News

Professor Jack Graves Discusses the Trump Administration’s Crypto Enforcement and  Memecoins with Bloomberg Law

Professor Jack Graves spoke with Bloomberg Law about the Trump administration’s stance on memecoins and the change in the approach to crypto enforcement from the Biden administration.

“I think there was a logic to it— [former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary] Gensler didn’t want to get caught up in trying to regulate, didn’t want to get caught up on political question doctrine,” he said.

“An insurance policy” Professor Emeritus William C. Banks on Washington State Legislation to Block National Guard from Entering Their State

Professor Emeritus William C. Banks spoke with Stateline for the article “Blue states fear invasion by red-state National Guard troops for deportations.” Banks discussed current federal laws and how Washington State’s proposed legislation might be redundant.

“It’s like an insurance policy,” he said of the bill. “It may be a very good idea to call attention to the independence of the state government and its perspective that they’d very much like to be in charge of their own internal affairs, including migration or whatever else might be going on.”

Banks said the measure, if passed as expected, could be something that state leaders point to if, for example, Idaho or Montana were considering deploying their National Guard units to Seattle to carry out Trump’s immigration enforcement.

However, he said, the whole discussion becomes irrelevant the moment Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, which would allow for federal military intervention in a nonconsenting state.

Lu Weierbach L’25 Attended the Military Commissions Proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as a National Institute of Military Justice Observer

Luis “Lu” Weierbach L’25, a U.S. Army Captain, attended the Military Commissions proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba this past summer as an observer with the National Institute of Military Justice (NIMJ.) Weierbach was nominated to participate by Professor Elizabeth Kubala, a NIMJ Fellow, and submitted a paper to the NIMJ detailing his observations.

Weierbach flew to Guantanamo Bay along with other trial observers, family members of victims, and personnel from the Pentagon’s Office of Military Commissions. He observed a week of pretrial motions in the 9/11 Case, which is a joint trial of four men charged with crimes tied to the events that occurred on September 11, 2001. Weierbach observed motions from the defense to exclude evidence that the defense contends was derived from unlawful interrogations. Defense expert testimony included extensive evidence from Dr. Charles A. Morgan III, a clinical and forensic psychiatrist and an international expert in memory and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These pretrial hearings were to determine whether the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Letterhead Memoranda (“memoranda”) that details the Defendants’ confessions will be admissible during the trial which has not yet been scheduled. For most Defendants, the memoranda are a substantial part of the Government’s body of evidence.

In a presentation recounting what impacted him the most, Weierbach encouraged others to put themselves in the place of the family members of the 9/11 victims. “Imagine the family members, boarding a plane with the team that is defending the detainees and the judge who makes the rulings. And imagine, too, the press, a huge organization that has its own tilt. Certain members of the press have advocated heavily for the detainees. Imagine being a family member and being in such close physical proximity to all these individuals on the flight there.” 

Weierbach continued sharing his thoughts. “Then, imagine a week of interesting testimony with an expert who is suggesting key evidence against the accused should be excluded. Imagine yourself as a family member of a 9/11 victim being on the flight back with that witness.”   Weierbach astutely shared these and other unusual aspects of the legal proceedings occurring in Guantanamo Bay that differ greatly from legal processes back on U.S. soil.

NIMJ was founded in 1991 to advance the fair administration of military justice and to foster improved public understanding of the military justice system. Following President George W. Bush’s order that authorized military commissions, NIMJ studied and commented on the procedures established to hold and prosecute detainees by the Department of Defense. NIMJ continues to appear regularly as amicus curiae in cases involving detainee issues, to publish reports related to the military commissions, and to educate the public on the military commissions through its website.

The Department of Defense invites a few non‐governmental organizations to observe military commissions in an effort to satisfy the right to a public trial. As part of this program, NIMJ has been sending observers to the military commissions at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, since 2008. While several other organizations observe the proceedings, NIMJ’s observations are unique because of the military justice background of NIMJ board members and fellows. NIMJ’s leadership includes former judge advocates, private practitioners, and legal scholars. NIMJ’s observers attempt to put the proceedings in the appropriate historical, legal, and military context.

Joshua Farrar L’26 Selected for the Tully Rinckey Foundation’s Military Scholarship

The Tully Rinckey Foundation, the philanthropic initiative of Tully Rinckey PLLC, has selected Joshua Farrar L’26 for a Military Scholarship. The scholarship rewards law students who have or are serving in the military or reserves.

