Brittany Grome, Managing Editor of the Government Law Review Fireplace Blog 2010-2011, Staff Writer
Brit Grome, was born and raised in Syracuse, New York. She earned her B.S. from the University at Albany School of Business in 2008 and graduated magna cum laude in three years. While earning her degree, she interned for Senator John A. DeFrancisco in the 50th district of New York. As a student at Albany Law, she completed a six month judicial internship with the Hon. David R. Homer, U.S. Magistrate Judge, in the Northern District of New York. She is currently interning as a law clerk for the Albany County District Attorney’s Office in the Appeals Bureau. Beyond her involvement as the Managing Editor of the Albany Government Law Review Fireplace, she is also on the Albany Law Moot Court Executive Board as Chair of the Dominick L. Gabrielli National Family Law Competition. Her interests include politics, Syracuse Basketball, soccer, the 3rd of July, and spending her summers on Otisco Lake.
Michael Telfer, Editing Chair, Staff Writer
Michael Telfer was born and raised on Long Island, New York (Floral Park to be exact for anyone with familiarity with the Island). After living in the shadows of New York City and just blocks away from Belmont Park for most of his life, he decided the island life was not for him and moved to the mainland United States to attend SUNY Albany in 2004. While attending SUNY he took advantage of an opportunity to intern in Washington, D.C. for a semester wherein he witnessed firsthand the inner workings of the first Democratic Congress in a decade. In 2008 he enrolled in Albany Law School after graduating from SUNY as a dual major in both Political Science and History. Besides his work as the Editing Chair of the Fireplace Blog, Michael has had the opportunity in his law school career to intern in each of the three Capital Region cities and explore upstate New York. After graduation in May 2011 he plans to remain residing in New York.
Lisa Alexander, Public Relations Chair, Staff Writer
Lisa was born on Long Island, New York, but lived in Pennsylvania for most of her life. Determined to fulfill her dreams of being the next Jack McCoy, Lisa attended Allegheny College, possibly the only place other than a zoo one can find a Gator in Pennsylvania. She graduated magna cum laude with a major in political science and a double minor in English and Spanish. Lisa decided to leave the Keystone state and moved to Albany to begin law school. She has since worked at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, the Albany City Court District Attorney’s office, and the New York State Division of Human Rights. Once certain of her prosecutorial prospects, Lisa realized she was developing other interests and aspirations. After a slight quarter-life crisis over this realization, Lisa has embraced the now-open door of possibilities and plans to pursue a job in the public sector upon graduating in May. Her non-legal interests include concert-going, snowboarding, and reading novels.
Brady Begeal, Topics Chair, Staff Writer
Brady Begeal grew up in Northville, NY, a small town in the Adirondacks. It is easy to see why Brady was named “Prom King” and graduated Salutatorian of his class—it obviously had nothing to do with the fact that he graduated with only 23 other students. Brady attended Keuka College in the Finger Lakes region of New York. There, Brady played for, and was captain of, the Men’s Baseball Team and the Cross-country Team. He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication and four minors: English, Political Science, Marketing, and Management. Now at Albany Law School, Brady is the Topics Chair of the GLR Fireplace blog. He also plays for the Men’s Rugby Team and is a law school intramural sports superstar. Brady currently works for the Binghamton law firm, Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, and will be completing a judicial internship with Judge David Homer, U.S. Magistrate Judge, in the Northern District Court of New York during the fall semester of 2010.
Amanda Cluff, Staff Writer
Amanda Cluff is a third year student at Albany Law School. She was born and raised in West Milford, New Jersey and later attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. There she received her Bachelor’s Degree in History with a concentration in Law & Society. For the past two years, Amanda has been working in the area of disability law at the Office of Mental Health as a law clerk as well as a research assistant at Albany Law School. However, she plans (hopefully) to pursue a career in Estate Planning and Elder Law. Her interests include reading, hiking, tennis, and traveling.
