Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently extended protections for the nursing home industry from COVID-19-related liability lawsuits, in addition to reducing the amount of resident care the facilities are required to provide residents. According to Professor Nina Kohn, this is a dangerous step in the wrong direction for resident well-being.
“Research shows that both staffing levels and the availability of skilled nursing staff are important predictors of the quality of care that nursing home residents receive,” said Kohn, an expert in elder law. “Florida’s new law reduces the number of hours of certified nursing staff time that facilities must provide to residents each day. This opens the door to nursing homes substituting trained staff for essentially unskilled labor. That is dangerous for residents and a clear step in the wrong direction.”
The full Lever News article includes additional details on the nationwide pattern of shielding nursing homes from lawsuits, and how some facilities are reducing the quantity and quality of care to cut costs.
Hannah R. Arterian, dean emerita of Syracuse University’s College of Law who oversaw the building and opening of the school’s state-of-the-art facility, Dineen Hall, died April 8 in Los Angeles. She was 72.
Arterian served as dean of the College of Law from 2003-15. During her tenure, she increased the quality and size of the college’s faculty, diversified educational opportunities for students, and brought Dineen Hall, one of the most ambitious building projects in the University’s history, to life. The College of Law moved into Dineen Hall, a 200,000-square-foot building on the western side of campus, in August 2014. The building brought together the law school community under one roof for the first time and has been rated as one of the most architecturally attractive law school buildings in the world.
“Our College of Law community mourns the loss of Dean Emerita Hannah Arterian,” says Craig Boise, dean of the College of Law. “Her leadership and influence, her impact on the lives of countless alumni, faculty, and staff, and her many accomplishments as dean, including the successful fundraising campaign that gave us Dineen Hall, will always be a part of our story.”
Arterian was raised in Staten Island and attended Elmira College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature magna cum laude in 1970 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She attended the University of Iowa College of Law, where she was the first woman to hold an editorial position on the Iowa Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif.
After earning her juris doctorate, Arterian worked for the New York City law firm Dewey, Ballantine, Bushby, Palmer & Wood, practicing corporate tax law. She then returned to University of Iowa’s law school as a visiting professor and joined the faculty in 1978, one of the first women to teach at the college.
Arterian went on to hold teaching positions at Arizona State University (ASU) and University of Houston’s law schools before returning to ASU in 1985. Arterian became the first woman to serve as the college’s associate dean in 1992. When she began teaching at ASU in 1979, she was the only woman on the college’s law faculty and only the second to hold a faculty position in living memory. There, she taught courses on labor relations, employment law, and employment discrimination and wrote in the area of Title VII— particularly on the dilemmas for pregnant women employed in chemically toxic work environments.
She was named the 11th dean of Syracuse University’s College of Law—and the second woman appointed to the position—in 2002. She fundraised $1 million during the first year of her tenure and laid the groundwork for financial success and opportunities for the school. Arterian cultivated a diverse and accomplished faculty, developed relationships with alumni across the globe, and recruited many of the college’s board of advisors, with the long-term goal of increasing the quality of the college’s legal education and constructing a new building.
Arterian introduced an expanded orientation program for incoming students into the College of Law, which included alumni from all over the United States, as well as formal ceremonies to welcome new students into the college. One of her major projects was building the College of Law’s alumni association, as well as reinvigorating alumni connections to the school.
She worked with colleagues to forge strong relationships with Korean alumni by attending annual meetings and alumni events in Seoul. These visits included visiting the Korean Constitutional Court and discussing U.S. and Korean Supreme Court decisions with justices of the Korean Supreme Court. These international connections were also cultivated through Arterian’s work with colleagues to further develop the Law in London Program. Many programs and institutes, such as the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (now the Institute for Security Policy and Law); the Institute for the Study of the Judiciary, Politics, and Media; the Veterans Legal Clinic (now the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic); Securities, Arbitration and Consumer Law Clinic; Elder Law Clinic; and the externship program, were created, expanded and/or fostered under Arterian’s leadership.
With her colleagues and the Board of Advisors, Arterian raised $40 million to construct Dineen Hall, one of the nation’s premier law facilities.
“She is part of the ethos of that place. She was a visionary,” says Alexandra Epsilanty L’92, former associate dean of advancement in the College of Law and a close colleague of Arterian.
“Dineen Hall and the education of the next generation of legal minds are part of her legacy. She fought tooth and nail for the law school. It was like one of her kids. She cared about the law because she cared about civil society.”
During her tenure at ASU and at the College of Law, Arterian worked with the American Bar Association (ABA) to perform site inspections of law schools throughout the country and assess the qualifications of nominees to the federal judiciary and served on committees for the ABA, as well as the American Association of Law Schools. She was also a co-editor, with Jeremy Paul, of the SSRN Journal on Legal Education. In 2007, Arterian aided in the vetting process of then-vice-presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden Jr. L’68. In 2009, she joined AccessLex Institute (formerly Access Group), a nonprofit comprising representatives of accredited law schools with the mission of education financing and debt management for law graduates, as well as investigating loan options and loan policy advocacy. After becoming a member of its executive committee in 2011, Arterian was elected as the chair of the AccessLex Board of Directors in 2014.
Arterian is survived by her children, William Furnish, Susannah Arterian, Diana Arterian, and Cordelia Arterian; three granddaughters, Marnie and Celeste Arterian, and Helena Muñoz Furnish, and her sister, Susan Arterian.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the organizations Arterian held dear—the Fresh Air Fund, Humane Society Legislative Fund, or to your own alma mater or institution of learning.
By Robert Nassau, Associate Director, Office of Clinical Legal Education; Director, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic; and Teaching Professor
Robert Nassau
Except for two weeks at the start of the spring semester, things were pretty much back to normal in the Office of Clinical Legal Education during the 2021–2022 academic year . . . although it’s probably more accurate to say: “back to a new normal.”
While in-person meetings between Student Attorneys, Clinic Directors, and clients resumed, Zoom meetings and hearings are certainly not a thing of the past and will likely remain prevalent moving forward. It’s hard to imagine what current legal practice would look like if the pandemic had not occurred, although it likely just accelerated a move to more online, hybrid, and remote work—something our Student Attorneys gained experience doing throughout the year.
