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New York Law School Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 2

Check out the latest digital issue of our School’s magazine highlighting accomplishments from Fall 2025. In this digital issue, you'll get a closer look at the deep and enduring connection between Tribeca and the Law School, spotlights of accomplished alumni and faculty, and more.

Read it here.

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Michael Bowe and Heidi Goldsmith

Michael Bowe ’91 and Heidi Goldsmith ’21 on Brithem LLP and the Art of Trial Advocacy

New York Law School alumni Michael Bowe ’91 and Heidi Goldsmith ’21 recently connected under unique circumstances: the launch of Brithem LLP, a new boutique law firm focused on high-level courtroom advocacy in matters with significant commercial and societal impact.
Continue reading “Michael Bowe ’91 and Heidi Goldsmith ’21 on Brithem LLP and the Art of Trial Advocacy”…
Building the Housing Justice Pipeline: Law Schools’ Role in the Right to Counsel Movement

National Study Reports Progress on Law Schools’ Central Role in Safeguarding Housing and Community Stability

New York Law School’s Housing Justice Leadership Institute released Building the Housing Justice Pipeline: Law Schools’ Role in the Right to Counsel Movement, a first-of-its-kind national report examining how U.S. law schools are preparing the next generation of attorneys to advance housing justice and protect tenants facing eviction.
Continue reading “National Study Reports Progress on Law Schools’ Central Role in Safeguarding Housing and Community Stability”…
Gig Economy Project

NYLS and The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment Announce the Gig Economy Project

New York Law School (NYLS) and its Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment are launching the Gig Economy Project, a pioneering initiative addressing the legal and policy challenges facing New York’s fast-growing gig and freelance workforce.
Continue reading “NYLS and The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment Announce the Gig Economy Project”…
Professor Jae Hyung Ryu Appointed Director of the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

Professor Jae Hyung Ryu Appointed Director of the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

Professor Jae Hyung Ryu will guide the Center’s vision to strengthen the dynamic ecosystem of small businesses—those enterprises that underpin New York City’s and America’s innovation, economic mobility, and community vitality.
Continue reading “Professor Jae Hyung Ryu Appointed Director of the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment”…
Representing clients in mediation

New Instructional Film Helps Lawyers and Law Students Strengthen Mediation Advocacy Skills

The New York Law School Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Skills Program, in collaboration with the James Tricarico Jr. Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel, has created a new 37-minute instructional film, Representing Clients in Mediation.
Continue reading “New Instructional Film Helps Lawyers and Law Students Strengthen Mediation Advocacy Skills”…
Empowering Tomorrow’s Lawyers in the Age of AI: The NYLS Approach

Empowering Tomorrow’s Lawyers in the Age of AI: The NYLS Approach

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping legal education and practice in real time. New York Law School is meeting this moment head-on, with our community leading the way in exploring both the promise and the challenges of this transformation. Through innovative coursework, a dedicated AI Task Force, and a strong focus on ethics and responsibility, NYLS is empowering the next generation of lawyers to engage with AI critically and responsibly.
Continue reading “Empowering Tomorrow’s Lawyers in the Age of AI: The NYLS Approach”…
Christopher Bruno

NYLS Appoints Christopher Bruno as Inaugural Chief of Economic Development Programs and Strategies

Christopher Bruno ’12 Will Lead a Community Driven Approach to Catalyze Local Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Tribeca by Leveraging the Community Based Legal Resources and Technical Assistance of the NYLS Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment
Continue reading “NYLS Appoints Christopher Bruno as Inaugural Chief of Economic Development Programs and Strategies”…
New York Law School

New York Law School Selected as the Newest Partner of the Daniel Anderl Scholarship Program

New York Law School is honored to announce its selection as the newest law school to receive a $100,000 gift from The Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project, to establish an endowed scholarship in the name of Daniel Anderl.
Continue reading “New York Law School Selected as the Newest Partner of the Daniel Anderl Scholarship Program”…
Tribeca, New York

Friends of Bogardus Plaza, in partnership with the Tribeca Alliance and New York Law School’s Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment, Awarded $100K Grant to Revitalize Tribeca’s Commercial Core

Friends of Bogardus Plaza is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $100,000 Merchant Organizing Grant from the New York City Department of Small Business Services to strengthen and revitalize the Tribeca Alliance, in collaboration with The Tribeca Alliance and New York Law School’s (NYLS) Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment.
Continue reading “Friends of Bogardus Plaza, in partnership with the Tribeca Alliance and New York Law School’s Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment, Awarded $100K Grant to Revitalize Tribeca’s Commercial Core”…
Pablo Segarra and Jose Almanzar

Jose Almanzar ’11 and Pablo Segarra ’17 Reconnect During DBA’s Dominicana Week

Last month, New York Law School (NYLS) alumni Jose Almanzar ’11 and Pablo Segarra ’17 participated in “Dominicana Week,” a Dominican Bar Association (DBA) event designed to inspire collaboration and foster meaningful dialogue within the DBA community.
Continue reading “Jose Almanzar ’11 and Pablo Segarra ’17 Reconnect During DBA’s Dominicana Week”…
NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases students with FUB students

Criminal Defense Clinic Hosts an International German Exchange

In April, 11 law students from the Free University of Berlin in Germany visited New York Law School to learn about the American criminal legal system and the work that NYLS’s Criminal Defense Clinic does to advocate for indigent New Yorkers who are accused of misdemeanor crimes. 
Continue reading “Criminal Defense Clinic Hosts an International German Exchange”…
Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program Student Ambassadors

NYLS Broadens Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program With Student Ambassadors

The Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program launched a new Student Ambassador initiative designed to bring together NYLS’s three competitive advocacy teams—the Trial Competition Team, Moot Court Association, and the Dispute Resolution Team.
Continue reading “NYLS Broadens Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program With Student Ambassadors”…
Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

New York Law School Receives a Foundational Gift to Establish the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

Business leader Joe Plumeri establishes a new center to empower small business owners by providing them with essential legal and business development assistance through the Law School’s clinical program.
Continue reading “New York Law School Receives a Foundational Gift to Establish the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment”…
No Place like home

No Place Like Home: The History and Future of Tribeca and NYLS

No Place Like Home

The History and Future of Tribeca and NYLS

By

For 135 years, New York Law School (NYLS) has stood as an iconic institution in Lower Manhattan—rooted in public service, connected to New York City’s civic life, and committed to preparing leaders who shape the communities they serve. Steps from the courts, government agencies, and a lively network of businesses big and small, NYLS occupies a unique role as both a neighbor and an anchor.

Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell has an especially meaningful connection to Tribeca, as his entire legal career has unfolded within a six-block radius in the neighborhood. A longtime New York City public servant, he began his legal career as an Assistant Corporation Counsel at the New York City Law Department, then served at City Hall as Counselor to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. He joined the NYLS adjunct faculty in 2003 and has led the Law School as Dean and President since 2012.

“I’ve seen the neighborhood grow. I’ve seen its power, its promise,” Dean Crowell reflects. “Tribeca is a community that adapts, reinvents, and welcomes. The people are tremendous, and our future is great. Law is about promise, and this neighborhood reminds us every day of what that truly means. It’s where history meets possibility, where challenges spark innovation, and where NYLS has the privilege of helping to create a stronger, fairer city.”

Tribeca

A Brief History of Our Home

In 1891, NYLS founder Theodore Dwight and his fellow trailblazers founded NYLS in Lower Manhattan, planting roots in the heart of the city’s legal, financial, and government headquarters. The Law School’s first campus was in the Equitable Building at 120 Broadway, followed by moves to Nassau, Fulton, and William Streets, and briefly, the New York World Building. In a defining moment, the NYLS campus was condemned through eminent domain to make way for 1 Police Plaza, inciting the Law School to transform nearby industrial buildings into academic hubs. It was during this time that NYLS settled into Tribeca (then called Washington Market) at the corner of Church and Worth Streets. The building—which NYLS still occupies, along with two others—was dedicated on September 21, 1962, with remarks from Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan II, Class of 1924, and New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Jr., whose father, Senator Robert F. Wagner, graduated from NYLS in 1900.

NYLS’s then-new neighborhood was one of few residents and no true cachet. Yet the Law School’s arrival coincided with somewhat of a renaissance. Since its early history, Tribeca has been a merchant powerhouse. It was first called Washington Market after the famed market that became the city’s major source of produce and goods throughout the 1800s. By the 1960s, however, the neighborhood’s industrial base was fading as trucking entered the trade industry and the Washington Market relocated. Thus came a wave of young artists drawn to the abandoned lofts and warehouses that offered vast space and seclusion. These artists became pioneers, organizing a block association called the Triangle Below Canal (TriBeCa) when zoning restrictions threatened their housing. NYLS had a front-row seat as this pivotal history unfolded, watching as Tribeca was born right before its eyes.

Throughout the rest of the 20th Century, Tribeca’s identity as a place-to-be began to cement. Restaurants like the Odeon became cultural landmarks, and sites such as the Hook & Ladder Company 8 firehouse, immortalized in Ghostbusters, along with art galleries and film culture, helped define it as a place where creativity and community intersect. Meanwhile, the Law School remained a constant presence and deepened its role as a civic anchor in Tribeca, educating generations of lawyers who would go on to serve the city, state, and nation. By the turn of the millennium, Tribeca was well on its way to becoming a global icon, until the September 11 attacks abruptly froze its ascent and altered the community forever.

A Community Tested

No moment tested the neighborhood’s or the Law School’s strength more than the morning of September 11, 2001. Just blocks from the World Trade Center, NYLS found itself at the epicenter of a tragedy that shook the entire globe. When the towers fell, students, faculty, staff, and alumni were thrust into the arms of terror, many running for their lives through smoke-filled streets. The Law School lost power, water, and communications, and had to shut down for two weeks. Simultaneously, the community mourned four alumni who worked in the towers—Craig Lilore ’98, Weirong Lin ’98, Joseph Lostrangio ’78, and Richard Madden ’92. Yet, in the face of tragedy, the community did not fracture. What emerged instead was a renewed sense of purpose and a drive to serve.

In the weeks after the attacks, NYLS launched the Distressed Small Business Project to support local businesses struggling in an economically ravaged Lower Manhattan. Under the supervision of Professor Anthony Q. Fletcher, students offered free legal services to local small business owners and entrepreneurs—assisting with incorporations, renegotiating leases, crafting long-term business plans, and advising on corporate compliance.

NYLS also honored the extraordinary contributions of its own. In the spring of 2002, the Law School held a tribute to the student heroes who had stepped up in the aftermath of 9/11 by volunteering in rescue and recovery efforts, supporting police investigations, providing legal assistance to displaced residents and businesses, and answering the call to duty as the country prepared for war. In December 2002, the New York County Lawyers’ Association honored NYLS for providing the resilience and leadership that helped guide Tribeca and its neighbors through their darkest chapter.

Paul M. Kay receiving Student Hero Award at the 2002 Spring Benefit Gala

Paul M. Kay receiving the Student Hero Award at the 2002 Spring Benefit Gala.

NYLS students at the Remember, Rebuild: In Observance of the Anniversary of 9/11

NYLS students at "Remember, Rebuild: In Observance of the Anniversary of 9/11," a remembrance ceremony held one year after the attacks.

The Remaking of the Community

In the years following 9/11, Lower Manhattan became the focus of public and private investment aimed at reimagining and rebuilding. Improvements in infrastructure, public space restorations, and new housing reshaped the neighborhood into modern Tribeca. During this process of collective healing, NYLS looked ever upward. In 2006, the Law School broke ground on the now iconic, glass-enclosed, 235,000-square-foot building at 185 West Broadway. The development provided a high-tech, state-of-the-art facility to embrace new pedagogy, strengthen community service, and support an unparalleled legal education. The result is a campus that reflects NYLS’s past and future and mirrors the growth and renewal of Tribeca and Lower Manhattan.

The building—now named Abbey Hall in honor of Arthur (’59) and Diane Abbey—opened officially in the fall of 2009, but was earlier warmed with an Open House Celebration in April of that year. Ross Moskowitz ’84, Vice Chair of the NYLS Board of Trustees, captured the community’s excitement: “My favorite part of the building: taking the 1 train and seeing the School as soon as I walk out of the Franklin Street subway station—that captures everything about the School. As people walk out of the subway, they’ll see a building that says ‘Come to me.’”

Construction of New York Law School

Abbey Hall in its final construction stage in 2009.

Tour of New York Law School during construction

Architects working on the construction of Abbey Hall in 2008.

Tribeca: A Living Classroom 

In the last decade and a half, Tribeca has earned a reputation as one of the country’s most sought-after zip codes. For NYLS students, that status goes beyond a point of pride—it’s an educational advantage. The NYLS campus sits at a rare crossroads, bound by the headquarters of Citibank and Goldman Sachs to the west; by the Civic Center, including City Hall and an array of federal, state, and city courts and offices to the east; and by the World Trade Center and the Financial District to the south. This enables students to have an immersive experience fully integrating the study of law into the civic fabric of the city. It’s where public service, public interest advocacy, global finance, and community life converge, offering students daily exposure to a full spectrum of people, institutions, and challenges that shape the legal profession.

NYLS Board Chair John Estes ’95 understands this deeply, both as an alumnus and a champion of the Law School’s mission. “We have a modern, world-class facility located in a highly desirable area in Lower Manhattan, near courthouses, the financial district, government, and other channels of public service and public interest,” he notes. “Taking advantage of our location can significantly improve the student experience, further enhance our presence in the legal community, and enable us to better differentiate our program offerings.”

Students feel this connection daily, as classroom lessons extend seamlessly into the outside world. Local courtrooms, government agencies, and law firms can offer a real-time look at practical applications of the law. Through internships, externships, and hands-on clinical work, Tribeca becomes the first place NYLS students practice what they’re learning and see how law, policy, and community building intersect.

Marcos Izquierdo

“Tribeca is home to a vibrant community and studying law in a neighborhood like this adds a meaningful connection to my law school experience. Being surrounded by small business owners and long-time residents makes the study of law feel grounded in real people and real impact. NYLS’s investment in the surrounding community signals that the school sees itself as part of something larger than the classroom. To me, it reflects a commitment to engagement with the city, mutual growth, and preparing future lawyers who understand the importance of serving and strengthening the communities they are part of.”

Marcos Izquierdo ’27

Frank Rothman

“As a New York City resident for my entire life, there was no other choice that made sense to me than to establish my practice in Tribeca once I passed the bar exam. Being able to ride my bike to and from my office in Tribeca makes my quality of life that much better. I wouldn't change a thing!”

Frank Rothman ’83, Founding Partner, Rothman, Schneider, Soloway & Stern, LLP

The Path to Recovery

Behind Tribeca’s charm lies a community still navigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fluctuations in foot traffic, devastating business closures, and the resulting retail vacancies revealed the hard truth that Tribeca had no formal, sustained economic development strategy.

In March 2021, NYLS convened the Tribeca Pandemic Recovery Task Force to identify and address the neighborhood’s pressing needs. Its creation was prompted by Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell, who published an open letter in Tribeca Citizen pledging support for the community’s recovery. Soon after, the Law School hosted a virtual community meeting with Tribeca residents, business owners, and local organizations to discuss the neighborhood’s future. Several key priorities emerged, including the need for a cohesive, community-driven neighborhood vision.

An Alliance is Reborn

The work of the Task Force, coordinated by then NYLS Senior Fellow Chris Bruno ’12, laid the groundwork for present-day efforts to revitalize and support Tribeca’s business community. Specifically, it helped catalyze the official launch of the Tribeca Alliance, the neighborhood’s very own merchant association. Begun in 2016 as an informal gathering of concerned merchants, the group struggled to maintain momentum while also growing their own small businesses. The NYLS-led relaunch arrives alongside a $100,000 merchant organizing grant from the New York City Department of Small Business Services to support commercial revitalization in Tribeca. Bruno’s work will focus directly on fulfilling the goals envisioned by the grant in his new full-time role as NYLS’s inaugural Chief of Economic Development Programs and Strategies.

“During the pandemic, we immediately recognized a glaring discrepancy between the level of available resources for businesses and specific attention to small business issues in Tribeca,” Bruno recalls. “There’s no supporting framework for the community of entrepreneurs and small businesses. When it came to relaunching the Alliance, we turned back to the infrastructure that NYLS, along with business owners in the community, built five years ago and thought, ‘Let’s activate that network and build on that foundation.’”

In September 2025, the Alliance hosted its first Merchant Meet and Greet in years, bringing together nearly 30 local businesses to share ideas and begin charting Tribeca’s economic future. The merchant organizing grant—awarded in partnership with Friends of Bogardus Plaza—will help the Alliance formalize its operations, ensure nonprofit compliance, and explore forming a business improvement district (BID).

Emily Dillman

“Tribeca Alliance has become one of the most meaningful parts of my clinic work and my overall law school experience. Working directly with Tribeca Alliance and its small-business directors has shown me the real needs of the surrounding community and reminded me why this work matters. It means a great deal that NYLS intentionally invests in its neighborhood; it shows students that community engagement isn’t an extracurricular — it’s part of what it means to be a lawyer.”

Emily Dillman ’26

Chris Bruno speaking at the first gathering of merchants for the Tribeca Alliance in September

Chris Bruno ’12 at the Tribeca Alliance Merchant Meet and Greet.

Joe Plumeri speaking to New York Law School students

Joe J. Plumeri ’15 (Hon.) speaking with NYLS students.

The Plumeri Center: Powering Tribeca’s Small Business Ecosystem

The foundation set by the Pandemic Recovery Task Force also inspired the development of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment. Through the generosity of Joseph J. Plumeri (H’15), the Law School has been able to deepen its focus on supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs, including veterans and individuals from underserved communities. If the Alliance represents Tribeca’s organizing force, The Plumeri Center, under the leadership of Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, the Center's Director, provides a central support system.

For Professor Ryu, the seeds of his passion for small business empowerment were planted in law school, when experiencing the thrill of hands-on clinical work. It was nurtured through years of pro bono service throughout his legal career, where he felt energized by his interactions with small business owners. But perhaps the most pivotal moment—when his passion fully bloomed—was when he witnessed COVID-19’s devastating impact on his neighborhood. Professor Ryu describes that moment as a call to action—one that propelled him toward clinical teaching and, ultimately, to NYLS.

Earlier this year, Professor Ryu was appointed as the Plumeri Center’s inaugural Director. Under his guidance, the Center is building a multi-layered support model for small businesses that spans legal and regulatory assistance, community participation, economic development, and strategic development. This includes:

  • Coordinating services among NYLS’s Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic, Patent Law Clinic, and Trademark Clinic to provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with integrated guidance tailored to their needs
  • Partnering with merchant associations and community organizations, including the Tribeca Alliance, to broaden impact and ensure that local businesses have access to the technical infrastructure and advisory support needed to realize their visions
  • Leading the Gig Economy Project, a pioneering initiative addressing the legal and policy challenges facing the City’s gig and freelance workforce and the small business ecosystem that relies on it
  • Bringing together small business owners, policymakers, residents, and students for practical and forward-thinking discussions about New York City’s economic future through special programming, workshops, research, and public forums

“It made natural sense for me to be part of the neighborhood’s efforts to find its identity and voice,” says Professor Ryu. “When Tribeca flourishes, it enriches the student experience at NYLS. I would love for the Plumeri Center to be seen as a community hub for Tribeca and beyond—a go-to resource that connects all the spokes of the community. By pooling our legal resources with other types of resources from key partners, we can provide a platform where people feel supported. A lot of small business owners say, ‘I don’t know what I’m missing.’ Our role is to help them think about the risks they are—or should be—worried about.” Last year, The Plumeri Center hosted a forum featuring a panel of experts providing key insights for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Panelists included Plumeri Center Advisory Board member Joam Alisme ’14 of Alisme Law LLC, as well as Natasha Joseph, Assistant Commissioner for Government Navigation and Regulatory Reform at NYCSBS.

For Professor Ryu, community building is also about rethinking how law students learn to engage with the world around them. As Director of the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic, his pedagogy emphasizes observation, reflection, and leadership not just in students’ clinical and classroom work but also in their everyday lives. He encourages them to walk the streets of Tribeca and their own neighborhoods, to study public spaces and small businesses occupying them, assess their own experiences, and consider how visible and invisible frameworks shape the physical and social environments they move through every day. Ultimately, Professor Ryu’s vision for the Plumeri Center is as much about supporting Tribeca as it is about shaping the kind of lawyers NYLS sends into the world: thoughtful, curious, attentive to community needs, and capable of creating solutions that foster community prosperity.

joe plumeri

“Small businesses are core to a healthy economy. Providing law students the opportunity to serve these clients also helps us to build in the next generation of lawyers the skills and values needed for modern practice.”

Joe Plumeri (H'15), NYLS Trustee

Joam Alisme

“Small businesses are the heartbeat of every community because they create opportunity, promote commerce, and turn neighborhoods into thriving ecosystems. My passion for small business empowerment comes from seeing how quickly those dreams can unravel when legal challenges hit. That’s why I built a practice devoted to helping entrepreneurs resolve complex disputes and get back to growing what they’ve built. For law students who share that passion, my advice is simple: learn the language of business, not just the language of law. The most effective advocates understand both the legal strategy and the human story behind every deal, every dispute, and every decision.”

Joam Alisme ’14, Plumeri Center Advisory Board Member and Founder and Managing Attorney, Alisme Law LLC

Building Community, Cup by Cup

David Steingard

David Steingard ’04 at Laughing Man Cafe.

The New York Law School episode of The Tribeca Tapes, featuring NYLS Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell.

As Tribeca continues to evolve with support from NYLS, a new vision for the neighborhood is taking shape—one grounded in collaboration and shared purpose. One of the most passionate drivers of this work is David Steingard ’04, who holds a unique perspective as an NYLS alumnus, a lifelong Tribeca resident, and the co-founder and CEO of Laughing Man Café, one of the neighborhood’s most beloved hotspots. Steingard also hosts The Tribeca Tapes, a video series that highlights Tribeca’s storied history through conversations with neighborhood locals and historians.

Growing up in Tribeca, Steingard recalls seeing it transform “from a real industrial, non-residential area to the tight-knit, family-oriented community it is now.” He’s witnessed firsthand how the neighborhood has preserved its artistic edge, intimacy, and quirkiness even as it’s grown into a globally recognized destination for dining, culture, and commerce.

For Steingard, law and business have always been rooted in the same things: public service and community building. His legal training at NYLS continues to influence his leadership at Laughing Man, where contracts, negotiations, strategy, and critical analysis remain part of his toolkit. His philosophy extends beyond coffee; it is a worldview, shaped as much by his NYLS experience as by his years growing up in a neighborhood built by artists, rebels, and close-knit entrepreneurs. Today, he hopes Laughing Man’s legacy is synonymous with Tribeca itself. He envisions the café as a true third space where neighbors can rest, reset, and connect across differences. This belief in meaningful connection also drives his service on the Tribeca Alliance Board, where he champions efforts to preserve the neighborhood’s creative energy and support the small businesses that help it thrive.

Turning the Page, Together

Tribeca and New York Law School have grown up together. From the days of Washington Market to the rebuilding after 9/11 to the recovery challenges of the pandemic, the neighborhood has continually reimagined itself. NYLS’s role is not to define Tribeca’s next chapter, but to write it together with those who also call it home. The Law School’s mission to train lawyers of integrity, creativity, and public purpose aligns with Tribeca’s own identity as a neighborhood that values innovation, independence, and community connection.

Anastasia Natrella's artwork

The inaugural Tribeca Neighborhood Arts Initiative exhibition, featuring work from environmental surrealist artist Anastasia (Tasha) Natrella.

NYLS recently launched the Tribeca Neighborhood Arts Initiative, a series of rotating art exhibitions that bring creative expression into the Law School’s campus and celebrate the cultural richness of the neighborhood. The inaugural exhibition features the work of environmental surrealist artist Anastasia (Tasha) Natrella, a longtime resident of Tribeca. Learn more.

Conor Gallagher

“Studying law in a place like Tribeca helps me put into perspective every day what I am striving towards. Just walking through an area so saturated in arts and culture in a city that has always been a hub for arts and culture is something that I will always cherish. Seeing the art, hearing the music, and being enraptured by the architecture and culture of such a historic part of New York keeps me grounded and helps me remember that law doesn't exist in a vacuum. Everything we do and everything we are working towards as law students is going to influence the world someday, and it's our duty to make sure that the choices we make are ones we are proud of.”

Conor Gallagher ’27 Evening

Na’Asia Cobb

“Legal professionals play a vital role in shaping neighborhoods like Tribeca because we operate at the intersection of business, community, and policy. Our work ensures that growth is not only economically viable but also aligned with the neighborhood’s character and values. In Tribeca, that means negotiating complex leases and structuring deals that respect its historic identity while enabling innovation and progress. Looking ahead, the neighborhood offers opportunities to create dynamic mixed-use spaces and to reimagine existing buildings for modern use—attracting talent, fostering creativity, and supporting sustainable development. By guiding these transitions thoughtfully, legal professionals help strengthen the economic and social fabric that makes Tribeca unique.”

Na’Asia Cobb ’19, Senior Counsel and Director, Real Estate Law, The Gap Inc.

As Dean Crowell states, “Law is about promise.” In Tribeca, that promise is visible on every block—in the small businesses rebuilding, in the civic leaders emerging, in the students learning by doing, and in the locals shaping the neighborhood’s future with resilience.

New York Law School at night
Victor Suthammanont book event at New York Law School

Alumni Spotlight: Victor Suthammanont ’05

Victor Suthammanont

Alumni Spotlight:
Victor Suthammanont ’05

By Jennifer Bancamper

Our Alumni Spotlight Series features some of the most exciting, ambitious, and successful members of our alumni community—NYLS graduates making real differences in New York City and beyond.

In this installment, we reconnected with Victor Suthammanont ’05, whose unique path from the theatre to the courtroom has shaped both his legal practice and his work as a novelist. While his focus includes securities law and commercial litigation, his approach to advocacy remains deeply rooted in narrative.

“It’s a nice marriage of the artistic and the legal.”

Victor Suthammanont ’05 has always been a storyteller. Drawn to art from a young age, he began writing short stories in high school and later earned a B.F.A. in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Acting, directing, and even doing stand-up comedy, Suthammanont was continually captivated by performance as a form of storytelling. In an unexpected turn, his artistic pursuits led him to the law, and the law, in turn, emboldened his creative passion.

While raising money to produce a screenplay, Suthammanont decided to enroll at NYLS. Almost instantly, he realized just how much of his creative training would come into play during his legal studies. Writing and lawyering, he notes, draw on the same foundational instincts.

“Every scene in a story must serve the main argument or thesis I want to bring forth,” Suthammanont says. “I look at it almost like I’m structuring a legal brief—everything is in service of the primary argument. What ideas or questions do I want to leave the reader with? How is each section serving that? In a novel, I can map out chapter by chapter how each part supports the journey I want to take the reader on. And that feeds back into brief writing: the facts tell one story, the arguments reinforce it, and the structure carries the theme.”

At NYLS, he was inspired by the narrative aspects of law, noting how litigation, in particular, is all about telling a client’s story. He honed his writing skills as an Executive Articles Editor for the New York Law School Law Review and later received the Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award at commencement. Even his acting training converged with the analytical. “The style I studied, Practical Aesthetics, is about putting your attention on the other person and reading the truth of the moment,” Suthammanont explains. “There have been several moments during depositions or investigative testimony when I ask a question, watch the person answer, read their reaction, and follow the thread. It’s a nice marriage of the artistic and the legal.”

Victor Suthammanont as a student

Suthammanont and Andres Munoz ’05 in the NYLS Law Review.

Victor Suthammanont at graduation

Suthammanont walking the stage at NYLS's 113th Commencement Exercises.

Examining Justice, On and Off the Page

After graduating from law school, Suthammanont clerked for Hon. Maryanne Trump Barry of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and later joined Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, handling complex commercial disputes and enforcement matters. In 2014, he joined the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he investigated and litigated securities law violations, including insider trading, market manipulation, and digital asset fraud. His time there, and his legal experience more broadly, influenced his views on justice and uniquely positioned him to assess the system from multiple vantage points.

Victor Suthammanont holding his Hollow Spaces book

Enter Hollow Spaces, Suthammanont’s debut novel. The New York Times-featured book follows the story of the only Asian American partner at a prestigious law firm whose life implodes after he is tried and acquitted of murder. Three decades later, his adult children reinvestigate the case to uncover the truth.

“I wanted to start a story where most legal dramas end,” Suthammanont explains. “Any practicing lawyer knows that a trial doesn’t always get at the full truth. Verdicts resolve legal elements, not necessarily moral ones. That tension—the gap between the ‘core truth’ and the ‘whole truth’—became central to Hollow Spaces.”

The novel grapples with trauma, family, race, and the limits of courtroom justice, while also dissecting how public opinion can distort truth. In the digital age, Suthammanont notes, the public often forms judgments from limited or oversimplified information. Grabby headlines, for example, can push people to snap conclusions about events that are far more nuanced than they appear, something Hollow Spaces invites readers to examine closely.

“Everything I do is enabled by the community around me.”

Now a partner at Kostelanetz LLP, Suthammanont’s legal practice focuses on securities law, commercial litigation, and white-collar defense. He notes that returning to private practice after a decade in government has been “both harder and easier than expected”—harder due to shifts in the legal landscape, and easier because he feels newly energized by helping clients directly and celebrating the release of his novel.

Suthammanont is also the author of Little Surrenders, an Audible Original short story published in 2020. When asked how he balances his legal career with his creative work, he was quick to highlight the value of community. “I don’t sleep much,” he admits with a laugh. “But everything I do is enabled by the community around me—my wife, my kids, my colleagues.” Read more about Suthammanont’s dual careers in the Fall 2024 NYLS Magazine feature.

Where Law and Literature Meet

To this day, Suthammanont remains vocal about the lasting impact of his NYLS experience. It’s where he met his wife, Arminda Bepko ’04, now a senior attorney at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. He continues to credit Professors Emeriti David Chang and Edward A. Purcell Jr. for shaping his approach to legal analysis, and Professor Ann F. Thomas for instilling the importance of ethics and balance. She, along with Professor Lenni B. Benson and the late Professor Denise C. Morgan, is featured in the acknowledgements of Hollow Spaces.

Speaking to current NYLS students with both legal and creative aspirations, Suthammanont offers practical and philosophical advice: “First and last, we’re human beings. You have to do what fulfills you. If your calling is to be a lawyer and an artist, you can be both—but you have to live with integrity and authenticity.”

He also notes that creative resilience translates directly into legal practice. “In acting school, we were told: you’ll get 99 rejections for every one yes. And learning to handle rejection—something every artist faces—has made me a better lawyer. You don’t win every motion or every case, but you learn to keep going.”

As he looks to the future, Suthammanont hopes to keep bridging the worlds of law and literature. “If I could teach a seminar at NYLS, it would be a ‘Law and Literature’ seminar,” he says. “I think reading and thinking about literature helps us remember how the law serves society, how to stay human as a lawyer, and how to engage with the big questions.”

Victor Suthammanont

Suthammanont and his wife, Arminda Bepko ’04, at the NYLS launch of Hollow Spaces.

Victor Suthammanont and family

Suthammanont and Bepko with their children.

Ruti Teitel

Professor Ruti G. Teitel Answers the NYLS 10

Ruti Teitel

Professor Ruti G. Teitel Answers the NYLS 10

Ernst C. Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law Ruti Teitel is a renowned global scholar credited with establishing transitional justice as an area of academic inquiry and one of the leading experts on international human rights. At New York Law School, she serves as Co-Director of the Center for International Law, Chair of the Global Law and Justice Colloquium, Director of the Institute for Global Law, Justice, and Policy. She is also the founding Co-Chair of the American Society of International Law Interest Group on Transitional Justice and Rule of Law, as well as a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a frequent lecturer on the global dimensions of transitional justice and serves on many advisory boards, including the London Review of International Law and the International Journal of Transitional Justice. She has authored a vast body of work and pioneering scholarship that has had profound international impact.

Here, Professor Teitel answers the NYLS 10—10 questions about her work, her interests, and the things she looks forward to.

1. What is the focus of your work?

The focus of my work for many years now has been transitional justice and the role of law in periods of radical political change. I wrote my first book, Transitional Justice, which was animated and inspired by the revolutions in Latin America, South Africa, and eastern Europe when the Berlin Wall came down. I'm originally from Argentina, so my initial interest was what was happening in Argentina after the end of military rule and how they insisted on trials, not some other form of reconciliation. Around the same time, Chile went with a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I started writing about the varying approaches that different countries took to reckoning with the past, and once the Soviet Union collapsed, I realized the subject was worthy of a book, not just an article or a series of interviews.

The production of the book took many years. When it came out in 2000, it was very well received. And today I am still working on issues of transitional justice, some of it even in the field trying to help people in different countries who are trying to implement their own transitional justice, like Syria and Taiwan.

My latest book, Presidential Visions of Transitional Justice: An American Legacy of Responsibility and Reconciliation (2025), has just been published, and this is the first time I'm writing about America. I had included a small part in my first book about the post-Civil War period, but this entire book is about the United States, reckoning with its history, and the innovative ways in which different U.S. presidents have handled wartime, conflict resolution, peacemaking, and various civil rights claims that came out of their respective periods. It’s been exciting because it's about restoring the United States to world history and to this area of politics and law.

2. How have your interests changed over your career?

I couldn't have predicted it, but it's a quarter of a century later and I am still very much involved with transitional justice on a global scale. I am credited with creating the field. I first used the term in my 1991 grant application to the United States Institute of Peace, where I was discussing periods of political change and transitional justice as a bridge between regimes, and after the book came out, the term caught on globally.  My work has been translated into Chinese, Spanish, Serbian, and other languages. I wrote a second book, Globalizing Transitional Justice: Essays for the New Millennium (2014), based on 15 years of essays after Transitional Justice.

I'm also beginning to work on writing an intellectual biography of a lawyer who is known as the father of international law, Hugo Grotius. When I first came into law teaching, I was writing about religion, the state, and the constitution, and because so much of his work touches on these topics, it is in many ways a return to some of those interests.

Presidential Visions of Transitional Justice
Globalizing Transitional Justice
Humanity's Law
Transitional Justice

3. How do people respond to your work?

It’s been great that I've had many responses from more than one sector. There have been all kinds of scholarly, interdisciplinary responses to my work. Recently, I was honored by a symposium of international law scholars to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Transitional Justice.  Other examples from several years ago include the American Society of International Law forming an interest group focused on transitional justice and rule of law; the creation of many academic and research programs on transitional justice throughout Europe and throughout the world; and there have been many master’s and doctoral students whose research engages with transitional justice.

That is one of the most inspiring aspects of the responses to my work—that it’s not just colleagues but students responding. I've supervised master’s students and Ph.D. students who have brought new ideas about transitional justice to the table, and it's been wonderful to see how it has sparked interest and helped law students and students of politics and philosophy with a framework that describes periods that are chaotic and difficult.

And then there's the activist side. I'm always grateful when the work is helpful to people in the field. I'm currently collaborating with Fadel Abdul Ghany, the CEO of The Syrian Network for Human Rights, on articles that discuss what the current approach in Syria should be to transitional justice after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, including a shorter piece for Just Security, a leading international law and security digital journal, and a longer law review article.

I’m thankful that my work has been helpful to so many others. Indeed, most recently regarding transitions in Colombia and in Israel/Palestine where I regularly lecture.

Ruti Teitel speaking at her book launch event

Professor Ruti Teitel in conversation with University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Professor Mark Graber.

Anthony Crowell and Ruti Teitel

Dean Anthony Crowell and Professor Ruti Teitel at the launch of her new book, Presidential Visions of Transitional Justice: An American Legacy of Responsibility and Reconciliation (2025).

Ruti Teitel at her book launch event

Professor Ruti Teitel signs a copy of her book and speaks with NYLS students.

4. What’s a problem you wish you could solve with a snap of your fingers?

I’m often asked questions like this about what a country “should” do during these transitional periods. When I was in Taiwan at a book launch in 2019, a student asked, “What truth do we need to investigate and what truth do we need to know in order to move forward?” The truth is that it always depends. It depends on the context; it depends on the society; it depends on the nature of the repression of the prior political regime; and it also depends on how much norm change the society can tolerate and seeks. So as much as that's an appealing question for me—that transitional justice could be solved with a finger snap or that there could be a single formula for success—I resist that. There have been times when I was asked to consult that I’ve had to go into meetings and explain why one country’s approach wouldn’t necessarily be the “right answer” for another country. I strongly believe that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

5. What questions do you have that you want to be able to answer with your work?

I think the issue of transitional justice is significant when you're moving from one political context or economic context to another, and I feel like in this country, we are also in transition in a way. We’ve come out of a particular period, and we’re heading into a high-tech period with concerns about globalism and how to do globalization better. That's a problem I wish I could resolve because the concern that we’re in a zero-sum game creates so much resistance to the idea of foreign people and foreign concepts, but I believe that having colleagues from all over the world has enriched my life and could be enriching for so many others.

6. How do you approach teaching law?

I think we all in part were shaped by our own legal education, but also in ways after law school when we graduate and see other ways of transmitting knowledge. I've always been a fan of a combination of approaches. I typically start out with a bit of lecture and setting out what I view as needed knowledge and needed information for students, then directing questions to the students and engaging them that way, and sometimes using breakout groups. I would say it's a mix of lecture and Q&A or discussion.

Ruti Teitel at New York Law School

Professor Teitel moderates a discussion on the past and present of global justice with Ambassador David J. Scheffer.

Maoz Inon, Aziz Abu Sarah, and Ruti Teitel

Professor Teitel moderates a conversation with Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon on their new book The Future Is Peace.

7. What are you excited about these days?

Currently, I’m excited about my new book because it offers a framework for how we might think about the past in the United States and how we might move forward, and I look forward to seeing how others might engage both in scholarly ways and in practice here. I think that this is an auspicious time for us to be reckoning with mistakes made and decisions of the past. It's the mark of a mature society to be able to take accountability and move forward, and I have every hope that we can move in that direction.

8. What’s the next year like for you?

I have a busy year ahead. For starters, I'll be here in New York City at NYLS looking forward to teaching our great students international law, international human rights, and international criminal justice. I’ll also be traveling to discuss Presidential Visions of Transitional Justice at a number of upcoming events, including a panel at the Council on Foreign Relations, a symposium hosted by the constitutional blog Balkinization, and overseas talks in London. I'm enjoying the interdisciplinary conversations, and there's always something new when you have a chance to dialogue with other folks about engaging in related areas.

9. Whose work excites you these days?

As I mentioned, I'm working on a short, intellectual biography of Hugo Grotius, who is a fascinating character. I find his personal history and writings intriguing. He was a Dutch humanist, diplomat, lawyer, theologian, jurist, statesman, poet, and playwright in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He spoke several languages. He wrote poetry, tragedies as well as seminal law books, including The Law of War and Peace, which is widely regarded as a foundational text in the development of international law. Grotius was an advocate for tolerance when Europe was exploding with the religious wars—he himself was persecuted in Holland when authorities went after his denomination of Protestantism. At a time of heightened religious divisiveness around the world, my view is that Hugo Grotius and his attempts to create common ground hold meaningful lessons for contemporary audiences.

10. What are you reading, watching, or listening to?

I’ve recently read Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation by Jonathan Lear, who was a philosopher at the University of Chicago. It’s a probing narrative about how the Crow Nation survived their own holocaust, taking a philosophical, ethical, and anthropological look at how they adapted when faced with the end of their way of life. It’s been a truly remarkable read.

I'm also watching The Diplomat. I find it exciting and topical in terms of current foreign affairs dilemmas as well as reflecting the challenges of being a woman in these largely male spheres. I can't say that it’s the most relaxing program to watch at the end of the day, but I enjoy it.

Anthony Crowell speaking at New York Law School's 2025 Alumni Celebration

Field and Campus: Fall 2025

Field and Campus:

FALL 2025

By

Throughout the fall semester, New York Law School hosted a variety of events engaging our students, our alumni, our New York community, and the public. Community members attended civics programs, celebrations, career panels, thought-provoking book talks, insightful conversations with legal experts, business leaders, public officials, and more.

Read a few of the latest highlights from 185 West Broadway.

SEPTEMBER 2025

New York Law School Bar Association Event

On September 8, law students had the opportunity to meet with leadership from over 20 local and national bar associations at an open house event hosted by NYLS’s Office of Academic Planning and Career Development. Bar association leaders across New York City and State, including many NYLS alumni, spoke with students about getting involved, free and low-cost student memberships, and more.

New York Law School's Law and Leadership in Times of Crisis event

The Law and Leadership in Times of Crisis: The NYC Experience symposium was held on September 10. Attendees heard from past and present Corporation Counsels—Muriel Goode-Trufant, Zachary Carter, Hon. Sylvia Hinds-Radix, James Johnson, Victor Kovner, Georgia Pestana, and Hon. O. Peter Sherwood—and senior legal leaders—including Dean Anthony W. Crowell (Former Assistant Corporation Counsel) and Center for New York City and State Law Counsel Stephen Louis (Former Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel). Panelists shared their experiences balancing the city’s legal obligations with the realities of emergency response and recovery during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Superstorm Sandy, and the COVID-19 pandemic, and how their efforts made New York a global model for legal leadership in times of crisis.

New York Law School Restorative Justice Event

Professor Susan J. Abraham, who recently served as the Restorative Justice Consultant for the Fall 2025 Broadway show Punch, invited students to hear directly from the people on whom the show is based. Joan Scourfield, David Hodgkinson, and Nicola Fowler, their restorative justice facilitator, joined us on campus on September 11 before the show’s previews began for an intimate discussion about the profound impact of restorative justice on their lives. Read more about the event.

Hon. Victor Marrero, Hon. Joseph Bianco, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Hon. Anthony Cannataro '96, and Dean Anthony W. Crowell

The inaugural Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit was hosted on September 16 in collaboration with the NYLS Center for New York City and State Law and The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice for All — Courts and the Community Initiative: The Civic Education Project for the Federal Courts of the Second Circuit. The Summit convened judges, attorneys, law professors and other educators, law students, and civic leaders to examine democratic principles, the rule of law, and the role of civic knowledge in shaping the nation’s future. The program opened with a conversation featuring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, along with other senior federal and state jurists. Participants engaged in interactive discussions that celebrated excellence in civics education and explored new strategies to expand its reach and impact. See the event highlights.

panel of judges at New York Law School event

On September 16, students had the opportunity to hear personal experiences, professional advice, and valuable insights on rewarding career paths within the judicial system from a panel of judges. Hon. Dana M. Catanzaro '09, Hon. Daniel J. Desalvo '05, Hon. Stuart Minkowitz, Hon. Joel H. Slomsky '70, and Hon. Lola Waterman '08 shared their unique journeys at a panel moderated by Hon. Marc J. Whiten '84.

John E. Estes Investiture event

On September 18, our community celebrated the investiture of John E. Estes ’95 as the new Chair of the New York Law School Board of Trustees. During his investiture, expressed deep gratitude for the decades of leadership by Immediate Past Chair Arthur N. Abbey ’59, and pledged to uphold NYLS’s core values in collaboration with Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell, the Board, and the entire NYLS community.

New York Law School 49th Annual Charles W. Froessel Intramural Moot Court Competition

The NYLS Moot Court Association (MCA) administered the 49th Annual Charles W. Froessel Intramural Moot Court Competition on September 21. The Intramural Competition, which is open to NYLS students, is a rigorous recruiting program used to select new MCA members. Candidates for membership must complete a comprehensive written and oral advocacy skills training program to prepare them for the rigors of national competition in the spring.

Aziz Abu Sarah, Maoz Inon, Susan Abraham, Ruti Teitel, and New York Law School students

On September 30, NYLS’s Center for International Law hosted a book talk moderated by Professor Ruti Teitel featuring two prominent peacebuilders, Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian from Jerusalem, and Maoz Inon, an Israeli who grew up near the Gaza border, who discussed their work and shared vision for coexistence in Israel/Palestine and the personal stakes that fuel their mission. Earlier in the day, Abu Sarah and Inon also joined students for a lunchtime conversation with Professor Susan Abraham on restorative justice, the dual or multi-narrative approach, and how they train people to use these methods in their peacebuilding work.

OCTOBER 2025

New York Law School Trial Competition Team event

On October 8, Trial Competition Team (TCT) alumni Joseph Bias ’22, Ariana Dindayal ’17, Joshua Harris ’21, Ellery Harvey ’24, Ashley Infante ’21, and Chris Morbelli ’20 joined us back on campus for a panel and an informal networking session to discuss their careers in litigation and share with students how their TCT experiences at NYLS helped them with early career opportunities and long-term professional growth.

Ruti Teitel’s book event

In honor of Professor Ruti Teitel’s new book, Presidential Visions of Transitional Justice: An American Legacy of Responsibility and Reconciliation (2025), we held a special book launch featuring a conversation between Professor Teitel and Mark Graber, the Jacob A. France Professor of Constitutionalism at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, about the book’s examination of U.S. leadership in conflict resolution and reconciliation and its long-term implications for America and the world.

We had a wonderful celebration of the New York Law School alumni community as we recognized graduates in classes ending in 0 and 5. The October 16 reception was a festive occasion to celebrate milestone reunions, catch up with classmates, and rediscover the community that makes NYLS special.

E. Drew Britcher
John Estes
Taking photos at New York Law School's 2025 Alumni Celebration
Anthony Crowell speaking at New York Law School's 2025 Alumni Celebration
Guests at New York Law School's 2025 Alumni Celebration

See more Alumni Celebration photos.

first annual NYLS Pro: Part-Time Evening Division Family Day

New York Law School hosted the first annual NYLS Pro: Part-Time Evening Division Family Day on October 19. It was a special afternoon for our evening students to show their family and friends where they spend their evenings.

James Weddle and James A. Tricarico Jr

On October 20, students had the opportunity to attend a wide-ranging discussion between James Weddle, Former Managing Partner, Edward Jones, and James A. Tricarico Jr. ’77, former Chief Legal Officer of Edward Jones, a member of the NYLS Board of Trustees, and founder of NYLS’s Tricarico Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel.

NYLS’s Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law hosted a panel with PCJU Chief Shalena Howard and Deputy Chief Willoughby Jenett

On October 29, NYLS’s Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law hosted a panel, moderated by Professor Gaynor Cunningham, with Post-Conviction Justice Unit (PCJU) Chief Shalena Howard and Deputy Chief Willoughby Jenett to give students insights on the PCJU's work, the process of reviewing convictions, factors that lead to wrongful convictions, and the path to obtaining an exoneration.

NOVEMBER 2025

Heather E. Cucolo, Lydia Payne-Johnson, and Elizabeth Roper

With rising interest in digital privacy and government surveillance of digital data, NYLS’s Innovation Center for Law and Technology and the Privacy Law Association student organization hosted a panel—featuring Distinguished Adjunct Professor Heather E. Cucolo ’03; Adjunct Professor Lydia Payne-Johnson ’96, Director of Data Governance, Compliance and Identity Management at The George Washington University; and Adjunct Professor Elizabeth Roper, Partner in the Litigation and Global Dispute Resolution Practice at Baker & McKenzie LLP—on November 5 to discuss how the challenges of applying Fourth Amendment constitutional protections against digital searches evolves with modern technology.

Erin Miner, Andrew O’Brien, S. John Ryan, Ian L. Levin

On November 10, several alumni working in employee benefits law came to speak with students about how the practice spans diverse industries, extending to traditional employment law and influencing corporate transactions, compliance, tax, labor relations, and more. Erin Miner ’08, Head of Executive and Regulatory Compensation at Citigroup, Inc.; Andrew O’Brien ’01, Partner at Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP; and S. John Ryan ’87, Partner at Seward & Kissel LLP joined Adjunct Professor Ian L. Levin, Partner at McDermott Will & Schulte LLP, to share advice and experiences from their careers.

New York Law School's Annual Veterans Day Luncheon

NYLS hosted the Annual Veterans Day Luncheon on November 11 to celebrate the veterans of our community and honor their service.

Joe Plumeri and New York Law School students

Global business leader and NYLS Trustee Joe Plumeri ’15 (Hon.) visited campus on November 12 to share his insights from a lifetime of leadership in a thought-provoking conversation with our law students.

James Simon and Edward A. Purcell Jr

On November 19, we welcomed back Professor and Dean Emeritus James F. Simon for a conversation with Professor Emeritus Edward A. Purcell Jr. about Dean Simon’s recent memoir, Courting History: A Supreme Court Historian Reflects on His Life and Career, and the challenges and reflections of a life dedicated to constitutional history.

Ben Max, Anthony Crowell, Jennifer Jones Austin, Meera Joshi, Emma Wolfe

NYLS hosted a public panel on November 20 with leaders from previous NYC administrations to discuss keys to a successful mayoral transition. In a conversation moderated by Ben Max, Program Director of the Center for New York City and State Law, Dean Anthony W. Crowell, former Counselor to Mayor Bloomberg; Jennifer Jones Austin, Co-Chair of the 2013 mayoral transition and current CEO of FPWA; Meera Joshi, former Deputy Mayor for Operations and current President of Green-Wood; and Emma Wolfe, former Deputy Mayor for Administration and current Chief of Staff to the NYU President spoke about how to best organize city government and the pressing decisions a Mayor-elect must make to accomplish top priorities.

Rhonda Z. Tomlinson, Lillian Wan, Patria Frias-Colon, Abena Darkeh, Deepa Ambekar, and New York Law School students

On November 20, the NYLS community attended a panel highlighting judicial professional trajectories and the challenges judges may face on the bench. Judge Rhonda Z. Tomlinson, NY Women Judges Association (NYWJA) Law School Outreach Committee member, moderated a conversation with Hon. Lillian Wan, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department; Hon. Patria Frias-Colon, NY Supreme Court, Kings County, Medical Malpractice Part; Hon. Abena Darkeh, NY Supreme Court, Kings County, Domestic Violence Part; and Hon. Deepa Ambekar, NY Supreme Court, Kings County, Criminal Term, who shared their perspectives on breaking barriers and the best legal practices for serving diverse litigants and communities.

DECEMBER 2025

Janno Lieber

We proudly celebrated the 200th CityLaw Breakfast on December 2 with featured guest speaker Janno Lieber, Chair and CEO, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), who discussed the state of the MTA; how pro-transit leadership, both in Albany and City Hall, impacts service, ridership, capital investment including the Interborough Express; and continued congestion relief.

Ruti Teitel at New York Law School

On December 2, NYLS welcomed Ambassador David J. Scheffer, the first U.S. Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues who led the U.S. delegation to the UN talks establishing the International Criminal Court, to campus for a special conversation on the past and future of global justice.

Student Organization Alumni Connections

During the fall, NYLS students and alumni enjoyed community-building gatherings where they fostered and strengthened lifelong connections.

NYLS Latin American Law Students Association Annual Alumni Mixer

The Latin American Law Students Association held their Annual Alumni Mixer on October 6.

Students speaking at the NYLS Latin American Law Students Association Annual Alumni Mixer

The Italian Law Students Organization held their Annual Alumni Mixer on October 14.

New York Law School students at the Legal Association for Women

On November 10, the Legal Association for Women and the Student Bar Association organized a networking reception for students with the New York Women Judges Association representing a cross-section of practice areas and including several NYLS alumni. The event encouraged students to engage in open conversation and ask questions about judicial careers and the court system.

New York Law School First Generation Professionals Etiquette Dinner

The First Generation Professionals (FGP) student organization hosted its annual First Generation Professionals Etiquette Dinner on November 13. The evening included a dinner, interactive program, and networking with many supportive NYLS faculty and alumni—many of whom were FGP alumni.

Student speaking at the NYLS OutLaw's annual Charity Raffle and Friendsgiving Dinner

On November 18, the OutLaws student organization hosted their annual Charity Raffle and Friendsgiving Dinner to benefit the Arthur S. Leonard Leadership Fund.

New York Law School faculty

Faculty Highlights: Fall 2025

Faculty Highlights: Fall 2025

Britney Wilson
Jeffrey M. Wice
Amy Wallace
Claire R. Thomas ’11
Ruti G. Teitel
Lynn Boepple Su
Nadine Strossen
Faith Stevelman
David Simson
Richard K. Sherwin
David Schoenbrod
Andrew Scherer
Ross Sandler
Jae Hyung Ryu
Rebecca Roiphe
Edward A. Purcell Jr.
F. Peter Phillips ’87
Michael Perlin
Justin Murray
Richard D. Marsico
Molly Guptill Manning
Stephen Louis
Arthur S. Leonard
Mariana Hogan
Michael Goodyear
Matt Gewolb
Doni Gewirtzman
Kris Franklin
Shahrokh Falati ’08
Gaynor Cunningham
Heather E. Cucolo ’03
Anthony W. Crowell
Anna G. Cominsky ’05
Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04
Heidi K. Brown
Frank A. Bress
Adele Bernhard
Robert Blecker
Lenni B. Benson
Ann Schofield Baker ’97
Barry Appleton
Alan I. Appel ’76
Penelope Andrews
Susan J. Abraham

New York Law School faculty are dedicated educators and renowned experts in their respective fields. Their scholarship and professional achievements advance the rule of law and legal educational excellence in New York, across the nation, and around the world. These items represent a sample of the activities of NYLS’s full-time, adjunct, and emeritus faculty.

Appointments, Awards, and Recognition
Books and Book Chapters
Law Review Articles and Publications
News and Media
Presentations
New York Law School's 2025 Alumni Celebration

Class Notes: Fall 2025

CLASS NOTES
Fall 2025

Class Notes reflect the recent achievements and milestones of our esteemed alumni. Stay connected by submitting your news and updates.

1980

Jack McGuire joined Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP as Senior Counsel. He spent the last 19 years at Oppenheimer & Co. as Deputy General Counsel and Director of Litigation.

1993

Lissa Jean Ferrell, Counsel at Javerbaum Wurgaft, was honored as a “Diverse Attorney of the Year” by the New Jersey Law Journal.

Laura Rossi, Vice President of the New York Community Trust, was named to City & State’s ‘2025 Westchester Power 100’ list.

1995

John Mascialino, Chair of the New York Government Law and Policy Practice at Greenberg Traurig LLP, was named to City & State’s “2025 Manhattan Power 100” list.

1996

Brian Gotlieb, a Kings County Civil Court Judge, was elected to the New York State Supreme Court.

1997

Alexis S. Axelrad was named President-Elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association for the 2025–2026 term.

Edmund Smyth was reelected Town Supervisor of Huntington, New York.

Hon. Susan Sullivan-Bisceglia, Town Justice of LaGrange, New York, has been named President of the New York State Magistrates Association.

2000

Hon. Brian Counihan, who works as a U.S. immigration judge in Batavia, New York, was promoted to Assistant Chief Immigration Judge.

George Garcia, Partner at Connell Foley LLP, was honored as a “Diverse Attorney of the Year” by the New Jersey Law Journal.

2001

Jason Hodes, WME Endeavor Senior Partner, was recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the “Top 38 Sports Agents and Managers in Hollywood.”  His client list includes Billie Eilish, Tom Brady and Jake Gyllenhaal.

2004

Sheridan Jack-Browne was elected to the Kings County Civil Court.

2005

Kimberly Broder was promoted to Partner at McDermott Will & Schulte.

2006

Ryan Miller joined Scarinci Hollenbeck LLC as Partner in the firm’s real estate practice.

2008

Eric Wursthorn was elected to the New York County Civil Court.

2009

Scott Koop joined Scarinci Hollenbeck LLC as Counsel in the firm’s real estate practice.

2011

Jose Almanza, Senior Counsel at Holland & Knight LLP, was nominated by Governor Kathy Hochul, and confirmed by the New York State Senate, to serve on the Adirondack Park Agency Board. He is the first Latino ever appointed in the agency's history.

Falguni Patel was nominated by Governor Phil Murphy for a Superior Court Judgeship in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

2015

Lakisha Collins-Bellamy, Yonkers City Council President, was named to City & State’s “2025 Westchester Power 100” list.

2016

Quinn Rapp-Ellis was named General Counsel of the New York State Workers' Compensation Board.

2019

Christopher Fernandez was promoted to Partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

2021

Kayla Santosuosso was elected to the New York City Council, representing District 47 in Brooklyn.

2023

Caitlin Parise joined Fox Rothschild as an Associate in its real estate practice.

2025

Daniel Chernomaz, Dallas Droz, and Mia Oginski were named Queens County Assistant District Attorneys.

Congratulations to Sarang Lim ’27

Sarang Lim ’27 Makes Her Mark in IP and Patent Law Scholarship

Congratulations to Sarang Lim ’27

New York Law School (NYLS) congratulates Sarang (Sarah) Lim ’27 on earning national recognition for her academic writing and forward-looking legal analysis. With a focus on intellectual property and patent law, Lim is involved in several organizations on and off campus. She serves as the Public Relations Chair of NYLS’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA), a member of the Patent Law Clinic, a Law Student Ambassador for the New York State Bar Association, and a Young Lawyer member of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association (NYIPLA).

“I wanted to share this good news with fellow NYLS students, alumni, and faculty, because I truly feel that I have been able to pursue this path thanks to the support and opportunities I’ve received at NYLS,” says Lim. Her recent achievements are highlighted below.

First Place, AAJP McKelvey Writing Competition

Lim won first place in the 2025 Hon. Frederick E. McKelvey Writing Competition, organized by the American Association of Patent Judges (AAPJ). Her winning essay, “Restoring Public Trust in Patent Law: A Case for March-In Rights Reform under the Bayh–Dole Act,” was selected from submissions addressing a wide range of issues in U.S. patent law.

The McKelvey Writing Competition honors the legacy of Frederick E. McKelvey, whose five-decade career at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office was defined by his dedication to teaching, mentorship, and collegiality. As part of the award, Lim’s essay will be published in the Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society (JPTOS).

Bronze Scholarship, Karl Popper Legal Reasoning Challenge

Lim was selected as a Bronze Scholarship winner in the inaugural Karl Popper Legal Reasoning Challenge, an international competition hosted by The Atoll Society. The challenge invited law students and rising lawyers to consider how law should evolve if artificial intelligence became part of the constitutional order. Participants drafted judicial opinions and legal briefs set in the year 2047, addressing a refugee dispute in an AI-governed society.

More than 60 submissions were received from participants across the globe, including from Tehran, Nairobi, and London. Lim’s work was recognized for its thoughtful engagement with emerging legal, philosophical, and technological questions, earning her a place among a select group of finalists.

Publication in NYIPLA’s The Report

In addition to her competition achievements, Lim’s article, “When AI Writes Your Claims: A New Frontier for Prosecution History Estoppel,” has been accepted for publication in the Fall 2025 issue of The Report, the official journal of the NYIPLA.

Founded in 1922, NYIPLA is one of the nation’s leading intellectual property organizations, representing more than 1,500 attorneys in the United States and globally. The association is dedicated to advancing the development, understanding, and administration of intellectual property law.

Together, Lim’s achievements thus far signal a promising future in intellectual property and patent law, while also reflecting NYLS’s commitment to supporting student scholarship and professional development.

Ella Mae Estrada

Which Law School Is Right for Me?

Which Law School Is Right for Me?

Admissions Q&A With Dean Estrada

Ella Mae Estrada

Deciding which law school you will attend is not only a significant career decision, it’s also a very personal one. We spoke with Ella Mae Estrada, New York Law School’s Associate Dean and Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Financial Services, and Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to discuss the strategies and factors you should keep in mind to choose the law school that’s right for you.

How do I know which law school is right for me?

Start by creating your own decision matrix—it should evolve as you explore your options. Consider how each school supports career development and whether its graduates work in places or roles you admire. Think about location: Do you want to study in a city with abundant networking opportunities or in a quieter setting that offers focus and community? Reflect on how each school’s culture, values, and support systems align with your goals. In the end, choose the school that feels like the best fit for your aspirations—not just the one with the biggest name.

Can’t I learn everything about the law school online? Do I really need to visit campus?

A campus visit is one of the most important steps you can take. Every law school looks great in marketing materials and there is always a wide range of opinions floating around online. But nothing compares to experiencing it for yourself. Walk the campus. Attend classes in action. Talk to students and faculty. And don’t just see the school—experience the neighborhood and community. Here in Tribeca, our students enjoy learning in one of New York City’s most dynamic and safest neighborhoods.

What should I look for when I visit?

Pay attention to how you feel both on and off campus. That might sound surprising, but it matters. How does it feel to walk through the school and then step right into the flow of the surrounding neighborhood? Law school is intense—you want an environment where you feel at home, supported, and inspired. At NYLS, you’ll see faculty, staff, and deans who are engaged and accessible, and then step into our Tribeca neighborhood filled with energy, history, restaurants, culture, and easy access to the rest of the city.

When is the best time to visit?

Visit during the school term. For NYLS, that’s Monday through Thursday—when the campus and Tribeca are buzzing. Notice the energy: Are students happy, engaged, chatting as they move between classes or grabbing lunch nearby? How do students and faculty interact? How does the surrounding area feel to you? This day-to-day dynamic says a lot about the community you’ll be joining—both inside the school and in the neighborhood you’ll call home for the next three or four years.

New York Law School campus
New York Law School students on terrace
New York Law School students on campus

Is it really just about “vibes”?

Vibes are more important than you might think. The “feel” of a school isn’t just about the buildings—it’s about the people, the energy, and even the neighborhood. You’ll spend three or four years immersed in this environment. Ask yourself: Do I want to be part of this energy every day?

