(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Luna Stage welcomes lawyers Maya Grosz, Justine Olderman, and Magda Schaler-Haynes discussing Jewish Women, Social Justice, and the Law following the Sunday, November 3 production of Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library by Jenny Lyn Bader. The play starts at 3:00pm.
Set in 1933 Berlin, Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library is based on the detention and interrogation of Jewish political philosopher Hannah Arendt at the age of 26. Accused of mimeographing and sharing German anti-Semitic propaganda, Arendt was accused of activist crimes against the state. Luna Stage’s production is directed by Luna Artistic Director Ari Laura Kreith and features Giuliana Carr, Karl Kenzler, and Brett Temple.
Grosz, Olderman, and Schaler-Haynes will reflect on the play and on their own identities as activist lawyers and Jewish women, and explore the connection between identity and social action.
Grosz is Associate Professor of Law and the Director of the Legal Practice Curriculum at Seton Hall Law School, and former Acting Assistant Professor of Law at New York University School of Law where she taught Lawyering, a course on legal process, writing, research, fact development, methods of advocacy, and peer and self-evaluation. Previously, she was Director of the Civil Unit at Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, where she managed a team of attorneys and staff who provided representation to criminal defense clients in collateral civil proceedings, and trained and supervised the staff in all areas of practice including federal civil rights actions.
Olderman is the Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. A skilled trial lawyer with over 18 years of experience representing clients in criminal matters, including complex felony and homicide cases, she is a sought after lecturer and trainer on trial skills, bail advocacy, legal writing, and the attorney-client relationship. She has taught courses at Fordham and Seton Hall Law School, has been a guest lecturer at New York University School of Law, trained at the Judicial Institute and presented at public defender offices across the country. Justine currently sits on the Advisory Board of the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services and the board of the Chief Defenders Association of New York.
Schaler-Haynes is the Director of Policy and Strategic Planning at the New Jersey Department of Health. She holds joint appointments as Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at Columbia Law School and Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health. Schaler-Haynes recently led the Health Care Transition Team for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and served as Amicus Manager for the Center for Reproductive Rights in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, the successful U.S. Supreme Court challenge to Texas' abortion clinic shut down law.
Luna’s World Premiere production of Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library began performances October 17 and runs through November 10. Tickets are $25-$40, and are available at LunaStage.org or by calling OvationTix at 866-811-4111. The full schedule of special events, including pre-show LunaLit book-related events and post-show conversations, will be posted at LunaStage.org.
About the Panelists
Maya Grosz is an Associate Professor of Law and the Director of the Legal Practice Curriculum at Seton Hall Law School. She oversees all of the simulation courses and student competitions that teach students practical lawyering skills. She also teaches Introduction to Lawyering, a first-year class that trains students in core lawyering skills including research, writing, client interviewing, client counseling, negotiation, and oral argument. Prior to joining the faculty of Seton Hall in 2009, Maya was an Acting Assistant Professor of Law at New York University School of Law where she taught Lawyering, a course on legal process, writing, research, fact development, methods of advocacy, and peer and self-evaluation. Before that she was the Director of the Civil Unit at Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, where she managed a team of attorneys and staff who provided representation to criminal defense clients in collateral civil proceedings. She also trained and supervised the staff in all areas of practice, including federal civil rights actions, family and housing courts matters, and various administrative proceedings. Maya was a staff attorney in the civil unit for over two years before taking on the position of director. Maya graduated magna cum laude in 1999 from New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern Public Service Scholar and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After law school, Maya clerked in the chambers of the Honorable James C. Francis IV, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of New York. Maya received her B.A. in History, magna cum laude, from Brown University in 1993 where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Justine Olderman is the Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. She is a skilled trial lawyer with over 18 years experience representing clients in criminal matters, including complex felony and homicide cases. Justine is also a sought after lecturer and trainer on trial skills, bail advocacy, legal writing, and the attorney-client relationship. She has taught courses at Fordham and Seton Hall Law School, has been a guest lecturer at New York University School of Law, trained at the Judicial Institute and presented at public defender offices across the country. She joined BxD in 2000 as a staff attorney. She later became a training team supervisor for new lawyers, a team leader for experienced practitioners, and the Managing Attorney of the Criminal Defense Practice (CDP), a position she held for 7 years. As Managing Attorney of CDP, Justine oversaw the expansion of the criminal practice from 40 lawyers handling 12,500 cases a year to a practice of more than 100 lawyers handling 30,000 cases a year. In 2016, Justine became the Managing Director of the organization, overseeing all of the practice areas as well as the day-to-day operations of the organization. Justine currently sits on the Advisory Board of the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services and the board of the Chief Defenders Association of New York. Justine graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from New York University School of Law. She spent two years clerking for Judge Robert J. Ward in the Southern District of New York. She also holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Magda Schaler-Haynes is the Director of Policy and Strategic Planning at the New Jersey Department of Health. As a member of the senior leadership team, she oversees the Department's broad policy portfolio, strategic planning efforts, the Office of Health Information Technology, the Office of Vital Statistics and Records, the Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism, the New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research, and the New Jersey Commission on Spinal Cord Research. Schaler-Haynes holds joint appointments as Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at Columbia Law School and Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health. Her recent courses include Reproductive Rights and Practices (with Carol Sanger); Public Health Law; and Money, Politics and Law: Abortion and Public Health. She recently led the Health Care Transition Team for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and served as Amicus Manager for the Center for Reproductive Rights in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, the successful U.S. Supreme Court challenge to Texas' abortion clinic shut down law.
Until June of 2015, Ms. Schaler-Haynes served on the staff of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) as Special Advisor for health care and women's issues. Schaler-Haynes served on New York's health reform team as Senior Health Policy Advisor at the New York State Insurance Department until 2011. There she managed state and federal health reform activities related to New York's initial health insurance exchange establishment, expanded state resources for health insurance rate review, and pursued multi-agency policy initiatives to promote access to quality, affordable health care. She was a Visiting Scholar at the Australian Health Policy Institute at the University of Sydney 2005-2006. Until 2005, Schaler-Haynes was an Associate in the Health Care Group at the Proskauer law firm in New York. Schaler-Haynes earned her law degree in 2001 from Columbia Law School, where she was a John M. Olin Law and Economics Junior Fellow and a Humane Studies Fellow. She earned an MPH in Health Policy and Management from Columbia in 1998 and graduated with a BA cum laude from Brandeis University in 1996.
Luna Stage develops and produces vibrant plays about local and global experiences. We bring communities together for artistic events that spark conversations and create understanding and change. Firmly rooted in New Jersey's Valley Arts District—a crossroads of cultures—we celebrate the diverse voices that surround us.
Luna is committed to eliminating barriers to participation and nurturing the next generation of audiences and artists. In addition to its artistic season, the company offers classes for children and adults, and developmental programs for early-career artists.
Luna Stage has contributed to the development of over 100 new works for the stage, earning a reputation for artistic excellence. Luna’s unique approach to producing, as well as the work itself, fosters an environment of inclusivity, understanding, and infinite possibility.
