The Cardozo Jurist » Alumni

School is Over But the Feast Goes On

Arthur Latz Hal — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:45:32 +0000

Three years. I never thought I would say this, but, looking back, this whole law school thing has gone by kind of fast. There’s been some studying, and of course, a lot of eating

I can remember my first meal out with fellow Cardozo students. After the infamous booze cruise, a group of us found our way over to the Crocodile Lounge. This bar goes after a poor law student’s heart. With every beer you get a personal pizza and when it’s busy they are fresh from the oven. And the pizza is actually decent—especially for the price of free. If you haven’t made the walk down 14th Street to this little gem between 1st and 2nd, make a post-finals happy hour out of it and grab a $3 beer (yeah, that still comes with a pizza).

Since then, I’ve explored food around the city. While I might not remember contracts, I do remember the seemingly endless parade of delicious restaurants I’ve tried over the last three years. At Jeremy’s Ale House in South Street Seaport I happily sampled some of the best fried seafood I’ve ever tasted. Cherin Sushi at 6th and 2nd has fueled my love for sushi on the cheap. Village Yokocho in Astor place has helped me explore Japanese cuisine beyond the sushi roll. And of course, there is the City Tavern. I’m not sure when I’m going to next walk through the doors of Cardozo, but I can guarantee that it won’t be long before I’m stopping by at the City Tavern for their amazing burgers, pasta, and company.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Like most 3Ls, I’m crossing my fingers hoping that light isn’t the train that is the bar exam barreling down on me. But with my pocket lined with bar loan money I’m looking forward to taking a little time, stopping by Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center for an amazing sandwich and Whole Foods for some fruit, and making a great summer picnic in Central Park.

3Ls Fulfilling Promise to Fight for Social Justice

Maria Chickedantz — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:33:32 +0000

Remember the beginning of 1L year, when students were constantly claiming that they came to Cardozo in order to “change the world”? Remember when you felt that way? And then remember the massive change of heart about halfway through the 1st semester of 2L year, when the pressure to find a corporate internship or judicial clerkship began to kick in, and, at about the same time, the Office of Student Finance began posting flyers about repaying massive loans? Luckily, it appears that not everyone has succumbed to the pressure, based on the responses from several 3Ls to the question: Why did you go to law school and how will the law further this goal?

Lauren Tetenbaum, 3L: “I chose to go to law school specifically to build a career in public service. Because of my strong sense of empathy, I have always wanted to help those less fortunate than I. Although I simultaneously sought a Masters in social work to best provide comprehensive care, I believe the law is one of the most valuable tools in the fight for social justice. The law can help in all settings, whether getting an Order of Protection or VAWA petition for a victim of domestic violence or advocating for legislative change related to access to reproductive health services or ending international gender discrimination. Through the law, advocates can obtain tangible results and truly change people’s lives. My plans as of now are to be a volunteer attorney at the Door, a youth organization where I’d be doing civil services for teenagers related to immigration, child custody, and domestic violence.”

Liat Weingart, 3L: “The law is our social contract. It’s our code for how we engage with one another, with ourselves, and with our earth. Like all of us, I gravitate towards happiness. Sometimes, it dawns on me that, despite treacherous pitfalls, the law bends towards recognizing human goodness and dignity. That makes me happy.”

Carina Patritti, 3L: “Growing up in New York City, I encountered many hard-working immigrants whose rights were often violated because of their economic or social status. That helped me realize that in order to change things, we must fight for it collectively. I came to law school to sharpen my skills in order to advocate for change and reform laws that are unjust.”

Eric Katz, 3L: “I was interested in workers’ rights before law school and my goal was to work with the labor movement. I’ve always been interested in politics and government and so I thought that representing unions as a lawyer would be a great way to merge my passion for workers’ rights with my love of the law. So far it’s worked out.”

Nicholas Katz, 3L: “I decided to go to law school while I was serving in the United States Peace Corps in China. My ‘host father’ and best friend in China were both lawyers, working to help advance minority rights in Sichuan Province, and they were a huge source of inspiration for me. I was always looking for a way to help further the cause of ‘social justice’ even before I knew precisely what those words meant. I hope that my legal education from Cardozo will give me the tools I need to advocate for vulnerable populations both within New York, the United States and throughout the world. The most valuable skills I have gained that will help me make this a reality are from my clinical education. Through my work in the Cardozo Immigration Justice Clinic I’ve become a better advocate, interacting with elected representatives to push systemic change while also engaging in direct representation of indigent clients in removal proceedings.”

