News

Professor Jennifer Breen and Associate Dean Kristen Barnes Awarded 2022 CUSE Grants

May 23, 2022

2022 CUSE Grant Recipients Professor Jennifer Breen and Associate Dean Kristen Barnes

Professor Jennifer Breen and Associate Dean Kristen Barnes have both been awarded 2022 Collaboration for Unprecedented Success and Excellence (CUSE) grants from the Syracuse University Research Office.

Breen will receive a Seed Grant of up to $5,000 for her new research project on the Disparate Responses of Labor Unions to COVID Workplace Protections.

Associate Professor of Sociology Gretchen Purser was a co-primary investigator for this project. The research team is interested in understanding the variation in public health responses to the COVID pandemic from labor unions. According to Breen and Purser’s research, unions are important drivers of political participation, particularly among individuals with low levels of education. The team plans to explore how unions might drive political participation, also considering whether unions counter misinformation on the pandemic.

Barnes will receive an Interdisciplinary Seminar Grant of up to $7,500 for her interdisciplinary series on the Write2Vote: Curricula to Enhance Civic Engagement and Representation.

Barnes is one of the investigators on the team, along with Patrick Berry, Associate Professor of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition, Mark Brockway, Faculty Fellow in Political Science and Religion, Brice Nordquist, Associate Professor and Dean’s Professor of Community Engagement Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition, and Hector Rendon, Assistant Professor of Communications. The primary goal of this interdisciplinary series is to develop and connect civically engaged courses, assignments, and experiences across a range of curricular contexts at Syracuse University and assess the impact of implemented civic engagement for students, instructors, and community partners. Building on the Write2Vote civic engagement framework by a national network of scholars, the team seeks to use course assignments and curricular components to promote civic engagement among students and facilitate representation for marginalized groups in local communities.

In selecting CUSE grants, the panel reviews certain criteria in assessing a competitive number of proposals. Subject matters span from the overall merit of the application to potential success for extramural funding, increased scholarship, enhanced reputation, and success with past intramural funding. The panel also reviews the qualifications of project personnel, adequacy of facilities, and significance of the project regarding relevance and alignment with CUSE program priorities and current or future research trends.

Professor Arlene Kanter Delivers Keynote Speech for Pi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars

May 20, 2022

In late April, Professor Arlene Kanter, Faculty Director of International Programs, was inducted as an honorary member of the Syracuse University Pi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars.

Pi Beta Delta is the first honor society dedicated to recognizing scholarly achievement in international education. Kanter served as the keynote speaker for the 2022 induction ceremony. Among her international law contributions, Kanter worked with the United Nations committee on drafting the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Kanter is pictured here with Nataliya Kolesova, a Ph.D. student from Ukraine who Kanter is advising on her dissertation and teaching in classes at the College of Law.

“It was a great honor for me to present Professor Kanter with the award,” Kolesova said. “I respect her very much and am immensely grateful for the knowledge she has passed on to me. She is my role model.”

College of Law Professor Gregory Germain Discusses Tax Implications in the LeClairRyan Bankruptcy Proceedings

May 18, 2022

In the in-depth Law360.com story, “Last Of LeClairRyan’s Partners Battle Opaque Tax Threat,” Professor Gregory Germain notes that the waiver of a bankruptcy claim based on an unpaid loan should be a concern because debt forgiveness is typically viewed as income for tax purposes.

Germain says former shareholders may be able to avoid the bill if they can establish with the IRS they didn’t receive a benefit from the loan being forgiven.

“If a bankruptcy judge says, ‘You have these 10 partners who might own taxes,’ and the IRS feels there are 20 partners who owe taxes, they’ll go after the 20 partners,” Germain said.

Alexis Telga L’23 Named as Student Representative to the Board of Trustees

May 17, 2022

Alexis Telga L’23, a third-year law student in the College of Law, has been named as the law student representative to the Board of Trustees.

Among other students named to the Board from the Whitman School of Management, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and the College of Arts and Sciences, Telga will serve as a representative of the campus community and share diverse perspectives and insights with the Board and its various committees. She will also serve as a vital voice in helping the University implement strategic objectives in support of its mission and vision.

Telga is joined by academic dean representative Craig Boise, dean of the College of Law, as a representative to the Board of Trustees for the 2022-23 academic year.

College of Law Holds Commencement for Class of 2022

May 17, 2022

Students at the 2022 Commencement Ceremony

On Friday, May 6, Syracuse University College of Law held Commencement for its 199 J.D. and 33 LL.M. graduates. The event, the first in-person Commencement since 2019, featured the first cohort of graduating online J.D. students. Luke Cooper L’01 CEO of Latimer Ventures, Partner at Preface Ventures, and 2022 Visiting Scholar at the University of Maryland Baltimore was the Commencement speaker.

Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud provided remarks and introduced the Hon. Theodore A. McKee L’75 Endowed Law Scholarship, thanks to the generosity of Board of Advisors Member Richard M. Alexander L’82, Chairman of Arnold & Porter, and his wife Emily. The scholarship will provide Syracuse Law students with the education and cultural context to enable them to carry forward the legacy of Judge McKee, who has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for 27 years.

Professor Todd Berger was voted by the J.D. Class of 2022 as the recipient of the Res Ipsa Loquitur Award, given to a faculty member for “service, scholarship, and stewardship” to the students. Professor Richard Risman was voted by the LL.M. Class of 2022 as the recipient of the Lucet Lex Mundum Award, given to a professor who has made a significant impact on the successes and the experiences of the LL.M. students during their studies.

In his remarks to graduates, Cooper emphasized the importance of always embracing the most authentic pieces of ourselves and broadcasting how these strengths can play to our advantage in overcoming challenges. Reflecting on his personal journey, he also encouraged students to find their purpose and to find the “mud” that’s beneath and around all of us, and to ask themselves how they will help clear the mud and bring about a more inclusive world. “A great orator once asked, what’s most important… the flower… or the ground that grows it? In order for the flower to fully blossom and mature it must traverse a muddy path slowly, and with intention, bending it toward the light. That muddy path contains the secrets to its beauty… the secrets to its magic.”

Class of 2022 President Gabriella Kielbasinski remarked, “Class of 2022, we have struggled, and studied, and sacrificed for that idea of a career that we now get to pursue. We have lived through some historic, and sometimes exhausting moments, and while today is a great triumph, I also know that some of us feel like we just need a second to catch our breaths, but I have high hopes for our futures. Because, yes, these have been unprecedented times, but I believe that unprecedented times can only create unprecedented lawyers.”

LL.M. Student Bar Association Representative Sindy Perez Ospino said, “To my fellow LLM classmates, I want to acknowledge the unique challenges that we as international students sometimes face. But, in a year rocked by invasions, coups, human rights violations, and a pandemic, we must remember that we have to be resilient and continue fighting for our dreams, to speak up, and not give up. Thank you, LL.M. students, for showing me the meaning of kindness, resilience, and brotherhood. “

Burton Blatt Institute Study Featured in Legal Management’s “Best Practices for Making Your Law Firm More Inclusive for People with Disabilities”

May 16, 2022

A study by the College of Law’s Burton Blatt Institute and the ABA was recently featured in “Best Practices for Making Your Law Firm More Inclusive for People with Disabilities”, by Legal Management, the Magazine of ALA.

According to the study, “people with a health condition or impairment, and who identify as a person with a disability, reported experiencing proportionately more overt forms of discrimination, such as bullying and harassment, as compared to people who do not have such conditions.”

The article goes on to discuss four tips for law firms to make sure diversity policies don’t fall short when it comes to accessibility, including building policies collaboratively, creating an accepting culture that encourages self-identification, encouraging broad participation, and being intentional with policies and accommodations.

Hannah Gavin L’23 Awarded the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Family Member Scholarship

May 11, 2022

Hannah Gavin L’23 has been awarded the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Family Member Scholarship by the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs (OVMA). Part of Syracuse’s commitment to being the best home for veterans and their families, these awards provide impactful financial assistance to military-connected students.

Gavin’s father, a veteran, attended Syracuse University to pursue a degree in education. The experiences he shared with Hannah inspired her to follow in his footsteps at the University, with the goal of pursuing a law degree. Gavin, a second-year student in the College of Law, has dreamt of being a lawyer since she was a young child and hopes to one day become a family law attorney to support families across the country and the world.

“I hope to pursue a career in a public interest firm providing legal support to those unable to afford private counsel,” she says.

This scholarship will allow Gavin to participate in internships this summer and next year to pursue that career.

First Generation Law Student Association (FGLSA) Provides Support to Students

May 11, 2022

2L Erica Glastetter created the First Generation Law Students Association in the fall of 2021, connecting with her other first-generation classmates to develop a network of mentors and prepare for the demands of the law school experience. As reported by the Daily Orange, FGLSA collaborates with the admissions office at the College of Law to connect with applicants who identify as first-generation law students. Around 60 mentors and mentees participated in the program this year, including 2L Caroline Synakowski, FGLSA’s treasurer.

“Imposter syndrome is a very real issue for law students and especially first-generation law students,” Synakowski said. “Knowing that I am surrounded by people with similar backgrounds and life experiences is a truly encouraging thing to have.”

FGLSA works with the College of Law’s JDinteractive program, along with similar groups at schools like Yale University and Seton Hall University. Voted the 2021-22 Student Organization of the Year by the Student Bar Association, the group is growing in both size and reach, recently announcing a new scholarship that will help pay for an SU first-generation law student’s education.

