Jocelyn Anctil G’26, L’26 was named the recipient of the Rhoda S. and Albert M. Alexander Memorial Scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year. The Alexander Memorial Scholarship Committee selected Anctil after a competitive application process to receive this significant scholarship in recognition of her commitment and dedication to public service.
Anctil is a joint J.D./M.P.A. candidate at Syracuse University College of Law and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs who has dedicated her legal education to public interest work. She has gained diverse experience through internships at Community Legal Aid, Hiscock Legal Aid, and the Volunteer Lawyers’ Project, and previously served as a paralegal with the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition in Washington, D.C.
At Syracuse Law, Anctil serves as President of the Syracuse Public Interest Network and is an active member of the Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society. Her background in social work, combined with her extensive legal advocacy experience spanning housing rights, criminal justice, consumer protection, and immigration law, reflects her deep dedication to serving vulnerable and underrepresented communities. After graduation, Anctil plans to work as a staff attorney at a legal aid organization or non-profit focusing on criminal defense.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to be selected as the Rhoda S. and Albert M. Alexander Memorial Scholarship recipient for the 2025–26 academic year. This support brings me one step closer to pursuing my commitment to a career in public service,” says Anctil.
The Rhoda S. and Albert M. Alexander Memorial Scholarship was established by College of Law Board of Advisors Chair and Syracuse University Trustee Richard M. Alexander L’82, Partner at Arnold & Porter, and his wife Emily Alexander.
Shaking hands with a Supreme Court justice is a dream come true for anyone in the legal profession, but that dream became a reality for three Syracuse University College of Law students who participated last summer in The Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program.
Syracuse Law students Imari Roque L’27, Rebeca Chavar L’27, and Emma Bissell L’27 participated in The Sotomayor Program, which aims to “cultivate and develop future leaders from underserved communities” through judicial internships, educational experiences, and other resources to help achieve professional goals.
The full group of Judicial Interns participating in The Sotomayor Program in summer of 2025.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina and third woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009. Growing up in public housing in the Bronx, Sotomayor is known for her respect for the judicial process and passionate approach to the law, particularly in regard to civil liberties and the rights of those from marginalized communities. She is also committed to the judicial process, as well as supporting those impacted by systemic inequities.
For two months this past summer, Roque, Chavar, and Bissell participated in The Sotomayor Program, working full-time for judges, while also participating in professional development training and networking. Each worked in a different judicial environment, but all three gained invaluable insight and experience working in courtrooms under the direct supervision of a judge.
Roque has been interested in The Sotomayor Program since she was 14 years old, but it wasn’t until she was a 1L at Syracuse Law that she applied to the program’s law school division.
“I’ve always been drawn to being a lawyer, and Justice Sotomayor is the first person who comes to mind,” she explains. “No one in my family is a lawyer, so Sonia Sotomayor—a Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx like me—has been my role model.”
Roque was matched with the Hon. Bryant Tovar, a judge of the Housing Part of Civil Court of the City of New York, dealing with landlord-tenant matters, civil litigation and immigration law. The work focused on the Small Property Part of the court, which handles housing issues before trial, particularly cases where landlords are suing tenants.
“I became really familiar with what city court looks like, developed a rapport with the judge, clerk, and others, and learned a lot about negotiations and alternate dispute resolution, as well as what everyday law looks like,” says Roque. “It was interesting because Judge Tovar leads with understanding and empathy on the bench, which gave me a different perspective on the law.”
Chavar worked for the Hon. Javier Vargas in New York State Court of Claims in Manhattan, where she gained hands-on experience observing three major trials. Judge Vargas encouraged his interns to engage deeply in their work, often discussing with her issues brought against the state of New York, involving issues such as car accidents and claims of excessive force by law enforcement.
Rebeca Puente Chavar L’27 pictured with the Honorable Javier E. Vargas at the New York State Court of Claims in Manhattan, NY.
