Associate Professor of Law Jenny Breen spoke with WHAM-TV on recent Supreme Court of the United States decisions, including Watson v. Republican National Committee (Election Law) and Trump v. Cook and Trump v. Slaughter (independent agencies.) Breen’s interview starts at 2:24 of the segment.
Referring to Watson v. Republican National Committee, Breen said: “The way the court decided this particular issue is by looking at a statute that governs mail-in ballots and holding that that statute does not specify that the ballots do not have to be in by Election Day.”
In comparing the two independent agencies cases, Breen commented, “What the Supreme Court held in the FTC case was that Trump could fire Rebecca Slaughter for no reason at all. They got rid of for-cause removal for that particular agency, but for the Federal Reserve they kept intact for-cause removal. Lisa Cook could still be fired, but Trump would need to follow procedures and give her notice and an opportunity to respond.”
Distinguished Professor of Law Nina Kohn has co-authored an article with Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law at the University of Virginia, titled “Why Many Older Americans are Losing Ground Even with an 80‑year‑old President,” published in The Conversation.
The elder law experts examine recent federal legislation affecting older Americans, including Social Security cuts and the rescinding of long-term care regulations, in light of the fact that many elected officials are themselves elderly.
The authors argue that “those policies show why, more than ever, it is wrong to assume that rich and powerful older people will protect all older adults, including those who aren’t wealthy.”
Five Students in Syracuse University College of Law’s Spring 2026 Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic (VLC) have received the 2026 Student Service Award from the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium (NLSVCC) in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Consortium and the field of Veterans Law.
The award was presented at the National Conference of the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium, held at Stetson University College of Law. Professor Beth Kubala, Director of the VLC, and Staff Attorneys Seth Owens L’24 and Andrew Patterson L’24 accepted the award on behalf of the Spring 2026 student attorneys.
The NLSVCC Student Service Award is presented each year to a student or students in a member law school veterans clinic who, over the course of the last year, have made outstanding contributions to the work of the Consortium. The award recognizes meaningful service to the organization and its mission, including work that advances veterans law, supports law school veterans clinics, and contributes to broader advocacy on behalf of veterans and their families.
In notifying the clinic of the award, the NLSVCC wrote: “On behalf of the NLSVCC board, I want to inform you that we will be awarding your students with the Student Service Award, which is awarded each year to a student in a member law school veterans clinic who, over the course of the last year, made outstanding contributions to the NLSVCC’s work. Your students have helped us get our blog back up and running, and we are grateful for it.”
This year, Syracuse Law’s Spring 2026 VLC students were honored for their contributions to the Veterans Law Prof Blog, a national platform for commentary and analysis on issues affecting veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Each student in the spring clinic authored a blog post addressing a timely and important issue in veterans law and policy.
The student contributors were:
Hannah Boyer L’27
Josephine Estrada-Jones L’27
Amelia Khbais L’27
Afan Mustafic L’26
Mia Sill L’27
Their articles addressed topics including Veterans Treatment Courts, homeless veteran support, the myth of “easy” discharge upgrades, and media claims of fraudulent disability claims. Together, the posts reflected the students’ careful legal analysis, commitment to public education, and dedication to elevating issues that affect veterans navigating complex legal and administrative systems.
“This award recognizes the important role law students can play in shaping public understanding of veterans law,” said Kubala. “Our Spring 2026 student attorneys brought thoughtfulness, professionalism, and purpose to their work. Their articles helped explain complex issues in a way that is accessible and meaningful, while also contributing to the national conversation about how we serve veterans and their families.”
The recognition also reflects the broader mission of the VLC, where students represent veterans and their families in matters involving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, discharge upgrades, and related legal issues. Under faculty and attorney supervision, student attorneys develop practical lawyering skills while providing client-centered representation to those who have served.