So, what are the NYLS vibes?

If I had to sum it up: supportive, enterprising, and collegial.

Supportive: Faculty, administrators, and classmates have your back.

Enterprising: Our students take action on campus, in our city and state, and across the nation—whether through organizations, clinics, journals, or moot court teams.

Collegial: Law is a relationship-driven profession, and NYLS is known for building lasting connections in a welcoming, collaborative environment.

What questions should I ask during my visit?

Start with current students. Ask:

  • “What’s it really like to be here?”
  • “How accessible are the faculty?”
  • “Are students collaborative or competitive?”

We’re happy to answer all your questions too—but hearing directly from students gives you an authentic perspective.

What happens at Admitted Students Day?

Admitted Students Day is your chance to meet the people you’ll learn from and alongside: faculty, administrators, and future classmates. You’ll experience the culture of NYLS firsthand and start building your network before classes even begin.

New York Law School auditorium
New York Law School
Michael Bowe and Heidi Goldsmith

Michael Bowe ’91 and Heidi Goldsmith ’21 on Brithem LLP and the Art of Trial Advocacy

Michael Bowe and Heidi Goldsmith

New York Law School (NYLS) alumni Michael Bowe ’91 and Heidi Goldsmith ’21 recently connected under unique circumstances: the launch of Brithem LLP, a new boutique law firm focused on high-level courtroom advocacy in matters with significant commercial and societal impact. Bowe, who co-founded the firm with longtime partner Lauren Tabaksblat, brings more than three decades of trial experience to the venture. Goldsmith, a senior associate, joined Brithem after practicing at a large law firm and an earlier career as an aerospace engineer.

Brithem launched with 13 legal professionals, including a former Supreme Court clerk, seasoned trial lawyers, investigators, and paraprofessionals. The firm’s name originates from the Old Irish term Brithem, meaning preeminent legal practitioners who served justice to people across all levels of influence. Below, Bowe and Goldsmith discuss how they first connected, what it means to pursue trial law as an art, and how their NYLS experiences resonate in their work today.

How did your paths cross, given that you attended NYLS years apart?

Bowe: “When we were planning the launch of the firm, we were working with headhunters and were very clear about what we wanted to build: a high-end boutique focused purely on trial work—the art of advocacy.

We told the headhunters that we were looking for ‘unicorns’—people whose true professional priority is becoming excellent trial advocates and who are willing to grind through the time and challenges it takes to get really good at it. Heidi was one of those people. She already had a very fulsome career in a challenging and demanding environment, and when I saw that she was a NYLS graduate, and that we had won many of the same awards at graduation, it felt like an obvious connection.”

Goldsmith: “I was already working with the same headhunter, who reached out about this new boutique firm. She mentioned that one of the partners was a NYLS graduate and asked if I’d be interested in speaking with him. I said, ‘Yes, absolutely. No question.’ That immediately made the opportunity even more exciting.”

Michael, you mentioned looking for “unicorns.” What does that look like when it comes to young lawyers?

Bowe: “A passion for the craft of courtroom advocacy, not just someone looking for a good job. Like any craft, be it sports, arts, or any profession, you need to put substantial time and effort in to become competent, then more to become good, then more to become accomplished. And because you are trying to improve throughout, you constantly face setbacks and frustrations. This is particularly tough in a highly competitive adversarial craft like litigation. You will need a level of grit that can only come with passion. I think it’s unfortunate that young lawyers who fit this bill are ‘unicorns,’ but after 35 years, I know it is true. Over the course of my career, I have seen the bigger firms care less and less about developing the next generation of first-chair litigators organically. They are perfectly happy today with a cadre of associates and junior partners who are just content to have a well-paying job. This services their high-leverage business model, and they can recruit their first-chair people from lateral hires. It’s clear to me that many of these young lawyers aren’t even aware of the future potential they are giving up in this environment.

We have the opposite view at Brithem. We’re very explicit that the work will be demanding. We’re going to give you responsibilities you haven’t had before and hold you to high standards. The only way to get better is by doing the work, and that means working hard, with mentorship and support, but also with grit. It’s like hitting a curveball. I can explain how to do it, but until you’ve seen a hundred of them, you won’t really know how. The lawyers we’re looking for have a strong ambition to become good at this art and beat the other guy.”

Goldsmith: “To add, the opportunity here is fundamentally different. In Big Law, the class year structure means that there is often someone above you who gets the opportunity first, and you have to move up the ranks before you can step into that role. I was always eager to take on more, but I understood that the structure limited how quickly that could happen.

At Brithem, I am not just given the opportunity to step outside that structure, I am encouraged to do so, taking on broad, end-to-end case management alongside drafting and other core litigation work. This is my second career. Before law school, I was an aerospace engineer designing helicopters, so I have already been through the process of learning a profession deeply and growing into a senior role. I know what that takes, and I am excited to put in that hard work again. I really appreciate what Brithem is asking of me and offering me, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to assume that level of responsibility and fully invest in mastering the practice of litigation.  

Heidi, how does your engineering background influence your work as a litigator today?

Goldsmith: “The sum total of everything I did prior to becoming an attorney is all still with me. Being an engineer is all about critical thinking and logic, thinking outside of the box, understanding how things connect, and understanding how I can apply something I did in one design onto a new design, even when it’s a little bit different. That’s exactly what happens when you look at a lawsuit. All the facts are different, maybe the underlying law is different, but you always have to look at what you already know. And that’s particularly important in the types of cases that we work on at Brithem—we’re expanding outside the boundary of what already exists or testing existing law in the context of new technologies. You have to think, ‘How can I extend it? How can I convince someone to change how they look at what was originally written, and make it fit a new set of facts?’”

How does your experience at NYLS still resonate with you?

Bowe: “I’m a native New Yorker, and NYLS felt very real to me. Many of the students had prior careers or were working while in school. People had a lot at stake, which created a very different culture and sensibility. It had a very real-world feel to it, and I think that’s an important piece of trial work. If you don’t understand everyday people and how they think, especially jurors, you’re lost. NYLS was great preparation for that.

I had some really great professors. I was in Nadine Strossen’s first class. It was really great learning from her, particularly because she and I disagreed on so many things. What we did agree on was that you should be able to say what you want to say and then debate it. That was a great part of her class, and she really valued that. Michael Perlin was another really great professor who really imparted an understanding of how the principles of law we learned in law school are applied in the real world.” 

Goldsmith: “I instantly felt at home at NYLS. I was in the evening division, and there was a real sense that we were all in it together. It wasn’t the typical law school vibe that you hear about, where everyone is competitive. It was never like that. My evening division cohort was a family from day one. And the administration knew us and really cared about us individually. When I heard one of the Brithem founders was a NYLS alum, I immediately felt like I knew what kind of environment this firm would have. I think that’s indicative of NYLS—everybody feels real.”

As Brithem begins its work, Bowe and Goldsmith carry forward a shared NYLS foundation rooted in ambition, real-world perspective, and passion for the craft of courtroom lawyering.

Associate Dean Heidi K. Brown

Supporting NYLS’s Adjunct Faculty Community

Associate Dean Heidi K. Brown

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce that Dean Heidi K. Brown will integrate responsibility for coordination and day-to-day oversight of our adjunct faculty community into her portfolio, taking on the duties previously held by Dean of Adjunct Faculty Engagement and Professor Howard Meyers.

Thank you to Professor Meyers for his extraordinary leadership as the Inaugural Dean for Adjunct Faculty Engagement. In that role, he made lasting contributions to strengthening our adjunct faculty community and its vital role in the life of the Law School. Dean Meyers will remain actively involved with the Adjunct Faculty Committee, in addition to his full-time teaching responsibilities and his service as Director of the Center for Business and Financial Law and the Filler Institute for Financial Services Law.

About Dean Brown and Her Work

Dean Brown’s portfolio is the logical place in which to integrate these important duties. As Associate Dean for Upper-Level Writing and Professor of Legal Writing, Dean Brown is a key driver of NYLS’s commitment to a holistic, 21st-century approach to research and writing instruction, including preparing students to meet both the writing demands of the NextGen Bar Exam and the evolving expectations of the legal profession. In addition, she coordinates efforts to re-invigorate the upper-level writing curriculum in alignment with NYLS’s deep commitment to legal research. These critical areas, particularly NextGen bar readiness and upper-level writing instruction, are key priorities in the Law School’s overall work and having the adjunct community more directly aligned with this work is important to the outcomes we seek in the program of legal education. 

Dean Brown will serve as a faculty mentor to our adjunct community; coordinate pedagogical, professional development, and training opportunities; and assist adjunct faculty in developing syllabi and other course components. She will continue Dean Meyers’ work in hosting networking forums and facilitating connections between adjunct and full-time faculty based on areas of expertise. Dean Brown will also support opportunities for adjunct faculty involvement in the scholarly life of the Law School and in the delivery of our CLE programming. 

Please join us in thanking Dean Brown for integrating these important responsibilities into her work, and in also thanking Dean Meyers for his tremendously impactful service.

Finally, please hold Monday, March 23, at 1:00 p.m. for our Adjunct Annual Luncheon, where we will further celebrate the essential contributions of our adjunct faculty to NYLS and to the legal community.

Sincerely,

Anthony W. Crowell
Dean and President

Matt Gewolb
Senior Associate Dean

Lenni Benson and Immigration and Nationality Law book

Professor Lenni B. Benson Co-Authors New Edition of Immigration and Nationality Law

Lenni Benson and Immigration and Nationality Law book

NYLS Professor Lenni B. Benson, together with Professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia of Penn State Dickinson Law, has released the third edition of Immigration and Nationality Law, published by Carolina Academic Press.

The seminal textbook has been revised to reflect the evolving landscape of immigration law and policy, particularly developments in the courts and the executive branch. The introduction to the third edition highlights how immigration law intersects several areas of legal practice, while the text provides a strong foundation in the constitutional, statutory, and regulatory frameworks essential for practitioners. Coverage spans topics ranging from expedited removal and constitutional analysis to nonimmigrant visas and humanitarian relief.

The new edition maintains emphasis on the role of administrative agencies, appreciation for public servants, and a problem-based approach that challenges students to work through complex and shifting immigration scenarios. These features continue to distinguish Immigration and Nationality Law as both practical and analytically rigorous.

Professors Benson and Wadhia collectively bring more than 60 years of experience in immigration law, including work in private practice, policy, the federal government, and legal education. Both are recipients of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s prestigious Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award.

About Professor Lenni B. Benson

Professor Lenni B. Benson has been teaching and writing in the field of immigration law since 1994. In addition to serving as a Professor of Law at NYLS for more than 25 years and founding the School’s Immigration and Litigation Clinic, she created the Safe Passage Project, which links unaccompanied children and teenagers facing deportation to legal representation. She was appointed the Distinguished Chair in Immigration and Human Rights Law at NYLS in 2019.

Professor Benson has won national awards for her pro bono leadership and excellence in immigration teaching, including the prestigious Child 10 Award in 2018, which recognizes international human rights leaders protecting children. She also published an edited academic volume of international essays with Professor Mary Crock of the University of Sydney entitled Protecting Migrant Children: In Search of Best Practice (Elgar Press, 2018).

Professor Benson is a member of several national task forces on the needs of migrant youth and has been a speaker for the federal government at national trainings. She was a founding Steering Committee member of the American Immigration Representation Project, formed in 2017 to expand pro bono representation of detained immigrants as part of the national project, www.immigrationjustice.us. From 2012 to 2015, she was Chair of the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. In 2012, she and Professor Russell Wheeler of American University Washington College of Law completed a study of the immigration courts for the federal government’s Administrative Conference of the United States.

A native Arizonan, Professor Benson earned her B.S. and J.D. degrees from Arizona State University, where she graduated cum laude for both degrees. She is also a former partner in the international law firm of Bryan Cave, LLP.

Professor Penelope Andrews at University of Pretoria Symposium

Professor Penelope Andrews Honored at University of Pretoria Symposium

Professor Penelope Andrews at University of Pretoria Symposium

On December 12 and 13, the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa hosted a symposium in honor of NYLS’s John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Penelope Andrews. Titled “Building a Better World Through Law?”, the event explored the theme of law, justice, and transformative leadership. It brought together members of the judiciary, leading academics, and emerging scholars from around the globe to reflect on Professor Andrews’ wide-ranging contributions to constitutionalism, gender justice, international human rights, and legal education.

Sessions explored topics such as women’s rights in international law, the evolution of South African constitutionalism, executive accountability, race and legal education, and the intersections between gender, customary law, and social justice. The goal of the symposium was to both honor Professor Andrews and to explore how academics, practitioners, and judges can build a better world through law. Panelists and attendees engaged with critical questions around the pursuit of justice, including how to ensure that constitutional principles are not only written in texts but lived in communities, and how justice can be realized for those who are most marginalized.

On the first day of the symposium, Dikgang Moseneke, the former Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa, delivered opening remarks. This was followed by a panel titled “Accountability,” in which each panelist presented original research exploring diverse dimensions of accountability and discussed how it must operate across public and private spheres to sustain democratic governance. The “Constitutions, Gender, Minority and Indigenous Communities” panel followed, offering rich and comparative perspectives on constitutionalism, gender justice, and the protection of minority and indigenous communities.

Day two commenced with a panel discussion on the evolution and transformation of South African courts and featured distinguished members of the South African judiciary, including Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo. Last fall, NYLS welcomed Justice Mlambo for “A Conversation on Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law With Two Presiding Justices.” An additional panel, entitled “International Human Rights and Women’s Rights,” explored how transformative leadership can use international law to address gender-based injustice in both global and local contexts.

A recurring theme that emerged from these sessions—which were moderated by prominent UP faculty members—was the gap between constitutional promise and the lived reality of much of the South African populace. Speakers considered the role of commissions of inquiry, the Constitutional Court’s clear roadmap on socioeconomic rights, and the extraordinary potential embedded in the constitutional architecture.

The symposium concluded with scholars and judges from around the globe participating virtually to offer remarks in celebration of Professor Andrews’ contributions to the legal community. Among the many celebrators were her NYLS colleagues Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, Dean for Evening Student Engagement, and Ruti G. Teitel, Ernst C. Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law, as well as Hon. Dianne T. Renwick, Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department.

Penelope Andrews and Kirk Burkhalter

Dean Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04: “Participating in this symposium in honor of my colleague and friend Penny Andrews, specifically on the Accountability panel, was an amazing experience. Her work has inspired important discourse on human rights, gender apartheid, feminism, race and the law, ethics, and governmental accountability, and she has been an engine for change through her work. It was quite inspiring to hear judges, academics, and lawyers all pay tribute to her countless collaborations, mentorship, and friendship throughout their careers. I am honored to also call her a colleague, mentor, and friend.” 

Professor Ruti G. Teitel: “I was delighted to participate in the final panel held in honor of Penny. This last panel engaged the topic of Penny’s public-facing scholarship and programming—her strong voice as a global public intellectual on issues of freedom of expression and voting, as well as more normative questions of racial and gender discrimination and apartheid from South Africa to the U.S. and faraway Afghanistan. To hear from colleagues from all over the world about the impact of Penny’s writing and speaking was a true pleasure, underscoring our good fortune here at NYLS!”

NYLS congratulates Professor Andrews on the recognition of her remarkable contributions to constitutional law, human rights, gender, race, and judicial transformation.

About Professor Penelope Andrews
Penelope Andrews is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law and Director of the Racial Justice Project at NYLS. Prior to joining the Law School, she held appointments and senior positions in law schools across the United States and internationally, including Dean at the University of Cape Town Faculty of Law and President and Dean at Albany Law School. In addition, she previously served as an Acting Judge of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria and as an arbitrator in hearings on racial discrimination in South Africa. Professor Andrews has been widely published on comparative constitutional law, gender and racial equality, and human rights, and she has received numerous awards for her global human rights advocacy, including the National Bar Association’s International Award.

Top stories of 2025

Top Stories of 2025

Top stories of 2025

2026 brings an exciting milestone for New York Law School (NYLS)—our 135th anniversary! But before we begin our celebration of 135 years of innovating legal education and leadership, launching impactful legal careers, and expanding access to justice, we’re taking a look back at our most read stories of 2025. 

1. Celebrating Individuality: Unique Paths to Law
New York Law School welcomes individuals from all walks of life, bringing their extraordinary talents and perspectives to the School and making our community as diverse as the city itself. See how our unique community demonstrates the ways that the pursuit of a personal passion can inspire a rewarding legal education and a thriving legal career.

      2. NYLS Announces 94% Employment Rate for Class of 2024; 90% Employed in Gold Standard Jobs
      The Class of 2024 achieved an impressive 94% overall employment rate 10 months after graduation. These graduates are already making an impact in positions in New York and beyond.

        3. NYLS’s 2025 Orientation: Building Community and Embracing Civic Leadership
        We’re always excited to welcome each new class of 1L students and prepare them for a successful start to their law school journey. Take a look at the highlights from the 2025 orientation.

          4. New York Law School Announces New Chair of the Board of Trustees
          We’re proud to have John Estes ’95, a Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, as the new  New York Law School Board of Trustees Board Chair, succeeding the historic tenure of Arthur N. Abbey ’59, who served as Board Chair for the past 25 years. Read the announcement and hear more about his vision for the future of NYLS.

            5. NYLS Teams Shine Across National Competitions
            Students in the Moot Court Association (MCA) and Dispute Resolution Team (DRT)  excelled in prestigious competitions across the country this year. See the highlights from a few of their impressive victories.

              6. Celebrating the Class of 2025 at NYLS’s 133rd Commencement Exercises
              With inspiring remarks from alumni Christopher H. Stephens ’84 and Carla B. Freedman ’88 as well as a surprise appearance by Judge Judy Sheindlin ’65, the 133rd Commencement at Lincoln Center was a memorable one.Revisit the celebration of NYLS’s Class of 2025.

                7. Professor Kirk Burkhalter ’04 Appointed Dean for Evening Division Engagement
                As a 2004 graduate of our Evening Division and longtime faculty member, Professor Kirk Burkhalter is exceptionally and uniquely qualified for this new role. Learn how he’ll develop programs and enhance support for the current students and recent graduates of the NYLS Pro Evening Division.

                  8. Patent Law Clinic Helps Woman-Owned Start-Up Obtain Patent in Adaptive Fashion
                  Students in the Patent Law Clinic successfully helped their client patent an adaptive fashion design that enables mobility-challenged women to wear a special type of bra. Read more about how the students’ work with this adaptive fashion entrepreneur.

                    9. Discover Tribeca While Studying at NYLS
                    For new and prospective students, we shared some of our favorite spots to visit around the iconic Tribeca neighborhood we call home.

                      10. New York Law School Selected as the Newest Partner of the Daniel Anderl Scholarship Program
                      We were honored to become the newest law school to receive a $100,000 gift from The Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project to establish an endowed scholarship in the name of Daniel Anderl. Learn how the scholarship program will support NYLS students who exemplify a commitment to public service and justice, particularly those pursuing careers in privacy and cybersecurity law.

                        11. Empowering Tomorrow’s Lawyers in the Age of AI: The NYLS Approach
                        As artificial intelligence brings rapidly-evolving change to the legal profession, discover how NYLS is proactively leading the way through this transformative moment in legal practice, preparing tomorrow’s lawyers to embrace the future thoughtfully and responsibly.

                          12. NYLS Alumni Appointed Supervising Judges in New York City Courts
                          Hear about some of the NYLS alumni making an impact in the courts.

                            13. The Legacy of the NYLS Pro Evening Division
                            NYLS’s part-time J.D. program has a rich history of enabling working professionals to advance their careers and pursue their dreams. As we turn to celebrate the 135th anniversary of the Law School, get a glimpse of the program’s evolution over the years.

                              NYLS in NOLA

                              What’s Happening: NYLS at the 2026 AALS Annual Meeting

                              NYLS in NOLA

                              Dear Colleagues,

                              I am looking forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools taking place in New Orleans from January 6 to January 9, 2026. This year’s Annual Meeting theme, set forth by AALS President Austen Parrish, is especially meaningful as we celebrate “Impact. Excellence. Resilience. The Enduring Contributions of Legal Education.” Programs around the theme this year are a vital reminder of the incalculable contributions made by our profession and our institutions, and how the endurance of our nation’s founding principles relies on our work.

                              I am also proud that many of my NYLS colleagues will contribute to these conversations and speak on this year’s panels, and I invite all of you to attend our programs.

                              Journal of Legal Education

                              We are proud to conclude our first year as the co-editors of the Journal of Legal Education alongside leaders from the University of California, Irvine School of Law. I am grateful to NYLS’s William P. LaPiana, Dean of Faculty and Rita and Joseph Solomon Professor of Wills and Trusts, Kris Franklin, Wallace Stevens Professor of Law, and Professor Amy Wallace for their work this past year.

                              On Wednesday, January 7 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., please join Journal editors for an update on journal activities and then hear from a panel of experts selected from a call for papers. The panel presentation follows a national convening that the AccessLex Institute and AALS hosted in September in Philadelphia (The Access Imperative: Strengthening Legal Education and Challenges). The panelists will critically engage with the theme of access and inclusion in legal education, and the panel will include presentations from a range of perspectives. This program should be of interest to those wishing to learn more about access and inclusion, and how access is a core responsibility of legal education and necessary to meet the needs of the profession. Professor Amy Wallace will moderate the discussion.

                              NYLS Faculty and Staff Leading Sections and Programs

                              NYLS faculty

                              January 7

                              8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
                              Professor Justin Murray is moderating a panel for the Section on Criminal Procedure (sponsored by the Section Criminal Law) on “Who Claims the Power to Police? Authority, Legitimacy, and the Re-Imagining of Public Safety.”  

                              Professor Michael Goodyear will present draft research on “Protecting the Queer Internet” for the Technology, Law and Legal Education Section’s session “The Impact of Technology on Law and Society.”

                              12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
                              Dean for Advocacy and Co-Curricular Programs and Professor Lynn Boepple Su will lead a session on “Introduction to Mindfulness in the Contemplative Space” in her capacity as an Executive Committee member for the Section on Balance in Legal Education and a member of the Board of Directors of Mindfulness in Law Society.

                              1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
                              Dean and President Anthony Crowell will moderate an AALS Hot Topic program on “Analyzing Impact of the 2008 Financial Crisis on Legal Education: The Lessons Learned and Their Application to Today’s Emerging Challenges” with Dean Michael Simons, St. John’s University School of Law, and Daniel Thies, Chair of the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

                              2:35 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
                              Professor Michael Goodyear will speak on the Intellectual Property Section’s “Emerging Scholars” panel.

                              Professor Justin Murray is speaking on the Section on Criminal Law’s panel “Brady v. Maryland at 60+: Prosecutorial Ethics, Polarization, and Empirics.”

                              Professor Britney Wilson, as Secretary of the Section on Disability Law, will moderate the Civil Rights and Education Law Section’s panel on “Pillars in Peril: Disability and Civil Rights Laws Under Attack.”

                              4:10 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.
                              Dean and President Anthony Crowell, Professor Amy Wallace, and Hon. Joseph Bianco of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the co-chair of the Hon. Robert A. Katzmann Justice for All: Courts and the Community Initiative, are panelists on an AALS Hot Topic Program “Scaling the Summit: How Law Schools and Courts Can Collaborate to Promote Civics Education.” The panel will discuss and analyze lessons learned from the inaugural Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit held at NYLS in collaboration with the Second Circuit in September 2025, which featured a conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Sudha Setty, President of the Law School Admission Council, who attended the Summit, will moderate the session.

                              5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Dean for Advocacy and Co-Curricular Programs and Professor Lynn Boepple Su will lead a second session on “Introduction to Mindfulness in the Contemplative Space.”

                              January 8

                              9:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
                              Professor Andrea Johnson will present her paper as part of the Works-in-Progress Section’s Employment Discrimination Law and Labor Relations and Employment Law Joint Program featuring “New and Emerging Voices in Work Law.”

                              1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
                              Associate Dean and Vice President Ella Mae Estrada will speak on the Section on Pre-Law Education and Admission to Law School’s panel on the new financial aid structure.

                              4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
                              Dean Anthony Crowell will facilitate a Breakout Discussion as part of the all-day Deans Forum. The breakout discussion will focus on changes in federal financial aid.

                              January 9

                              9:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
                              Wallace Stevens Professor Kris Franklin is speaking on the Section on New Law Professors panel “New Scholars Works-in-Progress.” She will also be reporting to the AALS Executive Committee on the work of the Journal of Legal Education in 2025 and speaking at several events sponsored by the Section on Women in the Law on behalf of the RBG Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

                              Independent Law Schools Winter Leadership Retreat

                              Immediately prior to the AALS Annual Meeting, New York Law School is proud to coordinate and lead the third convening of the nation’s 15 independent law schools. Deans, Chief Financial Officers, General Counsels, and Admissions Deans will attend a two-day program at the Hilton Riverside, which is also the site of the AALS meeting. The program will cover areas unique to the administration and operation of independent law schools. The inaugural retreat was held right before the 2025 AALS Annual Meeting, and the second retreat was held on the sidelines of the 2025 ABA Annual Deans Week held in July at NYLS. The NYLS delegation includes Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb, Dean of Faculty William P. LaPiana, and Associate Dean and Vice President Ella Mae Estrada.

                              The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) has generously sponsored this leadership event.

                              Building the Housing Justice Pipeline: Law Schools’ Role in the Right to Counsel Movement

                              National Study Reports Progress on Law Schools’ Central Role in Safeguarding Housing and Community Stability

                              Building the Housing Justice Pipeline: Law Schools’ Role in the Right to Counsel Movement

                              Groundbreaking report calls for law schools nationwide to strengthen the “Housing Justice Pipeline” to support the Right to Counsel movement

                              New York Law School’s (NYLS) Housing Justice Leadership Institute today released Building the Housing Justice Pipeline: Law Schools’ Role in the Right to Counsel Movement, a first-of-its-kind national report examining how U.S. law schools are preparing the next generation of attorneys to advance housing justice and protect tenants facing eviction. Based on responses from 81 law schools across 37 states and Washington, D.C., the report offers a roadmap to strengthen the “housing justice pipeline” from law school to legal practice.

                              Read the full Report

                              The study comes as the nationwide Right to Counsel movement—first launched in New York City in 2017—continues to expand rapidly. Since that landmark legislation, 26 jurisdictions, including five states, have enacted similar laws guaranteeing free legal representation for tenants at risk of eviction. This unprecedented expansion of access to justice has fueled demand for thousands of new housing attorneys.

                              “Across the country, the intertwined crises of housing affordability and eviction require a response of equal proportion,” said Anthony W. Crowell, Dean and President, New York Law School. “As the Right to Counsel becomes the law in more local jurisdictions around the country, New York Law School is proud to be among the institutions that are meeting the moment and creating a pipeline of legal talent to help their local communities. This report highlights the important progress made at many law schools and underscores the urgent need for every institution of legal higher education to expand clinical opportunities, faculty investment, and support for students pursuing this work.”

                              The report is authored by Erica Braudy, Coordinator of NYLS’s Housing Rights Clinic and Deputy Director of the Housing Unit at Manhattan Legal Services, with contributions from Professor Andrew Scherer, Policy Director of NYLS’s Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law, Director of the Right to Counsel Project, and the Co-Director of the Housing Justice Leadership Institute; Adjunct Professor Tom Honan, Supervising Attorney at Manhattan Legal Services, and Tuhfa Begum, an attorney at Manhattan Legal Services.

                              The report details how law schools have responded to the growing need for trained eviction defense attorneys.

                              Key Findings

                              63% of surveyed law schools now offer a housing justice or tenants’ rights clinic.
                              60% of these clinics were launched after 2017—more in the past seven years than in the previous five decades combined.
                              84% of clinics provide direct representation to tenants facing eviction.
                              64% of law schools reported partnerships with legal services, tenant advocacy, or housing policy organizations.
                              An estimated 1,350 new housing justice jobs have been created since 2017, with more expected as Right to Counsel programs expand.

                              “Law schools have a pivotal role to play in preparing students to enter this fast-expanding field of law,” said Professor Andrew Scherer, Policy Director of the NYLS Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law. “I was proud to help lead New York City’s passage of its Right to Counsel Law, and since then many schools have initiated their own housing law programs. This is cause for celebration, but we hope our report demonstrates that more can and must be done to ensure there are enough skilled, committed attorneys to carry this work forward. Much more.”

                              “The data confirms what we see every day: law schools are stepping up to meet a growing need, but the gap remains significant,” said Erica Braudy, Housing Rights Clinic Coordinator and Adjunct Professor of Law. “To truly sustain the Right to Counsel, we need every law school investing in clinics, paid internships, and career pathways that prepare students for housing justice work. New York City’s law schools and legal services organizations have led the way, and I look forward to even more schools meeting this critical moment so our profession does its part to keep communities intact and people in their homes.”

                              Key Recommendations

                              The report calls on law schools, funders, and policymakers to:

                              Establish or expand housing justice clinics—particularly in jurisdictions with Right to Counsel laws.
                              Invest in housing justice educators and provide sustainable clinical faculty positions.
                              Support students through paid internships, fellowships, and loan forgiveness.
                              Integrate housing justice topics into the first-year law curriculum.
                              Build partnerships between law schools and legal aid or tenant advocacy organizations.

                              Gig Economy Project

                              NYLS and The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment Announce the Gig Economy Project

                              Gig Economy Project

                              The Project Will Serve the Businesses and Gig Workers They Rely Upon Through Direct Legal Guidance and Research, and Serve as Hub for Future-Shaping Programs and Partnerships with Policymakers, Businesses, and Labor Advocates

                              New York Law School (NYLS) and its Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment are launching the Gig Economy Project, a pioneering initiative addressing the legal and policy challenges facing New York’s fast-growing gig and freelance workforce. The Project will provide direct legal guidance, conduct research, and serve as a hub for dialogue on how technology and law will shape the future of small business labor and the regulatory ecosystem that will surround it.

                              The Gig Economy Project at the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              Gig work is exploding around the country and especially in New York City, where New Yorkers have embraced app-based work like few others — as customers, small business owners, and workers. Recent studies show that New Yorkers order more than 1.5 million packages a day; their app-based food deliveries account for some 15% of total New York City restaurant sales; and Ubers and Lyfts far outnumber the city’s traditional yellow (and green) taxis. All these and many other small technological transactions have led to new opportunities and challenges for current and aspiring small business owners, as well as a growing workforce that powers small businesses in all five boroughs: currently, some 70,000 workers do food app deliveries alone in New York City. The growth of app-based work has led to many new questions, including about how business is done, workers make a living, and their use of curbs and other public spaces.

                              The newest iterations of this form of labor have been little explored, and are therefore not fully understood, even as New York lawmakers race to legislate on the topic and develop a regulatory environment that, for better or worse, will shape the industry for years to come.

                              The Gig Economy Project will fill a very significant gap in the legal services, research, and guidance needed by both small businesses and the gig workers they rely upon, as well lawmakers, administrative agencies, and other stakeholders. The Project will also be a space for evaluation and study of gig policy and practice, by both the law school community and the wider New York political and academic spheres.

                              The Project will initially be led by Mark Chiusano, NYLS Senior Fellow and author of Gigging Alone, a forthcoming book about the gig economy, along with Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, Director of the Plumeri Center, in coordination with Ben Max, Executive Editor and Program Director, and staff at the Center for New York City and State Law. The initiative will closely collaborate with the existing clinics within the Plumeri Center dedicated to the small business community including the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic, the Patent Law Clinic, the Trademark Law Clinic, and the Veterans Justice Clinic. The Project will partner on publications and programs with leading policymakers through its close work with NYLS’s Center for New York City and State Law, as well as the Innovation Center for Law and Technology, and the Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law. It will also collaborate with Professor Anne Goldstein, Director of NYLS’s Labor and Employment Law Project aswell as the NYLS Employment and Labor Law Student Association in developing programs, publications, and advocacy strategies.

                              “The Gig Economy Project exemplifies New York Law School’s deep commitment to using legal education and research to engage with the most urgent and transformative issues of our time,” said Anthony W. Crowell, NYLS Dean and President and Director of the Center for New York City and State Law.” The gig and small business economy touches nearly every corner of our city’s workforce and commercial life. Through the Plumeri Center, we are creating a space where students, scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders can work together to build a fairer, more innovative, and more sustainable future for New York.”

                              Gig Economy Project at the Plumeri Center Programs

                              The Gig Economy Project will help both small business owners and gig workers understand and navigate New York’s complex regulatory and policy environment as it relates to this growing and crucial field, as follows:

                              Gig Economy Legal Services and Experiential Learning
                              Faculty and students will engage practically with this growing and complex field. This may take the form of partnering with gig-adjacent nonprofits, which are currently the main voices for New York City gig workers. Services may include presentations to gig workers and small business owners about their legal rights and responsibilities, starting in Fall 2026.

                              Gig Economy Legal Explainer and Guidance Research and Repository
                              Students will create a repository of legal resources, explainers, and guides on crucial topics for gig workers and small businesses. Among others, this includes restaurants, grocers, and hardware stores that make heavy use of gig worker labor. Some of these online documents, which the Project will begin generating in Spring 2026, will center on topics such as e-bike batteries, bike licensing, and shared road use between for-hire vehicles, delivery workers, and logistics companies. They will be archived and promoted through the Plumeri Center and Center for New York City and State Law publications and serve as inspiration for pro bono projects. 

                              Campus Programs
                              The Gig Economy Project will leverage the convening power of NYLS and the Plumeri Center to serve as a neutral forum where regulators and gig practitioners can discuss the benefits and challenges of some of the most contentious gig-related issues, from minimum wage laws to independent contractor definitions. The Project would also organize conferences, panel discussions, and guest speaker talks featuring members of the NYLS community, policymakers, business owners and workers directly impacted by the gig economy, and other experts. Today NYLS hosted the inaugural event for the Gig Economy Project—focusing on the future of NYC’s gig economy and featuring Comptroller Brad Lander, Small Business Services Commissioner Dynishal Gross, Council Member Shaun Abreu and representatives of gig labor and business.

                              Research Projects
                              New York City is already a testing ground for gig companies, due to its size, number of small businesses, diverse workforce, and market opportunities. The Gig Economy Project will conduct research independently, as well as with partner organizations, including data collection that will generate white papers to inform legislation and advocacy on best practices at the city, state, and federal level. Over time, the Gig Economy Project aims to become a leading voice in shaping equitable, innovation-friendly gig economy policy in New York and beyond.

                              “Gig workers keep small businesses moving—delivering products, connecting customers, and fueling local competitiveness—yet the regulatory ground beneath them is constantly shifting,” said Jae Hyung Ryu, NYLS Professor and Director of the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment and the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic. “With this project, we’re taking the first step toward creating the guidance, expertise, and collaborative spaces needed to build a fair and future-ready gig economy.”

                              “App-based gig work is reshaping the New York economy and shifting daily life for workers, consumers, and small businesses,” said Mark Chiusano, NYLS Senior Fellow and author of Gigging Alone, a forthcoming book about the gig economy. “I’m excited to help bring the law school’s research capabilities and expertise to bear on this crucial field, in one of the world’s great capitals of gig labor.

                              About NYLS and the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              Founded in 1891, New York Law School (NYLS) is an independent law school located in Tribeca, the heart of New York City’s legal, government, financial, and emerging tech centers. Known as “New York’s law school,” NYLS embraces the city as its classroom by complementing a rigorous legal education with an innovative and diverse set of “uniquely New York” experiential learning opportunities. Since opening its doors, NYLS has produced graduates who have gone on to hold high elected and appointed offices in the city, lead large and small firms, and gain broad recognition as captains of business and industry. Its renowned faculty of prolific scholars has built the school’s strength in key areas of the law, including business and financial services, intellectual property and privacy, and government and public interest law. NYLS has more than 20,000 graduates and currently enrolls 1,100 students in its full-time and part-time J.D. programs.

                              The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment was established from a highly generous foundational gift from global business leader and philanthropist Joseph J. Plumeri (H ’15), The Plumeri Center provides substantial and meaningful legal and business assistance to strengthen New York’s small business and innovator/entrepreneur community through the power and breadth of the Law School’s clinics, faculty, students, alumni, and civic profile.  

                              Professor Jae Hyung Ryu Appointed Director of the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              Professor Jae Hyung Ryu Appointed Director of the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              Professor Jae Hyung Ryu Appointed Director of the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              Dear NYLS Community,

                              November is a month when we celebrate the power and promise of small businesses. I am proud that NYLS expresses this commitment each and every day through the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment, made possible by the generosity of Joe Plumeri (H ’15).

                              To these ends, Dean Kim Hawkins, Dean William LaPiana, Dean Matt Gewolb, and I are delighted to formally announce that Associate Professor of Law Jae Hyung Ryu was appointed recently as the Center’s inaugural Director. Professor Ryu will guide the Center’s vision to strengthen the dynamic ecosystem of small businesses—those enterprises that underpin New York City’s and America’s innovation, economic mobility, and community vitality.

                              Small businesses are the foundation of vibrant neighborhoods, engines of local jobs, and the lifeblood of economic opportunity. At the same time, they face increasingly complex landscapes—from entity-formation choices, regulatory compliance, contract negotiation, and intellectual-property issues to non-legal challenges such as business planning, branding, digital transitions, access to capital, and community-integration. Recognizing this intersection of legal and non-legal needs, the Plumeri Center envisions itself as a hub for small-business empowerment—bringing together expert technical legal assistance, holistic business resources, and community-based leadership.

                              Under Professor Ryu’s direction, the Center will:

                              • Provide technical legal assistance through NYLS’s clinical programs—working with students under supervision to counsel small businesses, advising on foundational matters, risk mitigation, ongoing compliance, and strategic planning. This includes the coordination service delivery among and between our Non-Profit and Small Business Clinic, our Patent Clinic, Trademark Clinic, and Veterans Justice Clinic. It also includes helping the development and implementation of the Center’s soon to be announced Gig Economy Project.
                              • Partner with community organizations, business-improvement districts, and government agencies to deliver a holistic business-support model, incorporating business planning, branding and marketing strategy, digital capability, access to funding, and community development.
                              • Manage and activate the Plumeri Center Advisory Board to ensure we have outside expert voices helping to guide our work, shape our networks, and inspire innovative new programs that respond to the evolving needs of entrepreneurs and serve community economic development goals.
                              • Serve as a convener and thought-leader: showcasing high impact leaders and other speakers on current legal/business topics; inviting experts, entrepreneurs, community-leaders; and offering forums where small business owners, community development actors, law students, and policymakers engage. And,
                              • Train the next generation of lawyers who are nimble, well-rounded, and attuned to transactional, legal, and community-development dimensions of small-business practice—aligning with NYLS’s commitment to experiential education, public service, and leadership.

                              Already the Plumeri Center has stepped into action: a recent community gathering brought together local merchants, residents and civic stakeholders to surface shared challenges and opportunities. In a prepared and strategic move, and working closely with the inaugural NYLS Chief of Economic Development Chris Bruno ’12, the Center worked alongside the Tribeca Alliance and the Friends of Bogardus Plaza to support a $100,000 Merchant Organizing Grant from the New York City Department of Small Business Services that will strengthen merchant voice, strategic merchant-organizing infrastructure and economic vitality in the Tribeca neighborhood.

                              Professor Ryu brings to this role a robust and diverse background. He practiced at major New York law firms—Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and Gunderson Dettmer LLP—where he worked on domestic and cross-border corporate and financial transactions for entrepreneurs, technology startups, and leading companies. His earlier service includes three years as an officer in the Republic of Korea Air Force and the Ministry of National Defense.

                              “Small businesses are the engines of innovation, mobility and community well-being in our city. I look forward to building on the legacy of New York Law School as an established city and neighborhood anchor and working with our students, faculty, community partners, business owners, and civic stakeholders to build a hub where sophisticated legal expertise and community partnerships intersect—and where future lawyers gain the skills to serve and to lead,” said Professor Ryu.

                              “The Plumeri Center’s work demonstrates how a law school can support real economic impact.  Under Professor Ryu’s innovative and enthusiastic leadership, NYLS continues to deepen its role as a trusted partner in advancing entrepreneurial and community-centered economic development programs throughout New York City” said Christopher Bruno, Chief of Economic Development Programs and Strategies.

                              Please join me in congratulating Professor Ryu on this appointment and in supporting the exciting work ahead as the Plumeri Center takes shape, strengthens New York’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and advances NYLS’s mission to train lawyers who build, serve, and transform.

                              Anthony W. Crowell
                              Dean and President
                              Professor of Law

                              Jessica Kumar, Jerin Jabin, Julien Santana, Monique Vaz, Anton Freeman

                              NYLS Dispute Resolution Team Achieves Impressive Mediation Win

                              Jessica Kumar, Jerin Jabin, Julien Santana, Monique Vaz, Anton Freeman
                              (From left to right) Jessica Kumar ’26, Jerin Jabin ’26, Julien Santana ’27, Monique Vaz ’26, and Anton Freeman ’26

                              At this year’s University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) National Mediator Competition, New York Law School’s Dispute Resolution Team (DRT) gave noteworthy performances and swept the competition. Julien Santana ’27 claimed first place and Jerin Jabin ’26 claimed second.

                              The UHLC National Mediator Competition, held virtually on October 3 and 4, 2025, offers law students from across the country the opportunity to compete and demonstrate their skills and effectiveness as mediators. Santana and Jabin trained with student coaches Anton Freeman ’26, Jessica Kumar ’26, Monique Vaz ’26, and DRT Faculty Advisor Professor F. Peter Phillips ’87 to earn this victory. Congratulations to our students on the outstanding achievement!

                              The student winners shared their thoughts on their preparation and the competition.

                              Julien Santana ’27 

                              Going into this competition, I was a bit unsure about what to expect since I had no prior experience with mediation. To prepare, I found videos of other mediation competitions to pick up on tips and strategies that could help me succeed. Meeting with my team and practicing also helped because we were able to point out strong points in my skillset and discuss what I could improve to strengthen my performance.  

                              The actual competition experience was very rewarding. From the two preliminary rounds to the semi-finals to the championship round, I was able to learn new strategies and tips on the fly, and I made sure to quickly implement them into my performance for the next round. I enjoyed the fact that the judges were professional mediators because it made all of their advice even more valuable. Overall, this was an amazing competition and I would highly recommend it to future DRT competitors.

                              Jerin Jabin ’26 

                              This was my first time competing with DRT and my first experience with mediation. With the guidance of my coaches and practice sessions with Professor Phillips, I discovered how impactful mediation can be across different areas of law. During the competition rounds, I engaged with law students from across the country on fact patterns involving family disputes, contractual breaches, and property matters. Through my experience, I learned that mediation can be a valuable tool, often requiring skills of neutrality, active listening and building trust between parties. I am excited to build on these skills in the NYLS Mediation Clinic next semester!

                              NYLS Pro

                              The Legacy of the NYLS Pro Evening Division

                              The Legacy of the NYLS Pro Evening Division

                              NYLS Pro Evening Division Family Day

                              On Sunday, October 19, 2025, the NYLS Pro Evening Division community came together for the first annual Family Day—a gathering for evening students to enjoy food, games, and companionship with their classmates, families, and friends. The event, spearheaded by Dean for Evening Division Engagement Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, marked the beginning of a new tradition for NYLS’s evening community. View photos from the first annual Family Day.

                              Dean Burkhalter, himself a proud graduate of the Law School’s evening program, was appointed to this inaugural position in February of this year, alongside his role as the first Chair of the new Faculty Committee on the Evening Division. Comprising faculty, administrators, and Trustees who are also Evening Division alumni, the Committee is dedicated to strengthening engagement and support for those balancing their legal education with full-time careers and other responsibilities. In his dual roles, Dean Burkhalter leads initiatives to enhance recruitment, programming, and community life for evening students at NYLS.

                              Family Day represents both a celebration and a reassertion of NYLS’s long-standing commitment to providing legal education to working professionals. That commitment is also rooted in the Law School’s leadership. Dean Anthony W. Crowell, who earned his J.D. as an evening student at American University, has long championed opportunities for students pursuing law at night while managing daytime responsibilities. Under his leadership, the Evening Division was reimagined as “NYLS Pro” in 2022 to address the modern needs of evening students through a more accessible, flexible, and affordable framework. Chair John E. Estes ’95 is a graduate of the Law School’s evening program, and is committed to expanding upon the educational values he credits for his success. He is one of three Board Chairs who were evening graduates, including previous Chairs Bernie Mendik ’58 and Lawrence S. Huntington ’64.

                              To honor the Evening Division’s legacy, we’re sharing historical highlights originally put together for a 2019 NYLS Magazine feature commemorating the program’s 125th anniversary. The article traces the evolution of the program from its genesis in 1894 through moments of innovation and expansion.

                              The NYLS Trustees below are alumni of the Evening Division:

                              John E. Estes ’95 (Board Chair)
                              Benjamin DeCosta ’75
                              Dr. Vincent A. Carbonell ’00
                              Pam Foster ’00
                              Susan Hinkson ’98, LL.M. ’12
                              Charles E. Phillips Jr. ’93
                              Norman Radow ’81
                              Errol B. Taylor ’87
                              Hon. Marc J. Whiten ’84

                              The following excerpt is republished from “The Evening Division Celebrates 125 Years” in Volume 38, Issue 1 of the NYLS Magazine.

                              NYLS’s Evening Division was founded in 1894—the same year bottled Coca-Cola hit the market, the patent for motion picture films was granted, and Pullman Company workers launched a nationwide strike.

                              These developments spoke to broader societal changes: technology was accelerating, ideas were being shared further and faster than ever, and the wealth gap was widening. Meanwhile, legal education was growing and becoming formalized.

                              Three years prior, a group from Columbia Law School had broken away to launch NYLS. The School’s founders, propelled by a spirit of innovation, saw no reason to restrict its programming to the daytime hours. When the “Evening School,” as it was called in advertisements from the time, launched, it became a destination for working professionals, many drawn from New York’s working-class communities, to advance their careers and pursue their dreams.

                              HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

                              1891
                              NYLS is founded by a breakaway group from Columbia Law School, driven by ideological differences in teaching methods and led by Theodore Dwight.

                              1894
                              NYLS, growing rapidly, is among the first law schools to add an “Evening School” to its offerings. Unlike daytime students, who study at 120 Broadway in the Equitable Building, evening students attend class at the Cooper Union Building in the East Village, Astor Place. Ads from the time period list both addresses.

                              1898
                              Both campuses relocate. Day students move around the corner to 35 Nassau Street. Evening students attend school at 9 West 18th Street. A New York Tribune newspaper advertisement promotes the “Dwight Method” of instruction and NYLS’s degree offerings at the time: LL.B. (two years) and LL.M. (three years).

                              1903
                              More than a decade after NYLS’s founding, evening students join day students at 35 Nassau Street. Going forward, they will study at a combined campus, even as the School subsequently relocates.

                              1936–37
                              For evening (and daytime) students, the modern naming convention of the first-year, second-year, and third-year classes is adopted. Prior classes were named “Junior,” “Middle,” and “Senior.”

                              1937–39
                              NYLS debuts a three-year afternoon and evening track and a four-year afternoon and evening track, in addition to its three-year daytime track.

                              1939–40
                              The School settles into its current structure of a three-year Day Division and a four-year Evening Division.

                              1969
                              An issue of Equitas, NYLS’s then-student newspaper, includes an article titled “Law Schools Form Consortium.” The story summarizes efforts by NYLS and three other law schools offering both day and evening courses to increase diversity in the legal profession. The consortium will do so, the article notes, by granting additional scholarships for evening students with dependents.

                              1990
                              In a May issue of the New York Law School Reporter, an evening student (Barry Block ’91) shares tips for forging stronger connections with day students. Among them: Evening students should take the occasional daytime course, spend time in the student lounge before 6:00 p.m. classes, and join a student group. In doing so, Block wrote, “day students will discover that evening students are teachers, policemen, doctors, airline pilots, and a myriad of other interesting professionals ...”

                              1991
                              The student yearbook includes an essay by Block titled “The Life of an Evening Student.” He recounts, “As evening students, most of us did not have the luxury of studying during the day. We were busy with full-time jobs ... Occasionally, we would find ourselves pitted against a young professor and saying, ‘That’s fine in principle, but it’s not the way it works in the real world.’”

                              1992
                              NYLS becomes the first law school to join the Mayor’s Graduate Scholarship Program, through which New York City employees may pursue additional higher education beyond a bachelor’s degree while working full-time. The same year, NYLS launches a special scholarship program for employees of nonprofits.

                              2012
                              Dean Anthony W. Crowell, who earned his J.D. as an evening student, is appointed Dean and President of NYLS. He is the first NYLS Dean, and one of only a handful of the 209 law school deans nationally, known to have graduated from an evening law school program.

                              2015
                              NYLS announces its Public Service Scholarship Program for members of New York City’s uniformed services and other public servants, many of whom have historically populated the Evening Division.

                              2019
                              NYLS is ranked No. 28 among national part-time J.D. programs in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report. The School secures a grant from the AccessLex Institute to explore, design, and implement responses to the particular academic and bar prep challenges evening students face. With a generous lead gift from evening graduate Arthur Metzler ’94, President and CEO of AMA Consulting Engineers, P.C., NYLS establishes the Evening Division Leadership Fund to support evening students’ academic and bar success.

                              2022

                              New York Law School Introduces “NYLS Pro” a Reimagined Evening Division for Today’s Working Professionals

                               

                              new york law school students walking

                              NYLS Earns “Straight As” in Top Academic Areas

                              New York Law School students

                              The Back to School and Fall 2025 preLaw magazine issues recognize New York Law School (NYLS) for our exceptional programs in several key areas.

                              Best School for Public Service (Government – No. 5 and Criminal Law – No. 9)

                              preLaw featured New York Law School among their best schools for public service, noting the School’s stellar academic programs and alumni employment in government and criminal law. NYLS has a proud tradition of civic leadership, and our prime location, steps from local, state, and federal courts and government centers, enables the School to create programs and opportunities that continue to propel new generations of law students to meaningful public service careers. 

                              NYLS fosters close relationships with government offices, allowing the School to host meaningful public programs like the recent Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit, which brought together judges, attorneys, educators, students, and civic leaders to examine the rule of law and ways to revitalize civics education. The event opened with a conversation featuring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit Judge Joseph Bianco, U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York Judge Victor Marrero, and New York State Court of Appeals Judge Anthony Cannataro ’96.

                              NYLS academic centers like the Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law and Center for New York City and State Law house many of our nationally-recognized programs that enable students to pursue meaningful public service careers. We offer a broad array of public service-related programming, coursework, and clinics, and students have a number of prestigious externship opportunities such as the Gotham Honors Externship and the D.C. Honors Externship Program. A variety of clinics also give students practical experience with real-world cases. With the hands-on training they gain and the connections they make from NYLS’s robust public service network, graduates go on to lead the way in public service positions in all levels of government, from prestigious public service fellowships to serving as mayors, governors, U.S. Senators, and judges.

                              Family Law (A+)

                              preLaw awarded NYLS high marks for our history of leadership in child and family law and outstanding programming which promotes greater access to justice, contributes to meaningful legal scholarship, and supports a pipeline of skilled, compassionate family law lawyers. The long-respected Diane Abbey Law Institute for Children and Families, part of the Wilf Impact Center, provides ample opportunities for students interested in family law issues to engage in policy research and advocacy, individual client representation, and scholarship. The Education Law and Policy Institute also enables law students to help New York City’s most vulnerable children by working to advance education equity and access through direct representation, advocacy, and policy reform. Through our family law-related institutes as well as through exceptional clinics like the Family Law Clinic or the Education Law Clinic, students work with faculty and practitioners to serve children and families in need in a variety of pro bono settings. Several Education Law Clinic students recently shared their experiences working with children and families to represent juveniles in education matters.

                              This year, the School is also celebrating five years of collaboration with the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association to publish Family Law Quarterly, which was ranked first in the the category of Family and Juvenile Law in the Washington and Lee Law Journal rankings.      Law students participating in Family Law Quarterly have the opportunity to contribute on a national level to family law scholarship.

                              Business Law (A) 

                              NYLS has a long and exceptional record of launching graduates into careers at the world’s leading businesses, financial institutions, law firms, and regulatory agencies, so it’s no surprise preLaw noted us among the top schools for business law. Students can deepen their involvement in business law activities through NYLS academic centers and institutes including the Center for Business and Financial Law, Tricarico Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel, and Filler Institute for Financial Services Law. Through the centers and institutes, students can attend special events, do original research, and network with successful business leaders. 

                              Students can also gain real-world skills training in clinics and externships, like the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic and the Patent Law Clinic, offered through The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment. The Plumeri Center provides substantial and meaningful legal and business assistance to strengthen New York’s small business and innovator/entrepreneur community through the power and breadth of the Law School’s clinics, faculty, students, alumni, and civic profile. Initiatives by The Plumeri Center also strengthen ties with businesses in our Tribecca neighborhood and provide students with opportunities to build deeper engagement with both the Tribeca community and the broader business community. 

                              In addition, we offer a Graduate Tax Program, and readers of the New York Law Journal have frequently ranked our Tax LL.M. No. 1 in New York City in the Best Banking/Bankruptcy/Tax LL.M. category.

                              Criminal Law (A)

                              As a top school for public service careers in criminal law, it’s no surprise that preLaw has also given high marks to our academic and practical training offerings in criminal law. At NYLS, students can explore criminal law from every angle while sharpening practical legal skills.

                              The School partners with both the Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorney’s Offices for the two Criminal Prosecution Clinics to give students experience working with law enforcement, victims, and witnesses to prosecute misdemeanor cases. The Criminal Defense Clinic partners with The Legal Aid Society, enabling students to represent low-income defendants in misdemeanor cases from arraignment through trial. The Post-Conviction Innocence Clinic have had recent successes while working with their clients on wrongful conviction claims. NYLS has been growing its activities related to restorative justice through a new Restorative Justice Project, which introduces new courses and externships, collaborates with existing courses on transitional justice, and offers students additional opportunities to engage with restorative justice in practice.

                              Human Rights Law (A)

                              preLaw magazine also notes that human rights law is an area where NYLS excels. NYLS clinics and programs engage students directly with a range of human rights issues. The Asylum Clinic works with international refugees fleeing to the United States and has achieved remarkable successes for its clients. The School’s Center for International Law organizes lectures, forums, and student projects on current events in human rights law and international law, including recent events with prominent figures in conflict mediation and transitional justice and panels on cross-border data transfers, enforcement priorities, and emerging AI regulations. NYLS also regularly hosts important conferences addressing human rights issues such as the Annual Asylum and Immigration Law Conference, which partnered with leading asylum and immigration to conduct trainings on best practices in the field and panels addressing current issues.

                              John Estes sharing remarks at the 2025 Orientation reception

                              New Board Chair John Estes ’95 on Innovation, Collaboration, and NYLS’s Future

                              New Board Chair John Estes ’95 on Innovation, Collaboration, and NYLS’s Future

                              In July 2025, New York Law School (NYLS) announced John E. Estes ’95 as the new Chair of its Board of Trustees. Estes first joined the Board in 2012 and has served for over a decade while contributing generous scholarships and teaching as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor at the Law School. He is a Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, one of the world’s leading law firms, where he has worked for 30 years. Read the full announcement.

                              Estes succeeds Arthur N. Abbey ’59, who held a historic 25-year tenure as Chair. During his investiture, Estes expressed deep gratitude for Abbey’s decades of leadership, and pledged to uphold NYLS’s core values in collaboration with Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell, the Board, and the entire NYLS community.

                              Reflecting on his journey from evening student to Board leader, Estes credited his professors and NYLS’s supportive environment for laying a foundation for his future. “The education at NYLS is life-changing,” he said. “I recall with fondness my professors who were so inspirational to me, and who armed me with all the tools I needed to find success in my law practice over the years.”

                              Today, Estes brings a clear and ambitious vision for NYLS’s next chapter. He deeply admires our faculty and believes that a student-centered community begins with a strong administration and strong support for faculty teaching, scholarship, and innovation. Below are a few key priorities he will lead the Board in pursuing:

                              Faculty expansion: “We have a world-class faculty here at NYLS. Supporting research for new ideas among the faculty are an ongoing objective. Recruiting faculty helps on a number of fronts, including attracting a highly credentialled student body and enhancing our reputation among the New York and broader legal communities.

                              Student and graduate excellence: “It starts and ends with the students. We need to arm our students with all the tools they need to pass the bar, succeed in practice, and embody the values that distinguish NYLS graduates: teamwork, intellectual curiosity, and fairness. We recently achieved accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which provides us with opportunities to expand our program offerings.”

                              Leadership amid technological change: “We need to strive to determine the best way to use technology to effectively deliver NYLS programming to our students, and to equip them with the ability to function effectively in a world of increasing technological capabilities—in particular, how to effectively use AI products in the practice of law.”

                              NYLS’s community presence: “We are in the heart of Tribeca and have the ability to more fully integrate into the local community, which can present terrific educational opportunities for our students. Taking advantage of our capacity and location can significantly improve the student experience, provide opportunities for additional revenue streams, and further enhance our reputation in the legal community.”

                              In addition, Estes flagged opportunities for institutional partnerships and joint academic programming, long-term fiscal stability, enhanced student experiences, and greater collaboration between the Board and faculty. As NYLS moves forward under Estes’s guidance, the community can look forward to continued strategic innovation and a deep commitment to the students at the heart of its mission.

                              “We have a fabulous institution, we’re progressing in a positive direction, and we have our best days ahead of us,” Estes concluded. “NYLS has staying power, and I am confident that we will continue to thrive through the current and future challenges we face. I’m excited to work closely with my Board colleagues, Dean Crowell, the faculty, and the administration to do everything we can to support our students.”

                              John Estes speaking at the 2025 Alumni Celebration

                              Estes speaking at the 2025 Alumni Celebration.

                              John Estes speaking with Immediate Past Chair of the Board Arthur Abbey '59

                              Estes speaking with Immediate Past Chair of the Board Arthur Abbey '59.

                              John Estes and members of the NYLS community celebrate his investiture

                              Estes and members of the NYLS community celebrate his investiture.

                              John Estes welcoming NYLS's incoming classes at 2025 Orientation

                              Estes welcoming NYLS's incoming classes at 2025 Orientation.

                              Representing clients in mediation

                              New Instructional Film Helps Lawyers and Law Students Strengthen Mediation Advocacy Skills

                              Representing clients in mediation

                              The New York Law School Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Skills Program, in collaboration with the James Tricarico Jr. Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel, has created a new 37-minute instructional film, Representing Clients in Mediation. The video provides a step-by-step guide for lawyers and client representatives, covering the process from engaging a mediator to drafting a final agreement.

                              The film, written by Distinguished Adjunct Professor and ADR Skills Program Director  F. Peter Phillips ’87, is organized into nine modules that can be viewed individually or as a whole. Through narration by Wallace Stevens Professor of Law Kris Franklin and demonstrations by expert mediator Jack Levin, the video highlights the unique aspects of mediation advocacy and how it differs from litigation.

                              Professor Franklin notes, “As more entities turn to mediation to resolve disputes and more law schools emphasize the importance of negotiation and mediation instruction, this film offers an important look at specific skills that serve client representatives well in mediation settings.”

                              New York Law School is offering the video free of charge for use by mediation provider organizations, bar associations, training professionals, individual practitioners, law school programs, and others. Designed to be cross-cultural and widely accessible, the film is a practical and timely resource for law students and legal professionals seeking to deliver the best outcomes for their clients in mediation.

                              “I’m proud that New York Law School’s ADR Skills Program is offering this comprehensive resource for teaching mediation process and assisting client representatives in getting the best possible outcomes for their clients,” said Professor Phillips. “We hope that you find it useful.”

                              The film is already receiving positive feedback. Peter Reilly, Texas A&M University School of Law Professor of Law and Associate Director of the Aggie Dispute Resolution Program, said, “This film, expertly and in short order, cuts to the heart of key issues—including how different mediation is from going to court, how and why lawyers can have confidential conversations with the mediator, and even how helpful and specific language can be used when crafting a statement at the conclusion of the mediation. I look forward to presenting this powerful and professionally produced film to my dispute resolution students.”

                              Watch videos.

                              Hon. Victor Marrero, Hon. Joseph Bianco, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Hon. Anthony Cannataro '96, and Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              NYLS’s Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit: Exploring Civic Engagement and Education

                              NYLS’s Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit: Exploring Civic Engagement and Education

                              On September 16, 2025, New York Law School (NYLS) hosted the inaugural Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit in collaboration with our Center for New York City and State Law and The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann Justice for All: Courts and the Community Initiative. Timed to honor Constitution and Citizenship Day on September 17, the Summit brought together judges, attorneys, educators, students, and civic leaders to examine the rule of law and ways to revitalize civics education. The day’s programs were thoughtfully designed to follow four key thematic pillars: Civic Engagement and Democratic Participation, Civics Education, Legal Institutions and the Civic Mission, and Technology and Information Integrity.

                              The Summit welcomed over 550 participants and was designed and facilitated by a dedicated Planning Committee of NYLS community members and civic leaders from across New York and beyond. The Planning Committee was co-chaired by NYLS Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell, who also serves as Faculty Director of the Center for New York City and State Law, and Hon. Joseph Bianco of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Hon. Victor Marrero of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, the Co-Chairs of the Justice For All initiative. Learn more about the Summit’s Planning Committee, speakers, programming, and resources.

