St. John's Law Magazine Spring 2023

Take the Survey and Find Your St. John’s Law Community!

The St. John’s Law Alumni Association is home to 17,000+ alumni in the New York City area, across the country, and around the world.

There are no dues or fees. You don’t have to do anything to join.

If you’re a St. John’s Law graduate, you’re a member of our Alumni Association and can take advantage of all we offer through our parent organization and chapters built around interests, affinities, and regions.

This is your community. Now, we want to help you make the most of it.

In the coming weeks, we’ll email you a quick survey, so you can let us know how the Law School Alumni Association can best serve you. Please watch your inbox and complete the survey.

Thank you!

ALUMNI ON LIFE IN THE LAW

FROM THE DEAN

Dear St. John’s Law Family,

Earlier this month, I announced that the 2023-2024 academic year will be my last as dean. Now is the right time for this transition. Leading the Law School for the past 14 years has been an honor and a joy—an experience for which I’m truly grateful. I joined the legal academy 25 years ago to serve students and their learning experience, and I’m eager to continue this work as a faculty member. More importantly, the Law School is thriving, which makes this the perfect time to launch the search for our next leader.

When I became dean in 2009, the country was mired in the Great Recession. The accompanying slowdown in legal employment, criticism of law schools, and decline in applications raised serious questions about the future of legal education.

A lot has changed since then.

The future of legal education looks bright as we all adapt to an increasingly complex world—one in which lawyers are more important than ever. And legal education looks particularly bright at St. John’s. Our student-centered approach has led to an all-time high employment rate of 92%, a bar passage rate that is well above state-wide and national averages, entering classes that are more academically qualified and more diverse every year, and our highest-ever ranking.

Behind those successes are the people who make up the St. John’s Law family: students who are as hard-working, ambitious, and enthusiastic as ever; a top-flight faculty (including the eight new professors we welcomed this year) who are dedicated teachers, outstanding scholars, and skilled practitioners; an excellent and experienced administrative team; and two terrific Vice Deans—Rachel Smith and Christine Lazaro—who are perfectly positioned to shepherd us through this transition and beyond.

The Law School also owes so much of its success to our loyal alumni family (many of whom share reflections on life in the law in this issue of St. John’s Law magazine). As our alumni make their mark across practice areas and business settings, they also give back to alma mater generously as employers, mentors, teachers, and donors. Under the expert leadership of Brian Woods, the Law School has had one of its most successful fundraising years ever, and I’m confident that success will continue.

In short, the Law School is in a very good place and is well positioned to grow and thrive far into the future.

I’ve been blessed to spend so many years as dean—a job I absolutely love. And I’m equally blessed that, a year from now, I’ll return to a different job I love just as much: teaching, writing, and mentoring students as a member of the St. John’s Law faculty. I’m honored to be part of this community, and I look forward to serving as dean for the upcoming academic year and then working with my faculty colleagues to support a new dean for many years to come.

Onward!

St. John’s Law Magazine

Dean and John V. Brennan Professor of Law and Ethics

Michael A. Simons

Associate Dean for Law School Advancement

Brian J. Woods

Associate Dean for Enrollment and External Relations

Trent Anderson

Managing Editor and Lead Writer

Lori Herz

Copy Editors

Dominique Cendales

Claire K. Pollicino

Art Director

Jill Cuddire

Rose Creative Group

Please send comments to: Editor, St. John’s Law

St. John’s University School of Law 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, NY 11439

www.stjohns.edu/law

Copyright 2023

St. John’s University School of Law

Michael A. Simons Dean and John V. Brennan Professor of Law and Ethics

St. John’s Law Launches In-House Defense and Advocacy Clinic

Last August, St. John’s Law launched the Defense and Advocacy Clinic under the direction of Professor Martin J. LaFalce, a former public defender. Offering an unrivaled opportunity for students to learn the law and build practical skills hands on, the Clinic operates from a well-appointed office suite that is also home to the Law School’s in-house Child Advocacy Clinic, Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic, and Securities Arbitration Clinic.

Representing adults charged with misdemeanors in New York City Criminal Court, students in the one-semester Defense and Advocacy Clinic handle all aspects of a case: interviewing clients and witnesses; making bail arguments; conducting investigations; litigating discovery; negotiating with prosecutors and judges; appearing at hearings; and advising clients regarding immigration and other collateral consequences.

“I decided to participate in the Defense and Advocacy Clinic because I knew it was an important step on my path to becoming a public defender,” says Claire Frink ’23, who starts full time at the Dutchess County Public Defender’s Office this fall. “My desire to work in indigent criminal defense is not only the reason I came to St. John’s Law, but it’s integral to who I am as a person and as a law student. I knew that managing my own cases and developing legal strategies would give me the tools I need to succeed in a public defender’s office.”

Frink honed those tools through a range of assignments, including representing a member of the Queens community charged with a misdemeanor in Queens Criminal Court and assisting the Legal Aid Society’s Law Reform Unit. “Supporting Legal Aid, we visited Rikers Island twice and interviewed individuals who are being held there pre-trial about the inhumane and unsafe conditions they are experiencing,” she explains. “But we didn’t visit just for interview purposes. These visits were part of a broader theme of the Clinic—recognizing the harm caused by the

current criminal system. We saw firsthand the side of the system that people like to ignore.”

In designing and directing the Clinic, Professor LaFalce draws on his 14-year career at the Legal Aid Society—a path that took him from Riker’s Island, where he represented clients charged with violating the conditions of their parole, to city courtrooms, where he represented New Yorkers charged with crimes ranging from low level marijuana possession to murder. Professor LaFalce also worked on impact litigation and legislative reform, most recently as a policy attorney

synergy is what led to wins in court and doing everything we could for our clients.”

Moore also appreciated Professor LaFalce’s expert insights and guidance as the student clinicians explored social and racial justice issues and grew their client advocacy skills. “Learning from an experienced practitioner like Professor LaFalce is a gift,” Moore says. “It’s one thing to take a lawyering class, which helps a ton, but seeing the legal system in its real-world context and practicing clientcentered lawyering are the most important things I’ll take away from the Defense and Advocacy Clinic.”

in Legal Aid’s Criminal Defense Practice. He joined the St. John’s Law faculty as an adjunct professor teaching Criminal Procedure: Investigations before coming on full time to teach Criminal Law last year.

As they work on legal matters, the Clinic students attend a weekly seminar led by Professor LaFalce, where they explore New York City’s criminal legal reform movements and consider policy solutions to systemic issues they encounter in the field, among other topics. Throughout the semester, partnering in teams and collaborating as a group, the students forge common bonds. “The highlight of my time in the Clinic was working with seven other students who were willing to give everything they had and more for their clients,” says Rashad Moore ’23. “Being with other public defense-minded students pushed me and taught me things I didn’t know. Our

In the short time since its launch, Professor LaFalce can already see the Clinic’s impact. “St. John’s has long been recognized as preparing students for work as prosecutors,” he notes. “I’m eager to help develop our reputation as an institution that graduates movement lawyers committed to shrinking the size of our criminal legal system and reducing its grave harms.” Joining Professor LaFalce in that effort are St. John’s Law Professors Anna Arons, Anjali Pathmanathan, and Abel Rodriguez and administrators Martha Grieco and Ashleigh Kashimawo, who worked as public defenders in their earlier careers. It’s a vital mission that centers on students who want to make a difference.

Professor LaFalce can relate to that desire, which sparked in him as a law student interning at Legal Aid in his hometown of Buffalo, NY. “After that early experience as a student in the field, I knew that becoming a public defender was the best path for me to address searing racial disparities and other pervasive problems in our criminal legal system,” he says. “I’ve been able to do that work in practice and as an educator. It’s a tremendous privilege to teach at St. John’s Law, and to direct our new Defense and Advocacy Clinic. I’m thrilled to guide students as they begin their legal careers, and I’m incredibly excited to be in conversation with any and all of them who aspire to be public defenders.”

Professor LaFalce (front right) and clinic students

FACULTY FOCUS

Read all about the latest activities and achievements of our outstanding St. John’s Law faculty:

{ALLEN}

Professor Renee Nicole Allen was invited to present her forthcoming article, “Contextualizing the Triggering Event: Colonial White Supremacy, Anti-Blackness, and Black Lives Matter in the United States and Italy,” at Washington and Lee School of Law and for the Berger International Speaker Series at Cornell Law School. The article will be published in the Minnesota Journal of International Law

{BARRETT}

The Military Law Review published “Principled Legal Practice” by Justice Robert H. Jackson at Nuremberg, the Romig Lecture that Professor John Q. Barrett presented to the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center & School (online). Professor Barrett is featured in a new documentary film, Nazis at Nuremberg: The Lost Testimony. He lectured, or was a program speaker, at the Jewish Historical Society of Fairfield County, CT; the Nassau County Bar Association; Columbia Law School; the Federal Bar Association EDNY Central Islip; the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum (on YouTube); Chautauqua Institution (on YouTube); and Georgetown University Law Center (on C-SPAN). He was also a guest on the Dissed and Angry Planet podcasts.

{BAUM}

Professor Jennifer Baum presented to a national audience at the Practicing Law Institute on Ethical Considerations When Representing Domestic Violence Survivors: The Ethics of Social Media Use. She reviewed ethics rules and opinions from multiple jurisdictions concerning the duty of technological competence, a lawyer’s ethical obligations in the provision of remote legal services, the definition and consequences of deceptive social media use, guidance on “friend” and “follow” requests, and what constitutes unauthorized access to electronically stored data.

