UA School of Law to host Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance

The Miller-Becker Center (MBC) for Professional Responsibility at The University of Akron School of Law will host a lecture by Cyrus Vance Jr., the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney and a nationally recognized leader in the criminal justice field. His presentation, “Prosecutorial Ethics and the Quest for Justice: A New Perspective,” launches a new lecture series titled “Prosecutors, Ethics and Promoting Justice.”

The event is free and open to the public. It will be held on Friday, April 22, at 4 p.m. in the Polymer Engineering Academic Center in Aggarwal Lecture Hall 138. A reception will precede the event from 3:30 to 4 p.m. in the first floor atrium. Those planning to attend should RSVP to Shannon Aupperle at ext. 7986 or sfauppe@uakron.edu.

“The role of District Attorney Vance and all prosecutors is to protect the community and administer even-handed justice,” explains Jack Sahl, the Joseph G. Miller Professor of Law and director of the Miller-Becker Center.

Promoting justice in 21st century

“Dramatic social and technological changes in recent years have increased the public’s scrutiny of the prosecutor’s office,” Sahl continues. “DA Vance will share some of his efforts to adapt to these changes and to create new opportunities to promote justice. His accomplishments since beginning his position in 2010 are extraordinary and have underscored his role as a national leader in criminal justice matters.”

These accomplishments include creating new units in the DA’s Office, such as the Crime Strategies Unit, Forensic Science/Cold Case Unit, Major Economic Crimes Unit, Special Victims Bureau, Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau, Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit, Hate Crimes Unit and Public Corruption Unit.

Vance is putting $38 million toward testing thousands of evidence kits of sexual assault victims with grants ranging from $97,000 to $2 million in 20 different states. He has also earmarked $90 million for police to purchase smart phones and tablets for officers and $101 million to improve lighting, locks and security cameras at New York City housing projects. He has designated $250 million for programs aimed at preventing crimes and helping convicts to reenter the workforce. Much of this funding is coming from his office’s settlements with international banks that have violated United States sanctions.

Vance graduated from Yale University and Georgetown University Law Center. He is the son of Cyrus Vance, Sr., who served as Secretary of the U.S. Army and Secretary of State.

The School of Law’s nationally recognized Miller-Becker Center is dedicated to enhancing public trust and confidence in the legal profession and the judicial system.

Media contact: Lisa Craig, 330-972-7429 or lmc91@uakron.edu.