Our professional staff encourages prospective and current students, as well as alumni and employers, to contact them about any of the Office’s services or programs.
Larry Cunningham, Esq.
Associate Academic Dean
Dean Cunningham joined the faculty of the Law School in 2008. He was appointed to the Administration in 2010. He teaches Criminal Law, Legal Writing, and New York Criminal Practice. Prior to coming to St. John's, he was a prosecutor and a law clerk to a federal district judge.
Jeanne Ardan, Esq.
Assistant Dean for Career Development
Jeanne Ardan received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Fordham University and her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from St. John’s University School of Law, where she was Articles and Notes Editor of the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review. Following her graduation, Ms. Ardan became a member of the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut bars. She began her legal career at Ford Marrin Esposito Witmeyer & Gleser, L.L.P., a boutique litigation firm, where she specialized in environmental insurance coverage defense matters. She then joined the litigation group at Banks Gruen Shapiro & Gettinger, LLP (now Banks, Shapiro, Gettinger & Waldinger LLP) and primarily handled medical malpractice defense cases.
Ms. Ardan began her career in legal recruiting as Director of Placement and Business Development at the Kelly Law Registry. She served for three years in this role before returning to alma mater St. John’s University School of Law in August, 2002. As the Assistant Dean for Career Development, Ms. Ardan counsels students and fellow alumni, plans career-related programs and events, conducts employer outreach, and supervises the staff and daily operations of the Office. In April 2004, St. John’s Student Bar Association presented Ms. Ardan with a Certificate of Appreciation for her service to students during the 2003-2004 school year. In 2013, she received the Administrative Outstanding Achievement Award from St. John's University. Ms. Ardan is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP).
James A. Conlon, Esq.
Associate Director of Career Development
James A. Conlon received his Bachelor of Science degree from St. John’s University and his Juris Doctor degree from St. John’s University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, the United States Supreme Court and the Southern and Eastern Districts of the State of New York. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association. He is a former Senior Assistant District Attorney for the King’s County District Attorneys office in Brooklyn, New York. In March 2004 he was appointed General Counsel for the State Employment Relations Board (SERB). He was responsible for the administration and supervision of all Board cases including unfair labor practice charges, representation cases, as well as arbitration and mediation cases. He was also an Administrative Law Judge for representation hearings in the agency. Currently he is on the Board for the Labor Employment Relations Association, Long Island Division; he is on the Board for the Valley Stream Youth Counsel, was on the Board of Directors of St. John’s University School of Law Alumni Association and a Past President of the Brooklyn Chapter. He is also Chair of the Government Relations Committee of the Long Island Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society where he has lobbied for disability rights with legislators from Albany and Washington D.C. Mr. Conlon went into the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War and was a highly decorated veteran being honorably discharged in 1977. In 1995 he was selected the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Father of the Year for the Long Island Chapter. In June of 2002 he was honored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society who presented him with the 2002 Outstanding Leadership award for his service to the Society and his efforts advocating for the rights of people with disabilities and their families. In January 2003 he was the recipient of the Young Alumni Award by the St. John’s University School of Law Alumni Association at their annual luncheon.
Kimathi Gordon-Somers, Esq.
Associate Director of Career Development & Coordinator of the Externship Program
Kimathi Gordon-Somers received his Bachelor of Arts in French and English from Franklin & Marshall College and his Juris Doctor, from St. Thomas University School of Law, where he was the Executive Vice-President of the Moot Court Board and later the Coach for the National Sports Law Competition. Mr. Gordon-Somers is admitted to practice law in the both New York and Florida. Mr. Gordon-Somers began his legal career at the Queens County District Attorney’s Office where he worked in the Special Victims and Domestic Violence Bureau, the Appeals Bureau; appearing before the Second Department, and later, the Narcotics Trial Bureau. After leaving the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Gordon-Somers worked as an Account Manager and Legal Research Consultant at LexisNexis where he managed the accounts of and consulted on research projects for AMLAW 100 firms both in New York and Miami. After leaving LexisNexis, Mr. Gordon-Somers returned to the prosecutorial field where he worked as an Assistant State Attorney in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. Mr. Gordon-Somers later returned to New York where he worked as a Senior Assistant District Attorney for the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in a Trial Zone and later in the Rackets Bureau, where he investigated and tried complex cases including homicides and other violent crimes, hate-crimes, organized crime, criminal misconduct by public officials and police officers, gang-related activity and major frauds. Mr. Gordon-Somers is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association and the Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP).
