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Features
James E.C. Perry
James E.C. Perry '72, the new Florida Supreme Court justice, had a firsthand perspective of the South during the civil rights movement.
Lynn Forester De Rothschild
Lynn Forester de Rothschild '79 looks to the future with optimism as she continues to build on an exceptional business career.
Criminal Master Mind
For scholar and public intellectual George Fletcher, a career overflowing with influential contributions to the academy portends even bigger things to come.
Eric Holder
United States Attorney General Eric Holder '76 is addressing the challenges that go hand-in-hand with being the nation's most powerful law enforcement officer.
Global Positioning
In the midst of the worst international economic meltdown in generations, Law School scholars of varying backgrounds and perspectives are grappling with how to effectively assess and address what has become a global crisis.
High Hopes
Professor Michael Gerrard talks global climate change with Elizabeth Kolbert. Is there any hope for an effective international response to the problem? And could it be that U.S. legislation is the key to the equation?
Hollywood, Esq.
For Law School graduates who have risen to great heights in entertainment law, a day at the office can mean power lunches and more.
Lost in Translation
During a time of unprecedented, swift development within the Chinese judiciary, Professor Benjamin Liebman focuses on what the country's courts are doing now, and where they might be headed.
Tom Rothman
Fox Filmed Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman '80 is an expert of the highest order when it comes to the art of producing Hollywood hits.
Only on the Web
Hollywood Esq.: Image Gallery
As related to the feature "Hollywood Esq.," see images of Law School graduates who are making their mark in the high-profile world of entertainment law.
Go Beyond: Browse an interactive map showing CO2 emissions by country
Compare CO2 emissions from countries around the world. See "High Hopes" for the full story.
Web Exclusive: Read Professor Pistor's full articles on the global financial system
Read articles by Professor Katharina Pistor on how to effectively assess and address the global financial crisis.
Video: Additional Corporations in Court Seminars
More videos from Professor John Coffee's Corporations in Court seminar.
View More: See videos of professors speaking about the global financial crisis
Professors John Coffee and Merritt Fox discuss regulatory proposals that could help address the global economic crisis.
Video: Corporations in Court Seminar on United Rentals, Inc. v. RAM Holdings, Inc.
A video from Professor John Coffee's Corporations in Court seminar.
View More: Browse web-only photos of Professor Fletcher
View additional web-only photos of scholar and public intellectual George Fletcher.
View More: See a video of Martha Nussbaum's keynote address
The Gender and Sexuality Law Program celebrated its inaugural symposium by honoring University of Chicago professor Martha Nussbaum.
View More: See videos of scholars discussing the Chinese court system
Professor Benjamin Liebman and Edwards Visiting Fellow Chi Majiao discuss the Chinese court system's strengths and weaknesses.
View More: Watch a video of Professor Gerrard speaking about the climate change center
Professor Michael Gerrard talks about Columbia's Center for Climate Change Law.
Video: Ted Shaw and Curtis Levey Debate Affirmative Action
Professor Theordore M. Shaw and attorney Curt Levey debated affirmative action during a spirited discussion held at Jerome Greene Hall.
In Session
Mary Kate Johnson
A summer associate at Sidley Austin this year, Mary Kate Johnson '10 sees her father as a catalyst for her burgeoning career in law.
Internet Internationalization
National and commercial forces at work around the globe cause the Internet to look and function differently depending on where you live. So does it still make sense to refer to it as the Internet? Professor Tim Wu explains.
On Cultural Confrontation
Professor George A. Bermann examines whether law deemed to be Americanized is truly distinct from law thought of as Europeanized, or whether they are two versions of the same thing.
Angela Smedley
Angela Smedley '10 looks forward to a career that incorporates her interests in both the legal and sports arenas.
Benjamin Beaton
Driven in part by his experience working for the federal government, Benjamin Beaton '09 begins a clerkship with Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit this year.
Charting a New Course
With the help of some of the country's foremost judges and attorneys, Professor John Coffee has devised a bold new approach for teaching law students the subtle art of litigation strategy.
Fighting Foreclosures
To help stem the destructive increase in mortgage foreclosures, Professor Edward Morrison and two colleagues have devised an innovative proposal that has congress listening.
