A team of students from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, supported by expert faculty, were commissioned by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to lead an in-depth study of New York State law surrounding the village incorporation process. Their report, Incorporation in New York: Legislative Options for Reform, was presented to the Senate Majority Leader along with more than 20 Senators, Assemblymembers and legislative staff from across the State who were eager for the information and discussion regarding the proposed solutions.

Over the past several years, New York State has taken considerable steps to eliminate or reduce the number of local governments — streamlining the law to make it easier for citizens to undertake the process as well as providing financial incentives for communities that undertake consolidations and shared services. Yet, in Westchester County residents in the census-designated area of Edgemont have been seeking to become an incorporated village since 2019, citing land use decisions and costly settlements by the Town of Greenburgh. The ongoing debate has led to a broader dialogue on the subject among government leaders and cause to seek an outside perspective on the efficacy of New York State’s current incorporations laws.

Last year, Senator Stewart-Cousins, a proud alumnus who holds both a Bachelor’s Degree and Masters of Public Administration from Pace University, reached out to Haub Law Dean Horace E Anderson, Jr. to see if the Law School could help in the endeavor.

“The study came out of the State’s desire to ensure that the right formula for growth is in place for those villages seeking incorporation, taking into consideration a broader scope of issues than has been the case historically,” said Dean Horace E. Anderson, Jr. “This project was a great example of how our students experience law beyond the classroom. At Haub Law, we are not just training our students to be lawyers, but also to have an impact on their communities.”

Drawing upon it’s national reputation in land use law, Haub Law assembled a research team comprised of upper-level students Hailey Pedicano, Carly Hopkins, and Mia Petrucci, led by former Adjunct Professor Lester Steinman, a founding partner of the Municipal Law & Land Use group at McCarthy Fingar LLC, one of the most respected authorities on municipal law matters in the Lower Hudson Valley region. Research and data collection was supported by Jessica Bacher, Executive Director, Pace Land Use Law Center, Deborah L. Heller, Assistant Dean of the Law Library, and Vicky Gannon, Head of Collection Services/Reference Librarian.

The Haub Law team examined the incorporation procedures and requirements set forth in Article 2 of the Village Law and compared them with other states’ laws and New York law on annexation and dissolution. A 2020 Rockefeller Institute study served as the report’s research foundation and case studies and other literature on village incorporation were reviewed to better understand the reasons that motivate people to petition to incorporate. Bill research analysis further illuminated the rationale behind prior, unsuccessful efforts at legislative reform of the village incorporation process. The report concluded with research outcomes and several proposed options for legislative reform.

"I couldn't have received a better, more thought out, and data driven report," said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. "Pace's recommendations are specific and include the rationale behind them. They provide a great roadmap as to how the current law, which is over 100 years old, should be updated. Several years ago we updated the state law on government consolidation, but we never updated the incorporation law. We now have a starting point, and I am pleased to say that the State Senate has just passed legislation incorporating several of their recommendations. My thanks and appreciation go to Dean Anderson, Lester Steinman and especially to the students, faculty and staff of Pace Law School."

Since its release, the Senate and Assembly have already passed two bills based on findings from the report and Governor Hochul is expected to vote on the new legislation in the coming weeks.

Read the report, Incorporation in New York: Legislative Options for Reform (PDF)

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The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is pleased to announce that Salihah Denman will join its faculty as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Law. Previously, Professor Denman served as an Assistant Professor at New York Law School, teaching Legal Practice and Family Law. Professor Denman also serves as the Director of Student Diversity Initiatives for the New York State Judicial Institute and Director of the Institute’s New York Legal Educational Opportunity (“NY LEO”) program. Professor Denman is one of four new faculty members who will be joining Haub Law this fall.

“Family Law is something that I am passionate about, and I am excited to bring my experience and knowledge in this arena to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law,” said Professor Denman. “I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a relationship with Haub Law in my capacity as Director of the New York State Judicial Institute’s New York Legal Educational Opportunity and I am eager to join Haub Law in this new capacity as a Visiting Professor.”

Prior to entering academia, Professor Denman was a private practitioner and focused her practice on Appellate Advocacy. Her professional experience also includes serving as an Assistant County Attorney for the Westchester County Attorney’s Office, Family Court Bureau and as an Agency Attorney for the Administration for Children’s Services. She is also the State Coordinator for the National Association of Counsel for Children. She is the founder and Co-Chair of the Children and the Law Section for the Metropolitan Black Bar Association. This section is the first and only affinity bar association section focused on the rights of children in New York State.

