Previous Academic Years

Justice Speaks lunches from previous semesters included:

SPRING 2012

LGBTQ Youth in the Age of Claimed Acceptance and Bullying
Wednesday, February 7, 2012
Susan Sommer, Senior Counsel and Director of Constitutional Litigation, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
Matthew Faiella, Staff Attorney, United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Ronald Scott, Staff Attorney, United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Moderated by: Professor Arthur Leonard, Professor of Law at New York Law School, Founder of New York City’s LGBT Bar Association, and Editor of the Lesbian/Gay Law Notes

Grassroots Community Organizing: Worker Cooperatives
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Gowri Krishna, Clinical Teaching Fellow at the Community Economic Development Clinic, Fordham Law School
Vanessa Bransburg, Cooperative Coordinator at the Center for Family Life
Teresa Bacilio (Perez), Founding Member of Sí, Se Puede! Coop
Click here for video from this event.

Where Will They Go? The Impact of International Climate Displacement
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Alice Thomas, Climate Displacement Program Manager at Refugees International
Professor Nicholas Robinson, University Professor on the Environment and Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law; Co-Director, Center for Environmental Legal Studies, Pace Law School
Moderated by: Aisha Elston-Wesley, 2011-2012 Carbonell Law and Policy Fellow, New York Law School
Click here for video from this event.

FALL 2011

Powers for Good: Medical-Legal Partnerships to Fight Poverty
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Paul Testa, Attending, Department of Emergency Medicine Bellevue Hospital Center / NYU Langone Medical Center New York University School of Medicine
Randy Retkin, Director and Founder of LegalHealth, New York Legal Assistance Group
Moderated by: Eberle Schultz Bassani, 2011–2012 Carbonell Law and Policy Fellow, Justice Action Center, New York Law School
Click here for video from this event.

Same-Sex Marriage in the Age of DOMA
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Melissa Goodman, Senior Litigation and Policy Counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union
Susan Sommer, Senior Counsel and Director of Constitutional Litigation, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
Professor Arthur Leonard, Professor of Law at New York Law School, Founder of New York City's LGBT Bar Association, and Editor of the Lesbian/Gay Law Notes
Moderated by: Cortney Nadolney, 2011–2012 Carbonell Law and Policy Fellow, Justice Action Center, New York Law School
Click here for video from this event.

Persecution and Protection: The Role of Gender and Sexuality in Refugee and Asylum Law
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Lori Adams, Managing Attorney of the Refugee Protection Program at Human Rights First
Victoria Neilson, Legal Director at Immigration Equality and Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law
Moderated by: Aisha Elston-Wesley, 2011-2012 Carbonell Law and Policy Fellow, New York Law School
Click here for video from this event.

SPRING 2011

Are Reproductive Rights Human Rights?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Luisa Cabal, Director of the International Legal Program, Center for Reproductive Rights
Cynthia Soohoo, Director of the U.S. Legal Program, Center for Reproductive Rights
Marianne Mollman, Advocacy Director, Women's Rights, Human Rights Watch
Moderated by: Edward A. Purcell, Joseph Solomon Distinguished Professor of Law, New York Law School

Do Recent Immigration Laws Constitute Racial Profiling?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Elora Mukherjee, Staff Attorney for the ACLU Racial Justice Program
Andre Segura, Attorney with the Immigrants' Rights Project

Who Owns Your Body?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Chris Hansen, Senior National Staff Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union
Moderated by: James Grimmelmann, New York Law School

FALL 2010

Is No Child Left Behind? The Status of the No Child Left Behind Act
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Shael Suransky, Deputy Chancellor, Division of Performance and Accountability, New York City Department of Education
Leony Halmson, Executive Director, Class Size Matters
Moderated by: Richard Marsico, Professor of Law, New York Law School

Modern Slavery: The Trafficking of Women and Children
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Olga Byrne, Senior Program Associate, Center on Immigration and Justice, Vera Insitute for Justice
Ellen Fried, Board Member, Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS)
Moderated by: Frank Munger, Professor of Law, New York Law School

Marijuana: Legalize It or Criticize It?
Monday November 8, 2010
Gabriel Sayegh, State Director, New York, Drug Policy Alliance
Dr. Paul Casadonte, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, New York School of Medicine & Director, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programs, New York VA Medical Center
Moderated by; Eugene Cerruti, Professor of Law, New York Law School

SPRING 2010

Terrorism Today: A State of Fear?
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Julian G. Ku, Professor of Law, Hofstra University School of Law
David Rittgers, Legal Policy Analyst, The Cato Institute
Moderated by: Stephen Ellmann, Professor of Law, New York Law School

From Jungle Gyms to Jail Cells: Policing in the Schools
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Angela Jones, School to Prison Pipeline Coordinator, NYCLU
Johanna Miller, PolicyCounsel, NYCLU
Moderated by: Deborah A. Archer, Professor of Law, New York Law School

Political Extremism and Reproductive Justice
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Sabrina Shulman, Political Director, NARAL Pro-Choice New York
Rebecca Hart, Legal Fellow, Center for Reproductive Rights
Moderated by: Carlin Meyer, Professor of Law, New York Law School