Farrar is a Captain in the Texas Army National Guard, having served for the past ten years. He is currently an Information Operations Officer in Austin, TX. Farrar previously worked in Aerial Delivery, obtaining Airborne and Pathfinder qualifications. “I’m most proud of my service on numerous natural disasters including hurricanes, flash floods, tornadoes/windstorms, pandemics, and border humanitarian crises,” says Farrar.

At Syracuse Law, Farrar is the Vice President of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society.

“I am honored to receive the Tully Rinckey Foundation scholarship. I’m a father of five, and my wife and family have sacrificed time, trips, opportunities, and activities so that I can attend law school. At times I feel guilty and wonder if this is the best decision for my family. Being selected for this scholarship means a lot to my family, as it validates our sacrifices and helped rekindle my drive and determination to keep pushing forward with law school. Thank you so much for this financial award,” says Farrar.

Graig Cortelyou, Global Chief Operating Officer of Tully Rinckey noted that Farrar was selected due to “his background and experiences that led him to attending law school and becoming a lawyer. Joshua has a passion for the law, along with military and life experiences that will make him an asset to the legal profession.”

The Tully Rinckey Foundation awards scholarships for the Fall 2024 semester to a new or current Albany Law School, University at Buffalo Law School, and Syracuse University College of Law student who has served or is currently serving in the military or reserves.

“Our firm believes our service extends beyond the courtroom and into the communities where we work. Supporting the military, veterans, and their families is an important cause that Tully Rinckey backs in many ways, including the Military Scholarship,” says Mathew Tully. “We were once again honored and humbled to review the stellar applications from the College of Law students, as there were so many qualified candidates. Without a doubt, Joshua is a leader who will make an impact on the legal profession and our society.”

Among Tully Rinckey’s veteran-focused outreach programs are sponsorship of the annual Veterans in Economic Transition Conference (VETCON) in Albany, N.Y., and Turkeys for Veterans where they partner with local supermarkets throughout New York State to give free turkeys to veterans during the holiday season. The College of Law is a partner in the Turkeys for Veterans project in Syracuse.

“The College of Law thanks the Tully Rinckey Foundation for supporting our military and veteran students. Joshua is a well-deserving recipient who has made many selfless sacrifices as a member of the military and matches that commitment to his studies to become a lawyer through our hybrid online J.D. program,” says Professor Beth Kubala, Executive Director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic and Director of Veteran and Military Affairs at the College of Law.

Professor Robert Nassau Says “Earned Income Tax Credit Can be Confusing”

Professor Robert Nassau, Director of the Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, recently spoke with CNBC for a story on the earned income tax credit (EITC.)

He noted that the EITC “can be confusing. Some eligible taxpayers missing the EITC could be lower earners without a filing requirement”. But the EITC is “refundable,” meaning you can still claim a refund even without tax liability.

Syracuse Law Students Achieve Strong Bar Passage Rates Through Continued Investment in Student Success

A person with curly black hair, wearing a white sweater and a brown coat, sits at a wooden table. In front of them is a silver laptop, a stack of papers with the "Syracuse University College of Law" logo, and a black smartphone placed on top. A red coat hangs on the back of a chair in the background.

Syracuse University College of Law continues to demonstrate its commitment to student success with recent bar exam passage rates. Among all jurisdictions, 86% of recent graduates—those who earned their degrees between 2022 and 2024—successfully passed the bar exam in the February or July 2024 administration. In Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) jurisdictions, which covers 41 states, the pass rate for the same cohort was an impressive 88%. These results also reflect a 163% increase in bar success among those students most at risk on the bar exam, which was achieved through individualized, data-driven support strategies.

“By strengthening academic support and bar preparation programs, we ensure our graduates have the best possible chance of success on the bar exam and in their legal careers.”

—Kelly Curtis, Associate Dean of Students

These results highlight the effectiveness of Syracuse Law’s strategic investments in bar preparation and academic support. “Our targeted initiatives are making a significant impact on student outcomes,” said Associate Dean of Students Kelly Curtis. “By strengthening academic support and bar preparation programs, we ensure our graduates have the best possible chance of success on the bar exam and in their legal careers.”

