PR and Marketing for Lawyers CLE Lecture - Jan. 8, 2010

On January 8, 2010, The Public Relations and Marketing Group (PRMG) will hold its “PR and Marketing for Lawyers” lecture at PRMG’s newly opened Manhattan office, located at 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 500. The lecture is from 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. and is free of charge for attorneys. Attorneys will receive one (1) Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit for ethics and professionalism for this three-hour program. The course is appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys.

The CLE lecture will be presented by PRMG’s Founder and President, John Zaher '98, an attorney. It will cover marketing; advertising; press conferences and press releases; public relations; practice development techniques; relationships with existing clients; Web site design, marketing and optimization; professionalism requirements, including an update on New York’s advertising rules; and the impact of Web 2.0 concepts — such as blogs and social networking — on lawyer marketing.

This program will provide attorneys with strategies to grow their practice while conforming to ethical requirements. In addition, those in attendance will gain practical tips for choosing marketing methods that are suited to their practice, personality and their means.

Pre-paid registration is $35, $45 at the door, which includes materials and lunch. For those who attend without registering, the cost is $55. Registration and lunch will begin at noon. Please note that this lecture is open to attorneys only. Seating is limited to the first 35 persons. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.

To register, call (631) 207-1057, or e-mail: johnzaher@theprmg.com

Save the Date - 16th Annual Goods & Services Auction - March 24, 2010

Touro Law Center’s 16th Annual Goods & Services Auction will be held this year on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 from 6-8 p.m. at the Law Center in Central Islip, New York.

All proceeds from the auction benefit the Touro Summer Public Interest Law Fellowship Program, which fund summer stipends for students to work in public interest law firms or non-profit organizations. These students defend the victims of domestic violence, guard the legal interests of children and help advocacy groups with a broad spectrum of poverty and civil rights issues.

How can I help? You can donate an item to be included in the auction. Items for donation might include gift certificates, artwork, theater tickets, sporting tickets, travel packages, wine, electronics, jewelry or something even more creative. You may also consider a $1,000 Event Sponsorship which includes recognition at the event and in the auction brochure, as well as ten tickets to the auction.

How Does the Auction Work? Donations of artwork, theater tickets, sporting tickets, travel packages, wine, restaurant gift certificates and many other items are sold in both silent and live bidding. The auction program will also recognize one Attorney of the Year from each of the top law firms on Long Island who best exemplifies public interest legal work performed in the areas of poverty law, civil rights law or public rights law, including representing charitable organizations.

Last year, thanks to our contributors, we raised more than $40,000 for Public Interest Law Fellowships. Your support is critical to our continued success.

Please click here to visit our Auction web page where you can make a donation or become a sponsor. If you would like to attend or if you have any questions, please contact Aimee Pearlman at (631) 761-7064 or apearlman@tourolaw.edu.

Michael Markowitz '89 Named December Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Michael Markowitz ’89 has been selected as the alum of the month for December. Mr. Markowitz was an active member of the Touro Law Center community while attending law school and remains engaged through Touro Law Center’s Alumni Council. He participates in programs for students, and he volunteers to meet with accepted and current students regularly.

Mr. Markowitz has his own practice in Hewlett, N.Y. focusing in the areas of commercial law, real estate transactions, litigation and contracts. He is admitted to practice law before U.S. Supreme Court, 2nd Circuit Court, U.S. District Courts for New York - Eastern and Southern Districts, and New York State Courts. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Nassau County Volunteer Lawyer’s Project, the Nassau County Bar Association, Vice Chair of the Community Relations and Public Education Committee and the Jewish Lawyers’ Association.

Mr. Markowitz was honored as Pro Bono Attorney of the Year from the Nassau County Bar Association in 1996 and was a citation recipient from the Nassau County Legislature in 1996. He is a New York State Arbitrator for the Nassau County District Court and Nassau County District Court small claims night arbitrator.

To read Mr. Markowitz's full bio, please click here. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Michael Markowitz.

Keeping Everyone Safe: Immigration and Law Enforcement on Long Island

Join Long Island Wins and the Long Island Immigrant Alliance for a panel discussion about the relationship between law enforcement and Long Island’s immigrant community from the perspective of researchers, attorneys and law enforcement officers from both Nassau and Suffolk counties. At "Keeping Everyone Safe: Immigration and Law Enforcement on Long Island," experts will discuss how fear of deportation can make undocumented immigrants wary of approaching local police officers and how those issues of alienation can make police work more difficult. The dialogue should serve as a springboard for further communication and understanding on the issue, ultimately culminating in safer communities for all Long Islanders.

When: Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 7:00 - 9:00pm

Where: Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, 225 Eastview Drive, Central Islip, NY

What: A forum on immigration and law enforcement to ensure public safety in our communities.

Who:

Panelists:

• Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence W. Mulvey
• Heidi Beirich, Director of Research and Special Projects for the Southern Poverty Law Center, speaking about "Climate of Fear: Latino Immigrants in Suffolk County, N.Y."
• Peter Markowitz, Clinical Assistant Professor of Law and Director of the Immigration Justice Clinic at the Cardozo School of Law, speaking about "Constitution on ICE: A Report on Immigration Home Raid Operations."

Moderator:

• Chris Ortiz, Ph.D, Professional Staff Associate Behavioral Science, New York Institute of Technology

Event Details: Admission is free, but space is limited. Please RSVP by email to info@longislandwins.com or by phone to 516-304-5642. You can visit Long Island Wins at www.longislandwins.com.

Lois Schwaeber '92 Named November Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Lois Schwaeber ’92 has been selected as the alum of the month for November.

Ms. Schwaeber is a leader in her profession and remains an active member of the alumni community. She participates in a number of programs for current students, is a member of Touro Law Center’s Alumni Council and serves as a mentor for current students. She has also been a guest speaker for The Public Interest Law Organization of Touro Law Center’s Wine & Cheese reception and has spoken at a number of seminars and programs throughout her career.

Lois Schwaeber is the Director of Legal Services of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Administration of Coalition Legal Services and Family Court Advocacy projects. Prior to becoming the Director, she was a Senior Staff Attorney for the Coalition. Before joining the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Ms. Schwaeber was an attorney in the Domestic Violence Clinic for Nassau/Suffolk Legal Services, Inc. and was also an attorney for the Volunteer Lawyers Project in Hempstead, N.Y.

To read Ms. Schwaeber's full bio, please click here. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Lois Schwaeber.

SALT Cover Workshop Explores Legacy of Robert Cover

The Society of American Law Teachers presents "In the Public Interest: Exploring the Legacy of Robert Cover as Professor, Activist and Scholar" on Friday, January 8, 2010 from 8-10 p.m. at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Port & Starboard in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Using portions of Professor Cover's text, speakers will illustrate how his work informed their scholarship, teaching and service. Speakers include Aviam Soifer (Dean, University of Hawai'i), Christine Cimini (Denver University), Melissa Hart (University of Colorado) and our very own Rodger Citron (Touro Law Center).

This event is free of charge and no registration is required.

For more information, and to see the other SALT events going on in New Orleans (including a Day of Service on January 7 and the Annual Dinner on January 9), visit www.saltlaw.org or call (631) 650-2310.

Save the Date: Annual Winter Alumni Reception to be held January 28, 2010

The Touro Law Center Alumni Association Annual Winter Alumni Reception will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2010 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Abigael's on Broadway during the New York State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting. Tickets are $50 each, and special discounts are available for Alumni Association Members.

We are pleased to announce that this year’s alumni awards will be presented to:

Thomas Rosicki '97 - Exceptional Law School Service Award

Matthew Daus '92 - Public Service Award

Indira Edwards '05 - Emerging Leader Award

For further information, please contact Aimee Pearlman in the Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications at (631) 761-7064 or apearlman@tourolaw.edu.

For more information and to view photos from the 2009 Winter Reception, please click here.

