With Tours and Tastes of NYC Alumni Welcome Admitted Students to St. John’s Law

Hop off the N, R, Q, or any of the subway lines that take you to the heart of Manhattan and you’ll find Macy’s, the iconic Herald Square department store featured in the holiday classics Miracle on 34th Street and Macy’s Day Parade viewed by millions around the world.

This summer, a group of students admitted to St. John’s Law and Dean Michael A. Simons were treated to a special tour of the 2.2 million-square-foot retail space led by Elisa D. Garcia C. '85, chief legal officer of Macy’s Inc. Afterwards, they dined at a nearby trattoria with Garcia and law school classmate James D. Herschlein '85, a partner and co-chair of the litigation group at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, Kathryn Christoforatos '15, an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, and other alumni.

Organized by the Law School’s Office of Admissions, this insider’s look at Macy’s and the business of law was part of a series of events held over the summer to introduce admitted students to the city that St. John’s Law calls home and to the legal profession that its alumni lead and serve.

Meghan Cannella Carroll '06, associate labor relations counsel for the National Football League, took another group of admitted students on a tour of the NFL’s headquarters. The fun continued with an authentic Mexican meal hosted by Cannella and fellow alumni, including Michelle Johnson '05, director of production legal at Embassy Row, a division of Sony Entertainment, and Lisa Marie (Cattan) Riad '10, director of business and legal affairs at Orion Worldwide. The asada tacos, Mexico City style quesadillas, and fresh guacamole paired well with the lively conversation about the intersection of sports, entertainment, and the law.

Admitted students interested in government and public interest work enjoyed spending time with Alfred C. (Fred) Cerullo, III '83NDC, '86L, who is the president/CEO of Grand Central Partnership and a commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission. He showed them around Grand Central Terminal, revealed some of its hidden gems, and shared insights from his long and distinguished career in public service. The group then met up for an authentic Italian lunch with Dean Simons and alumni, including Shantel Castro '17, an assistant corporation counsel at the Law Department for the City of New York, and Ashley E. Kloepfer '11, who is a team leader at Brooklyn Defender Services, a public defender organization founded by St. John’s Law alumna Lisa Schreibersdorf '84.

On their outing, another group of admitted students learned about the bench and bar at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in lower Manhattan, where they met with Hon. P. Kevin Castel '72SVC, '75L, '04HON, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, in chambers. Sitting his visitors in his courtroom’s jury box, Judge Castel reminded them that nonviolent activists Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were lawyers who, like so many influential jurists, focused on serving the public good.

He and other alumni, including Queenie A. Paniagua '12, an assistant district attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, and Katie Wolfgang '12, a litigation associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, then hosted a group dinner in nearby Chinatown, rounding out the special summer tours and tastes of St. John’s New York City.