreign affairs and legal issues related to imports/exports and the manufacturing industry, which we are so famous for in Taiwan. Businesses there have to deal with U.S. law all the time.”

As he eagerly awaits the opportunity to see his first basketball game in the Syracuse University JMA Wireless Dome in the coming months, he intends to continue to learn as much as he can about U.S. culture and also its perspective on the law. Lin is making the most of his time at Syracuse Law and says he knows that completing the LL.M. program is sure to give him “a home court advantage” in his legal career.

Stolen at Birth, Syracuse Law Alumnus Makes It His Life’s Work to Bring Justice to Families of Counterfeit Chilean Adoptions

On Oct. 31, 1980, a baby boy was born in Santiago, Chile, to a poor, young, Indigenous mother. He was whisked away before she was allowed to hold him, and later she was told that the baby had died. But, he was very much alive, taken away by a ring of traffickers who created fraudulent documents and sold him into international adoption. It would be decades before Jimmy L. Thyden González L’21, would discover the circumstances surrounding his birth and use his knowledge of the law to fight for the rights of thousands of other counterfeit adoptees around the world.

Amazingly, Thyden González’s story is not unique. Tens of thousands of babies had been victims of a scheme under Chile’s then dictator Augusto Pinochet, who believed that kidnapping the children of poor, Indigenous and often single women was a way to reduce the country’s poverty rate and improve economic conditions. His twisted rationale meant that the Chilean government would not have to support as many poor families, and, in turn, it would create an economic boom through fees paid by unwitting adoptive parents throughout Europe and North America. Corrupt doctors, judges, government officials and clergy were an integral part of running this horrific system of child trafficking, which, according to the Chilean government, took approximately 20,000 children away from their parents between the 1950s and 1990s. However, it is estimated by civil and nonprofit groups working to address the harms that the actual number is closer to 50,000.

Thyden González was adopted from a Chilean orphanage at age 2 by an American couple who had no idea that the child’s papers and backstory were fraudulent. They believed his birth mother had willingly given him up, being too young and poor to care for her baby. His paperwork called him “Carlos,” but the couple named him James “Jimmy” Thyden, and he had a happy childhood growing up in Virginia.

Taking A Closer Look at his Adoption Story

After high school, Thyden González joined the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served for 19 years. In 2011, just before he was preparing to be deployed to Afghanistan, his adoptive mother gave him his adoption records. As Thyden González looked through them, he began to notice discrepancies. One, for example, said he had been born in a hospital in Chile to a “known mother.” Another said he had “no living family.” Papers also indicated that his mother’s name was Maria González, which, unfortunately, was a very common name in that country. At the time, he had no idea what the real story was, but he put those thoughts in the back of his mind as he headed off to Afghanistan.

Upon his return, he often thought about investigating his adoption story, but he wasn’t quite sure how to begin. Many in his adopted family told him he was loved and that he should be grateful for the life he had been given, but he continued to feel a question that needed answering. Thyden González thought about traveling to Chile to research his background, but that required permission from the military and finances In addition, he spoke no Spanish and knew little of the culture.

Thyden González separated from the Marines in 2018 and earned an undergraduate degree from Liberty University, and then used the G.I. Bill and Syracuse’s commitment to the Yellow Ribbon Program to earn a law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law with the intention of being a criminal defense lawyer fighting the disparities toward people of color within the criminal justice system.

Making Connections to Find his Chilean Family

In 2023, his wife came across an article about a man who had been the victim of illegal adoption in Chile. The story felt very familiar to Thyden González, and he decided the time had come to find out more about the circumstances surrounding his birth and adoption. Notably within the article was mention of a nonprofit organization in Chile, Nos Buscamos, working to reunite families. An organization which he describes as “two ladies working with their laptops to change the world.”

Thyden González got in contact with them, eventually sending copies of his paperwork— and quickly learning that the attorney and social worker who had handled his adoption were some of the most notorious traffickers in Chile. He was advised to submit his DNA to MyHeritage, which had been supplying DNA kits to women in Chile in the hopes of finding some of the trafficked children. As a lawyer, he was hesitant at first, but, knowing there was the possibility of reuniting with his family, he finally decided to do so. Just 42 days later, the DNA results connected him with a woman from Chile identified as his mother’s cousin. He emailed the woman, who was herself skeptical but did tell him that there was a Maria González in her family and that she was alive.

