With three law journals, a vibrant moot court program, 120 internships, 20-plus student organizations and a full pro bono program, students have ample opportunity to learn in many ways. Several key projects were added to their options this year.

Albany Law School and The Legal Project Launch New Fellowship Program

Albany Law School and The Legal Project will provide increased access to civil legal representation to victims of domestic violence in the Capital Region through the Katheryn D. Katz Fellowship Program.

The fellowship program, made possible by funding from the New York State Office of Court Administration and, to date, more than $60,000 in donations from private law firms throughout the region, will employ current law students and recent graduates from Albany Law School. The Legal Project is also very grateful to be awarded $165,000 in Senate domestic violence grant funding through the support of Senator Hugh Farley and Senator Kathleen Marchione.

Web-Based Program Offers Homeowners Foreclosure Information

Tens of thousands of New Yorkers still face the prospect of losing their homes through foreclosure without the benefit of a lawyer. Students helped launch a free, web-based guide through the foreclosure process, providing critical information that can help save their homes. The web-based application will also help homeowners find free housing counseling and legal assistance nearby.

This initiative is a joint project of Empire Justice Center, the College of Computing and Informationat the University at Albany, and the Government Law Center at Albany Law SchoolStudents from the University at Albany worked closely with staff from Empire Justice Center, Albany Law students and faculty, local homeowners, and lawyers who engage in foreclosure defense to create the foreclosure guide.

Assisting Immigrant Detainees

Albany Law School students have started presenting to detained immigrants through presentations in English and Spanish in Albany County. The program was launched in conjunction with several community partners as part of a response to the recent reports regarding the impact of immigration enforcement on families and the placement of large numbers of children in foster care as a result of their parents having been detained or deported. It also responds to the current humanitarian crisis at the southern border this year, hoping to reunite children traveling alone with their family members in the United States.

“We are fortunate to be able to work with committed partners in the community, including Judge Victoria Graffeo, New York State Court of Appeals; Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple; and Joanne Macri of the New York Office of Indigent Legal Services," said Professor Rogerson.

“This is an excellent example of regional collaboration, bringing together representatives from law enforcement, higher education, the judiciary, and nonprofits to solve an important problem,” said Judge Graffeo, who graduated from Albany Law School in 1977. “It is also a wonderful opportunity for Albany Law students to provide much-needed legal services to a group of people that often lacks access to legal resources.”

"It is central to a humane and fair immigration enforcement system that families are kept intact," said Sheriff Apple. “This initiative is a critical part of that system, ensuring that everyone is adequately informed about their rights and options.”