Professor Denman is certified as an Attorney for Children in the First, Second, and Third Departments, as well as an Attorney for Minor Children in Connecticut Professor Denman serves on the Office of Attorneys for Children Advisory Committee in the Third Judicial Department. She is a guest lecturer for the Second Department, Office of Attorneys for Children and assists in developing Continuing Legal Education programming on a volunteer basis. She mentors law students through the Appellate Project and has co-coached the Black Law Student Association’s Moot Court Team at New York Law School.

At Haub Law, Professor Denman will teach Family Law and Children and the Law. “Professor Denman’s ability to bring her practical experience and expertise into the classroom is something our students at Haub Law will benefit tremendously from,” said Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. “Professor Denman is a change-maker in the area of Family Law and we are thrilled to have her join Haub Law as a Visiting Assistant Professor.”

Professor Denman is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and Epsilon Sigma Iota Sorority, Incorporated, the first legal sorority dedicated to the advancement of black women She is a first-generation immigrant from Suriname, South America and is fluent in Dutch. Professor Denman is a graduate of Howard University School of Law and earned an LL.M. from American University, Washington College of Law.

Morgan Brandt

Class of 2024

Currently Studying: BBA in Arts and Entertainment Management

Studying Abroad At: Florence University of the Arts in Florence, Italy

Pronouns: She/Her

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Morgan Brandt isn't wasting any time this summer. Not only is she taking classes that will help her complete her degree in Arts and Entertainment Management, but she's doing it in a new country, gaining international business experience that will help launch her career upon graduation.

What motivated you to study abroad?

I've always wanted to study abroad, and I've always wanted to go to Italy, so I figured I would make it happen this summer!

How has the Lubin School of Business helped you prepare for your courses abroad?

The Lubin School of Business helped to prepare me for my course abroad by encouraging me to take chances and be part in opportunities like this throughout the years.

What has been the highlight or most enjoyable aspect of your time abroad so far?

So far, the highlight of this experience is simply being able to see the world. I have not traveled much in my life, so I am grateful that I was able to do this. It is so easy to travel within Italy.

How has this experience shaped or impacted your career goals?

This experience has shaped my career goals in many ways. Studying abroad has exposed me to a completely different culture and perspective. It has helped me gain exposure that will enable my ability to learn how to appeal to global audiences and learn how the entertainment industry works in another country. It also has provided me with a new community for networking and making connections with people I would never have met otherwise. Although I was only in Florence for a few weeks (versus a semester), I still feel that I learned a lot about myself, my passions, and my strengths.

Studying abroad has helped me gain exposure that will enable my ability to learn how to appeal to global audiences and learn how the entertainment industry works in another country. It also has provided me with a new community for networking and making connections with people I would never have met otherwise.

How will getting international business school experience impact your next semester at Lubin?

I have a more global perspective on social, political, and cultural issues because of this international business school experience. Having this broader understanding sparked a new interest of mine and inspired me to study and learn more about topics I've never thought too much about before.

What is one skill or piece of knowledge that you learned abroad that you will bring back to Lubin with you?

Some skills I will be bringing back with me are adaptability and resilience. Living and studying in a foreign country requires these skills, along with problem-solving. I can transfer these qualities to my studies at Pace along with my chosen career industry of Broadway and entertainment. These environments can be fast-paced and overwhelming at times, so the ability to navigate challenges is essential.

Do you have any advice for other Lubin students that are considering studying abroad?

If you are even remotely considering studying abroad, you should do it! Take advantage of the opportunities like this that Pace has to offer. You can always travel, but you can't always study new and interesting topics in a foreign country while living there and making friends from around the world.

Connect with Morgan:

• Connect with Morgan Brandt on LinkedIn
• Follow Morgan Brandt on Instagram

Will Serve as a Puppy Fostering and Initial Canine Training Program with Incarcerated Women and Men in Youth Opportunities Program.

Puppies on the Block, an extension of the well-established and award-winning Parenting, Prison & Pups Program, is serving as a puppy fostering and initial canine training program with incarcerated women and soon with incarcerated men, ages 18 to 25, in the Youth Opportunities Program (YOP).

Puppies are provided by a leading Hudson Valley rescue group, Heaven Can Wait, to be fostered in the jail. Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue of NY focuses on saving dogs from kill shelters and providing them with all the love and medical attention they require until they find their forever homes. Handlers can share important information with the puppies’ adoptive family about their personality, likes and dislikes, and adoptive families can record videos that are shared with the handlers for them to learn about the puppies' forever homes.

