John Feerick
Encyclopedia
John D. Feerick is a law professor at Fordham University School of Law
in New York City
. He served as the school's eighth dean from 1982-2002. From 2002-2004, he was the Leonard F. Manning Professor of Law at Fordham, and in 2004 was named to the Sidney C. Norris Chair of Law in Public Service. Prior to entering academia in 1982, Feerick was a labor and employment attorney in the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
. He joined the firm in 1961 and became a partner in 1968.
Feerick has served in numerous appointed public positions. From 1987-1990, he was chair of the New York
State Commission on Government Integrity. In 2003, he served on the referee panel in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity
v. State of New York school funding case. He also chaired the New York State Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections, which sought to reform the nomination, campaigning, election, and retention of state judges in the wake of such scandals as the bribery investigation of former judge
Gerald P. Garson
. From 2003-2005, Feerick served on the special master panel in the McCain v. Bloomberg
homeless rights litigation. He has also been a member of the New York State Law Revision Commission, the New York State Judicial Salary Commission, the New York State Committee to Promote Public Trust and Confidence in the Legal System, the New York State Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Committee, and the Chief Judge
's Corporate Advisory Group.
On April 16, 2007, Feerick was appointed by Governor Eliot Spitzer
to head the newly-formed Commission on Public Integrity, which will be formed from the Ethics Committee and the State Commission on Lobbying.
In addition, Feerick has also chaired the Ethics Committee of the Dispute Resolution Section of the American Bar Association
. From 1987-1999, he was president of the Citizens Union
Foundation. From 1992-1994, he was president of the New York City Bar Association. He has also been president of the American Arbitration Association
and still serves as an honorary board member. As a mediator, Feerick played a role in several high-profile labor disputes including the 1994 New York City Transit contract negotiations and the National Football League
salary cap.
Currently, Feerick is Executive Director of the newly created Feerick Center for Social Justice and Dispute Resolution at Fordham Law School. He is also a corporate director
of Wyeth
, Group Health Inc., and Sentinel Mutual Funds, as well as a trustee of New York Medical College
and the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley
.
Feerick graduated in 1958 from Fordham University
and obtained his law degree from Fordham Law School in 1961. During his time in law school, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Fordham Law Review
. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Law and Society Award from the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, the 1999 Citizen Achievement Award from the New York State League of Women Voters
, the American Irish Historical Society Gold Medal, and the New York State Bar Association Gold Medal.
Feerick was primarily responsible for the composition of the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution
. This amendment specifies how a president can remove himself from office temporarily or be removed from office by a majority of his cabinet, and the process that follows for the President to attempt to regain power before Congress, if he so chooses, and then how the President's Cabinet, once again, can remove him from power. This scenario would most likely be used in the event that the President were mentally incapacitated, either voluntarily, through anesthesia in a medical procedure or involuntarily in the case of a mental illness.
Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is a part of Fordham University in the United States. The School is located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city.-Overview:According to the U.S. News & World Report, 1,516 J.D. students attend...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He served as the school's eighth dean from 1982-2002. From 2002-2004, he was the Leonard F. Manning Professor of Law at Fordham, and in 2004 was named to the Sidney C. Norris Chair of Law in Public Service. Prior to entering academia in 1982, Feerick was a labor and employment attorney in the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates , founded in 1948, is a prominent law firm based in New York City. With over 2,000 attorneys, it is one of the largest and highest-grossing law firms in the world. Forbes magazine calls Skadden "Wall Street's most powerful law firm"...
. He joined the firm in 1961 and became a partner in 1968.
Feerick has served in numerous appointed public positions. From 1987-1990, he was chair of the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
State Commission on Government Integrity. In 2003, he served on the referee panel in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity
Campaign for Fiscal Equity
The Campaign for Fiscal Equity is a not-for-profit advocacy organization seeking to protect and promote the constitutional right to a sound basic education for all public school students in the State of New York. The organization filed and won the landmark "CFE v...
v. State of New York school funding case. He also chaired the New York State Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections, which sought to reform the nomination, campaigning, election, and retention of state judges in the wake of such scandals as the bribery investigation of former judge
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
Gerald P. Garson
Gerald P. Garson
Gerald Phillip "Gerry" Garson is a former New York Supreme Court Justice who heard matrimonial divorce and child custody cases in Brooklyn. He was convicted in 2007 of accepting bribes to manipulate the outcomes of divorce proceedings...
