Dickinson Lawyer Spring 2020

DICKINSON LAW YER

SPRING 2020

OUR NEW DEAN How Dean Conway is engaging alumni and the community with bold plans for Dickinson Law

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN Dear Alumni and Friends,

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R SPR IN G 2020 Published for alumni and friends of Dickinson Law

Thank you for warmly welcoming me and my family to the Dickinson Law community. I am proud to be the dean of your Dickinson Law, and I am exuberant about our future together.

Since July 2019, I have listened to and been enthralled by your stories about your law school experiences, and I have marveled at your reverence and love for the Law School. Even

DEAN Danielle M. Conway EDITOR Courtney Verdelli DESIGN AND LAYOUT Justin Kulp

more compelling, I am stirred by how you have used your

PHOTOGRAPHY

Dickinson Law education to transform the profession and to

Heather Shelley

Justin Kulp

make meaningful contributions to the communities you serve.

CONTRIBUTORS

From my early interactions with you, I knew immediately that I

Toni Fitzgerald

was in a very special institution. Learning about the many ways

Kelly Rimmer

Robin Langhans

you are supporting both current students and fellow alumni is inspiring!

dickinsonlaw.psu.edu

As you peruse the first issue of Dickinson Lawyer since our separate ABA-accreditation in 2014, I am confident that you will be equally inspired by the gains we have made at the Law School, thanks in large measure to your generosity.

Specifically, your investments have helped to advance our

facebook.com: @DickinsonLaw.PracticeGreatness twitter.com: @DickinsonLaw

innovative program of legal education, created pathways

instagram.com: @DickinsonLaw

for the promotion of diversity and inclusion, and doubled

linkedin.com: @DickinsonLaw

down on the commitment to make a Dickinson Law education accessible and affordable for the next generation of lawyer-leaders.

On behalf of the students, staff, faculty, and administration at Dickinson Law, I thank you for all that you have done and what you will continue to do to sustain the Dickinson Law community.

TEL L US W H AT YO U T HINK EMAIL US AT DickinsonLawAlum@psu.edu, O R W R I T E U S AT Dickinson Lawyer,

Penn State Dickinson Law, Lewis Katz Hall, 150 S. College St., Carlisle, PA 17013.

Warmest, Danielle M. Conway Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law

facebook.com: @danielle.conway instagram.com: @DMConwayDean twitter.com: @DMConwayDean linkedin.com: @DanielleConway

THIS PUBLICATION IS AVAILABLE IN ALTERNATIVE MEDIA ON REQUEST. The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information, or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Office, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901; Email: aao@psu.edu; Tel: 814-863-0471.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

IN THIS ISSUE

08 HE ARING FROM OUR NEW DE AN Meet Dickinson Law’s first person of color and first woman to serve as dean of the Law School

11 DICKINSON L AW CAMPAIGN UPDATE Alumni and friends have contributed $10 million and counting toward the Law School’s $16.4 million goal

ON THE COVER Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway is the first person of color and first woman to serve as dean of Dickinson Law.

14

Photo by Justin Kulp

DICKINSON L AW IMPACTS HE ALTH L AW POLICY Faculty making a difference through health law advocacy

18 DICKINSON L AW AT THE FOREFRONT Alumni join with faculty and students to lead in the transformational spaces of cyberlaw and national security

21 DICKINSON L AW MASTER OF L AWS PROGR AM A new director combines her expertise with our historic program in support of the next generation of international students

04 06 12 22 26

SPRING 2020

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IN BRIEF

Members from the Hanoi Law University delegation, Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway, and Director of Non-J.D. Programs and Visiting Associate Professor Emily Michiko Morris discuss opportunities for collaboration between the law schools during the delegation’s visit to Dickinson Law.

VIETNAMESE DELEGATION VISITS DICKINSON LAW TO DISCUSS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP Academic leaders from Hanoi Law University in Vietnam met with

valuable for everyone. “Penn State is one of the top research and

Dickinson Law administrators, faculty, and staff to discuss

teaching institutions in the world, which makes it a top choice for

collaboration between the two law schools. Emily Michiko Morris,

furthering our education and research initiatives for both students

director of non-J.D. programs and visiting associate professor at

and faculty,”says Nguyen. “I look forward to our next steps.”

Dickinson Law, coordinated the visit for both parties, which came to fruition after Danielle M. Conway, Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law at Dickinson Law, was contacted by one of her close friends and co-authors who has been working with Hanoi Law University for many years. In fact, Dickinson Law is one of only two U.S. law schools that the Hanoi Law University delegation visited for the purposes of collaboration.

Van Quang Nguyen, associate professor of law and head of the International Cooperation Department, Hanoi Law University, shared enthusiasm for the opportunity to visit and believes it was

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

Several Dickinson Law alumni participated in the delegation visit, including the Hon. Thomas Vanaskie ’78, former U.S. circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and former judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; the Hon. John E. Jones III ’80, judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; and Heidi Freese ‘01, federal public defender for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

DICKINSON LAW TO HOST 52ND ANNUAL CLEO PRE-LAW SUMMER INSTITUTE First Pre-Law Summer Institute to be held via remote learning Dickinson Law was selected to host the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc. (CLEO) 2020 Pre-Law Summer Institute from June 15 to July 12, 2020. CLEO is the longestserving national organization committed to diversity in the legal profession. The Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI) launched in 1968 and has evolved into a multi-week online and residential program designed to introduce students to the skills, knowledge, and values essential to their success in law school, including self-directed learning, legal reasoning, writing, and the Socratic method of teaching. For the first time, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PLSI will be offered fully via remote learning.

“The Dickinson Law community is honored to work with CLEO to champion education, diversity, and equity in the legal profession by hosting this accomplished national pipeline program,” says Dickinson Law Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law

Penn State’s Equal Opportunity Planning Committee (EOPC), which promotes greater equity for historically underrepresented groups within the University and/or those groups that have been historical targets of discrimination, awarded Dickinson Law a $26,500 grant. This institutional award significantly lessens the costs required of Dickinson Law to host the PLSI. Associate Dean of Academic and Student Services Jeffrey A. Dodge will serve as the Pre-Law Summer Institute director.

Dickinson Law assistant professors of law Mohamed Rali Badissy, Raff Donelson, and Sarah J. Williams, among others, will teach the curriculum online.

Danielle M. Conway. “Both CLEO and Dickinson Law have a shared commitment to increasing access to law school for applicants and diversifying the legal profession.”

CONWAY NAMED TO LAWYERS OF COLOR’S POWER LIST The Lawyers of Color foundation named Dean and Donald J.

General counsel, managing partners, and law school deans as

Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway to its fifth Power List,

well as legal media and nonprofit leaders comprise the fifth Power

which recognizes the most influential minority attorneys and allies

List. Additionally, the largest 350 law firms were surveyed and

in the nation.

provided Lawyers of Color with the names of their attorneys of color who were managing partners or management committee

“I am proud to be aligned with organizations such as Lawyers of Color that share Dickinson Law’s mission to expand the diversity pipeline,” Conway says.

members.

The Lawyers of Color foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting diversity in the legal profession and advancing democracy and equality in marginalized communities.

SPRING 2020

5

DONORS IN ACTION In Dickinson Law’s backyard, the generosity of Martson Law Offices

T

he ties between the Carlisle community and Penn State

“I’m in the community. I can hit the Law School with a rock from

Dickinson Law run deep. You see them in the many

where I live. Like the U.S. Army War College and Dickinson

students clerking at nearby law firms, lunching and

College, the Law School is one of the shining jewels of the Carlisle

attending events in Carlisle, and making their homes in central

community. It makes the area just a much better place to live

Pennsylvania after graduation.

and work,” Gilroy says. “Anything that supports our community

Those ties remain on constant display at Martson Law Offices, a firm located on High Street, just a short walk from the Dickinson

supports us, so we want to make sure that the Law School is sustaining and the excellence associated with it is sustaining.”

Law campus. The firm, which offers everything from personal

In a turn of play, Gilroy, a member of the Dickinson Law

injury to criminal defense to family law, employs more than a

Association and the Dickinson Law Leadership Council, was

dozen Dickinson Law alumni, including all but one of the partners.

honored in 2014 by his classmates, who raised funds to name

How important is the Law School to Martson Law Offices?

Shareholder Hubert X. Gilroy ’79 notes that the entire office participated in a recent sustaining gift to Dickinson Law. “The person who seconded that was the only partner who didn’t go

the Hubert X. Gilroy ’79 Clinic Courtroom and Classroom in the Law School’s clinic building. “I got a little verklempt, as they say,” Gilroy, who coaches the Law School’s National Trial Moot Court Team, says of the surprise dedication.

to Dickinson Law, yet still observed how important it was to the

Gilroy isn’t the only lawyer at the firm who maintains close ties to

other attorneys and the community, and how important it was

Dickinson Law.

to our office.”