{BOYLE}

Professor Robin Boyle wrote interactive modules on objective writing, persuasive writing, legislation drafting, judicial opinions, and tractional drafting that West Academic published for students as formative assessment tools. She co-authored Becoming a Legal Writer: A Workbook with Explanations to Develop Objective Legal Analysis and Writing Skills as well as the article “Swimming with Broad Strokes: Publishing and Presenting Beyond the LW Discipline,”

which appears in the peer-reviewed journal Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research and Writing. Professor Boyle was interviewed for a West Academic podcast episode on Generational Comparisons: Civil Rights Movement and Current Day Climate Movement. She also presented at the Legal Writing Institute’s Biennial Conference on Engaging Students’ Creativity: Tapping into Their Right Brain Functions to Enhance Learning.

{CHERRY}

As part of a West Academic panel, Professor Miriam A. Cherry presented to new law professors on strategies for teaching contracts, and talked about her book, Contracts: A Real World Casebook. She presented a work-in-progress about bans on mandatory arbitration of sex harassment claims to the Colloquium on Labor and Employment Law. Professor Cherry also lectured as part of a United Nations – International Labor Office training seminar on the platform economy. The Loyola Los Angeles Law Review published her article, “Gig Work as Essential Workers,” and the University of the Pacific Law Review published her symposium piece on employee misclassification in California.

{CHIU}

Appointed by William H. Ng ’07—who just concluded his term as president of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)—Professor Elaine Chiu has been serving as chairperson of AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. In that role, she has led AABANY’s efforts to report on prosecutorial outcomes; advocate for revisions to New York’s hate crime statutes; organize Asian American Pacific Islander community attendance at court proceedings; educate the public around hate and violence; and assist survivors and their families. Along with Professor Rosa Castello ‘06, Professor Chiu proudly received the Spirit of Service Award at the Law School’s 2023 Diversity and Inclusion Gala.

{DEGIROLAMI}

Professor Marc DeGirolami has published several papers recently: “Establishment’s Political Priority to Free Exercise” (Notre Dame Law Review); “The New Disestablishments” (George Mason Civil Rights Law Journal); “Mysterizing Religion” (forthcoming Notre Dame Law Review); “Public-Private Drift” (forthcoming American Journal of Jurisprudence); and “Traditionalism Rising” (forthcoming Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues). At his Legal Theory Blog, University of Virginia School of Law Professor Lawrence Solum selected

“Traditionalism Rising” as one of the 10 best papers of 2022. Professor DeGirolami has presented, or will present, his work at Notre Dame Law School; University of San Diego School of Law; Georgetown University School of Law; Catholic University School of Law; Yale Law School; New York University School of Law; Pepperdine Law School; the University of Houston Law Center; George Mason School of Law; the University of Wisconsin School of Law; and the University of Southern Queensland. Last semester, he taught a class on Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Inquiry in Princeton University’s Department of Politics.

{DURYEA}

Professor Catherine Baylin Duryea’s article, “Roots of Collapse: Imposing Constitutional Governance,” appears in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law. The article traces the connections between foreign involvement in the drafting of the 2004 Constitution of Afghanistan and the weakness of the Afghan government before it fell to the Taliban. Professor Duryea has also presented at the NYU Legal History Colloquium and the Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.

{GREENBERG}

With a focus on the intersectionality of bias, video conferencing, and dispute resolution justice, Professor Elayne E. Greenberg presented Blinding Justice and Video Conferencing? at the International Association for Conflict Management Annual Conference, as part of a panel on Pandemic Impacts on Remote Justice. Her Stetson Law Review article on the same topic offers a fuller discussion of the issues she explored at the panel program. Professor Greenberg presented Zooming in on ‘isms at the 15th Annual AALS ADR Section Works-inProgress Conference. Her presentation questioned whether mediators’ and arbitrators’ implicit biases are exacerbated when conducting their dispute resolution processes for civil matters via video conferencing.

{LAZARO}

Professor Christine Lazaro moderated a panel on Arbitration in the Age of the New Standard of Care at PLI’s Securities Arbitration 2022 Conference. She also presented at the PIABA Annual Conference, participating on a Case Law Roundup panel and moderating two other panels, What’s So Special About SPACs? and How to Bring Reg BI Cases. Professor Lazaro also moderated a panel discussion for the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee on Account Statement Disclosure.

{MOVSESIAN}

Professor Mark Movsesian spoke on the future of religious exemptions at the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at BYU Law School, co-hosted and moderated a panel at a conference on Liberalism’s Limits at LUMSA University in Rome, and presented his paper, “The New Thoreaus,” at the Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center at the University of Texas Law School. He also co-chaired a St. John’s Center for Law and Religion panel discussion on the Supreme Court’s Religion Clause jurisprudence with Hon. Richard Sullivan (CA2) and Hon. Rachel Kovner (EDNY); spoke on The Supreme Court and New Frontiers in Religious Liberty at Cardozo Law School’s Floersheimer Center for Constitutional Democracy; and participated in an academic panel on The Rise of the Nones co-sponsored by the Center for Law and Religion and the Journal of Catholic Legal Studies

{SALOMONE}

Professor Kate Klonick was awarded a Fulbright Schuman-Innovation Award for 2023-2024 to research the Digital Service Act and Digital Markets Act implementation in the European Union as a visiting professor at Sciences-Po in Paris and University of Amsterdam. In her new Substack, The Klonickles, she gives brief insights on emerging law and technology issues in the press and courts. “Of Systems Thinking and Strawmen,” Professor Klonick’s essay on how to understand the emerging scholarly field of content moderation and online speech governance, will be published in the Harvard Law Review Forum

Professor Rosemary Salomone is the recipient of the Brooklyn College Alumni/ae Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Her most recent book, The Rise of English: Global Politics and the Power of Language, attracted additional interviews with the New Books Network; Io Donna; the Cary Library; and the Childhood Law and Policy Network Newsletter. The book was the stimulus for a discussion and report on the Future of English hosted by the Publishers Association (UK), the British Council, and others in London. Professor Salomone presented a paper, “Transformative Constitutionalism: The South African Constitutional Court and Shifting Narratives on Language Rights,” at the 5th International Legal Linguistics Workshop. Her book chapter, “In Pursuit of Sustainable Educational Development: The Philippines and the English Dilemma,” was published in Language and Sustainable Development

FACULTY FOCUS

At a virtual symposium on Teaching Critical Approaches to Legal Research hosted by the Northern Illinois University Law Review, Professor Courtney Selby presented on incorporating critical perspectives into legal research pedagogy. Her presentation offered a reflection on the evolution of her advanced legal research course to include both principles of critical information literacy and methods for critical legal research. Her paper, “Integration & Transformation: Incorporating Critical Information Literacy and Critical Legal Research into Advanced Legal Research Instruction,” will accompany papers from other academic law librarians and scholars in a forthcoming issue of the NIU Law Review

{SHEFF}

Professor Jeremy Sheff’s latest article, “Reverse Confusion and the Justification for Trademark Protection,” was published in the George Mason Law Review. He presented the paper at the Thirteenth Annual Tri-State Region IP Workshop at NYU Law and at the Inaugural Trademark and Unfair Competition Scholarship Roundtable at the University of Pennsylvania. Professor Sheff published a revised and updated version of his Canada Trademarks Dataset, an openaccess, comprehensive data resource originally published with an accompanying paper in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies. He presented “Knowledge as a Resource,” a chapter in his forthcoming book Valuing Progress, at the Works-in-Progress in Intellectual Property Conference at Suffolk Law School and at a session of the New York City Intellectual Property Law and Philosophy Workshop, a scholarly workshop series he founded through St. John’s Intellectual Property Law Center. He presented a separate chapter from Valuing Progress, “Reciprocity,” at the 22nd Annual Intellectual Property Scholars Conference at Stanford Law School. Professor Sheff also launched the Lawprofs Mastodon Instance as an online forum for legal academics and continues to serve as the site’s administrator.

{SMITH}

The third edition of Professor Rachel H. Smith’s co-authored book, The Handbook for the New Legal Writer, has just been published, with sidebars throughout addressing issues of mindfulness, wellness, equity, and inclusion. Professor Smith also designed and co-taught this year’s Dean’s Travel Studies Program. Participants in the course, Comparative Legal Systems: Law & Literature London, traveled to the city that serves as a setting for Dickens’ Bleak House, Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes collection, and Rawling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to gain an understanding of the theory, tools, and interpretative methods of law and literature. While sampling some of the cultural and legal highlights of London, students considered themes of justice, corruption,

individual responsibility, and institutional failure in the written works and saw how literature is uniquely able to cultivate empathy for others— particularly those accused of, and the victims of, crimes.

{SOVERN}

“Not-So-Smartphone Disclosures,” an article that Professor Jeff Sovern wrote with Nahal Heydari, will appear in the Arkansas Law Review. The co-authors reported on their findings in the American Banker essay “For Many Borrowers, Truth in Lending Disclosures Aren’t Enough.” Professor Sovern’s op-ed, “Banks Fight for the Right to Discriminate,” appeared in the New York Daily News. He was also a commenter on a paper at the Berkeley Consumer Law Scholars Conference.

{SUBOTNIK}

Professor Eva Subotnik’s newest article, “Copyright’s Capacity Gap,” has been accepted for publication in the UC Davis Law Review. Co-authored with Willamette University College of Law Professor Andrew Gilden, the paper considers the broader copyright law implications of the Britney Spears conservatorship and ways the law might better protect vulnerable creators. Professor Subotnik was also an invited commentator at the Thirteenth Annual Tri-State Region IP Workshop at NYU Law. She discussed a controversial artist’s rights issue that was recently argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

{WADE}

Professor Cheryl Wade was a visiting scholar at Oxford University’s Merton College; presented on an American Bar Association panel addressing Fairness in Real Estate Appraisals: Valuation, Subjectivity, and Bias; and was part of a plenary session on Climate Change, Risk, and Racism at the International Insolvency Institute’s Annual Conference. In an interview for Audible’s Fiasco podcast, Professor Wade discussed the history of anti-Black racism in America. She was also interviewed by Liam Adams, the religion reporter for The Tennessean, about the relevance of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby to corporate governance decisions.

