Success Stories

Professor Bridget Crawford has been a professor at Haub Law since 2003 and was named a University Distinguished Professor in 2021, which is the highest honor the University can bestow upon a faculty member. Prior to joining the Haub Law faculty, she was a practicing attorney at Milbank LLP, where she specialized in taxation and estate planning. At Haub Law, Professor Crawford teaches Federal Income Taxation; Estate and Gift Taxation; Wills, Trusts and Estates; Tax Policy; Corporations & Partnerships; and Feminist Legal Theory. Professor Crawford is a leading authority on taxation, as well as feminist legal theory, and menstrual equity. A favorite in the classroom, she has also been honored multiple times by graduating students at Haub Law as Outstanding Professor of the Year, as well as recognized by her colleagues with Haub Law’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. Learn more about Professor Crawford in this Q&A.

How did you become interested in tax?

My grandmother was the first tax professional I ever met. Although she never went to college or law school, Gram taught herself the tax law and went to work for H&R Block. She lived in a rural community in southeastern Ohio, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Gram took great pride in helping her neighbors comply with their obligations under the complicated self-reporting system that we have in the U.S.

What is your favorite tax concept or case?

If I ever got a tattoo, it definitely would be a quote from Welch v. Helvering, 290 U.S. 111 (1933). That is the case that established the test for when a business expense is “ordinary and necessary.” Justice Cardozo said that when no ready test or statute is available, “[l]ife in all its fullness must supply an answer to the riddle” that is the tax law.

What do you find most enjoyable about being a professor?

I love helping students understand the complexities of the law, develop critical thinking skills, and become more confident in their abilities. In Federal Income Tax class, students may start out intimidated by the statute and regulations, but by the end of the semester, they know exactly how to work with the most complex rules. The tax code yields its secrets with careful study and time spent! As a law professor, I have the opportunity every day to help guide students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives as they develop into the professionals they want to become. I have great confidence in the future of the legal profession and our students are going to be leading the way.

Every year, you host a “Tax Alumni Come Back to the Classroom” event – where you invite former students to come speak to your current tax class. What benefit do you feel experiences like this have for both the students and alumni? 

The purpose of this program is to connect current law students with alumni and inspire students to think about their future careers. In law school, we hear all the time about the value of “networking,” but sometimes it is hard to know how to go about it. This program aims to make it easier by providing a day dedicated to networking. Students also do readings to encourage self-reflection on how they are using their time in law school and what various career paths are available. The alumni are willing to offer guidance and support to students as they navigate law school and the legal profession. They are also happy to share their contacts and help in any way they can.

You recently published a book with Professor Emily Waldman called Menstruation Matters: Challenging the Law’s Silence on Periods. What inspires a tax professor to write a book about menstruation? 

It all started as a tax story. I had been living in New York for more than twenty years before I realized that the sales of menstrual products like tampons were subject to tax. That made absolutely no sense to me. I started doing some research and I wrote an article explaining why I thought the “tampon tax” was a human rights issue. When I was presenting my work in one of our regular faculty colloquia, I mentioned that there was a class action brought in New York challenging the tampon tax, and Professor Waldman asked me about that. One conversation led to another and we decided to write an article explaining the argument that the sales tax on menstrual products violates the Equal Protection Clause. New York repealed its sales tax in 2016, but our article is now the basis for a state-by-state challenge to the sales tax on menstrual products. The more we spoke about the tampon tax, the more we realized that menstruation touches on everything – schools, employment, prisons, environmental law, poverty law, corporate law. We teamed up to write the book to show that menstruation is a baseline justice and equity issue.

What are some of the tax rules that disproportionately impact women and families?

The tax code does not recognize the value of unpaid caregiving work that is often performed by women, such as caring for children or elderly relatives. This can leave women with fewer retirement savings and lower Social Security benefits. What would the law look like if society truly valued caregiving? 

Your writing is frequently published in prestigious journals – what advice do you have for law students who may want to start trying to publish papers?

Write about what you want to understand, what makes you mad, what makes you happy, what you want to fix. Just write. There is no better way to teach yourself an area of law then to try to explain it in writing to someone else. Your professors are here as resources, too. There are lots of publication outlets that need and want to hear from students and lawyers of all levels of seniority.

Do you have any techniques to propel your own writing?