“I was thrilled when Judge Vargas asked me to help draft a memo recommending how to decide on a motion, and that set the tone for the kind of work he expected,” she says. “I also helped draft a decision for one of the trials, did research on pending trials, and my final project was a case where I wrote a decision by myself for review by the clerk and the judge.”
Bissell discovered The Sotomayor Program through an email Mary Kate Tramontano L’26 sent to the Women’s Law Student Association listserv, an opportunity that ultimately led her to work with district civil and criminal court judges in the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn.
“It was awesome because I was able to observe a lot of different types of trials,” Bissell says. “I was assigned to a judicial clerk who helped me with whatever I needed. Getting to the end of my internship and seeing that I could write a full legal opinion was the best feeling ever.”
Meeting a Legal Legend
After a summer of learning the ins-and-outs of the courtroom, students were invited to an event highlighted by a visit from Sotomayor herself. Not only did the interns get to hear the Supreme Court justice speak, but they also had the chance to talk with Sotomayor and take photos with her.
“It was a full circle moment for 14-year-old Imari,” says Roque. “I shook hands and said hello to someone I’ve admired most of my life. It’s funny because she looked like someone who could be in my family. The experience really helped me understand that that could be me.”
Chavar was also awe struck by Sotomayor. “We took a group photo, and I was lucky enough to be placed right next to her! She asked me where I went to law school,” Chavar says. “The reason I’m in law school is largely inspired by Justice Sotomayor. When she went to the bench, I was in middle school, and I have a distinct memory that inspired me to go to law school. So it was a big deal to hear her wisdom. A majority of the students there were from underrepresented backgrounds in the legal field, and Justice Sotomayor was a beacon of hope and encouraged us to trust in the legal system despite all that’s going on in the world.”
“You read her opinions, and you know that she is incredible, but then you see her in action, and she is so eloquent,” says Bissell. “When I started law school, I was questioning my decision, and I think The Sotomayor Program helped reinforce that those in the legal field are making decisions that are impacting people’s lives. I know I want to be a part of that type of work.”
The College of Law hosted its 8th annual Veterans Day Ceremony and Celebration, highlighted by four Syracuse Law student-veteran speakers who discussed their service experiences.
The student speakers were Ava Dussmann L’27, Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force; Nicholas Hardy L’27, U.S. Army veteran; Rebecca Lee L’27, a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and Frederick Wilkes L’27, a U.S. Army veteran.
Anthony Ruscitto L’26, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, provided the welcome remarks. Col. Klint Kuhlman, the U.S. Army Fellow at the Institute for Security Policy and Law, delivered the closing address.
“We must honor those who serve in the military – past, present, and future – and as we recognize the common bonds between those who support and defend the Constitution in uniform and those who do so as lawyers,” says the Hon. James E. Baker, director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law.
The event was sponsored by the Institute for Security Policy and Law, the National Security Student Association, the Military and Veterans Law Society, and the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic.
Tiffany Johnson L’26 was named the 2025 recipient of the Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association (NDNY FCBA) the Hon. Norman A. Mordue ’66, L’71 Law Scholarship. Johnson, a recently retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, is pursuing her J. D. through Syracuse University College of Law’s Hybrid Online J.D. Program, JDinteractive.
She serves as a Legal Extern with the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Grievance Board in Arlington, Virginia, and as a Student Attorney with the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, where she represents veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. She will serve as a Student Attorney with the Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic in the spring semester.
Johnson is also a Staff News Writer for Impunity Watch News, the media arm of the Syracuse Journal of Global Rights & Organizations, which focuses on global human rights and impunity reporting. She is a member of the Military & Veterans Law Society and the American Bar Association Representative for Syracuse Law.
“I am deeply honored to be selected as the recipient of the NDNY FCBA Hon. Norman A. Mordue Law Scholarship,” says Johnson. “Judge Mordue’s legacy of military service, judicial excellence, and commitment to mentoring future advocates resonates strongly with me. This recognition not only supports my legal education but also strengthens my resolve to serve veterans and advance justice with the same integrity and dedication that defined Judge Mordue’s career.”
