Cornell Law School

Congratulations to Shivani Singh ’26 and Jeena Patel ’26 on their successful arbitration victory through the Labor Law Clinic, directed by Angela Cornell.

In March, Singh and Patel represented their client in a full-day arbitration hearing on behalf of a worker who was fired after expressing concerns about workplace safety. The students handled the evidentiary hearing from start to finish, including opening arguments, direct and cross examinations, legal research, and briefing. Mesriani worked on the case during the fall 2025 semester.

The arbitrator’s decision was just released on June 1 and the students prevailed. The arbitrator found that the employer’s failure to adequately investigate the allegations before terminating the worker was a due process violation and ordered the employee reinstated with back pay.

The Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic is taking on an important free speech case involving the Penn State Board of Trustees.
Last week, the Clinic filed a federal lawsuit challenging policies that allegedly restrict what individual members of the Penn State Board of Trustees can say to the public and the press. The lawsuit argues that the policies violate the First Amendment by limiting trustees’ ability to speak independently and requiring pre-approval for certain communications with journalists.
“The right to dissent is the lifeblood of democracy,” said Heather E. Murray, associate director of the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic. “Blanket bans on trustees making critical statements about Penn State stakeholders and requiring Trustees to get pre-approval to talk to journalists about any matters that have come before the Board plainly runs afoul of the First Amendment.”

News outlets sue Penn State trustees over speech limits The newsrooms filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing that the trustees’ bylaws violate the First Amendment by restricting what members can say publicly and to the press.

After bringing a group of law students to visit a detention facility in 2019, Cornell Law’s Migration and Human Rights Program co-director, Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer, saw how clearly students in the 1L Immigration Law & Advocacy Clinic responded to client interactions and how urgently communities needed accessible legal information.
The detention project now spans multiple regions, including a major initiative in Louisiana in collaboration with a local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in upstate New York.

Read the full story on how our clinic is adapting to the evolving immigration landscape: https://bit.ly/4nTpzCx

Last chance to register for Reunion! We look forward to welcoming alumni from near and far to celebrate with us in Myron Taylor Hall. Register today: https://bit.ly/4lPnl5U

Migration and Human Rights Program's Immigration Law and Policy Fellow, Amy Nice gave a keynote lecture on May 26 at the 2026 Migration and Organizations conference, hosted by Columbia and Penn, this year at Penn Wharton. The conference is an annual gathering of scholars and practitioners focusing on the connection between migration and state, local, and governmental organizational structure.

“One of the most valuable aspects of the Cornell fellowship is engaging with other fellows who come from different perspectives and finding areas of common ground.”

Seema Nanda, a Fellow at in Cornell’s Migration and Human Rights Program, describes how program fellows come together to explore the intersection of immigration and labor policy and find new solutions that serve both workers and employers.

Learn more about Seema and this unique Cornell initiative: https://bit.ly/4v9QlZP

Just prior to Convocation, Cornell Law School hosted its annual Clerkships Celebration, honoring members of the Class of 2026 who have secured judicial clerkships.

The celebration featured remarks from Magistrate Judge Mitchell Katz of the Northern District of New York, Professor John Blume and Dean Jens David Ohlin, who recognized the graduates’ achievements and reflected on the important role clerkships play in the legal profession.

Currently, 18 members of the Class of 2026 have obtained clerkships.
Graduates will clerk for federal judges in Alabama, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington and Virginia, as well as on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Second Circuit and Sixth Circuit, in addition to various state courts.

During the 2025–2026 academic year, 49 students and alumni accepted clerkship offers, continuing Cornell Law School’s strong tradition of preparing graduates for prestigious judicial service opportunities.

Cornell Law School is expanding its leadership in legal technology education through new partnerships with Harvey and Legora, giving students hands-on experience with the AI tools reshaping the legal profession.

Building on ongoing collaboration with Clio vLex Vincent AI and the launch of Cornell Law’s Center on Law and AI, these partnerships reflect the Law School’s commitment to preparing students for a rapidly evolving legal landscape while emphasizing thoughtful, responsible use of emerging technologies.

Read more about how Cornell Law is helping shape the future of legal education and practice.

https://bit.ly/42J6uJz