Short '13 Says Clinic is "100% Responsible" For Career Success

Stefen Short ’13 attributes much of his career success in civil rights, particularly in the areas of disability justice and prisoners' rights, to his clinical experience at Albany Law School, where he worked in the Civil Rights and Disability Law Clinic. Today, this Clinic is part of the all-encompassing Health Law Clinic within the Edward P. Swyer Justice Center.

"I absolutely would not be where I am, I wouldn’t have [had] my Legal Aid job, wouldn’t have [had] my Disability Advocates job, or this job, without that experience," he said. 

In February 2025, he started a new position as Special Counsel for Disability Justice Projects at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ). Short is responsible for building NCLEJ’s national litigation docket to advance the rights of people with disabilities who have been impacted by carceral systems.

Short found an entry point into the field of disability justice through the clinical offerings at Albany Law School. Although he initially didn’t know which area of civil rights law he wanted to pursue, his work in the clinic opened his eyes to the intersection of disability rights and prisoners' rights. He was particularly influenced by a case the clinic co-counseled with Disability Advocates, Inc., which challenged the state’s refusal to provide records regarding the discharge of individuals with disabilities from state facilities. His involvement in this case deepened his understanding of disability rights law and gave him valuable hands-on experience. 

"The clinic was where I learned about disability rights as a field," he said. 

Short’s work coincided with an internship with Disability Advocates, Inc., which eventually turned into a full-time position. There, he became involved in prisoners' rights work, specifically addressing the treatment of individuals with disabilities in solitary confinement. He recalls visiting numerous prisons, jails, juvenile justice facilities, and other institutions and engaging directly with incarcerated individuals. 

This experience was pivotal for him, reinforcing his commitment to advocating for marginalized populations.

Beyond practical knowledge, Short noted it is crucial for civil rights lawyers to have "systems knowledge," meaning a deep understanding of the agencies and agency policies they are challenging. The clinic instilled in him this vital skill, teaching him to be strategic and tactical in order to navigate the systemic biases in the legal system. 

"In order to succeed in this field, we have to be smarter, more strategic, more tactical than our opposition," he said.

The clinic's focus on direct engagement with individuals impacted by the carceral systems profoundly molded Short’s approach to the practice of law. In his work, he always does his best to ensure that the voices of those directly affected by the legal system are at the forefront. 

"The clinic really taught me how to take direction from directly impacted people,” he said.

His work at the Prisoners’ Rights Project of The Legal Aid Society of New York City, including class actions addressing the state's failures to serve incarcerated people with disabilities and accommodate their needs upon release, is a testament to his commitment to disability justice. That commitment originated with his clinical work. One of Short’s most notable cases, M.G. v. Cuomo, challenged the state's practice of prolonging the confinement of individuals with mental health needs due to a lack of community-based services. That case, and its first-in-the-nation litigation strategy, brought him to his current position.

Today, Short not only practices law but also contributes to the field as an adjunct professor at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. He credits his clinical experience for shaping the trajectory of his career.

"The clinic is 100% responsible for where I am now," he said.