Our Centers at Work

Connecting Law, Leadership & Community
 

Albany Law School was founded with a forward-thinking vision as a place where the study of law would serve both the profession and the public good. Nearly two centuries later, this vision is no longer just an idea. It is thriving in Albany Law’s centers, clinics, and community programs. These are spaces where the law is learned, lived, and used to make a difference.

THE GOVERNMENT LAW CENTER - POLICY IN REAL TIME
In Albany, New York’s Capital, law and government come to an intersection everywhere you look. Albany Law School’s Government Law Center (GLC) is the bridge between those two worlds built on education and policy work. 

Earlier this year, the GLC gained a new leader, Patrick Wildes ’16. Wildes, an attorney and career public servant, spent nearly five years in the New York State Governor’s Office, most recently as Assistant Secretary for Human Services and Mental Hygiene. In his most recent role with the Governor’s Office, Wildes managed the operations of several state agencies, including the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports. He played a critical role in the formulation and execution of the Governor’s human services policy agenda, and was a key player in the implementation of the Governor’s significant investments of over $1 billion into  New York State’s mental health system.
“It is an incredible honor to lead the Government Law Center. As a proud graduate of Albany Law School, longtime Capital Region resident, and passionate public servant, I know the critical role the GLC plays in government,” Wildes said. “I look forward to building upon the Government Law Center’s rich legacy by training the next generation of leaders in the public sector and cultivating important dialogue and analysis on some of the most pressing issues of our time.”
Wildes leadership and the GLC’s nearly 50-year history are a combination fit to make a difference. And that history and opportunity were once again recognized by preLaw magazine, which ranked Albany Law as the number one school in the country for government law. 
“Government law is about making systems work better for people,” Wildes said. “We want our students to see how their research and ideas can directly inform policy decisions— that’s the kind of engagement that defines an Albany Law education.”
That engagement takes shape in multiple ways. Through the Siena Fellows Program, for example, Siena University (formerly  Siena College) undergraduates get a glimpse at law, ethics, and civic responsibility and gain an inside look at law school. 
This summer, the GLC’s civic reach was on full display with a public forum for Albany city residents. Collaborating with the League of Women Voters, the GLC hosted an in-person forum with the four Democratic candidates for Albany mayor ahead of the June primary. 
“That night,” Wildes said, “these students weren’t just observers. They were participants in the civic conversation that shapes our city.”
Law students have even more opportunity with the GLC through The Edgar ’46 & Margaret Sandman Fellowship in Aging, Disability, and Health Law and Policy, The Government Law Center Fellowship, and various field placements.
The GLC also brings a robust series of offerings to the local and state government and corresponding agencies as well, including cornerstone events like the Warren M. Anderson ’40 Lecture Series. Held from February to May—corresponding with the legislative session—this series features experts to speak on major legal and policy issues before the New York State government. In 2025, they covered the following topics:  May 22: State and Local Impacts of Federal Immigration Policy
April 23: The State of Homelessness in New York
March 27: New York State’s Climate Agenda: Progress and Paths Forward
February 6: Current Issues in New York State Education

THE EDWARD P. SWYER JUSTICE CENTER  - FIFTY YEARS OF ADVOCACY, AND COUNTING
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Albany Law’s clinics, a milestone celebrating decades of learning through service. The Edward P. Swyer Justice Center has trained generations of lawyers by putting them in direct contact with clients—a model that remains as transformative today as it was in the 1970s.
In the Community Economic Development Clinic (CEDC), students use their legal training to help small businesses and nonprofits build stronger communities. 
The CEDC works alongside Elevate Every Business, Inc. (EEB) to co-host a training program for women’s entrepreneurial development, the Madie Maude Project. The program supports a cohort that meets at The Edward P. Swyer Justice Center at Albany Law School every other Sunday, most months.
The Madie Maude Project, named after the grandmother of EEB’s founder, Deborah Williams, is an entrepreneurship program for Black women, particularly inclusive of those living with a disability or a chronic illness, those who are low-income and/or formerly incarcerated. Enrollment is not limited to one racial or ethnic demographic. The program differs from many other entrepreneurship programs in its focus on health in personal and business startup planning. 
“This program builds on the true community partnership we have developed over the years,” said Todd Arena, Senior Staff Attorney in the CEDC. “As individuals living with chronic illnesses and ADA-covered conditions ourselves, we of course recognize the challenges that disability brings. Yet we also know from our own lives that it’s important to re-frame disability not as a deficit, but as an asset.”
Law students are able to sharpen several skills through their work in the CEDC. In the clinic’s work with EEB, students gain firsthand experience navigating laws small businesses must follow as they become established, earn money, hire employees, expand, etc. And beyond the textbook legal skills, students are able to practice soft skills like active listening, counseling, and compassion. 
“Hosting this program inside the Swyer Justice Center is especially beneficial for our students; it’s one thing to read about the resiliency of people living with a disability, but nothing compares to being up close and personal with an entrepreneur who is putting it all on the line to build something new and exciting,” Arena said. “Whether contemplating a future in business law, elder law, or trusts and estates, understanding how to safely navigate special needs estate planning for owners launching new business ventures is an invaluable skill.”
CEDC students also worked on a first-in-the-nation project. In late 2024, a universal wireless charging station for CDPHP Cycle! Bikeshare’s electric bikes was opened in Amsterdam, NY with the hope to add many more around the Capital Region—and beyond. 
Clinic students were able to work on many aspects of launching a startup company including agreements for project funders, navigating corporate structures, and in this case,  dealing with municipal regulations and permitting. The experience not only helped get the bikes charging, but provided valuable, hands-on experience for clinic students as well.  