                              Opening Session

                              The Summit opened with a conversation featuring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Judge Bianco, Judge Marrero, and Judge Anthony Cannataro ’96 of the New York State Court of Appeals, who is also a NYLS Distinguished Adjunct Professor. Moderated by Dean Crowell, the discussion emphasized civics education as an essential tool for teaching and upholding the rule of law, protecting democracy, and inspiring broad civic engagement, while also underscoring the role of law schools in this work.

                              Present in spirit was the late Hon. Robert A. Katzmann, Former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Chief Judge Katzmann launched the Justice for All Initiative in 2014, eager in his mission to expand civics education and increase public understanding of the judiciary’s role in civic life. His mission continues through the work of Judges Marrero and Bianco and his friend and former colleague, Justice Sotomayor. The conversation set the tone for the day, honoring Chief Judge Katzmann’s legacy while broadening the scope of civic participation.

                              Speaking about the critical significance of civic literacy, Justice Sotomayor stated, “If you are permitting or asking for laws to be changed without fully understanding the consequences of that choice and what the cost is, we’re going to live in a world where people will have laws run over them because they’re not looking at oncoming traffic. Literacy and media are critical for us to live in a democracy. Without it, we are not only affecting our own lives, but the lives of so many others.”

                              Hon. Victor Marrero, Hon. Joseph Bianco, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Hon. Anthony Cannataro '96, and Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              (L to R) Hon. Victor Marrero, Hon. Joseph Bianco,  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Hon. Anthony Cannataro '96, and Dean Anthony W. Crowell during the Summit's opening session.

                              Watch a video of the conversation.

                              Civic Literacy as an Antidote to Misinformation and Disinformation

                              Panelists: Lara Bergen, Press Pass NYC; DeNora Getachew, DoSomething; Lance Holbert, Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics; Alan C. Miller, News Literacy Project; Jenna Ryall, New York City Department of Education
                              Moderator: Grace Rauh, Citizens Union Foundation

                              The first panel addressed one of today’s most pressing challenges to civic engagement: misinformation and declining public trust in media. Panelists acknowledged how social media and an oversaturated digital landscape may hinder civic engagement, while highlighting how media literacy can empower citizens, especially those in younger generations, to understand their part. Each panelist gave insight into programming within their respective organizations that present solutions to these challenges across schools and communities. Programs highlighted include the NYC Department of Education’s Civics For All initiative, PressPassNYC’s hands-on support for mission-driven student journalists, DoSomething’s creative, youth-focused marketing campaigns, and the Checkology e-learning platform created by the News Literacy Project.

                              The Inheritance of Civic Responsibility: Building Stewardship Across Generations

                              Panelists: Hon. Sarah L. Cave, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York; Jarrell Daniels, Justice Ambassadors Youth Council; Dr. Emma Humphries, iCivics; Linda Johnson, Brooklyn Public Library; Yessica Martinez, Participant of the Justice for All Initiative
                              Moderator: Hon. Vera M. Scanlon, Chief Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York

                              Building on the theme of the opening discussion, the second panel explored the value of civic responsibility across all ages and intergenerational approaches to civics education. Blending the voices of change-making public servants, the session highlighted keynote projects of the Justice for All initiative; models of incorporating resident voices and experiences into policy development and system reform conversations in underserved communities; and accessible learning programs available at the local and national level. Panelists noted how intergenerational civic engagement can promote education and understanding between peers and relatives, and underscored the need to reach underrepresented communities through context-based strategies.

                              The Legal Profession and Civic Responsibility

                              Panelists: Brandt Goldstein, New York Law School; Lucy Lang, New York State Inspector General; Hon. Katharine Parker, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, and New York City Bar Civics Education Task Force; Randi Furman ’28 Evening, CNN
                              Moderator: Elizabeth Fine                              , Liz Fine Advisory

                              Panel three was introduced by Florence Hutner, Senior Advisor for Academic Affairs at NYLS. Dean of Faculty William P. LaPiana gave a brief opening talk focused on the ways in which lawyers and bar associations have championed civics education since the nation’s founding. Judges, legal educators, and practitioners reflected on how courts, bar associations, and law schools today are implementing programs to educate on several aspects of civics, from the legislative process to voting and jury service. Speaking from their experiences, panelists shared various approaches and techniques for encouraging civic engagement within different segments of the population. Together, they strongly emphasized the value of community, noting how collaborative, unified efforts are necessary for widespread public outreach. This includes developing scalable programming alongside non-legal professionals, such as marketing and communications experts, entertainers, and even artists, to share the mission of how everyday citizens can become more civically engaged.

                              Alan C. Miller

                              Alan C. Miller speaking at the Civic Literacy panel.

                              Yessica Martinez, Dr. Emma Humphries, Jarrell Daniels, Linda Johnson, Hon. Sarah L. Cave, and Hon. Vera M. Scanlon

                              (L to R) Yessica Martinez, Dr. Emma Humphries, Jarrell Daniels, Linda Johnson, Hon. Sarah L. Cave, and Hon. Vera M. Scanlon during the Inheritance of Civic Responsibility panel.

                              Rebecca Fanning and Camille Broussard

                              Rebecca Fanning and NYLS Professor Emerita Camille Broussard at the Simply Civics stand.

                              Midday “Civics Schmooze” Session

                              Midday brought a dynamic and experimental series of concurrent demonstrations that Summit participants rotated through. Presenters from the New York Public Library, the New York Historical, the Historical Society of the New York Courts, Empire Arts Film Corp., The Juilliard School, and The Public Theater shared intricately designed programs and initiatives related to civics education and engagement. As partners to legal institutions across New York, the organizations demonstrated how their work brings life to the complexities of American democracy and aids in distilling the essence of the rule of law for all communities. Embodying the pathos of the preceding panel, the “Civics Schmooze” session gave an inside look at how creative and cross-disciplinary methods of teaching civics make an impact.

                              Capstone Session: Catalyzing the Future: Civics, Learning, and Leadership

                              The Summit concluded with a forward-looking and interactive capstone session facilitated by Rebecca Fanning of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Ben Max of NYLS’s Center for New York City and State Law, and Professor Amy Wallace, Director of the NYLS Street Law Clinic. Along with summarizing key insights from the day, facilitators invited participants to contribute perspectives on what they learned and identified intersecting ideas to guide future projects. Drawing from Summit themes and conversations, they synthesized these lessons into items for inclusion in a Blueprint for Action in New York and beyond. Priorities include strengthening civic education through technology, fostering intergenerational learning, expanding collaboration and partnerships, and advancing the civic mission of the legal profession. Indeed, Fanning and Professor Wallace have already begun building on the Summit’s framework to develop toolkits for law schools to partner with federal and state courts and community-based organizations to expand civic learning opportunities.

                              The 2025 Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit was the launch of a broader civic movement just ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary. NYLS envisions the Summit as a model for replication across the nation, helping law schools, courts, and communities reimagine civic education in the 21st century.

                              Dean Crowell closed the Summit by noting, “Particularly in conversations about civics, the rule of law, and constitutionalism, we need lawyers to help us understand, interpret, and distill things into their essential form. But it is everyone else who works with lawyers on the ground who helps us create the solution. As we think about a blueprint for civics modernization and public outreach, let’s think about our next steps forward as a large ecosystem of activity and interdependence. It’s the breadth of working together that will create the approaches and solutions that we’ll be able to celebrate for another 250 years.”

                              View photos from the 2025 Constitution and Citizenship Day Summit.

                              Professor Susan J. Abraham and Punch playbill

                              NYLS Professor Susan J. Abraham Helps Bring Restorative Justice to Broadway

                              Professor Susan J. Abraham and Punch playbill

                              New York Law School (NYLS) Professor Susan J. Abraham is the Restorative Justice Consultant for Punch, a Broadway show currently playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater of the Manhattan Theater Club. The show, which is also playing in London, is based on the true story from England of a transformative restorative meeting between two parents who lost their son, James Hodgkinson, in 2011, and Jacob Dunne, the nineteen-year-old who threw the punch that led to James’s death. Learn more about Punch.

                              As a consultant, Professor Abraham has been working with the cast, director, and playwright to help cultivate a deeper understanding of restorative justice and how it’s practiced in the United States. She, joined by Felix B. Rosado (Co-Founder, Let’s Circle Up), will be leading a “Beyond the Stage” audience talkback after the evening show on October 15, 2025, to introduce the core principles of restorative justice, discuss a variety of ways they can be practiced, and share insight into how this transformative process can aid in healing and accountability.

                              Earlier this month, Professor Abraham invited James’s parents, Joan Scourfield and David Hodgkinson, and their restorative justice facilitator, Nicola Fowler, to the NYLS campus to speak about their journey. Joined by Jacob virtually, they engaged in a conversation and shared how the parents’ search for answers led to transformative change for everyone involved.

                              Following their son’s death, Joan and David were left with countless questions about what exactly happened and why. The criminal process surrounding Jacob’s guilty plea did not offer an opportunity for them to learn the facts, and data protection laws at the time further harbored them from the answers they sought to begin healing. That was when they learned about restorative justice and began communicating with Jacob through Nicola. In addition to providing the answers they needed, the experience enabled Joan and David to see that Jacob was a troubled young man who did not intend to cause serious harm and felt deep remorse. For Jacob, it offered an opportunity to reflect on and take accountability for his actions. A few years after their initial conversation, the three met in person, marking the beginning of a bond tethered by shared understanding and advocacy for restorative justice. “It became very important to us to make something positive out of this,” said David.

                              On what drew him to connect with the parents of the man he’d killed, Jacob noted, “People in prison can be ignorant of the harm they’ve caused to victims and their communities. They’re hidden away from it in places with high walls and bars on the windows. Agreeing to allow Nicola to come and tell me about restorative justice and about David and Joan was me no longer wanting to be ignorant.”

                              Both moving and illuminating, the conversation highlighted Nicola’s experience as a facilitator; the differences between restorative justice practices in England and the United States; and restorative justice advocacy organizations such as Common Justice, One Punch UK, and the Common Ground Justice Project. Read more about the advocacy behind Punch.

                              “Of the victims that [Common Justice] asks, over 90 percent say yes to the possibility of taking violent felony cases out of the court system and into a restorative justice process,” shared Professor Abraham. “A lot of these victims are from neighborhoods where people come out of prison and commit more crimes, and [many residents of those communities] would be happier having some kind of learning happen, so perpetrators are less likely to do it again. Prosecutors have traditionally said that victims push for jail after they’ve been harmed, but victims might not know about other alternatives, such as restorative justice, that include deeper learning, change, and responsibility.”

                              Professor Abraham directs NYLS’s Restorative Justice Project, which combines the theoretical study of restorative justice with teaching basic restorative practices that students can directly engage with through externships and throughout their careers. This event was co-sponsored by the Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law, along with two student organizations: the Restorative Justice Law Student Association and the Criminal Law Society.

                              Jeff Brancato, Professor Susan J. Abraham, Nicola Fowler, Joan Scourfield, and David Hodgkinson
                              From left to right: Jeff Brancato of the Manhattan Theatre Club, Professor Susan J. Abraham, Nicola Fowler, Joan Scourfield, and David Hodgkinson

                              View photos from the event.

                              Tasha in Tribeca

                              Introducing the Tribeca Neighborhood Arts Initiative at NYLS

                              Tasha in Tribeca

                              Dear NYLS Community Members,

                              This week we celebrate Climate Week NYC—the largest annual climate event of its kind—with the rest of our New York community. Legal professionals, business leaders, advocates, and artists play an important role in driving change and powering solutions that have great environmental benefits for us all.

                              Art, much like law, is a reflection of community values, ideas, and aspirations. With NYLS’s new Tribeca Neighborhood Arts Initiative, I’m proud that we will host a series of temporary art exhibitions throughout the academic year. Our first exhibition “Tasha in Tribeca” features the work of 23-year-old environmental surrealist artist Anastasia (Tasha) Natrella, who grew up in Tribeca and Battery Park City. Her works, now on display in the Fifth Floor Lounge, are a reminder of how law and art can move climate action forward and create a better world not just for today but for future generations.

                              I hope you will stop by this new exhibition to be inspired.

                              Anthony W. Crowell
                              Dean and President
                              Professor of Law
                              Faculty Director, Center for New York City and State Law

                              “I like to push the aspects of art and put as much into my work as possible. In Tribeca, you see so many different qualities of life that you might not see in other parts of Manhattan. When you come to Tribeca, it feels like a home, and I aim to express that in my paintings.”

                              Anastasia (Tasha) Natrella and her mother
                              Anastasia (Tasha) Natrella

                              TASHA IN TRIBECA

                              Environmental surrealist artist Anastasia (Tasha) Natrella is a longtime resident of Tribeca. Adopted at age three from St. Petersburg, Russia, Natrella credits art as the overriding constant across her life. Early participation in Manhattan Youth’s Downtown Community Center and the Battery Park City Conservancy led the artist to Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, where she earned degrees in both Art and Education and was presented the 2024 Berman Museum of Art Award for Artistic Achievement. Natrella’s improvisational artistic approach reflects a desire to push technique and boundaries. Her art explores the dualities present throughout life in the natural and the spiritual worlds, and her use of vibrant colors and strong textures seeks to intrigue viewers and engage them in considering different perspectives.

                              The two exhibit companion pieces, The Duality of Water and Earth & Fire, forcibly intersect the four classical elements—water, air, earth, and fire—to question the tension caused by both their negative and positive impacts. Natrella urges viewers to “engage in understanding and action, knowing that, as much as we try to be in control of the elements, they can never be truly mastered.” Natrella completes this five-piece exhibit with Three Portals: Mountains, City, Ocean; Hudson River Esplanade Enchantress; and The Mountain Lake Tree Sees All. The pathways presented by Three Portals encompass the value of choice amidst beauty both natural and human-made; the cosmic stare of Enchantress greets sea creatures and skyscrapers alike; the branches of Mountain Lake Tree present a vision of nature’s onlookers and inhabitants.

                              Anastasia Natrella artwork
                              Empowering Tomorrow’s Lawyers in the Age of AI: The NYLS Approach

                              Empowering Tomorrow’s Lawyers in the Age of AI: The NYLS Approach

                              Artificial intelligence (AI) once seemed like a futuristic, mystic tool wielded by technological wizards. Today, it’s at everyone’s doorstep, demanding attention from every industry, including the law. The legal community is both watching and responding, in real time, as the evolving technology brings equal parts promise and disruption to the profession. On one hand, AI offers powerful tools to streamline workflows and extend lawyers’ capacity. On the other, it raises urgent concerns about privacy, bias, accountability, and professional ethics—all while industry innovation is outpacing regulatory development.

                              Welcome or not, change is coming. Change that, all at once, sparks thrilling curiosity and concerned caution. As these forces converge, New York Law School (NYLS) is proactively leading its community through this transformative moment in legal practice, preparing tomorrow’s lawyers to embrace the future thoughtfully and responsibly.

                              NYLS aims to foster a community-wide culture of responsible exploration, and to play an active role in shaping the evolving norms of AI use in legal practice. Last year, the Law School launched a dedicated AI Task Force led by Dean Kim Hawkins, Professor Heidi K. Brown, and Professor Michael Pastor to examine how generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping both legal education and practice. Professor Pastor was also recently appointed the inaugural Dean for Technology Law Programs, a role that includes collaborating with Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell and Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb to integrate AI-focused strategies into the NYLS Strategic Plan. Professor Brown, Associate Dean for Upper Level Writing, continues to adapt and develop courses exploring the strategic, ethical, and technical dimensions of GenAI in legal writing. Dean Hawkins, who oversees the Clinical and Experiential Learning program and the first-year Legal Practice program, is conducting broad research focused on strengthening NYLS’s national leadership in the AI space.

                              UNDERSTANDING GENERATIVE AI
                              THE NYLS APPROACH
                              LEGAL CURRICULA FOR A CHANGING LANDSCAPE
                              GOVERNANCE IN THE CYBER AGE
                              HEALTH LAW AND CIVIL LIABILITY
                              COPYRIGHT AT A CROSSROADS
                              A LEGACY OF EMBRACING TRANSFORMATION
                              CONCLUSION
                              STUDENT AND ALUMNI PERSPECTIVES

                              UNDERSTANDING GENERATIVE AI

                              AI broadly refers to technologies and systems capable of performing complex tasks that typically require human reasoning and perception.  Although AI has existed for decades, its recent stratospheric launch into mainstream use—known as the “AI boom”—can be attributed to the development of GenAI. GenAI uses trained large language models (LLMs) that leverage existing data to create original text, visual media, audio, and more based on user prompts. Accessible, user-friendly LLMs—such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and Microsoft’s Copilot—have made GenAI tools available to anyone with an internet connection.

                              The appeal of AI lies in its immense capabilities. GenAI has performed core legal tasks—such as document extraction, summarization, and transcript analysis—at or above the level of human lawyers significantly faster, and in 2023, one model passed the bar exam with a score in the 90th percentile. These types of findings help support predictions that AI could significantly alleviate administrative burdens in legal practice. GenAI is projected to automate as much as 44 percent of legal work in the United States by 2033, a figure that could translate into a combined 266 million hours of increased productivity.

                              THE NYLS APPROACH

                              Alongside its promise, AI has introduced a host of questions. Most, if not all, legal professionals and well-established legal systems will inevitably need to face and adapt to the implications of AI. But what about those just entering the profession—those stepping into the legal world at the very moment it’s being reshaped?

                              The Law School has begun integrating AI into its curriculum to ensure that students graduate with a meaningful understanding of how the technology applies to legal practice. Legal Practice faculty are currently working to incorporate AI literacy into the first-year curriculum for the coming year. In upper-level coursework, AI is being discussed in substantive classes and programs tied to the Innovation Center for Law and Technology and the James Tricarico Jr. Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel. Recent course additions include Generative AI for Business Lawyers, taught by Adjunct Professor Lawrence Montle ’13, and Drafting Contracts: Technology Transactions, a skills-based drafting course taught by Dean Pastor. Several NYLS faculty members, including Adjunct Professors Steven E. Pegalis ’65, Lydia Payne-Johnson ’96, and Chinnu Joseph ’14, have been collaborating with NYLS leadership to expand AI-focused content within their courses. Externally, Joseph Solomon Distinguished Professor Rebecca Roiphe serves on the New York State Bar Association’s Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, which examines AI’s legal, social, and ethical impact.

                              “The need for lawyers to guide the development and growth of the industry from legal and regulatory perspectives, and to promote the ethical use of technology itself, has never been greater,” says Dean Crowell. “GenAI and emerging technologies are reshaping methods of legal research and writing, and increasing the possibilities to improve access to justice. NYLS is committed to ensuring that our students are not only prepared to work in this new era, but ready to lead.”

                              Michael Pastor teaching class

                              Dean Michael Pastor teaching The In-House Counsel Experience: A Skills and Simulation Seminar.

                              Heidi Brown teaching class

                              Professor Heidi K. Brown teaching Legal Writing and GenAI.

                              GOVERNANCE IN THE CYBER AGE

                              This past spring, the Tricarico Institute hosted the 4th Annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit, a daylong event exploring issues in cybersecurity. The keynote conversation, “Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence,” featured Amanda Miller ’11, Managing Counsel and Global Privacy Officer at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and Kelly Moan, Chief Information Security Officer of the NYC Cyber Command. Moderated by Dean Pastor, the panel addressed themes of radical accountability, use-case expansion, and governance.

                              Touching on AI’s role in cybersecurity, the panelists emphasized the importance of maintaining strong foundational protocols. “My cybersecurity team at IEEE has been incorporating GenAI impact tests and incident response plans,” Miller explained. “Those protocols still need to be clearly defined and in place. We may now need to think beyond cyber parameters, but those structured processes help guide how we’re thinking about AI.”

                              Panelists also discussed how GenAI is complicating the cybersecurity landscape, with attackers using the technology to increase the scale and complexity of their threats. While it can serve as a weapon in the hands of bad actors, the New York City government is exploring how AI can be used as a shield to boost defense and innovation.

                              Moan highlighted the Cyber Command’s AI Action Plan, the first comprehensive framework for responsible AI use in municipal government. The plan outlines seven key initiatives focused on governance, workforce training, and agency-level support in ethical and effective AI implementation.

                              New York Law School 4th Annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit

                              Dean Michael Pastor, Kelly Moan, and Amanda Miller '11 at the 4th Annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit.

                              New York Law School 4th Annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit

                              Dean Michael Pastor and Adjunct Professor Lawrence Montle '13 speaking with students at the 4th Annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit.

                              HEALTH LAW AND CIVIL LIABILITY

                              In another Spring 2025 event, NYLS partnered with Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP to host a panel on AI’s current and future role in health systems—from compliance and regulation to clinical decision-making. Panelists included Dean Pastor; Professor Pegalis; Dr. David L. Reich, President of  Mount Sinai Hospital and Chief Clinical Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System; and Elad Walach, CEO of Aidoc. The discussion was moderated by Adjunct Professor Adam Herbst, a Partner at Sheppard Mullin and former Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health.

                              Dr. Reich and Walach shared real-world examples of AI applications in clinical settings, highlighting measurable improvements in patient care and outcomes. Yet they, along with their fellow panelists, expressed concern about the risks of biased health data and unequal access to healthcare. “There’s a vital role for policymakers to play, working in conjunction with hospitals, doctors, and the legal community,” Dean Pastor said. “Government actors should be asking, ‘What datasets are being used? Are they being used lawfully? And are they being used with an eye on data privacy?’”

                              As with all NYLS-led discussions on AI, ethical use and responsibility were central themes of the panel. Such was also echoed in “The Role of the Civil Liability Tort System in an Age Where AI Impacts Healthcare,” a February 2025 Nassau Lawyer piece co-authored by Professors Pegalis and Herbst, Valentina Battista ’24, Rania Elsanhoury ’24, Lara Hakim ’24, Kyle Hunt ’24, and Michael San Roman ’24.The article strongly supports maintaining the civil liability tort system as a key safeguard for safety and accountability in healthcare. As AI becomes more embedded into medical practice, tort law must continue to ensure that AI tools are deployed with diligence, transparency, and care.

                              Shahrokh Falati and Steven E. Pegalis

                              Professors Shahrokh Falati '08 and Steven E. Pegalis '65.

                              Ai in Healthcare Panel

                              (From left to right) Professor Steven E. Pegalis '65, Elad Walach, Dean Micheal Pastor, Dr. David L. Reich, and Adjunct Professor Adam Herbst during the "AI in Healthcare" virtual panel.

                              A LEGACY OF EMBRACING TRANSFORMATION

                              Long before the AI Boom, NYLS was preparing its community to understand and address the legal implications of technological innovation. In 1977, the Law School established a Communications Media Center in response to the developing information economy. The Center was behind a 1985 colloquium exploring deregulation in the broadcast and telecommunications industries. In the 90s, it developed courses that touched on emerging legal issues surrounding the World Wide Web. At the turn of the 21st century, NYLS faculty co-authored “Lawyering Skills & New Technology,” a joint exploration of the opportunities and challenges that information technology presented across different areas of law. From early on, the Law School has foreseen, understood, and embraced the relationship between technology and legal education and practice.

                              That legacy continues in the work of NYLS alumni—many of whom are now leading the way in technology law, particularly within the AI space. Jisha Dymond ’03, Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer at OneTrust, advocates for in-house counsel and compliance professionals to adopt practical AI implementation strategies to drive innovation in their organizations. Charles Post ’10, Executive Vice President at Cimplifi, has spent more than a decade tackling complex contract data challenges through emerging technologies like AI. Jeff Tang ’12, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at Circle, previously served as Vice President of Intellectual Property at BlackRock, where he advised the BlackRock Artificial Intelligence Lab on data privacy issues. Christina Segro ’12 serves as General Counsel at Paige, a software company that uses AI to enhance cancer detection and treatment through FDA-approved digital pathology tools. And Matthew H. Chung ’12, a Shareholder at Polsinelli PC, has helped grow patent portfolios for startups, universities, and Fortune 100 companies in AI and machine learning. The achievements of these alumni and many others demonstrate NYLS’s enduring commitment to fostering legal leaders of tomorrow.

                              CONCLUSION

                              “In the face of enormous change in the use of computers for research, writing, and learning, it is doubly important to recognize the human element in lawyering.” The late Professor Lawrence M. Grosberg wrote those words in the year 2000, as the legal world met the cyber age. Today, NYLS and the broader legal community stand at a similar cusp, peering at the face of transformation with caution and curiosity. And if it was doubly important to recognize the human element of lawyering then, it is triply so now.

                              In this new era, NYLS is leading with intention. With an emphasis on ethical reasoning, technological literacy, and human judgment, the Law School is preparing lawyers not just to adapt, but to lead. However advanced the tools of tomorrow become, one truth remains: the future of law will always be defined by the ethics, insight, and empathy of those who practice it.

                              STUDENT
                              PERSPECTIVES

                              John Marks ’26

                              John Marks

                              “For law students, GenAI can be your personal Socrates—its greatest value lies in posing questions that challenge your understanding and application of the law. When used intentionally, GenAI doesn’t shortcut the learning process; it expands and reinforces it. Ultimately, students benefit most by using GenAI to ask better questions—not to get easy answers.”

                              Evan Schuval ’25

                              Evan Schuval

                              “Generative AI is transforming how we draft, research, and even practice law, but it's not about replacing lawyers, it's about augmenting us. Over the next decade, AI will likely take on more routine tasks, allowing lawyers to focus on strategic thinking and client advocacy, especially in fields like entertainment law, where AI-generated content raises fresh legal questions and challenges. Professor Brown’s course was a meaningful step forward in preparing me to engage with emerging technologies, helping me approach this evolving landscape with both innovative thinking and an ethically grounded sense of responsibility. I'm excited to enter the field at a time when technology can amplify our impact, but I'm also mindful that human judgment, empathy, and ethics must remain at the forefront of legal practice.”

                              Anne Marie Mulligan ’26

                              Anne Marie Mulligan

                              “NYLS courses like Legal Writing and GenAI have prepared me to adapt to AI's impact on legal practice. Lawyers must stay informed about technological tools and use them appropriately. While LLMs can reduce lawyers' workloads and increase legal access for underserved populations, practitioners must understand their limitations. Everyone should be concerned about environmental costs and worker displacement. Legal professionals and business leaders should carefully evaluate whether replacing functions with LLM tools is appropriate, particularly given that current pricing models are unsustainable, so companies risk dependency when providers like OpenAI inevitably raise prices to profitable levels.”

                              ALUMNI
                              PERSPECTIVES

                              Lydia Payne-Johnson ’96

                              Lydia Payne-Johnson

                              “In the absence of a federal privacy law, the U.S. has a sectoral approach. Before AI was brought into the mix, information privacy law operated in murky waters. AI will likely further erode privacy guardrails, making it more difficult for individuals to have transparency around how their data is being collected, dissected, shared, and used. My advice to students is to remember that at the core of this particular field of law is personal data. Data that, coupled with increasingly sophisticated technology, can be compared to a 1,000-piece puzzle for which U.S. law has not yet fully addressed.”

                              Professor Payne-Johnson is the Director of Data Governance, Compliance, and Identity Management at George Washington University. She teaches Information Privacy Law at NYLS.

                              Lawrence Montle ’13

                              Lawrence Montle

                              “The legal profession and the business entities it serves are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence tools in multiple areas, requiring attorneys to have at least basic AI skills to be competitive. Community involvement is a key part of the GenAI for Business Lawyers course. Alumni will come in and share their experiences with students to make the course more robust and representative of what new lawyers will be expected to perform.”

                              Professor Montle is the Chief Information Security and Privacy Officer at the New York State Insurance Fund. He currently teaches Cybersecurity Compliance and Generative AI for Business Lawyers.

                              Kyle Hunt ’24

                              Kyle Hunt

                              “Both my research for Professor Montle and my time in Professor Jeanne Somma's LegalTech class shone spotlights on the Braess' paradox to which automation can give rise. The current approach to AI, fueled as it is by technical wonder and never-before-dreamed convenience, sometimes elides the difference between scriveners and attorneys: that at the core of our profession is not prolific writing, but reasoning and sound judgment.”

                              As a student, Hunt served as an AI Research Intern for Professor Montle and was President of the Privacy Law Association. He is currently an AI Model Analyst and a Contracts Agency Attorney Interne with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation.

                              NYLS alumni

                              Class Notes: Spring 2025

                              CLASS NOTES
                              Spring 2025

                              Class Notes reflect the recent achievements and milestones of our esteemed alumni. Stay connected by submitting your news and updates.

                              1993
                              David C. Friedman, President of Earlystone Management Inc., which makes financial investments and supports research in women’s sports, was named to the board of the Women’s Sports Foundation.

                              1997
                              Hon. Frances Ortiz was named Supervising Judge for the New York County Housing Court.

                              1999
                              Joseph C. Tristano has been promoted to Partner at Cullen and Dykman LLP. He has been with the firm for over 10 years working in its real estate department.

                              2002
                              Melissa K. Lee joined Rivkin Radler LLP as an Associate in its trusts and estates group.

                              2005
                              Sarah Kroll-Rosenbaum, Litigation Partner in the Los Angeles office of Akerman LLP, was honored as a recipient of the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Leaders of Influence: Litigators and Trial Attorneys award.

                              Victor Suthammanont joined Kostelanetz LLP as Partner.  He previously spent 10 years at the Securities and Exchange Commission where he was Chairman Gary Gensler’s senior advisor on enforcement.

                              2006
                              Abbey Horwitz joined McCarter & English as Special Counsel in firm’s tax, employee benefits, trusts, estates and private clients practice group in its Newark office.

                              The Green Bay Packers hired Kevin Manara as the organization's General Counsel. He comes to the Packers with over 20 years of experience in professional sports; he previously worked as the General Counsel for the Arizona Cardinals, and was Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Las Vegas Raiders.

                              2008
                              Brian C. Drozda was elected Partner in the capital markets practice at Fried Frank LLP.

                              2010
                              Ivonne Norman joined the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University as the Legal Network Manager of the Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative. Prior to this, she was an Associate at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia where she assisted in lecturing on environmental law and policy.

                              New York Law School First Alumni Association Annual Dinner

                              New York Law School First Alumni Association Annual Dinner (February 13, 1915)

                              2011
                              Hon. L. Austin D’Souza was named Supervising Judge for the Manhattan Civil Court.

                              Sean Garahan joined Rosenberg & Estis as a member of its transactions department. He was previously Special Counsel at Nixon Peabody.

                              Seng Yan Sin promoted to Partner at Schwarz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP.

                              2012
                              Evan Cappelli was named Managing Partner for the Corporate and Securities Department of Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP.

                              Lauren Whiting was elected Principal in the Austin, Texas office of Jackson Lewis, P.C.

                              2014
                              Jessie Bonaros was promoted to Partner at McCarter & English, LLP.

                              2015
                              Natalie Diratsouian was named Principal in the Hackensack, New Jersey office of Offit Kurman. Her focus is family law.

                              Michael Fingerhut joined Moses & Singer LLP as Of Counsel in its banking and finance practice group.

                              2016
                              Daniel B. Cohen was promoted to Litigation Partner in the Morristown, New Jersey office of Fox Rothschild LLP.

                              2020
                              Thomas D. Rezach joined Gibbons P.C. as an Associate in the Newark office in its Corporate Group. He was previously an Associate with Brown Rudnick LLP.

                              2021
                              Crismelly Morales was the commencement speaker at the Rockland Community College’s 2025 graduation ceremony. The school’s press release noted that her “inspiring journey from RCC student to advocate for immigrant rights exemplifies the transformative power of education.”

                              2022
                              Daniel Ravo joined Stenger, Glass, Hagstrom, Lindars & Iuele LLP in the firm’s commercial litigation department. He will also handle criminal defense and landlord-tenant matters.

                              2024
                              James Kelly joined Goldberg Segalla as an Associate in the firm’s workers’ compensation practice group. He previously worked for the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), where he represented the commissioner of ACS in Family Court in child neglect and abuse cases.

                              Howard Meyers

                              Professor Howard Meyers Answers the NYLS 10

                              Professor Howard Meyers Answers the NYLS 10

                              Professor Howard S. Meyers is an expert in financial services law, corporate governance, and securities. As a member of the New York Law School faculty, he teaches courses in accounting, commercial law, and securities, in addition to his roles as director of both the School’s Center for Business and Financial Law and the Ronald H. Filler Institute for Financial Services Law. He is also Dean for Adjunct Faculty Engagement. Professor Meyers brings his career experience as a former certified public accountant and a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff attorney investigating and litigating complex financial cases to share perspective and real-world impact with his students in the classroom. He has appeared as a guest legal commentator on CNBC, NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, BBC, and Fox News and is quoted frequently in the financial press.

                              Here, Professor Meyers answers the NYLS 10—10 questions about his work, his interests, and the things he looks forward to in the upcoming year.

                              1. What is the focus of your work?

                              I teach a number of courses including corporations, accounting, data analytics, and financial reporting for lawyers, as well as the securities arbitration specialized externship seminar. I'd like to think that in each of these courses I give students an appreciation of a discrete subject matter of the law, but more importantly help prepare them to enter practice and become excellent attorneys.

                              2. How have your interests changed over your career?

                              As a former SEC enforcement attorney, investor protection has always been a focus of mine, and while that hasn’t changed, it’s been fascinating to understand how that evolves as we’ve seen the financial markets moving more rapidly due to the dominance of algorithmic trading.

                              I’m also interested in examining the cultural shift we’re seeing where investing has become more gamified, as well as the rise of “finfluencers” who offer investment advice on platforms like Reddit, Discord, and even TikTok which shape how people, especially younger investors, engage with the financial market.

                              While it’s encouraging to see more young people interested in the financial markets and how they work, it raises important questions about the advice they’re receiving, especially advice that overstates the potential for increased, or even dramatic, returns and minimizes the risks involved.

                              More recently, I’ve found myself increasingly focused on how artificial intelligence will affect market function and integrity in the years ahead. There’s potential for innovation, but also new challenges when it comes to oversight.

                              3. How do people respond to your work?

                              I'd like to think they respond favorably! I enjoy meeting with students almost on a daily basis, both inside and outside the classroom, and discussing the various legal issues of the day. I also enjoy providing individualized career advice to my students. In fact, at the beginning of each semester, I collect the résumés of students in every class I teach. This helps me to get to know my students better—NYLS has a wonderful, diverse student body—and also assists me in helping to place students with jobs and connections that I have cultivated over the years.

                              Also, I feel that I bring different career path perspectives to students. I bring the perspective of working for the federal government from my former role as an SEC enforcement attorney, but I was also an associate at a Big Law firm and can share that perspective. Moreover, I started my own law practice specializing in securities and corporate law. I think those three different lanes make me well suited to providing career advice and helping students appreciate different career paths they may not have originally contemplated.

                              4. What’s a problem you wish you could solve with a snap of your fingers?

                              I thought about this question a lot, and I believe we’re better off if we don't simply accept things at face value and don't hesitate to ask questions, which is why I encourage my students to push back on judicial opinions that we read in class. I give the same advice to my students and my own children: think critically and come to your own conclusions, but don’t be intractable in your thinking. In fact, I think good listening goes hand in hand with critical thinking. Those are both important qualities that help us analyze and solve problems using the law as a tool to do so.

                              Howard Meyers

                              Professor Howard Meyers during office hours.

                              Howard Meyers speaking on a New York Law School panel

                              Professor Howard Meyers sharing advice with 1L students on an orientation panel.

                              Howard Meyers teaching a class

                              Professor Howard Meyers teaching a Commercial Law course.

                              5. What questions do you have that you want to be able to answer with your work?

                              I’m particularly interested in answering how evolving corporate and securities laws impact everyday investors while also maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets and facilitating capital formation. Often there are some competing interests between the two, but they're not mutually exclusive. So that's on the top of my mind with ever-evolving securities products being offered to investors, changing market dynamics, and the push and pull of various securities regulations. I think these are important issues to consider.

                              6. How do you approach teaching law?

                              I love teaching and interacting with my students, and I approach each class with enthusiasm and energy. Learning should be fun! Corporate law, like many areas of the law, is extraordinarily complex and can feel intimidating to students who do not have a business background. I believe in having conversations with my students to make sure they feel engaged and comfortable asking questions. I suggest they approach every case they read as a short story—complete with main characters, drama, conflict, and an ultimate (although sometimes not satisfactory) resolution. I also provide discussion questions before each class to guide students’ reading and stimulate conversation. It is my job to equip students to think critically and come up with answers to questions they may face in the future by bulking up their reasoning muscles.

                              7. What are you excited about these days?

                              Well, I’m a lifelong Mets fan, so I certainly hope the team is heading toward the World Series and their first pennant since 1986, which I remember fondly. I’m also very much into my two labrador retrievers: a black lab named Walter and a yellow lab named Jesse, named after the lead characters on Breaking Bad, which my wife and I were big fans of. I am also an amateur magician. It’s been a hobby of mine since grade school, and I continue to work on new magic tricks, read about new techniques, and perform for friends and family—and occasionally students.

                              8. What’s the next year like for you?

                              As Dean of Adjunct Faculty Engagement, I’m continuing to engage with our adjunct faculty and help them with curricular design that’s impactful for our students, in addition to exploring new student externship and networking opportunities. I’m also the Director of NYLS’s Center for Business and Financial Law, so we continue to provide innovative programming for students who are interested in corporate and securities legal practice—and I’m very excited for the wonderful set of potential speakers we have on deck for the next year.

                              And I’m excited to continue to engage with NYLS alumni and my former students. For me, one of the most rewarding things is to hear from a former student who I may have taught five, six, or even 15 years ago, whether they’re on campus for another event and saying hi or reaching out to ask me if I know of any students that we could potentially place with them. I’m a big fan of paying it forward and I still keep in touch with many former students to this day.

                              9. Whose work excites you these days?

                              I enjoy reading biographies. I’m a big fan of Walter Isaacson, and I’ve read several of his works on Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Leonardo da Vinci, among others. I also recently finished an interesting book by Nate Silver called On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything, which examines how venture capitalists and company founders think about and approach risk.

                              10. What are you reading, watching, or listening to?

                              As far as watching goes, I’m enjoying Severance and White Lotus, along with much of the rest of the population, it seems. Dark Winds is also a wonderful, very intriguing show following Native American law enforcement on a Navajo reservation in the 70s—I’m excited for the new season coming out. I recently read The Demon of Unrest, an Erik Larson book that discusses the five months between Lincoln’s election and the start of the Civil War, and How to Think Like a Magician, which talks about the creative process for developing magic tricks and the psychology of magic.

                              As for listening, I have found myself listening to more U2 and their album “The Joshua Tree” after a wonderful visit to Joshua Tree National Park with my wife for our 25th wedding anniversary.

                              New York Law School faculty

                              Faculty Highlights: Spring 2025

                              Faculty Highlights: Spring 2025

                              Susan J. Abraham
                              Penelope Andrews
                              Barry Appleton
                              Ann Schofield Baker ’97
                              Lenni B. Benson
                              Robert Blecker
                              Heidi K. Brown
                              Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04
                              Anna G. Cominsky ’05
                              Anthony W. Crowell
                              Heather E. Cucolo ’03
                              Shahrokh Falati ’08
                              Ronald H. Filler
                              Kris Franklin
                              Doni Gewirtzman
                              Matt Gewolb
                              Brandt Goldstein
                              William P. LaPiana
                              Arthur S. Leonard
                              Stephen Louis
                              Molly Guptill Manning
                              Richard D. Marsico
                              Howard S. Meyers
                              Justin Murray
                              Michael Pastor
                              Michael Perlin
                              F. Peter Phillips ’87
                              Samantha Pownall ’11
                              Michael Roffer ’83
                              Rebecca Roiphe
                              Andrew Scherer
                              Richard K. Sherwin
                              Nadine Strossen
                              Lynn Boepple Su
                              Ruti G. Teitel
                              Claire R. Thomas ’11
                              Amy Wallace
                              Jeffrey M. Wice
                              Britney Wilson

                              New York Law School faculty are dedicated educators and renowned experts in their respective fields. Their scholarship and professional achievements advance the rule of law and legal educational excellence in New York, across the nation, and around the world. These items represent a sample of the activities of NYLS’s full-time, adjunct, and emeritus faculty.

                              Appointments, Awards, and Recognition
                              Books and Book Chapters
                              Law Review Articles and Publications
                              News and Media
                              Presentations
                              Alexandra Natapoff

                              Field and Campus: Spring 2025

                              Field and Campus:

                              SPRING 2025

                              By

                              In the heart of New York City, there’s always something dynamic happening. From thought-provoking panels and conferences with high-profile policymakers and business leaders to student-led programs to conversations and debate forums with civic leaders, these events reflect New York Law School’s vibrant role at the intersection of legal education and real-world impact. Read about a few of the spring highlights at 185 West Broadway.

                              JANUARY 2025

                              Melinda Katz

                              On January 27, students, faculty, and staff engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz, on current issues facing our criminal justice system.

                              FEBRUARY 2025

                              Omar Gómez Trejo

                              Omar Gómez Trejo, a former special prosecutor in Mexico, came to campus on February 4 for an insightful discussion, moderated by Professor Claire R. Thomas ’11, on the complexities of human rights investigations and the pursuit of justice in cases involving state and organized crime collusion. Mr. Gómez Trejo shared with students his experiences leading the investigation into the forcible disappearance of 43 students from Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College in Guerrero, Mexico, after a confrontation with Mexican law enforcement.

                              Pierre Hazan

                              Pierre Hazan—a prominent figure in conflict mediation and transitional justice who played significant roles in back-channel mediation in Bosnia, Ukraine, the Sahel, and the Central African Republic— visited NYLS for a thought-provoking conversation with students on armed conflict mediation and his reflections on the political and ethical “red lines” that shape talks with armed interlocutors, including states and insurgents. The discussion was held on February 6 and moderated by NYLS Professor Ruti G. Teitel, Ernst C. Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law.

                              Alexandra Natapoff

                              On February 6 and 7, the Institute on Justice Policy Implementation held a two-day conference titled “Implementing Misdemeanor Justice: Rethinking Misdemeanor Practice” for policymakers, advocates, and practitioners from around the country to have strategic discussions on ways in which discovery and bail reform have failed to take into consideration certain implementation challenges and seeking to identify a coherent framework for criminal court practice in the wake of the impact of discovery reform on misdemeanors. The keynote address by Alexandra Natapoff, Lee S. Kreindler Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, centered on misdemeanor declination, followed by a dialogue with NYLS Professor Justin Murray.

                              Lenni Benson

                              New York Law School, along with Immigrant-ARC and the Federal Bar Association's Immigration Law Section, hosted the 10th Annual Asylum and Immigration Law Conference. The two-day event took place February 6 and 7 and featured a range of fundamental and advanced CLE panels and programs on current asylum and immigration topics, featuring over 40 expert speakers including many NYLS faculty members and alumni.

                              Meet-and-Greet with local Tribeca small business owners

                              In honor of National Entrepreneurship Week, The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment partnered with BMCC Small Business/Entrepreneurship Program and the Laughing Man Foundation to hold a panel and community meet-and-greet for local Tribeca small business owners on February 20. Attendees heard key information from experts on legal issues affecting small businesses and resources for New York City small businesses.

                              MARCH 2025

                              Matthew Kaufman, Aréal Allen-Lee, and Michael Pastor

                              On March 3, the Tricarico Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel hosted a career panel with Aréal Allen-Lee ’14, Director, Product Regulatory Counsel, Hermès, and Matthew Kaufman ’99, Senior Counsel, Global IT/IP, Metlife, for students interested in working in product and marketing law.

                              NYLS’s Center for New York City and State Law partnered with Citizens Budget Commission to host a New York City Comptroller Candidate Debate on March 18 with candidates Mark Levine, 28th Borough President of Manhattan, and Justin Brannan, New York City Councilmember for the 43rd District. The debate was moderated by Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission, and Ben Max, Program Director of the Center for New York City and State Law.

                              New York Law School Law, Religion, and Civil Society in Challenging Times Event

                              On March 20, NYLS hosted “Law, Religion, and Civil Society in Challenging Times,” a special event to explore the rapidly changing legal landscape for both faith-based and secular nonprofit organizations. The program featured a keynote dialogue bridging partisan and religious divides, followed by panel discussions of tax, nonprofit, and immigration law.
                              View event photos.

                              Diane Kiesel speaking at event

                              NYLS students, faculty, and staff, and our wider New York community gathered on the evening of March 20 for a book talk celebrating Adjunct Professor Diane Kiesel’s new book, When Charlie Met Joan: The Tragedy of the Chaplin Trials and the Failings of American Law. The book examines the Charlie Chaplin paternity trials in the 1940s, asking whether Chaplin was unfairly persecuted for his left-leaning political beliefs or if he should have been held more accountable for his treatment of Barry and other women in his life. The discussion was filmed on C-Span and aired later in the spring.
                              View event photos.

                              New York Law School's Education Justice 50 Years After Goss v. Lopez event

                              On March 28, NYLS’s Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law hosted a full-day symposium to commemorate 50 years since Goss v. Lopez, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision on students’ disciplinary due process rights. Civil rights attorneys, education law experts from the NYLS faculty and other law schools, the Solutions Not Suspensions coalition, and New York State Attorney General and legislative representatives gathered on campus to reflect upon the impact of Goss v. Lopez on students’ access to education and discuss the future of students’ educational rights under United States and New York law.
                              View event photos.

                              APRIL 2025

                              Michael Pastor speaking at the Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit

                              The annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit was April 4. The event brought together in-house counsel, attorneys in private practice, and NYLS students to learn about and engage on pressing issues of defending organizations’ machines, systems, and networks from cyber harm and how to craft effective cyber programs with the inclusion of counsel.
                              View event photos.

                              Adrienne Adams, Michael Blake, Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, and Scott Stringer

                              On April 8, the Center for New York City and State Law partnered with New Yorkers for Parks and the Play Fair Coalition to host a livestreamed public forum ahead of the June mayoral primary. New York City mayoral candidates Adrienne Adams, Michael Blake, Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, and Scott Stringer spoke about their positions and policies on parks, recreation, and open space in NYC and answered questions in a public Q&A.

                              MAY 2025

                              Jocelyn Strauber and Ben Max

                              On Law Day, May 1, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation Jocelyn Strauber came to New York Law School for a timely talk with Center for New York City and State Law Program Director Ben Max on how fact-finding improves government and protects democracy.
                              View event photos.

                              JUNE 2025

                              On June 3, New York Law School hosted a Manhattan Borough President debate before the June primary election, featuring Democratic candidates Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Keith Powers, and Calvin Sun. The debate was moderated by Center for New York City and State Law Program Director Ben Max.

                              Congressman Dan Goldman and Ben Max

                              The Center for New York City and State Law invited the NYLS community and the public to the 199th CityLaw Breakfast on June 17, where featured speaker Congressman Dan Goldman, 10th District of New York, spoke about democracy, corruption, and the erosion and rebuilding of public trust.
                              View event photos.

                              Student Symposiums and Competitions

                              NYLS student organizations planned and presented symposiums and competitions for the student body and wider legal community over the course of the spring semester.

                              New York Law School 49th Annual Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Moot Court Competition

                              From February 28–March 2, the Moot Court Association hosted the 49th Annual Robert F. Wagner National Labor and Employment Law Moot Court Competition, the nation’s largest student-run moot court competition and the premier national competition dedicated exclusively to the areas of labor and employment law.
                              View event photos.

                              New York Law School Legal Association of Women

                              On March 21, the Legal Association of Women hosted its annual symposium. More than twenty women lawyers shared their advice and insights about working in the legal profession.
                              View event photos.

                              New York Law School Intellectual Property Law Society and Media Entertainment and Fashion Law Association

                              On April 3, the Intellectual Property Law Society and the Media Entertainment and Fashion Law Association hosted its second annual symposium. The event featured a full-day of professional panels discussing the current issues in the practice including artificial intelligence and licensing, intellectual property rights in film and television, branding, and more.

                              Student and Alumni Connections

                              NYLS student organizations hosted dinners and events to engage with alumni and build connections and networks.

                              New York Law School Legal Association for Women Alumni Panel

                              The Legal Association for Women held an Alumni Panel on February 13.
                              View event photos.

                              New York Law School Italian Law Students

                              The Italian Law Students Organization held an Alumni Reception on March 17.

                              New York Law School Black Law Students Association

                              The Black Law Students Association held the 29th Annual Alumni Awards Dinner on March 28.
                              View event photos.

                              New York Law School Womxn of Color Collective Alumni Mixer

                              The Womxn of Color Collective held an Alumni Mixer on April 1.
                              View event photos.

                              New York Law School Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Alumni Dinner

                              The Asian Pacific American Law Students Association held an Alumni Dinner on April 17.

                              New York Law School Law Review Annual Benefit Banquet

                              New York Law School Law Review held their Annual Benefit Banquet on April 30.
                              View event photos.

                              Tarrian Ellis

                              Alumni Spotlight: Tarrian Ellis ’18

                              Tarrian Ellis

                              Alumni Spotlight:
                              Tarrian Ellis ’18

                              By Jennifer Bancamper

                              Our Alumni Spotlight Series highlights some of the most remarkable members of our alumni community—NYLS graduates who are shaping the future of law and making meaningful contributions in New York City and beyond.

                              Meet Tarrian Ellis ’18, a financial services attorney fluent in both the complexities of financial regulation and the language of public service.

                              “I needed to do something more purpose-driven.”

                              Ellis’s path to law was anything but linear. In the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, Ellis was a college student and part-time loan officer witnessing questionable lending practices firsthand. He recalls seeing a bank client walk out with far more debt than they had initially requested—a circumstance Ellis compares to a car dealer getting someone into a car they couldn’t afford. “It never sat right with me,” he said.

                              Around the same time, Ellis’s mother lost their home under mounting financial pressure. Concerned that his mother might have been a target of predatory lending, he shifted focus. “I felt I needed to do something more purpose-driven,” said Ellis. “Growing up, I was always taught that whatever you do has to be intentional and purpose-driven, and that you must lead from the front.”

                              Motivated by this new sense of purpose, Ellis—who comes from a family of veterans—joined the U.S. Army Reserve. His military service placed him in a medical unit attached to civil affairs, where he worked alongside lawyers and paralegals whose influence steered him toward the law. In his law school application, Ellis made his ambitions clear: he wanted to work for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the very agency created in response to the crisis that shaped his worldview.

                              “NYLS felt like the family I needed.”

                              On the eve of his first NYLS campus visit, Ellis remembers driving from the airport, soaking in the bright lights of Manhattan’s skyline, and listening to “Empire State of Mind” on the radio. Within 24 hours, he knew he was where he belonged. “New York felt like the place I needed to be,” he says. “And NYLS felt like the family I needed to help me reach my goals. I felt it instantly.”

                              Choosing New York’s law school was easy, but settling into the big city wasn’t. During his first month as a 1L, Ellis was in the process of recovering a lost apartment deposit, staying with friends in the meantime. Disaster struck when a fire damaged one of the apartments he was staying in, destroying his laptop and all of his casebooks.

                              That’s when the NYLS community stepped in. Ellis’s mentor and former Black Law Students Association (BLSA) President, Sherbune Paul ’16, connected him with the Office of Student Life. The late Dean of Students, Emerita, Sally Harding, helped him secure a replacement laptop and books. That act of support stuck with him, inspiring him to create a lending library in the BLSA office when he later became President.

                              In addition to BLSA, Ellis was an active member of Moot Court Association, Dispute Resolution Team, and the Securities Arbitration Clinic at NYLS.

                              Tarrian Ellis and his wife, Nicole

                              Ellis with his wife, Nicole, at NYLS's 126th Commencement Exercises.

                              Tarrian Ellis and his mother

                              Ellis and his mother at Commencement.

                              Tarrian Ellis with his parents-in-law

                              Ellis with his parents-in-law at Commencement.

                              Bridging Policy and Practice

                              Ellis credits Aisha Joseph from NYLS’s Career Development team for encouraging him to apply for the Excelsior Fellowship at the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) following graduation. There, he helped write guidance and promulgate rules related to cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, private student loan lending, and consumer reporting. His fellowship at the NYDFS eventually led him to the CFPB—his goalpost from day one. In what he calls a “key career milestone," Ellis contributed to the CFPB’s Small Business Lending Rule (Section 1071 of Dodd-Frank)—a law designed to improve transparency in lending practices for women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses.

                              Today, as an Associate at Steptoe LLP, Ellis’s inside knowledge of regulatory agencies gives him a unique edge. His policy fluency helps him advise some of the world’s largest financial institutions, fast-growing fintechs, and other financial services providers.  “My time at the CFPB gave me a keen understanding of how regulators operate and how they view the legal landscapes in which they operate. That insight allows me to guide clients through what really matters.” Ellis also brings lived experience to the table; his clients receive counsel from someone who has lived the impact of financial systems and understands how the law can either empower or destabilize communities.

                              Leading From the Front

                              Ellis’s commitment to leading from the front is more than theoretical. It now manifests in the classroom. In 2023, Ellis returned to NYLS as an adjunct professor, teaching the Washington, D.C. Honors Full-Time Specialized Externship.

                              “I teach students that leadership includes leading yourself and being in the driver's seat of your career,” Ellis said. “Know your goals and purposes, and let that guide you as you lead from the front. And let that also be the example you set for the teams you're a part of.”

                              Through teaching, Ellis sets the example, showing students that, with a purpose-driven mindset, anyone can chart their own path. He champions public service for young attorneys, emphasizing how experience in the public sector can elevate and expand a legal career.

                              “Teaching has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my professional life,” Ellis said. “It’s rewarding to help build up future attorneys at a time when it’s so important.”

                              Tarrian Ellis and fellow graduating members of the NYLS BLSA chapter in 2018

                              Ellis and fellow graduating members of the NYLS BLSA chapter in 2018.

                              Tarrian Ellis on his admission date

                              Ellis on his admission date.

                              Tarrian Ellis with his wife, Nicole, and their two children

                              Ellis with his wife, Nicole, and their two children.

                              Continuing the Mission

                              Today, Ellis is expanding his focus to include more traditional bank regulatory work, drawing from his experience at the NYDFS and CFPB. He continues to write about financial law, equity, and access, and has published work in Law360 and Lexology. In March 2025, Ellis co-authored a chapter in Banking Laws and Regulations 2025, published by Global Legal Insights.

                              Ellis’s journey—from witnessing financial collapse to helping shape the laws that prevent it—shows the strength of purpose-driven leadership. As he continues to advocate for transparency and access in financial systems, Ellis remains an example of how legal education, public service, and personal passion can come together to drive meaningful change.

                              Remembering September 11

                              NYLS Remembers: 24 Years Since September 11, 2001

                              Remembering September 11

                              Twenty-four years ago, on a bright and clear September morning, the unimaginable happened just a few blocks away from New York Law School (NYLS). Today, we commemorate the tragedy that shook the world and reshaped New York City and the nation. The grief, courage, and resilience shown by New Yorkers that day and in the subsequent weeks fueled a national determination to recover and rebuild in the face of the most difficult challenges.

                              Today we remember the members of our community tragically killed in the September 11 attacks: Craig Lilore ’98, Weirong Lin ’98, Joseph Lostrangio ’78, and Richard Madden ’92—all of whom were working in offices in the World Trade Center. And many in the community suffered the loss of family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors among the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day. The NYLS community continues to mourn these losses and honor their memories today.

                              Amidst the tragedy, however, stood the brave and selfless acts of the first responders who rushed into the danger to save lives. Among them were NYLS alumni. Kevin Cunnane ’04, a fire marshal, arrived on the scene right as the second tower came down. James Brown ’04 and James Kennelly ’02 were firefighters in the New York Fire Department and soon joined thousands of rescue workers who came to help. NYLS Professor Kirk Burkhalter ’04, an NYPD Detective and Evening Division student at the time, worked nonstop, first responding to the scene and working on recovery, followed by counter-terrorism investigations to protect the City from further attacks. Professor Burkhalter recounted his experiences in a TV interview and also spoke about them four years ago on the 20th anniversary of the attacks.

                              After the attacks, the NYLS community authored a collective memoir titled Eight Blocks Away. We encourage everyone to read the deeply personal reflections from many members of the law school community.

                              As we do every year on this day, we never forget and honor the bravery and resilience of New York City, the nation, and our law school community.

                              During the next year, New York Law School will take the opportunity to mark the upcoming 25th anniversary of the attacks by hosting several programs that remember the City’s and NYLS’s experience and losses as a result of these tragic events.

                              Navigating the Admissions Process

                              Your Guide to Navigating the Law School Admissions Process

                              Navigating the Admissions Process

                              Applying to law school can feel overwhelming when you don’t know where to start, but once you understand what admissions committees are looking for and how each part of your application works together, you can approach it with confidence. While the process can be intense, it is also an opportunity to reflect on your journey, define your goals, and present the best version of yourself.

                              The “Navigating the Admissions Process” series, hosted by New York Law School’s Office of Admissions and Student Financial Services, offers a rare chance to learn about the law school admissions process straight from the decision-makers. The NYLS Admissions committee is led by Ella Mae Estrada, Associate Dean and Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Financial Services, and Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She and the committee combine years of experience to offer practical strategies, insights, and advice to help applicants present their stories with impact. Below is a brief roundup of key lessons they share.

                              Crafting Your Personal and Optional Statements

                              A personal statement is your opportunity to connect your experiences, motivations, and goals into one cohesive and compelling story. Admissions committees want to see a clear sense of purpose shared from your authentic voice.

                              • Choose a meaningful topic that reflects your “why” for pursuing law
                              • Balance personal storytelling with a professional approach
                              • Cite specific examples that illustrate qualities like leadership or resilience

                              Optional statements can also be powerful, providing an additional opportunity to add depth or context to your application. For additional guidance, read about the path to a powerful personal statement.

                              Building a Strong Résumé

                              In law school admissions, your résumé serves as a snapshot of your academic, professional, and extracurricular achievements.

                              • Highlight experiences that demonstrate skills relevant to legal education, such as analytical thinking, research, writing, and advocacy
                              • Showcase any legal internships or jobs, volunteer work, or student organization involvement

                              Securing Letters of Recommendation

                              Strong letters of recommendation can bring your application to life.  Choose recommenders who know you well and can provide detailed examples of your capabilities, such as professors, supervisors, or mentors you’ve worked closely with. Learn more about requesting a letter of recommendation.

                              • Share with recommenders your résumé, draft personal statement, and context about your goals
                              • Be clear about deadlines and express appreciation for their time and support

                              Understanding the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report

                              Most U.S. law schools use the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) to streamline the application process. Your CAS report typically includes:

                              • Academic transcripts
                              • LSAT scores
                              • Letters of recommendation
                              • Writing samples

                              Be sure to confirm your report is complete and accurate before submitting your applications, as errors or missing materials can cause delays.

                              Navigating Financial Aid and Budgeting

                              Law school is a significant financial investment, so planning ahead is essential. Beyond tuition and fees, account for housing, books, transportation, and any bar exam prep costs.

                              • Explore scholarships, grants, federal and private loans, and work-study programs
                              • Build a small savings fund before starting school

                              Admissions decisions are not based on any single factor. Many law schools, including NYLS, take a holistic approach, weighing metrics like GPA and LSAT scores alongside qualitative components like personal statements and recommendation letters. Prospective law students can get a first-hand look at the internal process via the final installment of the “Navigating the Admissions Process” series, in which the NYLS committee reviews sample applications and demonstrates how they make admission decisions.

                              For a preview of the series, check out the “Navigating the Admissions Process” playlist on the NYLS YouTube channel, and be sure to keep track of NYLS Admissions Events for any series installments happening soon. And for more information on how you can join the NYLS community, you can request information directly from the NYLS committee.

                              Best of luck as you prepare your law school applications.

                              Christopher Bruno

                              NYLS Appoints Christopher Bruno as Inaugural Chief of Economic Development Programs and Strategies

                              Christopher Bruno

                              Christopher Bruno ’12 Will Lead a Community Driven Approach to Catalyze Local Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Tribeca by Leveraging the Community Based Legal Resources and Technical Assistance of the NYLS Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              New York Law School (NYLS) has appointed Christopher Bruno as its inaugural Chief of Economic Development Programs and Strategies. A longtime economic development leader in Fairfax City, Virginia, as well as New York City, Chris will build deeper engagement with the Tribeca community, and the broader business community throughout New York, by identifying and supporting initiatives that drive innovation, stimulate local economic development, and strengthen strategic partnerships. Tribeca, home to New York Law School, remains one of New York City’s most desirable neighborhoods, yet it continues to struggle with retail vacancies, safety concerns, visible sanitation issues, and a lack of sustained post-pandemic investment and strategy. Chris’s role will be to work across the community to help reimagine the neighborhood’s economic future. His focus will be on uniting community organizations and institutional partners to create a long-term self-sustaining business development plan and support strategy for the neighborhood. Beyond Tribeca, Chris will leverage the unique advantages of New York Law School to create key economic development partnerships across the city.

                              Since 2021, Bruno has served as a Senior Fellow at NYLS, most notably working with the administration, faculty, and students through the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment. He helped support the Tribeca business community, including by leading the Law School’s Neighborhood Pandemic Recovery Task Force. In his new role, Chris will build on this work as a member of the Law School’s senior leadership team. He will serve as primary liaison between NYLS and the Tribeca community—including individual small businesses, local business alliances, corporate entities, nonprofit organizations, and local government officials. Embedded in the community, Bruno will lead economic development initiatives that support the development of an ecosystem where small businesses and entrepreneurs thrive, promote their community integration, and deepen NYLS’s neighborhood presence.

