PUBLIC INTEREST HONORS CELEBRATION
April 7, 2014, 6-9
Faculty House
Welcome to the Columbia Law School Social Justice Honors
Celebration– aka/ the 21st annual public interest love fest.
The much loved and respected Columbia Human Rights
Professor Lou Henkin once told me that he tried to never miss
an SJI dinner because it was one of the few places he went
where he would like everyone and it gave him great hope about
the future.
Looking out at you, I know what he meant
You are a very impressive and encouraging group
From Gillian Lester, the new Dean of Columbia Law School
To Nancy Northup’88, President and CEO of the Center for
Reproductive Rights
Our Distinguished Columbia Law Graduate of 2015
To the newest members of our community – the students
who are being honored tonight because they have
demonstrated a commitment to using their considerable
time, talent and energy for the public good
The evening is a chance to acknowledge and thank those of you
who have given so much to the honored students, other
Columbia Law students and to SJI in the past year.
Faculty, adjunct faculty, administrators,
Supervisors of pro bono or summer work
Columbia grads and other leading advocates who have
paved the way and mentor new talent
AND
Donors to postgraduate fellowships, LRAP, summer
internships, caravans and more
My father used to say goodbye to people by saying “May you
live in interesting times.”
He attributed it to an “old Chinese curse.”
I never understood why that would be a curse.
Who would want to live in boring times?
These certainly are interesting times
From faraway places to the Columbia Law School community Old assumptions, institutions and relationships are being
challenged from many directions.
The need for new ideas and partnerships, stronger movements
and creative legal work that put people and the environment
above profits is clear.
That’s why the view from this podium gives me great hope.
You are already engaged and will keep creating and agitating
Whatever your areas of expertise and work, your dedication is
much needed
Consistent with thinking about transitions and transformations
Honor and pleasure to introduce Columbia Law School’s new
Dean - Gillian Lester
Dean Lester came to Columbia this January
from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where
she had been
Acting Dean
the Alexander F. and May T. Morrison Professor of Law
the Werner and Mimi Wolfen Research Professor;
and
the co-director of the Berkeley Center for Health, Economic
and Family Security
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Dean Lester is a nationally recognized authority in employment
law and policy
At the 1L Dinner earlier this year, Dean Lester told the entering
class
“If we succeed here together, you will not only be trained to be
the best lawyers in the nation—you will be the … brave,
cosmopolitan, and humane leaders of the next generation.”
Might just be that Dean Lester is Canadian but she already has
shown students, faculty, graduates and administrators that we
can work together collegially toward that end.
Columbia graduates who continue to actively support public
interest programs and students at the Law School are eager to
welcome you to their midst.
They are represented tonight by Susan Lindenauer ’64,
And a leading member of Columbia’s Board of Visitors
Susan served as the counsel to the President and attorney-inchief of The Legal Aid Society of New York where she worked for
38 years
She has not been idle in retirement!
She has, among other things:
chaired the Senior Lawyers Section of the New York State
Bar Association.
co-chaired the State Bar’s Task Force on Family Court.
And chaired the fellows of the New York Bar Foundation
No wonder she has received
Columbia Law School’s Medal of Excellence
and
The NY State Bar Association’s Ruth G. Schapiro Award
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I am proud to call Susan a friend and mentor
Each year, SJI identifies a Columbia Law School graduate who
exemplifies social justice commitment and leadership on an
issue that speaks to the current moment -- to be our
“Distinguished Graduate” and keynote speaker.
We selected Nancy -Northup this year because in the face
of virulent attacks on the rights of low-income women and
women of color to choose, she has provided fearless and
tireless leadership and insistence - in the U.S. and around
the world - that reproductive rights are human rights
Nancy will be introduced by Jennifer Sokolar
Jen
Graduated from Columbia in 2010
Clerked for Judge Cote, SDNY & Judge Katzman 2d Cir
Was a Legal Fellow at the Center for Reproductive Rights
Most importantly, we are here to recognize Columbia law
students who have been social justice leaders
Every year, new students arrive at CLS with the zeal to use the
law, their knowledge and their energy to make the world a better
place.
Tonight’s Honorees held fast to their dreams and have
demonstrated their continuing commitment in a variety of ways
They will be introduced by the SJI team – all of whom contribute
greatly to the public interest community at Columbia and
beyond.
I will introduce them 1 by 1 but please hold your applause until
the end
Maddie Kurtz, Director of Public Interest Professional
Development
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Rachel Pauley, Director for Government Programs
Laren Spirer, Director of Pro Bono
Kiran Singh, Senior Associate Director
Alyson Finley, Interim Associate Director
Brian Juergens, SJI Assistant Director
Cat Kirchhoff, Deborah Sachere and Mathew Poe, Program
Coordinators
Special thanks to Laren and Matthew for creating tonight’s
wonderful event
Although we cannot see what the future holds for our honored
students, we know that you are much needed and that there is a
lot of satisfying work to be done.
Whatever your goals, remember that all of us at Social Justice
Initiatives are here to be your coaches and colleagues.
This is the end of the formal program – But NOT THE DINNER
Time for dessert!!
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