At least once a semester, Professor Leslie Tenzer and I have a writing challenge. There are only two rules: set your own goals and bring positive vibes only. We then report our progress on a shared spreadsheet. The mutual accountability and encouragement is really helpful. There have been so many times where I haven’t wanted to write, I feel like I’m not getting anywhere, and I have wanted to quit the writing challenge. What I’ve learned from these experiences, though, is that the key is to be consistent and show up. We write even when we don’t feel like it and we encourage each other through the inevitable rough patches. My goals are usually relatively small—20 minutes of writing each day— but I end up with an outline, a first draft, or progress that I otherwise would not have made. The best thing about writing is having written. Anyone who wants to join our writing challenge is totally welcome. It works!

What is something that your students may not know about you?

Dean Horace Anderson and I were first-year study partners in law school. He has always been brilliant, and without him, I would have never made it through Constitutional Law!

If you were not a law professor, or an attorney, what other profession could you see yourself pursuing?

As long as I am being useful, then I can be happy doing anything. I’m interested these days in all things technological. What if there was a program that accurately calculated our taxes for us? What if it was as easy to make a will online as it is to order a pizza? What if depositions were conducted via artificial intelligence? Could decentralized digital currency be the key to a universal basic income? How can we harness machine learning to eliminate bias in hiring and lending? I am so interested in all of these questions.

Siblings Danielle and Michael Tallman grew up in a tight-knit multigenerational Hispanic household in Sacramento, California, along with their siblings where they were homeschooled until college. After their oldest sibling was accepted to college in Texas, their entire family moved with her to support her dreams. Both Danielle and Michael decided to study at the University of St. Thomas together setting the precedence and foundation for their “united educational front” as Danielle describes it. When Danielle and Michael began thinking about law school it only made sense to them that they would jointly apply to the same institutions.

For Danielle, her desire to attend law school grew out of the belief that everyone deserves to have a voice. “Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to positively use their voices in order to enact change,” said Danielle. “I want to help give a voice to those who are unheard; to help those who either can’t or won’t stand up for themselves, and to guide them to fight for what they deserve. I believe that there are certain flaws in our justice system today. I want to be able to help change the laws that are unjust, enact change that benefits others, and give power to the voiceless because everyone deserves someone to stand up for them. I want to be that person; a career in law perfectly fits the bill.”

For Michael, a strategist at heart, he discovered in college how much strategy there is in the field of law. “I was a criminology major during my undergraduate studies, and a large amount of my instructors were retired and even practicing lawyers,” said Michael. “This proved very exciting for me. I finally found a sense of clarity and passion. It was then that I decided to pursue law as a profession.”

Both Danielle and Michael describe their Haub Law experience as a rollercoaster of emotions – challenging and stimulating at the same time. They both note the impressive caliber of both students and faculty and that while the expectations are high, so is the rewarding feeling of personal accomplishment. For Danielle, she has most enjoyed sharing this experience with her brother and most looks forward to graduating together.

After graduation, both Danielle and Michael have a strong interest in becoming university professors at the same school, teaching corporation and business focus topics, along with contract law. Danielle credits professors Robert Ellison, Debra Vollweiler, and Elyse Diamond for her decision to pursue a field in education. “After two years studying law, I have learned that the most influential change begins with a good teacher,” she said. “Their eagerness to help their students, their openness, and their love of teaching and their subject, allowed me to realize that the most rewarding legal experiences come from your professors.” For Michael, he thanks Professor Elyse Diamond for helping to jump start his positive law school experience. “She taught Legal Skills and from an academic perspective, she helped to teach me to shape my writing in a more analytical and legal way; proving to me that persuading someone with my words alone is the essence of being a good lawyer,” said Michael. “Professor Diamond answered patiently any questions that I may have had and provided feedback on every writing assignment that I turned into her. I felt very blessed to have had her as one of my first professors in law school.”

In their free time, both Danielle and Michael enjoy spending time with their family. “I love to come home after a long day of school or work to my family,” said Michael. “In a time of my life where everything is so busy and hectic, the small fact that family is always there when I walk through the door, no matter how great or disappointing my day has been, is my favorite hobby. Both Danielle and Michael also enjoy singing. For Danielle, she is passionate about opera and for Michael, it is singing kids songs to his nieces and nephews.

As far as advice for prospective law students, both Danielle and Michael agree that students should be prepared for the challenge because law school is nothing like undergraduate school. “You will have to study harder and feel stronger disappointments,” said Danielle. “You'll do your best and will probably fall short. But when times are tough and you feel like quitting, just remember why you enrolled in law school in the first place. Even if you don’t initially thrive, it doesn't mean that you will not succeed in the end.” While each have learned tough lessons, they have pushed through and as Michael notes, just when you try, fail, and want to quit – you will be inspired. Now, in the last part of his Haub Law education, as he enters the next part of his legal journey, Michael hopes he can carry the teachings that he has learned from Haub Law into the legal field with him.