In addition to direct client advocacy, the clinic emphasizes legal scholarship, policy awareness, and service to the broader veterans law community. The Spring 2026 students’ work on the Veterans Law Prof Blog offered an opportunity to connect their clinical experience with public-facing analysis, helping readers better understand the legal challenges and policy debates that shape veterans’ access to justice.
The award is a significant national recognition of Syracuse Law students’ contributions to the NLSVCC and to the field of veterans law. It also underscores Syracuse Law’s strength in experiential legal education, where students learn by doing, serve real clients and communities, and contribute to important legal conversations beyond the classroom.
“Their work demonstrates what clinical legal education is designed to do,” said Kubala. “It prepares students to become skilled, ethical, and reflective lawyers while also making a meaningful difference for clients, communities, and the profession.”
Professor Shubha Ghosh recently addressed the 4th International Conference on New Frontiers of Sanskrit and Indic Knowledge, a production of the Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, dedicated to “the preservation of Indian cultural heritage and its knowledge traditions through higher education.”
Ghosh lecture was included as part of Working Group III (New Knowledge Production and Indian Public Policy). Ghosh was joined in the Working Group by Dr. Sanjay Bapna of Morgan State University; Dr. Harsha Vardhana Singh of Tufts’ Fletcher School; Anubha Sinha of the Centre for Internet and Society, Bengaluru; and Dr. Badri Narayanan of University of Washington.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit cited a Syracuse Law Review article written by Professor of Law Roy Gutterman L’00 in the case Satanic Temple, Inc. v. Newsweek Digit. LLC, 2026 U.S. App. LEXIS 15175, 2026 LX 295417, __ F.4th __, 2026 WL 1502095 (United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. 2026).
The citation: Roy S. Gutterman, New York: The Media and Media Law Capital, 75 Syracuse L. Rev. 765, 765-69 (2025) detailing the history of New York as “the media capital of the world,” and noting that “The Associate Press, the world’s largest news service, has its global headquarters in New York City and countless magazines and their parent companies are based in New York”.
Crandall Melvin Professor of Law Shubha Ghosh spoke with Bloomberg Law on a possible appeal by Elon Musk after the jury decision in the Elon Musk v. Sam Altman trial. The jury found that the statute of limitations expired before Musk filed the suit and did not wade into the merits of Musk’s claims.
“We haven’t reached those substantive issues yet,” said Ghosh. “And it’s not quite clear whether we ever will get to see them.”
Distinguished Professor of Law Nina Kohn spoke with Bloomberg Law for the article “ABA, State Bars Urging Attorneys to Pivot From Guardianships.” State Bars are beginning to adopt the ABA’s new Model Rule of Professional Conduct (MRPC) 1.14, which addresses how lawyers work with clients with decision-making limitations.
Kohn noted the key is to provide lawyers with the guidance they need so they’re not encouraged to pursue guardianship, a “very drastic” approach to protective action in such cases.
George Haywood L’27 was selected as the recipient of the 2026 Carol Blanck ’70 and Robert Tannenhauser ‘66 Communication and Media Law Student Research Paper Award. The prize is awarded to a law student who demonstrates excellence in the law and journalism.
Haywood’s paper, “Eat It, Then Beat It: How Major League Eating Has Avoided Liability in an Inherently Dangerous and Highly Publicized Sport”, was selected by Professor Roy Gutterman L’00 for the award.
Synopsis:
The paper explores the robust free speech protections in the United States within the context of media and mass communication, using professional sports and entertainment leagues as a lens for analysis. With a particular focus on Major League Eating, an organization that generates upwards of one billion annual impressions, the paper examines why broadcasters have rarely faced legal liability when viewers are injured attempting to replicate conduct seen on television.
Courts have consistently declined to hold broadcasters responsible for so-called “copycat” injuries, a pattern grounded in First Amendment protections for depictions of conduct. Major League Eating exemplifies how American media law creates space for compelling, boundary-pushing entertainment to reach mass audiences without the chilling effect of broadcaster liability. The research analyzes both the constitutional and policy rationales that support this framework, arguing that these protections reflect a deliberate and principled commitment to free expression. This commitment allows organizations like Major League Eating to thrive and connect with fans across the country and the world.