New York County Bar Association's Stop of the Avvo's Mid Atlantic Tour on Nov. 13

New York County Bar Association's Stop of the Avvo's Mid Atlantic Tour on November 13th

• Core Web Presence: Learn how to develop a strategy around your online presence–and get the most out of Google, Twitter, Avvo, Facebook and more.
• Google Analytics: Understand how to track online performance with Google Analytics–a free tool that shows you exactly how many people are coming to your site, what they are reading and where they are coming from.
• Search Engine Optimization: Learn the basics of search engine optimization.
• Ethics CLE: Get one hour of ethics CLE with a course on Ethical Implications of Online Marketing.
• Expert Panel: Explore the experiences of local attorneys who have fully engaged in a variety of online marketing initiatives. Learn what works, what doesn’t and what you can easily do for yourself.

Date: Friday, November 13, 2009

Time: 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Cost: $100 members, $125 non-members (receive 3 MCLE credits)

Location: New York County Lawyers’ Association / 14 Vesey Street / New York, NY 10007

Register: New York County Lawyers’ Association

Speakers:
Ari Kaplan is principal of Ari Kaplan Advisors and author of The Opportunity Maker: Strategies for Inspiring Your Legal Career Through Creative Networking and Business Development. Focused on helping legal professionals distinguish themselves and achieve success, Mr. Kaplan works with attorneys, law firm administrators, legal assistants and law students on the mechanics of effective communication and dynamic networking. He has also been interviewed on leading news networks, published over 150 articles and served as a legal commentator for CNET Radio. Mr. Kaplan practiced law with large firms in New York City and is admitted to the bar in New York, New Jersey and Washington DC.

Jeena Belil '94 is a personal injury attorney at the Long Island Law Office of Jeena R. Belil, PC handling accidents, personal injury, insurance coverage and contract disputes. After 14 years of litigating cases for big box insurance carriers, Ms. Belil embarked on a solo career, using her unique perspective of the insurance business to assist her clients. In addition to running her practice, Ms. Belil writes numerous articles for her Personal Injury Blog and her New York No-Fault Blog.

Anthony J. Colleluori is a New York and Long Island trial and appellate lawyer, and founder of the Law Office of Anthony J. Colleluori & Associates. With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Colleluori handles all levels of criminal matters including white collar crimes, homicides, arson and racketeering in both the New York State and Federal courts. In addition, he is a frequent lecturer at local high schools and colleges as well as Continuing Legal Education courses for the American Bar Association and the New York State Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Mr. Colleluori is also author of the “In Your Face Defense” series, teaching young lawyers how to stand up to the rigorous demands of the government and courts system.

Mark Britton: Mark is the founder and CEO and of Avvo. Mark is a 17-year lawyer with deep experience in the legal and e-commerce industries. Mark is the former General Counsel at Expedia and currently authors a bi-weekly column on legal marketing for Law.com’s Legal Technology Blog.

Conrad Saam: Conrad is the Senior Marketing Manager at Avvo, where he oversees the firm’s online marketing activities. Prior to Avvo, Conrad developed award winning websites and online content for clients including Disney, Ford, Lego, and Microsoft.

Day of Celebration in Honor of Howard A. Glickstein featuring The Inaugural Howard A. Glickstein Civil Rights and Public Policy Lecture

Touro Law Center cordially invites you to a Day of Celebration in honor of Howard A. Glickstein featuring the Inaugural Howard A. Glickstein Civil Rights and Public Policy Lecture on Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

The schedule of the day is as follows:

• 1:40 p.m. - Guest Speaker, The Honorable Harold Hongju Koh
• 5:30 p.m. - Birthday cake and champagne toast for Howard A. Glickstein
• 6:30 p.m. - Howard A. Glickstein Civil Rights and Public Policy Lecture, William L. Taylor

If you would like to attend any or all of these events, please contact Aimee Pearlman at (631) 761-7064 or apearlman@tourolaw.edu.

Donations to the Howard A. Glickstein Loan Forgiveness Fund will be gratefully accepted at the door. We hope to raise $80,000 in honor of Dean Glickstein's 80th birthday. For more information please contact Linda Howard Weissman at (631) 761-7061.

Cancellation of Support Group Meeting

Unfortunately, we need to cancel the support group on better self- and interpersonal-awareness meeting originally scheduled for this Wednesday, November 4th. If there is sufficient interest, we will meet instead on Wednesday, November 18th. Please RSVP to Marjorie Silver at msilver@tourolaw.edu or (631) 761-7144 as to your availability on that date. Also, if you have colleagues or friends who might be interested in participating, please have them contact Marjorie as soon as possible.

Thanks, and sorry for any inconvenience.

ADR Society Client Counseling Competition Results

On Tuesday, October 27, the Alternate Dispute Resolution Society held their intra-school Client Counseling Competition. Thirteen student teams competed and the teams of: Brian Shupak and Lisa Catapano; Pallvi Babbar and Bella Borukhova; Brandon Kopcienski and David Adhami; and Dan Wilkens and Tripti Singh advanced to the final rounds which were held on Thursday, October 29. Brian Shupak and Lisa Catapano placed first and Dan Wilkens and Tripti Singh placed second and will go on to represent Touro Law School at the Regional Client Counseling Competition that will be held at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Yeshiva University, New York, N.Y.

Thank you to all of our volunteers, alumni, competitors, Lane Bubka and the entire ADR E-Board who helped to make this competition possible.

Free CLE Seminar on Notary Public Law and Ethical Considerations in an Online World

Fidelity Nation Title Insurance Company, FindLaw and Citibank present a Continuing Legal Education Seminar on November 12, 2009, including one credit on Notary Public Law and one credit on Ethical Considerations in an Online World.

Speakers includ Michael Isernia, Esq. '98 and Frank Colletti, Client Development Consultant at FindLaw. The Seminar is completely free of charge and will be held at Blue Restaurant, 7 Montauk Highway, Blue Point, NY. Registration begins at 5 p.m., and the program will from 6-8 p.m.

Please RSVP to Christian Calamia at (631)472-8680 or Christian.e.calamia@citi.com.

This program is appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys. Fidelity National Title Insurance Company has been certified as an accredited provider by the
NYS CLE Board.

Invitation to Alumni to Participate in a Support Group Project

Last year, we began an exciting project here at Touro Law Center: A monthly pilot support group focused on better self- and interpersonal-awareness. The goal of this group was to help lawyers and law students better serve their clients, people who are often faced with overwhelming legal and other needs. Last year, this opportunity was available to lawyers, paralegals & law students working in PAC, its affiliated organizations and our clinics. Based on that experience, we have decided to make a few adjustments to enhance the success of this enterprise. One change is that we are inviting some Touro Law alumni who provide direct client services to join the group.[1]

We are fortunate that the same two highly qualified and experienced psychotherapists have agreed to join us again as facilitators. Dr. Marlene Kasman has been a clinical psychologist for over 40 years, with a private practice that has included individual, group and family therapy. Dr. Joanne Taylor has been in private practice in clinical psychology since 1993 and is currently working at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Northport as part of the Polytrauma team. Both Dr. Kasman and Dr. Taylor are excited about the opportunity to work with lawyers and others who are coping with the challenges of providing legal services for the underserved citizens of our community.

Given your incredibly busy lives, why participate in this group?

• Sharing with others is a good way to find relief for the burdens and imbalances that come naturally from serving clients with challenging legal and/or emotional problems.
• Former participants tell us that they have felt refreshed, restored and re-energized after just one one-hour session.
• If the stress of representing difficult clients sometimes takes its toll on your day-to-day functioning, or on your ability to be as effective professionally as you might be, please consider joining this group.

We will meet twice this semester. The first meeting of the group will be on Wednesday, November 4th from 1-2 p.m. in the Multifaith Room at the Law Center. A light lunch will be served. The second meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 2nd. If interested, please return the below form, either by e-mail to msilver@tourolaw.edu or by mailing to the Law Center to Professor Marjorie Silver by 12 p.m. on Friday, October 30.

