November 2004

Dean Raful's Annual Message

Dear Alumni and Friends:

As I write this, I celebrate my fourth month as your Dean. There is so much to tell you – in terms of first impressions, accomplishments, and a look toward the future as we commemorate our 25th anniversary in 2005.

The really great news is that our alumni base is 4,000 strong. Our graduates occupy seats in state, city and county legislatures; they run municipal governments and critical administrative departments at the highest levels; they are judges; in-house corporate counsels; partners at major law firms in New York, Washington, D.C., and beyond; they are entrepreneurial successes; they operate large, nationally respected family businesses; they are hard working attorneys in small and medium size firms; they are Assistant DA’s and U.S. Attorneys; they clerk for distinguished judges; and they do the public good in countless jobs in government and legal services offices.

I am also deeply grateful that so many of our alumni are active supporters of the Law School. They have helped to make our school stronger. There are more then 50 members of the Alumni Leadership Giving Council (donations of $1,000 or more), and our percentage of overall alumni giving is high – a fact that portends well for our future.

Our move to Central Islip is firmly on track. Dean Glickstein created the vision – a truly extraordinary idea – that will place us directly in the national spotlight. As I see it, my job is to finish the task at hand, and get us there by the fall of 2006. Everyone I’ve met has been supportive, generous and enthusiastic about our move. The new building plans, the enthusiastic welcome of the Central Islip community and the Central Islip bench, combined with the positive publicity and attention we have received has made it easy to stay focused on Central Islip.

Our faculty is first rate. I hope that you have had the opportunity to read about their individual accomplishments in the recent edition of the Touro Lawyer. I am pleased to report that we have offered tenure track positions to three new stars, Professors Fabio Arcila, Jr., Rodger Citron and Anita Krisnakumar. In addition, Professors Kevin Oates and Patricia Rooney ’99 are wonderful additions to our legal methods faculty. Professor April Schwartz, our newly selected head law librarian, will be aboard this December, and I await her arrival with great anticipation.

The September Convocation welcoming me to the Touro community was an exhilarating experience. The majesty of the Ceremonial Courtroom at the D’Amato Courthouse, combined with a dignified ceremony, added a degree of gravitas to my arrival – and I humbly look forward to the challenges of the future. I was particularly struck by the number of guests who were not Touro graduates. That is unusual for a law school community – and a testament to 18 years of a beloved Dean – Howard Glickstein. I remain grateful that he will be close by for consultation.

Touro’s success has been aided by the persons who, over the years, have served on our Board of Visitors.  Many distinguished judges, lawyers, elected officials, and leaders of the business and philanthropic communities have befriended us.  I am looking forward to working closely with this impressive group – they have much wisdom to offer a new Dean from Omaha.

Students/Admission News

As many of you know, my field is legal ethics. I am proud to be the Dean of a law school that trains students to be more than just capable attorneys. We are teaching them to be ethical, caring lawyers. True to our Jewish mission, we teach them that they are part of a larger community, and that they have a responsibility to that community.

Touro is a diverse community and a place of opportunity for today’s student. In August, I presided over an orientation for a well-motivated group of 275 students with outstanding credentials. The new class brings our student body to 808 students. Their LSAT scores are 12% higher than last year’s class and very close to the national average. Our percentage of selectivity is our best ever with only 29% of applicants accepted. They come to us from 111 undergraduate colleges and universities; 43% are women and 26% are minorities. The average age is 25. The 19 entering students in our LL.M. Degree for Foreign Lawyers come to us from around the globe, and their presence enriches the law school community in many ways.

Lectures, Programs and People

• This year we again had four successful summer school abroad programs; India, Moscow, China, and Berlin. The programs are highly rated by the ABA, and students receive a terrific cultural experience.

• In August, I attended the Donor Thank You Reception at the home of Steve and Jennifer Gittelman. It was my first opportunity to meet our most generous supporters, and their faith in our future was extremely heartening to a new Dean.

• In September we held Family Day which included a welcome for students and families, simulated classes and building tours. My wife Dinah and I had the pleasure of hosting a reception in the alumni courtyard.

• Our 2004 Distinguished Public Interest Lawyer-in-Residence was adjunct Professor Mark Cohen, who serves as deputy director and chief counsel of the New York State Office of Public Security. He received high marks for his two day visit, and his timely public address.

• In October we held the 22nd Annual Bainbridge Moot Court Competition. United States Court of International Trade Judge Gregory Carmen served as chief judge of the finals bench. He was joined by Judges Frederic Block (United States District Court, Eastern District) and George Pratt (United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, ret.)

Career Services Office

This fall we increased the number of student job interviews by 30%. Because of employer demand, we anticipate an on-campus employer interview program this spring. Touro will offer five Federal Judicial Clerkship Fellowships for students this summer. This spring we will add a second civil externship class, doubling the number of student placements. CSO is also very involved in planning the Cover Retreat for this March. The retreat is considered the most important public interest law school gathering in the Northeast.

Alumni and Development News

Our Annual Susan Dietrich Clyne ’88 Memorial Golf Tournament honored Touro board chair Howard Stein. Charley Clyne, Susan’s husband, presented a check for $20,000 to complete his challenge gift to establish The Susan Dietrich Clyne Computer Lab at Central Islip.  An additional $40,000 was raised through the Tournament.

Our fundraising has been good. We ended our fiscal year with close to $1.7 million in pledges and cash donations. Our capital campaign generated approximately $400,000; our Liberty and Justice Dinner brought in more than $250,000; the Goods and Services Auction earned a record $45,000; the annual fund raised nearly $320,000. Thanks to Congressman Steve Israel, the Federal government appropriated $500,000 for a criminal justice program at Central Islip. A $75,000 New York State grant facilitated by Senator Kenneth LaValle ’87 will continue to provide funding for our Institute of Business, Law and Technology. The Elder Law Program was aided by a $15,000 Suffolk County grant facilitated by Legislator Cameron Alden ’95, and the Family Law Clinic by a $75,000 Suffolk County grant facilitated by Legislator Allan Binder ’96.

Reunion 2004, held at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on October 14th for the combined classes of 1984, 1989, 1994 and 1999, was a resounding success. Alumni arrived to renew friendships, share stories, and network with their professors and former classmates. I am grateful to the committee for knowing how important this still evolving program is to the future of our law school. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and look forward to greeting more alumni at other receptions in the coming year.

A Final Word

We have many challenges still to come. I look forward to working with each of you in order to continue our growth in stature and importance. Please join me on January 27th at the Alumni Winter Reception at the State Bar Association Meeting at the Marriott Marquis for the first Touro gathering of 2005 – our 25th Anniversary.

Sincerely,

Lawrence Raful

Dean