“The CEDC teaches our students practical and valuable skills that they can immediately put into action when they hit the legal work force. We have the added benefit of being able to do well by doing good. By working with companies like re:Charge and founders like Julien, students develop their legal acumen while improving  our community,” said Professor Fermín Méndez, director of the CEDC.

A CULTURE OF SERVICE
Albany Law’s field placement and pro bono programs connect students with hundreds of community partners each year. Together, they log more than 50,000 annual hours of service, working in courthouses, agencies, and nonprofits across the state.
From advocating for veterans and families to advising policy-makers, the experience instills not only professional skills but a lifelong commitment to public service.
“Pro bono work is one of the strongest pillars of the legal profession. Our students, under the expert guidance of our clinic faculty and staff and field placement supervisors, learn the importance of pro bono work early on while providing essential legal services to our community,” said Professor Sarah Rogerson, Director of The Edward P. Swyer Justice Center at Albany Law School. “Clinic clients come to us in some of  their most difficult moments. Our students learn crucial client relation skills while also providing the legal services our  community needs with compassion and care.”
For students, it’s a time to sharpen client skills and see the value of pro bono service once they enter the profession. 
“Pro bono work is very special for me. It is something that is fundamental to the legal profession because access to justice should be available for every person regardless of their financial circumstances. Helping the most vulnerable people is an honor and a privilege for me,” said Avanpal Mann ’26, a student in The Justice Center. “For me, pro bono work is essential in the legal profession for people to trust in the justice system. This allows people to witness that accountability, transparency and the rule of law are being upheld in the United States. It helps them understand that the justice system does not only serve the rich and privileged. Building a positive reputation for the legal system gives me great joy and I feel very happy helping those who are in desperate need for justice but do not have the means to pay through the process of getting there.”

ALBANY LAW, NYS DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ SERVICES, AND NY HEALTH FOUNDATION  LAUNCH EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP FOR  VETERANS’ ADVOCATES
Albany Law School’s Online Programs, the New York State Department of Veterans’ Services, and the New York Health Foundation have partnered to expand professional development opportunities for Veterans Service Officers (VSOs)— the frontline advocates who guide veterans through complex benefits and claims processes.
Beginning in 2026, Albany Law will offer VSOs across New York access to specialized online courses in areas such as mental health law, government ethics, and constitutional rights. The program will equip VSOs to better assist veterans and their families facing legal and administrative challenges like housing insecurity, discharge upgrades, and access to benefits.
The initiative also opens academic pathways for VSOs without undergraduate degrees, offering formal recognition of program completion and, for degree-holders, optional course credit. A separate track for Veterans Service Directors will  include training in human resources and healthcare law. The first cohort will begin in spring 2026, with graduation planned for Veterans Day.
“This is such a meaningful program—designed to provide education and support to veterans who are themselves serving other veterans,” said Associate Dean for Online Education Jonathan Rosenbloom. “It directly supports our mission of offering accessible, flexible, and relevant courses to diverse learners.”
Delivered through Albany Law’s established online infrastructure, the program features short terms, asynchronous learning modules, and high faculty engagement.
“We envision graduates bringing their enhanced advocacy skills back to their communities, strengthening local services and improving access to legal support,” said Assistant Dean for Online Programs Tom Rosenberger.
Albany Law President and Dean Cinnamon Carlarne added, “We are proud to partner with NYS DVS and NY Health Foundation to make higher education more accessible for those who dedicate their lives to serving veterans.”
“Without competent representation, veterans can be left without the life-changing benefits they’ve earned,” said Benjamin Pomerance ’13, Deputy Counsel at the NYS  Department of Veterans’ Services. “Access to skilled advocates can make all the difference.”