Success Stories

What inspired you to pursue a career in law?

I was always taught "knowledge is power." I felt that pursuing a career in law would allow me to make the most significant impact on my community and beyond. I grew up in the John Adam's Projects in the South Bronx and Co-op City, splitting time with my mother and father. I was the second in my family to graduate from college, first to attend a top 50 university. I am the first in my family to attend law school or any other graduate program for that matter. Education is important to my family and important to me and I am proud of my path so far.

What do you feel makes Haub Law special?

I made a decision from the day I attended orientation during my 1L year that I was going to make a difference here. The entire Haub Law community made me feel welcomed and treated me like family. They guided me and enabled me to get involved as much as possible so I can truly make an impact. I will always be thankful for the community here at Haub Law.

What or who has inspired you during your time here?

The admissions team, specifically, Miguel Sanchez Robles and Cathy Alexander both reached out to me early in my law school career. The admissions team has been consistently resourceful and have opened the door to so many opportunities for me.

What are your hopes after you receive your law degree?

I am currently enrolled in a guided externship program where I am a Legal Intern for Definitive Sports Group, working with professional athletes. After graduation, I want to continue to work in the sports and entertainment world – there are so many opportunities and directions I could see myself going. I aspire to continue working with professional athletes, musicians, and actors/actresses on business relations, negotiations, etc.

Are you involved in any professional activities or organizations?

Yes! So many. I am VP of LALSA, a Member of Phi Alpha Delta Fraternity, Homburger Chapter, the Sports, Entertainment, and Arts Law Society, the New York State Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the Hudson Valley Hispanic Bar Association. I am also the 3L Representative for the Pace Law Student Bar Association and a Peer Leader. Importantly, I am also a Board Member of the Pace Law Diversity Board.

How has your Latinx background made you who you are and influenced your current and future path?

When I was in undergrad at Penn State, I was ashamed of who I was and as a result, I fabricated my identity to avoid being constantly ridiculed for being a Puerto Rican from The Bronx. When I got to Haub Law, I decided it was time to change all of that. I quickly realized that I should be proud of who I was and where I came from and for aspiring to beat the odds and make something of myself. At Haub Law, I joined LALSA to make a difference and to represent the Latinx community. I want people to know how important it is to be comfortable in your own skin and everything else that makes us who we are. I was the 1L Representative, Secretary, and now am Vice President of LALSA – and I am proud of that. Diversity comes in many different shapes and sizes, but all of which are important because there are no two identical stories. Each person provides their own perspective and learning experiences. Latinx lawyers are not a majority, and many Latinx families do not strive for that career path. I hope to serve as inspiration to others so they may follow my path into the legal profession. An additional important point, for some, determination is not enough. In the future, I hope to be in a position to provide additional resources to those in need so they too, can be all they wish to be.

What are some of your hobbies outside of school?

I love playing sports and producing music. I spend a lot of time in the studio putting pieces together. I also enjoy doing volunteer work with the community. I went to Puerto Rico in May and collaborated with Helping Hands for Puerto Rico, rebuilding schools and community centers.

What advice would you give a new or prospective student about pursuing a law degree?

Be yourself and find YOUR routine. You will hear everyone tell you their own opinion and how to do law school, you need to find out what works for you and be true to yourself. The pieces will all fall into place from there.

Anthony Desiato is a 2012 Haub Law Alumnus, former Director of JD Admissions and current Manager of Assessment and Advising at Haub Law, comic book and superhero aficionado, filmmaker, podcaster, husband, father, and more.

Can you briefly describe your journey to law school?

I started right after undergrad at Fordham, and I arrived at law school with a general interest in Intellectual Property, but no specific plans about what I might want to do with my degree.

Why did you choose Haub Law?

This is going to sound like I'm in Admissions mode, but the honest truth is that I came to visit for Admitted Student Day and just felt that it was the right atmosphere for me. The environment very much defied my expectations of what I thought law school would be like – stuffy, competitive, etc. It seemed like a place where I would be comfortable and thrive, and I'm happy to report that I was right.  

As a student, what was one of your most memorable experiences while at Haub Law?

Law review is definitely among my most memorable experiences. If I am being honest, a classmate sort of roped me into trying out, and I don't think I fully appreciated what a commitment it would be. It was a somewhat grueling, but ultimately worthwhile, endeavor, and I was a wiz at research and citation by the end of it.

Did you always envision an alternative career to the traditional practice of law upon graduating?

I did not originally envision a career at Haub Law as a student. However, shortly after graduating in May 2012, I started making videos for the administration on a freelance basis. Then, that fall, a full-time position in Admissions became available. Since graduation, I had been in the admissions department, most recently as the Director of JD Admissions, however, I recently started a new role at the Law School as Manager of Assessment and Advising.  

Switching gears a bit, how did your comic book interest develop?

My comic book fan "origin story" occurred in the winter of 1992, when a window display at a store in the White Plains Galleria caught my eye. They were advertising the landmark "Death of Superman" storyline. My parents bought it for me, and comics have been a major part of my life ever since.

