ACLU Looks To Brooklyn Law For New President
On Saturday the American Civil Liberties Union elected a new president, Susan Herman.
She’s a constitutional law professor at Brooklyn Law School and had served as the ACLU’s general counsel prior to this promotion. It has been a long time since ACLU leadership changed hands:
Herman’s selection gives the organization a new public face for the first time in nearly two decades. Nadine Strossen, the ACLU’s longest-serving president and the first woman to hold the job, had led the group since 1991, overseeing a substantial rise in formal membership and national staff.
Herman intends to spearhead the organization’s outreach to the African-American community, and she believes that her professorial background will help encourage young people to become card-carrying members.
More on Susan Herman’s background after the jump.
According to her bio, Professor Herman is “widely regarded” as a SCOTUS expert. But the NYU Law graduate also has a keen interest in post-9/11 constitutional issues:
Professor Herman’s seminar, Terrorism and Civil Liberties, is an outgrowth of her interest in post-9/11 constitutional issues, including both civil liberties and federalism issues. [See “Our New Federalism? National Authority and Local Autonomy in the War on Terror.” 69 Bklyn. L. Rev. 1201 (2004) (symposium).]
But Herman’s first statements have focused on African-American outreach:
“There’s a very widespread misimpression that the ACLU opposes religion” despite its efforts to protect rights to religious expression, Herman told The Associated Press, adding that she was surprised “there aren’t more people in the African-American community that believe the ACLU is their organization.”
Increasing membership is a common goal for many organizations, but what kinds of cases do you think the ACLU should be focusing on. Civil liberties have been under attack for most of this decade, how do you think the ACLU should be using its resources?
Law professor elected new ACLU president [MSNBC]
Susan N. Herman, President of the ACLU [ACLU]
(88) 
Comments
dechert?
Shameless fat shill, you
"Civil liberties have been under attack for most of this decade, how do you think the ACLU should be using its resources?"
Some have and some haven't. While the 1st amendment has, regrettably, eroded, the 2nd has expanded. Something tells me, Elie, that you do not consider the 2nd amdt. to confer much of a civil liberty...
a real looker too!
First to say, Elie Mystal is an epic fail at blogging.
Didn't he play for the 76er's back in the day?
great, there goes my backup plan of working at the aclu this summer. now some brooklyn 1L will get my spot :(
i really need a 1L sa position now more than ever.
-nervous T-10 1L
Nice lasTTT sentence Elie.
Hey nervous T-10 1L: Go away little bee, this site is for attorneys not students. No one cares about your SA job prospects.
~ Angry Associate
9: you cared enough about me to post a comment.
-nervous T-10 1L
ps can i have a job at your firm?
getting a 2L summer gig at the aclu's national office in nyc is tougher than anything but wachtell and cravath
U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi, you UGLY!
-Stewie
why would anyone WANT a summer gig at the ACLU?
Good luck in your ongoing quest to strip Caucasian Males of their right to make decisions without government interference!
i just threw up a little in my mouth
ACLU = TTT
BLS ruins the lives of hardworking people who simply want to contribute to society and earn a decent living to support a family one day.
I had Herman for my first year ConLaw course...she is a fantastic professor and extremely intelligent...sorry to disrupt the trolling commentary of ATL fanatics but she is really a genius
Genius? Really? How would you know?
Is that a picture of Mystal and Lat's love child?
oh geeze, nervous T-10 1L is going to get a job before me. I better increase the girth of my mail merge.
-really nervous T-14 1L
"Civil liberties have been under attack for most of this decade, how do you think the ACLU should be using its resources?"
Did you really just slip this op-ed into this otherwise TTT post?
Think this gal eats PEANUTS and CHEESE? Discuss.
She was my Con Law professor. I am certainly to the right of her philosophically but she is reasoned, balanced, open and incredibly samrt and knowledgable. I now have respect for ACLU -- something i never before would have said.
This is really just a picture of Elie's Mom.
Why, now, are we being subjected to promotional spots for the ACLU? Lat, you need to maintain a little more discretion over your guy, here.
Breaking News -- Dewey Charlotte is closing as of December 31, although most of the attorneys will be axed as of November 28th. Crappy 12 weeks severance ... even Cadwalader gave a better severance package than that.
Drinker Charlotte also downsizing.
Scared in Charlottesville.
Nice grammar, are you a moron?
Think this gal eats PEANUTS and CHEESE? Discuss.
Shoo shoo, Mystal flu!
Venable Balt. appears to be heading for one big bucket of suck.
I too had her as my Con Law professor and for other classes. She is just plain brilliant. Nothing else can be said.
When I was taking her courses, based on what she taught, and how she taught it, you would have never known she worked for the ACLU. She is fair, balanced. Have to agree with 18, she is a genius.
Nadine Strossen was a million times hotter. I had her for Con Law -- major turn on when she would curse and flip the bird in class to emphasize her points.
Hypocrites! Fat ugly BigLaw associates passing judgment on someone else's looks...you disgust me.
I had her as my Crim Law professor, quite a long time ago, and I have only positive things to say. Terrific teacher and nice person.
Even the ACLU wipes all of the ass at Cravath. Cravath Ass to 210!
32,
You forgot the "Paid for by Herman for ACLU President" line at the bottom of your post. Your bad!
34,
You forgot to sign your post in the appropriate fashion
Sincerely,
Brooklyn's top public defender
I thought she was a very good, accessible and non-partisan professor when I had her for Con Law. I wouldn't say she was riveting or anything, but that has as much to do with the content of the course as anything.
Are people seriously taking a cheap shot at the appearance of a female law professor in her 50s or 60s?
