What does it take to be one of New York’s famed Radio City Rockettes?

A lot! Hundreds of dancers compete for just 80 spots, and this year 14 of those spots went to current Pace students and alumni.

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Training Pace students in a variety of dance styles helps ensure they are versatile and prepared to take on iconic roles like the Rockettes, which require proficiency in ballet, tap, and jazz, according to the Christmas Spectacular’s website.⁠

“[It’s] very demanding physically and mentally and has always pushed me to be my best,” said Joneisha “JoJo” Carmichael ’22 of Pace’s Commercial Dance program in a recent New York Business Journal article.

“That is exactly what being a Rockette is,” JoJo said. “You are constantly aiming to be your best self every rehearsal and every show.”⁠

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Commercial Dance, BFA

Bi-Coastal Dance Training

Studying commercial dance in the Pace School of Performing arts, you’ll be a part of one of the few dance programs in the country that truly opens doors to the industry. Students not only train in ballet, jazz, theater dance, hip hop, modern, tap, contemporary, aerial arts, and other dance styles, but also take acting, vocal music, other electives to broaden their experience and marketability as a dancer.

Learn more about the Commercial Dance program

What inspired you to pursue a career in law?

I was always taught "knowledge is power." I felt that pursuing a career in law would allow me to make the most significant impact on my community and beyond. I grew up in the John Adam's Projects in the South Bronx and Co-op City, splitting time with my mother and father. I was the second in my family to graduate from college, first to attend a top 50 university. I am the first in my family to attend law school or any other graduate program for that matter. Education is important to my family and important to me and I am proud of my path so far.

What do you feel makes Haub Law special?

I made a decision from the day I attended orientation during my 1L year that I was going to make a difference here. The entire Haub Law community made me feel welcomed and treated me like family. They guided me and enabled me to get involved as much as possible so I can truly make an impact. I will always be thankful for the community here at Haub Law.

What or who has inspired you during your time here?

The admissions team, specifically, Miguel Sanchez Robles and Cathy Alexander both reached out to me early in my law school career. The admissions team has been consistently resourceful and have opened the door to so many opportunities for me.

What are your hopes after you receive your law degree?

I am currently enrolled in a guided externship program where I am a Legal Intern for Definitive Sports Group, working with professional athletes. After graduation, I want to continue to work in the sports and entertainment world. There are so many opportunities and directions I could see myself going. I aspire to continue working with professional athletes, musicians, and actors/actresses on business relations, negotiations, etc.

Are you involved in any professional activities or organizations?

Yes! So many. I am VP of LALSA, a Member of Phi Alpha Delta Fraternity, Homburger Chapter, the Sports, Entertainment, and Arts Law Society, the New York State Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the Hudson Valley Hispanic Bar Association. I am also the 3L Representative for the Pace Law Student Bar Association and a Peer Leader. Importantly, I am also a Board Member of the Pace Law Diversity Board.

How has your Latinx background made you who you are and influenced your current and future path?

When I was in undergrad at Penn State, I was ashamed of who I was and as a result, I fabricated my identity to avoid being constantly ridiculed for being a Puerto Rican from the Bronx. When I got to Haub Law, I decided it was time to change all of that. I quickly realized that I should be proud of who I was and where I came from and for aspiring to beat the odds and make something of myself. At Haub Law, I joined LALSA to make a difference and to represent the Latinx community. I want people to know how important it is to be comfortable in your own skin and everything else that makes us who we are. I was the 1L Representative, Secretary, and now am Vice President of LALSA – and I am proud of that. Diversity comes in many different shapes and sizes, but all of which are important because there are no two identical stories. Each person provides their own perspective and learning experiences. Latinx lawyers are not a majority, and many Latinx families do not strive for that career path. I hope to serve as inspiration to others so they may follow my path into the legal profession. An additional important point, for some, determination is not enough. In the future, I hope to be in a position to provide additional resources to those in need so they too, can be all they wish to be.

What are some of your hobbies outside of school?