{WARNER}

INSOL International, the global insolvency organization, has appointed Professor G. Ray Warner to a four-year term as chair of its Academic Group. In his role as head of the organization’s Academic Steering Committee, among other projects, he will organize an annual scholarly colloquium of leading international academics that will convene in Tokyo.

Renee Nicole Allen joined the St. John’s Law faculty in 2019. She teaches Legal Writing and The Music & The Movement: Race, Rhythm, and Social Justice, a course she designed. She has also taught Public Interest Drafting, Comparative Social Justice, and Race and the Law. In Fall 2022, she launched the Law School’s Center for Race and Law as its founding faculty director. Here, Director of Strategic Communications Lori Herz sits down with Professor Allen to discuss her career path and innovative work at St. John’s.

LH: Your online bio notes that you’re “a proud first-generation attorney and an accidental law professor.” Can you share more about your path to teaching at St. John’s?

RNA: I actually stumbled into teaching after a few years of practice. I was looking for jobs that combined my love for learning and mentorship. As the first attorney in my family and extended circle of friends, I was often asked to advise and mentor prospective law students, and I loved engaging with high school and college students who were interested in attending law school. I left private practice for a document review job that provided more schedule flexibility and applied for jobs in academia thinking I would be doing coaching and mentoring, mostly administrative work. I ended up teaching and fell in love with the learning process, especially for first-year law students. There is something really special about guiding new law students from law school orientation to the end of the first year. I spent eight years doing academic success and bar preparation work before joining the faculty at St. Johns.

LH: What do you enjoy most about teaching and innovating in the classroom?

RNA: I enjoy the creative process and watching a course come together. Teaching a new course is certainly stressful, as you never know how it will go, and preparing for a new course is a lot of work. But in each new course I’ve designed and taught at St. John’s Law—especially The Music & The Movement—students have added unanticipated depth to the prepared content. It’s been a joy to be a part of the learning process as the course has adapted to all the

things I’ve learned from them. Enrolled and past students send me content—articles, songs, podcasts, documentary films—that I’ve included in the course, and it’s been wonderful to have that input.

LH: What inspired you to create the Center for Race and Law, and how does your faculty director role there align with your work as a legal scholar?

RNA: The Center is an organic fit with the direction my scholarship has taken since joining the faculty in 2019, and especially after the racial justice protests that occurred during the summer of 2020. As much as I enjoy writing about issues of race, particularly the Black experience, I find that law review articles are not digestible for the general public. My goal with the Center—and in my scholarship—is to make issues and information at the intersection of race and law accessible and digestible to law students, practitioners, and the general public. You shouldn’t have to be an attorney to understand the ways our legal system has perpetuated, and continues to perpetuate, racism.

LH: It’s clear that your plate is full professionally. What do you love to do outside of work?

RNA: I love to travel. In recent years, I’ve overcome my fear of flying and traveled much more internationally. I also love to cook and bake. So, when I travel, I enjoy exploring local food culture, especially desserts.

Professor Renee Nicole Allen

CENTER PIECE

THE CENTER FOR LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW HONORS A LEGACY AND STARTS A NEW CHAPTER

Students were always at the heart of the late David L. Gregory’s work at St. John’s, where he served as the Dorothy Day Professor of Law for 35 years. He established the Law School’s Center for Labor and Employment Law with a focus on the importance, and the sanctity, of doing good work in the world. “The Center strives to show students, by engagement and example, that they can be successful practitioners who also give back to their communities,” Professor Gregory said early on.

Under his leadership, the Center met its mission by expanding the Law School’s labor and employment law curriculum, presenting international conferences and symposia, and bringing distinguished speakers to campus. “Dave created an unrivaled learning environment, where students are exposed to the practice of labor and employment law, and where they engage in important and enlightening conversations with our alumni and other influencers in the field,” says Dean Michael A. Simons. “He then left the Center in the able hands of his colleague and friend, Professor David Marshall.”

Building on the work of his predecessor for almost six years, Professor Marshall has added to St. John’s suite of labor and employment offerings. There are now eight courses taught by professors with a broad range of experience in the field—from private practitioners and judges to attorneys from the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. Students can also take related courses on alternative dispute resolution, negotiation, and client counseling through the Law School’s Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution.

“Since starting as director, my priorities have been enhancing our students’ law school experience and improving their competitiveness for labor and employment jobs,” Professor Marshall explains. “I enjoy engaging with students in the classroom as I teach Employment Discrimination, Labor & Employment Arbitration, and Transnational Employment Relations Law. And, of course, it’s wonderful to see them succeed through their own hard work and with guidance from the Center and the Law School’s Career Development Office.”

Outside the classroom, Professor Marshall collaborates closely with students in the Center-affiliated Labor Relations and Employment Law Society. The group produces the St. John’s Labor and Employment Law Forum blog to showcase student scholarship. The students also organize and host an annual interview skills workshop, an ongoing mentorship program, a series on how to be a successful intern, and panel events on timely labor and employment topics. All those initiatives involve St. John’s Law alumni, who support students and the Center generously as speakers, mentors, employers, and donors.

With the Center strong in its student focus, in January, Professor Marshall joined the Law School community in welcoming Professor Miriam A. Cherry as faculty director. “I’m delighted to start this new chapter in the Center’s story,” he shares. “Miriam brings a reputation in the legal academy for innovative and prolific scholarship. Her skills, ideas, and personal example as a scholar are going to benefit the Center by motivating our students to deepen their own interests in scholarship and elevate their scholarly work product. Her contacts with other prominent scholars will permit the Center to resume the tradition David Gregory established of sponsoring important conferences and publications relating to labor and employment. Miriam will also deepen the Center’s connection with the St. John’s faculty, creating opportunities for collaboration.”

Professor Cherry is already engaging her experience and skills as an educator and a scholar to benefit the Center. This semester, she is teaching an upper-level course on the Future of Work using her book, Work in the Digital Age. “My students are writing papers on remote work, algorithmic management, social media influencers, and discrimination in Esports videogames,” she says. “My research and the work with the Center are directly connected to this seminar class.” In the coming months, collaborating with the Carey Center, Professors Cherry and Marshall will organize and present a symposium on arbitration in the gig economy. There will also be an alumni reception to bring practitioners and students together with the Center’s leadership.

“I’ve always thought that labor and employment law is a ‘hot’ area, and now everyone else seems to agree,” says Professor Cherry. “In just the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve seen the rise of gig platforms, the increasing use of remote work, and the development of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT. These changes, and others, will have an enormous impact on the way people work. We’re also seeing legal changes that promote equality in the workplace, like the ban against confidentiality/NDAs, mandatory arbitration of sexual assault and harassment claims, and pay transparency laws. So, it’s the perfect time for the Center to host conferences and symposia around hot topics in labor and employment law.”

As he and Professor Cherry team to lead the Center for Labor and Employment Law going forward, Professor Marshall reflects on Professor Gregory’s legacy. “Maintaining and expanding the Center, supporting the Labor Relations and Employment Law Society, and producing ethical, well-educated labor and employment lawyers are the best things we can do to honor Dave, whose true joy was watching St. John’s Law students succeed.”

Professors Marshall and Cherry

THIS IS US

FROM VANTAGE POINTS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND ACROSS GENERATIONS, AS THEY MAKE THEIR MARK IN A RANGE OF PRACTICE AND BUSINESS SETTINGS, ALUMNI REFLECT ON LIFE IN THE LAW.

BARBARA BURGER ’85 General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer Zimmer Partners, LP

It’s been a few decades since Barbara Burger took Contracts at St. John’s Law. But she still uses the basic principles she learned in that 1L class as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Zimmer Partners, LP.

“Every course I took at St. John’s taught me how to think like a lawyer,” Burger says. “I learned to think critically, examine a problem, and work through the various outcomes. That’s an invaluable skillset in business as well as law.” Tapping that skillset, today Burger oversees all legal and compliance matters for a $4 billion asset management firm.

The work is challenging, she says, and no two days are ever the same. “As the hedge fund’s General Counsel, I’m involved in all legal decisions as well as most business decisions,” Burger explains. “I’ve developed business acumen over the years that my CEO has come to rely on. So, my day-to-day can range from advising on trading issues, drafting fund documentation, and negotiating employment contracts to participating in Board calls, communicating with investors, and negotiating purchase agreements, among other duties.”

In her leadership role, Burger also has the opportunity to build new skills at the intersection of law and business. “Our parent holding company has expanded into insurance and reinsurance, and I’m learning a whole new business, which has been exciting,” she says. “Being in house, it’s rewarding to have one client and feel totally invested in the success of the company.”

As she advises and guides Zimmer Partners, Burger reflects on lessons she learned at the outset of her career. “It may take a while to find out what you really enjoy doing and what you’re good at,” she shares. “I started my career as a municipal bond lawyer, and some of the things I learned as a first-year associate still resonate with me today. Every task, however mundane, is an opportunity to learn and to develop new skills. If we’re fortunate, our careers span many decades and there is a constant ability to reinvent ourselves. That’s a wonderful thing.”