"she believes that her professorial background will help encourage young people to become card-carrying members"
How is there any relationship? Maybe her own students, but how does a "professiorial background" encourage others, who don't even know her, to become members?
I also had Prof. Herman for Con Law and agree with post 18. She is extremely smart and was a very good professor.
While I do not fully agree with the ACLU, I do wish Prof. Herman well.
Please stop talking about Cravath's ass. You sound like a bitter GULC6L.
I wish I had taken ConLaw with her -- I had Hellerstein with the night program and came away relatively confused on ConLaw.
Only someone so ugly could be nasty enough to run a deceptive institution like BLS.
Only someone so ugly could be nasty enough to run a deceptive institution like BLS.
Is this website now exclusively trolls?
Shocking news: Night program student at BLS confused about con law. Blames professor.
MysTTTal
Hey 47 - first off, i was a transfer, second, I'm a tax attorney at a great firm making good money. bite me.
I was a night student at BLS. I got an A in con law and now I'm at a top 15.
I wish I had Judge Halverson for Con Law when I attended Hofstra.
Hey 47 - first off, i was a transfer, second, I'm a transactional attorney at a great firm making good money. bite me. bls is a great school.
I was a night student at BLS. I got an A in con law and now I'm at a top 15.
And I would add that the difference between my A and an A at NYU or Columbia, is that I actually had to compete for mine.
Hey 50 - would you like a cookie?
39 is right; 99.9% of "attractive" female lawyers are only deemed so because of their surroundings. The .1% of actually good looking ones got there with their mouths and a set of knee pads.
somebody apparently used this one's face as her knee pads
she's butt ugly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just because some of you had her for a professor and think she was a genius does not mean she is not butt ugly, which she is. she def looks like elie's mom.
yes, i want your wife's cookie.
she's butt ugly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just because some of you had her for a professor and think she was a genius does not mean she is not butt ugly, which she is. she def looks like elie's mom.
Lat is a pretty attractive female lawyer.
NERRRRRRDS!
She's a BUTT UGLY genius.
53,
Is a competition with degenerates REALLY a competition?
"Vice President Cheney has probably been the most dangerous Vice President we've had in American history. He has the idea...he doesn't realize that Article I of the Constitution defines the role of the Vice President of the United States. That's the executive. He works in the executive branch. He should understand that. Everyone should understand that. "
Has anyone ever seen a movie called "The Ringer"?
It was actually about a GULC student who transferred to BLS. Very engrossing film.
Seriously? Is Elie really going to pretend he didn't have his ass handed to him by the commentators in the Dechert thread? Is he going to ignore the Dechert situation and have Kash write all the posts from now on?
Is a competition with degenerates REALLY a competition?
Take that shit to the Jim Colliton thread loser.
BLS grads are roughly 75% asshole, in my experience. There are some good ones, here and there.
BLS = Trig Palin
67 you need to get out more. If you want to meet some real assholes try 50 Vanderbuilt Avenue or 27 West 44th Street.
66,
Hitting too close to home. I'm sorry. It's your father's fault.
62.
Wtf? Are you people deaf...did you not hear 29. The only issue that matters...Does. She. Eat. PEANUTS and CHEESE.
Discuss my shizzles.
70, I hear ya, but the BLS grads tend to have a raging inferiority complex that makes them impossible to work with. I'd rather work with HY grads any day...
71,
Cheese only.
yea well, no inferiority complex here.
66/74,
Obviously.
Have you seen my baseball?
http://abovethelaw.com/2008/10/dechert_layoff_exaggeration_but_caution.php
yea well, no inferiority complex here.
66/74/78,
Obviously.
39,
I'd tap that.
I had her for Con Law and Crim Pro as well - and I echo all of the statements from above about her superb abilities. I literally had no idea she was even involved in the ACLU until several months into 1L, and even today it's impossible to know from her teaching style. She's a brilliant professor, and with her style she has the opportunity to dramatically raise the organization's profile and respectability.
Guys, MysTTTal was referring to the attack on civil liberties of The Ugly. It's a topic dear to his heart and one for which Dean Fido is an impeccably credentialed advocate.
i have never seen a sadder group of people than you tools who have to insult someone's law school to feel good about themselves, particularly on a post about a really accomplished woman. Why don't you all go back to your World of Warcraft and find a nice online maiden.
and to the sexist jerk talking about knee pads - clearly you haven't gotten any so good luck with it. maybe with all your internet blogging one of the .1% of hot attorneys will find you attractive bc of your wall posting skills.
elusions of grandeur for people at crappy law scho83,
Chill out. I don't insult people's law schools to feel better about myself. I do it because I'd hate for BLS folks to enter the job market thinking they have a marketable degree. It's really just a preparation for the real world. It's painful, but necessary.
I had her as my 1L Con Law prof and agree with all the praise above. I am not a con law fan and found the reading almost unbearable, but she was great as far as professors go. Very pragmatic, clear and balanced. Also, who cares what she looks like on a blurry photo? She is president of ACLU, not Mrs. America.
I had her as my 1L Con Law prof and agree with all the praise above. I am not a con law fan and found the reading almost unbearable, but she was great as far as professors go. Very pragmatic, clear and balanced. Also, who cares what she looks like on a blurry photo? She is president of ACLU, not Mrs. America.
I had her as my 1L Con Law prof and agree with all the praise above. I am not a con law fan and found the reading almost unbearable, but she was great as far as professors go. Very pragmatic, clear and balanced. Also, who cares what she looks like on a blurry photo? She is president of ACLU, not Mrs. America.
84. If I were already an attorney, and had nothing more important to do than to post here, or if I actually felt that any of the posts here were worth reading or even remotely relevant to my practice or even my life, I would consider myself a pretty shitty attorney.