                              Bruno will work closely with the Plumeri Center’s Director, Associate Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, to identify and cultivate partnerships that provide opportunities for students to support local organizations including businesses and nonprofits, and will work collaboratively with government agencies and other academic institutions.

                              This past June, the Plumeri Center, working in partnership with the Tribeca community organization Friends of Bogardus Plaza, helped secure a substantial grant from New York City to support merchant organizing efforts and commercial revitalization in Tribeca. Chris’s work is directly aimed at fulfilling the goals envisioned by that grant and elevating the Tribeca business community.

                              “I’m honored to join New York Law School full time and work with the incredible team that brings the school’s mission to life every day,” said Chris Bruno, “As ‘New York’s law school,’ and a long-standing institutional anchor in Tribeca, one of most vibrant neighborhoods in the greatest city in the world, NYLS has a responsibility to engage deeply with its neighbors and help shape the future of the neighborhood. Through community-focused programs housed at the Plumeri Center, the School is doing important, strategic work to support small businesses and foster thoughtful economic development. I am grateful to Dean Crowell for this opportunity to build on that work and strengthen the partnerships that will move Tribeca and New York forward.”

                              “New York Law School is excited to expand our role supporting economic vitality and community building in Tribeca, and New York City,” said Anthony Crowell, Dean and President, “Established nearly 135 years ago, we have prided ourselves on calling Lower Manhattan our home. With a state-of-the-art academic facility, as well as the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment which offers community-focused legal clinics led by expert faculty and motivated students, along with events bringing thousands of visitors to our campus each year, we are deeply invested in the success of Tribeca. As the inaugural Chief of Economic Development Programs and Strategies, Chris brings extraordinary experience from his prior roles, as well as his unique connections to NYLS and Tribeca as an alumnus and Senior Fellow to support a thriving community for all in Tribeca.”

                              “I’m thrilled that Chris is joining us as we build on the strengths of NYLS and the Plumeri Center,” said Jae Hyung Ryu, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Plumeri Center. “His experience in community and economic development will be key to ensuring that the Center’s work has a tangible impact on our neighbors in Tribeca. Together, we’ll strengthen neighborhood ties while advancing citywide initiatives, leveraging the assets of the Center to benefit both our immediate community and the broader small business ecosystem. I’m excited for the impact this collaboration will have.”

                              About Chris Bruno

                              After graduating from New York Law School in 2012, Chris began his economic development career in public service at the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), where he served as Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Director of Commercial Revitalization. In these roles, Chris supported numerous programs related to the Business Improvement District (BID) network in New York and aided in the agency’s recovery efforts following Superstorm Sandy. In 2014, he created SBS’s Neighborhood Legal Fellows Program and mentored NYLS students in serving the legal and compliance needs, pro bono, at several of the city’s neighborhood development organizations. More recently, since 2021, Chris has served, part-time, as a Senior Fellow at NYLS.

                              Outside of New York, for nearly a decade, Chris served as CEO and Director of Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED) in Fairfax, Virginia. During his tenure, he grew the team, launched a wide range of successful programs that has positioned Fairfax City as a leader in economic development at the regional, national and international levels and supported the investment of numerous programs, projects, and initiatives that grew the city’s business community and expanded opportunities for investment.

                              Under Chris’s leadership, Fairfax City developed programs that decreased commercial and retail vacancy rates to historic lows, expanded the city’s tax base, and attracted several lasting impactful businesses. Chris oversaw the expansion of the size and scope of Fairfax City Economic Development to include numerous business investment initiatives, tourism, marketing, public relations, and place-based programs. Regionally, Chris is also a founding member of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, a partnership of ten-member jurisdictions designed to elevate Northern Virgina’s business investment appeal. He has also developed partnerships with institutions of higher education regionally and internationally and greatly expanded Fairfax City’s economic presence globally in Asia and Europe. Chris has been recognized as a leader in the economic development community by his peers and previously received the DCI 40 under 40 award for his leadership and vision. Before attending NYLS, he received a BA and MA from Fordham University.

                              About New York Law School and The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              Founded in 1891, New York Law School (NYLS) is an independent law school located in Tribeca, the heart of New York City’s legal, government, financial, and emerging tech centers. Known as “New York’s law school,” NYLS embraces the city as its classroom by complementing a rigorous legal education with an innovative and diverse set of “uniquely New York” experiential learning opportunities. Since opening its doors, NYLS has produced graduates who have gone on to hold high elected and appointed office in the city, lead large and small firms, and gain broad recognition as captains of business and industry. Its renowned faculty of prolific scholars has built the school’s strength in key areas of the law, including business and financial services, intellectual property and privacy, and government and public interest law. NYLS has more than 18,000 graduates and currently enrolls around 1,100 students in its full-time and part-time J.D. programs.

                              The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment was established from a highly generous foundational gift from global business leader and philanthropist Joseph J. Plumeri (H ’15), The Plumeri Center provides substantial and meaningful legal and business assistance to strengthen New York’s small business and innovator/entrepreneur community through the power and breadth of the Law School’s clinics, faculty, students, alumni, and civic profile.  

                              Classes of 2028 and 2029, Welcome to the NYLS Family!

                              NYLS’s 2025 Orientation: Building Community and Embracing Civic Leadership

                              Classes of 2028 and 2029, Welcome to the NYLS Family!

                              NYLS’s 2025 Orientation: Building Community and Embracing Civic Leadership

                              New York Law School (NYLS) welcomed the Classes of 2028 (Day) and 2029 (Evening) at Orientation this August, greeting them with a week of learning, connection, and community designed to set the stage for their law school journey.

                              The program opened with remarks from Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell, along with Ella Mae S. Estrada, Associate Dean and Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Financial Services, and Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; John E. Estes ’95, Chair of the Board of Trustees; Matt Gewolb, Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Institutional Strategy; Erin Felker Bond ’08, Associate Dean for Academic Planning and Career Development; and Dean of Faculty William P. LaPiana.

                              “Every day that you come in through these doors, you’ll gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of how the ideals of democracy give light to individual freedom and opportunity, and how people seek redress and achieve justice,” said Dean Crowell. “Keeping an open mind and open heart to pursuing common goals of fairness and justice is something that you all must bring to the classroom on the first day, and doing so will make you successful.”

                              Estes’s address emphasized the value of intellectual curiosity. Encouraging students to pursue it, he said, “It’s not enough to simply complete a task. You have to unpack it, look behind the outcome, look at the rule, and understand why it exists. Think about the why. And ask yourself a second question: ‘What can I do to improve on that outcome?”

                              Anthony Crowell

                              Anthony W. Crowell

                              Ella Mae Estrada

                              Ella Mae S. Estrada

                              John E. Estes

                              John E. Estes ’95

                              Matt Gewolb

                              Matt Gewolb

                              Erin Bond

                              Erin Felker Bond ’08

                              Bill LaPiana

                              William P. LaPiana

                              Throughout the week, incoming 1Ls engaged in a wide-ranging program that introduced them to NYLS’s academic and professional opportunities. Sessions explored the foundations of the study of law through multiple frameworks; professional development; health, wellness, and mindfulness; restorative justice; and NYLS’s signature Think BIG curriculum. Community-building was central—students shared meals with faculty, Student Bar Association leaders, and Student Ambassadors. 

                              On Wednesday, we hosted our Community Days program, a mainstay of New Student Orientation, and a part of the 1L curriculum. The innovative program helps students to develop cross-cultural competency by, among other things, ensuring they have a factually accurate historical context in which to understand the development of law and the need to build essential skills for practice in a multicultural society.

                              Another highlight of the week was an interactive seminar led by Dean Crowell: The Rule of Law and Foundations for Civic Leadership, with special guests Hon. Anthony Cannataro ’96, Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, and Hon. Hasa A. Kingo, Acting Justice of the New York Supreme Court. The seminar was designed to encourage incoming students to begin shaping their professional identities as leaders. It concluded with them taking a symbolic lawyers’ oath—a first at the Law School.

                              This year’s entering class is the largest in recent years, and they arrive with the highest median academic credentials in the Law School’s 134-year history. Of 412 students, 359 are enrolled in the Day Division and 53 are enrolled in the NYLS Pro Evening Division. Reflecting the diversity of New York City, students speak 35 languages, hail from 28 states, the District of Columbia, and eight countries, and bring a plethora of life experiences. 22 percent are the first in their families to attend college, and 84 percent are the first in their families to attend law school.*

                              As Orientation came to a close, the newest members of the NYLS community left with a strong sense of purpose and community. Their reflections capture their palpable excitement, as well as the warm and welcoming energy that marked the beginning of their journeys.

                              *Incoming class statistics updated as of August 22, 2025.

                              New York Law School student on terrace
                              New York Law School Chair John Estes speaking at 2025 orientation
                              New York law School students touring campus
                              New York Law School student during 2025 orientation
                              New York Law School student during 2025 orientation
                              New York Law School student during 2025 orientation

                              View photos from NYLS’s 2025 Orientation.

                              What excites you about joining NYLS?

                              Michael De Jesus ’28: “I’m super excited about starting the next steps to the rest of my life, and I can’t wait to see what kind of good I do in this world.”

                              Maria Salazar, Kathia Paz, Danielle Ashurov, Khadija Sardar, Kaitlin Kratzmer

                              (From left to right) Maria Salazar ’29 Evening, Kathia Paz ’29 Evening, Danielle Ashurov ’29 Evening, Khadija Sardar ’29 Evening, Kaitlin Kratzmer ’29 Evening

                              Maria Salazar ’29 Evening: “Learning. I’ve been working as a paralegal since I graduated college, and now I get to learn the theory behind practice. That’s really what inspired me to go to law school—I want to do more to help the kind of people I interact with every day.”

                              Kathia Paz ’29 Evening: “Since Day 1 of Orientation, I’ve felt so much support. It makes me that much more excited to figure out what realm of law I want to pursue. I’m also excited to lean on the resources that NYLS has to give, and to see how they’ll help me become the great lawyer that I want to be.”

                              Danielle Ashurov ’29 Evening: “I’m really excited to be a student again. I love to learn, and everyone I’ve met so far in the evening program has been so warm and welcoming and willing to help one another. It’s next level.”

                              Khadija Sardar ’29 Evening: “Finally pursuing the dream that I’ve had since childhood: advocating for people who may not have a voice of their own and learning how to apply the law as intended—for the people, with the people, by the people.”

                              Jess Hennen ’28: “I’m excited to finally be working towards my end goals. I eventually want to become a judge, and this is the first leap to get there. I’m also excited to learn about all the different types of law. It’s all just a very thrilling adventure, and I’m ready to start!”

                              Navkait Bains and Emmanuel-Shamma Momplaisir

                              Navkait Bains ’28 and Emmanuel-Shamma Momplaisir ’28

                              Navkait Bains ’28: “The opportunity to further my education, expand my network, and grow as a person. I’m also excited to learn more about the law and work towards helping those who need it.”

                              Emmanuel-Shamma Momplaisir ’28: “I’m excited that I get this new opportunity to network, meet new people, and continue working towards my future.”

                              Maria Veronica Macias Carreno ’28: “For a long time, people have told me that law school changes your life. So, I’m excited to become the best version of myself here at NYLS.”

                              Ayana Merritt

                              Ayana Merritt ’28: “Getting to know all my fellow students, especially since it’s been impressed upon us that that’s who we’ll be working with in the future. And experiencing the warm environment of NYLS has also been exciting—so far, everyone’s been so welcoming and has made the resources that are available to us very clear.”

                              Natalie Massimi

                              Natalie Massimi ’28: “Meeting new people and being introduced to my future classmates, colleagues, and friends!”

                              Madeline Unruh

                              Madeline Unruh ’28: “Meeting all my fellow 1Ls. It’s been cool to see how different circumstances have brought us all to the same place.”

                              New York Law School students in auditorium
                              NYLS Students on the fifth floor terrace

                              Top Marks for NYLS in preLaw Magazine

                              NYLS Students on the fifth floor terrace

                              At New York Law School (NYLS), we take an innovative approach to legal education and we’re proud to train our students in practice areas that prepare them for the future. We’re delighted that the Spring 2025 issue of preLaw magazine has recognized our outstanding programs in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and intellectual property (IP) law.

                              Alternative Dispute Resolution: “A”

                              From business law to family law, today’s lawyers have a wide range of options to resolve conflicts outside of traditional courtroom settings, which is why NYLS provides students with numerous opportunities to study and train in the three core alternative dispute resolution processes—negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.

                              Our ADR Skills Program provides students with the necessary skills to navigate and excel in this evolving practice area, empowering them to become effective negotiators and problem-solvers. Students can advance their study in areas of conflict avoidance, management, and resolution and develop practical skills in area-specific dispute resolution regimes such as employment, securities, and family law dispute resolution. A focused externship program also affords students opportunities to observe and participate in actual arbitration and mediation procedures and to develop professional contacts.

                              Intellectual Property Law: “A”

                              NYLS also stands out in the area of intellectual property law, offering a rigorous and forward-thinking program that prepares students to handle the demands of this practice area with innovation and creativity. Through foundational and specialized courses, including Intellectual Property, Patent Law, and Intellectual Property Licensing and Drafting, students gain a deeper understanding of the practice. They also benefit from a range of clinics, externships, and other experiential learning opportunities that engage them in real-world issues that prepare them to successfully launch their career.

                              Our Innovation Center for Law and Technology provides law students with a cutting-edge approach to education and skills training in intellectual property and other intersections of law and technology. Through projects, events, and research, the Innovation Center brings together practitioners, students, and scholars to create the future of legal practice, and graduates leave the program prepared to navigate complex legal challenges at the intersection of law and technology.

                              Clinics and Experiential Learning at NYLS

                              Experiential learning is an essential part of your legal training, and NYLS’s wide range of clinics and experiential learning opportunities are designed to ensure you’re confident and practice-ready in areas of ADR, intellectual property, and beyond.

                              Students interested in pursuing intellectual property law can participate in clinics like the PTO Trademark Clinic or the Patent Law Clinic to gain hands-on experience in the practice. Law students in the PTO Trademark Clinic recently partnered with the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic to provide local entrepreneurs and small business owners with vital information to legally safeguarding their businesses. The Patent Law Clinic assists inventors in a variety of fields, including adaptive fashion and medical technology, to obtain U.S. patents for their inventions. preLaw highlighted one of the Patent Law Clinic’s successes in securing a patent for a client who created a new exercise device. Students interested in ADR-related careers can benefit from the Mediation Clinic, which provides students with intensive training before placing them in cohorts to perform mediation work on actual New York Small Claims Court matters throughout the semester.

                              Students can also hone their appellate advocacy, brief-writing, and ADR skills by joining one of our moot court and competition teams, which offer numerous opportunities to compete nationally and internationally. In the past semester, NYLS’s Moot Court Association (MCA) and Dispute Resolution Team (DRT) have excelled across multiple national competitions, earning top honors.

                              Nationally Recognized Academic Programs

                              We’re proud to be recognized by preLaw not only as a top school in alternative dispute resolution and intellectual property but as a top school in government law (A+), real estate law (A), and trial advocacy (A-); racial justice (A-), business law (A-), and criminal law (A-); and technology law (top 20), family law (A+), and human rights law (A).

                              Michael Goodyear, Associate Professor of Law

                              NYLS Appoints Michael Goodyear as Associate Professor of Law

                              Michael Goodyear, Associate Professor of Law

                              Dear NYLS Community,

                              New York Law School is pleased to announce that Michael Goodyear has been appointed as Associate Professor of Law and will begin teaching Copyrights and Trademarks and Unfair Competition this year. He will be a member of the affiliated faculty of the Innovation Center for Law and Technology. Professor Goodyear’s appointment further deepens our roster of faculty expertise on technology and law, as his research explores how copyright, trademark, the right of publicity, and related rights and liabilities evolve in response to technological and cultural change, including online platforms, generative AI, deepfakes, and traditional knowledge. 

                              He studies how intellectual property law can empower historically underrepresented populations, especially LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities. His work has been published or is forthcoming in over a dozen law reviews, including the UC Davis Law Review, Arizona State Law Journal, University of Illinois Law Review, and Harvard Journal of Law & Technology, as well as popular press and scientific publications such as Slate and Issues in Science and Technology.

                              Professor Goodyear regularly presents his research at academic conferences, practitioner events, and student discussions. His work has been accepted to the Junior Faculty Forum on Law and STEM, the ACM Symposium on Computer Science and Law, the Legal Scholars Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence, the Freedom of Expression Scholars Conference, and the Intellectual Property Emerging Scholars Panel at the AALS Annual Meeting, among other venues. He has spoken at law school events at NYU, Yale, Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, Berkeley, Fordham, and Emory, as well as internationally at University College London, the Technical University of Munich, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has also been invited to present before the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

                              Before joining NYLS, Professor Goodyear was an Acting Assistant Professor of Lawyering and a Fellow at the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy at New York University School of Law. Professor Goodyear started his legal career as an associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in the Complex Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property & Media groups, where he litigated intellectual property cases and counseled clients in the tech industry such as Meta, Alibaba, Samsung, eBay, and Pinterest. 

                              Professor Goodyear received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and his A.B. from the University of Chicago in History and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Phi Beta Kappa, with honors, where he studied Byzantine history.

                              Please join us in welcoming Professor Goodyear, and we are excited that our students, and the entire NYLS community, will benefit from his scholarship and expertise. 

                              Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              Dean of Faculty William LaPiana

                              Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb

                              Professor Gerald Korngold
                              Co-Chair, Faculty Committee on Appointments (Tenure Track) (2024-25)

                              New York Law School education law clinic

                              Stories From the Education Law Clinic: 2024–25

                              Stories From the Education Law Clinic: 2024–25

                              In the full-year Education Law Clinic, law students receive real-world training while representing clients in education matters from civil rights advocacy organizations. These organizations include Legal Services New York City, Brooklyn Defender Services, the Legal Aid Society, and Neighborhood Defender Service. Six students from the 2024–25 clinic shared their reflections on their experiences.

                              David Checchi ’26
                              Amanda DiBenedetto ’26
                              Frank Landau ’26
                              Xiomara Torres ’26
                              Bianca Vertus ’26
                              Bekka Wiedenmeyer ’26

                              David Checchi ’26

                              When I started law school, I didn’t picture myself working in public interest or special education advocacy. I initially pursued a Ph.D. in philosophy, drawn to analytical argument and abstract reasoning. When that path didn’t pan out, law felt like the next best thing — a space to keep evaluating and constructing analytical arguments. But through my work with the Education Law Clinic, I saw how my passion for argument could be used to create real, lasting impact.

                              One of my most meaningful experiences involved “Alexander*,” a 16-year-old in the eleventh grade with a traumatic brain injury, ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia. Although Alexander is intellectually capable, recent evaluations showed his academic skills were several grade levels behind. Despite clear neuropsychological recommendations for one-on-one, Orton-Gillingham-based instruction, his school refused to provide it — citing report card grades and scheduling limitations.

                              With support from my clinic supervisor at Staten Island Legal Services, I helped draft a formal complaint challenging the school’s failure to provide appropriate services. I also assisted in preparing for the impartial hearing, working with witnesses on their affidavits and drafting cross-examination questions the district might use. This work involved analyzing the school’s actions, evaluating complex testing data, and constructing a persuasive legal argument grounded in both the facts and the law. The hearing before an impartial hearing officer (IHO) went well, and we are hopeful Alexander will soon receive the support he deserves.

                              This clinic has given me a deeper appreciation for client-centered advocacy — and for the power of showing up for someone when the system doesn’t. What began as a back-up plan to philosophy has become something meaningful: An opportunity to apply my passion for analysis and argumentation to helping students and families.

                              *All client names have been changed to protect their privacy.

                              Amanda DiBenedetto ’26

                              “Jalen,” a high school student, faced a proposed yearlong suspension for allegedly participating in a serious fight involving three other students. From the outset, the case raised major due process concerns. Although the school informed Jalen’s father that a student witness had identified him as a participant in the incident, it became immediately apparent at the initial suspension hearing that the witness was unfamiliar with Jalen. Then, before Jalen’s father could complete the direct examination, the witness abruptly left the hearing. The supervising attorney then adjourned the matter in order for the father to obtain legal counsel.

                              Once the father contacted the Education Law Clinic’s legal services partner, Staten Island Legal Services, to represent Jalen, the hearing resumed, but the school failed to bring back the witness or introduce any evidence. Despite the school’s failure to meet its evidentiary burden, the impartial hearing officer suggested that Legal Services subpoena the witness. We responded that the burden of producing witnesses rested solely with the school and was not the responsibility of the accused student.

                              Even though there was no testimony or documentation placing Jalen at the scene, the IHO suspended Jalen for 54 days. We appealed the decision, emphasizing the significant due process violations, including the school’s failure to produce evidence and the denial of the right to a fair hearing under the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) Chancellor’s Regulations. After filing our written appeal, Jalen’s suspension was overturned, his record was expunged, and he was reinstated to school immediately.

                              This case reinforced how easily students can be deprived of their educational rights when schools and administrative hearing officers disregard basic procedural protections. Without representation, families often lack the tools to challenge unsupported accusations in the NYC public school system. Helping Jalen return to school was a powerful reminder of how important it is to safeguard the principles of fairness and due process in every proceeding.

                              Frank Landau ’26

                              I had the opportunity to prepare for the representation of an 11-year-old girl who faced a superintendent suspension for allegedly injuring another student during a soccer game in gym class. The student’s mother rightfully questioned why a minor gym class incident had escalated to a long-term suspension, requiring a full-blown hearing.

                              Even before the hearing began, procedural delays foreshadowed the school's disorganization. School officials withheld discovery documents until the evening before the hearing, only producing them after a supervising attorney from the Brooklyn Office of Student Suspensions reprimanded them. These actions violated multiple components of the NYC DOE Chancellor’s Regulations governing student suspensions and due process rights.

                              Adding to the procedural missteps, the school’s dean and the gym teacher who witnessed the incident arrived two hours late. Their delay, however, gave me a chance to connect with the student. Drawing from my teaching experience and implementing one of the “Five Habits of Cross-Cultural Lawyering,” I sought common ground and asked about her interests. She brightened as she talked about her love for nonfiction books, her dreams for the future, and her fascination with obstacle courses. In that moment, I was reminded that legal proceedings can often make students feel like their identities have been reduced to a single accusation. My role, however small, was to remind her that she was much more than this hearing.

                              When the school representatives finally arrived, the hearing began in earnest. The dean and teacher offered what felt like half-hearted justifications for their decision, as though they knew the suspension was excessive but felt compelled to defend it. During the gym teacher’s testimony, he admitted that he saw only the tail end of the alleged altercation and that the gym didn’t provide much space for students — 27 students occupied a 25 square foot room — and the teacher’s attention was split between concurrent games of soccer and pickleball.

                              Perhaps the most telling moment came after the hearing. In an off-the-record conversation, the dean admitted to the mother that while the student had not formally been disciplined before, she had gotten into trouble and presented with a history of aggressive behavior. This revelation raised a troubling question: Was this suspension truly about the gym class incident, or was it an accumulation of grievances against a student whom the school had labeled a problem?

                              Under the NYC DOE Discipline Code, schools are required to follow a progressive ladder of discipline before resorting to extreme measures like suspension, yet here was a situation where minor incidents had, unlawfully, resulted in retaliation. How many students find themselves in similar situations, punished not for the incident at hand but for an accumulation of incidents where school officials could have supported the student earlier?

                              Despite these concerning dynamics, the hearing ended in victory: The charges were dismissed the next day.

                              I’m proud to have meaningfully contributed to the defense. Though we received the documents on short notice, I drafted key cross-examination questions for the teacher and the alleged victim, as well as the closing argument — much of which my supervising attorney used verbatim.

                              While this case had a just resolution, I left wondering how many other students, lacking legal representation, find themselves pushed out of the school system for reasons they do not fully understand. The experience reinforced why education law is so vital: Without advocates, students stand little chance against the machinery of school discipline in New York City.

                              Xiomara Torres ’26

                              In the Education Law Clinic, I worked with Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (NDS) to advocate for the educational needs of our clients, who are referred to us by the Family Defense Practice or Youth Law department attorneys working with clients on criminal matters. Often, education is not an issue our clients can prioritize when they have open cases in the criminal court or family court.

                              In the fall, we received a referral from the Youth Law team for a 17- year-old student who needed our assistance to enroll in a high school. The student, “James,” needed 10 credits to earn his high school diploma. He was interested in attending a transfer school, a high school designed to reengage students who have fallen behind in credits. However, he was not accepted to the transfer school he applied to, and other schools were at capacity.  While we searched for an appropriate school, he returned to the high school he attended before his detention.

                              During his first week back, James was involved in an altercation and received a superintendent suspension. The video evidence was not favorable; James pleaded no contest and was suspended for 15 days. After the suspension, James did not feel safe at the high school or in his neighborhood, and with no other options, he decided to move out of state to live with a close family friend.

                              Our advocacy for James did not end when he moved. We continued to search for an appropriate school in his new state, despite significant differences in state law. I read through that state’s statutes, called school districts, and even emailed a professor who teaches an Education Law Clinic in James’s state. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in enrolling him in a new school because of the state’s residency requirements.

                              In the meantime, however, we were able to contribute to James’s criminal defense team’s arguments regarding his desire to earn academic credit and return to New York. James’s criminal charges were ultimately dismissed, and he is returning home.

                              Our advocacy for James morphed several times over the course of several months, demonstrating the unpredictability of representation and the importance of being flexible in meeting our client’s goals within the confines of the law.

                              Bianca Vertus ’26

                              Advocating for clients through the Education Law Clinic has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my law school career. One of my clients, “John,” is an 11-year-old student in sixth grade. John experiences significant learning delays and has been receiving special education services since fourth grade. He is functioning multiple grades below grade level and is suspected of having dyslexia.

                              Despite clear signs of academic challenges, John has not received the appropriate support in school. When John was in the first grade, his teacher expressed concerns to his mother regarding his academic progress. He struggled with reading and writing, found it hard to understand lessons, and had difficulty focusing in class. School officials began a special education evaluation but concluded he was ineligible for special education services. In second grade while learning remotely due to COVID-19, his academic struggles continued.

                              In 2022, at John’s mother's request for another evaluation for special education services, he was finally found eligible. However, John’s most recent Individualized Education Program (IEP) showed that his academic functioning had not progressed. He was still performing at a kindergarten level in reading and has regressed to a first-grade level in math.

                              I worked closely with John’s mother, who is dedicated to ensuring that John receives the support he needs in school. She expressed to me her frustration and lack of trust in the school system, which she believes failed her son. She is his strongest advocate. I assisted her in preparing for an impartial administrative hearing to help her get John the tutoring he needs, which included drafting her affidavit and preparing an opening statement and closing argument.  I also delivered the closing argument in his hearing. I'm proud to say that when we received the decision, the hearing officer found entirely in our favor and ordered over 1,500 hours of special education services for John—a staggering amount for this type of decision, which will greatly improve the quality of his education.

                              Helping John’s mother navigate this process and advocating for John gave me a better understanding of the challenges students and their families face in the education system. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to support John and his mother, and I am looking forward to using my skills to continue advocating for students.

                              Bekka Wiedenmeyer ’26

                              Developing relationships with clients this year has reminded me that we work in partnership alongside parents as a multi-faceted team to protect their children’s educational rights.

                              “Anthony” is a nonverbal student in the fourth grade with multiple diagnoses, including autism. When his father first contacted Bronx Legal Services, Anthony had been attending the same NYC DOE Specialized School in District 75 (D75) since kindergarten.

                              Anthony’s teachers noted his academic performance had seen improvement every year, but he was consistently scoring below standards and not meeting his IEP goals. When Anthony was in third grade, his father requested a reevaluation due to Anthony’s failure to progress and several incidents where Anthony had come home from school with injuries that school staff could not explain. The reevaluation confirmed that Anthony required the support of specialized instruction and classroom modification. During his next IEP meeting, however, the team continued to recommend the same ineffective D75 placement, carrying over many of his unmet IEP goals from the previous year.

                              Concerned about Anthony's progress and the injuries sustained at school, his father filed an impartial hearing request seeking placement in a non-public school (NPS) setting. Shortly thereafter, his father engaged our legal services, and we ultimately obtained an independent neuropsychological evaluation, which revealed that Anthony should be placed in a highly specialized education program designed for students with autism.

                              The IEP team agreed that Anthony should be placed at an NPS and deferred him to the Central Based Support Team (CBST), which helps to identify appropriate, available placements. Despite the father’s efforts to explore CBST’s suggestions, however, no school offered Anthony a seat because they were full or unable to meet his needs. Finally, Anthony’s father identified a private school that he believed would meet Anthony’s needs and enrolled Anthony for the remainder of fourth grade. On behalf of Anthony and his father, our agency filed an impartial hearing request arguing that the DOE had denied Anthony a free appropriate public education (FAPE), the private school was appropriate in meeting Anthony’s needs, and equitable considerations supported the father’s claim for tuition reimbursement.

                              This case represents one example of many where a parent’s staunch advocacy of their child can result in a successful outcome when amplified by broad, unfettered access to legal services. Client-centered lawyering is about building trust and understanding that, while each client comes to the table with a different set of experiences, they all are working toward a common goal: Ensuring that their child’s educational needs are being met according to the law.

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              John E. Estes ’95, Chair of the Board

                              New York Law School Announces New Chair of the Board of Trustees

                              John E. Estes ’95, Chair of the Board

                              John Estes, a Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Succeeds the 25 Year Tenure of Arthur Abbey ’59

                              The New York Law School Board of Trustees has elected John Estes ’95, a Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, as its next Board Chair, succeeding the historic tenure of Arthur N. Abbey ’59, who served as Board Chair for the past 25 years. Arthur will continue to serve on the Board’s Executive Committee in the new position of Immediate Past Chair and Board Chair Emeritus. Gerald Crotty ’76 has been re-elected to the Board and will serve in the new position of First Vice Chair.  

                              John commented, “I am deeply honored to be elected by my colleagues on the Board as the new Chair of New York Law School. For more than 25 years, Arthur Abbey has been an extraordinary Board colleague and leader. I will continue to work closely with him, our Dean and President, and the rest of the Board to ensure the School’s continued success. New York Law School is a vital part of New York’s civic fabric and has been an invaluable contributor to the strength of the profession. Our students are strong and passionate about their education and benefit from a world class education that produces terrific outcomes with bar passage, job placement, and opportunities for impact, particularly in the growth sectors of New York and more broadly. Our Board is composed of innovative leaders who have transformed their industries. Together with our Dean and President, Administration, and Faculty, they are committed to building both our programs and our tremendous and dynamic institutional culture.”

                              Arthur Abbey, the Board’s Chair Emeritus and Immediate Past Chair, said “John has been an invaluable partner to me, our Dean and President, and the entire Board, and we have long relied upon his exceptional strategic judgement and counsel. Our Board operates with a unique culture that fosters collaboration amongst the Trustees, and each Trustee is deeply invested in the School’s success through their innovative expertise, generosity, and time. Now as Chair, John will lead the Board and work with our Dean and President to provide even greater benefits to the entire NYLS community of students, faculty, alumni, and staff. His character, experiences, and collaborative nature will be a crucial asset for the Board going forward. I helped recruit John to the Board 13 years ago, and it was one of the best decisions our Board has made. I am grateful for his friendship and look forward to supporting his leadership on the Board.”

                              Anthony Crowell, Dean and President, said “John Estes is a tremendous leader, and he takes over at a critical juncture for higher education as Chair of New York Law School’s Board of Trustees. He joined the Board the same year I became Dean, and since then I have greatly relied on his partnership, strategic brilliance, wisdom, and unshakable connection and dedication to our students as we worked together to make New York Law School the thriving institution it is today. He succeeds Arthur Abbey, an inspirational leader and mentor to all of us for more than 25 years. Arthur created a foundation where the Board holds all of us accountable while providing indispensable support to the administration and faculty. This has empowered NYLS to have a thriving campus culture and outcomes that ensure our students have successful and impactful careers. I am grateful that Arthur will continue to be a leader and champion for our law school as he continues his service on the Board as Immediate Past Chair.”

                              Born in Brooklyn, John Estes enrolled at New York Law School as a part-time, Evening Division student, was a member of the Moot Court Board and Journal of Human Rights and graduated in 1995 with honors. He has spent his entire legal career at Sullivan & Cromwell, joining in 1995, being elected as partner in 2002, and now marking his 30th anniversary with the Firm. John focuses his practice on credit and leveraged finance and cross-border transactions, co-heading the firm’s Credit and Leveraged Finance Group. His global practice has taken him around the world and he spent more than a decade in Melbourne, Australia, where he served as the Managing Partner of the Australian practice from 2005 to 2010. 

                              John joined the NYLS Board in 2012 and has served on the Executive Committee of NYLS’s Board of Trustees for 11 years. He has given very generously to the School, providing important scholarships dedicated to support working professionals in our Evening Division. He is also a Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law at NYLS, focusing his courses on the practical aspects of effecting commercial and financing transactions. Read his full bio. 

                              Arthur has an unmatched record of leadership and accomplishments as New York Law School’s Chair for a quarter of a century. The unwavering generosity and belief in New York Law School’s students led to a transformative gift from Arthur and his equally supportive wife Diane in 2023, inspiring the Law School to rename its main academic building as “Abbey Hall.” He remains a critical leader on the Law School’s Board, and he and Diane will continue to support new generations of students. The Diane Abbey Law Institute for Children and Families is a flagship program of NYLS and the home one of the nation’s leading family law programs.

                              The Board also re-elected Gerald “Jerry” Crotty ’76, who will serve First Vice Chair. Jerry is the President of Weichert Enterprise LLC, a private equity investment firm and has extensive experience in international business, government and the law.  He was a senior executive at ITT Corporation after a distinguished public service career, in the administrations of Governors Mario Cuomo and Hugh Carey, including as Counsel and Secretary to Governor Cuomo. He was associated with the law firm of Hawkins, Delafield & Wood after graduating from NYLS.  He has served on the NYLS Board since 1996 and has been one of the Law School’s most generous supporters advancing the institution in myriad ways over many years. 

                              Mr. Crotty commented “I am honored to continue my service on New York Law School’s Board of Trustees as First Vice Chair. It has been a privilege supporting Arthur’s leadership as Chair for the past 25 years, and I am excited about our new chapter with John as our leader. Together with the Board, and the entire leadership of NYLS, we will continue to elevate New York Law School as a premier institution serving the New York and global economy.”

                              Congratulations to Robert J. Firestone ’90

                              Professor Robert J. Firestone ’90 Confirmed as NYC Tax Commission President

                              Congratulations to Robert J. Firestone ’90

                              The New York Law School (NYLS) community congratulates Adjunct Professor Robert J. Firestone ’90 on his appointment as President of the New York City Tax Commission. He was officially confirmed by the New York City Council on May 28, 2025, following his nomination by Mayor Eric Adams.

                              The New York City Tax Commission serves as an independent body responsible for reviewing annual real property tax assessments issued by the City’s Department of Finance. As its new President, Professor Firestone brings over 40 years of expertise in state and city tax matters.

                              A native New Yorker, Professor Firestone has demonstrated a deep commitment to public service throughout his entire career. He has served for 18 years as a Commissioner of the New York City Tax Appeals Tribunal—a role he will continue to fulfill alongside his presidency. The Tax Appeals Tribunal is an appellate panel of three Commissioners hearing and deciding appeals from administrative law judge determinations in tax cases under the City’s business, income, and non-property excise taxes. 

                              He previously served as a Hearing Officer for the Tax Commission, hearing more than 26,000 property tax valuation applications. His career also includes 13 years with the New York City Law Department’s Tax and Bankruptcy Litigation Division and private practice at Sullivan & Cromwell. Learn more about Professor Firestone’s background.

                              Professor Firestone has been part of the NYLS family for over three decades, returning to teach State and Local Taxation after graduating from the School. His appointment as Tax Commission President reflects his lifelong dedication to public service. The NYLS community celebrates this well-deserved recognition of his expertise and lasting impact on New York City.

                              Congratulations to Britney Wilson, Professor of Law

                              NYLS Appoints Britney Wilson as Professor of Law

                              Congratulations to Britney Wilson, Professor of Law

                              Dear NYLS Community,

                              We are pleased to announce that Britney Wilson has been appointed as a full Professor of Law with a Long-Term Contract (LTC) after a vote of the tenured and LTC faculty and approval by the Board of Trustees. Please join us in congratulating her. Professor Wilson is a deeply valued member of our faculty and NYLS is fortunate she will be part of our community for years to come.

                              Professor Wilson joined NYLS in 2021 as an Associate Professor of Law and the Founding Director of the Civil Rights and Disability Justice Clinic, an academic-year-long experiential course in which students engage in federal class action (“impact”) litigation and other forms of strategic policy advocacy. Professor Wilson and her students are currently litigating a class action suit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Access-A-Ride program, a paratransit service for people with disabilities, among other cases and advocacy projects. In 2022, Professor Wilson secured a $300,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to support the work of the clinic. She has also taught race, bias, and advocacy and organized and led high-profile symposia and events drawing attendees and speakers from around the nation at NYLS on civil rights, disability, and social justice issues.

                              Born with Cerebral Palsy, Professor Wilson has written and spoken extensively about disability, and the intersection of race and disability for various outlets, including The Nation Magazine, This American Life, and NPR. She is also an interdisciplinary scholar whose research aims to analyze and bridge the gap between civil rights, racial justice, and disability advocacy. In 2023 she was selected as a Health Law Scholar by the American Society for Law, Medicine, and Ethics and the Saint Louis Center for Health Law Studies. This year, she was the Mary Frances Berry Fellow in the J. Willard Hurst Summer Institute in Legal History, one of 12 scholars from around the world to be selected by the American Society for Legal History. Her scholarship has been published or is forthcoming in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review,the UCLA Law Review, the Journal of Legal Education, and the Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice.

                              Additionally, among other institutional and service roles, Professor Wilson serves or has served in several leadership roles in the wider community. She currently serves as the Secretary for the Association of American Law Schools Section on Disability Law. She volunteers with the American Association of People with Disabilities as a mentor for students with disabilities in their summer internship program. She was also previously a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York.  She has testified about issues facing people with disabilities before local, national, and international governing bodies, including the New York City Council, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

                              Before NYLS, Professor Wilson was a staff attorney at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ) where she litigated federal civil rights class action litigation concerning excessive fines and fees, discriminatory policing, and disability rights, particularly the provision of home and community-based services to people with disabilities and disability discrimination in healthcare.

                              Before NCLEJ, Professor Wilson was a Bertha Justice Fellow at the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and a Marvin M. Karpatkin Fellow in the Racial Justice Program at the national office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) where she litigated a range of complex federal litigation on racial justice issues including discriminatory policing, abusive immigration detention practices, the school-to-prison pipeline, the criminalization of poverty, fair housing and lending, and inclusion in higher education.

                              Also an accomplished writer and artist, Professor Wilson has published short stories, poetry, and creative nonfiction essays. She was a featured poet on the HBO series Brave New Voices. She holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.A. from Howard University, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.

                              Please join us in congratulating Professor Wilson on this well-earned appointment and we look forward to many years of impactful work and scholarship. 

                              Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              Dean of Faculty William LaPiana

                              Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb

                              Professor Ann F. Thomas
                              Chair, Faculty Committee on Promotion and Tenure (2022-2025)

                              New York Law School

                              New York Law School Selected as the Newest Partner of the Daniel Anderl Scholarship Program

                              New York Law School

                              Honoring the Legacy of Daniel Anderl Through Lawyers Who Will Strengthen Privacy and Cybersecurity Laws

                              Anderl was killed in 2020 in an attack targeting his mother, U.S. District Court of New Jersey Judge Esther Salas

                              New York Law School (NYLS) is honored to announce its selection as the newest law school to receive a $100,000 gift from The Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project, to establish an endowed scholarship in the name of Daniel Anderl.

                              The Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project was created following the tragic death of 20-year-old Daniel Anderl in July 2020. Daniel was the only child of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas and attorney Mark Anderl. A promising young man and aspiring lawyer, Daniel was senselessly killed in an attack motivated by Judge Salas’ position on the bench. Since that moment, Judge Salas has channeled her grief into advocacy, championing stronger judicial security measures in New Jersey and around the country.  Alongside her efforts, a group of lawyers launched the Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project to carry forward Daniel’s legacy of compassion, service, and belief in the positive impact of the law.

                              “New York Law School is honored to join the family of institutions selected to carry Daniel Anderl’s legacy forward,” said Anthony W. Crowell, Dean and President of New York Law School. “This scholarship is not only a powerful tribute to a remarkable young man but also a call to action. One of the most important parts of NYLS’s 134-year legacy is the extraordinary number of graduates who have served on the bench or within the judiciary as clerks and attorneys. They are central to a well-functioning democracy, predicated on the rule of law. To uphold our democratic system, judges must remain free from fear or intimidation and now is a pivotal time to do more to protect those who work in the judiciary. We are deeply grateful to the Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project for its courage, vision, and commitment to ensuring the safety and integrity of our judicial system—and to supporting students who are committed to making a difference.”

                              Kevin O’Toole, the chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is the President of the Project’s board. In a statement, he emphasized the importance of these scholarships to their advocacy efforts.

                              “We established this organization to advocate for judicial privacy and security.  Advocacy takes many forms,” said the former New Jersey senator.  “As we advocate right now for stronger privacy legislation, we also, through our scholarships, seek to build our next generation of advocates.  Our scholarships help support students who are pursuing careers that will make a difference and who will help to ensure that judges and their families remain safe.”

                              The scholarship will support NYLS students who exemplify a commitment to public service and justice, with a preference for students pursuing careers in privacy and cybersecurity law.

                              Rahul Agarwal, the Treasurer of the organization, said that New York Law School was the first school outside of New Jersey to receive scholarship funds.  “We have been fortunate to fund scholarships at institutions across New Jersey and are excited to carry on Danny’s memory by establishing the first Daniel Anderl Scholarship at a New York institution.  We know that NYLS, under Dean Crowell’s leadership, will find worthy students to carry on Danny’s legacy. The Daniel Anderl Scholarship Program aligns with NYLS’s values including advancing justice, commitment to integrity, and upholding the rule of law. As threats to personal privacy, digital infrastructure, and public safety continue to grow, educating future lawyers in these areas is more vital than ever. Through this scholarship, NYLS students will be inspired not only by Daniel’s dream of becoming a lawyer but also by the example set by Judge Salas and Mr. Anderl, who have transformed personal tragedy into a national movement for justice and protection.

                              Tribeca, New York

                              Friends of Bogardus Plaza, in partnership with the Tribeca Alliance and New York Law School’s Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment, Awarded $100K Grant to Revitalize Tribeca’s Commercial Core

                              Tribeca, New York

                              (Tribeca, New York) Friends of Bogardus Plaza is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $100,000 Merchant Organizing Grant from the New York City Department of Small Business Services to strengthen and revitalize the Tribeca Alliance, in collaboration with The Tribeca Alliance and New York Law School’s (NYLS) Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment.

                              Tribeca remains one of New York City’s most desirable neighborhoods, yet it continues to struggle with retail vacancies, safety concerns, visible sanitation issues, and a lack of sustained post-pandemic investment. By uniting leading community organizations and institutional partners, this initiative marks a pivotal moment in reimagining the neighborhood’s economic future.

                              This critical investment will support the organizational development and strategic growth of the Tribeca Alliance, which will serve as the central merchant voice for one of New York City’s most iconic neighborhoods. Friends of Bogardus Plaza will serve as the fiscal conduit and lead contract organization, while NYLS, an anchor of Tribeca for more than 60 years, will provide legal and strategic support through the Plumeri Center’s faculty and students.

                              ”At Friends of Bogardus Plaza, we’ve worked to transform the plaza into a welcoming destination where people gather, connect, and experience the best of Tribeca. We’re proud to now help lead this next chapter by advancing strategic work that will unite the neighborhood, amplify the voices of local merchants, and tell the Tribeca story with clarity and pride,” said Victoria Weil, President of the Friends of Bogardus Plaza.

                              “Tribeca has so much to offer with its rich history, creative entrepreneurs, makers, fashion, and vibrant local businesses. However, it has never had a truly coordinated voice. We are deeply grateful to the Department of Small Business Services, Friends of Bogardus Plaza, and NYLS’s Plumeri Center, whose past work, including NYLS’s Pandemic Recovery Task Force, has laid the groundwork for this next step. With this grant, the Tribeca Alliance will bring merchants together as never before, amplify our neighborhood story for the city and the world, and serve as a model for local economic development and strategic community partnership,” said Demetri Ganiaris, Chair of the Tribeca Alliance.

                              “Despite being a premier destination, Tribeca currently suffers from disjointed merchant support, high retail vacancies, and a lack of coordinated marketing and branding. This grant offers a path forward by building the structure, visibility, and partnerships necessary to position Tribeca as a vibrant commercial district worthy of economic investment and vibrant street life,” said Anthony W. Crowell, Dean and President of New York Law School.

                              “With deep roots in the community and a track record of strategic engagement, NYLS’s Plumeri Center brings the legal, policy, and organizational expertise needed to help strengthen the Tribeca Alliance and build a foundation for sustained economic growth,” said Associate Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, Director of the Plumeri Center.

                              The project builds on prior work spearheaded by NYLS’s Tribeca Pandemic Recovery Task Force, which was coordinated by NYLS Senior Fellow Christopher Bruno, and laid the groundwork for the original formation of the Tribeca Alliance. With this new funding, the Alliance will be able to formalize its operations, ensure compliance as a nonprofit organization, launch coordinated marketing campaigns, and work toward the early stages of forming a Business Improvement District (BID). NYLS will also lend support with economic development experience and strategic planning.

                              Key deliverables for this grant include:

                              • Guaranteeing legal incorporation and nonprofit compliance for the Tribeca Alliance and leveraging the power of NYLS students to modernize the organization;
                              • Launching coordinated marketing and branding efforts for the Tribeca business community;
                              • Supporting placemaking and business promotion activities with neighborhood non-profit partners;
                              • Engaging the merchant and residential community in program activation and long term planning
                              • Beginning feasibility work toward potential BID formation; and
                              • Leveraging additional support services through Borough of Manhattan Community College and NYLS’s Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment.

                              The first phase of the project will include website updates and direct outreach to Tribeca businesses to invite them into this revitalized organizing effort.  Be sure to follow all partners on social media at @TribecaAlliance, @bogardusplaza, and @NYlawschool.

                              Anthony Perrotto and Maverick James

                              Two NYLS Alumni Named to “Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40” List

                              Anthony Perrotto and Maverick James

                              As NYLS joins the broader community in celebrating Pride Month, we’re excited to spotlight Anthony Perrotto ’14 and Maverick James ’19, who have been named to the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s 2025 list of “40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40.” The annual award honors young LGBTQ+ legal professionals who have made significant contributions to the field and who demonstrate a deep commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ equality.

                              Perrotto currently serves as Principal Law Clerk to the Honorable David J. Kirschner of the New York State Supreme Court, Criminal Term in Queens. In addition to being a dedicated public servant, he is a leader in LGBTQ+ legal advocacy. In 2022, he was appointed President of the Board of Directors of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, where he began as a legal clinic volunteer in 2015. Read more about Perrotto’s appointment.

                              James, also known as the “#DataLawyer,” is the Founder and Managing Attorney of Avant-Garde Legal, a firm focused on client-centered solutions in data protection. He has expertise in data privacy and cybersecurity, as well as experience in public service. He previously served as a judicial intern in both federal and state courts and worked in the Cybercrime Division of the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.

                              Perrotto and James embody what it means to be leaders in the law and advocates for their community. We congratulate them both and look forward to witnessing their continued contributions to the legal field.

                              Pablo Segarra and Jose Almanzar

                              Jose Almanzar ’11 and Pablo Segarra ’17 Reconnect During DBA’s Dominicana Week

                              Pablo Segarra and Jose Almanzar
                              Pablo Segarra ’17 and Jose Almanzar ’11

                              Last month, New York Law School (NYLS) alumni Jose Almanzar ’11 and Pablo Segarra ’17 participated in “Dominicana Week,” a Dominican Bar Association (DBA) event designed to inspire collaboration and foster meaningful dialogue within the DBA community.

                              The weeklong event in Santo Domingo included visits to the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, National Congress, and Supreme Court. DBA members also met with prominent leaders in the Dominican government—including Minister of the Presidency Hon. José Ignacio Paliza and Chief Supreme Court Justice Hon. Luis Henry Molina Peña—to discuss professional development opportunities abroad and collective efforts to increase civic engagement globally.

                              “Our recent trip to the Dominican Republic was enriching,” Almanzar wrote in an email. “It provided me, Pablo, and other DBA delegation members with the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with Dominican government officials, business leaders, and practicing attorneys. It also provided Pablo and I an opportunity to spend a few days catching up, reminiscing, and sharing stories about practicing law in this age.”

                              Almanzar and Segarra share a unique connection, having become friends while attending Manhattan’s High School for Environmental Studies. Their paths intersected once again when they both chose to attend NYLS, albeit a few years apart. Despite pursuing different career paths, their shared roots have fostered a lasting friendship. Almanzar is currently Senior Counsel at Holland & Knight LLP, where he represents clients on a range of environmental legal and policy matters across industries. Segarra is a sought-after IP/tech attorney at Trademarkia, where he specializes in emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and Web3.

                              In a LinkedIn post about the event, Segarra wrote, “Reuniting with Jose was more than a nostalgic encounter; it was a celebration of resilience, shared history, and the enduring bonds forged through shared experiences. We’ve both faced challenges and accumulated our share of scars and war stories, but standing together now, we are filled with gratitude for the journeys that have shaped us.”

                              Hallie Bader, Jessica Anastasia, Sajani Patel, Tiffany McKnight, Joanne Doroshow, Nicole Zlatokrasov, and Angelina Pienczykowski

                              On Capitol Hill, NYLS Students Advance Legislative Advocacy Efforts

                              Hallie Bader, Jessica Anastasia, Sajani Patel, Tiffany McKnight, Joanne Doroshow, Nicole Zlatokrasov, and Angelina Pienczykowski
                              Left to right: Hallie Bader ’25, Jessica Anastasia ’26, Sajani Patel ’25, Tiffany McKnight ’25, Adjunct Professor Joanne Doroshow, Nicole Zlatokrasov ’26, and Angelina Pienczykowski ’26

                              During the spring semester, six students in the  Congressional Consumer and Civil Justice Clinic —Jessica Anastasia ’26, Hallie Bader ’25, Tiffany McKnight ’25, Sajani Patel ’25, Angelina Pienczykowski ’26 Evening, and Nicole Zlatokrasov ’26—took a trip to Washington, D.C. where they spent a day on Capitol Hill advocating for legislation and working to advance justice.

                              The trip capped the students’ semester-long work on a range of consumer, environmental, privacy, health care, and civil justice issues, which involved the production of legislative memos, oral presentations, guest speakers, and ongoing monitoring of Congressional efforts to undermine federal regulations. In D.C., the students met with staff for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.  They also spoke to at least 20 other Congressional offices and distributed legislative memos analyzing and providing recommendations on the national policy issues impacting the civil justice system that they had studied and researched over the semester.

                              Working with the Center for Justice and Democracy on these real-world legislative and regulatory issues and meeting with the Congressional staff was a meaningful experience for the students. For Anastasia, “seeing how we can bring our work straight to the source was more than a breath of fresh air; it was fuel to keep pushing forward. It reminded me that real change often happens quietly — through careful drafting, persistent dialogue, and unwavering attention to detail.” Pienczykowski echoed similar sentiments, saying “While I have done different types of advocacy in the past, this experience felt especially impactful. It reminded me that change is often incremental, but it can be deeply meaningful when rooted in focused, sustained effort.”

                              The clinic helped the students develop and enhance important legal skills from writing and research to public speaking. Pienczykowski explained that the clinic “taught me how to develop an issue from initial research into a clear, persuasive written product, and then translate that into a focused, advocacy-oriented conversation.” Zlatokrasov also noted that “speaking about my topic on a weekly basis strengthened my public speaking and presentation skills.”

                              Bader said that the clinic is “where I have obtained the most helpful, real-world experience on my academic journey” and it “has allowed me to see that real people and real conversations matter.” She called the D.C. trip “one of the most rewarding experiences I have had throughout law school.” Zlatokrasov agreed that it was “a one-of-a-kind opportunity,” adding that the experience is one “I will carry with me throughout my legal career and beyond.”

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              Megan Johannesen, Alexandra Ogunsanya

                              NYLS Celebrates Equal Justice Works Fellows

                              Megan Johannesen, Alexandra Ogunsanya

                              New York Law School (NYLS) proudly congratulates Megan Johannesen ’25 and Alexandra Ogunsanya ’24 on their selections as Equal Justice Works (EJW) Fellows.

                              EJW is a nonprofit organization that empowers lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lasting commitment to public service. Its Fellowship program connects law students and recent graduates to legal organizations to help address unmet needs among underserved communities and ensure equal access to justice.

                              As an EJW Fellow, Johannesen will work with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest on their Disability Justice Project. Johannesen will advocate to ensure that New York State provides people with developmental disabilities appropriate legal services through outreach, pro bono counsel training, individual representation, legislative advocacy, and impact litigation. Her Fellowship is sponsored by Davis Polk and Morgan Stanley.

                              As a member of NYLS’s Civil Rights and Disability Justice Clinic, Johannesen played a key role in the Clinic’s case against the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Led by Professor Britney Wilson, the Clinic and its co-counsel filed a lawsuit in 2023 challenging the MTA’s policies regarding its paratransit service, Access-A-Ride (AAR). The case recently survived a second motion to dismiss, with the Clinic securing class certification to represent approximately 173,000 AAR users.

                              Johannesen will be joining Ogunsanya, who was awarded the EJW Fellowship in 2024. Ogunsanya’s Fellowship with The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice Special Litigation Unit aims to address the unequal representation of marginalized individuals in New York City’s jury pool through systemic litigation, community outreach and engagement, and policy advocacy. Her Fellowship is sponsored by Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP.

                              Both Johannesen and Ogunsanya exemplify NYLS’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of public service lawyers and legal leaders.

                              Congratulations to Justin Murray, Professor of Law

                              NYLS Appoints Justin Murray as Professor of Law

                              Congratulations to Justin Murray, Professor of Law

                              Dear NYLS Community,

                              We are pleased to announce that Justin Murray has been appointed as a Professor of Law with tenure after a vote by the tenured faculty and approval by our Board of Trustees. Please join us in congratulating him. Professor Murrary is a deeply valued member of our faculty and NYLS is fortunate he will be a part of our community for many years to come.

                              Professor Murray joined NYLS in 2019. He teaches or has taught criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and race, bias, and advocacy. He also co-directs NYLS’s Criminal Justice Institute. He is a prolific scholar, and his published writings and scholarship focus on prosecutorial institutions and decision making, and on strategies for preventing and penalizing illegal conduct on the part of prosecutors and other criminal justice actors. His academic work has been published in a number of law journals, including the Harvard Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the Washington University Law Review, and the Fordham Law Review. His scholarship has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and by judges on other courts, and he received the Otto Walter Award for best article by a full-time faculty member from the NYLS faculty for his 2021 article, “Policing Procedural Error in the Lower Criminal Courts.” 

                              Professor Murray is also a leader in the wider legal higher education community. He has served as Chair of the Association of American Law Schools Criminal Procedure Section and remains a member of the Section’s executive committee. He is a Special Editor for the Journal of Legal Education, a contributing editor for Crimprofs Blog, a member of the Advisory Board for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books, and a member of the planning committee for the Decarceration Law Professors group, among other institutional and service roles.

                              Professor Murray began his career as a clerk on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. After that, he spent four years as an appellate lawyer at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, followed by a year at the Consumer Fraud Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. He then left legal practice to serve as a Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, where he taught legal research and writing, before joining NYLS’s faculty. He holds a J.D. magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, and A.B., magna cum laude from Harvard University. See his full bio.

                              Please join us in congratulating Professor Murray on this well-earned appointment and we look forward to many years of meaningful scholarship and instruction. 

                              Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              Dean of Faculty William P. LaPiana

                              Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb

                              Professor Ann F. Thomas
                              Chair, Faculty Committee on Promotion and Tenure

                              Celebrating the New York Law School Class of 2025

                              Celebrating the Class of 2025 at NYLS’s 133rd Commencement Exercises

                              Celebrating the Class of 2025 at NYLS’s 133rd Commencement Exercises

                              Browse through the 133rd Commencement Program.
                              View photos from the 133rd Commencement Exercises.
                              View images from the Dean’s Celebration.
                              See graduation photos shared on social.

                              On Monday, May 19, New York Law School’s Class of 2025 gathered outside of the iconic Lincoln Center, the sun was shining and the graduates were beaming with joy on their special day. Joined by family and friends, they posed for photos in front of the Revson Fountain before cheerfully entering David Geffen Hall for NYLS’s 133rd Commencement Exercises.

                              Inside, NYLS trustees, honorees, deans, and faculty took their seats on stage, many waving to the cheering crowd. Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell called the ceremony to order, warmly welcoming all before introducing Lachanee Scott ’25 Evening to sing the National Anthem. Scott is the newest American in the graduating class and earned her U.S. citizenship while in law school.

                              Following Scott’s soulful performance, Dean Crowell announced this year’s Commencement theme––“The Rule of Law, Leadership, and Diplomacy.” The theme reflects NYLS’s mission to empower students to uphold the law in service of a just society, an essential aspiration in New York City’s unique legal landscape.

                              Chief Student Ambassador Ryan Prasad ’25––known colloquially as the “Mayor of NYLS”––then took to the podium for the first set of student remarks. He praised the Class of 2025’s resilience and unity, noting that NYLS feels like family. “As we carry forth the values and teachings instilled in us by the professors at NYLS,” he said, “let us not be defined by the titles we earn but by the change we create, the integrity we uphold, and the justice we pursue.”

                              Dean Crowell returned to the podium to recognize honored guests and thank NYLS faculty, administration, and staff for their care, guidance, and support of students. Addressing the graduates, Dean Crowell emphasized, “Leadership and diplomacy are not just about global relations. They are about what happens in every boardroom, courtroom, hearing room, and classroom where people seek the truth. You are now stewards of a system that favors freedom... And because lawyers are teachers, you must teach others that the rule of law is not just a construct, but a shared responsibility passed down through the generations... And that is why I always say, ‘Without lawyers, we have no democracy.’”

                              Next, guests welcomed the 2025 President’s Medal recipient, Christopher H. Stephens ’84, to the stage. Stephens, who is Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel of the World Bank, was honored for his global leadership and dedication to global cooperation.

                              Stephens’ remarks centered around a few key themes: the honor of being a lawyer, the journey of opportunity, the cultivation of one’s value, and the gift of critical thinking. “Your values––the guiding standards, principles, and beliefs that govern the way you conduct yourself, interact with others, and handle the responsibility bestowed upon you today––will ultimately determine your success. The only opinion of your success that will matter in the long run is your own,” he said. He concluded by wishing the graduates joy, respect, and a virtuous life—signaled with a spirited wave of two checkered flags marking the end of their law school journey.

                              Moving the ceremony along, Dean of Faculty William P. LaPiana presented the Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Awards to Professors Richard Chused, Andrew Scherer, and Heather E. Cucolo ’03, and students Monica Fainshtein ’25 and Andrew Shenberg ’25.

                              Keehle Amicon ’25 approached the podium to deliver her remarks. She encouraged her fellow graduates to “stand confidently in the choices that you made, and be proud of the perseverance, growth, and determination that led you here.”

                              Dean LaPiana then announced the finalists for the Trustees’ Prize for the Highest Average, followed by Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Matt Gewolb presenting several student awards, including the Alfred L. Rose Award for Excellence and the Alexander D. Forger Award for Distinguished Service to the Profession, among others.

                              The celebration continued with the presentation of the Kathleen Grimm Medal for Distinguished Public Service, which was awarded to Carla B. Freedman ’88. Freedman, who was the first woman confirmed as United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, reflected on her career as a public servant during her inspirational speech. She expressed, “I leave the podium today hopeful that many of you will find the same deep fulfillment that I have through public service. But wherever your journeys take you, may you all carry forward the torch of responsibility to honor and uphold the rule of law in all legal pursuits. Be fair, be just, and be decent to your fellow human beings.”

                              In what was the emotional pinnacle of the evening, Scott returned to the podium to deliver the final set of student remarks. She shared the story of how watching Judge Judy at age 10 inspired her path to the law, and her emigration from Jamaica to the U.S. at the age of 17 to attend college and ultimately law school. She emphasized that she had big dreams, but that the limitations of growing up in a developing country didn’t always allow her to have a ready-made plan on just how she could reach her destination. Hard work and the relentless pursuit of being the best version of herself each day allowed her to persevere, ask questions that opened doors, and seize opportunities. She will begin her legal career this fall in the real estate department at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Scott heralded her mother as her hero and expressed joy at how her mother, inspired by her daughter’s example, pursued higher education and will now be a teacher in Jamaica. Scott, along with the crowd, was stunned when the icon herself, Judge Judy Sheindlin ’65, made a surprise appearance to celebrate and share words of wisdom with the graduates.

                              “Always seek to do the right thing, and be guided by your legal and moral principles,” Sheindlin said. “Be fearless, be fair, and always be honorable. My wish is that the happiness that you all feel today will follow you for the whole of your journey.”