MEGHAN CANNELLA CARROLL ’07

Vice President, Labor Policy & Health National Football League

On any given Sunday (or Monday, or Thursday, and even some Saturdays), millions of people don jerseys and, from stands, sofas, and stools, cheer on their favorite professional football teams. Working behind the scenes to bring those beloved clubs and players to the field is Meghan Cannella Carroll, who serves as Vice President, Labor Policy & Health at the NFL.

Carroll’s work revolves around the NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, which governs the relationship between, and the rights and obligations of, the league, its 32 teams, hundreds of players, and the players association. “My team negotiates and drafts the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” she says, “and I provide legal advice and counsel to the league and teams concerning compliance, dispute avoidance, and dispute resolution under the Agreement.”

It’s an important role that Carroll took on after spending her early career as a commercial litigator and then rising through the ranks in NFL labor relations. “I work with really smart and interesting people in the league office and clubs,” she shares. “I’m also part of a team of talented lawyers and great people who I enjoy collaborating with every day. It’s very gratifying to watch NFL games knowing I played some small part in a wonderful American tradition.”

St. John’s Law is another source of pride for Carroll. She is the daughter of alumni Nicholas Cannella ’75 and Joanne Welty ’76 and is married to Robert Carroll ’05. Along her career path, she has drawn on skills and relationships forged at the Law School. “I learned practical skills from terrific professors that prepared me to succeed at a big New York law firm,” she says. “I also participated in Moot Court, which

helped me develop my writing skills and get comfortable arguing on my feet. And I built strong relationships with incredible alumni mentors.”

Recalling those St. John’s ties, Carroll encourages the next generation of students to foster tangible skills and make meaningful connections. “No matter what career path you ultimately choose, knowing how to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively is an incredibly valuable skill,” she notes. “The St. John’s alumni network is an amazing resource. We’re all lucky to be members of a group of accomplished lawyers and people. Cultivate those relationships. You’ll always value them professionally and personally.”

DAVID ESKEW ’04 Co-founding Partner Abell

Eskew Landau

LLP

For David Eskew, love of the law has a through line from his days as a St. John’s Law student, to his 12 years as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA), to his current work as a partner at Abell Eskew Landau LLP, the boutique law firm he founded with other former AUSAs to represent clients in complex government investigations.

“I fell in love with evidence, civil and criminal procedure, and constitutional issues at St. John’s,” Eskew recalls. “To its credit, the Law School takes a very practical and ethical approach to educating its students. I not only learned the material, but also grew as a person who understood and cared about my role in the greater society and profession. For someone with those leanings, there is no better job than being an AUSA, where procedural issues, evidentiary issues, and constitutional issues all converge in high-stakes, complicated, and sometimes cutting-edge cases.”

While in government service, Eskew worked on civil matters in the Eastern District of New York and on white collar criminal cases in the District of New Jersey. It was a unique amalgam of professional experiences. “When people go to work at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, it’s usually a dream job and they do one or the other—civil or criminal,” he explains. “But I had the opportunity to do both. As a result, today, I’m extremely comfortable representing individuals and corporate entities in all stages of a government investigation, even when it includes potential civil and criminal penalties.”

As he builds his business, Eskew also values time away from work spent with his wife, Kiera LoBreglio ’05, who he met at St. John’s, and their young family. He also looks forward to what lies ahead. “As it is in life, it’s impossible to plan everything you’ll do in your career. I could not have, and would not have, predicted when I was in law school that I would eventually start a law firm with two of my closest friends from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. It’s only because I had the courage to leave government work and embrace an unexpected and risky opportunity that I’m now running my own firm, focused on doing the work that I love.”

HON. HILARY GINGOLD ’85 Surrogate Judge New York County

In January, in the beautiful courthouse rotunda at 31 Chambers Street in lower Manhattan, Hon. Hilary Gingold was sworn in as New York County Surrogate by fellow St. John’s Law alumna Hon. Joanna Seybert ’71. The ceremony marked another milestone in Judge Gingold’s long career in service to the greater good.

In this latest role, Judge Gingold draws on early experience as a social worker and on work in the law that includes presiding as a Civil Court Judge; serving as principal court attorney in Bronx Supreme Court and as principal law clerk in Queens Supreme Court; supervising foreclosure training at the Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project; and running her own law practice.

“I’ve never forgotten that the law is a public service, a calling to preside honorably and dispense justice to the best of my abilities,” Judge Gingold says. “As a Surrogate, I’m committed to resolving the business of death and dying so families and individuals can move on with the facts of life as they struggle with the realities of grief. I also oversee proceedings when they need a guardian appointed. And I enjoy working with families as they celebrate life events, such as adoption. It’s an honor to be able to preside over these matters.”

Considering the roots of her commitment to service, Judge Gingold credits her likeminded deans, professors, and classmates at St. John’s Law. “Many of my classmates have also become judges,” she notes. “Most, if not all, have worked actively in their communities to help those in need. In every instance of my career, I’ve worked with, or for, fellow alumni

who participate in pro bono, help the underserved, teach, mentor, and give back. The concept of paying it forward is the first skill I learned at St. John’s, and it’s my hope that I continue to master it.”

With that goal set and in sight, Judge Gingold offers inspiration for today’s St. John’s Law students: “The beauty of the legal profession is that, on any given day, you can reinvent your path. You can become a litigator; you can learn to do transactional work; you can change course and go into business or become a professor—all provided you keep an open mind and a fearless heart. To embrace the unknown is to create a better future for all.”

AURA M. GOMEZ LOPEZ ’15 Assistant Chief Counsel

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Aura Gomez Lopez knew she wanted to be a government trial lawyer. So, at St. John’s Law, she built on foundational 1L classes by taking upper-level courses focused on advocacy skills. Those skills served her well after graduation, when she spent five years working as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the New York City Law Department’s Family Court Unit. Today, she continues to employ that same skillset as an Assistant Chief Counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“I’m a trial attorney, and I’m responsible for reviewing evidence, assessing cases for trial litigation strategy, drafting motions and legal memoranda, preparing for witness cross examination, crafting legal arguments, and conferencing cases with opposing counsel,” Gomez Lopez says, offering a glimpse of her Department of Homeland Security duties. “I handle cases involving complex legal issues and requiring legal research, but I enjoy the challenge. I get to explore different areas of law and take the opportunity to learn from colleagues and friends.”

As she works in service to the public, Gomez Lopez appreciates the time she spent learning the law hands on at St. John’s, where she participated in the Child Advocacy Clinic and the Bread & Life Immigration Clinic. She also gained practical skills as a member of the Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute’s internal competition team.

“Whenever I’m asked, I tell St. John’s Law students to take advantage of every opportunity,” Gomez Lopez shares. “If you have a chance to research a complicated legal issue, draft a motion for a clinic, or work on an appeal, take it! Don’t shy away from a good challenge. It’s scary to take charge of a situation, but you’re always a better person at the end. Even if you fail, you’ll always be happy you tried. Taking advantage of any opportunity that comes your way is how you grow as a person, and as an attorney.”

CHRISTINA KWOK ’15 Corporate Counsel Beiersdorf

While Beiersdorf might not be a household name, the international company is home to popular skincare brands like Coppertone, Eucerin, La Prairie, and NIVEA. For Christina Kwok, it’s also an exciting place to work as Corporate Counsel.

Kwok started as Junior Counsel at Beiersdorf just over five years ago, after working at a Manhattan law firm. “I enjoy that there’s something new I can learn about the business every day,” she says of her current Corporate Counsel role. “My day-to-day changes quite a bit. I can spend time approving marketing claims and social media posts, negotiating contracts with vendors, or working crossfunctionally on regulatory and quality topics. I recently completed a real estate transaction, which was definitely a new and challenging project. Understanding how my role impacts larger business purposes is a rewarding feeling.”

Kwok developed the practical knowledge and skills she relies on at work when she was a student at St. John’s Law, where she took courses in international business transactions, tax, intellectual property, and entertainment law, among other offerings. She also participated in the Law School’s in-house Securities Arbitration Clinic and served as copresident of the student-run Corporate and Securities Law Society. “I gained the confidence to pursue field placements with Chanel, where I worked for two semesters, and with Authentic Brands Group, where I worked for one semester,” says Kwok. “Both were formative experiences that set a foundation for my work at Beiersdorf.”

Now, closing in on a decade of law practice, Kwok has some advice for St. John’s Law students looking to build their networks and launch their careers. “Don’t be afraid to explore and ask questions,” she advises. “Law school is daunting, and meeting alumni can seem challenging. But persevere. It’s important to make connections and put yourself out there. Try different opportunities that spark your interest. No one person has the roadmap to being a partner or general counsel. Take the time to set your own professional goals. A job doesn’t feel like a job if you truly enjoy what you do.”

IS US

PRECIOUS LEWIS ’20 Assistant General Counsel Safe Horizon

Safe Horizon is the largest victim services nonprofit in the United States, serving over 250,000 children and adults annually. Operating throughout New York City, it supports, prevents violence against, and promotes justice for victims of crime and abuse and for their families and communities. It’s a mission that resonates for Precious Lewis, who serves as the organization’s Assistant General Counsel.

“I’m very community oriented,” she says. “In my position, I advocate strongly for people who feel voiceless, scared, and marginalized on an institutional level. I love that I’m assisting an organization that feels strongly about promoting justice for survivors of crime. The work is especially important to me as a survivor of intimate relationship violence. That personal experience ultimately led me to become an attorney. I wanted to help people who were in a similar position.”

At St. John’s Law, planning on being a litigator, Lewis took several skills-based courses. “I learned how to listen and connect with clients, negotiate based on objective facts and research, and meet deadlines,” she says. “I also enjoyed speaking to my professors. Their mentorship and advice have been instrumental in shaping my career choices.” Lewis engaged the skills she gained in law school as she started her career in employment law and then switched to matrimonial law practice.

