Western New England University School of Law

**Faculty Shout-out** Outside of guiding admitted and prospective students to WNE Law, Assistant Dean Szostak empowers the next generation of legal minds through volunteer mentoring.

Quick heads up: Women's Law Association (WLA) is holding their first event of the year before the semester kicks off! Are you an incoming or returning law student feeling anxious about buying books, navigating campus, managing self-care, or finding the best study techniques? Then you will not want to miss this!

Please join us in congratulating the Senior Editorial Staff and Associate Staff for Volume 47 of the Western New England Law Review! We are grateful to the staff, faculty, and entire WNE Law School community for their continued support and encouragement working with such a talented and dedicated group of students. Congratulations to the Western New England Law Review Senior and Associate Staff for Volume 47!

30 days until orientation kicks off! Can't wait to welcome our new incoming students. The excitement is building as we eagerly await for the entering Class of 2024 to arrive!

Incoming students, join us for part 2 of the summer book club meeting on July 30th at 6pm! We will discuss Becoming Ms. Burton From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women by Susan Burton and Cari Lynn. This is a great way to connect with your future classmates and begin discussing the law in a fun environment! Make sure to check your emails for more information.

Happy 4th of July from all of us at WNE Law!

Summer may have just started, but the girls are already on fire 🔥

After winning WNE Law Student Org of the Year, our WLA was recognized and awarded the NCWBA Women's Law Student Association Award by the National Conference of Women’s Bar Association! Additionally, the outgoing WLA President, Daijah McKim, L'24 received the distinguished golden bear award for graduate student of the year🎉

Congratulations!! We are so proud to have you representing us on a national scale💙

A fairytale 40 years in the making🤍

Alan, L'80 and Melissa, L'82 met at WNE Law in 1978. Although life took them in different directions, they found each other again during the pandemic. Now, Alan and Melissa are husband and wife, and where better to get married than the place where they met all those years ago.

Congratulations to the happy couple and please enjoy your "something blue" from your WNE Law family💙

Western New England University School of Law alumnus Yassine Sahbani L'21 has joined Barclay Damon as a commercial litigation associate attorney in New Haven, Conn. Specializing in civil litigation with a focus on complex contract disputes, he joins the firm to offer targeted solutions. Sahbani’s approach is grounded in industry expertise and a deep understanding of his clients' businesses, making him a feature for our !

To learn more about Yassine and his new appointment at Barclay Damon, visit bit.ly/alumninewsYS

Today we recognize and celebrate Juneteenth! Juneteenth is a federal holiday commemorating the day in 1865 when troops freed the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.

The Black American Heritage Flag was created in 1967 by Melvin Charles and Gleason Jackson. According to Charles and Jackson, the gold blunted sword represents "the feeling of having pride and also knowing, when you have a blunted sword, when you blunt it, you learn to curdling the earth." The gold fig wreath is for "peace, prosperity, and everlasting life." Red represents the "rich blood we shed for freedom, justice, and human dignity, and the color black was for the pride in our pigmentation."

803: Black American Heritage Flag. PBS SoCal. (n.d.). https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/wedu-arts-plus/clip/803-black-american-heritage-flag-1datig

“What historical narrative are we willing to weave in order to remind people not only that we were here enduring the trials but that we stared the fang toothed wolves of injustice in the face and said, ‘no more.’” —Travon Free

“Equality means more than passing laws. The struggle is really won in the hearts and minds of the community, where it really counts.” – Barbara Gittings

Happy Pride Month to all those who fight for equality everywhere! WNE Law is proud to be a safe and welcoming space for the LGBTQIA+ community. Here your rights aren't just taught, they're protected🏳️‍🌈

Today we acknowledge the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) and its founder, Monique.

Monique Nguyen Hoppe is the founder and president of APALSA. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, she was hoping to find camaraderie with other AANHPI students at WNE, help the AANHPI community in Western Mass, advance diversity in law and introduce WNE law students to Asian culture and cuisine. In the past two years, APALSA has worked with the Commonwealth’s AAPI Commission, AANHPI community leaders, and local legal services. APALSA has received several grants from the AAPI Commission, lobbied on Capitol Hill for AANHPI issues, hosted several Asian events for law students, arranged events with APALSA’s incredible mentors from MA and CT, and attended events with the AANHPI community. Monique looks forward to becoming an APALSA mentor upon graduation and watching APALSA continue to grow.

Thank you Monique for your hard work and dedication to the AAPI and WNE community💛💙

The month of May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. WNE Law celebrates the AAPI community and all of the unmeasurable contributions they've made on and off our campus.

As the academic year comes to a close, remember these words from basketball player Jeremy Lin. Whether you're starting an internship or bar prep soon, go out this summer and be the best you that you can be✨ You are the only one in your race!