“I’m six generations in Carlisle, Pennsylvania,” says Ivo Otto ’78, whose family was represented by Bill Martson, the firm’s founder.

“My family heritage is dairy farming and school teachers. When I showed up, they decided we needed a lawyer in the family, so I became the family lawyer. And it’s continued with my daughter.”

Like her dad, Alexandra E. Otto ’18 went to Dickinson Law and now works for Martson Law Offices.

But the elder Otto says the firm’s involvement with Dickinson Law goes deeper Ivo Otto ‘78 and Alexandra Otto ‘18

than alumni connections.

“We’re especially privileged because we live in a wonderful place where our clients are also people we know as friends, people we Hubert X. Gilroy ‘79 has represented individuals, businesses, and governmental entities in Carlisle and central Pennsylvania for more than 39 years.

live with,” he says.

That, Otto explains, is why Martson Law Offices feels an obligation

The firm made its gift to the Law School through Penn State’s

to the city and the Law School. “We’ve got a wonderfully

first-ever Graduate Scholarship Matching Program, a limited-

charitable community of people who really want to reach out and

time opportunity that provided a 1:1 match for new graduate

help, and the Law School is a huge part of that,” he says.

scholarship endowments created with a minimum commitment of $125,000.

In addition to making the sustaining gift to the Law School, the firm encouraged other lawyers in Carlisle to do the same. At Gilroy’s urging, nearby Salzmann Hughes, P.C., also endowed a scholarship through the Graduate Scholarship Matching Program.

Gilroy says he’s thrilled to support his alma mater.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

With Dickinson Law such a touchstone for the firm, Otto expects the tight relationship between the Law School and Martson Law Offices to continue for a long time to come.

“It’s a fertile ground with a rich field of candidates for our firm right in our backyard,” he observes. “We pretty much draw exclusively from it.”

Good causes make the greatest cases for Melissa Scartelli ’87

M

elissa Scartelli ’87 became the first woman partner

“I feel strongly I wouldn’t be where I am today in my career

at her law firm less than 10 years after graduating

if it weren’t for Dickinson Law and the contacts I made,” says

from Dickinson Law. She loved her job and could

Scartelli, who notes a Dickinson Law grad also headed her

see herself doing it comfortably for years to come.

previous firm.

The Scranton native serves on the Law School’s Leadership Council and recently established the Edward R. and Marilyn Scartelli Scholarship honoring her parents, who encouraged her to become an attorney.

“Dickinson Law enabled me to fulfill my dream and my parents’ dream for me. They were always supportive and would come to all my trials,” she says. “They’re not with me now, but they were with me every significant step of the way.”

So when Penn State offered a limited-time 1:1 match for all new graduate scholarship endowments established at or above a $125,000 minimum funding level, Scartelli recognized

A leading trial lawyer in northeastern Pennsylvania, Scartelli Olszewski President and Founder Melissa A. Scartelli ‘87 has represented seriously injured plaintiffs in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania for nearly 30 years.

the perfect opportunity to honor her parents and help young people with similar backgrounds as hers.

“The first preference for the scholarship goes to students

But Scartelli recognized that staying with a big firm meant

from northeast PA who do not have a lawyer in their immediate

passing up the types of cases she had always wanted to try, ones

family—that was me,” she says. “It feels good to be able to help

that didn’t necessarily meet the economic requirements at a

future students.”

large firm.

Running a firm demands long hours and lots of attention to

And so, in 2001, she founded her own firm. A few years later, her

detail, so Scartelli values her downtime. She and her husband

husband, Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. ‘84, joined at Scartelli Olszewski,

live on a lake, and she unwinds by running, kayaking, boating,

P.C. Now, Scartelli says, she takes causes, not cases.

and paddleboarding.

“I try to dig a little deeper under the surface of the economics of

Keeping your balance on a paddleboard isn’t unlike the

a case, because there’s often injustices that need to be righted,

balancing act she employs in her work life, choosing cases and

and that’s the only way we can make a difference for other

appearing in court. Scartelli credits the exceptional program

people,” she says. “We are careful not to fall into a routine or

at Dickinson Law with preparing her for the courtroom upon

pattern of handling things on a formulaic, numbers basis.”

graduation.

Scartelli Olszewski has won a number of high-profile medical

“You’re trained to think through the entire case, starting

malpractice and personal injury cases, including a record $10

backwards with what you’re asking the fact finder to find for

million verdict in 2017 for a man who suffered permanent injuries

you,” she says. “I learned that through moot court programs and

due to negligence. She remembers one case involving a woman

advocacy classes at Dickinson Law.”

in her 90s who was the victim of medical malpractice. The verdict was nearly $1 million. “Not a lot of lawyers at my level would want to try that case, but I think that’s an example of a cause worth fighting for,” Scartelli says.

Her belief in helping those in need extends to other areas of her life, too, such as her support of education through her continued involvement with Dickinson Law.

Sometimes being prepared can even mean investigating other ways to get people the assistance they need without going to trial—another reason why Scartelli refers to her cases as “causes.”

“If you do the right thing for the right reasons, the results will come, as compared to doing something for financial rewards,” she says.

SPRING 2020

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D

ickinson Law Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway remembers the moment

she realized what her profession was all about. It began with a friendly game of tennis.

Just a few years out of Howard University School of Law, Conway was on U.S. Army reserve duty in Hawai’i, where she befriended a woman at the tennis courts in Ala Moana Beach Park. Conway, who first picked up a racket to relieve the stress of waiting for her bar results, hit the courts every day after work.

Conway had known her tennis partner for a short time when the woman’s husband unexpectedly passed away. In shock and deep distress, the widow didn’t know what to do right after his death. Her family approached Conway for help. At first, the young attorney wasn’t sure how to proceed.

“I was a procurement lawyer. I didn’t really know what to do—I practiced government contracts and helped small businesses,” Conway remembers.

“I thought about it, and that’s when I realized, ‘Oh, they’re not asking me to take them on as a client. They just need help, and they identified me as the source of that help.’”

“AT ALL TIMES, LAWYERS MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OURS IS A HELPING PROFESSION.” Conway shares her vision for Dickinson Law

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

And so help she did. She advised the

than 8,000 members of the Law School

family to obtain a copy of the death

alumni network.

certificate to trigger the insurance policy.

She assisted them with anything they needed and provided moral support as well. All the while, Conway reflected on why they had sought “her” out during their time of need.

In her quest to promote the rule of law, Conway has identified a project she believes will build a bridge between the Dickinson Law community and the central Pennsylvania region.

“That’s when it hit me that this is a helping profession,” Conway says.

“Lawyers throughout time have done this, during backdrops of slavery, discrimination, servitude, racism, war, and politics. They have always offered help and will always do this. So I was just taking

Spurwink’s Humanitarian Award

STRENGTHENING BONDS BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND THE LAW SCHOOL

was presented to Conway in

Conversations with students, staff,

distance to help others in need.

up the mantle, figuring out what I was supposed to do.”

recognition of her extraordinary contributions and efforts to support the most vulnerable members of the Maine community and going the

faculty, alumni, and members of the That mandate of helpfulness has

community convinced Conway of the

remained with Conway since, through

need to highlight Dickinson Law’s many

her formative time on the faculty at the

outstanding programs. “I see myself

University of Hawai’i at Mānoa William S.

having a bullhorn, talking about the

Richardson School of Law and as dean

virtue and the values of our law school,”

of the University of Maine School of Law.

she says. “The next step is to reinforce

She has brought this ethos with her to

the platform from which our faculty can

Dickinson Law.

disseminate their expertise and our

In the classroom, Conway helps students understand their obligations and

students can hone their experiences all in service to our communities.”

responsibilities as defenders of justice. In

Since Conway arrived at Dickinson Law,

the academy, she helps faculty find their

she also has thought about how students

scholarly agendas and voice, and through

can gain experience with “real problems

her own writings and presentations,

that require real solutions.” She views it as

she shares her vision that the rule of

an avenue to enhancing legal education.

law belongs to all of us, a concept that continues to delight and excite her after almost three decades in the profession. In discussions, she helps encourage people from all backgrounds to engage explicitly with the rule of law, highlighting one of its most pressing objectives: to strive for inclusiveness, diversity, equity, and accessibility of all peoples.

The solution? Something that folds all of those things together.

