U.S. President Obama Visits the Capital Region Today, September 21, 2009

President Barack Obama acknowledged two Albany Law School graduates, N.Y. State Senate Majority Conference Leader John L. Sampson ‘91 and the state’s Attorney General Andrew Cuomo ‘82 at the beginning of his remarks earlier today at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) in Troy, N.Y.   Photo gallery from HVCC today, Here.

A script of the President’s speech, from www.whitehouse.gov, HERE.
Hudson Valley Community College, Fall 2009 –Fact Sheet, HERE.

 President Obama visited HVCC today to talk about education, workforce development, and technology-based economic development, especially in the area of clean energy. The invitation-only crowd was limited to approximately 200 people, including elected officials, business leaders, reporters and 60 HVCC students.

Inaugural Upstate NY AABANY presentation

APALSA and the Diversity Office at Albany Law School in collaboration with the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) an affiliate of NAPABA, invites you to attend an Inaugural Upstate New York AABANY networking presentation and luncheon on Saturday, September 19th, from noon – 2 p.m. in Matthew Bender Room (Room 425 – in Building 1928) at the Law School.  James Chou, AABANY’s President, will be in attendance.  Over 10 attorneys from DC area, NYC and Upstate will be on hand to offer mentor matches and advice to law students. 

Diversity in the Judiciary: Expanding the Pipeline

The Diversity Office in collaboration with three local bar associations CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND a roundtable discussion on: DIVERSITY IN THE JUDICIARY: EXPANDING THE PIPELINE

DATE:  TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2009
TIME: Lite Fare Reception: from 5:15pm – 6pm
PANEL: 6pm – 7:30pm
PLACE: NYS Bar Association, Great Hall, One Elk Street, Albany

DISTINGUISHED PANELISTS:
HON. CARMEN BEAUCHAMP CIPARICK, NYS Court of Appeals, Senior Associate Judge
HON. THEODORE JONES, NYS Court of Appeals, Associate Judge
HON. LESLIE STEIN, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Appellate Division, Third Dept.
HON. HELENA HEATH-ROLAND, Albany City Court Judge   
    
In this annual roundtable discussion, the panelists will discuss their path to the judiciary, how having gender and racial diversity on the bench impacts and improves our justice system, and ways to expand the pipeline to increase diversity in the legal profession and judiciary.

This is a great Networking event!   Over 40 members of the state and local bar associations will be in attendance!

RSVP to: Albany Law  School alumni: Ricja Rice, Esq.  ricjanyc@yahoo.com OR Kate McGuirl, Esq. katemcguirl@yahoo.com

For more details view FLYER

Chief Justice Jonathan Lippman, NYS Court of Appeals delivers the Welcome Address

Chief Justice Jonathan Lippman meets with the new President of the NYSBA

Director of Diversity Pershia Wilkins, Kate McGuirl, ‘04, Judge Kretzer and Molly Breslin, ‘09

Presentations by panelists

Moderator: Alumna Ricja Rice, ‘03 addresses attendees

Alumna Kate McGuirl, ‘04 introduces distinquished panelists

Panelist: l-r: The Honorable: Helena Heath-Roland, Leslie Stein, Theodore T. Jones and Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick. Moderator: Matthew Kelly, Esq.

New York State of Appeal Justice Smith and his colleagues on the Bench join us at the Reception

ACBA Diversity Interns visit the NYS Court of Appeals

Chief Judge Judith Kaye hosted the Fall 2008 Diversity Internship end of semester Reception at the NYS Court of Appeals on November 19.   Twelve Albany Law students received placements with local law firms this Fall.  Established in the Fall of 2000, the Albany County Bar Association’s Diversity Internship Program goal is to increase the representation of students of color in law firms and corporate legal departments in the Capital District and to provide students with a private sector work experience. Through this program, interns (second- and third-year students) will be provided with a meaningful work experience, appropriately supervised, with assignments equivalent to a junior associate’s actual work situation. Ten-week internship (100 hours; minimum of 10 hours per week during the semester, with a $1,800 stipend) with an assigned employer. Application deadline date for the Spring 2009 Internship program is January 5, 2009.  Visit the Career Services Manager (CSM) for more details and to apply. 
Photo Gallery:

Albany Law students meet with Judge Kaye

Presentation by Judge Kaye

Judges Jones and Treece at the Reception

Albany Law students on the Bench

Judges from the Court, joined by Judge Treece & Peter Pryor, Esq. ‘54

Chief Justice Kaye with Umair Khan, ‘09

This will be a historic election, no matter what the outcome

Over 130 million Americans are expected to the polls in record numbers on November 4th, election officials have predicted.  In preparation for the election, a total of eleven student groups collaborated to bring renowned experts from across the nation to speak at this special event under the guidance of Professor Maria Grahn-Farley.  The symposium was also co-sponsored by the Diversity Office.  On October 30, three panels discussed issues ranging from: Race, Immigration, and Foreign Policy; Religion, Privacy, and the Constitution; to Health Care, Individual Autonomy and Fundamental Rights.   The evening was capped off by a Debate on Energy Policies and the Economy by representatives from the John McCain and Barack Obama Campaigns, it was moderated by the President & CEO of WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, Alan Chartock.  You can view the results of the election HERE.