                              Between Freedman’s recognition, Scott’s heartfelt speech, and Sheindlin’s visit, the 133rd Commencement Exercises celebrated the leadership of women in the legal field. Notably, 67 percent of the graduating class are women—more than any other law school in New York State.

                              Associate Dean and Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Chief Development Officer Jeff Becherer then presented the inaugural graduates of the Judge Judy Sheindlin ’65 Honors Scholars Program: Anica Johnson ’25, Anya Patterson ’25, and Wendy Zeng ’25. They, alongside Scott, personally received their diplomas from Sheindlin. Dean Becherer then introduced legacy graduates, which included Maya Moskowitz ’25 receiving her diploma from her father, Trustee Ross Moskowitz ’84, and Nicholas Reyes ’25 receiving his diploma from both his father, Jorge Reyes ’88, and sister, Danielle Reyes ’24.

                              NYLS faculty proceeded to announce the remaining graduates of the Class of 2025, each of whom beamed with pride as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.

                              Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Gerald C. Crotty ’76 then officially conferred the degrees. In their official welcome to the alumni community, President of the Alumni Association E. Drew Britcher ’84 reminded graduates to thank those who “packed their parachutes” and stood alongside them throughout their journey.

                              Graduates and guests cheered, hugged, and rejoiced. As George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90” played, the Class of 2025 recessed out of the Hall and back into the sunshine, greeting their bright futures with open arms.

                              New York Law School is proud to congratulate the Class of 2025!

                              Celebrate With the Class of 2025

                              Check out how our graduates celebrated their accomplishments on social with friends, family, and loved ones.

                              Taylor Riggs
                              Steve K
                              Sofia Sonya
                              Sheila Barrios
                              Anya Patterson
                              Noelia Herrera
                              Nicoletta
                              Mahaney
                              Kristin Mcinnes
                              Kelsey Dex
                              Katherine Avazis
                              Justin Laureles
                              Eliana Fotini
                              Dakota
                              Cinda
                              Cassidy Strong
                              Ashley Blume
                              Andrea Rodriguez
                              Alexa Arsenault
                              Arran Robertson

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                              New York Law School

                              New York Law School Receives Accreditation From Middle States Commission on Higher Education

                              New York Law School

                              New York Law School Now Able to Offer New Innovative Graduate Programs

                              New York Law School (NYLS) is proud to announce that it has received institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

                              With this action by the Commission, NYLS is now accredited by both the MSCHE and American Bar Association. The NYLS accreditation team was led by Matt Gewolb, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Institutional Strategy, and Professor of Law.

                              Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell said, “This is a landmark moment in the 134-year history of New York Law School. Dual accreditation allows us to expand our educational offerings at a time of profound economic, legal, technological, and regulatory transformation. It reaffirms our commitment to delivering exceptional legal education while empowering us to innovate in ways that meet the evolving needs of our students and the broader community. I am grateful to Dean Matt Gewolb for leading the diligent work of achieving this accreditation, which will benefit our institution for years to come.”

                              The new MSCHE accreditation will provide new avenues for NYLS to develop educational programs not only for legal practitioners, but also for professionals who work alongside lawyers or in law-adjacent fields. As an independent institution, NYLS now also has the flexibility to create robust interdisciplinary programs and degrees typically available at law schools within larger universities. This expanded capacity will provide new educational opportunities for working professionals seeking to advance their skills and serve their communities.

                              Arthur Abbey ’59, Chair of the NYLS Board of Trustees, said: “The Board is grateful to Dean Crowell, Dean Gewolb, and the entire team who made this possible. This additional accreditation reflects New York Law School’s innovative spirit and legacy of academic excellence. We are positioned to create exciting programs that will further serve lawyers and other professionals in a rapidly transforming economy.”

                              Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb said, “Our Middle States accreditation is the result of years of work that demonstrated that New York Law School is well positioned to offer cutting-edge programs to serve a wide range of professionals. We look forward to providing new opportunities for crucial knowledge and skill development that will make a meaningful difference in their careers. I thank my colleagues William LaPiana, Jill Bezel, Joan Fishman, Florence Hutner, Rachel Munson, and Michael Siller for their work to help make this happen.”

                              In addition, the accreditation enables LL.M. students and those in other programs beyond the J.D. to access federal financial aid. It also provides greater assurance for all students amid ongoing changes in the regulatory environment for higher education.

                              Class of 2024 Employment: 94 percent

                              NYLS Announces 94% Employment Rate for Class of 2024; 90% Employed in Gold Standard Jobs

                              Class of 2024 Employment: 94 percent

                              NYLS again outpaced the national average of 87.1% gold standard jobs for 2024 graduates at ABA accredited law schools.

                              New York Law School (NYLS) has achieved a 94% overall employment rate for the Class of 2024, with 90% of the class in jobs considered “gold standard” bar-required or J.D.-advantage positions. These rates of employment are as of 10 months after graduation.

                              More than one third of employed graduates entered the public sector (including government and state and federal judicial clerkships) and public interest careers. Approximately 65% of the class of employed graduates went into private practice roles, with 29% of those in private firms going into “Big Law” (law firms with 500+ attorneys), and 8% into mid-sized firms (law firms with 101-500 attorneys).

                              NYLS has once again achieved these extraordinary employment rates thanks to the work of our best-in-class Office of Academic Planning and Career Development, which is part of the School’s unique continuum of wraparound student support programs that begin before the first day of 1L orientation.

                              The Office helps students with all aspects of their careers, from polishing résumés and preparing for interviews to negotiating salaries and developing a professional network. They also connect with NYLS’s 20,000+ alumni and work hand-in-glove with a wide range of legal employers.

                              In addition, the Office operates in seamless collaboration with the Office of Academic and Bar Success and Office of Student Life to ensure full coordination and integration into a student’s law school journey so that they achieve their desired educational pathway and career. This employment data was reported as part of NYLS’s annual compliance with American Bar Association reporting compliance. 

                              See full employment report for the Class of 2024.

                              Diane Kiesel speaking at New York Law School

                              Book Talk: Hon. Diane Kiesel Dives Deep into Law, Celebrity, and Scandal

                              Diane Kiesel speaking at New York Law School

                              On March 20, members of the New York Law School (NYLS) community gathered for a captivating book talk by NYLS adjunct professor Hon. Diane Kiesel. Professor Kiesel brought to life the sensational story behind her new book, When Charlie Met Joan: The Tragedy of the Chaplin Trials and the Failings of American Law.

                              Professor Kiesel transported the audience back to 1940s Hollywood, when the world-famous actor Charlie Chaplin found himself in a years-long legal battle involving a young aspiring actress named Joan Barry. “At its core, this is a juicy story of Old Hollywood,” said Professor Kiesel. “But it’s more. It’s about the power of celebrity, how law trails science, the weaponization of the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover, and the way women have always been exploited in Hollywood.”

                              Outlining the events detailed in her book, Professor Kiesel described how, in 1944, Chaplin was indicted for violating the Mann Act—a law prohibiting the transport of a woman across state lines for “immoral purposes.” The charge stemmed from his brief yet tumultuous affair with Barry, who accused him of inviting her from New York to California to continue their extramarital relationship. The FBI, already suspicious of Chaplin due to his political outspokenness, aggressively pursued the case. While he was ultimately acquitted of the Mann Act charges, Chaplin later lost a paternity suit brought about by Barry, and was legally obligated to pay child support for a child that wasn’t biologically his.

                              Contextualizing the case in terms of gender and the law, Professor Kiesel shed light on the misconduct of the judge who presided over the case, the outdated paternity laws that led to a miscarriage of justice, and how Barry’s story mirrored the broader exploitation and marginalization of women in Hollywood.

                              The event concluded with a lively Q&A, during which Kiesel shared that her interest in the topic began while researching custody and domestic violence cases. What started as a legal footnote grew into a full investigation, spanning court transcripts, FBI files, and personal accounts. “When I discovered Chaplin paid child support for 21 years for a child that wasn’t biologically his,” she said, “I knew something had gone terribly wrong. And I had to find out how.”

                              View photos from Professor Kiesel’s book talk.

                              Following a career as a political journalist, Professor Kiesel served as a law clerk to two federal judges in Baltimore, worked as an associate at the Wall Street firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel, and spent a decade as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, where she eventually rose to Deputy Chief of the Child Abuse Unit. In 1999, she was appointed to the bench of the New York City Criminal Court, and later went on to serve nearly 25 years as Acting Supreme Court Justice in both Bronx County and New York County before retiring in 2023. Professor Kiesel is also the author of Domestic Violence: Law, Policy and Practice (two editions) and She Can Bring Us Home: Dr. Dorothy Boulding Ferebee, Civil Rights Pioneer. She has taught legal writing and domestic violence law at NYLS since 1992. Learn more about Professor Kiesel’s work.

                              John McMahon

                              NYLS Trustee John McMahon ’76 Delivers Energy Lecture to South African Energy Leaders

                              John McMahon

                              On March 18, New York Law School Trustee and Distinguished Senior Fellow John McMahon ’76 delivered a virtual lecture at the African Energy Leadership Centre of the Wits Business School in Johannesburg, South Africa. Drawing on a wealth of experience in energy law and utility industry restructuring, McMahon presented an expansive overview of the U.S. electric transmission system to an audience of energy leaders, regulators, and students from across South Africa.

                              After graduating from NYLS, McMahon began his legal career as an attorney in the rate proceedings department at Con Edison. He rose through the company’s law department before becoming Senior Vice President and General Counsel, and later served as President and CEO of its subsidiary, Orange and Rockland Utilities. There, he led electric and gas service operations in southeastern New York State and surrounding areas. In 2015, he was appointed CEO of the Long Island Power Authority.

                              McMahon began his lecture with a brief examination of the history of electricity in the United States, which essentially began in downtown Manhattan in 1882 with Thomas Edison’s first power station. He went on to explain how electric service regulation has evolved, focusing on the role of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), an agency within the U.S. Department of Energy which has central responsibility for U.S. electric transmission system regulation.

                              McMahon’s talk highlighted major policy changes over the years—particularly FERC Orders 888, 2000, 1000, 2023, and 2222—that have driven open access policies, encouraged renewable energy investment, and improved long-term planning for transmission infrastructure.  Additionally, he provided insight into key topics such as industry restructuring, wholesale power markets, distributed energy resources, and the importance of ethics and compliance in the energy industry.

                              A key theme of McMahon’s talk was reliability and electric service as a public duty. He noted that grid reliability, especially in the face of growing energy demands, climate change, and rapid technological advancements, is critical. “Electric market reform moves like a glacier most of the time. A slow pace of change can be frustrating, but a compelling justification for gradualism is the importance of electric service reliability,” McMahon said. “Reliability is job number one.”

                              Overall, the event marked a key moment in fostering global dialogue around energy policy, and highlighted NYLS’s growing global impact through the meaningful work of its distinguished fellows and alumni.

                              Message From Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              Message From the Dean: Law Day

                              Message From Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              Dear NYLS Community Members,

                              Today, May 1, is Law Day. Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, and designated by Congress in 1961, Law Day is a national observance dedicated to celebrating the rule of law and reminding us of its essential place in maintaining due process and equal justice under law.

                              As a law dean, I must encourage you to reflect on the foundational principles that define our legal system, and our role as a law school and lawyers in upholding them. 

                              We must remember that the rule of law cannot be promoted, protected, or preserved without some form of active commitment, which often must be accompanied by courage. Promoting the rule of law must be an everyday activity, particularly now when we are living through a time of rapid change where institutions and processes are often misunderstood and mistrusted, and democratic participation is strained. 

                              As a law school, we possess broad powers and special knowledge to engage and educate the public, judges, legislators, and other elected and appointed officials, and one another. It is through this work that we commit ourselves to the preservation of the rule of law and inspire the next generation of lawyers to carry this obligation forward.

                              When NYLS graduates take their oath as part of their admission to the bar, they pledge to preserve the rule of law and uphold the Constitutions of the State of New York and the United States. Doing so is not a political act but a foundational one to be a member of a noble profession and to fulfill its highest aspirations. 

                              Let us never take the rule of law or our role for granted, and let us always lead with integrity, commitment, and courage.

                              Anthony W. Crowell
                              Dean and President
                              Professor of Law
                              New York Law School

                              NYLS's Education Justice Symposium Speakers and Planning Committee

                              Critical Themes From NYLS’s Education Justice Symposium

                              NYLS's Education Justice Symposium Speakers and Planning Committee
                              Symposium Speakers and Planning Committee 

                              On March 28, 2025, the Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law at New York Law School convened a symposium, Progress Report: Education Justice 50 Years After Goss v. Lopez. Nationally renowned experts in constitutional law, family law, and education law, and community organizers, attorneys, and parents examined education access in light of the 50th anniversary of Goss v. Lopez, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1975 decision regarding students’ disciplinary due process rights in education. While the event’s focus was on education law, it was also a meaningful opportunity for attendees to strategize on how to protect and improve education equity in light of current events. 

                              Examining the History and Intersectionality of Disability and Racial Justice to Uphold Students’ Civil Rights

                              Professor Britney Wilson, Professor Cara McClellan, Professor Sarah Medina Camiscoli, Professor Miriam Nunberg
                              Panel One, from left to right: Britney Wilson, Cara McClellan, Sarah Medina Camiscoli, and Miriam Nunberg 

                              PANELISTS

                              • Sarah Medina Camiscoli, Assistant Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School
                              • Cara McClellan, Director of Advocacy for Racial and Civil Justice Clinic, Practice Associate Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Penn Carey Law School
                              • Miriam Nunberg, Senior Consultant of the Education Law and Policy Institute, and Adjunct Professor, New York Law School
                              • Britney Wilson, Director of the Civil Rights and Disability Justice Clinic, and Associate Professor of Law, New York Law School

                              The first panel discussed Brown v. Board of Education and its companion cases, whose plaintiffs faced exclusion from school because of their race and disability status. The discussion examined how some civil rights activists’ responses to the campaign to end segregation had the unintended consequence of disproportionately harming students of color and students of color with disabilities. The discussion then explored how districts circumvented post-Brown desegregation orders in the 1960s and 1970s by suspending Black students from school, including those who protested racial violence against Black people and persistent inequality in schools. This history upended the more commonly held assumption that school pushout did not begin until the era of Broken Windows Policing in the 1980s and 1990s.

                              This was the context for the student suspensions in Goss v. Lopez by different schools in Columbus, Ohio. Groups of students protested both the shooting of two Black students by a white student, and the continuing hostility and lack of support and instruction for Black and Latino students in desegregated schools. The schools summarily suspended the student demonstrators, without notice or an opportunity to be heard, including the named plaintiff, Dwight Lopez, who stated he was a bystander.  

                              For the first time, the Supreme Court found these types of automatic removals from school unconstitutional under the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. The court established an important floor for protecting students’ educational rights: A school district must provide a student with some kind of notice of the suspension, and an opportunity to respond to the allegations, before the student can be excluded from school. Panelists pointed out that Goss was a helpful step forward in safeguarding students’ ability to attend school when facing discipline, but they also found it problematic that the Supreme Court omitted the underlying facts from its opinion. These students’ disruption to classes was not only legitimate but necessary in a society that failed to acknowledge their experiences. In addition, the Supreme Court ignored the disparate impact of suspension policies on Black students, including then-current data from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) amicus brief showing that Black students in Ohio public schools were more than twice as likely to be suspended than white students.

                              Finally, the conversation turned to how this history echoes in today’s youth-led movements for students’ access to an equitable education, with an exploration of how New York City high school students, teachers, parents, lawyers, and other allies, collaborated to file a ground-breaking lawsuit in 2021, IntegrateNYC v. State of New York, alleging state constitutional violations of the right to a sound, basic education, based, among other claims, on: tangibly unequal instructional resources for Black students and white students; stratifying students with entrance exams to gifted and talented and other “specialized” programs; and failing to teach a comprehensive, historically accurate, and culturally-responsive curriculum, all of which have had the effect of segregating students by race in New York City. As pointed out by the panelists, student and parent activists from Brown to IntegrateNYC did not seek “belonging,” rather, the objective has always been to participate fully in a society that upholds their “dignity and right to self-determination.”

                              Protecting Students’ Rights 50 Years after Goss v. Lopez

                              Professor Kimberly Robinson, Professor Dennis Parker, Professor Emily Buss, Michaela Shuchman, Skadden Fellow, and Professor Richard Marsico
                              Panel Two, from left to right: Kimberly Robinson, Dennis Parker, Emily Buss, Michaela Shuchman, and Richard Marsico 

                              PANELISTS

                              • Emily Buss, Mark and Barbara Fried Professor of Law, University of Chicago
                              • Richard Marsico, Director of the Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law, Professor of Law, New York Law School
                              • Dennis Parker, Executive Director, National Center for Law and Economic Justice
                              • Kimberly Robinson, Executive Director, Education Rights Institute, Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law
                              • Michaela Shuchman, Skadden Fellow, Bronx Legal Services

                              The second panel addressed children’s rights in education broadly, with a preview of excerpts from the inaugural Restatement of Children and the Law, published by the American Law Institute. It looked at how the intersecting systems of criminal justice, special education, family law, and school discipline impact a child’s life outcomes. Panelists shared dynamic accounts of what due process looks like when a student is suspended for a long term (which is over five school days in New York) and the unintended consequences of putting a child through a formal hearing, similar to a trial, to decide whether the child should be excluded from school. It raised important considerations of what Goss did and did not accomplish in protecting children’s evolving property interest in education, which could now arguably include school-based meals and health care, for example; and the liberty interest students have in their reputations, which can impact their ability to stay in school, attain a post-secondary degree, and secure employment.

                              Finally, the panelists considered the importance of data collection to assess disciplinary outcomes, in particular the disproportionality of student suspensions by race and disability. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the United States Department of Education (USDOE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), would traditionally monitor this information. However, with the new federal administration’s interpretation of Title VI as a vehicle to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in institutions that receive federal funding, it seems unlikely that OCR will track this information to ensure discipline policies do not have a disparate impact on students in protected categories. Under this novel approach, teachers and administrators face additional challenges in creating safe and welcoming environments for all students. Finally, the panelists highlighted resources from the Education Rights Institute that clarify the difference between Title VI as it exists on the books, and how the government is now applying it to public schools. 

                              During lunch, Derek Black, Constitutional Law Professor at the University of South Carolina provided remarks via video, including a less common consideration of exclusionary discipline: the impact on the schoolwide community and the substantive due process rights of students who are not suspended. Then, Kim Sweet, the outgoing Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York, documented the powerful impact of former New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye’s School-Justice Partnership Taskforce, which brought together New York City students, parents, educators, and law enforcement personnel to design a long-term plan to end the school-to-prison pipeline in New York.

                              Closing the Gaps Left by Goss: Efforts to Improve Students’ Disciplinary Rights in New York

                              Chauncy Young, Director, New Settlement Parent Action Committee; Rohini Singh, Director, School Justice Project, Advocates for Children; Kyle Rapiñan, Assistant Attorney General, New York State Attorney General's Office; Carly Hite, Senior Staff Attorney, Children's Rights; Angel Gray, Solutions Not Suspensions Coalition; Christine Bingham, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society
                              Panel Three, from left to right: Chauncy Young, Rohini Singh, Kyle Rapiñan, Carly Hite, Angel Gray, and Christine Bingham

                              PANELISTS

                              • Christine Bingham, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society
                              • Angel Gray, Parent Representative, Solutions Not Suspensions Coalition
                              • Carly Hite, Senior Staff Attorney, Children’s Rights
                              • Nelson Mar, Senior Staff Attorney, Bronx Legal Services, and Adjunct Professor, New York Law School
                              • Kyle Rapiñan, Assistant Attorney General, New York Attorney General’s Office
                              • Rohini Singh, Director, School Justice Project, Advocates for Children
                              • Chauncy Young, Director, New Settlement Parent Action Committee

                              The final panel of the symposium provided an in-depth review of statewide organizing and advocacy efforts in New York to remove harmful exclusionary responses to students’ behavior and reconceptualize discipline in schools.

                              The presentation began with an overview of suspension laws in New York State, which are codified in N.Y. Education Law § 2801 and § 3214, and expand upon the due process protections established by Goss, such as the right to a hearing for a long-term suspension which begins after five school days (instead of Goss’s 10). The speakers also shared recent suspension data from the state. In the 2023–24 school year, there were: 8,334 pre-kindergarten through grade three students suspended; students with disabilities comprised 17 percent of the student population but received 31 percent of total days of exclusion, totaling 296,339 days; and Black students comprised 16 percent of New York’s student population but experienced 32 percent of days of suspension equivalent to 303,078 days. In the same school year in New York City, students with disabilities were 22 percent of the population but accounted for 43 percent of long-term suspensions; and Black students made up less than 20 percent of overall enrollment but received 45 percent of long-term suspensions.

                              Normally, this type of disparate impact on Black students and students with disabilities could trigger OCR review of disciplinary practices. However, as noted by Assistant Attorney General Rapiñan, now that advocates can no longer rely upon OCR to uphold Title VI, they are increasingly turning to local and state tools, such as New York City and State Human Rights laws, to track policies’ impact on students’ civil and human rights.

                              Panelists then detailed an example of one of these tools in New York City, a 2010 law called the Student Safety Act (SSA), which requires schools to track student disciplinary and arrest data disaggregated by race and other demographic data. For the past 15 years, these data have captured the systemic impact of suspensions, showing for example, that non-violent offenses like “insubordination” accounted for a majority of suspensions, and that Black students tended to be suspended more often than any other group. This data provided advocates with evidence to support removing “insubordination” and other subjective infractions from the New York City Discipline Code in 2014, and reducing possible suspension lengths in 2019.

                              This panel also included many representatives from a coalition of advocates to amend New York law with an additional tool, the Judge Judith S. Kaye Solutions Not Suspensions (SNS) Act, named in honor of the aforementioned trailblazing New York Court of Appeals Chief Judge Kaye. The law would make suspensions a last resort and “require schools’ codes of conduct to include restorative approaches to discipline to proactively foster a school community based on cooperation, communication, trust, and respect.” These provisions would also help close access to justice gaps across the state, where some school districts have failed to uphold even the most minimal due process protections under Goss. State Senator Robert Jackson is the sponsor of the SNS bill. The bill would shorten the current maximum suspension length of 180 days; provide a minimum number of hours of adequate academic instruction (e.g., more than two hours for high school students in New York City) and the opportunity for suspended students to take exams and earn credit; and explicitly require charter schools to follow state education laws on student behavior and discipline. The coalition has already made an impact, with the Legislature amending Education Law § 2801 to require districts with law enforcement or school safety personnel to adopt a written Memorandum of Understanding that clearly defines the role of these personnel, and prohibits their involvement in disciplinary matters.

                              To conclude the day, each panelist facilitated breakout sessions with the audience to identify “changes that could be made right now” to improve disciplinary outcomes and what individuals can do to help keep students in school. Groups reported back that improving access to mental health services and implementing evidence-based and restorative discipline practices–including training educators in trauma-informed approaches to teaching and learning–would allow more students to thrive in their school communities. Finally, participants returned to one of the very powerful themes to emerge from the day: that the first step any one of us can take in our daily lives is to fight the erasure of these histories by elevating the voices of Black students with disabilities who helped end segregation, the parent and student activists from Goss who were blotted out of the Court’s opinion, the young people and their allies who protested and continue to protest systemic inequities, and the work of communities, attorneys, and local and state officials, who have worked to support students and their families in this prolonged arc towards education justice.

                              Lisa Grumet
                              Professor Lisa Grumet, Director, Diane Abbey Institute for Children and Families, and Editor in Chief, Family Law Quarterly, New York Law School
                              Richard Marsico
                              Professor Richard Marsico, Director, Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law, New York Law School 
                              Samantha Pownall
                              Professor Samantha Pownall, Director, Education Law and Policy Institute and Symposium Chair, New York Law School 
                              Kimberly Robinson
                              Professor Kimberly Robinson, Director, Education Rights Institute, University of Virginia School of Law
                              Kim Sweet
                              Kim Sweet, Executive Director, Advocates for Children of New York
                              NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases students with FUB students

                              Criminal Defense Clinic Hosts an International German Exchange

                              NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases students with FUB students
                              NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases students and FUB students act as mock jurors during a voir dire simulation.

                              In early April, the New York Law School (NYLS) Criminal Defense Clinic, with Professor Anna Cominsky ’05 and Professor Emeritus Frank Bress, hosted a group of Berlin law student visitors and Professor Dr. Carsten Momsen as part of a continuing exchange between NYLS and the Freie Universistat of Berlin (FUB). The exchange helped us better understand the intricate differences between the American and German criminal legal systems.

                              On the first day of the visit, fellow Clinic students and I gave a three-hour presentation about the United States criminal legal system. We provided an overview on the U.S. Constitution and the historical context that influences how the criminal legal system is shaped today. We also dove deeply into how New York State handles cases in terms of arrest, arraignment, plea bargaining, speedy trial, trials—if any, convictions, and post-conviction matters, including parole. Our discussions with the visiting students highlighted our ability to take a client-centered approach as we zealously advocate for our clients. It was worthwhile to share not only what we have learned, but also what we do in the Criminal Defense Clinic, which results in positive outcomes for our clients—all within a one-year clinic.

                              On the second day, we observed court proceedings in New York City Criminal Court in Lower Manhattan. The Berlin students were able to watch how our nuanced and overworked criminal legal system operates. They first saw arraignments—the first court appearance of a person who has been accused of a crime. At arraignments, the accused typically meets with their lawyer for the first time and is interviewed, which includes explaining the charges against them. There are multiple outcomes that may come from arraignments: very few dismissals, bail, plea bargaining, or adjournment of the case. The Berlin students then observed the calendar parts, where a case is adjourned until the case is dismissed, pleaded, or stated ready for trial. Afterwards, we saw a trial with both prosecution and defense questioning their witnesses. The Berlin students shared their perspectives about their court visit with us, which was enlightening. Among other things, they told us that there are no public defenders in Germany, the victim is typically involved in court proceedings from the start, and their criminal proceedings move more slowly than ours. These were just some of the notable differences that distinguish how our legal system works.

                              Our exchange expanded our understanding of how different our criminal legal systems are from one another. It was amazing to learn Berlin law students’ perspectives on the key distinctions and similarities. The experience provided us context for how reform can be accomplished in the U.S. criminal legal system.

                              Members of the NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases course and law student visitors from Freie Universistat of Berlin (FUB) as well as NYLS Professor Anna Cominsky ’05, NYLS Professor Emeritus Frank Bress, and FUB Professor Dr. Carsten Momsen
                              Members of the NYLS Advocacy of Criminal Cases course and law student visitors from Freie Universistat of Berlin (FUB) as well as NYLS Professor Anna Cominsky ’05, NYLS Professor Emeritus Frank Bress, and FUB Professor Dr. Carsten Momsen.

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program Student Ambassadors

                              NYLS Broadens Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program With Student Ambassadors

                              Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program Student Ambassadors

                              The Harris Keenan & Goldfarb (HKG) Advocacy Program is NYLS’s hub for co-curricular programs and specialized certificate programs, where students sharpen their lawyering skills in trial advocacy, dispute resolution, and appellate advocacy through interscholastic competitions and hands-on training with expert faculty and practitioners.

                              The HKG Advocacy Program was established with generous support from Harris, Keenan & Goldfarb Attorneys at Law—led by founding partner Seth A. Harris and named partners and NYLS alumni Alison R. Keenan ’06 and Blake G. Goldfarb ’10—and is directed by Professor Lynn Boepple Su, Dean for Advocacy and Co-Curricular Programs at NYLS. View photos from the 2024 Program launch celebration.

                              This year, the program launched a new Student Ambassador initiative designed to bring together NYLS’s three competitive advocacy teams—the Trial Competition Team (TCT), Moot Court Association (MCA), and the Dispute Resolution Team (DRT). Recently, the teams have achieved great success in national competitions, highlighting the HKG Advocacy Program’s remarkable impact.

                              The Student Ambassador initiative will provide a shared platform to spotlight team activities, expand skills-based training and networking opportunities, promote lawyer well-being and diversity in the profession, and deepen the sense of community and collaboration within NYLS.

                              “This initiative brings together the energy, talent, and dedication of our advocacy teams in a new and collaborative way,” said Professor Su, who also serves as Faculty Advisor to TCT. “By creating a shared platform for student leadership, this initiative helps deepen the impact of our co-curricular programs and builds a stronger, more connected advocacy community at NYLS. I’m incredibly proud of our inaugural ambassadors and excited to see how they help shape the future of the HKG Advocacy Program.”

                              Each academic year, student ambassadors will be selected by their competition team’s faculty advisor and executive board and will work with Professor Su to plan and develop activities that support the goals of the HKG Advocacy Program. The inaugural student ambassadors are: Kierin Geed ’26 and Sara Hosseini ’25, representing TCT; Hallie Bader ’25 and John West ’26, representing MCA; and Jessica L. Kumar ’26 and Mark Kvinta ’26, representing DRT.

                              We asked a few of the student ambassadors to share their thoughts on the initiative and reflect on how the HKG Advocacy Program has shaped their law school experience:

                              Why did you want to be an HKG Advocacy Program Student Ambassador, and what do you hope to gain from the experience?
                              Sara Hosseini ’25 (TCT): “I wanted to be an ambassador for the HKG Advocacy Program because my experience in TCT has been incredibly valuable in developing skills essential to becoming a trial attorney. I hope to help others gain similar opportunities to grow and learn through advocacy-focused events and discussions. Through this role, I also hope to continue strengthening my own advocacy skills and connect with others in the field.”

                              Sara Hosseini
                              Sara Hosseini ’25 representing the Trial Competition Team.

                              How has being part of an NYLS competition team helped you grow as a future lawyer?
                              Mark Kvinta ’26 (DRT):“Being a part of DRT has helped me develop critical thinking, negotiation, and communication skills essential for a future legal career. It has provided hands-on experience in resolving conflicts, honing my ability to approach complex issues with strategic solutions. The team environment also taught me the importance of professionalism and collaboration, which are vital in any legal setting. Overall, the experience has given me a deeper understanding of conflict dynamics, and I am incredibly grateful for DRT.”

                              What advice would you give students who are thinking about joining TCT, MCA, or DRT?
                              John West ’26 (MCA):“One piece of advice I’d give to 1Ls who are trying out for any of the advocacy teams is that you must be ready to work once you are on these teams. Participating in any of these teams is a massive undertaking, but it’s genuinely one of the best things that you can do in law school and will make you a better attorney, no matter what kind of practice you get into. If you are willing to immerse yourself in the work that these teams give you and get close to the people around you, it will be an incredibly rewarding experience.”

                              John West
                              John West ’26 representing the Moot Court Association.

                              Sybil Shainwald, New York Law School Trustee, Emerita

                              Passing of Trustee Emerita Sybil Shainwald ’76

                              Sybil Shainwald, New York Law School Trustee, Emerita

                              Dear NYLS Community,

                              I write with sadness to report the passing of Trustee Emerita Sybil Shainwald ’76. Sybil was a pioneering women’s health lawyer who graduated from NYLS’s evening division when she was 48 years old. She led a remarkable life, first in consumer advocacy, and then as a lawyer handling leading edge class action litigation. NYLS proudly admitted Sybil at a time when other law schools, as she recounted to me numerous times, would not let her in because of her age at the time—44—citing that she “would take the place of a much younger man who would have a 40 year career.” After graduation, Sybil practiced law for 49 years. She would have turned 97 later this month. Hers was a life that was full and well-lived, and with deep and lasting impact on the law and her clients. 

                              Sybil served on our Board of Trustees for many years, and established scholarship and lecture funds in the name of her late husband. The Annual Sidney Shainwald Lecture brought countless of the most influential jurists, politicians, and practitioners of our time to NYLS, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sandra Day O’Connor, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Chuck Hagel, George Mitchell, and Ken Feinberg. These events were memorable for all.

                              Sybil was always committed to mentoring our students, particularly women, and providing them employment opportunities. Indeed, she was proud that nearly 65 percent of NYLS’s student body today identifies as women. In addition, she was a loyal supporter of Professor Lenni Benson’s work in immigration law, particularly the Safe Passage Project. 

                              May Sybil rest in peace and may her memory be a blessing.

                              Dean Crowell

                              Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sybil Shainwald
                              Sybil Shainwald ’76 with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the featured speaker at the 2018 Sidney Shainwald Public Interest Lecture.
                              Sybil Shainwald, Nancy Pelosi, and Anthony Crowell
                              Sybil Shainwald ’76, U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and NYLS Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell at the 2014 Sidney Shainwald Public Interest Lecture.
                              Christina Harris speaking at George Westinghouse High School.

                              NYLS BLSA Students Illuminate and Inspire Pathways to Law

                              Christina Harris speaking at George Westinghouse High School.
                              Christina Harris ’26 speaking at George Westinghouse High School.

                              On Friday, April 4, five students from NYLS’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) chapter brought inspiration to students at George Westinghouse High School in downtown Brooklyn. As part of a new “Pathways to Law” initiative, BLSA members engaged with nearly 100 high school seniors to offer insight into different pathways to law school, discuss opportunities for people from underrepresented communities, and provide practical advice for pursuing a legal career.

                              The event was spearheaded by Christina Harris ’26, the incoming Vice President of BLSA, who recognized the opportunity for community outreach and designed the program. She was joined by fellow BLSA members Stephanie Pierre-Louis ’26, incoming President; Helima Greene ’26, incoming Attorney General; Bianca Vertus ’26; and Maya Page ’27.

                              “It was really encouraging to see how interested the students were in law,” said Harris. “This is why community outreach is so important, and it was great to help make that connection for them. I am grateful for the support of the School and for the space to create programming rooted in service and community. I’m excited to continue this program through our BLSA chapter for next year and hopefully it remains for as long as it can!”

                              NYLS BLSA members also guided the high school students through a hands-on mock negotiation exercise. Afterward, they led a thoughtful discussion, where they explored the unique challenges Black students and professionals may face in the legal field and shared advice on overcoming barriers, creating work-life balance, and finding support networks. The program concluded with a Constitutional Law Trivia game and an engaging Q&A session.

                              Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, Dean for Evening Division Engagement, Professor of Law, and Director of the 21st Century Policing Project at NYLS, attended the event in support of BLSA. He shared his personal pathway to the field of law with the high school students and offered some insight into the legal education and career experience. “I cannot express how proud I am of these students for designing and executing such an impactful community service/pipeline program. I was honored that they asked me to participate,” he said.

                              Maya Page, Stephanie Pierre-Louis, Helima Greene, Christina Harris, and Bianca Vertu
                              (Front row) Maya Page ’27, Stephanie Pierre-Louis ’26, Helima Greene ’26, Christina Harris ’26, and (far right) Bianca Vertus ’26 with George Westinghouse High School students

                              Discover Tribeca

                              Discover Tribeca While Studying at NYLS

                              DISCOVER TRIBECA

                              While Studying at NYLS

                              By

                              Tribeca is more than just home to NYLS—it’s an iconic neighborhood filled with cultural experiences, outdoor escapes, delicious food, and hidden gems. Whether you’re looking to unwind after class, explore local history, or explore the city’s best dining and entertainment, Tribeca has something for everyone.

                              For Movie Buffs

                              Tribeca Film Festival
                              Founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, this internationally renowned festival showcases independent films and panel discussions featuring top filmmakers and actors. For law students interested in media and entertainment law, the Tribeca Film Festival provides an exclusive glimpse into the industry.

                              Roxy Cinema
                              For a more intimate movie experience, Roxy Cinema inside the Roxy Hotel offers a curated selection of indie, foreign, and classic films. The vintage ambiance makes it a great spot for law students looking to escape into another world.
                              2 Avenue of the Americas, Cellar Level, New York NY 10013

                              For Foodies

                              Tamarind Tribeca
                              This Michelin-starred Indian restaurant is known for its elevated takes on traditional dishes like lamb chops, lobster masala, and tandoori specialties—perfect for treating yourself after finals.
                              99 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013

                              Grand Banks
                              Looking for dinner with a view? Head to Grand Banks, a seasonal oyster bar and seafood restaurant set on the historic fishing schooner Sherman Zwicker. Its docked spot at Pier 25 offers stunning views of the Hudson River.

                              For more dining recommendations, check out our list of Best Places to Eat Near New York Law School.

                              For Sports Fans

                              Pier 25 Sports Fields
                              Pier 25 features soccer fields, a beach volleyball court, a mini-golf course, and a skate park, making it an ideal place to de-stress with classmates and friends.

                              Jackie Robinson Museum
                              For those interested in the intersection of sports and social justice, the Jackie Robinson Museum, located on Varick Street, is a must-visit. Honoring the legacy of the baseball legend who redefined Major League Baseball, the museum highlights Jackie Robinson’s impact on civil rights.
                              75 Varick St, New York, NY 10013

                              For Nature Lovers

                              Hudson River Park (Pier 25 and Pier 26)
                              Have some free time in between classes? Visit Hudson River Park and enjoy scenic walking and biking paths, picnic areas, and recreational spaces for kayaking and volleyball. For those interested in environmental law or conservation, the Pier 26 Tide Deck offers a unique look at New York’s native marine ecosystem.
                              353 West St, New York, NY 10014

                              Washington Market Park
                              Sometimes, you just need a quiet escape from the bustling city. This hidden oasis in the middle of Tribeca has community gardens and shaded benches that make it an ideal spot for reading, relaxing, or taking a peaceful break between classes.
                              199 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007

                              New York Law School banner in Tribeca New York

                              For Bookworms

                              Mysterious Book Shop
                              This renowned bookstore holds the title of the world’s oldest mystery fiction specialty store. From time to time, The Mysterious Bookshop hosts book signings with bestselling thriller and crime novelists.
                              58 Warren St, New York, NY 10007

                              Poets House
                              Looking for literary inspiration beyond your casebooks? Poets House is a poetry library and cultural space that hosts readings, workshops, and events celebrating the art of poetry, making it a must-visit for writers and literature lovers.
                              10 River Terrace, New York, NY 10282

                              For History Buffs

                              African Burial Ground National Monument
                              Steps from City Hall, this essential historical site commemorates one of the oldest and largest burial grounds for free and enslaved Africans in America, dating back to the 1600s.
                              290 Broadway, New York, NY 10007

                              Tribeca’s Historic District
                              As you stroll through Tribeca, you’ll find well-preserved 19th-century industrial buildings, originally used as textile warehouses. Today, they house art galleries and boutique shops, but they remain a testament to the neighborhood’s commercial history.

                              New York City Fire Museum
                              Set in a historic Beaux-Arts firehouse, the New York City Fire Museum showcases the history of the city’s fire department, with exhibits on firefighting from colonial times to present day.
                              278 Spring St, New York, NY 10013

                              For Architecture Appreciators

                              The Woolworth Building
                              This iconic neo-Gothic skyscraper was once the tallest building in the world. Guided tours provide a fascinating look at the building’s ornate interior design and the history of early skyscraper development in New York City.
                              233 Broadway, New York, NY 10007 

                              Jenga Tower
                              NYLS’s neighbor just so happens to be one of New York City’s most striking modern skyscrapers. The Jenga Tower’s stacked, irregular design makes it look like a game of Jenga in progress.
                              56 Leonard St, New York, NY 10013

                              AT&T Long Lines Building
                              Adding an air of mystery to the neighborhood is the AT&T Long Lines Building, a massive, windowless, Brutalist skyscraper. Its imposing, mysterious design makes it one of the most unusual buildings in the city (and the subject of rumors of a surveillance hub).
                              33 Thomas St, New York, NY 10007

                              For Art Enthusiasts

                              Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art
                              With a diverse collection spanning paintings, photography, sculpture, and multimedia works, the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art exhibits art created by LGBTQ+ artists and art featuring LGBTQ+ themes, issues, and people.
                              26 Wooster St, New York, NY 10013

                              Salomon Arts Gallery
                              Salomon Arts Gallery showcases both emerging and established artists across many disciplines, from fine art to performance. Known for its eclectic exhibitions, the gallery frequently hosts artist talks, live music performances, and interactive installations.
                              83 Leonard St #4, New York, NY 10013

                              Muse Paintbar
                              If you’re looking for a hands-on artistic experience or a place to spend a fun night out with friends, Muse Paintbar offers instructor-led painting sessions where you can unleash your inner artist.
                              329 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013

                              Want to learn more about what Tribeca has to offer? See our Insider’s Guide to Visiting Lower Manhattan.

                              Taylor Foster, Stephen Pepe, and Mark Kvinta

                              NYLS Teams Shine Across National Competitions

                              Through Moot Court Association (MCA) and Dispute Resolution Team (DRT), NYLS students hone their appellate advocacy, brief-writing, and alternative dispute resolution skills while representing NYLS in prestigious national competitions.

                              In recent weeks, NYLS teams have excelled across multiple competitions, winning gold and earning top honors for their exceptional oral advocacy and legal writing skills. Take a look at the recent competition victories achieved by these impressive teams.

                              Winner of Tulane International Fútbol Negotiation Competition

                              NYLS’s DRT secured first place at the 4th Annual Tulane International Fútbol Negotiation Competition (TIFNC), beating out 11 teams from nine other schools across the country. Champions Stephen Pepe ’25, Mark Kvinta ’26, and Taylor Foster ’25—who also serves as student coach—were guided by Faculty Advisor and Professor F. Peter Phillips ’87. Professor Phillips also directs the School’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Skills Program.

                              Hosted by the Tulane Sports Law Society, TIFNC is a simulated contract negotiation competition that tasks students with negotiating deals involving real-life international soccer clubs and players in hypothetical scenarios.

                              Taylor Foster, Stephen Pepe, and Mark Kvinta
                              From left to right: Taylor Foster ’25, Stephen Pepe ’25, and Mark Kvinta ’26

                              Best First Round Oralist at Mardi Gras Invitational

                              NYLS’s moot court team, led by Faculty Advisor and Professor Ann Schofield Baker ’97, recently competed in theTulaneMardi Gras Moot Court Invitational. Delivering outstanding oral performances were Angela Cefarello ’26, Brianna Cirillo ’26, Steven Kilcommons ’25, and student coach Brian Lewis ’25. Kilcommons won the award for Best First Round Oralist, achieving a perfect score of 100.

                              This year’s competition was based on the National Football League Sunday Ticket case, which centers on the interplay between sports and antitrust law. Senior fellow R. Scott DeLuca ’98 helped moot the team ahead of the competition.

                              Steven Kilcommons, Angela Cefarello, and Brianna Cirillo
                              From left to right: Steven Kilcommons ’25, Angela Cefarello ’26, and Brianna Cirillo ’26

                              Quarterfinalist in American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Moot Court Competition

                              In another success, the NYLS moot court team advanced to the quarterfinals of the AIPLA’s regional moot court competition in Boston, Massachusetts. Alongside student coach Izzy Bruschi ’25 were Zahraa Hamka ’25 and Olivia Wynne ’26—both of whom were competing for the first time.

                              “I had the pleasure of mooting the team many times before the competition and can attest to the immense time and effort they all dedicated to this competition,” says Professor Baker.

                              Additional support for the team came from senior fellow Bob Trepp Esq., Professor Shahrokh Falati ’08, D. Reeves Carter, Esq., Rana Matared, Esq., and Ansley Stevens ’25.They mooted and worked closely with the team in the weeks leading up to the competition, providing invaluable insight into complex areas of patent law, workshopping arguments, and continuously motivating the team throughout the process.

                              Olivia Wynne and Zahraa Hamka
                              Olivia Wynne ’26 and Zahraa Hamka ’25

                              Quarterfinalist in NYU Immigration Competition

                              The NYLS MCA made waves at the 20th Annual Immigration Law Competition organized by the NYU School of Law. Vanessa Belford ’25, Cassidy Lang ’26, and student coach Elizabeth De Leon ’25 advanced to the quarterfinals and won the award for Second Best Brief. 2025 marks the second year in a row that an NYLS team has won this award, with Bridget Helbock ’25 and Elaine Ynoa Castillo ’25 winning it at last year’s competition.

                              MCA members Hailey Freilich ’26 and Trevor Wilson ’26, along with their student coach, Rebecca Bliss ’25, also competed, representing NYLS with pride. Stefanie Marvin ’98 served as senior fellow to both teams, helping guide Belford, Lang, Freilich, and Wilson through their first external moot court competition.

                              Professors Lenni B. Benson, Susan J. Abraham, and Michael Pastor, along with Brian Schrader ’98, Carly Silverman ’24, and Matthew J. Baione, played key roles in helping to prepare the teams for competition.

                              From left to right: Professor Ann Schofield Baker ’97, Elizabeth De Leon ’25, Vanessa Belford ’25, Cassidy Lang ’26, and Stefanie Marvin ’98

                              Quarterfinalist in Seigenthaler Sutherland Cup Competition

                              A fourth NYLS moot court team—including Izzy Bruschi ’25, Hallie Bader ’25, Andre Guifarro ’26, and student coach Louis Hunter-Lanza ’25—advanced to the quarterfinals of the Seigenthaler Sutherland Cup Competition in Washington, D.C. Despite a flight cancellation the night prior, the team made it to the competition just in time to win all of their preliminary rounds. In addition, this was Guifarro’s first external competition, Bader’s last competition before graduating, and Bruschi’s second competition this semester.

                              NYLS adjunct professor Addison O’Donnell served as the team’s senior fellow, working closely with the students in the months leading up to the competition. Professor O’Donnell provided invaluable insight into appellate presentation and countless hours of thoughtful support on substantive legal issues. Alongside Professor Baker, NYLS adjunct professor Reeves Carter stepped in to moot the team in their last moot before the competition.

                              From left to right:  Izzy Bruschi ’25, Andre Guifarro ’26, Hallie Bader ’25, Louis Hunter-Lanza ’25, Addison O’Donnell

                              Congratulations to all competitors and coaches on these victories!

                              Announcing Michael Pastor, Dean for Technology Law Programs

                              Michael Pastor Appointed as Dean for Technology Law Programs

                              Announcing Michael Pastor, Dean for Technology Law Programs

                              Dear NYLS Community,

                              I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Michael Pastor as our inaugural Dean for Technology Law Programs. Professor Pastor adds this new administrative responsibility to his current portfolio which includes serving as the Director of the Tricarico Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel, as well as the Co-Director of the Innovation Center for Law and Technology along with Professor Seve Falati ’08. He currently teaches the In-House Counsel Experience Seminar and Drafting Contracts: Technology Transactions. He is also the faculty advisor to several student organizations including the Privacy Law Association, the Employment and Labor Law Student Association, and the Latin American Law Student Association.

                              The evolution of digital and other technologies in recent years has been extraordinary, and we are entering a new era of explosive AI innovation. The need for lawyers to guide the development and growth of the industry from legal and regulatory perspectives, and to promote the ethical use of technology itself, has never been greater. Dean Pastor’s prior experience as New York City government’s chief technology lawyer, along with his current leadership roles, all of which have a heavy emphasis on technology law in practice, make him uniquely suited for the position. 

                              Dean Pastor will advise the faculty and administration on developments in the practice of technology law and coordinate related program opportunities for NYLS students. He will develop an annual plan, in collaboration with me and Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb, focused on student recruitment and retention, student counseling and engagement in technology and privacy law, and fundraising for program development. He will continue to serve on the Curriculum Committee, as well the AI Task Force working closely with Deans Kim Hawkins and Heidi Brown, provide strategic advice on the development and coordination of the School’s technology course offerings, offer perspectives on integrating aspects of technology law across the curriculum, and help establish a new integrated Data and AI Law Project. He will also serve as a resource for the Faculty Appointments Committee to draw on as they seek to identify scholars and practitioners for recruitment to NYLS to research and teach in the area of technology law, which remains a top priority in our faculty hiring efforts.

                              Dean Pastor was appointed as the inaugural Director of the Tricarico Institute four years ago, where he has built a best-in-class national program. Institute Founder and Trustee Jim Tricarico ’77 is highly supportive of Dean Pastor’s appointment and said “Michael brings an extraordinary level of knowledge, expertise, and tactical strategy to everything he undertakes. He has created a groundbreaking in-house counsel program that has inspired and empowered countless students to reach new levels of excellence. His new role will allow him to offer his vast knowledge on law and technology, and broaden his impact within the Tricarico Institute, the Innovation Center, and across the Law School.”

                              In addition to his role leading the Institute, Dean Pastor was appointed as Co-Director of the Innovation Center for Law and Technology last year. Previously, he served as the General Counsel of the New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) and the New York City Cyber Command (NYC3). In those roles, he was lead counsel for New York City for all technology law matters, including those related to cybersecurity and broadband connectivity. He was also the Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs and Franchises at DoITT, where he acted as the lead executive on the City’s relationships with major telecommunications providers, including overseeing the LinkNYC program and initiatives tied to the roll-out of 5G wireless networks. Prior to these roles, he spent nearly 10 years in senior roles at the New York City Law Department. He started his legal career as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for Maryland and as an Associate at Morrison and Foerster. He has published pieces in the New York Daily News and New York Law Journal on highly critical and forward-thinking topics such as cybersecurity and abortion access, and effective ways for in-house counsel to utilize artificial intelligence, and will continue to produce thought leadership pieces going forward. He also sat down recently for an in-depth interview on his work supporting in-house legal and technology careers on the podcast Lawyers Who Learn with host David Schnurman ’06, CEO of Lawline. On April 4, he will host the Fourth Annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit at NYLS.

                              Please join me in congratulating Dean Pastor and working with him to make NYLS the leading institution for lawyers and leaders shaping the use of technology in the global economy.

                              -Dean Crowell

                              Honoring Women's History Month

                              Honoring Women’s History Month: NYLS Alumnae on the Bench

                              Honoring Women's History Month

                              Throughout history, women in the legal profession have broken barriers to forge paths of excellence and leadership. In honor of Women’s History Month, New York Law School (NYLS) is celebrating a few of the School’s first alumnae who rose to judgeship and made history in New York courts, demonstrating groundbreaking achievements in the legal field.

                              The trailblazing contributions of these women serve as an inspiration to future generations of legal leaders. All of these judges—and many others—are immortalized in NYLS’s Hall of Judges, a tribute to NYLS alumni who have risen to judgeship. View photos from the 2024 Hall of Judges Ceremony and Reception.

                              HON. FLORENCE ZIMMERMAN ’41
                              One of the first women to graduate from NYLS, Hon. Florence Zimmerman ’41, served as an attorney for the NYC Rent and Housing Administration before being appointed a NYC Civil Court Judge in 1971 by Mayor John Lindsay. Judge Zimmerman served as President of the New York Women’s Bar Association from 1961 to 1962, making her the first of only two NYLS alumnae to hold this position.

                              HON. SYBIL HART KOOPER ’56
                              In 1985, Hon. Sybil Hart Kooper ’56 was appointed to the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, by Governor Mario Cuomo, serving until 1991. In 1992, the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA) established the Sybil Hart Kooper Award to recognize the valuable and significant contributions of outstanding BWBA members. A champion of women’s rights, Justice Kooper’s career highlights include:

                              • Becoming the first female member of the Metropolitan Trial Lawyers Association
                              • Co-founding and serving as President of the National Association of Women Judges
                              • Serving as a member of the New York Task Force on Women in the Courts, which investigated gender bias in courtrooms

                              HON. SHEILA LEVITTAN ’56
                              Hon. Sheila Levittan ’56 was the first NYLS alumna to hold a judgeship, appointed to the NYC Civil Court in 1969 and the Criminal Court in 1970 by Mayor Lindsay. She later served as a New York State Supreme Court Justice from 1974 to 1991. During World War II, Justice Levittan participated in the Office of Strategic Services in Paris, London, and Germany.

                              Judith Sheindlin

                              HON. JUDITH SHEINDLIN ’65
                              Before Hon. Judith Sheindlin ’65 became the famous “Judge Judy,” she served on the bench of the NYC Family Court. She was first appointed by Mayor Ed Koch in 1982 and ascended to Supervising Judge of the Court’s Manhattan Division in 1986. Check out our in-depth interview with Judge Sheindlin.

                              HON. JOAN B. CAREY ’66
                              Just two years after graduating from NYLS, Hon. Joan B. Carey ’66 became an Assistant District Attorney in Queens County, where she later made history as the first woman to serve as Bureau Chief of any District Attorney’s Office in the city. In 1997, Judge Carey received the President’s Special Award from the New York Women’s Bar Association. Past honorees include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sandra Day O’Connor, Judith Kaye, Governor Ann Richards, and Anita Hill. Judge Carey’s judicial appointments include:

                              • Judge of the NYC Criminal Court, 1978; Supervising Judge, 1979
                              • Supreme Court Justice by Designation, New York County Supreme Court, Criminal Term
                              • Judge of the Court of Claims, 1987
                              • Administrative Judge of the New York County Supreme Court, Criminal Term, 1993
                              • Administrative Judge of the NYC Criminal Court, 1995
                              • Deputy Chief Administrative Judge of all NYC courts, 1996
                              • Administrative Judge of the New York County Supreme Court, Civil Branch, 2009

                              HON. LORRAINE MILLER ’68
                              An expert on housing law, Hon. Lorraine Miller ’68 was a lifelong advocate for affordable housing. In addition to helping develop city-aided apartment projects, Justice Miller drafted the legislation that created the NYC Housing Court in 1973 and was subsequently appointed as Judge of the Court. She was later appointed a justice of the New York Supreme Court in 1991.

                              HON. BARBARA NEWMAN ’71
                              Prior to her judicial career, Hon. Barbara Newman ’71 served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office and later as Chief of the Sex Crimes and Special Victims Bureau. In 1988, Justice Newman was appointed by Mayor Koch to the New York County Criminal Court, where she served until 1997 when she was appointed to the Bronx County Supreme Court, Criminal Term. She became a certificated Justice of the Court in 2011, after having served as an acting justice since 2007.

                              Carolyn Demarest

                              HON. CAROLYN DEMAREST ’72
                              Hon. Carolyn Demarest ’72 served as Assistant Chief of the Appeals Division of the NYC Corporation Counsel before being appointed to the NYC Family Court by Mayor Koch in 1985. Five years later, Governor Cuomo appointed her to the Kings County Supreme Court, where she subsequently won reelection twice. Justice Demarest was one of two jurists designated to develop the Court’s Commercial Division and served as its Presiding Justice from its inception in 2002 through 2016.

                              HON. UTE LALLY ’72
                              A German immigrant, Hon. Ute Lally ’72’s judicial career began in 1986 when she was elected as a judge for the Nassau County District Court. After a decade of service, she was elected to the Nassau County Supreme Court in the 10th Judicial District. Justice Lally received many honors throughout her career, including:

                              • The Governor’s Award for Excellence in 2000
                              • The Officer’s Cross of Merit, First Class, from the Federal Republic of Germany in 2001
                              • The Woman of the Year Award from the Fraternal Order of Court Officers in 2007
                              • The Woman of the Year Award from the NYC Fire Fighters Steuben Association in 2008
                              Janice Volkman

                              HON. JANICE VOLKMAN ’75
                              Shortly after graduating from NYLS, Hon. Janice Volkman ’75 co-founded a women-run law firm that took cases from a constellation of organizations such as Women Organized Against Rape, Women Against Abuse, and the Women’s Law Project. Judge Volkman later worked for the Veteran’s Administration and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before becoming a federal Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration.

                              Sarah S. Curley

                              HON. SARAH S. CURLEY ’77
                              Hon. Sarah S. Curley ’77 was the first woman appointed to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona in 1986 and the first woman to hold the position of Chief Bankruptcy Judge. Judge Curley also served as an officer, director, and board member of the National Association of Women Judges. In 2023, she received the American Inns of Court Bankruptcy Distinguished Service Award.

                              Kathryn Freed

                              HON. KATHRYN FREED ’77
                              While she was a student at NYLS, Hon. Kathryn Freed ’77 was inspired to explore government. She went on to serve as counsel for the New York State Assembly’s Committees on Higher Education, Authorities and Commissions, and Environmental Protection before joining the New York City Council in 1992. Her judicial career began in 2004 when she became a judge for the NYC Criminal Court. She was appointed Acting Justice of the New York County Supreme Court in 2012.

                              HON. JUDITH REICHLER ’77
                              In the mid-1980s, Hon. Judith Reichler ’77 helped draft what eventually became New York State’s Child Support Standard Act, which redefined child support in the state. She subsequently became Director of the New York State Commission on Child Support and joined Judith S. Kaye’s Family Violence Task Force.

                              Spring Safety Tips

                              Tips to Stay Safe Over Spring Break

                              Spring Safety Tips

                              As the weather gets warmer and spring break approaches, New York Law School (NYLS) wants to ensure that our community enjoys a safe and pleasant time off. Vice President for Security and Community Affairs Dennis DeQuatro shares a few essential safety and security tips to help our community members make the most of their spring break plans, whether they’re taking a vacation, heading home to visit family, or staying in the city.

                              Spring Break Safety Tips

                              • Stay alert and keep valuables close especially when in large crowds or in populated areas such as beaches, clubs, or airports.
                              • If you are going out, ensure someone knows where you are and when you expect to return. If traveling, always have a trusted family member or friend made aware of your itinerary and check in with them regularly.
                              • Know the address of any place you plan to go before you enter the location. Make note of the exits in any unfamiliar place when you arrive.
                              • Always check with your credit card company or bank to make sure your card will work in a foreign country. Always use indoor, trusted ATMs in well lit, populated areas. If you lose your wallet, credit cards, or debit cards, immediately contact your financial provider to freeze the cards.
                              • Ensure your cellphone is always fully charged and, if possible, your location finder is activated so you can share your location with a family member or friend. Always check with your cell phone provider to see what coverage, if any, may be received in another state or country and what charges may apply.
                              • Have an “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) saved in your cellphone contacts.
                              • If you are using public transportation, stay aware of your surroundings, remain alert, and secure your belongings. Avoid overtly displaying jewelry or other items of value.
                              • Travel in groups during peak travel times when possible and have a meeting place for those in your travel party in case you get separated. 
                              • If you plan to travel outside of the United States:
                                • Check for travel advisory or warnings for a specific region or country you will visit on your vacation. If you are traveling outside of the country, visit travel.state.gov/ for international travel, passport, and visa information.
                                • Register your visit abroad with the nearest consulate or embassy at step.state.gov/step/. The consulate or embassy can contact you in an emergency, assist you if you are injured or the victim of a crime, or alert you to changes in the country or area status.
                                • Avoid delays and confusion at the airport. Check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website to “Know Before You Go.”
                                • Plan transportation routes ahead of time.
                              • If you go out for a walk or run, use populated areas that are well lit and well-traveled. Avoid using anything that will hinder your ability to see, hear, and smell your surroundings. If you must use earbuds or similar devices, only use one earpiece so that you can still hear what is going on around you.  If possible, have a walking or running partner.   

                              Read our Holiday Safety Tips for additional safety and security advice. We wish our NYLS community a safe and enjoyable spring break!

                              General Safety Reminders

                              • Be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts.
                              • Always report any suspicious activity. You may do so by calling your local police department for non-emergency situations or 911 for any emergency.
                              • No property is worth being injured or killed trying to protect. If you are the victim of a crime do not resist and surrender your valuables, then get to a safe place and immediately call 911.

                              Shahrokh Falati, Juliana Recchia, Alina Kuderska, Rachel Zakharov and Colleen McGuiness

                              Patent Law Clinic Helps Woman-Owned Start-Up Obtain Patent in Adaptive Fashion

                              Shahrokh Falati, Juliana Recchia, Alina Kuderska, Rachel Zakharov and Colleen McGuiness
                              (From left to right) Professor Seve Falati ’08, Juliana Recchia ’26, Alina Kuderska (client), Rachel Zakharov ’26, and Colleen McGuiness ’25

                              The Patent Law Clinic of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment at New York Law School (NYLS), directed by Professor Shahrokh (Seve) Falati ’08, assisted one of their clients, Alina Kuderska, obtain a U.S. patent. Originally hailing from Ukraine, Ms. Kuderska graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international finance and a specialist degree in international economic relations from the National Technical University of Ukraine. She later moved to the United States and, after settling in as an immigrant in a new country, she pivoted toward the fashion industry in New York City, graduating with a degree in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and also studying at Parsons School of Design.

                              Upon completion of her studies, Ms. Kuderska worked for various fashion companies before launching her own fashion business called SPARKIES. Her keen interest in design coupled with her creative skills led her to create her fashion brand, which focuses on designing stylish, comfortable, and functional garments for people with special needs, including people with mobility impairments or those recovering from surgery or an accident. While at Parsons, part of her research on adaptive design prompted her first visits to nursing homes where she became aware of the problems mobility-impaired people face in finding comfortable and stylish garments to wear. She noticed similar problems through her hobby as a certified yoga instructor. Through her efforts to address these problems with her fashion brand, she created a series of commercially popular designs that enable mobility-challenged women to wear a special type of bra, which the NYLS Patent Law Clinic was able to help her patent.

                              Ms. Kuderska was accepted into the Patent Law Clinic in 2021, soon after she started SPARKIES. The clinic has been with her as her business has grown, providing intellectual property-related counseling with a focus on patents. With the recent success of her patent, she is excited to continue expanding her line of adaptive products. She even recently presented her adaptive brand at the Venice Film Festival for impact and sustainable fashion in Italy and at a United Nations event focusing on people with disabilities. SPARKIES is now one of the adaptive brands available at Walmart and Macy’s. Ms. Kuderska’s garments are also available online through her own fashion label.  