Harold E. Kaplan is a dual degree graduate of Pace University, having received his BBA in 1972 from Pace University, and his JD in 1983 from what was then known as Pace Law. After spending years in hospital administration, Harold reached out to former Pace University President Edward Mortola and began seriously considering law school. Three years later, in 1980, Harold began his law school journey and then in 1983, he graduated and was admitted to the NY Bar, prepared well by the Law School to start his career as a health law attorney. Over the years, Harold has been a generous supporter of both Pace University and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Most recently, he endowed a scholarship, the Harold E. Kaplan Health Law and Policy Scholarship, to support students who are passionate about Health Law and Policy. Learn more about Harold, his time spent at Pace, his career, and more in this Q&A.

Can you tell me a bit about your background and undergraduate experience at Pace?

I grew up in Brooklyn and decided I wanted an undergraduate business degree.  Although accepted to several colleges, I liked that Pace was then a small private school, so I attended what was then Pace College, from the fall 1968 to June 1972 and graduated with a BBA with concentrations in Law, Taxation and Economics.

Being a small school, among other things, I became acquainted with Pace President, Edward Mortola.  He was always accessible to students and became a friend.  It was the kind of student experience which endears the student to the school.

Albert Kalter, who taught all the undergraduate taxation courses, was the best professor I had, (and there were many excellent ones).  Federal and state taxation are not the easiest subjects, and he was a great educator who took the time to explain what he was teaching.  He taught his students how to read, interpret and understand the tax code which is not a simple task.  He insisted that students come to class prepared, and you always knew where you stood with him.  If you were unprepared, he asked that the student leave; this only happened once.  He and I became good friends.

Importantly, most of the undergraduate courses I took required a term paper.  After graduating, I attended the University of Ottawa, in Ottawa, Ontario, earning my Master of Health Administration degree.  Given the many required research or term papers I wrote, I was well prepared for graduate school, which required numerous term papers, and to graduate, a research thesis.

Did you always want to be a lawyer?

I had considered it as an undergraduate student, but I also wanted to be a hospital administrator.  When I received a traffic ticket in 1971, I asked for an administrative hearing in Manhattan traffic court and with a little persuading and careful reading of the New York State traffic code, and photographs of the street where the alleged offense occurred, I was found “not guilty”.  The police officer who testified against me wasn’t happy.  At home, my parents encouraged me to go to law school, but I still was more interested in hospital administration.

What was your path to law school and then ultimately to pursuing a law degree? 

In 1974, I began my hospital administration career at a major NYC teaching hospital.  I was negotiating contracts for expensive high tech medical equipment, and when reading purchase contracts, which I often did, I became interested in the law.  When one of my departments had an ongoing dispute over an expensive piece of equipment, I was able to extend the warranty, arguing that the hospital hadn’t accepted the equipment because it didn’t meet the terms of the purchase agreement.  At that point, I began to understand the value of having a law degree.

What made you choose Pace for your law degree?

Pace University was an excellent choice for my college degree and I always thought very highly of the school which had a growing reputation.  In 1977, I spoke with President Edward Mortola about Pace Law , who urged me to apply to its new law school.  Instead, I detoured to Florida to be the Assistant Administrator at a large community hospital.  Shortly thereafter, I decided to go to law school and being in Florida, considered schools in Florida and NY. Applying to Pace Law made sense since I felt that it would provide an excellent legal education.  Once accepted, my wife and I relocated from South Florida to Westchester County.  Of course, three years earlier, Dr. Mortola strongly recommend that I attend Pace Law, and he and Professor Kalter were helpful references.

Who were some of the most memorable professors you had during your time as a law student? 

There were many. Professor Philip Blank who taught legal methods and wills and estates.  Professor Crockett who taught tax law. Professors Doernberg and Zeigler, who had very organized teaching methods and were both excellent educators. Professors John Humbach and Hervey Johnson were both excellent educators and Professor Joseph, who taught several commercial law courses and was always very accessible to students. Professors Ralph Stein and Bartlett as well.   All of these professors were accessible, cared about their students, and left a very positive impression on me. They each had different teaching styles but as a group made being a law student more interesting, a little easier and sometimes fun.

What did you enjoy most about law school?

Considering it my occupation, I enjoyed the intellectual challenge of reading, understanding and briefing cases.  I usually was at the law library when the door was unlocked in the AM which in some ways still felt like going to work.  I long hand briefed every case and doing so, enjoyed sitting in class and putting check marks in my notebook, next to my notes about the key points being made by the professor about the holding, and the facts.  It was a game and being a law student was actually fun.

