April 25, 2012
The Law School and the
Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution recently announced
the launch of the Mangano Grant Program.
Endowed through the generosity of Hon. Guy J. Mangano ’55, ‘83HON,
former Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division of the New York
Supreme Court, the Mangano Grant Program provides grants to St.
John’s students and alumni to pursue opportunities in the field of
alternative dispute resolution. Mangano Grants support students in
acquiring the training and experience to grow as dispute resolution
practitioners and support alumni who undertake projects that
further the Carey Center’s mission of promoting conflict resolution
as a value and a practice.
The 2011-12 Mangano Grant recipients are:
Daniel Merker ’11
Court Attorney
Chambers of Hon. Laura Ward
Supreme Court, New York County
Dan Merker, a former Executive Director of the Dispute
Resolution Society at St. John’s School of Law, sees dispute
resolution in action every day in the chambers of Judge Laura Ward,
who sits in the Supreme Court, Criminal Term, for New York County.
With over 94% of criminal cases nationwide resolved by plea bargain
instead of trial, and with the Supreme Court recently recognizing a
right to effective counsel at the plea bargaining stage, criminal
lawyers more than ever must understand negotiation within a
criminal setting. Dan will work with faculty and students in the
Law School’s Prosecution Clinic and Criminal Defense Clinic to
create plea bargaining training materials for use by lawyers,
courts and students on a path to a career in criminal law. Dan’s
work will sow seeds to help ensure the integrity of the plea
bargaining process.
Nk Udogwu ’12
St. John’s School of Law
Ravin Shah ‘12
St. John’s School of Law
Nk Udogwu and Ravin Shah are working with the Carey Center and
its partners, the Giving to Ghana Foundation and Fordham Law
School, to provide mediation training in Ghana as a step toward the
creation of a conflict resolution center there. Nk ― who was
president of the Law School’s Student Bar Association while also
developing a grounding in dispute resolution at St. John’s ―
participated in the inaugural training offered at the Catholic
University of Ghana in the summer of 2011. She will return as a
coach for the August 2012 program. Ravin joins his background in
business with his training in mediation as he serves as the Carey
Center’s liaison with students and faculty at Fordham in preparing
organizational materials for the conflict resolution center that
will emerge from this effort. He will also participate as a coach
in this summer’s training.
Emily Gornell ‘13
St. John’s School of Law
Emily Gornell, an Executive Board member of the Law School’s
Dispute Resolution Society, will intern at the dispute resolution
services provider JAMS International in London this summer. Emily
is building a portfolio of international dispute resolution skills
and experiences while at St. John’s, serving as president of the
Law School’s Mediators Beyond Borders chapter and competing at the
2012 Vis International Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria, the
preeminent international dispute resolution competition. This
opportunity will allow her to see first hand how cross-border
commercial disputes are resolved at JAMS International.
“The Mangano Grant program will allow our students and young
graduates to undertake innovative projects in the ADR field, giving
them a jump start on their careers and helping the Carey Center
fulfill its mission,” said
Elayne E. Greenberg, the Carey Center’s Director. “Without the
generosity of alumni like Governor Carey and now Judge Mangano,
these opportunities would not be available,” said
Paul F. Kirgis, founder of the Carey Center and Professor of
Law at St. John’s. “This gift is a testament to the Law School’s
commitment to alternative dispute resolution.”
The Carey Center is a leader in the growing field of alternative
dispute resolution, offering a forum for exploring important issues
through courses, conferences, clinics and co-curricular activities.
Guided by St. John’s Vincentian mission, the Carey Center supports
the development of conflict resolution as a value and as a practice
by:
- Investigating processes of dispute resolution to explore issues
of justice, ethics, and efficacy
- Teaching advocates to represent those in conflict with courage,
yet with respect for the humanity of others
- Focusing the resources of an international university to
promote the resolution of conflict on a local, national and global
scale
To learn more about the Carey Center, the Mangano Grant Program
and other Center programs and initiatives, please contact us at careycenter@stjohns.edu
and visit our website at www.stjohns.edu/law/careycenter.