The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is proud to announce that Professor Irene Oritseweyinmi Joe will deliver the 2022 Philip B. Blank Memorial Lecture on Attorney Ethics. Professor Joe joined the faculty at the UC Davis School of Law in 2016. Her lecture, Learning from Mistakes: Ethical Considerations for Public Defenders, will take place virtually on Monday, April 4, 2022 at 12:45 p.m. EST.

“Our Blank Lecture on Attorney Ethics regularly features a renowned expert speaking on a timely and important topic. This year, we are honored to have Professor Joe present our Blank Lecture focusing on the topic of ethics as related to public defenders. Public defenders adherence to the rules of ethics are integral to a fair and just system of law and we look forward to Professor Joe sharing her insights with us in April,” remarked Horace Anderson, Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.

At the UC Davis School of Law, Professor Joe teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure,

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Professional Responsibility (Legal Ethics), and Voir Dire (Jury Selection). She is an accomplished scholar, whose research focuses on how the design of the criminal process affects the ability of institutional attorneys to manage overwhelming caseloads and comply with ethical requirements. Her scholarly work was most recently published in the Iowa Law Review, California Law Review, Stanford Law Review Online, SMU Dedman School of Law Review, Duke Law Journal Online, and more.

Prior to joining the UC Davis faculty, Professor Joe was a fellow for the Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama and completed a federal clerkship with the Honorable Napoleon Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. She served as a line defender and the Assistant Special Litigation Counsel at the Orleans Public Defenders, a public defender office newly created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She was also the Assistant Training Director with the Louisiana Public Defender Board where she was responsible for creating and implementing statewide training programs for the public defenders, investigators, mitigation specialists and administrative staff tasked with providing constitutional and ethical representation to defendants facing misdemeanor, felony and capital charges. Professor Joe received her JD from Stanford Law School and graduated with a BA in Government and African American Studies from University of Texas at Austin.

The Philip B. Blank Memorial Lecture on Attorney Ethics was established by the family, friends and colleagues of the late Philip B. Blank, Associate Dean for External Affairs and Professor of Law at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. In honor of Dean Blank's commitment to legal ethics, the Blank Lecture has presented distinguished members of the legal community recognized for their leadership in the area of attorney ethics and practice. Dean Blank was a member of the Law School's faculty from 1979 until his death in 1989. He taught courses in Professional Responsibility, Wills, Estate Planning and Legal Methods. He is remembered as an outstanding teacher of the law and a caring mentor to his students. A model citizen of Westchester County, Dean Blank served as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Mount Pleasant and held leadership positions in the Westchester County and White Plains Bar Associations. The last Blank lecture was given by Mimi Rocah, District Attorney for Westchester County.

After graduating from Lehigh in 1991, studying for a Master’s Degree in English Literature, and raising a family, Melissa Eydenberg decided to attend law school, which had been in the back of her mind for nearly 30 years. Now a 3L at Haub, Melissa’s advice for someone thinking about pursuing a degree in law is to “Do it in your own time- but do it!” Learn more about Melissa, why it is the people at Haub Law who make Haub Law stand out, and more in this Q&A.

Tell us a bit about your background.

I grew up in suburban New Jersey, my parents ran a small publishing company that specialized in supplements for gifted education i.e., “film strips” back in the day then videos and digital videos, critical and creative-thinking workbooks, literature guides and social studies materials. I graduated from Lehigh in PA in 1991 with a double major in English and Government – even then I couldn’t make up my mind about what I wanted to do! I went to UMD for studies in English Literature and left with a Master’s Degree, got married, worked very briefly as a recruiter in the European Equity Market, had kids and all of a sudden it’s 2022.

What inspired you to attend law school?

I needed to learn about the world, my place in it, and “why is this happening?” I always wanted to go to law school. After having kids, I was basically a stay-at-home mom. When I divorced in 2006, I still had it on my mind and even advocated for some school funding in the settlement agreement! It took 12 more years before I felt like I had the time to spend on myself, but here I am! Also, my fiancé runs a law firm out of my house, and I am surrounded by lawyers and I eventually got tired of telling everyone “I’m not a lawyer.”