. From 2003-2005, Feerick served on the special master panel in the McCain v. Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
homeless rights litigation. He has also been a member of the New York State Law Revision Commission, the New York State Judicial Salary Commission, the New York State Committee to Promote Public Trust and Confidence in the Legal System, the New York State Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Committee, and the Chief Judge
Judith Kaye
Judith S. Kaye is a retired New York judge who served as Chief Judge of New York from March 23, 1993 until December 31, 2008. She was the first woman to occupy the State Judiciary's highest office.-Early life and education:...
's Corporate Advisory Group.
On April 16, 2007, Feerick was appointed by Governor Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
to head the newly-formed Commission on Public Integrity, which will be formed from the Ethics Committee and the State Commission on Lobbying.
In addition, Feerick has also chaired the Ethics Committee of the Dispute Resolution Section of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
. From 1987-1999, he was president of the Citizens Union
Citizens Union
Citizens Union is one of the United States' first good government groups. Founded in 1897 as a political party, the group was reconstituted in 1908 as a non-partisan member organization with the broad mission of serving "as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for the common...
Foundation. From 1992-1994, he was president of the New York City Bar Association. He has also been president of the American Arbitration Association
American Arbitration Association
The American Arbitration Association is a private enterprise in the business of arbitration, and one of several arbitration organizations that administers arbitration proceedings. The AAA also administers mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. It is headquartered in New York...
and still serves as an honorary board member. As a mediator, Feerick played a role in several high-profile labor disputes including the 1994 New York City Transit contract negotiations and the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
salary cap.
Currently, Feerick is Executive Director of the newly created Feerick Center for Social Justice and Dispute Resolution at Fordham Law School. He is also a corporate director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Wyeth
Wyeth
Wyeth, formerly one of the companies owned by American Home Products Corporation , was a pharmaceutical company. The company was based in Madison, New Jersey, USA...
, Group Health Inc., and Sentinel Mutual Funds, as well as a trustee of New York Medical College
New York Medical College
New York Medical College, aka New York Med or NYMC, is a private graduate health sciences university based in Westchester County, New York, a suburb of New York City and a part of the New York Metropolitan Area...
and the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley
Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley
The Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University is a Jesuit Seminary that is a school of Santa Clara University and one of the member colleges of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California...
.
Feerick graduated in 1958 from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
and obtained his law degree from Fordham Law School in 1961. During his time in law school, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Fordham Law Review
Fordham Law Review
The Fordham Law Review is a student-run law journal associated with the Fordham University School of Law that covers a wide range of legal scholarship.- Overview :...
. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Law and Society Award from the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, the 1999 Citizen Achievement Award from the New York State League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
, the American Irish Historical Society Gold Medal, and the New York State Bar Association Gold Medal.
Feerick was primarily responsible for the composition of the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution
Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution deals with succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities...
. This amendment specifies how a president can remove himself from office temporarily or be removed from office by a majority of his cabinet, and the process that follows for the President to attempt to regain power before Congress, if he so chooses, and then how the President's Cabinet, once again, can remove him from power. This scenario would most likely be used in the event that the President were mentally incapacitated, either voluntarily, through anesthesia in a medical procedure or involuntarily in the case of a mental illness.
External links
- Feerick Center at Fordham Law School
- Director bio at Wyeth
- "John Feerick, Champion of the Human Side of Law", web video at Fordham Law's LawClinic.tv project
- "Hands-On Fighting Homelessness - Working to Help NYC's Poorest Residents", web video at Fordham Law's LawClinic.tv project
- "Fordham Centenial (sic) Honors John Feerick", web video at Fordham Law's LawClinic.tv project
- Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections