For Amanda (Mandy) Howerton-Fox ’27, deciding to attend law school was not just a career shift—it was a natural continuation of her lifelong commitment to advocacy. A former teacher of the deaf, Mandy’s passion for special education and disability rights first led her to pursue a PhD and become a tenured professor of education. Now, she has embarked on a new path at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, with a goal of effecting change through law and policy while advocating for people directly.

“Both of my parents were first-generation college students, and I am the first in my family to earn a doctorate and attend law school,” Mandy shared. “I pursued a PhD to drive change in deaf education through research, teaching, and advocacy, but I realized I wanted to have a more direct impact. That’s what led me to Pace Haub Law.”

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Mandy’s experiences as an educator and through her educational pursuits have given her a unique perspective as a law student. Today, she balances her legal studies with continued advocacy and academic leadership. Mandy is on the editorial board of the American Annals of the Deaf, one of the two premier academic journals in deaf education, and is also a reviewer for the American Board of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialists. With a strong passion for education, she is an Adjunct Professor at Iona University and co-directs the Interdisciplinary Advanced Certificate in Working with Young Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and their Families (IACD): an advanced certificate program for special educators and speech language pathologists who want to work in early intervention with deaf and hard of hearing children. Impressively, Mandy co-founded the program with a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Having just wrapped up her 1L year, Mandy has found Pace Haub Law to be “an incredibly warm and supportive environment with a deeply engaged student body and an impressive range of clinical opportunities.” She has found Professor Randolph McLaughlin and Professor Camila Bustos particularly inspiring, Professor Leslie Tenzer an extremely dedicated and caring educator, and even found an interest she did not expect in property law after taking the course with Professor Margot Pollans – a subject she now describes as fascinating. “There is no shortage of amazing teachers at the Law School. They are all incredibly supportive and engaging.” Mandy has also found community within several student organizations. “I serve as the Vice President for the Public Interest Law Students Organization (PILSO) and Older Wiser Law Students (OWLS). A student organization like OWLS has been an opportunity to connect with other career changers who have come to the law with clear intentions and who are also juggling work and family responsibilities. I enjoy the energy of my younger classmates, and it’s been equally nice to meet law students with shared life experiences. I have also joined the Law School’s Honor Board.”

Mandy will also work as a research assistant for both Professor Michael Mushlin and Professor Camila Bustos and she has joined the competitive Pace Law Review. This summer Mandy will participate in an internship position with NYU’s Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law. This fall, she has accepted an externship opportunity at the Hudson Valley Justice Center. Next summer, she will work as a summer associate with Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. “My journey at Pace Haub Law has just begun and I am excited to see where it takes me,” said Mandy. “Right now, my passion lies in civil rights litigation, and I would be thrilled with any position that allows me to advocate for marginalized individuals and groups.” With her unique background and ambition, Mandy is poised to make a lasting impact in the legal field wherever her path may lead.

Growing up, Samuel Carvalho ’25 LLM dreamed of being a diplomat, an ambition that led him to pursue a law degree at the Universidade Federal do Ceará in Fortaleza, Brazil. However, during his time pursuing an LLB, he had the opportunity to work alongside environmental organizations serving under-resourced communities. This experience was the beginning of a new passion for Samuel.

A turning point came when he participated in a workshop with children in one such community. During this workshop, the children were asked to draw their ideal community. They drew pictures of lush landscapes with an abundance of trees, flowing streams, and green open spaces. The contrast between these visions and the environmental reality surrounding them was stark. This difference lit a fire for Samuel and he became impassioned to be an advocate for people to have access to healthy environments and ecosystems.

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Samuel’s growing commitment to studying environmental law in law school continued when he decided to dedicate his thesis to the study of mangrove ecosystems and the REDD+ initiative, a global program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions through forest conservation. After earning his LLB at Universidade Federal do Ceará, Samuel accepted a position as an associate for a tax law firm. Although he found the work interesting, he was still passionate about pursuing a career in environmental law. Samuel decided the next best step for him would be to pursue an LLM in Environmental Law, which led him to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.

Samuel was drawn to Pace Haub Law’s LLM in Environmental Law because of its top national ranking and the depth of its curriculum. He was particularly interested in the courses and opportunities in International Environmental Law, Sustainable Business, and Environmental Law in Commercial Transactions. “When I arrived, I was so impressed by the small class sizes and how the faculty showed genuine care for their students,” recalls Samuel. He is particularly grateful for the mentorship he received from Professor Achinthi Vithanage, who he notes took a meaningful interest in helping him refine his focus within environmental law.

While he was at the Law School, Samuel took every opportunity to be engaged in the law school experience. “I wanted to be involved and learn everything I could,” he shared. Samuel served as the LLM liaison for the Law School’s Environmental Law Society and was selected as a Sustainable Business Law Hub Student Scholar. He also proudly represented Pace Haub Law as a student ambassador at the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (ABA SEER) conferences and NY Climate Exchange events.

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It was during his final year at the Law School that Samuel learned of an opportunity to enter the SUAD YOUTH COP, a prestigious global mock negotiation competition. Samuel entered the competition with an exchange student from Paris, Séverine Ginot, who studied at Pace Haub Law the previous year. The SUAD YOUTH COP competition brought together teams from around the world for an intense 3-day competition. Samuel and Severine’s ability to navigate complex issues set them apart and helped them secure a spot at COP29, the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference, which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. At COP29, Samuel, along with other students, was selected to present an official panel, entitled “Youth Voices for a Sustainable Future: Oceans, Biodiversity, and Energy at COP29.” Samuel attributes his success at COP29 in large part to the preparation he received through his coursework at the Law School. With a strong and diverse academic foundation, he felt confident navigating the high-level conversations and complex issues presented during the competition. “I knew I had a great current knowledge across a wide range of environmental law topics,” he said.

When asked his hope for the future within environmental law, Samuel doesn’t hesitate, “My dream is that we’re able to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement goals and be within 1.5 degrees Celsius,” he shared. “And that people can enjoy the environment and respect the laws that protect it.” Most recently, Samuel was honored as the LLM recipient of the 2025 Dean’s Award, the Law School’s highest honor for academic excellence, service, and leadership. Currently, Samuel is preparing for the bar exam this July and contemplating if he will pursue a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) or begin his professional career. “Whether I pursue an additional educational degree or start my professional career, I will be using the tools I gained at Pace Haub Law to advocate for a more just and sustainable planet,” said Samuel.