Student Ambassadors

At Pace Law School, we know that the more you learn about the community, program and students at our school you will feel confident that this is the right place for you to receive your legal education. We asked our Student Ambassadors to tell us about their experiences here at Pace Law School. Check out their answers and feel free to contact any of our Student Ambassadors!

Lindsay Farrenkopf: JD Candidate 2013
I graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BS in marketing.  I worked for three years as a sales representative, until I realized I wanted to pursue a law degree.  I decided to go to Pace Law School, because I instantly felt welcomed and at home. The staff and other students were incredibly supportive my first year. Although law school is competitive, at Pace, I still felt everyone truly wanted me to succeed. I have since become actively involved at Pace through the Student Bar Association, Student Ambassador Program, and by becoming a Resident Assistant in the campus dorms, because I want to give others the welcoming experience I received when I first came to Pace Law School.  My career focus is in litigation and criminal law. Pace has offered me several externship, clinical opportunities, and internships to help place me in the field of my choice. I am confident that upon graduation I will succeed, because Pace has prepared me with foundational knowledge and hands on experience to be a successful contributor to the workforce. I can be contacted at lfarrenkopf@law.pace.edu

Joseph Vento: JD Candidate 2013
My main reason for choosing to attend Pace was because of the friendly, warm environment I witnessed when I came to campus for a tour. I originally chose to apply to Pace, because of its proximity to NYC, respected reputation, and low student to faculty ratio, but once I was able to see how hospitable the school is, I knew it was the place for me. I can be contacted at jvento@law.pace.edu

Erik Harris: JD Candidate 2013
I graduated from Siena College in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  Injuries persuaded me not to pursue a career in professional basketball overseas and I decided to come to Pace to pursue a career in litigation.  I spent my 1L summer interning at the New Jersey Office of Attorney General working specifically in the Department of Tort Litigation.  In the spring semester of my 2L year, I had the opportunity to participate in the State Judicial Externship which allowed me to intern in the Chambers of New York Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Ramos.  There I gained valuable experience researching and writing orders that dealt specifically with commercial litigation.  This past summer, I have had the opportunity to intern for the Law Department of the City of Mount Vernon.  In July, I wrote a motion that was successful in keeping out a damaging Internal Affairs report in a civil rights trial for which the City was a defendant.  I am an active member on campus and last year I participated as a member of the ABA Negotiations Team, as well as the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Team.  Additionally, l am currently serving as the President of the Pace chapter of the Black Law Students Association.  I can be contacted at eharris@law.pace.edu.

Stephanie Brinkley: JD Candidate 2013
I decided to attend Pace because I wanted to be a part of a legal community that was invested in creating practice-ready, ethical attorneys.  I have found that the professors here think of us as attorneys in the making, rather than typical law students.  They create an atmosphere that is professional, yet social.  

I also wanted to go to a school where I would be surrounded by business minded people who, like me, decided to come to law school after working in other professional industries. 

Finally, location wise, I wanted to be close enough to the city to have access to leading corporations and businesses, but live in a suburban community.  White Plains provides the perfect location to focus on school and enjoy a laid-back living environment while also being close enough to the city to network and interact with leading attorneys and well-known corporations. I can be contacted at sbrinkley@law.pace.edu

Christopher Mazawey: JD Candidate 2014
Pace Law School brings together a competitive and fun experience to its students. What makes Pace Law School standout is its friendly student body. Pace Law students are always willing to help one another if a fellow student is in need. Whether it is advice on an assignment, or help with determining your future classes, Pace Students go beyond the standard degree of care. It’s comforting to know that you have the support of your colleagues when going through the challenges ahead. 

Another quality feature is our elite staff of professors. When in class, professors really care about your learning experience and make themselves available in office hours if needed. 

One deciding factor for me when I was choosing law schools was location. The law schools location in White Plain is fabulous. With over a million commuters a day doing business within the White Plains, it creates a great atmosphere for higher education. Another great feature is how close New York City is to our campus. Students are always commuting back and forth with internships. 

I have enjoyed my time here at Pace Law School and would be honored to tell future students "Why Pace" is the right choice for their future. I can be contacted at cmazawey@law.pace.edu

Ally Bernstein: JD Candidate 2013
Choosing to attend Pace Law School for me was kind of like what I imagine choosing a house is like for most people, a big commitment after a long and thorough process. Coming from Florida and not knowing a soul, I figured if I chose Pace, this is where I would be living, starting a career, and basically starting a family of friends and colleagues–so it was an important choice and one that needed to be perfect. I was looking for a school that could foster my goals and meet my expectations of what I wanted as a future law student. Amongst those goals was; (1) a strong commitment to their community and students successes, (2) programs that could advance a career in environmental law, as I was interested in environmental law with a concentration in animal issues, and, (3) versatile opportunities for students to explore careers beyond being a litigator in the courtroom. I chose Pace because I had a wonderful experience touring the school, meeting with faculty, and researching career options at Pace. They say “if the shoe fits, wear it,” and Pace certainly fit, so I wore it. And let me say whole-heartedly, that Pace has been like that miracle pair of gym shoes–tough to break in at first– but has given me the most comfortable, successful, and rewarding three years of my life.

