Horace E. Anderson Jr., Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, has been named to the Board of Directors of the Westchester County Association (WCA).
Dean Anderson’s appointment is a reflection of the long-standing partnership between the Law School and the WCA on policy and programming, including collaborations with its Land Use Law Center and Energy and Climate Center. Together, they launched the Clean Energy Program Portal, which was recognized by Westchester County last year at its 3rd annual ECO Awards. Among its most recent collaborations, Haub Law hosted the inaugural WCA Sustainable Business Conference, bringing together environmental law faculty and alumni experts with thought leaders from across the state to discuss ESG concepts, policy and innovations in business sustainability.
“As leader of an important educational institution located in the county, I am proud to have an opportunity, through service on WCA’s board, to contribute to the success of the business and nonprofit community in Westchester, and to the growth of the regional economy,” said Dean Anderson. “The law school and WCA have forged several successful collaborations over the years. We are excited to continue providing the ideas, expertise and energy of our students, faculty and staff – especially in the vital areas of sustainable business development, renewable energy, land use, and healthcare.”
“The reason the WCA can be so effective on issues that drive regional economy is because leaders like Dean Anderson step up and serve on our board,” said Michael N. Romita, President & CEO, Westchester County Association. “In his tenure at the Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Horace has already made invaluable contributions to our sustainability initiatives. We are fortunate to have his thoughtful expertise on our board and look forward to our continued partnership with his new role.”
As the preeminent business membership organization in Westchester County, the WCA is committed to business advocacy, economic vitality and to providing a strong and clear voice for the interests of businesses on the regional, national and international levels. The WCA represents professionals in real estate, healthcare, finance & banking, hospitality, technology and other professional services; as well as municipalities, nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education – supporting their objectives through direct advocacy and original programming.
Law Professor Bennett Gershman provides expert legal analysis to amNewYork on the distinction between New York City’s corporation counsel and chief counsel. Gershman explains that while the Law Department represents the city in litigation, the chief counsel serves as the mayor’s personal legal adviser, operating under attorney-client privilege on sensitive policy and legal matters— and New York Metropolitan Magazine has the story.
In her recent op-ed published in the Albany Times Union, Pace Haub Law Professor Bridget J. Crawford examines a new federal tax rule that would allow tipped workers to claim a deduction—unless their tips come from what the Treasury Department defines as “pornographic activity.” Professor Crawford argues that this exclusion is not a question of morality, but of labor and tax fairness, warning that it disproportionately harms the modern digital workforce, especially women who earn income through subscription-based platforms. She notes that creators on sites like OnlyFans and Fansly are already taxed as independent contractors and receive 1099s like other freelancers, raising a critical question: why should one group of tipped workers be denied a benefit available to everyone else? “Tax policy should meet women where they actually work, not exclude them from deductions,” writes Professor Crawford. “The IRS’s job is to review income, not to judge women’s bodies or the way they earn a living. Women working in digital creator spaces deserve the same neutrality, fairness and access to deductions that the tax code offers other workers.”
The Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic is featured in a recent Sierra Magazine article examining the successful effort to protect the 1011 2nd Avenue Forest, one of the last remaining waterfront forests in Troy, New York. In the case, the Clinic provided pro bono representation challenging the City of Troy’s environmental review and rezoning decisions, arguing that the City improperly issued a negative declaration under New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and failed to adequately assess potential environmental and cultural impacts of the proposed development. As Managing Attorney Todd Ommen notes in the piece, the case reflected the Clinic’s core mission: representing environmental groups in matters where legal advocacy can play a critical role in protecting the natural environment.