Well, now that you are here, what have you found you like most about Haub Law?

The people. All of them: students, professors, staff. I can’t tell you how many times Michelle, JoAnn, Josie, or Tony have helped me out – especially with my technological challenges! Because I’ve been part-time, I’ve gotten to know more students than most people, and from all backgrounds, ages, races, religions, from literally all over the world, but all with a lot in common. I have loved learning with and from the lawyers of tomorrow and seeing where they are going and have gone. The “millennial” and “gen z” students have very different perspectives and life experiences and sharing with them has been invaluable. Because I am not THEIR mom they explain to me as a colleague, not as they would to a parent - but I have been known to hand out tissues, Band-Aids, masks, and snacks.

You are taking the Feminist Legal Theory seminar with Professor Crawford – can you talk about that class a bit?

What has been very interesting and helpful is listening to the younger students because they literally live in a world different from the one in which I grew up. It is impossible to understand what is going on in the law, in politics, in society without expanding my viewpoint and trying to see through their lenses. This is also my fourth class with Professor Crawford - Wills, Trust, and Estates; Corporations; Federal Taxation, and now Feminist Legal Theory.

Who are some of the most inspiring women in your life?

Looking back, a significant majority of classes I have taken at Haub Law were taught by female professors. As I am in the midst of my fourth class with Professor Crawford, you might have deduced I'm a fan. I'm kind of like that front-row seat that a rock star sees on tour at every show- is it a little creepy? She doesn't seem to mind. Prof. Crawford is the most enthusiastic, engaged, invested, and organized teacher I have encountered at any level of education. Besides providing all her classes with every possible tool to learn, including a self-produced manual for success, she is a prolific writer and contributor in multiple fields and if you follow her on Twitter (yes, I admit it, super-fan), you might ask yourself, as I have, "how is she doing all of this?" It is inspiring and a bit daunting. She's who I would have wanted to be when I grew up if I still had the time. On an even more personal level, I think both my daughters are "inspirational women." My elder daughter came out, fairly recently, as trans and her quest to be her best self inspires others, who she reaches with her music (and can be found under "A Small Bird" on all the things!). My younger daughter has taken on the challenge of graduating college in a pandemic and going out into this crazy world with bravery and humor! They have both grown into compassionate, kind women and they inspire me every day!

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about pursuing a degree in law?

Do it in your own time- but do it!

Student Government Ambassadors (SGA) for the College of Health Professions (CHP) are inspired by advocating for students just like they will be advocating for patients. Health Science student Alexa Slack and Nursing student Grainne McGinley are CHP's Pleasantville Campus SGA ambassadors. They took on this position to build connections between students and professors within all CHP programs. "We want to get more students involved and excited about CHP's opportunities. We're all here for academics, but there's so much more CHP has to offer, and we want to make students aware of that," said Alexa. This role allows them to be part of the many changes within the rapidly growing health care field. In addition, SGA gives students support for their ideas to promote diversity and inclusion within an educational setting.

"We want to get more students involved and excited about CHP's opportunities. We're all here for academics, but there's so much more CHP has to offer, and we want to make students aware of that." —Alexa Slack

Creating a strong and welcoming community while encouraging collaboration between all the different CHP programs is the main goal for Alexa and Grainne. Their desire is for students to gain a better understanding of the curriculum and expand upon networking opportunities. Grainne explained that it's a very empowering experience to be able to get this knowledge from being a part of student government and getting to see behind the scenes to help make certain decisions.

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Grainne, a nursing student in her senior year, always knew she wanted to be a nurse. After an injury she suffered, she wanted to help support patients who went through similar experiences. Grainne's interest in the field grew when she started volunteering at her local ambulance corps in high school. Once her college search began, she expressed that the "lights started glowing on Pace University” because of the opportunities CHP provides. As a first-generation college student, Grainne felt slightly overwhelmed with the confusing application and FASFA process, but Pace advisors guided her through it. "I was able to learn more about how accepting they were as a school, to how progressive they are within their programs, especially within CHP. They have connections with the top hospitals in the area. I've been able to go to hospitals all around New York City, ranging from the VA system to NewYork-Presbyterian.”

