News

Professor Nina Kohn Delivers Keynote Address at the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators

Nina Kohn, the David M. Levy Professor of Law, recently delivered the keynote address at the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) Annual Conference.  The conference, organized by the National Center for State Courts, brought together the chief justices of the nation’s state courts and top court administrators.  This year, the conference focused its educational programming on guardianship and conservatorship.  Kohn’s keynote called attention to major problems in guardianship systems and urged the Chief Judges and Court Administrators to make guardianship a priority for their court systems and how court leadership can make a difference.

Kohn’s talk focused on the key civil rights concerns raised by current guardianship practice, and what courts can—and should—do about it.  Kohn explained that guardianship continues to be treated as a go-to intervention for individuals with cognitive and intellectual disabilities, not the last resort option it’s legally designed to be.  In addition, she explained that, despite reforms requiring courts to consider less restrictive alternatives, courts continue to order guardianships that strip individuals of all rights permitted under state law even when less restrictive arrangements would meet the needs of most respondents. 

Kohn then outlined a series of steps court leaders could take to not only reduce unnecessary and overbroad guardianships but also reduce the risk of abuse and exploitation by unscrupulous guardians.

After the talk, Kohn observed “I was impressed by the warm reception my remarks received.  Many of the participants expressed serious concern about the patterns of practice I described and expressed interest in making changes in their systems.  I look forward to supporting those efforts in the coming months and years.”

Kohn is a nationally recognized leader on guardianship and elder law.  Her remarks built on her scholarship around guardianship, as well as her work as Reporter for the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act.

Professor Olatunde Johnson to be the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemoration Speaker

Professor Olatunde Johnson of Columbia Law School will be the Keynote Speaker at Syracuse Law’s 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemoration. She will deliver the address, “The Future of Civil Rights in An Age of Colorblindness”. An interdisciplinary panel discussion will follow the address.

Johnson is the Ruth Bader Ginsburg’ 59 Professor of Law at Columbia Law School where she teaches, writes, and provides public commentary about anti-discrimination law, administrative law, courts, democracy, and inequality in the United States.  She directs Columbia’s Constitutional Democracy Initiative and co-directs the Center on Constitutional Governance at Columbia Law School.  

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark law that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

Monday, October 7

4:30 p.m.

Room 350

Reception to follow in the Atrium

RSVP to Christy Ramsdell by October 1. 

Syracuse Law’s Disability Law and Policy Program Hosts “A Body’s Work: A Discussion with Professor Britney Wilson”

Syracuse University College of Law’s Disability Law and Policy Program recently hosted “A Body’s Work: A Discussion with Professor Britney Wilson. Professor Wilson is an associate professor of law and the director of the Civil Rights and Disability Rights Clinic at New York Law School. She discussed her experiences as a Black disabled woman, civil rights attorney, and law professor.

Her discussion was based on her paper “A Body’s Work: On Self and Peer Education as a Black Disabled Lawyer” published in the Journal of Legal Education. The essay and her Syracuse Law discussion explored the effects of an overall lack of disability inclusion in the law school curriculum and how it impacts the way she navigates life and work as a Black disabled woman and attorney.

Wilson also touched upon ongoing transportation services litigation that the Civil Rights and Disability Rights Clinic is litigating by applying the Americans with Disabilities Act and New York City Human Rights law.

Also, an accomplished writer and artist, Wilson has published short stories, poetry, and creative nonfiction essays. She was a featured poet on the HBO series Brave New Voices. She explained how creativity in other areas can positively affect making creative legal arguments.

Professor Wilson also met with DLPP students to discuss their experiences studying disability law and navigating law school with disabilities.

Professor Gregory Germain Discusses Haitian Group’s Lawsuit Against Trump and Vance

Professor Gregory Germain spoke with Newsweek about a recent criminal complaint filed by The Haitian Bridge Alliance against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. The Alliance claims that Haitian immigrants have received death threats after Trump said that they are stealing family pets in Springfield, OH.

“Knowledge of falsity is difficult to prove when politicians spread rumors. The Supreme Court would likely recognize that politicians have qualified immunity for lies under the First Amendment—otherwise, the bare-knuckle election process would be hampered,” says Germain. However, Germain said that highlighting Trump’s “reckless statements” may be the plaintiffs’ aim.

Professor Nina Kohn co-authors “Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Caring for Patients Under Guardianships”

“Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Caring for Patients Under Guardianships”, co-authored by Professor Nina Kohn, has been published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine.   Kohn’s co-authors are Dhrity Bhowmik, Sally Balch Hurme, Jasmine Sandhu, June Jeon, Syeda Sundus Mujahid, Latrice Pelissier, Eric Widera, Andrew B. Cohen, Mary Galvez, Vicki Alkire, Pamela B. Teaster, William E. Rosa, and Cynthia X. Pan.

“Clinicians working in the palliative care space frequently encounter patients for whom a court has appointed a guardian, but often are confused as to the implications for medical decision-making,” says Kohn. “I enjoyed working with this truly interdisciplinary team of co-authors to provide practical guidance that clinicians can use to better support patients under guardianship.”

