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Criminal Law, Procedure, and Policy Speaker Series (2025-26)

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.

PresentationSpeaker and Date
The Role of a ProsecutorThe Honorable Margaret Garnett, U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York 

August 20, 2025
Representing Police Officers in Section 1983
Litigation		Syracuse University College of Law Professor Katherine Macfarlane

September 3, 2025
Representing AdolescentsAlan Rosenthal L’74, Veteran criminal defense and civil rights attorney

September 22, 2025
A Firsthand Account of the Challenges of Reentry: “Welcome Home from Prison, This Won’t Be Easy”The Honorable Mitchell Katz, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York, in Conversation with Dewayne Comer

September 29, 2025
Reforming Sixth Amendment RightsLisa Bailey Vavonese, Director, Research-Practice Strategies, and Matt Watkins, Senior Media & Policy Advisor, Center for Justice Innovation

October 6, 2025
The Value of Holistic Criminal DefensePiyali Basak, Managing Director at Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem

October 15, 2025
Supreme Court Preview – Criminal CasesLisa Peebles L’92, Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of New York

October 17, 2025
CopagandaAlec Karakatsanis, Founder and Executive Director, Civil Rights Corps and Author of Usual Cruelty and Copaganda

October 27, 2025
Networked Information Technology in Criminal LawProfessor Jessica Eaglin, Cornell University School of Law

November 5, 2025
Prior conviction impeachment: what is it, why is it harmful, and might it be abolished?Professor Anna Roberts, Dean’s Research Scholar, Brooklyn Law School

November 10, 2025
Shielded: How the Police Became UntouchableProfessor Joanna Schwartz, UCLA School of Law

April 16, 2026

Syracuse Medical-Legal Partnership Directors Featured on Upstate Medical University’s The Informed Patient Podcast

The Syracuse Medical-Legal Partnership (SMLP), an interdisciplinary clinical collaboration between the pediatric unit at SUNY Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University College of Law, was recently the focus of Upstate Medical University’s The Informed Patient podcast.

The SMLP provides law students with real-world experience as they work with Upstate medical providers to identify legal issues that might involve the health of patients and their families at SUNY Upstate Medical University’s University Pediatric and Adolescent Center and the Pediatric to Adult Transition Clinic for Complex Health.

SMLP Director and College of Law Professor Suzette Meléndez and Sarah Reckess L’09, SMLP Director and SUNY Medical University Assistant Professor of Bioethics and Humanities, were interviewed for the podcast.

Students in the SMLP are encountering several aspects of the law. “What we have been seeing pretty consistently are housing issues and issues with regard to advance directives. And by that I mean people who think they might need a guardianship or a power of attorney or a health care proxy, something designed to support the patient in making medical decisions,” said Meléndez.

She continues, “We also have seen inquiries about the establishment of wills and estates law, particularly from parents who are seeking to provide for their child long-term, and where that child may have a disability. We also see issues of family law. We see issues with regard to domestic violence. We have seen issues regarding custody and where there’s uncertainty as to which parent gets to make medical decisions concerning that child.”

Professor Jenny Breen Provides Legal Background on Sanctuary Cities

Professor Jenny Breen recently spoke with The Daily Orange on the legal issues around sanctuary cities or jurisdictions and federal immigration law.

According to Breen, sanctuary cities are cities, counties, and states that refuse to enforce federal immigration policies on behalf of the federal government.

Breen said these “sanctuary jurisdictions” are legal under the 10th Amendment, which recognizes states and cities as sovereign entities from the federal government. She said the government cannot “co-opt” cities into doing its work.

Professor Lauryn Gouldin Discusses Recent 2nd Amendment Cases with Law 360

Crandall Melvin Professor of Law Lauryn Gouldin discussed with Law 360 the impact that several recent Federal Circuit Court Second Amendment cases may have on upcoming U.S. Supreme Court cases.

Three years ago, in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, the justices leaned on historical ties to modern firearm laws to rule that New York’s statute restricting carry licenses outside one’s home to those who can show “proper cause” was unconstitutional. Similarly, they may be inclined to strike down the federal gun ban as it applies to nonviolent felons for lack of a historical analog, according to Gouldin.

