Professor Katherine Macfarlane, director of the Disability Law and Policy Program, spoke with Mother Jones for the article, DHS Axed Its Civil Rights Staff—And Opened the Door to a Major Lawsuit.
In the article, Macfarlane raised concerns that Troup Hemenway, the DHS’ Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties acting head, “doesn’t appear to have typically relevant civil rights expertise.”
Professor Jessica Murray, Director of the College of Law’s Transactional Law Clinic, will participate in Syracuse University’s “Leading with Distinction” Showcase on Experiential Inquiry on Feb. 23, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at 304 Schine Student Center.
The event will showcase the many ways in which students at Syracuse University benefit from innovative experiential learning opportunities, which is an area of distinctive excellence highlighted in our academic strategic plan.
Murray will participate in the “Implementation – Putting It Into Practice” breakout session and will discuss mid-level experiential learning, including the balance between increased autonomy and appropriate support in clinical legal education.”
“Syracuse University’s Academic Strategic Plan includes five Areas of Distinctive Excellence, one of which is Experiential Inquiry. The Clinics at the College of Law, including the Transactional Law Clinic, provide real-world law practice experience, in addition to classroom experience, under the supervision of Clinic Directors who are licensed attorneys,” said Murray
Transactional Law Clinic services provided by student attorneys include assisting clients with business and non-profit entity formation; contract drafting and review; licensing; trademark, copyright and trade secret protection; confidentiality agreements; operating agreements; corporate governance issues; applications for tax-exempt status; and regulatory compliance. This Clinic participates in the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Law School Clinic Certification Program for Trademarks and has an affiliation with the College of Law’s Innovation Law Center.
The College of Law offers seven clinics that provide free legal services to underrepresented local residents: Bankruptcy Clinic, Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, Criminal Defense Clinic, Housing Clinic, Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, Syracuse Medical-Legal Partnership, and the Transactional Law Clinic.
Professor Katherine Macfarlane, director of the Disability Law and Policy Program, spoke with Mother Jones for the article, DHS Axed Its Civil Rights Staff—And Opened the Door to a Major Lawsuit.
In the article, Macfarlane raised concerns that Troup Hemenway, the DHS’ Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties acting head, “doesn’t appear to have typically relevant civil rights expertise.”
Professor Katherine Macfarlane, Director of the Syracuse University College of Law’s Disability Law and Policy Program, was elected to Chair the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Women in Legal Education (WILE), the largest AALS section.
She was previously the section’s Chair-elect and Treasurer. Macfarlane has also served as chair of the AALS Section on Disability Law and co-founded the first AALS affinity group for disabled law professors and allies. She frequently presents and writes about students, lawyers, and professors with disabilities, and the challenges they face in obtaining reasonable accommodations.
“It is an honor to lead this important and influential section,” said Macfarlane. “I am excited for this opportunity to give back by providing leadership and mentorship to all women in legal education.”
According to the AALS, “The Section on Women in Legal Education provides information to its members respecting the integration of women and women’s concerns into the legal profession and the law, promotes the communication of ideas, interests and activities among members of the Section, makes recommendations on matters concerning the administration of law schools and on the status of women in legal education and makes recommendations on matters of interest in the teaching and improvement of the law school curriculum.”
At the recent WILE Conference held at Boston University School of Law, Macfarlane participated in the Gender and Status in the Legal Academy and Profession panel.
Macfarlane teaches Civil Rights Litigation, Constitutional Law, and Disability Law and is a Senior Fellow at the Burton Blatt Institute. He scholarship has appeared in or will appear in the Georgetown Law Journal, Ohio State Law Journal, Washington Law Review, North Carolina Law Review, Fordham Law Review, Alabama Law Review, Yale Law Journal Forum, Columbia Law Review Forum, American University Law Review, William and Mary Bill of Rights Journal, and the Stanford Journal of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, among others.
Please join the Disability Law and Policy Program (DLPP) on March 17, 2026, from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, for a webinar featuring Mary J. Goodwin-Oquendo L’09 focused on “Accommodations in Higher Ed & Professional Licensing.” Her remarks will address her experience as a civil rights lawyer who represents people with disabilities. The webinar will be co-moderated by DLPP Director Professor Katherine Macfarlane, and Disabled Law Students Association leaders Kaitlin Sommer and Emely Recinos.