The NDNY-FCBA’s the Hon. Norman A. Mordue ’66, L’71 Law Scholarship provides a Syracuse University College of Law student with the means to pursue a legal education and follow in the footsteps of Judge Mordue, a decorated war hero who served as chief judge for the NDNY and taught trial practice at Syracuse Law as an adjunct professor. The FCBA established the scholarship after Judge Mordue’s passing in December 2022.
Judge Mordue served as the senior U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of New York, where he was a judge from 1998 until his passing in December 2022. A 2022 recipient of the college’s Law Honors Award, Judge Mordue was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for actions during the Vietnam War as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
In honor of National Pro Bono Week, we are highlighting five of our students who have dedicated themselves to pro bono work at the College of Law!
Jared Park L’26
Jared Park has found his calling in public defense through his work with Hiscock Legal Aid and the Criminal Defense Law Clinic. From drafting briefs for incarcerated clients to representing real people in Syracuse City Court, Jared’s pro bono work embodies what it means to serve others through the law.
“There is no better way to learn than by doing, and no better use of our training than to serve communities who are too often overlooked by the legal system.”
From the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Texas to the Veterans Legal Clinic at Syracuse Law, Alyssa Rivera’s pro bono work has given voice to those who often feel forgotten by the system.
“Every file placed on my desk contained a snippet of the life of a real person with a much larger story that deserves to be heard. Working in criminal defense taught me how powerful it can be to simply stand beside someone who feels forgotten by the system.”
While representing tenants through the Volunteer Lawyers Project, Kate Silverstrim-Jensen learned what it truly means to advocate for others, and discovered her own confidence in her work in the process.
“There isn’t a single downside to doing pro bono work. It’s rewarding and has led to many more opportunities because it expanded my legal network, improved my confidence and experience levels, and gave me a positive legal reputation in the community.”
Through her work with the Prince William County Public Defender’s Office and the Syracuse Law Housing Clinic, Kate Turner has provided legal support to those facing eviction and housing insecurity. This summer, she’ll continue her commitment to justice with the Legal Aid Society’s Wrongful Conviction Unit in Manhattan.
“Pro bono work reminds you that the legal system is built for people, not just precedent.”
As part of the Volunteer Lawyers Project’s LGBTQ+ Rights Department, Jude Unland has helped many individuals legally change their names and reflect their identities. Their work is both personal and powerful, driven by a deep commitment to justice and belonging.
“Being able to literally change a person’s life gives me a personal sense of joy…These services are needed more than ever, and people are growing more desperate. Pro bono work helps fill that need.”
“As a first-generation immigrant balancing work, education and personal responsibilities, the flexibility of Syracuse’s JDinteractive program was the only realistic way for me to pursue a legal education while remaining committed to my career and community,” says Sebastian Szczebiot L’25.
When Szczebiot decided to enroll in law school, he was the assistant director of the Susan B. Anthony Center at the University of Rochester. He chose Syracuse University College of Law’s JDinteractive (JDi) program because pursuing a law degree in a residential program was simply not an option. However, to practice law in New York State, he knew he would have to apply for a waiver establishing “undue hardship” from the New York Court of Appeals to sit for the state’s bar exam.
While graduates of the JDi program are currently qualified to sit for the bar in 49 of 50 states, New York’s restrictions on distance education do not allow graduates from hybrid/online programs to do so without such a waiver.
“While New York state’s bar exam waiver requirement initially gave me pause, I saw it more as an administrative hurdle than a barrier,” explains Szczebiot. “I trusted that the bar authorities would recognize the seriousness and rigor of my JDi path.”
Szczebiot was successful in obtaining a waiver. Today, he is an associate at Nixon Peabody LLP, in Rochester, New York.
Syracuse Law has offered its American Bar Association-approved JDi program since 2019, one of the nation’s first two accredited hybrid/online J.D. programs, according to Teaching Professor Shannon Gardner, associate dean for academic programs at Syracuse Law. The JDi program allows students from across the country—and the world—to take classes and participate in other legal experiences through a hybrid/online format, giving greater access to more people who want to contribute to the legal profession.
