On April 5th, the St. John’s Intellectual Property Law Center, along with the Intellectual Property Law Society and the Entertainment and Sports Law Society, hosted its end-of-the-year Alumni Reception. Outstanding St. John’s alumni from the IP field returned to the law school to celebrate their accomplishments, chat with current students who are interested in the IP field, and share the wisdom they gleaned on their journeys from law school to the elite IP professions they hold today.
The reception centered around honoring two St. John’s alumni who have risen to particular notoriety in IP. Loren H. Plotkin (‘66), Managing Partner at Levine, Plotkin, & Menin LLP, and Nicholas M. Cannella (‘75), Partner at Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto, were each awarded a plaque from the IPLC for their success and were gracious enough to share a few minutes of their stories with the students in attendance.
Mr. Plotkin, honored in particular by the Entertainment Arts and Sports Law Society, worked as legal counsel for the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton. He explained that he enjoys his work in entertainment law because he finds joy in working with artists. He is impressed by their ability to “see things that aren’t there.”
Mr. Cannella, who was honored specifically by the Intellectual Property Law Society, discussed the “genetic defect” that all attorneys must have and then, on a serious note, stressed the importance of integrity in his career and in the legal profession overall. Mr. Cannella also touched on his love of litigation, particularly in patent trials, and the thrill of a win in the courtroom.
The night was a complete success thanks to the efforts of the students and faculty involved and the ever-dedicated St. John’s Law alumni who continually demonstrate their willingness to mentor, guide, and advise current students. The Intellectual Property Law Center thanks them for all of their efforts and looks forward to seeing them (and even more returning alumni) at our next event!
Take a peak at the gallery published below for a view into the evening.