These 3Ls have held the line, and will use their hard-earned legal skills to advocate for human rights and fight for social justice. Through their persistence, they will change the world.

Graduating 3L Encourages Students to Build Cardozo Community

Tristan Blaine — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:21:17 +0000

As a graduating 3L, I have one piece of advice to 1Ls and 2Ls about how to make the best of your short time at Cardozo: get involved in the student community! If after reading that, you haven’t rolled your eyes and skipped to the next article, let me briefly make the case as to what you can get out of dedicating your time and effort to a student group, the SBA, or the Cardozo Jurist.

First, I’m not directing my attention to clinics and journals; most students already understand these to be worthwhile pursuits. Rather, I’m encouraging you to serve on the executive board of one of the many student groups at Cardozo, write for or assist with the production or management of the Jurist, or run for a position on the SBA.

As the Chair of OUTlaw this past year, and as staff writer for the Jurist for the past two years, I have learned so much about working with others on issues that I truly care about in a quasi-professional, yet friendly basis. In some sense, the student community represents a microcosm of the real world. On the other hand, it is quite different: the shared law school experience and somewhat lower stakes involved in student group activities make for a more comfortable atmosphere for learning new skills and forming strong connections with people.

I was not involved in student groups in college, and have come to regret that. My failure to engage in these activities was mostly due to feeling intimidated by already established hierarchies and relationships among a group of people I didn’t know. Yet one of the great things about Cardozo is that we are a more tight-knit community than most schools, in part because our campus is solely made up of law students. While there certainly are drawbacks to this isolation, it also makes it more manageable to learn about the opportunities for involvement and meet the people running these organizations.

Another great thing about the Jurist, student group executive boards, and the SBA is the lower barriers to entry. Plenty of people may tell you to do this or that journal or clinic, but that advice is of no use if you don’t get selected to these highly competitive activities. “Alternative” student activities are an easier way to get out there, meet people, build skills, and make your resume more attractive. I know that the Jurist is always looking for more staff, and most student groups would definitely welcome more involvement (many elections for positions on executive boards are even uncontested!) As for the SBA, there are several senator positions and being elected does not require a large number of votes, so why not give it a shot?

To be sure, while accessing such activities may be easier, the work itself involves no small commitment. Organizing and planning events and panels, writing articles, and managing and governing student organizations involves substantive and meaningful work, but you will get back what you put into it. In sum, I urge you to help build a stronger student community at Cardozo, for yourself and for the future of this institution.

Hey, Employer! Have You Heard About Evan Mintz? No? Read This Column.

Evan Mintz — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:17:42 +0000

Are you sick of hiring the same old law graduates? Are top-of-the-class journal editors making you look bad? Are tall, attractive new hires driving you crazy?

There has got to be a better way!

Well now there is, with Evan. That’s right, Evan! The hip new law graduate all the cool legal firms and non-profits are talking about.

But what is Evan?

Evan is a fresh, new graduate from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Wow, what a mouthful! It must be impressive. But all you need to know is that Cardozo is the number one school in New York City for Intellectual Property Law. And it just so happens that Evan is graduating with a concentration in Intellectual Property and Communications Law.

That is like having the best law student in New York City!

Not only that, but Evan is also graduating with a concentration in Constitutional Law and Rights.

It is like you’ll have two law students in one. What a deal!

But that’s not all!

Now how many times has this happened to you? You hired a recent law graduate and gave her an easy, introductory assignment, only to have her write it in a completely different style from what you’re used to. This is what happens when you hire raduates who held lots of so-called “impressive” externships and internships at different firms all over the place. You think you’re going to get something great, but really it is just a jumble of conflicting writing styles and research methods. Why, it could take forever to replace all those engrained habits! Think of all the important family events you would have to miss to fix that huge mess.

Well, not with Evan!

