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.