If you missed any of the panel discussions, you can read all about them at Albany Government Law Review’s blog, titled Fireplace, HERE.

Or, you can listen to the podcasts of each of the panels HERE.

View the brochure, flyer, and photo gallery below:

ELECTION SYMPOSIUM BROCHURE

ELECTION SYMPOSIUM FLYER

Pipeline opportunities: Become a tutor to a local grade school student.

Law students are needed to tutor elementary school children, Grades 1-6 in Albany’s South End.  Tutoring sessions are held daily from 3:00-4:30pm.  Tutors will provide one-on-one reading, writing and homework help to students in one of Albany’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods.    Click HERE to learn more about Two Together.  We ask you all to consider taking part in this opportunity to participate in this federal work study program ($12 per hour will be paid to Albany Law student tutors) and affect the lives of young children in our community.  

If you have questions please contact:

On-campus coordinator: Director of Financial Aid, Andrea Wedler, awedl@albanylaw.edu or phone: (518) 445-2388.

Off-site Program Coordinator is: Ms. Elizabeth Gerron, MS Education Board President & Education Director, info@twotogether.org or phone: (518) 434-9055.

Vault/MCCA Legal Diversity Career Fairs

Legal Diversity Career Fairs in: 
New York City (August 15) 
New Orleans, LA (August 11) 
San Francisco, CA (August 21)  
Plan ahead, apply and interview for summer 2009 and after-graduation jobs at these job fairs.
Visit website: www.vault.com/legaldiversity 

Women, Minority and LGBT law students & associates – Register today!  See flyer for details.  

Summer 2009 Associate Openings in Boston and Washington, D.C. law firms

The Boston Lawyers Group (“BLG”) is now accepting registration from Students of Color who are interested in participating in either the Boston, MA, or Washington, DC, Job Fairs.  If interested, you should visit their website at www.thebostonlawyersgroup.com, and click on Events, where you will find additional information on both fairs, including accessing the job fair brochure.  Students have the choice to register for either the Boston or DC Job Fair, but can attend only one fair. This year the BLG is using Symplicity to assist us in administering the job fairs.  Students interested in participating in a Fair should go to https://law-blg-csm.symplicity.com/students to register, and upload ONLY a resume and transcript (must include Spring 2008 semester grades).*  The deadline to register is July 11, 2008.

Career Panel at Albany Law School

The Black Law Students Association, the Latin American Law Students Association, the Capital District Black & Hispanic Bar Assocation, and Albany Law School’s Diversity Office hosted a Career Panel tonight in the DAMC at 6:00pm.  A reception followed in the East Foyer at 7:30pm.  The panelists included:

• Sandra Irby - NYS Office of Court Administration
• Debra C. Brookes, Esq. (‘98 ) – US Department of Justice, Antitrust Division/NYC
• Sandra D. Rivera, Esq. (‘02) – Partner, Brown McMahon & Weinraub, LLC
• John Higgins, Esq. (‘89) – Nixon Peabody

The panel discussed methods to achieving successful legal employment and a successful legal career. 

Debra C. Brookes

John Higgins

Sandra Irby

Sandra Rivera

Students at the reception

Students at the reception

 

The Pipeline to Diversity in Our Legal Profession

We are sponsoring a roundtable discussion on April 7, 2008 at 6pm in the West Wing Classroom (reception at 5:30pm in the West Foyer) on Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Strategies.

DISTINGUISHED PANELISTS:

• Hon. LESLIE STEIN, (’81) Supreme Court Justice, Appellate Division
• PAULA EDGAR, Esq.,Practicing Attorneys for Law Students 
• EUGENE SARFOH, Esq.,O’Connor, O’Connor, Bresee & First, PC

MODERATOR: RICJA RICE (‘05), Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society of neny

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

• ECONOMIC BENEFITS of a Diverse Workforce; Local, State, and National Diversity Initiatives
• STRATEGIES TO EXPANDING THE “PIPELINE”
• KEYS TO SUCCESS: Mentoring, Networking, Bar Leadership Opportunities