University Professor Peter Blanck established the award in honor of Carol Blanck ’70 and Robert Tannenhauser ’66, with the award program administered by Gutterman. With the growing need for well-qualified communication law and policy professionals, this award supports law students who write or deliver original research regarding any topic related to mass communication and society by demonstrating excellence in law and journalism.
According to the publisher, the book “Mastering Land Use and Zoning provides a readily accessible and concise discussion of land use and zoning. It is written for a broad audience and includes clear explanations and multiple examples that will equip the reader with the knowledge to understand all the basic concepts and issues in land regulation. It will also assist the reader in formulating robust questions and prompts for doing more detailed research and analysis, including the use of AI research engines to explore specific topics more deeply.”
Malloy is a leading expert on property, real estate transactions, land use law and zoning, and on law, markets, and marketization, and has published extensively on these subjects. He has pioneered work on land use and disability law. He is also recognized as a leading legal scholar on the jurisprudence of Adam Smith.
Professor Elizabeth Kubala, Director of the Office of Clinical Legal Education and Director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic at Syracuse University College of Law, was recently honored with the 2026 Chancellor’s Citation Award for Excellence in the category of Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives. The award recognizes Syracuse University faculty whose work has significantly enhanced the student experience and advanced the University’s mission and goals.
In announcing the honor, Chancellor Kent Syverud recognized Kubala as a “transformative leader” who has built the College of Law’s Veterans Legal Clinic into a nationally recognized model of clinical legal education. The award also recognized the clinic’s substantial impact on both the veterans it serves and the students who participate in its mission, as well as Kubala’s mentorship of aspiring attorneys and success in securing grant funding to support the clinic’s growth.
Kubala’s accomplishments directly advance the Chancellor’s pillar of excellence to position Syracuse as the best university in the world for veterans. Through her leadership, the College of Law has strengthened its role in that mission by expanding high-impact legal services for veterans, military-connected individuals, and their families, while preparing students to serve those communities with skill, professionalism, and purpose.
Kubala joined the College of Law in 2020 as a Teaching Professor and Director of the Veterans Legal Clinic. She now serves as Director of the Office of Clinical Legal Education and Director of Veteran and Military Affairs at the College of Law, providing strategic leadership for the College of Law’s experiential learning programs.
Her work has expanded opportunities for students to engage in hands-on legal advocacy while serving veterans, military-connected individuals, and underserved populations throughout Central New York. Through the Veterans Legal Clinic, students provide legal assistance in areas including VA benefits, military administrative matters, housing instability, and outreach to homeless veterans in partnership with the Syracuse VA Medical Center Healthcare for Homeless Veterans program.
Kubala’s leadership and advocacy have earned statewide and national recognition. In 2024, she was named the New York State Bar Association Veterans Advocate of the Year, and in 2025 she was selected as one of Syracuse University’s representatives to the ACC Academic Leaders Network.
A graduate of the United States Military Academy, Kubala earned a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering before serving as an Army Judge Advocate. She received her J.D. from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law and an LL.M. from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School.
“Beth exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose. Through her vision and dedication, the Veterans Legal Clinic has become a nationally recognized model of clinical legal education, one that serves our students and our veterans in equal measure. I’m deeply proud of everything she has built here, and I’m grateful that the University has recognized her with this honor,” said Dean Terence Lau L’98.
The Chancellor’s Citation Award was presented during Syracuse University’s One University Awards Ceremony at Hendricks Chapel. The annual ceremony recognizes faculty and staff whose scholarship, leadership, service, and dedication have made a meaningful impact across the University community.
Teaching Professor Executive Director of Clinical Education Director of Veteran and Military Affairs, College of Law Executive Director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic
