John J. Farmer, Jr. Named Dean of the Law School

A widely admired former public official and attorney with outstanding legal and administrative accomplishments, John J. Farmer, Jr. has had a prominent career in government service at the state and national level and in private practice. Notable positions include Senior Counsel and Team Leader of the 9/11 Commission, Attorney General of the State of New Jersey, and Chief Counsel to former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. Upon graduation from Georgetown University Law Center, he clerked for Justice Alan B. Handler (Ret.) of the New Jersey Supreme Court and later served as an assistant U.S. attorney. Currently in private practice handling matters ranging from white collar criminal defense to governmental and regulatory affairs, Farmer has also served as Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security. “John Farmer is known throughout the legal community for his integrity, his intelligence, his determined yet collegial management of difficult issues, and his steadfast commitment to the rule of law,” commented Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz (Ret.). April 2009 | Read Story

National Trial Competition Finish Caps Notable Year for Advocacy Programs

Competing in the National Trial Competition final rounds, the Rutgers School of Law–Newark team left San Antonio with National Quarterfinalist honors. Placing fifth overall out of the 28 best mock trial teams in the country – in a competition that began with 320 law school teams vying to advance in regional tournaments – was very gratifying for Kory Ramkawsky (left) and Amanda Ribustello. Two months earlier, Ramkawsky and Ribustello, along with Class of 2013 classmate David Baumwoll, had a historic win in the regional round, becoming the first New Jersey law school ever to advance to the national finals. The increasing excellence of the school’s advocacy program and the dedication of faculty, administrator and alumni coaches were evident in several other regional, national and international moot court competitions this year. Said Ribustello, co-chair with Joseph Lo Galbo ’13 of the Moot Court Board: “Each team’s success has showcased the talent of our students and highlighted Rutgers School of Law–Newark as a real competitor at these competitions.” | Read Story

Four Women MSP Students at the Helm of Rutgers Law School Journals

One measure of the Rutgers School of Law–Newark commitment to the principles of excellence, opportunity and impact is the school’s integral role in advancing women in the law and addressing gender discrimination by the legal system. Not only was the law school one of the first to enroll women in large numbers and to have women on the faculty, but it also boasts the oldest legal journal in the country devoted to women’s rights law. This year, four of the five main journals are headed by women and, in another measure of the distinctive culture at Rutgers–Newark Law, the Class of 2013 editors-in-chief on three of the journals are also participants in the Minority Student Program. Their routes to law school and the post-graduation plans of EICs Emmy Acevedo, Alba Aviles, Patrina Ozurumba (shown left to right) and Silvia Medina differ but their testimonials to a supportive environment school-wide and a strong MSP community that has helped them to excel are remarkably similar. April/May 2013 | Read Story

Zerlina Maxwell ’13: Gaining Influence in the Political Conversation

Born into a political-minded family and not shy about sharing her opinions on a range of political and cultural issues, Zerlina Maxwell long ago decided that she wanted to go to law school. Rutgers School of Law–Newark, with its stellar reputation and well-known diversity, appealed to her. A part-time student who worked as a litigation paralegal during much of her time as a law student, Maxwell has enjoyed the Rutgers experience. Still, along the way she discovered an alternative to the practice of law that she finds more suited to her talents and energy. Stoked by her work on the first Obama presidential campaign and taken by the broad possibilities of social media, Maxwell plunged into blogging as way to stay involved in political discussions. Once she broke into Twitter, she soon gained recognition as a legitimate voice in the political conversation. Equipped with a J.D. that has sharpened her political commentary skills, Maxwell aims to remain part of that conversation and to help shape public opinion on several issues. March/April 2013 | Read Story

Distinguished Alumni Recall Inspiring Professors, Gifted Classmates

The three graduates whose achievements and contributions to the profession and to society were honored by the Alumni Association at its Annual Recognition Dinner – Hon. Rosemary Gambardella ’79 (shown with Vincent Warren), Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey; Hon. Hazel R. O’Leary ’66, president of Fisk University; and Vincent Warren ’93, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights – have taken very different paths to success in their extraordinary careers. But in accepting their awards, the alumni offered remarkably similar recollections about the teachers and academic experiences that inspired them and the classmates who shared their dedication to excellence. Seeking to recognize current students who best embody the ideals represented by the dinner honorees, the Alumni Association of Rutgers School of Law–Newark also awards two scholarships at its annual dinner. David Baumwoll ’13 accepted the Fannie Bear Besser Scholarship for Public Service and Silvia Medina ’13 received the Alumni Recognition Dinner Scholarship. January/February 2013 | Read Story