I love playing sports and producing music. I spend a lot of time in the studio putting pieces together. I also enjoy doing volunteer work with the community. I went to Puerto Rico in May and collaborated with Helping Hands for Puerto Rico, rebuilding schools and community centers.

What advice would you give a new or prospective student about pursuing a law degree?

Be yourself and find YOUR routine. You will hear everyone tell you their own opinion and how to do law school, you need to find out what works for you and be true to yourself. The pieces will all fall into place from there.

“My experience at Haub Law has been a blessing. From my first day stepping on this campus, I knew this was my home for the next three years of my life. Not only did this school made a great first impression, but they have maintained their commitment to my colleagues and me throughout our legal education. I could go on and on thanking and being grateful to our career counselors, financial aid professionals, media personnel, professors, chefs in the dining hall, janitors, and so many more. At Haub Law, I am around people who accept me and are genuine—long after I graduate, it will always be a place that I call home.”

Michael Mingo is a 3L who is expected to graduate in May 2022. This past summer, he was a summer associate in the Legal Department of the American Civil Liberties Union of New York (NYCLU). As a summer associate, Michael performed legal research and writing, was regularly briefed on policy throughout New York State, and was given a variety of assignments on a weekly basis. Michael notes that at the NYCLU he was “primarily responsible for conducting legal research on pressing and often nuanced issues the NYCLU faces. Much of my work this summer revolved around protecting the civil liberties of all New Yorkers. In doing so, I worked to protect First Amendment rights, Sixth Amendment rights, and Equal Protection and Due Process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. I gained a more extensive network of skilled and passionate professionals.”

While at Haub Law, Michael is focusing on criminal law and upon graduating hopes to pursue a career in criminal defense. “I hope to join alongside a group of other passionate attorneys who, just like me, are committed to the individuals and communities impacted by our criminal legal system.”

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The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is proud to announce that Roger Martella will deliver the annual Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Lecture on Environmental Law. Mr. Martella is the Chief Sustainability Officer for GE, an American multinational conglomerate and the U.S.’s largest industrial company. His talk will take place virtually on February 8, 2022 and focus on corporate social responsibility and the role of corporations in solving climate change and sustainability.

“Haub Law is home to the #1 ranked environmental law program in the nation. We are consistently proud to host scholars, attorneys, and experts from around the world to speak to our community about current environmental challenges and solutions. Roger Martella is an expert in corporate sustainability. Here at Haub Law, we recently launched our Sustainable Business Hub and we now look forward to welcoming Roger in the new year to speak about the importance of sustainability in the corporate arena,” said Jason Czarnezki, Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law and Associate Dean of Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives.

Roger Martella joined GE in 2017 as Director and General Counsel, Environmental Health and Safety and was thereafter promoted to his current role of Chief Sustainability Officer. Prior to GE, Mr. Martella co-led Sidley Austin LLP's global environmental law and climate change practices. He also served as General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate, and the Principal Counsel for Complex Litigation for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Natural Resources Section.

Currently, Mr. Martella is on the board of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), the Environmental Law Institute, and several environmental NGOs and energy think tanks. He has co-authored and edited four books on the intersections of ESG, climate change law, international environmental law, and human rights, including co-editing the recently published Corporate Social Responsibility—Sustainable Business: Environmental, Social and Governance Frameworks for the 21st Century (Wolters Kluwer 2020). He is a graduate of Cornell University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. Roger also holds a JD from Vanderbilt University Law School. He teaches a first-of-its-kind class on International Environmental Law and Justice at Howard University Law School.