Evan comes free of any school-year externships, ready to learn your own personal writing and research preferences.

Without annoying experience at other firms to get in the way, Evan had time to take hours upon hours of law classes, each more boring than the last. But Evan did it so you won’t have to. And in a world where the laws can change with nothing more than a vote in the House, a vote in the Senate, and signature by the President, you’ll be glad to have a fresh new hire who is up to date on law.

But wait, there’s more!

Evan isn’t just a recent law graduate, but a full-fledged actual human being with hobbies and talents that can benefit any office. When you hire Evan, you are guaranteed semi-regular leftovers of home-baked banana bread, a sympathetic ear to listen to your stories, and comedic slapstick pratfalls that will keep the office in stitches and Evan in only a minor wrist brace. And much, much more!

Not only that, but when you hire Evan, you hire a lifeline to the future! You won’t have to concern yourself with learning blogs or Twitters or Facebooks, because Evan is a social media expert. He has not one, but two Twitter feeds, plus a blog. Wow! Working with Evan would be working with a real life celebrity!

And if you hire Evan now, you will get a free upgrade! Choose one of the many upgrade packages, such as:

The Political Package: Follow the ups and downs of the democratic process as Evan volunteers nights and weekends on a local political campaign for an office that has less actual power than the night manager at CVS. Vicariously experience the West Wing-esque excitement from the comfort of your own desk.

The Music Package: Evan will travel to no fewer than three music festivals per year, returning with tales about sunburns, Brian Eno, and Austin. All stories will be properly attuned to subtly reveal enough drug experiences to be entertaining, but not so much as to warrant investigation by the human resources department.

The Depression Package: Writhe in schadenfreudic joy while Evan dangerously slides into a routine of drinking and sleepless nights as he confronts the reality that this is all there is to life. Take comfort in your well-established niche as you get to watch Evan hit his quarterlife crisis — hard — and realize that he will never become what he wanted to be when he was younger.

All of this can be yours today! How much would you be willing to pay for this amazing offer? $100,000? Pfsh, that won’t even pay for a law degree. $200,000? With an amazing product like this, the sky is the limit.

But right now, we’re having a special offer. If you hire Evan today, we’ll throw in not one, but two certifications, a Juris Doctorate from the top IP law school in New York City, the clean slate plan, regular blog and Twitter updates about your office, the hobbies and personality system, and the free upgrade package, all for the low, low, insanely low price of $40,000 per year (plus benefits).

Why, we’re practically giving him away!

You can’t pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity! So contact your human resources representatives or hiring attorneys, and tell them you want Evan today!

Resumes are standing by.

Debate Over Commencement Speaker Rises Again

Danielle Gorman — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:08:37 +0000

With commencement right around the corner, Cardozo students find themsleves again questioning why they lack input in who will serve as their commencement speaker.

According to John DeNatale, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, “Dean Diller personally works to secure the commencement speaker, which is the tradition at Cardozo Law. He seeks input from a wide range of people.”

However, last year’s speaker choice left many graduating students frustrated and earned Cardozo a headline on Above the Law. According to the staff editorial in the September 2010 issue of the Cardozo Jurist, many members of the class of 2010 were passionate about criminal justice work and thus dissapointed with the selection of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance as commencement speaker. Vance, who expressed support for broader discovery practices in criminal prosecutions while he was running for DA, failed to keep his promise in the eyes of these students. A portion of students wore “Open Discovery Now” buttons during commencement to express their disagreement with Vance.

While this year’s speaker, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, has not invoked similar protest amongst students, many still wonder just who influences the decision and why students are not given a greater voice in the process.

The SBA recently met with Dean Diller to discuss the subject. “When he met with the SBA group he told them he is open to student input,” said DeNatale.

However, some members of SBA, including Joanna Cohen, 1L Class Senator (reelected for 2L Class Senator), are interested in learning more about exactly how the speaker is chosen. “I would like to learn how much student input has influenced his decision in the past, how students should go about giving such input, and what form that input should take in order for it to be effective. I am fine with Dean Diller picking the speaker as long as there is a process through which students can affect his decision,” Cohen said. “Actively involving students not only protects against students disapproving of the speaker, but would also strengthen the community and get students excited about the speaker they helped to select.”

