At Rutgers Law School, learning happens both inside and outside the classroom. As a result, its faculty is—by design—one of the finest and most diverse groups of legal scholars and clinical practitioners in the nation. This year, eight new professors join the ranks, each boasting their own scholarly and clinical expertise as well as a zeal for teaching the next generation of legal minds.
The Rutgers Law School Housing Justice & Tenant Solidarity Clinic in Newark is representing tenants filing two lawsuits over the deteriorating condition of their building.
At the beginning of this year, a group of entrepreneurs and advocates convened for the first session of Rutgers Law School’s new Certificate in Cannabis Law and Business. Over the course of the six-month program, they learned about the rules and regulations impacting New Jersey’s cannabis industry as well as what it takes to fund, launch, and run a compliant cannabis business in the state. A core team of Rutgers instructors from across the law school and university was enhanced by more than 30 guest speakers including medical practitioners, compliance specialists, legislators, business owners, lobbyists, and advocates, all focused on charting the way forward for the emerging industry. By the conclusion of the program in July, 18 students earned their certificates and solidified their place within a growing network of cannabis professionals.
Lana Ivory Lee ‘23 was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Intellectual Property Law Clinic Award, designed to celebrate a student who has demonstrated exceptional proficiency in the clinical practice of intellectual property law. She was awarded on August 1, 2023.
Rutgers Law students Jacob Honesty ’25 and Emily Konell ’25 were among six exceptional Rutgers-Camden students who participated in the 2023 Chancellor’s Mayoral Internship Program. Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Antonio Tillis founded the eight-week summer program as part of his “15 in 5” slate of initiatives introducing students to the wide range of ways to make a difference in public service careers.
The New Jersey Innocence Project at Rutgers University (NJIP) has helped exonerate a Hudson County man who served 20 years for a crime he did not commit. Dion Miller, now age 54, was released from prison on July 27. He was represented by NJIP Director, Professor Laura Cohen, and Managing Attorney, Nyssa Taylor. Mr. Miller was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Romeo Cavero in 2007 and sentenced to a term of 30 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
Newark native Mubdi R. Sanni-Thomas ’23 wants to be a corporate attorney. Since high school, he says he has wanted to deal with business transactions, including negotiating, drafting contracts, and all aspects of the transactional side of the law, in addition to counseling corporations on various legal matters.
A group of globally recognized scholars met at Rutgers Law School in Newark for two days to present their work on comparative enforcement of international law and engage in an intense discussion on international and comparative law.
Rutgers Law Dean Johanna Bond has selected a mix of new and veteran faculty for the law school’s leadership team.
When Johanna Bond arrived on campus as the new dean of Rutgers Law School on July 1, she brought with her extensive teaching experience, hands-on administrative expertise, a passion for human rights, and sharp clinical skills. But equally important tools in her kit include an extraordinary appreciation for Rutgers Law, a contagious excitement to reinvigorate the school’s identity as the People’s Electric Law School, and a passion for building on the strength and unique culture of each campus while charting a path forward for the school as a whole.
Throughout the month of June, the Pride flag has lined streets around the country and flown across TV and smartphone screens in advertisements for all manner of products and companies. But this year, the colors of the rainbow may appear more muted, as culture wars and legislative action over transgender medicine, drag performances, and overall LGBTQ rights have threatened to put a damper on Pride festivities. Professor of Law Katie Eyer, an anti-discrimination attorney who has argued precedent-setting cases on behalf of LGBTQ employees, answered questions on the various issues and legal challenges the community has come up against this Pride Month.
We are deans of Big Ten law schools, joining together to affirm our commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through legally permissible means, regardless of the outcome of the cases pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. These are core values of our law schools and the universities of which we are part. If we are to prepare people to be effective lawyers and future leaders, it is essential to create a learning environment that welcomes people who embody a wide range of identities, backgrounds, and experiences.