Goodwin-Oquendo advocates for individuals with cognitive, physical, and psychiatric disabilities who have experienced discrimination in school and/or require accommodations on high stakes admissions and licensing examinations. Prior to starting her own practice, she worked closely with activist, attorney, and NYS Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon of Jo Anne Simon P.C. During her time at Jo Anne Simon P.C., Ms. Goodwin-Oquendo collaborated with various affinity groups to provide vital feedback to the United States Department of Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which was incorporated into the agencies’ final rules enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008.
Goodwin-Oquendo is a member of the New York State Bar Association, and an appointed member of the association’s Committee on Disability Rights. She has developed continuing legal education coursework and currently serves as one of the editors of the New York State Bar Association’s disability treatise. She is also a member of the Disability Rights Bar Association, the National Employment Lawyers Association/New York, the New York City Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and previously served on the executive board of the New York Urban League Young Professionals and the National Urban League Young Professionals Programs Committee. She also serves as a Fordham University School of Law adjunct professor. She earned her BA in History and Political Science from St. Joseph’s College, where she was class valedictorian, and her J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law. Goodwin-Oquendo was recently featured in a Syracuse University Today profile, available here.
If you require accommodations for the webinar, please contact Anna Dallam, atdallam@syr.edu.
Each semester, the Office of Clinical Legal Education at Syracuse University College of Law marks an important milestone for its clinic students: the Clinic Swearing-In Ceremony. The event formally welcomes students into their roles as student attorneys and underscores their professional and ethical responsibilities to the clients they will serve.
On February 5, 2026, 81 law students participating in Syracuse Law’s clinical programs took the Student Attorney Oath during a ceremony presided over by the Hon. Wendy A. Kinsella L’95, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of New York. The ceremony was held in the College of Law’s Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom and brought together students, faculty, and administrators to celebrate the start of the students’ clinical practice experience.
During the ceremony, students pledged to act in the best interests of their clients, uphold the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, and serve with integrity, diligence, and courage; commitments that mirror the responsibilities they will assume as licensed attorneys.
“You are no longer just students of theory,” Judge Kinsella said. “You are now practitioners in training, ready to use your skills for service and advocacy. This journey ahead will be very demanding, but it is also immensely satisfying.” Judge Kinsella reminded students that lawyering is as much about listening and compassion as it is about knowing the law. She emphasized the importance of treating clients as people, not problems, maintaining respect and integrity in every interaction, and earning trust as counselors and advisors.
Syracuse Law offers seven in-house clinics that allow students to represent real clients under faculty supervision, applying doctrinal learning in high-impact, hands-on settings, and is among the very few law schools nationwide to offer fully online, in-house clinical experiences as part of an ABA-approved hybrid JD program. Three clinics, the Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, Transactional Law Clinic, and Bankruptcy Clinic, are offered online through the College’s innovative JDinteractive (JDi) program.
The JDi program is a flexible, ABA-approved hybrid Juris Doctor pathway designed for students who cannot relocate or attend law school full time on campus. JDi students complete the same curriculum, meet the same academic standards, and participate in the same experiential learning opportunities as residential students, including live-client representation through Syracuse Law’s clinical programs.
“Clinical education is where students begin to see themselves as lawyers,” said Professor Jessica Murray, Director of the Transactional Law Clinic. “Whether students are working in person or online, the clinic experience demands accountability, empathy, and real-world problem-solving. The oath they take at the swearing-in reflects the ethical responsibilities to their clients that they will uphold in their clinical work and in practice once they are admitted to the Bar.”
The ceremony was hosted by the Office of Clinical Legal Education and opened by Professor Suzette Meléndez, Director of the Syracuse Medical Legal Partnership. Dean Terence Lau L’98 also addressed the students, emphasizing the seriousness of the oath and the responsibility that comes with representing underserved and often marginalized clients.
“This ceremony reflects who we are as a law school,” said Professor Beth Kubala, Executive Director of the Office of Clinical Legal Education. “Our clinics place students in positions of real responsibility, serving clients who may not otherwise have access to legal representation. The oath they take today is the foundation of ethical lawyering, and the beginning of a transformative professional journey.”
