For Abby Arena ’25, a fourth-year art major with a history minor, it’s the people she’s met and the communities she’s been part of that have made the biggest impact during her time at Pace.

Abby never had an interest in working with children. “It wasn’t my typical area,” she admits. But part of the requirement for her peace and justice studies class was civic engagement hours, and when her friends chose Power of We (POW) a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that provides free community activities for children of all ages, she decided to give it a shot. “It just sounded like a fun experience.”

Take advantage of everything that is presented to you.

Her experience volunteering with POW—which creates a space where neurodivergent and neurotypical children come together through dance, music, art, play, and more—has become a surprising highlight of Abby's Pace journey. She described the work as fun and engaging, and yet could clearly see the huge impact for the children and families. “Families with neurodivergent children sometimes have limited resources, so finding a free, local program where the kids could enjoy themselves was great,” she says.

Though volunteering with children was outside her usual comfort zone, Abby embraced the challenge. “It was a good experience to get into an environment that was so different from anything I was used to,” she said. “It didn’t feel like a requirement.” Though she’d never considered working with children, she now wants to continue supporting POW’s mission in the future. “I’d love to go back once my schedule allows it.”

POW stands for Power of We, the concept of togetherness promoted by The Power of We resonates with Abby deeply. She credits the relationships she’s built and the people she’s met as the most impactful part of her time at Pace. Abby observes, “Pace really does have a diversity of interests that has brought together the people that are now the most important to me.”

Pace really does have a diversity of interests that has brought together the people that are now the most important to me.

As the 2024–2025 school year begins, Abby advises first-year students to embrace every opportunity. “Taking advantage of any resources you can is important, even if they seem daunting,” she says. She also highlights the value of strong relationships: “Professors should be seen as mentors and resources. They’re more than willing to help outside of class.”

And of course, she stresses not to overlook experiences like civic engagement hours, which, for Abby, opened doors she never expected, like her work with POW. “Take advantage of everything that is presented to you. Even if it seems like too much, or something that's just not for you,” she says. “There’s never going to be any downside in trying something out.”

Learn more about Power of We (POW) and how you can support their mission.

Professor Jonathan Brown joined the Haub Law faculty in 2016 and is Professor of Law for Designated Project or Service and Director and Founder of the School's Food and Farm Business Law Clinic, which launched in January 2017. The Food and Farm Business Law Clinic provides pro bono transactional legal services to small farm businesses, artisan food manufacturers, craft beverage entrepreneurs, and related nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining the Haub Law faculty, Professor Brown was a Clinical Lecturer in Law and Eugene Ludwig/Robert M. Cover Fellow in Law at Yale Law School, where he co-taught in the Community and Economic Development Clinic. Previously, he was also a senior associate at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, in New York.

Let’s jump right in, why academia?

Coming out of law school I never seriously considered academia. Working at a firm, over time I realized that the part of my job I enjoyed the most was mentoring and teaching the young associates, whether it was leading in-house Continuing Legal Education (CLE) classes or teaching first-year associates the fundamentals of contract-drafting when we worked on deals together. At the same time, I liked transactional practice and didn’t want to give that up. I found the perfect balance in leading a transactional law clinic where I get to teach students through actual practice.

What brought you specifically to Haub Law?

In short, the chance to lead the Food and Farm Business Law Clinic (formerly the Food and Beverage Law Clinic). I was a fellow in the Community and Economic Development Clinic at Yale Law School, where I worked with small non-profits and community groups, including some work in the food and farming space. I hoped to start my own clinic after that fellowship. Professor Margot Pollans developed the idea of the Food and Farm Business Law Clinic and I thought it was an amazing, first-of-its kind concept: a law clinic devoted entirely to supporting change-makers in the food system through transactional legal practice. I jumped at the opportunity to come here and bring that idea into fruition.

What is the best part about teaching for you?

When I see something “click” for a student. For example, when a student in the Clinic working on their first contract for a client, after rounds of edits, feedback from the client, and negotiations with the other party, starts to see what’s actually involved in that kind of legal work and realizes that they really enjoy it. It’s rewarding to help a student come into their own as a burgeoning lawyer in that way.

What differentiates Haub Law?

Haub Law has a tight-knit community feel that sets it apart from other law schools in my experience. There is a sense that everyone is working together to help our students excel. The school is also very grounded in the actual practice of law, which I think is critical for setting our students up for success.

Can you talk a bit about food and agricultural law?

As practiced by our Clinic, terms like “food law,” “food and beverage law,” and “agricultural law” represent more of a multidisciplinary approach to a problem, as opposed to one specific substantive area of law. It stems from a recognition that legal support is a critical need for many of the “food revolutionaries” trying to improve our food system – for example farmers employing regenerative practices and selling directly to consumers, or community-based nonprofits focused on affordable access to local, healthy food in underserved communities. To achieve their goals, these groups need assistance in structuring business entities, negotiating contracts, navigating regulations, and more. Our Clinic’s work touches on multiple areas of law, centered around “transactional” corporate practice, to help these clients.

What are some recent cases that the Clinic has taken on?

The Clinic represents as many as 50 clients per year. Our most frequent type of case involves assisting clients in establishing business entities or nonprofits, which might include advising on business structures, drafting LLC operating agreements or other organizational documents, and applying for tax exemption for nonprofits. We also frequently assist clients in accessing land through drafting and negotiating farmland leases or other commercial leases. As for recent trends, we have been working with more clients on developing intellectual property strategies and applying for trademarks. We have also worked with more groups developing “cooperative” business structures, with recent examples including worker-owned cooperative farms and a cooperative of clothing designers formed for sourcing sustainably produced fiber directly from farmers. And we have recently worked with groups seeking to establish “community land trusts” or other creative structures for facilitating affordable farmland access.

What do you hope students get out of the Clinic?

For one, I want them to get the confidence and experience that comes with having their own clients and leading a representation. I also want them to appreciate some of the unexpected ways in which their legal practice can be a force for good—that even if they want to practice transactional or corporate law there are opportunities for using that to serve the public interest that people don’t always recognize.

What do you wish students would realize sooner rather than later?

That a career is long and can take a lot of twists and turns—certainly that’s the case for many of the lawyers I admire most. Students should of course focus on getting that first job after graduation, but I encourage them to recognize that is often just the first step in a long journey. If a student is passionate about something, they should use the brief amount of time they have in law school to nurture it, even if they may at first take a job doing something completely unrelated after graduating. I think keeping that long-term perspective in mind helps in developing a rewarding and exciting career.

What are some of your current research interests?

For the last two years I have taught Nonprofit Organizations, and I am particularly interested in relationships between nonprofits and for-profit businesses. This work dovetails with much of the Clinic’s work, as we work with a number of nonprofit clients who incorporate business activities in novel ways. Recently I have been exploring the IRS’s evolving position on limited liability company subsidiaries of nonprofits and the approaches that different states are taking to these structures.

Outside of work, what takes up your free time?

I have two young children who take up most of my free time—in the best way possible! I love helping them with the many activities they do: Cub Scouts, Daisy Scouts, piano, dancing, sports, etc. Right now I’m coaching my son’s youth soccer team. I also like to cook and garden, and I love hiking and skiing with my family.

Pace University faculty members are available to provide expert commentary and analysis on a broad range of including politics, policy, economics, international affairs and more, are available for comment on the 2024 US elections. Get in touch with our experts and check out or recent media clips.

Faculty Experts

Matthew Bolton is professor of political science and co-director of the International Disarmament Institute at Pace University. He was part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) team awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. Bolton has also worked for 20 years with UN and NGO efforts addressing the humanitarian impact of landmines, cluster munitions, military robotics and the arms trade. Bolton has published six books, including Political Minefields and Imagining Disarmament. His work has featured in BBC News, Newsweek, PBS Newshour, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Boston Globe, Gothamist, The Hill, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, and more.

• Expertise: United Nations, Peacebuilding, and the Humanitarian and environmental Consequences of Weapons

Bennett L. Gershman is a distinguished professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law since its founding as the Pace Law School in 1976. Prior to coming to Pace, Gershman was a prosecutor in the New York State Anti-Corruption Office, where he argued cases in state and federal courts involving public and political officials charged with corruption. As a leading authority in the country on prosecutorial misconduct, Gershman is continuously called upon by the news media for his expertise. He is routinely quoted by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as by a host of local publications.