“Now that I’m in house, I still lean on what I learned at St. John’s,” she shares. “I meet with a lot of people, so I try to listen carefully, prioritize their goals, and help guide them through possible options. Domestic violence is a complex issue, and working with survivors takes a lot of empathy, humility, and respect for how others choose to live their lives. Safe Horizon places

an emphasis on being client-centered and anti-racist in our practices. There is a racial disparity in domestic violence, and it’s important to be mindful of that when advocating for clients.”

While she didn’t expect to go in house so early in her career, Lewis is happy with her decision. “I like working on contracts and advising staff members on commercial real estate, insurance, employment, and benefits-related issues,” she says. “I also love working with the Safe Horizon staff. Everyone is hardworking, smart, and passionate about helping survivors of crime and domestic violence. Being flexible and ambitious has helped me to transition into a position that I really enjoy.”

KIERA LOBREGLIO ’05 Director, Immigrant & Refugee Services Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark

When Kiera LoBreglio was a law student, she participated in the full-year Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic, which St. John’s runs in partnership with Catholic Charities of New York. “It was the best part of law school for me,” she says, “and it set me on a path to a career in immigration.” After she earned her J.D., that path took LoBreglio from an Immigration Law Clerk post at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit through years of private practice and into her current role as Director, Immigrant & Refugee Services at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark.

At Catholic Charities, LoBreglio oversees a team of lawyers and legal and social service professionals working with immigrants and refugees, from when they arrive until they become citizens and beyond. “The Immigrant & Refugee Services division consists of 16 separate programs, so I supervise the program managers and staff, liaise with funders, collaborate with community partners, write grants, and participate in local and national advocacy efforts on behalf of the clients we serve,” she explains.

LoBreglio enjoys being in a dynamic field of law, where there is always an opportunity to try something new—whether it’s a new type of case, a novel strategy, or a chance to build a program to serve a different demographic or address a rising challenge. “It’s also great to work with colleagues and clients who teach me something new every day,” she says. “I’m constantly in contact and conversation with people who have vastly different experiences and perspectives from mine.”

Outside of work, LoBreglio enjoys family time with her husband, David Eskew ’04, and their children, especially in the mountains and on the baseball field. She has also shared her knowledge and skills with St. John’s Law students as an adjunct professor, and pursued interests in foreign languages and travel. Considering her life in the law, LoBreglio follows the same advice she would dispense to students: “There is no single ‘right’ way to build a legal career, so find a thread that connects as many of your interests as possible, and don’t be afraid to see where it leads you!”

IS US

WILLIAM H. NG ’07 Shareholder Littler Mendelson P.C.

As a partner at Littler Mendelson, P.C. William Ng has a very active employment litigation practice, advises employers on their workplace policies and practices, and focuses time and effort on developing, managing, and strengthening client relationships. Despite the demands of an average workday, Ng really enjoys what he does.

“If I help my clients solve their problems, think strategically about their operations, and manage their workplace and workforce more effectively and efficiently, then I feel I’ve contributed in some small way to their growth and ultimate success,” he says. “As a diverse labor and employment attorney representing management, I regularly advise clients on the law, but also offer practical, real-life advice on how to resolve workplace disputes and cultivate a strong, vibrant workforce. I believe my advice and training has helped to create healthier and more inclusive companies that value their employees and workplace culture.”

Ng’s rewarding career took root at St. John’s Law, where he served on the executive board of the Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and participated in mock trial competitions. He was a member of the New York International Law Review and built practical skills in the year-long Prosecution Clinic. Ng also helped to lead the Law School’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA).

Through APALSA, he became active in the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY). That affiliation continued after Ng graduated from St. John’s, spent five years litigating at the New York City Law Department, and then joined Littler. Recently, he completed a one-year term as AABANY’s president. “I was proud to take on that

leadership role in the largest, diverse bar association in the country as we fulfill our mission of promoting the interests of Asian American, Pacific Islander, and South Asian attorneys and legal professionals in New York, as well as the communities they serve,” he shares.

With gratitude for a fulfilling life in the law, Ng gives back to the Law School and its students on this strong conviction: “You may take many different paths in the law, and you may have some doubts along the way. But you’ll be successful if you continue to work hard, believe in yourself, and take the time to genuinely help others.”

QUEENIE PANIAGUA ’12 Associate Sack & Sack, LLP

As Queenie Paniagua sees it, the successful practice of law requires curiosity, a never-ending desire to improve, and a commitment to doing the most good. With that vision, over the last decade, she has forged a meaningful and rewarding career.

Paniagua gained insight into law practice as a student at St. John’s. “Through internships at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, I realized that my grades had little bearing on my legal skillset and efficacy,” she says. “Those experiences affirmed that my strengths were best suited for client-facing roles, where my advocacy could help make someone whole.”

Secure in that perspective, after graduation, Paniagua joined the New York Legal Assistance Group as a staff attorney. She then became an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, ascending to deputy chief of a trial bureau in less than five years. “Empowering victims of, and witnesses to, crime is what I loved most about being a prosecutor,” she says.

Today, Paniagua continues to center client empowerment as an associate at Sack & Sack, LLP, a boutique law firm founded by alumnus Jonathan Sack ’89. “Most of our clients have been unexpectedly terminated or have experienced something traumatic at work,” she explains. “No one expects to be fired or treated badly at work, and, in their shock, clients don’t know how to feel, or what to do. I counsel them on realistic outcomes and remind them that this experience doesn’t have to define them.”

Paniagua also continues to give back to the larger profession and her Bronx community. She has been active in the

Dominican Bar Association, which she served as president, and is a member of Bronx Community Board 12. She also pays her appreciation for St. John’s Law forward by conducting mock interviews, speaking at programs, and serving on the Alumni Association Board, Alumnae Leadership Council, and Diversity & Inclusion Gala Committee.

“Law school is demanding and can be stressful, but it also flies by,” Paniagua shares. “So, I tell students, savor the moments where your head hurts because you’re being challenged to think critically. Cherish the friendships you forge. Take the random courses that pique your interest. Your journey is unique to you, it isn’t linear, and all of these experiences will inform the lawyer you become.”

IS US

MICHELLE RAE PINZON ’04

Associate General Counsel Northwell Health

Healthcare is an expansive industry that Michelle Rae Pinzon knows very well. She served as in-house counsel in two different healthcare-related settings before taking on her current role as Associate General Counsel at Northwell Health, New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer.

“I offer legal counsel on a range of health law issues with a primary focus on pharmaceutical contracts and pharmacy programs,” Pinzon says. “I love everyone I work with, as well as the legal gymnastics I perform on a daily basis. It’s a great mental workout.” She has that same high praise for St. John’s Law, where, she says, the people made all the difference.

“I came from a dance and an artistic background, so being in law school was quite different from that,” Pinzon explains. “In addition to giving me career guidance, the faculty was invaluable in teaching me the importance of excellent legal writing. On the first day of orientation, a professor asked me how much experience I had with writing. I proudly exclaimed, ‘Oh a lot! I’m a poet!’ She smiled and said I should feel free to visit the Writing Center—which I did, and it truly helped. I was also lucky to have Professor Ruescher my first year. He made legal writing fun to learn, and he pointed out issues without making you feel inadequate.”

Pinzon keeps Professor Reuscher’s light-hearted approach to skill building in mind when teaching her own students as an adjunct professor at CUNY School of Law. Outside the classroom, and beyond the Northwell work day, she enjoys spending time with her family and practicing Capoeira, a

martial art developed over 400 years ago by enslaved Africans in Brazil. “It’s an amalgamation of martial arts, dance, music, and acrobatics,” Pinzon explains. “The art form is a great release for me when dealing with daily stresses.”

As Pinzon engages and enjoys life across diverse dimensions, she has wisdom to share with those just starting their journeys in the law. “Soak in everything you’re doing,” she says, adding, “Read every case two or three times, because each time you read, you’ll learn something different. It’s not a chore. It’s a blessing. Learning about the law and becoming an attorney is a true privilege.”

photo: Tiba Vieira

TIM POYDENIS ’11 Partner and Co-Head, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Practice Holland & Knight

By his own admission, Tim Poydenis is a “wildly addicted” ultramarathon runner. Last summer, he and his fiancée, Catherine, ran the Denali 135, a race covering approximately 131 miles of Alaska’s 135-mile Denali Highway. The two have a few other “ultras” calendared for 2023. “There’s something pretty awesome about going for a long run in the mountains and not having cell phone service,” Poydenis says jokingly.

Given that his downtime consists of epic feats of athleticism and endurance, it’s no wonder that Poydenis has accomplished so much in his 12-year career as a trusted advisor to companies in the technology industry. Today, from his longtime base in Southern California, he is a partner at Holland & Knight and co-head of the firm’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Practice.

“I act as outside general counsel and business advisor to a ton of ‘tech’ clients and investors,” Poydenis explains. “Any time a company thinks they need legal help, they reach out to me. Even if their question or issue isn’t in my substantive wheelhouse, I play quarterback for the client and route the matter to one of my many talented colleagues. The coolest feeling is helping a client form a company in year one, attending the company’s first board meeting, and then, years later, sitting in a board room with that same client as they approve the sale of the company.”

Poydenis also works with firm leadership to help grow and scale the practice and group, an entrepreneurial role he finds exciting. “Beyond that, I love working with good people,”

he says. “It makes the job so much more enjoyable when you not only get to work with clients that are building, or investing in, awesome tech companies, but also when they’re just genuinely nice people.”

