25 Years Later: NYLS Remembers and Reflects on September 11, 2001
Twenty-five years ago, the unimaginable happened just eight blocks from New York Law School (NYLS). Today, we honor the lives lost, the resilience of our community, and Lower Manhattan's remarkable recovery through a series of commemorative programs and events. The NYLS community experienced the September 11 attacks and their aftermath firsthand, and the Law School continues to reflect on its lasting impact on our institution and our city.
Today we also honor the members of our community who were 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 at the World Trade Center. Many others in the NYLS community lost family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors among the nearly 3,000 people killed that day. We continue to mourn these losses and honor their memories.
In the months leading up to the 25th anniversary of 9/11, NYLS staff created a commemorative display reflecting on the Law School's unique experience as an institution located so close to the World Trade Center. The display draws on Eight Blocks Away: Memoirs of September 11, 2001, which captures firsthand accounts from members of the NYLS community, and features perspectives captured through student newspapers, photographs, artwork, and other artifacts. It also recognizes the many people, including first responders and others who stepped forward in the hours and days that followed, who responded with extraordinary courage and service. Students, faculty, and alumni all contributed to recovery efforts, while the Law School itself became part of Tribeca’s renewal. In 2009, NYLS opened its new campus at 185 West Broadway, the first major law school building project completed in Lower Manhattan after September 11.
“Lower Manhattan, and Tribeca in particular, felt like they had been changed forever. But thanks to the extraordinary grit and resilience of the people here —including our law school community—we have worked to rebuild, reshape, and revitalize this area. Lower Manhattan is thriving in ways that once seemed unimaginable. But there are still significant challenges and much important work ahead of us.”
– Dean Crowell
On the afternoon of September 8, the Office of the Dean hosted “After 9/11: A Retrospective on Legal Advocacy and Community Action,” a panel examining the legal, civil rights, immigration, and community organizing challenges that emerged in the aftermath of the attacks. The conversation was moderated by Distinguished Adjunct Professor Asim Rehman, and featured Fahd Ahmed, Executive Director of Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM); Omar Farah, Executive Director of Muslim Advocates; and Nermeen Arastu, Co-Director of the Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic at CUNY School of Law. Together, the panelists reflected on the experiences of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities, the effects of government surveillance and immigration enforcement, and the role of lawyers, advocates, and grassroots organizers in defending civil rights and strengthening communities in the years after 9/11.
Also on September 8, the New York City Bar Association released a special episode of its 44th Street Podcast, featuring Dean Crowell and others discussing the unprecedented pro bono legal response that followed the September 11 attacks and lawyers’ roles in assisting impacted families and communities.
Speakers at the "After 9/11: A Retrospective on Legal Advocacy and Community Action" panel.
New York City Bar Association podcast episode on the legal response to 9/11.
On September 10, NYLS hosted “25 Years Later: Remembrance, Resilience, and the Future of Lower Manhattan,” bringing together leaders who helped guide Lower Manhattan's recovery and renewal. Moderated by Jon Knipe, former Chief Legal Officer of Silverstein Properties, the panel featured James Whelan, President of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY); Carol Kellermann, former Executive Director of the September 11th Fund; Christopher Ward, former Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Nancy Lefkowitz, Executive Vice President of Tribeca Enterprises; and Dean Crowell. Drawing on their personal and professional experiences, the panelists discussed the public-private partnerships, philanthropic initiatives, and city-wide collaboration that allowed Lower Manhattan to recover and the World Trade Center to be memorialized. Also in attendance was Charles Maikish ’74, a key figure in the rebuilding and recovery process after September 11.
Speakers at the “25 Years Later: Remembrance, Resilience, and the Future of Lower Manhattan” program.
Commemorative display for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 honoring the NYLS community's experiences in the aftermath.
Later that evening, NYLS hosted a community gathering that brought together alumni, faculty, and staff for reflection and remembrance. The program featured reflections from Arminda Bepko ’04 as well as a conversation between William P. LaPiana, Dean of Faculty and Rita and Joseph Solomon Professor of Law, and Susan L. Harper ’02 and Ninowtzka Mier-Soika ’02 about the power of narrative and the work of the student newspaper. Dean Crowell interviewed Charles Maikish ’74, Senior Executive in charge of the World Trade Center for many years and then Executive Director of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center after 9/11. Maikish’s new book, Manage the Moment, was the topic of conversation. Together, they all shared memories of September 11 and considered the lessons the NYLS community carries forward 25 years later.
Dean Crowell and Charles Maikish ’74 at the NYLS community gathering for the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
William P. LaPiana, Susan L. Harper ’02, and Ninowtzka Mier-Soika ’02 at the NYLS community gathering for the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
As we mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, we remember the members of the NYLS community who were lost, honor those who helped their neighbors and city in the days that followed, and reflect on the lasting impact of that day. Through remembrance, conversation, and shared reflection, we continue to preserve these stories and their place in the history of NYLS and Lower Manhattan.