Success Stories

Mark Meeker (Dec. ’09) graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts, where he studied advertising, and shortly thereafter he earned a Master of Arts from Kent State University while in the media management sequence. It wasn’t until grad school that he first began to consider law school. “During one conversation with my advisor, he mentioned that I was doing well and that I should think about continuing. Continuing? What would that mean? Neither of my parents had college degrees, so I was already farther along academically than I ever expected to be. But I bought a couple of study guides, worked through them in the evenings for about a week-and-a-half, took the LSAT, and scored in the 96th percentile. That’s when I knew that law school was somewhere in my future. The question was, ‘When?’ At that point, I was still barely on the fringes of the advertising industry, and I wasn’t ready to change directions.”

Things really started to happen for Mark when he packed his bags and went chasing after his first ad agency job. In all, he spent the first eighteen years of his career in a variety of advertising and marketing roles, working primarily in account services for media companies and on the agency side of the business for brands such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Sonic, Pepsi, and Bank of America. “I loved what I was doing at the time, but after I met my wife and got engaged, suddenly chasing advertising jobs all over the country lost its appeal. That’s when we decided to make a change, and about six weeks after our wedding I entered law school.”

Mark started at Pace Law as a 1L in August 2006. “I was drawn to Pace because of its location. In my previous career, I had spent time working in Ohio, where I’m from, then D.C., Virginia Beach, Chicago, Kansas City, and Connecticut. My most recent position had been in New York City and we wanted to stay in the area. Pace also showed a lot of flexibility in their academic programs. I would be able to attend part-time and still graduate in 3-1/2 years. It was ideal.”

During Mark’s time at Pace, he excelled academically as well as in his involvement with the Pace community and student organizations. As a result of his high academic achievement, he was consistently on the Dean’s List, served as Executive Editor of the Pace International Law Review, and graduated cum laude with a certificate in International Law. To Mark, though, one of his best experiences was being involved with the Intellectual Property Student Organization. He started out as IPSO’s Treasurer and eventually became President. “It was the perfect organization for me to get involved with. It combined my past experiences in the marketing, advertising and branding world with new legal topics that I was studying such as trademarks and intellectual property. I was lucky enough to meet and work with some great people who helped me push the organization forward as we sought out alumni working in IP, compiled a list of all of the alumni that we could find in the field, and tried to connect them back with the law school.”

Recognizing the importance of getting your feet wet in a variety of areas, Mark pursued as many practical opportunities as he could. While at Pace, he was an intern for the Honorable Alan D. Scheinkman, a legal assistant with the law firm Worby Groner Edelman LLP, an intern with the World Intellectual Property Organization at the U.N., and a legal assistant with the New York State Office of the Attorney General. “I like to stay busy and continually meet new people; network. Each new opportunity for me was a step towards the next one.” During his final year-and-a-half at Pace, Mark worked at Pernod Ricard USA as a legal consultant, and this position stretched beyond his graduation.

Then, in July 2010, Mark joined a small law firm as an associate, reviewing and evaluating telecommunications real estate agreements for AT&T, editing and approving amendments, and drafting legal opinions related to landlord/tenant issues. Mark remained in this position for four years before launching a venture as a solo practitioner, focusing on his first passion, providing counsel surrounding branding, trademarks and social media. It was shortly after Mark hung out his own shingle that he was presented with an opportunity to join American Maritime Safety, Inc., based in White Plains, first as Director of Membership and Legal Services and now as Assistant General Counsel. In his current role, Mark conducts nationwide, on-site training classes for drug and alcohol testing plus sexual harassment. He also provides legal guidance to over 400 member companies regarding compliance with federal regulations impacting the maritime industry while also supervising staff. “I feel lucky to be in-house with such a large organization. Compliance is an interesting field on its own, but coupled with the maritime industry, it really keeps me on my toes. Plus I’m able to pursue a people-oriented aspect of this position with the training and public speaking that I do, which I really enjoy.”

Throughout Mark’s undergraduate, graduate, and professional life, what has remained most consistent, aside from his work ethic, is his passion for networking and connecting people. In 2011, Mark founded the Pace Law Alumni Network (P.L.A.N.). “My goal with P.L.A.N. was to connect Pace Law alumni with one another in a casual atmosphere. I’ve found that networking can lead to a great many opportunities, professionally and otherwise. So, we started holding these quarterly networking events back in 2011, alternating between White Plains and New York City. They’ve steadily grown in size, and now our attendance usually ranges between 30 and 70 people. We even have faculty attend, and Dean Yassky has become a familiar face.”

Not one for downtime, in 2013 Mark was added to the Pace Law Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, and was recently elected as the incoming President. He will start his term in September 2017. “Among my goals as President will be to increase the Board’s visibility and to expand the lines of communication between the alumni population and the Board.”