Below are brief summaries of some of the amazing work performed by our Student Attorneys and Clinic Directors during the past academic year. These summaries are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg for all that we have accomplished. To repeat what I wrote last year: while the pandemic has created significant obstacles, it also provided teachable moments and learning opportunities that will better prepare our Student Attorneys for legal practice in a post-pandemic world.
CLINIC REPORTS
Bankruptcy Clinic
Director: Adjunct Professor Lee E. Woodard
The Bankruptcy Clinic had a successful and busy year with a Student Attorney enrollment of ten new students (plus one or two returning Clinic II students) each semester. The Clinic filed between 20 and 30 Chapter 7 bankruptcy petitions for clients. Several Student Attorneys obtained 2022 Summer Clerkships in the Bankruptcy Departments of “Big Law” firms, and one of our former Student Attorneys became a confidential law clerk to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge for the Utica Division of the Northern District of New York.
Clinic students are rewarded by helping their clients get a new post-bankruptcy start in their lives. Between inflation and the end of COVID stimulus funds, bankruptcy cases will continue to be on the rise for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Bankruptcy Clinic will continue to be a needed and valuable resource in our community.
Judge Ramon Rivera administers the oath to student lawyers.
Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic
Executive Director: Professor Elizabeth Kubala
The Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic (VLC) provides representation for veterans and their families who are either seeking benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) or upgrading a military discharge.
Student Attorneys in the VLC performed a broad array of administrative actions and court appeals to challenge wrongful denials of federal veterans’ benefits. The students adapted to the VA’s new tele-hearing format and regularly appeared with their clients before Veterans Law Judges at the Board of Veterans Appeals. Appeals to the Board involved issues. Students collaborated to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims on cases dealing with a veteran’s chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as a deceased veteran’s claim for asbestos exposure that his widow is continuing to pursue on his behalf Finally, Student Attorneys are practicing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on behalf of a widow who has been denied the military’s survivor benefit plan.
Over the past year, Student Attorneys in the VLC embraced new and innovative ways to best serve our community’s veterans. In the fall of 2021, the Office of Clinical Education migrated its law practice management system to a new cloud-based legal platform that provides students with direct experience with industry-leading law practice management technology. Our students are getting hands-on experience managing the daily tasks of running a law firm and technical experience in matter management, timekeeping, and management skills that provide them a competitive edge for their future legal careers.
The VLC remains engaged with the local community. As part of the Central New York Veterans Parade and Expo, Student Attorneys from the VLC teamed up with the Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY for Valor Day at the New York State Fairgrounds where Clinic students and local attorneys provided free legal consultations for veterans and their family members as part of our area’s Veterans Day events.
The VLC joined SyracuseServes this year, an initiative of Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families. In collaboration with the City of Syracuse, the SyracuseServes network connects veterans and their families to local community providers to ensure that care, resources, and services are easily and successfully navigable. Student Attorneys in the VLC are trained to identify veteran clients who require resources beyond the legal services we provide. The VLC then refers those veterans to SyracuseServes for efficient and timely support.
Events like Law Alumni Weekend strengthen connections between the VLC and our alumni. In 2021, the VLC hosted an event titled “Serving Veterans at the College of Law and in the Community.” Current VLC students shared clinic and Syracuse University-wide updates and impact with our alumni. The oldest living College of Law alumnus and WWII and Korean War-era veteran, Robert Gang L’42, 104, was recognized in front of current faculty, alumni, students, and honored guests
Rising 3Ls Ryan Carson, Domenica “Sunny” Lostritto, and Abigail Gorzlancyk
Wrapping up the year, three students from the VLC traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims 15th Judicial Conference. Students gleaned valuable insights into new developments in Veterans Law from judges, government attorneys, private practitioners, and public officials. A highlight of the conference was hearing from Senator Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough who addressed attendees and answered questions. All three students who attended the Conference have internships this summer in the field of veteran law.
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Director: Professor Robert Nassau
The operative word this year in the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), for both Student Attorneys and our clients, has been “patience.” As the media have accurately reported, anything involving the Internal Revenue Service or the United States Tax Court takes a very long time to reach a resolution. It can easily take a year for the IRS to review an Amended Return, a taxpayer’s response to an Audit Letter, or a Petition filed with the Tax Court. Hopefully, these timelines will improve soon.
In the meantime, the Student Attorneys of the LITC continue their work as the “Public Defenders of Tax.” Among the many tax controversies that LITC Student Attorneys helped resolve this year were those involving: the earned income tax credit and other child-based tax benefits; stimulus payments; identity theft; innocent spouse relief; and collection alternatives. Perhaps most notably, LITC Student Attorneys obtained a client’s proper New York State tax refund, after a hearing in the Bureau of Conciliation and Mediation Services; and successfully resolved a long-running Tax Court case involving the proper tax treatment of a post-bankruptcy deed in lieu of foreclosure.
Transactional Law Clinic
Director: Professor Jessica Murray
The Transactional Law Clinic (TLC) has been working with many clients in food-related businesses who are interested in protecting their brands with a U.S. or New York State trademark registration. (It is probably not a coincidence that Clinic Director Jessica Murray loves food and cooking.) Clinic trademark clients have included entrepreneurs with pudding, taco, pasta sauce, olive oil, and vegan cheese businesses.
With the involvement of Student Attorneys during four successive academic years, the TLC successfully registered two trademarks for The Shuga Pie Shop (name used with permission), a bakery that sells exclusively what they call “cake sandwiches,” delicious sandwiches made of two circles of cake with frosting between them, in many creative flavors.
One of the many benefits of being back in person: this year’s Student Attorneys were able to celebrate their work when The Shuga Pie Shop provided samples for the class. Services provided by the TLC to The Shuga Pie Shop included submitting trademark applications and responding to several Office Actions, resulting in the successful registration of the marks.
The TLC participates in the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Law School Certification Program. As part of that program, representatives of the USPTO visited the TLC and the College of Law’s Intellectual Property Law Society—via Zoom—to discuss the work of the USPTO and careers there.
The TLC also worked with numerous clients who were starting not-for-profit organizations and non-food-related businesses, providing such services as incorporating, dissolving, forming LLCs, obtaining federal and state tax exemptions, counseling about intellectual property rights and protection, and drafting various types of agreements.
