Professor of Law Gregory L. Germain taught his last class on November 20. Germain had been a professor at Syracuse Law since 2002.
He published widely on bankruptcy, including the book “Bankruptcy Law and Practice, A Casebook Designed to Train Lawyers for the Practice of Bankruptcy Law,” now in its fourth edition. Germain also launched Syracuse Law’s Bankruptcy Clinic in 2009.
Crandall Melvin Professor of Law Shubha Ghosh spoke with Law 360 on antitrust issues that may arise from the proposed merger between Netflix and Warner Bros.
Ghosh likened the current case to the DOJ’s failed challenge to AT&T’s purchase of Time Warner. That case was the first litigated vertical merger challenge in four decades, helping pave the way for more challenges in recent years.
“Expect similar dynamics for Netflix and WarnerMedia with perhaps some divestiture from Netflix’s presence in streaming, production, and distribution,” said Ghosh.
Professor Lauryn Gouldin, the Laura J. & L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence 2022-2025, will present a draft of her upcoming paper Crime-Specific Searches at the December 12 Markelloquium. The Markelloquium aims for a colloquium-style in-depth discussion of works in progress in the field of criminal law and procedure.
Jerusa Ferreira L’24 recently brought together members of the Syracuse Law L.L.M. Class of 2024 for a reunion in São Paulo, Brazil. Even though they’ve graduated and returned to their home countries, our international alumni are staying connected and keeping the Syracuse spirit alive across continents.
Thank you, Jerusa, for reminding us that the bonds formed at Syracuse Law extend far beyond graduation—and far beyond borders.
Pictured below from the Class of 2024: Jerusa Gabriela Ferreira, Renata Maximiano, Renata Felipe Ferrari, Flavia Bornéo Func, Renato Henry Sant’Anna, and Claudio André Raposo Machado Costa.
Assistant Dean Lily Yan Hughes is a recipient of the 2025 Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the organization’s highest honor.
As Assistant Dean, Hughes oversees strategy and operations for the Admissions and Financial Aid Office, the Marketing and Communications Office, the Office of Career Services, and SU Abroad. Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud appointed Hughes to the University Leadership Team in the 2023-2024 academic year, and she continues to serve in that capacity.
Hughes is currently Chair and has served on the Board of Directors of DirectWomen, a non-profit focused on increasing opportunities in the corporate board room, since October 2021 and, in October 2025, was elected as an Independent Director of Allbirds, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIRD), where she chairs the Sustainability, Nomination & Governance Committee and also serves on their Management Compensation & Leadership Committee.
Before joining the law school in 2021, Hughes practiced law for several decades, including as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Fortune 500 Arrow Electronics and S&P 500 Public Storage.
“I want to congratulate Lily and the other outstanding recipients of this high honor,” said College of Law Dean Terence Lau. “Lily is an invaluable member of the College of Law and Syracuse University leadership who tirelessly works to ensure our students have an outstanding experience and can fulfill their career aspirations.”
The Daniel K. Inouye Trailblazer Award celebrates the outstanding achievements of lawyers whose leadership and dedication have left a profound mark on both the legal profession and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. This lifetime achievement award recognizes those whose vision, courage, and commitment have opened doors and paved the way for future generations of attorneys.
“I am humbled and honored to receive this prestigious award in the name of Senator Inouye,” said Hughes. “As I look back at my career at the time of this award, what I’m proudest of isn’t a title or a deal — it’s the people. The young lawyers who walked into my office unsure are now leading with confidence, mentoring others, and lifting as they climb. That’s what trailblazing really means. It’s not about being first. It’s about making sure you’re not the last.”
Professor of Law Cora True-Frost G’01, L’01, recently spoke with the Telegraph on the legal issues surrounding the New York City Mayor-elect’s statement that he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he traveled to New York City. Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has stated that he would honor the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu.
True-Frost, the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence 2024-2027, said that while Mamdani’s pledge to arrest Netanyahu was “politically very significant,” it would be difficult to fulfil.
“Foreign affairs and policy are the exclusive power of the federal government, and this administration would almost certainly claim head of state immunity for Netanyahu,” True-Frost said.
“That the US is not a party to the ICC does not in itself preclude Americans from cooperating with the ICC, though this administration is hostile towards it and has sanctioned ICC staff. Were Netanyahu travelling to New York City to visit the United Nations, the Convention on Privileges and Immunities and the UN Headquarters Agreement which protect visiting diplomats from arrest would further constrain Mamdani’s ability to make good on this threat,” said True-Frost.
Jill Nelsen L’27 grew up in California playing soccer and loving sports. She was recruited to California State-East Bay with a four-year athletic scholarship to play women’s varsity soccer, while also earning a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. When she later decided to pursue law school, she hoped to stay connected to the world of sports and entertainment—but she never imagined that Syracuse University College of Law would open doors to opportunities like Miami Swim Week and New York Fashion Week.
During her 1L year, Nelsen joined the Entertainment & Sports Law Society (ESLS) often attending networking events with alumni thriving in this space. At one such event, she met Riley Christian L’16, now an entertainment and sports attorney with Artifex Athleta P.C., a firm he founded in 2022.
