June 08, 2011
The Law Loughlin Society Dinner on May 5 brought together more than
85 generous Law School contributors. Established in 2010 by Dean
Michael A. Simons to recognize and thank those who support the Law
School at the Loughlin Society level, this annual event celebrates
Law School community, camaraderie and achievement.
During the dinner presentation, Mary Kalich ’12, a Senior
Articles Editor for the St. John’s Law Review, provided
some insight into the life of a St. John’s law student. She
described her typical day at the Law School, as well as the unique
opportunities she has had, such as traveling to Washington, D.C.,
with fellow students and her professors to meet Supreme Court
Justice Clarence Thomas. Mary, who will intern with the the Suffolk
County District Attorney’s Office this summer, also expressed how
excited she is to participate in the Law School’s Prosecution
Clinic in the fall.
Thanking attendees for their generosity and commitment, Dean
Michael A. Simons announced that Loughlin Society membership
continues to grow and to provide funds critical to the ongoing
success of the Law School and its students. In thanking the
donors, Dean Simons noted that “turning out lawyers like Mary is a
group effort, requiring the commitment of our faculty, the
dedication of our students, and the support of our alumni.” He also
acknowledged the many notable gifts received this year, including a
contribution from the Mattone Family to completely renovate the
Atrium and a $500,000 donation to establish a scholarship in the
memory of Maxine Belson, a longtime friend of the Law
School.
With
the strong foundation of alumni support, the Law School is building
its faculty with five new hires this year. Its centers
continue to offer dynamic forums at the leading edge of academic
scholarship and discussion. The newly launched Center for
International and Comparative Law recently hosted its inaugural
symposium, “Challenges to International Law, Challenges from
International Law: New Realities and the Global Order.” The Center
for Labor and Employment Law hosted a successful conference on "The
Theology of Work and the Dignity of Workers." This summer, along
with The Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution, it will host
an international conference at Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam
College addressing “Worlds of Work: Employment Dispute Resolution
Systems Across the Globe.” These major events bring together a
diverse, distinguished group of thought leaders, professionals and
scholars in the field to consider important legal issues of the
day.
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Dean Simons also noted the Dispute Resolution Society’s success at
the Willem C. Vis Moot, an annual international commercial
arbitration competition held in Vienna. St. John’s finished third
in a field of 260 teams from 65 countries. Highlighting another
impressive achievement, Dean Simons shared that students in the Law
School’s Child Advocacy Clinic recently helped obtain a significant
appellate court victory. The Second Department’s decision in this
highly unusual private party child neglect action is the first to
extend New York State's longstanding commitment to protecting
children to a child being held in a juvenile immigration facility.
"More than three centuries ago,” Dean Simons noted, “St. Vincent
was a powerful advocate on behalf of the poor. And that is
what our students are doing today."
Those who attended the event expressed how much they enjoyed the
opportunity to meet fellow Loughlin Society members and to
celebrate the positive momentum of the Law School. Dean Simons
concluded the event by thanking the donors for being dedicated
members of the St. John’s “Law School family.”