The College of Law’s externship program continues to evolve to meet the educational and professional demands of today’s law students, including those in the JDinteractive program, well beyond the core regions of Central New York, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
The summer of 2021 was the first time JDi students participated in externships, joining a growing number of residential students who accelerate their practical experiences and legal skills via field placements to complement lessons learned in the classrooms. With JDi students stationed all over, the program was able to place students throughout the country.
As always, College of Law alumni came out in full force, and with their assistance, the Office of Career Services placed 145 students, including 60 JDi students, in 29 states, for whom the externship is a graduation requirement during the academic year.
As she ramped up the program, Director of Externships and Career Services Dafni Kiritsis ’97 (pictured left) also implemented a few systems changes for real-time data collection and tracking and to ensure ABA compliance.
2022 Program Highlights
JDI:
3L JDi student Meghan Steenburghwas a full-time extern this summer with the Defense Intelligence Agency which has led to a post-graduate employment offer. The DIA is one of the only members of the Intelligence Community to offer legal placements to law students, including three Syracuse Law students in 2022! As an extern at the DIA, Steenburgh gained experience working for an organization that provides military intelligence in support of U.S. military planning and operations and weapon systems acquisition.
NYC:
2L Sam Brewster completed a full-time spring externship with BSE Global, a new externship placement partner in New York City. BSE Global manages and operates Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Long Island Nets. BSE Global also provides several shared services to the New York Liberty, the WNBA sister team of the Brooklyn Nets.
CNY:
This spring, 2L Paul DiPaduaexterned at Carrols Restaurant Group, a new externship placement in Central New York. Carrols Restaurant Group is a dynamic publicly traded company located in Syracuse and is one of the largest restaurant companies in the United States, operating over 1,000 restaurants and employing 25,000 people.
Externship Placements
Of the 145 placements, the overwhelming majority of hosts are College of Law alumni. The success of the externship program is reliant on these partnerships. The College of Law thanks all placement hosts for their support.
Summer 2021 Externship Placements
JDi Externships:
Apple
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Legal Aid Hawaii
International Reproductive Law Group Inc. Page Law Firm, LLC
Lewis & Clark Criminal Justice Reform Clinic Washington Appeals Court
New Jersey Superior Court, Judge Rodney Thompson L’93 Legal Aid of Southeastern PA
Montana Legal Services Association
CNY:
Syracuse City Corporation Counsel
United States Attorney’s Office for the NDNY United States Attorney’s Office for the WDNY Gregg A. Starczewski, Esq.
The 2021-22 academic year marked another first for the College of Law, with the matriculation of the inaugural cohort of Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) students. Comparable to Ph.D. programs in other disciplines, S.J.D. is an advanced research doctorate program during which students work under the supervision of a College of Law faculty member to produce an original dissertation that makes a substantial contribution to legal scholarship.
Inaugural S.J.D cohort with Professor Kanter and Assistant Dean Horsfall
“The College of Law’s new S.J.D. program builds on our highly successful LL.M. program that offers unique specialties in international and comparative disability law, national and international security law, technology and innovation law, as well as other disciplines,” says Professor and Faculty Director of International Programs Arlene Kanter.
“Syracuse also offers S.J.D. students the opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary coursework and academic engagement with other academic programs of Syracuse University—an R1 research institution— including at the world-renowned Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication, and Whitman School of Management.”
Four students entered the S.J.D. program this year:
Ricardo Britto Pereira LL.M.’18 from Brazil, to focus his research and dissertation on expanding enforceable legal protections for people with disabilities who face discrimination in employment in Brazil. His advisor is Professor Antonio Gidi.
Jawad Salman LL.M.’18 from the Palestinian Authority, to focus his research and dissertation on the taxation of foreign income by the United States, the Palestinian Authority, and Israel. His advisor is Professor Robert Nassau.
Renci “Mercy” Xie LL.M.’20 from China, to focus her research and dissertation on the role of human rights indicators in advancing the right to inclusive education for students with disabilities in China pursuant to Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Her advisor is Professor Arlene Kanter.
Yohannes Takele Zewale LL.M.’19 from Ethiopia, to focus his research on a comparative legal analysis of the application of “reasonable accommodation” requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Ethiopian law. His advisor is Professor Michael Schwartz.
Including the S.J.D. students, nearly 50 students and scholars representing the legal education systems of 21 countries attended the College of Law in its International Programs in 2021-22. Forty-two LL.M. students took classes at the College of Law this year, 24 of whom graduated in the spring of 2022.
Visiting Scholars
The College of Law also welcomed three semester-long exchange students from Italy and visiting scholars from Brazil, Georgia, Japan, and South Korea in the spring of 2022. They joined their counterparts who had arrived in the fall of 2021 from Brazil, Georgia, India, Japan, Poland, and South Korea.
The College’s visiting scholars program provides a unique opportunity for researchers worldwide to work with the College of Law’s renowned faculty, observe course lectures, use Syracuse’s state-of-the-art facilities, access vast print and digital library collections and reference librarians, and share their expertise with the College of Law community. Visitors are integrated into the academic life of the College, assigned a faculty advisor, and participate in and attend public lectures and faculty workshops.
International Scholar Lecture Series
In the spring, Syracuse Law students learned new and broad perspectives from lawyers around the world through the College’s international scholar lecture series. Lectures covered a wide array of subjects, including:
LL.M. student Beheshta Rasekh presents “The Winding Road to Justice for Women in Afghanistan
“Perhaps Everything is Going to Be Fine(d): Pecuniary Sanctions and the Path towards Indonesian Criminal Justice Reform” by LL.M. student Sabrina Nadilla.
“The Winding Road to Justice for Women in Afghanistan” by LL.M. student Beheshta Rasekh.
“The Metaverse: The Future of the Internet or a Futuristic Idea? Copyright Challenges in the Metaverse” by Visiting Scholar and Fulbright Fellow Levan Nanobashvili.
As a part of the lecture series, S.J.D. students also presented their research to the Syracuse community:
“No Free Rides Anymore: A New Tax Policy!” by Jawad Salman.
“Enforcing International Law to Enforce Systemic Employment Discrimination Protections in the Workplace Through Union- Initiated Class Actions” by Ricardo Jose Macedo De Britto Pereira.