As a 3L starting my last year of law school, I look back and am grateful and glad that I chose a school who guided me through a wonderful three years of law school and provided me with wonderful opportunities along the way. I can be contacted at abernstein@law.pace.edu

Ben Lowenthal: JD Candidate 2013
Pace Law was an easy decision. I knew I wanted to practice environmental and natural resource law. After reviewing all the other law schools around the country with top environmental law programs, such as Lewis and Clark Law School, and Vermont Law, Pace Law stood out. Pace Law's Environmental Law Program offers a practical, realistic approach to environmental law. Pace Law combines a top environmental law curriculum with top land use law, international law, and corporate law programs to give each environmental law student the tools necessary to practice in every area of law. With a top environmental law faculty, an internationally recognized Pace Environmental Law Review, and a first of its kind Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic, Pace Law was an easy choice. I can be contacted at lowenthalben@gmail.com

Kerriann Stout: JD Candidate 2013
As a Pace University undergraduate student, Pace Law was always on my radar. I ultimately decided to come to Pace because I knew the quality of the education I would be getting. I knew the Pace name meant dedicated faculty members and a small community environment. I am proud to say that Pace Law has lived up to all my expectations. Since, coming to Pace I have become very involved on campus. The two extracurricular activities that I am most proud of are being President of the Italian American Law Students Organization and a Dean’s Scholar of Criminal Law, Constitutional Law and Torts. I can be contacted at kstout@law.pace.edu

James Long: JD Candidate 2013
I graduated with a BA in International Affairs and minor in Economics from the American University in Paris in 2006.  After a year of interning at a Louisiana mass tort law firm, I went back to France to teach English to elementary school students.  After about 9 months my contract ended and I came back to the United States to work for a political campaign, where I stayed up until the November election of 2008.  After a year of waiting tables at a nice French restaurant I decided to pursue a career in the law.  I was able to visit Pace, and was immediately impressed with the campus and the faculty.  During the summer after my first year at Pace, I was fortunate enough to participate in the school's international internship program, which allowed me to return to Paris and work on an award for the chairman of an arbitral tribunal.  In my second year of law school, I decided to focus on environmental law and became a resident assistant for the school's residence halls.  This past summer, I interned at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection of Connecticut and hope to graduate from Pace with the environmental certificate. I can be contacted at jlong@law.pace.edu

Steven Allinger: JD Candidate 2013
I chose Pace Law School because of its tremendous reputation as a leader in environmental law.  After two years at Pace I feel that this reputation is, if anything, understated.  I have had the privilege to learn under professors who helped craft the Clean Air Act.  I have had the opportunity to intern at the Environmental Protection Bureau of the Attorney General's Office through our Environmental Externship Program.  I have also helped shape environmental discourse within the Pace Law Community through involvement in our fantastic student-run organizations.  Pace law school has offered amazing opportunities inside the classroom, but in the level of practical knowledge available here that sets it apart and above other programs. I can be contacted at sallinger@law.pace.edu

Gina Nicotera: JD Candidate 2013
I chose to attend Pace Law School, because I felt a strong sense of community on campus. I was coming from the University of Connecticut, which was a very large campus that centered on school pride and I wanted a similar feeling from a law school. At many other law schools that I visited, the campus was contained in one building and I saw little activity by students and faculty. At Pace, I found an extremely welcoming student body and faculty and it was clear that everyone was committed to a very positive law school experience. Being a part of student organizations and involved in student life on campus has been an integral part of my law school experience and I don’t think I would have found that at any other campus. I can be contacted at gnicotera@law.pace.edu

Sophia Sofferman: JD Candidate 2014
I graduated from Union College in 2009, with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology.  I then worked for two years for the NBC affiliate WNYT-TV as a Web Producer in Albany.  I felt that it was very important to visit the schools that I was applying to before I made my choice of where to attend.  Once I attended Pace’s Open House, I felt an strong sense of community and I knew that is where I wanted to pursue my law school education.  I actually found out about the January Accelerated Program at the Open House and felt like it would be a perfect fit for me.  I went to small college, so a smaller class size, and a quick start seemed ideal.  I really enjoyed the January Accelerated Program because of the intimate class size and the availability of the professors.   The professors truly want you to succeed and help push you to be your best.  Since the accelerated program, I have been involved in the Federal Judicial Honors Program as well as Pace International Law Review.  I believe that through Pace’s ­­challenging and caring environment, I will have the academic grounding to succeed.  I can be contacted at ssofferman@law.pace.edu.