While the ABA requires Syracuse Law to disclose to JDi applicants that they may not qualify for bar admission, it has not dampened enthusiasm from prospective students. Many intending to practice in New York have been successful proving undue hardship and moving forward with the bar exam.
“I pursued my law degree through the JDi program because of my career in public service, but I was troubled at the thought of leaving my career as a caseworker with the Cortland County (NY) Department of Social Services, and I did not know how I could take care of my family without an income,” says Megan K. Poole L’22.
“The hardship I brought to get a waiver included my desire to continue my career in New York State and become a lawyer for the Department of Social Services. And not allowing me to take the bar exam would have been such a disservice to the State of New York, especially at a time when we need a younger generation of attorneys more than ever.”
Poole received her waiver, and today is senior court attorney for the Hon. Beth O’Connor, family court judge, Cortland County, 6th Judicial District.
While every case is unique, undue hardship has been proven for reasons ranging from the financial need to continue working, family obligations, socioeconomic factors, spouses’ careers, essential community involvement and more.
“I decided to go the JDi route when I was applying to law schools because it was the most realistic option for me as a full-time professional who traveled often for work,” says Grace Terry L’24. “My undue hardship application detailed that I was a life-long resident of New York with a partner who not only has an established job working for the state but also a child with an Individualized Education Program through New York State public schools. My economic circumstances required that I work while in law school, and choosing Syracuse Law’s JDi program allowed me to take classes in the evenings while working during the day to support my family.”
Terry, too, was successful in getting a waiver, and today she is a staff attorney for Legal Services of Central New York.
“While New York state is the most limiting for online graduates to sit for the bar, it is my hope that as hybrid/online legal education continues to prove itself, the state will recognize that and reduce restrictions, giving greater access to those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to earn a law degree,” says Gardner.
“Programs like Syracuse University College of Law’s JDi give greater access to both legal education and the legal profession for many, so allowing our graduates to join the bar in New York is something I think everyone can get behind.”
Randy Haimovici L’00 has always challenged himself to find his passion. A self-admitted “average” student in high school, he joined the California Army National Guard and made a deal with himself: never get below a 3.0 GPA at the University of California, Davis, or join the military full time — the latter something he wasn’t eager to do.
Haimovici rose to the challenge, earning his undergraduate degree at UC Davis and setting his sights on a new goal. Believing he could make a greater impact by helping people through the law, he left the West Coast and enrolled at Syracuse University College of Law with plans to become a litigator.
“It was a practical way to interact with the world, have an exciting career, and still enjoy pro bono work and helping people,” he says. “I’ve never regretted becoming a lawyer.”
That path eventually led him to one of the most transformative companies of the 21st century: Uber. Today, Haimovici serves as associate general counsel, litigation and regulatory, for Uber, and, as of September, he is also a new member of the College of Law’s Board of Advisors.
Looking back at his law school foundation, he credits Syracuse Law’s Moot Court and Criminal Defense Clinic for developing his desire to pursue litigation and practice his legal talents in the courtroom.
“Syracuse was a great fit for me. I made three of my closest friends there, and it gave me the skills and opportunities to be an effective litigator,” he says, noting that Syracuse Orange sports were also an exciting draw.
Randy Haimovici with Amy Zell L’00, Eileen Walsh L’00 and her husband, Jeremy Walsh.
After graduation, Haimovici worked in San Francisco as an associate at Sedgwick LLP and a year later joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon as an associate litigating commercial and liability cases in state and federal courts. Through these roles, he gained vital experience in trials and negotiating settlements. He also developed and chaired the firm’s first digital crime practice. In 2009, Haimovici was named partner, continuing to represent high- profile clients like Starbucks, Ford Motor Company, and Microsoft.
A few years later in 2016, he had the opportunity to join an emerging company that didn’t even exist when he graduated from law school: Uber. At the time, Uber was still finding its footing, having been established in 2009 and launching its first cars in 2011.