FALL 2009

Little Adults: Minors, the Law, and Changing Sexual Mores
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Cynthia Godsoe, Professor, Brooklyn Law School
Marjorie Heins, Founder, Free Expression Policy Project
Moderated by: Doni Gewirtzman, Associate Professor of Law, New York Law School

The Prognosis for Health Care Reform
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Jennifer Nicholson, Associate Program Officer, The Commonwealth Fund
Jess Wisneski, Legislative Director, Citizen Action New York
Moderated by Peter Strauss, Professor, New York Law School

Crime, but Why Punishment? A Examination of Modern Justice
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Cheryl Bader, Criminal Defense Clinic, Fordham School of Law
Michael B. Mushlin, Pace Law School; Correctional Association of New York; ABA Task Force on the Legal Status of Prisoners
Moderated by: Eugene Cerruti, Professor of Law, New York Law School

SPRING 2009

Social Justice Policy: Crafting a To-Do List
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Somjen Frazer, Senior Policy Activist, National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
Johanna E. Miller, NYLS ’08, Public Policy Counsel, New York Civil Liberties Union
Moderated by: Professor Anne Goldstein
Click here for video from this event.

Restoring Rights: President Obama Signs Fair Pay Act
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Beverly Cooper Neufeld, Coordinator, Equal Pay Coalition NYC; Co-Chair, New York Women’s Agenda, Government Affairs
Lisa Lipman, Pro Bono Attorney, Equal Pay Coalition NYC, New York Women's Agenda
Deborah J. Vagins, Legislative Counsel on Civil Rights, American Civil Liberties Union, Washington Legislative Office
Moderated by: Professor Carlin Meyer
Click here for video from this event.

Let's Talk About Sex: A Discussion on the Constitutionality and Effectiveness of Government-Funded Abstinence-Only Education Programs
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Joan Bertin, Executive Director, National Coalition Against Censorship
Dr. John Santelli, Pediatrician, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, and Chairman, Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
Bonnie Scott Jones, Deputy Director, Domestic Legal Program, Center for Reproductive Rights
Moderated by: Professor Elise Boddie

FALL 2008

A Suspect Classification: The Path to Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Ross Levy, Director of Public Policy and Education, Empire State Pride Agenda
Steven Newman, Professor of Law, New York Law School
Moderated by: Professor Arthur Leonard

Alternatives to Incarceration Programs: Punishment, or Get Out of Jail Free?
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Kai Livramento, former Courtroom Advocate, Fortune, and current 1L, New York Law School
James Lee Feck, criminal defense attorney, Bronx
Moderated by: Professor Eugene Cerruti

PIPE(line) DREAMS: Solving the Puzzle of Energy Independence
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
James Van Nostrand, Director of Pace Law School’s Energy and Climate Center
Moderated by: Professor Lawrence P. Schnapf

SPRING 2008

The Bronx Defenders: A Holistic Approach to Defense
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Robin Steinberg, Executive Director, Bronx Defenders
Moderated by: Professor Mariana Hogan, Director, Externship Program

The FCC’s Power to Limit Freedom of Speech Within Media
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Robert Corn-Revere, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine
Moderated by: Professor Nadine Strossen, President, ACLU

The Effect of “Sanctuary Cities” on Immigration Policy
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Udi Ofer, Advocacy Director, New York Civil Liberties Union
Matilde Roman, General Counsel, Mayor’s Office of Immigration Affairs
Moderated by: Associate Dean Lenni Benson

FALL 2007

Framing the Debate
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Srinu Sonti, Member of Chris Dodd's Campaign Organization
Moderated by: Professor Rick Marsico

Family Responsibility Discrimination
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Professor Joan Williams, Distinguished Professor of Law at UC Hastings School of Law
Mary Still, Institute for the Social Sciences at Cornell University
Moderated by: Professor Kris Franklin

Forced Treatment and Persons with Mental Disability
Monday, September 10, 2007
Dennis Bruce Feld, State of New York Mental Hygiene Legal Service
Deborah Dorfman, Director of Legal Advocacy, Washington Protection & Advocacy System
Moderated by: Professor Michael Perlin

SPRING 2007

Back to Basics: Labor Unions & Immigrants
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Kevin Finnegan, Levy Ratner
Brent Garren, UNITE HERE
Moderated by: Professor Lenni Benson

New Orleans Post-Katrina: Rebuilding Criminal Defense
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Leonard Noisette, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
Stephen Singer, Loyola Law School
David Utter, Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana
Moderated by: Professor Frank Bress

FALL 2006

Women's Rights are Civil Rights: The Supreme Court & Choice
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Marcia Greenberger, National Women's Law Center
Priscilla Smith, Center for Reproductive Rights
Moderated by: Professor Carlin Meyer

The Mid-Term Elections: Vindication! But for Whom?
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Dick Brennan, FOX 5 News
Marcia Kramer, WCBS New York
Lis Wiehl, FOX News Channel
Moderated by: Professor Seth Harris

It's Not Politics as Usual in the New York City Council
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Council Member David Weprin, New York City Council