Research and Writing Seminar LL.M. Instructors
Marni Goldstein Caputo
Ms. Caputo received her J.D., with honors, from Emory University Law School in 2001. While a law student, she served as Notes and Comments Editor for the Emory Law Journal and was a member of the Order of the Coif. After graduating, Ms. Caputo served a law clerk to United States District Court Judge Willis B. Hunt of the Northern District of Georgia. From September 2002 until January 2003, she worked as an associate at Hill & Barlow in Boston, and from January 2003 until November 2004, she worked as an associate at Prince, Lobel, Glovsky & Tye, LLP in Boston. Since November 2004, she has worked as a Staff Attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Ms. Caputo received her B.A., cum laude, from Tufts University and served as Editorial Editor and Managing Editor of The Observer while a student there. This will be her third year as an instructor.
Alexis Hamdan
Ms. Hamdan received her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1990. After graduating, she worked as an associate at Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom in New York. In 1992, she moved to Boston and began work at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, eventually becoming a partner at that firm. She left full-time work in 1998 to care for her children. From 2005 to 2008, she operated a retail dancewear store in West Roxbury. Ms. Hamdan received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Bernard Baruch College of the City University of New York. She received an enthusiastic recommendation from Deborah Barnard, a former writing instructor and law school graduate.
Nadine Nasser Donovan
Ms. Donovan received her J.D., cum laude, from Boston College Law School in 1993. After graduating, Ms. Donovan joined the New York City Law Department, Office of the Corporation Counsel. She worked in the Family Court Division until 1995 and then worked in the Tort Division until 1996. From 1996 until January 2004, she worked at the firm of Rindler•Morgan PC in Boston, becoming a partner in 2002. In 2004, Ms. Donovan left full-time work to care for her then newborn twins. Since July 2004, she has been Of Counsel to Martin, Magnuson, McCarthy & Kenney in Boston. Ms. Donovan received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Fordham University and has studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. Ms. Donovan has taught in the program for three years.
Ingrid Houghton
Ms. Houghton received her J.D. from Cornell University Law School in 2001. As a law student, she served on the Moot Court Board. After graduating, Ms. Houghton worked as an associate in the corporate department of McDermott, Will & Emery in Boston. She left full time work in 2003 to care for her child. Ms. Houghton received her B.A. from the University of Virginia and has studied at the Universidad de Sevilla in Spain. Ms. Houghton last taught in the LL.M. program in the Fall of 2005.
Christine M. Durkin
Ms. Durkin received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1991. While a law student, she served as Executive Editor for the Suffolk University Law Review. After graduating, she worked as an associate at Danaher, Tedford, Lagnese & Neal in Hartford. In 1993, she began working at Wadland & Nicholls. From 1995 to 1999, Ms. Durkin worked as a Staff Attorney at Casa Myrna Vasquez, representing victims of domestic violence. In 1999, she joined the staff of Greater Boston Legal Services. Ms. Durkin received her B.A. from Connecticut College. She has worked as an LL.M. Instructor for ten years.
Selena Fitanides
Ms. Fitanides received her J.D., with distinction, from Stanford Law School in 1995. As a law student, she received the Hilmer Ochlmann, Jr. Award for Excellence in Legal Research and Writing and was a Kirkwood Moot Court Competition Finalist. After graduating, Ms. Fitanides clerked for Judge Jan E. DuBois of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. From September 1996 through July 1997, she worked at the American Civil Liberties Union in Philadelphia as a Philadelphia Bar Foundation Public Interest Fellow. In July 1997, Ms. Fitanides began working at Dechert Price & Rhoads in Philadelphia, and in January 2000, she began working at Bingham McCutchen in Boston. In 2003, Ms. Fitanides left full time work to care for her child. Ms. Fitanides received her B.A., cum laude, from Yale University. After college, she worked a literacy teacher in New Haven and Philadelphia. Ms. Fitanides has taught in the program for three years.
Judith Ziss
Ms. Ziss received her LL.B., cum laude, from Columbia Law School. As a law student, she was Revision Editor of the Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems. After graduating, she joined the United States Department of Justice, Appellate Section, Civil Division. From 1971 to 1976, she worked at the New York Field Office of the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. Ms. Ziss then took several years off from law practice to raise her children. From 1985 until its closure in 2006, Ms. Ziss worked at Willcox, Pirozzolo & McCarthy in Boston, first part-time, and then full-time. Ms. Ziss received her B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Joan Neisser
Ms. Neisser received her J.D. from Stanford Law School. After graduating, she worked as a Staff Attorney for Passaic County Legal Aid in Paterson, New Jersey. From 1988 to 1989, she worked at Rutgers School of Law in Newark, New Jersey as a Staff Attorney in the Urban Legal Clinic, as a Legal Writing Adjunct and finally, as the Legal Writing Coordinator. From 1989 to 1999, she served as Director of Legal Research and Writing Program at the Seton Hall University School of Law. From 2000 to 2002, she was a Legal Research and Writing Instructor at Rutgers School of Law. During 2002, Ms. Neisser served as Consultant to the First Year Lawyering Program at Harvard Law School. Ms. Neisser joined Northeastern University School of Law in 2002, serving as the Moot Court Coordinator from 2002-2004, as an Advanced Legal Writing Instructor from 2002 to 2006, and as a Writing Specialist from 2005 to 2006. From July 2006 to June 2007, she served as Writing Specialist and Co-Director of Legal Skills in Social Context at Northeastern Law. Ms. Neisser received her B.A. from Rutgers University and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She also holds an M.A. in Education from Seton Hall University. This will be her second year as an instructor.