Conway envisions a fusion center that will address, among other things, the social and economic benefits of agriculture as well as the often overlooked talent and creativity bubbling up in our rural communities. “It will not be talking at

As Conway enters her first full year as

people about what will be beneficial but

dean of Dickinson Law, a path she began

rather working alongside stakeholders in

to walk in July 2019, she is committed to

the community to identify issues, build

the ideal that law is a helping profession.

relationships, and create place-based

The other areas on which her sights are set include substantially moving the needle on diversity within the Law School community, encompassing students, staff, and faculty, and activating the more

solutions so our community can thrive,” she says. “We want to attract people to our community, and we can attract them with the opportunities that flow from collective engagement. These engagements might range from providing

SPRING 2020

9

social services all the way to partnering to scale an enterprise. We can be service providers, and we are good at that, but we also can be a great partner in the economic development and innovation space.”

She sees a fusion center in agriculture, rural communities, and economic and social empowerment, which is still in the conceptual phase, not as new programming but as a mosaic of what is already happening at the Law School, albeit—at times—in relative isolation.

It offers the opportunity to personalize

authority on public procurement law,

Conway values and wants to preserve

the role that law plays in everyone’s daily

entrepreneurship, and intellectual

the intimacy provided by an education

lives, critical at a time when Conway

property law.

at Dickinson Law. “I think schools like

worries people have gotten more cynical about the law. “We are a member of the community, and we cannot afford to have the rule of law appear to stand alone and apart from what happens in that community,” she says. “That’s part of our obligation to society and, specifically, to our community to show how the rule of

Once again, Conway has a vision for this area. She wants to help Dickinson Law graduates feel connected to the current Law School community and be a part of the future. “We’ve seen new faces at reception events and tapped into a group that hasn’t been engaged in years,”

law belongs to everyone.”

she says.

Conway’s devotion to the community

“This school is 186 years old, and it has a deep bench when we talk about alumni. There are not too many schools this size in these surroundings that have that many alumni to count on and call on.

I think that’s by far the most unique aspect of Dickinson Law. Law schools thrive because of alumni engagement and participation,” Conway says.

reflects what she, the Law School’s first person of color and first woman to become dean, has experienced in her daily life in Carlisle. “A pleasant surprise of being here has been the plug-and-play feel for me—I did not feel like an outsider when I came in,” she says. “There was not this question of me not belonging here.”

A VISION FOR DICKINSON LAW Community comes up a lot in Conway’s discussions with alumni, too. She has sought out Dickinson Law graduates across the country to discuss the Law School’s future and her vision for what that means. Many alumni who are former

The current pace of transformation within

and current members of the military have

the legal profession makes it critical,

reached out to show their support to

she says, to have alumni advisor groups

her as a fellow former service member.

that can offer collective insights as “we

She has connected with others who

navigate where we should be taking our

appreciate her background as a leading

program of legal education.”

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

Dickinson Law are approaching legal education in the right way. It needs to be a small, encouraging, stewarding place where students are trained according to a hands-on approach in a setting where we’re able to simulate the practice of law,” she says. “Then we can deliver these students to practice with the best opportunity for success. If we are doing this work right, we are always learning.

We have to prepare our students for independent learning in the law for the life of their legal careers.”

And that may be the ultimate form of helping as an educator. Conway sees the lawyer’s role in society as defending the U.S. Constitution, promoting the rule of law, and—above all—representing (and helping) the most vulnerable among us.

It’s a commitment she wants students to realize just as she once did when she helped someone in need.

“We are preparing students to be able to see what their responsibility is to the profession and to society,” she says. “When you’re a professor or a legal administrator, you have to send a message of what the profession is. It is a calling, and we live with that every day as a frame of reference. I want to model that approach to the law.” At Dickinson Law, she sees a promising path for achieving that goal.

DICKINSON LAW CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Alumni and friends have contributed $10 million and counting toward the Law School’s $16.4 million goal

A

lumni have always appreciated the unique learning

twenty-three new graduate matching scholarship endowments for

environment fostered by Penn State Dickinson Law.

a total of $3.85 million. Through this first-ever University matching

In addition to providing students with a thorough

program for graduate scholarships, those gifts were matched 1:1 by

understanding of how legal processes and the law work, the Law

Penn State for an additional $3.85 million, which Kirk says reflects

School encourages outreach and inspires students to help others.

the University’s strong commitment to Dickinson Law.

As Dickinson Law’s volunteer campaign chair, Dusty Elias Kirk ’79

“So many alumni don’t realize that the University is investing in us,”

has seen firsthand how changes made at the Law School over

Kirk says.

recent years have resonated while further engaging alumni.

Major gifts—both outright and deferred—from leadership donors have given the campaign a significant boost and will continue to help drive the success of the Law School’s fundraising efforts.

However, as Kirk notes, even small gifts make a difference.

Alumni can direct their campaign gifts to the areas and initiatives that mean the most to them. Providing unrestricted support through the Dickinson Law Future Fund or investing in focused programming provide the resources necessary to achieve Dickinson Law’s mission. Gifts to student scholarships bolster the Law School’s efforts to recruit the most qualified students and increase the diversity of its student body.

“Alumni are really providing an opportunity for students who

Dusty Elias Kirk ‘79, partner, Reed Smith

“We’ve made sure our students are getting hands-on experience

couldn’t come here otherwise,” Kirk says of gifts to scholarship.

“We’re opening the doors to highly credentialed students thanks to the support we’re getting from alumni.”

by learning and participating in inclusive classes with great

“Our priority is to work with our alumni and friends to fulfill their

professors,” she says.

vision for giving back and to strengthen their connection with

That’s just one of many reasons the close-knit Dickinson Law alumni community sees their alma mater as an institution worth

Dickinson Law,” notes Dickinson Law Director of Development and Alumni Affairs Kelly Rimmer.

investing in. “Dickinson Law launched all of us on a successful

Dickinson Law donors can support the Law School with outright

career path, and we want to celebrate this Law School. Donating is

gifts, gifts of appreciated securities, or pledges payable over up to

our opportunity to do so,” Kirk adds.

five years. They can also opt to support the Law School through a

Alumni have answered the call to support the Law School loud and clear. Launched in 2016 and with two years remaining, the campaign has raised more than $10 million of its $16.4 million goal to provide support for students, faculty, programming, and current-use needs.

“We have about $6 million left to raise, and we need alumni philanthropy to meet this goal,” Kirk says.

Dickinson Law’s fundraising goal is part of the University-wide campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” to raise a cumulative $2.1 billion by June 30, 2022.

The Law School’s campaign progress to date was fueled by the 17-month Graduate Scholarship Matching Program that concluded

variety of charitable giving vehicles, including wills and living trusts, IRA and retirement plans, and donor advised funds, to name a few.

Additionally, donors who will be age 60 by the end of the campaign (June 30, 2022) and who are willing to document their intentions can count their planned gifts toward current campaign totals.

“We’ve raised a lot from a small number of donors, and we’d like to see that grow,” Kirk says. “Even if a recent graduate can give just $10 a month, that will make a huge difference. The major gifts are important, but they are not the only things that will take us across the line. We need participation from donors at all levels.”

Learn more about giving opportunities at dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/ gift, or make a gift now at raise.psu.edu/DickinsonLaw or raise.psu.edu/DickinsonLawLLM.

in November 2018. During that time, alumni and friends created SPRING 2020

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FUNDING THEIR FUTURES

Robin White ‘21

Bob Gavin ‘20

Cameron Watkins ‘22

STEVEN M. AND LESLIE K. COREN SCHOLARSHIP FUND Steven Coren ‘80 is a founding shareholder of Kaufman, Coren &

Robin White ’21, a second-year Dickinson Law student, says

Ress, P.C., leading the litigation practice. He earned Philadelphia’s

receiving the Steven M. and Leslie K. Coren Scholarship spurred

2018 Lawyer of the Year in the area of Litigation-Banking and

her to quit her full-time job to go to law school.

Finance from Best Lawyers in America. As 2020 approached, Coren wanted to do something special to celebrate 40 years of practicing law, and that desire spurred him to give back to Penn State Dickinson Law. A member of the Dickinson Law Leadership Council, he views Dickinson Law as “instrumental in the successful career I’ve enjoyed.”

Coren remembers taking out a $5,000 loan when he was in law school that he paid off over ten years. Now, he says, “when I see the cost of tuition and housing, I look at that and say, how can people afford it?”

Coren created a scholarship for students with an interest in public service.

“I wanted to give people the opportunity to go to a top law school and not graduate with crippling debt, to give them the opportunity to give back,” Coren says.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

“The scholarship enabled me to attend my top-choice school. It has helped me to meet my financial duties I had assumed while working full time. The scholarship has helped me to excel academically, as I can focus my time on my coursework instead of trying to work my way through law school,” White says.

NOREEN TAMA SCHOLARSHIP FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE Noreen Tama ’86 believes protecting juvenile rights within the justice system is critical. She decided to sponsor a scholarship for Dickinson Law students with that same interest.

