In celebration of Women’s History Month, Fordham Law is honoring trailblazing graduates who broke barriers and changed the legal profession. Ruth Whitehead Whaley ’24 was the first Black woman to enroll at and graduate from Fordham Law School and the first Black woman to practice law in New York state. She was also the founder and first president of the Black Business and Professional Women’s Club and the first Black woman to pass the North Carolina bar exam. Learn more about this pathbreaking Fordham Law alumna below. Ruth Whitehead Whaley’s life is a compelling story of firsts. The first Black…
Author: Newsroom
The National Center for Access to Justice (NCAJ) at Fordham Law School has announced the release of the Consumer Debt Litigation Index, an online resource that shows some progress toward adoption of fairer laws but ultimately demonstrates that every U.S. state and the District of Columbia still lack essential legal standards to protect consumers from wrongful, abusive debt collection tactics. Millions of Americans each year face lawsuits brought by debt collectors. These cases clog court systems, in some districts approaching or exceeding half the number of cases filed in some jurisdictions. Because of ineffective state laws, cases are often filed…
What started as a group chat between Fordham Law alumnae navigating the challenges women face in the legal profession has grown into a vibrant networking community of more than 100 women lawyers across the country. Milana Dostanitch ’14, senior of counsel at Lipsky Lowe LLP, and Katerina Housos LL.M., ’14, CEO and general counsel of United Steps Therapy, formally launched IWILL: Inspiring Women in Law League in September 2023 along with fellow co-founder Kalpana Nagampalli, a litigation attorney at Kakar P.C. They described it as the first organization of its kind to provide career development resources, mental health and wellness support,…
Reproductive and transgender rights in the United States are in jeopardy, say legal and policy experts. These and other issues were the focus of Fordham Law Women’s sixth annual symposium on women and the law held at Fordham Law School on Mar. 7 in special collaboration with the Advocates for Trans* Law Students. ACLU Communications Strategist Gillian Branstetter, a guest speaker on the panel “Reproductive and Trans* Justice” described the attacks on abortion rights and gender-affirming care as deeply intertwined. Branstetter pointed to anti-abortion legal and political strategies that had been in place long before the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s…
Claudia Massaia, LL.M. ’24 is a Brazilian lawyer who is pursuing a legal education at Fordham Law where she is taking advantage of a range of opportunities to deepen her knowledge of corporate compliance. She has already completed an externship in the Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes division at the Office of the New York State Attorney General and has spoken alongside experts at a conference on global compliance. Why did you choose Fordham Law? Fordham’s distinguished reputation for offering specialized LL.M. programs, particularly in corporate compliance, made it the one and only choice for me. And the possibility…
As states enact laws limiting gender-affirming care for transgender youth, a Fordham Law symposium brought together advocates to discuss strategies to defend the legal rights of LGBTQ+ clients. The symposium, “The Next Generation: Tracing the Rights of LGBTQ+ Youth and Laying the Foundation for the Future,” explored pressing issues facing LGBTQ+ youth today. The event was organized by Fordham Law’s two LGBTQ+ student affinity groups, Fordham OUTLaws and Fordham Advocates for Trans* Law Students (ATLS). Moderating the second panel, “Under Attack: LGBTQ+ Rights on the Ground,” about what it’s like for advocates working with LGBTQ+ families in this challenging political…
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Fordham Law is honoring trailblazing graduates who broke barriers and changed the legal profession. Eunice Carter ’32 was the first Black woman assistant district attorney in the state of New York and part of the team that convicted Lucky Luciano, one of New York’s most notorious mobsters. She was also chief of the Special Sessions Bureau for the New York County criminal justice system, chair of the United Nations’ International Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations, and member of the U.S. National Committee for the U.N. Economic and Social Council. Fordham Law’s annual Eunice Carter Lecture,…
Emilia McManus ’25 is completing a J.D. at Fordham Law School with hopes of pursuing a career in public defense or impact litigation when she graduates. She says she was drawn to Fordham’s dedication to addressing issues of inequality through student advocacy initiatives, clinic work, and pro bono opportunities. What is your hometown? Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Where did you study before Fordham Law? University of Notre Dame. Why did you choose Fordham Law? I chose Fordham because of its commitment to fostering a community of public interest-driven students and promoting social change through the legal field. Recognizing the pivotal…
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Fordham Law is honoring trailblazing graduates who broke barriers and changed the legal profession. Frances Berko ’44 was a pioneer in disability rights who served as state advocate in the New York Office of the Disabled, fought for legislation to protect the disabled against discrimination, and helped found United Cerebral Palsy. Learn more about this pathbreaking Fordham Law alumna below. Frances Berko was an early trailblazer in disability rights. Born with ataxic cerebral palsy, she earned several advanced degrees, drafted crucial disability rights legislation, and remained a lifelong advocate for people with disabilities. Berko left her…
Fordham Law Associate Professor Atinuke Adediran has been selected for a prestigious Visiting Scholar position by the Russell Sage Foundation, where she will be spending a year in residence working on her first book, exploring the rhetoric of racial equality in the business marketplace. Adediran said she was “honored and humbled” to be selected for the program. “The fellowship is one of the premiere scholarly opportunities in the social sciences, and provides a vibrant interdisciplinary environment to foster the exchange of ideas,” Adediran said. “To be around brilliant scholars from a wide range of fields in law, sociology, economics, political…