Joseph Cucco, Staff Writer
Joseph Cucco, a third year law student was raised in Staten Island, NY. After completing his undergraduate degree in business management he went on to earn an MBA with a concentration in finance from Wagner College while working full-time for a NYC real estate development firm. Since coming to law school he has worked as a research assistant and was a summer associate for a business oriented law firm in New Jersey. Outside of law school, Joe can usually be seen riding his bike or carrying his kayak to the nearest river.
Melissa Ann Dizon, Staff Writer
Melissa Ann Dizon, a third year at Albany Law, is a native New Yorker who, with a passion for traveling, seems to find any excuse to leave her home state. After earning her Bachelor’s of Science in Health Science/Public Health Studies from Stony Brook University in 2005, she relocated to Philadelphia, PA where she worked in the mental health field administering neurofeedback therapy (she was a master brain reader who got to manipulate people’s brainwaves, pretty neat, huh?), while pursuing graduate studies in Public Health. After realizing that she cannot stand hospitals and was way too vocal about the troubles of the healthcare system, she passed on her opportunity to attend medical school, and went for law instead. She is currently concentrating in Health Law, and hopes to find herself back in the mental health field—in a legal capacity, of course. Oh, and she still finds every reason to get on a plane and out of New York.
Alicia Dodge, Staff Writer
Alicia Dodge is a third year student at Albany Law, and is originally from Loudonville, NY. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Quinnipiac University in three years of study, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Women’s Studies. Alicia has completed legal internships with The New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Health Care Bureau, and The Legal Project. She is currently working as a law clerk at a firm that practices exclusively in divorce, custody, and matrimonial matters. Alicia has also written a blog article featured in the Albany Government Law Review Fireplace, regarding international child abduction.
Diana Filkins, Staff Writer
Diana Filkins is originally from the Albany area. After going away for undergrad where she received degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology, she returned to the area and worked for a law firm before deciding to go to law school instead of pursuing a Master’s degree. She has worked for a small trusts and estates firm in the middle of nowhere for the past 3 years and is interested in estate planning and elder law.
Brittany Linder, Staff Writer
Brittany Linder was born and raised in Corning, NY, a small town in the middle of nowhere. Tired of living in NY, Brittany went to Western New England College Springfield, MA. At WNEC, Brittany majored in Communications and double minored in Philosophy and Psychology. In 2008, she graduated from WNEC Summa Cum Laude and received the Excellence in Communication Award, which is given to a graduating senior with the highest overall grade-point average in Communication. Missing NY, which she never thought would happen Brittany came back to the apple state to attend Albany Law and be closer to her family. Currently, Brittany is a 3L and intends to pursue a career in mental disability law when she graduates and hopefully passes the bar in 2011.
Jason Riegert, Staff Writer
Jason William Riegert the 1st, beloved son of Bill and Maria, was born and raised in Northport, NY. After deciding that he wanted to be a politician, Albany was the city he knew he had to be in. Jason attended the University at Albany, where he graduated with a Bachelors degree in Political Science. Jason was an iconic figure on the UAlbany campus, where he was chairman of the appropriations committee for the Student Association, supervisor for the UAlbany Foundation, a tutor for student athletes, and an active member of the student community. After four years of schooling, Jason realized that his thirst for knowledge had yet to be quenched. Realizing a passion for the law, he applied to the best law school in the Capital District. Jason is now going into his third year at Albany Law School and, not sarcastically, loving every minute of it. When he’s not in the library, Jason can be seen out on the “pitch” where he captains the men’s rugby team.
Jason St. James, Staff Writer
Jason St. James, a third year law student, was born in Perth Amboy New Jersey, but spent most of his childhood years in upstate New York. He received a bachelor of arts (European History with a minor in Philosophy) from SUNY Albany. Upon graduation he is most likely to pursue a legal career based either in tort or contract.
Marisa Floriani, Managing Editor of the Government Law Review Fireplace Blog 2009-2010
Robert Magee, Chairperson, Albany Government Law Review Fireplace 2008-2009
Have questions or concerns? Email the Fireplace Blog at: fireplace@albanylaw.edu