“I was motivated to establish the scholarship when I moved to Texas and, through a series of personal experiences, became aware of the need for reform in the juvenile justice system,” Tama says.

“I recognized, however, that some of the best and most motivated

THE RAMBO DOUGLAS SCHOLARSHIP AT DICKINSON LAW The Hon. Sylvia H. Rambo ’62 was the first person in her family to attend college. As the recipient of a full scholarship for her undergraduate studies, Judge Rambo gained a first-hand understanding of how critical financial support is for students.

At Dickinson Law, where she transferred after starting at George Washington University, Judge Rambo found a nurturing educational environment. “What a difference the smaller class size has on one’s ability to learn,” she says.

Judge Rambo became a public defender and commons pleas judge, and was later named to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. She never forgot how the financial advantage of a scholarship aided her own legal career.

potential future lawyers to address the kind of problems I was seeing might be precluded from earning a law degree because of limited financial resources.”

When Penn State announced the Graduate Scholarship Matching Program, Tama was thrilled. “I saw a way I could actually provide

“Dickinson Law has an excellent reputation for preparing students to practice law,” Rambo says.

meaningful support to make a tangible impact on a student who

“The cost today of a law school education, however, is onerous,

could then pay it forward by helping a young person in need

and students need financial assistance. I have established

of legal assistance,” says Tama, who has spent more than two decades working for Exxon Mobil Corporation, first as counsel and more recently as senior counsel. She currently serves on

a scholarship so that each year a student will receive some assistance.”

Dickinson Law’s Leadership Council and its Environmental,

Cameron Watkins ‘22, a first-year Dickinson Law student,

Energy, and Agriculture Law Trusted Advisors Group.

received the Rambo Douglas Scholarship last fall, and she says

The scholarship has given students like Bob Gavin ’20, a third-year Dickinson Law student, opportunities they might not have enjoyed otherwise. Gavin, a former high school teacher, chose Dickinson Law in part for the chance to work in the Children’s Advocacy Clinic.

As a recipient of the Noreen Tama Scholarship for Juvenile Justice, Gavin will graduate from law school without debt.

it was “a large part of why she was able to attend law school. It is not hyperbole to say that without this scholarship I might not have been able to embark upon a legal education at Dickinson Law.” She adds that the scholarship has eased some of the financial burden and lessened the worries that naturally come along with funding-related stress, adding that stress is certainly the last thing anyone, particularly any law student, needs.

“I am not pressured to take a job in a high-paying field. I have the ability and freedom to work in the field of juvenile justice without worrying about the crushing debt that so many law students are facing,” Gavin says.

SPRING 2020

13

Under the supervision of Founding Clinic Director and Assistant Professor of Law Medha D. Makhlouf, students in the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic work with health care providers and advocates from Penn State Medical Group in Harrisburg, Sadler Health Center in Carlisle, and other community organizations to address health-harming legal issues through joint advocacy.

DICKINSON LAW IMPACTS HEALTH LAW POLICY Faculty making a difference through health law advocacy By the time students enter law school, they have experienced

Legal Partnership (MLP) Clinic, founded by Assistant Professor of

events that shape their outlook and perspectives. These things

Law Medha D. Makhlouf.

impact their approach to the rule of law, what they choose to study, and what they gain from their classes.

“Students who are looking ahead to careers where they want to make change see a problem, and they want to help solve it.

Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of health

Sometimes we get used to the way the world works, but students

law. Health is universal. Everyone deals with issues of health for

coming to law school know it doesn’t have to be that way,”

themselves and their families. Often these circumstances even

Lawrence says.

spur a student’s interest in a legal career.

The students who participate in ALRT and at the MLP Clinic often

“Students see the real problems out there in the world, and

work autonomously and take on great responsibility. They see

they come to law school wanting to help,” Assistant Professor of

firsthand the impact lawyers can make in a dire situation.

Law Matthew B. Lawrence says. “Addiction and mental health are two of the biggest issues. Our students want to contribute to solving them.”

“The MLP Clinic is an innovative model of legal services in which law students work with health care professionals to identify and address health-harming legal issues in patients that otherwise

Dickinson Law students can take real-life action on health issues

would have gone undetected and unaddressed,” Makhlouf says.

about which they feel passionate through the Addiction Legal

“Law students learn firsthand the importance of interprofessional

Resources Team (ALRT), which Lawrence leads, and the Medical-

collaboration to solve complex problems.”

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP CLINIC: IMPROVING THE SYSTEM FOR ALL Identifying the socio-legal causes of poor health and acting on their consequences are core missions of the Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) Clinic. The MLP Clinic receives case referrals from a variety of health care professionals at medical partner sites throughout central Pennsylvania. Students represent patients, many of whom are immigrants, who have been denied access to public benefits. These public benefit programs subsidize the purchase of food, housing, utilities, and health care—the building blocks of good health.

“When a client’s access to public benefits is restored, we often learn that an impending health crisis has also been averted,” Makhlouf says. “Through legal representation of people who lack access to health-supporting public benefits, we’re working to create a more equitable health care system, which is ultimately a better system for all.”

In addition to directly representing clients, the clinic provides training on how to identify health-harming legal issues for medical students, residents, social workers, community health workers, and clinical staff at medical partner sites. It also delivers information sessions on legal issues to members of the community. Students in the clinic have opportunities to participate in interprofessional education activities, such as poverty simulations and patient navigation teams, with Penn State College of Medicine students.

Each case offers students multiple lessons, not the least of which is perseverance. “One of the most memorable cases for me was a case where an individual needed health care coverage in order to get a transplant. It took a lot of research, phone calls, and advocating to help this client get coverage again,” MLP Clinic Student Stephanie-Rose Orlando ’21 says.

Stephanie-Rose Orlando ‘21

“I learned that sometimes cases can be really emotionally challenging and procedurally frustrating, but if you keep trying, the results are well worth the challenges and frustrations,” Orlando says.

In class, students balance lessons on the black-letter law of public benefits eligibility and administrative law appeals with practice oriented sessions on client interviewing strategy, professional identity formation, and goal setting. Developing these practical skills helps students gain confidence.

“I grew comfortable making phone calls, writing letters, meeting with clients, and speaking to other professionals,” Orlando says.

“I was able to decide what I thought was the best course of action in each case and then consulted with Professor Makhlouf to determine if and why that course of action is a good one.”

Makhlouf was recently named one of twenty-one Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, and in January she began the one-year nonresidential fellowship at George Washington University’s Health Workforce Institute in Washington, D.C. She is excited to bring home lessons she learns during the fellowship to the MLP Clinic.

“My scholarship, teaching, and service work are all based on the concept of equity in health law and policy. I was drawn to this fellowship for the unique opportunity to learn alongside a diverse, global group of advocates; to gain expertise in operationalizing interventions to improve health equity; and to obtain leadership training in order to amplify the impact of the work we’re doing in the MLP Clinic,” Makhlouf says.

Makhlouf welcomes contact from alumni who are interested in the MLP Clinic’s work. “I’ve received invaluable feedback and support from alumni working in the health law field. I would love to hear from any alumni who feel that they can share a unique perspective with me or with our students.”

The capstone of Dickinson Law’s educational mission to prepare students for the workplace is our upper-level experiential learning requirement, which goes beyond the minimum requirements set by the American Bar Association. Here students must earn at least six of twelve required experiential learning credits in a real-world practice setting, such as the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic.

SPRING 2020

15

With the number of opioid overdose deaths continuing to rise in Pennsylvania, Dickinson Law students are becoming advocates and providing resources for those who are affected by addictions as part of the Addiction Legal Resources Team, founded by Assistant Professor of Law Matthew B. Lawrence.

ADDICTION LEGAL RESOURCES TEAM: UNDERSTANDING THE BROADER PICTURE OF ADDICTION AND CRIMINAL LAW Alex Short ’20, a third-year student at Dickinson Law, wants to end

Lawrence says one huge takeaway for students has been

the stigma surrounding the disease of addiction. Short’s older

separating the causes of the opioid crisis from the issues that

brother died after battling substance use disorder for a decade.

arise from it. “There are many causes, structurally, that led to

While Short says his brother’s addiction did not spark his initial interest in law school, it has influenced his career path. Upon

the crisis, and the law can play a huge role in addressing them,” Lawrence says.

graduation, Short will join the Cumberland County District

Short hopes to be part of that role. “The future of criminal law is

Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor for the Treatment Court.

more about reconsidering the conditions that led to the crime

Short wants to build on the experience he gained with ALRT. “The work has meant the world to me personally,” Short says. “It gave me an outlet to explore something that interested me without

being committed,” Short says. “You can see the influences of what happened to people and see how the criminal repercussions play out. You need to understand the broader picture.”

worrying about where it would lead to. The things we’ve done have fascinated me.”