However, students seem to be pleased with this year’s choice, regardless of the selection process. “While I understand reservations about this year’s process, I couldn’t be more impressed with our speaker,” said Lance Polivy, also a 1L Senator on SBA (also reelected for next year Class Senator). “I hope that next year’s students can join the administration in the process of continuing Cardozo’s impressive tradition of bringing relevant, high-profile advocates to share a meaningful message with our graduates.”

“The Dean is very excited that the Attorney General Schneiderman accepted the invitation,” DeNatale said. “The Attorney General of New York is one of the most prominent law enforcement officials in the country…Eric Schneiderman is an exciting newcomer to the position who will be charting a course for the office that will have a major impact in the years to come. He was a partner at a prominent law firm as well as state senator. In addition to his private practice and public service, Schneiderman has had a history of collaboration with Cardozo through the Floersheimer Center and the Innocence Project.”

2010 Cardozo Graduates Refused to Shake President Joel’s Hand

Tristan Blaine — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 01:44:05 +0000

As graduation approaches for 3L and LLM students, two alumni reflect on their participation in an act of protest, which occurred at last year’s graduation ceremony. Dave Johnston, ‘10 and Jaime Leggett, ‘10 helped organize a group of graduates in refusing to shake President Joel’s hand as they received their diplomas, and they also encouraged both graduates and faculty to wear “equality” stickers with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) logo on it. The protest was a response to Joel’s decision to ban all open discussion of homosexuality at Yeshiva University’s undergraduate campus, and his statement on the “Torah’s unequivocal condemnation” of gay relationships [see Rachel Kleinman's article, Joel: Gay Panel ‘Could Send the Wrong Message,' The Cardozo Jurist, Vol. III, issue 6, at 1].

Joel’s policy and statement were in response to a panel held at Yeshiva University about being gay in the Orthodox world. When Cardozo students learned of the panel, Johnston explains, “We were incredibly proud of Yeshiva…We were glad that students struggling with faith and orientation were given an opportunity to share their experiences. We remember what it was like to feel alone, to feel that no one in the world could relate.”

However, even after a meeting with students and faculty from Cardozo and other Yeshiva schools, Joel refused to change his stance or retract his statement. In the face of this intransigence, Johnston says, “We protested to express our disappointment with President Joel’s needless condemnation of LGBT students and to show that the Cardozo community defends an open academic forum, even and especially when the subject is controversial. These Yeshiva students were reaching out for help in their community, and President Joel struck them down. He refused to meet the hand of his own students, so we refused to meet his hand on the graduation stage.”

Leggett concurs, asserting that he is “glad that we gave people an opportunity to let President Joel know their feelings about LGBT rights. President Joel has stated that YU is the fountainhead of the Modern Orthodox community. He gets a lot of input from that community, much of it not positive towards LGBT rights. It’s important to make sure that President Joel hears other points of view, so that he knows that he has LGBT and socially liberal constituencies.”

Johnston recounts, “The protest was a wonderful success. I was overwhelmed with how many LGBT graduates and allies joined with us.” Leggett believes that, based on his sister’s count from the audience, approximately 30 people refused to shake Joel’s hand. Leggett also said his sister counted 98 students and faculty wearing [HRC] stickers.

Leggett and Johnston both express some doubt as to the effectiveness of the protest, yet neither regrets the decision. Although Johnston concedes, “I don’t think we changed President Joel’s beliefs that day,” he feels that “by the end the ceremony, [Joel] understood that Cardozo stands with Yeshiva’s LGBT students.”

Leggett is uncertain if Joel understood the message at all, yet he believes that Cardozo’s general response to Joel’s actions have made an impact. He claims, “In the hustle and bustle of graduation, I’m not sure if President Joel realized that certain people weren’t shaking his hand or if he figured out the meaning of the stickers. I like to think that the serious and continuing reaction from Cardozo, including at graduation, will provide LGBT students at the undergrad campuses with some breathing room.”

Cardozo Alums Swap Stories on Life After Law School

admin — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 05:47:29 +0000

Below is a conversation between recent Cardozo graduates Glen Parker, ’10, and Amol Sinha, ’10, discussing with one another their post-J.D. endeavors. Both worked at the Jurist during their Cardozo careers, Parker as an Executive Editor and Sinha as a Copy Editor.