Fellowship Furthers Interest in Public Policy Work in Latin America

As a Patton Boggs Foundation Fellow, Emily Button Aguilar ’14 spent the summer of 2012 in Peru, doing research for the Andean Commission of Jurists (CAJ) on legal protections for indigenous peoples. An earlier two-year stint with an NGO in Peru had made her aware of how marginalized the country’s indigenous population is and steered her towards law school for the tools to effect positive change in the world. Aguilar arrived at CAJ equipped with new research and analytic skills gained during her first year at Rutgers School of Law–Newark and eager to help the organization educate Andean governments, scholars and other groups about indigenous issues. She left more sure than ever of her interest in international human rights law and policy and with a new understanding of the need to strengthen democratic institutions in the region. December 2012/January 2013 | Read Story

Rutgers University Shows Its IP Assets, Thanks to Law Students

Three Rutgers School of Law–Newark students with an interest in intellectual property law gained excellent IP experience last summer as interns at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This fall, two of those students – Eric Ashbahian ’13 and Dana L. Broughton ’14 – returned to USPTO headquarters to participate in the office’s National Trademark Expo. Through the diligent work of Ashbahian and the strong support of the university’s trademark office and legal counsel, Rutgers became the first university to exhibit at the high-profile event. More than 15,000 expo visitors had the opportunity to see examples of Rutgers’ impressive trademark portfolio and to learn about the importance of trademarks and protecting intellectual property. The Rutgers students returned to campus after two days of networking with others in the field and helping the public understand the value of trademarks with an even stronger interest in pursuing a career in IP law. November/December 2012 | Read Story

Laura Deeks ’13 Prizes Her Study–Abroad Experience

For some students, it’s a family experience or a college internship that’s behind the decision to go to law school. For Laura E. Deeks ’13 it was the sight of trees in bloom in what should be the coldest month of the year in New Jersey. The law, she decided, would provide the best preparation for doing something beyond just worrying about the climate change and energy policy issues that so concerned her. With plans to pursue a Ph.D. in English literature or political science and then to teach put aside, Deeks enrolled in Rutgers School of Law–Newark. Recognizing the global aspect of many environmental issues, she took advantage of the opportunity to study international law for a semester at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She couldn’t be happier with the decision to take part in the Leiden Law Courses or to extend the overseas experience with a summer internship in The Hague. October/November 2012 | Read Story

Faculty Share Some Summer Reading Selections

For some Rutgers School of Law–Newark faculty, the summer break means time to make progress on a publication deadline, prepare to teach a new course, catch up on the writings of other scholars or complete a brief. For others, it offers an opportunity to read something a little different from what their teaching and research require they devote attention to during the academic year. It may be a new work of fiction, a long-neglected classic, the autobiography of a Rutgers Law School alumnus that has been recommended by a colleague for its presidential election year relevance, or, as in the case of Professor Diana Sclar (shown here), a couple of richly entertaining histories populated with the kind of outsized personalities whose influence on the law, she is reminded, can sometimes be overlooked in the teaching of legal concepts. August/September 2012 | Read Story

A Summer of Gaining New Skills, New Interests and New Mentors

Each year Rutgers School of Law–Newark students finish exams and head off to summer jobs with the judiciary, private law firms, government offices, corporations, NGOs, and public interest organizations around the country and overseas. Some like Raymond Baldino ’13 (shown here), who worked at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, are delighted to find themselves in a perfect match with their particular lawyering interests. Others discover a surprising attraction to a practice area they had never considered. Many who work in an unpaid public interest or public service job are especially grateful for a Rutgers Public Interest Law Foundation grant that made it possible for them to accept their position. Wherever they choose to work, students return to classes each August with new skills, friends and mentors, reinvigorated by the legal and personal experiences of their summer job. August/September 2012 | Read Story