“Voting Systems and Their Implications for Representing Persons with Disabilities” by Yohannes Takele Zewale. “Human Rights Indicators, A New Way to Think about
Protecting Human Rights” by Renci (Mercy) Xie.
“Unions’ Class Actions Against Systemic Discrimination in the Workplace in the United States and Brazil” by Ricardo Jose Macedo De Britto Pereira.
“Beyond Laws and Numbers: What Happens in the Real World?” by Renci (Mercy) Xie.
“The Legal System and Policy of the Taxation of Foreign Income of The Palestinian Authority and Israel Within the Vision of the U.S. Tax Legal Policy and International Economics” by Jawad Salman.
New and Renewed Partnerships
The newly launched partnership between the College of Law and the Republic of Georgia Bar Association (GBA) earlier this academic year yielded a five-part lecture series to members of the GBA in the spring to discuss a range of topics that covered foundational aspects of the U.S. legal system, and nuances of criminal procedure, commercial law, national security law, and intellectual property.
The College of Law was a natural partner for this inaugural institutional effort, given the broad expertise of our faculty, overall interest in supporting internationalization efforts, and alumni members of the GBA.
Executive Director of the GBA Giorgi Tshekhani praised the partnership, commenting that “while enhancing the quality of justice in Georgia is one of our priorities as well as main challenges, sharing of knowledge and experience from our highly qualified U.S. colleagues is of significant importance. I would like to thank the representatives and professors of the S.U. College of Law for their active and valuable involvement in the lecture cycle.”
This partnership not only promotes the expertise of the College of Law faculty, but also advances the teaching of law and exposure to diverse perspectives beyond borders and provides visibility to prospective students in countries around the world.
A guest lecturer in the series, on United States Criminal Procedure, Professor Todd Berger explained, “this program builds on several different international collaborations that we’ve done with other academic institutions over the years, connecting us with actual practicing lawyers in other countries. Each partnership, including this one with the GBA, shines a bright light on key differences and new perspectives from around the world that are illuminating to our faculty as we conduct our own research and incorporate abundant points of comparison from which to learn in our classrooms.”
In a similar spirit of partnership, Professors Jamie Baker and Cora True-Frost L’01 traveled to the University of Bialystok in May for a training and research visit. While there, they each delivered public lectures and met with members of the faculty, students, and the local judiciary to discuss topics around human rights, migration, and the rule of law, all within the context of the current war in Ukraine.
Building upon past relationships, the College of Law renewed partnerships this year with Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland), including ongoing visiting faculty members and an online international criminal law course co-taught by faculty from both colleges, and with the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the University of Florence (both in Italy), who send visiting scholars to the College of Law on a regular basis.
Glowing Reviews and Looking Forward
According to a recent survey sent to 193 alumni regarding their LL.M. degree, over 90% said they would recommend the program to others due to their positive experience. Over half of the College of Law LL.M. alumni obtained a new job within a year after graduation with their new skills and qualifications, and nine percent chose to continue their education. The College’s Office of International Programs looks forward to continuing to evolve and enhance our programs and partnerships in the 2022-23 academic year, equipping new classes of future Orange lawyers with the tools they need to succeed.
This was another groundbreaking year for the Travis H. D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society (AHS), adding additional “firsts” to its long list of accomplishments.
In the first-of-its-kind trial competition format, the National Trial League (NTL) kicked off in the fall of 2021. Developed by Director of Advocacy Programs Professor Todd Berger, NTL enables schools across the country to participate in a competitive, short-form online setting throughout the semester. Over three months of rigorous online competition from August through November, teams competed in seven rounds with six different fact patterns. With two conferences of six teams each—like a typical sports league— the top four teams advanced to the playoffs based on their overall win/loss records. Congratulations to the winner and runner-up of the final round, St. Mary’s University School of Law and the University of South Carolina School of Law!
In another first, AHS partnered with the National Disabled Law Students Association (NDLSA) to co-host the inaugural National Disability Law Appellate Competition (NDLAC), held virtually in March 2022. This new advocacy competition featured teams from law schools across the country to argue a significant and timely legal issue in disability law regarding the accepted use of service animals. The competition consisted of an appellate brief writing component and an oral argument component. The College of Law team was coached by Professor Monica Todd, and Chancellor Kent Syverud was the Judge. Congratulations to the College of Law team of 2L Sarah Bucker, 2L Marquez Baez, and 2L Jessica Senzer for winning second place close behind the winning team, the University of Missouri School of Law.
2021-2022 Intercollegiate Competition Highlights
Black Law Students Association Team
For the third year in a row, the College of Law team won the regional round of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition. The team consisted of 3L Kendall Anderson,3L Autumn Burgin, Alexis Eka L’22, Randi Gray L’22, and Abigail Neuviller L’22. Burgin won the award for Best Cross-Examination and Neuviller won the award for Best Direct Examination. Thanks to John Boyd L’16 for coaching our team!
The College of Law reached the semifinals of two competitions hosted by American University. In the King of the Hill Trial Competition, the College’s team included 2L Giovanni Antonucci, 3L Lilian Baah, 2L Alan Berlucchi, 2L Gabby Groman, 2LAustin Milone, and 3L Gabby Verdone.Jeff Leibo L’03 coached the team. Next was the Burton D. Wechsler National First Amendment Moot Court Competition, with team members 3L Scott Ceurvels and 2L Caleb Gieger. Sophie Bober-West L’19 coached the team.
The College of Law virtually hosted the third annual Syracuse National Trial Competition (SNTC) in October 2021. The SNTC is an invite-only trial competition over four days that features leading moot court teams from the nation’s top law schools. The advocates are judged by distinguished members of the bench and bar from all over the country. The winner of this year’s SNTC was the George Washington University Law School.
During the spring semester, the College of Law again partnered with Queens University Belfast to host the second annual Transatlantic Negotiation Competition (TANC), held virtually In April. The competition gives law students globally an opportunity to hone their negotiation and communication skills in a transnational setting, with particular emphasis on the importance of cross-cultural negotiation and communication in resolving disputes and facilitating client agreements. Twenty-four schools spanning the globe competed against each other using problems that commonly occur in international trade, business, and political disputes. The University of Auckland took home first place for this year’s TANC.