Helena Quinn
Associate Director of Employer Relations
A two-time graduate of St. John’s University, Ms. Quinn received a Bachelor’s Degree in History prior to pursuing a Master’s Degree in Student Development and Practice in Higher Education. Helena has been with the Office since 2000, and previously held the position of Recruitment Coordinator. As the Associate Director of Employer Relations, Ms. Quinn serves as a liaison between students, the School of Law, and employers. In addition to employer outreach and job development, Helena oversees the Fall and Spring Recruitment Programs as well as all Job Fairs in which St. John’s School of Law participates.
Rena M. Varghese, Esq.
Associate Director of Career Development
Rena Varghese received her Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School, where she was an Editor of the Cornell International Law Journal and member of the Moot Court Executive Board. She received her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in Political Science, with a Minor in Computer Applications, from New York University. Rena joined St. John’s University School of Law in June 2006, after practicing real estate and structured finance at Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP.
Tess Abbazio
Assistant Director of Employer Relations
Tess Abbazio joined the Career Development Office in September 2004. Prior to becoming Assistant Director of Employer Relations, Ms. Abbazio served for two years as the Alumni Services Coordinator followed by 6 years as the Recruitment Coordinator. In those roles, Ms. Abbazio worked with numerous legal employers, serving as liaison between students and employers and handling the recruitment programs for the office. She has also obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the St. John’s University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
Crystal Diaz
Assistant Director of Career Development
Crystal Diaz joined the Career Development Office in September 2005. Prior to becoming Assistant Director of Career Development, Ms. Diaz served for over five years as the Employment Services Coordinator. In that role, Ms. Diaz worked with numerous legal employers, serving as liaison between students and employers, and advertising legal positions to the law school community. She is also a double alumna of St. John’s University, graduating cum laude from The Peter J. Tobin College of Business with a Master’s of Business Administration degree as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from the St. John’s University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
Michael E. Kerman, Esq.
Assistant Director of Career Development
Michael Kerman received his J.D. from Columbia Law School and his B.A. from Brown University. Previously, he was Assistant Director of Career Planning and Professional Development at the University of Illinois College of Law. He worked at a plaintiff’s firm and a large, international firm. He studied psychotherapy at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies.
Laura Schwartz, Esq.
Assistant Director of Career Development
Laura Schwartz received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from St. John’s University School of Law, where she was also a member of the Law Review, and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Emory University. Ms. Schwartz is admitted to practice law in the States of New York and Connecticut and before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the Southern and Eastern Districts of the State of New York. Ms. Schwartz began her legal career as a commercial litigation associate at a major New York law firm. After ten years of practicing litigation, Ms. Schwartz redirected her practice focus and joined the bankruptcy and restructuring department of Chadbourne & Parke LLP, where she represented debtors, creditors and creditors’ committees in the full range of bankruptcy matters, including both litigation of bankruptcy issues and restructuring work. After fifteen years of traditional law firm practice, Ms. Schwartz joined Pittleman & Associates, LLC, an executive legal search firm. As a legal recruiter, Ms. Schwartz conducted legal searches for law firms and corporations in all substantive areas of the law and counseled attorneys seeking to make lateral career moves in a variety of practice areas and industries.
Sejal Singh, Esq.
Assistant Director of Career Development
Sejal Singh received her Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 2004. Prior to coming to St. John’s, Sejal practiced for six years with the New Jersey Office of Public Defender as an attorney for children. She was also a law clerk for a state court judge in New Jersey. She received her Bachelor of Arts, in Psychology, with a Minor in Sociology, from Rutgers College.
Christopher McKittrick
Writing Specialist
Christopher McKittrick received both his Bachelor of Arts and his Master of Arts degrees in English from Hofstra University. He has taught various English composition and literature classes, including workshops on resume and cover letter writing, at a number of area universities. He also worked at Hofstra University’s Writing Center, where he helped students at all levels (including from the Law School) with cover letters, resumes, and writing samples. He is a published writer of fiction and non-fiction, with work appearing in Newsday and scholarly collections.