While serving his clients and law firm, Poydenis draws on practical skills he honed in 1L Legal Writing and as a member of St. John’s Moot Court Honor Society. Those skills set a foundation for a gratifying life in the law. “I’m proud of the work I do,” he says. “That’s the simplest, yet most powerful, piece of advice I could ever give to anyone starting out in the profession: Take pride in what you do.”

IS US

ROSLYN (ROZ) QUARTO ’88 Director of Strategic Initiatives The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

St. John’s Law taught Roz Quarto how to think, analyze, and solve complicated problems. For over 30 years, she has used those skills in practicing law, building her own practice, and serving the community through leadership positions in the nonprofit, government, and education sectors. Now, she continues to employ them in her latest role as Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

“I provide high-level planning, project management, and analytical support for key strategic initiatives, including leadership of growth opportunities for Legal Aid,” says Quarto. “My projects include developing processes to implement our new strategic plan, building out our infrastructure to accommodate growth, and negotiating partnership agreements with community partners to increase our impact. Although I’m no longer practicing law and representing clients, I collaborate closely with our attorneys to help them tackle systemic issues that perpetuate racism and poverty.”

That collaboration is the best part of her job, Quarto shares. “I get to work with attorneys in all stages of their careers and in all our practice groups to better understand the needs of our clients and their communities. We have so many committed attorneys across our five-county footprint and practice areas. They are simply the best!” During her off hours, Quarto brings that same enthusiasm to a very different venue.

“My main interest outside of work, besides spending time with my family and friends, is playing tournament poker,” she

says. “Many of the skills I’ve developed as an attorney, from being able to approach problems analytically to reading people to discern if they’re being honest, have helped me to become a fairly successful poker player.” Quarto’s ability to size up matters quickly and trust her intuition also informs her outlook on life in, and beyond, the law.

“I encourage myself and others to say ‘yes’ more often, especially when it seems the most scary,” she says. “You never know where different opportunities will take you, even if those opportunities don’t seem to fit into your plan. Some of the best life experiences happen outside of what we plan.”

REGINALD M. RASCH ’95

Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary

Wolverine World Wide, Inc.

Look down on most crowded streets and you’ll see feet representing Wolverine World Wide, Inc. as they sport Hush Puppies, Keds, Merrell, Saucony, and Sperry shoes, among other well-known brands. Representing the global footwear, apparel, and accessories marketer in legal and business dealings is its Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, Reginald Rasch.

Rasch came to St. John’s curious about how lawyers impact the business world. “I found my Contracts coursework fascinating, learned about corporate structures in Business Organizations, and covered key concepts in Corporate Finance, Corporate Tax, and Creditors Rights,” he says. “Those courses gave me a solid foundation to enter professional life and pursue a career as a corporate attorney and an in-house business lawyer.”

At Wolverine, Rasch oversees legal affairs as General Counsel. “I work with our brands to negotiate customer and supplier relationships, comply with securities laws and other applicable laws, and protect intellectual property rights,” he explains. He also advises human resources on employment matters; helps to advance environmental, social, and governance initiatives; handles the legal execution of mergers and acquisitions; and manages disputes and litigation. Wearing his Secretary hat, Rasch guides Wolverine’s Board of Directors and management on corporate governance. As Senior Vice President, he is a member of the company’s executive leadership team, responsible for driving corporate strategy.

It’s demanding, but gratifying work. “I most enjoy engaging in activities that help generate revenue for our business,

including negotiating agreements with our retail customers and product distributors,” Rasch says. “I also enjoy working on mergers and acquisitions that support our strategic objectives. I get to weigh in on critical business issues and provide value beyond just advising on legal matters.”

As he fulfills diverse responsibilities at Wolverine, Rasch still takes the time to cycle, run, and cheer on St. John’s basketball. He values being well-rounded in life and in the law, and those values resonate in his advice to aspiring attorneys: “Take that extra elective; join Moot Court; become a teaching assistant; write for a publication. Those experiences will broaden your horizons, help you develop critical thinking skills, and bring a nuanced perspective to problem-solving, which will ultimately help you become a more thoughtful and impactful lawyer.”

EDDA SANTIAGO ’14 Vice President, Corporate Counsel Covenant House International

As an attorney, Edda Santiago uses her legal skills to champion her values and uplift her community. Among her core beliefs is that everyone deserves a place to call home that is safe and affordable. Today, she carries that conviction forward as Vice President, Corporate Counsel at Covenant House International, a nonprofit that provides housing and services to children and young people experiencing homelessness and to survivors of human trafficking in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

“I support all of Covenant House’s legal operations,” says Santiago. “My day-to-day work ranges from standard contract negotiations to sophisticated real estate transactions, tax and regulatory questions, charitable contributions and planned giving strategies, employment law matters, and internal investigations, among other issues. I work closely with our board and its committees. I also use my Spanish speaking skills to support our Latin American sites and have traveled extensively to the region.”

For Santiago, being an integral part of an organization at the forefront of addressing the country’s housing and homelessness crisis is the fulfillment of a dream she started to realize at St. John’s Law. “All the courses I took and the student groups I helped to lead at the Law School shaped my legal career in one way or another,” she shares. “The courses prepared me to think as a lawyer and be a more effective writer. The student organizations not only provided a necessary balance to academic demands, but also opened many doors and friendships that have carried me during my most challenging personal and professional moments.”

Santiago also finds fulfillment outside of work. “I enjoy swimming, running, taking fitness classes, dining with friends, volunteering in the community, mentoring youth, being involved in local politics, serving on nonprofit boards, traveling, and spending time with family,” she says.

Having created a meaningful life in, and beyond, the law, Santiago embodies the guidance she offers the next generation of St. John’s lawyers: “Take charge of your legal education and career. Don’t be limited by what others think your journey should look like. While you should be open to advice, have the confidence to make the decisions that make sense to you, even when others doubt you.”

STEPHANIE S. TAN ’18 Deputy Public Defender San Francisco Public Defender’s Office

Considering the advice she would give to St. John’s Law students, Stephanie Tan is quick to reply: “Figure out what you love and work hard to be great at it.” She has followed her own advice to build a gratifying career in the public interest and, today, she serves as a Deputy Public Defender in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office.

Tan’s professional journey has come full circle from her 1L summer, when she interned at the same Bay Area office. Then, as a 2L, she participated in the Law School’s Criminal Defense Clinic (now the Defense and Advocacy Clinic), which was a formative experience. “I spent a significant amount of time at Legal Aid in Queens working with attorneys, speaking with clients, and participating in investigations,” Tan says. “In addition to helping me practice and grow my lawyering skills, the clinic professors mentored me while I pursued a career as a public defender.”

In her current role, Tan spends most of her time in court representing people who can’t afford an attorney after they have been formally charged in a criminal case. “I’m appointed by the court and, after arraignment, I discuss the charges with my client, review the police report, and discuss possible defenses,” she explains. “I then work with an investigator to interview witnesses, gather surveillance, and subpoena documents or people. I also work with paralegals to request client and witness records. My court appearances range from prehearing conferences, motions for release, preliminary hearings, trials, and other court proceedings related to criminal cases.”

Tan enjoys the work, especially the client interactions. “I learn about the client’s background and life experiences,” she shares. “That helps me to better represent them in court, because I’m able to understand them as a person. It also helps the judge, prosecutor, and jury better understand things from my client’s perspective.”

Even on her strong record of realizing professional goals and finding meaning in the law, Tan is realistic in adding to the advice she would offer aspiring attorneys. “Not every part of being a lawyer is enjoyable,” she observes. “But the parts that you love will keep you motivated.”

IS US

NK UDOGWU ’12 Director of Legal Resources & Integration Mayer Brown

As Director of Legal Resources & Integration at Mayer Brown, Nk Udogwu’s days are unpredictable and solution oriented— and that is just the way she likes it. She is thriving in a role where she collaborates with law firm senior leadership and talented colleagues to create, implement, and manage an effective work allocation strategy for the firm’s practices, while also maximizing attorney development and career satisfaction.

It’s a new line of internal business for Mayer Brown that taps expertise Udogwu built in private practice and, later, as she helped to implement the workflow integration department at Kirkland & Ellis. “My team and I do much more than staff deals,” she says of her multi-faceted role at Mayer Brown. “Our goals are aligned with the firm’s commitment to a more equitable distribution of opportunities.”

Udogwu especially enjoys one-on-one time with attorneys, particularly the most junior associates. “Currently, we’re working closely with juniors who became lawyers during the pandemic,” she explains. “As a certified professional coach, the feeling I get from helping them discover who they are and who they want to be in this space is indescribable. My Meyers-Briggs personality type is ENFJ. We’re fulfilled by facilitating the success of others, and aim to be valuable members of our communities.”

Her altruistic personality type made Udogwu a great fit for St. John’s Law, with its Vincentian mission of serving the greater good. She appreciated its “culture of grit, determination, and excellence,” she says, adding, “That still has a deep impact on me and how I show up every day.”

Udogwu also credits her leadership of the Law School’s Student Bar Association as formative on her career path. “Having a seat at the dean’s table and advocating on behalf of the student body is an experience that I will forever tap into,” she shares.

Bringing her ENFJ outlook and career insights to bear, Udogwu advises St. John’s newest lawyers-in-training: “There is a space for you in the legal world. It may not be apparent at first, and you may have to create it, but it’s there. Also, while getting good grades is important, how you show up in your community and maintain connections is critical. Lastly, stay curious. Curiosity is the first step to innovation.”

MIKE ZITELLI ’11

General Counsel & Vice President, Business Affairs Edrington Americas

Creating a fun, energetic, and enjoyable work environment is a priority for Mike Zitelli. That might not be too big a stretch for a seasoned corporate advisor who serves as General Counsel & Vice President, Business Affairs at Edrington Americas, the “Home of Exceptional Spirits.”