During Law Alumni Weekend 2021, the College of Law celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Mackenzie Hughes LLP Edmund H. Lewis Appellate Advocacy Competition. Congratulations to the winning team of 3Ls Gabriella Kielbasinski and Cierra Thomas. The team of 3L Diana Rogatch and 2L Paige Kinder received the award for Best Brief, and Thomas won Best Oral Advocate. The College is grateful to all those who have contributed to the competition for the past half century and who made the 50th final round competitive and celebratory, especially our final round judges: the Hon. Frederick J. Scullin Jr. L’64, Senior U.S. District Judge, U.S. District Court of the Northern District of New York; Hon. David E. PeeblesL’75, U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court of NDNY; Hon. Ramón E. Rivera L’94, Judge, New York Court of Claims; Hon. Brenda K. Sannes, U.S. District Judge, U.S. District Court of NDNY; and Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91, U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court of NDNY.
In October of 2021, the team of 2Ls Jamie McLennan and Hailey Poolerwon the 10th Annual Bond, Schoeneck & King Alternative Dispute Resolution Competition. McLennan also won Best Oral Advocate. Thank you to the final round judges: Hon. Anthony ParisL’73, New York State Supreme Court (ret.) and Special Counsel at Costello, Cooney & Fearon; Hon. Bernadette Romano Clark L’89, Oneida County Supreme Court; and Brian Butler L’96, Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC.
In early 2022, Mikayla Barrett won the 12th Annual Hancock Estabrook LLP 1L Oral Advocacy Competition, triumphing over finalist Nikita Norman and 36 other students. Dean Craig Boise served as a judge, along with Hon. Andrew T. Baxter, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York; Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York; Hon. Ramón E. Rivera L’94, New York State Court of Claims Judge; and Hon, Brenda K. Sannes, US District Judge for the Northern District of New York.
Lionel O. Grossman Trial Competition
The 44th Annual Lionel O. Grossman Trial Competition saw 3Ls Morgan Steele and Jackson Somes prevailing over finalists 2L Giovanni Antonucci and LL.M. student Dessi-Ann Yetman. Somes also received the Best Advocate award. Many thanks to the Hon. Glenn T. Suddaby L’85, Chief U.S. District Court Judge, Northern District of New York, for serving as the presiding judge of the final round. Thanks also to evaluators the Hon. Bernadette Romano Clark L’89, Oneida County Supreme Court Judge and the Hon. Rodney Thompson L’93, Presiding Judge, Family Division, Superior Court of New Jersey.
3Ls Robert Rose and Bradley Ace won this spring’s Entertainment and Sports Law Negotiation Competition prevailing over 2Ls Meghan Ellsworth and Jessica Johnson in the final round. Rose won Best Advocate. The judges for the final round of competition were Professor John Wolohan, Syracuse University Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics; Daniel GreeneL’16, Associate, Newman Lickstein; and Erin Phillips L’15, Associate, Newman Lickstein Lickstein.
2022 AWARD AND SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Travis H. D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society Executive Director’s Award:
Brandon Bourg L’22
Margaret Santandreu L’22
Richard Risman Appellate Advocacy Award:
Scott Ceurvels L’22
Courtcall Scholarship Award (Advocacy Director Award):
Gabby Kielbasinski L’22
Penny Quinteros L’22
Morgan Steele L’22
Ralph E. Kharas Award:
Olivia Stevens L’22
Lee S. Michaels L’72 Advocate of the Year Scholarship Award:
Austin Milone 2L
Emil Rossi L’72 Scholarship Award:
Autumn Burgin 2L
Angelica Judge 2L
Models of Excellence in Advocacy Award, (In Honor of Michael S. Olsan L’89):
In 2021, Dean Boise appointed Professor Suzette Meléndez as Syracuse Law’s first Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion. With the growing national attention directed to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), creating such a position provides direct leadership for the effort to sustain inclusivity within the College of Law. In assuming this role, Professor Melendez will be able to draw on her experience as a member of Syracuse University Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion.
Suzette Melendez
Working with the College’s Inclusion Council, Meléndez has been reviewing the College’s policies and procedures in all aspects of our operations, including in partnership with Syracuse University’s Human Resources Department. Their work has also generated extensive feedback on Syracuse University’s Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility, and on the development of data dashboards to track our institutional progress.
Student leaders have been an important part of this process, both as members of the Inclusion Council and as leaders of student organizations. Among other things, students are involved in the implementation of Transformative Dialogue Groups among students as we begin the 2022-2023 academic year.
Orange Advance
Diversifying the legal profession requires innovative efforts to support the success of aspiring lawyers of color as they apply to, prepare for, and matriculate in law school. In 2019, Dean Boise announced a diversity pipeline program, which we now call Orange Advance, in partnership with three HBCUs in the Atlanta University Center (AUC): Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. We are grateful to be supported financially in this effort by AccessLex.
With the easing of the pandemic, the College of Law for the first time welcomed a cohort of 21 students to Dineen Hall in May for a week-long pre-law residency. Representing all three AUC schools, the students traveled to Syracuse to explore the breadth of career opportunities in the legal profession; participate with faculty and practitioners in classroom lectures and panel discussions on the study of law and the American legal system; and begin to familiarize themselves with law school admissions processes and eligibility requirements, including strategies to prepare for the LSAT. During their time here, the students also discovered Syracuse and our broader Syracuse University campus.
“I never had a formal introduction to law school,” says Eric Jones, a rising senior from Morehouse College. “I’ve talked about law school with a few lawyers but haven’t had any exposure to it otherwise. When I came across this opportunity, I thought—why not? The special incentive here was that there was no financial burden for me as a student. I could come and participate for no extra charge.”
The working goal is to tap into the formidable talent pool of our partner schools’ students and give them the early understanding of the legal profession that is frequently missing for first-generation law students. It is likely that some of the students who participate in Orange Advance will matriculate at other law schools, but we view this as our contribution to increasing the diversity of all law schools, and ultimately the diversity of the profession. To this end, Dean Boise shared details of the program with fellow law deans across the country to inspire similar efforts elsewhere and expand participation in pursuing this shared goal.
An Educational Journey
A good deal of the work of inclusion is to set expectations among faculty and staff and ensure that appropriate training opportunities are in place. This year, workshops for faculty and staff included insights on being equity-minded, avoiding micro-aggressions, navigating difficult conversations, moving from cultural competency to cultural proficiency, and building awareness and confidence in using pronouns and preferred names.