Who is your favorite “superhero” and why?

Superman, always. At the most fundamental level, I have always been drawn to that character because, unlike many other superheroes, Superman is not driven by guilt or revenge. He is just someone trying to do the right thing because of the values his adoptive parents instilled in him.  

You also are a filmmaker, can you talk about the documentaries you have done?

During the summer after my 1L year, I found myself in need of a creative outlet and decided to grab a camera and film a documentary about my local comic shop, where I had worked for many years. It really awakened a calling in me, and I fell in love with filmmaking and nonfiction storytelling generally. I followed that up with two more human interest stories, one about a flea market vendor and another about an aspiring puppeteer. Most recently, I Kickstarted a film called My Comic Shop Country, which secured distribution in early 2020 and is currently available on Amazon, Apple TV, and Curiosity Stream. While the subject matter is comics retail, the film really taps into larger themes about perseverance and community.

And, how did your podcasts evolve?  

Once again, my local comic shop proved to be the inspiration I needed. When the owner decided to close in 2015, I started a podcast called My Comic Shop History to chronicle the final days and relive the store's most memorable moments. I continued the show with looks at collecting behavior, conventions, and more. I cannot put into words how much I have enjoyed the art of podcasting; whether you are recording in person or remotely, there is a sense of connection during the recordings that is very powerful. I think that is why podcasts in general have caught on in such a major way. They are available on all of the major podcast platforms and I have been told that they really help pass a commute!

 What is next as far as a documentary or more podcasts?

I do have plans for my fifth documentary, though the pandemic has me in a bit of a holding pattern right now. Podcasting has been keeping me busy, though! I have launched two new ongoing series: the Superman-centric Digging for Kryptonite as well as My Comic Shop Book Club.  

What are you favorite ways to spend your time outside of work?

Spending time with my wife and son, which I have gotten to do quite a lot of over the past year! During normal times, we enjoy going to the movies, trying new restaurants, and traveling. 

Tareian King came to New York on a one-way ticket from New Orleans, Louisiana. As a Posse Scholar, she received a full tuition scholarship to Bard College in Dutchess County, New York. Tareian recalls, “[w]hen I landed in New York City, it was night time and I had a chance to see the city lit up. It was massive and I had never seen anything like it. In that moment, I fully believed if I could make it to NYC, I could make it anywhere. For the first time, I actually felt proud of myself. Out of 200 students, I was one of ten chosen for this opportunity. As a senior in high school, I knew that I was interested in international law and Africa. I also knew that New Orleans was not the ideal place to land a career in that sector. I sacrificed everything I knew and loved in New Orleans to chase my international law career.”

Tareian acknowledges that things were not easy in New York. It was a tough transition from her life in New Orleans and she regularly experienced racism. Despite the hardships, Tareian made a commitment to herself that she would not return to New Orleans empty handed. “I wanted young girls in New Orleans to know that they could go as far as they wanted and that they could be successful. They could dream outside of Louisiana --while still loving where they came from and respecting their culture.”

During her junior year at Bard College, Tareian was selected to participate in The Bard Globalization and International Affairs, a program that allowed her to intern at The Global Poverty Project during the day and take international affairs classes during the evening in New York City. During the spring semester, she was awarded the Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship which sponsored her international law  studies at the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa.

Tareian returned to New York during her senior year to finish her studies at Bard. She focused on her thesis, “For Better or For Worse: An Exploration of Law and Black Identity in America.” “After receiving my degree from Bard, I felt that I accomplished my personal goal.  I left a blueprint that allowed little Black girls in New Orleans to see that with hard work and perseverance, they could go far. Nevertheless, my career goals had only just begun.”

When Tareian graduated from Bard, she felt she had two options: apply to law school or move to Paris. “I chose Paris. Besides obvious reasons, I thought it was the strategic choice. I knew I would go into international law and French would be a necessity for the geographical areas I was interested in. Additionally, I would be an attractive applicant to international organizations and American law firms abroad. I found a job that provided me an apartment, paid for me to attend French school, paid for my monthly transportation and also gave me a monthly allowance.”  After Tareian was fluent in French, she decided to return to the United States and prepare for the LSAT. “I wanted to find a law school that made sense for me – community was important to me. Haub Law made the most sense. As a southern woman, I especially loved that there was a campus with grass and not just a building in the middle of NYC.” 

During her time at Haub Law, Tareian had a variety of interesting opportunities and experiences – many of which she self-created. “Upon entering law school, I knew exactly what fields of law I wanted to concentrate on. Africa and international law were always my goal. I spent my 1L summer working for DLA Piper’s partner in Senegal. I paid for Linkedin premium and wrote outside of my network. I landed an interview and it went very well. During my 2L year, I applied for an externship at the Senegalese Mission to the United Nations. Having work experience in Senegal enabled me to do a strong interview, and they accepted my application. For my 2L summer, I found a job post for a research position for the Africa Department of the Council on Foreign Relations. Although it was not legal, I did not hesitate to apply because I understood the intersectionality between international relations, affairs and law. I also was confident that I could bring a lot to the table within CFR’s Africa department which mostly focused on Nigeria.” At the same time, Tareian was applying to other positions to expand her set of skills in the legal arena. She ended up landing both the CFR position and one with the Open Society Foundation. Although CFR was based in Washington, DC and the Open Society Foundation economic development position in New York – due to the pandemic, both were virtual. “I worked constantly, but in hindsight it was one of the most rewarding experiences.”

