Pictured left to right: Summer Associates Daniela Nieves, Samantha Fitzgerald, Allison Straub, Spencer Shih and Ruben Attia.
Riker Danzig’s Summer Associates took a break from legal research and meetings on June 29, 2023 to don boots, gloves and bug spray and head to Warren for our 2023 “Big Dig.” Led by our own in-house archaeological expert, partner Rudy S. Randazzo, our team turned to the intersection of archaeology/cultural resource preservation and the law. Hosted by partner Jeffrey A. Beer Jr. on his 19th century Warren property, the group surveyed Jeff’s property, learning about the historical uses of the property while field walking and excavating. Navigating around Jeff’s chickens, roosters and ducks, the group toured near a historic farmhouse and barn on the property, and used metal detectors to search for historic and prehistoric artifacts on the property and then carefully hone in on detected objects. Our team had a fascinating experience, learning much about archaeological digs generally, as well as the specific history of Jeff’s property and the surrounding area, for which one of the original landowners was William Penn, and where much mining was conducted in the 19th century before becoming more rural and agricultural through World World II, before major highways brought about industrial and suburban development. The team even unearthed materials including an old wheel, ancient construction items, and other odds and ends to make it a truly successful dig!
Our 2023 Summer Associates are Ruben Attia/Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Samantha Fitzgerald/University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law, Daniela Nieves/Rutgers Law School, Spencer Shih/Fordham University School of Law, and Allison Straub/Boston College Law School.
Joining the excavation team were Michael O’Mullan, Michael Rossignol, Hunt Ricker, Casey Boyle and Alison Walsh.