Did you catch the Solar Eclipse on Monday?? Well, our students did!

Enjoy photos of our Mindfulness in Law Practice class getting some fresh air while rocking some cool glasses.

WNE Law would like to acknowledge everyone celebrating Eid Ul Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. Eid Mubarak!!!

🤫Silent Auction Time🤫

Join for their annual Silent Auction!!! This is a great opportunity to network, support the organization and get to know local businesses. This event is open to the public and you can attend from ANYWHERE!!!

Thank you PILA for all of your hard work making this program a success every year🤍

Women's History Month may be coming to an end, but the celebration continues! We will never stop showing our gratitude to all the women who make WNE Law a better place💛

Go into this next month remembering these words from The Notorious RBG herself.

The Western New England Law Review recently named the Executive Board and Editors for Volume 47! Congratulations!

Speaking of Herstory…

The WNE Womens Law Association started Women’s History Month with a bang‼️ Their Second Annual HERStory Brunch was a SOLD OUT success. Students, Faculty, Administration, Local Attorneys, and Admitted Students enjoyed a delicious brunch buffet with food from followed by a Fireside Chat with 3 incredible Women Attorneys. The event ended with Speed Networking.

We’re already looking forward to next year’s Brunch!! Great job Women’s Law🩵🩵

For contact information for any of the panelists, dm

Happy Women's History Month!

As WNE Law celebrates the achievements of women everywhere this month, please reflect on these words from one of the fiercest women in Herstory, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg👩🏻‍⚖️

As Black History Month comes to a close, we would like to recognize our Black Law Students Association (BLSA). BLSA has a long and strong reputation for service to our university through their dedication, passion and leadership. Our BLSA is exceptional, and it’s not just WNE that knows it…

This month the WNE BLSA chapter was recognized by the Northeast Black Law Students Association (NEBLSA) at their annual convention.

— The chapter was awarded Medium Chapter of the Year;
— Nichola “Nikki” Tracey was awarded Medium Chapter President of the Year;
— Chapter Treasurer Joel Wesonga was elected NEBLSA Treasurer; AND
— The chapter was recognized for having the highest attendance at panel discussions during the NEBLSA Convention.

Thank you to WNE BLSA for continuing to be an example of true impact, excellence, successfulness, and community!

Congratulations BLSA ❤️🖤💚

Start Spreadin’ The News 🗽🎉

Congratulations to Chanelle Gooden, 2L; Cassidy Murillo, 2L; and Daijah McKim, 3L for competing in the INTA Saul Lefkowitz Trademark Law Moot Court Competition in NYC. They represented WNE Law so well that even the judges sought them out afterward to praise their performance. Continue making us proud 💙

Happy Black History Month ❤️🖤💚

Join WNE Law as we remember the Beauty, Bravery, and Brilliance of the incredible Black leaders of yesterday and today.

Enjoy this photo of activist and author Coretta Scott King with her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others.”
— Coretta Scott King

WNE Law is breaking barriers by going "Beyond The Law"🎉🎉

Western New England University School of Law has been named as a top 12 finalist in Bloomberg Law’s second annual Law School Innovation Program. We are proud to be recognized as a pioneer in the advancement of legal education – going beyond the traditional legal curriculum and helping students develop foundational skills for practicing law. WNE Law is one the only four law schools on the East Coast to be chosen as a finalist.

Click here to learn more: https://pro.bloomberglaw.com/law-school-innovation-program/ -finalists

Congratulations Joy and Brendan🎉

Please join us in congratulating Brendan Morrison & Joy Vincenzo from Western New England University School of Law, winners of the J.D. Best Written in the 2023 - 2024 Law Student Tax Challenge!



Western New England University School of Law
ABA for Law Students

Halloween x Criminal Law 🎃🚔

On Halloween, Professor Baldwin taught her Criminal Procedure and Advanced Criminal Law classes about some spooky caselaw. After the lesson, the students had a raffle and costume contest. Although "Packing the Court" won first place, we can all agree that Batman stole the show!

Law School for a Day

In September, we launched "Law School for a Day," a pipeline program designed to expose Springfield public high school students to the field of law. The program includes a mock law class, law student and career panels, an undergraduate admissions presentation, and an interactive activity in the Moot Court room led by Judge Michael Mulcahy.

See photos from two high school visits, including a picture of Mayor Sarno welcoming the students to WNE Law!

And we're back!! Well, kinda...

Although the weather outside is frightful🥶, we want to wish you all a happy first day of the semster🎉 Also, happy last first day to our graduating 3Ls and 4Ls!! Be on the look-out the rest of the week as we reminisce on highlights from Fall '23.

Stay Warm🧤🧣