For students, the ceremony marked a powerful transition from classroom learning to client-centered advocacy.
“Taking the oath marked a shift in our legal careers,” said student attorney Pamela Reynolds L’26. “Knowing that real people are relying on our work carries weight far beyond an assignment. That responsibility is humbling, motivating, and central to why I came to law school.”
The Spring 2026 Clinic Swearing-In Ceremony reaffirmed Syracuse Law’s long-standing commitment to experiential education, access to justice, and preparing students—across modalities—for meaningful, service-driven legal careers.
Syracuse University College of Law achieved 94% Ultimate Bar Passage rate for 2025 (representing the Class of 2023), further demonstrating the impact of the College’s mission of supporting its students from admission through the bar exam. Graduates took the bar exam in 25 states, reflecting the national reach of our hybrid online J.D. program, JDinteractive.
The Class of 2024 has also already achieved 94% Ultimate Bar Passage rate with two bar administrations remaining.
“I want to congratulate our graduates who have passed the bar and are practicing all over the world,” said Dean Terence Lau L’98. “This is a direct result of the College’s and Dean Kelly Curtis’ ongoing commitment to supporting our students throughout their legal education right up to the crucial bar exam.”
The College continues to strategically invest in academic and bar support efforts, including increasing the number of staff in the Office of Academic and Bar Support (OABS). The OABS is charged with delivering highly targeted bar preparation programming and support. Bar preparation initiatives include:
“The 2025 results continue our upwards trajectory in Ultimate Bar Passage rate, and I am proud of the accomplishments of our graduates,” said Associate Dean of Students and Teaching Professor Kelly Curtis. “The Office of Academic and Bar Support and our faculty continue to refine and adapt our bar preparation programming to meet the changing needs of the profession, most notably the NextGen Bar Exam.”
Furthermore, eight of the past nine graduating classes have exceeded 90% Ultimate Bar Passage rate.
Dean Curtis’s efforts in academic and bar support were recently recognized by the American Association of Law Schools Section on Academic Support as the recipient of its Impact Award, which recognizes legal educators who are “inspiring students and peers in the academic support profession today and catapulting us forward to a stronger tomorrow.”
You’re invited to join us for an evening of meaningful conversation and celebration as we explore the enduring legacy of Karen DeCrow L’72 and the vital role of mentorship in advancing women in the legal profession. This year’s panel brings together inspiring voices to discuss how generational support and mentorship continue to shape opportunities for women lawyers – honoring the trailblazing work of Karen DeCrow L’72 while looking toward the future she helped build.
📅 Wednesday, March 4, 2026
🕕 5:00 p.m. panel, networking reception to follow
📍 Dineen Hall, Syracuse University College of Law
Janet Callahan, Partner at Hancock Estabrook
Hon. Bernadette Clark L’89, Supreme Court Justice
Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91, U.S. Magistrate Judge
Catherine Gale G’78, L’78, Partner at Gale, Gale & Hunt LLC
Hon. Deborah Karalunas L’82, 5JD Administrative Judge
The Onondaga County Bar Association, the Northern District of NY Federal Court Bar Association, the Fifth Judicial District NYS Unified Court System, and the Central NY Women’s Bar Association.
When Luiza Cristovam LL.M.’23, L’26 walks across the stage at the Syracuse University College of Law Commencement Ceremony this May, she’ll be celebrating more than a degree. That same day, surrounded by her family from Brazil and his family from Snohomish, Washington, she and Arick Grootveld Ph.D. ’27 will spend the second half of their day celebrating their marriage.
Luiza and Arick’s story began the way some of the best ones do: by accident.
Long before she ever set foot on campus, Luiza’s journey to Syracuse began in Brazil with a canceled interview, a neighborhood power outage, and a last-minute change of plans.
Her father, a judge, had been scheduled to appear on a legal podcast. When a power outage forced the interview to be postponed, it was rescheduled for a later date—one that Luiza decided to attend with him while her mother was traveling. That day, she crossed paths with Professor Antonio Gidi, who was also being interviewed. During the conversation, Luiza’s father mentioned that his daughter spoke English fluently and was interested in studying abroad. Professor Gidi took notice and the next day, he followed up.
