Attorney Alumni Network Celebrates Six Years

More than 60 attorneys, members of the judiciary and Montclair State University Department of Political Science and Law alumni came together on November 3, 2016, to network and talk shop at the Sixth Annual Attorney Alumni Network Gathering.

Featuring remarks of welcome and greeting from Assistant Vice President for Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement Jeanne Marano, Political Science and Law professors Marilyn Tayler and Avram Segall, and Political Science and Law Chair Jack Baldwin-LeClair, the gathering allowed attendees to network and to hear special guest speaker Anthony M. Carlino, Esq., ’77, Partner, McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney and Carpenter, LLP.

Carlino spoke of his student days at Montclair State and how they prepared him for his career in law, and of how the University is continuing to prepare students for their careers. “It is clear that Montclair State is providing its students with the educational base needed for a successful law school career,” he says. “This proves true by the number of prominent New Jersey attorneys who are Montclair State alum. It is gratifying to see that those lawyers continue to support the University and I am proud to call them colleagues.”

Launched in 2010 by professors Tayler and Segall, the Attorney Alumni Network has grown to include more than 250 alumni who represent a wide spectrum of law careers from those sitting on or retired from the bench, to recent Montclair State graduates who are currently enrolled in law school.

Attorney Alumni Network members are encouraged to remain connected and involved with the University and each other, and to be available to help colleagues and students. Members who are judges and attorneys are especially encouraged to offer internship opportunities to current students, and many have done so, greatly enhancing the student experience and Montclair State’s reputation of excellence.

“The networking event is not just a chance to make contacts or see former classmates,” notes Segall. “It’s an opportunity to make a contribution and a difference in the future of a student, an opportunity that doesn’t come along every day and one that provides lasting personal satisfaction.”

As with past gatherings, this year’s event was a great success and a reminder to many attendees of the importance of Montclair State in their career development. “Montclair State University has been the foundation upon which many great attorneys have built their legal education and eventual practice,” says attendee Al Fatale ’04. “Events like the attorney alumni gathering remind us of that fact and provide an amazing opportunity to reconnect and network with other esteemed alumni.”

Fatale encourages fellow alumni to become members of the network and attend future gatherings so that they can “witness the continuing strength of the department’s programs, feel the sense of community amongst alumni and faculty, and learn about how alumni are giving back to current students and the institution where many of us took our first steps in pursuing an exciting and rewarding profession.”

Guest speaker Carlino, who is deeply involved with the University in many capacities, including as a member of the University Foundation Board, has a simple response when asked why he stays involved: “The University gave me a chance to succeed and it is important for me to return the favor.”

For more information or if you would like to join the network, contact Deb Corasio in the Office of Alumni Relations at corasiod@montclair.edu or 973-655-4207. If you are a recent graduate and attending law school, complete our brief online survey.