Welcome to See infra, our e-newsletter delivering a sampling of news from St. John's Law.

IN BRIEF

Dispute Resolution in Triplicate
Recently, the Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution and FINRA co-hosted the virtual 2022 Securities Dispute Resolution Triathlon. Now in its 13th year, the Triathlon gives students from law schools nationwide an unrivaled opportunity to hone advocacy skills in negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. This year's Triathlon drew teams from 14 law schools nationwide to address a competition problem centered on the appropriate boundaries when innovation challenges investor protection. Volunteer FINRA mediators and arbitrators judging each round offered the competitors invaluable feedback about real-world advocacy. Read the full Triathlon recap.

Law & Religion in House
It's been a busy fall for our Center for Law and Religion, as it brings vital conversations in house at St. John's Law. Throughout the semester, students have engaged with leading scholars and jurists in the field as participants in the Colloquium in Law & Religion. On 11/1, the Center reconvened its Reading Society, welcoming author Tara Isabella Burton to the Law School for a conversation about the rise of the religiously unaffiliated in America, a topic she explores in her recent book, Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World. You can read more about the discussion with Burton. And when you're ready to settle in with a great podcast, Center co-directors Mark Movsesian and Marc DeGirolami offer lively conversation and keen insight as hosts of Legal Spirits.

For Your Holiday Reading List
Social streams, TV commercials, and store aisles don't lie. It's that most wonderful time of the year and, as you prepare your holiday reading list, the Black Authors Book Club has the perfect selection for you: Skinny House by Julie Seely. When you're finished (or even if you're not) join Professors Sheldon Evans and Cheryl Wade in the new year as they lead a lively Book Club meeting on 2/9/23 about the reading. Register to join the conversation.

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

It's a (Bar Pass) Celebration!
Congratulations on passing the bar! All your hard work paid off. Now it's time to celebrate with your classmates at our annual Bar Passage Party tomorrow, 11/10, at Connolly's Pub & Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. There's no charge for this special event, but please RSVP to attend.

Grab a Toy and Join the Party
On 12/1, join the festivities as the St. John's Law Alumni Association's Alumni of Color Chapter hosts a holiday party and toy drive at Connolly's Pub & Restaurant in the heart of Manhattan. You'll add to the cheer and good will when you bring an unwrapped toy to the event to brighten a child's holidays through the nonprofit S.O.A.R./Toys for Orphans. Ready to go? It's quick and easy to RSVP online.

Calling All Alumnae
St. John's Law alumnae, mark your calendars for 12/6 when we'll gather in person for the Alumnae Leadership Council Holiday Networking Reception at Midtown Manhattan's Connolly's Pub & Restaurant. Founded in 2021 as a chapter of the St. John's Law Alumni Association, the Alumnae Leadership Council (ALC) provides formal and informal leadership training to female students and alumnae of the Law School via mentoring circles, symposia, panel discussions, and other on- and off-campus programs. The ALC also encourages alumnae to give back, both financially and with their time and talents. RSVP today!

Need CLE Credits?
The St. John's Law Alumni Association has you covered. Join us virtually for Opening Borders: Emerging from the Pandemic with Creative Immigration Solutions on 11/30 (register now). We're also pleased to present Proof of Causation in Toxic Tort Litigation in New York on 12/14 (register today).

FACULTY FOCUS

Leading the Field
Please join us in wishing Professor Adrián E. Alvarez an impactful year in the field as he advances his important work at the forefront of disability law and policy. He's accepted a year-long assignment as Special Counsel at U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, where he'll help to update federal regulations interpreting Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Providing Expert Insights
How should labor and employment lawmakers classify social media content creators and other gig economy workers who earn a living through algorithm-driven apps and digital services? Tapped by Bloomberg for an expert take, Professor Miriam Cherry, who directs our Center for Labor and Employment Law, noted that "algorithmic management is going to be a major area of scrutiny" for legislators.

Professor Kate Klonick shares her insights on the governance of online speech for an episode of the Axios  podcast series on Elon Musk vs. Twitter. She also joins the Lawfare podcast for an episode of its "Arbiters of Truth" series, weighing in on questions about content moderation and the future of the internet sparked by Musk's Twitter takeover.