“There are some direct conflicts between the circuits, and those conflicts are strongest when you have different as-applied challenges for people whose underlying convictions weren’t for violent felonies,” she said.

Professor Emeritus William C. Banks Discusses President Trump Naming Antifa a Terrorist Organization

Professor Emeritus William C. Banks spoke with the Christian Science Monitor on President Trump naming Antifa a terrorist organization after the killing of Charlie Kirk.

“There’s a lot of debate and bluster – particularly when something terrible happens in the United States – [over whether] we need a law criminalizing domestic terrorism,” says Banks. “You can’t do it, because ugly words are protected just as pleasing words are.”

Yet, Mr. Trump is not the first person to suggest a domestic terrorism designation, says Professor Banks. The subject has been a matter of off-and-on debate for years, both on the right and the left. But “cooler heads eventually prevailed,” in those efforts, he says.

“We’ve built our nation on a principle of tolerating dissent,” he adds. “So long as these individuals are merely dissenters, they should be protected by the Constitution. It’s really one of the most important principles in our society.”

‘Cuse Vet Fest Connects Local Veterans with Access to Critical Resources and Partners

The second annual ‘Cuse Vet Fest, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Syracuse VA Medical Center and Syracuse Law’s Military and Veterans Law Society (MVLS) was held in early September in Dineen Hall. The event brought VA services and community partners directly to the community, connecting attendees to VA health care enrollment, VA disability claim support (VBA), VHIC cards, PACT Act information, and Syracuse University veteran resources—a tangible example of why Syracuse University is the Best Place for Veterans.

The impact of ‘Cuse Vet Fest was immediate:

•            Attendees left with completed enrollments or clear next steps on claims and benefits.

•            Thanks to Bond, Schoeneck & King, we offered on-site estate-planning appointments (wills, powers of attorney, advance health care directives).

•            The event spotlighted the 10-year anniversary (2015–2025) of the Betty & Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, showcasing student attorneys working side-by-side with faculty and VA partners.

•            The day underscored SU’s integrated approach—legal, health, and community resources in one place.

College of Law Appoints Randall D. Haimovici L’00, Associate General Counsel of Litigation and Regulatory at Uber Technologies, Inc., to its Board of Advisors

Syracuse University College of Law has appointed Randall D. Haimovici L’00, Associate General Counsel of Litigation and Regulatory at Uber Technologies, Inc., to its Board of Advisors effective September 1, 2025.

“Randy’s an invaluable leader at the largest ridesharing company in the world. We anticipate his incredible experiences will provide our Board and our students with a global perspective on the legal industry and the skills today’s Syracuse Law students need to succeed,” says Dean Terence Lau L’98.

“I am grateful that Randy has joined the Board of Advisors,” says College of Law Board of Advisors Chair Richard M. Alexander L’82. “I look forward to working with him and the other members of the Board in supporting the College’s strategic mission and assisting our students and alumni.”

Haimovici has held the title of Associate General Counsel of Litigation and Regulatory at Uber since May 2023. In this position, he leads and manages litigation and regulatory matters while supervising 45 attorneys and heading three units. Previously, he was an associate general counsel for U.S. Mobility & Canada with Uber (2021 – 2023). He joined Uber in 2016 as director of litigation after working in private practice.

Haimovici earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis, and a J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law. He is a frequent speaker at the College of Law, where he discusses his experience handling and settling complex, high-exposure matters. Haimovici was a member of the California National Guard and served in Operation Desert Storm.

Professor Katherine Macfarlane to Participate in the Federal Reach, Academic Speech: The Legal Limits of Executive Authority in Higher Education symposium at Case Western Reserve University School of Law

On Friday, September 19, Professor Katherine Macfarlane will participate in the Federal Reach, Academic Speech: The Legal Limits of Executive Authority in Higher Education symposium at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Professor Macfarlane will participate in the Executive Authority, Equal Opportunity, and the Fate of DEI Programs panel.