“Each year, our annual Kerlin lecture features a renowned expert in their respective field of environmental law. At Haub Law, with the launch of our Sustainable Business Hub, we recognize the urgency of fostering sustainable business practices. This year, we are honored to have the privilege of hosting Roger Martella to speak about corporate sustainability and the importance of corporate social responsibility,” remarked Horace Anderson, Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law established the Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Lecture on Environmental Law to expand its programs of research, education, professional and scholarly activity and publications in environmental law, a field for which the law school has received national and international recognition. The Kerlin endowment funds a named professorship on Environmental Law at Haub Law. Professor Nicholas A. Robinson, founder of the Haub School's environmental programs, was named the first Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor in 1999 and Professor Jason J. Czarnezki was designated as the second Kerlin Distinguished Professor in 2013. The last Kerlin lecture was given by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Professor David Cassuto has been a faculty member with the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University since 2003. He teaches Animal Law, Environmental Survey, Constitutional Law, Property Law, Water Law, Comparative Environmental Law and Professional Responsibility, and is Director of the Brazil-American Institute for Law and Environment (BAILE). But what you might not know about Professor Cassuto may surprise you—learn more in this candid student-led interview.

Can you tell me about your recent work?
My current article focuses on the impact and plight of animals as victims of zoonotic disease. Zoonotic disease is caused in part by the close confinement of animals. The vaccines used for the spread of these diseases are then tested on animals. I’m arguing for changes in the regulatory structure, enforcement of treaties, and the inclusion of more effective treaty provisions. I’m also working with Professor Mushlin on a paper relating to the effects of solitary confinement on animals as well humans.

What inspired your interest and work in animal rights?
I came to animal law via environmental law. In undergrad, I biked across the amazon to raise money for an environmental cause. I saw deforestation and became a vegetarian to live by the rules I preached.

When I came to Haub Law, there was no animal law course being taught. Doing the research in order to teach animal law led me to realize this was more than environmental law. It’s ethics. It’s what legal rights, protections, etc. that animals have or should have. It’s a pressing civil rights issue. Billions of animals a year are tortured to death. I eventually gave up all animal products. Once one becomes interested in animal issues it’s hard to keep it just professional. I also started working with ALDF around that time. I was on the board and now do consulting.

I believe the purpose of the law is to protect the powerless. The powerful don’t need protection. If we look at who is genuinely powerless, animals have no voice. They have no legal voice. It’s difficult to know what happens to these innocent creatures and not want to help protect them as best I can. It is the support of the environmental program that has given me the ability to do this type of work. I feel very lucky to have the support of the institution.

What is your advice for students interested in animal rights?
It’s never been more urgent, wherever one's passion lies in trying to protect lives and living space, we need the help. Bring your passion to the job search and the job, and the jobs will be there.

I heard you’re an Elected Town Justice for a New York township?
Yes, I’ve been a Town Justice in my town since 2008. NYS town justices don’t need to be lawyers and that creates horrible situations, as justices can do things like send people to jail for up to a year and make decisions about what happens to people's property. People who have no business being judges are judges. They asked me to run for justice and I didn’t want to, I’m extremely introverted. However, I tell my kids to give back to their community and I didn’t want to be hypocritical. My mother was my campaign manager and I won on absentee ballots, so this was thanks to her work.

Is it true that you were behind the naming of Strawberry Fields in Central Park?
I was a high school intern at the NY City Council when John Lennon was shot and was completely grief stricken, like many others at the time. The city council person I worked for, Henry Stern, who became the parks commissioner, was open to doing something, and I advocated for the idea. An act of the city council was required. I wrote the bill and part of Sheep Meadow is now named Strawberry Fields.

How do you spend your free time?
I was a professional ski instructor for many years. I grew up skiing and love skiing. My son is moving to Idaho, so I’m optimistic that will mean great things for me. I also love being outside and live on 16 acres. My neighbors are bears and turkeys and that’s how I like it.

Gabriella Mickel authored this Q&A with Professor David Cassuto. Gabriella is a 2023 JD Candidate at Haub Law. She is a Land Use & Haub Scholar, the President of the Environmental Law Society, a Junior Associate on Pace Environmental Law Review, and on the E-Board for NLG, Lambda, and ACS. Outside of school, Gabriella owns three sports supplement stores and is the co-editor of the Law Student Corner section of the NYSBA EELS Journal.