ALRT has published blog posts related to addiction that allow Short and other students to exercise their creative writing muscles.

Students post interviews and profiles of state senators, researchers, and judges implementing positive change in the substance use disorder space.

While students do not give legal advice, they do assist with research. “They disseminate resources that might be helpful to those seeking treatment for addiction,” Lawrence says. “We make them available through the web.”

The Hon. Jessica E. Brewbaker ‘00 presides over Pennsylvania’s first Opioid Intervention Court, which is designed to combat the increased risk people in the criminal justice system have of dying from a drug overdose.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

First-, second-, and third-year law students gain practical legal experience while exploring the field of elder law as part of Professor of Law Katherine Pearson’s Pennsylvania Guardian Education Project.

“Projects like this provide excellent networking opportunities and the honor of learning from some of the greatest practitioners in the state,” Miller says.

GRANT SPOTLIGHT: DICKINSON LAW STUDENTS CREATE ONLINE TOOLS FOR ELDER LAW PROJECT Second-year law student Mimi Miller ’21

She pursued the grant after noting a rise

Elder law is a passion for many Dickinson

worked as a certified nursing assistant

in demand for accessible resources in the

Law students. Pearson says years ago,

before coming to Penn State Dickinson

Commonwealth. The U.S. Census and

her students became interested in elder

Law. While looking after patients in long-

Pennsylvania State Data Center reports

law only after she spoke to them about it.

term care, she learned how guardianships

that by 2025, one in five Pennsylvanians

They didn’t enter law school focused on

function.

will be 65 or older. This aging population

practicing elder law. That has changed.

“I had difficult conversations with patients and their families in vulnerable situations, such as new diagnoses, which helped me understand the stresses and questions

will need more court-appointed guardians, who make decisions in the best interests of those who have been physically or mentally incapacitated.

“Now, students are coming specifically to study elder law. They are approaching me already in their first year of law school, and that’s exciting to me,” Pearson says.

that a new guardian and the family of

For the project, Dickinson Law students

“They often have experience in health

the incapacitated person may have as

researched and wrote guides for

care, including Medicare, Medicaid, or

they make a transition to a guardianship

guardians, including input from Penn

quality of care issues, and they want to

situation,” she says.

State experts in health care, behavioral

know more about the law as it affects

sciences, and online adult education.

families across generations. Elder law

They filmed interviews with judges,

really is inherently multidisciplinary—at

advocates, guardians, and attorneys

the intersection of health care, social

to include with the interactive tools.

services, family law, and financial planning.”

During her first year at Dickinson Law, Miller received the ideal opportunity to draw on that knowledge.

She joined the Pennsylvania Guardian Education Project, headed by Professor of Law Katherine C. Pearson. The project, which received funding from the Penn State Strategic Initiative Grant last year, creates interactive educational tools for court-appointed guardians working with the Pennsylvania courts.

“Penn State is a land-grant school, and that’s always been associated with the

The experience took them to Philadelphia over the summer, and the editing continued into the fall. Miller found the experience invaluable.

Pearson adds that gaining experience in elder law offers other long-term benefits as well. “Elder law attorneys are some of the happiest practicing attorneys I know,”

“Experiential learning is also an

she says. “Many young lawyers worry

excellent opportunity for students

about how they’ll fit in career-wise. It is

to become involved in work they are

wonderful for our students to hear alumni

passionate about to effect positive

like Jared Childers ’08, who has a very

change,” Miller says.

robust elder law practice, telling them, ‘I love my work.’”

education of working people,” Pearson says. “I think this is just the latest iteration of that. It’s a really modern way to conduct community outreach.”

SPRING 2020

17

DICKINSON LAW AT THE FOREFRONT Alumni join with faculty and students to lead in the transformational spaces of cyberlaw and national security

Berk Demiral ‘20 (center) and Bryan Caffrey ‘20 (right) along with Dickinson Law students Wyatt Weisenberg ‘20, Najeebah Beyah ‘21, Caitlin Cooke ‘21, Ashli Jones ‘21, and Wang Zhou ‘21 helped plan the social engineering and election security panel with first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and Pennsylvania’s 43rd Governor Tom Ridge ‘72 as part of Hacking the U.S. Election—a symposium held on February 24, 2020, at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., co-sponsored by Dickinson Law, the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, the Center for Democracy & Technology, and the Brennan Center for Justice.

W

hen third-year Penn

McKenna, who teaches the class. She says,

State Dickinson Law

“There is no area of law that you will

student Berk Demiral ‘20

practice or be engaged with in any way

enrolled in the course

that doesn’t require you to understand how

LAW THAT IMPACTS ‘ASPECTS OF EVERYONE’S LIFE’

the law intersects with technology.”

Law school courses constantly evolve to

“Cyberlaw in Practice,” he expected a straightforward examination of the law related to technology and internet. He quickly discovered that was merely the

tip of the iceberg.

That’s incredible because just a few decades ago, cyberlaw didn’t exist. Today, it has become essential to the rule of law.

Says Demiral, “If you don’t know what is

“Instead, the course involved Federal

being thought in cyberlaw, then you don’t

Communications Commission decisions,

know how to practice law anywhere.”

torts, contracts, federal criminal law, family law, state trade practices laws, and more,” Demiral says.

National security law, too, has evolved rapidly. “While some concepts understandably go back to when humans

Indeed, cyberlaw encompasses a little bit

first formed recognizable nations, many of

of everything, notes Distinguished Scholar

the most critical ideas only came about in

of Cyberlaw and Policy and Institute

the 20th century,” says third-year Dickinson

for Computational and Data Sciences

Law student Jon Krisko ’20, who will become

Associate Professor Anne Toomey

a judge advocate in the U.S. Army after graduation.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

keep pace with what’s happening in the world around them, but they also reflect the law’s critical role in everyday lives. In recent years, more and more Dickinson Law students want to study cyberlaw and national security.

Amy C. Gaudion, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of lawyering skills, credits the popularity of these subjects to current events. Technology has become part of our daily lives, and so has national security.

For instance, in a joint effort between the Law School and Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences each spring, McKenna leads students through a cyberhack. She draws on the resources of the two programs to show students how to secure electronic evidence and ensure legal compliance.

The exercise prepares McKenna’s students to carve out legally sound answers while working with people from completely different backgrounds. Law students must explain the legal hurdles of resolving the hack in terms the non-law students they work with can understand.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Lawyering Skills Amy C. Gaudion leads Dickinson Law’s national security program, including leading an annual cyberspace working group simulation in collaboration with the U.S. Army War College.

“In the real world, that’s what you have to figure out,” she says.

To give students an appreciation of the complexities of national security law,

means to be a member of the military in a

THE VALUE OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

country at war,” says Gaudion, who teaches

As part of the cyberlaw and national

Dickinson Law students work side by side to

national security. “We see that permeating

security curriculum, students engage

resolve a simulated international

with our students. We have a number of

with examples of real-world conflict and

cyberspace dispute.

veterans who have served in conflicts. They

emerging law during experiential learning

want to understand the legal and policy

exercises, where they see the impact of

frameworks of why and how we go to war.”

their efforts and decisions. Partnering

“We have been engaged, as a nation, in armed conflict for almost twenty years now. There’s a cognizance of what it

Second-year law student Caitlin Cooke ‘21, who received an undergraduate degree in homeland security, echoes Gaudion’s thoughts. “National security and cyberlaw affect not only every other area of law but also aspects of everyone’s life,”

with institutions and individuals equally invested in the exploration of cyberlaw and national security enhances the value of these exercises for students, who receive the interdisciplinary education they need to navigate complex real-life situations.

Cooke says.

Dickinson Law collaborates with the nearby U.S. Army War College in Carlisle on an annual spring event. War College and

“As a judge advocate, I will be responsible for advising commanders on how to conduct operations in accordance with both domestic and international law focused on national security,” Krisko says. “Working with lieutenant colonels and colonels from the War College was an extremely valuable experience for me because they will be the exact types of people that I will find myself advising once I am a full-fledged member of the JAG Corps.”

“There is no longer an area of law that doesn’t involve technology. Even in family law, information privacy has become a huge issue as survivors of domestic violence want to use phone call recording apps as proof of abuse but can’t due to wiretapping laws,” McKenna says.

The learning is dynamic.

“Interacting with data in situations that involve the U.S. and other countries and working alongside real military leaders, who are also learning from Dickinson Law students, is invaluable,” Gaudion says.

“These are the partnerships that support our innovative programing.”

SPRING 2020

19

ALUMNI CONTRIBUTE USEFUL REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

security classes benefit from a rich

memory that will positively inform their

network of alumni support. The

studies and their future professional

professors say they appreciate when

experiences.”