GP: Amol, my old colleague, tell me what you’re up to now.
AS: Glen! Great to hear from you. I’m the director of the Suffolk County Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union (“NYCLU”). The NYCLU promotes and defends freedom of speech and religion, the right to privacy, and the right to equality and due process of law for all New Yorkers. Amongst my regular activities, I testify before the county legislature regarding unjust or overreaching laws, write op-eds and answer media requests about issues facing the county, and evaluate legal complaints for potential legal intervention. I also engage in public advocacy work, which requires getting involved in public education, community organizing, and working with ally organizations to work towards a common goal.
But, Glen, what are you up to? What do you see yourself doing in the future?
GP: As part of my post-grad fellowship, I worked with the New York State Division of Human Rights (“DHR”), the agency that enforces NYS Human Rights Law, on the expansion of their mediation program. I also had another part-time gig at a small labor/employment law firm. I am most excited about my work in mediation, which also includes mentoring in the mediation clinic at Brooklyn Law School and working with the Brooklyn Mediation Center as a volunteer mediator, coach-in-training, and an intern with their Restorative Justice program. Furthermore, I just began an LL.M. program in Dispute Resolution at Cardozo.
I recently got the sense that my future was not going to be as haphazardly defined as I once thought. These few months of working after graduating Cardozo do not at all resemble my experience of working before I came to law school. Do you think these might be symptoms of the early onset of a career?
AS: I think that what you’re sensing might be specialization kicking in—the feeling that you have a role within the industry, a place in the world. It is thetheoretical skills. And yes, I think it is a sign of a developing career. Recently, to define both my career and my personal affairs, I have asked myself: Am I living a useful life? I like to think I am, as I am engaging a community, doing public service work, and I’m in a state of constant learning. Furthermore, I am hoping that whatever I am doing is appropriate for me now, and the right step towards what I want to do next.
Is what you’re doing now the right step in the path of a successful, useful life?
GP: I like the idea of being both useful and successful. How can you have one without the other and still be fulfilled? Right now, I believe I am on that path.
What do you think of this slogan I made up? “As long as you can dovetail, you will never be pigeon-holed.”
AS: The slogan you fashioned makes sense. If you can work well with others, you won’t be limited. I find that as long as I am willing to assert myself but just as willing to compromise, opportunities arise. I try to use the same assertiveness and collaborative sentiment to take advantage of those opportunities and so on and so forth.
Outside of work, I am trying to make a habit of reading things that would help me at work and that would help to develop my personal interests in the work I do, which mostly consists of books about the sacrifice of civil liberties in the name of security. Other than that, I am spending a lot of time with my family and playing with my baby nephew.
How about you? Part of any nifty book clubs?
GP: You know I am (will you be joining us at the next meeting?). But now that I am in school again I feel as though there’s not much to report about life beyond career and Cardozo, except that I’ll be postponing my harmonica, Spanish, and improv classes until after graduation. I imagine that full-time student-hood is similar to the lifestyle of a monk—unrepentantly immersing [oneself] in the material and the experience, temporarily cloistered from other pursuits. While this has inspired pity in other people, even fellow law students, I think it’s a real privilege to be in this position.
AS: Cheers to that.

Laughs Lead to Success for Cardozo Alum

Jeff Pruzan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:19:52 +0000

As another year begins and rumors of the dwindling job market once again surface, it’s important to remember that a law degree can be many different things. While some graduates will seek the more traditional route, others are able to combine their legal education with outside passion and creativity to carve out an exciting and unique post-law school experience. In an effort to give Cardozo students an example of such success, the Jurist is proud to interview Whitney Meers, a 2009 Cardozo graduate and a stand-up comedian, writer, and producer for film and stage.

Please describe your current legal job. I’m the office assistant at Beigelman, Feiner & Feldman, P.C. They’re a terrific group comprised mostly of entertainment attorneys, several of who also produce for film and stage. (Fun fact! Four of the attorneys at my firm have degrees from Cardozo.)

