The National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School is a legal research, education, and policy center that examines the implications of the jurisprudence of state attorneys general. Working closely with attorneys general, academics, and other members of the legal community, the Program is active in the development and dissemination of legal information used by state prosecutors in carrying out their civil and criminal responsibilities.
Each year, attorneys general visit Columbia Law School to share their ideas and vision for high quality, state-based law enforcement. Last semester, eight attorneys general interacted with students and shared their wide knowledge with the Columbia community and thereby contributed greatly to the Law School's commitment to serving the public interest.
On May 10th, Senior Counsel, Cindy M. Lott participated in a roundtable discussion on Philanthropic Transparency: How Public Should Private Philanthropy Be? The roundtable discussion was be hosted by The Aspen Institute Justice And Society Program. Other panelists include: Rick Cohen National Correspondent, Nonprofit Quarterly; Jack Horak, Founder, Nonprofit Organizations Practice Area, Reid & Riege, P.C. and John Tyler, General Counsel, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Video of the discussion may be viewed
here. Lead Counsel Lott's remarks begin at approximately 43:36.
Program Director Tierney Gives Presentations on Legal Ethics to Colorado and Idaho AG Offices (April 2012)
During the week of March 12, 2012 Tierney visited the offices of the Colorado and Idaho attorneys general to give presentations on legal ethics that highlighted the unique ethical issues that face state prosecutors. The presentation provided continuing legal education credits for those who attended. Tierney and Program staff will be conducting these sessions for attorneys general throughout the country in 2012 and 2013.
In addition, Director Tierney has made available resources at
www.stateag.org on ethics including prior presentations, hypothetical questions, and selected readings.
The Attorney General/Federal Mortgage Settlement and its Implications for Housing Finance (February 23, 2012)
James Tierney, Director of the National State Attorney General Program, Professor Robert Jackson, Associate Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, and James Millstein, CEO of Millstein & Co, LLC (Formerly Chief Restructuring Officer at the Department of the Treasury) discuss the recent mortgage-finance settlement and its implications for housing-finance policy going forward.
Speaker Bios
Health Reform Roundtable Discussion
(December 2011)
On December 5th, the Health Project at the National State Attorneys General Program hosted a roundtable discussion with designees from sixteen attorney general offices on the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The discussion focused on the role of state attorneys general beyond constitutional challenges pending before the Supreme Court. Concentrating on areas where attorneys general have traditional involvement, the discussion highlighted areas expected to see more activity such as insurance market reforms, healthcare marketplace changes, and Medicaid expansion. The Health Project intends to release a resource guide that will reflect the responsibilities tasked to state attorneys general to aid their offices understand and prepare for healthcare reform implementation
Attorneys General of Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New Hampshire Discuss Human Trafficking on Podcast. (November 10, 2011)
Attorneys General Pam Bondi of Florida, Martha Coakley of Massachusetts, Mike Delaney of New Hampshire, Paula Dow of New Jersey, George Jepsen of Connecticut, Eric Schneiderman of New York, and Bill Sorrell of Vermont were among a diverse group of state and federal officials and members of the advocacy and academic communities who convened at Columbia Law School on October 21 for the Eastern Region Meeting on Human Trafficking, sponsored by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG).
U.S. Ambassador Luis CdeBaca Addresses NAAG Meeting on Human Trafficking at Columbia Law (October 17, 2011)
The National State Attorneys General Program hosted a forum on human trafficking featuring Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, director of the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Attorneys General of seven states (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont) attended the Oct. 21 event along with senior staff from another dozen offices of attorneys general.
Conference Agenda
Arkansas Attorney General Visits Program, Records Podcast on Payday Lending (September 27, 2011)
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel visited the National State Attorneys General Program on September 23 for meetings with Director James Tierney, program staff, and Columbia Law students. In a discussion with Tierney for the AG Program Podcast, the former police officer from Jonesboro, Arkansas detailed his educational and professional experiences prior to his election as state attorney general. "Your state attorney general's office is absolutely extraordinary in the variety of work that is available," McDaniel said, discussing potential career opportunities for current students. "The notion that good lawyers are only found in high-paying corporate gigs is simply not accurate."
AG Program Podcasts (mp3)
United States Department of Labor, State Labor Regulators and Other Stakeholders Meet at Columbia Law School to Discuss Best Practices and Information Sharing to Prevent Unlawful Labor Practices (September 19, 2011)
On August 17-18, the National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School convened an informal meeting of state and federal regulators, academics and advocates to discuss improving law enforcement at both the state and federal levels regarding payroll fraud and misclassification.
The key goal of the meeting was to enhance cooperation between the federal government, states, worker advocates, and employers. The meeting was convened a month prior to the United States Department of Labor’s signing of memorandums of understanding with the IRS and with a number of state regulators to provide for information-sharing with the goal of leveling the playing field between employers who follow the law and those who do not.
Read more here.
National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School
605 West 113 Street, #1 New York, NY 10025
(p) 212-851-1061 (f) 212-851-1064