• Expertise: Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Professional Responsibility and Legal Ethics

Kerriann Stout is an adjunct professor of Law at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, and instructor of Political Science and Criminal Justice at Pace University. Currently, Kerriann teaches courses related to bar exam and law school skills, individual rights and liberties, state and local government, and legislation and regulation.

• Expertise: Political Science

Laura Tamman is a clinical assistant professor of political science at Pace University. A scholar of American and Urban Politics, Laura uses quantitative methods to study political persuasion in the context of race and ethnicity. Informed by her two decades of experience working on the frontlines of political campaigns, her research examines the effects of campaign contact on election results. An expert on New York City politics, Laura has coauthored reports on the implementation of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and voter turnout.

• Expertise: Political Science, Political campaigns, and New York City politics

Leslie Y. Garfield Tenzer is the Luk-Cummings Family Faculty Scholar at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Tenzer's scholarship and teaching bridge the worlds of theory and practice, with a particular focus on regulating conduct in the digital age. Prior to coming to Haub Law, Professor Tenzer was a legislative attorney in the Legal Division of the Council of the City of New York. She currently teaches and writes in the areas of Commercial Law, including Contracts and UCC Article 2, Criminal Law, Torts and Social Media Law. Professor Tenzer's most recent scholarship focuses on legal issues concerning social media.

• Expertise: Commercial Law, Contracts, Criminal Justice, Intellectual Property, Technology and Information, Torts, and Social Media Law

Mark Weinstock is a clinical assistant professor of economics at Pace University. His contribution to non-linear econometric modeling of bank regulation received the Leon Horniker Award for Research Excellence. Weinstock was an electronics entrepreneur for many years, allowing him to bring real world elements of finance and business into the classroom to create a bridge between the theoretical underpinnings of economics and real-world applications.

• Expertise: Economics

Melvin Williams is an associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University. An award-winning communication scholar, his research examines the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality in popular culture. Specifically, Williams considers the political ramifications of popular culture to investigate how minority communities use its mediums to address disparaging media representations. In addition, Williams is a cultural commentator and public writer, offering critical analyses of Hip-Hop, LGBTQ politics, and popular culture for media outlets such as Associated Press, Huffington Post, NBCLX, NBC Universal, Newsweek, NPR, USA Today, and The Washington Post.

• Expertise: African American Representations in Popular Culture, Black Female Celebrity Representations in Feminist Media Culture, Black Masculinity Studies, Black Queer Studies, Celebrity Death Culture, Feminist Media Studies, Hip-Hop Feminist Politics, Minority Cultural Production on Social Media, Popular Culture, Queer Online Political Communication, and Social Media and Social Change

Election Media Clips

The Trump and Harris economic plans ‘are closer than people imagine,’ according to some experts
AP
Pace University Dyson College of Arts and Sciences Economics Professor Mark Weinstock discusses the similarities and differences in Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump’s economic plans with the Associated Press.

Beyonce's Harris rally tests superstar's political reach - Reuters
Reuters
Pace University Professor Melvin Williams provides expert commentary to Reuters on the significance of Beyoncé's first public political appearance at a rally for Vice President Harris, exploring how this move tests the superstar's political influence.

What happens to Trump's criminal cases if he wins the election -- or loses? - ABC News
ABC News
...there's little he could do to revive the case, according to Pace University law professor Bennett Gershman.
A spoiler candidate, centrist bona fides, and no bull rides: Suburban New York race could decide House control.

A spoiler candidate, centrist bona fides, and no bull rides: Suburban New York race could decide House control
National Journal
Pace University Dyson College Political Science Professor Laura Tamman shares insights on the Mondaire Jones/Mike Lawler Congressional race.

Tight House Races Could Decide Who Controls Congress
Fox News MMR - Twitter
Pace University Dyson College Political Science Professor Laura Tamman shares insights on the Mondaire Jones/Mike Lawler Congressional race.

How Trump Goes to Prison If He Loses the Election to Harris
NYMag - Intelligencer
“He will be facing serious legal jeopardy if he loses. He knows that,” says Bennett Gershman, a professor of constitutional law at Pace Law School who served for a decade as a New York prosecutor. “It’s probably on his mind every day. He faces four very, very serious cases, in one of which he has already been convicted as a felon. The others are easily convictable.”