Nelsen and Christian had a lot in common, as she had been a collegiate soccer player and he a collegiate baseball player. At the time, Christian was rebranding his boutique law firm in New York City to focus more on the areas of sports and entertainment that dealt with navigating the NCAA’s new Name Image and Likeness (NIL) rules for college athletes and handling legal issues related to artificial intelligence in the entertainment and music business.
She reached out to Christian shortly thereafter, asking if he might need an intern, and he agreed to bring her onboard. At first, she helped navigate the logo development for the firm’s rebranding, later moving on to legal research for defamation cases, statute of limitations issues, trademark infringements, and intellectual property, while learning as much as she could about the ever-evolving NIL rules.
While all of this experience at her internship was very exciting, two highlights were attending Miami Swim Week and New York Fashion Week.
“Riley knew these big events would be good networking experiences for me, and he also knew I liked to talk to people and that would be a good way to spread the word about the rebranding of Artifex Athleta,” she explains.
The annual Miami Swim Week is the world’s largest swimwear and resort wear event that includes runway fashion shows, trade shows, and pop-up shops, as well as the chance to meet and network with all kinds of people connected to this area of fashion— from designers and buyers to athletes, agents, and the media.
“Yes, it was focused on swimwear, but there are so many aspects of the law attached to the fashion space, including trademarks, sponsorships, and negotiating and closing NIL and more,” she explains. “It was a fascinating experience to see it in action.”
She also attended New York Fashion Week, one of the “big four” fashion events in the world, showcasing what’s going to be “in” for the upcoming season. The biannual event includes exclusive runway shows by world-class designers that are attended by celebrities, influencers, fashion buyers, and the media. This, too, gave Nelsen an opportunity to network with a host of agents, attorneys, and other business leaders in the fashion space.
“The experience of not only attending these fabulous events but also having the chance to work with Riley helped me begin to make a name for myself as more than just an athlete,” she explains. “The younger version of me would be emotional to see all the things I’ve accomplished both in my course work, as well as internship opportunities. My take away from this entire experience is that I can do it, and there are people who truly believe in me and see my potential.”
After completing her education at Syracuse Law, Nelsen’s dream is to one day work as general counsel for a National Basketball Association (NBA) or National Football League (NFL) team and negotiate from the team’s side with players and their agents. But her ultimate goal is to one day be a general manager or even owner of a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team.
“Sports, and now working in sports—has always been the dream,” she explains, noting that her older sister has been a role model “moving mountains” as director of services and retention for the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.
“And I’ve also learned a lot about creating space for people like me, particularly as a first-generation Latina woman. I’ve been told I’m too much, too blunt, too Californian, but I’ve also been told ‘don’t dim your light to fit into a box that’s been predefined for you.’ I am proud to be a Syracuse Law student with the opportunity to contribute to uplifting women in the sports and entertainment business and also within the legal field. That is a real win for me.”
Associate Professor of Law Jenny Breen discussed legal issues surrounding the appointment of Acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone to be the federal prosecutor covering Upstate New York with Syracuse.com. New York Attorney General Letitia James is arguing that Sarcone was improperly appointed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Recent rulings in two similar cases found that the appointment of other acting U.S. Attorneys was illegal.
“I think James has a very strong case that he (Sarcone) was unlawfully appointed,” Breen said. “The facts are very similar, but not identical. It seems like the Trump administration is doing this around the country to avoid the Senate process of advice and consent.”
Crandall Melvin Professor of Law Shubha Ghosh contributed an expert analysis article to Law 360. In the article, Meta Monopoly Ruling Highlights Limits Of Market Definition, Ghosh writes:
“What may once have been monopoly power for Meta in the social networking market, now is cured with competition pressure from social media platforms. The logical conclusion, as Judge Boasberg writes in his 89-page opinion, is there cannot be monopolization by Meta if Meta does not possess monopoly power.”
A message from Dean Terence Lau:
This is a profound loss for our community. Gary was a cornerstone of Syracuse University College of Law for fifty years, joining our faculty in 1975 and retiring just this past year in 2025. His impact on generations of students, colleagues, and legal professionals cannot be overstated.
A gifted teacher with an extraordinary memory, Gary was known for his ability to recall, in astonishing detail, cases, citations, and the doctrinal nuances that shaped the fields he loved. He taught an exceptional range of courses over the decades, including Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Federal Indian Law, Federal Courts, and Conflict of Laws. His students, many of whom went on to serve as judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and leaders across New York State and the nation, regularly spoke of his rigor, high expectations, and deep commitment to their education.
Gary’s career reflected a rare blend of scholarly depth, teaching excellence, and meaningful engagement with the profession. His scholarship focused on the development of criminal procedure in New York State, and he shared his expertise widely through judicial trainings, attorney education programs, and service on statewide initiatives, including a gubernatorial appointment to the Grand Jury Project.
His professional service was equally remarkable. Over the years, he served as Chief Assistant District Attorney in Onondaga County, co-counsel in the Oneida land claim litigation, and counsel to several law firms. His work on behalf of victims targeted under J. Edgar Hoover earned him the Cleveland ACLU’s Civil Libertarian of the Year Award in 1978. Gary also co-directed our Law in London Externship Program and was a generous mentor whose door was always open, no matter how busy he was.
Beyond all of these accomplishments, Gary was a cherished colleague, thoughtful, witty, and unfailingly supportive. We know that many in our community will feel this loss deeply.
Read his obituary.