How did you first get involved in comedy? I’ve been a writer as long as I can remember—my first “masterpiece” is a picture book I wrote when I was six-years-old called I Love Dogs. I went to college for print journalism and started writing some funny columns for the local newspaper. Then, my first year at Cardozo, I was a bit frustrated and was looking for an outlet to harness my creative energy. That’s when I heard about Law Revue and learned that Jeff Marx (who co-wrote “Avenue Q”) had started the club when he was a student there. I LOVE that musical and I got hugely inspired, and I wrote some song parodies and ended up being a part of Law Revue all three years. I got involved with Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and the People’s Improv Theater and just started writing and performing more and more, and at some point I realized that this was no longer a hobby… it’s what I want to be doing for a living.

Who are your comedic influences / favorite funny people? I’m a huge fan of Demetri Martin. He’s an excellent joke writer, and he’s never been afraid to be weird or experimental. Incidentally, he’s a law school dropout, so every time I have to sit through one of those well-meaning “you should really take the Bar Exam” speeches, I remind them that Demetri is probably doing better than 99 percent of his law school classmates. I also love watching old videos of Andy Kaufman… Kristen Schaal (she played the crazed fan on the TV show Flight of the Concords)… Eugene Mirman… Zach Galifianakis… there’s so many! Josh Fadem is an L.A. comedian who is really fun and compelling and is just so different… oh yeah, and myself! I’m definitely one of my favorite funny people.

How does your work as a comic affect your legal work? It’s awesome! My friends are all entertainers or filmmakers, so there’s a lot of overlap between my day job and the things I do at night and on weekends. Here at my firm, it’s no big secret that I’m a comedian… in fact, I recently produced a TV pilot with financial backing from someone who works here. But the craziest thing of all was when I got to give a copy of the pilot DVD to one of our clients, an Emmy-nominated TV show director for one of the best shows on television. To me, that’s definitely more fun than spending hours of my life making sure legal documents are properly Bates stamped. But then again, maybe I just have a weird idea of “fun.”

What have been some of your most rewarding experiences since graduating Cardozo? I absolutely love writing, producing and performing, so every time I achieve some goal related to any of those things, it feels incredible. I mentioned how good it felt to pass along the pilot… basically, I was thrilled because my actors worked for next-to-nothing, and they were all incredible, and just to be able to get that in front of a TV show director was amazing. I am passionate about the arts and just being able to support people in what they’re doing makes me feel great, every time. I just want to make this world a better place!

Where do you see yourself, professionally, in 10 years? I plan to run a production house. I’d open it right now if I had financing. Want to loan me some cash? And if that doesn’t happen, maybe I’ll go for a career in competitive eating. Maybe we can have a hot dog eating competition at Cardozo sponsored by Hebrew National. Hebrew Nationals are 100 percent kosher!

Finally, just a few questions regarding law school.

What’s the most useful thing you learned in law school? The most important thing I took away from law school is that it’s important to follow whatever it is that drives you. I write, produce, or perform nearly every day of my life, and I absolutely love every second of it. Whether your goal is to be CEO of a Fortune 500 company or is simply to be the best burger flipper at your local McDonald’s, just do it! ‘m not judging you… I’d rather spend my time judging people who say they want to write for a living and then never actually put a pen to paper.

What advice do you have for current students who hope to pursue a career in the arts or entertainment world? Like anything else in life, it’s a matter of carving a path that ends up at the place where you want to be. Do anything you can to get there, even if it means emailing strangers and working for free at night and during the weekend. It’s a matter of delaying gratification… you might have to work for peanuts for a while, but with persistence and dedication, you’ll get there eventually. And also, listen to everyone’s advice, and then ignore it completely.

Know an alum who Jeff can interview? Email him at alumni_column@cardozojurist.com

Panel Discusses United Nations Responsibility in Child Protection

Amanda Emerson — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:30:06 +0000

Many Cardozo students are using their ever-developing legal training to help some of the most vulnerable members of society. A number of student-led groups present opportunities to get involved with advocating for the rights of child soldiers and suicide bombers, and attending to the legal needs of victims of domestic violence and child abuse.

