Syracuse University College of Law

09/17/2026

Professor Grace W. Orsatti Presents on Shared Decision-Making at Northern Kentucky University and University of Cincinnati Law Schools

Associate Professor of Law Grace Wankiiri Orsatti recently made presentations on her forthcoming scholarly work on shared decision-making for patients during serious illness at Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law and the University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law.

Orsatti discussed how healthcare decision-making law might support families to ensure that care choices align with a patient's values while also ensuring that their loved ones are supported and protected. She also discussed how estate planning can support families' complex needs during critical life moments and how, under conditions of inequity, health concerns might be appropriately addressed.

The new scholarship builds on her previous work, including her paper “Attorneys as Healthcare Advocates: The Argument for Attorney-Prepared Advance Healthcare Directives,” which was published in the Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics.

09/15/2026

On this September 11th, we came together in remembrance, gratitude, and service—honoring those who have dedicated their lives to serving our country and our communities.

In partnership with the Syracuse VA Medical Center, ‘Cuse Vet Fest for 9/11 Day, hosted by the Syracuse University College of Law and the Military & Veterans Law Society, brought critical services, resources, and support directly to veterans in the Syracuse community.

We were honored to welcome Congressman John Mannion, Chancellor Mike Haynie, and Dr. David Ng, Chief of Staff of the Syracuse VA Medical Center who offered remarks along with Beth Kubala, Director of Military and Veteran Affairs at Syracuse Law. Thank you for joining us and for your continued commitment to supporting our veterans.

We are also grateful to the 9/11 Day Foundation, AmeriCorps, and Bond, Schoeneck & King for their generous sponsorship and support in making this meaningful day of service possible.

Most importantly, to every veteran who attended—and to all who have served, thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and all you have given.

09/14/2026

South Korea is home to one of Syracuse Law's largest alumni networks outside the U.S. This summer, that network helped bring a new generation of students to Seoul for a first-of-its-kind residency in technology and trade law.

Read more: https://bit.ly/46pjANT

09/10/2026

Syracuse Law Welcomes Seven New Faculty Members

Syracuse Law welcomes seven exceptional faculty members with distinguished academic and professional backgrounds. The College’s newest colleagues are experts in appellate advocacy, constitutional law, employment law, immigration law, bankruptcy, law and religion, and special education law, among other areas.

Alia Al-Khatib is an employment law scholar with significant practice and clerkship experience who comes to Syracuse Law after directing the Civil Practice Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

Seanna Brown, a former partner and co-chair of BakerHostetler LLP’s New York Bankruptcy Group, joins the College of Law's Legal Writing Program.

Johanna K. P. Dennis is an experienced law professor and immigration law practitioner who holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership in addition to her J.D.

Patrick Marris comes to the College of Law with litigation experience at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, after clerking in the Northern District of New York.

Gaurav Mukherjee joins Syracuse Law after a fellowship at the University of Connecticut School of Law and has published scholarly works on constitutional law, law and religion, and civil rights.

Addison O’Donnell L’18 returns to his alma mater with significant appellate litigation experience at Lois Law Firm, LLC, where he was a partner.

Blakely Simoneau joins us from the Lawyering Program at NYU School of Law, bringing deep litigation experience in education and special education law, along with a strong record of scholarship in those areas.

“These new colleagues join a vibrant academic community that continues to shape law and policy while providing our students with an outstanding legal education,” said Dean Terence Lau L’98.

They join five legal scholars and experts hired last year, bringing the total of new tenure-track faculty to six along with six Associate Teaching Professors.
https://law.syracuse.edu/news/syracuse-law-welcomes-seven-new-faculty-members

09/09/2026

Professor Thomas Leith on the Criteria for Parental Liability in Juvenile Crimes

Associate Teaching Professor Thomas Leith, director of the College of Law’s Criminal Defense Clinic, provided background to WUTR on the circumstances when a parent can be arrested for crimes committed by their children. This stems from a recent incident in Rome, NY.

Leith says that parents can be charged if they fail to act responsibly according to their state's laws. “One of them is where a parent or legal guardian fails to exercise reasonable diligence in controlling the child such to prevent them from becoming a juvenile delinquent,” he said.

In cases like the one in Rome, police would have to consider factors other than the parent’s mere presence when considering charging the parent. “Did she encourage it in some way? Did she have prior knowledge that this was going to occur, or did she try to prevent it in some way?” are some of the factors Leith said.

The mother of two Rome juveniles arrested in connection with an assault case was arrested herself. A Syracuse law professor explains the legal criteria pf how parents can be charged in connection with their kids actions.

09/09/2026

‘Cuse Vet Fest for 9/11 Day to be Held at Syracuse University College of Law on September 11, 2026

Syracuse-area veterans will have a chance to connect with benefits specialists, health care enrollment help, and local support services under one roof when the ‘Cuse Vet Fest for 9/11 Day comes to Syracuse University College of Law’s Dineen Hall. The event takes place Friday, September 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Levy Atrium. Admission is free, with free parking available in the Irving Garage.

