As we navigate through the many challenges that law school provides, it becomes increasingly easy to focus entirely on the immediate next step and lose sight of the opportunities that will come down the road. When it comes to thinking about post-graduation work, that often means preparing oneself for a rank-and-file “first job” and forgetting all about what amazing career opportunities await just a few years ahead. The annual Fogel Lecture is an incredible reminder of what a legal career has to offer when we remember to raise our sights and look past the next step to focus on the entire picture.  On February 26, the Honorable Tamara W. Ashford of the U.S. Tax Court delivered the 2025 Fogel Lecture, joining the long list of former and current government officials who have shared their views and career trajectories with the Temple Law community since 2011. Standing in front of nearly 200 law students, faculty, and other legal professionals, Judge Ashford discussed her journey in tax in a lecture titled “For the Love of Tax.”  Tax …

Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), recently spoke at the annual Honorable Nelson A. Diaz Professor in Law Lectureship at Temple Law. He shared invaluable insights on how advancing advocacy can thrive through litigation and public engagement even in challenging times. While his advice was informative and practical, what resonated most with me was his story about his father’s experience with discrimination and how that shaped Mr. Romero’s perspective. His account prompted me to reflect on my own motivation for pursuing law.    Mr. Romero, having just completed his first year at Princeton, went home for the summer to assist his father at the hotel where he worked. Upon clocking in, Mr. Romero was handed his father’s name tag, which read “Chico” instead of his father’s actual name, Demitrio. Confused, Mr. Romero asked his father about the mislabeled name tag and was shocked to learn that his father’s boss had misnamed him on his first day 30 years ago, leading that to become his name at work. Mr. Romero pushed …

This semester, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in Temple Law’s “Ethics in Practice” course. I gained practical legal skills training during the course, and it was a defining highlight of my one-year study visit to the United States. “Ethics in Practice”, taught by Professor Sara Jacobsen, is a one-credit course available to students in their second semester of the LL.M. for Foreign-Trained Lawyers program. Students of the course are placed short in observational externships with a lawyer or legal advocacy organization. Attorney John McMeekin of Rawle & Henderson LLP served as my mentor during the program. His meticulously designed 12-hour observation program, structured into three comprehensive modules, allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the essence of legal practice in the United States. The modules included Arbitration Observation, Mediation Practice Study, and Post-Judgement Procedure Observation. During an arbitration hearing led by Attorney Jennifer Seme, we witnessed an efficient dispute resolution performed by a team of seasoned lawyers. Attorney Seme stood out for her passionate and professional responses to questions, and she demonstrated …

As a law student focused on learning the ins and outs of corporate law, it can sometimes feel like the only goal that matters in business is the bottom line. Between fiduciary duties, profit-maximizing principles, and shareholder primacy, the space for societal good often feels like an afterthought—if it’s considered at all. So when I attended the 2025 Richard H. Walker ’75 Chair in Business Law Lecture on March 26, 2025, hosted by Professor Harwell Wells and featuring Gregory Varallo’ 83, I expected to hear about high-stakes litigation, maybe some war stories on practicing in Delaware, and definitely something about Elon Musk. I didn’t expect to walk away with a renewed sense of how corporate litigation—specifically settlements—can actually be a tool for meaningful, even moral, progress. Varallo spent 36 years as a top corporate defense attorney before crossing the aisle to become a plaintiff-side litigator at Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP. Most recently, he gained national attention for his work in Tornetta v. Musk, where he helped strike down Elon Musk’s $55.8 billion compensation …

“[While applying to law schools,] I saw that Temple Law is highly regarded for its international law program. It felt like fate when I saw that they have a campus in Italy and many exchange partnerships with other universities worldwide.” As an undergraduate, I initially decided not to participate in study abroad, opting instead for a solo trip to Italy following graduation. When I got to Italy, I found myself alone without a clear plan, which caused me to start thinking seriously about my goals for both the trip and my future. It was during this time that I decided to reconsider law school. When it came time to research different law programs, I saw that Temple Law is highly regarded for its international law programs. It felt like fate when I saw that they have a campus in Italy and many exchange partnerships with other universities worldwide. I applied to Temple Law knowing that I wanted to go back to Italy. I did not know that my studies at Temple would take me all …

I applied to law school knowing I wanted to work as a public defender, which is a relatively low-paying job compared to other legal career paths. That’s the main reason I chose Temple: the school’s generous financial aid, plus student loans, helped me feel secure in my plans to pursue this career after I graduate. I knew that the pressure of $300,000+ in loans might (reasonably!) pull me away from doing the job I am sure I want to do. Financial stress will always be there, but this clear goal helped me make big decisions about law school – where to apply and attend, what loans I could handle, and what opportunities to pursue in school. At Temple, I’ve found a supportive community of students and faculty who care about public interest work. The summer after 1L, I interned in the public defender office in Wilmington, DE which was a great learning experience. 2L spring, I participated in a clinic with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, which was the first time I got to represent clients …

I am currently a Justice Catalyst Fellow at the Legal Action Center (LAC), an organization that combats discrimination, builds health equity, and restores opportunities for people with arrest and conviction records, substance use disorders, and HIV or AIDS. My project aligns closely with LAC’s mission and builds on their legacy of advocacy for people who use or have used drugs. Funded by the Justice Catalyst Fellowship, which supports innovative, high-impact social justice projects, I am leading a project aimed at dismantling discriminatory barriers to healthcare for people who use or have used drugs. The primary objective of this initiative is to broaden healthcare access by enforcing anti-discrimination protections through a multi-faceted approach that includes educational trainings, policy development, direct legal services, and litigation. Temple Law played a pivotal role in equipping me with the legal skills and expertise necessary to achieve my goal of advocating in the public interest field. As a Fellow, I’m working on multiple aspects of my project simultaneously. I’m developing community partnerships to identify individuals recently denied health care due to …

In a world increasingly shaped by digital conversations and global connectivity, the role of accurate information is paramount. On October 10, 2024 Professor Amy Sinden hosted a panel discussion featuring Dr. Michael Mann, a renowned climate scientist and member of the National Academy of Sciences, alongside Pete Fontaine and Amorie Hummel of Cozen O’Connor, who represented him in a defamation suit that offered a compelling narrative on the intersection of climate science, disinformation, and the law.   Dr. Mann—known for his work on the “Hockey Stick” graph, which illustrates the rapid rise in global temperatures that has accompanied industrialization—was at the center of a controversial battle over scientific integrity and public trust. His story highlights the persistent challenges faced by those advocating for climate action.   The panel addressed the notorious “Climategate” incident, where stolen emails were used out of context to discredit climate scientists, including Dr. Mann. This incident, just weeks before the 2009 Copenhagen International Climate Negotiation, aimed to undermine public trust in climate science. The well-coordinated disinformation campaign generated doubt and skepticism, illustrating the …