Reunion 2008

Dear Alumni from the classes ending in 3's and 8's,

Over 395 people attended Reunion 2008 with representatives from the class of 1948 to the most recent graduates from the class of 2008. The three-day weekend started with a reception at the A.D. White House, honoring the fiftieth reunion for the class of 1958 featuring wine-tasting courtesy of several local New York Finger Lakes wineries. With over 60 people at the event and warm summer weather, it was a great way to kick off the Reunion activities.

Cornell Law School continues its commitment to the education of our graduates by hosting a variety of informative activities, including the following impressive and varied Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs held during Reunion:

• “Ethical Lawyering in a Technical World” with Law Library staff Jean M. Callihan and Charles Finger. Participants learned about ethical issues facing attorneys as technology continues to enhance, yet complicate the practice of law.
• “Contemporary Legal Issues in Sports” with Dennis Curran, General Counsel of the NFL Management Council; Cyrus Mehri, JD ’88, Founding Partner of Mehri & Skalet PLLC; and moderator William Buckley Briggs, ’76, Law School Adjunct Professor and Vice President of Labor Arbitration & Litigation, NFL Management Council. This program explored current laws and issues facing professional sports.
• “Real Estate and the Housing Market: Has the Bubble Burst and What are the Ramifications?” with Jennifer Schultz, JD ’03, Staff Attorney, Community Legal Services; Daniel J. Wagner, JD ’83, Vice President and Senior Associate General Counsel, Mack-Cali Realty Corporation; Jeffrey L. Schwartz, AB ’73, Partner, Hahn & Hessen, LLP; and moderator Jerome Hass, Professor, Johnson Graduate School of Management. Panelists discussed the current housing market and its impact on the economy and legal issues that attorneys now face.
• “Food Policy and Law – We are What We Eat: A Discussion of Current Public Policy and Food Safety Issues” with Eric F. Greenberg, JD ’83, Eric F. Greenberg P.C., Jeremiah Cosgrove, BS ’81, JD ’88, Deputy Commissioner, NYS Dept. of Agriculture & Markets, and moderator Professor Risa M. Mish, BS ’85, JD ’88 Johnson School of Management Leadership of Organization faculty member. This gathering highlighted legal changes that have new developed due to the recent explosion of issues affecting the food we eat. Panelists also offered their unique perspectives on the success and challenges presented by government and industry responses.
• “Arming the Citizenry to Fight Fraud Against the Government: False Claims Acts and the IRS Whistleblower Law” with Neil V. Getnick, AB ’75, JD ’78 and the Honorable Margaret J. Finerty, JD ’78, both from Getnick & Getnick; and moderator Law School Professor W. Bradley Wendel. This session shared legislative and litigation insights and experience into the new legal landscape for combating fraud on state and federal governments.

The alumni also took advantage of several activities that were available, including a tour of the Cornell Plantations and an Open House at the Dawson Rare Book Room with its current exhibit “From Paper to the Internet: Making the Treasures of the Cornell Law Library Accessible to the World” and a family friendly scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt participants were given rhyming“clues” (for example: “You have already come so far, on your competitors, you’ll be gaining… Write down the stats from the Dean with green balloons around his painting!”) and encouraged to seek out several different items hidden around Myron Taylor Hall. Three winners were selected by a random drawing and presented with a gift basket filled with Cornell Law School and Ithaca Coffee Company items. The winners were Henry Massey, AB ’61, JD ’68, Timothy Bixler, JD ’93 and William Verhelle, JD ’98. A special thanks to Gabriel Cannavo (son of Vito Cannavo, JD ’78) for assisting with the drawing.

The “Dean’s State of the Law School” breakfast brought record breaking fundraising news for these reunion classes. Congratulations to all alumni who participated in Reunion 2008’s efforts to raise significant financial support for the Law School.

During Saturday’s lunch, an annual meeting of the Cornell Law Association took place. Official business was conducted and led by Law Association President Katherine Ward Feld, MBA ’82, JD ’83. The official business included welcoming the six new Law Association Board members – Jaime A. Bianchi, JD ’91, James C. Dugan, JD ’93, Julie B. Freidman, BS ’88, JD ’93, Randal Goldstein, BS ’96, JD ’01, Les Locke, JD ’75 and John Vukelj, JD ’03. Also thanked for their service to the Law School were the outgoing Executive Board members – Tina M. Foster, JD ’00, Monica Parikh, JD ’99, Colette Pollitt, JD ’00, and Scott Shorr, JD ’95. Ms. Ward-Feld then recapped the numerous events held by the Cornell Law Association throughout the year. Dean Stewart Schwab also thanked the board members for their hard work and efforts to build and enhance alumni affairs activities.

To conclude a fun-filled weekend of class dinners, CLE programs, tours, a scavenger hunt and reconnecting with friends, there was an all class dinner dance with a special unveiling event highlighting a portrait of former Dean Lee E. Teitelbaum. The late dean’s wife, Herta Teitelbaum, and their son, Peter Teitelbaum, were in attendance and accepted a framed sketch rendering of the portrait. “Was the Trip Worthwhile?”Was the title of the talk by keynote speaker Allan R. Tessler, AB ’58, LL.B. ’63, CEO, International Financial Group, Inc. The evening concluded with live music by the “Backtalk Band” and dancing.