Albany Law School Litigation
Information regarding pending legal actions against Albany Law School and Professor Anthony Farley
Important Notice
This page contains information about ongoing legal proceedings. If you have relevant information or witnessed similar conduct, your confidential assistance may be invaluable to these cases.
Summary
On January 13, 2025, approximately one week before the Presidential inauguration, a second-year law student at Albany Law School attended the first session of a course taught by Professor Anthony P. Farley. According to the court filings linked below, the professor immediately departed from the course syllabus and delivered a series of racially discriminatory and politically charged remarks to the class. The student alleges that he was singled out by the professor and mocked based on his skin color, his attire, and his perceived political identity. The student alleges that this conduct occurred regularly in Professor Farley's classes, had been the subject of numerous prior complaints, and was well known to the administration of the law school.
After enduring approximately thirty minutes of the professor's abuse, the student packed his things, politely addressed the professor, left the classroom, and immediately went to report the incident to school administrators. Later that same day, the professor made public social media posts accusing the student of racism, mocking his “incel / MAGA look” and suggesting that he may suffer from “illnesses in his head” for choosing to depart the professor's class. Notably, however, the professor did not claim to have been assaulted by the student.
The following day, however, after learning that the student had filed a complaint against him, the professor filed a disciplinary complaint against the student, characterizing the student's brief contact during his departure as an “assault.” The litigation alleges that the school failed to investigate the student's initial complaint and instead advanced a disciplinary process against the student that was directed and controlled by Professor Farley and steered to a preordained outcome in blatant contravention of the school's disciplinary code.
Through his attorney, the student is seeking information from anyone who has relevant information to provide about Professor Farley's classroom conduct on the day of the incident or has knowledge of similar incidents or related events and their handling by the law school. Individuals with information are encouraged to reach out to the student's attorney, Marco Cercone.
Professor Farley's Facebook Post
The following is the Facebook post Professor Farley made about the January 13, 2025 incident before he learned that the student had lodged a complaint against him under the law school's Harassment Policy.
Professor Farley's Email
Below is an email Professor Farley sent to the Albany Law School community about a week after the incident rejecting neutrality in the form of post-inauguration Open Processing Space and instead seeking “partisans” with whom to share “anti-fascist” ideas and strategies.
DEI Office Email: Post-Inauguration “Open Processing Space”
Email from the Albany Law School DEI Office inviting students to a “Post-Inauguration Open Processing Space” on January 22 and 23, 2025.
Law Review Articles
Below are some articles authored by Professor Farley.
Critical Race Theory and Marxism: Temporal Power
Anthony Paul Farley — Columbia Journal of Race and Law (2012)
Perfecting Slavery
Anthony Paul Farley — Boston College Law School Legal Studies Research Paper No. 53 (2005)
Formal Complaints
Rowland A. Rupp v. Anthony P. Farley — Summons & Complaint
State of New York Supreme Court, County of Albany (Index No. 913278-25). Summons and complaint documenting incidents of classroom bullying, racially charged attacks, and subsequent institutional retaliation against a student who filed complaints.
Rowland A. Rupp v. Albany Law School of Union University — Federal Complaint
U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York (Case No. 1:26-cv-045). Federal civil rights complaint alleging Title VI race discrimination and retaliation, 42 U.S.C. § 1981 violations, breach of contract, and negligent supervision and retention of Professor Anthony Farley.
John Doe v. Albany Law School of Union University — Article 78 Petition
State of New York Supreme Court, County of Albany (Index No. 900466-26). Verified Petition (Hybrid CPLR Article 78 / Declaratory Judgment Action) challenging a student disciplinary process that allegedly ceased to be a legitimate proceeding and instead became a vehicle for institutional appeasement, in violation of the school's own written rules and federally mandated confidentiality obligations.
Share Your Experience
If you attended Professor Farley's classes, witnessed similar conduct, were discouraged from taking his classes, were affected by his behavior, or possess information relevant to these issues, your assistance could be invaluable.
You are welcome to contact attorney Marco Cercone confidentially. If you prefer, you may remain anonymous. Any information you provide will be handled responsibly and with appropriate discretion.
All communications are protected by attorney-client privilege