Recent Events

Recent Events

Municipal Law and Planning: A Local Perspective on Hydrofracking

Held on September 28, 2012, this program provided guidance on how municipal officials can use their local land use tools to effectively plan for the potential introduction of high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) in their communities. Panels discussed state regulation of HVHF, water withdrawal concerns, preemption and home rule litigation, effective land use controls, municipal ethics, and opportunities for training. The panels included parcticing attorneys, planners, academics and scholars.

To download the conference materials (pdf), please click here.

Video of the conference is now available for viewing:

Panel One: Current Status of HVHF and Water Withdrawal Issues

Panels Two and Three: Responding to HVHF: Municipal Ethics; SEQRA and HVHF

Panel Four: Responding to HVHF: Legal Considerations

Panels Five and Six: Responding to HVHF: Effective Local Planning Tools; Responding to HVHF: Municipal Training

Violence, Vulgarity, Lies... and the Importance of 21st Century Speech

The Government Law Center co-sponsored this program with the Albany Law Review, held on September 27, 2012. The symposium included First Amendment scholars and advocates from around the country, with panels focused on the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court's recent freedom of speech decisions.

 

The Role of the Office of Counsel to the Governor: Its Functions and Evolving Role

 

Held September 13, 2012 at Albany Law School, the program featured a panel of seven former counsels to New York State governors - and one current counsel. View video of the program here.

 
 

William B. Sanders Lecture in Government Law & Policy

With featured speaker Hon. Thomas DiNapoli
Held November 28, 2011 at the law firm of Squire Sanders & Dempsey (US) LLP, the program featured the Honorable Thomas DiNapoli, Comptroller of the State of New York.  
Public Authorities Project
Examining the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009
 
Held October 28, 2011, this program examined the effects of the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009, its strengths and potential improvements.   
 

Building in the 21st Century Series:

Case Studies in Public Construction Procurement: At the Intersection of Build Environment Regulation and "On the Ground Reality"

Held October 21, 2011 at Albany Law School, this conference was co-sponsored by AIA-NYS, Albany Law School, the NYC Bar Association and Town & Gown.

Practically Grounded:

Best Practices for Skill Building in Teaching Land Use, Environmental, and Sustainable Development Law

Held May 5, 2011 at Pace Law School in White Plains, NY, this conference was co-sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Law Teaching and the Government Law Center of Albany Law School and the Land Use Law Center of Pace Law School. It offered professors an opportunity to showcase and learn about context-based learning strategies in these dynamic practice areas.

Public Authorities and Municipalities:

The Implications of Dodd-Frank Act on their Fiscal Operations

The Government Law Center assembled a panel of experts, including a representative of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to discuss the implications of Dodd-Frank, and current budget challenges, on municipal securities issuers. The program discussed the new registration requirement for municipal advisors (and related rule-making activities) and disclosure requirements associated with the current fiscal crisis, including those involving post-employment benefit obligations. The program was held on Friday April 15, 2011 at Albany Law School. A recording of this program is now available through our Webcast portal.

2011 Crawford Lecture

On Friday, April 8, 2011 the Edwin L. Crawford Memorial Lecture on Municipal Law was held. Professor Clayton Gillette delivered the lecture with the topic "Insolvency: What Can a Municipality Do?" A recording of this lecture is available through our Webcast portal.

Should Wisconsin Come to New York?

The Intersection of Collective Bargaining, Budgets and Politics

On Wednesday, March 23, 2011 the Government Law Center and the Rockefeller Institute co-sponsored a program entitled "Should Wisconsin Come to New York? The Intersection of Collective Bargaining, Budgets and Politics" Visit the following links to view the program featuring former state legislators John Faso and Richard Brodksy debating issues over collective bargaining, budgets and politics, moderated by GLC Government Scholar in Residence, Abe Lackman:

Taxpayer Advocacy:

Addressing Systemic Tensions During Tight Budget Times

Tax commissioners, advocates, academics and practitioners explored the current tensions between revenue collection and taxpayer advocacy on October 8, 2010. The event was co-sponsored by the Law Clinic and Justice Center's Low Income Taxpayer Clinic and the Government Law Center, as well as by Morrison and Foerster LLP & Teal Becker and Chiaramonte.

Federal Universal Service Reforms & Broadband Deployment

The GLC co-hosted "Federal Universal Service Reforms & Broadband Deployment" on Wednesday, October 6th. The program began with a keynote address from Robert Mayer, Vice President, Industry and State Affairs, United States Telecom Association, Chair of the Communications - Sector Coordinating Council (C-SCC) and former Director of the Communications Division at the New York Public Service Commission
Two panel discussions provided an overview of recently proposed regulatory changes to the Universal Service Fund, and how these changes may affect broadband deployment in New York and at a national level. Panelists provided an overview of current telecommunications regulations and how the FCC's proposed reforms with a focus on broadband will alter the administration of the Universal Service Fund.

Speakers Express Frustration at EFOIL Conference

"EFOIL: The Freedom of Information Law Meets the Digital Age," held Dec. 4 at the law school, examined the impact of technology on accessing records under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). Miriam Nisbet, Director of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, was the keynote speaker.

Strong Turnout for Community Forum on Climate Crisis, Government Policy and Green Jobs

A capacity crowd filled the Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom on April 1st for the community forum, "Climate, Jobs and Justice: Copenhagen Report and Next Steps for Labor and the Environment," featuring NYS DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis and other advocates who discussed a wide variety of issues and opportunities that confront New Yorkers in building a clean energy, good jobs future. The program was co-sponsored by the Government Law Center, the New York State Apollo Alliance, and the Albany Law School Environmental Law Society.

Crawford Lecture Presented by Shipman & Goodwin Attorney Ross Garber

The GLC's Edwin L. Crawford Memorial Lecture on Municipal Law featured a presentation by Ross H. Garber, Partner, Shipman & Goodwin LLP on "The Integrity of Public Service: The Impact of Recent Public Corruption Cases," on April 15 at Albany Law School. Mr. Garber focused on the "theft of honest services" statute and the three cases currently before the U.S. Supreme Court hinging on this law.
Dean Patricia E. Salkin provided welcoming remarks. Opening remarks were given by Stephen J. Acquario ‘98, Executive Director, New York State Association of Counties
The Crawford Lecture was established in 1996 to honor the memory of Edwin L. Crawford, former executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. The program strives to educate and promote dialog on important and timely issues affecting local governments. Crawford speakers have included prominent government officials and attorneys involved with municipal issues. Presentations by several former Crawford Lecturers can be accessed here.
This year's program was made possible through the generous support of the Association of Towns of the State of New York, the New York State Association of Counties , the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials, and Saratoga Associates.

The Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009

A program on The Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009 was presented by the Government Law Center's Public Authorities Project on April 27th to a full-house in the Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom at Albany Law School. The Independent Authorities Budget Office co-hosted the event.
Panelists included Ira M. Millstein, Senior Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Chair of the Governor's Task Force on Implementation of the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009, Senior Associate Dean for Corporate Governance, Yale School of Management; Luke Bierman, Esq., Office of the New York State Comptroller; David Kidera, Interim Executive Director of the (new) Independent Authorities Budget Office; and Scott Fein, Partner, Whiteman Osterman & Hannah LLP, member of the Governor's Task Force on Implementation of the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009, Director, Public Authorities Project of the Government Law Center. Assemblyman Richard Brodsky and Senator Bill Perkins also addressed the close to 200 attendees.
The program, approved as part of the new training requirements for public authority board members, was also broadcast live across the state, and the video can be viewed on our Webcast portal.​