The event is a joint effort between the Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse University College of Law’s Military and Veterans Law Society, and Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic. It is open to all veterans, including university students, faculty, and staff.

Regardless of whether you have healthcare and benefits set up, the breadth of available resources to veterans in the Syracuse region guarantees there will be something new to learn at ‘Cuse Vet Fest for 9/11 Day. As an annual event, the opportunity to directly interact with representatives from over 20 offices and organizations that serve veterans and military-connected families should not be missed.

While at the event, attendees can:
• Learn how to enroll in VA Healthcare.
• Explore veterans benefits (disability, education, employment, community, and more!).
• Connect with VA professionals.
• Engage with Syracuse University’s veteran resources.
• View and connect with a variety of community resources.
• Try the Clearpath for Veterans Food Truck
• Learn about the VA’s Mobile Prosthetics Center
• Visit the Mobile Vet Center

Representatives from Syracuse University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs and Office of Veteran Success will take part, and event staff will be on site to guide attendees while they explore the participating organizations. This year’s event is sponsored by Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, along with the 9/11 Day Foundation and AmeriCorps.

Professor Beth Kubala, Director of the Veterans Legal Clinic, recently spoke with WSYR about the event. The interview starts at 2:34. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/98-dave-allen-podcast-30301588/episode/cuse-vet-fest-for-911-day-343510939?cmp=ios_share&sc=ios_social_share&pr=false

For additional details, contact [email protected].

Beth Kubala is Director of Veteran and Military Affairs at Syracuse University College of Law

09/04/2026

Professor Kohn Discusses ABA’s New Guardianship Ethics Opinion

Board of Advisors Distinguished Professor of Law Nina Kohn spoke with Bloomberg Law about the American Bar Association’s (ABA) new ethics opinion on guardianship. The new opinion counsels attorneys to avoid guardianship if at all possible.

“The short story is, it’s about time,” said Kohn. She continued, “Attorneys who want to do the right thing have been left in a place with really thorny issues while representing the most vulnerable people.”

Kohn served as the Reporter for both the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act and the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act.

Advocates for reform of the guardianship system are particularly pleased with the American Bar Association’s newest ethics opinion, which counsels attorneys to avoid the arrangements if at all possible.

09/03/2026

Crandall Melvin Professor of Law Shubha Ghosh has contributed the opinion article “Why a 1963 bank case should not decide the Paramount/Warner deal” to Fortune.

In the article, Ghosh reviews the landmark Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Philadelphia National Bank (PNB) that blocked two banks from merging. The ruling is being used by the states who sued to intervene in the case in the fight over Paramount’s $110 billion deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.

The Court set out an arbitrary rule of thumb, deciding that if a merger gives you about 30% of a market, courts will assume it hurts competition, writes Ghosh. “But, by making up that 30% threshold, the case created the machinery to answer the question Congress wanted to address – whether a merger would substantially lessen competition. If PNB’s 30% market-share threshold is triggered by the states’ narrow market definition, however, it would create a legal presumption of harm the states are counting on to win, even without proving actual consumer damage,” he states.

Ghosh concludes, “Congress should make sure that deals of true national scope get one expert review under one modern standard, the way Europe has done for decades. Until then, Philadelphia National Bank will keep being used as a stand-in for the argument about consumer harm that the states cannot actually make.”

In United States v. Philadelphia National Bank, the Supreme Court blocked two banks from merging at a time when the market was simple to measure.

09/03/2026

400+ judges. 130+ years. One enduring legacy.

Syracuse Law unveiled the new Judicial Wall of Honor to kick off our fall 2026 semester, on display in the Atrium of Dineen Hall. The wall is a tribute to more than 400 alumni who have served on the bench at every level of the American judiciary — from small claims court to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Their history spans over a century, beginning with Judge Blake, Class of 1897, and continuing through judges serving today.

"We want current students to look up at those names and see what's possible," says Dean Terence Lau L'98. "The legal profession demands more than mastery of doctrine. It demands character, integrity, and a commitment to justice."

The wall was unveiled following a fireside conversation on pathways to the bench, featuring Hon. Rodney Thompson G’93, L’93, Hon. Staci Dennis-Taylor L'14, Hon. Lillian Wan, and Hon. Meredith V***a — a reminder that a Syracuse Law education doesn't just prepare graduates to practice law. It prepares them to lead it.

Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4y8STIU

09/02/2026

Meet a few members of our incoming hybrid online JDinteractive class, balancing careers, service, and the law 🍊⚖️

David Smeigh is a Foreign Service Officer serving as Visa Unit Chief at the U.S. Consulate General in Naples, Italy.

Chanda Powell runs her own bakery and catering business while working as a paralegal.

Jonathan Andrade leads as an Executive Director for Chick-fil-A.

Mary Wilson '10 is an Editorial Producer at LinkedIn, returning to Syracuse Law as an alum.

Timothy Riffle is a Senior Architect specializing in embedded AI.

Read their stories, in their own words: https://bit.ly/4iE3PtB