For law students, last year, the curriculum was expanded to include DEI primers, and College of Law faculty reviewed and adjusted the 1L curriculum to ensure that foundational courses of study intentionally address DEI implications. Effective this fall, and in alignment with Syracuse University’s similar requirement for undergraduate students, all College of Law students must choose at least one course from a list of options created by the faculty that addresses themes and materials on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The aim of this cultural competency requirement is to help students in their second or third year of law school develop an awareness of the ways identity, difference, culture, and explicit or implicit bias can condition and constrain the pursuit of equal justice under law. “Law students must be prepared to practice in a diverse society so that they can become the best legal professionals possible in whatever legal capacities they serve in diverse local, national, and global communities,” explains Meléndez. “By incorporating the cultural competency curriculum into their course of study, law students will be prepared to meet the legal needs of clients whose backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives may differ from their own.” This new requirement will help to reinforce the core principle that legal professionals have the obligation to ensure that the rule of law applies equally to all persons.
A Work in Progress
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not new concepts. But they are concepts that have yet to be fully realized. Much work remains to be done and we are early in the journey. Consistent with our mission, our focus is on education: learning ourselves so that we can better educate and prepare our students.
The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, former dean of SU’s School of Education and pioneering disability rights scholar, to better the lives of people with disabilities.
With its focus on research, education, and outreach in law and public policy, BBI incorporates cross-disability issues, focusing with an intersectional lens across the whole of life, to advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities, while building on the University’s longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Below are a few examples of BBI’s far-reaching, impactful work this year.
The U.S. News and World Report Lists BBI as One of Two Leading Centers in the Country for Disability Rights
In July of 2022, the U.S. News and World Report listed the Syracuse University College of Law as one of two of the most prominent law schools in the country with specific centers or programs focused on disability rights or advocacy.
Containing advice for law school applicants with disabilities, U.S. News and World Report offers tips to successfully navigate the admissions process and the full law school experience. Topics range from disability accommodations for the LSAT and in law school, to the option to disclose disabilities as a law school applicant and programs and resources for law students with disabilities.
Peter Blanck
University Professor Peter Blanck, Chairman of BBI, notes, “applying to law school requires strong self-advocacy and patience that puts a unique burden on students with disabilities.” Depending on an applicant’s specific disabilities, those burdens can vary, from stress and time burdens to practical barriers. Not all disabilities are visible, and some applicants may also have impairments such as cognitive or learning disabilities and/or mental health issues.
“Just be the best lawyer you can be,” Blanck advises. “In a competitive legal environment, it is important to have a basic grounding to be a well-rounded lawyer.”
BBI Awarded $6.2 Million Grant to Advance Understanding of Rights and Under the Americans with Disabilities Act Through its Southeast ADA Center
For the third time in 15 years, BBI has been awarded a five-year, $6.2 million grant. The funding comes from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Community Living National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the SEADA Center is one of 10 regional centers in the ADA National Network, providing information, training, and guidance about the ADA throughout the eight-state Southeast region. BBI provides the center with analyses of legal issues affecting the ADA as well as other resources such as “plain language” legal briefs written by Syracuse Law students.
“The complexity of the issues facing the disability community is daunting, along with the increasing need for reliable information in the public domain. The Southeast ADA Center will continue to provide up-to-date, accurate, and accessible information on all aspects of the ADA,” said Blanck. “The center’s role is, perhaps, most important than ever in making a positive difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families by fostering ADA understanding and compliance.”
SEADA Center’s educational and advocacy work—providing ADA training, technical assistance, research, and user-friendly information—reaches and supports more than one million stakeholders annually across the Southeast region. The renewed funding will allow the center to achieve multiple objectives, including:
Encouraging and supporting meaningful partnerships among the disability community, government, business, and community organizations to facilitate ADA implementation.
Improving and expanding training, technical assistance, and information dissemination that promotes voluntary compliance with the ADA.
Empowering individuals across the diversity of disabilities and at the intersection of race, ethnicity, age, and gender to increase understanding of ADA rights and responsibilities.
Customizing and disseminating outreach materials to culturally and linguistically underserved populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and Latinx communities.
Conducting research that produces new knowledge and understanding of barriers to employment and economic self-sufficiency, to increase the civic and social participation of people with disabilities.
Creating a comprehensive website with a searchable database that is regularly updated.
Supporting advocacy and education among students and youth with disabilities.
The new funding will support the center’s initiatives through 2026.
BBI Study Featured in Legal Management’s “Best Practices for Making Your Law Firm More Inclusive for People with Disabilities”
A study by the BBI and the ABA, “Diversity and Inclusion in the American Legal Profession,” was featured in “Best Practices for Making Your Law Firm More Inclusive for People with Disabilities,” by Legal Management, the Magazine of the Association of Legal Administrators (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 study and research offer 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.
The Institute for Security Policy and Law (SPL) has perhaps never been more relevant than the 2021-22 academic year, when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The Institute has sustained a partnership with Ukrainian civil society organizations and law schools since the summer of 2021, when the SPL director the Hon. James E. Baker participated in discussions via virtual presentations on AI, cybersecurity, and the Rule of Law. In the two weeks prior to Russia’s invasion, Baker conducted six virtual Zoom presentations to an audience of Ukrainian lawyers, professors, students, and government officials, including members of President Zelensky’s staff, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of the Interior. The presentations anticipating Russian aggression, covered: Intelligence, Intelligence Oversight, Crisis Decision-making, Presidential Command and Control, the Law of Armed Conflict, and War Crimes. Four days after his last presentation, Russia invaded Ukraine.
The most frequently asked question during the sessions: Does law matter during times of existential threat? Baker’s answer: An emphatic yes. Adherence to law reflects a nation’s values, but it also contributes to the will to fight, underpins allied military and intelligence support, and as Baker states, channeling General George Washington, “leadership and obedience to law distinguish a professional military from an armed mob, or in the case of Russia, an army of war criminals.”