Over the past several years, the College has implemented key initiatives that position grads for the rigors of the exam and their legal careers. These include:

  • Improved admissions profile with higher median LSAT scores and GPAs.
  • Curricular enhancements designed to focus on bar-related coursework.
  • Expanded academic success programming, offering earlier interventions and targeted support starting before the third year.
  • New staff hires in the Office of Academic and Bar Success and increased resources focused on bar preparation.

The results speak for themselves: This marks a 15-year high for first-time bar takers. In February 2024, Syracuse Law was ranked No. 8 for ultimate bar passage and No. 27 for first-time bar test takers by preLaw Magazine in its Winter 2024 edition. Additionally, for seven of the past eight graduating classes, the College’s ultimate bar passage rate exceeded 90%, demonstrating consistent, long-term success.

“At Syracuse Law, we are dedicated to equipping our students with the tools they need to excel academically and professionally.”

—Terence Lau L’98, Dean

Building on this momentum, Syracuse Law has partnered with Kaplan Bar Review to further enhance student readiness. “At Syracuse Law, we are dedicated to equipping our students with the tools they need to excel academically and professionally,” said Dean Terence Lau L’98. “The partnership with Kaplan strengthens Dean Curtis’s comprehensive approach to bar preparation, ensuring that students receive structured support throughout their law school journey, culminating in a robust bar review program to set them up for success.” This partnership provides expanded resources and preparation strategies, ensuring even greater success for future graduates.

Looking ahead, Syracuse Law is proactively preparing for the NextGen Bar Exam, which launches in July 2026. Faculty and administrators are actively working with students to adapt to this new era of attorney licensure, ensuring that Syracuse graduates remain well-prepared.

Syracuse Law’s commitment to student success is evident not only in its strong bar passage rates but also in its forward-thinking approach to legal education. By continually enhancing programming and investing in student success, Syracuse Law is setting the standard for bar exam preparation and legal education excellence.

Professor Gregory Germain Provides Clarification to Misleading Social Media Post on President Trump’s Ability to Travel Internationally

Professor Gregory Germain recently spoke with the Voice of America for the story “Nigerian journalist misleads on Trump’s ability to travel internationally”. The article fact-checked a statement by a Nigerian journalist that President Trump could not travel internationally due to his felony conviction.

More than 38 countries have laws that allow them to refuse a felon entry into their territories, according to Germain.

“It is entirely up to each country whether they will allow him to visit their country. Countries that prohibit convicted felons from visiting, or require special approval to visit, will have to decide whether to let him into their country,” says Germain.

Professor Shubha Ghosh Discusses U.S. District Court Judge William H. Alsup’s Willingness to Learn About AI Technology Before Hearing AI and Copyrights Case

Crandall Melvin Professor of Law Shubha Ghosh spoke with Bloomberg Tax for the article “In the Battle of AI and Copyrights, a Judge Seeks a Tech Lesson”. U.S. District Court Judge William H. Alsup will be hearing Bartz v. Anthropic PBC, a case to determine whether Anthropic PBC violated copyright law by training its AI chatbot Claude on copyrighted books without the authors’ permission. Judge Alsup requested the parties provide him with an overview of how generative AI works.

Ghosh, director of the Syracuse Intellectual Property Law Institute, says “Ultimately, judges need to understand the underlying facts. The opposite extreme is: ‘I don’t really care what the world is like, here is the law.’”

Professor Gregory Germain on President Trump’s Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship “Will Have to Focus on the Second Phrase of the 14th Amendment”

Professor Gregory Germain discussed President Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship with Newsweek.

Germain said that Trump will have to focus on the second phrase of the 14th Amendment, arguing that children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States.

“That seems like a question that will ultimately have to be decided by the Supreme Court. Trump can argue that the phrase about being ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ must have meaning, and should be read as a limitation on birthright citizenship,” he said.

Professor Gregory Germain Discusses the Possible Return of Recently Pardoned Silk Road Founder’s Cryptocurrency

Professor Gregory Germain spoke with Newsweek in the wake of Silk Road website Founder Ross Ulbricht being pardoned by President Trump. At question is if Ulbricht could regain cryptocurrency, now valued at $18 billion, that was seized in the case against his website.

“The law currently says that a pardon does not erase the fact that a person was convicted, nor does a pardon affect civil liability to an individual or to the government,” Germain said.

“It only affects the government’s ability to impose or continue a criminal punishment.”