Leading with Purpose

By Josh Friedland

I grew up in Brooklyn facing significant challenges in a working-class, dysfunctional family with parents who battled alcoholism and their own inner turmoil. This led to my estrangement from the family, leaving me to fend for myself through my late teens and early 20s. Those experiences taught me resilience and how to navigate and manage life’s challenges effectively at an early age.

Given where I came from, what struck me about Fordham was how welcoming this place is. I felt completely accepted here. I felt accepted for who I was and for who I could be in the future. I don’t think I could have picked a better law school when it comes to that part of the Fordham story. Beyond acceptance, what stands out about my experience here is the remarkable sense of community. Before I came to Fordham, I had read books and seen movies about cutthroat first-year law students. It was terrifying. But I immediately made friends and found support. It started with Dean John Feerick. Every time we passed in the hallway, he would say, “Hello, Brenda.” The notion that the dean knew who I was made me feel less alone.

I really blossomed at Fordham. I joined Moot Court, served on the Fordham International Law Journal, and I had the best time lampooning law school life performing at the Fordham Follies. I had the privilege of learning from outstanding professors, including Maria Marcus, who guided my Moot Court team and refined my argumentation skills with her expert coaching. I also truly enjoyed my Constitutional Law class with Judge Deborah Batts. We forged a relationship that continued beyond graduation, and she was there to help me through some personal challenges which changed the course of my career.

Given my own journey to law school, I’m hoping that I can be an inspiration to today’s students who may come from their own difficult circumstances. They can see someone like me and say, “Wow, you know, if Brenda can overcome that, then I, too, can thrive at Fordham, right?”

When I first joined the FLAA 12 years ago, I never planned on becoming president. However, seeing Sharon McCarthy ’89 elected as the first female president of the FLAA in its 100-year history inspired me to follow in her footsteps and become the first FLAA president of color. My election as president is a testament to the board’s continuing commitment to diversity, and the increased involvement and representation of alumni of color on the board. At my first board meeting in 2013, I noted that there wasn’t anyone who looked like me at that meeting. I also noticed that alumni of color were not attending the Fordham Law Annual Luncheon in large numbers, and there was a dearth of participation in events and alumni life. Being a problem solver, I began to explore the creation of what would eventually become the Alumni Attorneys of Color (AAC) affinity group. Andy Hinton ’89, Deneen Donnelly ’92, Bill Min ’90, and Anilu Vazquez-Ubarri ’02 were critical in helping get the AAC off the ground, and things really took off when Matthew Diller became dean of the Law School and championed our cause. The AAC held its inaugural event on May 4, 2017, and it has grown from 18 members to more than 800 members today.

The FLAA 2023–2027 Strategic Plan kicked off in January 2022, led by Laurie Berke-Weiss ’83 and Mauricio A. España ’03. Through a comprehensive alumni-wide survey and numerous listening sessions, the FLAA created seven committees: alumni chapters, alumni communication, alumni giving, alumni programming/engagement/events, community relations, governance, and student engagement/support.

I will highlight a few elements of the plan that I am particularly excited about implementing: expanding alumni engagement, committing to public service, and connecting with law students. Of course, I want to deepen our engagement with alumni and would like to see our alumni outreach continue to expand across the U.S. and internationally.

There are three impactful ways alumni can get involved. First, by attending events—not only at the Annual Luncheon, but also the many events and gatherings hosted by affinity groups, local chapters, Fordham Law’s journals, or practice areas. A second way to get involved is to give us your input. If you have an idea, my DMs are always open—please contact me on LinkedIn and I will share your thoughts with the relevant committee. Finally, I encourage all alumni to become dues-paying members. Your annual membership contribution also provides member benefits, such as discounts on CLEs, access to the law library, and other discount programs. I would also urge alumni to consider contributing any available resources of time and money to the Law School. Your support greatly strengthens our community and helps fund alumni initiatives.

It is my profound honor to serve as the FLAA president. Thank you to the alumni community for your unwavering commitment and dedication to our Law School.