Currently based in Dakar, Senegal, Tareian has been met with success. “The virtual classes made it possible for me to do law school from abroad. I made the decision to move because it made the most sense for me from a personal and professional standpoint. I am trying hard to build myself as a phenomenal international attorney and my focus is to get the skills that will make an actual impact. Working for DLA Piper’s partner in Senegal has provided me exposure to mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, and transactional work all relating to Africa. It has been a great experience and I have the opportunity to continue with them after graduation if I wish.”

Not just a recent law school graduate, Tareian is also an entrepreneur. “I have an agribusiness in Senegal and I run an e-commerce business, Nolafrique, which supports local artisans throughout Africa. Additionally, with my business partners throughout Africa who are international lawyers, project managers, economists, and more, we co-founded an investment consulting firm, The Africa Wealth Alliance. My current project involves building a private equity online platform that connects local businesses in Africa to international investors.  Working in international law while being an entrepreneur means that I am always busy. Thankfully, I have a dynamic team that helps with all of the projects, this allows me to focus and be 100% present in whatever I am doing.”

Tareian notes that the pandemic has brought some uncertainty with it. “It is important for me to have options. I have come so far, and the journey has been hard and long – I have spent the last nine years running after an international law career. Sacrificing my culture, my family, and my finances. I refuse to allow the global pandemic to hinder me from having opportunities post-graduation. Even if it means using my legal education on my own international projects, I will use my law degree. I have never allowed anything to get in my way of my goals, and I certainly will not start now.”

Please enjoy this special father-daughter commencement Q&A with Steven Epstein ‘92 and Alexis Epstein ‘21 in honor of Alexis's graduation from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.

Q: Steven, your daughter graduated from your alma mater, Haub Law, how did you feel once she decided to pursue law and now that she is graduating? 

A: I was thrilled that Alexis chose the law and especially Pace as her pathway to make a difference in the lives of others and help improve the world we all live in. It is the size of her heart, her desire to succeed, and her intelligence that empowers her to help others. Becoming a lawyer and now a public defender was a perfect pathway to make a difference in the lives of others. How much more proud can a father be than of that.

Q: Alexis, did your father’s career as a lawyer inspire you to attend law school?

A: Absolutely, I grew up watching him. I would go to court with him all the time when I was younger to watch him in action in the courtroom. I saw the impact he made in people’s lives and learned that I too wanted a career where I could make that difference in someone’s life. I believe that being able to see the reality of what it takes to be a lawyer before coming to law school helped me in deciding whether law was the career for me. My decision to come to Pace was impacted by my father’s experience because he was able to tell me about what opportunities there were before even visiting. Ultimately, I chose Pace because of the number of public interest opportunities and I knew that was something I wanted to go into.

Q: Alexis, how was your experience at Haub Law?

A: My experience was great! I went down the criminal justice path so I took a number of Professor Dorfman’s classes such as Criminal Procedure and New York Criminal Procedure. Both classes were very helpful when it came to interviewing and I always enjoyed his classes. He has also become a mentor for me outside the classroom, which I have greatly appreciated. I also took Professor Mushlin’s Prisoners’ Rights class, which is something I’ve always been passionate about and really enjoyed his class. My last year I was fortunate enough to be in the Criminal Defense Clinic where we represented clients and were able to do so much as students under the practice order. To be able to apply what you’ve learned in a clinic setting was extremely valuable and helped me in securing my post graduate job. Lastly, I was heavily involved in the advocacy program, which solidified that I wanted to do litigation.  

Q: Steven, briefly, can you talk about your career and continued involvement with Pace?

A: I am a founding partner of Barket, Epstein, Kearon, Aldea & LoTurco, LLP and head of the firm’s DWI and Vehicular Crimes group. I have also been an adjunct professor at Haub Law for over 22 years teaching trial advocacy. During that time, I have also been coaching trial teams that compete at various trial competitions representing the School. Most recently, I opened The Steven Epstein DWI Defense Institute, which is an educational program designed to teach lawyers how to defend DWI cases. And, all Haub Law alumni receive a 15% discount on tuition!

Q: Alexis, what are your post-Pace career plans?

A: I have accepted a position as an Assistant Public Defender with the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office. 

Q: Steven, what would your advice be for future or current law students?

A: There is nothing in this life that is worthwhile that comes easily. The most rewarding things in life take the most amount of work. So find what it is you want, do not let anyone or anything get in your way of accomplishing it and most importantly work as hard as you can to accomplish that goal.