We are honored and excited that our last Tufts Judicial Series of 2021 will feature Judge Ransey Guy Cole Jr. on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
Judge Cole was nominated by President Clinton and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1995 to a judgeship on the United State Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which hears all federal appeals from the States of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee. In August 2014, Judge Cole assumed the role of Chief Judge for the Sixth Circuit—becoming the first African American to hold that position since the court’s formation in 1869-until April 2021. During his twenty-six years on the appellate bench, Judge Cole has authored hundreds of legal opinions, including landmark decisions on civil rights, criminal procedure, and the scope of the First Amendment, among others. Judge Cole lives in Columbus, Ohio with his family.
The program will be a "fireside chat" with Judge
Cole led by Judge Cole's classmate, Stephen Wermiel, A72 (Professor at American
University) and Tom Dunn, A00 (Pierce Atwood LLP and TLA President). We will
also have some time for general discussion and networking at the conclusion of
the program.
Please join us on November 9th at 6PM for a discussion on the implications of gender violence.
This webinar will be part of an ongoing series presented by the Public Interest & Social Justice Committee of TLA led by TLA Board Members, Andre Baynes and Kathryn Sheehan.
With increased attention to gender-based violence and oppression in the United States and other places such as Afghanistan, it is extremely important for the Tufts community to focus on how we may better understand and combat these injustices throughout our communities. During this webinar, you will hear from a diverse group of Tufts graduates and faculty as they discuss gender-based violence across multiple disciplines.
The faculty for this program are:
Melinda Holmes is a peacebuilding specialist, writer and strategist focusing on gender and political violence. At the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) she directs the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL), which brings together more than 60 independent women-led civil society organizations in 30 plus countries working to prevent violent extremism and militarism. A 2016-2017 Visiting Fellow at LSE’s Centre for Women, Peace & Security, Holmes also previously worked with The Carter Center, where she advised on the engagement of religious and traditional beliefs, actors and communities in advancing peace and human rights. Holmes graduated with a Master’s in international affairs from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, focusing on the gendered and religious dynamics of conflict and peacebuilding.
Kudrat Chaudhary is a Gender Specialist at the Law Office of Robert Jobe. She is has research, advocacy, legal and policy experience with a focus on gender, human rights, child rights, and Conflict Resolution including Mediation, Negotiations, and Arbitration. She has researched on Child Brides in humanitarian settings for Save the Children and served as a consultant for Australian Progressives on Refugee Policies of Australia. Kudrat has also written a book on the human trafficking of women in Nepal after the Nepal Earthquake of 2015. She’s a trained mediator from MWI, Massachusetts and the Australian DIsputes center, Sydney. Kudrat obtained a Masters of Laws (LLM) from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Dyan Mazurana is a Research Professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. She directs Feinstein’s Research Program on Women, Children, and Armed Conflict and co-directs the Masters of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance (MAHA) Program. She focuses on gendered dimensions of humanitarian response to conflict and crises, documenting serious crimes committed during conflict, and accountability, remedy, and reparation. She serves as an advisor to several governments, UN agencies, human rights NGOs, and child protection organizations regarding humanitarian assistance and improving efforts to assist youth and women affected by armed conflict. This work includes the protection of women and children during armed conflict, including those people associated with fighting forces, as well as remedy and reparation in the aftermath of violence. She has a Ph.D. and an M.A. in women’s studies from Clark University, where she studied International Relations, Comparative Politics, International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law and Comparative Languages. She also holds an M.A. and B.F.A. from the University of Wyoming, where she studied painting, art history, and feminist theory.
If you are interested in learning about how to combine your interest in law with your passion for international relations, then this virtual program on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9AM ET is for you!
Come hear what it is like to practice law abroad from three alumni who have experience working for U.S. firms abroad, foreign private law firms, and international organizations. Each one of the panelists will share their unique stories on how they went from the Hill to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, representing international companies and organizations around the world. They will discuss the challenges they face as foreign attorneys as well as opportunities for others who want to practice abroad.
Panelists include Edward Patrick Flaherty, A81, Schwab, Flaherty & Associés, Geraldine Fischer, J99, ICSID and Janet Pahima, J80, Herzog Fox & Neeman. Thanks to TLA Member, Dan Mandell, for planning this excellent program!
Join Tufts alum and long-time litigator Jonathan D. Plaut,
A92, as he reads us selections from his newest book, “I’ll Take the Case: Wild
& True Law Stories”.
In the book, Plaut shares 18 of his best true law stories –
out of over 1,500 he has handled in his career. These stories are told in a
quick, easily-readable style, and they introduce the reader to the real-life
world of a litigator. Some of Plaut’s stories are funny, some are poignant,
some are heartbreaking and some are just wild, and they range from criminal
law, civil litigation and sports law to international disputes and family
battles.
“One story is about a maritime mutiny out of Gloucester,”
Plaut says, “and another is about a lawsuit where I sued Don King on behalf of
a World Heavyweight boxing champion. Another is about a fistfight which
occurred on a Korean Airlines flight which made headline news throughout South
Korea.” There are several stories about rock stars he has represented, and some
are about sex-based crimes and their aftermath. “It’s packed with details, and
I share the nuances of my legal strategies.” Plaut tells us that the book
contains stories about jury trials, self-defenestration and some super strange
barters for legal services. “Fasten your seatbelt,” Plaut cautions.
Plaut’s book is available on Amazon. Tufts’ own Sol Gittleman called it “a
stunning achievement”. Another lawyer in Boston just called it “a peep show
into the incredible world of litigation”.
Plaut will also field questions---about law school, the
practice of law, rock & roll stories from the road, or anything else you
might want to ask! He will also giveaway three autographed books to attendees
picked at random.
The discussion will be moderated by Sabienne
Brutus, A13.
This event is open to all Tufts Lawyers Association members, students, alumni, parents and friends. We look forward to seeing you on June 23rd!
To learn more about this program or TLA, contact TLA President, Tom Dunn at rtdunn@PierceAtwood.com.
On June 2, 2021, Becky Goldberg (recent Columbia Law School Graduate) and Marc Sittenreich (Garfunkel Wild) interviewed Magistrate Steven Locke of the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York (EDNY).
Judge Locke discussed the unique attributes of Magistrate Judges, including its history and diversity of usage throughout the United States District Courts. He described that EDNY currently has a huge caseload and that the Magistrate Judges handle the civil cases mostly through the discovery and motion for summary judgment stages of the litigation. He described his thoughts on bail decisions, including implicit biases, and the effort that he commits towards the cases he adjudicates.
Judge Locke promoted the strong benefits of clerkship as well as service as an Associate United States Attorney. He described how much he enjoys working with his law clerks and interns. He prefers to hire his law clerks after a couple years of experience.
The TLA's Tufts Judicial Series is making connections. Judge Locke described how he has been in touch with Judge Birotte after his program. He mentioned that he may adopt Judge Birotte's policy of allowing oral argument if an attorney with less than seven years experience handles the argument. In addition, during the networking portion of the meeting, Judge Locke's friend from Tufts re-connected with Judge Locke from India! Despite it being 5AM in India, Guatam Chawla and Judge Locke recounted old times during the call. It was fun to see. Below is a screenshot of that moment.