Max Miller
Max Miller '09 made an impact on the Law School community with his work as the president of the Student Senate, and now, he hopes to take his skills to the litigation department of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
Tegan Brink
Tegan Brink '09 LL.M., a Fulbright Scholar from Australia, looks forward to a bright future in international trade law.
The Real Deal
She may have gone into the family business, but intellectual property law expert Jane Ginsburg has chosen a path all her own.
Crystal Lopez
Traveling to countries from Equatorial Guinea to the Dominican Republic, Crystal Lopez '09 takes on complicated human rights issues around the world.
From Fashion to Pharmaceuticals
An expert in intellectual property law, Professor C. Scott Hemphill navigates the intricate issues surrounding copyright infringement in two important industries.
From the Dean
Dean David M. Schizer notes that "one of the great virtues of private philanthropy, as opposed to government programs, is that the funding is voluntary."
In Profile
Brett McGurk '99
After helping the last presidential administration negotiate a long-term strategic framework agreement in Iraq, Brett H. McGurk '99 has been asked by the Obama administration to continue serving as a special adviser.
Alan Bain '64
In 1970, Alan L. Bain '64 launched World-Wide Business Centres, a company that provides all the comforts of an office, from furniture to assistants to phone lines, for workers on the go.
Edward Hayes '72
Edward W. Hayes '72 has made a career of defending high-profile clients, and along the way, he also served as the basis for a character in Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities.
Louise Renne '61
As the city attorney for San Francisco, Louise Renne '61 has enjoyed a long, and perhaps unlikely, career in the public sector.
Melanie Velez '01
As an attorney with the Southern Center for Human Rights, Melanie Velez '01 spends her working hours defending the rights of some of society's most underrepresented: convicted felons.
Nancy Sanborn '91
After combining eight years of experience as a banker with her pronounced interest in law, Nancy L. Sanborn '91 is at the top of her game as a bankruptcy lawyer.
Richard Weisberg '74
For more than 30 years, Richard H. Weisberg '74 has been researching the legal climate in France during the Vichy regime. In recognition of his work, he was recently named to the French Legion of Honor.
Tara Burns Newell '99
Tara Burns Newell '99, a partner at Bryan Cave, specializes in mergers and acquisitions, while also taking on as clients three start-up companies, all of which are women-run and technology-focused.
Wade Leak '89
After several years working in private legal practice, Wade Leak '89 chose to combine his profession with his passion in music, and this year he celebrates a decade-long career in the music industry.
Questions Presented
Brad Meltzer '96
Brad Meltzer is a bestselling author with seven novels to his credit. Last year, Meltzer released The Book of Lies, which unites the biblical murder of Cain with the real-life killing of Superman creator Jerry Siegel.
Happenings
30 Rock Character Accepted to Columbia Law School
Television character Jack Donaghy, played by Alec Baldwin, name-dropped Columbia Law School in a recent episode of NBC's critically acclaimed show 30 Rock.
Annual Symposium Centers on Secondary Liability
The Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts at Columbia Law School devoted its fourth annual symposium to analyzing the issue of secondary liability in intellectual property law.
Debate Covers Strategies for Closing Guantanamo
For the 35th annual Wolfgang Friedmann Conference, the Columbia Society of International Law and the Journal of Transnational Law chose to examine one of the most complex and controversial legal issues of the day: the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
Doyle Elected to American Philosophical Society
Professor Michael W. Doyle, the Harold Brown Professor of International and Public Affairs, of Law, and of Political Science, was recently elected to the American Philosophical Society, the nation's oldest learned society.
Experts Debate Solutions to Global Financial Crisis
Columbia Law School and the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy recently hosted a conference examining several regulatory proposals that could help address the global economic crisis.
Google Settlement Draws Criticism and Praise
At a recent conference hosted by Columbia Law School's Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts, more than 300 people gathered to hear experts discuss the settlement Google drafted with The Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers in October.
Hebrew University Group Honors Law School Alumni
American Friends of the Hebrew University recently honored Gary P. Naftalis ’67 and Mary Jo White ’74 with the George A. Katz Torch of Learning Award.
Hironobu Takesaki '71 to Lead Japan's Supreme Court
An expert in criminal law, Hironobu Takesaki ’71 LL.M. recently became chief justice of the Supreme Court of Japan.