“We just formed this built-in support system,” Glastetter said. “If you’re struggling with something, we’re there to give you advice or tell you what not to do, because we learned the hard way by doing it ourselves.”

New Syracuse Law Scholarship Honors the Ongoing Legacy of the Hon. Theodore A. McKee L’75

May 10, 2022

The Hon. Theodore A. McKee L'75 (left) and Chancellor Kent Syverud (right.) — College of Law Commencement, 2022

(Syracuse, NY | MAY 11, 2022) Syracuse University College of Law is pleased to announce the establishment of the Hon. Theodore A. McKee L’75 Endowed Law Scholarship with a generous gift from Syracuse University Trustee and College of Law Board of Advisors Member Richard M. Alexander L’82, a partner at Arnold & Porter, and his wife Emily.

The announcement of the scholarship in the name of Judge McKee, a Syracuse University Life Trustee and an honorary member of the College of Law Board of Advisors, came at the College’s Commencement ceremony on May 6, before the Class of 2022 and Judge McKee’s family, including several of his judicial clerks.

The Hon. Theodore A. McKee L’75 Endowed Law Scholarship will provide Syracuse Law students with the education and cultural context to enable them to carry forward the legacy of Judge McKee, who has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for more than 27 years.

“This scholarship honors a College of Law legend and one of its foremost pioneers, who as a jurist has earned praise for his fairness, compassion, and incisive questioning from the bench, and whose public service is grounded in a deep concern for social justice,” says Dean Craig M. Boise. “The Alexanders’ generous gift ensures that Judge McKee’s legacy is enshrined at the College and that, in his name, we can assist and inspire students whose backgrounds and experiences will bring diverse perspectives to the College and the practice of law.”

Judge McKee graduated from the College of Law in 1975 magna cum laude and as a member of the Order of the Coif and the Justinian Honorary Law Society. He began his legal career in private practice in Philadelphia, PA, before entering public service as an Assistant US Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He then served as Deputy City Solicitor for Philadelphia, as a lecturer at Rutgers Law School, and as General Counsel for the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

Judge McKee first took the bench in 1984 on the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County. After a decade of service, he was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit by President William J. Clinton in 1994, receiving his confirmation and commission later that same year. Judge McKee served as the court’s Chief Judge from 2010 to 2016.

As to the scholarship, Richard and Emily Alexander said, “We are delighted to be able to honor Judge McKee’s distinguished service to our country, his commitment to social justice, and his passion for Syracuse University, by supporting scholarships to deserving students at the College of Law.”

Upon hearing the news of Alexander’s gift, Judge McKee said, “I am humbled beyond words by the generosity and thoughtfulness of the Alexander family in endowing a scholarship in my honor.” He continued, “the legal education I received from Syracuse University has allowed me to compete with graduates of any law school in the country, and I am very thankful that this scholarship will help me to give back to the university that has done so much for me.”

For more information, or to contribute to the Hon. Theodore A. McKee L’75 Endowed Law Scholarship, please contact Assistant Dean for Advancement and External Affairs Sophie Dagenais 315.443.1964 or sulaw@syr.edu.

Ryan Marquette L’22 Announced as Syracuse University Student Veteran of the Year for 2022

May 10, 2022

Ryan Marquette L’22 is Syracuse University’s 2022 Student Veteran of the Year, awarded by the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA). This award is presented each year to a student who contributes both on and off campus to make Syracuse University “the best place for veterans.”

Highlighted in this SU news article by Ausin Philleo, Marquette is a U.S. Army veteran and active member of the Army National Guard. He was a student veteran in the College of Law while simultaneously pursuing a master’s of public administration at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. While his studies kept him busy, Marquette also regularly involved himself with veteran functions on campus and in the community and found the time to volunteer for the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, serving as a guest speaker at a Fort Drum Onward the Opportunity graduation.

The article notes that during the height of COVID-19 in 2020, Marquette had to juggle school and his active role as a member of the National Guard as he responded to the pandemic in New York State. His efforts led to the distribution of 147,809 COVID tests, 36,661 meals, and 507 medical supply deliveries across the state. Off-campus, he leads the Leader-Scholar Scholarship in Rome, New York, where one student is awarded a scholarship for their leadership efforts throughout their high school career and volunteer work in their community. The scholarship was named after Marquette’s friend, Capt. John Levulis, who lost his life in a military training accident.

Marquette served as the president of the Operation Veteran Advocacy group at the College of Law and was an executive board member of the Syracuse Law Review. His list of accomplishments while at the University includes receiving the 2021 Student Veterans Organization’s Best for Vets award and serving as the first-ever law school appointee to the Syracuse University Board of Trustees, amongst other contributions to the community.