“Professor Gidi called and said, ‘Luiza needs to come to Syracuse to pursue her LL.M. degree,’” she recalled.
What began as a chance encounter quickly became an opportunity. Luiza applied, was accepted, and soon found herself preparing for a year of legal study in Central New York, unaware that it would become much more than that.
When she arrived in Syracuse, her story continued with another twist of fate. She mistakenly arrived too early, thinking orientation started on August 7 instead of August 14. New to the city, alone in her apartment, and eager to meet people, she downloaded a few dating apps. On her second day here in Syracuse, she went out for a pizza dinner with Arick for a first date, and the two have been inseparable since.
As the year passed while she was completing her LL.M. degree, Luiza began to get the feeling that she was not ready to leave Syracuse. She had Optional Practical Training (OPT) as an F-1 visa holder, which would allow her 12 months to work in the U.S. to gain practical work experience, but she didn’t feel ready to leave either Syracuse, Arick, or the law.
“I soon decided to invest in the on-campus J.D. program to give myself a chance at practicing law in the U.S. in the future,” she said. “I loved what I was doing professionally. And I also wanted to see where this relationship would go.”
Back home in Brazil, Luiza holds an LL.B. and is already a lawyer. Her initial plan was to earn an LL.M. in the United States and return to Brazil to teach law. Legal study runs in the family, as her father is a Brazilian judge, and she grew up surrounded by the legal profession.
As her connection to Syracuse deepened through her studies, her growing sense of purpose, and her relationship with Arick, Luiza began to see her time here not as a temporary chapter, but as the foundation for everything that would come next.
“It was an easy decision to stay,” she said. “Immigrating is hard. Coming from another country is hard. But it is worth it—and he is worth it.”
What began as a one-year plan had become a life she wasn’t ready to leave.
After Commencement, Luiza will turn her attention to preparing for the bar exam in July before beginning her legal career as an attorney with the Cortland County, NY Public Defender’s Office, a path she discovered after attending a public defense talk on campus.
For Luiza, the role represents both professional purpose and personal growth—a chance to serve communities while continuing to build the life she and Arick have envisioned together. Meanwhile, Arick is working towards his doctoral thesis on quantum information theory and preparing for the next stage of his academic career.
Throughout their time together, Luiza says, Arick has consistently shown his commitment not only through words, but through action. One of the clearest examples is language. Since they met, Arick has been steadily learning Portuguese so he can better communicate with Luiza’s family and understand her culture. He practices daily and regularly surprises her with new phrases and expressions.
“He even reacts the way Brazilians typically do sometimes,” she said, laughing. “It means so much to me.”
That same thoughtfulness extends to every part of their relationship, from helping classmates and friends to supporting Luiza through the most demanding moments of law school. Now, with graduation approaching, their focus is on balancing celebration with preparation. On Commencement Day, they will walk from ceremony to courthouse, beginning their married life on a day that unites Luiza’s academic journey, her family, and her future.
Looking back, Luiza sees a series of coincidences that led her exactly where she was meant to be, from a rescheduled podcast in Brazil to a first dinner date in Syracuse.
“There was no universe but this exact universe where we met,” she said. “Everything happened the way it had to.”
As early as her 1L year at Syracuse University College of Law, Allison Carlos ’23 (MAX/VPA), L’25, was drawn to the College’s Advocacy Program and trial competitions. What began as a desire to strengthen her litigation skills quickly evolved into something far more meaningful —a strong group of colleagues, alumni, and mentors who helped shape her development as an advocate, guided her to summer externships, and ultimately supported her path to securing her first job as a litigator after graduating this past December.
“The Syracuse alumni network is strong,” says Carlos, noting that after she competed in the Hancock Estabrook First Year Oral Advocacy Competition as a 1L, Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91, chief U.S. magistrate judge for the Northern District of New York, saw her skills in action and offered her a summer externship in 2024.
She was also fortunate to work for another alumna in the Fall of 2025 when she accepted a judicial externship with Hon. Deborah H. Karalunas L’82, which gave her additional exposure to advocacy in the courtroom, while also providing invaluable insight into the perspective of a trial judge.