Aside from the marketing, advertising, and the law, Mark has always had a passion for the outdoors. “Biking, swimming, kayaking, camping, I like to stay active and get outdoors whenever possible.” In 2014, Mark became a kayak and stand-up paddleboard instructor with L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery School and recently achieved American Canoe Association certification in both disciplines. Mark lives in Mount Vernon with his wife Cathy, who works for Pace University in Pleasantville.

If Mark could give any advice to future and current law students, and alumni alike, it would be to network. “Keep making new connections and maintaining past ones. Networking is key in finding out what career will be right for you and then finding opportunities. Oh, and speaking of which, come to our next P.L.A.N. event, which is scheduled for Wednesday, August 30, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the back garden of Tuttles Bar & Grill at 735 2nd Avenue in New York City.”

*The P.L.A.N. Facebook group can be found here.

Patrick Carroll (’15) graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Studies from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY in 2012. During his undergraduate studies, it became increasingly clear to Patrick that he wanted to pursue a legal education. By the time he graduated, Patrick had already taken the LSATs and applied to law school. In the fall of 2012, he began his legal studies at Pace.

Having always had a strong passion for environmental legal issues, Patrick primarily chose Pace Law because of its nationally recognized environmental law program. “During an admitted students visit, I spoke with Daniel Estrin, who was the supervising attorney for the Clinic at the time. While speaking with Dan about the Clinic’s accomplishments, I came to understand the opportunities afforded to the Law School’s students to receive both the classroom and practical experience I desired.”

Patrick also quickly learned that the School not only had an exceptional environmental program, but offered many other excellent opportunities as well, including the Federal Judicial Honors Program (“FJHP”). “Before I started at Pace I knew that I wanted to participate in the Environmental Litigation Clinic, but not long after I began my legal studies I realized the value of participating in the Federal Judicial Honors Program. Both programs provided unparalleled practical experiences.”

Patrick describes the FJHP as one of the highlights of his law school experience. “Through the FJHP, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with the Honorable Kenneth Karas of the Southern District of New York and his exceptional law clerks. My assignments in his chambers were varied, intensive, and very fulfilling.”

He notes that between the FJHP and the Environmental Litigation Clinic, respectively, he had the opportunity to participate in substantive chambers discussions and file a lawsuit under a student practice order before ever having graduated from law school. In fact, Patrick was fortunate enough to have appeared in both New York State Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. “These were outstanding experiences, and quite complementary. The legal research and writing skills I had honed while working with Judge Karas and his law clerks enabled me to more effectively advocate on behalf of the Clinic’s clients.”

Patrick credits his experience in Judge Karas’ chambers with enabling him to comfortably transition from completing law school to fulfilling the responsibilities of an appellate court attorney for the New York State Appellate Division, Fourth Department, where he has handled countless appeals running the gamut of civil and criminal legal issues. “My placement through the FJHP entailed a very collaborative work environment. It gave me the confidence to openly discuss cases with appellate justices and their clerks on a regular basis.”

Now, after spending the past two years in the Fourth Department, Patrick is preparing to begin his clerkship with the Honorable Elizabeth Wolford of the Western District of New York. “As I begin my new position as a law clerk for a federal judge, I am grateful to have experienced the character of the work expected of a federal chambers clerk through the FJHP.”

“Pace was full of rich and varied opportunities and I was lucky enough to pursue many of them.” In addition to his participation in the FJHP and the Environmental Litigation Clinic, Patrick also credits many of his professors with giving him the confidence to fulfill his passion for the law and complete law school, graduating first in his class. “During my 1L year, I recall questioning whether I had made the right decision to pursue a legal education. At the time, I was taking Torts and Constitutional Law under the instruction of Professor Steven Goldberg. I was inspired by how Professor Goldberg conducted each lecture with the utmost professionalism and a complete mastery of the subject matter. Each student was treated as a colleague in his classes, which was something I greatly appreciated. Any remaining doubt that I had chosen the correct path was soon erased, and to this day I strive to emulate that degree of professional character in my own work.”

When asked if he had any advice for future or current law students, Patrick stated, “Participate in as much as you can, especially hands-on programs like the Federal Judicial Honors Program and the clinics. It was through these programs that I gained practical, real-life attorney experience before ever even graduating.

Patrick currently resides in Rochester, New York, and in his spare time he enjoys cooking, hiking, running, and checking out music venues. He is a fan of exploring new cultures and believes that one of the best ways to do so is by experiencing culinary recipes and traditions. Patrick also just finished a 50-mile ultramarathon through the scenic mountains and forests of the Mohonk Preserve in May 2017.

After Patrick completes his clerkship, he would like to pursue a career as a litigator in the field of environmental law. “It has always been my aspiration to apply the law to change our world for the better. I cannot imagine a more satisfying professional accomplishment than working to preserve and protect the quality of our environment and that of our local communities.”