                              Patent Law Clinic students Kathryn Sacca ’22, Natalia Woloszyn ’22, Courtney Schenck ’23, Timour Chamilov ’24, Evania Fotopoulos ’24, Nikhil Vasthare ’24, Colleen McGuiness ’25, Juliana Recchia ’26, and Rachel Zakharov ’26 worked with Professor Falati to secure Ms. Kuderska’s patent. Our clinic at New York Law School is proud to have successfully assisted Ms. Kuderska obtain a patent and to be part of her continuing journey as she grows her fashion startup brand.

                              Patent Law Clinic Client, Alina Kuderska

                              I want to express my extremely positive experience with Professor Falati and his team. My company specializes in adaptive apparel design for differently-abled individuals, including those with mobility and disability challenges. This led me to come up with my invention. With NYLS, we successfully navigated all stages of obtaining a patent, from the beginning to the end. I particularly appreciated how Professor Falati’s team adeptly handled communication with the patent office, making it clear and accessible for me to respond and provide necessary comments. I have no doubt that Professor Falati’s students are receiving the right guidance and will soon become great lawyers.

                              Patent Law Clinic Student, Colleen McGuiness ’25

                              It was a pleasure to work with Ms. Kuderska, learn about her incredible personal and professional background, and assist her overcome the barriers women-owned small businesses face when trying to obtain patents and grow their businesses. Thank you to my fellow patent law clinic students and to Professor Falati for making this experience one to remember and a highlight of my time at law school.

                              Patent Law Clinic of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment at New York Law School
                              The Patent Law Clinic, directed by Professor Shahrokh (Seve) Falati ’08, is a yearlong clinic, providing 2L and 3L students an opportunity to work with entrepreneurs and practice patent law before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              Rachel Ettlinger ’27 Evening

                              Rachel Ettlinger ’27 Evening Authors Rule-of-Law Article for JURIST

                              Rachel Ettlinger ’27 Evening

                              New York Law School (NYLS) proudly recognizes the achievement of Rachel Ettlinger ’27 Evening, who recently authored a news article for JURIST. Ettlinger’s piece covers a significant decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the murder conviction of Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip.

                              Read Ettlinger’s article in full.

                              JURIST is a nonprofit legal news organization that reports on pressing legal developments worldwide. Operated by law students, the publication serves as a platform for budding legal voices to contribute meaningful analysis on rule-of-law issues. Ettlinger, along with Sabine Haddad ’26, is contributing to JURIST as part of an independent study project.

                              The students’ participation with JURIST is supervised by Professor Amy Wallace. An expert in interactive teaching methodology, Professor Wallace founded NYLS’s experiential Street Law program and has written and presented extensively on public legal education. She currently serves as Associate Editor for Book Reviews for the Journal of Legal Education and, in 2023, received the Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award.

                              NYLS congratulates Ettlinger on this accomplishment and looks forward to seeing her continued contributions to the legal field. 

                              Tribeca community members at New York Law School's Small Business Forum

                              The Plumeri Center Hosts Small Business Forum for Tribeca Community

                              Tribeca community members at New York Law School's Small Business Forum

                              All business is local—especially here in New York City, where we walk to our favorite coffee shops for morning coffee and corner bodegas for lunch, ride the bus and the subway to school and work, and find respite in many a park, plaza, and playground. More than 180,000 small businesses power that vast web of local networks and form the critical foundation of the city’s bustling and resilient economy.

                              Recognizing that small businesses are indeed the linchpins of our city and neighborhoods, The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment at New York Law School (NYLS) hosted a panel and community gathering event on February 20 during National Entrepreneurship Week. The event was organized in partnership with our Tribeca neighborhood partners, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) Small Business and Entrepreneurship Program and Laughing Man Coffee, as the launch of a series of efforts to support Tribeca as vibrant neighborhood with a thriving commercial corridor.

                              The evening kicked off with a panel of experts providing new insights and key information for small business owners and entrepreneurs, including artificial intelligence (AI) use issues with a focus on privacy and intellectual property laws, contract and other common legal dispute considerations, and a wealth of technical and financial resources provided by the NYC Small Business Services. The panelists were Cecilia Jeong and Madeline Koo of Gunderson Dettmer; Joam Alisme ’14 of Alisme Law LLC; and Natasha Joseph, Assistant Commissioner for Government Navigation and Regulatory Reform at the NYC Department of Small Business Services.

                              Professor Jae Hyung Ryu speaking at the small business forum
                              Professor Jae Hyung Ryu speaking at the small business forum.
                              Madeline Koo, Cecilia Jeong, Natasha Joseph, Joam Alisme
                              (From left to right) Madeline Koo, Cecilia Jeong, Natasha Joseph, and Joam Alisme.

                              A diverse audience that included Tribeca and NYC small business owners and entrepreneurs, BMCC student entrepreneurs, and NYLS students filled every chair in the lecture hall and engaged the panelists with questions and shared their stories. After the panel discussion, the panelists and attendees mingled in the lobby of The Plumeri Center for lively follow-up conversations.

                              The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment launched this school year with a generous foundational gift from visionary business leader Joseph J. Plumeri ’15 (Hon.). The Center is a resource hub for the Tribeca and NYC small business and entrepreneurship communities through NYLS’s wide selection of pro bono legal clinics among other programs and initiatives being actively developed with the consultation of the Center’s advisory board.

                              Tribeca community members at New York Law School's Small Business Forum
                              Small business owners and entrepreneurs network in The Plumeri Center.

                              Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment
                              The Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic, directed by Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, is a yearlong clinic, providing upper-level day and evening students an opportunity to provide transactional legal assistance to nonprofit organizations and small businesses.  

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              NYLS students at orientation

                              NYLS Receives Top Grades for Academic Programs in preLaw

                              NYLS students at orientation

                              New York Law School (NYLS) is delighted to be recognized for our academic programs in government, real estate law, and trial advocacy in preLaw magazine’s Winter 2025 issue.

                              Government Law: “A+”

                              preLaw highlights the expansion of the Center for New York City and State Law which has broadened its focus on legal and policy developments within the five boroughs and statewide. The Center’s expert journalism, which is online and in podcast, has helped usher in a new era at the Center, building on 30 years of previous success. NYLS students affiliating with the Center gain hands-on experience, build their leadership skills, and develop professional networks within City and State government. Additionally, the Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law also offers a broad array of nationally-recognized programming, coursework, public policy and advocacy initiatives, and clinics that promote the practice of and expand the role of public interest law while providing law students opportunities to advance social justice.

                              Students can choose from a broad array of available courses, including State and Local Government Law, State and Local Tax Law, Land Use Law, Policing the Police, Legal Journalism: Reporting the City, Elections Redistricting and Voting Rights, and gain practical experience through specialized externships such as our Gotham Honors Externship, Washington, D.C. Honors Externship, and externships in Labor and Employment Law and Tort Law with the New York City Law Department. Students seeking public interest-focused academic and career advising also benefit from the Office of Public Interest and Pro Bono Initiatives.

                              Our prime location in the heart of New York City’s government centers and longstanding connections to government leaders enriches our educational offerings and uniquely positions us to give students access to and opportunities in local, state, and federal service. 

                              Real Estate Law: “A”

                              Law students who want to gain extensive practical experience and build a professional network for future employment in real estate benefit from the incomparable academic programs offered through our Center for Real Estate Studies (CRES). CRES offers a broad selection of courses, advanced seminars, independent study projects, and externships in governmental offices and real estate firms. CRES’s programming reflects current concerns about ensuring environmental sustainability, creating affordable housing, preserving historical landmarks, safeguarding the financial stability of the residential and commercial mortgage markets, and assessing public costs and social justice issues arising from development. The Center also fosters an open dialogue around the mortgage and secondary mortgage market, landlord/tenant issues, co-ops and condominium development, financing and management, and intensive development of land resources, inviting experts in these areas to campus to share their insights with students and practitioners.

                              Trial Advocacy: “A-”

                              NYLS’s comprehensive trial advocacy programs are designed to enhance students’ lawyering skills in specialized areas. The Harris Keenan & Goldfarb Advocacy Program provides students with opportunities to compete in interscholastic competitions and work with expert faculty and practitioners to develop skills needed to excel in the courtroom and negotiations. Students can enroll in multiple lawyering skills courses that provide focused study and practical training for motion argument, hearings, trials, administrative proceedings and arbitration. Along with readings, lectures, and discussions, students can participate in simulation exercises led by professors who are themselves skilled trial advocates. Our invitation-only Trial Competition Team also offers students an introduction to case theory, storytelling, and witness examination, and enables them to compete in competitions across the country.

                              Announcing Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, Dean for Evening Division Engagement

                              Professor Kirk Burkhalter ’04 Appointed Dean for Evening Division Engagement

                              Announcing Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, Dean for Evening Division Engagement

                              Dear NYLS Community,

                              I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Kirk Burkhalter ‘04 as our inaugural Dean for Evening Division Engagement. He is a 2004 graduate of our evening division and has been a full-time faculty member since 2010. A retired NYPD Detective, First Grade, he also serves as Director of our 21st Century Policing Project and is currently the Co-Chair of our Faculty Appointments Committee. He is exceptionally and uniquely qualified for this new role, which is a natural evolution of his existing efforts to support our students, especially those in our evening division. He will work closely with myself and Academic Dean Matt Gewolb.  

                              Dean Burkhalter understands the critical importance of our evening division, one of the oldest of its kind nationally, for making the legal profession more diverse and representative of the communities we serve. It also provides an essential pathway to greater economic and social mobility for working professionals. In this new role, in addition to maintaining his regular teaching responsibilities, Dean Burkhalter will serve as Chair of a new Faculty Committee on the Evening Division. The Committee will be composed of faculty, administrators, and Trustees who are graduates of the evening division. In this new role, he will provide leadership on engaging and recruiting students to our NYLS Pro evening division, develop programs tailored to the needs of working professional evening students, and establish and convene a new evening division advisory group that will meet regularly to support mentorship initiatives, provide guidance to current students and recent graduates, and fundraise for the evening division.

                              A graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Dean Burkhalter first joined NYLS as a part-time Evening Division student, while working full-time as a member of the NYPD. After graduating in 2004, having been a member of the New York Law School Law Review and being awarded the law school’s Alfred L. Rose Award for Excellence at Commencement, he worked in private practice for several years before joining our faculty, and has been an indispensable member of our school community ever since. He has led a wide range of diversity and pipeline initiatives that have brought more underrepresented students into studying law at NYLS and elsewhere, and helping new lawyers navigate the profession and enter the legal teaching ranks.

                              NYLS Pro, which was a reimagining of our Evening Division program, was built directly out of the work of Dean Burkhalter as leader of a faculty and staff Task Force created to conduct a full-scale review to identify ways to expand evening student success. Dean Burkhalter also has served as a key leader for our bar success programs over the past decade, including developing bar courses and writing a customized textbook to help our bar preparers. He has mentored countless students for bar preparation, and continues to do so today. This is in line with his many other formal and informal roles at NYLS, including serving as the long-time faculty advisor to our Black Law Students Association. He has provided academic and career counseling, and mentorship to students that continue for years after graduation. Dean Burkhalter helped establish and lead our pipeline programs for undergraduate students from underrepresented populations interested in attending law school. A joint initiative between the Law School’s Faculty Committee on Diversity, Co-Chaired by Dean Burkhalter, and the Office of Admissions. Dean Burkhalter designed the program and developed the curriculum, and taught and administered the program for the first two years of operation. This program was ahead of its time and has been replicated nationally to the point where it is now a regular feature in institutions of legal education.

                              Dean Burkhalter is also a key leader on our faculty diversity efforts, including his current service as Co-Chair of the Faculty Appointments Committee. As part of this role, he recently developed and led an innovative new workshop titled “Pathway to Teaching.” 175 lawyers and judges from the tristate area, including alumni of NYLS and other law schools, attended this program which provided invaluable guidance and information on how to become faculty members, either full-time or part-time. The success of this program was due to his wide partnerships with area affinity bar associations and is believed to be one of the first of its kind programs. He is also a highly prominent voice on issues of policing, justice reform, and gun violence, owing to his unique background as a law professor and former NYPD detective. As Director of the 21st Century Policing Project, he and his students collaborate with police departments to help them develop more reform-oriented policies and stronger relationships with the communities they serve. Due to his unique law enforcement background and leadership on these issues as an academic, he is frequently asked to appear on national media programs, including ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, NewsNation, and in a wide range of national and local written publications, and has published a number of op-eds. He is highly influential and serves as an important voice who stands out.

                              Dean Burkhalter is a deeply valued colleague, teacher, mentor, and friend to all of us, and I am so pleased he will expand on his extraordinary work in this new role. Please join me in congratulating and working with him on his efforts to support an essential part of what makes NYLS a unique and special place for our students and the profession.

                              -Dean Anthony W. Crowell

                              Celebrating Black History Month

                              The Trailblazing Legacies of Black NYLS Alumni

                              Throughout its history, New York Law School (NYLS) has been home to trailblazing Black alumni who have left indelible marks on the legal profession, New York City government, finance, and public service. This Black History Month, we recognize the groundbreaking achievements of some of NYLS’s most distinguished graduates. Among them are a few father-daughter duos who have made lasting impacts in their communities.

                              Dennis Creary, Anthony W. Crowell, and Hon. Marc Whiten
                              Dennis Creary, Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell, and Hon. Marc Whiten ’84 at the Tuskegee Airmen Hero Wall ribbon cutting ceremony in 2021.

                              Before pursuing law, NYLS alumnus Le Roy F. Gillead ’64 was a Navigator with the Tuskegee Airmen—America’s first Black military pilots. In February 2025, one of the last surviving Airmen passed away. In honor of their heroic service, NYLS dedicated the Tuskegee Airmen Hero Wall on its campus. View photos from the unveiling and ribbon cutting ceremony.


                              Moses Leonard Frazier, Class of 1899

                              Moses Leonard Frazier, Class of 1899, was NYLS’s first Black graduate. Born into slavery in New Orleans in 1860, Frazier overcame tremendous adversity to achieve incredible academic feats. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Mount Union, an LL.B. from NYLS, a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of Political Science, and an LL.D. from the law school of Morris Brown College, where he later served as Dean.

                              Though the extent of his legal practice wasn’t thoroughly documented, Frazier pursued a wide range of business ventures, including running a real estate firm, a barber shop, and the Academy of Chiropody and Dermatology, where he served as President.


                              James S. Watson, Class of 1913

                              James S. Watson, Class of 1913, was one of the first two Black men elected to judgeship in New York City. After graduating from NYLS in 1913, Watson practiced at House, Grossman, Vorhaus & Hemley, and eventually headed the firm’s Department of Corporation and Tax Laws. From 1922 to 1930, he served as Special Assistant Corporation Counsel for the New York City Law Department’s Special Franchise Tax Division.

                              Justice Watson is remembered as one of the most popular judges in New York City, admired by the legal community and the public alike for his fairness and dedication to public service. After serving 20 years in the Municipal Court, he became President of the Municipal Civil Service Commission. Before accepting the presidency, Justice Watson was considered for higher office and, in 1949, was recommended to President Harry S. Truman for a federal judgeship and to the Department of the Interior to serve as Governor of the Virgin Islands.

                              Justice Watson was active in various professional associations, including the American Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers Association, the Harlem Lawyers Association, and the National Bar Association, where he once served as Regional Director.


                              Barbara M. Watson, Class of 1962

                              James S. Watson’s eldest child, Barbara M. Watson ’62, was also a trailblazing graduate of NYLS. She was the first woman and first Black Assistant Secretary of State, serving under Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter.

                              Upon graduating law school in 1962, Watson worked as an attorney within three New York City government agencies—the Board of Statutory Consolidation, the Law Department, and the New York City Commission to the United Nations, where she served as Director. Watson joined the U.S. State Department in 1966, where she quickly rose to the role of Deputy Administrator to the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs. In 1968, she was nominated and confirmed as the Bureau’s Assistant Secretary of State, making history. In 1980, President Carter appointed her as the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.

                              In honor of Watson, the State Department renamed the Consular Officer of the Year Award to the Barbara M. Watson Award for Consular Excellence, annually recognizing officers who demonstrate excellence in all aspects of consular work, including leadership in providing the highest-level of services to U.S. citizens and commitment to mentorship.


                              Marianne Spraggins, Class of 1976

                              Marianne Spraggins ’76 made history as the first Black woman to serve as a Managing Director on Wall Street. After receiving her J.D. from NYLS and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, she returned to the School as an Associate Professor of Law and the Director of its Urban Legal Studies Fellowship Program. Throughout the 1990s, Spraggins was an NYLS Trustee and, in 1992, received a distinguished alumni award.

                              Spraggins’ father, Roy Travers Spraggins ’50, also attended NYLS, enrolling after he had served in the Army in World War II. Following his graduation, the senior Spraggins went on to serve as a research analyst for the State Assembly at Albany and Deputy Controller for the City of New York. He later joined the Surrogate’s Court of New York, where he became the Court’s first Black legal assistant.

                              Spraggins began her financial career in mortgage finance at Salomon Brothers. In 1990, she became the first Black female Managing Director on Wall Street while in the Municipal Division of Smith Barney Shearson. Around the same time, she was appointed by President Bill Clinton as Director of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.

                              Spraggins has held numerous high-profile roles, including Vice President at Prudential Securities, Co-Chair and COO at W.R. Lazard, Senior Managing Director at Smith Whiley & Co., CEO of Atlanta Life Insurance Company Investment Advisors, and Superdelegate for New York in President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential election. She currently works as Managing Director of Marketing for External Relations at the Bond Factory Company.

                              More information about these history-makers and many other prominent NYLS alumni can be found in NYLS’s Digital Commons.

                              colorful round lines connected to justice scale

                              Celebrating Individuality: Unique Paths to Law

                              Celebrating Individuality: Unique Paths to Law

                              By

                              Law students around the world bring to their studies a tapestry of unique passions and experiences that enrich their academic journey and ultimately help shape the legal profession. While law school serves to create adept legal professionals, it also gives students a chance to discover how their individuality can strengthen their approach to advocacy and justice. Whether honing the discipline of a former athlete, channeling the empathy of a healthcare professional, or leveraging the creativity of an artist, the journey to becoming a lawyer is as diverse as those who embark on it.

                              At New York Law School (NYLS), this diversity of perspective and experience is embedded in our community and culture. Individuals from all walks of life are not only welcomed, but eagerly celebrated, even beyond graduation. Both aspiring and seasoned lawyers who come from myriad backgrounds—creative arts, sports, medicine, music, business, and more—each bring extraordinary talents and perspectives to the School. Discover how our unique community demonstrates the ways that the pursuit of a personal passion can inspire a rewarding legal education and a thriving legal career.

                              Years before discovering NYLS, Clifford Bowens ’27 was already dreaming about becoming a lawyer. Bowens attended Leadership and Public Service High School in New York City’s Financial District, where he participated in moot court and mock trial programs. Equal to law, Bowens also loved the sciences, and later decided to pursue healthcare after receiving a full scholarship to pharmacy school. It wasn’t until after several years working in retail, local, and hospital pharmacies that Bowens applied to NYLS, finally pursuing his initial dream of being a lawyer.

                              “If I wanted a challenge, I found it,”  Bowens recalls of his tenure as an overnight pharmacist for the 600-bed Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. “But it showed me just how much I’m capable of, and it’s given me a sense of confidence as a professional entering a new field.”  His role in the hospital demanded quick thinking and split-second decision-making––skills that he later realized could translate seamlessly to law. Finding creative responses and solutions on the fly reflects one of a lawyer’s many responsibilities.

                              Currently a 1L, Bowens is keeping an open mind as to which area of law to practice. But regardless of where his path leads, Bowens knows his Contracts class with Professor Ann F. Thomas is a cornerstone of his legal education. “I try to pull as much as I can from Contracts while I have Professor Thomas,” he says. “My entire NYLS education will be invaluable, but I know that her class, especially, will be something I refer back to frequently in my legal career.”

                              For two years straight, Samuel Fishteyn ’28 Evening led a double life: one as a regular student at the Rutgers Business School, and the other as Sir Henry, the Scarlet Knight, the beloved mascot of Rutgers. When he applied for the role, Fishteyn had zero mascot experience, yet his passion for community engagement and public service made him the perfect candidate.

                              Up to that point, Fishteyn’s athletic experience was exclusive to ice hockey, which he’d been playing since age five. Fortunately, the physical training and discipline he dedicated to hockey would ultimately help him meet the demands of being a mascot: performing at high-energy levels for hours at a time and maintaining a secret identity. In turn, his mascot experience has proven quite useful––balancing a hectic travel schedule on top of his education taught him time management skills that are vital to him now as a full-time pricing analyst and a first-generation law student.

                              Beyond bringing school spirit to life, the Scarlet Knight was a community fixture, supporting outreach programs and attending local fundraising events. Fishteyn recalls the impact that this community engagement had on him, saying, "There’s nothing like seeing the joy on someone’s face when you’re able to connect with them through something as simple as a performance. I aim to bring that same positivity into the legal field to advocate for others and create meaningful connections."

                              Sir Henry
                              Sir Henry
                              Sir Henry

                              For Daniel Hubert ’25, sports have always been more than a pastime—they’re a way of life. From golf and cross country to collegiate baseball, Hubert’s extensive athletic experience has taught him dedication and resilience. He credits his lifelong passion for sports with shaping his approach to law school.

                              “Playing sports taught me how to accept and cope with failure and highlighted how important it is to put in the time and effort to excel,” Hubert explains. “That same mindset applies to law school—you have to be willing to learn from your mistakes and put in the work to improve.”

                              Hubert is now training in Jiu-Jitsu at Tiger Schulmann’s Martial Arts, to which he was connected by NYLS adjunct professor and Sports Law Society faculty advisor David Fish ’96. In addition to his role as Partner at Romano Law, Professor Fish serves as General Counsel for Paradigm Sports Management, an agency representing combat sports athletes.

                              “Sports allow me to find balance,” shares Hubert, noting how sports serve as an outlet for the rigors of law school, allowing him to disconnect and recharge. Hubert’s experiences both on and off the field have instilled in him the value of persistence, which guides him through both his training and his legal studies.

                              Artist, activist, business owner, mother, and law student—Jennifer Hutz ’26 Evening can (and does) do it all. Armed with a degree in studio art, Hutz began her career interning for a world-renowned New York City photographer. Immersed in the dynamic world of high-end photography, Hutz advanced to founding her own agency, Jennifer Hutz, Inc., where she represents commercial photographers and artists and helps produce creative projects. Hutz is a fierce advocate for her clients and an equally passionate grassroots democracy activist.

                              At NYLS, Hutz is learning how to translate her advocacy skills into legal practice. She continues to run her business full-time while balancing her legal studies and ongoing activism. In the fall of 2024, she participated in an externship at the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute with NYLS Professor and Distinguished Fellow Jeffrey M. Wice.

                              “Law school has reinforced the importance of thorough preparation and attention to detail, which can apply to many areas of life,” she says. Whether she’s reviewing contracts for a photo shoot or drafting legal documents, Hutz brings the same level of dedication to every aspect of her work.

                              “I’ve always had a passion for helping others bring their visions to life,” Hutz reflects. “It’s what inspired me to pursue law. The legal field offers a platform to elevate my ability to support, protect, and uplift the people and causes I care about.”

                              Zachary Kimmick ’25 has loved sports since he was a kid, and now uses them as a framework for finding success as a law student. “It sometimes helps to view law school as a sport in itself,” explains Kimmick. “Playing sports––especially with my father as a coach at one point––taught me to take criticism constructively and always look for ways to improve. That’s how I approach feedback from my professors. Unlike on a sports team, though, my only competition here is myself, and the prize is not just a degree but also the pride of knowing I achieved my best.”

                              The communication and teamwork skills Kimmick gained while playing on several sports teams have informed his approach as a teaching assistant at NYLS. In prior semesters, Kimmick was a Legal Practice teaching assistant for Professor Erik W. Lane ’15 and a Civil Procedure teaching assistant for Professor Lenni B. Benson. His sports background enabled him to “communicate more directly and concisely” and to “understand and relay complex ideas with greater ease.”

                              Kimmick is an Executive Editor of the New York Law School Law Review and a Teaching Fellow with NYLS’s Academic Success Program. He is pursuing a career in commercial litigation, drawn by its strategic nature. He continues to play sports in his free time, finding it sharpens his analytical skills, serves as an outlet for stress, and reminds him to always strive for excellence.

                              While many other six-year-olds were spending their free time watching TV, Eva Bella Kushner ’27 was spending hers appearing on it. From voicing Young Elsa in Frozen to starring in TV shows like Nickelodeon’s Shimmer and Shine, Kushner had a storied acting career well before her teens. Even as she built up her acting résumé, Kushner was set on pursuing other professional goals, such as attending law school in New York.

                              Kushner, inspired by her mother, also spent her childhood exploring museums, which cultivated a deep love of art that fueled her decision to study art history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Art history deepened her understanding of visual art as a means of expressing identity—something she aspires to protect through law. “I want to be able to help families safeguard the works of art and stories that define who they are,” Kushner says.

                              Discussing how acting informs her legal studies, Kushner notes, “Acting taught me how to handle rejection and learn from it, which translates directly to law school. You may not always get what you hope for, but you need to embrace it as a learning opportunity and strive for growth.”

                              A 1L, Kushner is still exploring how she’ll apply her legal education but plans to continue her voice acting career alongside her legal aspirations. No matter where her NYLS journey leads, she’s certain it will guide her to a place where she can make a positive impact on the lives of others in the art world.

                              Eva Bella Kushner
                              Eva Bella Kushner
                              Eva Bella Kushner

                              Ashlin Miller ’25 was just three years old when she started competing in Irish dance—a distinct, highly technical form of dance that requires unwavering dedication. Miller has danced competitively for most of her life, taking only a brief pause during her first year of law school. Missing the sport, she returned to competition and achieved the best scores of her entire dance career, recently ranking fifth in the nation and 20th in the world.

                              Reflecting on the impact of her dance training, Miller shares, “Dance taught me persistence and acute time management, but most importantly, it taught me how to navigate life’s challenges.”

                              Miller also teaches young Irish dancers, a role that’s honed the public speaking and leadership skills she aims to apply to her legal career. Teaching has also improved her ability to break down complex ideas into smaller, accessible parts—a skill she sees mirrored in legal analysis.

                              By balancing commitments to both law and dance, Miller embodies the discipline and determination needed to excel in both areas. She views her dual pursuits as complementary, with dance providing an outlet that enhances her overall ability to perform under pressure and think creatively in her legal studies.

                              Miller is currently an Executive Citations and Substance Editor for the NYLS Law Review, as well as a teaching assistant for Professor Susan J. Abraham’s courses on Evidence and Restorative Justice.

                              For Nicholas Reyes ’25, the tennis court is where he first learned the essential values of discipline, independence, and perseverance. What began as a fun childhood hobby evolved into a full-fledged professional tennis career. When a career-altering injury forced him to reassess his path, Reyes decided to pursue the legal ambitions that run deep in his family. Following the footsteps of his sister, Danielle Reyes ’24, and his father, Jorge Reyes ’88, Reyes chose NYLS.

                              Reyes describes tennis as “an intense individual sport that demands self-motivation and resilience through difficult moments.” He applied those same qualities during his first year of law school, reminding himself not to be overly critical of himself and to instead view difficult moments as opportunities for growth.

                              Reyes remains connected to tennis through coaching, which has offered him a fresh perspective on the sport. “You know you finally understand something when you know how to teach it,” he notes. “Coaching requires clear communication tailored to the needs of each athlete. It’s strengthened my analytical abilities because I’m constantly identifying and strategizing around the different strengths and weaknesses of my players.” Similarly, as a future lawyer, Reyes recognizes the importance of adapting communication styles to suit various clients and settings.

                              While current NYLS students showcase how unique backgrounds can enrich legal education, the School’s alumni exemplify how pursuing creative passions can enhance a legal career and make for better lawyers.

                              David Ostwald ’82’s journey to law began on a harrowing night during his junior year of college when he was mugged at gunpoint. Faced with the impossible task of identifying a thief whose face he never saw, Ostwald realized the immense responsibility carried by members of the justice system. That pivotal moment was when he decided to become a lawyer.

                              Ostwald grew up playing the tuba and dreamt of becoming a musician, but he was also drawn to the legal field for its diverse professional opportunities. In 1980, while studying at NYLS, Ostwald formed the Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, which is now Grammy-nominated and entering its 25th year of residency at New York City’s iconic Birdland jazz club. Alongside his music career, Ostwald maintained a long, successful career as a real estate attorney before retiring in 2018. Ostwald is also passionate about music education, using jazz to teach students about American history, diversity, and the values enshrined in the Constitution.

                              “Listening was the most important skill I learned as a musician that translated to my work as a lawyer,” shares Ostwald. “You can't play jazz well without listening to everyone else in your group, and similarly, listening is a key skill of a lawyer. You have to listen to your client, and equally importantly, you have to listen to your adversary. If you're litigating, deeply understanding what the other side wants can help you build a better case and, most importantly, reach a satisfactory resolution for the client.”

                              Music has always been the love of Rebecca Kornhauser ’24’s life. Kornhauser didn’t grow up playing an instrument, nor was anyone in her family particularly musical, yet music resonated with her deeply. While she attended concerts every chance she could, she craved a deeper connection and aspired to work behind the scenes in the music industry.

                              While pursuing a music industry degree from Northeastern University, Kornhauser worked at Sony Music Entertainment, Mick Management, and RCA Records. She applied to NYLS with the goal of expanding her knowledge of copyright law and helping musical artists protect their creative work. Despite the demands of law school, Kornhauser’s passion for music never waned; during her 2L year, she traveled across the country to Houston, Texas, to experience Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

                              While at NYLS, Kornhauser externed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for Hon. George B. Daniels, gaining firsthand insight into the litigation process. She currently works at SRipLaw, a firm specializing in intellectual property, where she applies her NYLS education to cases involving patents, copyrights, and trademarks.

                              "Litigating copyright cases has been an incredible way to bridge my love for music with my legal training," says Kornhauser. “The legal field offers a stage where I can bring my lifelong appreciation for music to life by advocating for artists' rights.”

                              A fundamental lover of storytelling, Victor Suthammanont ’05 has always been a writer at his core. He began writing fiction in high school and later wrote, produced, and directed off-off-Broadway plays while earning his B.F.A. in Drama from NYU. At NYLS, Suthammanont was an Articles Editor for the NYLS Law Review and won the Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award for his student note. As a law student, he was drawn to the narrative aspects of law, which have become central to his career.

                              “I’ve incorporated what I’ve learned about storytelling and writing into the way I approach my work as a litigator,” says Suthammanont. “I’m responsible for telling my client’s story. Even in legal briefs, similar to any compelling story, every argument must have a structure, and everything you write should be in service of the main idea you want to bring forth.”

                              Suthammanont is also the author of the Audible Original Little Surrenders and the upcoming novel Hollow Spaces (forthcoming 2025). On balancing his dual careers, Suthammanont recalls words of wisdom from NYLS Professor Ann F. Thomas. “When my wife and I first had children, Professor Thomas told us, ‘Some days, you're a good lawyer. Some days, you're a good parent. Some days, you're a good spouse. Many days, those are not the same day.’ And there was a lot of truth in that statement. In the aggregate of it all, though, you are still the best parent, the best lawyer, and the best spouse you can be.”

                              Since performing stand-up comedy at her third-grade talent show, Elizabeth Bellitto ’24 has loved being around the stage. Throughout her life, she’s performed in various plays and musicals, gaining a special appreciation for William Shakespeare’s works and classical theatre. But for all her love of theatre, Bellitto always envisioned a future as an immigration lawyer—a dream she is now fulfilling as an Immigration Law Clerk with Project Rousseau, which supports youth communities from around the globe.

                              At NYLS, Bellitto participated in the Asylum Clinic directed by Professor Claire R. Thomas ’11. The Clinic was successful in securing asylum for Ghanaian refugee Mr. B. During his trial, Bellitto conducted a direct examination for the first time. “All those years projecting my voice gave me confidence in front of the judge,” Bellitto recalls. “Stage acting also teaches you to think on your feet; you never know when someone might forget a line or, theatre gods forbid, a set piece might collapse. In a courtroom, you never know when opposing counsel might object or your client may go ‘off-script.’ After Mr. B was granted asylum that day, the first person other than my family I thought to tell was my high school theater director.”

                              Bellitto encourages anyone in the legal field without a theatre background to at least explore improv for its value in fostering creativity and adaptability. She notes, "All the world’s a stage, and the courtroom is no exception.”

                              When she sang the National Anthem at NYLS’s 132nd Commencement, Jennifer Vega ’24 was channeling a lifelong passion for performing. For her, the performance was deeply personal, as she honored her family in the audience whose immigration story inspired her to pursue immigration law.

                              Before law school, Vega was an avid theatre performer. She discovered her love for the stage in middle school drama club and later decided to study theatre in college, refining her skills in performance, writing, and critical analysis.

                              During her time at NYLS, Vega served on the executive board of both the Immigration Law Student Association and the Latin American Law Student Association. She was also involved with the Safe Passage Project, the Immigration and Litigation Clinic, and the Asylum Clinic, where she also played a key role in securing asylum for its client, Mr. B.

                              “When I conducted my portion of the direct examination at Mr. B’s trial, I kept my theatre training in mind––posture, projection, diction,” recalls Vega. “It all came back to me as I stood in front of the immigration judge, playing the role of ‘Really Good Lawyer.’ Everything I thought I did purely out of love for performing ultimately prepared me to succeed as a law student and now as a legal professional.”

                              Vega is currently a Justice Fellow with the Immigrant Justice Corps and Make the Road Work New York, where she continues to use her voice to advocate for immigrant communities.

                              Listening, advocacy, discipline, and storytelling—these are just a few of the skills gained from unique life experiences that empower NYLS community members to achieve their best, whether in a classroom or a courtroom. Connecting their personal passion with their interest in law has served many students and alumni in maximizing enjoyment and effectiveness in both their personal lives and professional careers. As NYLS continues to nurture a culture of innovation and inclusivity, these stories remind us of the extraordinary potential that lies in embracing diverse talents, experiences, and perspectives. Together, the exceptional NYLS community is helping redefine what it means to lead and inspire within the world of law.

                              Kris Franklin teaching

                              Professor Kris Franklin Answers the NYLS 10

                              Professor Kris Franklin Answers the NYLS 10

                              Wallace Stevens Professor of Law Kris Franklin is an expert in legal pedagogy and experiential learning and a national leader in the field of academic preparedness. She is the founder of the New York Academic Support Workshop series and the Association of Academic Support Educators (AASE), she co-directs NYLS’s Initiative for Excellence in Law Teaching (IELT), and she is the new New York Law School Co-Editor for the Journal of Legal Education published by the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). An academic innovator, Professor Franklin brings a talent for creative and unconventional thinking to her teaching and her leadership at NYLS.

                              Here, Professor Franklin answers the NYLS 10—10 questions about her work, her interests, and the things she looks forward to.

                              1. What is the focus of your work?

                              That’s a harder question for me to answer than it probably should be because my interests range over many subjects and are hard to categorize. The easiest and most accurate answer is probably that the focus of my work is preparing law students to become enthusiastic and excellent lawyers.

                              2. How has your scholarship and interests changed over your career?

                              Much of my earlier scholarship offered critical examination of interpretive strategies used by judges, particularly in cases involving LGBTQ+ rights. But there was also a strong thread of focus on legal pedagogy and learning in law school even in that earlier work. Over time, I think my emphasis has shifted and the pedagogical inquiry is now more prominent in my writing.

                              Kris Franklin with students

                              Professor Kris Franklin poses with her children after her investiture as the Wallace Stevens Professor of Law.

                              Kris Franklin presenting

                              Professor Kris Franklin presents her lecture at her investiture as the Wallace Stevens Professor of Law.

                              3. How do people respond to your work?

                              I am always moved by the fact that they seem to read it! My articles get read and cited fairly frequently, and my books have been adopted nationally; some more than others. Engagement is all we can ask for in scholarship, so I could not be more pleased.

                              4. What’s a problem you wish you could solve with a snap of your fingers?

                              Helping students, lawyers—and frankly, people in general—become more comfortable navigating complexity. The world is a complicated place! We need nuance and the ability to hold on to many potentially competing ideas at the same time, and to do it from a place of empathy and compassion.

                              5. What questions do you have that you want to be able to answer with your work?

                              What contributes to legal reasoning with fidelity, integrity, and depth? How do we help advocates, judges, and aspiring lawyers become better at that while holding firm to their values?

                              6. How do you approach teaching law?

                              I hope with enthusiasm and joy. I think I am known for innovative pedagogy. But being experimental always means some things will work better for some students than others. To me, though, the most important constant is that my students can see the excitement I have about their learning and that it motivates them in good ways.

                              Kris Franklin with 2012 Dispute Resolution Team

                              Professor Kris Franklin, who established NYLS’s award-winning Dispute Resolution Team, poses with members of the 2012 team.

                              Anthony Crowell and Kris Franklin with 2014 Dispute Resolution Team

                              Professor Kris Franklin poses with the 2014 Dispute Resolution Team and Dean Anthony Crowell.

                              7. What are you excited about these days?

                              Well, curling season has begun! I’ve been playing in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for a number of years. The ice conditions on an outdoor rink are notoriously bad and I lack any real athletic talent, but it is always fun to play.

                              8. What’s the next year like for you?

                              New York Law School just took on responsibility for co-editing the Journal of Legal Education, the publication of record for the Association of American Law Schools, and Dean William LaPiana and I are NYLS’s co-editors. I am still getting my feet wet in this exciting new venture. Meanwhile, I am a new co-author of the next edition of the Contracts textbook I have long used, and am greatly looking forward to its publication.

                              9. Whose work excites you these days?

                              Sociologist and law professor Dorothy Roberts writes about race, class, family integrity, motherhood, and reproduction, and I always eagerly read whatever she writes. I was so thrilled to see that this year she received a MacArthur “genius” grant, which her work richly deserves.

                              10. What are you reading, watching, or listening to?

                              Great British Bake Off! I’m not caught up yet, so please don’t tell me who won.

                              Belliard at the Dominican Bar Association's 2024 induction ceremony, where she was sworn in as President.

                              Alumni Spotlight: Rosemarin Belliard ’17 

                              Alumni Spotlight:
                              Rosemarin Belliard ’17

                              By Jennifer Bancamper

                              Our Alumni Spotlight Series highlights some of the most remarkable members of our alumni community—NYLS graduates who are shaping the future of law and making meaningful contributions in New York City and beyond.

                              This installment features Rosemarin Belliard ’17, President of the Dominican Bar Association and the founding attorney of Belliard Law Firm PLLC, a boutique firm dedicated to advancing immigrant rights through mission-driven advocacy.

                              Finding Purpose

                              Rosemarin Belliard ’17 has always been driven by a deep sense of purpose—a calling rooted in her family’s immigration story. The daughter of Dominican immigrants, Belliard grew up frequently advocating on her parent’s behalf—an experience that ignited a passion for helping others. She knew from a young age that helping others was how she wanted to spend her life, and she understood from the beginning that a strong education was key.

                              Belliard attended CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she discovered law as a tool for social change. “I realized that, as a lawyer, I could be a voice for individuals with limited access to resources and who need help navigating the complex legal system,” she explained. Through John Jay’s Pre-Law Institute, Belliard secured internships at the office of former New York Governor David A. Paterson, the Law School Admission Council, and the Queens County Supreme Court.

                              After earning her degree in political science, Belliard was selected as a New York City Urban Fellow in the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)—a position that deepened her interest in immigration law. “Working at MOIA allowed me to see immigration from all angles,” Belliard notes. “The Office worked to bridge a gap between NYC’s immigrant communities, nonprofit organizations, and local government. I had a front-row seat to all the challenges that come with that, and what can be done to address them. While I enjoyed it, I saw that, when you're not in legislation or not directly representing immigrants, there are some limitations. So, I kept the path going.”

                              “Leadership is at the heart of advocacy.”

                              Belliard’s path led her to New York Law School, where her focus in immigration law crystallized.  “My initial interest was in immigration reform, but NYLS’s immigration law course opened my eyes to the niche field of business immigration. I was intrigued by the idea of representing highly skilled workers and finding creative solutions to bring their talents to the American workforce,” she says.

                              Belliard credits her mentor Professor Lenni Benson and the Safe Passage Project with greatly influencing her trajectory. Professor Benson, the Distinguished Chair in Immigration and Human Rights Law at NYLS, founded the Safe Passage Project to provide pro bono services to minors facing deportation.

                              As an NYLS student, Belliard served as the Mentoring Chair for both the Latin American and Black Law Students Associations and as Co-President of the Immigration Law Students Association. At the School’s 125th Commencement, she was honored with the Chief Justice Rose E. Bird Award for Motivation in Pursuing Public Interest Law.

                              “Leadership is at the heart of advocacy,” Belliard says. “Through the leadership opportunities I had at NYLS, I learned how to manage different obligations, responsibilities, and even personalities to bring visions to life. As a lawyer, that’s a skill I rely on every day.”

                              Belliard with her family at NYLS's 125th Commencement.

                              Belliard with her family at NYLS's 125th Commencement.

                              Belliard with her family at the Dean's Reception for the Class of 2017.

                              Belliard with her family at the Dean's Reception for the Class of 2017.

                              “It’s a calling that I’ve felt my entire life.”

                              After law school, Belliard started her career at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP before moving on to Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP, where she was an Associate in the firm’s Immigration Practice Group. In these roles, she represented multinational corporations and businesses of all sizes across various industries including information technology, financial services, higher education, media, and fashion.

                              “Business immigration is about creating pathways for talented individuals worldwide to bring their skills to U.S. companies,” Belliard explains. “To me, it’s a highly creative side of law, because the ultimate goal is driving innovation and economic growth. We're fostering intercultural understanding and, on a larger scale, contributing to a more dynamic and globally connected economy.”

                              In October 2024, Belliard launched Belliard Law Firm PLLC, a boutique firm combining compassion, experience, and strategy to guide clients through the intricate U.S. immigration system. But starting her own firm wasn’t always part of the plan. "It was a leap of faith,” she recalls of the firm's launch. “Up to that point, my entire trajectory had been fueled by opportunities that presented themselves.”

                              Belliard’s diverse professional roles—ranging from nonprofit work to positions in government and private practice—highlighted gaps in the immigration system that she felt uniquely qualified to address. “It's a calling that I’ve felt my entire life, and because I've been able to serve in different capacities within immigration law, I have the advantage of truly understanding the immigrant story from all angles,” she says.

                              Belliard alongside Justices of the Appellate Division, Second Department, and her family on her admission date.

                              Belliard alongside Justices of the Appellate Division, Second Department, and her family on her admission date.

                              Belliard alongside members of the New York State Senate Delegation and the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic.

                              Belliard alongside members of the New York State Senate Delegation and the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic.

                              A Compassionate Force in Immigration Law

                              While business immigration is her firm’s primary focus, Belliard takes great pride in representing individuals and providing pro bono services to address critical needs within immigrant communities. A self-described “super volunteer,” Belliard has a longstanding commitment to pro bono work, having volunteered with CUNY Citizenship Now! and Dominicanos USA and serving as a Friend of the Court in immigration cases.

                              “The immigration system is historically complex, and immigrants are often on an unequal playing field. Strategic counsel can level that, along with the support of someone who inherently believes in their right to be heard as they pursue their dreams,” Belliard explains.

                              Looking ahead, Belliard envisions her firm as a “compassionate force in immigration law which serves as a beacon for immigrant communities.” By blending legal expertise with holistic support, Belliard Law Firm PLLC strives to elevate the dignity, voice, and dreams of immigrants.

                              Belliard participating in a panel hosted by the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Department.

                              Belliard participating in a panel hosted by the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Department.

                              Belliard at the Dominican Bar Association's 2024 induction ceremony, where she was sworn in as President.

                              Belliard at the Dominican Bar Association's 2024 induction ceremony, where she was sworn in as President.

                              “What you give back to others blooms into the future.”

                              Reflecting on NYLS’s impact, Belliard emphasizes the importance of mentorship and community support. “You can’t succeed alone. It’s vital to seek out mentors and allies, and to pay it forward as you rise in your career,” she says. “What you give back to others blooms into the future. Our efforts for the immigrant movement turn into progress, and progress turns into legacy.” Speaking to young women and lawyers from underrepresented communities, Belliard’s message is one of empowerment: “Own your unique perspective. Your identity and individuality are strengths that can shape and strengthen the legal profession.”

                              Belliard notes that several of her law school classmates continue to be friends and supporters within her professional network. A mentor herself, Belliard inspired Brandon Smith ’24 to attend NYLS, where he eventually became President of BLSA. Aptly, Smith praises how, in the NYLS community, “People look out for one another.”

                              Belliard’s journey exemplifies the power of compassion, advocacy, and dedication. Through her mission-driven firm, Belliard aims to leave a legacy of trust, excellence, and positive impact, while inspiring the next generation of lawyers to continue advocating for immigrants and creating opportunities for those who follow.

                              Belliard at the annual CUNY Citizenship Now! Naturalization Drive.

                              Belliard at the annual CUNY Citizenship Now! Naturalization Drive.

                              Guests at the New York Law School alumni celebration

                              Field and Campus: Fall 2024

                              Field and Campus
                              Fall 2024

                              By

                              At New York Law School, our student, faculty, alumni, and New York community came together for a variety of events throughout the fall semester. Community members engaged in civics programs, community celebrations, professional development opportunities, thought-provoking book talks, insightful conversations with legal experts and public officials, and more. Read some of our latest dispatches from 185 West Broadway.

                              SEPTEMBER

                              On September 5, NYLS hosted a workshop designed to introduce New York Law School alumni, as well as other members of the legal community, to the basic pathways for applying for a full-time or part-time law school teaching position. Attendees learned from NYLS faculty leaders about what a career in academia entails, including information on tenure track, long-term contract track, and adjunct teaching positions.

                              Professor Kirk Burkhalter speaking at the NYLS workshop.

                              On September 12, the Center for New York City and State Law invited the NYLS community and the public to the 193rd CityLaw Breakfast, where featured speaker Anne Williams-Isom, New York City Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, shared her insights about the Adams Administration's response to the increase in asylum seekers and the strategies they sought to implement.

                              Anne Williams-Isom

                              On September 17, students had the opportunity to meet with leadership from more than 20 local bar associations to learn more about getting involved, professional development and networking opportunities, and free and low-cost student memberships at an Open House organized by the Office of Academic Planning and Career Development.

                              New York Law School students networking with bar association leaders
                              New York Law School students networking with bar association leaders

                              On September 17, Norman Radow ’81, CEO of The Radco Companies and NYLS Trustee, joined us on campus for a special conversation with students. He shared many of the lessons he learned from his experiences in law and business as a real estate lawyer and running a real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and optimization of commercial properties.

                              Norman Radow and Gerry Korngold

                              On September 20–22, the NYLS Moot Court Association (MCA) hosted the 48th Annual Charles W. Froessel Intramural Moot Court Competition and welcomed a new cohort of NYLS students to join the MCA and prepare to compete nationally in the spring.

                              Winners of the New York Law School 48th Annual Charles W. Froessel Intramural Moot Court Competition
                              New York Law School students holding tshirts

                              OCTOBER

                              On October 2, New York City Planning Director Dan Garodnick came to campus for a conversation with Ben Max, Executive Editor for the Center for New York City and State Law, to discuss the Adams Administration’s “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” plan as the zoning reform proposal enters formal City Council review.

                              Dan Garodnick and Ben Max

                              On October 7, the Ronald H. Filler Institute for Financial Services Law hosted a discussion with Hester M. Peirce, Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Filler Institute Director Howard S. Meyers to discuss the role of the SEC and its current enforcement agenda, how the agency balances its role in capital formation and investor protection, and current regulatory developments.

                              Howard Meyers and Hester M. Peirce

                              On October 10, Rodger Quigley ’17 and Michael J. Sutnick ’25 joined us for a featured panel on clerkships to share their experiences as former clerks and judicial interns and to offer guidance to interested students on tailoring résumés for applications.

                              Rodger Quigley and Michael J. Sutnick

                              On October 17, we had a wonderful celebration of the New York Law School alumni community as we recognized graduates in classes ending in 9 and 4. Alumni heard from Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter '04 and Professor Anna G. Cominsky '05 at a CLE panel, moderated by veteran journalist Ben Max, Executive Editor and Program Director of the Center for New York City and State Law, where they discussed their process for breaking down complex legal issues in the headlines when they speak with journalists and appear in the media. Our community also caught up with classmates, reconnected with NYLS, and networked with fellow alumni throughout the evening at a festive reception.

                              Ben Max, Kirk D. Burkhalter, and Anna G. Cominsky
                              Guests at the New York Law School alumni celebration
                              Guests at the New York Law School alumni celebration
                              Alum at the New York Law School alumni celebration
                              Alumni at the New York Law School alumni celebration
                              Alumni at the New York Law School alumni celebration

                              On October 23, the Innovation Center for Law and Technology hosted a discussion with Errol B. Taylor ’87, Consulting Partner at Milbank LLP and NYLS Trustee, and Innovation Center Co-Director and Professor Shahrokh Falati ’08. Taylor spoke with students, faculty, and alumni to share his insights as a patent law attorney and leader of Milbank LLP’s biopharma patent practice with decades of expertise in complex technology protection, licensing, and other transactions.

                              Errol Taylor and Shahrokh Falati

                              On October 23, NYLS, in collaboration with the Historical Society of the New York Courts and the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Department, hosted an insightful conversation with Hon. Dianne T. Renwick, Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, and  Hon. Dunstan Mlambo, Judge President of the Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa, to explore the similarities and differences of constitutionalism and the rule of law manifest across New York and South Africa, and how courts grapple with country-specific issues and societal challenges at large. John Marshall Harlan II Professor Penelope Andrews, Director of the NYLS Racial Justice Project and an emeritus trustee of the Historical Society of the New York Courts, moderated the discussion.

                              Dunstan Mlambo, Penelope Andrews, and Dianne T. Renwick

                              NOVEMBER

                              On November 7, we celebrated the hundreds of accomplished NYLS alumni who serve at all levels of the judiciary at the 2024 Hall of Judges Ceremony and Reception. The celebration recognizes our alumni for their extraordinary contributions to the profession. During the ceremony, we also paid tribute to the alumni appointed to judicial positions over the last two years and unveiled their photos as they joined the Hall of Judges.

                              Jeff Becherer speaking at the 2024 Hall of Judges Ceremony and Reception
                              Anthony Cannataro
                              Guests at the 2024 Hall of Judges Ceremony and Reception

                              On November 11, NYLS hosted the Annual Veterans Day Luncheon to celebrate the veterans of our community and honor their service.

                              New York Law School veterans at the Annual Veterans Day Luncheon

                              On November 13, NYLS hosted a full-day conference in honor of the NYC Independent Budget Office’s (IBO) 35th anniversary. The conference featured a full day of panels where New York City public officials discussed the legacy of New York City’s 1989 Charter, how it transformed City government, the impact of the Independent Budget Office, and how the Office can continue to shape City governance in the future. Featured panelists included Brad Lander, New York City Comptroller, Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President, Stephen Louis, Counsel of the Center for New York City and State Law, Jumaane Williams, New York City Public Advocate, and more.

                              Guests at the New York Law School conference
                              Anthony Crowell

                              On November 18, NYLS and the First Generation Professionals student organization hosted its annual First Generation Professionals Etiquette Dinner. The evening included a reception, dinner, and networking with many supportive NYLS faculty and alumni in attendance, as well as an interactive program to help students learn how to navigate a cocktail hour and what dinner etiquette is needed to succeed in professional situations. NYLS Trustee and Distinguished Adjunct Professor Meryl Fiedler Lieberman ’81 was a guest speaker.

                              Students at the First Generation Professionals Etiquette Dinner
                              Guest at the New York Law School First Generation Professionals Etiquette Dinner
                              Guest at the New York Law School First Generation Professionals Etiquette Dinner
                              Anthony Crowell and Meryl Fiedler Lieberman with the First Generation Professionals Leaders
                              Meryl Fiedler Lieberman and Anthony Crowell speaking at the First Generation Professionals Etiquette Dinner

                              On November 20, students, faculty, and staff engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon ’85, on current issues facing our criminal justice system. The discussion was moderated by Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter '04 and Professor Claudine Caracciolo.

                              Michael McMahon

                              On November 25, Mandy Cohen, Director for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), visited our campus for a thoughtful conversation, with Dean and President Anthony Crowell and Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare Dean Dr. Shari Miller, on the CDC's work, the strategies it employs for public engagement and building trust, and expectations for the future work of the agency. The discussion also focused on the impact of misinformation and public health and examined strategies to help drive civic engagement and build stronger partnerships and trust between government and civil society. The discussion is the first in a program series on Civic Leadership, Law, and Social Welfare by NYLS and Stony Brook University. The series hosts high-profile speakers who will explore issues confronting a broad range of institutions that seek to build the public trust and drive responsible law and policy making.

                              Mandy Cohen
                              Shari Miller, Anthony Crowell, and Mandy Cohen
                              Speakers and Guests from the Civic Leadership, Law, and Social Welfare program series
                              New York Law School faculty

                              Faculty Highlights: Fall 2024

                              Faculty Highlights: Fall 2024

                              Penelope Andrews
                              Alan Appel
                              Lenni Benson
                              Lloyd Bonfield
                              Heidi Brown
                              Kirk Burkhalter
                              Richard Chused
                              Anna Cominsky
                              Anthony Crowell
                              Heather Cucolo
                              Shahrokh Falati
                              Kris Franklin
                              Donu Gewirtzman
                              Arthur Leonard
                              Kim Hawkins
                              Jethro Lieberman
                              Stephen Louis
                              Molly Guptill Manning
                              Richard Marsico
                              Howard Meyers
                              Justin Murray
                              Michael Pastor
                              Samantha Pownall
                              Asim Rehman
                              Rebecca Roiphe
                              Ross Sandler
                              Andrew Scherer
                              Nadine Strossen
                              Lynn Boepple Su
                              Ruti Teitel
                              Claire Thomas
                              Amy Wallace
                              Jeffrey Wice
                              Britney Wilson

                              New York Law School faculty are dedicated educators and renowned experts in their respective fields. Their scholarship and professional achievements advance the rule of law and legal educational excellence in New York, across the nation, and around the world. These items represent a sample of the activities of NYLS’s full-time, adjunct, and emeritus faculty.

                              Appointments, Awards, and Recognition
                              Books and Book Chapters
                              Law Review Articles and Publications
                              News and Media
                              Presentations
                              NYLS alumni

                              Class Notes: Fall 2024

                              CLASS NOTES
                              Fall 2024

                              Class Notes reflect the recent achievements and milestones of our esteemed alumni. Stay connected by submitting your news and updates.

                              1974

                              Zygi Wilf is the owner of the Orlando Pride, which captured the championship of the National Women's Soccer League.

                              1980

                              John F. Kuntz was named to the Board of Directors of Blue Foundry Bancorp. He is the former Senior Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer of Provident Bank.

                              1981

                              Hon. James J. Guida retired as New Jersey Superior Court Judge and joined the firm of LoFaro Carver LLC, focusing on alternative dispute resolution.

                              1984

                              John B. Zollo was elected to Suffolk County Court.

                              1989

                              Alison Finley joined Pierson Ferdinand LLP as Partner in their Los Angeles Corporate Department.

                              1990

                              Stuart Besen was elected to Suffolk County Family Court.

                              1991

                              Tim Walsh joined Steptoe LLP as a Co-Leader of the firm's insolvency and restructuring team. He was previously Partner and Global Head of Restructuring and Insolvency at McDermott Will & Emery.

                              1997

                              Holly Chamberlain, Partner in the real estate practice at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP in Charlotte, North Carolina, was the recipient of a Law360 MVP Award.

                              1998

                              Amish R. Doshi was elected to Queens County Civil Court.

                              2000

                              Pei Pei Cheng de Castro, former Deputy Counsel to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, joined Barclay Damon LLP as Partner.

                              Amy Tenney joined the firm Beveridge & Diamond as Chief Talent Officer in its Washington, D.C. office.

                              2001

                              Michael Aluko joined Norton Rose Fulbright in its financial services and regulation practice as Partner. He was previously Partner at Goodwin Proctor.

                              Chris DeCresce joined Freshfields as a Capital Markets Partner. He was previously Vice Chair of Paul Hastings' securities and capital markets practice.

                              Andrew O’Brien joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft as an Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Partner.

                              2002

                              Christopher Brocato was elected to Suffolk County Family Court.

                              Hilary Buyea was promoted to Partner in the real estate department at Sills Cummis & Gross.

                              Kelly Lerner Sanders was named Director of the Division of Mental Health Advocacy by the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender.

                              2003

                              Melissa Mitchum, Counsel at Jones Day, received a Law360 MVP Award in the category of “Complex Financial Instruments.”

                              2004

                              Susan Eylward was named General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Imunon, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company.

                              2006

                              Matthew Necci was confirmed as a Connecticut Superior Court Judge sitting in Norwich.

                              2007

                              Jeffrey Daniel was promoted to Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.

                              2008

                              Hon. Keisha Alleyne (LL.M.), a Kings County Civil Court Judge, was elected to Kings County Supreme Court.

                              Kimberly Heifferman joined Kennedys Law LLP in its Fort Lauderdale, Florida, office as Special Counsel.

                              Hon. Matthew Parker-Raso, a Bronx County Civil Court Judge, was elected to Bronx County Supreme Court.

                              Aysha E. Schomburg was named President and Chief Executive Officer of New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

                              2009

                              Danica Rue was named the first-ever Director of Investigations and Police Accountability for the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender. She will lead statewide efforts to strengthen the partnership between public defenders and investigators.

                              Alex Tolston, an Alumni Association Board member, joined TEGNA as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. TEGNA is the largest group owner of NBC-affiliated stations and owns ‘True Crime Network.’

                              2011

                              William A. Neri, an NYLS Adjunct Professor, was appointed to the position of Deputy Director of Legal Training for the Kings County District Attorney's Office. In addition, he was installed as President of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn.

                              Alana Sliwinski, Counsel at Troutman Pepper, was named to Law360’s “Top Attorneys Under 40” list for 2024.

                              2012

                              Meredith Abrams was promoted to Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

                              Julie Caleca joined the Sixth District Appellate Program in San Jose, California, as Staff Attorney.

                              Chirag Domadia joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP as Partner. He was previously an Associate at Milbank.

                              Alexis Riley was elected to Kings County Civil Court.

                              2014

                              Julianne Bonomo joined Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano PLLC as an Associate. She concentrates her practice on real estate law and transactions and corporate law.

                              Ashley Hart was named Cyber Leader for Private Equity and Transactional Solutions, Corporate Risk and Broking, North America at WTW (formerly Willis Tower Watson).

                              2016

                              James Wolff, Counsel and Chair, Emerging Technologies Law Group at Warshaw Burstein, LLP, was named to the Board of Directors of The National Space Society, an educational and scientific advocacy organization focusing on space exploration, development, and settlement.

                              2017

                              Abby Quigley was promoted to Partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

                              2018

                              Travis Bruno was promoted to Partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

                              2019

                              Michael L. Moretti was promoted to Partner at Rawle & Henderson LLP.

                              William M. Pekarsky joined Blank Rome LLP’s New York office as an Associate in the Commercial Litigation group.

                              2020

                              Cara Anan joined Riker Danzig as an Associate in the firm’s Family Law Group.

                              2023

                              Victoria Okraszewski joined Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP as a member of its Cyber Team.

                              2024

                              Elisheva Blitstein, Kayla Dobrinski, and Zoë Marks joined the Queens District Attorney’s Office as Assistant District Attorneys.

                              Hon. Frances Ortiz ’97 and Hon. L. Austin D’Souza ’11

                              NYLS Alumni Appointed Supervising Judges in New York City Courts

                              Hon. Frances Ortiz ’97 and Hon. L. Austin D’Souza ’11

                              New York Law School (NYLS) is proud to congratulate Hon. Frances Ortiz ’97 and Hon. L. Austin D’Souza ’11 on their appointments as supervising judges within the New York City court system. Judge Ortiz now serves as Supervising Judge for the New York County Housing Court, and Judge D’Souza as Supervising Judge for the Manhattan Civil Court.

                              Read the full announcement.

                              “I am truly grateful and honored to have the opportunity to serve as the Supervising Judge of the New York County Housing Court, a court that I have dedicated nearly three decades of my professional career to. I am excited to work alongside all the dedicated court personnel, including judges, court attorneys, clerks, and court officers, as we strive together to uphold the mission of the Unified Court System: providing equitable and fair justice for everyone who appears before our court,” said Judge Ortiz.

                              “I am delighted to lead an amazing team of judges and staff, whose work I deeply admire,” said Judge D’Souza. “Together we will work to meet the high standards that our court administrators set to best serve the people of our great city and state.”

                              Judges Ortiz and D’Souza are among several NYLS alumni commemorated in the School’s Hall of Judges, a tribute to the hundreds of NYLS graduates who have served at all levels of the judiciary. In November 2024, the School paid tribute to the alumni appointed to judicial positions over the last two years and unveiled their portraits as they joined the Hall of Judges.

                              Hon. L. Austin D’Souza ’11 and his family at the 2024 NYLS Hall of Judges reception
                              Hon. L. Austin D’Souza ’11 and his family at the 2024 Hall of Judges Ceremony and Reception.