While her internships gave her valuable experience, and her coursework stressed the necessary skills to become an outstanding litigator, including writing, oral arguments, and trial procedures, it was her participation in trial competitions that really put her knowledge to the test, often in front of actual judges. This gave her the ability to fine tune these skills in Syracuse Law’s state-of-the-art courtroom facilities and across the country under the watchful eye of dedicated faculty, coaches, mentors, and other legal professionals. According to Carlos, she was fortunate to interact with many well-respected lawyers and judges—many alumni—eager to help share their experience and offer real-world opportunities to students.
Carlos competed in several mock trial advocacy competitions as a member of the Syracuse Law Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society (AHS). AHS holds five internal competitions each year and sends teams to compete in intercollegiate competitions across the country—some in-person and other virtual—against top students from other law schools. In preparation for these highly competitive events, students often work closely with Syracuse Law Advocacy Fellows, a slate of alumni who devote an exceptional amount of their time to give team members a competitive edge.
One such competition was the American Association for Justice (AJJ) with the team of Carlos, Brandon Bryant L’25, Jonathan Newsome L’25, and Matt Reimann L’26 at the Student Trial Advocacy Competition in March 2025. Her team—coached by Joanne Van Dyke L’87, director of trial competition teams, and Andrew Umazor L’24—won the regional competition in Philadelphia, to the national finals in Atlanta.
Carlos is especially grateful for the preparation she received from Van Dyke, noting “I am continually in awe of Coach Van Dyke’s unwavering dedication to the Advocacy Team and the passion and commitment she brings to developing us into confident, effective advocates.”
Carlos’s consistent, exceptional performance and passion for advocacy helped her earn a spot on the College’s highly competitive National Trial League team in 2025. She was fortunate to be mentored by advocacy fellow Kaylin S. Grey L’06, a partner at the Miami defense litigation firm of Wilson Elser. Much of the mentoring took place virtually due to the distance, but according to Carlos, Grey was an excellent mentor who gave pertinent advice, helped her emphasize her strengths, address areas for growth, and thoroughly prepare her for competition.
While Carlos appreciated having such a committed mentor, Grey, in turn, was so impressed by Carlos’s talents that she helped her secure an internship at Wilson Elser for the summer of 2025.
“Having Kaylin as a mentor for the National Trial League was incredibly valuable and being able to continue learning from her and her colleagues through my internship was extraordinary,” says Carlos. “After seeing me in action on the Trial Team, she was eager to challenge me and provide hands-on litigation experiences that students and even incoming associates rarely receive. The combination of her mentorship and the internship was truly incredible.”
Carlos’s participation in the National Trial League competition really helped define her law school career. She was “honored and deeply humbled” to receive the 2025 National Trial League MVP (Best Advocate) Award based on the skills she demonstrated during the competition.
“Throughout the semester-long National Trial League, Allison exhibited advocacy skills on par with the best students in the country,” says Professor of Law Todd Berger, director of the Syracuse Law Advocacy Program. “Her diligence, preparation, and ability to translate work into effective advocacy made it no surprise that she earned the MVP honor.”
In addition, Carlos received the Lee S. Michael L’67 Advocate of the Year Award and scholarship in 2025, through an endowed award presented annually by Syracuse Law thanks to the generosity of Michael.
Already the owner and operator of Roadside Warriors, LLC, one of the largest towing companies in Watertown, New York, she will soon be relocating to Miami after receiving a full-time job offer from Wilson Elser. This single mom of three young children will continue to operate her towing company remotely, while also taking on a full-time job as a civil defense litigator working in areas like complex commercial litigation and business counseling, general and premises liability, maritime and real estate litigation.
“Syracuse Law’s Advocacy Program and trial competitions truly brought out the best in me and gave me invaluable, real-world experience, along with an incredible network of mentors and peers. I’m excited to carry this strong foundation with me as I begin my legal career,” says Carlos. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of Syracuse faculty, alumni, and the advocacy community, and I fully intend to pay it forward by mentoring future Syracuse Law students.”
In 2025, Syracuse University College of Law was named the No. 8 trial advocacy program in the country by U.S. News & World Report. See here for more information on the program.