Soon, he received a message from his aunt saying, “We found her, and she wants to meet you.” It was only after that that Thyden González first heard the true story of what had happened to him and his mamá on the day he was born, and how, since that day, she believed her son had died. Soon, he was frequently texting with his mamá in his “terrible Spanish,” as he raised the money to travel to Chile.

At the same time, González got in contact with other Chilean’s who had been illegally adopted, one of whom, Adrian Reamey, was making a documentary about the issue and wanted his legal expertise. She asked him to accompany her to Chile as part of the documentary-making process. Finally, he had the opportunity to reunite with his mamá and meet his family!

Reuniting With his Mamá

The reunion was tearful and overwhelming, as he hugged his mamá for the first time, surrounded by other relatives who welcomed him joyously. Thyden González, his wife and children, were able to spend a week getting to know his mamá. Soon after, he officially added “González” to his name, making him Jimmy L. Thyden González in honor of his Chilean heritage.

Gonzalez hugs his birth mother for the first time during his visit to Chile.

In the two weeks that followed, González stayed in Chile with the documentary film crew, meeting with government officials, where he learned that the Policia De Investigaciones De Chile (PDI), the civilian police department, had only five individuals in the entire country investigating illegal adoptions. No one was truly working to provide any kind of closure or reparations for the thousands of mamás and their stolen babies.

González returned to the U.S., put his law practice on hold and decided the best way he could help would be to get an LL.M. in international human rights, which he completed last year at American University’s Washington College of Law.

Jimmy Gonzalez smiling with three members of his family at their reunion
Gonzalez meeting his Chilean relatives for the first time in his visit to Chile.

Creating a Nonprofit to Help Others Affected by Illegal Trafficking

At the same time, he created a nonprofit organization, Grafting Hope, to help those impacted by illegal human trafficking obtain reparations. The organization has already brought a great deal of awareness to these counterfeit adoptions, which, unfortunately, still continue at some level even today. Thyden González has met with officials in Chile and the U.S., making connections through both embassies. He also had the opportunity to brief the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances, testifying on the atrocities of these illegal adoptions.

When he heard that the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, planned a visit to the U.S., Thyden González started a grassroots effort through a group chat with other impacted adoptees asking them to come to Washington, D.C. Thyden González collected many of their stories with Nos Buscamos and Reamey and presented them to Boric, telling him, “These are our stories, and we need your help. We, too, are Chilean.”

Thyden González has since been working non-stop to make those impacted families whole again. In addition to Grafting Hope, he is collaborating with Chilean law firm Colombara Estategia Legal. Together he sued the Chilean government, fighting for reparations on the basis that it failed to protect these babies and their mothers, thereby violating their human rights. He has filed suit asking the Chilean government to acknowledge the harm caused and establish a commission to identify all victims, both mamás and children, as well as recognize the identity and citizenship of those stolen babies and their descendants. Thyden González himself cannot claim Chilean citizenship under his chosen identity since the name on his adoption papers was fraudulent. He also walks a fine line because unwinding his adoption might nullify his American citizenship with the chance that this retired, disabled U.S. Marine could be deported. But, if he can’t clarify his adoption and be cleared as an American citizen, it will be nearly impossible for him to bring his mamá and family to the U.S. to care for them.

Jimmy Gonzalez stands in the Supreme Court in Chile to file his lawsuit with a stack of papers.
Jimmy Thyden González stands at the Supreme Court after presenting a criminal complaint in Santiago, Chile, on July 1, 2024. Photograph: Esteban Félix/AP

Continuing to Create Awareness

Still, every day, he continues the fight, and his improved Spanish language skills have made it easier to keep in touch with his mamá. Thyden González recently published an op-ed in The New York Times telling his story and has been using various media outlets to continue to raise awareness of counterfeit adoption. Last November, he also shared his experience with students at Syracuse Law.

“It is not lost on me that I came to Syracuse Law to study criminal defense and was, in fact, the victim of a crime from the day I was born,” he says. “I intend to continue to advocate and fight, not only for myself and my mamá, but for every mamá out there who lost a child to this horrendous counterfeit adoption scheme. It has become my passion, and the center of my identity and my career. I don’t intend to stop until there is a resolution, but I also know it’s going to take time. Still, I hope to see that day come soon.”