                              View photos from the 2024 Hall of Judges Ceremony and Reception.

                              Kirk D. Burkhalter, Anna Cominsky, Rebecca Roiphe

                              In the News: Faculty Insights on National Headlines

                              Kirk D. Burkhalter, Anna Cominsky, Rebecca Roiphe

                              NYLS faculty members are regularly featured in the media, offering expert commentary on high-profile legal issues. Below is a roundup of the recent headline stories they’ve contributed to.

                              Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04

                              An expert in criminal law, Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04 serves as Director of NYLS’s 21st Century Policing Project, a project aimed at making substantive contributions to national police reform through legal and policy advocacy, engagement in the American Bar Association’s Legal Education Police Practices Consortium, and much more. A retired NYPD Detective, First Grade, Professor Burkhalter brings 20 years of law enforcement experience to his legal analysis. His recent media appearances include:

                              “FBI: New Orleans Attack ‘Act of Terrorism’” featuring Professor Kirk Burkhalter on CTV News.

                              Professor Anna G. Cominsky ’05

                              Professor Anna G. Cominsky ’05  directs NYLS’s Criminal Defense Clinic, guiding students through criminal cases at all stages of the process from arraignment through trial. She also serves as the Managing Attorney of New York Law School Legal Services, Inc. A former litigation associate specializing in federal and state criminal defense, Professor Cominsky’s media contributions span some of the most high-profile criminal trials. She has been quoted and/or featured in the following recent news stories:

                              “UnitedHealthcare CEO killing sparks concerns about extremism” featuring Professor Anna Cominsky on CBS Mornings.

                              Professor Rebecca Roiphe

                              As a legal analyst for CBS News, Joseph Solomon Distinguished Professor Rebecca Roiphe is often sought for breaking legal developments. A former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, Professor Roiphe examines the mediating role of prosecutors in democracy and prosecutorial independence, particularly regarding the President’s power to control the Department of Justice. She has been quoted as an expert on legal ethics and criminal justice in the following recent news stories:

                              “President Biden issues sweeping pardon for son Hunter Biden” featuring Professor Rebecca Roiphe on CBS News.

                              2024 top story banners

                              New York Law School’s Top Stories of 2024

                              2024 top story banners

                              As we prepare for a bright new year in 2025, we’re revisiting some of our top stories from 2024. Enjoy these highlights from around the New York Law School (NYLS) community. 

                              1. NYLS Announces 95% Employment Rate for Class of 2023; 91% Employed in Gold Standard Jobs: We were proud to celebrate our Class of 2023 for an impressive 95% overall employment rate 10 months after graduation, with 91% of the class in jobs considered “gold standard” bar-required or J.D.-advantage positions. These graduates are already making an impact in positions in New York and beyond.

                              2. Learning New Skills and Finding Belonging in the Pre-Law Pipeline Program: Each year, undergraduate students take part in our Summer Pre-Law Pipeline Program. We took an in-depth look at what the students gained from the program.

                              3. New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix Named Keynote Speaker at New York Law School’s 132nd Commencement: NYLS was honored to have the Honorable Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix, New York City’s Corporation Counsel, deliver the keynote address. She also accepted the Civic Fame award on behalf of the lawyers of the New York City Law Department.

                              4. Welcoming the Classes of 2027 and 2028 at NYLS’s 2024 Orientation: We’re excited each year to welcome our newest 1L students to campus and prepare them for a successful start to their law school journey. Take a look at the highlights from this year’s orientation.

                              5. Meet Our Law Students: Humans of NYLS, March 2024: Throughout the year, NYLS students nominate their peers for a spotlight in the Student Bar Association’s Humans of NYLS series. Meet a few of our students featured in the series.

                              6. New York Law School Honors the Class of 2024 at 132nd Commencement Exercises: At the beautiful Beacon Theatre, NYLS’s Class of 2024 received their degrees. Revisit the memories from the 132nd Commencement.

                              7. NYLS Launches The Ross Sandler and Alice M. Sandler Fellowship Fund: Established in honor of Professor Ross Sandler and his wife Alice M. Sandler, the new fellowship fund supports NYLS students pursuing a career in government.

                              8. New York Law School Launches the Center for New York City and State Law: Building on a legacy of success and over 30 years of in-depth NYC coverage, NYLS proudly announced that the Center for New York City Law had a new name to reflects its’ growing breadth of work and expanded programs led by experts on city and state government.

                              9. Alumni Class Notes: Spring 2024: Check out a few of the recent achievements and milestones from across our alumni community.

                              10. Top Grades for NYLS in Academics, Diversity, and Campus: We’re proud to have received accolades for our nationally recognized academic programs, beautiful campus, and inclusive community.

                              11. Post-Conviction Innocence Clinic Client’s Conviction Vacated After Years of Work:  Distinguished Adjunct Professor Adele Bernhard how a client of the NYLS Post-Conviction Innocence Clinic was recently exonerated in Brooklyn Supreme Court.

                              New York Law School Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, Emilie Delannes-Molka, Mina Kim, Stephen Navitsky, Lilly Pishvaian, and members from the Mangrove Business Academy

                              Empowering Small Businesses With Legal Tools

                              New York Law School Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, Emilie Delannes-Molka, Mina Kim, Stephen Navitsky, Lilly Pishvaian, and members from the Mangrove Business Academy
                              Members of the NYLS Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic and the Trademark Clinic pose with Mangrove Business Academy entrepreneurs after giving presentations addressing small business legal matters.

                              Mangrove Business Academy in Flatbush, Brooklyn, is an open workspace, learning annex, and cultural development center that supports local creative producers, makers, workers, and entrepreneurs. On November 21, four students from New York Law School (NYLS) visited Mangrove to give a presentation helping small business owners learn their options for legally safeguarding their businesses. Emilie Delannes-Molka ’25 and Mina Kim ’25 represented the PTO Trademark Clinic, while Stephen Navitsky ’25 and I represented the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic; both clinics are part of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment.

                              Each clinic gave a one-hour presentation, providing an overview of key topics and answering a range of questions from the audience.

                              The small business owners are enrolled in a 12-week course that offers hands-on training to help them navigate the challenges of starting and managing a business. They meet weekly to discuss business planning, management, and operations. We had the opportunity to guide them through the legal concerns they need to consider when starting their ventures.

                              As members of the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic with Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, Stephen and I focused on the business side of things, including choosing a business entity, the formation process, contractual concerns, and a new federal regulation known as the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). When we asked how many of them had already formed an LLC, more than half raised their hands. Many of them were already familiar with the CTA. The audience was very engaged, asking thoughtful questions that really tested our understanding of the material. It felt less like a presentation and more like a conversation with like-minded individuals.

                              Emilie and Mina covered the importance of trademarks, including the different types, how to uniquely identify a business, and the process of filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Unsurprisingly, the audience was very interested and even sparked a discussion about how off-brand cereal companies might be allowed to use similar marks to name-brand companies. Throughout the session, participants continued to ask specific questions about how the information applied to their own businesses.

                              At the end of the presentation, the audience expressed their gratitude with a round of applause. As the daughter of an immigrant entrepreneur, this experience was particularly meaningful to me. I felt I was giving back to people who, like my father once did, are navigating the learning curve and excitement of starting a new venture.

                              Since the presentation, we’ve already heard from a prospective client who could benefit from the legal services offered by New York Law School’s clinics. This experience was incredibly rewarding, and I hope future NYLS students continue to collaborate with the Mangrove Business Academy in the years to come.

                              Lilly Pishvaian and Stephen Navitsky presenting at the Mangrove Business Academy.
                              Lilly Pishvaian ’24 and Stephen Navitsky ’25 presenting at the Mangrove Business Academy.

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              Holiday Safety Tips

                              Staying Safe Over the Holidays

                              Holiday Safety Tips

                              With the holidays approaching, New York Law School (NYLS) wants to ensure our community is enjoying a safe and happy time with their friends, families, and loved ones. NYLS’s new Vice President for Security and Community Affairs Dennis DeQuatro, a retired New York City Police Department Deputy Chief and former head of security at UBS Arena and Madison Square Garden, is sharing some safety tips to help our community members make the most of their holiday plans.

                              Holiday Safety Tips

                              • Check for travel advisory or warnings for a specific region or country you will visit on your vacation. If you are traveling outside of the country, visit travel.state.gov/ for international travel, passport, and visa information.
                              • Avoid delays and confusion at the airport. Check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website to “Know Before You Go.”
                              • Avoid sharing specific travel plans or vacation updates publicly on social media or by word of mouth, particularly any details about how long you’ll be away from your home.
                              • Always let a trusted family member or friend know your travel plans. This should include departure and arrival times and whether you will travel by car, plane, or some other means. If your plans change or get delayed, let someone know.
                              • Remember that laws vary from state to state and from country to country. Be cautious as to your behavior especially when traveling to another country and take the time to learn about the area you will visit.
                              • Always check with your health insurance to see if you are covered in the state or country you are visiting. You may need to consider some type of travel insurance.
                              • Use a trusted or well-reviewed sitter for your pets if they are left behind while you travel. If you would like to travel with your pet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has more information about traveling with a pet.
                              • Avoid using public Wi-Fi and use a VPN whenever possible.
                              • Before traveling, unplug electronics at home to reduce the risk of fire.
                              • When shopping online, only use trusted websites—particularly around the holidays when there may be an increase in scams promoting fake travel deals, online retailers, or charities—and when possible, use third-party financial institutions such as PayPal or Google Pay to avoid providing your credit card information.
                              • Establish fraud alerts on your credit cards and banking institutions.
                              • Watch out for fake shipping delivery notifications. Only track shipments through official sites or apps. Never click on links from unsolicited email and text messages. If you would like to receive notifications about expected packages, FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service have informed delivery services that you can sign up for on their official websites.
                              • Stay alert and keep valuables close in populated areas or while among large crowds.
                              • If using a backpack, purse, or similar bag, be sure the bag is closed at all times and if possible, use a bag lock. Never leave your personal property unattended or hanging off the back of your chair.
                              • If you are using a vehicle while shopping and you plan to put packages or bags into your car then go back into the store or mall to continue to shop, be sure to place the packages out of view and move your vehicle to a different section of the parking lot to avoid your vehicle from being broken into, in case someone is watching.
                              • Never drink and drive. Have a designated driver or use a rideshare program or public transportation.
                              • If using a rideshare program, be sure to verify the information of the vehicle and driver on your app before getting into the vehicle. Ask the driver to confirm your ride without divulging information that can be used to deceive you. For instance, “Who are you picking up?” rather than “Are you here to pick up Susan?”

                              Stay tuned for more safety advice from Vice President for Security and Community Affairs Dennis DeQuatro in an upcoming series of articles, “Safety and Security Tips for NYC Students.” 

                              We wish our NYLS community members a safe and happy holiday season.

                              General Safety Reminders

                              • Be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts.
                              • Always report any suspicious activity. You may do so by calling your local police department for non-emergency situations or 911 for any emergency.
                              • No property is worth being injured or killed trying to protect. If you are the victim of a crime do not resist and surrender your valuables, then get to a safe place and immediately call 911.

                              New York Law School Veterans Day Luncheon

                              Honoring Service and Celebrating Community at NYLS’s Veterans Day Luncheon

                              New York Law School Veterans Day Luncheon

                              On Monday, November 11, New York Law School (NYLS) hosted its annual Veterans Day Luncheon, honoring veterans within the community and celebrating the camaraderie and shared experiences that bind them. Held in Abbey Hall, the event brought the NYLS community together to honor the service and sacrifice of its student, faculty, and alumni veterans.

                              NYLS Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell opened the celebration by first expressing deep gratitude to all veterans. “Veterans Day is always one of the most important days of the year for a country,” Dean Crowell said, “reminding everyone about the millions of veterans who serve and sacrifice for our nation’s freedoms. Our veteran community members represent the very best of our school, and I look forward to continuing to develop initiatives to help our veterans succeed in law school, and to provide more programmatic and educational resources to help the community in New York City and nationally.”

                              Arthur N. Abbey ’59, a veteran and Chair of the Board of Trustees, took the podium to share memories of growing up in an era marked by patriotism and unity and attending NYLS alongside World War II veterans. Abbey went on to describe the impact of his own military service, observing that it “left a huge impression” and taught him more about the importance of listening and discipline—values that continue to resonate with today’s students.

                              New York Law School Chair Arthur Abbey speaking at the Veterans Day Luncheon
                              Arthur N. Abbey ’59, Chair of the New York Law School Board of Trustees, speaks at the Veterans Day Luncheon.

                              Dean of Faculty William P. LaPiana added a historical perspective to the Veterans Day celebrations, emphasizing the role of legal professionals in honoring those who have taken the oath to support, protect, and defend the United States. “Those who volunteer to be true to that oath at the cost of their lives deserve our most profound respect,” Dean LaPiana stated. “Throughout all of our history, we have been secure in our republic because we know that among us are those who do not fear to give all that to ensure that.”

                              Navy veteran Lawrence Montle ’13 shared remarks reflecting on the sense of unity that military service fosters. Professor Montle is the Chief Information Security and Privacy Officer at the New York State Insurance Fund, as well as an adjunct professor at NYLS and faculty advisor to the Law School’s student veterans. “Veterans who go to New York Law School earn two communities,” he said. “You earn the community of veterans’ camaraderie, and on the other side, you also get the New York Law School community, which is deeply powerful and long-lasting.”

                              The event continued with a “Changing of the Guard” ceremony, where Samuel Olesinski ’26, President of the NYLS Chapter of the Student Veterans of America (SVA), passed the torch of leadership to Dominique Moody ’26. Olesinski, an Air Force veteran, recounted his meaningful work with NYLS’s Veterans Justice Clinic—which Professor Montle teaches—and noted how his military experience had prepared him for lawyering. “My military experience has greatly prepared me for the requisite attention to detail, precision, and critical thinking of the legal profession,” Olesinski said.

                              Moody, an active Army Reservist, reflected on the significance of Veterans Day, stating, “It’s a very important day for all past and present members of the military to reflect on how our service has made an impact in the world and our own lives. I hope that, as student veterans, we can come together and build a stronger connection with our alumni network. The bonds we form as veterans, lawyers, and law students can make a powerful impact, offering support, mentorship, and shared understanding.”

                              View photos from the 2024 Veterans Day Luncheon.

                              See the full list of veterans within the NYLS community.

                              Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              New York Law School Receives a Foundational Gift to Establish the Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment

                              In this season of Thanksgiving, visionary business leader Joe Plumeri, establishes a new center to empower small business owners, including veterans, by providing them with essential legal and business development assistance through the Law School’s clinical program.

                              New York Law School has received a very generous foundational gift from global business leader Joseph J. Plumeri (H’15) to establish The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment. November is the perfect time to announce this gift as we mark Thanksgiving, honor our nation’s Veterans, and celebrate “National Entrepreneurship Month,” “Veterans Small Business Week,” and “Small Business Saturday.”

                              This gift enables The Plumeri Center to use the power and breadth of the Law School’s clinics, faculty, students, alumni, and civic profile to provide substantial and meaningful legal and business assistance to strengthen New York’s small business and innovator/entrepreneur community. This financial support further cements Joe Plumeri as among the Law School’s largest benefactors in its 133-year history, as well as one of the most generous supporters of clinical legal education in the nation. His continued support furthers the School’s reach and helps more businesses thrive. Joe Plumeri serves on the School’s Board of Trustees.

                              In 2015, Joe Plumeri provided generous support to NYLS to build and operate an innovative facility with ground level access that co-located the Law School’s two dozen community-based and partner clinics in one location. Known as the Joe Plumeri Center for Social Justice and Economic Empowerment, the programs enhanced the visibility and accessibility of the School’s clinical services, allowing the faculty and students to serve a wider array of clients in need of legal counsel and representation and served as a role model emulated by other institutions around the country. Now, with this new gift, he is empowering NYLS to further differentiate itself by deepening and focusing the legal services NYLS provides to small business owners and entrepreneurs, including veterans and those from underserved communities. NYLS students will gain critical real world legal experience, and a much greater understanding of the essential role small businesses play in New York, and as a result, the national and global economies.

                              New York City has over 180,000 small businesses, which continue to open rapidly. Most of these businesses have fewer than six employees and nearly half are immigrant-owned. While a critical foundation to New York City’s economy, they usually do not have the resources to access legal representation and guidance that would help their businesses expand and thrive in the highly competitive, and highly regulated, market in New York. Four clinics will pursue the mission of the Plumeri Center, including the Small Business and Nonprofit Clinic, the United States Patent Office (USPTO) Patent Law Clinic and the Trademark Clinic, and the Veterans Justice Clinic. Each clinic works with a roster of diverse clients who need targeted legal assistance to form and strengthen their businesses, expand opportunities, and protect their ideas and innovations. The Plumeri Center will also establish a cutting-edge Gig Economy Project, focusing on helping both small business owners and the gig workers they increasingly rely upon to understand and navigate New York’s complex regulatory and policy environment.

                              The Center will also be a gateway to three of the Law School’s most powerful externship programs, where students are working on Wall Street, in New York City government agencies, and Washington D.C. firms and federal departments. In sum, the Plumeri Center offers a suite of cutting-edge leadership development and work experience programs that will prepare new generations of lawyers to make an immediate impact in their communities and on the economy.

                              Joe Plumeri, Founder, The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment said: “Small businesses are core to a healthy economy. As someone who has mentored entrepreneurs, and helped inspire and invest in the success of small businesses for many decades, I am excited by the power and promise that the Plumeri Center will offer low-income entrepreneurs and innovators, including veterans and others from underserved communities, who seek to make their big dreams and ideas a reality. Providing law students the opportunity to serve these clients also helps us to build in the next generation of lawyers the skills and values needed for modern practice.”

                              Anthony W. Crowell, NYLS Dean and President said: “Joe Plumeri always tells our students and other future leaders to, ‘Go play in traffic and find out what is possible’. His self-made success, unparalleled generosity, and inspirational messages have resonated with our community for years. With our latest job placement report for the Class of 2023 showcasing 95% are employed, the foundation of that success is tied directly to Joe’s unmatched support throughout the past decade for our best-in-class clinical programs, which have graduated the type of practice-ready students who are greatly needed in our communities.”

                              The Plumeri Center and NYLS will be advised and guided by an advisory board of the most prominent leaders and advocates in the New York public sector, small business, and academic communities. The Advisory Board will also ensure that the legal services offered reach into the diverse communities and business sectors they represent. In addition to Joe Plumeri, who will serve as Chair, the inaugural members include:

                              • Susan Plumeri, Co-Founder, The Plumeri Center; Small Business Entrepreneur
                              • Anthony Crowell, Dean and President
                              • Lisa Bova-Hiatt, CEO, New York City Housing Authority
                              • Dynishal Gross, Commissioner, NYC Small Business Services
                              • Kim Hawkins, Dean for Clinical and Experiential Learning
                              • Seve Falati, Professor and Director of the NYLS Patent Clinic
                              • Leslie Abbey, CEO, Hot Bread Kitchen
                              • Wellington Chen, Executive Director, Chinatown Business Improvement District
                              • Paul Kelly, General Counsel, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
                              • Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, NY Hospitality Alliance
                              • Jessica Walker, President & CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
                              • Fred Cerullo, President & CEO, Grand Central Partnership BID
                              • Joam Alisme ’14, Founder and Managing Attorney, Alisme Law LLC

                              Professor Jae Hyung Ryu, Director of the NYLS Small Business and Nonprofit Clinic, and NYLS Senior Fellow Christopher Bruno ’12, a nationally recognized expert in small business development, are also Advisory Board members and will work together to coordinate the work of the Advisory Board. Joe Plumeri is currently Executive Chairman of Selecta Group. He was a Senior Advisor to KKR and previous senior management roles include Vice Chairman of the First Data Board of Directors, as well as Chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings. Before joining Willis, Mr. Plumeri had a 32-year career, including as President of Citigroup and its predecessor companies. Mr. Plumeri is the author of “The Power of Being Yourself: A Game Plan for Success–by Putting Passion into Your Life and Work.” Mr. Plumeri attended New York Law School before joining investment banking.

                              New York Law School Patent Law Clinic Students

                              NYLS Patent Law Clinic Visits Harvard Medical School

                              New York Law School Patent Law Clinic Students

                              Law students in the Patent Law Clinic of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment at New York Law School (NYLS) visited Harvard Medical School (HMS) last month. The opportunity arose when the two inventors in Boston reached out to our clinic, seeking assistance related to a new technology they had invented for the ophthalmology industry. After discussions within our clinic centering on the nature of the invention and its timelines, our group decided to accept them as a new client, adding to our clinic’s medical innovation docket.

                              Patent Law Clinic students have worked with inventors at Yale Medical School; UT Health Houston’s McGovern Medical School; the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; and The University of Central Florida College of Medicine. The medical technologies that clinic students have assisted their clients with include new technologies related to hip implants; probiotics and maintaining healthy intestines; cervical cancer; treatments for trachoma and hepatitis C; and now this innovative new medical device for the ophthalmology industry.

                              Here, NYLS students reflected on their recent visit to Boston and their experience working with these inventors and the innovative medical technology they have invented.

                              Christine (Ji Yun) Park ’26

                              My visit to Harvard Medical School in Boston was an experience I will remember. The excitement of exploring this world-renowned institution in the heart of the city was evident when I woke up early in the morning that day. The vibrant atmosphere on campus, coupled with gorgeous fall weather, made my arrival truly memorable, something unforgettable. This was my first visit to Harvard campus. As I looked around, it was inspiring to see and be able to recognize the familiar logos like Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other well-known hospitals all in one area surrounding the medical school campus.

                              As a Patent Law Clinic member at NYLS, I have had the opportunity to work with passionate inventors seeking help in securing patent rights for their inventions. Meeting inventors at the medical school was equally fascinating and rekindled the passion that initially drew me to this field. The enthusiasm of the two inventors we are representing at Harvard Medical School reminded me of the importance of supporting their aspirations and the impact that innovative ideas can have on society. My visit to Harvard left me feeling motivated and reflective on my own journey. The experience not only broadened my understanding of the patent landscape but also reinforced my commitment to making a difference in the lives of passionate inventors. It was a truly eye-opening and inspirational experience that I will carry with me throughout my career.

                              Daria Denisenko ’26

                              Visiting Harvard Medical School with the Patent Law Clinic was an invaluable experience that brought our classroom learning into real-world practice. Our clinic was retained by two final year Harvard medical students to assist them in securing a patent for their eye surgery device — a potentially transformative invention in ophthalmologic medicine. The trip to Boston provided a unique opportunity to sit in the same room with our clients, discuss the invention in detail, and ask questions essential to our work as their legal counsel. The in-person meeting provided an opportunity to apply what we have learned by directly interacting with the two inventors. We worked in three small groups on behalf of our clinic to address three key topics and answered our clients’ questions during the 2.5-hour meeting.

                              This hands-on experience was more than just a meeting; it broadened my understanding of patent law, medicine, teamwork in our clinic, and — most importantly — the value of intellectual property in advancing innovations. Working under Professor Falati’s guidance has revealed the critical role that intellectual property (IP) law plays in protecting new technologies and bringing new innovations to market.

                              Continuing this project with the Harvard team is an incredible opportunity to deepen my knowledge of patent processes and contribute to a medical advancement that could improve patient care. This collaboration reinforces my commitment to IP law and my desire to work at the intersection of law and technology. Collaborating with my classmates has also emphasized the importance of teamwork in achieving shared goals and provided valuable preparation for my future career as a lawyer.

                              Reflecting on our trip to Boston, I realize how crucial hands-on experience is in bridging the gap between theory and practice, especially in a complex field like patent law. I am grateful for this opportunity to work alongside brilliant medical minds and gain practical experience that has enriched my learning.

                              Daniel Bonaventura ’26  

                              The trip to HMS was an awesome experience for me and a testament to the high level of education and practical opportunities provided by Professor Falati in the Patent Law Clinic, NYLS Legal Services, and New York Law School as a whole. On this trip we met with two inventors seeking to patent a new and innovative medical device.  It meant a lot to see how passionate they were about their invention andhow excited they were to be working with our clinic.  We also were given a tour of the HMS campus which is both beautiful and inspiring. This hands-on experience is irreplicable in a classroom and strongly increased my knowledge and understanding of the patent process, in addition to other aspects of intellectual property. As someone who studied Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Entrepreneurship Management in undergrad, there is practically nothing that excites me more academically than to interact with entrepreneurs, startups, and new ventures in general.  Through this experience at Harvard and through the clinic in general, I have been allowed to resume the entrepreneurial work that excited me in college, while building a legal foundation that is essential to being an IP lawyer or to start my own business. On reflection, I feel fortunate to have found an area of law that I am so passionate about, and I am enjoying learning more about it in doctrinal classes and as a member of the clinic.

                              Professor Falati, Juliana Recchia ’26, Christine Park ’26, Daniel Bonaventura ’26, Eric Siletzky ’26, Brooke Fulmer ’26, Ismael Mamdu ’26, Daria Denisenko ’26, and Jack Rucigay ’25
                              From left to right: Professor Falati, Juliana Recchia ’26, Christine Park ’26, Daniel Bonaventura ’26, Eric Siletzky ’26, Brooke Fulmer ’26, Ismael Mamdu ’26, Daria Denisenko ’26, and Jack Rucigay ’25

                              Patent Law Clinic of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment at New York Law School
                              The Patent Law Clinic, directed by Professor Shahrokh (Seve) Falati ’08, is a yearlong clinic, providing 2L and 3L students an opportunity to work with entrepreneurs and practice patent law before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              Dunstan Mlambo, Penelope Andrews, and Dianne Renwick speaking at event

                              An Intercontinental Conversation on Democracy and the Rule of Law

                              Dunstan Mlambo, Penelope Andrews, and Dianne Renwick speaking at event

                              On the evening of October 23, NYLS hosted a gathering of esteemed legal minds for A Conversation on Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law With Two Presiding Justices, presented in collaboration with the Historical Society of the New York Courts and the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Department.

                              The conversation explored how the principles of constitutionalism and the rule of law manifest, similarly and differently, across both New York and South Africa, and how courts grapple with country-specific issues and societal challenges at large. Featured speakers included Hon. Dianne T. Renwick, Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, and  Hon. Dunstan Mlambo, Judge President of the Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa, with insightful moderation by Penelope Andrews, John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law and Director of the Racial Justice Project at NYLS. Professor Andrews is also an emeritus trustee of the Historical Society of the New York Courts.

                              NYLS Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell commenced the event with welcoming remarks, touching on the critical role of constitutionalism in supporting democracy. Professor Andrews echoed the significance of this theme, framing the dialogue by stating, “Constitutionalism is at the foundation of a society that respects and aims to uphold human rights and civil liberties. It is what grounds democracy, and it is through constitutionalism and the rule of law that we ensure accountability, transparency, and a judiciary that serves its citizens.”

                              The discussion opened with an invitation for Justices Renwick and Mlambo to share their personal journeys to the bench, focusing on lessons learned as attorneys that they’ve carried into judgeship. Both judges cited their families as the first teachers of their guiding principles; Justice Renwick emphasized treating others how one wishes to be treated, while Judge Mlambo emphasized humility and respect for all.

                              Addressing the role of the rule of law, Justice Renwick said, “We all know our society is changing, our world is changing. We need to ensure that we are in constant conversation about what the rule of law is and what these concepts mean. Citizens must trust in the integrity of the law and the integrity of our institutions.”

                              Judge Mlambo offered his perspective as a South African, stating, “The rule of law is the glue that keeps us together. We have recognized as lawyers and as judges that we need to ensure that South African society understands and knows our Constitution. It will be useless if the people it is meant to benefit don’t know it very well and don’t see it in action. And for it to remain true to what its objectives are, the rule of law is key.”

                              A key moment in the discussion revolved around Judge Mlambo’s decision to allow the 2014 Oscar Pistorius trial to be broadcast, a ruling that encouraged transparency and reshaped South Africans’ perception of the court. Judge Mlambo explained that, in his perspective, broadcasting the trial presented an opportunity to debunk myths about how South Africans were being represented in court, as well as to empower the public by showcasing a Black judge on television.

                              Touching on the role of social media in modern democracy, Justice Renwick reflected on a 2015 case in which she held that social media companies served with warrants for customer accounts lacked a constitutional or statutory right to challenge the warrants on customers’ behalf. She highlighted the importance of an engaged judiciary and continuous legal discourse, especially in the face of technological advances and increased risk of widespread misinformation.

                              The conversation concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where both judges addressed questions ranging from the judge selection process in their respective countries to affirmative action and judicial diversity. Overall, the discussion served as an insightful exploration of the judiciary’s responsibilities and challenges in upholding constitutional principles across different legal systems and national contexts. NYLS is proud to partner with institutions such as the Historical Society and the Appellate Division, First Department to foster meaningful conversations like these within the NYLS community.

                              Anthony Crowell, Dianne Renwick, Dunstan Mlambo, and Penelope Andrews
                              From left to right: Dean Anthony W. Crowell, Hon. Dianne T. Renwick, Hon. Dunstan Mlambo, and Professor Penelope Andrews.

                              About the Presenters

                              The Historical Society of the New York Courts brings together legal professionals to preserve, protect, and promote the legal history of New York. The Society aims to empower New York students to create change, build an informed citizenry, capture living history, and share unique legal history stories.

                              The New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Department was established by the New York State Constitution of 1894 to serve as an intermediate appellate court with jurisdiction over New York and Bronx Counties. The Division wields the power and responsibility of reviewing questions of law and making new findings of fact, often serving as the court of last resort in most cases.

                              New York Law School student

                              NYLS Earns High Marks from preLaw Magazine in 3 Key Academic Areas

                              New York Law School (NYLS) is proud to be named among the “Top Schools” in preLaw magazine. In preLaw magazine’s fall 2024 issue, NYLS earned high marks in racial justice, business, and criminal law. Learn more about the School’s standout programs in these areas.

                              Racial Justice

                              At NYLS, students have an opportunity to work at the forefront of racial justice through the Racial Justice Project (RJP), a legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the constitutional and civil rights of people who have been denied their rights on the basis of race. RJP also works to increase public awareness of racism and racial injustice in the areas of education, employment, political participation, economic inequality, and criminal justice. They also host events with racial justice experts, including a recent conversation with Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, 2024 Templeton Prize Laureate, on her groundbreaking insights into the mechanisms of trauma and forgiveness.

                              A wide array of NYLS clinics and simulation courses also focus on racial justice, and our students have the opportunity to gain critical education about the myriad ways that they can become agents for change and justice. Among these offerings, Wilf Impact Public Interest Scholars and Postgraduate Fellows can also concentrate their work in racial justice. Wilf Scholars and Fellows work closely with faculty leaders on the front lines of our nation’s most important civil rights challenges and collaborate with external social justice organizations which operate in partnership with NYLS.

                              Business Law

                              NYLS has long been established as a business law leader for its impressive programs through the Center for Business and Financial Law. The School has an exceptional history of preparing graduates for careers in the business sector, including at innovative businesses, top financial institutions, regulatory agencies, and law firms.

                              Institutes within the Center like the James Tricarico Jr. Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel and the Ronald H. Filler Institute for Financial Services Law provide a range of opportunities in in-house counsel and financial services law education for law students and practitioners. Students have the opportunity to attend special events and programming where they can meet with and learn from the School’s extensive network of business and financial service leaders.

                              Students can also gain real-world experience in a variety of clinics and experiential learning opportunities. For instance, law students in the Securities Arbitration Clinic learn the skills they need to represent clients in securities arbitration proceedings before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) under the supervision of NYLS faculty, and students who take the week-long intensive Mini M.B.A. program engage with a broad range of professional topics that prepare them for the job market as they network with expert practitioners and business leaders.

                              Criminal Law

                              NYLS’s comprehensive criminal law program, which includes robust coursework mixed with extensive real-world experience, helps law students sharpen their practical legal skills. Students can work directly with police officers, victims, and witnesses to prosecute misdemeanor cases through the School’s two Criminal Prosecution Clinics, which partner with the Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorney’s Offices. Students can also work with The Legal Aid Society to represent low-income defendants in misdemeanor cases from arraignment through trial in the Criminal Defense Clinic.

                              NYLS institutes such as the 21st Century Policing Project (P21) and the Criminal Justice Institute provide students ample additional opportunities to address the defining challenges of our current systems, and prepare them to lead on issues of policing and criminal justice.

                              In addition, NYLS is expanding opportunities for students to engage with restorative justice efforts through new courses, externships, education, and advocacy work.

                              Catherine Brumit, Juan Castellanos, Cally Connelly, Francesca Perrone

                              Meet Our Law Students: Humans of NYLS, November 2024

                              Catherine Brumit, Juan Castellanos, Cally Connelly, Francesca Perrone

                              Students at New York Law School (NYLS) have always brought diverse backgrounds and unique career aspirations to the Law School’s vibrant community. In this month’s edition of Humans of NYLS, meet four remarkable law students nominated by their peers, and discover how they plan to use their comprehensive legal education to support their ambitions for the future.

                              Catherine Brumit ’28 Evening

                              Catherine (Catie) Brumit ’28 Evening is a 1L evening student currently working as a paralegal for a firm specializing in class action torts. Originally from East Tennessee, Brumit grew up on the east coast of Florida and graduated from Stetson University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in philosophy. She returned to Tennessee after college, working as a paralegal for the Federal Defender of Eastern Tennessee in the Capital Habeas Unit. There, she gained firsthand experience representing clients on death row. Brumit is passionate about working with incarcerated individuals and hopes to one day work in criminal defense, as well as handle civil rights claims for inmates.

                              Outside of school and work, Brumit loves to read and be creative. She has played clarinet for 13 years and enjoys playing with orchestras and ensembles. 

                              Juan Castellanos ’27

                              Juan Castellanos ’27 is a 1L day student who was born and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey. He is half Dominican and half Colombian, and has a background in photography and sports, including football, track, lacrosse, and pole vaulting. Castellanos attended Montclair State University before transferring to Rutgers University, where he majored in criminal justice, minored in Latino and Caribbean studies, and co-founded an e-sports club. Before graduating from Rutgers summa cum laude in 2023, Castellanos had taken several classes involving criminal law that piqued his interest in becoming an attorney. He later interned at the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office in Newark, New Jersey, which solidified his career aspirations.

                              In his spare time, Castellanos enjoys listening to music, spending time with his family and dog, and trying new restaurants. He also works part-time as a bartender and enjoys making creative cocktails and drinks.

                              Cally Connelly ’27 Evening

                              Cally Connelly ’27 Evening is a 2L evening student. She grew up in New Jersey, where she has lived her entire life. She currently works at the Office of the New York State Attorney General as a professional coder on the Data Analytics team in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Before law school, she received her master’s degree in public administration and her bachelor’s degree in criminology. Connelly has always had a strong interest in fighting for justice and has wanted to work in public service for as long as she can remember.

                              After law school,she plans to become a criminal prosecutor while also devoting time to helping wrongfully convicted incarcerated individuals who cannot afford representation.

                              Francesca Perrone ’27 Evening

                              Francesca Perrone ’27 Evening is a 2L evening student. She grew up in Sarasota, Florida, and moved to New York in 2014 to attend Barnard College of Columbia University, where she majored in political science. She later pursued a master’s degree in public health at New York University while working at the New York City Council in constituent services and legislative affairs. She is currently a Commissioner on the New York City Commission on Racial Equity, representing Brooklyn. She works to ensure that policies and programs capture the true needs of New Yorkers and engages directly with constituents to hear their concerns and turn them into action items.

                              After law school, Perrone strives to work as legislative counsel for a New York City Council Committee, drafting legislation that positively impacts New Yorkers. In the long term, she hopes to remain in the advocacy space and continue working to promote social justice and create meaningful change in the communities she serves.             

                              Want to meet more of our “Humans of NYLS”? Check out previous features!

                              John Christopher Lopez, Paulina Marino, Joe Rochman, Ilana Valins

                              Career Advice: Recent NYLS Alumni Share Their Best Tips

                              John Christopher Lopez, Paulina Marino, Joe Rochman, Ilana Valins

                              NYLS’s Office of Academic Planning and Career Development provides law students with tailored guidance to fit their career path from the first semester of law school to well beyond graduation. We spoke with a few recent grads to hear their best career advice for current law students.

                              John Christopher Lopez ’23, Associate at Tutunjian & Bitetto, P.C.
                              Be open to criticisms and have the right attitude. Study and understand the comments and suggestions of your mentors on your work product. Remember that your mentors are trying to help you and not roast you!

                              Paulina Marino ’23, Assistant Deputy Public Defender 1, New Jersey Office of the Public Defender (NJ OPD) in Newark
                              I would tell them to cast a wide net when applying. Be open to new opportunities by applying to a variety of different careers in different places. I was applying through public defenders’ offices websites and not hearing much. I never really considered a fellowship, but it was with the help of the Office of Academic Planning and Career Development and the wonderful faculty that I was able to secure a career in a field I am passionate about.

                              Joe Rochman ’22, Attorney, Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco, LLP
                              Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. When considering opportunities, think about what skills you will build that will help your future career, but keep an open mind. Also, think about how much you will enjoy your day-to-day as much as the subject area in which you are hoping to work. Embrace your life outside of law school and your future legal career; you will be surprised how much leading a well-rounded life helps you both personally and professionally. Volunteer and engage in your community.

                              Ilana Valins ’22, Legal Counsel, Consumer Products Licensing at BBC Studios
                              My biggest piece of advice for law students is to remember that everyone is on their own path. You can’t compare your grades, career, or achievements with anyone else’s. Also, don’t put yourself in a box! I did internships in multiple discipline areas while in law school and it gave me a broad perspective on my abilities.

                              The Office of Academic Planning and Career Development
                              Whether your interest lies in the public or private sector, the NYLS Office of Academic Planning and Career Development offers students incredible support along their career path. Students can schedule one-on-one meetings with an advisor for tailored guidance on how to pursue a law career that best fits their values and interests. The Office offers a wide-range of resources including résumé and cover letter writing help, practice interviews with NYLS professors and alumni, networking events, general and special interest career fairs, and more. Students can check out their weekly newsletter—The Inside Track—emailed to their NYLS address each Friday, year-round!

                              Patent Law Clinic

                              NYLS Patent Law Clinic Helps Disabled Veteran Patent Clean Energy Invention

                              Patent Law Clinic

                              The Patent Law Clinic of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment at New York Law School (NYLS), directed by Professor Shahrokh (Seve) Falati ’08, recently assisted client Tracy Omdahl in obtaining a U.S. patent. Omdahl, a disabled veteran, consulted for the Westinghouse Power Generation Business Group as an engineer in the energy industry. While serving as a Private in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, he was appointed by President Nixon to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

                              During his time in service in Fort Knox, Kentucky, Omdahl was severely injured in an M-62 A1 main battle tank and sustained permanent disabilities. He describes this period as a pivotal moment in his life, as he faced emotional anguish due to his injury following his honorable discharge. With the help of family and friends, Omdahl rebuilt his life, resuming reading literature about the engineering field and experimenting with his ideas. 

                              “If I did not have my work experience in engineering and my ideas for experimenting to fall back on, I’m not sure I would have found it so easy to transition into my new life,” Omdahl reflects.

                              After moving from Detroit, Michigan, to Florida, Omdahl began experimenting with ways to capture the sun’s energy, though his true passion was in wind turbine technologies. Drawing from his practical engineering experience and knowledge of issued patents on various wind-operated turbines, Omdahl began to build handheld models of vertical wind turbines and larger ground-staked units. To field-test these models, he adapted his turbines for use in signs for warnings, information, flags, advertising, and real estate placed on vehicles, structures, and lawns.

                              Omdahl encountered several technical problems at first, including the challenges of ensuring reliability in Florida’s tropical storm environment and attaching the wings to durable wing spars.  After many revisions to his original design, Omdahl discovered an innovative and improved way of instantly capturing the wind energy of all common velocities in Florida from all angles. He field-tested models of his invention in various storm wind conditions to confirm his calculations and his prototype’s veracity and efficacy under different controlled and uncontrolled natural environments.

                              Omdahl sent models of his invention to the Patent Law Clinic, explaining that he wanted to invent a more efficient way of capturing wind energy—one that could withstand and instantly adjust to high- and low-velocity wind coming from any direction. The goal of his vertical axis wind turbine is to provide alternative means of harnessing and accessing clean energy, especially in remote, off-grid areas. 

                              Omdahl’s initial patent application was rejected on multiple grounds, leaving him with little hope of success. However, Patent Law Clinic student associates reviewed technical documents, conducted legal research, and worked closely with Omdahl to draft thorough responses to each rejection, refuting the positions of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiner. Following a three-year prosecution full of hurdles, the Patent Law Clinic was able to get Omdahl’s patent successfully granted.

                              Clinic students Kathryn Sacca ’22, Tabetha Tufariello ’22, Maximilian Ranzato ’23, Kiera Latham ’23, Courtney Schenck ’24, Jacob Ehrlich ’24, Peter Vicchio ’25, Hailey Kate Chatlin ’25, Daria Denisenko ’26, and Daniel Bonaventura ’26 worked with Professor Falati to secure this U.S. patent and present it to Omdahl. 

                              NYLS’s Patent Law Clinic is proud to have successfully assisted Omdahl in obtaining a patent for his highly impactful wind energy technology, contributing to advancements in the clean energy industry. 

                              Daria Denisenko ‘26; Daniel Bonaventura; Peter Vicchio; Hailey Kate Chatlin; Professor Seve Falati
                              From left to right: Daria Denisenko ’26; Daniel Bonaventura ’26; Peter Vicchio ’25; Hailey Kate Chatlin ’25; and Professor Falati.

                              Patent Law Clinic Client, Tracy Omdahl

                              “Navigating the patent process was far more complex and time-intensive than I initially imagined, but the exceptional guidance I received from Professor Falati and the talented students in the Clinic made all the difference. They not only took the time to fully understand my invention—a vertical-axis wind turbine with the potential to significantly impact the wind-focused clean energy industry—but they also worked tirelessly to ensure my patent was granted. I am proud to share that my patent was officially granted recently, and I am now in the exciting process of commercializing my invention.”

                              Patent Law Clinic Student, Courtney Schenck ’24

                              “This was a very challenging client matter for us. However, after our first interview with Mr. Omdahl, it became clear that he was both knowledgeable and very patient with us. We used this opportunity and worked closely with him and Professor Falati for both semesters to capture the key features of his invention. Professor Falati was a crucial guiding force for us throughout this process and I’m impressed by the work of the subsequent Patent Law Clinic team who prosecuted and overcame the lengthy rejections to ultimately obtain a patent for Mr. Omdahl. Congratulations, Mr. Omdahl!”

                              Patent Law Clinic of The Plumeri Center for Small Business Empowerment at New York Law School
                              The Patent Law Clinic, directed by Professor Shahrokh (Seve) Falati ’08, is a yearlong clinic, providing 2L and 3L students an opportunity to work with entrepreneurs and practice patent law before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  

                              Christine Park, Professor Falati, Rachel Zakharov, Juliana Recchia, Eric Siletsky, Daniel Bonaventura, Jack Rucigay, Brooke Fulmer, Ismael Mamdu, and Daria Denisenko
                              From left to right: Christine Park ’26, Professor Falati, Rachel Zakharov ’26, Juliana Recchia ’26, Eric Siletsky ’26, Daniel Bonaventura ’26, Jack Rucigay ’25, Brooke Fulmer ’26, Ismael Mamdu ’25, and Daria Denisenko ’26.

                              Experiential Learning at New York Law School
                              Experiential learning is an integral part of the NYLS education. Through our top-tier programs, we offer students the opportunity to turn theory into practice: Starting in their first year, students participate in counseling, interviewing, and negotiating exercises in their foundational Legal Practice course. During their upper-level years, students may select from a wide array of experiential learning courses to hone their lawyering skills. Together with a comprehensive legal education, these experiential offerings prepare our students for careers in advocacy.

                              Andrea Johnson, Jae Hyung Ryu, Keisha Parker, Riti Singh

                              New York Law School Welcomes New Faculty

                              Andrea Johnson, Jae Hyung Ryu, Keisha Parker, Riti Singh

                              New York Law School is pleased to welcome four new faculty colleagues, Andrea Johnson, Associate Professor of Law; Jae Hyung Ryu, Associate Professor of Law and the Director of the Nonprofit and Small Business Clinic; Keisha Parker, Acting Assistant Professor of Law; and Riti Singh, Acting Assistant Professor of Law. They began teaching in the Fall 2024 semester.

                              They are extraordinary educators, scholars, and practitioners and we look forward to their engagement in a wide range of efforts throughout the Law School. Read more about our new faculty members below.

                              Andrea Johnson

                              Professor Johnson is teaching courses in areas of contracts, employment discrimination, and civil rights litigation. Prior to joining NYLS, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor and Diversity and Inclusion Fellow at Rutgers Law School in Camden. She also previously taught legal writing at West Virginia University College of Law, where she served as the inaugural fellow of the Fitzsimmons Center for Litigation and Advocacy. Professor Johnson brings practice experience in workplace discrimination and civil rights litigation. Prior to academia, she litigated employment and civil rights cases, and she served as a federal law clerk for the Honorable Victoria Roberts in the Eastern District of Michigan. Read Professor Johnson’s full bio.

                              Jae Hyung Ryu

                              Prior to joining NYLS, Professor Ryu led the Community and Economic Development Clinic at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. Before his academic career, he had over five years of experience at Cleary Gottlieb and Gunderson Dettmer. In both positions he managed a wide range of domestic and cross-border corporate and financial transactions on behalf of entrepreneurs, technology start-ups, financial institutions, and government agencies. Passionate about pro bono work, Professor Ryu has consistently counseled small businesses and nonprofit organizations, helping them with foundational business and transactional matters to support their growth and self-sufficiency. Read Professor Ryu’s full bio.

                              Keisha Parker

                              Professor Parker teaches Legal Practice to first-year law students at NYLS. Prior to joining NYLS, Professor Parker had an extensive career in high consequence civil litigation. She was involved with a number of catastrophic injury and death cases in which a product was alleged to have been defectively or negligently designed. She has defended automobile manufacturers in high consequence design defect, crashworthiness and warranty matters, as well as manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of consumer appliances, food and beverage, medical devices, and powered industrial machinery, faced with wrongful death, personal injury, and property damage lawsuits in federal and state courts in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Read Professor Parker’s full bio.

                              Riti Singh

                              Professor Singh teaches Legal Practice to first-year law students at NYLS. Prior to NYLS, she spent twelve years as an attorney with the Juvenile Rights Practice of The Legal Aid Society, representing children in abuse, neglect, custody/guardianship, and termination of parental rights proceedings. As a Supervising Attorney in the Appeals Unit, she was responsible for drafting, filing, and arguing briefs on behalf of children in New York appellate courts, as well as developing trainings and advising attorneys on trial strategy. Before joining the Appeals Unit in 2016, Professor Singh was a trial attorney, regularly appearing in Queens County Family Court as Attorney for the Child in child protective cases. Read Professor Singh’s full bio.

                              NYC municipal building

                              In Pursuit of Public Good: NYLS’s Enduring Legacy of Civic Engagement

                              In Pursuit of Public Good: NYLS’s Enduring Legacy of Civic Engagement

                              By

                              Since its doors opened in 1891, New York Law School (NYLS) has upheld an enduring commitment to civic engagement and public discourse. Underscoring this deep-seated commitment is the distinctive environment in which NYLS thrives, where the impact of public service is felt at an unparalleled level. The Law School is adjacent to New York City’s Civic Center, home to City Hall, Foley Square, several state and federal courts, and the Manhattan Municipal Building. Atop the Municipal Building is Civic Fame—a gilded statue symbolizing the government’s dedication to serving New Yorkers and the inspiration behind the Law School’s Civic Fame Award. This year’s award was presented to the New York City Law Department in recognition of their fearless leadership through the City’s toughest challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the asylum seeker crisis.

                              Proximity to Civic Center not only shapes NYLS’s identity but also enriches its educational offerings and opportunities. Current government officials and professionals in civic affairs are regularly present on campus, participating in events, visiting classes, and directly engaging with students. The Law School proudly maintains an A+ in government law and public policy, consistently ranks among the top institutions for public service careers, and remains one of the best-represented law schools in new attorney cohorts entering City service.

                              From City Hall to Lecture Halls

                              When Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell took the helm of New York Law School in 2012, he had served for more than a decade in City Hall as Counselor to the Mayor. Much like many NYLS graduates today, Dean Crowell’s career in New York City government began at the Law Department, where he was an Assistant Corporation Counsel. His civic-mindedness eventually led him to the Office of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, where he worked directly to improve New York City. One might wonder—what compelled Dean Crowell to flip the switch from government to academia? The reality is: a passion for public service is at the heart of it all.

                              “New York Law School has historically understood and celebrated the value and worth of lawyers in public service,” says Dean Crowell. “It has inspired students to see that lawyers—who, by their very nature, engage in a life in service to others—can have deeply meaningful careers in the public sector and build for the future in compelling ways.”

                              Shaping the City

                              In 1994, NYLS took its commitment to public service one step further when Professor Ross Sandler created the Center for New York City Law, now the Center for New York City and State Law. The Center’s new name reflects its broader scope, with plans to enhance reporting, analysis, and civic dialogue on the law, government, and public policy at both the City and State levels. Dean Crowell will serve as the Center's Faculty Director, with Professor Sandler, the Samuel Seabury Professor of Law, continuing to serve as Founding Director.

                              Professor Sandler founded the Center aiming to promote a deeper understanding of New York's government by disseminating often-overlooked information, sponsoring events on governance topics, and proposing reforms to enhance government effectiveness and efficiency. Since arriving at NYLS, Professor Sandler has brought to bear his illustrious public service experience, which includes distinguished roles as a federal prosecutor, Special Advisor to Mayor Edward I. Koch, and Commissioner of the City’s Department of Transportation. In May 2024, NYLS launched the Ross Sandler and Alice M. Sandler Fund to support students who intern for federal, state, or city government agencies.

                              “We want to encourage the best of our law students to consider government for their legal career,” says Professor Sandler. “As was often repeated by Mayor Koch under whom I served as New York City Commissioner of Transportation, ‘Public service is the most noble of professions if it’s done honestly and if it’s done well.’ The Fund in our name will provide New York Law School students with the opportunity to experience the joy and satisfaction of working for the government.”

                              Nestled within the Center for New York City and State Law is the one-of-a-kind New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute, led by national redistricting expert and Distinguished Adjunct Professor Jeffrey Wice. Professor Wice brings over 40 years of expertise to the Institute, helping to advise the public, organizations, and government officials on best practices for federal, state, and local redistricting processes, as well as strategies for utilizing federal census data. The Institute serves as a "New York State hub," providing support and guidance on statewide projects and New York State’s complex election law.

                              Alice M. Sandler, Ross Sandler, and Arthur Abbey

                              Alice M. Sandler, Professor Ross Sandler, and NYLS Board of Trustees Chair Arthur Abbey '59 at the 2023 Abbey Hall Dedication.

                              Jeff Wice

                              Professor Jeff Wice speaking at the 2024 New York Redistricting conference co-sponsored by the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute.

                              Bridging Legal Education and Public Service

                              Beyond the Center for New York City and State Law, NYLS’s commitment to civic engagement permeates every aspect of its culture. Even its motto, “We are New York’s law school,” stems from Dean Crowell’s intent to further emphasize the School’s rich yet somewhat implicit commitment to public service. Today, that commitment is more evident than ever, with the Law School showcasing several impactful programs and initiatives related to public interest law.

                              The Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law has significantly expanded NYLS’s public interest work, launching projects and programs aimed at utilizing the law to advance social justice and enhance the role of public interest law in students’ professional development. The Center weaves together various strands of public interest lawyering, housing institutes focused on areas such as police reform, housing rights, education policy reform, and racial justice. Whether students plan to pursue public service through a community-based organization or a government agency, NYLS’s curriculum is designed to equip them with the fundamental skills needed for critical work in pursuit of the greater public good.

                              While some legal professionals may distinguish between public interest law and government law, NYLS students are likely to explore the intersecting aspects of both throughout their legal education. This is exemplified by the work of the Diane Abbey Law Institute for Children and Families—an institute within the Wilf Impact Center that partners with the American Bar Association’s Family Law Section to publish Family Law Quarterly (FLQ). Faculty Editor in Chief Lisa F. Grumet—who also directs the Abbey Institute and served the NYC Law Department for 16 years—guides NYLS students in serving as FLQ editors, exposing them to the interconnected aspects of public interest and government work.

                              “In addition to editing articles on topics such as children’s educational rights, domestic violence, and child welfare, FLQ student editors update charts surveying laws in all 50 states and write about new legislation,” notes Professor Grumet. “Overall, family law encompasses a wide range of practice areas in the government, nonprofit, and private sectors. Through their work in editing, conducting statutory analysis, and writing about new laws, students gain insights into the process of legislative reform. These insights benefit all students, regardless of whether they intend to go into community-based public interest work or government. FLQ graduates have worked at New York City agencies, prosecutor's offices, and nonprofit organizations, as well as in private law practices or in-house counsel positions.”

                              Reflecting on how her NYLS experience deepened her commitment to public service, former FLQ Student Editor in Chief Alexandra Ogunsanya ’24 said, “Becoming a lawyer is the path not only to my dreams, but to helping to build the dreams of others. Throughout my time at NYLS, I’ve had the opportunity to nurture this passion, participating in clinics, internships, and classes centered around public interest. Being a part of the inaugural cohort of Wilf Impact Public Interest Scholars gave me the opportunity to connect with like-minded peers and faculty beginning in my first year at NYLS.” Ogunsanya was the 2024 recipient of the Kathleen Grimm Medal for Distinguished Public Service, which she received during NYLS’s 132nd Commencement.

                              Alexandra Ogunsanya at Commencement

                              Alexandra Ogunsanya '24 sharing remarks at NYLS's 132nd Commencement.

                              Lisa Grumet

                              Professor Lisa F. Grumet speaking at the 2023 Abbey Hall Dedication.

                              The “S” Word

                              Students are educated on the critical roles of public servants firsthand, learning from civic leaders with deeply substantive practical experience across many areas in the public sector. This is best illustrated through State and Local Government, a course that is team-taught by Dean Crowell, who continues to serve the City as a City Planning Commissioner. His co-teachers include Hon. Anthony Cannataro ’96, Associate Judge and former Acting Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals; Senior Associate Dean Matt Gewolb, the former Legislative Director of the New York City Council; and Stephen Louis, Distinguished Adjunct Professor at NYLS and Distinguished Fellow and Counsel to the Center for New York City and State Law. Professor Louis formerly served the NYC Law Department as Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel and Chief of the Legal Counsel Division.

                              The course predominantly offers modules on the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of New York State and City government, providing a framework for examining important issues and topics intersecting law and public policy at large. This approach reflects the fact that, given New York City’s designation as the world’s capital, the functions and decisions of its government serve as models for governments around the globe. Dean Crowell aptly captures this phenomenon with a simple yet poignant “S” word—scale.

                              “When you work on behalf of New York City, by the very nature of what you're asked to do, you're working at a scope and scale that's almost incomparable,” Dean Crowell explained. “We prepare students to understand the impact of government at maximum scale, and that prepares them to not only be effective when they're in practice in New York City or State, but anywhere else they go. The old saying, 'If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,' really means something."

                              When it comes to effectively preparing students for civic leadership, Dean Crowell strives to teach students not only what the law is, but why it exists. “Without understanding the history of how our laws became what they are today, it will be almost impossible to effectively shape law and policy for tomorrow,” he notes. As to which core values he hopes to instill in NYLS students, the answer aligns with his four pillars of good government: transparency, integrity, accountability, and independence.

                              Anthony Cannataro

                              Hon. Anthony Cannataro ’96 speaking at the 2022 Hall of Judges Ceremony.

                              Matt Gewolb with NYLS students

                              Sr. Associate Dean Matt Gewolb (second from right) with NYLS students at the U.S. Capitol.

                              Out in the World 

                              The cultivation of NYLS’s tradition of civic engagement extends far beyond the School’s classrooms. Under Dean Crowell’s leadership, experiential learning programs have expanded, allowing students to actively engage in government affairs. Through clinics, internships, and externships in diverse government agencies—such as the Law Department, City Council, and several District Attorney offices, among others—students engage with civic activities at an incredibly broad level.

                              The NYC Gotham Honors Externship, connecting academic learning to practice, provides unparalleled legal training in some of the City’s most influential agencies. Additionally, students are prepared to tackle the distinctive challenges and responsibilities of government practice outside of New York City through the Washington, D.C. Honors Externship. Dean Gewolb, Faculty Director of Externship Programs and architect of these initiatives, notes how integral these experiences are for NYLS students.

                              “The Washington, D.C. Honors Externship is a cornerstone of our mission to prepare NYLS students for impactful careers in public service,” says Dean Gewolb. “By immersing students in the heart of the federal government, the D.C. externship provides invaluable hands-on experience and a deep understanding of civic engagement at the national level. Our curriculum is intentionally designed to bridge academic theory with real-world practice, ensuring that students not only learn about the intricacies of federal law but also understand their role in shaping public policy and advancing the public good.”

                              Big Apple, Bigger Impact

                              NYLS has been intertwined with the fabric of public service since its earliest days. Many of the School’s inaugural alumni ascended to the highest echelons of government, serving as governors, U.S. Senators, and judges. Notably, three alumni consecutively rose to assume New York City's highest political office of Mayor, each leaving a lasting mark on the city's landscape. Mayor John P. Mitchell, Class of 1902, championed anti-corruption, a cause he fervently pursued during his time as an Assistant Corporation Counsel. Mayor John Hylan, Class of 1897, laid the groundwork for the NYC subway system, which now serves as a vital link connecting NYLS students to all corners of the five boroughs. Jimmy Walker, Class of 1904, changed the City’s landscape more literally, overseeing the creation of the Sanitation Department and spearheading initiatives to enhance city parks and playgrounds.

                              Ironically, the nearly two-decade-long era of NYLS graduates occupying the mayor's office came to an end at the hands of another NYLS alumnus—Judge Samuel Seabury, Class of 1893, who was dedicated to ridding the government of corruption. Seabury, who also served as a Court of Appeals judge, has a legacy of public service that is immortalized alongside that of many others in NYLS's Hall of Judges, a tribute to the hundreds of alumni who have served at all levels of the judiciary. The homage includes Roger J. Miner, Former Senior Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and John Marshall Harlan II, Former Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

                              Also featured is Hon. Anthony Cannataro ’96, who was honored at the Law School’s 2022 Hall of Judges Ceremony. A leading legal figure, Judge Cannataro made history as the first openly LGBTQ+ Acting Chief Judge in the nation’s 50 states. He recently joined NYLS as a distinguished adjunct professor to co-teach State and Government Law with a focus on New York State constitutional law. His arrival parallels a critical period for budding lawyers; with recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions deferring more responsibility and lawmaking to the States, it’s now more vital than ever for new lawyers to understand the intricacies of State constitutions.

                              2022 Hall of Judges

                              Save the Date

                              2024 Hall of Judges Ceremony and Reception

                              Thursday, November 7, 2024
                              6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. ET

                              Join us in Tribeca for a celebration of the hundreds of accomplished NYLS alumni who serve at all levels of the judiciary. We will pay special tribute the alumni who have been appointed to various judicial positions over the last two years, unveiling their new photos in the NYLS Hall of Judges and recognizing them for their extraordinary contributions to the legal profession.

                              Embracing Change to Pave the Road Ahead

                              For the past 133 years, NYLS alumni have passionately embodied the impact of its enduring legacy of civic engagement. But it’s crucial to consider—amidst a period when society, the economy, and technology are undergoing historically rapid changes, what lies ahead for students of the coming century? Ben Max, Executive Editor and Program Director for the Center for New York City and State Law, notes that, in an ever-evolving city like New York, it's imperative that NYLS continues to nurture its tradition of civic engagement thoughtfully and innovatively.

                              “As we look to the future, the Center for New York City and State Law aims to engage current public sector officials in constructive dialogue and to empower the next generation of civic leaders to tackle many challenges across government, policy, and law," says Max. "We are charting the Center's next phase as a civic engagement hub connecting the NYLS community with the City and State government and the broader civic-minded public. Our work will ensure that NYLS continues to graduate so many highly qualified and committed professionals who enter public service and contribute to a better city, state, and country."

                              Looking ahead, NYLS remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a culture that promotes honest, thoughtful, and innovative civic engagement. With a rich history, a vibrant present, and a promising future, the Law School continues to inspire the next generation of lawyers, whether they pursue public service or not, to approach the challenges of tomorrow with passion and purpose.

                              “To me, the greatest outcome is to inspire our students to be the next generation of lawyers and leaders and managers, but also to seek elective office and to have the courage to stand up to forces that are counter to our democracy or counter to the interests of all New Yorkers,” says Dean Crowell. “I want our students to always feel inspired by our programs and motivated to make a difference, regardless of the path they take into the profession. We will always be there to support them.”

                              Anthony Crowell speaking at orientation

                              Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell welcoming new students at 2024 Orientation.

                              Ben Max and Anthony Crowell

                              Center for NYC and State Law Executive Editor and Program Director Ben Max alongside Dean Crowell.