Indian Human Rights Legend Lectures at the Law School
In a lecture at Columbia Law School, P.N. Bhagwati discussed his time as a justice on the Supreme Court of India, a period of roughly 13 years during which the court handed down a series of landmark rulings supporting human rights.
Initiative on Diversity Spurs Affirmative Action Debate
This April, Professor Theordore M. Shaw and attorney Curt Levey debated affirmative action during a spirited discussion held at Jerome Greene Hall.
James E.C. Perry '72 Joins Florida Supreme Court
Florida Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed James E.C. Perry ’72 to serve as a justice on the Florida Supreme Court.
Law School Honors Class of '09
On May 21, 2009, more than 680 J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. students celebrated the culmination of intensive legal training at Columbia Law School.
Lord Justice Collins '65 LL.M. Appointed to U.K. Supreme Court
Queen Elizabeth II has appointed Lord Justice Lawrence A. Collins ’65 LL.M. to serve as one of the 12 inaugural members of the United Kingdom’s newly instituted Supreme Court.
Lynch Nominated for 2nd Circuit Position
Gerard E. Lynch ’75, the Paul J. Kellner Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, has been nominated for a judicial position with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.
More Law Alumni Tapped for Top D.C. Posts
In addition to Eric H. Holder Jr. ’76 and several other alumni, President Barack Obama’s administration has recruited 10 more Columbia Law School graduates to fill key government positions.
Myra Bradwell Dinner Focuses on Gender and the Law
At the annual Myra Bradwell Dinner hosted by the Columbia Law Women’s Association, veteran public interest attorney Susan Lindenauer ’64 reflected on her career accomplishments as she discussed the progress women lawyers have made over the past 40 years.
PILF Auction Draws Record Crowd
More than 600 people descended on Roone Arledge Auditorium recently for the 17th annual "Bid for Justice" auction.
Professor Goldschmid Pushes for New Regulatory Body
Harvey J. Goldschmid, Columbia Law School’s Dwight Professor of Law and a former general counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission, called for an overhaul of the nation's economic regulatory system.
Professor Nathaniel Persily Files Amicus Brief in Key Voting Rights Case
Professor Nathaniel Persily filed an amicus brief in a landmark Supreme Court case dealing with the Voting Rights Act.
Robeson Conference Draws Civil Rights Leaders
The election of the nation's first African-American president does not mean racial inequality is a thing of the past, argued civil rights scholars who gathered in April for the Paul Robeson Social Justice Conference.
Students Launch New Tax Law Journal
Columbia Law School recently added the Columbia Journal of Tax Law to its roster of publications.
Students Spend Spring Break Working on Pro Bono Cases
In March, about 60 Law School students completed pro bono work in cities from San Juan to Seattle for the Spring Break Caravans program.
Symposium Honors Scholarship of Martha Nussbaum
The Gender and Sexuality Law Program celebrated its inaugural symposium by honoring Martha Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago.
Tierney Testifies Before Congress
James E. Tierney, the director of Columbia Law School’s National State Attorneys General Program, appeared before Congress in March to advocate for increased state authority over the regulation of banks.
Visiting Scholar Calls for Death Penalty Reform in China
In a recent lecture at Columbia Law School, visiting scholar Ye Xiaoqin presented a comprehensive plan for reforming and finally abolishing the death penalty in China.
Faculty Books and Publications
U.S. Corporate Law
Professor Curtis Milhaupt recently edited U.S. Corporate Law, a Japanese-language book written by LL.M. students from the Class of 2007.
Franz Kafka: The Office Writings
Franz Kafka: The Office Writings is a compilation of Kafka's work as a prominent and acclaimed litigator during the first decades of the 20th century.
Termites in the Trading System: How Preferential Agreements Undermine Free Trade
In Termites in the Trading System: How Preferential Agreements Undermine Free Trade, Professor Jagdish Bhagwati explains how preferential trade agreements can endanger the global trading system.
The Effect of Treaties on Foreign Direct Investment: Bilateral Investment Treaties, Double Taxation Treaties, and Investment Flows
Karl Sauvant, the executive director of the Vale Columbia Center for Sustainable International Investment, and Lisa Sachs '08, the center's program coordinator, assess the performance of bilateral investment treaties and double taxation treaties.
The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education: Reflections and Colloquy
Notable experts and lawyers discuss Brown v. The Board of Education 50 years after the ruling that made school segregation unconstitutional.
