Prof. Finkelman Helps Overturn Century-Old Murder Conviction

Professor Paul Finkelman made national headlines for his role in securing a posthumous pardon for Thomas and Meeks Griffin, who were wrongly convicted of a controversial murder nearly 100 years ago. 

See NBC Nightly News for video.

Their great-nephew, syndicated talk show host Tom Joyner, learned about their existence—and their conviction—two years ago while watching the PBS documentary “African American Lives 2,” 

Obama wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. President Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize today, Friday, October 9th.   Obama became the third sitting U.S. president to receive this prestigious award and the fourth overall. He was praised by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, “For his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”.   The Nobel recipient  receives a prize of  about $1.4 million.   For more details, see www.cnn.com 

President Obama at 11:19am today said: “I will accept this award as a call of action…”  Read the entire speech: Click HERE from the Whitehouse’s Office of the Press Secretary.

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.

The Iraqi Refugee Crisis: An International Perspective

This event which is being held on Tuesday, September 1st from 6pm -7:30pm is being co-sponsored by Albany Law School’s Muslim Law Student Association, Amnesty International, the International Law Society, and the Diversity Office in conjunction with the Iraqi Refugee Project Coalition.

Event will take place at Albany Law School, in Room 209 (Rochester Moot Courtroom).   This event is Free & Open to the public.

The event will be followed by a reception at which locally resettled Iraqi refugees will be in attendance to share their experiences.

For more information, contact alumna/moderator,  Zainab Chaudhry, ‘98 at 518-210-8456 or law student Ali Chaudhry, ‘10 at achaudhry@albanylaw.edu.

Kristele Younes, a senior advocate for Refugee International, she has surveyed and advocated on behalf of displaced Iraqis in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, as well as refugees in Darfur, Afghanistan and Pakistan. She was previously a legal officer with the Coalition for the International Criminal Court in the Hague. 

Edward Kennedy, “a champion for the poor” dies today, August 25, 2009

It is with sadness and a tremendous feeling of loss, that we announce the passing of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy.  In a statement released by his family late last evening, they said, “we’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever” . “We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice.”   May he rest in peace. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kennedy family at this time. 

Read about his life, from cnn.com: Click Here. 
Listen to his speech (from 1 year ago) Aug. 25, 2008, Click Here
For a letter from the President & First Lady, Click HERE

Judging the Judge: The Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings

As reported on: www.cnn.com:   “If  Sonia Sotomayor fulfills her long-held dream to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, she would have the prestige of joining the highest court in the land, lifetime job security and a public forum as the first Hispanic on that bench.    

Symposium on Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples

On Wednesday, April 22, 2009 Albany Law School’s OUTlaw student group (this organization provides support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, staff and faculty) will be hosting a symposium on Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples.  
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm, Location: West Wing Classroom, on the Albany Law School’s campus.  Event is open to the public.    For more details,  

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

Why We Need to Understand Islam

“The Muslim world population is 1.4 billion people. By the middle of the century, one out of four people will be Muslim. … [There are] 57 Muslim countries today. Think of the number,” [Professor Akber] Ahmed said. “America — as a superpower, as a world leader — needs to be able to interact in a positive way with one-fourth of the world’s population.”  See the rest of this article HERE.

During the Spring 2009 semester, on March 23, 25 & 26, the Muslim Law Student Association (MLSA) hosted a series of dialogues on defining Islam.  These events were co-sponsored by the Business Law Society, and the Diversity Office.  For more details, podcast of each night (see below) and with questions on upcoming programs, please contact second-year law student who organized this sypmposium, Mohammad Ali Naquvi at: mnaquvi@albanylaw.edu  
NOTE:  Our Interfaith Room is open to all attendees in need of a quiet place to pray and/or meditate during this week.  It is located on the first floor of Schaffer Law Library, Room M-125. To accommodate other users - plan to use this room for short periods of time.   Events were held on Albany Law’s campus and a schedule of events were as follows:

February is Black History Month

Black History Month is an annual observance in February, celebrating the past and present achievements of African Americans. Before the establishment of Black History Month, Black history had been largely left out of the history books.  In February 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, proposed the establishment of “Negro History Week”, this week encouraged Americans to learn about a rich history they could not read about in mainstream books. Dr. Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History”, chose the second week of February because it commemorates the birthdays of two men who greatly affected the African American community: Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14). Negro History Week became Black History Week in the early 1970’s.