Classmates at Miami Law, mates for life, Peter Halle, J.D. ’73, and Carolyn Lamm, J.D. ’73, met, studied together and married (between their 2L and 3L years). Following graduation, they launched rewarding legal careers in Washington, DC, after a U.S. Department of Justice recruiter interviewed them on campus.
Now, the distinguished attorneys are giving back to their alma mater with a naming gift to the school: The Peter E. Halle and Carolyn B. Lamm Class of 1973 Room in the Miami Law Library. The gift will provide deserving students with access to education through scholarships and renovate the room for students to enjoy.
“Carolyn and I met the first day of orientation, and many of our dates began late at night in the law library,” said Halle, a native of New York City. “Miami Law is not just a great education; it is a very good place for meeting people and making friends. I know. We learned from our fellow students, as well as our professors.”
Growing up in Buffalo, NY, Lamm always wanted to be a lawyer. After earning her undergraduate degree, she became one of 10 women in a class of 376 students.
“Miami Law has long been on the leading edge in terms of admitting women and minorities,” said Lamm. “One of my classmates was H.T. Smith, one of the first Black students in our school. He went on to become a nationally recognized trial lawyer and now serves with me on the UM Board of Trustees.”
Dedicated ’Canes, Halle and Lamm’s two sons are UM alumni. Alex Halle earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Miami Herbert Business School, and Daniel Halle earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management and a master’s degree in nutrition and human performance from the School of Education and Human Development. Daniel leads the family in the number of UM degrees. “Having our two sons educated at UM over a ten-year period, brought us closer to our alma mater,” said Halle. “It was a pleasure to return again and again to visit our sons and to see how the University grew and changed over the years. The university made a profound and positive difference in our lives.”
Equipped by UM for stellar legal careers
After graduation in 1973, both Halle and Lamm joined the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC, under the Attorney General's Program for Honor Law Graduates. “Our ULaw training provided us with a competitive education that resulted in our hiring by DOJ, and a unique opportunity to serve our country,” said Halle, who was hired as a trial lawyer in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division where he eventually became assistant chief of the Trial Section and served as director of the of the Attorney General’s Honors Program in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. He left the DOJ to practice law at Milbank Tweed, then became a partner and senior counsel at Morgan Lewis & Bockius where he spent nearly 30 years as a litigator in the firm’s Antitrust & Trade Regulation practice. Halle is an active member of the American Law Institute.
Lamm was recruited by DOJ under the Honors Program to be a trial attorney in the Civil Division, where she was promoted after a few years to assistant director of the Commercial Branch. She then joined White & Case LLP, eventually becoming a partner and the chair of W&C’s International Disputes – Americas practice. In the 1990s, President Clinton appointed her to the U.S. Panel of Arbitrators of the World Bank’s International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes. After her service as a U.S. appointee, the Government of Uzbekistan appointed her to another term.
Lamm is a significant leader of the legal profession, serving as 2009-10 president of the American Bar Association, president of The District of Columbia Bar, the ABA’s representative to the United Nations and its representative to the International Bar Association. In 2010, Legal Times named Lamm among its "Visionaries" and the following year Washingtonian Magazine recognized her as one of the "100 Most Powerful Women" in Washington, and The National Law Journal later named her one of its "Most Influential Lawyers."
She now serves as president of the American Bar Endowment and is a member of the Council of the American Law Institute, where she was a moving force behind the ALI’s Restatement of the Law of International Commercial and Investor State Arbitration, and Restatement Fourth of U.S. Foreign Relations Law.
Supporting Miami Law
Through the years, Halle and Lamm have maintained close ties with Miami Law. After getting a taste of teaching as a 2L student instructor, Halle returned as an adjunct faculty member in 2015, teaching a short course in consumer protection law, as well as presenting an annual lecture on Criminal Antitrust Enforcement for the Antitrust Course taught by Professor Mike Kelly.
“We have a consumer economy, so creating a fair and balanced playing field where businesses and consumers understand the rules of the game enhances economic activity and the security of our country,” Halle said. “I really enjoyed the challenge of developing the short course from scratch, and the ongoing interaction with students.”
Lamm started teaching as a visiting faculty member more than a decade ago, giving Miami Law students her insights on international investment arbitration. She played a leading role in setting up the White & Case International Arbitration LL.M. program at Miami Law, recognized as one of the best international arbitration programs in the United States. She is currently the program’s distinguished faculty chair. “I am honored that White & Case made a major commitment to establish the program, along with a scholarship in my name,” she said. Her portrait is displayed in the law school library in honor of her generosity and dedication to Miami Law. Lamm is a current member of the UM Board of Trustees.
Lamm takes pride in the lasting impact of Miami Law’s international arbitration LLM program. “Our graduates pursue international commercial and investment arbitration careers in venues around the world,” she said. “If you like serving as an advocate for your clients, this program is something to consider, as arbitration is the future of cross- border dispute resolution.”
Both attorneys are currently involved in supportive roles for Miami Law. Halle serves on the Law Alumni Association’s National Advisory Council, and Lamm is vice chair for the school’s Ever Brighter Campaign Committee.
Halle and Lamm appreciate the university naming the reading room for their philanthropy. “We know that students benefit from comfortable surroundings, and this is a meaningful way for us to give back to our school,” said Lamm.
“Miami Law is an opportunity school,” added Halle. “It opened the door to us, provided a sound legal and ethical education and launched us on our careers. The university educated our sons. We want to do our part to support future generations of students.”