“My main responsibility is to look after our organization—our business activities, our people, and our values,” says Zitelli. “I interact with all levels and across all functions of our organization, domestically and internationally. Very rarely are any two days the same as I help the company develop and implement strategies from a leadership level, navigate stateby-state alcohol beverage laws and regulations, and ensure that its commercial and marketing activities are compliant, among other duties.”

In his latest venture as a corporate lawyer, Zitelli draws on lessons he learned at St. John’s Law. “My fondest memories of law school are around opportunities to develop and celebrate skill and capability beyond a test score or casebook,” he shares. “They frame the way I practice law, which is recognizing and understanding the big picture, and using the parameters of the law to successfully navigate challenges and achieve objectives. Ultimately, using the law as a tool to help, not hinder, innovation and business development is a key principle, and my experience at St. John’s helped to shape a pathway to that approach.”

Zitelli applies that principle to his work at Edrington, which he enjoys tremendously. “I get to be with a group of people who share similar values and have pride in our brands and business successes,” he says. “And I enjoy consuming our

products in unique and memorable settings and on special occasions—in a responsible fashion, of course. My favorites are Macallan 15 Year Old and Wyoming Whiskey Outryder.”

With a wife—St. John’s Law alumna Jacklyn Zitelli ’11—and three young children, Zitelli is happy to have found a role and career that give him the flexibility to prioritize his young family and pursue a range of hobbies and interests. “Flexibility is key,” he advises about life in the law. “It’s great to set goals and objectives, but you shouldn’t be afraid to deviate from them. Unexpected opportunities can present themselves. You don’t want to overlook them when they do.”

How we spent our NewYork

Instead of heading to sand, surf, and slopes for some down time, many St. John’s Law students spent spring break sampling law firm practice, immersing in legal and literary worlds, and serving the public interest. Here are their stories.

KANSAS CITY KANSAS CITY

Sampling Law Firm Practice B

y late February, no one in the law school universe needs time off more than 1Ls. But instead of diving into down time, dozens of first-year St. John’s Law students chose to sample law firm practice as participants in a new experiential program developed by the Career Development Office (CDO).

“We’ve had so much success introducing students to public interest work through our Spring Break Service Program,” says Jeanne Ardan ‘95, the Law School’s Associate Dean for Career Development and Externships. “So, I thought it would be great to do something similar for students interested in private practice early in their academic journey. While the CDO team and I were excited about launching the Spring (Break) into Law Practice Experience, we weren’t sure how students would respond to this opportunity to learn in the field.”

The response was robust. In total, there were 51 placements (with several students having two placements) at seven New York law firms: Arnold & Porter; Cadwalader; DLA Piper; Duane Morris; Fragomen; Paul Hastings; and Willkie Farr & Gallagher. Each firm designed a full-day or halfday program that, focusing on one or more practice areas, exposed students to day-to-day private practice; provided opportunities for them to network with Law School alumni and other practitioners; and guided them on professional development.

“I’m interested in different areas of the law, like corporate and immigration, so this program was an excellent opportunity to see what that actually looks like in practice, and to get to know some of the firms that do work in those areas,” Federico G. Curbelo ’25 says about his spring break experience at Fragomen, where he learned about the firm’s global business immigration practice as well as its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and pro bono work. He also met with St. John’s Law alumni. “It was great seeing how eager the alumni were to share their experiences with us, and how much pride they took in knowing that we were all St. John’s students,” Curbelo adds.

That pride was shared by Fragomen partner F. Joseph Paldino ’98. “It was an honor to be asked to give back to the Law School by hosting the program,” he says. “The students were dynamic, engaged, and asked well-thought-out questions. The program is invaluable as it exposes students to an area of the law they may wish to pursue further in the future. The students were truly energized after learning more about our firm and practice area.”

Reflecting on the program, Sarah Leveque ’25 is also enthusiastic about the experience. Before spending a half day at Arnold & Porter, she had never been to a New York City law firm. “It was interesting to learn about the kinds of matters people handle at different points in their career,” she says about the attorneys who spoke with the students. “The presentation was interactive, as they encouraged us to ask questions along the way. We learned about the training the firm gives associates to develop critical skills for trial work. It was also interesting to hear about some unexpected paths attorneys took in their careers before they started at Arnold & Porter.”

Like her 1L classmates, Francesca Pomara ’25 enjoyed her Spring (Break) Into Law Practice Experience. “At Duane Morris, I was able to learn about a range of practice areas—from immigration law and litigation to intellectual property and trusts and estates,” she says. “The attorneys were incredibly welcoming and informative, sharing details about their different trajectories to law school, about their experiences at St. John’s, and about their day-to-day practice. I’m grateful to them for opening my mind to a career path that can lead to many stimulating opportunities for people from different backgrounds and with varied life experiences. My understanding of private practice is now more nuanced and expansive, which has made the career path more accessible and exciting to me.”

With the success of this year’s program, Dean Ardan looks forward to building on it in years to come. “St. John’s offers students many opportunities to learn about the practice of law hands on,” she says. “The Spring (Break) into Law Practice Experience is a wonderful addition to that suite of offerings, and we’re very grateful to the law firms and St. John’s Law alumni who hosted and supported this year’s inaugural program.”

Immersing in Legal and Literary Worlds

Entering the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court of London and Wales, Anna Poulakas ’23 was transported back in time. Adorned in wigs and robes, the judges, lawyers, and clerks in the courtrooms could have been pulled from the pages of Dickens’ Bleak House, Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes collection, or Rawling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. For Poulakas and 12 other St. John’s Law students, London was where law and literature converged over spring break.

The students traveled abroad as participants in the Dean’s Travel Study Program, which offers selected upper-level students an unrivaled opportunity to experience diverse legal systems around the world. This year’s course, Comparative Legal Systems: Law & Literature London, was designed by Vice Dean for Student Success and Mary C. Daly Professor of Legal Writing Rachel H. Smith, who led the program along with St. John’s Law Associate Dean for Library Services and Professor of Legal Research Courtney Selby and St. John’s University Vice Dean for Student Success and Retention Strategy Sarah Jean Kelly.

“We wanted to help students develop a basic understanding of the theory, tools, and interpretative methods of law and literature, using London as a backdrop for thinking about lawyers and the law in the United Kingdom and the United States,” Dean Smith says. “Students read Bleak House, one of Dickens’ great legal novels, as well as stories about Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter, to think deeply about justice, corruption, individual responsibility, and institutional failure. Then, while sampling some of the cultural and legal highlights of London, students saw how literature is uniquely able to cultivate empathy for others— particularly those accused of, and the victims of, crimes.

In addition to the Old Bailey, among other points of interest, the group toured the Royal Courts of Justice, the British Library—home to the Magna Carta and Anne Boleyn’s copy of the Tyndale Bible—the Tower of London, and the British Museum. At the Charles Dickens Museum and the Sherlock Holmes Museum, they learned about the lived experiences that shaped acclaimed fictional depictions of London’s legal system. Literature also came to life delightfully on a studio tour about the making of Harry Potter.

“I participated in the Law and Literature London course because literature has had a profound impact on my desire to become an attorney,” says Sean King ’23. “Walking the streets of London, sitting in on courtroom proceedings, and observing solicitors at work, we immersed ourselves in the world that famed authors attempted to recreate. It was also interesting to observe the differences in how court proceedings are handled in England versus the United States, despite both of our laws originating from the Common Law.”

Like King, Anna Poulakas appreciated the chance to look at London and the law through a literary lens. “I enjoyed each aspect of our trip in a unique way,” she shares. “For me, there is nothing like learning about something and then seeing it before my very eyes. It gives me a deeper understanding and appreciation for what I spend time studying and pondering. One of my favorite things is to compare reality with the way I imagined it. Oftentimes, the two are so different, and I love to see the way it actually is. The travel study program offered me many interesting points of comparison.”

Reflecting on the teaching and learning in London, Dean Smith agrees that it was a special experience. “The course was a success because the participants were tremendous,” she says. “They were enthusiastic and curious about everything we saw. It was so fun to be there with students who will soon be graduating and who began their legal studies in socially distanced classrooms or online. This is a very special group, and I feel lucky to have spent time with them doing something that, when they started at St. John’s Law, I was afraid would never be possible. I will never forget it.”

Serving the Public Interest W

ith no sand, surf, or slopes in sight, Kansas City isn’t a popular destination for students looking to unwind over spring break. But that didn’t matter to Sabrina McDonald ’23 and Julie Varughese ‘23. They were there to get to work, along with six other St. John’s Law students who volunteered with the Federal Defenders Capital Habeas Team and at Legal Aid of Western Missouri as participants in the Spring Break Service Program coordinated by the Law School’s Public Interest Center.

“I volunteered for the program because I’m passionate about working with indigent individuals and advocating for those who can’t otherwise advocate for themselves,” McDonald says. During her week at Federal Defenders, she reviewed trial transcripts, conducted research, and accompanied attorneys to Nebraska, where they visited a client. “This experience is something I’ll carry with me as I start at Brooklyn Defender Services in the fall,” McDonald shares. “My time in Kansas City reminded me of why I came to law school, and why I’m going to be a public defender. More importantly, this experience taught me to never stop fighting. Never stop advocating. Being a public defender won’t be an easy job, but it will be the most rewarding thing I do.”

