Christina DeConcini '88
Director of Legislative Affairs
World Resources Institute

Community Lecture and Reception
Life as a Public Interest Lawyer/Advocate — A Look at Advocacy Work in Two Policy Arenas: Immigration and Climate Change
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Noon, Room 97

Roundtable Discussion and Reception
Immigration Policy in the US: The Politics and Policy Surrounding the Current Debate
Friday, April 18, 2008
2:30 p.m.

Please join us: Graduates and friends are invited to attend the community lectures and receptions. Register in advance by contacting Patricia Voorhies at (617) 373-7470 or p.voorhies@neu.edu

Christina DeConcini has dedicated 20 years to representing, working with and advocating on behalf of immigrants and refugees. Most recently, she served for three years as the director of policy for the National Immigration Forum, overseeing policy and legislative activities on immigration priorities. Previously, she was director of advocacy for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), where she advocated for more just policies for immigrants, with a particular focus on those in detention.

Ms. DeConcini also served as director of the American Bar Association's Pro Bono Development and Bar Activation Project for 10 years, setting up and funding pro bono projects across the country and successfully negotiating with the Department of Justice about the need for immigration detention standards. She also represented asylum-seekers, including detained women and children, and coordinated pro bono representation programs at Centro Presente in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Proyecto Libertad in South Texas.

She speaks and writes frequently on immigration, has served on numerous boards and committees related to immigration and has taught immigration law and advocacy at Georgetown University School of Continuing Education.

This year, Ms. DeConcini sought a new challenge, focusing on climate change as director of legislative affairs for the World Resources Institute, an environmental think tank. She is hopeful that eventually her two career paths will intersect as poor and developing countries have been, and will be, hardest hit by climate change, resulting in forced migration, environmental refugees and an increased need for future advocacy in this area.

Join us at NUSL on Thursday, April 10, 2008, Noon, for the Alumni/ae of Color Panel

Meet the Author Series: Bringing Human Rights Home
A Panel Discussion on Human Rights in the United States

If you live in Connecticut or surrounding states, feel free to join the Connecticut Regional Chapter for a law school reception at the home of The Honorable Janet Bond Arterton ’77 from 6 to 7 p.m. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, or nearby, please join Professor Dan Givelber at a law school reception at the home of Janis Barquist ’78 from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

Visit www.slaw.neu.edu for more details and to register by May 1, 2008.

Graduate Networking Event in Boston on Thursday, May 15, 2008

If you graduated between the years of 2000 and 2007, please join us for a social reception and networking event at Kinsale Irish Pub and Restaurant, 2 Center Plaza, Government Center, in Boston on May 15, 2008.

Additional class years welcome.

Visit www.slaw.neu.edu for more details and to register by May 1, 2008.

On October 16-18, 2008, we’re planning a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the re-opening of the School of Law. If you’re part of a reunion class being honored, we are also planning an event for your class, which will be incorporated into this exciting celebration. Reunion classes include: 1953, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998 and 2003. On Thursday, October 16, we will offer a NUSL panel discussion. On Friday, October 17, we will host academic panels and a faculty reception and tour of new School of Law facilities (Dockser Hall) at NUSL. On Saturday, October 18, we are planning an upscale evening affair at the John J. Moakley US Courthouse.

If you are interested in joining a reunion committee, please call Deb Kennedy at 617.373.5126.  We hope that you recently received your “Save-the-Date” postcard in the mail.  More details about the events, such as hotel discounts are available on our website.

Read about Professor Margaret Burnham's latest accomplishments and current research.

Professor Roger Abrams’ New Book Explores the Seedy Side of Baseball
Learn more about Professor Abrams new book, The Dark Side of the Diamond: Gambling, Violence, Drugs and Alcoholism in the National Pastime in a recent article in The Jewish Advocate. Abrams was also recently interviewed on National Public Radio about his newest book.

Equal Justice Works Names Diane Chin ’89 Director of the West Coast Office. 
Diane Chin, civil rights attorney and legal educator has been named director of Equal Justice Works’ California office, the organization’s first location outside of Washington.  She began her new role on March 3, 2008.

Garrett J. Lee ’97 Named President of the Northeastern University Alumni Association
On February 11, 2008, Garrett J. Lee ’97 was named the president of the Northeastern University Alumni Association. Lee is a "Double Husky" and is a 1993 graduate of Northeastern University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He is a senior associate at Parker Scheer, LLP.

The School of Law is currently accepting applications for its Round Two: 2008 Loan Deferral/Forgiveness (LD/F) Program. In 18 years of operation, the program has issued more than $2 million to 430 graduates employed in relatively low-paying public interest jobs.

If you are interested in applying for the 2008 LD/F Program, please refer to the 2008 Guidelines and Second-Round Application found on the web site at http://www.slaw.neu.edu/finan/ldf.htm.
The second-round application deadline is May 31, 2008.