When it comes to educating individuals for careers in nursing, CHP strives to prepare students for a complex work environment. “Something unique about Pace is the vast opportunities that you can do within our clinical simulation lab. I get to work with professors that have different specialties within each course. I am provided an area and space where I can learn, retry, and grow my clinical skills.”

Grainne is grateful for the connections she has built and the medical education she has received throughout her four years. “The advanced equipment that CHP has allows the chance for your mind and your abilities as a student to be above so many others. It's like an out of world experience.”

Her goal is to become a burn ICU nurse in a critical care unit. She currently works at White Plains Hospital within the emergency room and recommends this amazing critical care experience to other students.

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Alexa Slack came to Pace as a Political Science Major. She soon realized it was not the right choice for her. With the help of her academic advisors, she found the transfer process into CHP smooth and easy. After looking into more of CHP's programs, she realized health science combined her love of advocacy with her interest in healthcare. This led her to enroll in the public health minor.

Alexa noted the amazing connections she has made through CHP, and she acknowledged the incredible faculty members. “We're a smaller program compared to the nursing program, but all the faculty members are truly wonderful. They have such a wide variety of knowledge, and you get a different experience each time you go into the classroom.”

As an SGA ambassador, Alexa appreciates the open environment professors create within CHP. “They don't just stand there and lecture you for hours. They're really interested and invested in their students and helping them get ahead and not only in their academic life, but their personal and their future careers. I know that any time I need to, I can email my professors, and they'll always make time to help me out.”

Alexa hopes to go into the public health field after graduation, with a focus on epidemiology or community health education. Eventually, she would like to get her master's degree in Public Health.

Agreement builds bridges between schools, fosters seamless academic transition for students

Bergen Community College and Pace University have signed a new dual admission agreement, allowing students who complete their studies at Bergen Community College in New Jersey to matriculate into Pace with junior standing.

Presidents, provosts and administrators from Pace and Bergen made the announcement on March 10, 2022 during an in-person meeting of the two schools at Bergen Community College.

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As part of the agreement, Bergen Community College students who graduate from certain programs with an Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.) or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree and a minimum grade point average of 2.5 will be guaranteed acceptance to Pace University. Students graduating from Bergen will have their lower-level general education/core requirements waived if they transfer to Pace.

For the transfer students, a maximum of 68 credits will be applied toward the completion of the relevant Pace Bachelor’s degree programs. Additionally, Pace will offer scholarships of up to $25,000 to eligible transfer students who graduate with a GPA of 3.2 or higher on either Pace University campus in Westchester or New York City. Students with a 3.4 GPA or above, will receive the agreed upon Honors coursework and a letter of recommendation from the Director of the Bergen Honors Program or from a faculty member/advisor within the College are also automatically eligible to enroll in Pforzheimer Honors College at Pace.

"We are thrilled to join with Bergen Community College, our neighbor in New Jersey, in this important and forward-looking agreement," said Pace President Marvin Krislov. "This partnership will allow us to help Bergen students achieve their dreams, and we are eager and excited to continue providing all our students opportunities to succeed in the ever-changing global economy.”

“Providing graduates with clear pathways to four-year institutions and the workforce represents a central goal of Bergen Community College,” President Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., said. “Creating transfer agreements with partners such as Pace University helps the College achieve those goals by offering students a mutually coordinated path for success and upward mobility.”

President Krislov also noted that Bergen graduates have more than 135 majors and programs to choose from at Pace; opportunities to get involved in over 100 student clubs and organizations; a choice of two campuses – one in lower Manhattan and another in Pleasantville – and can enjoy what campus life has to offer.

Furthermore, Bergen students committing to Pace will have access to academic counselors to maximize course offerings and to ensure a smooth transfer process. Transfer students will also be able to tap into thousands of internships and career placement opportunities offered through Pace’s Department of Career Services. Historically, Pace has some of the strongest job placement outcomes among undergraduate and graduate students. It’s one of the many reasons that Pace is ranked number one in upward economic mobility among four-year private universities according to a study conducted by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights.