What lessons from law school stayed with you?

Take your job seriously and do it well.  Don’t automatically rely on others to get the job done if you are supposed to do it yourself. Delegate carefully.

You were a health law attorney for over thirty years, practicing mainly in Florida, what drew you to that area of law? 

Being a former hospital executive, for me, it was natural to become a health lawyer, although I briefly considered taxation law which I was also interested in and was, to my understanding, equally difficult.  At the first firm I worked at in New York City, we represented hospitals.  When I opened my own practice in South Florida, I became an attorney for physicians, physician practices and other licensed health care professionals, since virtually all the hospitals already had representation.

During your time as a health law attorney, what did you find most rewarding and/or challenging about that practice area?

It was very rewarding to represent medical practices which had a wide range of legal issues making the day-to-day practice much more interesting and rewarding.  Whether by good fortune or good lawyering, most of the matters I handled were resolved in my clients’ favor.  I was also very active in the Florida Bar’s Health Law Section which was rewarding.  I was often program chair and spoke at many Florida Bar CLE programs and volunteered for most of the Section’s positions, including ascending to Chair of the Section.

Currently, you provide arbitration services – how does that compare to your law practice?

I took the required Florida one week course to become a Certified Mediator and began mediating disputes.  Shortly thereafter, the American Health Law Association began its ADR service, and recruited attorneys to be mediators and arbitrator.  I started taking arbitration courses and stopped mediating.

Traditionally, arbitration was sought out by commercial disputants to serve as an efficient and final mechanism to resolve disputes, which today still remain key factors for choosing arbitration over traditional litigation.  Arbitration is very different from practicing law, but at its core, you need to be an experienced attorney, sensitive to due process, hearing practice, etc. and most of all assume a leadership role in the arbitration case to avoid delays and make the process as effective and efficient as reasonably possible.  Party’s attorneys usually prefer arbitrators with subject matter knowledge and experience to serve as arbitrators.  Being an arbitrator teaches you to be very quiet about what you are hearing and reading and make carefully considered statements.  With the right arbitrator, arbitration is beneficial to resolving commercial disputes.

You have always been a generous supporter of your alma mater, thank you.  Recently, you endowed a scholarship, the Harold Kaplan Health Law and Policy Scholarship, to support students who are passionate about Health Law and Policy - as an alumnus, why do you feel it is important to give back?

As an undergraduate student, Pace University prepared me well for graduate school, and it didn’t take long to discover that Pace Law equally prepared me well for practicing law.  Overall, the Pace community is very special to me, and I wanted to support its continuing mission, now and in the future.  I also wanted to support law students who have an interest in health law and also take the opportunity to simply show my support for the Law School.

Do you have any advice for current or future law students?

I have lots of advice for current and future law students most of which can only be imparted one on one.  However, future law students should have an understanding of the hard work required to excel in law school and also as a practicing attorney.  Being an attorney and doing it well is not easy.  Law students should enjoy learning about the law and should take sufficient time to read and understand the cases.  It is stimulating to learn about how the law has evolved, and understand that once they are attorneys, they are joining a sacred profession which provides important services to their selected portion of society.  Finally, become active in your bar association, and especially in your area of practice and always network.

What are some of your passions aside from the law?

I have many interests, but I still enjoy giving back. I am a volunteer attorney at Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville, NC, and helping those less fortunate and unable to afford and hire an attorney is very important to me.  There is also a large group of retired volunteer attorneys in Asheville and being part of this group is very rewarding.  I also frequently bike ride and play the piano.  And, most importantly, my wife, my children, and grandchildren, are important to me so I dedicate time to family. 

Driven from a young age to be a lawyer, Chioma Deere had her son while she was applying to law school. Ultimately, Pace provided the flexibility to allow Chioma to accomplish her dream while balancing her family life. Now, Chioma Deere is the founding and managing partner of her own firm, Deere Law Firm, in West Palm Beach, Florida with a focus on wills, trusts, and estate planning.

Let’s jump right in, what was your path to law school?

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a lawyer. After college, I was accepted to three law schools in the tri-state area. It was right around that time that I had my son. While he was still a baby, I went to paralegal school to get my certificate in Paralegal Studies from Mercy College in New York. While working as a full-time paralegal, I went to what was then called Pace Law School, at night for four years. I chose Pace because of the proximity to home and my then 24-month-old son, as well as the collegial and welcoming way that the students and teachers who were going to “night school” came together. It was certainly a trial by fire going to law school for four years at night; I made some lifelong friends there. Somehow, when I got there, I knew Pace was the one for me.