SUPPORT GROUP
TOURO LAW CENTER
PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CENTER

I am interested in participating. My contact information is:

Name _____________________________
Organization _____________________________
E-mail _____________________________
Phone number ____________________________
Mailing address:
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Marjorie Silver at msilver@tourolaw.edu or (631) 761-7144.

[1] We have decided that since our clinic students are enrolled only for a semester, their participation undermined the value of an ongoing, committed group.

Attracting New Clients and Growing a Client Base Program

On Tuesday, November 10 at 5:30 p.m., Russ Korins, Esq. of Russ Korins Consulting LLC will hold a 1 1/2-hour seminar at Touro Law Center titled "Attacting New Clients and Growing a Client Base." Refreshments will be served and there is no fee to attend.

How can attorneys target their outreach to clients and contacts to build a thriving and rewarding practice over the long term? At this seminar you will learn about ways to attract business by interacting with the people you already know. We will also discuss ways to stay visible among the people who can refer you your best work. Practicing attorneys will leave with tools for growing their client base, and students will take away pointers to build a foundation of success starting on their first day of work.

Speaker Russ Korins has assisted businesses and people with attracting clients forten years and established a speciality practice for law firms after workingas an attorney. His work with law firms has included business generationinitiatives, marketing, and the tailoring of Web site production to firms'business goals. Based in New York City, Russ has worked with law firms andother professional services firms throughout the metropolitan area.

If you would like to attend or receive further information, please contact Irene Sacks at irenes@tourolaw.edu or call (631) 761-7030.

21st Annual Leon D. Lazer Supreme Court Review

Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center proudly presents the Twenty-First Annual Leon D. Lazer Supreme Court Review: October 2008 Term Ending June 2009, held at Touro Law Center on Friday, October 30, 2009, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Justice Souter’s last term, after 19 years on the Supreme Court, was marked by numerous significant decisions, one of which – the New Haven Firefighters case – became a focal point for Senate interrogation of Justice Souter’s appointed replacement, Sonia Sotomayor. The Court also avoided a widely expected confrontation with the constitutionality of a key aspect of the Voting Rights Act, with a narrow decision leaving the issue for another day.

The Court rendered many significant decisions pertaining to civil rights litigation, including decisions expanding prosecutorial immunity, modifying qualified immunity procedure, severely limiting claims against prosecutorial supervisory officials, rejecting a right to post-conviction DNA testing, but allowing state court § 1983 suits against corrections officers. The Court found that the strip search of a middle school student violated the Fourth Amendment, but that the school officials were protected by qualified immunity. The court rendered other important decisions under Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

There was a major decision holding that the Confrontation Clause requires prosecutors who introduce laboratory reports to produce the analyst for cross-examination. The Court also decided important Fourth Amendment issues pertaining to vehicle stops and searches, and the exclusionary rule, and imposed restrictions on the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.

In the business area, the Court decided significant cases concerning federal preemption of state law, and the due process right of recusal of a state judge who accepted unusually large campaign contributions.

These and other decisions will be discussed and analyzed by a highly accomplished faculty of federal court judges, a law school dean and preeminent constitutional and civil rights scholars. This highly successful program is now in its 21st year.

Anyone interested in the work of the United States Supreme Court will find the program informative, interesting and intellectually stimulating. Cost of the program is $100 per person, including materials, light breakfast, lunch and six hours of CLE Professional Practice credit.

Please click here to register online. For more information, contact Barbara Hakimi, CLE Coordinator, at (631) 761-7005.

Free PR and Marketing for Lawyers CLE Lecture

On November 5, The Public Relations and Marketing Group (PRMG) will hold its “PR and Marketing for Lawyers” lecture at Trio Restaurant, located at 700 Patchogue-Holbrook Road in Holbrook. The lecture is from 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. and is free of charge for attorneys. Attorneys will receive one Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit for ethics and professionalism for this three-hour program. The course is appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys.

The CLE lecture will be presented by PRMG’s Founder and President, John Zaher '98, an attorney. It will cover marketing; advertising; press conferences and press releases; public relations; practice development techniques; relationships with existing clients; Web site design, marketing and optimization; professionalism requirements, including an update on New York’s advertising rules; and the impact of Web 2.0 concepts — such as blogs and social networking — on lawyer marketing.

This program will provide attorneys with strategies to grow their practice while conforming to ethical requirements. In addition, those in attendance will gain practical tips for choosing marketing methods that are suited to their practice, personality and their means.

Registration and lunch will begin at noon. Please note that this lecture is open to attorneys only. Seating is limited to the first 35 persons.

To register, call (631) 207-1057, or e-mail: johnzaher@theprmg.com.

ADR Client Counseling Competition Judges and Clients Needed

On Tuesday, October 27, the Touro Law Center Alternative Dispute Resolution Society will hold the preliminary round of the intra school Client Counseling Competition from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Law School in Central Islip.

The Client Counseling Competition provides students with an opportunity to develop the skills they will utilize in practice. The Competition simulates a law office consultation in which two person law student teams, acting as attorneys, are presented with a client matter. The students conduct an interview with a person playing the role of the client and then explain to the client how they would recommend proceeding further in the hypothetical situation. Each team is given 45 minutes to conduct a client interview and a post-interview self analysis. While the judges are present during the interview and self-analysis, they do not interact with the students teams. The teams are judged on ten different criteria including understanding the client’s goals and objectives, problem analysis, effective counseling, the client’s informed choice and post interview reflection. The final round is scheduled for Thursday, October 29 starting at 5:30 p.m. until approximately 8 p.m.

We hope you will be able to join us as a judge or client for the Client Counseling Competition. Any assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in volunteering as a judge or client, please contact Kristin Matthews at (631) 761-7063 or kmatthews@tourolaw.edu.

Suffolk Academy of Law CLE Programs

The Suffolk Academy of Law will present two CLE programs, featuring three esteemed law professors, during the week of October 12, 2009. One is a practical imperative for state and federal litigators: Professor Siegel's do's and don'ts based on the latest developments affecting the CPLR, taught this year with his colleague, Professor Patrick Connors. The other is a consciousness-raising imperative for all attorneys and their guests: a treatise by guest lecturer Professor Harry Reicher on how the law (as exemplified in Nazi Germany) can be distorted to promote evil ends.

NEW YORK CIVIL PRACTICE UPDATE featuring PROFESSOR DAVID D. SIEGEL - Wednesday, October 14, at the Hyatt Regency Wind Watch Hotel (6:30--9:30 p.m.; sign-in and deli-buffet from 6:00 p.m.). Improve your odds on making the right decisions by attending this important annual lecture by New York's CPLR guru, Professor David Siegel. This year, Professor Siegel will be joined by his colleague Professor Patrick Connors. Together, they will present what promises to be an entertaining, information-packed seminar on the trends and developments that affect the way you litigate. Topics include disputes about notice of claim; issues about removing cases to federal court; long-arm jurisdiction in Internet purchases; OCA's expedited procedure for TRO's; mandatory attendance of defendant's insurer at conferences; hazards of using mere "notice" to start an action; prescribed steps for identifying unknown parties; time limits on voir dire; computing attorneys' fees as frivolity sanction, and much, much more. You'll learn a lot, be entertained by the professors' wit and style, and undoubtedly see colleagues you might see only in the courtroom or, once a year, at this important lecture! Three MCLE credits will be awarded. Tuition is $155 for SCBA members, $185 for non-member attorneys; $100 for student members. To access the publicity flier, click here.

