Scales of Justice
By Barbara Mulligan
Illustrations By Pam Danko-Stout
When Sarah Young ’08 selected the course Race and Gender in the American Legal System last spring, she did not know the professor or what to expect.
The description says the course “addresses the roles of race and gender in the American legal system and covers the impact of the Constitution and legislation on various race and gender-based issues relating to employment, discrimination, equal pay, harassment, family law, and reproductive rights.”
But when Young, a double major in history and government & law, attended class the first day, she learned that the professor, Leslie Muhlfelder ’81, a graduate of Georgetown University Law School and the College’s general counsel and vice president for human resources, intended to expose the students not only to the law pertaining to race and gender, but also to the art of advocacy and the experience of writing an
appellate brief and presenting it to
a panel of judges.
Unlike Young, Philadelphia attorney Neil J. Hamburg of the law firm Hamburg and Golden, knew and deeply respected the professor when he agreed to participate in the course’s moot court exercise. What he did not expect was the high level of legal analysis and advocacy demonstrated by the students. Both Young and Hamburg got more than they bargained for in Muhlfelder’s classroom.
“It was by far the best class I’ve taken at Lafayette,” says Young,
who had reservations at first, as she plowed through piles of legal cases, wrote hundreds of pages of briefs,
and prepared to participate in a mock
appellate court argument that tested both her skills and her mettle. “When I heard about the appellate court assignment on the first day of class, I wanted to run out the door. But
in the end it was wonderful.”
During the moot court sessions, students are divided into teams of two and present an appellate argument to a panel of three judges who reel off questions in rapid succession. Muhlfelder recruits distinguished federal and state court judges and attorneys—including trustees, alumni, parents, and others connected with the College—to give the students experience in articulating and defending their position in front
of unfamiliar faces.
Hamburg learned that Muhlfelder’s students were poised, confident, polite, and, thanks to Muhlfelder’s high standards, exceedingly well-prepared.
“I was unbelievably impressed,”
he says. “It was refreshing to see these brilliant students perform so well in an extremely high-pressure setting. It was similar to a law school moot court setting, and the presentations exceeded many I have observed at
the law school level.”
John S. Shaw III, associate professor of psychology at Lafayette and a former practicing attorney, joined Hamburg on the “bench” in Kirby Hall as students argued a case involving a high school student who became pregnant and sued her school district for refusing to allow her to participate in a future teachers’ program at the local junior high school.
“It’s unbelievable how well-prepared the students were and how sophisticated their arguments were,” he says, echoing Hamburg. “That
has to be attributable principally to Leslie. They were excellent on their feet and kept their cool.”
Barry Simon, partner with Simon Moran PC in Philadelphia, agrees that Muhlfelder’s indefatigable spirit, expertise, and positive attitude all serve to make her students successful.
“Clearly, the students learned a lot in the 14 weeks in her classroom,” he says. “She obviously loves teaching, and I think the way she designed the course gives it a significant added dimension.”
Andrea Drucker P’10 practiced law with Muhlfelder at Ballard Spahr in Philadelphia more than 20 years ago. Muhlfelder invited her to serve as a moot court judge because Drucker’s daughter, Hillary, was planning to attend Lafayette.
“It was a remarkable opportunity to see the students interacting with professionals in a setting that really mimicked what goes on in a courtroom,” Drucker says, adding that she could see the students coming to new realizations before her eyes. “In response to inquiries from the bench, they were able to go to a higher level of analysis and argue outside the boundaries of what they had included in their written briefs.”
Serving on Muhlfelder’s bench brought back memories of his own days at Lafayette for Neill C. Kling ’85, a partner in Harkins Cunningham in Philadelphia.
“It was gratifying to speak to undergraduates who are as excited as I am about this area of the law,” he says. “The ability to step back and think about a question rather than blurting out an answer is better received in the world than most students appreciate.”
The lessons the students learned as they made their arguments will help those who opt for law school and those who choose other careers. That is precisely why Muhlfelder imposes no prerequisites and opens the course to all upper-level students.
“Later in life, whatever it is you do, you may be asked to make an oral presentation. This kind of exercise gives students a weighty sense of what that process is about,” Simon says.
Muhlfelder began teaching the course in 1994, after James E. Lennertz, associate professor of government and law—an inspirational influence on Muhlfelder when she was student here—asked her to redesign and teach a course then called Gender and the Law. At the time, she was associate university counsel at
Temple University in Philadelphia.
A year later, former President Arthur Rothkopf ’55 recruited Muhlfelder as the College’s new general counsel and vice president
for human resources. She accepted with the understanding that she
could continue to teach.
“It was a dream come true to have the chance to come back and serve the College,” says Muhlfelder, who has consistently been ranked by students among the most highly rated teachers. Although teaching the course in addition to her many other responsibilities is not easy for her, it’s what she loves best. “The only way to begin to thank and properly honor the Lafayette teachers who so profoundly inspired me is to try to do the same for the students who are here today.”
She exudes energy when she talks about teaching. “There is nothing like being in the classroom. Hopefully, it enables me to be a better administrator by gaining greater insight into how difficult it is to
teach well. I have tremendous
respect for our faculty.”
Muhlfelder says one of her principal goals in arranging the moot court experience is for students to see alumni and others returning to the College to enhance students’ educational experience.
“I tell the students that the best way they can thank the judges for their efforts is someday to do the same thing, to participate in ‘passing it on’ to the next generation of students. That’s what makes Lafayette unique.”
Muhlfelder’s interest in students’ development does not stop at the classroom door. Her dedication is so strong that she offered to assist all 27 in finding exciting summer internships.
“Professor Muhlfelder kept telling the class that everyone should have a wonderful thing to do over the summer,” Young says. She and Muhlfelder searched the internet for a legislative summer internship in New Jersey, and Young landed an internship in the district office of
New Jersey State Senator Thomas
H. Kean Jr.
Justin Esposito ’07, an economics and business major who is planning a career in commercial real estate, also took Muhlfelder up on her internship offer. She arranged an internship with George Rubin ’64, a Lafayette trustee, at the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust in Philadelphia. Esposito, a member of the varsity soccer team, says Muhlfelder’s candid feedback on his early attempts at writing briefs made him work more diligently than ever before.
“I turned something in that wasn’t up to par,” he says. “She sat me down and said, kindly, that this was not going to be acceptable and told me why. She earned my respect because she took that time.”
Muhlfelder’s help in landing an internship was invaluable for Jessica Zafonte ’06, who gained experience at Rapport Meyers LLP in her hometown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Muhlfelder says she told firms, “You want this student. She’s from your area and is starting law school this fall. She’s terrific—really smart and very mature. If you give her an opportunity now, she just might come back to your firm someday as a lawyer. Luckily they listened!”
Zafonte says, “It was exactly what
I wanted. They even paid me!”
Now that Muhlfelder has helped her realize that she can attain her dreams, Zafonte adds – only somewhat tongue in cheek – she’s looking to Muhlfelder for inspiration in other areas as well.
“She impresses me as the happiest, most lively person,” Zafonte says. “She makes it very apparent that she loves what she does, and that law doesn’t have to be boring. Whatever she’s found, that’s what I want.”
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