Over at University World News, Professor Rosemary Salomone draws from her expertise on the global rise of English to pen a thoughtful commentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mission to make Hindi his country’s national language. 

"You might not expect that in the year 2022, businesses would go to court asserting a right to discriminate. Yet that is essentially what the [U.S.] Chamber of Commerce and various banking groups did last month when they sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau," says Professor Jeff Sovern in this Daily News opinion piece.

STUDENT SUCCESS

Tech Innovators for the Win
A big congratulations to Ramona Miller '23 and Michael Quintman '23, who won the National Legal Innovation Tournament hosted by Hofstra Law. Representing our Dispute Resolution Society (DRS), Michael and Ramona bested a crowded field with their proposed "Help Decide" app. As the top team, they will receive $500 thanks to the generous support of the New York State Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section.

Sharing Stories: Liam Bradley '23
Service to country and community is in Liam Bradley's DNA. So is St. John's. The two strands intertwine as he organizes programs and oversees initiatives for one of the Law School's newest student groups: the Veteran, First Responder, and Front-Line Worker's Society (VFF). Read on.

Advocates in the Spotlight
In the Trial Courtroom
The Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute (PTAI) team of Claire Frink '23, Matthew Oster '24, Ariston Papeo '23, and Daniel Smith '23, with assists from coaches Scott Davis and Daniel Quinn '18, took second at Quinnipiac's ABA Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition, losing in the final round by just a single point. Congrats to all, and an extra round of applause for Ariston, who earned the competition’s Best Closing award.

The PTAI team of Keyrollos Ibrahim '23, Kelly Madigan '23, Kylie Mulholland '24, and Michael F. Pecorella '23 advanced to the finals of Hofstra’s Medical Legal Mock Trial Competition. They were coached by alumni Joseph Calabrese '91 and Erin Mullins '18. Way to go, team!

Let's hear it for Patrick Clancey '23, who earned the Best Advocate award at the All Star Bracket Challenge's San Diego regional rounds as part of a team representing PTAI. Helping to make Pat's outstanding performance possible were teammates Daasebre Asante '24, Cole Eiber '24, and Brendan Tighe '23. They were coached by St. John's Law alumni Marlee Galvez '16 and Mike Maffei '10.

Exceptional trial advocacy skills were on display as PTAI members competed in the annual Charles M. Sparacio Criminal Internal Trial Competition. Congratulations to competition champions Jordan Kavanaugh '24 and Natalie Mishkin '24 and to finalists Joel Cardoz '24 and Mary C. Johnson '24.

On Appeal
At the finals of our annual Hon. Milton Mollen Moot Court Competition, Jordan Biener '24 and Gabrielle Mompalao '24 represented the petitioner and Sandeep Brar '24 and Gina Varvaro '23 represented the respondent, displaying the advocacy talents that took them to the top of a crowded field of competitors. Congrats to the finalists, and many thanks to Scott Mollen '72 and all the competition judges who volunteered their time and talents.

In more Moot Court news, the awards for this summer's internal Hon. Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick Moot Court Competition were announced recently. Congratulations to Matthew Oster '24 who won Best Oralist and to Jordan Biener '24, Rebecca Goldberg '24, and Sarah Umstadt '24, who tied for Second Best Oralist.

Even More Kudos
We're so happy to share the wonderful news that Jonathan Weiss '23 has won the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association's 2022 Scholarship, which is given to current law students for their commitment and service to Long Island's Hispanic community.

Comments, Suggestions, or Content Ideas?
Please email Lori Herz, See infra's Managing Editor and Lead Writer, at herzl@stjohns.edu.

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IN BRIEF

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

FACULTY FOCUS

STUDENT SUCCESS

Comments, Suggestions, or Content Ideas? Please email Lori Herz, See infra's Managing Editor and Lead Writer, at herzl@stjohns.edu.

Comments, Suggestions, or Content Ideas?
Please email Lori Herz, See infra's Managing Editor and Lead Writer, at herzl@stjohns.edu.