One such group is the Cardozo Chapter of the Children’s Rights Institute (CRI), which recently hosted a discussion panel on the role of the United Nations in protecting the world’s children. At the February 8th event, Simon Deng, a Sudanese refugee and former child slave, opened with a heartbreaking account of living in miserable conditions—eating only scraps, sleeping on straw and enduring regular beatings from the age of nine until managing to escape several years later. Deng shared his terrifying entry into slavery: “I was shown a picture of a human being with no arms and no legs. I was told if I run away, they will capture me, cut my legs and my arms and I will look exactly like the picture. As a child of nine years, I was so terrified. After being beaten so badly I believed the threat was real.” From then on he was treated like an animal, forced to do work previously performed by donkeys, such as hauling water from the Nile, while the “master’s” children attended school. Now a U.S. citizen, Deng protests the slavery and genocide in Sudan and articulates the desperate need for Americans to take urgent action. He calls the U.N. the “United do-nothing Nations” for failing to condemn the Sudanese government that allowed the enslavement and genocide of Sudanese Christians by the Muslim minority centered in Khartoum.

Brooke Goldstein, ’05, the founder and director of CRI, moderated the panel, expanding the picture of Islamization in the world and the U.N.’s role in the indoctrination and recruitment of children to radical Islam. Goldstein cited the use of children as human shields by Hamas, and noted that Iraqi insurgents have been known to drug or remotely detonate children to make sure attacks go off without the children getting scared or changing their minds. Goldstein also chided the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which has been criticized for running schools in Gaza with Hamas-approved curriculum and for hiring staff off of the Hamas payroll, and for stymieing research for “The Making of a Martyr,” a documentary about child suicide bombers in Palestine filmed by Goldstein for CRI. UNRWA has also not responded to requests to provide English language versions of their textbooks, despite the fact that a great portion of the funding for the U.N. programs comes from the United States. Goldstein charged the agency with, at best, turning the other way while known terrorists seem to be radicalizing Palestinian children in its schools. At worst, UNRWA may be guilty of aiding and abetting the premeditated murder of innocent children.

Several speakers at the event echoed Goldstein’s themes, taking the position that the U.S. should either withdraw funding or demand more accountability from the U.N. and its agencies. Sapna Zaidi, editor in chief of Muslim World Today, pointed out that while the U.N. has passed numerous resolutions against the use of children in armed conflicts, it has rarely directly addressed the use of children as suicide bombers in acts of terrorism. Zaidi says that U.N. silence should not come as a shock given the current makeup of the organization and the heavy influence of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, a multinational delegation to the U.N. made up of 57 Muslim member states. Dr. David Scharia, a legal officer at the U.N. Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate, shared some of the panelists’ frustration but pointed out that the “U.N. is an abstract body created by different states. It can’t do more than the will of its component states.”

In spite of the bleak picture painted by the panelists about the fate of children in many parts of the world, the final message was that change can be had through dialogue and the work of organizations such as CRI. Co-founder of the Cardozo Chapter of CRI (and sister of Brooke) Danielle Goldstein, 3L, emphasized that “CRI is important because it focuses on an area where no other group does, the recruitment of a society’s own children to become suicide bombers. CRI takes up the cause of children’s rights when they are being ignored by groups like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Coalition Against Child Soldiers…There exists no other organization that is dedicated to legally combating and raising awareness about this most egregious form of child murder.”

There are also many ways for students to get involved, from attending events like the recent panel to doing research, writing articles or interning for CRI. Danielle Goldstein added, “Working with CRI is a great opportunity for media-savvy law students who envision themselves pursuing a career in film, journalism, human rights law and/or advocacy. Cardozo students have received credit for their work and have had very positive experiences.” Benjamin Ryberg, 3L, co-founder of CRI at Cardozo, encouraged students to email cardozo.cri.chapter@gmail.com or visit the institute’s website, childrensrightsinstitute.org, to get involved.

Co-sponsor of the panel, the Cardozo Advocates for Kids, helps to implement and develop policy and legislation aimed at assisting victims of childhood sexual abuse. Led by Danielle Moriber and Amol Sinha, 3Ls, the organization’s recent efforts have been focused on increasing the criminal and civil statutes of limitations for sex abuse complaints and signing on to amicus briefs in ongoing child abuse litigation throughout the country. For more information, students should email cardozokids@gmail.com.

