The class of 1997 was one of the classes recognized at this year's law school alumni reunion.
Rutgers Law School in Newark welcomed back 175 alumni for its annual reunion that featured a day of activities at the law school and an evening gala at 15 Washington St., a previous home of the law school.
This year, Rutgers law honored graduates from the classes of 1957, 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, and 2007. Check out the photo gallery.
The visitors met at 123 Washington Street, at the Center for Law and Justice, which is the law school’s current home. Besides taking tours that included visiting the distance-learning classroom, commonly called “the Holodeck,” they also toured the library. Guests came from as far as California, Boston, Connecticut and Washington D.C.
Co-Dean Ron Chen greeted the alumni saying, “Rutgers Law School is and always will be the People’s Electric Law School. We use that name to refer to our dedication to public service and public interest.”
Chen talked about the expansion of the clinic programs and noted there are 11 clinics at the Newark location. He also mentioned the HEAL collaborative, a program between the Education and Health Law Clinic and the Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School’s Outpatient Pediatrics Department, which offers an interdisciplinary approach to helping pediatric patients.
He explained the Holodeck technology, which allows students in Camden and Newark to take classes virtually without having to leave their respective locations, “It’s truly interactive with our colleagues in Camden.”
He said since the merger, Rutgers Law School has over 1,100 students and is the largest public law school in the Northeast, but still maintains a small campus feeling at each location. He said Rutgers Law remains a bargain compared to other schools in the region.
A panel of students attending law school also spoke to the alumni and shared the things they loved about attending Rutgers, including its diversity, being part of the Moot Court Board National Trial Team, interning at a non-profit in Brooklyn over the summer and the Attorney General’s Office, hearing of their professors’ experiences, and taking part in transactional competition class.
“I think Rutgers is special because of the collegiality with the professors,” said Robert Papazian ’17.
Guests also learned about the clinical programs from Clinical Professor Charles Auffant and the Rutgers Law Associates program, which offers legal assistance to low-income people in a variety of areas that include family law, intellectual property law and disaster relief.
Professors led two Continuing Legal Education programs. Professor Sabrina Safrin talked about “The C-Section Epidemic and What’s Tort Reform Got to Do with it” while Professor Andrew Rothman spoke about “Candor in Negotiations.”
Following the afternoon at the Center for Law and Justice, all attended a cocktail reception and separate jovial class dinners at 15 Washington St.
The event was part of Rutgers University’s Alumni Weekend, which coincided with Rutgers Day.