“It was as fast-paced as you could ever have imagined, which made me fall in love with being a lawyer all over again,” explains Haimovici, who joined Uber as director of litigation at a time when the company was going through some growing pains. “Sometimes, it was like going to lawyer bootcamp because the technology and the products were changing daily and the legal issues were, and are, incredibly complex.”
As Uber expanded, so did his career. Haimovici was named associate general counsel, U.S. mobility and Canada, in 2021. His work has since evolved to provide legal counsel to business teams and company executives, manage domestic litigation and regulatory matters, ensure that complex legal challenges are handled with strategic foresight, drive industry innovation, and challenge regulations that negatively impact mobility, delivery services, and business operations.
“In my early days here, my job was about whether Uber could exist and operate, and today it’s about how Uber functions. Uber wants to provide great service and minimize laws that negatively impact our industry or how we run our business,” Haimovici says.
“Uber has become a part of American culture, and we’re still protecting our interests under the law as we move into artificial intelligence and testing autonomous vehicles, which comes with its own set of legal challenges,” he adds.
Despite his success, Haimovici has never lost his passion for helping others. In fact, he implemented a national legal advice initiative for Uber drivers who were impacted by executive orders issued by the president.
“It’s a privilege to have a skill set to offer people who need it,” he says. “It’s something I’ve always been passionate about and intend to continue for the rest of my career.”
As a board member of the College of Law, Haimovici is committed to giving back.
“I’m looking forward to helping Syracuse Law best serve its students in keeping up with various changes, challenges, and opportunities,” he says, noting that he is also eager to be a resource to students pursuing more non-traditional careers. “I like to tell students to follow their passions, find their piece of this profession, and love every day of it.”
An entrepreneurial spirit, fascination with technology and interest in the law has taken Kevin Whittaker L’02 on a career path that has brought him to the heart of Silicon Valley, giving him the opportunity to contribute to complex legal issues that disruptive technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and big data has brought to businesses around the globe.
Whittaker has been an entrepreneur since he started selling candy at a profit to classmates in high school and college. While studying at Syracuse University College of Law, he convinced the law school to allow him to take some fashion design classes at the University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. This led to him creating a line of T-shirts that eventually morphed into Blue Bunney Couture, a men’s neckwear line that kept Whittaker busy as a fashion designer for 10 years after graduating from Syracuse Law. At the same time, he was also practicing law.
Whittaker worked for several large firms on the West Coast, including Faegre Drinker; Reed Smith LLP; Baker McKenzie; and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where he found a real interest in defending and counseling tech companies in complex employment, financing and corporate matters.
Along the way, he met Alex Fielding and his team. Fielding is a group serial entrepreneur and founder of Ripcord Inc., a Silicon Valley-based company he started out of NASA technology with the mission to robotically extract meaningful data from mountains of paper records and digital documents that exist around the world.
Whittaker was fascinated by the work Ripcord was doing in the tech space, as it was the first to market with this technology, impacting a $62 billion document intelligence market. It is backed by leading investors, including Kleiner Perkins, Google Ventures, Lux Capital and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
When Ripcord offered Whittaker the opportunity to join the company in 2021, he jumped at the chance to combine his interest in entrepreneurship, technology and the law by handling all of its legal work, including commercial agreements, investor financing, mergers, IP, cybersecurity and compliance initiatives.
“I’ve always been interested in the next move, so being a part of this kind of initiative is very exciting to me. I’m eager to collaborate with my team and help to build something even bigger,” he says of the company’s use of proprietary robotics, generative AI and Cloud software to help the world become paperless and extract meaningful and useful data.
Whittaker has been generous in sharing his knowledge and experience in this space with students at Syracuse Law.
Last February, he took part in the College of Law’s Innovation Law Center Symposium, “Venture to Victory: Pioneer Perspectives in Tech, Venture, and Private Equity.” He spoke on a panel of successful entrepreneurs, financial investors and legal experts discussing the challenges and opportunities that this disruptive technology is bringing to the legal field.