Collaboration with alumni also opens

to their students and share anecdotally

doors for unique student learning and

what it’s like to work on cyberlaw and

activities. Dickinson Law co-sponsored a

national security cases. They also

symposium in February at the U.S. Capitol

value the network of alumni working

Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., that

in federal agencies who reach out with

united cyberlaw and national security

opportunities for tours, dialogue, or

concerns. Former Pennsylvania

exercises.

Governor Tom Ridge ’72 addressed ways to make elections more secure via a bipartisan election security legislative roadmap to support states.

“We are intentional about creating a prominent role for students in our cyber and national security events,” Gaudion says.

alumni with real-world experience speak

Gaudion and McKenna say these experiential events and simulations make real-world circumstances a little less intimidating when students eventually step into the professional realm.

Pairing students with government and industry actors provides important and often crucial training and preparation for real-world catastrophes in a safe setting.

These experiences give the participants the space to make mistakes, to flag challenges, to build relationships, and to identify areas in need of improvement.

Involving students in the research process also keeps both the professors and their students up to date with current decisions in the ever-changing worlds of cyberlaw and national security. “This hand-to-hand

“These simulation experiences and

process we do with the students makes

exercises are essential to legal education

it more fun for all of us,” McKenna says.

and to our teaching and scholarly

“We all must continue to learn.”

These interdisciplinary programs give

objectives in these fields,” Gaudion

Dickinson Law students the chance to

says. “By immersing students in a

interact with members of Congress,

full-day, intense, time-packed scenario

the news media, policymakers, and

with practitioners, faculty, and students

information technology professionals.

outside their discipline, our law students

Dickinson Law’s cyberlaw and national

come away with skills and brain muscle

Distinguished Scholar of Cyberlaw and Policy, Dickinson Law, and Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Associate and Professor of Practice Anne Toomey McKenna moderates a panel discussion about social engineering’s potential impacts on our elections during the February 24 Hacking the U.S. Election symposium at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

DICKINSON LAW MASTER OF LAWS PROGRAM: A new director combines her expertise with our historic program in support of the next generation of international students

M

ekan Karayev ‘20 wanted to obtain his Master of

to take the American bar exam. Karayev is one of nine

Laws (LL.M.) in the United States after studying

international students who will graduate from Dickinson Law’s

law as an undergraduate student at the Saint-

LL.M. program this spring.

Petersburg State Agrarian University in Russia and teaching at the International University for Humanities and Development in Turkmenistan.

“We do keep the class size intentionally small,” says Director of Non-J.D. Programs and Visiting Associate Professor Emily Michiko Morris. “That way we can invest more resources in LL.M. students and help them to feel included and to be more successful.”

These students often receive additional outreach from professors, too. For example, many of the LL.M. students took Civil Procedure alongside first-year J.D. students this past semester. Knowing that the international students might have a particularly hard time with this already difficult subject, Professor of Experiential Learning Peter Glenn offered extra sessions outside of class to give international students time to ask questions.

Fulbright Scholar Mekan Karayev ‘20 came to Dickinson Law to pursue his Master of Laws from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He previously attended Saint-Petersburg State Agrarian University in Russia.

ATTRACTING STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Students in this year’s LL.M. cohort hail from Afghanistan, Ghana, India, Italy, The Netherlands, South Korea, Sudan, and

At the urging of a friend, he applied for a Fulbright Scholarship

Turkmenistan. The diversity of backgrounds contributes to rich

and was one of the few to be selected for this prestigious

in-class discussions as well as interactions with students in the

award. In choosing a law school at which to spend his year as

J.D. program, who are increasingly interested in the global

a Fulbright, he wanted to avoid places that have programs so

aspects of the law.

large that he would feel like a nameless face in the crowd.

He found Penn State Dickinson Law had the small classes he wanted, along with an ideal location in a small town near Washington, D.C. “The biggest surprise was the fact that professors here actually have the time and are actively willing to help out and give advice,” he says. “Back in my law school, you were lucky if you could ‘catch’ a professor to discuss something from the course

“The LL.M. program is just one of many ways in which Dickinson Law commits to global engagement,” Morris says.

A lumni of the LL.M. program have gone on to take high

or have some advice on a paper.”

positions in government and serve on courts, including one

Dickinson Law’s one-year LL.M. program is open to students

in academia. He is interested in international human rights

who already hold a terminal law degree. They usually come to

and investment transactions and is looking to move to a

learn more about U.S. law generally, gain knowledge about a

Canadian university next. “This program has been challenging,

particular subject to bring back to their country, or prepare

definitely,” he says, “but I enjoy having conversations in class

who is a minister of justice. Karayev says his future likely lies

and asking questions that help us get to the core of things.”

SPRING 2020

21

CLASS NOTES 1970s

’79

’72

James H. Richardson Jr. was elected president of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an organization dedicated to providing leadership that promotes the highest degree of professionalism and excellence in the practice of family law. Richardson has been a member of the academy since 1995. He is the former CEO and managing partner of the Elderkin Law Firm in Erie, PA.

’78

1980s

Martha Walker retired as director of the board for F&M Trust and Franklin Financial Services Corporation after 40 years of service. Walker, a partner in the Chambersburg, PAbased law firm Walker, Connor & Spang, LLC, joined the board in 1979. She was the first woman to serve as the board’s director.

Kristen W. Brown received the Pennsylvania Bar Association James S. Bowman Award on May 16, 2019, at an awards luncheon at the association’s Annual Meeting in Lancaster, PA. Presented annually by the Administrative Law Section, the James S. Bowman Award honors a lawyer who is making a significant impact on the practice of administrative law and who is demonstrating leadership in mentoring administrative law practitioners.

’78

Hon. Thomas I. Vanaskie has joined the Philadelphia, PA, office of Stevens & Lee in the firm’s Litigation Department, where he will lead the Appellate Practice and Mediation, Neutral Services, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice. In his role as chair of the Appellate Practice, Vanaskie will lead a team of appellate practice professionals who assist clients with appellate challenges on a national basis. He is a contributing member of the Sedona Conference Working Group 1 on Electronic Document Retention and Production and Working Group 11 on Data Security and Privacy Liability. Vanaskie previously served for eight years as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

’79

Hubert X. Gilroy joined the U.S. Army War College student body in Carlisle, PA, for the National Security Seminar (NSS), June 3-6, 2019. Selected representatives from across the United States were invited to join the graduate-level seminar and exchange thoughts about national security topics in the capstone phase of the USAWC graduate program. The NSS was the capstone event of the USAWC’s ten-month curriculum, just before the Class of 2019 graduation ceremony to confer the USAWC diploma and master’s degree in Strategic Studies.

’82

George Joseph has begun his term as president of the Erie County Bar Association. He hopes to increase the engagement and involvement of nearly 500 members of the bar association. Joseph also hopes to “promote civility and collegiality and enhance professionalism among members.” He is a shareholder in the Quinn Law Group in Erie, PA.

’83

Hon. John F. Cherry was unanimously elected by the ten-member Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas (PA) to serve as its 27th president judge for a five-year term effective January 1, 2020. Cherry was first elected to the bench in 1999 and retained in November of 2009 and 2019, marking his third ten-year term on the Court of Common Pleas. He currently handles civil and dependency matters.

’85

Col. Robert J. DeSousa was honored by the Federal Bar Association (FBA) with its Earl W. Kintner Award for Distinguished Service during its annual meeting and convention in September 2019. The honor is the FBA’s highest award and is presented as “a lifetime contribution award to an FBA member who has displayed long-term outstanding achievement, distinguished leadership, and participation in the activities of the association’s chapters, sections, and divisions throughout the nation over a career of service.”

’86

Ann Russavage-Faust was selected as the new chief public defender for Bucks County, PA, effective January 2020. She has served Bucks County as the administrative deputy public defender since 1988.

Pictured from left to right: Martha Walker ‘72, Thomas I. Vanaskie ‘78, Brian Bolash ‘90, Katherine Granbois ‘92, Claudia Williams ‘95, Steve Tregea ‘97

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

’88

David E. Schwager, a partner in the Wilkes-Barre, PA, law firm of Chariton, Schwager & Malak, began a twoyear term representing the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) in the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates, effective August 2019. Schwager is president-elect of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) and will become its 2020-2021 president at the PBA Annual Meeting in May 2020.

’89

Larry D. Gasteiger was named executive director of WIRES, the international trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high voltage grid.

Most recently Gasteiger was chief of federal regulatory policy at Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc., where he focused on transmission and wholesale market policy issues. Prior to that he served for more than nineteen years at FERC in a range of increasingly responsible leadership roles including as chief of staff for Chairman Norman Bay.