During their time at the Westchester Jail, puppies will be cared for by incarcerated women housed specifically in the drug treatment program, managed by Saint John's Riverside Hospital, known as Solutions, and young men housed in YOP. Heaven Can Wait provides training for all participants on how to care for the puppies. Patricia Byman, president of Heaven Can Wait, along with Pace University’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences Professor Kimberly Collica-Cox, PhD, and her students, help to oversee the administration of the program.

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“Animal-assisted interventions are becoming more commonplace in correctional institutions across the nation, with dog training programs being the most popular form of such programs within correctional settings,” said Professor Collica-Cox. “AAIs can provide numerous psychological and physiological benefits for participants, especially for incarcerated participants, many who have long histories of trauma, substance use, and mental health issues.”

“The program provides our residents with the opportunity to learn important nurturing and empathy skills while contributing and giving back to the community as the residents care and train the puppies,” said Nory Padilla, first deputy commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Corrections. “The positive relationship between the puppies and the residents bolsters their self-esteem, and further helps them develop patience, empathy and understanding, which are critical factors that contribute to rehabilitation and reduced recidivism.”

Twenty-nine women have cycled through the program, assisting 13 litters, since its inception last summer. Five women are currently working in the program. The program was expanded to YOP last week, with 5 male handlers.

“This program is one of many innovative tools we use for the residents at our County jail,” said County Executive George Latimer. “Working with Pace University, the exemplary leadership of the Department of Correction continues to find ways to improve on the services they provide which make the Westchester County Jail a model for jails nationwide.”

Professor Collica-Cox and her students are in the process of conducting a research study to measure program outcomes. Based on preliminary data, the puppies already provide a therapeutic benefit. Many handlers say the program has been educational, calming, and therapeutic.

Puppies on the Block is an invaluable service to the community by fostering dogs who might otherwise succumb to illness on the streets or be put down by kill shelters, notes Professor Collica-Cox. The dogs come from all over the United States, with many originating from Puerto Rico. Puppies on the Block will be a new tool in the fight to find loving homes for abandoned animals.

“Heaven Can Wait is thrilled about the program building confidence in our pups,” said Heaven Can Wait President Patricia Byman, “and allowing for a fresh start for both pups and people. It’s a win-win.”

About Pace University

Since 1906, Pace University has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.

Close to 200 business, nonprofit, and government leaders attended the WCA’s 2^nd Annual Sustainable Business Conference hosted in partnership with Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law. The event, held June 1 at the law school, focused on new opportunities in sustainable investing and real estate, navigating an evolving regulatory landscape, and the connection between sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion. New this year, a “Sustainability Bootcamp” workshop served as a primer for businesses of all sizes to get started with practical tools to develop a sustainability program.

“We’re at the threshold of a fundamental transformation of businesses toward a more sustainable future. Sustainability is not a far-away concept—it’s here and now,” said Michael N. Romita, president and CEO of the Westchester County Association (WCA). “This conference brought together business leaders at every level to urge the adoption of a sustainability mindset and to ensure they are prepared for the transition to a low-carbon future. The WCA is positioning Westchester County to become a center for sustainable business innovation.”

“We’re proud to collaborate with the WCA to present this important conference,” said Horace E. Anderson, Jr., dean, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. “This partnership allows us to leverage our combined knowledge, networks, and expertise in addressing the urgent sustainability challenges of our business community with creative solutions. Sustainability is core to our mission as evinced by the successful launch of our Sustainable Business Law Hub.”

Key Takeaways

ESG Is Here Now and It’s Here To Stay

Government regulations, market pressures, generational shifts, and the need to operate within a sustainable society are driving businesses to embrace environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. “Businesses need to think about ESG risks and opportunities as business risks and opportunities,” said Christina E. Gunnell, keynote speaker and Senior Manager, Sustainability & ESG Services, Deloitte & Touche LLP. She emphasized new regulations coming down the pike that will impact all businesses—not just major corporations, but those further down the supply chain. “Smaller companies are going to need to measure their emissions and set goals and targets. Getting ahead of those regulations is the biggest trend for most companies.”