ANNUAL DIVERSITY LUNCHEON: THE DESTRUCTION OF LAW & THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM BY THE NAZIS - Thursday, October 15, Luncheon, at the SCBA Center (12:30--2:10 p.m.; sign-in from noon). This year's Diversity Month Luncheon, presented in conjunction with the Suffolk Center on the Holocaust, Diversity, and Human Understanding, features Professor Harry Reicher, considered the pre-eminent authority in the United States on legal issues of the Holocaust. The lecture, fraught with meaning for all times and for all people, will provide a thought-provoking analysis of how the law can be perverted to accomplish ends that are evil and inhumane. Professor Reicher's lecture will include four significant discussion topics: "Discrimination, Ostracism, Dehumanization: the Nazis Legislative Assault on the Jews"; "No One Ever Died Illegally in Auschwitz: The Nazis' Obsession with Legalizing the Holocaust"; "Law and the Holocaust: the Ultimate Oxymoron"; and "The Dagger of the Assassin Hidden Beneath the Robe of the Jurist." It is a presentation you will long remember, and SCBA members are urged to bring friends and family members, who may attend at a reduced rate. The program provides 2 MCLE credits. Tuition is $45 with MCLE credit, $30 without. Click here for the publicity flier.

To register for these or other CLE programs, call the Academy at 631-234-5588 or register on-line (and take a $5 discount per program) at: https://secure.exobitnetworks.com/scba/salregform.php

Mitchell Shelowitz '91 Named Super Lawyer

Mitchell C. Shelowitz '91, Managing Member of Shelowitz & Associates PLLC, has been recognized as one of the top business lawyers in New York City by New York Super Lawyers.

Super Lawyers identifies the top five percent of attorneys in the New York metropolitan area who have attained a high degree of professional achievement and recognition, as determined through a selective and extensive process of peer nominations, blue ribbon panel review and independent research by Law & Politics Magazine.

The listing was published in a special supplement to the New York Times Magazine, and in a stand-alone magazine, New York Super Lawyers – Metro Edition, in the Business and Corporate Law category. This places Mitchell Shelowitz among the top New York City lawyers from powerhouse firms such as Wachtell Lipton, Skadden Arps, Kirkland & Ellis, Weil Gotshal, Schulte Roth, Debevoise & Plimpton, Cravath Swaine & Moore, Greenberg Traurig, and others.

Mitchell C. Shelowitz is a business lawyer with 17 years experience representing U.S. and international businesses in the full range of corporate and commercial legal matters – from corporate deals to dispute resolution. He has multi-industry experience representing clients in the venture capital, technology, telecommunications, Internet, software, healthcare, biomedical, homeland security, wine, food and restaurant, cosmetics, consumer brands, banking and insurance industries.

For Mitchell Shelowitz's full bio, please click here. And for more information on Super Lawyers, click here.

Asst. Dean of Student Services Lauren Chite to Speak at Nassau Bar Association "Women in the Law" Symposium, October 21

Nassau County’s top women practicing law in private and public firms, the courts, higher education and government will come together for an innovative discussion of the issues that impact women in the legal profession in a special “Women in Law Symposium: Gender Equity Program” on October 21, hosted by the Nassau Academy of Law, the educational arm of the Nassau County Bar Association.

Among the speakers at the event will be newly-appointed Family Court Supervising Judge Hope Zimmerman, Nassau County Court Judge Meryl Berkowitz, Hofstra Law School Dean Nora Demleitner, Touro Law Center Assistant Dean Lauren Chite, Nassau County Attorney Lorna Goodman, Chief Deputy Nassau County Executive Marilyn Gottlieb, and Meyer Suozzi English & Klein Managing Partner Lois Carter Schlissel.

“Women continue to make tremendous advances in the legal profession,” noted NCBA President Emily Franchina. “This symposium will explore the past, present and future issues affecting female attorneys in corporate and in-house fields, private practice, solo firms, small and large law firms, government and in the courts, through a series of roundtable discussion and networking opportunities, led by the top women legal professionals in the county.”

The first part of the program will explore how Title VII has changed the practice of law for women, careers for women attorneys in the corporate and in-house fields, goals and expectations for women in private practice, and a perspective from the bench of women in the courts. Then attendees will break out into smaller groups to discuss work-life balance, flex time and job share, public sector hiring in New York City and Long Island, professionalism, networking and client referrals, setting up and managing a firm, advocating for clients, the administration of government, and the role of women in government and politics. The final part of the program will be a review of the roundtable discussions followed by a cocktail party.

Reservations for “Women in the Law Symposium: Gender Equity Program” are $25 and free for members of the Nassau County Bar Association. Three optional Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits are available for an additional $75 fee. Reservations may be mailed to the Nassau Academy of Law, 15th and West Streets, Mineola, NY 11501, or by credit card by calling the Academy at 516-747-4464.

About the Nassau County Bar Association
Founded in 1899, the Nassau County Bar Association, with a membership of nearly 6,000 private and public attorneys, judges, legal educators and law students, is the largest suburban bar association in the country. NCBA demonstrates its commitment to the community by offering a variety of services for the public, including lawyer referral services, mortgage foreclosure and senior citizen clinics, judicial screening, public education programs and support for the Volunteer Lawyers Project, which provides much-needed free legal services for the indigent of Nassau County. For more information, call (516) 747-4070, e-mail info@nassaubar.org, or visit www.nassaubar.org.

Richard Lopez '97 Named October Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Richard Lopex '97 has been selected as the Alum of the Month for October.

Richard Lopez has his own law office located in Miami, Florida, practicing in the areas of international trade finance, Export-Import bank financing, international business transactions, commercial transactions and real estate transactions. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Lopez is the managing principal of Drake Finance Group, an approved Direct Guaranteed Lender of the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Mr. Lopez served as the Director of Enterprise Florida (Florida Department of Commerce) and Special Projects Advisor to the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Caracas, Venezuela. He was also a legal consultant during his stint in Latin America and worked for law firms in Brussels, Belgium, Lisbon, Portugal and London, England.

Mr. Lopez remains an active member of the alumni community and participates in programs for students, and volunteers to meet with prospective students at Law School Forums in his area.

To read Richard's full bio, please click here. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Richard Lopez.

New York City Bar Program - "Letting it all Hang Out"

The Association of the Bar of the City of New York is holding a program titled "Letting It All Hang Out: Learning to Better Manage Challenging Lawyer-Client Relationships" on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at the House of the Association, 42 West 44th Street. Registration will be 5:30-6:00 p.m., program from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by clients’ multiple needs and your limited resources? Do you have clients whose emotional problems challenge your ability to adequately address their legal needs? Do client demands sometimes threaten your own wellbeing? Do you feel that your life is out of balance?

The successful and satisfying practice of law depends on having positive client relationships despite such challenges. Emotional competence, including understanding basic psychological principles and psychodynamic processes, facilitates good relationships. Yet, lawyers traditionally receive little training beyond their technical, analytical skills. For many other professions, supportive supervision of personal skills, sometimes in the form of peer support groups, is an essential element of education and practice. Dr. Jeffrey Sternlieb will introduce how such groups, named Balint groups after the Hungarian-trained psychoanalyst, Michael Balint, have helped medical doctors gain insight into their interactions with their patients, manage stress, and provide peer support and group learning, all to facilitate better medical practice. The program will include a demonstration of how Balint groups accomplish these goals. A panel of experts, including a law professor, a lawyer and a social worker, will explore how similar groups might equip lawyers to better handle the emotional aspects of legal practice.

Speakers:
Jeffrey L. Sternlieb, PhD, Balint Group Facilitator and Trainer
Marjorie A. Silver, Professor, Touro Law Center, editor and contributing author of The Affective Assistance of Counsel: Practicing Law as a Healing Profession (2007).
Eileen Travis, LCSW, Director, Lawyer Assistance Program, NYC Bar Association
Sofia Yakren, Esq., Beldock, Levine & Hoffman LLP, author of Lawyer as Emotional Laborer, 42 Univ. Mich. J. L. Reform 141 (2008).

Printed materials and light refreshments will be available. There is no charge for this program, but please click here to register.

Hot Topics in the Law Luncheon Program: "The Alleged Rape Incident at Hofstra"

The Touro Law Center Student Bar Association (SBA) is sponsoring, along with a number of other student organizations including the Criminal Law Society, the first Hot Topic in the Law program on Thursday, Oct. 1 in the FCR from 12:30-1:25 p.m. The topic is "The Alleged Rape Incident at Hofstra."