What experiences from Pace stick with you?

There were many memorable moments: studying in the library in my little spot on the third floor, going for drinks with my classmates after class on Friday, crunching through the snow to the parking lots to drive home, and meeting incredible individuals who were embarking on the journey of law at various ages and stages of their careers. And, of course, Professor Bridget Crawford. My most memorable times were in classes I had with Professor Bridget Crawford. I am originally from Jamaica, and moved to the Bronx as a teenager. My thesis in undergrad focused on socioeconomic belonging of immigrant women from the Caribbean, so I gravitated to Professor Crawford’s topics as well as her style of teaching. I truly felt seen and welcomed when I was in her classes.

You are the founding and managing partner of your firm, Deere Law Firm, in West Palm Beach—how did that evolve and what brought you to West Palm Beach?

Most of my family had moved to West Palm Beach at the time I was graduating from Pace. It made sense for me to move there to be with my family. I was also dating the person who was later to become my husband.

Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2008, I’ve practiced in the area of complex hurricane claims litigation, insurance defense litigation, personal injury, arbitration, and employment litigation in state and federal courts. In 2017, while still in litigation, I expanded my practice areas to estate planning and probate law. Then, in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, I opened Deere Law Firm to help clients with estate planning, asset protection, probate, and trust administration.

When I first launched my firm, during the pan- demic, it was much easier for me to start a virtual law practice. With increased social distancing, many people were operating remotely. It was easy for me to connect with clients virtually while being safe. I joined an estate planning association, the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (AAEPA), and the Florida Bar’s Real Property Probate and Trust Law (RPPTL pronounced “reptile”) Section, which provided guidance, resources, and a support network.

What I also believe benefited me during this time was that I am a certified technology lawyer. Providing legal services in a digital age is an important niche of mine. Ensuring that we attorneys use technology to make life easier for our clients as well as for ourselves is one thing that I stress, especially now as the chair for the Technology Committee of the Palm Beach County Bar Association. I love all things tech. I’ve been teaching attorneys and judges about electronic discovery and litigation and how to use technology to be better attorneys for about 10 years now. With technology, there are so many avenues and ways that attorneys can practice law while taking care of their clients and their communities.

What is it about the areas of wills, trusts, and estates law that interest you?

A mentor of mine here in West Palm Beach, who went on to become a judge, encouraged me to explore other areas of life and the law. Estate planning and probate allowed me to help families while making a living here in West Palm Beach. I also find that there are few black women estate planning attorneys helping black families and people of color to maintain and preserve their wealth. The wealth gap has been a big issue lately, and I feel that I am in a good position to not only educate communities, but also help people to save and preserve the wealth they have built and pass it onto the next generation.

I will always be a litigator at heart. My litigation experience helps me to look at situations from many perspectives. I find that my years of litigation practice lend well to many situations in estate planning and probate law because they both require flexible and creative thinking.

The other day during the sessions to put together their trust, a client of mine remarked that al- though this process could be daunting for those who may feel fear and trepidation when thinking about death, they felt comfortable speaking to me about these things. In those moments, I feel as though I found my calling in the law.

How did Pace shape your career path?

Pace allowed me to continue to work while pursuing my childhood goal of being an attorney. Very few law schools were offering in person law school at night. I felt blessed to have had Pace in my backyard so that I could still work and take care of my family while earning my law degree. I don’t think anything would have stopped me from getting my law degree. However, Pace changed my life by making it so accessible for someone like me, with a baby in tow, to go to law school.

What are some of your passions aside from the law?

I love many different types of music and love to dance. I love orchids and I am slowly expanding my orchid collection.

Do you have any advice for current or future law students?

I’ve been blessed to have had many mentoring opportunities with high school students as well as law school students. I would tell them to cultivate relationships that they have in law school, learn the art of networking, and give of themselves to causes and areas in the law that matter to them. The possibilities are endless as to the type of legal work that someone could end up doing over the course of their careers.

What is the some of the best advice you have received?

When I was in college, one of my mentors told me that the road of life is not a straight line, that it had many twists and turns to success. You see, at that time I believed that I had to do certain things a certain way in order to achieve the goals that I had in my mind, fuzzy and distant though they were. How her words have echoed and have rung true at every major crossroads in my life. I’m grateful that the main reason I've been able to take all of the roads, sidewalks, and pathways, including creating my own pathways, has been because of the love and support of my family, as well as those individuals who have poured into my life their love and support as though they were my family.