Closer to home, students are helping women and children in New York City to separate from violent partners through the Courtroom Advocates Project (CAP). The program is run at Cardozo by Cardozo Advocates for Battered Women (CABW), a student-run club that also hosts other activities benefiting women and children throughout the year, like the recent “Condoms and Candy” fundraiser for organizations that combat sexual assault and/or support reproductive health advocacy.

CAP also provides students with opportunities for courtroom experience, offering training and mentoring for would-be advocates of domestic violence victims. In the words of Margaret Whitehead, 3L, CABW student co-coordinator, CAP serves “the dually-important purposes of helping people who desperately need assistance and allowing students to get the invaluable experience of representing clients in a courtroom setting.” CAP-trained students are eligible to go into court and assist a supervising attorney and other students in representing women seeking protection orders. Participants educate victims about the remedies available, assist them with safety planning, help them draft petitions, and argue on their behalf before judges.

CABW holds trainings once a year, usually in the fall, and in March will be seeking new coordinators from the 2012 class. Interested students should send cardozoabw@gmail.com an e-mail.

Cardozo Alumnus Provides Comic Relief

Jeff Pruzan — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:12:32 +0000

As part of The Cardozo Jurist’s never-ending quest to give students hope and encouragement in these desperate economic times, we hope the words of successful alumni will demonstrate that stimulating legal careers do still exist in New York. This month, the Jurist had the privilege of interviewing David Althoff, ’04, currently working in the in-house legal department at Marvel Entertainment. Mr. Althoff answers our questions and provides keen incites below.

Please describe your current job.

I’m currently working in-house for Marvel Entertainment. Marvel utilizes its famous characters franchises (Spider-Man, Hulk, Captain America, X-Men, Iron Man) in consumer products licensing, toys, video games, animation and movies. And, Marvel has been publishing comic books for the past 70 years now. I primarily support Marvel’s publishing division negotiating talent agreements (with pencilers, writers, inkers and others who create our comic books), vendor agreements with printers and distributors, licensing agreements with other publishers who make storybooks or coloring books based on our characters, and advising on copyright and trademark issues. And also, since it’s working in-house, a little bit of everything else.

I previously worked in-house for Kate Spade, the handbag and accessory company. Liz Claiborne—a much bigger company—bought Kate Spade in September 2006, and since it looked like I might be out of a job at some point soon, I asked our outside intellectual property attorney for some advice. She also worked with Marvel and knew they had an opening that wasn’t even advertised yet. The timing was incredible. I started at Marvel in January 2007.

What is a typical week like in your shoes?

Each week varies. Our business folks are always doing, making, creating something new with the Marvel characters. There are 10 attorneys in the New York office and we all end up collaborating and consulting with one another—the IP floats throughout the company and the stuff that gets created for comics or movies or consumer products or online gets used and referenced back into everything else.

What were some of the most interesting or exciting moments you’ve had while working for Marvel?

One of the most exciting moments at Marvel was appearing in She-Hulk #25 as myself. I was also a Spider-Man “balloon handler” in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

What were some of the most stressful moments?

It’s always stressful giving advice that people don’t want to hear or that doesn’t fit with the expectations for a new opportunity or venture.

What was your first job after law school?

I worked as a contract attorney at a large firm for a few months and then was offered an opportunity to work in-house at Kate Spade. I did an internship there all during my third year of law school.

What’s the most useful thing you learned in law school?

As an IP attorney, the copyright and trademark classes I took with Professors Sterk and Hughes were a big help. The appellate argument exercise part of legal writing class was a great experience—I remember being shocked—and proud of myself—when I was asked a question by one of the “judges” that I didn’t practice for, but was still able to process and answer on my feet only because I knew the topic so well. It was one of the moments where I knew I could be an attorney.

What advice do you have for current students about finding a job in this difficult economy?

Do lots of jobs and internships during law school—work for a judge or a non-profit or a firm or a company—each semester and summer and for anyone and everyone that will take you on. Soak up as much as you can from practicing attorneys and form real relationships and experience that—with some luck and timing—may lead to an opportunity someday.