As you may be aware, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office has decided not to file a charge of Making a False Written Statement under Section 210.45 of the New York State Penal Law against the accuser of the five men. We have invited several attorneys from the Nassau District Attorney's Office, including District Attorney Kathleen Rice '91, who have been involved in the matter to join us in this open forum. We are also inviting the Detective who is the commander of the Nassau Police Department's special victims squad and who was involved in the initial arrests of those who were charged with the rape.

Greg Rinckey '98 Named Super Lawyer

Greg Rinckey, Esq., '98, managing partner of Tully Rinckey, PLLC, was recently named a Super Lawyer by New York Super Lawyers-Upstate Edition magazine. Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Rinckey was listed as a Super Lawyer under the criminal defense category in the magazine.

The process for nominating a Super Lawyer is a multiphase process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with third party research. The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel.

Rinckey concentrates his practice on military law and federal criminal defense. He has prosecuted and defended military personnel in over 100 felony cases with charges ranging from drug possession to murder. Rinckey has also become a recognized leader in the military and federal employment law sectors. His legal expertise reaches government employees on a weekly basis through his role as a nationally syndicated columnist for the Gannett News Service.

“I am very honored to have received this recognition as a Super Lawyer under criminal defense,” said Rinckey. “Super Lawyers magazine is a prestigious publication and it is a great accomplishment to have been recognized by my peers.”

Rinckey is available for comment on his criminal defense practice. For more information or to speak with Rinckey, please contact Courtney Reed at 518-218-7100 or via email at creed@tullylegal.com. For his full bio, click here.

News from the Governor's Office

Dear New Yorker,

On Thursday, September 24th, from 6:00pm-6:30pm, Governor David A. Paterson along with the Chief Judge of the State of New York, Jonathan Lippman, will honor the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor. This historic event will include inspiring remarks from Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs, United States 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals and Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor.

Governor Paterson would like to invite New Yorkers across the state to gather on the evening of the 24th to watch, discuss and celebrate the achievements of Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor by viewing the ceremony live at 6pm via: http://pointers.audiovideoweb.com/asxfiles-live/ca25winlive2138.asx.

The ceremony will also be available for viewing and download after the event at http://www.ny.gov/governor/.

Please join us online for this historic event!

-The Office of the Governor

P.S. Touro will be streaming the event live from the Auditorium at 6:00 p.m. Join us!

New Year Message from Dean Raful

Rabbi Joshua ben Levi met Elijah the Prophet and asked him, "When will the Messiah come?" The Prophet answered, "Go and ask him. He sits at the entrance to the city, among the poor and the lepers." The Rabbi asked, "How will I recognize him?" Elijah replied, "The lepers untie all bandages at once, and rebandage each separately, while he unties and rebandages each separately, thinking ‘Should it be the appointed time for my appearance, I must not be delayed.’” So Rabbi Joshua went to the place and greeted him, "Peace upon thee, Master and Teacher." The Messiah replied, "Peace upon you, son of Levi." "When will you come?" asked Rabbi Joshua. He replied, "Today." Rabbi Joshua returned to meet Elijah, and the Prophet asked, "What did he say to you?" The rabbi said, "Surely he was joking with me, for he said he would come today, and yet he has not." Elijah answered him, "This is what he said to you: I will come today, if you hear my voice. The Messiah is waiting to be called." (Mishnah Sanhedrin 98a.)

Much of the liturgy of the coming High Holiday prayers discusses the coming of Messiah. Perhaps it will be in this new year, 5770 in the Jewish calendar that the Messiah will come and peace will reign across the earth. But the story reflects that famous saying: the Messiah will come the day after he arrives. In other words, the Messiah will come only when we-each of us prepares the world for the coming of peace. The Messiah will come and peace will reign only if we listen to that voice telling us that we must work for peace in our lifetime, that we cannot put it off even for a day.

I wish for each of you a holiday season of happiness and inspiration, of a coming year of health and fulfillment, and a year that we can work together and achieve together the days of peace.

Shana tova!

Dean Lawrence Raful

Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Named Touro's 2009 Distinguished Jurist in Residence

Touro Law Center has named Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella of the Canadian Supreme Court as our 2009 Distinguished Jurist in Residence. On Tuesday, September 22, Justice Abella will meet with student leaders, guest lecture in classes and interact with students and faculty. In addition, there will be a lecture and reception to honor Justice Abella at the Law Center at 5:00 p.m., which is free and open to the public with advanced RSVP.

Rosalie Silberman Abella was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in 2004 after 12 years as a justice on the Ontario Court of Appeal. She is the first Jewish woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. After graduating from the University of Toronto Law School in 1970, she practiced civil and criminal litigation until, at the age of 29, she was appointed to the Ontario Family Court in 1976, making her Canada's youngest (and first pregnant) person to be appointed to the Bench.

She was sole Commissioner and author of the 1984 federal Royal Commission on Equality in Employment, in which she created the term and concept of “employment equity,” a new strategy for reducing barriers in employment faced by women, aboriginal people, non-whites, and persons with disabilities.

She has written over 90 articles and written or co-edited four books on a variety of legal topics. She has given several hundred lectures and speeches extensively in Canada and internationally. As the Boulton Visiting Professor at the McGill Law School for four years, she taught advanced courses in constitutional law, administrative law, human rights and civil liberties, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and jurisprudence, and was a Distinguished Visiting Faculty lecturer at the University of Toronto Law School for three years, teaching courses on the judicial role in a democracy, human rights and civil liberties, and comparative jurisprudence. Justice Abella is a specially elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Senior Fellow at Massey College.

For more information about this program, or to RSVP to the community lecture and reception, please contact Aimee Pearlman at (631) 761-7064 or apearlman@tourolaw.edu.

Howard Stein, Chairman of Touro Law's Board of Governors, Named One of LI's Top 50 Around 50

Howard M. Stein, Chairman of Touro Law Center's Board of Governors and Partner-in-Charge of the Real Estate Practice Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, will be honored as one of 50 Long Islander leaders around the age of 50 who have made tremendous contributions to their communities. Long Island Business News will recognize the 50 honorees at a dinner on September 24 at the Garden City Hotel.

On behalf of the entire Touro Law community, we extend our congratulations to Howie. To read the full press release, please click here.

Michelle Cohen '07 Named September Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Michelle Cohen '07 has been selected as the Alum of the Month for the month of September.

Michelle Cohen practices as an associate in the Real Estate Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman LLP, located in East Meadow, NY. Before joining the firm, Ms. Cohen interned for the Honorable E. Thomas Boyle, Magistrate Judge, United States District Court, EDNY, and she worked as a legal assistant at Certilman Balin in Spring 2007.

Ms. Cohen earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Sociology from The George Washington University in 2004. She spent a semester abroad in London at the American Intercontinental University. She graduated cum laude from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, earning three CALI Awards for Academic Excellence, the National Association Women Lawyers Award and the ABA/BNA Award for Excellence in Labor and Employment Law. Additionally, she was recognized for her exemplary contributions to student life, having served as President of the Women’s Bar Association, Vice President of the Public Interest Law Organization of Touro, Election Chair of the Student Bar Association and Competition Editor of Touro’s Moot Court Board.

She is a member of Touro Law Center’s Alumni Council and participates in Touro Law’s Alumni Mentor Program. She also was a guest speaker for the Real Estate Law Society in March 2009 and participates as a judge for Touro Law Center’s Annual Bainbridge Moot Court Competition.

To read her full bio, please click here. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Michelle Cohen.

Touro Law Welcomes Two New Full-Time Faculty Members

Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center has announced the hiring of two new full-time faculty members this year: Tamara Relis, Assistant Professor of Law and Joan Foley, Assistant Professor of Legal Process.

Tamara Relis joins Touro Law from the Department of Law of the London School of Economics (LSE). She holds a Ph.D. in law from the LSE, where she will continue as a post doctoral research fellow. Dr. Relis also earned an LL.M. degree with Merit from the LSE, specializing in procedural law, and an LL.B. degree from the University of London.

