Center News

Mangano Grant Program Inaugurated
The Hon. Guy J. Mangano, a St. John's Law alumnus and former Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division, Second Department, of the New York Supreme Court, has endowed a grant program to support St. John's students and recent alumni in the pursuit of dispute resolution initiatives. The first four grants have been awarded to:

  • Daniel Merker '11, to create a plea bargaining training module for use by St. John's students and others learning to negotiate in a criminal setting
  • Nk Udogwu '12 and Ravin Shah '12, to work with the Carey Center in providing mediation training in Ghana
  • Emily Gornell '13, to intern with JAMS International in London

Carey Center Newsletter
View our Fall 2011 Newsletter, with stories on Gov. Carey, our mediation training in Ghana, our groundbreaking bankruptcy mediation training, our successful competition teams, and much more.

Carey Center Develops National Bankruptcy Mediation Training Program
The Carey Center has partnered with the American Bankruptcy Institute to develop and deliver a national bankruptcy mediation training program to train mediators to conduct mediation in matters before the U.S. bankruptcy courts. The inaugural training took place on Dec. 7-11, 2011, at St. John's Manhattan Campus. Carey Center Director  Elayne E. Greenberg will led the training. She was assisted in the creation of the program by Professor G. Ray Warner, Director of the Law School's Center for Bankruptcy Studies, and by an advisory board of bankruptcy judges from around the nation, including:

  • Hon. Cecelia B. Morris (S.D.N.Y.)
  • Hon. Joan Freeney (D. Mass.)
  • Hon. Jeffrey Hopkins (S.D. Ohio)
  • Hon. David Houston (N.D. Miss.)
  • Hon. John Olson (S.D. Fla.)
  • Hon. Elizabeth Perris (D. Or.)
  • Hon. Barry Russell (C.D. Cal.)
  • Hon. Elizabeth Stong (E.D.N.Y.).

In Memoriam: Hon. Hugh L. Carey, 1919-2011
St. John's celebrates the life and mourns the passing of the Honorable Hugh L. Carey, former governor of the State of New York. A loyal son and double alumnus of St. John’s, Governor Carey received his Bachelor of Arts from St. John’s College in 1942 and graduated from the Law School in 1951. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws in 1967. He died on August 7, 2011, at his summer home on Shelter Island at the age of 92.

At the Law School, Governor Carey’s legacy lives on through The Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution. Established in 2009 through his generosity, The Carey Center reflects St. John’s commitment to develop a nationally and globally recognized program in the growing area of alternative dispute resolution. “Governor Carey's rich legacy of dispute resolution successes highlights the importance of respecting and honoring the humanity of others,” said Elayne E. Greenberg, Professor of Law and Director of The Carey Center. The Center’s programs — which train law students, lawyers, and judges in dispute resolution principles — will continue to be a fitting tribute to this great lawyer, great problem solver, and great man. “Governor Carey found ways to bring disparate groups of people together to see their shared interests in finding common solutions,” said Paul F. Kirgis, Professor of Law and Faculty Chair of The Carey Center. “That's the legacy we are trying to pass along to the next generation of St. John's students.”

St. John's Team Takes Third Place at Vis International Arbitration Moot
St. John’s recently tied for third place in a field of 260 teams from 65 countries at the 18th Annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna.  The student competitors , 3Ls Brian Andrews, Daniel Merker, Rachel Roseman and Olga Shestova, traveled to Vienna under the auspices of The Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution and the Dispute Resolution Society. Assisting them throughout the competition were faculty coaches Christine Lazaro and William J.T. Brown, who accompanied the team to Vienna. Lisa Catalano, Luca C.M. Melchionna, Mark L. Movsesian and Gary Leuis ’10 also helped prepare the students. 

St. John's was the only American team to pass the quarter-finals and Brian Andrews and Rachel Roseman earned honorable mentions for Best Oralist. “This is an extraordinary achievement for everyone involved, including the Dispute Resolution Society and our entire ADR program,” said Dean Michael A. Simons. “The Vis Moot has become one of the key credentialing activities and networking points for anyone wanting to enter into international commercial arbitration. Not only participating, but excelling, in this year’s competition is a significant step for us.” Reflecting on the competition, Dispute Resolution Society Executive Director Daniel Merker said: “From the first day of practice to our last argument in Vienna, every step felt more rewarding. Prior to reaching Vienna, we had to learn an entirely new body of law, style of advocacy and type of problem. As a participant, your success is directly tied to your submersion in the problem and, although it seemed daunting at times, it was an amazing experience.”