Volunteering in Legal Aid’s Human Rights Division, Varughese drew on values instilled in her at a young age because of her immigrant parents’ involvement with their local communities. “I witnessed how daunting the justice system can be for those unfamiliar with local and state laws, especially when they have no one to turn to for help,” she says. “Those experiences motivated me to become a lawyer.” As part of her work in Kansas City, Varughese interviewed farmworkers who suffered from labor exploitation and sexual assault, did door-to-door outreach to inform migrant workers of their rights, and reviewed a client affidavit, among other assignments.

As she immersed in her Service Program experience, Varughese witnessed the impact that Legal Aid lawyers have on their clients. “I saw how they enable those with even the heaviest of burdens to feel hopeful that there can be change,” she explains. “When I become an attorney, I want to bring that same level of care, support, and positivity to my workplace and clients. No person’s identity, background,

socioeconomic status, or circumstances should diminish their ability to receive justice, or leave them at a disadvantage when navigating the legal justice system. I couldn’t be more proud and determined to enter public interest law and help the people who truly deserve it.”

While McDonald, Varughese, and other St. John’s Law students were serving the greater good in Kansas City, 24 more Spring Break Service Program participants volunteered in a range of in-person, hybrid, and remote work settings, including: Advocates for Children; Brooklyn Defender Services; Legal Aid Society Queens Foreclosure Prevention; Nassau County District Attorney’s Office; New York Legal Assistance Group LegalHealth; New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) Environmental Justice; The Safe Center LI; and The Veterans Consortium.

“I volunteered to learn more about environmental law practice,” says Sandy Durst ’25 of her week with NYLPI. In addition to studying laws applicable to polluters, she researched and helped to draft a letter to Governor Kathleen Hochul outlining why polluters shouldn’t be exempt from New York’s restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions. “I saw that discrimination comes in many forms, and one form is the placement of polluting industries in disadvantaged communities,” Durst says. With that new insight, she went into the field to attend a Green Our City Now event. “We got to brush shoulders with environmental leaders from across the city, and asked them to sign on and support our letter,” says Durst. “It was inspiring to see the day-to-day operation of environmental justice firsthand.”

Like Durst, Caroline Johnson ’25 also had a formative Spring Break Service Program experience as she volunteered with The Safe Center LI. “I was placed with a senior staff attorney whose primary focus area is family law, domestic violence, and sexual assault,” she says. “I conducted legal research; drafted memos, affidavits, petitions, and letters; sat in on meetings with clients; and even did a bit of investigating on social media for evidence to support a case.” As she built practical skills, Johnson also gained valuable perspective.

“More than anything, this experience opened my eyes to the absolute necessity of nonprofits and public interest work,” she shares. “Many of the clients coming to The Safe Center are dealing with horrific situations. On top of their anxiety comes a fear of the legal system. After spending the week hearing their stories, I have come to understand that those fears are in no way unwarranted. I also understand that a legal education is an absolute privilege, and the opportunity to use it to help others should be a calling that every law student should feel and follow. I know with absolute certainty that I will be using my education to serve the public interest.”

As tools of a trade go, the tax code and a fire engine seem to have nothing in common. But, as a former Simpson Thacher tax partner turned Wilton, CT firefighter, Gary Mandel can make the connection easily.

“Both careers are demanding and require a strong work ethic, a high level of skill, and attention to detail,” he says. “In both lines of work, I help people. Making a situation better in big and small ways is very motivating to me.” With that sense of purpose, during his 20 years at Simpson, Mandel worked on mergers and acquisitions for clients like Blackstone and KKR. He also served as a volunteer firefighter in his Connecticut hometown. Eventually, he decided to turn the volunteer public service he loved into his paid vocation.

Mandel retired from law firm practice and, earning the top score on his qualifying exam, became a full-time firefighter/EMT for the Wilton Fire Department. Whether providing firefighting, rescue, emergency medical care, or community outreach services, he finds the work incredibly rewarding. “There is a sense of accomplishment and an overall good feeling knowing that my commitment and work contributes to keeping the town functioning and its residents safe,” he shares. “It’s a team effort with my fellow firefighters, involving group training to handle high stress situations. That bond is truly unique. Like family, we’re always there for each other.”

TAX M&A ATTORNEY TURNED FIREFIGHTER

GARY MANDEL ’94

MAKES A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

Along with firefighting, Mandel serves as president of the Wilton Firefighters Local 2233 Union. It’s a very full professional plate, but Mandel has an affinity for hard work. He had a finance degree from Brooklyn College, an MBA from Pace, and a full-time job when he enrolled in the former evening program at St. John’s Law. “I commuted to the Law School most days for classes that started at 6 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m.,” he says. “I couldn’t wait to get to campus. There was always a bright, positive, classroom environment and everyone was excited about learning the law.”

After graduating from St. John’s, Mandel clerked in the U.S. Tax Court in Washington, D.C. and, later, earned an LL.M. in Tax Law at night. Today, in addition to his firefighter and union leader duties, he works as an M&A consultant and teaches law as an adjunct professor. Family time is also a priority. “I have two wonderful, adult daughters who make me proud every single day and, along with their mom, we have a tremendous family bond,” he says. “I also have a special woman in my life who I’m very thankful for—she brings love, support, and understanding to all I do.”

Life’s pieces fit together seamlessly for Mandel, as he continues to serve the greater good from his Wilton firehouse. “I’m very fortunate,” he says. “I go to work feeling I’ll be helping someone, possibly on the worst day of their life. I appreciate knowing that I’m making a positive difference in my community every single day.”

GIVING SPOTLIGHT

Celebrating Student Scholarships

Manhattan’s iconic Harmonie Club set the scene for this year’s Endowed Scholarship Reception, celebrating alumni and friends who fund student scholarships at St. John’s Law. The evening’s gracious host was Jonathan Sack ‘89, who has established two scholarships and a summer public interest fellowship at the Law School. As scholarship donors and recipients mixed and mingled, they joined in appreciating their St. John’s legal education and the doors to opportunity it opens.

Alumni Gather to Celebrate St. John’s Law and One Another

aking a seat next to his fellow honorees at this year’s St. John’s Law Alumni Association Luncheon, Jonathan Sack ’89 knew he would feel some nervous excitement. But he didn’t expect his time on stage at the Manhattan Center’s Grand Ballroom to be an emotional affair.

Along with close to 300 fellow alumni, he was there to celebrate alma mater all together and in person. As they spent time with friends, faculty, students, and administrators, the celebrants bid on silent auction items, raising funds to support the Public Interest Center’s programs and initiatives.

Sack and five others also had the distinct honor of receiving the Law School’s Belson Medal that afternoon. As Dean Michael A. Simons explained to the attendees, the medal is named for Maxine ’98HON and Jerome Belson ’48, ’80HON and goes to individuals who have demonstrated special loyalty and dedication to St. John’s Law through their philanthropy. More precisely, he added, “the award is given to those whose lifetime giving to the Law School has reached the Belson Circle level, which is $100,000.” In addition to Sack, this year’s Belson medal recipients were Alfred C. Cerullo III ‘83NDC, ‘86L; Richard Hans ‘93; Kevin Khurana ‘09; David Wollmuth ‘87; and Professor Robert Zinman.

The generosity of the Belson medalists and many alumni and friends worldwide sets a strong foundation for the Law School’s success, Dean Simons noted. Today, that strength is manifest in the most diverse 1L class ever; in a bar passage rate that continues to be among the best

in New York; and in graduate employment outcomes that are some of the best in the country.

St. John’s Law is also well positioned to thrive into the future with the hiring of 10 new faculty members and with new additions to the leadership team, including Vice Dean for Student Success Rachel Smith, Associate Dean for Enrollment and External Relations Trent Anderson, and soon-to-be Vice Dean for Academic Affairs Christine Lazaro. “You’ll learn much more about them in the coming year,” Dean Simons shared. “But, for now, I’ll just say that they are an amazingly accomplished group of scholars, teachers, and practitioners who will immeasurably enrich the Law School.”

The celebration continued with the presentation of the St. Thomas More Award to Eugenie Cesar-Fabian ’04, Chief Legal Officer and Head of Private Equity at Enzo Advisors LLC, in recognition of her outstanding moral leadership. Sharing the afternoon’s spotlight with her was James Pitaro ’94, Chairman, ESPN. He received the Law School’s Dean Harold F. McNiece Award in recognition of his outstanding career success outside the practice of law.

Reflecting on the Alumni Association Luncheon and his special honor, Jonathan Sack says it was a “magical and moving” experience. “While I was on stage, I could feel my late father’s presence. He taught me to love the law, to never stop learning and yearning for knowledge, and, moreover, to listen and learn from others’ perspectives. St. John’s gave me the opportunity and tools to live the life he wanted for me, in service to others. I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to such an incredible place. To think that the benefit I received can be amplified with others who follow is surely a blessing.”

WHY I GIVE BACK

CAROLINE FISH ’18 Associate Latham & Watkins

“Giving is a way for me to pay forward in a small way the generosity that St. John’s Law showed me when I was a student, and to support current students in areas I care about. I landed where I am today because of the Law School, its programs, and its people, and donating is an expression of my gratitude for that support and my enthusiasm that it continues long into the future.”

MEGAN QUAIL ’13 Managing Director & Head of R&W VALE Insurance Partners

“I support St. John’s Law because the support of the Law School and other alumni has been critical to my success in the field. Giving back is an easy way to enhance the value of my own law degree. It also helps to ensure that St. John’s strong reputation as a top New York City law school endures, benefitting all of us who now—or who will one day—call it alma mater.”

WELCOME NEW FACULTY!

Clockwise from top left: Anna Arons, Noa Ben-Asher, Elissa Germaine, Philip Lee, Mark C. Niles, Colleen Parker, Anjali Pathmanathan and Abel Rodríguez