Dr. Relis is currently conducting a large-scale three-year empirical study on formal court and informal justice processing of international human rights violation cases of violence against women in India. She is a barrister, with experience in trial court practice, as well as having qualified as a solicitor, working primarily in litigation. She will be teaching Evidence in the Fall 2009 semester.

Prior to joining the Touro Law faculty in 2009, Joan Foley taught at the University of Washington School of Law from 2007 to 2009. From 2000 through 2006, she was a partner at the law firm of Gordon Thomas Honeywell in Seattle, Washington. Her practice focused on complex litigation, appellate litigation, and environmental litigation. Professor Foley graduated from the New York University School of Law. She interned at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, New York County District Attorney's Office, and Evergreen Legal Services.

Professor Foley was named a "Rising Star of Washington Law 2007" in Law & Politics Magazine. She was named a Chapter Member of the Year by Washington Women Lawyers in 1997. She will be teaching Legal Process courses to first-year and upper-level students.

We welcome Tamara Relis and Joan Foley to the Touro Law Community! To read the full press release, click here.

Touro Law Center Student-Alumni Mentor Programs

Volunteer Alumni Mentors Needed

You can learn a lot in a classroom, but not how it feels to actually practice as an attorney day-to-day. Our Mentor Programs are designed to provide students with an opportunity to meet our outstanding alumni and learn about an area of law they are interested in perusing to expand a student’s legal education.

We are currently recruiting alumni volunteers for our First-Year Mentor program and our Upper-Division Mentor Program. Both programs match students with practicing attorneys based on your area(s) of practice and student interest. Please click here to view the Mentor Program Brochure which outlines both programs.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor for a student, please contact Kristin Matthews at (631) 761-7063 or kmatthews@tourolaw.edu.

Touro Law Welcomes Incoming Class

Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center welcomed more than 300 students last week at orientation for the incoming class of 2009. This class is one of the largest in Touro Law history, with approximately 240 full and part-time day, 70 part-time evening, 11 new students in the Master of Laws program for foreign law graduates (LL.M.-FLG), and a dozen students who transferred in from other law schools.

The beginning J.D. students come from over 100 undergraduate institutions and include recent grads, government officials, teachers, law enforcement officers, physicians, nurses, and stockbrokers, among many current and past professions. The new students in the LL.M.-FLG program come from nine nations: 2 each from Russia and Pakistan, and one each from Bangladesh, India, Iran, Liberia, Myanmar, St. Lucia and Uzbekistan. The LLM-FLG program enables attorneys from outside the US to earn a prestigious credential and qualify for the NY bar exam.

“We are glad to see such interest in Touro Law Center,” said Dean Lawrence Raful. “This year we are developing new clinics, working on a new court integration program, and expanding our commitment to public interest legal work, among other new initiatives, while welcoming a bright, enthusiastic class of new law students. It promises to be a great year.”

Orientation is designed to introduce students to the skills and values students will need to succeed in law school and throughout their careers as legal professionals, including sessions on professionalism and justice, helping others, learning styles and time management, using the library, briefing a case, using social media for networking, and more. Students are invited to attend an optional session doing pro bono work in the local community. This year, more than 30 students spent a day doing preservation work at the historic 1888 Heines Homestead, home of the Central Islip Civic Council.

Click here to view video from the Third Annual Touro Law Cares Orientation Community Service Project.

Daniel J. Baker '92 Named August Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Daniel Baker ‘92 has been selected as the Alum of the Month for the month of August.

Daniel Baker is currently a partner in the firm of Sahn Ward & Baker, PLLC. His practice concentrates in the areas of real estate transactions, zoning and land use planning, corporate law and transactions, tax certiorari and condemnation/property valuation, civil litigation and criminal defense. He is a trustee of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Long Island Chapter and an active member of the Touro Law Center Alumni Association. He is also an appointed member of the State of New York Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled's Surrogate Decision Making Committee (SDMC) Program. Mr. Baker is a member of the American, New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Chicago Title Insurance Company.

Mr. Baker was an active member of the Touro community while attending law school and remains engaged through Touro Law Center’s Alumni Association and special event committees; as well as attending various alumni and student events throughout the years. He has been and continues to be extremely helpful to Touro students and works with a number of Touro graduates at his firm.

To read Daniel Baker's full biography, please click here. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Daniel Baker.

Melanie D. Hendry '04 Named to NYS Bar Association House of Delegates

Melanie D. Hendry, a Touro Law alum from the class of 2004 and an Associate in the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English and Klein, P.C., has been appointed to the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates representing persons of racial and ethnic diversity.

“The work of the Bar Association is invaluable, and I am pleased to be involved in ensuring its actions, policies and work meets the highest objectives of its mission,” said Hendry. “The programs and resources of the NYS Bar Association are second to none in meeting the needs of the legal profession throughout the state, throughout our careers, and I am proud to make this contribution ensuring this work is reflective of the racial and ethnic diversity we enjoy across the State.”

On behalf of the entire Touro Law community, we extend our congratulations to Melanie. To read the full press release, please click here.

Alumni in the News: Michelle Vega '99 - Practicing Law in India

This National Law Journal article, “India Beckons to U.S. Lawyers,” examines outsourcing firms looking to hire those with American litigation experience. The article highlights the experiences of Michelle Vega ’99 who is practicing law in Pune, India.

"I like to travel and have always been interested in the world outside New York," said the 35-year-old Brooklyn native, who is still living in Pune. "I wanted to be able to use my legal skills and training, but was not necessarily interested in practicing anymore."

Vega, who graduated from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, said she enjoys using her litigation knowledge to guide the young Indian attorneys who do the company's legal research, document review and contract management work. Training Indian employees often means putting things in context for them. For instance, she might have to explain the relative value of a building on Park Avenue in New York by comparing it to an upscale street in Mumbai, Vega said.

Click here to read the full article.

Laura McCabe Brandt '96 Named July Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Laura McCabe Brandt '96 has been selected as Alum of the Month for the month of July. Ms. Brandt was an evening student while attending law school and has participated as a guest speaker in conjunction with the Career Services Office. She participates in programs for students, works with a number of Touro Law Center students in her office and is a member of Touro Law Center’s Alumni Council.

Ms. Brandt is currently the US General Counsel for H&M where she has partnered with various internal business counterparts to undertake a practical approach to meeting the company's neds from these various points of view. These relationships have allowed Ms. Brandt to work with her internal clients to set up policies and procedures to limit legal risks and ensure legal compliance, document relationships with landlords and vendors, and work on labor issues. In this role, Ms. Brandt works on contracts including the negotiation of retail leases, participates and aides in strategy for negotiations with labor unions, facilitates resolutions on various legal issues as they arise, oversees the regulatory compliance function, collaborates on various sweepstakes promotions,a dvises on company policies and internal investigations and oversees outside counsel, among other tasks including compiling historical trending data for litigation costs, insurance claims and the like to better forecast the company's needs for the future.

Ms. Brandt is licensed to practice law in the state of New York, and is a member of the New York State Bar Association, American Corporate Counsel Association, NYC Retail and Chief Legal Officer Subgroups, National Retail Federation, General Counsel’s Forum & Employment Law Committee and the Alexander Hamilton Inn of Court.

To read Laura McCabe Brandt's full bio, please click here. On behalf of the entire Touro Law community, we extend our congratulations to Laura McCabe Brandt.

Touro Law Center Welcomes New Members to the Board of Governors

Touro Law Center is pleased to announce that Frank MacKay, National Chairman and New York State Chairman of the Independence Party, and Jeffrey Starr, Executive Vice President and Chief Counsel for Capital One, N.A., have joined the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors, chaired by Howard M. Stein, a partner at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, includes approximately 45 members and has had a significant role in the development of the law center.

In 1995, Frank MacKay became an organizer in Ross Perot’s run for the Presidency and became active in local third party politics. By the year 2000, at the age of 31, MacKay became the youngest State Chairman of a political party in New York State history, and has been re-elected as State Chair of the Independence Party of New York five times. The Independence Party has grown significantly under his leadership – it is the largest third party political organization in the nation with more than 350,000 members.

