At the June 2020 Cornell Law School reunion, a panel of current and past Cornell Law clinical faculty and alums celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of the clinical program. Professor Andrea J. Mooney (CLS ’92, faculty from 2001–20, and clinician from 2004–20) organized and moderated the session.
The panelists included Glenn Galbreath (clinical faculty from 1986–2016), Beth Lyon (clinical faculty since 2015), JoAnne Miner (clinical faculty from 1986–2008), Bob Seibel, (clinical faculty from 1985–97 and 2001–02), Barry Strom (CLS ’74 and clinical faculty from 1975–2011), and Betsy Wohl, CLS clinic alumna (’90) and longtime attorney with the Legal Assistance of Western New York in Ithaca.The session began with the panelists reading excerpts from Martin Luther King Junior’s 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail. They talked about the social justice origins of the Clinical Program and its longtime identity as a legal aid office providing assistance to the low-income community in Tompkins County with public benefit, landlord-tenant, divorce, and consumer issues. The conversation ranged from the program’s impact in the community to pedagogy, with clinic alumni chiming in from the chat feature with stories, questions, and tributes. The session then moved to breakout rooms to discuss the current clinics. One alumnus joined a breakout room and began talking with faculty about the urgent legal needs of his legal services clients and community partners. That conversation has continued and in true Cornell Law fashion, he is now working on a new pro bono project involving current students.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