The Institute continues to work with civil society organizations, specifically in the countries of Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine in support of U.S. national security, the rule of law, and democracy. In May 2022, Baker virtually presented at the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine on “The Future of International Law.” He also traveled to the University of Bialystok, Poland’s easternmost city, presenting on NATO security and the role of law. Back in the U.S., College of Law students learned about Russia’s war crimes this semester in class and during a teach-in conducted by Professor Laurie Hobart G’16 and Baker.
The Hon. James Baker
Baker is now seeking support for the Institute’s next project “Ring Around Russia,” a series of partnerships and exchange programs with universities and civil society organizations in countries along the eastern flank of NATO and the edge of Russia to reinforce the connection between law and security. Through academic exchange at the professorial and Master of Laws (LL.M.) student level, SPL hopes to instill in critical regional actors and thinkers an understanding of how good faith adherence to law supports security rather than impinges it. Doing so will help provide for NATO’s longer-term physical and legal security while building trans-Atlantic academic bonds.
In addition to the glaring impacts of the war in Ukraine, this year, students in the Institute learned about national security and its intersection with policy and law from real-world scenarios.
9/11 Lessons Learned
This past fall marked the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In anticipation of this milestone, the Institute balanced the need to honor the memory of 9/11 and contribute to a greater good in the longer term.
The SPL team worked on a series of lessons-learned essays published in a special edition of The Journal of National Security Law and Policy, drafted to inform the future rather than to adjudicate the past. Matt Kronisch, Associate General Counsel for Intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (on sabbatical as a College of Law Distinguished Fellow-in-Residence), led the “9/11 Lessons Learned Project.” Culminating in over twenty essays from leading practitioners and commentators, the project addressed lessons learned during the first 20 years after the terrorist attacks and how those lessons might be implemented to inform the next twenty years.
“Matt recruited a remarkable line-up of authors, whose essays are clear, short, direct, and geared toward policy and legal implementation,” said Baker. “They also represent a cross-section of practitioners and thought leaders.”
As a part of the release of the Special 9/11 Edition of the Journal of National Security Law and Policy, SPL hosted a 9/11 Remembrance Webinar/Podcast in coordination with the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security and ABA President Reggie Tucker, followed by a conversation between Baker, Amb. Anne Patterson, former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers, and Rutgers Professor of Law Sahar Aziz.
Increasing Diversity in the Intelligence Community Workforce
Under the leadership of Deputy SPL Director, Professor, and retired Vice Admiral Robert Murrett, and with the assistance of Baker and Hobart, the Institute continued to implement an Intelligence Community (IC) grant to increase diversity in the IC workforce.
Robert Murrett
In addition to working with the consortium schools with underrepresented communities, and mentoring SU students, SPL hosted two intelligence symposiums this year.
The spring 2022 symposium addressed the use of intelligence to inform and shape U.S. policy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and intelligence community policy issues, while also emphasizing career opportunities for a wide range of students.
Artificial Intelligence Transforms The Practice of Law
The Institute continues to play a leading role in addressing the intersection of AI, national security, law, and ethics. As artificial intelligence transforms the economy and American society, it will also transform national security, the practice of law, and the role of courts in regulating its use. What role should, will, or might judges play in addressing the use of AI? And relatedly, how will AI and machine learning impact judicial practice in federal and state
Law rarely, if ever, keeps pace with technology. The legislative and appellate processes simply do not move at the same pace as technological change. Likewise, scholars and commentators are currently better at asking questions than answering them. As AI applications and cases make their way to court, however, judges do not have the luxury of waiting for answers. As AI applications and cases arise in litigation, judges will confront novel issues. The common law of AI cannot wait.
In response, SPL first produced an “AI Framework for Judges” in the form of a Report issued by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University. The Federal Judicial Center (FJC) subsequently asked the SPL AI team (Baker, Hobart, and outgoing Senior Fellow Matt Mittelsteadt G’20) to produce a first-of-its-kind FJC published booklet, “AI for Judges.” Both documents address the role of judges as evidentiary gatekeepers, constitutional guardians, and potential consumers of AI.
The FJC and National Research Council of the National Academies of Science subsequently asked SPL to prepare an AI chapter for the fourth edition of The Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, the leading scientific manual for judges, which will be published in 2023.
A Full Year in Review
Keli Perrin
SPL defines its mission as “educating and inspiring the next generation of national security practitioners and thought leaders.” Twenty-six students graduated this spring with one or more of the Institute’s three NYS-accredited certificates of advanced study (CAS): National Security and Counterterrorism Law, Post Conflict Reconstruction, and Security Studies. The CAS program, administered by Professor Keli Perrin L’04, exposes students to a rich array of courses on national security, covering:
The law of armed conflict
Emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and synthetic biology
Cyber law
Intelligence operations
Homeland security
Critical infrastructure
Privacy and surveillance
The rule of law in post conflict reconstruction
In addition, many 2022 graduating students were placed into jobs throughout the national security community this year. SPL, and its predecessor under Professor Bill Banks’s leadership, now counts more than 800 alumni in government positions.
Looking Ahead
Teaming with SPL, The Syracuse Law Review will hold its annual symposium in conjunction with Law Alumni Weekend 2022 (Sept. 22-24) on “Ukraine: Lessons Learned and the Future of Law.” Co-sponsored by the Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence (ICCAE), the symposium will feature Baker, Beth Kubala, Professor, Executive Director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, and Murrett from the College of Law, along with a number of other panelists.
Beth Kubala
SPL will soon announce its new slate of Distinguished Fellows as well as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor who will offer students unparalleled access to a diverse set of national security role models and accomplished practitioners.
Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel wrote, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” The SPL team hopes that through teaching and applied scholarship SU students and graduates will be prepared to take sides in advancing the rule of law and defending the oppressed.
Three College of Law Students Receive Tillman Scholarships
The Pat Tillman Foundation has announced its 60 scholars nationwide for 2022 which includes three College of Law students: Natasha DeLeon(USMC Veteran), Amanda Higginson (Navy veteran), and William Rielly (Army veteran.) They join a fourth Syracuse University Tillman scholar, Anthony Ornelaz, Master of Fine Arts, College of Arts and Science, Air Force Veteran.
“Tillman Scholarships are extremely competitive and are only awarded to those who have made an impact through their service. I am both pleased and grateful that not one, but three College of Law students have been awarded Tillman scholarships for this year. Natasha, Amanda, and William are living extraordinary lives through their military commitments and now they are on the path to becoming extraordinary Orange lawyers,” said Dean Craig Boise.