If Trump Wants It, 2+2=5 - Law.com
Law.com
Bennett L. Gershman is a distinguished professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University and author of "Prosecutorial Misconduct ...

"He has zero, nothing": Legal experts say Trump has "no factual defense" against Jack Smith filing
Salon.com
Pace University Law Professor Bennett Gershman provides legal insight to Salon on the potential for the Supreme Court to once again intervene in favor of Former President Donald Trump, despite the extensive evidence presented by Special Counsel Jack Smith in Trump’s election interference case .

Harris’s Historic Run Could Outpace Hollywood’s Oval Offices
The New York Times
Melvin Williams, an associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, called the lack of women of color playing the commander in chief an example of “symbolic annihilation,” an academic term describing the exclusion of groups in popular culture and mass media. “We don’t put it onscreen, so you don’t see it as a possibility, and large audiences don’t even begin to fathom it as a possibility,” Dr. Williams said.

Pace University Political Science Professor Laura Tamman featured on Fox 5 News
Fox5
Pace University Dyson Political Science Professor Laura Tamman was featured on Fox 5 focusing on the 2024 presidential debate.

Power & Politics: Harris-Trump first debate preview; education in New York for the new school year
News 12 - Westchester
Pace University Clinical Assistant Professor George Picoulas provided a preview of the first debate, offering insights on what each candidate needed to accomplish in the debate.

Power & Politics: Harris, Trump unveil economic plans; what a federal rate cut could mean for you
News 12 Westchester
This week's guests include Pace University Clinical Associate Professor Mark Weinstock and The SKG Team at Barnum Financial Group Certified Financial Planner Chris Kampitsis.

How celebrities impact U.S. elections
CBS News
A number of famous faces have been in attendance for both this week's Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention earlier this summer. Dr. Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, joined CBS News to discuss how celebrities impact politics.

Fans Think Taylor Swift Responded to Donald Trump's AI Image Scandal - Parade
Parade
In Trump's case, Pace University Law Professor Leslie Garfield Tenzer told Forbes that Swift may have recourse under the Lanah Act, which ...

'Shake If Off'—Taylor Swift Could Sue Trump For Using Her Likeness - Forbes
Forbes
"The Lanham Act—which Congress adopted quite some time ago—protects celebrity 'brands' and gives celebrities a cause of action against people or corps that try to use the celebrity's likeness to mislead consumers," explained Pace University Law Professor Leslie Garfield Tenzer.

Celebrities And Politics Don't Mix Well In Social Media Era - Forbes
Forbes
... University. Nothing To Gain From Being Too Political. It is ... Pace University. "His intent was clearly that his craft was a sports ...

Donald Trump May Have Violated Lanham Act With Taylor Swift Image Use - Newsweek
Newsweek
...to use the celebrity's likeness to mislead consumers," explained Pace University Law Professor Leslie Garfield Tenzer.

Kamala Harris leans into her Indian, Black heritage to energize voters
USA Today
Harris will need to assemble a broad coalition to win in November, including a substantial percentage of independent and unaffiliated white voters in the suburbs of battleground states, said Laura Tamman, an assistant professor of Political Science at New York's Pace University.

Kamala Harris leans into her Indian, Black heritage to energize voters
AOL.com
Harris will need to assemble a broad coalition to win in November, including a substantial percentage of independent and unaffiliated white voters in the suburbs of battleground states, said Laura Tamman, an assistant professor of Political Science at New York's Pace University.

Kamala Harris leans into her Indian, Black heritage to energize voters
The Reporter-Times
… said Laura Tamman, an assistant professor of Political Science at New York's Pace University.

Kamala Harris leans into her Indian, Black heritage to energize voters
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
… said Laura Tamman, an assistant professor of Political Science at New York's Pace University.

Kamala Harris is accused of being 'soft on crime,' but is there any evidence?
The Hill
Bennett L. Gershman is a former prosecutor in New York and a distinguished professor of law at Pace University. He is the author of “Prosecutorial ...

Do celebrity endorsements matter?
Vox
“Political candidates are heavily leaning on celebrities as a mechanism to attract the attention of this cycle’s youngest voting demographic: Generation Z,” says Melvin Williams, a professor of communications and media studies at Pace University.