Jeffrey Starr is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Counsel for Capital One, N.A. He joined Capital One in 2006 with its acquisition of North Fork Bank. Starr served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at North Fork Bank from 1997 until the 2006 acquisition. Prior to that, he was employed by Wickham, Wickham & Bressler for five years acting as legal advisor to North Fork. Jeff began his legal career in the Los Angeles office at Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Underberg, Manley, Myerson & Casey with a focus on labor and employment law matters. He then spent four years at the New York firm of Lord Day & Lord, Barrett Smith as an associate specializing in corporate and real estate transactions.

To read the full press release, please click here.

Barry Smolowitz '84 Named June Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Barry Smolowitz ’84 has been selected as Alum of the Month for the month of June. Mr. Smolowitz was an active member of the Touro community while attending law school and remains engaged through Touro Law Center’s Alumni Council and special event committees; as well as attending various alumni and student events throughout the years. He is also the first Touro graduate to lead a major Bar Association as president of the Suffolk County Bar Association from 2007-2008.

Barry M. Smolowitz currently has his own law practice in Kings Park, N.Y. He is also an adjunct professor at Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center and Long Island University C.W. Post. He is founder and administrator of the Suffolk County Bar Association’s Research Center (ERC), is the Director of Technology for the Suffolk Bar Center and is a past dean of the Suffolk Academy of Law.

Mr. Smolowitz is a CLE presenter, has appeared on local television business and technology programs, lectures extensively for bar associations throughout the state on both technology and ethics, and has co-authored the publication “Internet Guide for New Lawyers.” He is a two time-recipient of the Suffolk County Bar Association’s President Award (1994 & 2009), recipient of the Suffolk County Bar Association Award of Recognition (1996) and the recipient of the Suffolk County Bar Association’s Service Award (1999).

Before practicing law, he was a Police Officer with the New York City Police Department where he received nine medals for police bravery and was nominated as Officer of the Month.

To read Barry Smolowitz's full bio, please click here. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Barry Smolowitz.

7th Annual Susan M. Dietrich Clyne '88 Memorial Golf Outing to be held Monday, August 10, 2009

Touro Law Center's Seventh Annual Susan M. Dietrich Clyne '88 Memorial Golf Outing will be held Monday, August 10, 2009 at the Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack, NY. This year's event honors Frank Boulton, Principal Owner and CEO of the Long Island Ducks.

Touro Law Center tragically lost Susan M. Dietrich Clyne, an esteemed graduate of the class of 1988, on September 11, 2001. This annual golf tournament honors her memory. All proceeds benefit the Susan M. Dietrich Clyne Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Our honoree, Frank Boulton, is in his tenth season as founder and CEO of the LI Ducks, Baseball America's 2009 Organization of the Year. He has also owned three other farm teams, and the Long Island Rough Riders professional soccer team. Frank has been involved with many local charities throughout the years including the Great South Bay YMCA, where he chaired the capital campaign that raised $6.2 million dollars to construct the YMCA. Frank and his wife Karen purchased the old Regent Theatre and donated it to the Great South Bay YMCA. The Boulton Center for the Performing Arts recently celebrated its fifth anniversary and is a point of pride in the downtown Bay Shore community.

In January of 2005, Frank was named one of Long Island’s 100 most influential people by Long Island Business News. Presently, he serves as chairman of the QuackerJack Foundation, the charitable arm of the Ducks, and is a member of the Board of Trustees at both Dowling College and Empire National Bank.

For more information and to view photos from last year's outing, click here, or contact Aimee Pearlman at (631) 761-7064 or apearlman@tourolaw.edu.

Danielle Schwager '98 Named May Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center is proud to announce that Danielle Schwager ’98 has been selected as the Alum of the Month for the month of May. Ms. Schwager was an active member of the Touro community while attending law school and remains engaged through Touro Law Center’s Alumni Council, as well as by attending various alumni and student events throughout the years.

Danielle Schwager has well over a decade’s worth of expertise as a trial attorney. Incorporating her past experience as a former Assistant District Attorney for Suffolk County and as a Litigator for Martin, Clearwater & Bell, LLP, Ms. Schwager opened her own practice in 2004 with an emphasis on Family Law. A Member of the Law Guardian Panel and the Suffolk County Family Court 18(b) Panel, her practice specializes in abuse, neglect and termination of parental rights cases as well as custody, visitation, juvenile delinquency. Ms. Schwager practices in the Family Court as well as matrimonial cases in Supreme Court. She also appears regularly before the Appellate Division Second Department in her representation of children.

Ms. Schwager is currently in the process of launching a new company, Ivy Legal Outsource, Inc. that will specialize in the outsourcing of matters related to the running of a law practice that will maximize receivables and decrease overhead for law firms.

To read Danielle Schwager's full biography, please click here. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Danielle Schwager.

Senator Foley Announces $50,000 Grant to Create Foreclosure & Bankruptcy Clinic at Touro Law Center

Senator Brian X. Foley (D – Blue Point) was joined by administrators from Touro Law Center and community leaders as he helped launch a major initiative to take on the foreclosure crisis in Suffolk County. Foley announced that he has successfully secured a $50,000 grant to create the Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Law Clinic at Touro Law Center.

The Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Law Clinic at Touro Law Center will serve residents from Central Islip – one of the areas hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis – and the surrounding communities of Suffolk County. The clinic will pair exceptional law students specializing in foreclosure and bankruptcy law with faculty supervisors who will offer free-of-charge legal services to local residents. Clients for the law clinic will include home owners in danger of losing their homes, individuals filing for bankruptcy, and people who have received notices from their bank.

“I am proud to announce that I’ve been able to secure $50,000 in funding for this extremely important initiative in combating home foreclosures,” said Foley, who is Chairman of the powerful Senate Banking Committee. “We need to stand up for Long Islanders who are facing the brunt of this economic crisis. The Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Law Clinic at Touro Law Center will assist families right here in Suffolk County and help alleviate the foreclosure crisis on a local level.”

“We are immensely grateful to Senator Foley for recognizing the importance of this new initiative and securing the funding to make it possible,” said Dean Lawrence Raful of the Touro Law Center. “This clinic will enable Touro Law students to help some of the most vulnerable citizens in our local community while providing valuable skills training in a vital area of the law.”

PHOTO CAPTION: From left to right: Touro Law Center Dean Lawrence Raful, Central Islip Civic Council Executive Director Nancy Manfredonia and Senator Brian X. Foley.

Touro Team Makes "Sweet 16" in International Moot Competition

Touro Law Center’s student team made it through the elimination rounds to the “round of 16” and finished tied for ninth in the prestigious 16th annual Willem C. Vis International Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria. The competition included teams from 233 law schools from 59 countries around the world. Congratulations to Touro students Sardar Asadullah, Han Sheng Beh, Benjamin Noren and James Lucarello, who received an individual award recognizing him as one of the best in the world for his oral argument.


PHOTO CAPTION (from left to right): Touro Law Professor and team coach Jack Graves with students Han Sheng Beh, James Lucarello, Benjamin Noren and Sardar Asadullah.

To read the full press release, click here.

Harmon Eyes

Associate Dean Louise Harmon is on sabbatical this spring. She is sailing around the world teaching Asian Philosophy, Biomedical Ethics and Immigration History on the University of Virginia's Semester at Sea program, while also "home" schooling her daughter Jo, who joined her on the trip. They began in Bermuda, then traveled to Cadiz, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Chennai, Bangkok and Vietnam. Their journey continues on to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kobe, Yokohama, Hawaii, Guatemala then back through the Panama Canal before returning home.

She invites you to read her travel blog at harmoneyes.blogspot.com.

2009 Bruce K. Gould Book Award Presented to Bob Woodward

Touro Law Center’s Bruce K. Gould Book Award will be presented to Bob Woodward for his book The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008 on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 6 p.m. at the Law Center in Central Islip, NY. The presentation will be followed by a book signing and general reception at 7 p.m.