                              Shaping NYC: NYLS Alumni in Action at the Law Department

                              Top Row: Ross Lazicky, Steven Smith, Megan Galloway-Cole, Bryn Ritchie; Middle row: Jeffrey Noll, Sabrina Smith, Adam Tynan; Bottom row: April Pacis, Jonathan Lerch, Julia Porzio

                              Hear from alumni serving the City through the NYC Law Department about the invaluable experiences they had at NYLS that helped shape their legal careers. Read about their specialized practice areas and the broader work of the Law Department.

                              Ross Lazicky ’22

                              Ross Lazicky

                              “I didn’t hesitate to take part in the different student organizations, co-curricular programs, and experiential learning programs offered at NYLS. Each of those opportunities gave me the experience and insight related to the day-to-day work of a public servant and exposed me to a network of like-minded individuals. That was invaluable as I entered my professional career.”

                              Jeffrey Noll ’22:

                              Jeffrey Noll

                              “If a student intends to pursue a career in public service, they should take the opportunity to intern for a government agency to find a practice area that they’re passionate about. Working in public service presents the opportunity to directly apply your legal skills and gain experience quickly. Public agencies also offer many different career paths that allow young lawyers to grow professionally while contributing to the public’s benefit.”

                              April Pacis ’22

                              April Pacis

                              “If I were to share one piece of advice with students pursuing public interest law, I’d tell them to get as much experience as possible in different areas of public service to ensure they know what they want to do. Any new law student might surprise themselves with what they end up enjoying as they explore NYLS’s internships, externships, and clinics!”

                              Julia Porzio ’22

                              Julia Porzio

                              “As someone pursuing public interest work, it was essential for me to participate in the clinics and pro bono programs NYLS offered. I obtained practical skills that aren’t typically taught in a classroom, such as preparing discovery, attending court calendar calls, handling caseloads, and more. I participated in the Criminal Prosecution Clinic at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the Courtroom Advocates Project, Moot Court, and Family Law Quarterly. I gained invaluable experience from each one.”

                              Bryn Ritchie ’22

                              Bryn Ritchie

                              “The myriad opportunities at NYLS to practice and develop lawyering skills were instrumental in building my confidence as a new lawyer. Clinics and other co-curricular activities provided excellent avenues for developing practical skills in a supportive learning environment. Students who are practicing their lawyering skills while still in law school are sure to stand out in professional settings.”

                              Sabrina T. Smith ’22

                              Sabrina T. Smith

                              “One of the highlights of my time at NYLS was joining the Moot Court Association (MCA) during my 2LE year. Each semester, I had the opportunity to participate in an external competition and moot both sides of an issue. Some of my best competition experiences came about when I imagined that my client was standing next to me listening to the arguments made on their behalf. MCA not only taught me how to be an effective oralist but also emphasized the importance of zealous advocacy for the client. This experience greatly influenced my decision to pursue a litigation career in public service. It is a privilege to practice as an Assistant Corporation Counsel at the NYC Law Department.”

                              Adam Tynan ’22

                              Adam Tynan

                              “New York Law School does a fantastic job of preparing their students for the working world by giving them true hands-on experiences while in law school. For me personally, interning at the New York City Law Department for a year through the NYLS Tort Municipal Defense Civil Litigation Clinic taught me the ‘put your head down and work’ mentality. Employers hiring NYLS graduates know they will get determined and hard-working people.”

                              Kirk Burkhalter

                              Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04 Answers the NYLS 10

                              Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04 Answers the NYLS 10

                              By Allison Gillingham

                              Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04 is a criminal law expert and a retired NYPD Detective, First Grade. As a member of the New York Law School faculty, he teaches a number of courses, including topics such as criminal law and legal practice, to our student body. Professor Burkhalter has brought his experience and expertise to the national conversation on police reform and accountability, including through his role as the director of the 21st Century Policing Project (P21) at NYLS. As director, he leads the project in working to boldly advance critical racial justice and police reform through legal and policy advocacy, thought leadership, comparative analyses of different policing and Civilian Complaint Review Board models, on-site assistance to local jurisdictions, and robust engagement in the American Bar Association’s Legal Education Police Practices Consortium.

                              Here, Professor Burkhalter answers the NYLS 10—10 questions about his work, his interests, and the things he looks forward to.

                              1. What is the focus of your work?

                              Outside the classroom, my goal has been twofold: first, to educate people via media commentary on problems involving policing and the fact that the fairly recent attention these problems have received do not mean these are problems are new or somehow worse. Rather, they have been consistent throughout American history. Second, rather than simply being the town crier of doom and gloom, I like to think I work toward finding methodologies whereby the police can more effectively serve and protect. This conversation begins with a redefinition of “policing” and the role of law enforcement in a modern society.

                              2. How has your scholarship and interests changed over your career?

                              Teaching requires an enormous time commitment, especially when you are passionate about it. After 15 years of full-time law school teaching, I feel like I am finally finding time to work on other projects, like the 21st Century Policing Project (P21), where we develop strategies with law enforcement departments and municipalities around the country to implement police reforms and to improve the relationship between police departments and the diverse communities they serve.  I hope these and other projects will have an important impact outside of the classroom.

                              3. How do people respond to your work?

                              Favorably (knock on wood)! The time has been ripe for the conversation. I have found that my students, colleagues, and the general public are quite interested and supportive.

                              4. What’s a problem you wish you could solve with a snap of your fingers?

                              The problem that has plagued us since the inception of the institution of policing: segments of the population believe their interests and well-being conflict with and are adversarial to those of the law enforcement community and the criminal justice system. Regarding our criminal justice system, beyond the concept of “a fair day in court,” the focus must also be on a fair opportunity not to have to go to court at all. The history of policing in the United States is complicated. If I could snap my fingers, the entity that is responsible for enforcing our laws would look quite different from what we have today.

                              5. What questions do you have that you want to be able to answer with your work?

                              I’m interested in providing practical answers to the questions that arise about implementing fair and effective policing practices. I strive to work with police departments and the community to provide solutions to the problems I’ve discussed here.

                              Kirk Burkhalter speaking

                              In December 2022, Professor Kirk Burkhalter participated in “Teaching About Race and Policing in New York City” panel discussion at a conference in South Africa.

                              Kirk Burkhalter receiving award

                              As the NYLS Black Law Students Association (BLSA) Advisor, Professor Kirk Burkhalter presented Professor Emeritus David Chang with an award at the 2023 BLSA Alumni Dinner.

                              6. How do you approach teaching law?

                              My first and foremost rule is that I never want a former student to come back to me after graduating and ask, “Why didn’t you prepare me for practice?” or “Why didn’t you let me know the professional standard I would be held to?” I sincerely hope that all my students find classes with me interesting, engaging, exciting, and fun, and that they remember our time together fondly. However, this is a professional school. As such, I have a fiduciary responsibility to prepare students for success in the legal profession. Not to try to do so, or make best efforts, but to do so.

                              7. What are you excited about these days?

                              I am very excited to be disappointed by the Mets in September and for the return of the New York football season (as only true New York sports fans understand!). I’m also excited about the upcoming season of Jazz at Lincoln Center—great music inside the beautiful Rose Hall. In particular, there will be a performance in mid-January entitled “Cool School & Hard Bop” featuring the music of Miles Davis, MJQ, the Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet, Horace Silver, and Art Blakey. Should be amazing!

                              8. What’s the next year like for you?

                              The fall is always such an interesting time; students and faculty alike always enter or return to the law school with renewed focus and enthusiasm. I look forward to that feeling in August. I hope to move the ball forward and complete a couple of P21 projects I have been working on over the past year.

                              9. Whose work excites you these days?

                              That is a difficult question. This summer I have been working my way through Thomas Hertog’s On the Origin of Time: Stephen Hawking’s Final Theory and Sean Carroll’s The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and Motion. What do these works have to do with law? Nothing, and that’s really okay. I think it’s important for law students and legal professionals to take time to cultivate interests outside of the profession. The practice of law is an intellectual pursuit; therefore, I firmly believe that the exploration of any subject matter that challenges one intellectually will make one a more effective lawyer.

                              10. What are you reading, watching, or listening to?

                              I do far more listening than anything else. I listen to music when I work, work when I listen to music, or simply unplug and listen to music. I have been in a Yusef Lateef phase lately. He was a jazz musician who played the tenor sax, flute, and oboe—cool stuff. I have also been listening to a lot of Charles Mingus, an amazing composer, arraigner, and bass player, and trying to complete my collection of his LPs (though some of his highly sought after LPs can be a bit costly). And there’s Samara Joy, Terrace Martin, Andra Day, and several other really amazing contemporary artists.

                              Kirk Burkhalter in Rome

                              Professor Kirk Burkhalter with Judge Gualtiero Michelini of the Italian Supreme Court of Cassazione at the 2024 Law and Global Society Summer Program in Rome.

                              Kirk Burkhalter at NYLS Commencement

                              Professor Kirk Burkhalter with NYLS graduate Yorlson Lotin '24 at the 2024 Commencement Ceremony at the Beacon Theatre.

                              Kirk Burkhalter

                              As part of the 2024 Law and Global Society Summer Program, Professor Kirk Burkhalter at the American University of Rome campus during the 2024 Law and Global Society Summer Program.

                              Aaron and Erin Miner

                              Alumni Spotlight: Aaron Miner ’07 and Erin Miner ’08

                              Alumni Spotlight: Aaron Miner ’07 and Erin Miner ’08

                              By Jennifer Bancamper

                              Our Alumni Spotlight Series features some of the most exciting, ambitious, and successful members of our alumni community—NYLS graduates making real differences in New York City and beyond.

                              In this installment, we caught up with the Miners, Aaron and Erin, who graduated from New York Law School in 2007 and 2008, respectively. What first began in a crowded elevator nearly 20 years ago has led them to become life partners, parents to two children, and highly successful lawyers who support one another endlessly.

                              One Family, Four Lawyers

                              Back when he was a “tiny wee kid,” Aaron Miner ’07 spent his time chasing his sister around a law office in Upstate New York. This wasn’t much of a problem for the firm’s owners, considering the kids running around were their own. Around this time, Aaron’s uncle, The Honorable Roger J. Miner ’56, was preparing to serve as a federal judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a role that his nephew would see him sworn into.

                              Miner’s connection to NYLS began decades before he was born. He is not only the nephew of Judge Miner but also the grandson of Judge Miner’s father, Abram Miner, Class of 1926. All around him were lawyers—his parents, his uncle, his grandfather—all of whom embodied the robust value of legal education.

                              “It all made a big impression on me, growing up around the [legal] industry,” Miner recalls. “Especially the connection with New York Law School.” It almost seems destined; Miner’s long-standing familiarity with the law and with NYLS led him straight down the path to the School’s doors.

                              “It kind of just came together.”

                              At the same time, Erin Miner ’08 had the law far from mind. Pursuing a business degree, Miner was initially interested in a career in advertising and marketing. But when she took a business law class that she thoroughly enjoyed and excelled in, her professor asked her the fateful question—“Have you thought about law school?”

                              Once the law school seed was planted, Miner began a slow but steady journey into the world of law. Although still uncertain of her path, Miner took the LSAT, eventually applying to a few law schools to see where she’d get in. “It kind of just came together,” Miner says, reflecting on her decision to pursue law. Her nonlinear journey guided her to NYLS, where she arrived excited yet unaware of all that lay ahead.

                              Erin and Aaron miner at the Hon. Roger J. Miner Reading Room Dedication in July 2013

                              The Miners at the Hon. Roger J. Miner Reading Room Dedication in July 2013. 

                              “It opened my eyes.”

                              Weeks after a brief, distant encounter inside a crowded elevator on campus, the Miners first came face-to-face at a tryout for NYLS’s Jessup International Moot Court Competition team.

                              “I was coaching the Jessup Moot Court Competition with a couple other people,” Aaron recalls. “We were trying out competitors to be on the team, and Erin came in like a whirlwind. I remember because the mood of the room was kind of relaxed and quiet, then Erin came in at a hundred miles per hour. She was ready to go. Immediately, the mood in the room changed from kind of relaxed to, ‘Okay, let's get down to business.’”

                              Erin’s first impression of Aaron was based more on his reputation than his person. Remembering the team’s period of competition prep, Erin says, “We were all working on our briefs, and we were looking for comments from the coach. Everyone kept saying, ‘Oh, don't worry, as soon as Aaron Miner gets back [from vacation], he's going to edit all your briefs. He's the best at editing. He knows every blue book. He knows every citation. He does the best legal research.’ I remember when he walked in, I said, ‘You're Aaron Miner? Here you go. Here's a list of stuff that I need help with.’ And that's how we really got to know each other better.”

                              When their paths converged, each of the Miners had a unique approach to the world around them. Their differences ultimately helped forge their connection as they supported each other through the trials of law school. Aaron, excelling in legal research and writing, often shared research advice with Erin. In turn, Erin inspired Aaron to become more organized and strategic, an aspect of their dynamic they say still exists today.

                              Reflecting on their time together at NYLS, Erin also notes the broader impact Aaron had on her law school journey. “As soon as I made the decision to go to law school, I did it to get a big firm job. That was sort of the only path for me when I entered,” Miner explains. “I was way too driven by just getting a job. Aaron came into law school with totally different goals than I had, and it opened my eyes to a more balanced, nuanced three years than I otherwise would have had.”

                              Erin and Aaron Miner with the NYLS Moot Court team members in 2007.

                              The Miners alongside NYLS Moot Court team members at the 2007 Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. 

                              “Aaron and Erin have a real partnership.”

                              Regarding the ongoing impact of their NYLS experiences on their legal careers, the Miners emphasize that the community they found at the Law School has continued to provide the utmost support. "The sense of community from New York Law School continued to be a push throughout our careers,” Aaron says.

                              Beyond NYLS, the Miners are surrounded by an abundant family of legal professionals who understand their lives as lawyers. But perhaps most important is the Miners’ shared experiences, which allow them to deeply empathize and support one another both personally and professionally.

                              This supportive dynamic has existed since the earliest days of their relationship, evident to those around them. The Miners fondly recall a funny moment from their wedding, when Aaron’s uncle and wedding officiant Judge Miner delivered a memorably punny line that encapsulated their synergy: “Aaron and Erin have a real partnership.”

                              Aaron and Erin Miner

                              The Miners at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018, where they were admitted alongside Dean Crowell and other NYLS community members. 

                              Aaron and Erin Miner and their children

                              The Miners with their two children in Fall 2023. 

                              A Full Circle Moment

                              Today, Aaron is a partner at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP and plays a pivotal role in the firm’s Securities Enforcement and Litigation practice group. He’s led legal teams across the country, handling intricate internal investigations involving major regulatory bodies such as the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                              Erin currently serves as the Head of Executive and Regulatory Compensation at Citigroup, Inc., where her expertise thrives at the intersection of finance and law. Her deep knowledge of compensation strategy and regulatory compliance is underscored by her tenacity. Before joining Citigroup, Erin worked at Credit Suisse, advancing steadily over 11 years thanks to her drive.

                              Despite pursuing different paths within their shared profession, the Miners have always clung to a common thread rooted in their NYLS experience.

                              “The through line is that it's possible for both of us,” says Aaron. “Nothing has ever been handed to the two of us, and I think that's probably true of a lot of New York Law School students. You're not going to the School to be handed anything on a silver platter; you're there to really learn how to become a lawyer. And it's on you, as the individual student, to really hustle and have your own personal drive to keep climbing as much as you can towards whatever goal it is. That same through line of constant hustle and drive is what led us to where we are today.”

                              In recognition of their tremendous legal work, leadership, and support of the New York Law School Law Review, NYLS honored the Miners at the 2024 Law Review Benefit Banquet.

                              "It was a full circle moment: Each of them was on the Executive Board of the Law Review during their graduating year, and each contributed so much to the journal as students," says Professor Michelle Zierler, Faculty Publisher of the Law Review. “Now, we welcome them back as honorees for their exceptional legal achievements. It was a very special evening.”

                              Aaron and Erin Miner

                              The Miners speaking at the 2024 Law Review Benefit Banquet.

                              “NYLS helped us maintain the confidence and willingness to keep pushing forward.”

                              Echoing the value of grit and determination, Erin states, “We have very different personalities and very different approaches, but I do think that New York Law School helped us maintain the confidence and the willingness to keep pushing forward and to be very resourceful.”

                              True to the NYLS motto, “We are New York’s law school,” the sense of ambition that the School instilled in the Miners mirrors New York City’s reputation for nurturing passionate, relentless individuals. Both Miners embody this ethos fiercely, consistently taking the initiative throughout their careers to reach the heights they enjoy today.

                              2023 NYLS Alumni Celebration

                              Class Notes: Spring 2024

                              CLASS NOTES
                              Spring 2024

                              Class Notes reflect the recent achievements and milestones of our esteemed alumni. Stay connected by submitting your news and updates.

                              1978

                              David M. Dince has joined The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law as New York Senior Counsel.

                              1979

                              Sam Himmelstein is being honored on October 25, 2024, by Tenants Political Action Committee, Inc. for his legendary contributions in the fight for tenant protections.

                              Marie A. Richardson has been named Project Director of Bronx Legal Services at Legal Services NYC. She previously spent 25 years at The Legal Aid Society.

                              Hon. Jonah Triebwasser, Village Justice for the Village of Red Hook, New York, recently taught a course in commercial driver cases for the National Traffic Law Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Judge Triebwasser is a member of the faculty of the National Judicial College.

                              1982

                              Michael Ketring, General Counsel for The Alliance for Downtown New York, has been recognized in Crain New York Business’s ‘Notable General Counsels’ list.

                              Christine Lepera, Partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, has been named Billboard’s ‘Music Lawyer of the Year.’

                              1984

                              Kevin Windels has been promoted to Partner at Kaufman Dolowich, specializing in professional liability cases.

                              1985

                              Michael McMahon, Richmond County District Attorney, was sworn in as President of the New York State District Attorney Association.

                              Glenn Richards has joined the Washington, D.C. office of Dickinson Wright as head of the telecommunications practice. He was previously Partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

                              1987

                              Ushir Pandit-Durant, Queens Supreme Court Justice and the first South Asian woman judge elected in New York State, has been awarded the Asian American Judges Association of New York’s AAPI Achievement Award.

                              1988

                              Suzanne V. Shane has been appointed Chief Campus Counsel at Stony Brook University. She will serve as the university’s lead attorney, managing and supervising the Office of General Counsel.

                              1989

                              Kimberly Glatt, a former municipal judge in the City of Hoboken, has been named a public defender in the Bayonne Municipal Court.

                              Michael J. Sullivan joined Sills Cummis & Gross as Of Counsel to the firm’s tax, trusts and estates practice group.

                              1991

                              Michael Bowe, who is currently Partner at Brown Rudnick, has been named to Forbes’s “America’s Top 200 Lawyers” list.

                              Gary Ireland has announced that he and his daughter Sydney will collaborate with filmmaker John Corso to produce a feature film advocating for the inclusion of girls in the Scouts BSA.

                              Robert Orlin has joined STV, a professional services firm that plans, designs, and manages infrastructure projects across North America, as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel.

                              1994

                              Susan Ball, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and General Counsel of Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. in Boca Raton, Florida, has been recognized on the 2024 OnCon Icon Awards list as one of the top 50 corporate counsels in the world.

                              Eric Tuchmann, Chief Legal Officer of the American Arbitration Association, was recognized in Crain New York Business’s list of ‘Notable General Counsels.’

                              1996

                              Murielle Steven Walsh, Partner at Pomerantz LLP, was featured in Law360’s “Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar” series, which highlights elite litigators.

                              1997

                              Michael Griffin has been promoted to Office Managing Principal in the Seattle, Washington office of Jackson Lewis P.C.

                              1998

                              Rubeena S. Sehgal has been named Shareholder in the tax and estate planning practice of Stevens & Lee’s Princeton, New Jersey office.

                              1999

                              Gabriel Infante has been promoted to Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator for the Duke University football team.

                              Professor Patricia Szobonya, Program Director of Legal Studies at Rockland Community College, has been selected as one of 11 faculty members from U.S. community colleges and minority-serving institutions to participate in the 2024 Overseas Faculty Development Seminar in India, an initiative by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers.

                              2000

                              Chrissy Hanisco launched Life Stages Law, PLLC, a boutique virtual law firm specializing in adoption, assisted reproduction technology, and estate planning, serving clients in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

                              Hon. Bianka Perez has been appointed to the Appellate Term of the Supreme Court, First Department, in the First and Twelfth Judicial Districts as an Associate Justice. She is the first person of Dominican descent to sit on the appellate bench.

                              Marea Wachsman was sworn in as the President of the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York on June 1, 2024.

                              2001

                              Heather M. Rago, an experienced workers’ compensation litigator, has been elevated to Partner at Goldberg Segalla’s Newark, New Jersey office.

                              2002

                              Andrew N. Fluger has been promoted to Special Counsel in the Civil Litigation practice in Goldberg Segalla’s White Plains, New York office.

                              Douglas Singleterry has been re-elected to a second term on the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners.

                              2003

                              Melissa G. Andrieux, Chief Diversity Officer and Chief Client Relations Officer for Dorf Nelson & Zauderer LLP, has been awarded the Business Council of Westchester’s Ambassador of the Year Award.

                              Joseph McCarthy joined the Hamilton, New Jersey office of Stark & Stark as Partner.

                              Ilir Mujalovic has been named Practice Leader, U.S. Capital Markets and Global ICM at the newly merged firm A&O Shearman.

                              Megan Penick, a seasoned corporate, securities, and capital markets lawyer, has joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP as a Capital Markets Partner.

                              John Rutenberg has been named Chair of The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau’s 2024 Board of Directors. He is the Commercial Market President for Truist Financial Corporation.

                              2004

                              Marisa Okun, a seasoned litigator specializing in general liability issues, has been elevated to Partner at Wilson Elser.

                              Ilona Posner has been promoted to Partner at the firm Moritt Hock & Hamroff. She focuses her practice on complex commercial real estate transactions.

                              Matthew R. Smalls, Senior Vice President at MirRam Group, has been named among City & State’s ‘2024 Who’s Who in Government Relations’ list.

                              2005

                              Daniel Desalvo has been confirmed as a New Jersey Superior Court Judge for Hudson County.

                              2006

                              Gerald Brown joined Dechert LLP as Partner in its financial services practice group. He was previously Partner at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP.

                              2007

                              Christopher Boies joined Paul Hastings as Partner in the financial restructuring group. He was previously Partner at King & Spalding.

                              Shawn Kodes has been named the new Co-Chair of Paul Hastings’ asset-backed finance group. He was previously Partner at Weil Gotshal & Manges.

                              Chris Nguyen has been named Chief Executive Officer of the California Lawyers Association, one of the largest voluntary bar associations in the U.S. He will also serve as CEO of the California Lawyers Foundation.

                              Scott D. Taffet, an experienced trial attorney, has joined Marshall Dennehey’s Westchester County office as a shareholder in the Casualty Department.

                              2008

                              Josh Block, Bloomberg Industry Group Executive Producer, accepted the company's first Emmy Award for his 2022 video on New York City's property tax system. He is Executive Producer of Bloomberg Law's UnCommon Law podcast, which was selected for the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award in 2023.

                              Chance Miller was named Athletic Director at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.  He was previously Senior Deputy Athletics Director at the University of South Carolina.

                              2009

                              Frank G. DiSpirito, a civil litigator in the Garden City, New Jersey office of Goldberg Segalla, has been elevated to Partner.

                              Lev Ekster, a longtime executive of Bowlero Corporation, has been promoted to company President.

                              Andrea Mauro has been appointed as Special Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division of the Rhode Island Attorney General. She was formerly Deputy Chief of the Enterprise, Major, and Cyber Crimes Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

                              Ryan Steinman, an intellectual property attorney, has been promoted to Principal at the firm Fish & Richardson.

                              2010

                              Charli B. Baldinger has been named Partner in the workers' compensation practice of Vaughan Baio & Partners.

                              Eric C. Henry, Head of Regulatory and External Affairs at Ocean Winds North America, has been recognized in City & State’s ‘2024 Who’s Who in Government Relations’ list.’

                              Robert P. Miraglia, General Counsel to the Bronx Borough President, has been named among a list of ‘Notable General Counsels’ by Crain New York Business.

                              Matteo Percontino has been elevated to Partner at the Hackensack, New Jersey office of Cole Schotz P.C. He works in its bankruptcy and corporate restructuring practice.

                              Kassandra Perez-Desir, Head of Government Relations for New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico at DoorDash, was honored in the ‘2024 Who’s Who in Government Relations’ list by City & State.

                              Tara Walsh has been named Partner in the New Jersey firm Ansell Law. She specializes in criminal defense and municipal court defense.

                              2011

                              Benjamin Burge, a Partner at Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC practicing startup formation, banking, and estate planning, has been recognized in Buffalo Business First’s ‘40 Under 40’ list.

                              Benjamin N. Hirschler has been appointed as Special Counsel to the firm Windels Marx. He represents financial institutions and real estate operators in connection with acquisitions, sales, financing, and refinancing of commercial properties.

                              Ian Turetsky has been promoted to Partner in the Global Commercial Disputes Group at Reed Smith. In addition, Reed Smith also promoted Kiriaki Tourikis ’03 to Counsel.

                              2012

                              Chaim Bueno has been promoted to Senior Counsel in the real estate practice of Morrison Cohen.

                              Eric J. Einhart, Partner at the Russo Law Group in Garden City, was elected Vice President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) for the 2024–25 term. He will serve as President of NAELA for the 2025–26 term.

                              Steven Harding, an elected member of the Connecticut State Senate, has been named the Senate Minority Leader for the State’s Republican Party.

                              Trevor A. Prince Jr. has been elevated to Partner at Archer & Greiner within its business litigation group.

                              Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Felicia A. B. Reid as Executive Deputy Director and Acting Executive Director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. She spent the last six years at the Office of Children and Family Services.

                              2013

                              Timothy S. Carr, an experienced litigator who represents transportation companies in general liability issues, has been promoted to Partner at Goldberg Segalla’s West Palm Beach, Florida office.

                              Jason Rindenau has joined Haistack Law Firm, the legal division of haistack.ai, as its Managing Director. In this role, he utilizes his diverse background that combines the analytical rigor of legal practice with the creative spark of the entertainment world.

                              2014

                              Eric Knowles was elevated to Counsel in the real estate department at Fox Rothschild.  Based in the firm’s New York office, he focuses his practice on representing developers, lenders, owners, purchasers, nonprofits and other clients with various land use and zoning issues.

                              Ariana LoGiudice has been elevated to Counsel at Saiber LLC, where practices in the firm’s Gaming Law practice group.

                              Shirley Paul has been appointed Assistant Counsel for Judiciary by Governor Kathy Hochul. She most recently served in the Executive Chamber as Senior Advisor and Director of Constituency Affairs.

                              2015

                              Jennifer Gong has been promoted to Partner at Finn Dixon & Herling. She specializes in executive compensation and employment and benefits matters.

                              Michael Isselin joined DLA Piper as Partner in its trademark, copyright and media practice.  He was previously Partner at Reed Smith.

                              Edward Velky has been named Principal at the firm Bressler Amery & Ross. He works in business, complex commercial, construction, and general litigation.

                              2016

                              Brian Ruiz has joined Goldberg Segalla in its Worker’s Compensation practice group in the Newark, New Jersey office.

                              2017

                              Ed Kiernan was appointed General Counsel of The Charter Revision Commission. He currently serves as Senior Counsel in the Office of City Hall Chief Counsel.

                              2018

                              John D. Naphor has joined Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook & Cooper, P.C. as an Associate in its Litigation Group. His practice in the New Jersey-based law firm will focus on defense litigation.

                              2019

                              John Muldoon has joined the real estate firm Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. as an Associate within the Litigation Department.

                              Luke S. Shemeth, an experienced litigator who specializes in complex civil litigation, has been promoted to Of Counsel at Rawle & Henderson LLP.

                              2021

                              Angelica Aminov has joined Norton Rose as an Associate. In this role, she counsels clients throughout the investigation, containment, and remediation of data breaches and other security incidents.

                              Erin Peake, an attorney with Slater Slater Schulman LLP, received the Doris S. Hoffman Outstanding New Lawyer Award from the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York.

                              2022

                              Michelle Kerrigan has joined Hoagland, Longo, Moran, Dunst & Doukas as an Associate within its Transactional Department. She focuses her practice on commercial and real estate litigation in the firm’s New Brunswick, New Jersey office.

                              New York Law School faculty

                              Faculty Highlights: Spring 2024

                              Faculty Highlights: Spring 2024

                              Penelope Andrews
                              Alan I. Appel
                              Heidi K. Brown
                              Kirk D. Burkhalter
                              Claudine Caracciolo
                              Anna G. Cominsky
                              Anthony W. Crowell
                              Shahrokh Falati
                              Kris Franklin
                              Doni Gewirtzman
                              Gerald Korngold
                              William P. LaPiana
                              Molly Guptill Manning
                              Richard D. Marsico
                              Justin Murray
                              F. Peter Phillips
                              Rebecca Roiphe
                              Andrew Scherer
                              David Simson
                              Lynn Boepple Su
                              Ruti G. Teitel
                              Elizabeth Valentin
                              Amy Wallace
                              Britney Wilson

                              New York Law School faculty are dedicated educators and renowned experts in their respective fields. Their scholarship and professional achievements advance the rule of law and legal educational excellence in New York, across the nation, and around the world. These items represent a sample of the activities of NYLS’s full-time faculty.

                              Appointments, Awards, and Recognition
                              Books and Book Chapters
                              Law Review Articles and Publications
                              News and Media
                              Presentations
                              Ross Sandler, Michael Cardozo, Arthur Abbey, Anthony Crowell

                              Field and Campus: Spring 2024

                              Field and Campus: Spring 2024

                              By

                              From conferences and symposiums to thought-provoking panels and fireside chats, there’s always something new happening on New York Law School’s campus to excite students and engage them with experts across the legal community. Read about a few of the latest happenings at 185 West Broadway.    

                              FEBRUARY

                              2024

                              Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah signing book

                              On February 20, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, award-winning author of the acclaimed book Chain-Gang All-Stars, visited campus along with award-winning investigative journalist Liliana Segura for a thought-provoking interdisciplinary panel, moderated by Professor Britney Wilson, to examine how fiction shows us the creative possibilities for transformative justice.

                              MARCH

                              2024

                              Christopher Giordano and Howard Meyers

                              On March 19, the Ronald H. Filler Institute for Financial Services Law hosted a special fireside chat with Christopher Giordano ’93, Partner at DLA Piper and Chair of its U.S. Mergers and Acquisitions Group and New York Corporate Group, and Professor Howard S. Meyers, Director of the Filler Institute. Mr. Giordano discussed his mergers and acquisitions (M&A) practice, his career in the M&A field, and general advice for students interested in this practice area.

                              Paula Kinney, Beth Drazba, Linda Braasch, and Heidi Hutner

                              On March 20, NYLS students, faculty, and staff and our wider New York community were invited to a screening of Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island, an award-winning documentary about the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear meltdown. The film explores never-before-told stories, including that of NYLS Adjunct Professor Joanne Doroshow, who took the local community’s case to the U.S. Supreme Court as a young attorney. After the screening, attendees had an opportunity to discuss the documentary with director Heidi Hutner, Professor Doroshow, and four of the women who advocated for accountability after the meltdown.

                              APRIL

                              2024

                              New York Law School's James Tricarico Jr. Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel and Center for Business and Financial Law event

                              On April 2, James Tricarico Jr. Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel and Center for Business and Financial Law hosted an insightful conversation on compliance, consulting, and financial services with NYLS alumni and other industry leaders. Matthew Bobrow ’15, Counsel, Private Equity and Investment Funds, Nixon Peabody LLP; Kevin Corbett ’03, Partner, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP; Patrick Nicholson ’08, Chief Compliance Officer, S&P Global Ratings; and Joan Schwartz, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, FNZ North America discussed their career experiences, including how they started in the field, and shared advice with students interested in practicing in these areas of law.

                              NYL solar eclipse viewers

                              In the afternoon on April 8, NYLS students, faculty, and staff excitedly gathered on the terrace and passed around solar eclipse viewers to witness the North American solar eclipse.

                              NYLS Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit

                              The annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit was April 26. The event brought together in-house counsel, attorneys in private practice, and NYLS students to learn about and engage with current issues and information related to cybercrime and the law, including the cyber risk landscape, incident response, and how to craft effective cyber programs with the inclusion of counsel.

                              See photos of the event.

                              MAY

                              2024

                              MKT Digital Magazine Spring 2024 0424 Field and Campus v17

                              New York government officials including Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, Assemblymember Manny K. De Los Santos, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, visited campus on May 1 to see Governor Hochul sign into law new protections against organized retail theft as part of the FY25 State Budget.

                              Camille Broussard and Arthur Abbey

                              On May 8, NYLS celebrated Professor Camille Broussard, Associate Dean for Information Services and Director of The Mendik Library, and her profound impact on the NYLS community as she became a Professor Emerita after 34 years with the Law School.

                              See photos of the event.

                              Anthony Crowell and New York Pro Bono Scholars

                              On May 8, New York Law School hosted a hybrid program for all New York Pro Bono Scholars across the state. Hon. Rowan Wilson, Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, came to campus to share welcoming remarks with the students.

                              JUNE

                              2024

                              Jeff Wice

                              NYLS’s New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute and Center for New York City and State Law hosted a conference on June 18 that explored the impact of the 2014 voter-approved New York constitutional amendment that created a new redistricting system. Experts discussed what led to chaos and confusion in the implementation of the system, what changed, and what might shift before 2030 through new constitutional reform.

                              See more photos of this event.

                              NYLS 2024 Civic Fame Award

                              On June 18, New York Law School also invited the NYLS community and past and present members of the New York City Law Department, many of whom are NYLS alumni, to a special tribute honoring the inspirational leadership of the Law Department over so many years. The Law Department received this year’s Civic Fame Award, presented by Center for New York City and State Law.

                              See more photos of the event.

                              Student
                              Symposiums

                              NYLS student organizations planned and presented several symposiums for the student body and wider legal community over the course of the spring semester.

                              Intellectual Property Law Society and the Media Entertainment and Fashion Law Association event

                              On February 8, the Intellectual Property Law Society and the Media Entertainment and Fashion Law Association hosted its second annual symposium.

                              Legal Association of Women Annual Symposium

                              On February 29 and March 1, the Legal Association of Women hosted its annual symposium.

                              2024 NYLS Annual Sports Law Society Symposium

                              On April 4 and 5, the Sports Law Society hosted its annual symposium.

                              Center for New York City and State Law

                              New York Law School Launches the Center for New York City and State Law

                              Center for New York City and State Law

                              The Center for New York City Law, Building Upon a Legacy of Success and In-Depth New York City Coverage Over 30 Years, Will Get a New Name and Offer an Expanded Set of Programs Led by a Team of Experts on City and State Issues

                              Today, New York Law School Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell, along with Samuel Seabury Professor of Law Ross Sandler, announced that NYLS’s Center for New York City Law is now The Center for New York City and State Law. 

                              At a time of intense focus on the role of state governments, today’s change reflects the growing breadth of the Center’s extraordinary work, spanning more than 30 years, which has always understood the impact of State law on New York City. The Center’s new name signals its programmatic expansion, with plans for more reporting, analysis, and civic dialogue on the law, government, and public policy of both the City and the State. This expanded focus includes more attention to the impact State law has on the City’s laws, operations, and administration, as well as a full range of the complex intergovernmental dynamics between the state and all local governments more broadly.

                              Founded in 1994 by Professor Ross Sandler, the Center hosts the widely recognized CityLaw Breakfasts that have welcomed nearly 200 prominent guest speakers, and publishes CityLaw and CityLand, covering a range of important legal and policy matters. It also maintains CityAdmin, a vast repository of City administrative tribunal decisions, which is an invaluable transparency measure and public resource. The Center regularly sponsors government-related continuing legal education (CLE) annual programs, including the New York City Property Tax CLE, co-hosted by the New York City Tax Commission. The Center gives the prestigious Civic Fame Award recognizing distinction in public service. The Center is also the home of the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute. And, most recently, the Center began producing the widely recognized Max Politics podcast, which features in-depth interviews with New York newsmakers by veteran journalist Ben Max, the Center’s new Executive Editor and Program Director.

                              In recognition of Professor Sandler’s work over three decades, and his lifetime of public service, which included serving as Commissioner of the City’s Department of Transportation, and Special Advisor on Public Transportation to Mayor Edward I. Koch, Dean Crowell appointed Professor Sandler last month as the Samuel Seabury Professor of Law and Founding Director. Seabury, a graduate of the New York Law School Class of 1893, is one of the most storied and consequential public servants in New York State history. The Center for New York City and State Law will establish an annual Samuel Seabury Lecture focused on public integrity in honor of Professor Sandler and his wife Alice M. Sandler. In May 2024, Paul and Chandler Tagliabue and Arthur and Diane Abbey established the Ross Sandler and Alice M. Sandler Fellowship Fund to support current New York Law School students working in government.  

                              Dean Anthony W. Crowell, who served as Counselor to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for more than a decade, will serve as the new Center’s Faculty Director. In collaboration with Professor Sandler, Ben Max, and a growing team of experts, Dean Crowell will lead the Center in its new format, adopt a strategic plan with the Center’s expanded team and faculty colleagues across the School, and continue to co-teach the Center’s signature course, State and Local Government Law. As Founding Director, Professor Sandler will continue to host CityLaw Breakfasts, write scholarship and commentaries for the Center’s publications, and provide advice and guidance to the Center. As Executive Editor and Program Director, Ben Max will coordinate implementation of the strategic plan, lead publication content and program development, and manage the Center’s day-to-day operations.

                              Arthur N. Abbey ’59, Chair of the NYLS Board of Trustees said that “Professor Ross Sandler and the Center for New York City Law are part of New York Law School’s foundation. Professor Sandler’s appointment as the inaugural Seabury Professor of Law is a hard-earned and deserved recognition of his work, which will continue to benefit our school and our students. I am eager to see the Center for New York City and State Law expand its focus and serve as an important part of New York’s civic community.”

                              Charles Phillips ’93, NYLS Trustee and Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Recognize said, “New York Law School’s Center for New York City Law has long been a convening authority for informative discourse about public policy, civic engagement, legal trends, and economic development. Educators, practitioners, City leaders, and all New Yorkers benefit from the exchange of insights and ideas at the Center. The expanded Center for New York City and State Law will build on this legacy by driving broader and richer dialogue that will help shape the effectiveness of our government and the future of our City and State.”

                              Anthony W. Crowell, Dean and President, Professor of Law, and Center Faculty Director said “The Center for New York City Law for over thirty years has showcased New York Law School as a launching pad for public service legal careers, and a forum where lawyers and policy and civic leaders come together for substantive and meaningful dialogue. Professor Sandler is an extraordinary leader and tireless advocate for public service. I am proud and fortunate to call him a mentor and dear friend of more than 20 years, and to recognize his achievements as the inaugural Samuel Seabury Professor of Law and Founding Director. I look forward to working with Professor Sandler, Ben Max, and our expanded team to extend the Center’s coverage to State law and increasing its presence as an indispensable forum for engagement and commentary on the most pressing issues facing the State and City of New York and beyond.”

                              Ross Sandler, Samuel Seabury Professor of Law and Center Founding Director said “The Center for New York City Law and New York Law School have been my work for thirty years.  I am thrilled to see the Center grow and expand for new generations of law students and for those working in government. The Center’s central purpose has always been to respect government service and work to help those in government achieve their highest purposes. The new programs created by the Center for New York City and State Law will continue in that tradition.”

                              Ben Max, the Center’s Executive Editor and Program Director,said “It’s an exciting time as we build the next chapter of civic engagement at The Center for New York City and State Law, including more programming and a deeper focus on the enormous impact State law has on the City. Through events, written publications, and podcasts, we will continue to bring more voices into the civic dialogue, provide incisive commentary, and engage New Yorkers in closer examination of our government, policy-making, and laws. I am looking forward to building on the Center’s tremendous legacy, leading these new efforts with Dean Crowell, and working with our team at the Center.”

                              New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “For decades, the New York Law School Center for New York City Law has served as an important part of our civic community, educating future lawyers and providing a place for legal scholars, community leaders, and public servants to engage in meaningful and important dialogue. The Center’s new programs will bring so many important voices to the table to examine our government, policy, and laws and the overall relationship between the city and state. I look forward to working with the Center for New York City and State Law and the future leaders of our great state.”

                              Acting Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant of the New York City Law Department said,“Civic knowledge and education are at a perilous juncture today in the City, State and Country. Maintaining and expanding a civil, insightful dialogue remains critical to shore up the public’s confidence in government, belief in municipal service and trust in the justice system. There isn’t an institution better equipped than New York Law School to meet that challenge. Our office has long worked with – and recognized the expertise and dedication of — New York Law School. The Center has been at the forefront of enlightening the legal and broader community on the many nuances and complexities of New York City laws.  The addition of a state law component strategically and logically expands the Center’s brand and breadth. This change also builds upon New York Law School’s fine reputation as the pre-eminent law school for lawyers looking to enter government service.”

                              Focus on Elections and Redistricting

                              As a demonstration of the Center’s growing focus on State legal and policy matters, in 2019 it became home to the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute, a “first of its kind” program created by Professor Jeffrey M. Wice, a renowned expert in election and redistricting law. The Institute provides assistance throughout New York State and nationally on all aspects of the census and redistricting processes, and has been a unique and invaluable resource on New York State’s complicated election law. The Institute tracks relevant developments across the city, state, and country and reports on them in a weekly publication, N.Y. Elections, Census & Redistricting Update. The Institute has provided invaluable guidance and strategy suggestions to local governments throughout the state and is involved in the efforts to develop a more effective New York State congressional and state legislative redistricting process in response to the challenges that arose in the last cycle.

                              The Institute is also currently taking a leading role in educating New Yorkers about the New York State’s “John R. Lewis” Voting Rights Act, a new law expanding voting protections for minority communities which may require many county, city, and town governments to change their electoral systems from at-large to single-member districts.

                              Professor Wice, who is also a long-time counsel to the New York State Legislature and has assisted in all congressional and state legislative redistricting processes since the 1980 cycle, and previously served as Special Counsel to the Assembly Speaker said, “As New York continues to reform its election laws, make it easier to vote, and further protect minority voting rights with a new state voting rights act, I look forward to bringing New York Law School’s efforts into more and more communities across the state, helping local governments and citizen activists empower more voters. We are proud to have been able to have made an impact on the state’s recent redistricting process and look forward to helping make it even better before 2030 through our Institute’s work.”

                              Focus on Policing Accountability and Excellence

                              The School’s 21st Century Policing Project (P21) will now be housed within the Center for New York City and State Law, as well as within the Impact Center for Public Interest Law where it has been housed since its founding in 2021. P21 is led by Professor Kirk Burkhalter ’04, a professor of criminal law and retired NYPD first-grade detective. P21 develops strategies with law enforcement departments and municipalities around the country to implement police reforms and to improve the relationship between police departments and the diverse communities they serve. P21’s affiliation with the Center will create expanded synergies and opportunities for P21 and enhance the Center’s voice in matters concerning law enforcement locally and statewide.

                              New Programs Focused on Supporting Law Students and the Legal Profession

                              While continuing existing programs, the Center will offer an expanded programmatic line-up that will capitalize on its strengths and build new ones to attract and serve an even broader audience, including budget and policy briefing events. In doing so, the Center will increase its in-person events, social media presence, and online resources to serve its audience.

                              New programs will include convening general counsels from City and State agencies, partnering with associations of city and county attorneys for programming and technical assistance, and developing written explainers and offering essential commentary important City and State public policy matters. In addition, the Center, in partnership with the New York City Law Department, will host a New York Law School Law Review symposium in Fall 2025 focusing on the City’s Lawyers in Times of Crisis. Professor Stephen Louis, Distinguished Fellow in State and Local Government Law and Counsel to the Center, will spearhead many of these efforts.

                              Professor Stephen Louis, who previously served as Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel and Chief of the Division of Legal Counsel at the New York City Law Department, said “It is tremendously important that members of the general public, the legal and academic communities, and officers and employees of local and state government all have the trustworthy resources they need to navigate these challenging and complex times. By gathering and disseminating the vast knowledge and wisdom of experts and practitioners, the Center for New York City and State Law will be able to continue and expand upon its vital mission of providing thoughtful guidance on the issues New York City and New York State are confronting. In my years working as an attorney for New York City, I always took into account the closely intertwined relationship of New York State and New York City, so I am now excited to see this relationship explicitly recognized by New York Law School, as it expands and deepens its programming.”

                              A New Law and Leadership Institute

                              The Center will also be home to a new Law and Leadership Institute with programming for emerging public sector leaders and young professionals, especially students. The Institute incorporates NYLS’s current leadership training which was designed to teach the art of leadership through a variety of inter-related and interdependent lenses and is adding new and expanding programming to give students and young alumni broader opportunities to build their leadership skills inside and outside of law school. Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Matt Gewolb, former Legislative Director of the New York City Council, will co-lead the Law and Leadership Institute with Dean Crowell. The Law and Leadership Institute will host a growing group of Senior Fellows who will engage in a variety of ways from mentoring and teaching students, to writing scholarship and commentaries for Center publications, hosting programs, and working with faculty. Senior Fellows include:

                              • Judge Anthony Cannataro ’96 of the New York Court of Appeals. The Judge is a Distinguished Adjunct Professor and teaches New York State constitutional law at NYLS.
                              • Assembly Member Robert Carroll ’13 of the New York State Assembly, 44th District, in Brooklyn. The Assembly Member is an Adjunct Professor teaching Drafting: Legislation at NYLS.
                              • James Caras, former General Counsel of the New York City Council and an Adjunct Professor who teaches Drafting: Legislation at NYLS. He is a member of the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.
                              • Pei Pei Cheng de Castro ‘00, most recently Deputy Counsel to New York Governor Kathy Hochul ‘23 (Hon.). She is a Partner at Barclay Damon LLP, and has had a distinguished career in State government.
                              • Mark Chiusano, journalist and author of the books The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos, and Marine Park.
                              • Amy Loprest, former Executive Director of the New York City Campaign Finance Board.
                              • Grace Rauh, Executive Director of the 5 Boro Institute, a think tank co-located at NYLS. She is a former NY1 News on-air political reporter, guest host of “Inside City Hall,” and host of the “Off Topic/On Politics” podcast.
                              • Arvind Sohoni, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at the New York City Housing Authority.
                              • John Sweeney ’88, former Workers’ Compensation Division Chief at the New York City Law Department, and Of Counsel at Bond, Schoeneck & King; and
                              • Justice Carolyn Walker-Diallo ‘03 of the New York State Supreme Court, Kings County and the Administrative Judge of the New York City Civil Court. She is a Distinguished Adjunct Professor who teaches Drafting: Litigation at NYLS.

                              Matt Gewolb, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and former Legislative Director of the New York City Council, said“The Center for New York City and State Law will serve as an invaluable resource to the civic, legal, and policymaking community and provide exceptional learning and training opportunities for our students. The Law and Leadership Institute will prepare students for impactful careers in public service and allow them to learn from an extraordinary roster of Senior Fellows. I look forward to working with the entire Center team to guide the next generation of leaders in our profession.”

                              NYLS students affiliating with The Center for New York City and State Law will gain hands-on experience, build their leadership skills, and develop professional networks within City and State government. They will take advantage of a broad array of available courses, including State and Local Government Law, the Gotham Honors Specialized Externship Program, State and Local Tax Law, Land Use Law, Policing the Police, Legal Journalism: Reporting the City, Elections Redistricting and Voting Rights, Voting Rights and Redistricting: Reshaping American Democracy, and specialized externships in Labor and Employment Law and Tort Law with the New York City Law Department. Many of these students will benefit from the new Ross Sandler and Alice M. Sandler Fellowship Fund, which provides funding to current New York Law School students working for government. One third of New York Law School students graduate and take roles in public service, including state and federal clerkships. NYLS ranks #2 in the United States overall for public sector placement, just ahead of Georgetown University Law Center, according to a report released in December 2023 by the New York Law Journal.

                              In addition to the Center staff mentioned above, we would also like to acknowledge the invaluable contributions that Veronica Rose ’18, CityLand Editor, and Rose White, Center Coordinator, make each day to the Center’s vital mission.

                              New York Law School building

                              NYLS Earns Accolades in preLaw’s 2024 Back to School Issue

                              New York Law School building

                              As we welcome new and returning students back to campus, preLaw magazine is sharing news about top law schools and standout programs in their back-to-school feature. New York Law School is proud to be named as a top school in areas of technology law, child and family law, and human rights law.

                              A Tech Law Leader

                              preLaw magazine has recognized NYLS one of the top 20 schools in technology law. The magazine highlights recent successes of students in the Patent Law Clinic, who had the opportunity to work with inventors and innovators and help them obtain U.S. patents for their inventions. The annual Tribeca Cybersecurity Summit was also in the spotlight, demonstrating the School’s commitment to addressing contemporary legal concerns. Each year, NYLS’s Tricarico Institute for the Business of Law and In-House Counsel brings together in-house counsel and attorneys in private practice to learn about and engage on the pressing issues of defending organizations’ machines, systems, and networks from cyber harm, while also introducing NYLS students to these critical issues. 

                              NYLS professors also actively engage with new technologies, such as generative AI, and how to navigate the benefits and the challenges they present in the legal profession. Joseph Solomon Distinguished Professor Rebecca Roiphe is a member of the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, which examines the legal, social, and ethical impact of artificial intelligence. In addition, Professor Heidi K. Brown, Associate Dean for Upper Level Writing, teaches a new Legal Writing and GenAI course for students and offers additional workshops exploring generative AI technologies throughout the academic year as part of NYLS’s Center for Thinking, Researching, and Writing programming.

                              Through the School’s Innovation Center for Law and Technology, students benefit from unique programs and skills training that introduce them to a wide variety of career paths at the forefront of law and technology. The Innovation Center, led by Professor Shahrokh (Seve) Falati ’08 and Professor Michael Pastor, brings together practitioners, students, and scholars to create the future of legal practice. 

                              Family Law Excellence

                              Child and family law has long been an area of strength for NYLS. The magazine awarded the School an “A+” in the practice area, calling special attention to the Family Law Quarterly, which  is published in cooperation with the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association and provides students with the opportunity to engage in scholarly research and writing on a national level. 

                              Law students interested in specializing in this practice area can gain real-world experience and engage in a live-client setting through one of the School’s exceptional clinics, such as the Family Law Clinic or the Juvenile Rights Law Clinic. NYLS’s programming promotes greater access to justice, contributes to meaningful legal scholarship, and supports a pipeline of skilled, compassionate family law lawyers. Many of these opportunities for policy research and advocacy, individual client representation, and scholarship are offered through the Diane Abbey Law Institute for Children and Families, part of the School’s Wilf Impact Center for Public Interest Law. 

                              Human Rights Law Champions

                              Human rights law is another area where NYLS excels, and preLaw magazine gave the School an “A” grade. Students have many opportunities to engage directly with a range of human rights issues through NYLS clinics and programs such as the Asylum Clinic, where students work with refugees from around the world and recently obtained asylum grants for Afghan asylum seekers, or the Civil Rights and Disability Justice Clinic, which recently gained a significant legal victory challenging the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s policies regarding operations of their paratransit service. Law students can also gain practical experience through externships at international human rights organizations with the International Human Rights Field Placement and Seminar.

                              The School’s Center for International Law organizes lectures, panels, and student projects on current events in human rights law and international law that give students the chance to interact with practitioners in the field and human rights leaders. NYLS also regularly hosts important conferences addressing human rights issues such as the Annual Asylum and Immigration Law Conference, which partners with leading asylum and immigration to conduct trainings on best practices in the field and panels addressing current issues, and the Reclaiming Disability Justice Symposium, which brought together community members, advocates, and activists to discuss the origins and further the goals of disability justice.

                              New York Law School students walking toward auditorium

                              Welcoming the Classes of 2027 and 2028 at NYLS’s 2024 Orientation

                              New York Law School students walking toward auditorium

                              This August, New York Law School (NYLS) opened its doors to the Classes of 2027 and 2028 with a dynamic and comprehensive orientation designed to welcome, inspire, and prepare the newest members of the NYLS community. With 391 students—351 in the Day Division and 40 in the NYLS Pro Evening Division—this year’s incoming class represents a diverse tapestry of backgrounds and life experiences.

                              Incoming 1Ls hail from 28 states and five countries, including Barbados, Canada, China, and South Korea. 61 percent of new students identify as female, 37 percent as racially and/or ethnically diverse, and 17 percent as LGBTQ+. 25 percent of incoming students are the first in their families to attend college, and a majority (83 percent) are the first to attend law school.* This year’s incoming class is also the highest-credentialed 1L group in NYLS’s history.

                              The Classes of 2027 and 2028 also bring a wealth of experience, from working in law firms to competing as varsity athletes nationwide. Among them are multiple individuals with advanced degrees, several pastors, a benefits advisor for the U.S. Department of Labor, and a legislative director for a New York State Senator.

                              Orientation week kicked off with a warm welcome from Anthony W. Crowell, Dean and President of NYLS, and Ella Mae S. Estrada, Associate Dean and Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Financial Services, and Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

                              Ella Mae Estrada
                              Associate Dean Ella Mae S. Estrada welcomes the Classes of 2027 and 2028.

                              “This year’s incoming class brings an exceptional mix of talent, diversity, and energy to our community,” says Dean Crowell. “They’ve already shown a remarkable ability to connect and support one another, and I’m eager to see them thrive within the NYLS family.”

                              This year’s orientation featured a mix of thoughtfully crafted academic and social events, including sessions on professional development led by Erin Felker Bond ’08, Associate Dean for Academic Planning and Career Development, and Matt Gewolb, Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Institutional Strategy. By facilitating these workshops at orientation, the Office of Academic Planning and Career Development familiarizes new students with the comprehensive resources and support available to them throughout their time at NYLS and beyond. Thanks to the Office’s dedicated efforts, NYLS achieved a record overall employment rate of 95 percent for the Class of 2023, with 91 percent of graduates holding “gold standard” bar-required or J.D.-advantage positions.

                              Erin Bond speaking to students
                              Associate Dean Erin Felker Bond ’08 leads a professional development session.

                              Additionally, orientation programming included Foundations for the Study of Law (FSL) courses taught by various NYLS faculty. FSL introduces students to the processes of creating, interpreting, and applying laws, while helping them develop the study habits and skills essential for success in law school. Throughout the week, incoming 1Ls attended multiple FSL sessions, providing ample opportunities to connect with faculty, student organization leaders, and NYLS’s Student Ambassadors.

                              Later in the week, new students attended a panel on health, wellness, and mindfulness for law students, moderated by Professor Lynn Boepple Su, Dean for Advocacy and Co-Curricular Programs. The panel featured members of the student-run Organization for Healthy Minds, who offered incoming students 1L-year advice and insights on finding joy in the law school experience.

                              Among the wide-ranging list of programs was the interactive Foundations for Civic Leadership seminar, led by Dean Crowell along with Dean of Faculty William P. LaPiana. The seminar engages students in considering the intersections of law and civic engagement while emphasizing the importance of a strong civics education for law students to understand a lawyer’s role in upholding democracy.

                              Midway through orientation week was Community Days, a signature NYLS program that delves into the intersection of law, race, and society. The program was spearheaded by Professor Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, Director of the 21st Century Policing Project; Professor Ann F. Thomas, Otto L. Walter Distinguished Professor of Tax Law and Director of the Graduate Tax Program; Professor Su; and Paulina Davis, Senior Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The day’s events included a panel discussion on practicing law in a multicultural society with distinguished NYLS alumni—two of whom were Professor Burkhalter’s former classmates. The panelists took a moment to emphasize the strong bond that connects the NYLS community, with Professor Burkhalter telling students, “One day, your classmates will be introducing you.”

                              Community Day panel in auditorium
                              Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell and NYLS alumni take part in a Community Days panel discussion.

                              Incoming 1Ls in the NYLS Pro program met additional members of the alumni community during the NYLS Pro Student and Alumni Panel, where current and former students of the program shared their unique experiences as working professionals attending law school part-time. Their stories highlighted the flexibility and support that NYLS offers to students balancing their studies with professional and personal commitments.

                              Orientation concluded on a high note, as the incoming class gathered to toast the start of their legal journey. NYLS faculty and upper-level students also joined the celebration, embodying the vibrant and supportive community that the Classes of 2027 and 2028 have now officially joined.

                              *Incoming class statistics updated as of August 26, 2024.

                              View photos from NYLS’s 2024 Orientation.
                              See photo booth pictures.

                              New York Law School students eating lunch on terrace

                              Professor Ross Sandler Appointed as Inaugural Samuel Seabury Professor of Law

                              New York Law School Dean and President Anthony Crowell is proud to announce that Professor Ross Sandler, has been appointed as the inaugural Samuel Seabury Professor of Law. Professor Sandler has been an indispensable part of the New York Law School faculty and academic community for three decades. He has made New York Law School and the Center for New York City Law a high-profile and influential voice in New York’s civic, legal, political, and public integrity communities.

                              Recruiting Professor Sandler in 1993 from Jones Day where he was a partner, was for New York Law School, a coup that has benefited the school in countless ways. Professor Sandler’s establishment of the Center for New York City Law in 1994 was a consequential moment in our school’s history. The Center’s publications, CityLaw and CityLand, have become must reads for lawyers and professionals who work within and with city government. The Center has provided unmatched in-depth analysis of legal and policy activity that is vital to the development and functioning of the city, and which would otherwise have been largely out-of-view for the public The publications have also been essential learning opportunities for New York Law School students, many of whom have used the Center as a launching pad for successful careers in government at the local, state, and federal levels. 

                              The Center for New York City Law’s signature CityLaw Breakfasts have been a powerful civic forum and meeting place and have drawn the most important, high-level, and influential leaders to serve as keynote speakers. Speakers have included mayors, city commissioners from a wide selection of agencies, federal law enforcement leaders, citywide elected officials, state elected officials, and leaders from sectors that directly influence city government and its ability to serve New Yorkers.

                              Professor Sandler had an extraordinary career in government and legal practice. He served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he was chief of the Environmental Enforcement Unit and worked on the cutting edge of newly emerging environmental law. Later, in the mid-1970s, as senior staff attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, he and NYLS Trustee Professor of Law Emeritus David Schoenbrod headed the Urban Environmental Unit, winning a pivotal Clean Air Act case. Professor Sandler joined New York City’s government in 1981 when Mayor Edward I. Koch appointed him to the newly created position of Special Advisor to the Mayor for Public Transportation. In that position Professor Sandler’s environmental law experience helped revitalize the city’s mass transit system.

                              In 1986, at the height of the Parking Violations Bureau scandals, Mayor Edward I. Koch appointed Professor Sandler Commissioner of the Department of Transportation. As commissioner, Professor Sandler reorganized and restored integrity to the department, and established a program of maintenance and repair of the city’s bridges that is still in place today. 

                              Professor Sandler is the author of numerous publications on environmental law, transportation, and government issues. In 2003, Yale University Press released his book, Democracy by Decree: What Happens When Courts Run Government, written with Professor Schoenbrod. His book, Jumpstart: Torts: Reading and Understanding Tort Cases, was published by Wolters Kluwer in 2012. Most importantly, Professor Sandler’s leadership of the Center for New York City Law reinforced New York Law School’s own legacy of alumni and faculty shaping the city and state, from alumni like Samuel Seabury and the three mayors who were in its first classes, to the one third of the Class of 2023 who have entered government and public interest careers. Our reputation with government agencies as a pipeline into public service has been cemented thanks in large part to Professor Sandler’s work.

                              Professor Sandler has also been a civic leader outside of NYLS, including serving as President of the City Club of New York. The City Club, one of the oldest civic organizations in New York, had acted as a critical partner to Samuel Seabury’s efforts to reform New York City government. This history adds another connection between Samuel Seabury’s life and Professor Sandler’s work.

                              New York Law School is proud to establish this new Professorship in honor of Samuel Seabury, an 1893 graduate. Samuel Seabury is one of our earliest and most historically influential graduates known for his relentless fight in the first half of the 20th Century against deep-rooted corruption in New York City government and the judiciary. Among Seabury’s many distinguished and high-level roles, he served as President of the New York State Bar Association, judge on the New York State Court of Appeals, and Democratic Nominee for Governor in 1916. He was known as a progressive reformer in New York City, fighting against the corruption of Tammany Hall. In 1932 Seabury served as the legal counsel for the Hofstadter Committee, a joint state legislative initiative charged with investigating corruption in New York City. The committee exposed mass corruption throughout city government, eventually leading to the resignation of Mayor Jimmy Walker in 1932 (himself a member of the NYLS Class of 1904). Seabury has rightfully been held up as one of the earliest and most successful reformers who had a transforming effect on local government integrity.

                              Professor Sandler, as the Samuel Seabury Professor of Law, will continue to teach, serve as the Founding Director of the Center for New York City Law, continue to shape strategy for the Center, host the CityLaw Breakfasts, and write scholarship and commentaries in the Center’s publications. In honor of Professor Sandler and his wife Alice M. Sandler, the Center for New York City Law will establish an annual Samuel Seabury Lecture focused on public integrity. In May of 2024 Paul and Chandler Tagliabue and Arthur and Diane Abbey established the Ross Sandler and Alice M. Sandler Fellowship Fund to support current New York Law School students working for government. We are grateful for Professor Sandler’s leadership and congratulate him on this well-deserved appointment.