Danielle Kocal

  • Director, Academic Success
  • Adjunct Professor
Preston Hall 319

Education

BS, Adelphi University
JD, Pace University School of Law

Adjunct Professor Danielle Bifulci Kocal joined Haub Law as an adjunct professor in the Spring of 2009, when she taught the Advanced Analytical Skills course to third-year students preparing for the Bar Exam. She then served as the Associate Director of the Academic Success Program in 2009, and has been the Director of Academic Success since 2010. 

Having worked for the Academic Success Program while a student at Haub Law, Professor Kocal brings a unique perspective to the program, and uses her experience to continue to expand the program and better serve her students. She graduated magna cum laude from Haub Law in 2006. She received her certificate in Environmental Law, participated in the Environmental Litigation Clinic, served as an Articles Editor for the Pace Environmental Law Review, and worked as a Dean's Scholar. Prior to joining the Academic Success Program at Haub Law, Professor Kocal was an associate at the law office of Elizabeth Swire Falker, Esq., PC, where she practiced in the areas of reproductive and adoption law. She is also active in the national Academic Support community, serving as Chair of the AALS Section on Academic Support for 2017, and Secretary for the Association of Academic Support Educators for 2019. 

Professor Kocal is also a yoga teacher (E-RYT 200) and teaches yoga and meditation classes for Pace students. She currently serves on the Executive Board for the AALS Section on Balance in Legal Education. She is the 2023-2024 Chair of the New England Consortium of Academic Support Professionals.

Publications

Can Teaching to the Test Create Better Lawyers?  The Learning Curve, Summer 2017

Creating an Asynchronous Distance Learning Class, Learning Curve, Winter 2015

Law School Outlining: Why, When and How to do it, Bloomberg Law, August 2013

Engaging Millennials: Using Twitter in the Classroom, The Law Teacher, Volume XVIII, Number 2, page 28 (2012).

Avoiding the “Middle”: How Academic Support Can Help Every Student, Bloomberg Law Reports Student Edition, Volume 2, Number 1, pages 2-3 (2011).

Presentations

“Evolving Academia: How to Leverage ABA Standard 303 and the Next Gen Bar Exam to Change Our Approach to Legal Education and Create Better Lawyers,” Association of Academic Support Educators Annual Conference, 2023.

“Early Intervention for All: How to Create a Comprehensive 1L Program,” Association for Academic Support Educators Annual Conference, May 2022

“Teaching to Gen Z: A Guide for Professors of all Generations,” Central States Law Schools Association Annual Conference, September 2021

“Making Room in Zoom,” Association for Academic Support Educators Annual Conference, May 2021

“Incorporating Well-Being Into Any Class with Guided Meditations,” AALS Section on Balance in Legal Education’s Speed Sharing session, July 2021

Bar Exam 2020 Panel, The Westchester Bar Association, July 2020

“The Mind/Body Connection,”  Final Fridays Webinar Series, Supporting Ourselves and Each Other, AALS Section on Academic Support, June 2020

“Finding Calm and Creating Confidence: A Guide to Teaching Mindfulness in Law School,” Association of American Law Schools Annual Meeting, January 2019

“Lessons Learned from K-12 Teachers,” New England Consortium of Academic Support Professionals conference, December 2018 and Association for Academic Support Educators annual conference, May 2019

“Right out of the Gate: Developing a Pre-Orientation Program,” NY Academic Support Workshop, April 2018

“ASP Lessons Learned from the Mob: Once You’re In, You’re In for Life,” New England Consortium of Academic Support Professionals conference, December 2017 and Association for Academic Support Educators annual conference, May 2018

“Calm Minds, Confident Students: Bringing Mindfulness to the Law School Classroom,” Association of Academic Support Educators annual conference, May 2017

"Top 10 Tips For Effective Online Teaching," Legal Writing Institute One-Day Workshop, December 2016

"It Takes a Village: Using Faculty to Help Meet the Needs of the 'New Normal' in Law Students," Association of Academic Support Educators annual conference, May 2016

"Adding Mindfulness to the ASP Toolbox," with Kerriann Stout, NY Academic Support Workshop, April 2016

"Doing More With Less:  Using Students to Increase Academic Support Offerings," Association of Academic Support Educators Annual Conference, May 2015, Chicago, IL.

"Creating a Summer Supplemental Bar Skills Program," Association of Academic Support Educators Annual Conference, May 2014

"Teaching Bar Skills Through Asynchronous Distance Learning,” Association of Academic Support Educators Inaugural Conference, May 2013

"Engaging Millennials: Using Twitter in the Classroom," Institute for Law Teaching and Learning Conference: “Technology in and Beyond the Classroom,” March, 2012