The Bruce K. Gould Book Award, which honors the best work of fiction or non-fiction of the past year on a law-related subject, is named for its benefactor, Bruce K. Gould. Mr. Gould was a principal in Gould Publications Inc., a family-owned publishing company in Florida, specializing in law books and treatises for the legal and law enforcement communities. The business was started in 1953 by Mr. Gould’s father and mother and over the years has grown to be one of the leading statutory law book publishers in the country until the publishing assets were acquired in December 2004. He is an alumnus of Touro, class of 1984, and he received a Masters of Legal Letters from NYU School of Law in 1993. Mr. Gould is a founding member and the second president of the Touro Law Center Alumni Association and an active member of the Law Center’s Board of Governors. In 1994, he endowed the Law Center’s first faculty chair, and was the Law Center’s Capital Campaign chairman.

Our 2009 Gould Award recipient, Bob Woodward, has worked for The Washington Post since 1971. He has won nearly every major American journalism award. The Pulitzer Prize was given to the Post in 1973 for the reporting of Woodward and Carl Bernstein on the Watergate scandal. In addition, Woodward was the main reporter for the Post’s articles that won the National Affairs Pulitzer Prize in 2002. The Weekly Standard called Woodward “the best pure reporter of his generation, perhaps ever.” In 2003, Albert Hunt of The Wall Street Journal called Woodward “the most celebrated journalist of our age.” In 2004, Bob Schieffer of CBS News said, “Woodward has established himself as the best reporter of our time. He may be the best reporter of all time.” Woodward has co-authored or authored eleven #1 national best-selling non-fiction books – more than any contemporary American writer. His most recent book, The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008, was released on September 8, 2008 and became a #2 national best-seller.

For more information please Click Here or to RSVP, please contact Aimee Pearlman at (631) 761-7064 or apearlman@tourolaw.edu.

Matthew Daus '92 named April Alum of the Month

Touro Law Center's Office of Development, Alumni Relations and Communications is proud to announce that Matthew Daus ’92 has been selected as our April Alum of the Month. Mr. Daus was an active member of the Touro community while attending law school and remains engaged through Touro Law Center’s Mentor Program and special event committees; as well as attending various alumni and student events throughout the years.

Matthew W. Daus is the current Commissioner/Chair of the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission. He was appointed by former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and unanimously confirmed by the New York City Council on August 22, 2001 as the tenth Commissioner/Chairman of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). On July 23, 2003, Commissioner Daus was reappointed to a seven-year term by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the New York City Council, which expires on January 31, 2010. Mr. Daus is the longest serving Chairman in TLC history.

Please click here to read Matt’s full biography. On behalf of the entire law school community, we extend our congratulations to Matthew Daus.

Touro Takes Top Honors at NCBA Moot Court Competition

For the third year in a row the student Moot Court team from Touro Law Center defeated teams from CUNY School of Law at Queens College, Hofstra Law School and St. John’s Law School to win the Nassau County Bar Association (NCBA) Moot Court Competition. In the final round, Touro, competing against a very polished team from CUNY, argued in front of a distinguished panel of jurists including Justice Leonard Austen of the Appellate Division Second Department.

Second year students Scott MacLagan and Jessica Mannix demonstrated impressive command of the law and the facts and, in a very close round, went on to win the competition. Second place went to the CUNY School of Law at Queens College Team of Yvette Rosario, Kyung S. Auh and Reka Bala, who also won the Honorable Edward J. Hart Award for best oral argument. The Eugene S.R. Pagano Esq. Award for best written brief went to the St. John’s Law School team of James Walsh and Andrew Schiavone.

The entire Touro Law Center community is very proud of the Moot Court team’s accomplishments – congratulations to the winners!

"The Treating Psychologist Testifying in Court" Program at the SCBA

The Suffolk Academy of Law, the Suffolk County Psychological Association and Touro Law Center are co-presenting a program on Friday, March 27, 2009 titled “The Treating Psychologist Testifying in Court” from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Suffolk County Bar Association.

This workshop looks at the information a treating psychologist provides attorneys and the court. What is the value of this information? How can the treating psychologist increase the accuracy of this information? Focus will be on a child’s psychologist providing information for a court case involving issues of visitation and custody.

Faculty: Neil S. Grossman, Ph.D and Gary Tabat, Esq. with Hon. John C. Bivona, Robert Cohen, Esq., Janis Noto, Esq. and Wendy B. Doret, Ph.D.

Coffee and Light Refreshments will be served. MCLE credits are available for lawyers and CE credits are available for psychologists. Tuition is $50 for current Suffolk County Bar Association Members and Touro Law Center Alumni.

For further information or to register, please call (631) 234-5588 or visit the Suffolk County Bar Association’s web site at www.scba.org.

Touro Law to Hold Program on Tankleff Case

Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center will hold a program about the Marty Tankleff Case on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Law Center in Central Islip, New York.

Panelists will include Martin Tankleff; Robert Gottlieb, Tankleff’s trial counsel; Bruce Barket, Tankleff’s lawyer post-conviction; Mark Dwyer, Chief of the Appeals Bureau and Counsel to the District Attorney in the New York District Attorney’s office; and Professor Richard Moran, Mt. Holyoke College sociologist and criminologist and expert on wrongful convictions. Both Gottlieb and Dwyer are members of the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Wrongful Convictions.

Panelists will discuss several aspects of the case including the arrest of 17-year-old Martin Tankleff in September 1978, his subsequent conviction, the appeals process and his release from prison after 17 years.

There will also be a pre-program video presentation on the history and background of the Tankleff Case at 5:30 p.m. at the Law Center.

For more information click here or contact Charity Rodriguez at (631) 761-7066 or crodriguez@tourolaw.edu.

Blood Drive Sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association

What: Blood Drive sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association

When: Monday, March 23, 2009 from 1:30-7:00 p.m.

Where: Nassau County Bar Association, 15th & West Streets, Mineola, NY
Eligibility Criteria:

• Must have valid ID
• Minimum weight 110 lbs
• Between 16 and 75 years of age
• No tattoos in past 12 months

To schedule an appointment, call David Gabor, Esq. at (516) 248-2525 or e-mail esqs@gaborlaw.com.

Suffolk County Bar Association New Members Committee Meeting

The Suffolk County Bar Association New Members Committee monthly meeting will be held Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at the Suffolk County Bar Association EBT Conference Room from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

This month's meeting topic will be "Networking for New Attorneys: How to Reach Out to Potential Employers and Generate Business in Difficult Economic Times." The meeting is open to all law students and attorneys in practice less than 7 years (membership is not required).

15th Annual Goods & Services Auction to be held Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Touro Law Center’s 15th Annual Goods & Services Auction will be held this year on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 from 6-8 p.m. at the Law Center in Central Islip, New York.

All proceeds from the auction benefit the Touro Summer Public Interest Law Fellowship Program, which fund summer stipends for students to work in public interest law firms or non-profit organizations. These students defend the victims of domestic violence, guard the legal interests of children and work with advocacy groups on a broad spectrum of poverty and civil rights issues.

How can I help? You can donate an item to be included in the auction. Items for donation might include gift certificates, electronics, jewelry or something even more creative. You may also consider a $1,000 Event Sponsorship which includes recognition at the event and in the auction brochure, as well as ten tickets to the auction.

How Does the Auction Work? Donations of artwork, theater tickets, sporting tickets, travel packages, wine, restaurant gift certificates and many other items are sold in both silent and live bidding. This year’s auction program will also recognize one Attorney of the Year from each of the top law firms on Long Island who best exemplifies public interest legal work performed in the areas of poverty law, civil rights law or public rights law, including representing charitable organizations.

Last year, thanks to our contributors, we raised more than $65,000, making it our most successful auction to date.

Please click here to visit our Auction web page, where you can register to attend, make a donation or become a sponsor. Any questions, contact Aimee Pearlman at (631) 761-7064 or apearlman@tourolaw.edu.