Professor Suzette Meléndez Featured in Latine Heritage Month Story

Professor Suzette Meléndez was featured in Syracuse University’s Latine Heritage Month story, “Latine Voices Shape Campus Culture.”  Her work in family law, domestic violence law, and the delivery of legal services to women and children have helped put the University on the multicultural map while giving a voice to marginalized communities.

Meléndez insists that the U.S. Latine community is a mosaic, not a monolith. “We must learn to appreciate the multiple representations of how we live and what we contribute,” says Meléndez, who recently concluded a faculty fellowship in the Office of the Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

A common thread of her work is the interplay between law and familia. “Family is a tremendous influencer, supporter, teacher and builder of community in Latine cultures,” Meléndez says. “Family law illustrates how parenting and familial bonding across cultures is complex, nuanced and emblematic of the human experience.”

Syracuse Law Welcomes 2024 Incoming Class

Students celebrate their first day of law school under a shower of confetti

Syracuse University College of Law recently welcomed the incoming class of J.D., LL.M., Exchange, and Advanced-Standing J.D. students during orientation and Convocation.

Dean Terence Lau L’98, presiding over his first Convocation as dean, shared with the students, “Over the coming months and years, we will challenge you. We will push you to your limits. But we will also nurture your intellectual curiosity, bolster your confidence, and help you unlock your full potential. This is our solemn commitment to you.”

Dean Terence Lau delivers a speech at the podium inside the Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom
Dean Terence Lau L’98 delivers a speech at the podium inside the Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom.

James L. Kelly L’99, Partner, Chair, New York Private Equity at DLA Piper was the convocation speaker. Amongst his advice to the incoming students was “Long-term success is not so much about all the things you do right but more so your ability to continue onward in the face of a major setback.  Stay calm when things don’t go well.  But here is a bit of a twist to this.  Stay calm when things go well, too – this is often more important.  Being calm in these times will bring forth your virtue, make you someone that others want to be around, and eventually turn you into a leader.” 

James Kelly delivers remarks at a podium
James Kelly L’99 delivers remarks to the 2024 incoming J.D. and LL.M. students

Syracuse Law welcomed 137 on-campus J.D. students from 22 states and seven countries and 106 students in the hybrid online J.D. program (JDinteractive) representing 25 states and two countries.  In the J.D. class, 10% are veterans or military-connected and 24% are first-generation higher education students.

The audience and speakers stand as a student sings the national anthem

The 20 LL.M. students hail from Afghanistan, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, and Taiwan with 12 holding advanced degrees. The class features Federal Attorneys, Federal Judges, human rights activists, and police investigators among other professions.

New students stand and deliver the Oath of Professional Education
Incoming students stand and recite the Oath of Professional Education.

The eight Advanced Standing J.D. students come from three states and five countries. Syracuse Law also welcomes two exchange students from the University of Rome’s Tor Vergata in Italy and a Visiting Scholar from the University of Bialystok.

“This diversity enriches our community and enhances the collaborative learning environment that defines Syracuse Law, setting the stage for an extraordinary journey ahead,” says Dean Lau.

A crowd of new students clapping in the courtroom
An audience member holds up the Oath of Professional Education
A professor carries the mace out of the courtroom during the faculty procession
Dean Terence Lau and James Kelly smile and pose for a photo

Student Attorneys Sworn in to Fall Legal Clinics

Syracuse Law recently held a swearing-in ceremony for on-campus and hybrid student attorneys participating in one of the six law clinics this fall.

The Hon. Kevin P. Kuehner L’99, New York State Supreme Court Judge in Onondaga County, was the guest speaker and administered the Student Attorney Oath, and Vice Dean Keith Bybee and Executive Director of Clinical Education Beth Kubala also spoke to the students.

The Office of Clinical Legal Education provides a practical educational experience to second and third-year student attorneys while delivering much-needed, otherwise unavailable legal resources to the communities and people of Central New York.

The clinics are:

Bankruptcy Clinic

Betty & Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic*

Criminal Defense Clinic

Disability Rights Clinic

Housing Clinic

Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic*

Transactional Law Clinic

*Clinic is offered online for the Fall 2024 semester.

Professor Emeritus William Banks Discusses the Hezbollah Pager Explosion with CBC News

Professor of Law Emeritus William Banks spoke via video with CBC News on the explosion of pages amongst members of Hezbollah. He spoke about the rules of armed conflict and how they do not apply in this conflict.

“There’s no kind of a road map that tells us who can do what, who can get away with what, where this might end, how an agreement might be reached,” Banks said. “This is, of course, the broader Middle East dilemma that we are all witnessing all the time.”

While he said UN charters or NATO treaties may help regulate conflicts between states, Banks noted they don’t exist between Israel and Iran, or Israel, Hezbollah and Hamas, and therefore, “the traditional rules of armed conflict simply aren’t going to do us any good. They aren’t going to even apply in a situation like this.”

“Surreal to Hear” – University Professor David Driesen on Donald Trump’s Support of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán During the Presidential Debate

University Professor David Driesen provided feedback to The Guardian on Donald Trump’s support of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other autocratic leaders.

“Viktor Orbán is known for destroying Hungarian democracy using techniques Trump has tried to copy,” said Driesen. “It was surreal to hear Trump cite Orbán’s praise as validation of his own leadership.”