“All investing is sustainable investing,” said Anna Snider, Managing Director and Head of Due Diligence for the CIO, Bank of America. “The decisions that are being made by companies related to how they think about risk—human capital risk or environmental risk. That's real. For example, a company may have rising insurance costs because they are in an area that's being affected by ‘hundred-year floods’ every two years. If you look at these real-world examples, you realize all companies are impacted by ESG-related factors.”

Sustainability Should Not Be Siloed

Sustainability is no longer a siloed initiative; it has become part of the core strategy for most businesses. There’s a role for organizations of all sizes and employees at every level. That starts with getting C-suite buy in and involves employees, customers, and other stakeholders to develop initiatives that are most impactful for your business, the environment, and the community, said Gillian Griffin, Sustainable Supply Chain Program Manager, Senior P2 Engineer, New York State Pollution Prevention Institute at Rochester Institute of Technology.

“Sustainability objectives and targets need to be integrated into overall business goals. It is not something that is siloed; sustainability targets need to be achievable, measurable, and ultimately, integrated into every aspect of your business,” said Griffin.

There’s also new collaboration on sustainability spanning public and private entities, said Myrrh Caplan, National Vice President, Sustainability, Skanska. “There’s a lot of involvement in the conversation around resilience. There’s collaboration happening among big firms. What we have seen is that we can't make as much of an impact on something as big as decarbonization of the industry unless we're actually working together. We’re now in a coalition to create an industry playbook for decarbonization. Our intention here is to really speed to market the standards that are going to more quickly provide a better built environment.”

Adopting Sustainable Practices Creates Competitive Advantage

Prioritizing sustainability includes diversity, equity, and inclusion and improves the bottom line. “Diverse teams have been shown to perform better,” said Jacqueline Hattar, Partner at Wilson Elser LLP. “Having an inclusive culture is a business imperative—our clients demand it and it helps us serve them better. It helps sustain us in the long term, particularly in talent attraction.”

“Our ESG strategy is 100% part of our strategic growth proposition,” said Tanya Sutherland, Vice President, Senior Managing Counsel for Strategic Growth, Mastercard. “People may see it as a ‘nice to have.’ But we understand it’s integral to our core business, that our stakeholders are not just our shareholders or investors, but our employees, governments, customers, and supply chain.”

Conference speakers include a who’s who of corporate and political leaders, noted Romita. “The caliber of discourse at this conference is very high-level. There is so much static with this concept that it’s important to convene real authorities working on practical solutions. The WCA connects with experts for and amongst our members.”

The conference was made possible with major support from sponsors Bank of America, Brightcore, Chase, Con Edison, Dandelion Geothermal, Harrison Edwards, Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law, PKF O’Connor Davies, Skanska, Webster Bank, and The Catalyst/Westchester County Economic Development.

Photos from the 2023 Profit & Purpose Sustainable Business Conference

Speakers & Sessions

Keynote Speaker Christina Gunnell, Senior Manager, Sustainability & ESG, Deloitte

Sustainability Boot Camp

Gillian Griffin, Sustainable Supply Chain Program Manager, Senior P2 Engineer and Kim Bawden, Green Technology Accelerator Center Program Manager, Senior Staff Engineer from the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute at RIT

Sustainable Investing and Evaluating ESG Factors

Michael Romita, President/CEO, WCA; Anna Snider, Managing Director and Head of Due Diligence for the CIO, Bank of America; Juan Lois, Executive Director; JP Morgan Chase; John Olerio, Senior Managing Director, Head of Webster Investments; Webster Bank

Sustainability and the Built Environment

Kristen Motel, Partner, Cuddy + Feder; Cameron Best. Director, Business Development, Brightcore; Julia Gisewite, Chief Sustainability Officer, Turner Construction; Laziza Rakhimova, Energy Efficiency Business Development Manager, Con Edison; Myrrh Caplan, National VP for Sustainability; Skanska

Mandatory Climate Risk and ESG

Harriette I. Resnick, Acting Executive Deputy Superintendent, Climate Division; New York State Department of Financial Services; Michael L. Arnold, Partner, Corporate; Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Jason J. Czarnezki, Sustainable Business Law Hub at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University; Marc L. Rinaldi, Partner; PKF O'Connor Davies LLP; Tanya Southerland, Vice President, Senior Managing Counsel for Strategic Growth; Mastercard

The DEI of ESG

Jacqueline Hattar, Partner, Wilson Elser; Natasha I Fapohunda, Senior Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, Strategic Growth; Mastercard; Joan Chaya, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Montefiore Einstein; Bridget Gibbons, Westchester County.