Élections américaines : des célébrités mettent du poids dans la balance
CBC Radio-Canada
Pace University Professor Melvin Williams was featured On CBC Radio-Canada analyzing the impacts and dangers of celebrity endorsements in the 2024 US Presidential Election.

Power & Politics: Harris picks Walz, a plan to fix East Ramapo schools' finances
News 12 Westchester
On this weekend's Power & Politics, Pace University political science adjunct professor Kerriann Stout provides insight into Kamala Harris' decision to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate and State Sen. Bill Weber discusses his bill to rescue the East Ramapo Central School District from a major financial hole.

Kamala Harris picks Tim Walz as running mate
NBC New York
Pace University’s Political Science Professor Laura Tamman spoke with WNBC4 in New York about Kamala Harris’s pick for vice president in her run for The White House.

Hudson Valley Congressman Backs Vice President Kamala Harris For New Presidential Nomine
News 12 - Westchester
It's an endorsement, a political science professor Laura Tamman with Pace University says will likely energize voters and the Hudson Valley one way or another.

Political analyst: Biden's decision to end reelection bid should have come sooner
News 12 - Westchester
News 12's Melanie Palmer spoke with political science professor Laura Tamman who weigh in on the political impact of the decision.

Contingent Presidential Election – 19th Century Anachronism or Detour From Democracy in 2025?
PA Times
Pace University professor Stephen R. Rolandi discusses the concept of a contingent presidential election, a process outlined in the U.S. Constitution that occurs when no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes.

Pace professor weighs political rhetoric, gun control in wake of Trump rally shooting
News 12 - Westchester
News 12's Carol Wilkinson spoke to Pace University professor George Picoulas for his take on Saturday's events, media coverage of the event and...

Pace professor weighs political rhetoric, gun control in wake of Trump rally shooting
Griffin Daily News
News 12's Carol Wilkinson spoke to Pace University professor George Picoulas for his take on Saturday's events, media coverage of the event and ...

Presidential Immunity Decision Unleashes the Whirlwind
New York Law Journal
Pace University Haub Law Professor Bennett Gershman Op Ed. The decision is tendentious and policy-driven, a far cry from the self-righteous originalism these Justices purport to follow. And the decision is frightening. It’s a time-bomb ready to go off. The court has enabled any U.S. president to become a dictator.

Get In Touch with Our Experts

For press inquiries and media requests, please contact Madia Bestman. She can be reached by phone at (212) 346-1020 or via email at mbestman@pace.edu.

Clinical Assistant Professor of Political Science Laura Tamman, PhD, shared her views on the importance of congressional races and why people are paying such close attention to them on Live Fox Now.

She said, “So, the way that our system of government works, Congress is essential in passing laws and legislation, and who wins Congress, is really going to determine what the president is able to do, regardless of which person wins the presidency, so the race for Congress is incredibly consequential for governing, moving forward.”

When asked which specific congressional races she is keeping a closer eye on, she said, “While a lot of folks are looking at the swing states for the presidential, I’m actually looking at coastal states for the congressional. So, I’m looking at New York and California; NY, in part because that’s where I live, but there are two really key races there: NY 19 and NY 16,and NY 19 is extremely competitive, but Biden won and there’s a Republican incumbent, and, similarly, NY 16, Biden also won, and the Republican congressional candidate there, Congressman Lawler, has really run a flawless campaign. And the Democrat in the race, Mondaire Jones, has not run what I would call a flawless campaign, so, given how competitive this is, if Jones manages to win, that will really tell us where the rest of the races are going.”

She also elaborated on if we could see a swap with who controls the presidency versus the US House and Senate, and what that would mean.

“This [election] is really, really close in all three branches, so we can have a situation where the president is of a different party than the House, which is rare, but it could happen this year, and that will really hamper the president’s ability to enact their agenda, and so, if that happens, we can expect that we will see very little progress in legislation because there will be so much gridlock.

We can make our firmest predictions about the US Senate. The US Senate seems poised to shift into Republican control, but the House is totally up for grabs, and it’s possible that whoever wins the presidency will be able to bring the Congress along.”