The three students are enrolled in the JDinteractive (JDi) program. Reilly is in his second year, Higginson is in her first year, and DeLeon will start the program in August 2022.
First Generation Law Student Association Provides Support to Students
2L Erica Glastetter created the First Generation Law Students Association (FGLSA) 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. FGLSA collaborates with the College of Law’s admissions office 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 truly encouraging.”
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.”
Renci “Mercy” Xie LL.M. ’20 and Current Doctoral Candidate, Speaks with National Public Radio on Disabled Chinese Citizens’ Fight for Disability Access
Renci “Mercy” Xie
National Public Radio interviewed Renci “Mercy” Xie LL.M. ’20 and is currently a doctoral candidate in the S.J.D. program for the story, “China excels at the Paralympics, but its disabled citizens are fighting for access.” Xie, who is focusing her degree on disability law, recounts the hurdles she faced growing up with a disability in China.
“I was in a car accident when I was 4 years old, and I lost my right leg. The teacher just tells my mom, so your kid is not OK for our school because we don’t have the accessible facility for her,” says Xie.
She and her mother fought hard to win entrance at the local public school in China so she wouldn’t have to go to a special school for the disabled.
“They were usually very far away from the city, our home. And you cannot return home every day with your family, which is one thing. Another challenge is that if you go to the special school, you cannot take the university entrance examination,” Xie says
It is no surprise that Xie is focusing her research and advocacy on promoting and advancing the rights of people with disabilities.
Ryan Marquette G’22, L’22 Announced as Syracuse University Student Veteran of the Year for 2022
Ryan Marquette
Ryan Marquette G’22, L’22 is Syracuse University’s 2022 Student Veteran of the Year. This award is presented by the Student Veterans Organization and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs each year to a student who contributes both on and off campus to make Syracuse University “the best place for veterans.”
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.
During the height of COVID-19 in 2020, Marquette juggled 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 accomplishments while at the University include 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.
11 Students Help with the Syrian Accountability Project’s White Paper, “The 2022 Winter Olympics and Genocide: A History of Enabling Atrocities and the Path Forward”
The Syrian Accountability Project(SAP) has released the white paper, “The 2022 Winter Olympics and Genocide: A History of Enabling Atrocities and the Path Forward.” The paper recognizes the genocide occurring in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region against the Uyghur people, documents the history of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) enabling the violation of human rights and the perpetuating of genocide, tracks the legal framework for holding complicit parties accountable, and identifies possible actions states and private entities may take to avoid complicity.
In summary, the paper indicates that “Most directly, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is responsible for the genocide of the Uyghur people. Forced concentration camps, disappearances, and slave labor put the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the PRC. However, the PRC does not shoulder responsibility for this atrocity alone.”
The 2022 Winter Olympics and Genocide: A History of Enabling Atrocities and the Path Forward can be downloaded from https://syrianaccountabilityproject.syr. edu/publications.
The paper was researched and written by 11 Syracuse University College of Law students along with students from the University of Michigan School of Law, Suffolk University, and the University of Washington in St. Louis under the direction of SAP founder and project leader David M. Crane L’80, Former Chief Prosecutor, Special Court of Sierra Leone and professor at the College of Law.
College of Law Students Help Former UN Special Prosecutor for International War Crimes Tribunal Write Report on War Crimes in Ukraine
Authored by David M. Crane L’80, Syracuse University Distinguished Scholar in Residence, and Syracuse University College of Law students, a new white paper, “Russian War Crimes Against Ukraine. The Breach of International Humanitarian Law by the Russian Federation,” offers in-depth accounting and accusations of crimes committed by the Russian Federation and President Vladimir Putin during the invasion of Ukraine.
The paper lays out an indictment of numerous war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of aggression from February 24, 2022 to April 1, 2022, during the invasion of Ukraine. The report includes a sample draft of a criminal indictment against President Vladimir Putin for his war crimes. The white paper was created by the Ukraine Task Force, composed of law students and legal scholars, with the goal to create a non-partisan, high-quality analysis of open-source materials.
“Because of his aggressive acts and his intentional targeting of Ukrainian civilians, Vladimir Putin has lost all political legitimacy and has made Russia a pariah state. This white paper catalogs the horror he has unleashed and lays out a pathway for holding him accountable for aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity,” said Crane, the project leader of the white paper and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Syracuse University College of Law.
Crane is the founding chief prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, an international war crimes tribunal where he indicted Liberian President Charles Taylor, the first sitting African head of state in history to be held accountable in this way.
“The Ukraine Task Force established by the Global Accountability Network (GAN) was an incredible and unique experience that allowed law students to take an active part in international legal discourse,” said Syracuse Law student Christopher Martz L’22, the taskforce director and one of the lead writers of the white paper. “The Ukraine Task Force encountered serious difficulties in documenting war crimes in real time, especially considering the fact that GAN pulled students from all across the country. However, the leadership of Professor Crane and the commitment of GAN volunteers helped overcome these difficulties, resulting in an important living document that creates a framework of accountability moving forward.”
Disability Law Student 2L Matthew Yanez Featured by Syracuse Stories
Disability Law Student 2L Matthew Yanez Focuses on Being a Civil Rights Attorney
Matthew Yanez L’23 has seen the justice system at work firsthand. Growing up in California, Yanez had an uncle who was incarcerated at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. He and his father would visit his uncle on Saturday mornings, and that glimpse into the justice system sparked his interest in a career in law.
Yanez is a dual degree student in the College of Law, focusing on disability law and policy, and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, where he’s studying public administration. He is certain the two degrees will help him achieve his career goal of working for the federal government in the Department of Justice to advocate for people with disabilities.
Matthew Yanez
Yanez has already gotten some great experience under his belt during the summer of 2021 when he interned for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he reviewed settlement agreements enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act, drafted motions for civil litigation and put together a summary of Supreme Court cases involving disability rights. This exposure to his desired career path led him to join the Disability Rights Clinic at the College of Law so that he could continue working on amplifying the voices of those with disabilities in the Syracuse community. The Disability Law and Policy Program at the College of Law, directed by Professor Arlene Kanter, has given Yanez the guidance needed to pursue his dreams of becoming a civil rights attorney.