1990s

’90

Brian W. Bolash has been appointed senior vice president and general counsel for Erie Insurance in Erie, PA. He had served as vice president, corporate secretary, and senior counsel. Bolash will serve as the company’s chief legal officer, overseeing the company’s law division, internal audit and corporate legal department. He will also continue to serve as the company corporate secretary and join the company’s executive council. Bolash joined Erie Insurance in 2000 as associate general counsel.

’92

Jim Frederick joined the Washington, D.C., office of Faegre Drinker Biddle and Reath as counsel. Frederick has vast experience defending life sciences companies in pharmaceutical and medical device product liability, mass tort, and consumer fraud lawsuits.

’92

Katherine Pandelidis Granbois was one of thirty women selected by Central Penn Business Journal to receive the 2019 Women of Influence Award in recognition of their significant contributions to their respective fields and for their leadership in central Pennsylvania in the areas of civic leadership, communications, education, finance, general business, health care, law, philanthropy, real estate, and technology. Granbois is a shareholder and chair of Saxton & Stump’s Business and Corporate Law Group in Lancaster, PA.

’95

Claudia Williams was honored on Dec. 4, 2019, by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & Capital Region Economic Development Corporation with its Athena Award. The award recognizes those who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in business or a profession; provide a valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community; and give assistance to women in reaching their full leadership potential. Williams is a speaker, author, and founder of The Human Zone, LLC.

’97

Steve R. Tregea was named as a partner in Chartwell Law effective May 1, 2019. Tregea is located in the firm’s Harrisburg, PA. office. He focuses his practice primarily on workers’ compensation and has represented clients ranging from large self-insured employers to small-business employers with only a handful of employees.

’98

Sarah K. Ivy joined the Lancaster, PA, office of Saxton & Stump as shareholder and chair of the firm’s newly formed Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group. Ivy brings more than twenty years of experience advising employers and other employee benefits plan sponsors on all employee benefit and executive compensation plan issues arising under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

’98

Hon. Jennifer J. Rega joined the law firm of Simpson, Kablack and Rivosecchi P.C. as an associate attorney in its Indiana and Blairsville, PA, offices. She was the magisterial district judge for the southern part of Indiana County, PA, for the last eighteen years.

’99

Todd Brown is now first assistant district attorney for Lancaster County, PA. He is the former chief public defender for the county.

’99

Hon. Pedro Cortés was sworn in as the new managing director of the city of Reading, PA, at meeting of the City Council on Jan. 27, 2020. Cortés is a two-time state secretary, having served Gov. Ed Rendell from 2003 to 2010, and most recently serving Gov. Tom Wolf up until 2017. He was the first Latino cabinet member and the longest-serving secretary of state in Pennsylvania history.

Pictured from left to right: Sarah Ivy ‘98, Todd Brown ‘99, Kevin Guerke ‘01, Amy Kruzel ‘05, Saleem Mawji ‘05, Michael Carr ‘07

SPRING 2020

23

2000s

’00

Dana R. Flick is now chief public defender of Mercer County, PA. Flick joined the Mercer County Public Defender’s Office in 2002 following a clerkship for the Hon. Robert Dobson (Mercer County Court of Common Pleas).

custody, and support matters, and has presented oral argument in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Eastern District. She joined the firm in 2017. Active in the Lehigh Valley community, Kruzel serves on the Executive Leadership Board of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She recently was nominated as the Lehigh Valley Branch’s first-ever All-Star Alumni candidate for the 2020 Man & Woman of the Year Campaign.

’01

’05

’02

’07

Kevin A. Guerke joined the Wilmington, DE, office of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP as a partner in the firm’s Bankruptcy, Commercial, and Complex & Specialty Litigation sections. Guerke is a member of the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association and the Richard S. Rodney Inn of Court. He serves as a commissioner on the Delaware Lottery Commission.

Hon. Matthew Watters was appointed by U.S. Attorney General William Barr as an immigration court judge in York, PA, under the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Department of Justice, to begin hearing cases in January 2020. Watters has served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve and as a deputy commander in the U.S. Army Reserve Legal Command. From 2010 to 2019, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney and supervisory assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Texas, culminating as chief of the Del Rio Division. From 2003 to 2010, Watters served as a judge advocate for the U.S. Army in the following locations: Fort Polk, LA; Camp Stanley, Republic of Korea; Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter, Hawai’i; Parwan and Kandahar, Afghanistan; and Tikrit, Iraq.

’03

Marisa K. McClellan was appointed as a member of the governing board of the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) for the 2019-2020 term. PFSA is a statewide nonprofit organization that works to prevent child abuse and protects children from harm by helping parents learn positive parenting techniques, educating professionals and volunteers who work with children to recognize and report child abuse, and helping community members learn how they can play a positive role in keeping children safe. McClellan serves as administrator for Dauphin County Children and Youth in Harrisburg, PA.

’05

David “Neil” Hittinger, Jr. joined the Hospitality and Gaming Group of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC in its Harrisburg, PA, office.

’05

Amy L. Kruzel has been promoted to a member of

Norris McLaughlin, P.A. in the Matrimonial & Family Law Group in its Allentown, PA, office effective January 2020.

Kruzel works closely with clients on all aspects of matrimonial law, including divorce, custody, support, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She serves as a mediator in divorce,

Saleem Mawji, a member of the law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., was elected co-chair of the firm’s Litigation Department department and chair of litigation in the PA office, three years after being named a member of the firm. He also serves as a member of the firm’s diversity committee.

Michael Carr was promoted to partner by Perkins Coie LLP in its Boise, ID, office. Carr is a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice.

’07

Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazard joined NBC Sports in Stamford, CT, as counsel for business and legal affairs effective April 2019. She previously served as assistant general counsel for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In March 2019, she was recognized as one of the Top Corporate Counsel in the Private Sector in Tampa Bay by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

’08

Crystal West Edwards joined the Wealth Preservation Group of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman P.C. (“Porzio”) in Morristown, NJ. Edwards focuses her practice on elder law, special needs planning and advocacy, estate planning, and estate administration. She is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the ABA accredited National Elder Law Foundation.

’08

Joel Samuels was honored in October 2019 by Missouri Lawyers Weekly as a member of the Up & Coming Lawyers class of 2019. He is an intellectual property attorney and Principal in Harness Dickey’s St. Louis, MO, office. Samuels currently divides his practice between litigation and brand and IP management. He is the current secretary for the Patent, Trademark and Copyright Section of The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL), where he has led an annual “Trademark Year in Review” presentation every year since 2016.

’08

Ryan P. Siney has been designated by the International Association of Privacy Professionals as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/U.S). The CIPP/U.S. certification is awarded to those who demonstrate a strong understanding of U.S. privacy laws and regulations. Siney is a shareholder in the Harrisburg, PA, office of Tucker Arensberg, P.C.

Pictured from left to right: Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazzard ‘07, Crystal West Edwards ‘08 , Ryan Siney ‘08, Luke Weber ‘11, Gellaine Newton ‘13, Alexandra Sipe ‘13

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

’08

Hon. Tarah Toohil was recognized on January 18, 2020, by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Family Law Section at its winter meeting for her work on issues relating to family law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Toohil, a state representative from Luzerne County, PA, was a key sponsor of Act 102 of 2016, which shortened the length of the separation period that is required in Pennsylvania prior to entering into a no-fault divorce from two years to one year in order to lessen the traumatic impact on any children involved.

2010s

’11

Luke Weber was elected to the Board of Directors for the Lancaster Bar Association, Lancaster, PA. He will serve a one-year term as chair of the Young Lawyers Section and lead efforts to coordinate educational and networking activities for section members.

’12

Allie (Sievers) Dempsey joined Klasko Immigration Law Partners, LLP, Philadelphia, PA, as a senior associate focused on employment-based immigration law.

’13

Kate E. Hynes was inducted into the Brookville Area High School (Brookville, PA) Hall of Fame Class of 2019 in October. While at Brookville, Hynes won three gold medals as the PIAA Pennsylvania Class AA State Diving Champion. She holds all PIAA District 9 diving records with four straight district titles.

Hynes is currently an associate attorney at the Stock & Leader Law Firm in York, PA, focusing on commercial business transactions, commercial finance, mergers and acquisition, and intellectual property.

’13

Gellaine T. Newton joined the New York, NY, office of Chartwell Law as an associate in its insurance defense litigation team. Prior to joining the firm, Newton was a member of litigation counsel for a large national insurance carrier in Morristown, NJ, where she reviewed commercial contracts and other binding agreements.