“Providing students with opportunities to pursue higher education, reach their potential and achieve their goals are guiding principles at Pace,” said Pace Provost Vanya Quiñones. “This agreement with Bergen Community College will be a transformative experience for students and creates a clear pathway for success. We’re eager to be partnering with our colleagues at Bergen to make this agreement a reality.”

About Pace University

Since 1906, Pace University has educated thinking professionals by providing high quality education for the professions on a firm base of liberal learning amid the advantages of the New York metropolitan area. A private university, Pace has campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, enrolling nearly 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Lubin School of Business, College of Health Professions, School of Education, School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

For the third time in school history, Pace Women’s Basketball will represent the East in the Division II NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals. The Pace women’s basketball program has been to the Elite Eight twice before in 2001 and 1985. The team will travel to Birmingham, AL, March 21–25, as the East Regional Champions.

While most of the Pace University students enjoyed a week off for spring break, the Pace Setter women’s basketball team continued to represent the University on the national scale, continuing on a magical postseason tournament run. On Monday, March 14, No. 7 seed Pace defeated eight-seeded Daemon College, 67-65 in the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament East Regional final (Full Recap). Pace University will represent the East Region in the NCAA Quarterfinals next week in Birmingham, AL. The Setters’ victory over the Daemon Wildcats capped off a triumphant regional that also featured wins over second-seeded Chestnut Hill College and third-seeded USciences. The Regional was hosted by Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH.

Head Coach Carrie Seymour is in her 30th year at the helm of Pace’s women’s basketball team. This season, she topped the 500-win plateau and helped steer the Setters to a 24-7 season so far, capturing a piece of the Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division regular-season title. Seymour Seymour is assisted on the sideline by Pace University alumna Brittany Shields ’13. Shields played under Seymour from 2008-2013 and was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams.

Joining Pace in Birmingham will be Glenville State, Grand Valley State, Missouri Western, North Georgia, Valdosta State, West Texas A&M and Western Washington. Opponents, game times and seeds will be announced on NCAA.com.

Follow the #DancinDawgs as they continue their quest for their first NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament title by following @PaceWBB or @PaceUAthletics on social media or PaceUAthletics.com.

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On Tuesday, March 8, Elizabeth Lee, Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory, was presented with the Pioneer of Justice Award by the Women’s Association of Law Students. The Pioneer of Justice and Equality for Women and the Law Award is awarded annually to an inspirational woman who possesses valuable insight and experience in women’s issues in the law. Honorees contribute positively to society working toward equal rights and justice for women. Elizabeth Lee is the first international awardee to receive the Award. Ms. Lee stated that she was incredibly humbled to receive the Award.

Watch the 2022 Pioneer of Justice Award Ceremony

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On Wednesday, March 9, the virtual book pre-launch for Professors Crawford and Waldman’s Menstruation Matters: Challenging the Law’s Silence on Periods with a special spotlight on Haub Law faculty took place. With over 360 individuals registered for the event, it was a huge success and described by audience members as engaging, in-depth, timely, empowering, thought-provoking, and interesting. Dean Horace Anderson introduced and moderated the event followed by the authors of Menstruation Matters, Professors Bridget Crawford and Emily Gold Waldman speaking. From there, Haub Law faculty commented on various chapters of the forthcoming book, sharing their expertise as applied to it. Speaking at the event were Professors Noa Ben-Asher, Jason J. Czarnezki, Katrina Fischer Kuh, Michael M. Mushlin, Michelle S. Simon, and Leslie G. Tenzer. Throughout the virtual event, audience members interacted via the chat and had the opportunity to ask questions at the conclusion of the faculty spotlight. During the event, Professor Bridget Crawford was also recognized for being named a University Distinguished Professor. The event was met with such a positive reception that you can be sure to stay tuned for another similar discussion and panel in the coming months.

Watch the Menstruation Matters Book Talk