He notes that the “seismic shift” going on is creating greater expectations that new hires out of law school will be adept at the latest technology and ready to hit the ground running.
To that end, he has supported Syracuse Law and students aspiring to pursue technology and the law through the College of Law Scholarship and Financial Aid fund.
“I think that any kind of help I can offer the next generation of lawyers coming out of Syracuse is super important,” he says.
Looking back, Whittaker is pleased that he chose the non-linear route out of law school that brought him to a place where today he thrives.
He is also optimistic about emerging tools that are transforming the practice of law. “AI is coming for us, fast and furious,” he says. “It’s powerful and exciting and is going to impact every aspect of business and the law. Anyone who does not embrace it is going to be at a serious disadvantage. As for me, I’m embracing everything I can to push the boundaries of what we can achieve.”
Born in Mexico, Brenda López Romero L’11 spent most of her young life with her father in Georgia. She had to repeat kindergarten to improve her English, an experience that fueled her determination to not only acculturate but help advocate for others like her. Her parents always stressed that education was key to achievement, saying, “Go to school, and be somebody.” With that motivation, she became the first in her family to graduate from high school, complete a political science degree at Georgia State University and ultimately earn a law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law.
López Romero has not only become “somebody,” but she has made history—as the first Latina elected to the Georgia General Assembly, a position she held from 2017 to 2021. There, she sponsored 72 bills and served on committees related to education, retirement, state planning and community affairs. From 2021 to 2025, she served as senior assistant district attorney for the Gwinnet County (GA) district attorney’s office and today is an immigration attorney at The Lopez Firm. However, she is currently running again for the state assembly to regain her seat in the 2026 election.
In recognition of her contributions, López Romero was presented with the José Bahamonde-González L’92 Legacy Award from the Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA) at Syracuse Law on Oct. 10, 2025. This award recognizes alumni who have significantly contributed to their communities and achieved excellence in their careers, while celebrating and recognizing the efforts that members of the Hispanic American community have made in the legal field.
Brenda López Romero speaks with students at the 2025 José Bahamonde-González L’92 Legacy Award Event
“It is no wonder that Brenda López Romero was such a strong contender for the José Bahamonde-González Legacy Award,” says Syracuse Law Teaching Professor Suzette M. Meléndez, “From the moment that she stepped into our law school, Brenda always presented as someone with great determination and civic purpose. She knew that her decision to go to law school was to engage in the greater community seeking to improve the lives of others while using the rule of law to seek equity.”
Syracuse Law Teaching Professor Suzette M. Meléndez and LALSA President Imari Roque L26 celebrate Brenda López Romero.
Inspired by her father’s attorney—who once told her she’d make a good lawyer—López Romero set her sights on the law and never looked back. Her later entry into state government came from the idea that she could make a bigger impact if she had a voice that could open more doors for more people. Through her work, López Romero has been an advocate not only for the rights, protection and education of Latinos, but for those from many different backgrounds.
“I learned U.S. history and civil rights in school, and it showed me that I am here because other groups and communities went through struggles that made it possible for me. So I take this work very seriously,” she says. “When you advocate for a particular group or issue, you’re trying to create a more positive quality of life that ends up benefitting everyone.”
Receiving an award from her alma mater is very meaningful to López Romero, particularly because she was selected by the LALSA students.
“It’s very significant to me and correlates to what the next generation of young people are going to be able to achieve,” she says. “I want to be a mentor and a memorable person in someone else’s life and know that I helped someone as many people have helped me along the way. The José Bahamonde-González L’92 Legacy Award is recognition that I’m doing just that. That little girl who came to America and spoke no English has a voice now, and I intend to keep using it.”
This year’s Criminal Law & Policy Speaker Series connects students with top legal minds — from scholars to practitioners — tackling real-world challenges in criminal justice. It’s a chance to hear, question, and engage with those shaping the field. The series is organized by Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Lauryn Gouldin with support from the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorship Program, with many events hosted in partnership with the Criminal Law Society.