’13

Alexandra M. Sipe received the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section’s inaugural Trailblazer Award on May 17, 2019, during the association’s Annual Meeting in Lancaster, PA. The award recognizes young lawyers practicing in the real property and probate and trust areas of law. Honorees must demonstrate excellence in the practice of law, professionalism through bar association activities, and a commitment to pro bono legal services.

’14

Gabrielle Giombetti joined Fisher & Phillips LLP, Philadelphia, PA, as an associate focusing her practice on the litigation of employment disputes with a particular emphasis on enforcement and defense of restrictive covenant and trade secrets matters. Giombetti was selected by The Legal Intelligencer as a 2019 Lawyer on the Fast Track.

’17

Francesca Kester joined the Complex Litigation Group at Morgan & Morgan, P.A, as an associate in its Tampa, FL, office. Kester concentrates her practice on consumer class action litigation, currently with a heavy emphasis on cyber security and data breach litigation. She previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. James M. Munley (U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania).

’17

Brian J. Murren joined the law firm of Tucker Arensberg, P.C. in its Harrisburg, PA, office. He is a member of the Litigation Department and focuses his practice in general commercial litigation.

’17

Jon Vaitl joined the Harrisburg, PA, office of K&L Gates LLP as an associate. Vaitl focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and disputes. He previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. John E. Jones III ’80 (U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania).

’18 ’18

Michael O’Brien is now an associate with the law firm of Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf & Cunningham in Buffalo, NY.

Triston “Chase” O’Savio joined the Harrisburg, PA, office of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC as an associate in the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. O’Savio previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. James M. Munley (U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania).

’19

Nader Amer joined the Wilmington, DE, office of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP as an associate with the Corporate & Business Litigation Group.

’19

Sarah P. Kaboly joined the Wilmington, DE, office of Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP as an associate with the Corporate & Business Litigation Group.

’19

Cameron Plaster is now a contract specialist for Stratolaunch LLC in Seattle, WA.

Pictured from left to right: Gabrielle Giombetti ‘14, Brian Murren ‘17, Jon Vaitl ‘17, Michael O’Brian ‘18, Nader Amer ‘19, Sarah Kaboly ‘19

SPRING 2020

25

REMEMBERING OUR COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND

HARVEY A. FELDMAN ’69 February 23, 1945 – September 4, 2019

IN MEMORIAM AS REPORTED TO DICKINSON LAW BETWEEN APRIL 1, 2019, AND THE TIME OF PRINT

Harvey A. Feldman’s rigorous academic career began at the

Albert G. Barnes Jr. ’70

age of 6 at the Girard College

Carl E. Bentz ’59

in Philadelphia. He completed

James W. Bentz ’78

his undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania.

Feldman later accepted an offer of admission and full scholarship to the Law School and earned his juris doctor as a member of

The Honorable William W. Caldwell ’51 James F. Carl ’67 Richard A. Carothers ’52 The Honorable Harman R. Clark Jr. ’56 Cynthia Skibicki Collins ’79 Thomas Costa ’71 Henry F. Coyne ’66

the class of 1969. He also earned

H. Clay Davis III ’72

a master of laws from George

Wendy A. Day ’08

Washington University.

Harvey A. Feldman ’69

Feldman’s legacy at Dickinson

Michael G. Fitzpatrick ’88 Dr. Robert M. Frey ’53

Law traces back to 1970, when

The Honorable Thomas D. Gladden ’57

he joined the faculty. During

Edward B. Golla ’79

his tenure, he taught property,

Peter N. Harrison ’67

real estate transactions, remedies, professional responsibility, appellate practice,

David J. Humphreys ’62

environmental law, land use controls, and state and local government law. He also

Neil Hurowitz ’58

founded and taught for several years the gender and the law seminar course.

Roger B. Irwin ‘56 William R. Keller ’64

In addition to teaching, Feldman enjoyed one of the longest administrative tenures in Law

The Honorable Edwin M. Kosik ’51

School history: from 1977 to 2004 under the tenures of five deans, he served as associate

Thomas E. Larson ’69

dean for academic affairs. He influenced generations of lawyers with his passion for the

Howell C. Mette ’51

law and became one of the most highly regarded academic deans in the nation.

Arthur L. Piccone ’58 Harvey B. Reeder ’73

“Harvey treated everyone equally and with respect,” said Registrar Pamela Knowlton.“In

Michael S. Rogovin ’99

return, he earned the respect and admiration he deserved from students, colleagues

James S. Routch ’60

and friends. Harvey took delight in getting to know all students on a first name basis,

The Honorable Thomas R. Rumana ’49

something that I try to do to illustrate that every person is important. He truly was a pillar

William J. Schaaf ’71

of the Dickinson Law community.”

William E. Schantz ’53 Charles A. Schneider ’62

In 2005, Feldman received the Distinguished Service Award from the Law School’s

Leonard G. Schumack ’46

General Alumni Association. He completed eight years of service with the National

Jeffrey L. Schwartz, Esq ’87

Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. For 15 years, he coached the Law

Samuel A. Scott ’69

School’s Appellate Moot Court Team. For more than 30 years, he joined his students for

Jefferson J. Shipman ’87

slow-pitch softball tournaments. In the spring of 2001, he and his teammates from the Law

John G. Soult ’55

School’s classes of 2001, 2002, and 2003 won the annual University of Virginia Law School

Charles W. Staudenmeier ’51

Invitational slow-pitch softball tournament.

Robert M. Strickler ‘61

Feldman concluded his full-time teaching in June 2007 and taught on a part-time basis

George Van Hartogh ’60

until June 2014. To permanently honor his 37 years of unparalleled contributions to the

The Honorable Gerald Weinstein ’56

Law School, an endowed faculty award was established and awarded to Professor of Law

David M. Weixel ’74

Dermot Groome upon joining the faculty in fall 2014.

Daniel B. Winters ’52

Harvey is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Carol M. Kosik ‘94, four stepchildren, one sister, one niece, and one nephew.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

Kathleen S. Swendiman ’74

IN GOOD COMPANY

1.

2.

3.

5.

4.

6.

7.

1. Erin Hayes ’14 returned to campus for Dickinson Law’s February 2020 Admitted Student Open House. As a featured alumni guest, she shared more about her law school experience and career path. 2. Dickinson Law celebrated its generous supporters, partners, and friends—including the Honorable LeRoy S. Zimmerman ’59 and Mary Zimmerman—at its annual donor recognition reception and dinner. 3. Distinguished guests from federal and state courts—including many alumni—joined the Dickinson Law community for Phi Alpha Delta’s 17th Annual Judges’ Night. The event allows law students and judges to network and socialize in a professional setting. 4. Members of the classes of 1976, 1979, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, and 2000 celebrate with Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway while attending the Meet the Dean CLE and Reception.

5. Mollie McCurdy ’79 catches up with law school classmates inside Lewis Katz Hall. 6. Triston “Chase” O’Savio ‘18 caught up with Director of Development and Alumni Affairs Kelly Rimmer, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Services Jeffrey A. Dodge, and Dean Conway over lunch.

7. Darlene Hemerka ’16 receives a warm welcome from Dean Conway at the 2nd Annual Multicultural Mentor Dinner organized by APALSA, BLSA, LLSA, OutLaw, and Women’s Law Caucus.

SPRING 2020

27

Dickinson Law The Pennsylvania State University Lewis Katz Hall 150 S. College Street Carlisle, PA 17013

A COMMUNIT Y OF SUPPORT Dickinson Law Alumni, Faculty, Staff, and Friends Stand Together in Support of our Students As the Dickinson Law community continues to adapt and respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing has remained unchanged: our commitment to our students.

We are grateful to the many alumni who have partnered with us to deliver remote instruction, assist with networking and career

Visit raise.psu.edu/DickinsonLaw to make a gift to these areas of support or to an initiative that means the most to you.

guidance, provide mentorship, send congratulatory wishes to our graduates, and provide financial resources for critical areas of need.

As we look to the next several months, we’ve identified specific opportunities for those who would like to direct their philanthropy to help meet our students’ greatest needs.

These include: • Dickinson Law Student Emergency Fund: Providing shortterm financial assistance to help meet the immediate needs of students experiencing crisis situations while managing demanding academic requirements.

• Dickinson Law Little Free Pantry: Addressing food insecurity and mitigating hunger by providing access to sufficient quantities of nutritional food.

• Dickinson Law Future Fund: Providing sustaining support for our most critical annual needs, such as reducing student debt load.

D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R

Donors can also choose to direct their giving to the University-wide Student Care & Advocacy Emergency Fund, which is available to Dickinson Law students. Visit raise.psu.edu/emergencyaid to make a gift to this fund.

As always, we are grateful for the dedication and willingness of alumni who come alongside us to provide the next generation of Dickinson Law lawyers with the same high-quality education and community-centered environment you experienced.